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Chapter 22

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Universal Creation

Lyden collapsed back onto the plush bed, feeling more alive than he had in years. Thanks to Angela’s magic turning back his internal clock and making him younger, he wasn’t even out of breath after…

“Your abilities as a generator seemed to have gained some strength as well as your libido,” Gaia sighed next to him. “I’ll have to make sure and thank the Pillar of Fire for that.”

“My libido, or your magic forcing me?” Lyden demanded, acid entering his tone. “You know I hate when you do that.” Gaia was great in the sack, but he didn’t love her. After the Chaos War, he’d done his best to stick with only the women he loved. It wasn’t just to protect the fact that he still had some of his abilities as a generator, but to show that he respected his wives.

“I know,” Gaia chuckled. She didn’t bother covering up her naked body, and her dark supple breasts jiggled with the movement. “But do you have any idea how hard it is to maintain this world with three new Pillars? I need the strength you give me, and I at least try to give as well as I get.”

“You could have at least let us participate,” Brooke growled from where she sat frozen in a chair.

“Maybe twenty years ago, when he was at full strength,” Gaia shook her head. “The strength he just gave me is already getting used up. Any chance I can keep him here? I promise not to always be selfish. Just once a day to myself, and you can have him the rest of the time. You have no idea how much easier it is to support this world after a little Lyden infusion.” As if there was any doubt to her meaning, she reached between her spread legs and scooped some of his leaking cum out. Bringing the hand to her thick lips, she licked them clean.

“Don’t talk about my future as though it weren’t my choice,” Lyden snapped and got up from the bed. He reached for his clothes, but stopped. It wasn’t his decision to stop, but his body refused to move under his own will.

“Your future is not your choice to make, Lyden Snow,” Gaia’s voice dropped into levels as cold as his last name. “You live because I allow you to live. It has ever been that way, for you. Why do you think I allowed you to live twenty years ago? Fujin was already dead the first time we met, and the power I took from you at that meeting lasted for months. Even when Angela took over after TanaVesta’s death, you were strong enough to supply me with power so that I wasn’t too stressed. Now that Varun is dead, it’s all I can do to support this world.”

“What about the Pillars of Light and Darkness?” Sheila demanded from her spot next to Brooke. She’d handled being frozen easier than Brooke, but Lyden could tell from the way the wrinkles at the corners of her eyes creased that she was losing her patience. “Aren’t they doing anything?”

“Their mere existence is doing more than the other three new Pillars,” Gaia scoffed, “but they have hardly ever put in the effort that I have. Darkness has always enjoyed a bit of chaos, and no one has seen or heard from the Pillar of Light in over a century. Light’s minions have continued on with Her works in her name, but she has distanced herself from either reality.”

“Her?” Lyden asked. “I thought God was a man.”

“Of course you did,” Gaia scoffed, her voice growing condescending. “Men fuck things up. Women create. It was your Christianity that convinced the world that God was a man. I think it’s part of the reason she turned her back on everything, and has remained silent for so long.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a woman. Can’t let a grudge go.” Lyden knew his words and tone were a poor choice, but he didn’t like the way he was being treated. He didn’t like Mother Nature making him so horny that he jumped the first woman available. He didn’t like the way she made Brooke and Sheila watch as he lost all control. At least Bridget and her boyfriend were outside the room so they didn’t have to watch the debauchery.

As if to prove his point though, Gaia stood and walked away from him, robes made of weaved grass forming and flowing over her ebony body. He found himself able to move again as soon as she left the room.

“Did you have to intentionally provoke her?” Brooke asked. She was bent over, rubbing feeling back into her legs. “While I appreciate that you didn’t completely forget about us while making her squeal; pissing her off right after making her climax isn’t a great idea.”

“I think he lost some of his wisdom when Angela made him young again,” Sheila said. Lyden had talked to her about convincing Angela to do the same for her, but she’d refused. Sometimes, though, her comments made him think she was jealous of his re-found youth.

That was another thing that rankled him. He’d forgotten the type of energy he had when he was younger, and the absence of so many pains that he’d simply gotten used to was a shock as well. He was more awake, more agile, and as Gaia had proved a few minutes ago, more virile.

“If you’re quite done in here, my mistress would like to talk to you out here,” Alloria’s haughty voice filtered in. She looked just as young and stunningly beautiful as the first time he’d seen her. Unfortunately, the coldness in her eyes and attitude towards all men was still the same as well. He watched as the last remaining elf turned to the women in the room, and her face softened. They had survived the chaos war together, and while Alloria may hate Lyden on the simple principle that he was a man, she was friends with all of Lyden’s women, except perhaps Angela.

“I’ll be right out,” he said, though the women were too busy hugging one another to listen to him. Utterly ignored, Lyden pulled on his shoes, and headed from the room.

The anteroom was round and lined with couches in a curved ‘U’ shape with a small opening at the bottom of the ‘U’ for the entryway. A large table filled the center with various foods, snacks, and drinks. One wall was completely missing, opening to the elements, high up in Gaia’s mountain home. In front of that open expanse, sat a dais with Gaia seated upon it like a queen.

“Hey, Dad!” Oberon waved and fluttered up to his face.

Lyden tried not to grind his teeth at the fairy king. “Dad?” he asked back, an edge to his voice that asked many questions all at once. He didn’t like the tiny man, and didn’t like that his child with Brooke was dating him. Bridget or Brock could do so much better, even if the pipsqueak was the ruler of all fairy kind.

“You promised you wouldn’t tell him until the time was right,” Bridget complained.

“After what we heard going on in that room, Toots, how could this not be the right time?” Oberon zipped back to his girl’s side. “Any man is happy after getting his rocks off.”

“Do you have to call her Toots,” Lyden demanded. His mood was going from foul, to dangerous.

“Better than what I call her when we’re alone,” Oberon cackled. “Am I right, old man? You know what I’m talking about!” Oberon winked at Lyden as though sharing a poorly kept secret.

“Oberon!” Bridget snapped, her cheeks turning crimson, and the little man sobered up.

“I’m sorry, my love. My honey. My sweet, sweet, fiancée,” Oberon’s voice rose in pitch as he wheedled to his girlfriend. “I’m just so filled with love and devotion that it’s hard to keep it all inside. I’ve been doing better on my language, though, right?”

“Fiancée?” Lyden screamed in outrage.

“Fiancée!” Brooke echoed, but with joy in her dulcet voice.

“Like hell I’m going to let you two get married,” Lyden stepped towards the couple, ready to let them know how stupid they were being. “You’ve barely been together for very long. You don’t know what you’re getting into! And if you think—”

Brooke’s hand on his shoulder stopped his tirade before he could build to full steam.

Bridget shimmered in her mechanical legs and Brock took her place. “I do think, Dad, and it’s not your decision to make. We love each other. He accepts me for who I am, both sides of me. He treats me well, despite what you might think. Can’t you be happy for us?”

Lyden opened his mouth to argue back, but saw this was a battle he was going to lose. He hadn’t lost his wisdom, no matter what Sheila might think of him. Oberon could support them, and since Brock was now mobile with his mechanical legs, he didn’t require the amount of care he once did. Oberon was powerful magically as well, and Brock had proven he was capable of handling himself. Setting all that aside, he could see how Oberon doted on his child, and there could be no doubt that he loved Brock and Bridget both.

Was he jealous because he no longer had the love of his fairy? He didn’t think so. If Sheldon and Shelly were successful, he would be reunited with Areth soon. It still bothered him that he was sent here to help stop Jessica, instead of going to return Areth from her statue prison.

