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Laresa's World Ch. 07

By: SEVERUSMAX



This story is a part of the chain story called "Laresa's World", started by RedHairedandFriendly. I hope that my own contribution is worthy of the theme and the series. This is the 7th Chapter in this series. It is set in the Late Middle Ages, during the Black Death and the Hundred Years' War. 

*

Welsh March, October 31, 1355 (Julian Calendar): 

Harry Llewellyn was no baron or merchant. He didn't belong to a guild. He was certainly no knight. He had neither title, nor land of his own, or even freedom. Harry Llewellyn was a serf. He belonged to the land. The land, of course, belonged to King Edward III of England. It didn't matter to anyone outside of Wales that no English lord had any business owning Welsh land and assigning it to English vassals. It didn't matter that the native Welsh were oppressed by their feudal overlords. The Crown still owned the land, and he was bound to it for life. 

"Harry, the lady Gwynn insists that you bring her the new coat that your sister wove before her death. Then you must summon the apothecary and the priest. The lady is not well," Meredith informed him. 

Meredith Owain was another servant, but she had it a little easier. She was a house maid, after all. That was far easier than Harry's work, since he was a tanner. Harry wouldn't lie and say that Meredith was a gorgeous woman, but she wasn't ugly per se. She just bore pock marks from the smallpox that she acquired as a young girl and somewhat "miraculously" survived. It was some miracle. She was scarred for life. Everyone assumed that none would marry her. 

Harry thought it a sad thing, but he had greater problems. He strongly suspected that the lady Gwynn had the Black Death. Furthermore, bringing her things increased the danger that he would contract the plague. As he was now the only Llewellyn left on the manor, he didn't appreciate losing his own life too. The family had to continue, after all. 

If that wasn't bad enough, Harry hated the lady Gwynn. He felt that none deserved the Black Death more than that woman. She betrayed her fellow countrymen by marrying an English March lord for personal advancement when her merchant husband died under suspicious conditions. He also hated her late husband, who had conscripted his father into the war and forced Harry to take over the tanning shop at the young age of 14. Both died in some distant battle in France. 

That was the beginning of the family troubles. His mother died not long afterward, from the Black Death. His sisters also succumbed to the plague, after which his younger brother fell ill with smallpox and died as well. He was an orphan at 18. 

The manor now technically belonged to the lady Gwynn's son, but he was too young to rule it. Instead, that bitch controlled everything. She was twice as cruel as her husband, since she knew how much the peasants hated her. She also prevented any of her male serfs from copulating with her maids. This was supposedly on "moral" grounds, but everyone knew better. 

The lady Gwynn liked to make a serf pleasure her now and then, after which she dropped him and took another. This would be fine, if she didn't make sure that life was awful for the former favorite when his time with her was done. She interfered with his marriage choices, making sure that only the least compatible women were allowed to wed him. The married serfs counted themselves lucky, however, since the lady Gwynn liked to keep up her "moral" reputation by avoiding other women's husbands. 

She had not done this until her husband's death, since she wished to be sure that he couldn't punish her for it. She took a vicious delight in making former lovers miserable men for the rest of their lives. This woman was not one that any male serf wished to bed anymore, no matter how pretty she was. Not only was she cruel, but she was so selfish that many men left her bed without ever cumming. Most people made a sign of the Cross, whenever they saw her progress through their section of the manor. 

Harry grinned when he saw the lady Gwynn, however. Despite cursing when he saw that she was naked, he laughed inside when he realized how far gone she was. He felt a little guilty at his joy in her suffering, but then he remembered what a wicked woman she had always been. The lady of the manor was almost gone. Most of her body had already rotted and her mind held on from sheer terror of the afterlife. No doubt that was the reason for calling for the priest. She was desperate to avoid peril to her eternal soul. Harry personally thought it was much too late for her to escapes the fires of Hell. 

"Well, Meredith, I think the lady is doomed," Harry whispered to the friendly maid, when she entered the bedchamber as he prepared to leave it. 

He always liked Meredith and vice versa. The poor woman never received much attention from the other men of the manor, but Harry understood her loneliness and saw what a sweet girl she was in fact. Of course, most men partly ignored because of her appearance, but they were also motivated by the risk of getting too close to a maidservant. Harry wouldn't mind marrying her, if the damned lady of the manor would just hurry and die. He doubted that he could do so, however, even then. The manor would pass to the custody of the steward, who would probably discourage the maids from taking husbands. 

While Harry doubted that he could be strictly faithful, it didn't matter anyway. Even if she wed him, she would be subject to the feudal rights of the steward, acting in lieu of the lord. It wasn't likely to be a Church wedding anyway, and only those were sacraments involving vows. Everything else was unofficial and few peasants of either sex were physically exclusive. That was especially true during the Black Death, when the nuns and harlots were buried in the same graveyards. 

"I'm sure that you're right, Harry. However, I have another question for you. Did you see that ring over there? Could you take it with you and sell it? We could split the money and use it to flee the manor. Wouldn't you like to do that? I could live in a convent, since they don't ask questions about novices. You could join a guild in some large city. I know it's theft, and it's wrong, but please do it? We both hate it here, and you're the only man who has ever been nice to me. If I want anyone to be a free man, it is you," Meredith suggested. 

"Normally, I'd say 'no', but I have no scruples about robbing a traitorous whore like the lady here. Yes, let's do it. I'll take it off her hands. She doesn't need it like we do, and we deserve some payment for our years of servitude," Harry agreed happily to her naughty scheme. 

"Thank you, Harry. You won't regret it. Now, please leave with it quickly and leave me to my chores," she replied, touching his hand as she did so. 

It was clearly meant to be subtle, but Harry wasn't fooled. It was the first admission that Meredith might feel the same way as himself, even if she planned to take holy orders. Most likely, she simply assumed that she stood no chance with even Harry, and consequently planned her life to manage without him. She thought herself to be ugly, since everyone deemed her that way (except for Harry, of course). 

"Well, Meredith, I have my own plans for you, and they do not involve a nunnery," Harry swore to himself, when he was safely in the tanning shop. 

He was her best chance for a husband, and he wanted her to have one, if for no other reason than someone would give her company and protection. Someone would cherish her and father children on her. Besides, he didn't mind the idea of a wife. He just avoided marriage, despite the risks of becoming the lady's favorite, because he wanted to marry Meredith. He refused to take another woman as his bride. Since he knew he couldn't have her, he didn't care about not having good choices. It was his silent protest against the rules of the manor. 

"Damn, I wish that there would be some confusion and panic on this manor long enough for Meredith and me to run away!" Harry exclaimed, not noticing that he had twisted the ring out of a nervous habit. 

At that moment, a lovely blonde had appeared before him. He heard footsteps, turned slightly, and saw her. He assumed that he was dying or something. Perhaps this was a fairy or something like that. 

"Excuse me, but are you a fairy?" Harry probed, more curious than afraid.

If he died, so be it. Life on this manor was worse than death. He didn't care, if he didn't get to be with Meredith. 

"No, Master, I'm a genie," the woman said. 

"Master? I am no man's master, including my own. I am a serf, belonging to the land here. My name is Harry Llewellyn, but you can call me Harry," he corrected her. 

"Sorry to contradict you, Master, but now you are someone's master. You're mine. I am your genie. I do your bidding. I grant any wishes, with a few rules and exceptions. Master just made a wish, in fact. I am certainly willing to perform it for you. If you make it again, it will be official, now that I am out of the ring. My name is Laresa, by the way," the genie informed him rather bluntly, but kindly. 

"Do you mean when I wished for confusion long enough to escape with Meredith? What if I simply wished to be gone from here, without even the confusion? That wouldn't cause other people trouble," Harry inquired, truly stunned at this notion. Nothing the Church taught him ever spoke of a "genie". What was that?

"If you wish it, I'll grant it, Master. That is, unless it is against the rules. Just do not lie to me. If you do, I will vanish from your life forever," Laresa explained. 

"Then I will be honest with you, even if it embarrasses me. I can't afford to lose the first good luck I've had in my life. I wish that you take Meredith and me to Hereford. That should be far away and large enough of a town that none will realize that we are runaway peasants. All we have to do is evade capture for a hundred days, and the law says we are free," Harry finally decided. 

"Then, there you go!" Laresa declared, and the three of them disappeared from the manor. 

Meredith stood shocked inside the walls of Hereford. She had not realized that Harry's ring contained a genie, of course. Seeing herself, along with Harry, inside the town, was enough to tell her that something magical had happened. What had caused it, and whom? Did God or one of the Saints grant her prayers? Did the Blessed Virgin free her at last? 

"Harry, what are we doing here? Do you know? Where are we? It looks like the English town of Hereford, but I have never been to England, so I can't be sure," she asked him, approaching him with some panic of her own. 

"It is Hereford, I assure you. My genie took us here. She came out of the ring and gave me wishes. She called me 'Master'. Can you see her? She's right here, in fact," Harry tried to calm Meredith down. 

"No, I can't. What's a 'genie'? I've never heard of those before. Is it the same thing as a fairy?" Meredith asked him. 

"No, they are different somehow. Laresa, can you appear to Meredith, so that she can see you?" he wondered. 

"Yes, Master. If you wish, I will show myself to her as well as you," Laresa answered him. She was pleased to do that, since Harry seemed kind and good. Something about him made her happy to be his genie. 

"Thank you, Laresa," Harry replied, hoping to prove his claim to Meredith, so that she didn't think that they were both drunk or mad. 

Meredith suddenly saw the most gorgeous woman she had ever met in her life (of course, for a peasant girl in the Welsh March, that wasn't saying much). Her clothes were very colorful, exotic, and scanty. She loved the look of the girl, and instantly wondered if she was an angel or something. 

"Are you an angel?" she suddenly asked Laresa. 

Laresa smiled and reassured her, "No, Meredith. I'm one of the djinn from the Near East. I was in the ring that you found and gave to Harry, in order for him to sell it for money. I belong to Harry, although I would have belonged to you if you had summoned me instead. I doubt it matters, however. I suspect that Harry has a few wishes to make concerning you. Don't you, Master?" 

Laresa had realized not too long before that Harry loved Meredith, and it was probably mutual. Unless Harry ordered her not to meddle, she hoped to see the two peasants wed. She also knew that Harry was not the sort to be exclusive in terms of his lovers, but she knew that he secretly preferred to have a couple of wives, instead of a long series of nameless women. Harry wanted variety and quantity, but he also wanted love and a happy family that keep him from being lonely. He would likely want to bed her, as well as Meredith, but would then be faithful to the two of them. That was just the nature of this man. He loved Meredith, but he now fell for her as well. 

"Yes, I do. I wish that Meredith was my wife, well, one of my wives. I wish that you were the other. I want no other women. I know that I haven't bedded either of you, but I know what I want, and it is both of you," Harry said, much to Meredith's surprise. 

"You want her and me? I can understand her. In fact, I was even more prepared to wear the nun's habit now, since I can't compete with such ravishing beauty. I am just thankful to be free of that place. You want to marry me? You're not lying or teasing me, are you?" she demanded to know, the red face of shock and embarrassment matching the red hair on her head. 

"He is definitely telling the truth, Meredith. Otherwise, I would have vanished, since he would have been lying to me. Lying to me automatically costs a new owner my services forever," Laresa encouraged her, "You have your wish, Master. If you wish to take us as your wives, then so be it. I must admit that I have heard more shocking wishes in my long lifespan. You want only the women whom you love. I can't fault that, no matter how strange it is. Certainly, I have seen larger harems, so it doesn't shock me. Your wish is granted." 

"Thank you, my dear Laresa. I must admit that you won my love the moment you treated me with respect. You're only the second person to do so in my lifetime. I also wish for Meredith's face to heal," Harry reacted to this development with more than a little pleasant surprise. 

"You're welcome. I would warn you that I can't make Meredith love you, but she already does. I'll be happy to serve you and become your wife, Master," she spoke, before suddenly touching Meredith's face and making the pock marks go away. 

"Do I look beautiful now? I want to look beautiful, since you loved me when I was ugly. I want to make you happy, Harry. Do I look lovely now?" Meredith asked, somewhat uncertain still. 

"Absolutely, my dear Meredith. Okay, another wish, Laresa. I would ask for more, but I don't need more than that. I wish that I will be accepted into the Tanner's Guild and always prosper in my trade. I just wish to be a great tanner and make enough to take care of you women," Harry wished. 

"So, you have ambition, but it is only to be a Master Tanner?" Laresa inquired. 

"Yes. I just wish to be that, so I can take care of you. That's a lot better than being a serf. A Master Tanner can eat meat. I don't wish to go away to some foreign country and rule many lands. I just want to have the large family that was taken from me as a youth. I want to be able to run my own life. I want to love my wives, enjoy both of them, and father children on them. You're the only two women I've ever wished to marry. Before you, it was just Meredith whom I sought to wed," Harry told them. 

"Well, let's find an inn, so we can consummate our new marriage," Meredith urged. 

"Yes, I also wish that we have enough money to pay the innkeeper," Harry stated. 

"Done, Master," Laresa agreed, grinning as she made the coins appear in his hand. 

Harry hurried and paid the innkeeper, allowing the three of them to go inside the inn. He was still surprised that he could have two wives. Meredith seemed willing enough to accept it, though perhaps she was still just very flattered that he included her in his desire for marriage. 

It didn't take much time for Laresa to undress, followed by Harry and Meredith. Somehow, the knowledge that Harry chose Meredith as one of his wives was more than enough to overwhelm the pain of jealousy that she felt over sharing him. She told herself that it was best to live with it and learn to rule it. She didn't wish to disappoint the man who had chosen and wanted her first, when she was still scarred from smallpox. How many men would still love her when she was ugly like that? How many men would still want to be her husband when she was old? The only one that she knew of being that way was Harry. 

Harry Llewellyn was a great man and a great tanner, and she was honored to be his wife, even if it meant sharing him. She would still feel jealousy, but it was better to share Harry than to have all to herself some shallow fool who wouldn't have looked at her twice when she was ugly. To have the same status as this beauty was flattering to a degree that she had never imagined. 

Laresa, meanwhile, was very touched by their love, and wanted to simply be part of it. Besides, she loved Harry too. She couldn't help herself. He had all of the lust one might expect in a man, but more love than she had seen in a man in a long time. In any case, he was her Master, and yet he selected her as a wife too. He didn't just keep her as a concubine or a slave. He treated her as a lover and a spouse, not as a simple chattel. 

When they were all nude, Laresa lay there and invited Harry to enter her. He didn't resist the offer, naturally. His fingers toyed with her sex a bit first, but then he thrust inside her. Meredith watched this with some awe, understanding that she should observe it first. She grasped that Laresa knew that she was a maiden and needed to learn about the carnal acts happening in front of her. 

Harry was more excited than he thought, but he continued to move inside Laresa's pussy. He loved the way that she co-operated during this wedding night. She seemed to know that he had never been a woman half as beautiful as her, yet she didn't act superior, like most beauties would in her case. Perhaps it was just because he was her Master, but he doubted it. He really viewed it as a sign that she had discovered the truth about him almost immediately. He was a simply a lonely man who wanted to love and enjoy somebody else. He wanted more than one woman, but he wasn't a liar or a manipulator. He wasn't a womanizer, a man who loved and then left the women in his life. 

Laresa squirmed, as Harry drove her closer to her climax. She felt the heat of his uncircumcised cock in her cunt, and she wrapped her legs around him to prevent him from slowing down. She wanted him go deeper and faster in her pussy, since he did very well for an illiterate peasant. 

Meredith began touching herself, unable to explain why she now did what had once been only a secret act for her. Perhaps she simply knew that she was the next to experience what Laresa did, and she anticipated the pleasure that the genie clearly felt at this point. She wanted to be part of it. She ached for Harry to take her as well. She had never loved a man before him. No one else had been so kind to her. No one else had even considered her for a wife, either. 

When Harry got closer, Laresa realized that Meredith needed him soon. She didn't want her to have to wait for his seed. She encouraged Meredith to come over. The peasant girl was so wet that she didn't question the gesture. She simply lay down next to Laresa. 

"Enter my pussy, Harry. Please, take my pussy! I need you! Laresa is willing to share you now. She wants you to do it to me as well! I need it!" she begged Harry. 

"Yes, Harry, my love. I can have more of you in a little bit. Meredith has waited for you much longer than me. Give her what she has wanted. Take what you have wanted for so many years. Finish inside her. You can fill me next, when you regain your strength. I'll still be here, Master," Laresa reinforced Meredith's plea. 


Laresa's World Ch. 07



"Very well. I can't resist your pleas," Harry sighed, although not unhappily. 

As much as he enjoyed taking Laresa, to take Meredith's cherry after waiting so many years for her was a whole new experience. He had never had a virgin before. He felt how tight she was, noticed how wet she seemed on his cock, and sensed how much she welcome it. Yes, his first thrust had to break past her hymen, but once he got inside her, he became aware that her pain eased and her lust for him increased. There was some blood and some groaning in reaction to the first entry, but she didn't seem to hate him for it. She was so caught up in the desire to have him that she endured it and left it behind in scarcely moments. 

Even so, the third thrust was the last. Harry tried to hold out longer, but he found himself reacting to his bride's passion and his own pleasure in the sight of her and his other wife by cumming at last. He felt awful about it, but he had just fucked two women that night before his release. That was no small thing for any man. 

"I wish that I could have given you girls more pleasure, however," he apologized. 

"Oh, but you just did, Master. There is no need for apologies. We loved it, and your wish just now shows me why you'll be a great lover," Laresa said, before her orgasm abruptly began. 

The genie and her fellow wife began turning red, moaning, and shouting in reaction to Harry's wish. It took them scant minutes to pant their climax at last. They looked at each other with understanding. Neither was a rival, as both cared about him. The genie was too kind and generous for Meredith to deem her a threat. They could both love this man and let him take care of them, as well as taking care of him. 

"Let's go downstairs and get some ale, bread, and meat from the tavern. You must be famished by now, my dear wives," Harry urged them. 

Meredith looked at the man who had loved her from their youth, when she was ugly, and responded with a satisfied grin. She got up and began to dress. 

"Yes, Master," Laresa obeyed, being rather hungry and content herself. 

There were worse places to be a genie. This man was one master who actually cared about people. She just hoped that she stayed with him and his redheaded companion for several decades of her life. It was restful and happy for all of them. A simple rustic life in medieval Wales beat most of her experiences, aside from the Black Death. 



Laresa's World Ch. 08: Dolph



Laresa sighed. She had been resting comfortably but now something was occurring outside the ring. She wouldn't know exactly what until she was summoned forth to meet her new master. All she ever received were impressions and right now she had the impression that two people were haggling over the price of the ring, her ring.

She sighed again. She often got the impression that her ring found its way to people who needed her. In situations like this, where her very existence could be bartered from one person to another, she felt as if something had gone wrong. Some person in need had lost their opportunity, either selling it off for a pittance or losing it to theft or, worse, death, before they could discover her powers. Those who came to own the ring by buying it often ended up proving to be some of her most depressing masters. Not all, certainly, but most of the worst, qualified.

Money and the ring exchanged hands. Laresa could already tell that her new owner knew he'd virtually stolen the ring, for what he, or 'she' Laresa realized, had paid for it. If the master was knowingly cheating people, the situation was even worse. Unfortunately, the worst masters also tended to be the most careful about the rules. She leaned back and waited.

The wait ended up being considerably longer than she'd expected. Usually masters ended up discovering her within minutes of finding the ring. She waited at least half an hour before she finally began to feel the pull, signifying she was, at last, being called from her captivity. Even before her body formed she received her first impression of her master and the room about them.

They were in a well appointed bathroom. Velvet cushions lay on a soft couch in the corner and the stalls were all meticulously cleaned. A man, her new master, leaned against the wall. One of his knees jutted forward as an expensive loafer lifted, to lay flat against the wall. He worse a light gray, business suit. By the style, Laresa was already guessing she once more found herself late in the Twentieth Century, the Eighties or Nineties.

"Laresa I presume?"

Laresa's mouth was open, prepared to acknowledge her master as customary, when he called her by name. No one had ever known of her before she introduced herself, yet this man knew her name! She stumbled, answering his question. "Uh, yes master. I am Laresa."

"Good. Then I didn't pay a small fortune for a piece of junk after all." His attention turned fully back to her. She felt his surge of lust, one that frequently accompanied men seeing her for the first time. This man held himself in incredible control, the lust suddenly forced away as his mind began to ponder her true value to him.

She studied him as he considered and prioritized his wishes. He could be a handsome man, he was tall enough at around six feet. He was physically fit without being overweighted with muscle. Likely he spent a few days a week in a health club or at some similar activity. Racquetball would be his 'power sport,' rather than golf. His dark hair pressed unnaturally against his scalp, slicked back with some oily substance that seemed to have hardened into a solid shell.

"First, please tell me your rules. I want to make sure I have all of them right."

Laresa had no idea how this man seemed to know so much about her but she smiled and launched into her well known litany. "I cannot bring anyone back from the dead, although I can heal virtually any wound. I cannot change the emotions of others, although I can change memories." His fingers flicked up as he counted off her rules, nodding with each. Failure to understand how he knew frustrated her so she decided to abbreviate her usually helpful list. "I cannot change major historical events." She stopped, withholding the most important rule out of curiosity.

Her Master looked at his three raised fingers before his penetrating gaze fell on her. "Did you neglect one or has the rule about lying to you changed?"

Laresa shuddered. She had hoped that his information had been incomplete. Without knowing the last rule she stood much more of a chance of escaping this very unnerving man. He knew the rules already and was likely to hold fast to them, keeping her in his service for many years. "No, master. That is still a rule. If you tell a lie to me then my ring and I will disappear through time and space."

He was smirking, confident, now, in his knowledge of her. "Good. My name is Randolph Winston Carpenter the Fourth. My friends call me Dolph, but you will continue to call me master." Dolph moved to the door and out into the hallway. A moment before the door closed she saw his finger motioning for her to follow, forcing her to hurry after. The two wandered down the decadently appointed corridor and stopped before a door at the end. Dolph flipped through a ring of keys, attached to his belt by a solid gold chain, and unlocked the door.

Laresa was impressed. Often, she had been asked to create such wealth and splendor for previous masters. Dolph maintained a corner office with an outstanding view of New York City. Bedecking the walls were various paintings and statues, all expensive trophies, declaring his station. In one corner, by the door, stood a meticulous and fully stocked bar. The glasses adorning the shelf behind it were Waterford crystal, and the alcohol was almost entirely imported from around the globe. Against another wall, sat a complete, "L" shaped, leather livingroom set. The final two walls consisted of panoramic windows from floor to ceiling. In the center of the room sat a giant desk, devoid of any personality and clear of work.

Dolph moved over to the bar and poured himself a scotch before moving to the leather couch, facing the door. He looked her up and down leering. She felt the lust blossom in him once more, and once again he repressed it, although less successfully this time. "One thing I'm not clear on. Can everyone else see you or not?"

Laresa wasn't sure which answer would please him more so she simply told the unadulterated truth. "Normally I remain hidden from all but my master. I can, if you desire, make myself visible to all."

He waved her off. "That's quite all right. I'll make sure to tell you when I want you visible." Dolph settled comfortably. Seeing his position, knees spread wide, she knew one request he would soon be making. Sensing his thoughts, however, provided her the knowledge that he had another wish first. "You know what 'd like? I'd like all of one Preston J. Thornton's money, assets and properties."

Laresa was shocked. "Master? I can easily bring you any amount of money you wish. It need not come from a specific person!" She refused to treat him as she had some of her other masters. If he wanted something of her he had to specifically wish for it.. Of course the masters who's desires she anticipated would never have requested such a directed, and cruel, wish.

Dolph was on his feet, his eyes ablaze. "Do you always second guess your masters like this?" A finger pointed at her emphasizing his point while the rest of the hand held his glass. The liquid inside sloshed in time with his gestures. "I'll find a suitably humiliating punishment for you later." His eyes cooled suddenly, taking on an icy demeanor. She had known his type throughout the ages. In monarchies he would have been a member of the court, scheming to overthrow all rivals of equal rank, and even some of his betters. Dolph was likely a lawyer, stock broker or some other financialist, given the era.

Dolph walked over to his desk and leaned against it, after punching a few buttons on a bulky keyboard. "Laresa, babe," he turned his attention back to her, "this is the Eighties. It's not really about the money. If it was I could simply sell some bonds or skim some from a valid account. No," he shook his head, "this is a game. It's win or die and money's only one of many guides as to how successful a person is. It's about power. In this case Thornton's got some political clout to back up his money, so a deal I've been working on for months is about to go south. It won't, quite, bankrupt me but it will certainly hurt."

"Unfortunately for him, I've always believed more in another kind of power. I don't trust politicians, too fickle. I only trust one kind of power, the power of knowledge. My knowledge has lead me to you. So, Laresa, sweet-tits, I wish for Mr. Thornton's political allies to desert him, now."

Her shoulders sagged, not simply from the incredibly demeaning nickname, but because there was no way to avoid it now. Not only had he spoken it aloud but he had used the two word commandment. Dejected, she felt her magic take effect and nodded a confirmation to her master. "See? Was that so hard?" It had been. Perhaps it wasn't a strain on her magic, but she preferred to avoid hurting people whenever possible.

Dolph, meanwhile was busy checking something on his computer when the phone rang. "Yup," he answered. "Okay, thanks for the heads up." He hung up the phone and walked back over to the couch. He unbuttoned his jacket and tossed it negligently on the couch against the wall. He further proceeded to undo his belt, the button and zipper on his pants and let them fall to the floor. His silk boxers quickly followed.

As he sat on the couch, once more facing the door, Laresa watched his cock as it bounced in time to his pulse. She stood by the door, awaiting the specific command for what she knew he desired. As she watched him she thought what a shame it was that such perfect packaging held such a diseased soul. Looking at those dexterous, well manicured, fingers and the hard shaft, she knew he could truly please a woman. Unfortunately he would never bother, seeing in them nothing but a vehicle to his gratification. 

"Well?" Dolph grabbed his cock and stroked it slowly, determined to keep it rock hard. "What are you waiting for?" He glared at her. "Must I say it every time? Fine. I wish you were naked." Without a thought her magic swirled within her and her clothes simply vanished. His tempo quickened slightly, seeing her full glory. "I thought there were masters who never once had to say 'I wish'?"

"There have been. I liked them, I do not like you."

Dolph laughed freely. "Sugar-lips," he stared longingly at the very region he named her for, "I don't care if you like me. Just so long as you obey me." He reigned himself in, slowing the tempo of his caress. "Now will you continue to insist I say the words every time I want something or will you be a good little piece of ass and do as you're told?"

Laresa nodded. She was quickly growing to despise the man. However she began to form plans to make her life more interesting and her time with him shorter. Unfortunately, all of her plans were contingent on his inattention. If she required him to think about each wish, enough even to simply add the two words, he was much more likely to phrase them precisely.

"Good, now that that's settled, I want you visible. I'm trusting you are, now, and I'm betting I'll know soon enough anyway. Now, get your ass over here." The response to his verbal freedom already was proving her decision. There were a number of ways she could have twisted his words to fulfill his wishes by the strictest meanings, but she would save that for later. What he was likely to do now would merely be embarrassing to a human. She had been through far worse, and found little embarrassment in responding to the desires of her masters.

"Kneel." She did, placing her hands comfortably on her thighs. "Now, I'm going to want you to blow me, and I want you to keep sucking me off until I tell you to make me come. But," the one word stopped her from leaning forward to begin his request, "I want to retain enough of my faculties throughout to carry on in intelligent conversation. Do you understand?" She nodded. "Then explain it in your own words please."

"You wish for me to please you with my mouth. I am to bring you to the point of climax and hold you there, feeling all of the sensations without inhibiting your reason. Finally, when you request it, I am to let you orgasm."

"Very good. You do have a way with words for a mouthy broad. Now, put that hot mouth of yours to something useful for a change."

He released his cock, his arms stretching along the back of the couch, as he relaxed backwards. She sensed he did not want her to leave the spot she knelt in so she leaned far forward. Despite the potent cologne he practically drenched himself in, she could smell the bitter-sweet musk of the sheen of sweat covering his balls and shaft. He wanted her to play some, and she would, if only to lull him into an undeserved state of confidence.

She brought her tongue forward first. She cringed, tasting the bitterness of his earlier exercise, as her tongue began to circle his bulging sack. "Oh yeah." Her tongue looped inward slightly preparing to trace the base of his shaft when she stopped in surprise. Her tongue retreated instinctively as she looked up at him accusingly. This was his desire, but it was by no means a need, as most masters had felt it. He wished to prove his power over her. He wanted her to clean off the remnants of both his, and some unknown woman's, cum as she, painfully, brought him back around.

His eyes hardened momentarily before lightening to laughter. "That's right. You're not the first woman today to satisfy me. In fact you won't even be the third. And I made sure not to clean myself after a single one of them, just in case you decided to be resistant." Her eyes burned into him but he simply laughed in response. "Well?"

Determined now to do nothing more than the absolute minimum of what he required she leaned forward. As she opened her mouth she placed her hands on the ground for added balance. Quickly she brought her mouth down around him. As she sank deeper she was forced to lift herself slightly. "God! Yeah." She plunged her mouth to his base when another taste joined that of dry lust. She fought not to gag. Her tongue tried, instinctively, to flee the foul taste covering him.

"I neglected to mention I didn't do them all in their pussies." She knew the neglect had been intentional but it was still not a lie. Without thinking she began to pull away. A single hand clutched her hair and pushed her back down. Unprepared for the sudden action, and near gagging already, she began to choke. He tried to laugh between gasps. He pushed her farther, forcing his length uncomfortably a slight ways down her throat. The hard intruder began to pulse against the tight confines of her mouth. The bastard was literally getting off on forcing her head. She hurriedly sent a spark of magic to the base of his Vas Deferens to keep his climax at bay - both for her own sake and because he had commanded it.

The hand let go. Her head rebounded free as she gasped for breath. She quickly cast a spell, preventing her need to breath. "Stop that. While you are visible you must show all symptoms of being a human woman." The spell released and she gulped in another deep breath. "Good, now keep me here until I tell you.

She moved forward once more and began pumping her head up and down. Her spit dripped from her mouth, her hand catching it and spreading it across the hard form. With her lips sealed sight and gliding along the fresh trail the taste diminished greatly. "God, this is amazing and frustrating all at once!" She had kept masters from climax before, always to their great delight. She continued to bob her head and hand in time with the pulse of the seed he could not release, all the while wishing he hadn't thought of the bonus.

Laresa heard the door open behind her. "You fucking. . ." It was obvious someone had stormed in intending to ream out Dolph for something. Unfortunately whoever it was had not been expecting the scene he had meticulously set. The door began to close.

"Preston!" This was the real reason he had requested the restrictions. He had wanted to gloat in the most primitive fashion possible. The pleasure heightening effects were previously unknown bonuses. "Come in Preston. You had something to say?"

"No, uh, I can see you're busy. I'll come back later." Preston's defeat echoed in his voice.

"Nonsense. I just bought her services today and am putting her through her paces, but otherwise she's safe to talk in front of." He was pulsing in her mouth again. She double checked her magic as she continued to slide up and down his cock. It was still fully intact, but the added combination of an audience and gloating seemed to further excite him.

Dolph leaned forward and whispered to her. "Raise your ass so he can see it clearly." Obedient as ever, she did. She felt the draft of the air-conditioning glide between her legs, sending chills across her, very exposed, lust. Preston's primal instinct would view her bright pink folds, shuddering slightly in the cold air, and be driven to fuck her. Dolph had ensured optimum negotiating standpoint for himself and nothing but embarrassment for the other two present.

"Sit, and tell me what you came in here to." She felt, rather than saw, Dolph motion towards the adjoining couch.

Preston sat heavily. A flick of her eyes and she could barely see the much smaller man. He was watching her intently. His envious gaze shifted constantly from her lust, to her swinging breasts, to her pumping mouth, and back again. After a few circuits, his eyes finally moved to Dolph, clear that he wouldn't finish any time soon. After all he's too lucid. Laresa could already predict the rest of the scene as Dolph had scripted it.

"Dammit Dolph! I don't know how you did it but you pulled my people out from under me!"

Dolph's voice was ice cold, an ironic counterpoint to the hot shaft burying itself in her mouth as his hips began to thrust in his excitement. "First, that's Mister Carpenter to you."

"You're not a partner yet Dolph."

Dolph seemed to ignore the comment. "Second, your dogs were about to dig up my bone." All three pointedly ignored the underlying innuendo. Laresa was struggling to breath through her nose as he forced his way into her. His hand once more found it's way, gently for the moment, to her hair.

"We're supposed to be on the same side here. If they were about to cut into you then what you were doing was illegal! That's bad for the company."

"Look, we're not allies. You and I are both going for partner here. And even if we weren't it's every man for himself." Dolph grinned. "You wanted to know how I did it? Why not? You'll find out soon enough. I pinned the blame on you. The only thing that's been keeping the FBI on track, and away from you, were your political connections. Once I found a way to get rid of them it was easy."

Laresa could see the other man turn pale. "The FBI? Jesus. I'm ruined!" A single tear escaped to roll down his cheek.