“I’m so happy for you two,” Sheila betrayed Lyden and went to the happy couple. “Have you thought about what you’ll name the kids?”

“Kids?!” Brock squeaked and changed back into Bridget. “I’m not sure if we can even have kids!”

“You can,” Gaia broke in, “but you’ll have to stay as a female during the entire pregnancy. Switch, and you’ll kill any unborn child. I know you have a lot to talk about right now, but time is growing short, and after our conversation a bit ago, Lyden, I realize I need to inform you of how reality—as you know it—came to be.”

“Is now really the time?” Lyden turned to the woman, upset at her intrusion. This was a family affair and didn’t involve her. While he was happy that his child had a significant other—even if that significant other was a tiny, obnoxious, foul-mouthed, pipsqueak, immature fairy king—he worried about how that love came to be. What if Gloria’s spell wore off? Worse, what if she came back, and reversed it? He didn’t want to see his child devastated by that kind of torment.

“No, but there isn’t enough time before… before other events occur, stopping me from telling you.” Gaia’s stern gaze met his for a few seconds before he finally nodded. If she was that adamant, it had to be important. “You need to understand how the universe was created, in order to understand the type of enemy you’re up against.”

“Jessica has something to do with the creation of the world?” Sheila asked.

“No, the creature that resides within her is part Outsider,” Gaia answered. “Jessica is not fully at fault for what she does, as she has a portion of an Outsider residing inside her.”

“I’ve been up against Outsiders before,” Lyden said. “You didn’t tell me this information then. Why is it so important now?”

“Because then, I didn’t trust you.” Gaia’s blunt response set Lyden back. She hadn’t trusted him? She gave him use of her adamantium. Helped him at every opportunity. Even helped him replace two other Pillars, and she hadn’t trusted him?

She must have seen something in his eyes, because she shook her head with a bit of regret. “You know that Generators were outlawed by the Pillars because of the great power they could wield. A generator gathers followers that are completely and utterly loyal to them. Not only could they generate power on their own, magnifying what was given to them by others, but it was too easy for that power to go to their heads. Add to that, that generators are one of the few creatures that can kill a First, and is there any wonder why I didn’t trust you?”

“But you do now?” This time it was Brooke who spoke.

“I’m afraid I’ve been sampling a little too much of your husband,” Gaia said, her voice stuffed to the brim with remorse. “After the chaos war, I stayed away from him, even though I suspected he might still be a bit of a generator. If he was, it was my duty to kill him, even though it was me, and my life-milk that ensured he lived through his final battle with the Outsiders. It’s another reason why I waited six months before reviving him. Even then, I was attached to him, despite having been with him so little. I convinced myself that it was for the best that I stay away.”

“What changed?” Sheila asked.

“She needed more strength,” Lyden supplied, already having worked it out. “The strain of supporting this world with three new Pillars was becoming too much, and so you seduced me. You already suspected that I still had some of my powers, and hoped you were right. But this time, you couldn’t kill me, because once again, you need me. I’m a tool to you, to be used.”

He watched as his words hurt her, but he didn’t care. He was tired of being used. He was tired of being forced into actions he didn’t want to perform on his own. He was tired of the deceit, the secrecy, and everything else that surrounded him.

“You’re in love with him,” Brooke spoke up when Gaia and Lyden only stared at each other. Gaia’s eyes brimmed with unshed tears, while Lyden’s held contempt. “You’ve been with him too many times, and even though it was against his will, you’re now one of his loyal followers.”

“I don’t think this is a conversation I want to be a part of,” Bridget interrupted, and tried to walk her mechanical legs out.

“But this is so entertaining, Love Muffin,” Oberon objected.

“You’re staying,” Gaia’s words held absolute command, despite the anguish on her face. Neither one left; Oberon sitting on Bridget’s shoulder.

“There’s something I’ve always wondered,” Lyden spoke again, working hard to keep his voice calm, despite his growing anger inside. “TanaVesta raped me many times while I was her prisoner. Many more times than we’ve been together, yet she never fell for me. I always assumed it was because she was a Pillar, or because it was against my will. While you aren’t violent, like the previous Pillar of Fire, it wasn’t of my complete choosing every time. Why didn’t she become loyal to me?”

“You make us sound like mindless drones,” Sheila grumbled.

“Silent, Slave,” he turned and commanded her. He allowed a small grin to turn the corners of his lips to show he was partly trying to lighten the mood. The way she dropped to her knees and bowed to him made him worry. He knew his women weren’t mindless slaves, or drones. They had acted numerous times on their own, and sometimes against his wishes. He also never doubted their love… Except for maybe Angela, but that was a mess he didn’t want to consider. After a second, Sheila turned her face up to him, and gave him a look that told him he would experience some of her free will later.

Gaia watched the whole exchange before speaking, her voice becoming emotionless, though her brown eyes told another story. “I believe in some way she did care for you, Lyden. With her power, there are thousands of ways she could have killed you. Yet, every time she sent an assassin it was something you could defeat. There was always a way for you to escape. She had no choice, because the Outsider forced her to try to kill you, but she always failed. Even at the end. Had she used her full power while you fought her in her home, you would have been incinerated instantly. She allowed you to finish her off, rather than kill you.”

Lyden found himself sitting down, stunned. He was never proud about killing another creature, except perhaps the Outsiders—but to find out that one of his greatest victories was false…. Or perhaps not false, but not as great as he’d thought, made him question everything else. Could he have convinced her to work with them, instead of against him? Could she have become a powerful ally, instead of the monster she’d become? He didn’t have the answers to those questions, and didn’t know if he wanted them.

“Then why couldn’t Varun kill me so easily?” Lyden’s voice cracked as he spoke. “Surely he was just as powerful, and I’d entered his domain many times.”

“Varun was half mad from the torture TanaVesta gave him,” Brooke supplied. “I don’t think he was ever sane again after that.”

Lyden looked from Brooke, to Sheila, and finally back to Gaia. Despite all his woes, battles, and hard-won victories—false or otherwise—he’d led a charmed life. Who was he to complain that he was mistreated because of his powers?

“You need my strength as a generator to keep functioning, correct?” Lyden asked after giving it some thought. He waited for Gaia to give a hesitant nod before continuing. “Why don’t the other two original pillars?”

Gaia seemed to consider his question for a long time. Just when Lyden decided that she wasn’t going to answer, she spoke. “The Pillar of Darkness has managed to find another source of strength that is not my place to tell you about. As for the Pillar of Light…. Well, you’d better let me tell you about how the universe was created. Our time is short, so stop interrupting.”

Lyden grimaced, but waved his hand for her to continue.

“This reality—both of our worlds and the universe the worlds exist in—didn’t exist in the beginning,” Gaia began. “Chaos was everything. There aren’t words that can explain what that means. Even the word chaos is inaccurate, as it gives an ordered set of letters to a term that refers to something completely without order. Up isn’t just down in chaos, it’s also the letter H, and Tuesday, and the smell of bread, and everything all at once, while somehow remaining absolutely nothing. Chaos cannot be defined, because the second it is, it’s no longer chaos.

“We call them Outsiders now, but I, and every other First, was once one of them. We existed in that chaos, without a proper thought, or existence, and yet we thought and we existed. The only thing that didn’t exist in all of chaos was order. Order was anathema to everything that we were. Just as you can’t properly conceive of what true chaos is, we couldn’t conceive order.