Dolph was laughing almost maniacally. His fist clenched, pulling at her hair painfully and wrenching her head back. His cock pulsed so wildly she was afraid either her spell, or the bounds of his flesh, would fail and cause a mess. Laresa barely heard him say "now" beneath his laughter. Without a thought she released the spell blocking him.

Dolph screamed his release. As Preston sobbed, Dolph ripped at her hair in his exuberance, burying himself deeper than he had yet. She felt his explosion as he shot himself down her wind-pipe. She began to choke but he continued to clutch her head and thrust himself as deep as he could, over and over. Distracted, Laresa barely noticed Preston flee the room. Fighting for air she began to struggle, but he simply grew bigger. On and on, his eruption seemed endless.

She was crying, limp in his grip, when he finally pulled her free. He tossed her to the floor as he stood. She lay on her side, curled in on herself, as she hacked and coughed. Laresa was glad for her magical nature, as fiercely as she ever had been before. A human woman could easily have died. Even Laresa had a difficult time clearing enough of the viscous sludge in order to simply breath. Of course it wouldn't normally have been a problem had it not been for his directive that her body react as a human when she was visible. He had not yet instructed her to return to the ring or her invisibility.




Laresa's World Ch. 08: Dolph



Laresa had actually met the Marquis De Sade in passing many lifetimes ago. She knew he would have been horrified by the preferences of some of her masters. She hated sadists on principle and now her current master had proven amongst their ranks.

She pulled herself forward, onto hands and knees once more. Her back arched as she finally managed to dislodge a last, large, glob of the man's lust and spit it to the floor. "Are you ready for more?" Still weak from near asphyxiation, she lifted her head. Slightly above her eyes, pointing accusingly at her, was his cock. Traces remained of his previous actions, however he clearly wanted more. Hard eyes traveled up his body to stare into his eyes.

The eyes staring back down at her shined with manic delight. It was clear he'd already gained, through his first wish, what he truly needed of her. Now he intended to enjoy her, and if she disapproved then so much the better. "No distractions now. I think it's time I get laid." His hand drifted into the tunnel between their eyes. He held a ball gag in his palm and a pair of police issue cuffs dangled from a single, extended, finger. "Anal, and you're going to insure its nice and tight." His grin was decidedly evil. She met his expression with her hatred. "I want to hear screams of pain."

Her eyes shifted from loathing to cruelty as the magic quickly built within her. He staggered back a step in confusion as he pondered her change of demeanor. "As you wish." His eyes widened in shock as her magic released and the room shifted. She continued to stare into those eyes as concern became panic. He tried to question her, but words refused to escape past the gag in his mouth. She took two steps back in order to better view the entire scene.

Dolph was still naked from the waste down. He still wore his button-up shirt and tie, but now he lay on his own desk. His legs dangled helplessly off one side while his hands were firmly secured, using his own cuffs, to a sturdy handle on the other side.

The door to his private bathroom opened revealing a very large man. More than simply large, he was also very hairy and Laresa could smell him the moment the door opened. Dolph's head turned at the sound. The true horror of what she had done to his request showed as his eyes widened. The man was naked. His obscenely large dick stood straight forward as he leered at the morsel trussed before him.

Dolph's eyes returned to Laresa. He shook his head and screamed amorphous words into the ball. As the man began to stalk across the room, she watched denial become pleading. His eyes promised change, money, power, anything so long as she not let this happen. She couldn't keep the corners of her mouth from creeping up as she watched. Once more he began to scream as hatred clouded his vision.

Dolph could no longer see the bear of a man when the bear slid behind him. Instead he focused on the rebellious genie. She held up a finger to stall the bear and leaned close to whisper to Dolph. "As you wished. It will be 'nice and tight', and I can assure that you will hear 'screams of pain.'"

His eyes widened once more in horror as the full realization struck that this was no simple threat or scare tactic. He suddenly realized that his own requests - tight anal, the ball gag, screams of pain, injunction against distractions - were not only be going to turn on him but prevented him from simply wishing it all away. A scream that sounded very much like a drawn out "no" erupted from his mouth.

Laresa turned her back on him. It wasn't that she refused to watch, she'd seen much more horrible sights through the years, she simply aimed for the fully stocked bar. A scream burst through the room, so high pitched that Laresa turned her head to watch as she sauntered away.

The giant was finding his progress difficult. His head was barely half covered but already Dolph was stretched tight. The socialite began to struggle against the chains and desk but a single hand, almost as large as his victim's head, planted on Dolph's back, holding him steady. The other hand reached down and two fingers prodded the reluctant sphincter. Realizing it simply wouldn't expand father on it's own the giant grinned.

Laresa tilted the bottle of whiskey, taking a swig directly from the bottle, as she leaned against the wall to watch her master's wish. She developed a taste for the liquor during the number of times she found herself in this country's 'wild west.' Hips thrust forward. Laresa flinched instinctively as muscle and flesh tore. The scream that echoed throughout the room reminded her more of an animal than anything human.

Hips retreated, dragging the solid dick across damaged nerves. Dolph's screams were continuous. The second tilt ripped more flesh but moved more smoothly, lubricated but fresh blood and unhindered by the wounded muscles. Taking another swig, Laresa watched dispassionately, now, as the giant man began to slide forward and back.

Dolph's eyes closed in pain. Tears streamed down his cheeks and rivulets from his nose. He choked on sobs between each fresh, drawn out, scream. Laresa couldn't bring herself to smile anymore. As much as she disliked his kind, he was still her master. She couldn't feel truly sorry for him but neither could she enjoy his torment. She watched, as she felt was her duty, in case he managed to work the gag free, somehow, and make his wish.

The screams ended as his voice grew horse. By the time the giant finished, pulling himself free mid-climax to coat her master's butt and part of his expensive shirt, Dolph was left whimpering. The man then wiped the blood off, using Dolph's legs, and turned to Laresa. He grinned and walked back to the bathroom, returning to his home through the same magic that had brought him.

Laresa walked over to the desk. She removed the key from the drawer, inches from Dolph's helpless hands, and stood before her master. She realized the irony as her exposed lust hovered in front of his nose. So far as she was concerned this entire relationship could be difficult, for both of them, or easy, and everything depended on the next words out of his mouth. Unfortunately Laresa maintained little hope of ease, seeing the anger in his eyes. The gag wasn't even fully removed when he yelled, his voice rising in volume with each word.

"I will see You DESTROYED!"

Laresa smiled sadly. She felt the magic building on its own but held and twisted it before releasing it. "As you wish, so shall it be." Once again the room shifted around them.

The first thing Dolph noticed was the oppressive thickness of the air. Then the unbearable heat hit his body. Laresa saw these as his chest tightened and his entire body burst into sweat. Slowly she faded from sight as he watched the ring soften, the gold spreading into a puddle as the ring sank into the lava. He knew a moment of triumph before he realized he was on a very narrow outcrop, mere inches above the molten rock, inside of a volcano. His horror redoubled as he noticed the lava rising. He felt the soles of his shoes melt away even before the glowing substance touched his feet.

"You BITCH!" His horse screams echoed weakly. The first sting of the burning rock began to melt his very flesh. "I wish I'd never found you!"

Her pale violet eyes seemed to hover before him, breaking through the illusion she had created from his wish. "My pleasure." It was no more than a whisper, but loud enough for him to hear. He realized how thoroughly he had been tricked. How he had been led to this point. The ring, unfelt on his hand, vanished in a puff of smoke, taking Laresa with it. The world shifted and tilted into blackness, rewriting the past hour.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Dolph's Office

"What do you mean you can't find it!? You said you would be here with it an hour ago!" Dolph was screaming into the phone.

"I don't understand, sir. I had it earlier. I know I did. It looked just like the pictures you showed me."

"You don't understand. You idiot! I need that ring! If I don't have that ring today, now, I'm through."

"I'm sorry sir. I don't understand how a ring will help though." Dolph stared at the phone incredulously.

"You're not paid to think. I fact, I'm not paying you any longer. If you don't bring that ring this moment, You're Fired!" He slammed the phone down on its base. How could this have happened? He was so close to countering Thornton's legal maneuvering. All he needed was the damned genie, in the damned ring. But somehow, with it practically in his grasp, it eluded him.

The phone rang once more. "What!"

"Sir?" He could hear his secretary practically cringing from the news she had to deliver. Just what he needed. She was a great screw, even better once he'd managed to train her properly. Unfortunately now it meant she was afraid to do her job properly for fear of punishment.

"Well? What is it Vanessa?"

"Sir? I-i-it's th-th-th..."

"For Christ's sake just spit it out!" Dolph spun as his door burst open, cracking away from the hinges.

"Freeze! FBI!" 



Laresa's World Ch. 09: Hanna



Author's Note: I appreciate the great response from readers as well as the wonderful stories that the other writers have contributed to this chain story of a genie. I am enjoying it and look forward to more chapters as we each take the time to bring some entertainment to your day. Thank you to gotwood49 for help with my paltry attempt to edit; he sure likes red ink. Enjoy the read and as always, please fill free to comment on the story. We writers love it ~ as is my policy, only respectful public comments remain in the public comment section. . .even criticism can be done with class. ~ Red 

  In a medallion lost in time and space, waiting to be found. . . 

Horace played with the images in his mind. His hand ran over his chest, down his abdomen and across his waist, as he remembered the time he'd spent with the young genie. Her eyes had been full of innocence and desire. Her lips tasted the sweetest after she'd serviced him, and her gaze reflected the feelings of love she had often spoken out loud as they lay in a sweat-coated embrace. 

"Horace," she'd whispered, and snaked her magic around his sex, making it rise; though he had the ability within himself. 

"Yes, little one?" he asked, and twirled her satiny locks of silvery hair. 

"You never say you love me," she said, her voice barely a whisper. 

"Little one, love is a fleeting thing," Horace answered, and rolled her to her back. "I love power. I enjoy you," he told her and thrust his sex into her eager home. 

She arched her back, as the memories began to move past her in a blurred rush. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

 Indianapolis, Indiana - 2006 

Hanna rolled the ring in her palm, and tossed it up and down in the air. "Magic, huh?" she whispered. She thought of the young woman who had pushed it into her palm as she quickly hurried away. Why had the woman been in such distress? She wondered what had caused the look of terror on her face, but was then forced from the sidewalk by a crowd of running police officers. She'd cursed them, but quickly picked herself up. As she brushed herself off, she slipped the ring into her pocket. Now she lay on the freshly mown grass of the park and played with the gold- and gem-filled jewelry. "Stolen?" she thought. "Was that why she was running?" She wondered if she'd ever have the answer, but something told her she wouldn't. 

"Oh, well. Magic or not, it is one fine rock." She slipped it on her finger and placed her hands behind her head. Bending her legs, she began to watch the sky darken and the stars come out. Several glittered down on her, and she smiled as she tried to count the diamonds in the sky. She blew on the few strands of strawberry-blonde hair that fell across her forehead and quietly whispered, "Twinkle, twinkle, little star; how I wonder what you are. Up above the World so high; like a diamond in the sky. Twinkle, twinkle, little star; how I wonder what you are." 

"I believe that is to be sung, Mistress, not spoken." 

Hanna jumped to her feet and spun around. "Jesus Christ, Lady! You don't sneak up on someone like that. You'll get yourself killed!"

"Only if the ring is destroyed would I die, Mistress." 

"The ring?" Hanna asked, and then looked at the ring on her finger. "Hey, that woman gave me this thing. But it ain't worth dying over." 

"Not for you, perhaps; but for many it is, and it is certainly worth my life for it not to be destroyed." 

"Is it yours?" Hanna inquired. She eyed the woman and then laughed as she realized what the stranger was wearing. "Oh, good lord. Who put you up to this? Brian? Katie? Dean? Those jerks." 

"Mistress, these are your friends, but I have not had contact with them. I can if you like, though. You only need to think your desires, or voice them, and they will be yours." 

"You're good! Bubble pants and a sweet little vest, just like in the movies. I bet if you wanted, you could even bob your head and flick a pony tail up, to make spells work," Hanna chuckled. 

"Is that your wish?" 

"Nah! I think all that Hollywood stuff is crap. But, come on. Who sent you?" Hanna asked. She watched the woman in the genie costume take on a perplexed look. "Okay, I'll play along. What the hell! The guys paid good money for this freak-show. I might as well make sure they get their money's worth." Hanna cleared her throat. "I wish for a mansion on a hill, overlooking the ocean." 

"Which ocean? And where?" 

"Which ocean? Damn, I don't know. Pick one," Hanna said, rolling her eyes. "And as far as where, I don't give a flip, either! This is just for kicks. I figure I'll end up with some toy in my hand, like a snow globe or something. But the real thing would be cool," she said with a sarcastic laugh. 

"Mistress, I cannot choose for you. You must tell me what you wish, and where you wish to be." 

"Fuck, man! Oh, okay. A mansion on a cliff, overlooking the ocean, in Hawaii." She giggled hard and then suddenly she felt a breeze. Hanna smelled the ocean, and was embraced by the rays of a tropical climate. "What the hell?" she said, and spun around. She felt her balance start to go, and she scrambled to catch her footing. She turned to look over her shoulder, and noticed a beautiful blue ocean and the cliff edge she was standing on. "Holy fuck," she muttered, and jumped three feet forward. Her gaze returned to the front, and she stared at the huge house that, she swore, took up three football fields. "Wow," she muttered. 

"You are pleased?" 

Hanna spun around and with a slack jaw, muttered, "Yes." She swallowed and shook her head, opened and then clenched her eyes tightly shut, counted to twenty, and then opened her eyes; only to repeat the shake, clench, count system three more times, before she said, "I wish for a million dollars," quickly adding, "tax free!"

She watched the genie roll her eyes and blow strands of wispy silver hair off her forehead. That image was soon replaced, when Hanna's gaze focused on two large glass boxes that suddenly appeared on either side of her. They were both filled with green hundred-dollar bills. Hanna slumped to the floor. "Holy fuck! Holy fuck! Holy fuck!" 

"Mistress, I . . ."

"Wait!" Hanna lifted her hand, commanding the woman not to speak. "One more. One more. Oh, fuck. . .One more. Don't waste it. World peace? Nah. . . Think of all the unemployed military. A cure for cancer? Oh, that would be good, but. . .scientists need jobs, too; and pharmacists and . . . nah. . .Cancer; yeah, that's it." She looked up and stared at the woman, no longer doubting that she was, in fact, a genie. "I wish for them to find a cure for cancer." 

She waited for some sign that her wish had been granted, yet nothing happened, and the woman still stood there. "Ummm. . .aren't ya gonna do something? Zap a lightning bolt, or perhaps cause some great wind, and then disappear." 

"Mistress, I can not give a cure for cancer. It would cause too much of a ripple. I can tell you, though, that I have been in the time where they find the cure. So, in essence, Mankind fulfills their own wish, and I can only heal individual sufferers. It was sweet of you to desire that. I can sense in you a great want to have that wish fulfilled. I am sorry I am not able to do it. If I may. . ." 

Hanna lifted her hand again, cutting the stunning creature off. "Okay, so not big wishes. I guess these are small ones?" she said, waving her hands toward the money and the huge house.

"Yes, minimal and easily explained in history, but if you would like. . ." 

"No. Now, stop. I don't need the ins and outs. I know how this works," Hanna said. She tossed back her hair and stood up, walking back and forth, until, finally, she spun around to face the woman. "I wish for a full body replacement," Hanna grinned. "I mean, the perfect healthy body. Little fat, but I want sexy curves; round boobs, that are natural; and I want flawless skin, but bronzed, with no tan lines. My ass? Raise it a little, round it out. And then, this. . ." She lifted her shirt and pointed to a scar. "I got this when I was eight; when I fell on a pair of scissors. I want this scar gone. You know what I mean, don't you?" Hanna asked, "and hey . . .what's your name?" 

"Laresa." 

Hanna grinned. "Cool. Now I'm ready. I wish for that body I told you about." 

"It is done, Mistress," Laresa answered with a smile. 

"Huh?" Hanna made a face and then looked down at down, at her perfectly tanned arms; slim, and free of scars from her childhood. "Whoa. . ." she muttered, and lifted her shirt, seeing that scar, too, was gone. Her hands moved under the material and she cupped her breasts. "Oh, yeah," she said, and giggled. "This is too fuckin' awesome." Her hands moved behind her, and she squeezed her ass cheeks. "Hot damn! Very nice." She winked at the woman, and then sighed in delight. "Now, this is a body to die for. What happens to you? Do I give you to someone, toss the ring over my shoulder and whisper words of magic? You gonna teleport, like Dr. Spock?" 

"Mistress, I am your servant," Laresa told her, bowing her head and then raising it, her gaze holding that of Hanna's. 

"My servant. Like. . .my slave girl," she said, with a humorous giggle. "I mean, the whole three wishes thing doesn't apply?"

"Exactly, Mistress. I am to serve you." 

"Woo-hoo!" Hanna spun around and chuckled. "Let's get this money into the house, and talk. I have a feeling you and I are going to have fun. Too bad I don't have two of you. That would be something! Fuck, I wish I had a second genie," she said offhandly. "How cool would that be?" 

Laresa's eyes grew wide. "Mistress, no. . .Don't. . ."

Hanna watched in wonder as a ray of light formed from a single speck of dust. Laresa closed her eyes and waited for the winds to settle. Hanna watched in disbelief as the speck grew brighter, and then burst suddenly into a million pieces. 

Horace cursed, as the pull of the medallion forced him from his erotic fantasy. He looked around and found the source that radiated around him. His eyes grew wide in amused shock, and then he turned to see the woman wearing his medallion. He then looked back to the silver-haired Goddess. 

"Laresa, it has been a long time, hasn't it?" 

Laresa shuddered, and her stomach pitched forward. "Horace," she said, nodding her head in the direction of the genie. "It has been some time. This is Mistress Hanna," she whispered. 

"I didn't tell you my name," Hanna answered, as she stared at the man before her. His slacks were similar in fabric to Laresa's, but darker; more black and form-fitting. His sex was covered by thicker woven material, and she found herself curious as to what was under the fabric; but refused to form the words "wish" in her mind. There was no hair on his body, or at least the parts she could see, and she unknowingly licked her lips. 

"You need not tell her anything, beautiful one. She is your slave, your minion. Her job is to read your mind and give you whatever your heart desires. I, too, know your needs. I am glad my form is pleasing to you," Horace whispered, as he reached out and touched her neck. "You now wear my medallion." 

Hanna shuddered from the intense heat that rushed through her skin. She felt her nipples tighten. "Where did that come from?" she asked, and then felt the warm touch of the genie's skin when she brushed his fingers. Her palm patted the medallion that rested against her breastbone. She looked to Laresa. 

"Horace was the closest genie without a Master, or Mistress. When you wished for a second genie he appeared," Laresa replied. 

Horace quickly took over. "I can see what you are thinking, Mistress. No, you may not wish for more genies. It is not allowed. Thousands of years ago, there were evil-doers that possessed hundreds of genies. Many worlds were destroyed before order was restored, and the laws of the Djinn, or genies, were rewritten. It is for the safety of millions that a limit was placed on the number of genies one is allowed. Two is a small number, but," Horace whispered and moved closer, "we are still a powerful force." 

Hanna moaned softly as she felt another rush of heat flow over her. "Damn," she muttered and shivered. "Spine tingling," she groaned. 

"Laresa, you have done well in your growth. I have thought of you through time," Horace said, turning his attentions back to Hanna. "Mistress, I believe you will like having the power of two genies. I sense in you a hunger for more knowledge. A need to have fine things and explore different places. Worlds, perhaps? I stress to you, that you have much time to learn of many new things; you are quite safe in my powers." 

Laresa felt a soft growl roll from her throat. "Mistress, if you'd like we can remain here or go; he speaks the truth to you."

"He can't lie? How come?" Hanna asked, her gaze traveling to the handsome genie and then back to the beautiful woman by her side. 

"No, Mistress. He can not lie to you, nor can you lie to him. There are rules, Mistress. Horace mentioned them, if you will recall. He said they had been rewritten. He is a tricky one, though, I caution you. It is my job as your servant to warn you when you are in danger, unless you wish me not to." Laresa felt Horace's gaze. 

 "Why did you tell her this? Are you still choosing to reveal all to your Mistresses and Masters without them asking for it? You are a foolish one, but still beautiful," Horace mentally whispered to Laresa. 

"Go away," she muttered silently. 

"I can not, my sweet flower, she has not wished it." 

"I will make her see the true depth of your character," Laresa replied. She kept her thoughts divided, one set on her Mistress, the other on protecting herself from the charms of Horace. 

"I am only a mere mortal when I am in your arms and the arms of all women," Horace purred. 

"You are what the Earthlings call a smooth talker, a playboy, a trickster, a fool. . .a. . . ." 

"Enough, woman," he hissed." 

"I'd like to go inside the house and then, perhaps, we can discuss other things," Hanna said, unaware of the genies' silent war of thoughts. 

"Of course, Mistress," Horace said, offering his arm to her. 

Laresa's gaze fell on her Mistress and the other genie. She felt his glee when Hanna took his arm, as if he was a fine gentleman and she, Laresa, was simply the help. 

"Mistress, he is not to be trusted," Laresa mentally connected with Hanna. 

"Holy fuck!" Hanna jumped back and stared at Laresa. "You just talked in my head. Don't do that again! You freaked me out. At least Horace was gentle and warm. Damn, woman," she rolled her eyes and sighed. "You said you're younger than Horace, right?" Hanna asked. 

"Yes, Mistress. Horace is an old genie," Laresa stressed. 

"Old means wiser," Hanna said and turned to Horace. "I will leave you in charge of Laresa, and you will answer to me. She can be, like, your employee. Your underling. . . Your. . ."

"Apprentice?" Horace asked, offering a word to his Mistress after sensing her struggle. 

"YES! Apprentice. She will be your Apprentice." 

"Mistress, I don't need. . ." Laresa heard the words, before Hanna whispered them. 

"Laresa. I wish for you to listen and follow the commands of Horace. You will obey him as if he were me. He will be your Master and I your Mistress. You will do this, but. . .I will overrule him if I feel it necessary." 

Laresa felt her world shift and she turned her gaze to Horace. 

 "You'll suffer from this. . .someday," she told him. 

Horace said nothing, keeping his thoughts hidden from Laresa. "Mistress," he said. "I am honored by this wise decision and I will not lie to you, I am greatly pleased. Laresa is young and she will learn much under my rule." 

Hanna grinned. "See, he's not a bad genie. Laresa, I bet you and he were lovers and you had a lover's spat some century ago. Come on, let's see what this house is like, and decorate."

The small group walked into the richly adorned house and Hanna smiled. "Oh, which one of you did this?" she asked. 

"I did, my Mistress; I read your thoughts; gently, mind you, and produced the things you desired. You had not asked me to not enter them," Horace told her. 

"No, you're cool. You were warm and gentle. She just popped in there unannounced, and started throwing accusations around," Hanna said, her voice showing her annoyance with Laresa. "You're welcomed." 

"You honor me, Mistress Hanna." 

Laresa rolled her eyes and blew at the strands of silvery hair that fell across her brow. 

"Laresa, Mistress wishes for a hot bath and a warm meal. Do these things for her, but do them without magic. It will help you to experience life as a simple female and help your magic in the future, by bringing more realism to your gifts. The supplies you need are in the kitchen and in the large suite at the top of the stairs," Horace said, and then took Hanna's arm. "Mistress, I would like to hear you speak. Would you tell me of your life, though I know I am welcomed into your mind? I prefer to hear your voice." 

Laresa ground her teeth and sulked off to the kitchens, while Horace led Hanna up a long winding staircase and into the largest bedroom of her home. 

"Wow, you're amazing," Hanna whispered. She walked over to the bed and lay down. Her hands toyed with the medallion, and then the ring. "Me, huh? I'm not all that special. Not like you guys; you guys are magical. I probably can't wish to be a genie, can I?" she asked. 

"No, Mistress, that is a wish that is not possible. A genie is a sacrifice for a people that are long dead to the world. Once the last genie is freed, we are no more," Horace answered. 

"How do you free a genie?" Hanna asked. 

"I have heard that it is different for all genies. If their home is destroyed, they perish and pass on. No one knows where, so it is believed they die, just like mortals cease to exist. If the trick to freeing them happens, they do not know it until they are pulled from the powers of their home for the final time," he said, and casually sat down next to her. 

"How do you know this?" Hanna asked. 

"I was one of the first, formed from fire and mineral and linked to the medallion. I have heard stories, just like you know of the past before it was written down. Legends, you call them; sometimes fairy tales. And I have witnessed the 'almost' death of one Djinn." Horace made a face, growing angry with his inability to answer the question of freedom to its fullest extent. It was something he was rarely asked about, as well as something he never cared to be. He loathed the idea of freedom. Freedom meant you were nothing more than a man, susceptible to the tyranny of greed, or the over-powering suffocation of kindness. His thoughts shifted back to Hanna and he listened to her voice, again enjoying the deep throatiness of it.

"There is no way to wish for Laresa's freedom or yours?" she asked. 

"No, my beautiful Mistress, there is no way to do it. It is an empty wish." Horace replied. 

Hanna sighed and ran her fingers through her hair. "So, give me the rules. I wish for all of them that you know of, since you are so well-learned, and Laresa isn't." 

Horace felt his free will become locked in a battle, one he knew he would lose. He hated when they asked for the rules. It made his job less enjoyable. He sat down and took her foot, eased her shoe off and then her sock. "Yes, Mistress." 

Hanna lay there listening to the man's voice wash over her. His hands moved up around her ankles and she purred as she tried to focus on his touch and his voice. "Mmm. . ." she moaned softly, as he kneaded the muscles of her right calf. "No lying," she muttered. "Damn, you have great hands. Higher baby," she growled and spread her legs further. 

"As you wish," Horace answered and smirked. He pressed circles around her knees and continued speaking softly to her. "I can not raise anyone from the dead, or make someone fall in love with you or another," he whispered and moved his palms higher, pushing deeper onto the corded flesh. "Your body is amazing, Hanna." 




Laresa's World Ch. 10: James



Chicago, Illinois — 2006

Laresa sighed, unable to assist her Mistress due to the last command Hanna had spit out in a drug-fogged fit of pique.

Just stand over there invisible and watch. Stay out of this. I can handle my fucking high, okay?

Laresa shook her head sadly as she remembered the words, knowing they weren't true then, and certainly weren't true now. Bent over the arm of a sofa, Hanna was finally unconscious after two days of indulgence.

Sticky trails led from her sex and the puckered iris of her ass down her legs, evidence of the drug-induced euphoria she had ridden with reckless abandon for the last several hours. More semen matted her hair and covered her face, back, and buttocks. A string of spittle, mixed with more seed from the six men sprawled about the room, dribbled down her chin. Three other men had already left, in a slightly less impaired condition than those who remained.

Hanna's folds were a bright, angry red, as was her ass. Laresa knew her Mistress would be in pain when she awakened, but Hanna's last command still compelled her to stand and simply watch.

One of the men stirred, rising up groggily by climbing up the couch. Sitting down on it heavily, letting out a groaning gasp, he glanced over at Hanna and chuckled. His eyes lit up then, and he reached for her hand.

Laresa's heart leapt in her chest, but she could do nothing except watch as the man pulled the ring from Hanna's finger and said, "Bet I can afford some good shit if I hock this off. Thanks, slut."

Laresa turned into invisible wisps of smoke, returned to her home in the ring when Hanna lost possession of it.

* * * * *

Some time passed before Laresa felt the pull of a new Master calling her from the ring. The man was dirty, disheveled, and barely coherent. It took several attempts even to impress upon him that she was real, not just another symptom of his acid trip. Only an hour later did it dawn on him that he could make wishes.

He turned to the nude semi-pro prostitute, as she called herself, at his side and shook the woman, "Hey, Cheyenne, I got a genie, babe! Cheyenne, wake up already!"

Laresa knew the woman was not going to awaken, not now or ever again. Her new Master had been unknowingly sitting next to a corpse for several hours. After another few moments of shaking, the man suddenly realized how cold and clammy the woman's flesh was beneath his hands. He snatched them back and scrambled to the opposite side of the couch away from her.

He mumbled, "No way, you can't be dead. No way, no way, no way, no way..."

He raised his head then and turned toward Laresa in a jerky movement, his eyes alight with the thought that had just penetrated the thick fog in his brain.

Laresa began, "Master..." Her sense of right demanded that she inform her Master he was about to break a rule, but it warred with disgust over her enslavement to such a man.

"I wish for you to bring her back," Laresa's new Master commanded.

Having never asked for the rules of owning a genie, he had no idea that this was a wish beyond her power, or that it broke the bonds between them. Laresa turned back into tendrils of smoke, returning to her home in the ring, which vanished to hurtle through space and time once more.

* * * * *

Alaska — Winter 1925

James Paddock fought the urge to growl, already irritated at the other men in the place halfway through his first bitter, watered-down beer. The hastily constructed walls of the clandestine saloon barely blocked the wind, and the fire managed to put more smoke in the air than heat. The smoke did nothing to overpower the smell of stale sweat — and even more unpleasant odors — that hung in the close quarters either. Even though the place was supposed to be secret, the other men in the cramped room obviously couldn't care less. They were just as loud and annoying as before Prohibition.

Tossing back the last of his beer in one pull, James flipped a coin to the man who ran the place and thought, I should have just stayed out in the storm.

Exiting through the badly hidden door into the dry goods store, which drew far fewer customers than the real business beyond, James walked back out into the frigid wind and blowing snow. Shaking his head, he thought, I don't know why I bother. No matter where I go, it's always the same. Men who are too loud and full of lies, women who are only looking for money, and beer that tastes like piss. Hardly worth waking up in the morning in a world like this.

Walking to the back of the building and ducking to look under an awning that was, if anything, better constructed than the building it was attached to, James whistled for his dogs.

His black mood lifted a bit as his team bounded out of the shelter and toward their place in front of the sled, eager to run.

* * * * *

James squinted at the horizon, across the surface of the Blinding White, as he called this land when the snow flew so thick you could barely see the front of your sled, let alone your dogs. The storm was getting worse, and he was starting to feel the chill even through his rabbit-fur lined coat. He'd been cold before, though, and he knew a cave nearby that could shelter them if things got bad enough.

Even though the storm was picking up, he could still see his team — for now. He smiled, sensing the enthusiasm as they bounded through the snow, pulling him and his sled. His dogs loved to run, and James loved to indulge them. He had taken this trip with the idea of getting a beer and finding out what was going on in the world, but really, it had all been just an excuse to be out amongst nature in all her glory. Sighing, he thought, Wish I could just stay out here forever.

The change was subtle at first, but quite recognizable to James. At first, the dogs only glanced at each other, their fluid gait showing signs of hesitation. As they continued on, the animals actually began to slow. The nervous posture of his team prompted James to call for them to stop.

"What do you smell, Apogee? I know that look, boy. You too, Addie — something's out there putting you on edge, girl. What is it?"

The entire team stared off into the distance, their ears pricked to the wind. His lead dog, Apogee, and Addie glanced back at him when he called their names. He had a good team, with good feet, but Apogee and Addie were the best dogs he'd ever seen. They stood out from the rest of the five black and white dogs too — Apogee in his copper-brown banded coat and Addie in pure, snow white. 

Smarter than half the men he knew, and better company, he'd come to trust the instincts of those two dogs as much as he trusted his own. Too many times — on days like this — he'd relied on those dogs to get him home, when he couldn't even see them for the blowing snow. They'd warned him of bears, pulled him around crevices, and found town through the most abysmal of storms too many times for him to do otherwise.

"Storm looks like it's going to get worse before it gets better, is that it?"

Addie turned to look at him again, and James locked eyes with her. She then jerked her muzzle back toward the horizon, sniffing the air.

Most men thought he was crazy to have a female on his team — he refused to call her a bitch — but it was times like this when James knew why he strapped her up. She was a damn smart dog, and seemed to understand nearly every word he said to her. He hated leaving her behind when she was in heat, distracting the rest of the team too much to get anywhere.

"Not the storm, then," James grunted, brushing some of the frost off his thick black beard with a gloved hand. Just then, he caught a glimpse of something through the blinding gales of snow. It looked like a sled.

"Somebody else out there, is that it?"

Apogee and Addie both let out a little whuff.

"Don't look to be moving, that's not good. Let's get over there — mush!"

The whole team looked a bit apprehensive, but they followed Apogee's lead and bounded off through the gale, the runners of James' sled hissing across the snow. As they drew nearer, James was able to determine that what he saw was indeed a sled, and it was sitting idle, gathering snow. It was also sitting at an odd angle. He could see no sign of team or driver, but mounds of snow nearby hinted at their location. That sight made James' blood run cold.

The dogs were all reluctant to approach too close, and that only confirmed James' fears. One mound of snow, beside the sled, was larger than the ones in front, and it was toward it he walked when the team stopped. Squatting down and brushing away a couple inches of snow revealed exactly what James expected.

He didn't recognize the old man, and James knew that if he'd ever seen him, he would have remembered him. The old man had a beard as white as the snow that covered him, and features that hinted at Inuit blood. The frozen mat of blood in the man's white hair revealed without a doubt what had killed him. He'd driven his sled over a hidden rock, and hit his head on it when he was thrown.