“Until one of us created order by accident.” Gaia’s eyes turned far away as she spoke. Her voice carried a note of nostalgia that made Lyden want to shiver. When she continued, the sadness in her voice was one of remembered pain, and longing long since forgotten. “It was short lived, and faded back into chaos. The one that had created it was stunned. It had hurt, a novel experience in itself, but it also became fascinated with the idea. It tried to make order again, but failed. Time has no meaning there, but the creature tried and tried again, without success. Despite this, many of us watched this one creature try and try again. We’d sensed its creation of order, and were also intrigued. Well, intrigued isn’t the right word, but I’m not going to attempt to explain chaos again. That’s the closest word I can use to describe what we felt.

“The problem was chaos’s nature. Every time the creature tried to make order, it did something different. It wasn’t until it came upon the idea of doing the exact same thing as it had before, that it succeeded.”

“Wait,” Bridget cut in, “why didn’t it do that to begin with? Why keep trying something other than what had been successful the first time?”

“Because chaos can’t work that way, dear,” Brooke said, trying to hush her. “It wouldn’t have made sense to a creature of chaos to act in anything other than a chaotic manner.”

Gaia glared at them, but nodded. “The mere act of doing the same thing as before was order, and because this time it was deliberate, the spark of order was much greater. Your scientists call this the big bang. Order grew at such a fast rate, that it swallowed all that watched. I can’t describe to you the pain and agony that we suffered for millennia, while we became accustomed to our new reality.

“As sanity—another creation of order—found its way into us, some of us banded together. We were the Firsts. We gained sanity faster than others. We joined together and created what you now call the Milky Way Galaxy and your solar system. As others that were swallowed up learned to cope with order, they created their own galaxies and worlds.”

“So, aliens really do exist,” Lyden spoke before he could think better of it. Gaia glared at him, but he noted that her glare wasn’t as strong as it had been for Bridget. He ignored her look, and continued on, instead. “You said that order caused them pain. I remember hearing that before the Chaos War as well. That’s why those that remain out there want to destroy our reality.”

“Yes,” Gaia nodded. “Basically, we live in a growing bubble of order, floating within an infinitely larger sea of chaos. They want to pop our bubble.”

Something in her statement made Oberon chuckle, but every ignored him.

“Who was the first First?” Sheila asked. She’d regained her feet during the lesson, and had come to sit next to Lyden. “I mean, who was the one that created the spark of order?”

“You know her as the Pillar of Light,” Gaia replied. “Something about the fact that she created everything makes her able to support this world without the need of a generator of her own.”

“But she needs the other Pillars in order to keep this world?” Lyden asked, not sure on that point.

“If one more original Pillar falls, even if someone were to take their place immediately, then this world would crumble, and return to your world. It may even be enough to cause order to collapse in on itself, and start a chain reaction that would return everything to chaos. If that happens, everything you know, and everyone in existence would vanish.”

“What would happen to the remaining Firsts?” Brooke asked.

“We’ve been here too long,” Gaia shook her head. “Our minds have become too ordered. Even if we were to survive the transition, the other creatures of chaos would destroy us because we represent order.”

Lyden sat, taking all of that in. It was weird to get the story of the creation of the universe from someone who had actually lived through it. He didn’t know what to make of it all, but it put into perspective what they were trying to protect.

“Now you know what you’re up against,” Gaia said, as though reading his thoughts. “And I hope you can forgive me for doing what I had to, in order to support this world.”

Lyden felt his anger rise up again. “You could have at least asked me,” he snapped at her.

“And you would have denied me in order to protect your secret,” Gaia replied, the hurt returning to her eyes.

“True,” he admitted, “but it would have been easier to forgive you, now that I know the truth.”

“You can forgive me?” she asked, hope blossoming across her face.

“That depends,” he told her, intentionally stomping on that hope. “If you ask next time, I might try. Force me again, and I will never forgive you.”

He watched her mouth the words, “Next time,” and grimaced at his choice of words. He understood that there would need to be a next time in order to keep her strength up. While he couldn’t deny that having sex with Mother Earth was quite pleasurable, he didn’t appreciate being used as a tool.

“How is it, Master,” Sheila asked next to him, “that you are able to wrap every woman in your life around your finger? It has to be more than you just being a Generator.”

Instead of giving her an answer, he leaned over and kissed her lightly on the lips. She pulled him tighter into the kiss, and he felt her teeth before she released him. Yeah, she was going to make him pay for his command earlier. Chances were that he was going to enjoy that as well.

“Sorry to interrupt,” a new voice broke into the room, “and I’m truly sorry to have to do this, Gaia.”

Everyone turned to see Gloria stride in, sword in one hand and a golden girdle around her waist. She was in full Aphrodite battle mode. Lyden jumped to his feet, uncertain what was going on.

“I understand this isn’t by your choice,” Gaia replied in somber tones. “And I’ve been expecting you. You’re right on time.”

“I always thought of you as a friend,” Gloria said as tears streamed down her cheeks. Before anyone could respond or react, Gloria leapt forward, sword glimmering in the light to kill the Pillar of Earth.

* * * *

Shelly ran to her brother as he dropped to his knees. She had to shove the redhead away from him. His scream was one filled with the deepest, darkest agony. She was sure that he would recover any minute as his body returned to its permanent state.

Hunched over, Sheldon screamed his throat raw, and then continued to scream some more. The only breaks were when he had to suck in breath, before the screaming continued.

“What did you do to him?” Shelly screamed at the Pillar of Darkness. The tall man had a small grin creasing his lips, but didn’t answer.

“What needed to be done,” Lysa responded, floating over to the siblings. She ran her hand over Sheldon’s head, and he quieted, going limp in Shelly’s arms.

Fearing he was dead, Shelly felt at his neck and sighed with relief. He had a pulse, slow but strong.

“What do you mean, what had to be done,” she demanded of her half-sister. “I thought we needed to get something to return Areth to her natural form.”

“You have,” Lucifer chuckled, his voice rich and smooth with satisfaction. “I have given him a paradox. The only reason he lives is because of Areth’s blessing upon him. If any normal mortal were to receive my blessing, a paradox in itself, they would be consumed within moments.”

“How does that help?” Shelly failed to keep any semblance of calm in her voice. “You’re killing him!”

“No, Shelly, he isn’t,” Lysa tried to soothe her.

“And you!” Shelly spat at the Pillar of Air. “You knew this would happen? He’s your family! How could you?”

“Shelly,” Sonia appeared at her shoulder, her voice calm. “Listen to Lysa.”

“Don’t tell me what to do!” she spat at the android. She saw that Shlee and Mandy were hovering close by, either supporting Megan, or holding her back. She focused on the new woman. She recognized her as the woman yelling for her brother’s attention outside the hospital after the White House blew up. Apparently, she found Sheldon, and if Lysa was to be believed, the Pillar of Air had set that meeting up. But other than that, who was she? She’d seemed disgusted when Shelly revealed that she’d had sex with her own brother, and yet challenged Sheldon to screw her and take her virginity.

“Did you do something to him?” Shelly demanded. “You were the only one near him when he started screaming. Lysa said she helped you get here. You’re working with them to hurt my brother!”

“What?” Megan asked, shocked. “No! I—”

“Shelly, knock it off, right now,” Lysa yelled at her.

Why was everyone yelling at her? Her brother was hurt, if not dying from what the devil or the evil redhead did to him, and they were yelling at her?

“Shelly….” Sonia’s hands landed lightly on her shoulder. Her body reacted against her control, turning to the android and letting go of her brother. Tears streamed from her eyes as she buried her face in the woman’s bosom. “Shelly.” Sonia repeated and hugged her close.

“Jeeze, she really loves him, huh?” Megan’s voice said over Shelly’s sobs.

“Not in that way,” Mandy said, an edge to her tone. “No matter what they were forced to do against their will, they’re siblings, only.”

“I was never close like that with my brother,” Megan went on. “At least, not before he was killed overseas.”

“I think what was revealed would be best kept amongst us,” Shlee said. “Ambassador Snow is a good man, and I don’t think he needs to know about what his wife and children did while being controlled by Jessica.”

“That would be a great idea,” Lucifer chuckled darkly, and Shelly pulled back to look at him. She felt ashamed for her weakness in crying in front of everyone, but couldn’t bring herself to pull away from Sonia. Her emotions were a wreck, and the robot was her only stability. “But there’s one problem. You see, we’re surrounded by a fairly large group of very angry vampires and their allies.”

“Let them have me,” Shlee said, her voice sad but firm. “While they tear me apart, the rest of you can get away.”

“Bloody, fucking shit!” Lucifer swore. “I’ve never met a group of people more willing to sacrifice themselves to protect each other. You make me sick! Get out of my sight!” He flung his arm out and darkness swallowed them all.

Shelly felt something behind her stomach twist as panic set in. There was no way they could stand up to a group of vampires and their allies. Especially not in their own domain: the darkness. Or in their current level of readiness. Before she had a chance to scream out, or do anything, she was blinded by a brilliant light.

She closed her eyes, but the light was still painful. She didn’t know who brought the luminance into the Pillar of Darkness’s domain, but hopefully it would hold their death back a little longer.

“Where are we?” Sonia said, still holding her. “I hate not having any GPS in this world.”

Shelly felt ill. She didn’t know how, but she knew things were worse. She accepted her fate. Guilt welled up in her for all that she’d said and done, and she knew she deserved to die here.

“I don’t think…” Mandy started to speak. She sounded just as sad and defeated as Shelly felt.

“I think I’m going to be sick,” Shlee spoke up right afterwards.

“At least we can see,” Megan piped up. Her voice grated on Shelly’s ears. It sounded too cheerful. Held too much hope.

Shelly peeped through a crack in her eyelids and found the light tolerable. It was still bright, but she could make out her surroundings if she squinted a little bit. With a groan, she realized where they were. The world around them looked washed out. There was color, but it was muted, as though anything pastel or that wasn’t white would offend the being that ruled this area. It also explained why she felt the way she did.

“We’re in the Pillar of Light’s demesne,” Mandy spoke up before Shelly could. “What we’re feeling is guilt for every sin we’ve committed.”

“I feel fine,” Megan said, her voice sounding too loud. She needed to be more reverent in this place. Couldn’t she sense that?

“You just fucked another woman’s man, outside of wedlock, and with an audience,” Shlee murmured. “How do you not feel bad about that?”

Megan seemed to consider that for a moment. “Well, I didn’t really have a choice, did I?” She shook her head. “And I did it to help someone else out.” She paused and her eyes grew large as she stared between Sheldon on the ground and Shelly in Sonia’s arms. “Oh, I get it! You didn’t have a choice when you two did it either! I’m sorry I was so rude and mean to you about that. I still think it’s disgusting, but since you weren’t in control, I guess I can get past it.”

Shelly stared at the woman, shocked. She shouldn’t feel bad about having sex with her brother? Megan could get past it? Who did this woman think she was?

Except that Shelly didn’t feel guilty about that. Five minutes ago she had, but now she didn’t. She felt overwhelming guilt for abandoning her brother as she tried to go after Jessica and ending up captured by the Myrmidon. She felt guilty about all the times she thought of her brother as foolish, but she didn’t feel anything about how much she’d enjoyed the feeling of his massive cock plumbing her insides. What was wrong with her? In the one place where guilt could be considered a physical force, the domain of Light, she should be on her knees weeping with guilt for the incestuous act.

“I can’t believe you, Megan,” Mandy spoke up, shock in her voice. “I tried to support you, even though you were chasing after my man, but to see the way you treat his sister, makes me sick.”

“What did I do to her?” Megan asked, upset. “I thought I was apologizing for the way I treated her.”

“It’s the way you’re being so condescending,” Shlee replied for the other woman. By the shadows under her eyes, she was suffering from terrible guilt, but Shelly didn’t know what the werewolf geek would have done to deserve it.

“Sorry to break into this conversation,” a male voice asked, “but can you tell me why there is an army of vampires sitting on our border?”

Shelly looked up at an image of pure beauty. His hair was golden bright, his eyes blue, and his features chiseled by the hand of God himself. Marchosias was a man of true beauty in a dark way, but this new stranger was gorgeous because of his light. Or in spite of it. He even shined a golden brilliance all his own, brighter than that of her brother. He floated a few feet off the ground, feathered white wings flapping with a lazy elegance, as though he didn’t need them to stay afloat, but enjoyed the cool air they wafted around him.

“That’s….” Shlee tried to speak, but she closed off with a sob. She dropped to her knees, and hunched over, shaking as tears streamed from her eyes.

Mandy moved to her side, trying to comfort her.

“They’re pissed off because their ruse to destroy the werewolves failed,” Megan said, her voice confident, and still not registering any remorse. “One of them tricked Shlee into falling in love with him, and then tried to kill her when she confessed that she was forced to fall in love with Eldon.”

The angel turned to face the redhead, a curious look crossing his face. “You are not without sin, yet you stand before me unfazed. What is your name, child?”

“Megan Raquel Myers,” the girl said, and it tripped something in Shelly’s mind.

“You’re the girl that was stalking my brother when I got released from the hospital!” Shelly said, accusing her. “Who are you?” Who was this woman that chased Sheldon into the Shadow World, and ended up screwing him before the Pillar of Darkness? And why didn’t she feel any guilt for her sins? “What are you?” She added as she glanced at Sonia. Even the android was feeling the effects of this place, if her shaking was any indication. Was Megan an assassin robot, as Sonia had been before? Is that why she was unaffected?

“Your father was a stalwart man,” the angel spoke, ignoring Shelly’s internal concerns. “It seems he raised you to be strong. Your brother is in heaven with him. I see from your thoughts that the Father of Lies has worried you about their fate.” The angel turned his formidable and enchanting gaze on Shelly. “No, she is no assassin, Shelly Lance. She is flawed, like any human, but she looks at the world through innocent eyes, though a different innocence than your newly souled companion. Sometimes the most innocent are the wisest. She knows that her actions moments ago were not entirely of her choosing. Lucifer could not stand to touch her long, but I can see from your thoughts that he managed to kiss her, and so cast a geis upon her. Her personality was augmented, and she forced your brother to dominate her.”

“But… but….” Shelly looked around, trying to understand. She didn’t feel guilty for screwing her brother, but did for doing what she thought was right in chasing after Jessica? It didn’t make sense. It wasn’t right, or fair! And this redheaded tart was getting off easy, even after being an exhibitionist, having sex outside of wedlock, and stalking her brother!

“Jealousy is also a sin,” the angel spoke with a calm and smooth voice. Shelly felt a new wave of guilt swarm across her skin, but pushed past it.

“We need to get to Lyden Snow,” Mandy spoke up. “We need to restore the fairy, Areth, to her natural state, and remove Satan’s blessing from Eldon before it kills him.”

And shouldn’t the four-armed twit be overcome with grief after all the deaths Sheldon and her caused? Shelly’s thoughts flared with a dark desire to have those around her feel the same burning regret that she did.

“Stop it, my love,” Sonia whispered to her, almost as though she could read Shelly’s thoughts. But she wasn’t Jessica. Jessica had been able to read Shelly’s mind, and she’d still loved her. She was likely just reading her body language, but it bothered Shelly. She pulled away and glared at her girlfriend.