Shaking his head and grunting, James brushed away snow from the other mounds, finding the team frozen. They were hooked to their harnesses and that had prevented them from getting loose. James never liked a man hooking his team like that. He never did, so that the dogs would have a chance if something ever happened to him, unlike these poor animals. It looked like a good team too, and it was a damn shame they died because the man that drove them didn't leave them free to find shelter and food.

Shouldn't leave them out here in the open, I guess, James thought. He couldn't take them back to town on his small sled, with a seven-dog team, but he could get them to the cave where he could find them easier later. Somebody in town would know the man, or know someone who knew him. The man deserved a proper burial, despite the cruel thoughtlessness that had killed his team, and any kin deserved to know what happened to him.

Tugging the frozen man free from the snow, James strapped him to the sled. His dogs all looked a little leery of that, staying as far away from the corpse as possible, but he couldn't blame them. He wasn't too fond of riding behind the frozen body to the cave either.

* * * *

It took five trips — and two hours — to transport the man and his team to the cave, and dark was creeping up on him when he deposited the last of the frozen dogs in a deep alcove at the back of the cave. People used the cave frequently for shelter, and it smelled strongly of men. Thus, it was unlikely any hungry animal would venture inside to chew on the corpses. The place had a natural chimney in one crevice that would vent the smoke of a fire, and James even found a couple of armloads of wood stacked nearby.

The dogs all lay down, their breath steaming the air around them to the point that it looked like clouds surrounded them. Pulling some tinder and kindling from his kit, James got a fire going. The dogs all quickly moved closer for the warmth, curling up together for even more.

Once the fire was blazing cheerfully, James opened the frozen man's kit to see if he could find anything that might help identify him. At first, he found nothing remotely personal, and then he found the ring.

Holding up the ring to the firelight, he said, "What have we got here?"

Addie looked up for a moment, tilting her head sideways.

"Just talking to myself, girl. Get some rest. We're going to bed down here for the night. I don't like the looks of that storm, and I ain't fighting it at night."

Addie lowered her head again, and James returned to his examination of the ring. Gold with a big amber stone, it was certainly something that folk would remember if they had seen it. James started to go slip it into his kit, but then decided to slide it on his finger instead. It would be easier that way than digging it out once he got back to town.

Pulling back on his glove, James said, "I'm going to go get some deadfall to keep that fire going, I'll be back." As oddly as people looked at him for having a female dog on his team, they looked at him even odder when he talked to the dogs as he would talk to a man. It didn't matter to James, because he knew it worked. His dogs were all smart, and they understood well enough. It might just be the tone of his voice and his actions, but James liked to think they understood his words.

Reluctantly walking away from the fire, James exited the cave into the teeth of the biting wind again. The trees didn't even seem to break up the wind, and that only confirmed the wisdom of stopping for the night. He was glad that he knew the area, because it was almost dark, and soon he wouldn't be able to see more than a few inches in front of him.

Years of knowledge and skill allowed James to find suitable wood beneath the snow cover, and when he trudged back out into the snow the third time, he estimated that one more good limb would last through the night. A promising shape beneath the snow drew him a bit farther from the cave than the two previous trips. Brushing away the snow, he found a perfect limb that he could haul, and would provide more than enough wood to keep his fire burning.

In the process of freeing the limb, he heard an alarming crack. Snow and ice fell in a shower over him, and then the limb that fell behind it flattened him to the snow.

James tried to move, but found the weight of the evergreen limb was too great to budge. Likewise, sharp stabs of pain shot through his body from his ribs when he tried to shift the huge branch. A few more attempts yielded no better results, and he started to feel weak.

Broken ribs - must be bleeding inside, James thought, his teeth chattering as shock combined with the cold to overwhelm his resistance to the elements. The minutes dragged on, feeling like hours as James' strength failed him. He could barely move his arms now, could hardly even lift his head from the snow. Maybe it's better this way. There's nothing for me in this world, James thought through the stabs of pain that clouded his mind.

A high-pitched growl, with an almost worried note to it, caused James to open his eyes. He'd nearly passed out, and that surely would have been the end of him. Looking over, he saw Addie with her jaws clenched tight on a branch of the limb, pulling with all her might. Apogee bounded into view a moment later, adding his strength to the struggle.

The limb was barely budging, and James knew it was useless. He honestly wasn't sure whether he wanted to live anyhow. They said that you just fell asleep when you froze to death, and that didn't sound like too bad a way to go. Summoning up what little strength he had left, he slowly muttered, "Go on, get back in that cave and wait out this storm. You find your way home when it's over. You all been good dogs to me."

Addie paused in her efforts for a moment and looked up into his eyes. If any expression from man or beast could have proclaimed, No, any more clearly — James had never seen it. The loyal canine returned to pulling on the limb.

At the moment, he didn't care whether he lived or died, but he wasn't sure whether his loyal team, especially Apogee and Addie, would leave him here alone. The last thing he wanted was his dogs to freeze out here. Fighting the ever-increasing urge to close his eyes, James struck the limb weakly in a fit of frustration. The action earned him a bite of pain in his finger, the one he had put the ring on. Pulling off his glove, he scowled at the ring and thought, Damn thing is cursed. It killed him, and now it's killed me.

Trying to pull the ring off, he found it stuck. He focused on the hated ring, using it as a reason to remain awake and alive, twisting the golden band in an effort to remove it from his finger.

Over the howl of the wind, he heard a woman's voice say, "You have summoned me from the ring. What is your command, Master?"

Startled, he turned toward the voice to see a woman standing a foot or so away, looking down on him. Addie and Apogee both yelped and moved to stand over him, teeth bared and low growls rumbling from their throats.

The woman was strikingly beautiful, with silvery hair and curves that announced her gender beyond any doubt. The wind didn't even appear to touch her, which accounted for why she wasn't shivering when the clothing she wore revealed ample amounts of bare skin.

"W-when they talk ab-bout the angel of death, I didn't t-think she'd actually b-be an angel," James muttered through his chattering teeth, fascinated by the sight of the strange, petite woman.

"I am no angel, but a genie, Master," Laresa told him, wondering where she was in space and time now. There was little to identify her location, though she guessed she was in the North, not the South. Her new Master was obviously in a great deal of danger, and she wondered if she would even be here very long. He looked very weak, and might very well die before ever making a single wish. Sympathy welled up inside her, and she asked again, "What is your wish, Master?"

"I wish... tree off... that's what... what I wish," James muttered weakly, losing the battle to remain conscious.

The weight of the thick limb suddenly vanished, and James started, the movement stabbing him from his broken ribs. Once again, his dogs jumped back with a yelp, glancing rapidly between their Musher and the odd woman.

"As you command, Master."

Growing delirious, thinking this was all some sort of dream, he gasped, "I wish... back in cave... not hurt."

Relieved, because the man was very close to death, Laresa informed him, "It shall be so, Master," and granted his wish.

James sat up in stunned surprise. He was back in the cave, the sound of claws scrambling on stone greeting him as Addie and Apogee darted away, and the rest of his dogs started from their sudden appearance. "How in the... Who are you?"

Bowing, Laresa responded, "My name is Laresa, Master. You wished to be in this cave — your hurts healed — and so I have obeyed you." Laresa felt her cheeks grow warm when she heard James thinking about how her voice sounded like beautiful music.

Locking eyes with the woman, James was startled to discover that she had violet eyes. Equally fascinating were her lashes, which were long, full, and lustrous. The color was so deep and glossy that they almost appeared to flicker with silvery accents when she blinked. Absently, he asked, "But, how?"

Laresa explained, "I am a genie, Master. I am capable of many things you might consider miraculous."

Standing up and looking at the strangely dressed woman, he felt a rush of heat flow through him, centering in his loins and sending pulses of blood into his manhood. James had not lain with a woman for over a year, and the reaction was quite natural. The thin pants and short, open vest Laresa wore revealed her fair skin to his eyes, hiding just enough to entice.

"My name is James," he offered, tearing his eyes away from the swell of her ample bosom.

Having noticed his reaction, a hint of a smile twitched her lips as she acknowledged, "I understand, Master."

Turning to his dogs, James calmed them and then scratched each of their ears affectionately. He saved Addie and Apogee for last, hugging them about the neck and saying, "Thank you two for trying. A man couldn't ask for no better dogs."

Walking back to the strange woman, he said, "Thank you too, because I surely would have died out there. So what can you do? Laresa, you said?"

She bowed again, pale blonde curls flowing around her face in a hypnotic wave, "Yes, my name is Laresa. I can make your wishes reality, within limits."

Raising his bushy eyebrows, James asked, "What limits?"

"I cannot raise the dead, or change things that will affect many people throughout the flow of time. I also cannot tamper with a person's feelings."




Laresa's World Ch. 10: James



He asked, "So I only got one wish left, then?"

Laresa grinned and rolled her eyes slightly, "Those stories cause me no end of irritation. Your wish is my command until you no longer possess the ring, or you break the rules."

"Well, if I can make all the wishes I want, I wish this cave was warm and we had some real food to eat."

The cave warmed instantly to the perfect temperature through Laresa's power, and she then searched James' mind for what he defined as real food. A moment later, she manifested a table full of steaming platters before James, and several bowls in a circle near the dogs.

The dogs hesitated for a few moments, but the scent of cooked meat soon drew them to the bowls. James shrugged off his coat, hat, and gloves, sighing contently in the warm air. "It'll be nice to sleep warm and dry," he said sitting down at the table and picking up a spoon. Noticing a foaming mug off to one side of his plate, he put down the spoon and took it up instead. His eyes opened wide after the first taste of the beer. "This is the best brew I've ever tasted."

"Thank you, Master," Laresa replied with another bow.

Wincing a bit, he said, "Just call me James. I don't even consider myself a Master to them dogs."

"As you wish, James."

Picking up his spoon again, James dug hungrily into the food before him. It had been days since he'd had a real meal.

* * * * *

After eating, he wished for a pipe and tobacco, and then for his clothes and coat to be like brand new. Next, he wished for his sled to be impervious to the common failings. He considered several big wishes, of course. He had a genie at his disposal and could have wished for riches, fame, and glory.

Seeing that Laresa appeared happy to grant his small requests, he just kept making those instead of risking bigger wishes. For some reason, his stomach knotted up thinking about a big wish possibly bringing a frown to her face — or even just taking away her smile. It had been a very long time since any woman smiled at him, let alone one so beautiful. Her smile seemed genuine too, not just a front that women put up to find out what you were worth.

In time, the hard drive through the storm, and the trips hauling the bodies of the perished Musher and his team took their toll. James let out a great yawn, realizing he could barely keep his eyes open. A quick wish for a bed, and it was done.

James awoke in the cave, lying in a bed bigger and softer than anything he'd ever seen. Curled up around him were seven dogs, all still dozing contently.

Looking around, James didn't see the genie anywhere. If it were not for the bed, and the warmth of the cave despite no fire burning, he would have assumed it was all a dream. Dimly remembering that she had said he summoned her from the ring, he pulled it from beneath the covers and rubbed it. When nothing happened, he said, "Laresa?"

Swirling puffs of smoke congealed into the genie at the foot of the bed, "You called, James?"

He climbed out of the bed, unsuccessfully trying not to disturb his dogs, and stretched the kinks out of his muscles. "I half thought I'd dreamed the whole thing, that's all."

James was dressed in only his long underwear — his hairy, muscled chest bare. Laresa grinned, thinking the man looked a little bit like a bear with so much dark hair on his body. While she had never really considered such a man particularly attractive, there was something powerful and primal about the sight of him. She felt heat rush into her cheeks — and her sex — when she glanced down for a moment, seeing the large bulge of his manhood.

Pulling her eyes away quickly, she said, "I understand, James. Many do not trust their senses when I come to them."

James was tearing his eyes away from the swell of Laresa's breasts, barely contained in the short vest that covered them, at the same moment. He thought, Lord, that woman is beautiful. Makes me want to wish for her to be in that bed with me.

Again, Laresa felt a tingle between her thighs upon hearing his thoughts. In truth, she hoped he would wish for her to be in the bed with him. His moral conviction not to command her to do so only caused her to desire it even more.

Shaking the thoughts out of his head, because they were causing his cock to throb almost painfully, James said, "You know, I was just thinking... Could you send that fellow and his team somewhere where somebody who knows him could bury him right?"

Laresa responded, "Of course, James, if that is your wish."

Grunting and pulling on his shirt, he said, "Do that then. They should get a proper burial, and this cave is going to start smelling soon with it being so warm if they're still back there."

Closing her eyes for a moment, Laresa fulfilled his wish, locating kin of the man and implanting a suggestion in their minds that they should go looking for him in the place where she placed him, near where they lived. "It is done."

Glancing back into the alcove, James saw that the man and dogs were indeed gone, along with the man's kit. "His sled should be there too."

"You considered that when you made the wish, James. I have done exactly that. I can see your desires in your mind and fulfill your true wishes, not just those that you voice when you make the wish."

James paused in pulling on his pants, looking up at her, "You can see into my head?"

Sensing his thoughts, Laresa knew exactly why he was asking the question. Her body screamed at her that it had been too long since more than her fingers had touched her heat, "Yes, James, and I am not offended that you desire me."

Clearing his throat nervously, James pulled on his pants and muttered, "You're just a beautiful woman, and I haven't been with anyone in a long time."

Heat spiking within her loins, Laresa's melodious voice had a hint of husky desire when she replied, "You need not command me to share the bed with you. I enjoy pleasing my Masters; I have few other joys in my servitude."

James stood unmoving, his fingers on the ties that would tighten the pants about his waist. "You'd lie with a man like me? Ain't it just because I wish it?"

"Not if you wish me to act upon those desires only through my own free will," Laresa replied.

"Okay, I don't want you bedding me just because I want it."

Walking slowly toward him, need growing stronger within her every second, Laresa softly said, "My body burns for you, James."

Still standing in the same position, his fingers still holding the ties of his pants, James glanced over at the bed, covered in still-dozing dogs. "My dogs — I don't think I'd like them watching."

Laresa manifested another, identical bed, opposite James from the first, "Your companions will sleep, if you wish," She said as she reached him.

The sight of her body — so sparsely covered, and so close — overwhelmed James' inhibitions. He caught just a hint of musky desire coming from her, mingled with a faintly sweet, almost fruity scent as well. Her hands covered his and moved them away, her thumbs hooking in the waistband of his pants at the same time and pulling them down.

As his pants fell to his ankles, Laresa's clothing simply vanished. One moment, she wore the odd, revealing costume, the next her body was bare to him in all its glory. While Laresa pulled down on the long underwear he wore, James reached out to cup her firm breasts in his hands, feeling the pale, pink tips pressing against his palms.

Laresa pulled down the woolen covering to reveal his cock. Wrapping her hand around it, she found her fingertips wouldn't even touch around his girth. Her thighs clamped tightly together, her intimate muscles contracting from the jolt of anticipation rising up from her tingling sex.

Moving his hands from her breasts, James slid them down beneath her perfect bottom and lifted her easily into his arms. Her arms wrapped around his neck, while her legs curled around his back. He could feel the damp, hot touch of her pussy against his chest as he carried her. A pair of steps brought him to the bed, where he lay her down. His breathing quickened as she parted her legs wide, revealing her moist folds, framed by silvery blonde curls.

Leaning over her on the bed, James pressed the tip of his throbbing organ against her nether lips, slipping between them into the wet recesses beyond. He groaned in delight, feeling her squeezing him in her velvety soft heat, as he sank into her depths.

Laresa emitted a warbling cry of bliss as his thick cock filled her, pressing hard against her walls. When the heavy orbs beneath his organ settled against her, she sucked in a quick breath and let out a sharp scream of pleasure. The scream turned into a gasp as his cock retreated from her depths, sliding with hot friction in preparation to thrust inside her again.

James grasped her thighs to give him leverage, pushing back inside her with a quick thrust. Her breasts jiggled hypnotically as he drove his member into her virgin-tight embrace. Already he could feel the tightening in his balls that signaled building release.

She raised her head up to watch his manhood withdraw from her, revealing a glistening sheen of her wetness coating the wonderful cock that felt so good deep inside her. Laresa moaned as he thrust the wide shaft back into her. Her head fell back to the bed as he withdrew and pushed back inside her with even more strength and speed than before.

Squeezed so tight, intoxicated by her sweetly-musky scent, and enraptured with the sight of her breasts bouncing under the power of his thrusts, James knew he was not going to resist the seed boiling up for release much longer. "Want you to get yours, but I don't think I'll last," he grunted.

Laresa released her power even as she yelped out again in pleasure. She then said, in broken moans, "Your wish — my wish — is granted, James." Clenching her teeth tight against a hot wave of rapture for a moment, she then continued, "We shall reach our peaks together."

He could feel the urgency of his climax recede slightly as she spoke, his hard organ still thrusting hard and fast into her. It only retreated slightly; leaving him perched on the edge of ultimate ecstasy, even as he parted his knees wider and slammed his cock home with all the strength he could muster.

The tip of his manhood drove into her cervix, drawing a sharp yelp from Laresa. The slight sting only heightened her arousal, causing her clit to throb powerfully. "Take me, James. Take me to my peak, and fill me."

James' blood rushed noisily through his ears as he held tightly to Laresa's thighs, pounding his cock inside her to the hilt. He felt the boiling pressure building once again, and saw Laresa's beautiful features tighten. Her eyes popped wide open, he felt her walls squeeze even tighter about him, and her scream overwhelmed the sound of his loudly beating heart as she came.

Laresa screamed in ecstasy, her hips rising up toward him, as the rush of heat flooded her body. A rosy glow infused her face and breasts, her creamy juices flowing from deep inside her in a torrent. The tingling itch in her throbbing clit sent chills through her, warring with the hot pleasure permeating her, and raising goose bumps on her flushed skin. The initial shock of her climax was only beginning to ebb when she felt the first hot burst of his seed erupt into her depths. Immediately, her body reacted with an even more powerful burst of orgasmic energy, rolling her eyes up in her head and deafening her to the sounds of her own loud screams.

James let out a loud growling scream, the jolt of his release causing his entire body to jerk. The delightful itch of his release tingled throughout his pulsing shaft, the throbbing head, and tight balls. His seed erupted from him in a long spurt, coating Laresa's womb and mingling with her own creamy juices to enfold his cock in their heat. The next pulse was just as powerful, overfilling Laresa's tight sheathe and dribbling out around him. A third jolt of pleasure followed, and then he pulsed, oozing the remainder of his semen into her rhythmically contracting depths.

James pulled from her with a growl, unable to endure her contracting waves of ecstacy any longer. Thick ropes of his semen and her juices trailed from his retreating cock when he jerked it free.

Laresa yelped and then screamed as a touch of cold air replaced the press of his hot body against her. She could feel his seed flowing from her in a hot river, running down her tingling lips to pool on the bed below. Reaching down, she massaged the sticky cream into her folds, shuddering from the continuing shocks of orgasmic delight shooting through her.

Laresa lay, panting for breath, listening to James gasp for air as well. She moaned contently, feeling the heat of her climax still lingering in her loins, and his cream still flowing from her with each contraction of her intimate muscles. They both enjoyed the aftermath of their orgasms for a time, and then Laresa rolled over to press her body against his hairy back.

He rolled over with a satisfied moan, guiding Laresa to lay her head on his chest. Laresa moaned as well, unable to resist letting her hand drift down to his half-hard organ and caress it. She felt him throb beneath her fingers, and knew from the touch and his thoughts that blood was rushing into his manhood once more.

Gasping in surprise, Laresa's fires rose again. She moved down his body, gripping his shaft in her hand and engulfing his glans between her lips. Her senses reeled from the taste of his seed and her bittersweet juices coating it. His member soon swelled between her lips, growing harder by the moment.

James stroked her white-blonde hair as Laresa's head bobbed over his lap, her hot mouth engulfing him and drawing blood into his cock once again. Every inch of him vanished into her mouth, the tip penetrating her throat, where her swallows massaged it.

Few women could have hoped to swallow James' long, thick cock, but Laresa had certain advantages. She would never choke, nor would her lips or jaw ache from being parted so wide by his girth. Her tongue curled around him, in ways no mortal woman could have possibly done, enhancing his pleasure even more. Laresa wanted to feel him erupt in her mouth, but her sex screamed otherwise, demanding attention from his hard cock.

Laresa released him with a final slow suck, immediately turning and rising up to her hands and knees. Looking back over her shoulder, and flipping her silvery hair out of her face, Laresa's voice was thick with passion when she said, "Please, take me again, James."

In mere moments, he mounted her and tightly grasped her hips, filling her full to her deepest depths once again.

* * * * *

Laresa lay with her head on James' powerful chest, still aglow from the uncountable numbers of orgasms he had given her. The bed was clean of their sticky juices, magically cleansed by her powers.

"I really wish I didn't have to get up to get dressed," James muttered absently.

Laresa smiled and sat up, clothing both his body and hers once again, in the blink of an eye. "As you wish, James."

James sat up and said, "Much as I hate to, I need to go outside and answer the call." Laresa nodded and smiled sweetly, lying back on the bed with her silvery hair fanned out around her.

Watching him exit the cave, Laresa shivered and wrapped her arms around her body. The power of his lovemaking was incredible, something she had not experienced often, even in all her years of servitude. She reluctantly rose from the bed and caused it to vanish, hoping that she would need to summon the bed again soon.

James returned to the inside of the cave, quickly shedding his outer garments due to the heat. "This storm isn't letting up. I just thought about something, there are some sick folk over in Nome, and there are teams taking them medicine. Can you make sure that they get through?"

Laresa concentrated for a moment, sensing the world around her. "This is an event I cannot change, as it will be remembered for many years to come. Fear not, the medicine shall reach those in need without my intervention. It is for that reason that all remember this heroic serum run."

Nodding his head in approval, James said, "I know a couple of those men. They're good men, with good dogs. If anybody can get those supplies through, it's them. Wake my team up, if you will. I wouldn't want them feeling odd for sleeping so long."

Laresa awakened the dogs, and they immediately started to stretch. She turned to James, a bit overwhelmed by the deep connection between the man and his animal companions, and said, "I can feel your love for these animals, and they for you. It is most unusual, much stronger than any bond I have felt between man and beast before."

Apogee bounded over to James, who scratched the dog's ears. "These dogs are better company than most men, and worth a lot more trust. I get along with them better than I do most of the folk I meet. We all like being outdoors, away from towns and other people."

Several of the other dogs on his team were now likewise approaching to greet him. "Make me some good food for them. I don't want to spoil them with too much meat, but the best feed there is will work."

Laresa manifested a sack filled with baked cakes similar to a sailor's hardtack, fulfilling the wish. The dogs started to dance in excitement, eager to eat.

Addie, however, sat on the bed, sniffing the air. Laresa plainly felt the sense of disapproval coming from the animal, and when Addie turned to jump off the bed on the side opposite James, Laresa knew why. Addie could smell the scent of their lovemaking, which hung thick in the air of the cave — shattering an illusion the animal had carried through all her days on James' team.

Laresa used her power to clear the scent from the air, but the damage was already done.

Continuing to greet his dogs as he set out food for them, James didn't notice Addie sitting in a darkened corner at first. Once he had finished filling all the bowls, her absence stood out. "Addie-girl, come on, feeding time."

The dog turned and walked toward James and the rest of the team, her head hanging low. James sensed something was wrong as soon as he saw her. "What's the matter, Addie? Come here, girl. Are you hurt?" James asked with deep concern in his voice.

Ashamed at revealing her unbecoming thoughts, Addie raised her head and walked resolutely toward her bowl. James was not persuaded by the change in posture that she was okay, and watched her carefully, looking for any sign of a limp or other injury. When it was obvious that she was unhurt, he knelt down and looked in her eyes. Seeing nothing there, except for the hints of pain Addie could not mask, he said, "Let me have a look at your tongue, girl."

Addie opened her mouth at his prompting, and James sighed upon seeing no evidence of sickness. "What's wrong, Addie-girl? I wish you could tell me, because I know something is wrong."

It is of no moment, Revered Pack Leader, Addie said to him.

James started, realizing that Addie had not spoken, but she had. Faint sounds and her body language conveyed her thoughts to him, as clearly as if she had actually spoken the formal-sounding words. It dawned on him then what he had said immediately before hearing the dog speak. He turned to Laresa and saw a smile on her face.

"As you wished, James."

James asked, "Can she... Can they understand me?"

"Imperfectly, as much of the language of dogs is not spoken, but conveyed through body movements. You lack a tail and the ability to move your ears in the manner that is necessary to fully speak their language," Laresa replied. "They do understand much of what you say, recognizing many of your human words and being accustomed to your body language, however."





Laresa's World Ch. 10: James



"So it's a bit like when I'm talking to somebody speaking French. I know more or less what they're saying, but I don't understand it all."

Laresa nodded her head and said, "Yes, that is quite close to their understanding of you."

Turning back to Addie, James asked, "Are you alright, girl? Are you sick — hurt?"

This One is fit, Pack Leader. It is of no moment, Addie replied in her own language.

Stroking her fur, James said, "Now, girl, I know something is wrong. Don't you hide it from me."

Addie still tried to conceal her disapproval, but slight changes in her posture and an aborted glance toward Laresa revealed her feelings, much as the body language of a person might. James glanced at Laresa, still not comprehending completely. He turned back to Addie then and asked, "Are you afraid of Laresa, girl? You don't need to be afraid of her. She's helping us."

This One finds the Pack Leader's treatment of his mate disturbing, but This One is content to follow, as is proper. This One is hungry, Pack Leader. This One would eat, that she might keep her strength.

The disappointment Addie felt came through in the subtle flicks of her ears and tail just as clearly as the words Laresa's spell translated those movements into for James. She revered James as pack leader, and obviously felt he treated Laresa in a manner not becoming a good leader. Wolves were reputed to mate for life, devoted to each other, and it was obvious that some instincts held true in all canines. Addie obviously could tell that Laresa was a slave to his wishes, even though James hadn't really thought of it that way. The reaction was much like that any human woman might have expressed, exactly like it, actually.

"Oh, Addie-girl, I had no idea," James muttered.

Addie opened her mouth slightly in the canine equivalent of a smile and said, This One is content to follow, Pack Leader. The ways of Men are not the ways of the pack. This One has noted that the Hes and Shes of Men often do not remain with their mate.

James muttered, "I thought I understood you dogs, but it looks like I didn't know half as much as I thought I did."

Laresa could sense a confusing rush of thoughts running through James' head. He patted Addie one last time and said, "Go on and eat, girl. I'm going to go outside and think for a while." Turning to Laresa, he asked, "Can you make it so I don't freeze out there?"

Laresa replied, "It is done, James."

Nodding his head, James pulled on his coat and hat, walking out of the cave.

* * * * *

The team was excited when James walked back in the cave several hours later. James smiled, now able to understand their excitement fully.

Will we run soon, Pack Leader? This place is warm, but This One wishes to run.

This One is rested, and his belly full. This One wishes to run, as well, Pack Leader.

Apogee trotted up, his manner full of strength and confidence, but also carrying deference to James, The pack is ready to run, Pack Leader. The snows are of no moment to the pack, we will pull the tree thing to the place of Men when the Pack Leader is prepared.

James nodded to Apogee, and the dog bowed his head before walking back over to the rest of the gathered team. James pursed his lips in sympathy when he summoned Laresa from the ring, and saw Addie wince.

Laresa asked, "How may I be of service, James?"

"I want to know what it is like to run with them. I want you to make me a dog, like them. I want to speak their language and know what it is like to run with them. I think I'll still need to be a man sometimes, because they don't have the instincts to hunt yet, but I want to run with my team. Is it okay to wish for that?"

"If this is your wish, James, it can be done. You can be a dog, or a man, as you will."

James turned and looked at Addie for a moment, then turned back to Laresa and said, "That's my wish."

Laresa smiled, nodding her head and said, "It is done. You need only desire to change your form, and it shall be, from this day forth."

Taking a deep breath, James closed his eyes and wished to be a dog. His senses suddenly came alive. Faint smells, previously undetectable, tantalized his nostrils. Sounds he had never heard before greeted his ears. Opening his eyes, he found his vision sharp and clear, even in the dim light of the cave. His tongue lolled out in an expression of canine laughter, and he turned to his team — his pack.

Apogee tilted his head sideways in curiosity, observing James in his new form. He was a massive Huskie, jet-black in color, with an obvious noble bearing. This is most unusual, Pack Leader, but pleasing.

James padded over to his lead dog and said, This One will run with the pack. The pack shall run free; we will not pull the tree thing this day.

The excitement from the rest of the pack mixed with a profound respect, revealing hints that they respected him even more in his powerful canine form. Turning to Addie, James said, This One understands, now. This One is ashamed of his behavior toward his mate.

With a nod of acceptance, Addie responded, Wise is the Revered Pack Leader to admit such a mistake, and it is most proper. This One would think that such apology should be made to One's mate, however.

One speaks wisely. This One shall ask for forgiveness of One's mate.

Laresa changed into a silver-furred Huskie, so that she could properly communicate with the pack. She padded over to Addie and said, It is not needful, Sister. This One must serve because of a custom of Men. That One is a kinder Pack Leader and mate than many This One has known.

Far beyond the words spoken between them, the deeper levels of communication that only two females could share revealed Laresa's thoughts to Addie. Addie understood that Laresa was content in her service to James, and she could already sense that her Pack Leader would treat his mate with more respect now, regardless.

Nuzzling up against Laresa in a sign of friendship, Addie said, This One is content, Sister. Turning to James then, she said, This One would run, Revered Pack Leader.

James' muzzle parted in a smile. He noticed that in this form, Laresa was no less comely than when they had both shared human form. Crossing the distance between them, James said, This One would apologize, and This One gives his word as Pack Leader that This One's mate will be treated with respect and affection.

Laresa nuzzled up against James, saying in the manner of canines, This One is content, but pleased by the Revered Pack Leader's words.

James' powerful canine body shuddered from the soft touch of her silvery fur and scent, causing Laresa to let her tongue hang out in wolfish laughter.

Walking over to James, Apogee nodded toward Laresa and asked, Will That One run with the pack?

James smiled, his teeth showing bright white against his black coat, This One would be pleased for his mate to run with the pack.

Feeling her blood stir, finding James just as attractive to her in her current form as he found her, Laresa bowed her head to James and said, This One will run with the pack.

She once again nuzzled up against his neck for a moment before James announced, We run!

The nine dogs bounded happily out of the cave, reveling in the chance to run fast and free.

* * * * *

Returning to the cave from their romp, James was happier than he'd ever been in his life. The sensation of running — he could run so fast, and so long — was like nothing he'd ever experienced. Beyond that, the sense of belonging to the pack brought a closeness he had never experienced with people he had encountered during his life.

Then, there was Laresa. Several times, she had nipped at his heels playfully as they ran, and each time they stopped, she nuzzled up against him. Defining her as his mate had started out as a simple way to establish her status with the pack, but James certainly felt like there was a great deal more between him and the beautiful djinn now.

Turning to the pack, James announced, This One would take the shape of Man again. This One has taken great pride in running with the pack.

This One hopes the Revered Pack Leader will choose to run with us again soon, Apogee said and then bowed his head in respect.

This One has observed that the paws of Men are useful for many things. This One believes it is good that the Revered Pack Leader can take the shape of Man, though This One prefers his natural shape, Addie noted, her tongue hanging out in laughter.


Turning to Laresa, James said, This One desires to change back, and yet does not.

Laresa blurred back into her petite human form, and said to James, "When you change shape, you take on all the characteristics of the animal. It feels natural, and thus feels unnatural to change back."

The black furred Huskie that was James closed its eyes for a moment and became human again. Opening his eyes, he looked at Laresa and smiled. "Seeing you gave me a good reason to want to be a man again."

Laresa cast her violet eyes downward demurely for a moment before replying, "I hoped perhaps it might be so." When she looked back up, James could see a slightly mischievous smile on her face. "Perhaps your team might need some rest, after running so far."

Stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her, James said, "I don't think that's necessary. I understand them now." He then kissed her soundly on her soft, full lips.

* * * * *

The next day, James awoke next to Laresa — having wished for her to remain at his side through the night. She had explained that she needed to rest in the ring on occasion, but that she still had the strength to remain in his embrace through the night.

The sight of her smiling at him when he awakened sent chills through his body, even as a flush of heat filled his cheeks. He laughed and said, "Good morning."

Laresa let out a little purr and snuggled up against him, "Good morning, James."

"You know, it ain't right, but I'd like to see the looks on men's faces when you ride into town with me. I know ain't none of them ever seen a woman so beautiful."

Blushing, Laresa responded, "Thank you. I would be proud to walk at your side, James. You must wish for others to see me, however, as only you can see me now."

James' brow furrowed, and he said, "The dogs can see you."

"Animals, especially those of great intelligence, can see many things beyond the eyes of men," Laresa explained with a smile, "It may be that the empathy they share with you enhanced their ability to see me as well."

"I think people might look at us a little odd what with the way you are dressed. If I think about some clothes that are more like people are used to, you could find something you like?"

James was already considering several things as he spoke, and Laresa immediately found something in his thoughts that she enjoyed very much, a soft, warm parka trimmed in white fur. "Yes, James, do you wish others to see me, and for me to choose what I will wear — so long as it does not appear odd to those around us?"

He nodded his head, "You make better wishes than I do. That sounds about right."

Laresa summoned up her power and immediately she was dressed in the garments from his vision.