“Why do you even care?” Shelly spat. “I’m ruined goods. You don’t love me because of who I am, but because it’s my soul that you stole a portion of.”

“Shelly, no…” Sonia moaned and covered her mouth. Pain reflected back in her eyes from Shelly’s harsh words.

Shelly’s guilt doubled, and she fought against the tide that tried to overwhelm her. She didn’t deserve the android’s love. She didn’t deserve anyone’s love. She was a wretched person, and she should crawl into a hole and die. King Aecus had seen how unworthy she was, and forever tainted her.

“It is always a terrible thing when someone leaves darkness, only to be blinded by the light,” the angel spoke. He moved before Shelly could react, and she felt the back of his hand press against her forehead. “Calm down child, and know that your sins are not that great. Though they seem large now, redemption is not beyond you. Forgiveness can be tough, but everyone is deserving who seeks it with true intent.”

Shelly stumbled back, numb and weak. Her guilt fled as fast as the darkness had when they were sent here. She looked back at Sonia, at the anguish and torment she’d caused and felt… nothing. No, not quite nothing. She knew that deep down her words were true, even without Mandy’s presence, but she no longer felt guilt. For this one moment in time, she was incapable of feeling guilt. She knew that she cared for the android, and knew that at any other time she would feel terrible for her actions, but she couldn’t do it right at that moment.

“If that’s how you truly feel, then I won’t press my attentions on you anymore,” Sonia stated, a hitch in her voice. “I’m sworn to protect you, and I will continue to do so, but you won’t have to worry about my unwanted attentions.”

When Sonia turned her back, Shelly felt something. It wasn’t regret or remorse, but a sudden emptying within her heart. Still, she couldn’t offer any words to soften her actions. She was numb inside.

“That’s much better,” the angel said with a beatific smile. “Mortals can be such a bother. Now to offer solace to the werewolf.”

“No,” Shelly finally found her voice. She couldn’t put her finger on it, but knew that she didn’t want Shlee feeling as numb and empty as she did. She knew the woman was suffering, but this hollow feeling inside was unnatural.

The dazzling man turned to look at her with a question on his face. “Do you not wish for your compatriot to feel better? Do you truly wish her to continue to suffer?”

Shelly tried to look within herself to tell him why she felt the way she did, but there was no answer. There was nothing inside of her to answer.

“That’s quite enough, Amenadiel,” Lysa’s voice floated to them. “It’s time they returned to a less dismal location, anyway.”

The wondrous man, Amenadiel, frowned at the empty space. Even his frown was beautiful. “You should not be allowed to enter this domain. Lucifer’s current slut should be crippled with guilt and sorrow for her heinous and lascivious actions.”

“Good thing it’s just my voice, then, huh?” Lysa laughed back, a little on the malicious side. Shelly thought that if she were feeling normal, she wouldn’t have liked this side of her half-sister. “Their ride is about here. Go on, leave them to me. Shew, shew.”

“Philanderous slut,” Amenadiel muttered, but flapped his wings and flew off into the washed-out distance.

“Now then,” Lysa’s voice remained disembodied, “I’ve directed the Rocs to speed you to Gaia’s home, where Dad is currently enjoying her ministrations. You should have—Ah! Not right now, Lucy! I’m in the middle of—ungh!”

Everyone looked around, not sure what was happening. When Lysa didn’t return to talking to them, they assumed she’d been cut off by the Pillar of Darkness, somehow. Shelly still couldn’t find it within herself to care.

Mandy and Shlee looked over Sheldon, though it was obvious that Shlee was still suffering greatly from her guilt. Megan had tried to go to Sonia to talk to her, but the android ignored her. Shelly didn’t stop her when the redhead came to her next.

“What did that angel do to you?” Megan asked. “You look different.”

“Oh, yeah?” Shelly responded. “Huh.”

“Yeah,” Megan nodded. “You look like you don’t have a care in the world. You used to have this look in your eyes, like the world was out to get you, or something. Now? Now, you look… innocent.”

“Okay.” Shelly was already bored with this conversation. Overhead, she noticed two massive birds circling. They at least, were interesting to watch.

They landed a short distance away and cawed in unison. Shelly turned her back and started walking away.

“Where are you going?” Megan shouted after her. The woman still hadn’t learned to be respectful in this place, but Shelly no longer cared.

“To go find something more interesting to do.” She didn’t even bother turning around to shout back. “I’ve already ridden my Roc. Nothing new, there.”

“Shi—” Sonia tried to swear, but couldn’t finish the word. “Fu— Da— Mother trucking son of a serpent! What is wrong with you, Shelly? Aren’t you concerned about your brother, or returning Areth to her form?”

Shelly stopped and considered that for a moment. She turned and regarded the boring group. Mandy and Shlee were climbing up on one Roc, while Sonia approached the other with caution. For a moment Shelly was curious to know how six of them were going to ride on two Rocs, but the feeling was fleeting.

“No thanks,” she turned and continued walking. Part of her was interested in getting her brother help, but she’d spent lots of time with her brother. She hadn’t been in the dreary looking Pillar of Light’s demesne very often, or even met the Pillar. She wondered what he would be like. As far as she knew, no one had seen the divine being in centuries.

“What did that bastard do to you?” Sonia shouted after her, but she ignored the spy andoid. She was no longer important, or interesting.

Shelly walked on for a bit, trying to find anything interesting to look at, but everything was so bland. Maybe she should have gone with the others. She could have moved faster that way, and maybe found something that would catch her interest.

She felt the gust of wind just in time to turn around and see the massive claw grip her. The ground dropped away as her Roc flew towards Gaia’s home.

* * * *

Being held in a claw was fun for the first couple minutes. It took her a bit of effort to get her body turned around so she could watch the ground fly past. In her efforts, she almost worked herself out of the talons holding her. She wondered if it would be fun to plummet to the ground. The fun wouldn’t last long, though. She knew she should be afraid of that thought, but even fear was beyond her.

At least when they crossed the border, real colors returned. Greens, browns, and even blue from the hot spring that she’d nursed Jessica back to health after the myrmidon attack. Something deep inside finally twisted at that thought, and she shoved it down hard.

That event was probably a ruse, she realized, now that she could think about it objectively. And the ogres that kept appearing out of nowhere when they’d first met her. All of it a trick to allow Jessica to get in close to them, so she could…. Could what? Jessica must have also found a way to kill Varun in his weakened state. What other tricks had the woman played on them, that they still didn’t see?

Such thoughts entertained her until she was dropped onto a ledge. Then she had plenty to keep her occupied and entertained.

At first, she had trouble understanding the chaos in the large round room. Gloria was charging in, sword raised as if she was going to attack, but Shelly knew that couldn’t be right. Gloria was a good person… wasn’t she?

The memory of Gloria putting them all to sleep and blocking their memories of the orgy flashed through her mind. Now, an orgy sounded like fun! It was the only orgy she could recall being a part of. For some reason she used to think they were too raunchy. Now, one seemed like just the right thing to fill that emptiness she felt inside.

“Hey!” Shelly waved at her brother’s ex-girlfriend. “Hey, Gloria! Want to create another orgy? That sounds like lots of fun! Just don’t make me forget this time.”

Gloria slowed down and looked distracted for a moment, which was just long enough time for the ground to open up and swallow her to her neck.

“Well, fuck!” Shelly swore, seeing her chance for entertainment passing away. Then she realized what she’d said, and laughed. “Fuck,” she repeated and giggled. Why had she been so afraid to use that word before? It felt liberating. “Fuck, fuck, fuckitty, fuckfuckfuck!”