"You look better in that than any woman I've ever seen," James muttered, finding her curves concealed almost more enticing than when they were bare.

"I have never seen a town in this place and time; it would please me to do so and learn more about this land."

Turning to his team, James asked, "You all ready to run?"

James laughed, perfectly understanding their excited answers because of the wish Laresa had granted for him. "Well then, let's get you all strapped up and show Laresa what we call home."

* * * * *

From that day on, James found that the people didn't annoy him quite so much any longer. With Laresa and his team as the core of his life, the petty irritations of those around him no longer seemed important. He actually started to enjoy life when he was in town as much as when he was out in the wild with his dogs. His bitterness drained away, allowing him to see the good in other folk, and for the first time, he was a part of the community.

He and Laresa regularly ran with the pack — wild and free out in the snows. Though they were never formally married, they were mates in the eyes of the pack, and that was good enough for both of them. The townsfolk whispered sometimes, but James just laughed it off now.

Laresa rested in her ring — reluctantly — eagerly awaiting the call to return to James' side. After three years of sharing his life, she was as happy as she had been at any point in her long centuries of servitude. James had offered her much free will, allowing her to do as she pleased in almost any situation. They even fought sometimes like any other couple, usually making up and falling into bed shortly thereafter.

Laresa gasped, her heart turning to lead in her chest. She knew the lurch that had just rocked her all too well. James had somehow lost the ring, severing the bonds between them. Her eyes misting with tears, she whispered, "I am so sorry I was not there to prevent this. I will miss you, James."

* * * * *

James stared at the pale band around his finger, once graced by Laresa's ring. Cold air blew in through the open door, indistinct footprints in the snow leading to and from his home, rapidly vanishing nearby and already invisible out in the teeth of the wind.

James had felt the first symptoms only an hour after Laresa returned to her ring for a necessary rest. Of all the times to come down with a bad case of the flu, this had been the worst possible time. Someone had come in and taken the ring — as well as a few other things, if the ransacked nature of his room was any indication — while he fitfully slept, burning with fever and half-delirious.

Barely able to find the strength to close the open door, he knew there was no way he could pursue whoever had stolen his love from him. The old bitterness he had once felt threatened to return, but then memories of what he had learned at Laresa's side evaporated the dark thoughts.

Tears streaming down his face, and his heart aching, James stumbled back to his bed before his strength left him. Lying in bed, he realized that he could still smell her scent in the room, and that her clothing was still lying about where it had fallen the last time they had made love.

A thought occurred to him, and James willed his form to change. Against all hope, he flowed into the shape of a jet-black Huskie. He had wished to have this ability forever, and Laresa's magic still held, despite his loss of the ring.

Changing back, James smiled. He had detected another scent in the room when he changed, that of the man — he knew it was a man now — who had broken into his home. Once he was well, he would be able to find that man and get his Laresa back. He knew his team would be ready and willing to help.

"If you can hear me, I'll never stop looking for you until you're at my side again. I love you, Laresa, and you've given me a reason to live again."

* * * * *

I hope you've enjoyed this story, and will take a moment to vote and send me some feedback. I'm really enjoying participating in this chain, getting my feet wet in the world outside my fantasy world. Red's idea is fantastic, and everyone in the chain is wonderful to work with.

Big thanks to Red and Danielle for first reading this story, several times, until I finally got it right. Following up my last chapter was a little daunting, considering how strong the response to it was. Major kudos to Techsan and my regular editor RoustWriter for cleaning up the rough spots. I have no idea how I survived without an editor, and this one had two sets of keen eyes going over it!

Be sure to read the rest of the chain, and Danielle's independant story "Miranda and the Prince" that stars Laresa, as well.



Laresa's World Ch. 12: Daniel



Warning: This chapter has scenes with violence and cruelty. This story also contains derogatory comments to portray the state of mind of the master. They do not reflect the opinion of the author. 

*

Snuggling into the soft pillows, Laresa sighed. She had been around humans for a long time now, so she noticed the passage of time even if it didn't affect her. Sometimes memories of past Masters or Mistresses made her aware that she herself was not bound by the flow of history like they were. With a smile she thought of Famke, the one that had wished to be back in time. Laresa remembered the girl who had become a friend during their time together with fondness. That triggered a memory of James - the Master with whom she had shared true love. When the face of Horace popped into her head, unbidden, she quickly pushed it firmly aside. Nothing but sadness waited for her along that path. She plumped up the pillows to take a nap when a sudden tugging signaled a new owner of the ring.

"Shit!" 

Daniel caught the rattling pot before it thudded against the door. It wouldn't do to announce his presence. He was sure nobody had seen him entering the shop or the backroom, but you never knew. Before he put the pot back on the bench that ran along the entire back of the room, he looked inside to see what had caused the noise. He fished out a ring with a large amber stone, which sparkled in the dim light.

"Nice, Lee, very nice."

He pocketed the ring and turned slowly around to survey the tiny space. Dried herbs filled the air with their fragrance, and the myriad jars and bottles seemed to wink at him as they caught the light from the lantern he held above his head. 

"Now where did that bastard hide his cash?" 

He spotted a likely box under the bench. The surface was shiny with red lacquer, inlaid with intricate patterns of gold and black. It looked like one of those Chinese boxes you could only open when you solved some kind of puzzle. Sure enough, the lid didn't budge an inch. 

Grinning, Daniel tucked the box under his arm. He cast a last look around the workspace of the healer and pushed the dead body out of the way with the tip of his boot. 

"Sorry, Lee, you really should have paid my price."

Daniel patted the pocket of his silk waist-coat. The slight bulge of the merchandise he had retrieved from the corpse made him smile. There were users enough to sell the opium at a nice profit. The only thing he had to do was stay out of sight from the governor's men when he made his deal. 

Slipping into the shadows of the shop in the front, Daniel doused the lantern and left it behind the counter. He stood for a few minutes, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness, listening to the sounds of the hawkers outside. It was a few hours after sundown and the Javanese were crowding the streets, selling everything from silverware to fresh coconuts and roasted meat. In fact, Daniel could smell the ever present saté from where he stood. As he closed the shop door softly behind him, he spotted the vendor across the street. The bamboo sticks with meat lay sizzling on top of the small brazier. 

"Better not." 

Still muttering, Daniel turned a corner, telling himself he should get out of the neighborhood as quickly as he could. It would be stupid to let the natives see him too clearly. He wasn't the only Tuan Besar, Grand Master, to visit the slums, but he was careful to hide his face. Lee had been a rather well-known healer. His death would upset the Chinese community even more, coming so close after that idiot new Governor-General had decided to make the selling of opium the prerogative of the VOC. 

"Stupid Van Imhoff."

Daniel kicked a beggar out of the way as he hastened to his residence. He had to walk home. Taking a becak, a runner to bring him home in one of those two-wheel contraptions would only serve to attract attention to the fact he had been out. He clutched the box under his arm, using his free hand to wipe the sweat from his brow. The heat of the day was trapped in the alleys and tiny backstreets, the air hot and filled with the smells of food, spices and humanity.

Finally, Daniel closed the door of his library behind him. He'd shouted the babu, the maid, away. He would get to her later, after he had solved the puzzle. He tossed his straw hat on the day bed, the silk ribbon inside dark from his sweat. His coat and waist-coat followed, together with his cravat. A light clinking sound alerted him to the ring he had pocketed rolling out of his waist-coat. It came to rest in front of his boots, the amber stone a pale spot on the dark wooden floor. He picked it up and grinned as he put it on his little finger. Stretching his hand to pour a shot of gin he admired the jewel for a moment. With a sigh, he sank down in his smoking chair, stretching his legs in front of him.

He sipped from his gin from time to time as he examined the Chinese box. He knew he had to shift some part of the inlay but which one? After pushing and shoving this part and that for more than an hour he still hadn't been able to open the box. It had weight and something inside rattled a bit; he was sure it was filled with money. He put the box on the floor and sat staring at it, turning the ring on his finger round and back again. 

"Yes, Master?"

Daniel jumped out of his chair, his hand reaching for the knife in his boot when he saw a strange woman standing in front of the day bed. 

"Who are you? How did you get in?" His voice was low and dangerous.

"I'm Laresa, Master. You called me." 

"I don't think so, missy. How did you come here?"

"You called me, Master, by turning the ring."

"The ring? What do you mean ..."

Daniel glanced from the woman to the now dull amber stone and back again. 

"You're part of the ring?" He laughed then, but it was not a very pleasant sound. "I stole a ring with magic? Now that is interesting." 

He sat down again and examined the figure still standing there. She was a slim woman, but with curves in all the right places. Too bad her skin was so light, and her hair! It looked like silver. Ugh! 

"So, Laresa, are you what those Javanese call their spiritual force, their keramat?"

The woman shook her head. "No, Master. I'm a genie. I come from the ring." She pointed at his hand.

"A genie, eh? Does that mean I can make wishes?"

Laresa sighed. "Yes, Master. I can make most of your wishes come true, but ..."

Daniel interrupted her. "Prove it. Open that box for me." He shoved the Chinese box with his foot in her direction.

"It's done." Her voice had lost its warmth and she stood still like a statue.

Dear spirits, how did I come to someone like him? He's a killer and his soul is evil. I'm supposed to be a help for those in need. Alex made me see how I became a sacrifice, but not for people like this Daniel. I'm so sick of serving greedy men, and women. Laresa clamped her mouth shut. She wouldn't volunteer any information to this scumbag.

Daniel heard the soft click when one of the side panels on the box moved to the left and the top slid to the right. The patterns on the top had been nothing but a hoax, a clever disguise. With a grin he picked up the box and looked inside. Then the box sailed through the air, forcing the genie to duck aside. The sound of splintering wood was nearly drowned out by the venomous swearing.

"That filthy chink, the bastard hid his money someplace else." 

Daniel pointed at Laresa. "You, get rid of that box. It holds nothing but worthless bones. No doubt from his whore of a mother. And fix me a decent drink. French brandy."

Fuming with anger, Daniel picked up the delicate snifter of brandy that appeared on the side table and hurled it at the wall. A shard of glass cut his cheek, but he was oblivious to the pain. He grabbed the rowan cane that stood against his desk and cut the air with vicious slashes.

"Get the babu over here." When he saw Laresa frown, he shouted: "Now!" 

I'm in Batavia. It's the year 1745. He must be one of the civil servants for the VOC.

The cane whistled down and hit the genie on the shoulder, nearly breaking her collar bone.

"Tuan?"

The soft voice near the door seemed to fuel his anger even more. With a hiss Daniel ordered the meek woman into the room. He ripped the sarong from her body and licked his lips at the sight of the smooth brown skin.

"Hands on the desk. You know your position."

The babu bowed her head and placed her hands on the mahogany desk, her legs planted slightly apart and her back nearly horizontal.

The first blow landed on her buttocks and Laresa saw the woman twitch. The next one hit her on the shoulders, leaving a deep red welt. Before long the woman was screaming and pleading with Daniel to stop, but he was like a madman, hitting her until her entire backside was a mass of red and purple welts. 

When he was finally done, he threw the cane to the side and opened his pants to free his erection. Without a word he shoved his cock in the babu's pussy, pounding away until he grunted his release. He gave the sobbing woman a pat on the head and sent her to her quarters as he stood rearranging his clothes.

"That's better." He sighed in contentment and sank into his smoking chair once more.

He frowned as he realized the genie had disappeared. He had wanted her to see that he was the master of this house. But then, she already called him Master, didn't she? Too bad she was so pale. He preferred his women to be brown, like his first, his very own babu who had taught him all about the pleasures of the flesh when he was considered too young by the white men's standards. 

Daniel sat in his chair a long time, thinking on the possibilities of a genie that could make his every wish come true. Finally, he decided to sleep on it. He stood up and stretched, rolling the muscles in his shoulders, which gave him another idea. With a grin, he walked into his sleeping chamber, took off his clothes, and slipped under the kelambu, the net that kept the mosquitoes out. 

* * * 

"Laresa!"

His voice was arrogant and hinted at impatience. What good was a genie if she wasn't always there to wait on him hand and foot? 

"Yes, Master."

"I did not give you permission to leave, did I?"

"No, Master, but I need to rest inside the ring to keep my powers." 

"Hm, I see. But I want you to stay by my side for as long as you can. Understood?"

"Yes, Master." The genie stood with her arms folded in front of her, looking at the floor. 

"I have some questions. First: you have to obey me?" When the genie nodded, Daniel continued: "Can you alter a body? Permanently?" Again the genie nodded. "Good. I wish a bit more muscle, not too much as to be noticed. Just enough to make me a lot stronger."

He watched the genie, but couldn't see her doing anything. He only felt a slight tingle coursing through his body and when he flexed his biceps he could hardly see a difference. Curious to test his strength he picked up his cane and struck it across the back of his smoking chair. The loud crack surprised him and he looked with glee at the broken furniture, half his cane hanging limp from his hand. 

"Can I kill you? If I hit you with the cane, I mean."

"No, Master. You cannot destroy my body." 

The cane whistled through the air and hit the genie on her thigh. The bone snapped with a sickening sound and the genie cried out. As she crumpled to the ground, Daniel laughed delightedly. 

"I want you to get me two crates of opium from the VOC vault. Make sure nobody can trace the theft to me and leave them in the strong room at the back of my sleeping chamber."

"It's done, Master."

With a grin, he ordered: "Make my thing bigger."

The genie lifted her head and her eyes were a curious shade of purple, as if a fire burned behind them.

"I'm sorry, Master. I can only act upon your wishes."

Daniel glared at her. "I wish a bigger thing."

The genie stared at him with those strange burning eyes. "What thing do you mean, Master?"

"My manhood. I wish a bigger tool!" 

Daniels face was getting red and sweaty as he felt the tingle in his crotch. His hands went to the front of his breeches, feeling his length through the cloth and he nodded with a satisfied smirk. Still touching himself he went to stand in front of the open louvre doors to look at the garden. 

"Come here, Laresa. Watch me."

He liked the thought of this pale, suffering woman watching him playing with himself. He wouldn't let her touch him. White women were all conniving bitches. He would be stupid to let her touch his body. Satisfied that the genie had crawled to his side, those strange eyes fixed on his hands, Daniel stroked his hardening manhood. Soon, he opened his clothes and looked down at the massive penis that sprang up to reach above his belly button. His fist could barely close around its girth and the head looked like a giant mushroom. 

As he gazed out at the garden, Daniel spotted one of the servants, her head bowed down as she hurried away. No doubt she was scared of him and that was exactly how he liked it. His fist moved up and down in slow moves. Sex, yes he wanted sex. But he couldn't use the babu, not after last night. A thought popped into his head.

"Can you heal people?" 

"Yes, Master." 

For a moment he wondered at the hiss in her voice. He thought she had sounded more musical when she first appeared. He decided that she was probably scared of him as well. As she should be.

"I wish the babu healed and available to me, right here."

"As you wish, Master." This time he was sure he could hear hatred in her voice. Good.

Yes, I hate you, you monster. I will only respond to explicit wishes from you, and I hope you wish for something impossible. Laresa was shocked by the intensity of her emotions. She had served bad masters before, callous men and women who cared about nothing but themselves. But this man, this man was filled with hatred. He thrived on fear and inflicting pain, enjoying his power over those less fortunate than him. Laresa thought he resembled nothing so much as a snake, filled with poison as he was.

He sneered at her: "You can heal yourself too, if you want to." 

He turned to watch the babu come in. The woman showed no signs from her ordeal of the previous evening, except for her posture. She looked even more intimidated, her bare feet shuffling her inside the room. 

"Tuan needed me?" She bowed her head even lower, her almond eyes hidden behind long lashes.

That was odd. Laresa was sure she could feel a presence. With a frown she concentrated on the babu, examining her in detail. The simple silver pins in her hair were nothing special, nor were the few bracelets on her slender arms. Strange, she thought. The hateful voice of Daniel interrupted her inspection.

"Get naked."

The servant obeyed without a word, never raising her eyes to look at her master. 

"Stand in front of the doors." With a derisive laugh he added: "That way Indra can see you too."

From his mind Laresa picked up the image of a quiet man, her husband, who tended the gardens. Shifting her attention she found him outside, hovering near the louvre doors. She had no link with him, so she couldn't know his thoughts, but he looked angry. His fists were balled and his dark eyes were pools of fury.

A soft cry from the babu called Laresa's attention back inside the room. Daniel stood behind the naked babu, his fingers stretching her nipples taut while his knee kept her legs apart. He rubbed his erection on her smooth ass and one of his hands slid down to her almost hairless slit.

"You like it, don't you?" 

His fingers played her body and he laughed when she shuddered from his touch. He trailed his hand up over her body, leaving a trail of wetness that glistened in the morning light. 

"See, you're nothing but a bitch in heat. Loving your master's touch." 

He pinched her nipple hard and when she cried out he forced his fingers in her mouth. 

"Suck, bitch."

His cruel smile portrayed his delight in his power over his servants, and Laresa sensed his mind working overtime to come up with something even more degrading. It wasn't enough to make the woman come in front of her husband, he wanted a better spectacle. 

"Laresa, come here."

"Master? What is your wish?" 

"I wish you to come here." His voice betrayed his anger at having to repeat his wish explicitly. 

"Yes, Master." 

Laresa stood beside the babu and it seemed as if the woman felt her, even if she couldn't see her. 

"Make yourself visible."

"Master?"

"I wish you to be visible", he growled.

"It is done, Master."

"Now, I wish you to lick her slit." 

"No", the babu gasped in horror at the sight of the genie becoming visible. The thought of something from the spirit world touching her like that made her frantic to get away.

Daniel smacked her to the side of the head. "Quiet, bitch."

Laresa felt sorry for the woman and her husband, but she had no choice but to obey Daniel. She knelt down and reached out to hold the babu's hips, when she felt the odd presence again.

"Keramat, Tuan. Kill him."

The man Indra had stepped up to the louvre doors and stood pointing at Daniel. The intricate bracelet that circled his upper arm glowed brightly for a moment before it disappeared, leaving him standing in a stupor. 

Daniel laughed mockingly, not realizing what had really transpired. "So much for your keramat, monkey."

With a quick movement he got his knife from his boot and sprang towards the gardener. 

"No, suami, husband!" The babu cried out, but her warning came too late. Indra slumped on the threshold, his eyes already glazing over as his blood poured from the gash in his belly. As he cleaned his knife on the body's cotton loincloth, Daniel grinned at Laresa as if he were proud of his actions. 

The desperate attack of the grief stricken babu took him by surprise. In a flash she was on him, snatching the knife from his hands as she wailed in Javanese. 

"Help me ...", he gestured at the genie who watched him with raised eyebrows. "I wish ..." 

"Yes, Master? What is your wish?" 

Laresa's voice was cold as ice as she stared at his frightened eyes and frantic attempts to defend himself. She was disturbed by the sight of the woman stabbing at her Master and screaming her fury, but she could find no pity inside her for the cruel man. 

The babu stabbed him over and over again, oblivious to the world, locked in her own universe. Laresa knew Daniels improved body was no match for the babu gone mad with grief.

"I wish ... you ..."

As his eyes broke, Laresa was glad to feel her body dissolve, slipping back into the ring, leaving the horrible scene behind her.

Too upset to rest, she pondered the presence she had felt. The Javanese had called it keramat, a spiritual force. But she was pretty sure it had been another genie. Who was the one, tied to that bracelet? Would she ever know? 

*

I hope you enjoyed the story. Please take a minute to vote. All comments, public or not, are appreciated.



Laresa's World Ch. 13: Brigid



Laresa Ch. 13: Brigid

By Deathlynx

Please note that although this takes place in the early dark ages, somewhere in England, I have not tried to do any translations or dialect. I'm horrible with languages and make no apologies for what I cannot do. Still I hope you enjoy the story.

623 C.E., Northern England, near what is now the Scottish border.

Brigid frowned as she looked at the leaf. The plant was unfamiliar, something she had never seen before. She grumbled in frustration. It had been her inability to remember the various plants that had cursed her as a failure. Why had the Goddess given her such a poor memory if she had been chosen to succeed her mother? The answer was simple. She wasn't meant to follow her mother; she was meant for expulsion for poisoning her young husband.

It had been an accident, although no one believed her. They all spoke of her as one who liked other women. 'Unnatural' they called it and her. It was true, but his death had been an accident. He had asked for a potion to increase his potency. When she explained that she couldn't remember the ingredients, he insisted. Mother had said it was the mandrake that killed him.

Now she lived on her own and was forced to fend for herself. Fortunately, the animals were as afraid of her concoctions as her clan had been. After setting them to boil outside her cave for a few days the predators stopped coming to investigate. In the months that followed she had taught herself to hunt as well as scavenge. Now she was the most dangerous animal around.

Today she scavenged. Meat she had, smoked and cured, back in her cave, but she knew she needed more herbs. That was where she had discovered this strange plant. She carefully turned the leaf one way and then the next in investigation. She knew better than to eat any part of it unless there were others nearby which had been eaten already. She wished she could ask her mother.

That was when she noticed the glint coming from underneath the root of a rowan tree. Brigid couldn't help her curiosity. The animalistic woman scurried over to the tree to investigate. Beneath, she discovered a small ring with a large amber piece set within. She turned it over and around in her hands. She had never seen a ring of this design before. Once upon a time traders had roamed freely. Unfortunately, the Romans had wandered as freely. The loss of trade had been a small price to pay to lose the Romans as well, or so said the stories Gran had learned from her Gran.

Brigid shrugged and slipped the ring onto her finger as she wandered back to her cave. Perhaps she could trade it to someone, if she ever saw another human being. If no one wanted it she found it pretty enough. It certainly didn't look offensive where it sat on her finger. Stopping at the entrance to her makeshift home she began shifting it back and forth, letting the amber catch the fading afternoon light. She smiled and began into the comfortable dwelling. She hoped not to find someone to trade it to.

Suddenly the ring grew warm on her hand. Startled, she tried to tug it off but it wouldn't budge. She became afraid as smoke began to pour forth from the cursed device. Brigid had heard stories of such artifacts. She knew people became trapped in them, or cursed by them. Only the most experienced could afford to work magic without being harmed by it. Her mother would have been safe, but she had no sachets made. She scrambled to the shelf where she kept her prized jars full of herbs and roots but did not know what to burn to counter this force.

Slowly the smoke coalesced into a woman. In spite of her fear and caution, Brigid felt her loins tighten at the sight of the spirit. She was thin, true, but her hips and chest were large. Her skin seemed almost flawlessly smooth and pale. She wore very little, her chest covered by a green vest and her sex barely covered by a single piece of fabric that somehow wrapped around both hips and between her legs without a seam. It clung too tightly to have been cut from a single piece. Around the woman spirit's legs was some mysterious fabric that seemed almost invisible; like a finely woven spider's web.

Despite her lust, Brigid scurried to the corner to clutch her spear protectively before her. She knew they came to take you away. No one agreed why the Sidhe took people, but the Great Hunt was well known. 

"You have called me Master, er, Mistress, what do you desire?" Laresa saw the crude wooden spear, clutched in the dirty hands of the feral woman and misjudged the era by a few millennia. Her hands came up in a pacifying gesture but her mistress only tensed, fearing the casting of magic. "I'm not here to hurt you, but to serve you!" The genie was almost as panicked as her mistress. She could not remember ever having a master or mistress who had not know of the legend of genies. Some had feared her a demon in disguise and many had doubted her but all understood she would grant them wishes. This woman seemed too primal to understand. Would she be stuck in the ring, through millennia, until communication developed to the point where someone was capable of lying to her?

"You...Sidhe?" Brigid struggled to remember how to speak. She had been many years in isolation. It took a moment for Laresa to realize the woman was accusing her of being a noble fae rather than acknowledging her gender.

"No. I am a form of spirit, I suppose, but I am not of the Sidhe. I am of the Djiin tribe. I am a genie and here to serve your desires and grant your wishes."

The more the woman spoke, the more Brigid remembered how to say. All the while she could not help but gaze at the strange pants that barely crossed between the spirit's legs. Warmth grew between her own hips. The people of her clan had been right in accusing her of desiring women over men, but they had been wrong that it was unnatural. Simply because the old Romans had accepted it did not make it wrong. "You are here...to give me what I desire? Why?"

Laresa smiled. The growing communication made her alter her estimation of the year considerably. Once, this woman had been a member of civilization. "I was created to serve." Briefly Laresa thought back to the fire and her rebirth. "I enjoy helping my masters. Their happiness is mine."

There must be something I do not see. All magic has a price. All magic has rules.  Brigid knew much more about magic than most in the tribes. Along with being a healer, her mother watched over the spirits and knew how to appease the gods and goddesses.

"There are rules." Laresa responded to Brigid's thoughts as if they had been spoken. Brigid nodded in response, confirming her suspicions. "I cannot change the past. I cannot alter someone's emotions. Nor can I bring anyone back from the dead. If you lie to me, then the ring and I shall be lost to you."

How can I know to trust this spirit? What would mother have me say?

Laresa was getting frustrated. It had been a very long time since she had encountered someone who did not understand or believe. "I would assure you I am unable to lie to you but I don't think you would believe it, though it is true." Laresa knew some of her frustration leaked into her voice but she couldn't help it. At least Brigid had let the spear tip drop to rest on the floor. If nothing else she was sufficiently convinced that violence was either not warranted or would be ineffective.

Laresa sat on the large pile of furs and leaves Brigid used as a bed. As she leaned back onto her elbows to await the conclusion of Brigid's internal conflict her eyes widened in surprise. Through her link with her new mistress she felt desire pulse. Most of those who possessed the ring were men, and of the minority of women most desired men rather than women. Brigid, as she looked up Laresa's long legs from her crouched position in the corner, burned for the genie.

"You are a slave to the ring?"

The question startled her from her contemplation. Laresa had been investigating the woman's passion. It was different from what men felt for her. It had been so long since a mistress had desired her that she felt compelled to reopen herself to the possibilities and explore their nature. "Yes, or more appropriately to whomever wears the ring." Laresa knew Brigid was returning to her deliberations when inspiration struck. "My name is Laresa. What is yours mistress?" Laresa knew already but hoped a more familiar discussion would open the woman up some more.

"I am Brigid." Brigid cursed herself for revealing that to the spirit but settled when she realized she had not revealed her true name, the name given to her when she began to learn the mysteries. Brigid's eyes widened when she realized that could be considered a lie and fear losing the spirit, Laresa.

"Do not fear Brigid. You gave me your name as given you. If you do not wish to reveal other names you have been given that is fine, you need not."

The spear clattered to the floor. Surely if the spirit was baleful it would seek to learn my true name. She was decided. She rose and began towards the bed. Laresa, sensing she wanted to sit, rose gracefully and stood to the side of the bed. Brigid felt the muscles deep within her tighten as she watched the lithe form shift upward. Her body yearned to lie entwined with this spirit, but she did not trust such feelings, yet. She sat on the bedding and looked up to meet the strange violet eyes. Those eyes seemed so honest, could she possibly be for real?

"I have a wish..." Both women knew what her greatest desire was but Brigid would request something lesser first to test her sincerity. "Can you improve my memory? I was supposed to be my mother's successor but my memory was insufficient for the task. Could I remember all that she has taught me?"

Laresa sighed, grateful to be able to grant a wish, at last, and prove herself. She knew there was a trick amongst the wish but it didn't matter. "It would be my pleasure, Mistress."

Brigid felt as if her head was swelling. It proved a sufficient distraction from her growing lust, but more importantly she suddenly began remembering every one of her lessons. Ever since she weaned from her mother's tit she had been taught the properties of every herb know in a great area. When she became old enough she was taught how to use them for more than curing common ailments. She remembered ever step of every charm and hurried into the corner of the cave.

She scooped up a small bone and brought it back to the bed. She quickly collected a handful of herbs and ground them into a paste. With this she coated the bone and began to chant as she set the gruesome talisman into the coals near the side of the fire. She would have to wait a minute or so for the talisman to be ready but it would be worth it.

Brigid hadn't heard Laresa move behind her. When the soft hands fell on her bare shoulders she almost jumped. She relaxed slightly as skilled fingers began to kneed the tension that rested there, from many years living as an animal. Warmth burst forth from her loins, spreading slowly, insidiously, outward as the message reminded the young woman what else that meant the spirit could touch.

Brigid's hips began to ache with need. It had been too long since she had convinced her neighbor to lie with her over many nights. It had been a magical time for both, but her neighbor had been among the first to condemn her when Brigid's husband had died. She had been too afraid of being ostracized to stand with her beloved.

Brigid would know soon. Nimble fingers made it far more difficult to concentrate on the time. Fortunately, the charm was not one which needed to be rescued before a certain moment. If it sat too long in the coals it would merely be darkened, but not unusable. Somehow she managed to pull together enough willpower to pull away from the hands, hand that had been dipping lower and lower down the front of her chest, beneath her fur bustier. When those hands slid across the sensitive, darker, flesh Brigid dove for the fire, scrambling to collect the talisman.

She spun on Laresa, brandishing the charm. "Do you seek to harm me in any way? What is your motive?"

Laresa smiled and stepped forward, her hands coming to cup the sides of her mistress' breasts, her thumbs trailing under to support the smaller chest. "I do not seek to harm you in any way Mistress. I only wish for you to be pleased by my actions." Brigid was satisfied, through her talisman, that Laresa spoke the truth. It was becoming very difficult for the woman to concentrate anyway. Even without a single caress those hands caused a flush of warmth to spread from her chest and spark straight to her loins. How she wanted to lay with this woman and show her what pleasures experience and knowledge of women could bring.

"Mistress..." Laresa began but Brigid shook her head.

"Call me Brigid. I am no Goddess to be called 'mistress.' I may seek to be a wise-mother but even they get no true honorifics." The thumbs had begun to shift forward and back. They never once neared her nipples but the contact, motion and pressure all fanned the blaze beneath her skin. Her eyes closed and her head rested back slightly, simply enjoying the sensation.

Laresa enjoyed the reaction she created. More, she enjoyed the feel of her fingers pressing against the supple flesh beneath the fur covering. The soft fur reminded her, briefly, of a master not too long before, as she reckoned time. Then, her muzzle would press against his. Now she could still bury her face in the fur, but it would hold other passions and other connotations. She wished to be honest with Brigid first however. "That charm doesn't really work. I could give you one that does however."

Brigid's eyes snapped open and her head came forward to look up into the genie's eyes. If it didn't work how could she be sure? The hands had stopped when her concern grew. Laresa didn't seem to be trying to seduce her into believing. To the contrary, she seemed to be trying to give her all the time she needed in order to process the information. Besides, she could have simply kept quiet about the charm. If it was true. "No. I would rather you teach me to make them myself. Teach me what small magics you can, so I would understand how they work."

Laresa's honest eyes held the smaller woman's. "So you trust me?" Tentatively, Brigid nodded. Laresa's thumbs began to caress once more and Brigid couldn't help but feel her eyes sink shut as her head leaned back. The vast void that had been between her hips, for too long, burned with need. Laresa knew how to message to incite her lust without ever touching the most sensitive regions. Brigid could probably imitate as well, from experimentation on herself, but the level of skill Laresa demonstrated proved that Brigid was not her first such lover.

Brigid moaned. The building inferno seemed to burst. She felt the sticky trail begin to creep down her leg as more and more escaped from her pink lips. She moaned, gloriously helpless beneath the weight of too many years without a companion. And still Laresa had not laid one finger on her naked flesh, nor had she so much as brushed that which was forbidden to those unwilling. Brigid wanted the other woman to transgress. She wept freely for it, in tears and else.

Lips closed on Brigid's neck in a harsh kiss. She gasped. Laresa knew she wanted more, feeling the need within her as intently as her mistress did. Laresa would not seek a life without men, she enjoyed feeling them within her, but she also knew the passions and pleasures that only came from someone who could know her body as intimately as she herself did. These were the needs that drove her new mistress and Laresa gladly fed them.

Laresa's hands slid under the heavy fur, finally closing on the toughened skin beneath. They traveled beneath to find the young woman's breasts once more, reveling in the simple touch. Laresa knew, from her travels across time, that in the future she would be a b-cup and no more but the woman moaned as Laresa's hands glided up to engulf them beneath the crude shirt. Brigid was content with her body and in paradise to have such a glorious woman, as the spirit before her, working the magic of life throughout her body.

Brigid hastily pulled off her shirt to allow Laresa greater freedom. She stood, wearing nothing but her skirt and corse sandals, as Laresa's hands began to glide across tense nipples and skin turned to leather by years of harsh living. For all of the toughness of her flesh, Brigid felt every slight contact as Laresa's feather touch tickled and tormented nerves long forgotten. She quaked. She had to focus to keep her legs from buckling beneath her. Laresa sensed her mistresses desire for the contact war with the desire to relax and made a decision. She stopped the explorations of her mistress and gently guided her to the bedding. With a quick burst of magic the simple furniture was clean, free of bugs and as soft as it had been on the beasts it came from.

Brigid had surrendered herself to the spirit. Even if the bargain proved ill, it was worth it for the miracle which surged through her body now. One night with this spirit, willing and seemingly excited by the prospect, would be worth any price. She lay down, gasping once more as the fresh pelts tickled her skin. Every sensation screamed, throughout her body, of the spirit's generosity. When Laresa knelt on the floor, positioned between her knees, Brigid could not move for the anticipation that coursed through her veins.