“Shelly?” Lyden asked. “What’s wrong with you?” There was concern and fear in his voice as he stared at his vulgarity-spewing daughter. There was a dark patch on his side that she chose to ignore.

“Daddy!” she called to him, and ran to hug his strong frame. She hadn’t realized just how handsome he was. He was so manly, and strong. “Daddy, do you want to fuck? I’m so bored!”

His strong arms shoved hard against her, pushing her away. He spun on where Gloria had transformed into a snake, but was still trapped in the ground.

“What did you do to my daughter, you serpent?” Lyden screamed at the goddess.

“Daddy,” Shelly tried to tell him. “She didn’t do anything to me. The angel did! Oh, I should have fucked him! He was so gorgeous, too!”

“Mr. Snow,” Mandy spoke up, “Shelly is right. Gloria may be the original temptress, but your daughter was like this before we arrived.”

Lyden spun on the four-armed woman, rage billowing like dark clouds in his gray eyes. “What is the meaning of this? What’s happened to my…. Is that Sheldon? Sheldon!”

For a moment, Shelly was miffed at being forgotten as her father ran to where Sheldon lay on the ground. Like the boring sod he was, he didn’t do anything. Shelly was more interesting than her brother! With the orgy idea still fresh in her mind, she was tempted to strip and show everyone how much more interesting she could be, but no one was paying her any mind. Even Gloria in her snake form was staring at Eldon, frantically wriggling to escape her earthen prison.

She turned to leave these miserable people, but found that one person was still paying attention to her. Sonia blocked her path. The android’s eyes showed fear and confusion, and no small amount of pain. Shelly knew she was the cause of that pain, but couldn’t bring herself to care. She was numb to all emotions but boredom, it seemed.

“Will you entertain me,” Shelly asked her girlfriend. “Or are you going to be as boring as them?”

“Shelly!” Sonia shouted in her face, and then slapped her. The pain was novel for a few seconds, but even that wore off quickly. “What is wrong with you? Gloria is trying to kill the Pillar of Earth, your family is under attack, and you want to be entertained?”

“So what?” Shelly shrugged and tried to step around Sonia. The android moved to block her. She moved again, but the other woman mirrored her. “What does it matter? We’re all going to die eventually, anyway. Is it so wrong that I want to have a little fun first? I’m done dealing with the pain and guilt I suffered before. Can’t you be happy for me? I thought you were supposed to care about me.”

She watched as anguish spread again across Sonia’s beautiful features. She knew her words had hurt the woman, but didn’t possess enough empathy to understand how.

Sonia gripped Shelly by the shoulders and spun her around fast enough to make her dizzy. She was facing her family again.

Everyone other than Gloria and Gaia were huddled over Sheldon. The Pillar of Earth had her hand outstretched to the landlocked goddess, Aphrodite. Gloria’s face was pained as she looked at her ex-boyfriend even as her body fought to get closer to Gaia, sword in hand. Apparently, she’d changed back into her human form. For a moment, Shelly envied Gloria and her brother the ability to change into living forms. Her ability to change into inanimate objects was useless by comparison.

“What happened to him?” Gloria demanded. “Who hurt him? Please, let me go to him.”

“You’re still trying to kill me,” Gaia responded in a strained voice. Shelly noted that sweat beaded on her brow. “I know you’re under Jessica’s control, but I can’t let you go.”

“But his mind!” Gloria screamed. “He’s in pain. He needs me!”

“You abandoned him!” Shlee retorted with rage. Shelly thought it was interesting the way her face elongated into a snout filled with sharp fangs for just a moment. Then the werewolf had to ruin it by regaining her composure.

“You left him after putting a love spell on Shlee,” Mandy piped in next. The four-armed woman always had something to say, though Shelly appreciated that you could always trust what she said. “Or don’t you remember breaking his heart? Shlee and I were the ones to mend him. You don’t deserve to breathe the same air as him!”

For almost three seconds Shelly thought that they might get into a cat fight, and that might at least be a bit entertaining. Instead, Mandy turned back to Sheldon and explained to his father what they’d been through. Since Shelly already knew most of that, she found it incredibly boring.

She struggled against the iron grip of the android, attempting to get free and leave. There was an opening along one wall that would be a great way to escape these people. She knew they were several stories up, but didn’t care. Perhaps the fall would entertain her.

Something sharp poked the back of her neck a split moment after Sonia released her. She ignored it, seeing her chance at freedom. It was only a few steps away…. Except that as she watched, the room lengthened and dimmed. Reaching for the light, grasping for her escape, she realized she was laying on the floor, drool slipping from her slack lips. When had that happened?

* * * *

Shelly blinked a few times, looking around in the bright light. She felt cold. Glancing down, she found nothing on her body. Her tits pointed freely to the sky, the nubs of her nipples hard and straining. Countless wires protruded from her arms, chest, and probably further down, but she couldn’t see that far. They led off in every direction. She tried to see where they went, but they vanished into darkness. The only light was shining right on her, making it hard to see beyond it. She tried to struggle, to move, but her body refused to obey. A closer look showed manacles holding her against an upright metal slab. Even without the manacles, she couldn’t get any muscles below her neck to even twitch, much less move.

She knew she should feel fear, or panic, or anything, other than complete emptiness. Oh well. At least the cold was interesting, in that it caused her to feel something.

“She’s awake,” a dispassionate voice said, that sounded even colder because it came from speakers.

“Shelly?” Sonia asked, her voice filled with fear and concern. She was in the room with Shelly. The tubes and wires protruding from Shelly’s skin shifted as Sonia approached into the light. “Shelly, it’s me, Sonia.”

“Yeah?” Shelly asked, disinterested in the woman herself, but interested in the fact that all the tubes and wires went into the android. “I know that. I’m bored.”

“You’re… bored…” Sonia asked, as though trying to ascertain the meaning of those simple words.

For an android, she sure can be dense, Shelly thought.

“Shelly, I want you to go into your Mens Mundi,” Sonia went on. “I want you to–”

Of course! Shelly thought with a sense of triumph, ignoring whatever else the boring synthetic woman had to say. She could do or be anything she wanted in her Mens Mundi. She cursed herself for not having thought of it sooner. There was even an old geezer there who was willing to entertain her. She couldn’t remember why she hadn’t wanted to before, but now that seemed like a perfect distraction.

Closing her eyes, she sunk deep into her mind. Always before she had needed to be near death to find it, but now it felt as though there was a guiding hand, leading her ever deeper. Taking her to the mental space that was all hers.

Except that when she opened her eyes, it wasn’t the beach, or anywhere else that she recognized. She was in a lavish room, decorated with pillows of multiple colors, shapes, and patterns strewn all over the place. In fact, she couldn’t even see the floor. Taking a step forward, her foot landed on something soft and warm.

“Oy!” Shouted the old geezer she’d been thinking about a moment before. She made sure she was already naked as she looked down to find him buried beneath a number of cushions. “Watch where you’re… walk…ing.” The old man shook himself and took in her body. “Do my eyes deceive me? April, is that you? No, your hair is too dark.” He rubbed at his eyes as he stood up. Shelly noted with disappointment that he was fully clothed in dark robes that swathed him from chin to feet. “Shelly, why are you naked? Come to tease you grandfather?”

“I’m bored,” Shelly told him. Those robes looked like they would come off easily enough. “Let’s fuck.”

Shemhazau’s eyes grew large as a grin split his lips. He reached for a clasp on his robes, but then his face fell and he looked closer at her. “Something’s wrong…” he said, his voice indicating that he was trying to figure out what.

“Of course it is,” Shelly snapped, losing her patience. “Your cock isn’t pumping in and out of my pussy. God! Why won’t anyone entertain me?”