Laresa pulled free the pin holding closed the simple skirt and slowly unwrapped the front. The scent of Brigid's lust became more potent and Laresa saw that much of the woman's inner thighs were damp with need. She ran her hands up the slick surface, spreading the legs wider. Brigid shook from the simple contact. With the promise in it, her depths seeped.

The slow pace frustrated Brigid as much as it inflamed her. Her body began to ache for Laresa to move forward, to offer her release. As fingers slid up her legs, they tickled and played nerves that seemed directly connected to her ravenous depths. Her body clenched and grasped but the spirit still refused to touch her tenderness. "Please!" She couldn't help but beg.

"Your wish is my command." It was said tenderly, with humor, but dwarfed by desire. It brought a smile to Brigid's lips, a mirror to Laresa's own. A moment later the smile widened in absolute wonder.

Laresa finally shifted forward and felt the woman's heat press around her. Conscious of Brigid's desires she kept from taunting her further with near-placed kisses and brought her mouth directly to the woman's nether lips. Her arms snaked out to wrap around Brigid's legs. Her hands settled on the woman's hips and fingers pulled at the soft skin, exposing the sensitive, pink, flesh beneath.

Laresa's tongue sampled the delicate, aromatic, sauce. As always she marveled in the sweet taste. Men and women differ in many ways and this was certainly among the greatest. Her tongue circled and swirled as it attempted to collect every drop of ambrosia even as more escaped. Muscles grasped for the tongue, in the hopes of drawing it in, but the nimble form eluded their grip.

Brigid's hands found the soft, white-blond, hair and coiled within it. She pulled the blessed spirit against her. Her body quivered near explosion. Her nerves burned, her body shook, her breath faltered, her teeth numbed. The cool caress of tongue across flaming loins was a balm, promising timely relief from the pressure mounting between her hips.

With apparent carelessness Laresa struck a faulty nerve and Brigid screamed in pleasure. Fingers clutched at her head as she began to assault the sacred pearl resting atop the hidden temple. The trickle of nectar turned into a flood. Brigid bucked and writhed as her body released itself to the skilled tongue and lips of the ageless genie.




Laresa's World Ch. 13: Brigid



Laresa needed no magic to bring her mistress to ecstasy. She reveled in the simple pleasure she could bring by talent alone. One hand released Brigid's hips, still held firm in the other, to sink downward. Laresa slipped her fingers beneath the elastic waist of her pants. The taut fabric pressed her hands tight against the silken blond curls as she slid past.

She confirmed what her body already revealed to her; the intensity of Brigid's desire had ignited her own. The delicate hair and smooth folds were damp with her own cream. Her fingers found the tender bud already hot and engorged. She sighed in contentment as her fingers began to entice her own flames, flicking and pressing in time with the tongue she used on her new mistress.

The pressure within her built slowly. Bringing herself to climax was never as fulfilling as having another, especially her master or mistress, do it for her. Instead of the searing inferno spreading through her body she began to feel the familiar comfort of a warm, numb, throbbing deep within her. As it spread she pulled her other hand from Brigid's hips. Given free rein at last the young woman began to buck and thrust herself against the gloriously cruel mouth that continued to assault her reason. Her hands continued to press Laresa heavily against her in order to mix external pressure with the unabated internal.

Laresa moaned now as her finger flew faster. Her hands and legs shook with the proximity of her own climax. Trembling with the effort, her free hand came up. Her timing was perfect. Even as her tongue paused to scream her euphoria, two fingers dove forward into the hot cavern of Brigid.

Every muscle in Brigid's body seized as time stood still yet again. She had thought the first a climax in truth but now discovered it to be nothing but a foothill to the heights she reached, as sensation crashed over her once more. Her back and neck arched in perpetual spasm. Her body burned in places she knew not she could feel. Her skin crawled with beatific sensation she had no words for. All of this while Laresa shuddered her own, much smaller, orgasm.

The mouth came forward once more, sucking forth the oversensitive flower and castigating it with her tongue. All at once Brigid's body craved the sensation and fought to flee it. The fingers invading her terrified depths spread, pressing outward against clutching muscles and discovering rough, virgin nerves, not touched in years. She pushed deeper until she met the slightest resistance and Brigid screamed the primal anguish of bliss; 'may this never end.'

An interminable period later Laresa began to slow. Her own crest had distracted her and her charge could no longer discern the multitudes of ecstasy evoked within her. She pulled her fingers free first. Finally her mouth released the captive bud of flesh and Brigid quieted.

Laresa pulled her hand from between her own legs and moved to clean both hands on the bedding. Brigid clasped her wrists with surprising speed. Laresa could see the other woman's body shake still, with near constant aftershocks, so determined was she that her hands held firm.

Hands guided wrists which guided fingers. The two which had been within Brigid moved to Laresa's lips. The three steeped in Laresa's desire came to Brigid's mouth. Her lips closed around them and her tongue began to methodically clean the cloying liquid. Laresa shuddered from the intensity and suggestive nature of the act and quickly reciprocated.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That first time had been the only that Brigid had not brought Laresa to climax. The young woman might not have been as skilled as the genie but she more than made up for it with her intensity and drive.

Laresa had been free to choose the style of their living. At first she had resisted, insisting that her responsibility lay with her mistress' desires. Slowly she came to realize that, despite Brigid's aggression in affairs of love, she was an inherently submissive person. Her only real desire, aside from frequent and passionate time with Laresa, was to learn what she referred to as 'real,' or sometimes 'little,' magics. She delighted in creating wards and charms for the various ailments of the animals near her.

Soon the villages heard of her wonderful sachets and poppets. The strongest talismans she kept for herself. Laresa had taught her, as promised, to make one which detected untruths. That one she used frequently, as many who sought her aid were embarrassed by their maladies. Sometimes she turned them away until they spoke the truth, others she harassed it from them. Soon her reputation for discerning lies was as strong as that for healing, and many tribal elders came to her to help in settling particularly suspicious incidents.

The renown ever made her uncomfortable, seeing still within herself the failure of her clan. It was not until her very mother had come, begging at her feet to learn, that her confidence grew. At first her mother did not believe, figuring her for a charlatan, but the devout oaths of all local villages stayed her mind. When Brigid toured her around the woods surrounding her cave home she finally believed. She pointed out where she acquired each ingredient, successfully, even identifying some her mother had wondered over since she was a girl. Brigid taught her the smaller spells and charms but kept the greatest, such as how to make a charm that could identify magics as great as Laresa's ring, for herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Laresa froze. Brigid looked at her, a curious smile on her face. The genie had been grooming a wild hound, a pastime that bemused her lover to no end. The smile faded as she saw the expression of panic on Laresa. The hound bolted. She looked quickly up.

The man had dark skin and angular features. He wore strange garb and had the weathered look of a man who had walked for many months. Brigid had never seen his like before, but it was equally clear Laresa had.

He spoke but Brigid couldn't understand. Laresa did.

The strange man looked at the women. "I search the world for people who can perform great miracles in the hopes that I can learn from them."

Brigid, this man hides something. He knows more of me than he reveals, he speaks a tongue similar to my homelands and seems to be searching for others with great power.

He hunts genies doesn't he? Laresa gave an almost imperceptible nod in response to Brigid's thought. Do you know why?

No. One may only possess two at a time but I sense none on him, and besides it is easier to wish for another than it is to hunt them down. Somehow he knows of us but does not hold one of us. Perhaps he once did and lost it?

Do all of your kind live in rings? He seems interested in the talismans and ignored my jewelry. Brigid was thankful she had commissioned the best smiths she knew to make another ring, a broach and two necklaces, all in a style similar enough to the ring that choosing among them would prove risky. Even if the man knew to look for jewelry he would have a one in five chance to succeeding, barring some form of divining tool such as Laresa had taught her to make.

No. We can live within nearly any item, so long as it had great value at the time of its creation, though usually the objects are small enough to be worn or carried. Brigid smiled and quickly pocketed a handful of charms and talismans within reach. If he was able to detect the nature of her ring those other items should confound him. She made sure to keep the truth charm in her grasp.

Laresa, I wish to be able to converse with him. The genie nodded almost imperceptibly. Brigid turned back to the man who had proceeded to attempt two further languages, neither of which Brigid had understood. "I am Brigid. How may I help you." Her voice was bold with the authority she had learned to wield intelligently.

The man's eyes widened briefly at hearing his native tongue spoken fluently by the barbarian woman. "I wander the world, seeking those that perform miracles so that I may learn from them." The man danced the fine line between truth and deceit. While his words were true they held not the whole truth. He must wish to learn the means, likely to steal it for himself.

"I hardly claim to perform miracles. I know herb lore, mostly. Surely there are numerous such as I around these parts that you could learn from?" Two could dance with partial truths.

The man was watching Laresa although it was Brigid who spoke. Laresa was very glad Brigid had requested she remain as inconspicuous as possible when seen at her mistress' side. She wore a fur skirt and bustier similar to Brigid's. The outfits always brought the Amazon women to Laresa's mind but they served to add mystique to the now famous wise-mother.

"There are many who could teach me herb craft. In truth I could probably teach much more of that lore to those about than they could teach me." The man finally turned to look at Brigid. "You are spoken highly of and I can see from your tools," a hand waved, indicating her scattered charms, "you know more than simple herb lore." He selected a piece, seemingly at random. "This, for instance, will ward one from baleful spirits. Contrary to the farmers beliefs I doubt you see many of those about."

Brigid's eyes narrowed. "You might be surprised what haunts the countryside. However you seem to know a fair amount about magic as well. What could I teach you that you do not already know?"

The man stepped closer to whisper conspiratorially to her. "I believe I know what truly haunts these woods. I doubt, however, the farmers do." It seemed all the man could do to keep from glancing meaningfully at Laresa.

Brigid did glance. Laresa's eyes widened from shock as her magic responded to the nature of her magic. Brigid cringed as her lover vanished from sight. She turned back to the man, but he hurried to the mouth of the cave the two still called home. At the entrance he turned briefly. "If you try to follow I shall reveal to all around where the source of your powers lay! They would not appreciate, I think, knowing you consorted with evil spirits." With that, he was gone.

Brigid slumped back onto the soft bedding. Laresa had kept it clean and fresh since the day they had met. She thought back to the passion of that night and smiled. It had been the first of countless such nights the two had spent together. Eventually the genie had admitted that she longed for the touch of a man as well, and Brigid had practically thrown her out in order to get her lover to satisfy her own needs in addition to Brigid's.

"Laresa." The sound of her voice was mournful.

Smoke began to pour from the ring. Slowly the form of a very confused genie solidified. "You wished me back into the ring!"

"Yes." Brigid never wished these days. Occasionally she would make requests, but Laresa knew they were simply that. The djiin never denied her requests. "Time was essential and I could not afford to explain."

Laresa was scanning the room when comprehension dawned. "He tried to steal me." Brigid grinned as she nodded. "He chose the wrong item, but you needed me to vanish to appease his mind!" Brigid's grin broadened further and turned wicked. The wish had come straight to Laresa's thoughts, explicitly stated in order to trigger her magic instantly. "What did he take?"

The smile faded. "The finder stone." It had been one of Brigid's greatest treasures. The stone would heat when in the presence of greater magics, growing warmer still when its owner turned it towards the object. This was not what made the object so valuable however. Laresa had made it for Brigid by hand. "I'm sorry."

Laresa's hand came up to stroke the woman's cheek. "I would rather lose a thousand such trinkets than to be taken from you before our time."

Brigid smiled and slid an arm around Laresa's waist. They turned to watch the cave mouth. "Do you think he'll be back? When he discovers he failed to get you?"

"I believe he will never try to summon me." Oddly, Laresa found herself thinking of the master who would never meet her; Dolph. She thought also of some of the others she had met who seemed to know of her kind.

Brigid nodded. "Good!" Quickly a grin spread across her face once more. Her hand traveled up Laresa's side to squeeze a breast. "Now. . ." Back onto the bed the two tumbled.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for reading my latest chapter of Laresa's World...I urge you to take the time to read the previous (and forthcoming) chapters and follow the travels of our luscious genie through time, and from master to mistress and back again. Further tales of Laresa can be found in Danellekitten's "Miranda and the Prince" stories...Thank you to everyone who has helped contribute, and especially thank you to RedHairedandFriendly for coming up with the concept.

Copywrite November 2006 by Deathlynx.



Laresa's World Ch. 14: Alexis/Clay



Alexis rolled her neck and used one hand to knead the cords that were tired and knotted. She rubbed her eyes, wishing that the day was over and she was back in bed with her husband nestled beside her. Her other hand moved to her stomach, a swift kick had been delivered from the babe hidden within. "Calm down," she whispered and rubbed the tender spot, laughing at the protrusion that stuck out of her belly. "Just a few more weeks ," she told herself and went back to logging in the newest acquisitions from the museum. 

A few more hours passed before she was ready to go back to the basement and open more crates. Carefully she took the steps down to the lowest parts of the Museum and called out to Tom, the security guard who had positioned himself outside the door to the main storage room. "Afternoon Missus St. Clair. How has your day been?" Tom asked, lifting his hand to tip back his hat. 

Alexis looked down at her watch and sighed, "It is only afternoon, isn't it. . ." Alexis smiled and patiently waited for the middle-aged man to open the door for her. His keys jingled and the familiar sound set her mind at ease. She always hated coming down here alone and was thankful that someone was always around. 

She loved the past, but she didn't like some of the legends that often came with the work she cataloged. Alexis was often chiding herself and her imagination as she worked side by side with ancient Egyptian artifacts. She would constantly see herself being led into a dark abyss, or swallowed up by a mummy, similar to those played by actors in the movies. Curses were another thing often overplayed in her mind. 

"How long will you be?" Tom asked as he held the door open for her. Alexis shrugged her shoulders. 

"I hope not for long. I'd rather be home right now with my feet up and Clay rubbing the aches out of them. I swear I'm carrying a quarterback inside me instead of being married to one." 

Tom chuckled and then winked while nodding to her pregnant belly. "You're carrying twins Missus St. Claire. I'd bet my life savings on it." 

"Bite your tongue. The doc claims only one in there." Alexis told him and then asked, "How much is your life savings?" 

"I don't have one." 

"An easy bet than, huh." She stuck out her tongue when he told her even Doctor's have been wrong.

Alexis sighed as she was left alone in the large room where the lighting was dim and the air stale. She pulled on a blue coat, similar to those that scientist wore in their labs and grabbed a crowbar. Soon she had her arms elbow deep in packing materials. Sometimes she worked in sawdust, other times she worked in styrofoam pebbles. Very rarely she was welcomed with bubble wrap and soft paper. When the door to the room opened, she was surprised by all she'd accomplished and by the hours that had ticked by.

"Give me one more hour and I'll be all done," she said, not checking to see if it was Tom who'd invaded her space. 

"One hour than," a deep baritone voice replied. 

Alexis spun around and grinned. Clay stood there with Tom behind him. "Hey you " she said and darted over to him as fast as her body would allow. Clay met her halfway and kissed her lips. Tom coughed and then winked before shutting the door behind them. 

"Hello gorgeous," he said before dropping to his knees and kissing her satin blouse, where his child lay safely tucked away. 

"What are you doing here?" she asked, when he'd returned to face her. 

"I thought I'd take you out to dinner. But I can wait an hour." Clay turned her around and gently nudged her to the crate she'd been opening. "I'll finish opening it and then let you take over from there, because I don't know shit about this stuff." 

Alexis laughed and watched her husband of four years open the crate with ease. His muscles moved like fine machines that were oiled to perfection. She had met Clay during an after game party she'd attended with a friend. She was immediately drawn to him, but then again he was the star player for the team and every girl in the room was ogling the six-foot four quarterback. It was an hour into the event when she felt someone brush against her and ask if she wanted to leave. Alexis had turned and felt a spark of heat roll through her. She didn't hesitate, leaving with Clay and not looking back. 

Six months later they were married and now four years later she was expecting their first baby. Clay finished his contract out with the pro team he'd been playing for and they moved to a quiet town in the middle of no where. Now she worked in a museum in the city and they had a ranch in the country. Nothing, she told herself as she dug through the styrofoam could make her world better than it was now. 

Alexis cataloged everything from the crate and then began to vacuum up the white pebbles of packing material from inside the crate. She watched the bag fill with the foam; Clay she saw, out of the corner of her eye, begin to push empty crates into a corner, where he'd pushed them before. She was glad he'd come down to take her to dinner, the extra help he was offering now was much appreciated. When she was finished she looked down into the crate to make sure there were no more styrofoam pellets. "What are you doing in there?" she said. 

"What?" Clay asked, as he walked up behind her. 

"That," she said, pointing to the object of interest. "I cataloged everything," she said and shrugged her shoulders. "Can you reach it?" she asked. 

"Sure," Clay answered. He bent over, and as he reached for the gold band Alexis slapped his ass. "Hey " he shouted and then came up, with the ring in his hand. "Just for that you have to wait till supper to see what this is." 

"What? You can't take it out of the museum." Alexis rolled her eyes and held out her hand. "Hand it over," she said, lifting her brows in a 'I told you too' manner.

"Why not? You said you cataloged everything right?" 

"Yes," she replied, "but I still can't keep it. . . whatever it is." 

"It is a ring," Clay said and deposited it into her palm. "I doubt it is real, because the band is just gold and the stone looks like those rusty looking ones from the quarter machines." 

Alexis laughed. "It's amber, you goof. I don't know if it is real or not, but it isn't mine and . . ." 

"Awww. . .come on, it's probably from a cracker jack box and some chick lost it when she was packing up the really good stuff." Clay took the ring back and pushed it into his pocket. "Now, dinner. My child is starving." 

"Your child is eating like a grown man. I'm going to let you enjoy your moment of theft, but the ring goes back tomorrow. If it is real than someone is very upset they lost it. I'll call the shipping company tomorrow and see if anyone reported losing it." 

Clay grinned and hooked his arm around his wife's body. "Fine," he said and led her back to the door. They walked hand in hand, waving goodbye to Tom, who was talking to the second shift guard. He waved back and shouted, "Twins. I tell ya Twins " 

Alexis growled and Clay laughed. They stopped by her office, grabbed her purse and coat and then headed out to Clay's Cadillac. Eventually, Alexis head was on her husband's shoulder and her eyes were closed. Clay felt the ring in his pocket and gently eased it out, leaving one hand on the wheel and moving with care so he didn't disturb his tired wife. 

Clay studied the ring briefly and swore he felt a warm tingling sensation running through his fingers. He chastised himself and then cursed when he noticed he'd missed his turn. Alexis woke up and looked around. "What?" she asked. 

"Oh I was looking at the cracker jack prize and missed my road." He pushed the ring onto his pinky and then turned into a used car dealership, turned around and headed back the way he'd come. 

"Well, I'm starved," Alexis said and smoothed down her hair, reapplied her make-up and patted her stomach. "So is the team." 

"The team?" Clay asked. 

"According to Tom," she laughed. 

Clay rolled his eyes and turned onto the street and then into a parking spot in front of Red Lobster. He chuckled to himself, remembering the hundred dollar plates of food he wined and dined Alexis on and then realized she was a simple woman and Red Lobster was her idea of fine dining. Absentmindedly, he rolled the ring with his thumb and then stared into his rearview mirror. "Who the fuck are you?" he said and turned around in his seat, pushing Alexis head down and trying to protect her. 

His eyes were wide and his apparent need to protect his wife from the strange woman in the backseat were clearly written all over his face and in his protective stance. "Were you laying in the backseat this whole time? What the hell do you want?" he said. 

"Clay? What's going on?" Alexis shouted, though it was hard to do. Her words came out muffled as her head was forcefully tucked as far down as her protruding belly would allow. "Let me up, damn it, I can't breathe " 

Clay released his hold, ordered her from the car and waited for the woman he was staring at to speak. Alexis turned around. Her jaw dropped and her hand fell away from the door handle. "Holy fuck," she muttered. 

"Get out of the car," Clay said, unsure if he meant his wife or the intruder, either one worked for him though. 

"Mast. . ." 

"Clay." 

Both women spoke at the same time. Clay turned to Alexis, feeling her hand on his arm. "Clay calm down. She's not going to hurt us," Alexis said. Her gaze never left the scantily clad woman. "You're a Djinn aren't you?" she asked. 

"A what?" Clay responded before the stranger could speak. "You know her?" 

"A genie, Clay. She's a genie. Now how she got here is another question. But she probably won't answer me. I think she belongs to you," Alexis said, still studying the woman. 

"A genie? Like 'I dream of . . ." 

"No " the woman replied, her voice full of annoyance. Alexis laughed. "I bet you get that all the time," she said. She watched the look of agreement pass on the beautiful creatures face. "You're his aren't you?" she asked again, this time noting the agreeable expression. 

"Mine? Why?" Clay asked. 

"You wear the ring," the woman replied. "You summoned me from it and I am here to serve. I am called Laresa." 

"Laresa," Alexis repeated the name and sighed. "I've heard of you," she whispered. 

Laresa's eyes grew wide. "You have?" she asked, suddenly lost in the desire to learn more about herself. 

"Hey now," Clay said gruffly. "I need answers. I haven't heard of you, so who and what are you?" he said, barely releasing the tension in his shoulders. 

"I am Laresa. I am a Djinn, a genie. I can grant most of your wishes, but not all. I am not limited to three, but as long as you are in possession of my home," she nodded to the amber ring, "I am yours to command. My soul purpose is to please you and bring you joy and happiness." 

"How does my wife know you?" he asked. 

"I do not know Master. I could read her mind if. . ." 

"NO " he demanded. "I don't want you floating around in our heads. No mind reading " 

"Clay, I don't know her personally. I know of her. Well, her legend. Remember where I work and what I do," Alexis said. "Laresa, I work in a museum. A place where we keep ancient artifacts and scrolls, several thousands of years old. There is one in our Egyptian display that translates dialog about a woman of great beauty and power, known as Laresa of the Ring. It is of course folklore, but obviously. . .that was bullshit." 

"I have heard of museums and I have seen several, but no one has mentioned me before in them. Only a few Masters and Mistresses have known of my existence before I appeared. I would like to," she stopped and lowered her head, "I am sorry. I am here to serve you Master, what is it you wish?" she asked, looking back up at Clay. 

"Answers," Clay muttered and turned around in his seat. He glanced nervously, through the rearview mirror, at the woman who barely wore any clothes. "Put something on. I have to feed Alexis and the baby and you can't go in there looking like that." 

Clay and Alexis watched in awe as Laresa's clothing seemed to morph into a blouse similar to what Alexis wore and a skirt, much the same color and design. "Holy shit," they both muttered. "You are civilized right?" Clay asked. The look he got from the violet eyes of the genie and the blue ones of Alexis told him he'd asked the wrong question. "Sorry," he muttered and opened the door. 

Inside the restaurant, Clay insisted on the private dining room. He knew it was normally reserved for parties and big affairs, but he forked over enough money to guarantee that he had it for the next several hours and only one server would be allowed to wait on them. Once settled into their chairs and their food ordered, Clay turned toward Laresa. 

"Now. . .Alexis has more knowledge of you, so I'm going to give her the ring. What does this mean to you?" he asked. 

Laresa's jaw dropped. She'd never heard of such a thing, just giving the ring away. She swallowed the words of disbelief and looked down on her home that sat on her Master's finger. "Master, you would lose all rights to me and I would belong to your wife. Your wishes would no longer be granted, but only her's would be the ones I granted." 

"Well, we'll worry about all that later," he said and slipped the ring off, passing it to Alexis who slipped it on. 

Laresa blinked several times, feeling the slight shift in power as it was transferred to the woman who sat across from her. "Mistress how may I serve you?" she asked. 

"Laresa, I have no real need right now. Just answers to questions. Can you answer them?" she asked. 

"I can answer as much as I know. I can not answer things I do not know the answers too." 

"Sounds fair," Clay said and poured himself a glass of wine. He downed it as he listened to his wife interrogate their genie. 

Laresa told her Mistress the memory she'd been given by Alex concerning her journey into the ring. She spoke of the Master that had mentioned her in the scrolls of Egypt. She told of her travels though time and how many had lost her. The rules were explained and discussed at length. When Laresa was asked if she could have her freedom with a wish, she answered her the only way she knew how, truthfully. 

"Mistress, I do not know how to gain my freedom. It is something that has often been wished by those that claim to love me, but the wish is never answered. I am a young genie compared to many. There are rumors of tricks to free us, but I do not know them. I know we can be destroyed," she explained how and all three of them shuddered. 

"We'll not be destroying you," Clay answered, a hint of anger in his voice for those that would seek to destroy another. 

Laresa smiled as the night continued. She spoke of herself and filled the couple in on several things in her life that had effected mankind; not all for the good, she admitted. When they left the restaurant Clay was wearing the ring and Alexis was grinning from ear to ear. "Laresa, we aren't going to use you. I mean. . . we aren't going to demand you give us millions or cast someone into the far reaches of hell. I think you just need to experience life, for as long as we have you." 

Laresa swallowed, unsure as to what to do with such a gift. Who were these people? Why were they not demanding a new house or new car? Why were they not asking her to give them job promotions or vast amounts of wealth? Were there really people out there that just wanted to live life the way it was supposed to be lived? "Master, if this is true, may I live like you and Alexis?" she asked. 

"Yes," Clay replied and chuckled when Laresa grinned. She slipped off her shoes and wiggled her toes. Her fingers ran over the leather of the seat and she scooted up to the window to stare at the world as her Master drove the car home. 

When they arrived Laresa glanced at the couple and opened the door, immediately the sounds and smells of the ranch assailed her and she breathed deep the different smells. Clay had granted her a wish unlike anything she'd imagined. She was close to being a real human, as close as she could be without being free of the power that kept her tethered to her ring. She felt the gentle push of "go on" roll over her thoughts and she timidly began to explore the ranch. 

Clay and Alexis watched their genie move toward the stables. They thought of following her, but decided to let her come back to them when she was ready. Together they moved as one into their simple home and quietly headed upstairs. 

Weeks past and Laresa had become a constant in Clay and Alexis life. She chose to accompany Alexis to work, under the guise as Clay's sister. She was welcomed at the company parties and even worked side by side with Alexis when she cataloged several ancient artifacts. Many times Laresa would willingly offer history on the artifacts. The pull of the ring was always there, but rarely was she summoned or asked to perform a duty. Clay would keep the ring on his pinky, unless Alexis asked for it. On those days Laresa was off to explore the city with her friend and shop for baby clothes. 

Her Master and Mistress's wishes were small compared to the ones she'd granted most of her life. Clay would burn dinner and ask for Laresa to repair it. Once Alexis burned Clay's shirt when she was ironing and Laresa was asked to fix the favored material. Simple things, like having the dishes washed or the laundry done were granted with mere flicks of Laresa's wrist. It wasn't until Clay screamed for Laresa that her true powers of a genie were demanded of her. 

"Clay?" she asked as soon as she appeared. Her clothing was that of a rancher, her boots dirty and her hair hung in a ponytail down her back. 

"It's time Laresa and damn it she wants that baby delivered here. I don't know how to deliver a baby. I don't know what to do. I need help. I wish you to help deliver this child," Clay said. Laresa smiled. His voice was not demanding, but full of fret and worry. For weeks she'd grown to love the couple and felt more like their friend than their slave. 

"Yes, Clay I will do so. I can not do both. I can not sooth her and birth the babe. She is upstairs correct?" Laresa asked. 

"Yes, in our bed. She's in a lot of pain. If you tell me how to deliver the baby I will. I want you to just take care of her. I don't want to lose her." Clay spun on his heels and took the stairs two and three at a time, reaching his bedroom, just as Laresa was done feeding his mind with the knowledge of thousands that had delivered babes in all sorts of circumstances. He shook his head and was momentarily dazed by the wealth of knowledge. "I forget sometimes how magical you are," he said and pushed past her, wondering how she'd made it up the steps before him. 

Laresa smiled, feeling her Master's nervousness, but knowing his command was to sooth his wife, not him. She moved to the bed and sat down next to Alexis. "My friend, I am here. Clay wishes to sooth you. I must obey him. I need to take your pain." She whispered into Alexis ear and kissed her temple. One hand moved to Alexis forehead and the other slipped to the swollen stomach that was moving with life. 

As Laresa soothed the contractions and kept Alexis body strong, Clay began the steps needed to deliver his child at home. His movements were swift and knowledgeable. Laresa's face grimaced as she took the pains that rolled through Alexis body. She felt the stabbing in her back and moaned as it wrapped around the muscles of her stomach. Her pulse raced. She broke out into a sweat and she bit down on her lip, breaking the skin. Laresa wasted no time in mending herself. Her job was to focus on the woman in the bed. 

Clay's eyes burned with tears as his son fell into his arms and released a scream that let the world know he was not happy to be out. Laresa gasped in shock as her body felt the loss of the babe from a womb that had never held one. Her face paled and she shuddered. "Clay," she shouted and found herself doubling over, her hands however never leaving the woman her Master loved. "Another," she cried as a contraction moved through her barren body. 




Laresa's World Ch. 15: Aaron



Author's Notes:

This chapter turned out quite a bit longer than I thought it would. It only crosses over to the final page by a bit, I hope the story keeps you reading despite the daunting list of page numbers at the bottom.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

Inca Ruins, Peru — 2001

"We're close, Aaron."

The old man held his hands out before him, moving them slightly back and forth, slowly homing in on something. At last, he steadied his hands, opened his eyes and smiled. Letting the gray stone cupped between his palms slide into one hand, he nodded in the direction the stone indicated.

His younger companion grunted to acknowledge the nod, nervously tousling his mop of brown hair, and then set off to match the brisk pace of his mentor. Aaron thought, The old goat gets along pretty well for his age. I'd better keep that in mind.

They moved carefully through the ruins, doing their best to avoid leaving any sign of their passage. The vine-choked, crumbling stone structures around them were not so remote, and they certainly did not want some local who wandered into the area to discover them. The weather was miserable, a light, cold drizzle drifting down from a deep gray sky, making the broken stones underfoot slippery and more treacherous than they would be normally.

The old man lifted his hand suddenly, his eyes going wide, and turned to gesture impatiently to the younger, before hurrying behind a wall that looked the same as every other that they had passed. When Aaron walked around the stone, he found his old teacher kneeling on the ground, the hand containing the gray stone pressed against the earth.

"It's here, Aaron. It is buried right here. Get out the shovel, our quest is nearly over. Whom have we found, I wonder. Horace? Laresa? Mayesra? Such prizes remain! We stand to gain much honor when we return, should we bear one of the elusive prizes that have never been in our possession, or one of those that has escaped us..."

Aaron rolled his eyes while the old man rambled, taking off his pack to retrieve the folding camp shovel inside. He hoped the damn artifact wasn't buried too deep, or they could be here for hours slogging through the mud, sifting through water filling up the hole. The old man knew this weather was coming, and had insisted on leaving for the ruins anyway. Once he had the scent, he was impossible to shake, no matter the logic or common sense involved in any argument against it.

"Right there, where your hand is, Wallace?" Aaron waited for his old mentor to stop babbling for a moment, and then repeated the question.

"Oh, oh yes! Right here. Hmm, the rain could be a problem. The ground is rather saturated. I fear the hole might fill with water as we dig it."

No shit, you geriatric old coot, Aaron thought. "I told you we should have waited until this was over and it dried out."

"Perhaps, but we'll see if we can't find it now, and return later if necessary. We can always cover this spot with some stones; it's in the shadows and..."

"Wallace, I need to get in there, if you want me to dig."

Chuckling, the old man rose up from his knees and moved out of the way. Aaron squatted down, pushing the tip of the shovel into the ground with his foot, and started moving earth.

Aaron ground his teeth in frustration as the hole reached about two feet deep. He was pulling out as much water as mud with every shovelful now, and doubted that they would get anywhere near the prize that Wallace was sure was buried here.

Then his shovel hit something solid, and metallic.

Great excitement in his voice, Wallace hurried over, dropping to his hands and knees next to the hole, "Did you find something?"

Aaron carefully stabbed the shovel into the water at the bottom of the hole again, and yet another metallic clink greeted them. "I think so."

Moving the shovel around, Aaron managed to find the edges of something, and started prying with his shovel. He could feel give, and pried hard, a sucking sound rewarding him as the water level in the hole dropped, the liquid filling the void left by the prize, now barely visible through the muck.

Wallace reached down and grabbed the box, drawing it up out of the water with a laugh. He turned it over and over, wiping away mud and examining it. "It appears to be intact, and well sealed." He reached into his pocket and held the grey stone very near the box, "If this is not one of the artifacts we seek, it is surely something of great power."

"So, open it," Aaron impatiently suggested.

"Oh, of course, yes. Hmm, it appears to be sealed with lead. I believe we'll have to return to civilization to open this."

Great, just great! Aaron thought, but then said aloud, "At least we can get in out of this fucking weather."

"Where is your spirit of adventure, Aaron?"

"It drowned," Aaron muttered as he tried to wipe some of the mud off his shovel.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

Laresa roused slightly, sensing that her ring was close to someone again — and moving.

She didn't know how long it had been since she was last summoned. She slept often, rousing only for short periods, as she always did whenever long periods passed between Masters. She had known her last Master for only moments. Almost as soon as she appeared, he crossed himself and ordered her to go away.

Laresa smoothed back her silvery hair, her back arching as she stretched, causing the rosy tips of her firm breasts to press against the silken gown she wore. She shivered and let out a little moan, pressing a petite hand over her sex, vestiges of a dream still sparking arousal within her.

She felt the presence of a second person, also close to her ring. A mixture of anticipation and trepidation flowed through her, as she hoped to see the world outside again, but wondered what type of Master would summon her this time. 

For now, her ring was still only close to someone, and not yet on anyone's finger, so she drifted off to sleep amongst her cushions.

Once again, her dreams were bittersweet glimpses of a life returned to the flow of time, of being human. For so long, such thoughts had never crossed her mind, but that was changing. So many times recently, her Masters had given her tastes of free will, and of humanity, awakening desires within her, unfelt for eons.

Laresa smiled in her sleep, even as her heart ached.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

"Crude, yes, but someone went to a great deal of trouble to seal this. Surely, we shall find something remarkable. It can only be one of the artifacts we seek..."

The urge for Aaron to roll his eyes was nearly overwhelming. Blah, blah, blah! Shut up and open it!

"Ah, there we are!" Aaron stepped over to look over Wallace's shoulder, just as eager to see what was inside as his mentor. As Wallace opened the box, a folded, yellowed piece of paper met both their eyes.

Wallace pulled out the paper, revealing something wrapped in undyed cloth, which was just as yellowed as the paper. Aaron clenched his teeth, fighting the urge to scream, as Wallace opened the brittle paper to see if there was anything written upon it.

"My, my, whoever sealed this believed they had found something dire indeed. The note says that the devil is in this box, and it should be buried far from man, never to see the light of day again."

Aaron rolled his eyes, "Superstitious fools."

Carefully folding the note and putting it off to the side, Wallace admonished, "We simply fear what we do not understand, and most are quite unfamiliar with the Djinn, Aaron. Now, let us see what was so frightening to our friend who wrote the note."

Aaron's skin tingled as Wallace removed the small cloth-wrapped bundle from the box, and started to unwrap it. Come on already, this isn't a damn dig! Aaron silently fumed, frustrated by the meticulous care his mentor was taking with the object. Becoming archaeologists was useful to cover their true purpose, but Aaron thought Wallace took that part of his life far too seriously.

Finally, the cloth parted, revealing a ring. Aaron recognized the crafting, and he knew it was one of the objects they sought. At long last, they had found the home of a genie.

Wallace turned the ring over in his fingers, a wide smile on his face, "Gold band with an amber stone, crafted by our ancestors, certainly." Turning to Aaron, he held the ring up, "I'll have to check the database, but I'm almost certain this is the artifact to which Laresa is bound! Truly a remarkable find! She is one of the few who has never been located. We have come so close, only to find the ring missing so many times."

"You're certain, then?"

"Oh, absolutely! I cannot say that it is indeed our long-lost Laresa without checking the database, but it is without a doubt the home of a Djinn." Wallace laughed, all his long years of searching now fulfilled in the ring he held between his fingers.

"Good."

An expression of surprise and pain crossed Wallace's face as the knife plunged with expert skill between the slats of his chair, and into his back. The ring fell with a clatter from his nerveless fingers as he mouthed the word why to his apprentice of almost a decade.

Aaron ignored the sound of his mentor's head falling against the desk, bending to pick up the ring. "You're all a bunch of decrepit fools. We could have gathered all the Djinn years ago if you addle-brained old men hadn't forbidden us to use the artifacts to do it. I'm done with you, and I'm done with the Society."

Holding up the ring, he smiled and said to it, "Now, let's just check the database, and see if the old codger was right. I want to make sure of what I'm getting into before I put you on."

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

Aaron sat tapping the desk with a finger, staring at the laptop monitor, two entries from the database opened side-by-side on the screen.

Looks like you're right, old man. We have found Laresa. I'm sure the Society would have been very pleased. Too bad they'll never see her.

Clicking on the other entry, labeled Nathifa, he scrolled down and read the entry again with a smile. One of the first Djinn to be located by the Society, she would have little experience with her powers. The information also provided the perfect means to stifle her, to ensure that she never discovered how to utilize her powers deceptively.

Returning to Laresa's entry, he narrowed his eyes. You are an entirely different matter, my dear. Though the Society had never located her, they had managed to gather a great deal of information about her. One thing was certain: she did know how to manipulate a Master's wishes when it suited her.

Minimizing the database windows, Aaron opened a text editor and started to plan his words carefully, ensuring that Laresa would find no means to twist the wishes he planned to make.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

Laresa started awake, knowing the sensation of her ring sliding on to someone's finger. She reached down and felt her tummy with a sigh. In the dream, from which she had just been awakened, a babe had rested there, beneath her heart.

Sitting up, Laresa felt power flowing through her, awakened by the touch of a human hand. Anxious anticipation permeated her, as she wondered when she would be summoned, and what type of Master would greet her upon emergence from the ring.

Then came the familiar tug, and she dissolved into wisps of smoke, to coalesce once more in the outside world.

"Welcome, Laresa. This is the year two-thousand-one, and we are in the country of Peru. My name is Aaron, but you will call me Master."

Laresa stared at the man who wore her ring, startled as he greeted her, just as she was about to greet him and explain her presence.

Aaron laughed, "Surprised, are we? Let's get something out of the way right now. I wish that you have no access to my thoughts or desires, knowing only what I choose to tell you in word or thought. I wish that you fulfill all of my wishes exactly as spoken, taking no liberties to improve upon them. Finally, I wish that you warn me of any danger to my person, my plans, or my possessions — immediately — and otherwise speak in my presence only when spoken to, or to acknowledge fulfilling a wish."

Laresa's mind reeled as she felt those wishes bind her. The man's features looked much like those of her people, and he seemed to know as much about her as she did about herself. It was obvious that he planned to grant her nothing resembling free will, and that did not sit well with her. She acknowledged his wishes curtly, her face flat and emotionless.

He continued, "Now, when I give you a command, you will treat it as a wish. I don't feel like rattling off the words I wish every time I need you to do something. You will also answer any question I ask you. I know you can't lie to me, but you'll do your best to avoid answering me if you can. Don't doubt that I'll know when you're trying to avoid the question."

He gestured, and Laresa turned to see the corpse of an old man, slumped over a table with a knife in his back. Aaron told her, "Get the Finder's Stone out of his pocket, and give it to me."

Fear knotted Laresa's stomach. She didn't need an explanation to know what had happened. Her new Master had killed this man, in cold blood, and left him crumpled unceremoniously where he had died. Laresa could sense that the murder had occurred hours ago.

Even if the object did not have the same name, she would have recognized the magical power of the Finder's Stone. It was not the same one she remembered, but its powers were duplicated in this item. Willing the stone into her hand, she walked over and handed it to her Master.

"Good, now dispose of the body, somewhere where he will never be found by anyone. Clean up the blood too."

"Yes, Master," Laresa replied, and sent the body to a cave deep beneath the earth, one with no exit to the surface. It was the closest thing to dignity she could offer the man, while still fulfilling Aaron's wish.

A few more wishes followed. He ordered her to make sure his laptop battery never needed charging, and for the computer to function perfectly, forever. He likewise demanded that the device be able to connect to the internet in the present time, no matter where or when they were. Several other common demands followed, delivered in the manner that reminded Laresa of a bored aristocrat ordering about a house servant. He worded every wish with extreme care, so that Laresa could not possibly rebel by twisting his words. Indeed, he seemed to know much about her, and Djinn.

As she fulfilled his wishes, she studied him. He had dark shoulder-length hair, and a slim, bony frame. His expression was one of smug self-confidence. His next set of wishes changed him, the typical wishes that so many male Masters had pressed upon her over the years. When she finished granting his wishes, he possessed the lean, muscular body of an athlete, and a cock of considerable length and girth.

He admired his new body and generous endowment in a mirror, flexing his muscles and chuckling. He turned back to Laresa and said, "So, do you like my new body? Do you find it arousing, my little Laresa?"

The question he asked was about his body, which was undoubtedly attractive. Laresa had little choice but to answer, "Yes, Master."

He laughed and said, "But you find me repulsive, of course. That's quite alright. I may decide to sample your wares at some point, but we still have a lot to do, my dear. Quite frankly, I don't trust you, my silver-haired wench, so I believe we'll get you a little help before we move on to any big wishes. I wish for you to bring the Djinn, Nathifa here to serve me."

Laresa reached out with her power, finding the genie Aaron sought. When she attempted to bring the bracelet that was the Djinn's home to her, her brow furrowed in confusion when she felt resistance.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

The rotund man gasped, seeing the flashes of power sparking against the shield surrounding the Chamber of Containment. Someone was attempting to summon an unbound genie, and one of those in the Chamber was the one selected.

Placing his hands against the runes on the doorway of the chamber, he poured his will into maintaining the shield. Almost as soon as his hands touched the runes, he knew his efforts were in vain. Whoever was summoning the artifact did not seek just any Djinn, but one specifically. Still, he poured all his heart, all his will, and all his power into maintaining the shield. His duty was to protect the artifacts the Society had located, and he would not fail in that duty, so long as a single breath of life remained in his body.

He endured, fulfilling his obligation, until his heart burst from the strain. The shield collapsed, and a bracelet vanished from its silken cushion within the Chamber.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

Aaron smiled as the bracelet appeared on his wrist, and swirling vapors congealed into his second genie, "Welcome, Nathifa."

"Greetings, Master, how may I serve you?" Nathifa responded. She had the same look of surprised confusion on her face as the one Laresa had worn only a short time before.

Laresa sighed inwardly as Aaron placed the same restrictions upon Nathifa with which he had shackled her. Laresa guessed that Nathifa was a couple of years younger than she was, at least physically. She was centuries old in reality, but her appearance surely placed her just into the full flower of womanhood. If it were not for Laresa knowing that only adults had been sacrificed to be Djinn, she might have even suspected the woman younger.

Laresa couldn't help but notice Nathifa's hair, as unique as her own silvery locks. Nathifa's hair fell freely in flowing waves down her back, nearly to her trim, heart-shaped bottom. The strands were a deep red, so dark that it almost looked black where it was gathered, but the color shone through on the edges, whenever the light struck it right. Laresa thought her beautiful, and even felt a little twinge of jealousy. Nathifa stood about a hand taller than Laresa, with perky breasts just slightly smaller than Laresa's heavy, but still firm, globes. The diaphanous gown she wore, quite similar to Laresa's own, only served to enhance the woman's attributes, barely concealing them.

As Nathifa acknowledged the last of Aaron's wishes, Laresa sensed a great wave of apprehension coming from the other genie. Laresa was making no effort to invade Nathifa's mind, but she nevertheless felt the assault of thoughts and emotions pounding into her.

The young Djinn had known only two Masters in all her centuries, sleeping within her bracelet since then, sensing the presence of people near her home only rarely. Being summoned was extremely frightening to the young woman; something Laresa remembered all to well from the first few times a Master called her forth from her ring. Aaron's overbearing dominance and obvious knowledge about her was not helping the red-haired genie cope.

A strange sound coming from the open laptop startled both women out of their thoughts. Aaron walked over and looked at the screen, laughing when he saw the email. The Society was alerting its members that one of their number had died attempting to prevent an artifact from leaving the Chamber. He realized that he would need to reply, as well as send a reply from Wallace's email. Shortly, it wouldn't matter if the Elders grew suspicious, but for now it would be best if he gave them no reason to suspect what was happening half a world away.

As Aaron sat down to type, obviously distracted, Laresa sent her thoughts out to the other Djinn, I have been forbidden to speak aloud as well, but my name is Laresa.

I am Nathifa. You are of the Djinn as well?

Yes, I am. I sense you are afraid, and have only been summoned twice in all your years, do you know how this is possible?




Laresa's World Ch. 15: Aaron



I know nothing. I have slept for time uncountable. Have you known many Masters? Are they all cruel and demanding, like this one — like all Masters I have known?

Laresa smiled, one thing not yet forbidden to her, and mentally replied, I have been blessed to know kind Masters, even those who befriended and loved me in my time. Those who have worn my ring are as uncountable as your years of slumber.

I am afraid. Nathifa's mental voice trembled. I fear he will use my body for his pleasure.

Laresa's heart went out to the inexperienced genie. It was likely that, like Laresa, Nathifa was untouched by man when she had been sacrificed to become one of the Djinn. Laresa's own memories of her first Master were far from pleasant, and many years passed before she discovered what an orgasm was, the close quarters of her youth having left little possibility to explore her body in that way.

Laresa gently laid a hand on Nathifa's shoulder as she sent her thoughts again. I wish I could tell you that such will not happen, but I fear it likely. You must simply endure those who take you without regard for your feelings or needs. They can take your body, but only you can give a man your heart. Without that, it is empty lust, and he will tire of it. Just remember that not all Masters are so thoughtless. You are beautiful, and some men are as prone to love as lust.

When Laresa's thoughts about her beauty sounded within Nathifa's head, they carried with them something deeper, the stirrings of attraction. Memories washed over Nathifa, and she flinched away, closing her mind tight.

Nathifa? Laresa received no answer. She tried again, but again the taller Djinn did not respond. I'm sorry if I upset you. If you wish to speak with me again, you can do so any time you desire.

Confused and a bit hurt, Laresa stepped back, wondering why the other genie had reacted in such an odd way to her attempt at friendly comfort. She had been quite out of sorts the first time a Master took her, but she had quickly realized it was but another service that she must perform, and thus recovered from the shocked feeling of violation even before her Master again used her body only a few hours later. Obviously, Nathifa was not having such an easy time recovering.

Aaron sent his email, having already composed one on behalf of his deceased mentor. That should prevent them from growing suspicious for a time, and it will be more than long enough.

Closing the laptop and standing, he turned to the two women who now served him, and smiled. He knew exactly how to escape the clutches of the Society, regardless of their ability to track his movements. The loss of modern conveniences would be irrelevant with the power of two Djinn to replace them, and the possibilities were endless.

"For now, Laresa, you will return to your ring. Nathifa will serve my needs."

With his command, Laresa's physical form dissolved, and a moment later, she reclined upon the cushions within her ring. Staring at the wall, as if she could see through it, she wondered how Nathifa was faring alone, and whether the younger Djinn's dire thoughts were even now coming to pass.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

When the pull to emerge from her ring came again, not long afterward, Laresa was startled to find that she stood in the middle of a large group of people, all lying prostrate, facing in her direction. Actually, they were bowing to Aaron, who stood next to Nathifa wearing his annoying, smug smile.

Aaron projected his thoughts to Laresa, As you have more experience, I expect you to warn me of any pitfalls ahead. You will glean through the minds of these people, and ensure that they have no reason to doubt my godhood, or harbor any ill thoughts about me.

Yes, Master, Laresa snapped back to him. Her first pass through the minds of the people revealed that she was within a prosperous city of the Inca, during the peak of their power, before invaders from across the sea destroyed their culture. For the moment, there was nothing to report to Aaron, as a magnificent display of magic earlier fully convinced the entire populace that they indeed worshipped a god walking amongst them.

Speaking in the native language of the people, Aaron cried out in a magically enhanced voice, "Rise my people! I am pleased with your obedience!"

As the people rose, a man in ceremonial dress moved through the crowd, pulling along a beautiful young woman who had a look of resigned fear upon her face. He approached, stopping just at the edge of the circle of people surrounding Aaron, and forced the woman to her knees.

"Stormbringer, as High Priest of the people, I offer unto you this blood sacrifice, untouched by man!" He held out a ceremonial blade in his palms, awaiting Aaron's pleasure.

Aaron's smile grew even wider, and then he spoke, "Such a waste of a beautiful young flower. I shall take this one to serve my needs, I believe. Her blood sacrifice will come, but not by your blade."

Laresa winced as she heard the High Priest's thoughts, and Aaron's command forced her to relay them to her Master. The Priest grows doubtful. All of their sacred writings say that the gods demand blood, and your attempt to equate the woman's deflowering with such has not convinced him. The people, however, feel hopeful. They fear the Priest, because he demands many more sacrifices to the gods than ever known in the past.

Aaron grunted quietly in acknowledgement and scanned the crowd.

Once again, thoughts from someone forced Laresa to speak mentally to Aaron, That man is the woman's father, and he is angry. Her stomach churned, knowing what was to come, and knowing that it was her words that would cause it.

Pointing at the man Laresa had indicated, Aaron thundered, "This man doubts me, and his thoughts betray him! He shall be the sacrifice this day, as an example that simple outward worship is not sufficient!"

The man's face blanched as the High Priest smiled and quickly crossed the courtyard toward him. Aaron gestured to the woman who had been offered as the original sacrifice, and she approached humbly, kneeling at his feet.

Once again, the High Priest awaited Aaron's pleasure, and this time he was given leave. The three women around Aaron averted their eyes as the deed was done. A sickening crunch and a gurgle announced the man's death. Laresa felt a stir of disgust from Nathifa, and looked up to see the other Djinn use her power to make the still twitching corpse vanish from the stones.

Aaron called out to the assembled people, "Know I am pleased with this sacrifice, and this gift! Prepare tribute and a great celebration to honor my coming, for I shall choose the remainder of my brides this evening!"

The people quickly moved to obey Aaron's commands, and he looked down at the native woman kneeling at his feet, "Are you pleased to give yourself to your god, my flower?"

"Yes, My Lord," the woman replied, and Laresa felt genuine adoration coming from the woman. Despite the death of her father, or perhaps because of it, she truly believed that a god walked amongst them, and had chosen her as his first bride.

"Then we shall retire to my temple, and there you will show me your devotion. Rise."

They reached the apex of the pyramid temple, the invisible genies following Aaron and his bride, who were flanked by the Chieftain of the city and the High Priest. The two most powerful men in the city bowed, gesturing for Aaron to enter his sacred temple.

"You may go. Prepare the celebration of my coming, and prepare the finest flowers of the city for the choosing."

"Yes, My Lord," both men answered in unison, moving quickly back down the steps to obey his commands.

As Aaron stepped inside, he made a clucking sound with his tongue and said, "This will never do."

Nathifa started when Aaron's voice emerged in her head, Create a heated bathing pool in the center of the temple floor. He followed this command with detailed instructions about the dimensions of the pool and other comforts he wished to have. Nathifa brought her power to bear and granted each of his wishes in turn. 

The young woman at Aaron's side gasped when the steaming pool appeared, and she could not help but let her eyes dart toward each new object as it materialized within the room.

Laresa, having no access to Aaron's mind, could only watch as furniture and other comforts sprang into being. Although she was glad to be ignored by her new, arrogant Master, those thoughts were tempered by pity for the less experienced Djinn. Though Nathifa's thoughts no longer leapt out at her, the red-haired genie's body language betrayed her discomfort.

Grunting in approval when Nathifa created the final piece of furniture, Aaron walked over and placed his laptop on the desk before turning to his chosen bride. "Reveal yourself unto your god."

Awed by the display of power, the young woman had slipped into a state of religious ecstasy. She immediately obeyed, baring her body to Aaron, adoration and arousal obvious in both her manner and expression.

Aaron reclined upon a cushioned dais as the woman disrobed, his eyes drinking in every inch of her sun-browned skin as she revealed it to him. Lithe of form, with high-riding breasts perfectly suited to her figure, she was undoubtedly a stunning example of womanhood.

Laresa felt a stirring of desire within her as the woman undressed. She was distracted from her admiration by the sight of Nathifa averting her eyes. Looking closer at the other Djinn, Laresa could see that Nathifa was trembling slightly. It was obvious to Laresa that her fellow slave was in a great deal of discomfort — discomfort Laresa was feeling as well. After so many years, serving so many Masters, Laresa had overcome those emotions long ago. Now, they were returning. Memories of her dreams invaded reality, causing her heart to ache for freedom, and for humanity.

"Now, you shall meet my slaves, my bride. Laresa, Nathifa, I command you to be visible within these walls."

When the genies obeyed Aaron's command, he asked the nude woman, "What is your name, my flower?"

"Cusi, My Lord."

"My slaves will bathe you, Cusi. Go to the bathing pool." Waving his hand as he shifted into a more comfortable position, Aaron commanded, "Laresa, Nathifa, you will undress and bathe her well."

Laresa obeyed, noticing that Nathifa did so with great self-consciousness. The red-haired genie did her best to hide her body from every eye in the room, an impossible task.

Glancing at Laresa's mound, Aaron let out an aroused chuckle. Laresa's white-blonde curls were carefully manicured, framing her sex, while both Cusi and Nathifa had natural carpets of dark hair between their legs. "I find that very becoming, Laresa. Nathifa, you will prune yours and Cusi's, as well as that of any other woman I take as my bride in the same manner."

When Nathifa obeyed, Aaron asked his bride, "Does this please you?"

"If it pleases you, My Lord, it is pleasing to me," Cusi answered, running her fingers over her nether lips in curiosity.

"Good answer," he muttered quietly in response. "Now, bathe her."

Watching the two nude genies bathe his bride, Aaron quietly sang in his own language, so Cusi would not understand, "It's great to be a god — tread where mortals have not trod — be deified, when really, you're a sham."

Laresa gritted her teeth, understanding the words and bristling at the flippant attitude of her Master. Cusi stared at him, still deep within her devotion and reveling in Aaron's obvious amusement and arousal from the scene before him. Nathifa's trembling had grown even more pronounced, and Laresa tried again to contact the other genie. What is wrong?

Once again, Laresa received no response, and noticed that Nathifa kept her eyes on Aaron, or rather on his feet. Sighing inwardly, Laresa decided that obviously Nathifa wanted no help from her, and concentrated on her task.

When they finished, Aaron gestured for all the women to approach. "You will await my pleasure," he commanded the two genies, gesturing to the spots near the cushioned dais where he wanted them to stand.

When they took their places, Aaron ran his fingers over Cusi's bare skin, causing her to shudder and gasp. The woman's nipples stood out in turgid points, and already the scent of her arousal was washing over him. "Undress your god, and kneel before me."

Cusi obeyed without hesitation, running her fingers over his skin in a combination of arousal and devotion as she removed his clothing. When he stood nude before her, she knelt and looked up into his eyes.

"Show me your devotion with your mouth, my bride."

It took only moments for Aaron to realize that the woman had no idea what she was supposed to be doing, although she certainly experimented as best she knew. Casting out his thoughts to Laresa, he commanded, I'm sure you have a great deal of experience with sex, considering how many have owned you.

He punctuated the statement with a mental chuckle as Laresa frowned, and then continued, You will provide to her all your knowledge of how to pleasure a man, and make sure that she doesn't gag or get too sore to continue, for as long as I desire.

As soon as Laresa acknowledged granting his wish in curt tones, Aaron felt the evidence of it. Cusi's mouth engulfed him, and he put his hands on the back of her head as it bobbed over his thick shaft. Groaning in pleasure, he turned to Laresa for a moment and thought to her, It seems you certainly do know what you're doing. I may just have to try it first hand. How would you like that?

I would be just as pleased as I am now with your appreciation of what I have given to her, Laresa responded sarcastically.

Aaron let out a mirthless laugh and then sent his thoughts back to the Djinn, I would wish for you to speak to me respectfully, but honestly I like listening to you impotently fume.

With that, he returned to watching the expert mouth caressing his cock, enjoying Cusi looking up into his eyes devotedly as she sucked him quickly toward climax. Her lips slid over him only a few more times, his cock slipping into her throat with each stroke of her mouth, before Aaron felt the inevitable itch.

Fisting his hands in her dark hair and pulling her tight against him, Aaron growled, "Now you shall have your reward." He blasted out a groaning scream as thick spurts of cream erupted into her throat.

A muffled sound of surprised delight emerged from Cusi as he pulsed in her mouth. She marveled at the taste of him, and of the heat spreading through her as she swallowed his offering gleefully. When he at last ceased to dribble, she let him slip from her mouth with a final kiss on the tip of his softening organ.

Aaron collapsed back on the cushioned dais with a sigh of satisfaction, muttering, "Your god is pleased, Cusi."

"I would please you more, My Lord."

"Indeed you will." A glance at Laresa sparked an amusing thought. "Laresa, you will pleasure my bride while I recover. Ensure that I am able to see every flicker of your tongue."

"Yes, Master," Laresa replied evenly, now that she knew the thinly veiled-venom in her words only amused him. The thought of tasting the beautiful, dark-skinned woman was hardly unpleasant, and she could not have resisted the command even if it were otherwise. She guided Cusi to lie down and immediately slipped out her tongue to tantalize the young woman's labia. Cusi looked a little apprehensive at first, but the look of arousal on Aaron's face and Laresa's talented tongue quickly overcame that.

Nathifa kept her eyes firmly focused on a decorative carving across the room, doing her best to ignore the sounds of what was going on below her. She fought hard to drown herself in the details of the carving, to keep away the memories stirred up by the two women on the dais.

Cusi's scream of ecstasy upon exploding into orgasm shattered Nathifa's concentration some time later. The sounds of the woman panting loudly echoed in Nathifa's head, forcing her to close her eyes and fight them down.

A body pressed up against her, and Nathifa let out a gasp of surprise as Aaron's erection poked into her. You had a rather bad experience with a woman doing such to you, did you not?

Yes, Master, Nathifa responded, her lip quivering, and her skin crawling from the touch of his naked flesh against her.

You could replace Laresa the next time, if you do not obey me perfectly and without fail.

I will obey, I will serve you well, Master, Nathifa quickly responded, the thought too much to bear.

I trust you will. Now, my bride awaits my holy seed.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

The celebration lasted well into the night that evening, a great revelry to welcome the god walking amongst them. Twenty women, the most beautiful in the entire city, were Aaron's choice to be his harem of brides. Cusi remained his favorite, as the most deeply devoted to him and eager to please him sexually, but another named Runtu also gained his favor for organizing the harem.

Aaron dozed on his dais, surrounded by six of his nude brides. He had picked a new one each day, based upon how well she danced for him in the morning. Although the final of the twenty danced poorly, Aaron was quite pleased with her other abilities. She lay closest to him now, sleeping with their mingled juices still dribbling from her red-tinged labia.

In the relative silence, Laresa had little to do but think. She had convinced Aaron to allow his two genie servants to speak with the other women when she informed him that they became uneasy around the two silent Djinn. Laresa had hoped that perhaps it might draw out Nathifa, but that hope proved fruitless. Nathifa rested in her bracelet now, Laresa being the stronger of the two and able to remain outside her home for longer. Aaron demanded that one of them be on hand at all times, even when he was sleeping.

Disgusted with her Master and the degrading things he made his brides do, as well as the mindless devotion with which the women performed those tasks, Laresa was miserable. The people were steadily falling into his dominion, as anyone who harbored thoughts against him was the next one given to the bloodthirsty High Priest. Aaron paraded through the city, basking in the adoration of his subjects, ordering his genie servants to perform magic to awe the people. Even though some of the magic was benevolent, such as healing the sick, Laresa knew the kindness was hollow, because it was for the sole purpose of enhancing Aaron's reputation.

As if her dreams and uncertainty about her lot in life were not enough, someone so heartless and unsavory enslaving her was adding fuel to the fire of distress in Laresa's soul. She felt even more like a thing than even the women of the harem Aaron used at will. He barely acknowledged Laresa, preferring to have the tractable Nathifa perform any magic he desired. 

Laresa frequently stood for hours on end, alone with her own thoughts, the harem taking their cue from their god and rarely speaking to the silvery-haired genie. Memories of Masters who had given her free will, friendship, and affection flitted through her mind next to Masters like Aaron who used her. Every day, Laresa grew more bitter about her servitude as a Djinn, something she thought that she had conquered long ago.

Laresa stood with her violet eyes closed, trying to fight down the troublesome emotions and regain a point of balance, one she had managed to maintain for so long, regardless of the nature of those who wore her ring.

Runtu approached from where she had just ordered the remaining brides to put away their tools and take their rest. It amused Aaron to have the women make fine clothing for him in the local style, and thus those women who were not sharing his bed did this, amongst other traditional chores. Runtu cocked an eyebrow at Laresa and observed, "You seem troubled."




Laresa's World Ch. 15: Aaron



"It is nothing," Laresa said absently, still lost in her thoughts.

"I think not," Runtu disagreed. "Your spirit is troubled. I see dark humors all about you." Reaching up and unclasping a pendant from around her neck, she handed it to Laresa, "Take this. You cannot properly serve our Lord while you are surrounded by darkness. This is blessed of the gods, and will aid you."

Laresa was surprised to find magic in the item. She looked curiously at Runtu, and received a knowing smile in return. "My goddess is not displeased with me for serving the god who walks among us; else her gifts would lose their power. Please, wear it so that your spirit may be mended and you may serve our Lord without the dark humors."

Sensing that she was going to have no end of argument if she did not agree, Laresa simply clasped the pendant about her neck, and almost immediately, her eyes widened. She felt a wave of calm wash over her, not stealing away her troubled thoughts, but dulling them to such an extent that they did not consume her.

"Thank you." Laresa did not know what else to say. With her mind calm and clear, she felt that perhaps she might be able to sort out her thoughts and feelings.

Runtu nodded, and then went to her own cushions to bed down for the night. Soon Laresa was the only one awake in the temple, sorting through her thoughts and trying to ignore the sounds of Aaron's loud snores.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

Aaron stirred, his brides already awake and bathed, as he ordered them to be each day. Laresa startled out of her thoughts, panic gripping her when she thought that Aaron might demand the pendant that was allowing her to order her thoughts. She quickly hid the magical jewelry in a remote niche of the temple, where none would likely discover it. Her feelings of unease returned, but Laresa decided it was worth it not to potentially lose the calming effects of the charm permanently.

Aaron summoned Nathifa as soon as he shook the sleep from his eyes, and almost immediately dismissed Laresa to her ring. He chose four brides to attend him, who quickly undressed him and removed their own garments. They accompanied him to the bath and luxuriously washed him, moving with him to the shallow water of the steps leading in to the steaming pool thereafter, for the second half of the morning ritual.

Slippery skin and tongues roamed all over Aaron's body, as he laid sighing and groaning in contentment. Never given the honor of striking out on his own by the Society, he reveled in the power he held here, in this time and place. Here, he was no apprentice — he was a god.

Nathifa caught his eye, striking in her native dress that Aaron had ordered to be nearly translucent. He knew it made her uncomfortable, and that made her tractable. Unlike Laresa, she showed absolutely no signs of even contemplating rebellion against him. Today, the dark-haired genie did not appear to be as uneasy as before. Looks like she's getting a bit too accustomed to the things that normally bother her. I suppose I'll have to do something about that.

Nathifa was deep in thought, attempting to gain some sort of control over her emotions. Laresa had attempted to offer friendship and comfort to the obviously distressed genie every time they were together, and despite Nathifa's attempts to remain distant, those overtures were having an impact. Laresa's initial comment about her beauty, and the arousal present with those words, had caused Nathifa to shut down at first, but the genuine attempts to befriend her slowly ate away at the fear and revulsion.

The red-haired genie's first Master had been a woman, and a cruel one. Nathifa had served her for decades, enduring all manner of torments from whips, candle wax, blades... Each session of torture ended with hours of lapping the woman to uncountable orgasms. Despite the pain and cruelty, Nathifa found that each time her tongue touched her Mistress, she felt arousal, and she ached to be touched as well. That need was always denied. For decades, Nathifa endured unsatisfied, before someone finally stole her bracelet. She knew her second Master for only a short time, and then came the centuries of sleep.

"Nathifa, attend me."

Aaron's command broke her reverie, causing her breath to catch in her chest. She turned to him, finding him surrounded by the dark, wet forms of his brides kissing and caressing his body. Nathifa acknowledged the command and approached, removing her clothing when he ordered her to do so at the edge of the bathing pool.

Aaron pushed his brides aside, but not too far, staring lustfully at the genie. He had considered this many times before, but now seemed the appropriate time, as a reminder of her place. His cock throbbed in anticipation, already swollen by the touches of his brides. He gestured impatiently, ordering Nathifa to enter the water and kneel before him.

Nathifa did as commanded, trembling under the hungry stares of her Master, and his four brides. The women were all apprehensive at first, but desire for other women was well awake within them all now that Aaron had ordered them to engage each other frequently, and his wish to lessen their inhibitions.

Aaron ran his fingers through her hair, watching the red emerge in the light as he let the strands fall from his fingers again and again. He smiled then, the expression full of lecherous desire, and gripped her hair, pulling her down to his manhood.

She choked slightly as he pulled her down over his cock, the girth stretching her lips uncomfortably and the tip hitting the back of her throat. Aaron chuckled and pulled on her hair, silently instructing her to slide her lips back over his flesh before shoving her back down hard again.

Over and over again, she gagged as he invaded her throat, and she fought to keep her cheeks hollowed as he ordered her. Despite the rough treatment, Nathifa felt betrayed by her own body when she felt wetness gathering between her legs that had nothing to do with the water in which she knelt.

With a gasping scream, Aaron pulled her down harder than before, nestling her nose in the kinky hairs at the root of his shaft and spewing his bitter seed down her throat. She coughed and gagged, desperately fighting the urge of her stomach to rebel, forced to use her powers to prevent it from happening. She swallowed, the thick cream coating her throat as it slid into her belly.

She coughed again as he pulled her mouth off his shaft, wincing from his languid chuckle as she did so. "Restore my stamina, immediately," he ordered her.