“God?” Shemhazau took a step back from her and his eyes sharpened. “You’re bored, and no longer care about incest, or anything like that? Damn that Amenadiel! I recognize his handiwork.”

“Do you know how to fix it?” Another voice broke in. “Your son said you might have an idea where you lived in the Pillar of Light’s Demesne for so long. I had to enter her mind, then talk her into coming here.”

Shelly turned to see the irritating android standing a few feet away.

“Go away,” Shelly commanded her, mentally shoving her from her inner mind. She didn’t leave, and Shemhazau was now staring in awe at Sonia. Shelly didn’t understand why. It’s not like the robot was naked and willing to throw herself onto his fuck-stick. Not like Shelly was.

“I felt her push you away, but you’re still here… How?” Shemhazau asked. “This is her mind. She rules here.”

“There is a 87 percent probability that it’s because I possess part of her soul,” Sonia replied with the most uninteresting information in the world. “There is also a 45 percent chance that she really doesn’t want me to leave. There is also a uncertain percentage of chance that the fact that I am linked directly into her mind allows me to resist being expunged.”

Shelly wasn’t stupid, and she knew that added up to more than one hundred percent. The machine must be broken.

“That doesn’t add up,” Shemhazau said.

“Right?” Shelly agreed, annoyed.

“They are not exclusive,” Sonia said. “They are three different calculations. But we need to know if you can do anything to help her.”

“I don’t know…” the old guy shook his head. “Maybe.”

Once again, Shelly was ignored and found herself without anything to entertain her. Since this was her mind, she decided to go somewhere else. Maybe she could imagine someone to entertain her, and make her happy.

“What do you mean?” Sonia asked, fear and worry in her voice.

Why was Shelly still here? She’d tried to go somewhere else, but nothing happened. This was her Mens Mundi. She should be in control here, but try as she might, she couldn’t leave this den of pillows.

“Amenadiel stripped her of anything that might cause guilt. Think of Adam and Eve before the apple. It was actually a plum, by the way, and Eve came first, but that doesn’t really matter here. Before they ate the fruit of knowledge, they were completely innocent. The difference with my granddaughter is that she had knowledge before, so when Amenadiel stripped her of all her guilt, he took too much. He took what made her human. Now she’s little more than an animal that knows how to talk. Consequences have no meaning to her.”

“But you might be able to fix her?” Sonia pressed.

Shelly stumbled her way to one wall and banged against it, trying to escape.

“It’s no use, Shelly,” Shemhazau said, his voice sad. “Once I knew what happened to you, I transferred you to my Mens Mundi. Think of it like a dream within a dream. I rule here. Not you.”

“Shemhazau!” Sonia yelled. “I need to know if you can fix her or not. There are other things transpiring in the real world that need my attention, but I need to have her back the way she was. I… I need her.”

“Oh, sure!” Shelly sneered. “I needed you to entertain me, but no! You were too good for that. Now you want to claim you need me?”

Seeing the pain wash across Sonia’s face almost made Shelly feel something.

“I don’t know!” Shemhazau answered Sonia, ignoring Shelly. “The person rarely ever survives long after. They have no sense of self preservation. I’ve never had the chance to try anything.”

“Can we get Amenadiel to reverse it?” Sonia pressed.

“Angels aren’t capable of giving or causing guilt. That’s something that has to come from the person’s soul. Amenadiel tore that part of her out. She can no more grow that part back than could a regular human grow back an arm that was cut off.” A couch appeared behind Shemhazau, and he fell into it.

So, she was missing part of her soul? That was almost entertaining. A memory flickered across her mind of how miserable she’d been before the angel took it all away. She didn’t know if she was better off without it, or feeling something that strong would be better than this numbness.

“Her soul…” Sonia trailed off, then rushed towards the relaxing man. “Part of her soul is in me! From before this was done to her. Could we use that to fix her broken part?”

“Part of her soul…” Shemhazau rubbed at his chin, and nodded. “Yes… Maybe… I’m not sure. How did you get part of her soul?”

“We’re not sure, but we think it might have been from when I was in her mind space before,” Sonia said. “Just being here allowed a portion of her soul to enter me.”

They both turned and looked at Shelly.

“If you’re not going to fuck me, or do something fun, then you can go fuck off,” she informed them. Why had she ever thought swearing was a bad thing?

The man shook his head. “Sharing space in someone’s Mens Mundi has the effect of melding souls, but if that was all it took, then I think we’d be seeing something by now.” Their faces fell in unison, but the man perked up a moment later. “Perhaps if you two got intimate!”

“Excuse me?” Sonia demanded at the same time Shelly said, “Finally!”

Sonia continued on, “Do your perversions know no bounds? I told you we need to help her, and your response is to have sex with her? How depraved are you?”

“Hear me out,” Shemhazau held his hands up in a warding gesture. “If it was just about me being lewd, I’d do it myself. Well, I would if I could get it up for her, but her current condition is a turnoff for me. You’re the one with a piece of her original soul, so it has to be you that does it. The closeness you both shared in the past should help in the transference and restoration of her soul. I can’t promise it will be enough, but right now it’s the only one you have.”

Sonia’s eyes narrowed as she regarded him. “You’ve been in here longer than anyone. Why don’t you have a portion of her soul?”

Shemhazau’s face fell even further as he shook his head. “What I have… and what I am can’t help her. I’m not enough of me to possess her soul, or any soul for that matter.”

Sonia looked at him for a few more moments before finally turning and giving Shelly some attention. For her part, Shelly had entertained herself by picking up pillows and throwing them at the other two. They always vanished before striking either one, but at least it was something to do in this prison.

“I’ll try it, but not with you here, old man,” Sonia stated with finality. “You said we were in your mindscape? I want you to return us to hers.”

“Done,” Shemhazau said. Folding his arms before his face, he nodded and their surroundings and him vanished. They were in a dull gray room, unadorned with decorations or furniture of any sort.

“I don’t trust that man,” Sonia said, looking around with a frown. “Do you mind making some furniture or something to prove it’s your Mens Mundi?”

“You mean like a chair or something?” She asked, looking around, she found the place to be the very epitome of boring and droll.

“Think of something else, but don’t say it out loud,” Sonia replied. “I don’t want him trying to mimic something you say.”

Shelly bent her mind to the task, thinking that this was something worth doing to help lighten up this place. She was supposed to be here to get it on with the android… So a bed would be a good start. With a wave of her hand, it appeared before them, but unlike the one she’d pictured, rich, soft, and covered in lavish red blankets, it was dull and gray as well.

“I’m sensing a theme here,” Sonia stated with a grimace.

Annoyed, Shelly concentrated on the bed, and tried to force it to change colors. It didn’t budge.

“He must still be here,” Shelly growled. “I can’t change its color.”

Sonia glanced around, then examined Shelly’s naked body with shrewd intensity. “No, I think this is your mindscape. I think everything is gray because of your damaged soul. I don’t think you have the capacity to add color here.”

Shelly continued to try anyway. Annoyance wasn’t a pleasant emotion, but at least she felt something.

Sonia walked up to her and gripped her by the shoulders. Turning her to face the synthetic woman, she said, “If you want to make changes, then you’re going to need to come over here and do as your grandfather suggested. If he’s wrong, or lied to us, I can assure you I will destroy whatever is left of him.” There was no response from the horny old man. If he was spying on them, he was wise enough to keep quiet.

As far as Shelly was concerned, she didn’t care if Shemhazau was watching. Regarding doing what he said, it beat the frustration of trying to change her surroundings.