Nathifa reached out with her power, and his slowly softening member reversed its course, swelling back to full erection within moments. He pushed the genie back and rose to his feet. He then turned to the remainder of his brides who were hard at work making a sacred beer, called chicha, in a remote corner of the temple set aside for the activity, and magicked by his Djinn to dissipate the smells associated with the brewing.

"Come, my brides, attend me, in all your unclad glory."

The women approached, quickly shedding their garments, and either slipping into the pool or lounging around it. Aaron smiled and said, "Now pleasure each other for my amusement."

With laughs and giggles, the women obeyed, their bodies intertwining, and sounds of pleasure rapidly filling the air. The sounds assaulted the trembling Nathifa, who stood with the water lapping against her labia, which tingled against her will.

Aaron moved in behind Nathifa, a little growl of anticipation escaping him, and pushed her forward to where he had lain while she satisfied him orally only moments before. He then forced her down to her hands and knees, her face only inches away from one of his brides enthusiastically lapping the moist folds of another, and the wet skin of others brushing up against her body within the pool. Soft female flesh filled her vision everywhere, and the sounds of their pleasure echoed in her head.

He grasped her hips with his left hand, guiding his cock to rest against her nether lips, gripped her other hip, and thrust. Nathifa let out a loud gasp of surprise as his thick cock invaded her depths, far larger than her one other male Master.

Aaron grunted in satisfaction, finding he slipped easily into her wet canal. He had half expected her to be dry, and he was pleasantly surprised to find abundant wetness coated his rapidly thrusting cock. He dug his fingers into her hips, adding additional speed and power, delighting in the feeling of her walls wrapping around him, just as tight as the grip of his virgin brides.

At first, twinges of pain pierced Nathifa, as his cock stretched her lips wide, and the tip bumped up against her cervix with every powerful thrust. Steadily, she noticed little tingles of pleasure spreading through her body. Those sensations arose from her nipples, where they scraped against the stone as they swung from the rocking of her body, and from her depths, where a delightful itch was also building inside her.

Aaron grunted and smiled, noticing his reluctant genie was pushing her hips back at him ever so slightly with his every thrust, and the continuing flow of creamy juices sheathing his cock every time he pulled free of her clinging depths. Small sounds of pleasure also started to emerge from her, merging with the louder sounds of his brides nearing, or achieving orgasm.

As her pleasure mounted, Nathifa completely forgot about all the women around her, and about the pains of her past. She knew only the building bliss within her, growing ever nearer to a release she had given others, but never experienced for herself.

Aaron let out a loud scream, slamming his cock home into Nathifa, his seed erupting inside her. Nathifa let out a moan of surprised pleasure, never having felt a man reach his peak inside her when she was so close. Always before, it had caused her to feel unclean, but now it only seemed to increase her pleasure. A second moan escaped her only a moment later, however, when he remained buried inside her, the only stimulation she received the slow pulsing of his manhood. She was so close, and tears welled up in her eyes when she realized that he was going to let her fires cool, that he was not going to give her that blessed release.

Aaron leaned down over her, panting for breath, and whispered into her ear, "This was but a reminder of your place. Serve me well and without hesitation, Nathifa."

"Please, Master," she sobbed under her breath.

He chuckled and pulled free of her with a gasp, drawing a quavering moan of disappointment from Nathifa as the action momentarily stoked her fires again. "One of my brides could finish the job for you," Aaron suggested.

The sounds of the women reaching orgasm all around her, and the scent of aroused female flesh assaulted Nathifa again upon hearing those words, and she shook her head violently in denial of his suggestion.

Aaron simply laughed, kneeling down to wash their mingled wetness from his quickly shrinking member, and then ordered his brides to rise and dress him. Nathifa was left on her hands and knees, her sex throbbing achingly as her fires cooled. She hung her head, and then collapsed down into the water, sobbing quietly into her folded arms on the edge of the pool.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

Laresa emerged from her ring standing next to Aaron and Nathifa, overlooking a village. Glancing at Aaron, she saw his features twisted in anger.

"These people refuse to accept my godhood, and offer their wives and daughters to me. You will open their minds to me, Laresa, and make me invulnerable to harm from their weapons and any other attack they can muster, from this day forth. We will teach them the folly of questioning their god."

Her Master's words and tone startled Laresa slightly. She wondered if perhaps the man did not truly believe he was a god. "Yes, Master," she acknowledged as she brought her power to bear.

"Master, I must rest," Nathifa said weakly, and indeed the Djinn looked wan.

"Go," he said absently, waving his hand, and Nathifa vanished into her bracelet.

"Come," Aaron growled at Laresa, and then approached the village.

Men with spears leveled them in Aaron's direction as he approached, calling for him to stop. Aaron snarled and thought to Laresa, You will give me the power to hurl lightning at will, with no harm to myself, from this day forth.

Laresa tasted bile as she granted the wish, and then again, as Aaron leveled his hand at the two men and called forth the power she had just granted him. A moment later, Aaron stepped over the two charred and twitching men, walking toward the center of the village where the people stood in dumbfounded silence.

Augment my voice, Aaron commanded her mentally.

When Laresa informed him it was done, he shouted to the cowering villagers, "Bow down before your god, and prepare to be judged for doubting my divinity!" He emphasized the statement by flailing lightning about him, setting fires and filling the air with the crackle of electricity.

The people fell to their bellies, prostrating themselves in fear before the terrible figure of Aaron staring at them all with burning eyes and angry blue arcs of electricity dancing about his hands. "All untouched females will now come to me, that I may choose those who will join with me as my brides."

The women arose fearfully, but one man restrained a beautiful young woman at his side. His thoughts were clear to Aaron, and Laresa's Master growled in anger.

Aaron pointed at the man and shouted, "You seek to hide your daughter from me? You who defied my commandments and ordered your women to remain here?"

The man arose defiantly, keeping his daughter from arising, "The gods frown upon your commandments, else they would have sent a sign of their displeasure."

"The gods walk amongst you, and I am displeased." Aaron shouted, and then lashed out with his electrical onslaught, sending the headman of the village sprawling back.

"Hold him to the ground, your god commands you! The untouched females will gather here."

Men scrambled to take their headman's arms and legs, pinning him to the ground, before they too fell victim to Aaron's lightning. The women who were yet virgins moved quickly to the position he had indicated, as Aaron moved to stand above the man's weeping daughter, ordering her to rise. She did so, sobs shaking her beautiful body, and he pushed her over to where her father lay slowly recovering from his shock.

Aaron tore the woman's clothing from her body, smiling lustfully at her bare body, and then jerked her into a position where she stood straddling her father's head. Get her wet, Aaron mentally ordered Laresa.

He growled a moment later when a layer of dripping water coated the woman's body. Cursing himself for giving the genie an opening to twist his wish, he instructed Laresa, Get her juices flowing so I can get my cock in her, bitch. You will pay for defying me. Do not doubt that.

Laresa's lips twitched slightly toward a smile as she granted the wish. As far as she was concerned, defying Aaron was well worth any torment he might decide to visit on her, even in something as small as this. Her amusement lasted only a moment, as she knew what was to come. Aaron pushed the young woman's head down and violently shoved his large cock through her maidenhead. The woman screamed in pain as Aaron held her hair tightly fisted in his hand, pounding his cock into her relentlessly.

Her pain is your doing, Laresa. She will pay for your defiance, as well as her father's.

Laresa gasped upon hearing Aaron's thoughts. She knew it likely to be only a half-truth, as he probably would have done exactly the same even if she had not defied him. His goal was accomplished, however, because she felt regret flood her, knowing that in a way she was responsible for the woman's screams of pain. It was through her power that he was able to be here, to take whatever he desired from these people. As his power grew, so did Aaron's cruelty. This was but the strongest example yet, and boded ill for what Laresa would see in days to come.

The headman struggled, but could not break the grip of his own neighbors who held him down. He had no choice but to watch as his daughter was taken, the blood of her maidenhead's sundering and her lubrication dripping into his face, even as choked screams emerged from her throat.

Aaron filled her with his seed a few moments later, and then jerked free of her, a ruddy-tinged stream dripping from her to splatter on her father's face. He turned the sobbing woman toward him and asked, "Are you not pleased to serve your god's needs?"

Thoughts of saving her father flitted through the woman's mind, and she stifled her sobs, ignoring the pain shooting through her. She assumed an expression of servile admiration, replying, "Of course, My Lord."

The woman cringed when Aaron said, "You lie." He turned then to Laresa and said, "You will cause them to forget all that they have seen here, save that I came amongst them with power, and that I am truly their god made flesh. All except him." Aaron pointed at the headman to indicate of whom he was speaking.

Sickened and hating this man, hating her powers that served him, Laresa granted his wish. The terror on the faces of the people changed to fearful admiration instantly. The women assumed the same expressions his harem in the temple wore, reverent worship and anticipation of having their god impregnate them with his divine seed.

Aaron selected five from the gathered women, including the headman's daughter. He then turned to the still prostrate people and called out, "This man doubts my divinity, and sought to defy my will. I give you leave to atone for your sins by cleansing this world of the source of that sin."

Laresa averted her eyes as the villagers brutally butchered their headman with whatever weapons they could lay their hands on, while Aaron stood smiling. "Know I am pleased with your penance. Choose another to lead you, one who will show proper reverence to his god."

To Laresa he thought, His blood is on your hands, Djinn.

Laresa's will quivered, already weakened by her doubts. At this moment, she wished for the earth to swallow up her ring, destroying her, so that these people would suffer no more from her power serving a demon such as Aaron.

Seeing her shoulders slump and her eyes close, Aaron laughed. She barely heard his command to transport them back to the city through the sound of her own heart beating in her ears.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

Laresa once again wore the pendant, relieved by the calming effect it had on her. Aaron slept with his five new brides, though he had not taken one of the women this night. He was too addled by the Inca beer for his manhood to rise. Now that her mind was ordered, thanks to the pendant, Laresa lamented a few occasions where her Master had given her opportunities to twist his words while in a drunken state.

He was making mistakes, growing over confident as he gained power over the people of this land. Laresa decided she would wait, and take advantage of him only when she saw an opportunity that could lead to her freedom from him. Unfortunately, as long as he still possessed Nathifa, he could bring her back to his side at any time if he chose.

She prayed he would choose another if that happened.

She sighed, thinking that there was little hope she could likewise help Nathifa, even if she escaped servitude to Aaron. Despite the emotional distress Laresa felt, she could tell that Nathifa was in worse shape. She wished the other genie would talk to her, let her offer her experience and perhaps aid her sister Djinn in coping with her problems.

She knew now that she could never return to her old way of thinking. The tastes of humanity recent Masters had offered her were impossible to ignore. She might find joy with a pleasant Master, but always now, there would be the ache in her heart to be free.




Laresa's World Ch. 15: Aaron



A Master like Aaron certainly caused her to wish she were free of the bonds tying her to her ring.

Laresa closed her eyes, thinking of the good times during her servitude, of the Masters who had offered her friendship, love, or even simple pleasure. She smiled as she remembered, the thoughts helping her pass the time until the dawn, the emotions in her memories even stronger now than ever before.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

The temple was quiet save for the sounds of Aaron's bear-like snoring. Laresa praised the chicha, for which Aaron had developed a great fondness, because it seemed to dull his cruel edge. When he was drunk, her Master behaved foolishly, but rarely found dark amusements as he did when sober. Three of his new brides maintained their virginity, despite over a week of being in the temple.

Laresa herself enjoyed no such luck. Aaron had chosen to take her the day after acquiring his new brides, a wish from him forcing her to reach climax on his thrusting cock. She had screamed her pleasure, which was indeed intense after so long without release, but only her body had responded to his wish. He could not force her to enjoy it, and the moment her throes of passion ended, Laresa felt as hollow and needy as before her orgasm.

Nathifa stood nearby, her eyes closed and her body trembling. Laresa frowned sadly, and once again made what she guessed would be a futile overture to the other Djinn. I might perhaps be able to offer you comfort, or at least knowledge gained in my experiences, if you would but let me.

What is it like to know pleasure from sex?

Laresa was actually startled to receive an answer. To truly reach your peak is a feeling beyond compare, second only to love — and far better when the two are combined. You have never felt the heights of pleasure?

No, I have felt the beginnings, but have always been left aching and unsatisfied. Do I do something improperly, that my Masters will not give me pleasure as he did you today?

I took no pleasure from his violation of me. Only a command forced me to reach my peak, and it was only hollow, physical pleasure, quickly vanishing. Laresa walked over to Nathifa, stopping when the other genie shied away slightly. Is this what troubles you?

All things trouble me. I long for the endless sleep again. I have known only cruelty since my awakening as a Djinn after the burning. How have you endured? Nathifa's mental voice carried the tones of a sob, and obvious evidence of great turmoil within her soul.

Laresa thought of the pendant, and immediately removed it from her own neck, Please, put this on. I believe it will aid you in coping with all you endure.

Nathifa made no move to take the pendant, staring at it with obvious distrust.

Please, it will not harm you. I can no more lie to you than anyone else; you know we are bound by that rule, one and all.

Tentatively, Nathifa reached out and took the pendant. When Laresa urged her with hand signals, the dark-haired genie closed the clasp around her neck. Her eyes opened wide as she felt the calm washing over her.

Laresa laid a hand on Nathifa's shoulder and said, You feel the power of the item. It helps to calm you, so that you can order your thoughts.

Nathifa winced away from Laresa's touch, but only slightly. For some reason, perhaps because of the pendant, she did not feel as fearful of the other genie's motivations now.

Laresa winced when Nathifa shied away. I am sorry, I simply mean to offer comfort, and I have found the touch of one who is concerned about me to be soothing. I will not do so again.

No, I am sorry. A mental sigh came through the connection from Nathifa before she continued, I felt your desire for me when you spoke of my beauty, and it frightens me.

I would never touch you so against your will, though I do admit I find you beautiful and arousing. I know such was forbidden among our people, and considered unclean, but I have found that another woman often can know your heart and your body far better than a man.

Those thoughts I have cause me to feel unclean, as you say. How can they be anything else?

As during their initial meeting, Nathifa's thoughts and feeling slammed into Laresa. Now Laresa had glimpses of the Mistress who so distressed the other genie. One of your two Masters was a woman, and she treated you poorly, I can feel it.

Nathifa nodded, I served her for decades, ordered to put my mouth on her after she caused me pain every day. How could my body respond to such, and continue to do so whenever I see another woman's body?

There is nothing unnatural about it, Nathifa. Once again, Laresa laid a hand on the other genie's shoulder and urged her to sit on some nearby cushions. This time Nathifa accepted the touch, and sat down. Laresa sat down in front of her, taking the other Djinn's hands in her own. You have never known the pleasure that comes from coupling, with man or woman. It is only natural that you desire to know what you have been forced to give to others.

How can I desire it even from one who abuses me, like our Master? How can I ache so, the needs of my body driving me mad? Why can I think of nothing else? The Master threatens me with the pleasure I so desire, and I cower in fear. Why?

Tears welled up in the beautiful Djinn's emerald eyes, and her lip quivered. Laresa's violet eyes misted as well, the emotional energy flowing from Nathifa continuing to assault her. Even the power of the pendant was not enough to calm those powerful feelings. Laresa squeezed Nathifa's hands, and then impulsively moved to embrace her sister in servitude.

Nathifa stiffened, but now Laresa's feelings touched her as well. Nathifa felt concern flowing from the silver-haired Djinn, a genuine desire to befriend and comfort her. A wall within her broke, and she wrapped her arms around Laresa, sobbing softly.

For long minutes, they remained in the embrace, Nathifa's sobs slowly fading away. Nathifa marveled that she could feel such warmth, such caring from another. It reminded her of when her mother had held her in the night, when the night terrors visited her as a child. Just as then, she felt safe and loved in Laresa's arms.

Slowly, something else crept into the warmth, the feeling of Laresa's firm breasts resting against her own. Strangely, it only added to the warmth, and did not repel her; as such a thing would have before. Fear and aversion still clawed at her, but those emotions felt weak and impotent against the wall of warmth within her, nurtured by Laresa's compassion. For the first time, the thought of knowing pleasure with another, one who would share with her, rather than taking what they wanted, flitted through Nathifa's mind.

Laresa could feel those stirrings of arousal, and every other emotion flowing through Nathifa. It was as if their embrace joined their minds and spirits. A spark of arousal flickered to life within Laresa as well, one she had to fight with all her might to keep from flaring into a bonfire of desire. After a final squeeze, she leaned back from the embrace, once again taking Nathifa's hands in her own.

Nathifa's breathing quickened. The silken gowns both Djinn wore left little to the imagination. The rosy tips of Laresa's breasts were plainly visible, and pressing stiffly against the translucent material with desire. Nathifa could also see the hazy silhouette of Laresa's sex through the folds of the gown, where it was gathered about the Djinn's hips as she sat. Laresa's smile was warm and comforting, her full lips calling out to Nathifa like the siren's song.

Laresa shivered slightly as she saw, and felt, the building desire within Nathifa. The other genie's fingers moved in just the slightest involuntary caress against Laresa's palms. The spark of arousal within Laresa surged through her controls, causing her own breathing to quicken.

Nathifa let out a small gasp as she saw that flame reflected in Laresa's eyes. Her body tingled, her own nipples now tenting the material of her gown as well. The familiar ache arose from her loins, but far different from ever before. It was not the painful throb she knew so well, but instead a gentle pulse.

Laresa's let her fingers stroke gently over the back of Nathifa's hand, sending her thoughts to the other genie again, Aaron uses your needs against you, to force you to obey him without question. That need consumes you, coloring your every waking moment, and likely creeping into your dreams.

Laresa paused, lowering their arms until they lay on Nathifa's crossed legs. She let her thumbs stroke over the soft skin of Nathifa's legs, drawing a slight shudder from both of them. Her own desire steadily growing, Laresa's mental voice was a soft whisper, I can take away that power your needs have over you. You need but to ask, and I will give to you what you have been forced to give to others. You need but to ask, and I will never speak of this again, though I hope you will still accept my friendship.

Nathifa's lips parted slightly in a silent gasp as a chill shot through her body, raising gooseflesh. Laresa's words echoed through her, weakening a wall that had endured through centuries. Then she did gasp, as that wall collapsed, releasing the swell of heat it contained to flood her every pore. She thought a single word to Laresa, all she dared to utter for fear of the wall springing back as strong as ever.

Please.

Laresa leaned forward with a quiver of anticipation, slipping the fingers of one hand into Nathifa's hair, and letting her other hand slide upwards to rest on the material covering the Djinn's thigh. Their eyes met for a moment, and then Nathifa's closed, her lips parting slightly. Both women shivered as their lips met.

The kiss was long and gentle, and a quiet moan passed Nathifa's still parted lips when Laresa pulled back slightly. After a few panting breaths, Nathifa sighed and leaned forward to find Laresa's lips again, her kiss this time ardent and full of need. Laresa moaned into the kiss, releasing the careful constraints on her flame of desire, allowing it to burn brilliantly within her.

Laresa's fingers moved to the hem of Nathifa's gown, pulling at it as they kissed. Nathifa rose up slightly onto her knees, allowing Laresa to pull the silky material upward over her hips. She reluctantly pulled back from the taste of Laresa's sweet lips, raising her arms to allow the gown to be pulled from her body.

Nathifa's back arched and she let out a quavering sigh as Laresa's hands slid down her arms, and then down her bare sides, to her hips. She had her fingers under the hem of Laresa's gown before she realized they were moving. Moments later, their warm, nude bodies pressed together in an embrace as they kissed again.

Laresa traced kisses all over Nathifa's body, delighting in the shivers and moans that the touches drew from the woman. Nathifa's hands roamed over her, sending tingles of energy shooting through Laresa as well.

Nathifa was lost in a fog of pleasure. She had never been touched with anything resembling love since her awakening as Djinn, and never in any way like this. Her whole body filled with warmth, and at the same time chills shot through her. Laresa's skin was so soft, so warm beneath her fingers. Nathifa's nipples were almost painfully stiff as they brushed up against Laresa's breasts, and the hot ache between the dark-haired Djinn's legs was growing every moment, consuming her.

Laresa would have been content to simply touch and kiss Nathifa for hours, showing the younger woman what it was to be truly loved by another, but the dark-haired Djinn's need became more obvious and intense by the moment. The scent of their arousal hung thick about them, the musky perfume stoking Laresa's fires of passion to a bonfire of need as well. With a gasp, she pulled away from Nathifa's lips and closed her own over the genie's pebbled right nipple.

As Laresa suckled Nathifa's nipple, gently caressing the globe of her other breast with a knowing touch, a quiet, squealing gasp burst from her. Nathifa was amazed by how much she enjoyed Laresa's white-blonde locks tickling her skin, as the more experienced genie's moist lips tantalized her. The younger Djinn's breath came in quick, impassioned gasps, as her hands reached out to stroke Laresa's silvery hair. The burning need between Nathifa's slightly parted thighs reached unbearable intensity, and she slid a hand down to touch her sex, trying to assuage the demands her body was making of her.

Laresa released Nathifa's nipple with a final kiss, and then guided the other woman to lay back. Nathifa's eyes were wide, and her breathing quick, as Laresa moved between her legs, parting them with gentle pressure and shivering as she drank in the sweet scent of Nathifa's need.

The first touch of Laresa's tongue brought a warbling moan to Nathifa's lips, and arched her back up from the cushions. She remained so, her body taunt and trembling, as Laresa's knowing mouth brought her true pleasure for the first time.

Laresa again desired to build the young genie slowly toward her first orgasm, but the powerful need she sensed from Nathifa overcame that intention. When Nathifa's back came to rest on the cushions again, her hands went to Laresa's head, pressing down even as her hips rose up. Laresa responded by turning more of her attention to the swollen bud at the apex of Nathifa's nether lips, drawing more moans of ecstasy from the beautiful Djinn.

A building pressure and a steadily stronger itch built in Nathifa's loins as Laresa sent waves of pleasure unlike anything the younger genie had ever experienced. Her senses were filled with nothing but Laresa, the rest of the world vanishing as she drew ever nearer to that sweet release, so long denied. Just as she thought she would lose consciousness from the intensity of the sensations shooting through her entire body, she went momentarily numb, and then tumbled over the edge into her first climax.

Laresa moaned as Nathifa's juices flowed over her tongue in a torrent, and the dark-haired woman's body stiffened, then trembled violently. Glancing up, Laresa saw Nathifa's mouth open in a silent scream of ecstasy, her eyes unfocused and filled with tears of joy. Laresa held Nathifa in that perfect place, sending wave after wave of orgasm through the other Djinn, and then slowly let her settle back to earth.

Lying down next to Nathifa, Laresa gently stroked her fingers over the still quivering Djinn's body, smiling at the panting woman. She was overjoyed to have given Nathifa a gift so long denied, and knew that surely the other genie's needs would not hold such power over her ever again.

Once she caught her breath, to some extent, Nathifa sent her thoughts to Laresa, Thank you for showing me what it is like to truly be loved. I have never known anything so wonderful.

It's even better the second time, Laresa teased, letting her fingers trace over Nathifa's thighs.

Nathifa's desire surged immediately back into full flame, and Laresa was quick to put her tongue to work fanning them even higher.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

It was nearly dawn when Nathifa lay curled up in a fetal position, at last unable to endure any more after uncountable orgasms brought on by Laresa's mouth and fingers. Nathifa felt drained, in more ways than one. She had been outside her bracelet for many hours, and her power was waning. She needed to rest, and soon, else she would be sucked back into her bracelet anyway.

Sensing Nathifa's weakness, she asked, Are you okay?

Nathifa nodded. I... I must rest. I feel so weak.

That is not uncommon when you have reached your peak so many times, even when you have not been too long outside your home. Go, and have pleasant dreams, I loved giving you such pleasure, and being the first to do so.

Thank you, so much. I must go.

With that, Nathifa started to grow hazy as her body changed into smoke. Suddenly, she became solid and visible again, an intense glow surrounding her. Laresa jumped up to her knees in alarm, seeing a glow from across the room out of the corner of her eye as well.

Nathifa, what is wrong?

Nathifa's mental voice was distant, sounding as if it arose from the bottom of a deep pit, Help me, it hurts! It is so cold!

For the first time since seeing him, Laresa praised Aaron's cruel wishes. They required her to protect him, his possessions, and his plans. That meant she was bound to protect Nathifa from whatever was happening now. Summoning up her powers, she turned them toward making whatever was hurting Nathifa stop.

NO! Laresa silently screamed as her power was turned aside, as if all her power were nothing more than a fly, to be swatted away with an absent gesture. She tried again, and again her power did nothing. The glow around Nathifa grew brighter, until Laresa could no longer even look at the other Djinn. Laresa sobbed, reaching out futilely with her power repeatedly, until the glow started to fade.

Once she could see through the burning light, Laresa noticed something had changed. Nathifa's hair color was different, a natural auburn instead of the deep, magical red. The pendant around her neck still glowed with near unbearable brightness as well.

Laresa had to turn her tear-filled eyes away for a moment, and noticed that the glow across the room was fading as well. That light emerged from around Aaron's wrist, where Nathifa's bracelet home was. Just as Laresa was about to turn back to Nathifa, she heard a faint click, and saw the glowing bracelet fall to the cushions, where its light faded.

Looking back to Nathifa, she saw that the light had faded from even the pendant, and the woman was groggily struggling to rise. "What happened, I feel so..." She covered her mouth for a moment and then continued in a whisper, "Why am I able to speak?"

It all clicked into place for Laresa then, and she caught up Nathifa in her arms, sobbing now in joy rather than distress. Her thoughts leapt out to Nathifa, You're free! The pendant I gave you was glowing so bright, its magic must have clashed with the magic of the bracelet, and you are free! Your bracelet home fell from the Master's wrist, and your hair is the color it likely was in your youth now. You are free! You are human again!

Nathifa's tear-filled eyes widened, and she reached back to unclasp the pendant from her neck. She whispered to Laresa, "Put it on, free yourself as well."

Laresa reached out with trembling hands, but then stopped. No, we would be trapped here, in this place and time. If you remove my ring from the Master's finger and put it on, you will become my Mistress. Then I can take us both away from this place and away from him.

Nathifa nodded and crept toward the cushioned dais upon which Aaron slept the dead sleep of the drunken, pausing when she reached it to pick up the bracelet to which she had been confined for centuries. She clenched her teeth and held her breath when Aaron rolled slightly, muttering in his sleep.

Nathifa sighed in relief when he did not rouse, and the arm with Laresa's ring flopped over directly in front of her. Gingerly, she tugged at the ring, her heart beating fast, nearly sobbing in relief when it slipped off into her hand.

Again, Aaron grumbled in his sleep, and Nathifa hurried away, the misty tendrils that were Laresa slipping into the ring because it was no longer on her Master's finger. Nathifa remedied that by putting on the ring and twisting it, summoning Laresa to her side.

"What the hell is going on," Aaron muttered, noticing the change in Nathifa's hair.

"Try playing god without our power, you bastard," Laresa taunted. "Wish for me to take us away from here, Nathifa."




Laresa's World Ch. 15: Aaron



Aaron looked down at his finger, and the opposite wrist, finding the artifacts gone. Pushing his brides out of the way, he scrambled off the dais screaming, "NO!"

"I wish to be far away from this awful man, Laresa."

With a triumphant smile, Laresa nodded and wrapped her power around them. Aaron rushed through the spot where Nathifa stood only seconds before, grabbing empty air. He raised his head to the ceiling of the temple and screamed in impotent rage.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

Nathifa looked around in confusion. They stood just inside the edge of a pristine forest, the sounds of wildlife all around them. "Where are we?"

Laresa smiled and hugged her sister Djinn, turned Mistress, and then answered, "Far to the North, in what will one day be known as the United States. Aaron will never reach us here without a genie's power. It is as good a place as any for you to decide where, and when, you wish to live out the rest of your life."

"I can't own you. I can't treat you like a slave, Laresa. I know what that is like, and I will not do it to another."

"Then ask me, as a friend. I want you to be happy, and that means I want you to be somewhere you can find happiness. That means you need to make at least this one wish before I put on the pendant and gain my freedom. Do you have any ideas?"

Nathifa concentrated for a moment and then said, "I know little of the world. I remember our people, and after that, my Masters kept me in seclusion. I don't believe I would like to live in such a place full of people as Aaron's city, I know only smaller places, like my village."

Laresa thought for a moment and then said, "There are people living here, a noble people who live simple lives much akin to ours before we became Djinn. What you remember of that life would allow you to adapt to the differences quickly. I think we could both find happiness amongst them. We should journey back in time, however. Not far in the future from this time, people from across the sea will come and disrupt the land and its people. If we go back, we should be able to live our lives out long before they come."

Nathifa looked intrigued. "Can you show me?"

"Of course."

Moments later, they stood on a high hill, overlooking a village of the natives in the land, several hundred years back in time. They moved closer and watched for quite some time, made silent and invisible by Laresa's power.

Nathifa sighed, "I could be happy here."

Laresa leaned in close to her Mistress, "I could too. Do you want me to make sure that our coming does not alarm them — that they feel as if they remember us? We should both know their language as well. I believe it would be best."

Nathifa nodded and Laresa used her power to alter the people's memories, and to grant them fluency in the native tongue. Nathifa then held out the pendant to Laresa with a wide smile.

Laresa took the pendant and fastened it around her neck, her heart beating as if she had just run for hours.

"Go to your ring, and earn your freedom," Nathifa said with tears in her eyes.

Laresa nodded and closed her eyes, bracing for the pain. A moment later, she opened them to discover she was in her ring. Looking at the pendant, she saw no change in its magic, and yet she was still bound to her ring, still one of the Djinn.

Still a slave.

"WHY?" Laresa cried out in disappointment, and then covered her face in her hands to weep. She felt the tug of Nathifa summoning her, and soon reappeared in the world outside, still on her knees and sobbing.

"I don't understand, you should be free," Nathifa whispered, and then went to wrap her arms around Laresa. They both cried for many minutes before Laresa pulled away and dried her eyes.

Sniffling, Laresa said, "It simply did not work. Perhaps the gods who granted the power of this item smiled upon you, but not on me."

"It is not right," Nathifa snapped, her lip quivering.

"There is nothing that can be done about it."

"What are we to do?"

Laresa smiled weakly and responded, "Perhaps it is better this way. You could wish me freedom to live as I would like, but I would still have the power to help you, and our adopted people if the need arises."

"I can't own you, Laresa."

"Someone must, I am Djinn, and I have no choice. Please, Nathifa, wear my ring and be my friend, as well as my Mistress."

Nathifa hugged her, "I will do it, because you ask me to, as a friend. I wish for you to live your life as you choose."

Laresa felt the chains on her soul fall away with Nathifa's words, all save the strongest chain, the one that bound her to the ring. It was not freedom, or humanity, but it was as close as could be. "Thank you, Nathifa. Shall we go meet our new people?" She held out her hand, and Nathifa took it.

They walked into the village, the people greeting them like two neighbors known for all their lives.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

Aaron paced, having ordered his brides out of the temple only moments after Laresa and Nathifa vanished. He was trapped here, in this time, without a Djinn to provide him power to continue his deified charade.

At last, he stopped and calmed himself. All was not lost — he still maintained the powers he ordered Laresa to grant him. He could still hurl lightning, and he was invulnerable to mundane weapons. His brides still desired him, and each other, with an insatiable appetite. Even his laptop still functioned exactly as he had wished it to.

"The laptop," he muttered, a smile crossing his face. Logging into the database, he laughed when he saw that his access was restricted. A few quick keystrokes, and he broke in through one of the numerous back doors he had located as a precocious youth.

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

"He's online at this very moment, searching the database through some sort of security hole. His location is right here, or rather many feet up, and yet he is not here. We can see that, and our magic tells us the same."

"The answer is obvious; Aaron has done the forbidden, and used one of the artifacts. Likely, he is responsible for the loss of Nathifa, the death of the Chamber guardian, and probably for Wallace's disappearance as well."

"What are we to do?"

"That is not our place to decide. We will return, and the high council of the Society will choose how we shall proceed."

"I warned you when he was but a child that Aaron was dangerous, not to be trusted."

"We should have heeded your warning."

@o~*~*~*~*~*~*~o@

First off, thanks to those of you reading this closing note, because that means you've read the longest Laresa chapter yet! I hope you've enjoyed it and will take a moment to vote, and perhaps send feedback.

Big thanks to Red putting forth the idea for this chain, and for keeping everything on an even keel. Laresa is a wonderful character, and she's a joy to write! Likewise, everyone in the chain is a joy to work with.

As always, thanks to Roust for his editing, especially this time when he took my last-minute finish and got the job done in record time! Thanks to Red and Deathlynx for reading through this and giving me their thoughts, and catching a major boo-boo. Danielle gets a shout too, because she's the one that tightened the rope on my skittish hinder and pinned me down for my first chapter, I'm glad she did!



Laresa's World Ch. 16



Chapter 16: Rolf

This is part of the Laresa chain story, started by RedhairedandFriendly. I hope that my latest contribution lives up to her expectations. I enjoy writing with Red, deathlynx, Darkniciad, and the others. 