Shelly looked deep into Sonia’s green eyes, and thought she found something familiar within their depths. A part of her she no longer recognized cried out for that, and before she knew it, she’d leaned in and kissed Sonia.

The android wasted no time in returning the kiss. As their lips met, soft and sensual at first, but building to a hunger that Shelly had forgotten. It started in her stomach, just behind her navel. A sensation that felt both glorious and nervous.

Unbidden, Shelly’s arms lifted and pulled Sonia in closer to her. That weird feeling warmed and started to spread, filling her abdomen and rising up into her chest. She didn’t know if she really had a heart in this gray place, but she felt it beat faster. She wanted more!

With almost no effort, she picked up the android and carried her to the bed. Sonia lay naked, but calm as she looked up at Shelly. For her part, Shelly’s face bore a hungry look, not for the android, but for the feelings that the android stirred within her wounded soul.

Crawling over the prone synthetic-life, Shelly again pressed her lips to Sonia’s. This time she slipped her tongue from between her teeth, and thrilled when she felt the other woman meet hers. Shelly’s breasts pressed down, her nipples hard, and she felt her vulva swell and slicken with desire at the increased physical contact.

This is what she’d wanted! This is what she’d craved! The emptiness inside her was filling, and she was feeling again! Why hadn’t anyone been willing to do this for her until now? There were plenty of people around previously, but Sonia was the only one willing to help her. Or at least, that’s how she saw things. Whatever the reason was, she felt grateful to Sonia for making her feel again.

In fact, she felt something else fill up, as Sonia’s deft fingers slipped down to her cunt. At first the android worked the magic little nub above her opening, making Shelly moan with increased desire and heat. First one, and then a second finger slipped into her slick folds. Shelly ground her hips against the invading digits with relish.

“Do me too,” Sonia demanded around their kiss.

Shelly ignored her. This wasn’t about the other woman. This was about Shelly, and Shelly was finally getting to feel something again.

She shut the other woman up by gripping Sonia’s head and pulling her back into the kiss. She felt the other woman grimace, but she didn’t stop what she was doing, so Shelly didn’t care.

As Sonia continued to work her skills in Shelly’s quim, she started to feel a different sensation build, one that was separate and distinct from the sensations growing in her. Shelly’s moans grew in volume, until she could no longer maintain the kiss, and turned her head to the side in order to pant out her pleasant sounds.

“Oh, fuck, that feels good,” she mewled as Sonia brought her closer to climax. “Keep going. I’m so close!”

Instead, to her annoyance, Sonia pulled her fingers out and brought them up to Shelly’s lips. Without even thinking about it, she let the other woman place the two slick fingers in her mouth, and sucked them. Sonia’s lips came up, and joined hers in cleaning the shiny digits for a brief moment, and Shelly thought she felt a little more connected with the woman.

“I want you to sit on my face,” Sonia said when they were done licking every trace of Shelly’s juices from the android’s fingers.

Shelly wasn’t about to complain about receiving more pleasure and moved up the other woman’s body. Right away, she noticed a slacking of sensation as she was no longer in so much physical contact with the android. She debated for only a moment on returning to kissing Sonia, but a better idea occurred to her. Turning around, she planted her nether lips on Sonia’s talented mouth, and then lay forward, allowing her body to rest on the other woman’s.

She felt Sonia’s tongue probe and lick along her labia, sending shivers up along her spine. Shelly wrapped her arms around Sonia’s body, trying to maximize the amount of contact, and therefore the connection they were sharing. Everything felt so much better that way. She found her head pressed against Sonia’s mound, and despite herself, she turned into it, tasting her inner folds.

Sonia’s hips bucked as the tip of Shelly’s tongue flicked across her clit. Sonia rewarded her by inserting two fingers into Shelly, and attacking her clit with fervor. Shelly nearly screamed with how great that felt. Realizing that she was getting treated better and pleased more by pleasing the android, Shelly dove in with gusto, trying to give as good as she was getting.

Shelly used her hands to spread Sonia open, and attacked the sweet opening with her lips, tongue, and even teeth. The android’s hips lurched and bucked under Shelly, even as her own did the same against Sonia’s hungry mouth.

“So close,” Sonia moaned. Shelly thought about doing to her what she’d done to Shelly, but felt her own climax approaching, and didn’t want to ruin it.

She sucked hard on Sonia’s clit as she inserted a finger from each hand into the inviting hole. Shelly still came first, as the two separate feelings in her stomach commingled and joined, melding into something new and wonderful. The catalyst that was her orgasm fused the feelings even as they exploded throughout her body.

The two women tumbled in the lush bed, rolling on top of each other as they continued to suck and lick each other’s most private parts. As each woman came, their moans filled the small room, and filled each other with a greater sense of purpose and caring. At one point, Shelly wasn’t sure where she left off and the android began. She even thought she could remember being assembled in a factory, and having a direct uplink to the internet. She felt what Sonia felt for her, and even though the android was a being whose mind was comprised of ones and zeros, Shelly had no doubt that Sonia loved her.

With a sudden crashing of emotion, Shelly pushed the other woman away. Her face was wet from more than Sonia’s vaginal juices. Tears seeped from her eyes as she buried her face in her hands.

“Shelly?” Sonia asked, worry and fear thick in her voice. A moment later she asked again, this time with awe in her question, “Um… Shelly? Look.”

“No,” Shelly sobbed. “I can’t… Don’t look at me.” Shame filled her, replacing the wonderful feelings she’d felt only moments before. She was changed inside, and wasn’t sure of what that meant. Had she really wanted to feel anything just a bit ago? She felt horrible, and not just for the way she’d behaved after Amenadiel took a portion of her soul away.

Sonia loved and cared for her in a way that Shelly knew she couldn’t return. Too much of her heart still belonged to Jessica. She cared for Sonia; cared a lot. And maybe somewhere deep down, she could admit that she loved Sonia. But it wasn’t on the same unconditional, and unselfish way that Sonia loved her.

Was Sonia able to love Shelly so deeply because it was Shelly’s soul that powered that emotion? Shelly didn’t know, but she knew she didn’t deserve that kind of devotion.

“Shelly, the room…” Sonia was still talking to her. She realized that she was also being shaken by a firm grasp on her shoulders. “Look at the room!”

Despite her inner turmoil, Shelly found herself obeying the command, and peeked through her fingers. What had once been a dull gray and lifeless room was now vibrant with colors. The bed was a lush red color that contrasted with the blue carpet and white walls. She thought the room was too bright for her mood, and watched as it dimmed, the light fading just as she knew that her hope for a happy future was fading.

“You’re back!” Sonia pulled her into a gleeful hug, her strong arms almost crushing her, but not nearly as crushing as her inner guilt.

“I’m back,” Shelly muttered as a fresh set of tears poured from her eyes. She almost, almost, wished she could go back to being numb.

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From the Author

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I’ve said before that this story is not dead, and I mean it. There is an ending coming… sooner rather than later. I won’t say more than that as it’s not written yet, except to say that there is a final story planned to round this series out as a trilogy. The final story will have new characters, and a new main (but someone you’ve met in this book), and will continue shortly after this one ends.

I want to thank everyone who is still reading these, and who have stuck around. I’m sorry it’s taken so long to get this chapter out, and I promise the next one *should* drop within a couple weeks. It’s written, just needs editing.

Please let me know what you think of this chapter in the comments below. Even if all you do is chew me out for the long hiatus, I want to hear from you. I read all the comments here… Literotica and XNXX, not as religiously.

Thank you!

-Sselxuyt, DBs_Bro, Zerg Rush (My 3 writing aliases)

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