Berlin, Germany

July 20, 1944

Major Rolf Niedermann sat at his desk in the Abwehr office, where he reported directly to Admiral Wilhelm Canaris himself. Few people knew his exact role in the OKW's own intelligence service. He was assigned as much to spy on the SD and Gestapo as to check up on the enemy. He had a peculiar new project, not known to anyone but a handful in the Chief's inner circle. He was supposed to look into the bizarre magical rites of the SS and determine if there were any serious occult dangers to the regular military or Germany herself from these rituals. 

Not even Niedermann's Swedish wife, Greta, knew what his job really involved. That was for the best, since their marriage was very strained by her increasing complaints about his "lack of ambition" and "relative poverty". There was no gratitude that he had arranged for her children to become naturalized German citizens, either, despite Sweden's neutrality in the war. Then again, the way that the war was going lately, that might have done them more harm than good. 

It was this latest SS project, with the cryptic code name of "Aladdin", that kept Rolf busy the past few days. While Admiral Canaris and other higher-ups in the Abwehr didn't take the occult all that seriously as a reality, they didn't wish to take any chances. Lately, in fact, the Chief was very nervous. Niedermann wasn't exactly sure as to why that was the case, but the admiral's increasing disenchantment with the Fuhrer was an open secret in Abwehr headquarters. He wasn't exactly the only recent dissident. Even Niedermann had his reservations about National Socialism these days. 

Whatever the case, that wasn't the major's department or responsibility at the moment. His brief was a top-secret inquiry into Himmler's favorite new pet project. The Reichsfuhrer of the SS wasn't Niedermann's favorite officer in the Third Reich anyway, so he had no qualms about investigating him, despite the obvious danger of being caught.

Rolf had heard some rumors, mainly through friends in the Reich Protectorate of Bohemia-Moravia and the General Government of Poland. If they were true, then Himmler was really getting desperate to save his own neck. A genie in a ring seemed as absurd as one in a lamp! Of course, if such a genie existed, it would possibly do more than just stop the Allies. It might even guarantee that Himmler succeeded Hitler as Fuhrer of the Greater German Reich. With the Fuhrer's poor health the subject of much gossip, this was not an insignificant motive for trying to use a genie. 

Niedermann had one advantage: his ex-lover, Heidi Schmidt, was married to Bruno Schmidt, a Hauptsturmfuhrer in the SD. Now that she regretted marrying the fanatical ogre, she had started passing information to the major whenever she got the chance. She was no fool, after all. She had learned through her husband that the SD and Abwehr were rival institutions in the Third Reich, so she could give away information without betraying her country, as long as it was to the military intelligence service. 

Her motives were rather obvious, though Rolf had never revealed that he understood them. He pretended that she was acting out of patriotism or politics, not a desire to make him happy or get back at her spouse. He also secretly found it amusing that the SD man couldn't resist telling his wife things that she might divulge to someone else. He was almost certain that such lax security would cost the man his life, if the SD ever learned of it. 

Heidi had informed Rolf of the infamous SS project, but she had done so with no little amusement, especially in her drunken state. It was more proof to her that the SS castles and mystical rites were a complete waste of the Reich's resources. She assumed that the information could be used to humiliate Himmler and the rest of the SS, an idea that had no small appeal for her. What she didn't know, until he tried to recruit her for the job, was that Niedermann had explicit instructions to seize the ring for himself, assuming that it existed. 

"Wait a second, Rolf! You want me to steal the ring for you? How do you expect that to work? I might get arrested! I'm risking my life as it is, and so far for nothing! You haven't so much as winked at me, let alone fucked me! Now, after what I've told you, you want me to expropriate this ring for you! What in the Fuhrer's name do I get out of this, mein liebling? You're using me again, that's all! When are you going to sleep with me?" Heidi balked. 

"Heidi, be sensible! I'm a married man, though perhaps not too happily of late. Even so, I don't see any justification for having an affair with an SS officer's wife, especially since Greta doesn't seem to have betrayed me that way. She has a lot of flaws, but not that one! Anyway, what you get out of this is the satisfaction of helping stop a silly project that at best will become a budgetary strain for the Fatherland, and at worst will give the SS even more power than it has now! I'm asking you, as a friend, to help me now!" Rolf scolded her a bit, hoping that her conscience would affect her. It wasn't as if she were an evil woman, after all. 

"So, you think that Greta has been loyal and faithful to you, Herr Major? Well, I hate to be the messenger, since you won't believe me, but that's just not the truth. I made a point of spying on her myself the past month or so, and she has been involved with Fritz Mueller. That's right, you remember Fritz, don't you? He's a stubby little worm in Party brown. Evidently, however, he's well connected, especially with certain people in the Propaganda Ministry. You know how Greta is; she's just as determined to find a rising star in the Party and State as myself! The difference is that she is completely conniving. I, at least, have a heart. I have feelings! 

"However, to show you that I can be trusted, that I'll do whatever it takes to help you, I'll find that ring and bring it to you. I promise you that! If I do that, will you trust me? Will you at least believe me when I say that Greta is unfaithful to you, if I risk my life to get that damned ring for you? Will you consider giving me a second chance, Rolf?" Heidi bargained with him. 

"Very well. However, I don't think that we can marry, given that your husband is an SS man. Maybe when he's dead and the Red Army has captured Berlin, it will be an option, assuming that I won't be dead too. You do realize that we're going to lose the war, don't you? Short of the sort of magic that your husband and his comrades are attempting in vain to use, the war is lost. You might soon have bigger worries than whether or not I return your affections. We're all in serious trouble, once the Communists run things in Germany. That is why your husband's bosses are so desperate. They want to avoid Stalin's wrath. 

"There! I just trusted you with a secret. I have defeatist thoughts these days! If you wished to betray me, Heidi, you could easily report me to the Gestapo as a dissident. See, I trust you. Now, show me that my trust is deserved and steal that ring for me! I will find out if Greta has been unfaithful to me. If you're right, I will resume our relationship, though I can't divorce her at the moment. Her children see me as their father and I have to be able to protect them in this kind of emergency. I will also have to keep sleeping with Greta, since she would get suspicious that either I know about her or I'm having an affair of my own. You speak of trust. Will you trust me? Will you get me that dubious ring?" Rolf urged her. 

"Yes, Rolf. I'll get you the ring! I imagine that I can get past security, now that I think of it. I am the wife of an SD agent, after all. I suppose that I'll have to keep screwing Bruno too, as much as I detest the idea. If I don't fuck him, he won't be as likely to reveal state secrets. I swear that the man thinks with his cock, unlike you. I know that, because if you did, I'd be your very happy mistress instead of your unhappy ex-mistress. Do me a favor, though. If I get caught, and they hang me, tell my husband that you were screwing me. It would be my last little revenge," Heidi swore. 

It turned out to much easier than it would have appeared to either of them. Bruno couldn't resist "borrowing" the ring for his own use that night, just in case it worked. He didn't even have the prudence to hide it from Heidi. Instead, he wore it on his finger during supper. When he fell asleep immediately after intercourse, as usual, Heidi simply snatched the ring from the armoire where he placed it. To keep him from thinking about it, she demanded sex the next morning, which made him late for work. 

Being a very nosy woman, Heidi just had to put on the ring before she went out to take it to Rolf. It was supposed to be a magic ring, after all. What if she used it to get proof of Greta's infidelity to Rolf? She didn't think of using it for his love, since she was sure that she could win that easily on her own. All that she needed was proof that his lovely wife was unfaithful, and his old feelings for her would combine with his promise to get him back into her arms. 

"Now, how do I get this thing to work, assuming that it even does?" Heidi spoke to herself. 

"Of course, it does, Mistress! What are you, another fucking skeptic? Well, I guess that I can't blame you, except that you're a German! You already believe in a lot of bullshit, so why not a genie?" a sarcastic female voice answered her. 

Heidi turned a bit and saw a silver-haired woman with very little clothing. The lady seemed more than slightly annoyed at being summoned, for some odd reason. She had a look of mixed resignation, disgust, and exasperation on her face. 

"Who are you, fraulein? I thought that you were just some myth, another of my husband's crazy ideas. I just wanted to find out for myself and see if I could get a wish or two," she explained to her gorgeous guest. 

"I'm your genie, Mistress! You can wish for as much as you desire, though there are rules!" Laresa said for the millionth time in her perpetual existence. 

"Alright, but don't call me 'Mistress'. You won't be in my hands for very long, for one thing. It's very dangerous for me to keep you, you see, and I have promised to deliver you to someone else. If it were simply a matter of money, I'd be tempted to break my word, but I love the man in question. I would never do anything to lose his trust. In fact, my wish has to do with him. 

"By the way, my name is Heidi Schmidt. I'm a hausfrau, but very unhappy in my marriage. I want you to help me convince the man that I love that his wife is cheating on him. Is there any way that you can send him evidence of some kind that she is unfaithful? I know that she is sleeping with another man, but he doesn't totally believe me yet. Until he does, I can't get him to become my lover again. You see, he's a former paramour of mine, from before our marriages. I regret marrying another man and making it possible for him to marry this Swedish slut who treats him like shit. She and my husband deserve each other, not us," Frau Schmidt clarified. 

My God, it's another jilted woman and her heartbroken quest to get the man that she loves, Laresa fumed. Well, that's actually a relief. At least I'm not being forced to suck off a bunch of drunken SS officers! One of them even pissed on me! Ugh, that was sick! Besides, I know what they were planning for me. They wanted to try and make me give them the victory. In a way, however, it's too bad that they didn't try. I would have vanished again in such a case, and then I would be out of this God-forsaken decade! 

The last thing that I needed was to show up back in the middle of the fucking Forties, especially World War Two! Those damned SS men and their beginners' luck at magic just had to pull me from my comfortable life in an Arapaho village, where I was basically the medicine man's wife in all but name! If only he hadn't told that one damned lie, they wouldn't have succeeded! 

"Alright, Heidi, that's permissible, I believe. Now, if you had asked for me to make him love you, then that would have violated the rules, and I would have left you immediately. However, I can give you what you want. Photographic evidence will arrive at his house. I don't think that you want to know where it came from, however. It doesn't matter. Your wish is granted, Mistress, I mean Heidi. Oh, and my name is Laresa," the genie agreed.

"Very well. Thank you, Laresa. That means a lot to me. I know that Rolf says that I should be more worried about the Red Army right now than whether or not he comes back to me, but I am very much a woman. I have a woman's priorities, if that makes any sense to you. I don't think all of the time about politics and war, like Rolf does. I guess that probably seems silly to someone with your maturity and wisdom. I suppose that you're ancient, aren't you?" Heidi rambled, somewhat nervous around a being that she didn't believe existed at all until a moment before. 

"Yes, I am quite ancient. Oh, and you're not silly. You're just a very old-fashioned German hausfrau, as far as I can tell. You most likely believe that old saying of 'kinder, kirche und kuch', if my personal experience is any guide. You're taught to think of romance and family first, ahead of other things. There's nothing wrong with those priorities, if that's what you really care about most. There's some good in that. I'm not going to judge you for having a woman's traditional domestic interests. Of course, you're not totally conventional, or you wouldn't be chasing another man, a married one no less. That's nothing shocking to me, however. I've seen that before as well. 

"Rolf is your prospective lover, I can tell. Sorry, but I can read your mind. Didn't want to scare you. Your husband's name is Bruno," Laresa observed, starting to like this woman a little, despite her association with some evidently despicable people. 

She half-wished that the woman wouldn't hand her over to a man who was probably just another Nazi with a grudge of some kind. Even so, she was impressed with the lady's passion for this gentleman, especially since he seemed a little lukewarm toward her. Scanning Heidi's mind, Laresa sensed that the hausfrau blamed herself for the fact that both of them were married to other people. She could tell that the woman had initiated the end of the original affair, which she clearly deemed a mistake. 

"Yes, that's my Rolf. I love him, but I didn't realize that I still did until it was too late to stop both of us from getting married to complete fools! I would never have betrayed Rolf the way that Greta did. Now, let's hurry, so I can get you to him. Apparently, it's urgent, though I don't know the full details!" Heidi ordered Laresa back into her ring and ran to the major's house, which wasn't more than half a mile away. She was tired when she arrived, but she seemed happy anyway. She would get to see Rolf again. 

Laresa realized that she didn't know what to think of this man that Heidi loved, but she bit her tongue. Whatever the reason for Heidi's feelings for Rolf, it was her business and she was a grown woman. After all, he might prove to be a good guy, for a Nazi. 

"Here's the ring, lover," Heidi told him, as soon as they had some privacy. 

"Thank you, dear. I'm glad that I trusted you. It seems that you deserved my trust. I'm sorry if I doubted you, but we have a past, you know. One where you broke my heart, if you'll recall. Now you want me back, but memories are hard to overlook sometimes. Anyway, you were also telling the truth about Greta. I just had these show up on my doorstep, after what sounded like a knock on the door. They are clearly photos of my wife in flagrante delicto with Fritz Mueller. I'm sorry that I didn't believe you, but one doesn't want to believe that his spouse is doing something disgusting, such as stepping out on him. 

"That evil bitch no longer deserves my loyalty, however. She has hurt me one time too many, dear. Thank you, Heidi. You're not the only one wanting a second chance. Forgive my mistrust of your motives. I have known you longer, so I should have trusted you anyway. Unfortunately, my line of work discourages trust as a matter of principle," Rolf spoke, before kissing Heidi for the first time since their previous affair had ceased. 

"You have someone else to thank. Isn't that so, Laresa?" Heidi informed him, as she slipped the ring onto his finger. At first, calling her name didn't work, but then she held onto his finger and twisted the ring, as she repeated the genie's name. 

"Yes, that's true, if you don't mind my saying so, Heidi," Laresa reappeared. 

"No, I don't. That was my whole point, wasn't it? Now, Laresa, here's your new Master, I suppose. This is Major Rolf Niedermann, the man whom I love. Rolf, darling, this is Laresa, your new genie. Be nice to her, will you? She's really sweet. Sorry, but I had to try her out myself. That's how you got the pictures of Greta and Fritz. So, when do I get to fuck you, Rolf?" Heidi introduced him to the genie. 

"You're a woman of your word, so I'll be a man of mine. However, we have some urgent matters to address first. Laresa, for better or worse, you're now on a mission for the Abwehr. That's my organization. I don't know your politics, but I guess that it doesn't matter for a genie. I frankly didn't think that you really existed, but since you do, I'll be damned if I let Himmler and his thugs get their hands back on you. The war is lost, so the only thing left is to keep the SS from destroying Germany altogether. You may call me 'Major' or 'Rolf', but none of this 'Master' nonsense. People are too slavish these days as it is, thanks to the damned Party. 

"I must warn you that I'm very much a typical Prussian officer. That is, I'm a bit of a hard man at times, with an emphasis on iron discipline. I don't know if you attached any significance to the number of soldiers on the streets, but it seems that we have some kind of national crisis happening since you arrived, Laresa. There appears to be a state of martial-law, just about. I don't know if the Fuhrer is dead, or what exactly is going on. All I know is that some time before I left work, I saw a number of Volkssturm troops swarming all over the block. I decided to head home and keep my head down, due to the kind of project that I'm taking over. It's not exactly something that will make the SD and Gestapo happy, so I have to be careful," Niedermann declared. 

"I could tell you, but that might change the future. I'm not permitted to do that. However, I can help you in some ways. If there is any question that I'm allowed to answer, I will. I'm not too sympathetic to Germany, right now, I admit, but you two don't seem as if you're evil. I wouldn't want you to come to harm, especially Heidi. I like her a great deal. She's a sweet lady. I just hope that you don't let her get away again. That's just my opinion," Laresa replied brusquely. 

"Very well, then we'll debrief you. That's the major thrust of my assignment, along with keeping you out of SD and Gestapo custody," Major Niedermann informed her. 

"Abwehr, you said? Do you report directly to Admiral Wilhelm Canaris?" Laresa interjected, simply being curious. 

"Yes, of course. This kind of important mission, to unravel the SS's occult projects, is frankly too dangerous and important to let ordinary Abwehr officers even know about it, let alone receive reports. Himmler might well have moles in the Abwehr, after all. Why do you ask? I believe that it is my role to ask the questions, not yours," Rolf probed. 




Laresa's World Ch. 16



"I'm sure that you can trust Laresa, dear," Heidi commented. 

"Yes, I won't lie to you, Major. The reason that I ask is that I feel somewhat definitely about Admiral Canaris than about most of his colleagues in the Third Reich. You'll see why, very soon, Rolf. Heidi's right. I won't betray my Master. It's against the rules to do so, at least directly. I have, at times, allowed my Masters or Mistresses to betray themselves, through their own vices. I have a mind of my own and ethics of my own, after all," Laresa explained, feeling more of an equal member of the little conspiracy than she had when she first appeared. 

"I suppose that I'll have to not provoke you then, since you can presumably foresee consequences and choose what to reveal about them to your Masters. I gather that I'll have to treat you as more of a regular subordinate than a traditional genie. That doesn't matter. The Abwehr is part of the Wehrmacht. You're therefore an unofficial part of the chain of command. Either way, you must follow orders, my orders to be precise. I am in command of this little operation. 

"Now, I wish for any papers that the SD has on the Aladdin Project. I want to know it all. I guess that it's a good thing in a way that Greta is busy with Fritz. She's not here, where she could find out what we're doing. This is crucial to the fate of the German Fatherland, indeed the world. The SS is too powerful as it is. Giving it supernatural abilities is asking for trouble for the whole world," Niedermann demanded. 

"Yes, Major," Laresa complied. 

She didn't like being used as a pawn in Rolf's little scheme to thwart the SS, but she figured that it was better than being used by the SS itself. She also realized that it would be nicer to be part of a team on a secret mission than treated like a slave. It was almost as if she was a soldier or spy herself, which was a frighteningly heady feeling to her. Life could be worse. At least she couldn't be killed, unlike Rolf or Heidi. 

Just then, the radio made a shocking announcement. 

"People of the Greater German Reich, this is Dr. Joseph Goebbels, Reich Minister of Propaganda. Let me assure you that our Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler, is alive. Despite the evil conspiracy to destroy him, the Fuhrer has survived, with the power given to him by Divine Providence. This is a clear proof that the Almighty intends to save Germany through the Fuhrer, his chosen instrument, even in this present peril. The conspirators are all being arrested as we speak, and we can vow to all of you that they will be severely and mercilessly punished," the voice declared triumphantly. 

"Well, now that it can't change anything of historical importance, I can answer more. I'm sorry, Major, but I have my rules, which override even your orders. Admiral Canaris was part of the conspiracy to assassinate Hitler, along with Colonel Count Klaus von Stauffenberg and several other officers. They wanted to overthrow the Nazi Party and negotiate a more favorable peace for Germany. That's why I think more highly of him than some others. I don't know if you realized it, but you're caught up in his deal in your own way. He wouldn't have given you that mission to help the Nazi regime, would he? Like it or not, you've been plotting against Hitler too. 

"I hate to say it, but most of the participants will be hanged or shot after show trials before the People's Court. They won't change the outcome of the war, of course. Germany is going to lose. You're right about that. That's inevitable now. By this time next year, Germany will have surrendered and been divided into Allied zones of occupation. The Russians will get the East, including part of Berlin. 

"If I were you, I'd stop worrying about your plan to undermine the SS and focus on escaping Germany. In that, I hope that you won't need military discipline, will you? You'll just need my advice and help. I trust that you'll show some gratitude and be a good Master. I can set you up for an easy life in Switzerland or some other neutral country. I know that it's desertion, but what do you have left for you? The children will be fine. The Allies won't harm them. They'll probably just get to return to Sweden. It would be wrong to take them away from their mother, since they are still attached to her, and you'll be a fugitive for a while," Laresa noted. 

"I concur, if you don't mind my saying so, Rolf. That's more to my thinking, anyway, I admit, but it makes perfect sense in the current situation. Come on, darling! Let's just leave! Maybe Laresa can take us to Switzerland without any customs issues. Please, Rolf, let's flee Germany! It's not cowardice, since the war will soon be over and Germany will lose anyway. It's not treason. Germany will rise again, once the Allies tire of occupying it. Then we can return, if you wish. I'm begging you, honey! We will even get to escape our crazy spouses. Please follow Laresa's advice and leave Germany. I'll do whatever you say, but I just want to live with you and be your lover. Maybe we can even marry at some point," Heidi seconded the genie's advice. 

"Well, under the circumstances, it seems that there might well be a price on our heads. There's no sense in fighting for a regime that wants to shoot us for treason. Alright, the project is cancelled. We'll just escape to Switzerland and call that our new mission. However, we must leave quickly. There's no time to gather luxuries. We'll take what we need, including Laresa's ring, and then we'll leave. Come on, we've got to go before Greta gets home. Won't this be a shock to her, when I'm totally gone. I don't even dare to leave her a note," Rolf consented, reluctantly at first, but then taking pleasure in the idea of leaving his despicable wife. 

A year later....Basel, Switzerland....

"Damn, Rolf, you're incredible! Oh, fuck me harder, dear! Thank you!" Heidi said to her new husband on their wedding night.

They had been fucking almost daily for the past year, ever since they made it safely to the Swiss border. That didn't change the feeling of bliss that she felt now, realizing that she was legally his at last. As soon as their divorces were final, they hurried to the local registrar. She was also happy that she hadn't been forced to keep sleeping with Bruno for a long time, not to mention sharing Rolf with his rather intolerable wife. She couldn't help that she was a jealous woman. She wanted Rolf all to herself, as selfish as that seemed. She was just lucky that her beloved major was every bit as jealous as herself. 

Laresa grinned as she heard them and touched herself. Those two lovers were rather exciting, at least from a more romantic voyeur's viewpoint. They could never get enough of each other. It was amazing to see a supposedly disciplined Prussian soldier turn into an insatiable and unabashed lothario, if such a term could apply to a one-woman man. 

She was just glad that they were compatible on that issue. The last thing that she needed, for instance, was to deal with a Master's jealous and angry girlfriend. Heidi stopped worrying about her a while ago, which allowed them to become friends. About the only thing that they used her for these days was to get advice on his business and satisfying each other's needs, taking full advantage of her experience. 

"Want me to knock you up? You want to have my seed, Frau Niedermann?" Rolf teased her a bit, as he prepared to cum in her from behind. He was close as it was, as he loved the sight of her buttocks. 

Laresa laughed at herself, as she realized that she had been distracted and missed much of the sex scene that these horny Germans had so eagerly provided her. Then again, she had seen it before and would again. It was entertainment that she enjoyed and they never resented allowing her. It was odd how kinky these Berliners could be at times. Maybe it was because she sometimes gave them pointers afterward, or at least in part. Maybe they were just exhibitionists. 

"Well, I am a hausfrau, dear! I need something to do when you're at work, aside from just chatting with Laresa! Yes, cum in me, husband!" Heidi reacted greedily. 

Yes, she was absolutely a natural hausfrau, and now she could be an official one. She could also have a child without the social scorn of "bastardy". Laresa was happy for her, since she could be what she wanted to be in the first place, this time with the right kind of man for her. Someone who desired marriage that much should have it, and a happy one at that. For whatever reason in her head or heart, Rolf Niedermann pleased her and vice versa. She was certainly better for him than Greta as well. He couldn't take another unfaithful wife. 

Despite a cynical thought now and then, Laresa couldn't help being a little touched by this couple. She was invested in their success, having helped them make it out of Germany a year ago. That in itself improved her impression of the spy's common sense and instincts, that in the face of so much pressure and rivalry, he softened enough to listen to her and his lover. He knew a lost cause when he saw one, and he wisely cast it aside in favor of the woman that he loved. That was a pleasant surprise, given how tough and hardheaded Prussians tended to be. Perhaps he'd simply had enough of giving his allegiance to a regime that didn't earn it and chosen to reward the one person who really gave a damn about him. 

It was definitely a happier situation than she expected when she first landed in Berlin a year before, but she still missed Dark Beast. Maybe they would reward her with an introduction to a lonely Swiss man. It wouldn't hurt to ask, would it? She wouldn't mind letting a Master use her body, but she preferred that he feel something for her, the way that medicine man did when she lived with him.



Laresa's World Ch. 17: Bruno



 Switzerland - 1955 . . . 10 years with Rolf/Heidi

Wilhelm's tears fell on cheeks bruised and bloodied. His father held him close as his mother ran her fingers through his muddy hair. "Father please," he begged, pulling himself away to gaze into the eyes of the man he admired and loved. He looked to his mother, hoping she would help him sway his father's decision. When Rolf's hand swept his tears away and followed the action with a sigh, he knew his request was again going to be denied. 

"I hate you!" he shouted at his father, pulling himself from the loving embrace and running to his bedroom. Rolf's chest gripped tight as the words his son used bore into his soul, making a little wound that would take many years to heal. 

"He's just angry," Heidi said and kissed her husband's forehead. 

"I know," Rolf replied, rising from his chair and encircling his wife in his strong arms. "Are we doing this right?" he asked.

"What? Raising a child? I think every parent worries about that. He's only ten Rolf. . .he'll be okay." 

"I mean about Laresa. She could stop all of this. Heal him. Aid him in growing stronger." 

"Yes," Heidi whispered, "but what type of man would he be?" Rolf released her and walked toward his son's room. "Rolf, let him have a few minutes," Heidi told him and then pulled him back toward their bedroom. "I think we've done the right thing. Laresa is used to improve our lives in gradual stages. If we raise Wilhelm to have whatever he wishes, whenever he wishes, then what kind of person would he be if we ever lose her? This bully. . . Aaron. . .he's just another boy that is growing up. Wilhelm will find a way to coexist with him. He doesn't need the power of Laresa." 

Rolf sighed and opened the door to his bedroom. He pulled off the ring and slipped it into the box by their bed. "She's the answer to every man and woman's dream. It worries me how often he asks for her." 

"He's a child Rolf, not a man. Come love, let's go for a walk and perhaps Wilhelm will accompany us. Maybe we all need a break from the power of the genie in the ring." 

"You are probably right. Sometimes we all forget what it is like to just be normal." 

The happily married couple moved back toward their son's room. Heidi knocked softly and then heard the shuffling of her son's feet. He opened the door and stared up at them both. "We're going for a walk; Want to tag along?" she asked. 

Wilhelm looked up at his father, then shrugged his shoulders. He touched his muddy hair. "I'm going to wash up." 

Heidi nodded her head and closed the door, leaving her son to compose himself. "I guess it is just you and me," she said, a soft smile on her lips.

Rolf frowned, and turned to head back to his bedroom. "Leave it," she whispered, pulling him along with her down the hall. "We're not going to be gone that long and he's never taken her before. She'll be fine." 

Rolf sighed, but agreed to his wife's words as well as her gentle tug that led him out of the quaint home that Laresa had created for them. They walked silently at first, but eventually their conversation moved back to the bully that had been tormenting their son. 

*****

Wilhelm watched his parents head down the path that would take them into the woods. His fingers were clenched into small fists. He felt the humiliation of the after school bullying rollover him and he spun on his heel. He'd seen his father's hand, absent of the ring and it was rare for his mother to be in possession of it. But her hand too was free of the amber adornment. He counted to twenty once his parents were no longer in his sight and quickly darted to their bedroom. 

Without a moment's hesitation he pulled the ring from the drawer by his father's bed and slipped it on his finger. The familiar and comforting haze of smoke became the woman he often referred to as Aunt Laresa. He gazed at her confused expression and bit down on his lower lip. Deep down he knew his parents would be angry with him at summoning the genie, but he felt that he'd done all he could and no one had done anything for him. 

"Laresa, I need your help," Wilhelm said, before he gave her any opportunity to question him. He wasn't sure how it all worked, but he knew that Laresa was powerful and she could grant him whatever he wanted. He also knew there were rules, but his parents hadn't told him all of them. The most important though to him was lying. He knew he couldn't lie to her. 

"Yes Master Wilhelm, what would you like?" Laresa asked. To say she was shocked to see Wilhelm wearing her ring would be an understatement. She'd had children as Masters and Mistresses before. They were sometimes the most fun beings to be a slave too, other times they were trying, but almost always they never held her for long. 

"Oh Laresa, you don't have to call me Master. As soon as we are finished Daddy will still be your Master. I just want to borrow you." 

Laresa frowned, not liking the idea, but she was a servant to the ring and whomever possessed it, possessed her. "So your parents do not know you have the ring?" 

"No and you will not tell them," he demanded in a scared, but strong voice. He squared his shoulders, puffed out his chest and tried very hard to look fierce. 

"Yes, Wilhelm," Laresa said, already feeling the bond of Master and slave grow tight as Wilhelm made his first wish of her. "Wilhelm, I see you are hurt. I also can feel you are very angry with a young boy. I can read your thoughts, do you wish me to heal your suffering?" 

Wilhelm bit his lower lip. "You've healed me many times, so once more won't hurt." 

"It has never hurt; has it?" Laresa asked, suddenly unsure if she'd ever caused her Masters or Mistresses pain. 

"No, it feels all warm and tingly. Like eating warm honey." 

Laresa smiled and touched Wilhelm's cheek, she closed her eyes, concentrating on the bruises the young lad had received from the beating the older boy had given him. Wilhelm was indeed correct. She had healed him several times through the years. A skinned up knee. A broken arm from a wrecked bicycle ride. But she'd healed more this past year than she had in the nine before. When she was done she looked down at her Master, noted his now soft face, no longer swollen with the marks of the bully. She smoothed down his hair, now clean and free of caked in mud. "There is there anything else?" she asked, knowing that indeed there were many things running around in Wilhelm's head, but as was her custom, she preferred to have the needs of her Masters or Mistresses spoken aloud, especially from someone so young. 

"Yes, Laresa. They won't help me. I have begged and pleaded and all they do is go to the school and meet with the teachers. They said I am to find my own way and I can't use you to help. But I need your help. I have tried very hard to ignore Aaron, but he . . . Laresa," Wilhelm said, puffing out his chest, "I want him dead." 

Laresa blinked, already feeling the power of the wish consume her. Her lips shook as she fought the command, knowing deep in her heart, her young charge was making the wish of a child, one he didn't understand or truly comprehend. Tears fell from her eyes as she battled the internal war of self-choice. She fell to her knees, clutching her chest and then screaming as pain ripped through her. 

Wilhelm stared in horror as the woman he loved and cared for like a young boy cares for a member of their family, began to thrash on the floor. His eyes grew wide and tears fell. He held his breath unsure of what to do or who to call for help. "Laresa," he whispered when he saw her take a deep breath and then suddenly grow still. He slowly approached her, reached her figure and then sat down next to her. "Laresa," he said, repeating her name, this time reaching out to stroke her silver-hair. 

"It is done," she whispered and turned away as the horror of taking a young life filled her. She felt a wave of nausea rush over her and she fought to contain the bile that threatened to expel herself. She'd never fought herself like that before. Always she'd given in, feeling the power of the ring roll over her and make her do what she didn't want to do. This time though, because she knew the heart of a child she had tried desperately to break the bond that tied her to the ring. She'd lost. The young boy Aaron, two years older than Wilhelm, bigger and stronger, now lay dead in his backyard. 

"What?" Wilhelm asked, still concerned for his genie friend. 

Laresa stared at him. She knew what had happened. Just like any child would, Wilhelm had asked for something, then forgotten because something he truly cared for was in jeopardy. She touched his cheek and wiped the tears that had fallen from his eyes away. "Your wish Wilhelm. It is done." 

"My wish?" He screwed up his face and then his jaw fell open. His eyes grew wide and his brows shot up. "You mean?" 

Laresa nodded her head and swallowed the lump in her throat. "Yes Wilhelm. Aaron is dead." 

"You killed him?" Wilhelm shouted his question as he jumped up and stepped back. "I mean, you just did it? Just now?" 

"Yes." 

"Take me to him. I want to see." 

Laresa nodded her head and stood up. Her right hand held Wilhelm's. Soon they were in a clearing of green grass, speckled with wild violets. "Can they see us?" Wilhelm asked, his face full of fascination at the scene before him. 

"Not unless you wish it." 

"No," Wilhelm whispered, not really understanding that the people crowding around the lifeless figure could not hear him either. "Is that him?" he asked. 

"Yes," she answered and then together they moved to the center of the crowd. 

Wilhelm stared at the young boy who had been so mean to him. "He looks so different now," he whispered. "He doesn't look so mean." 

A woman screamed and soon pushed her way through the crowd. She fell to her knees and picked up Aaron. "Who's that?" Wilhelm asked, suddenly feeling a sickness in his stomach. 

"That is his mother." 

Wilhelm felt a tightening in his chest and bit back a sob. "She's really sad," he whispered. 

"Yes, she is. Her son is dead." 

"Why are all these people here." Wilhelm stared at the men, women, and children that were desperately trying to comprehend what had happened. A man appeared, he huddled next to Aaron's mother and Wilhelm knew without asking that the man was Aaron's father. 

"They were having a party and these are Aaron's family and friends." 

"Oh. . . I never thought he had friends. I mean. . .I figured he had a mom and dad, but he's so mean. . .how could anyone love him." 

Laresa said nothing. She felt her Master's sorrow and she wrapped an arm around him. "Bring him back." 

Laresa's hand fell away and she looked down at Wilhelm. "What?" she asked, but she knew what he'd meant and already the smoke was beginning to consume her. 

"Bring him . . . Laresa, what are you doing?" He shouted, this time he felt the eyes of several people on him. 

"You broke a rule," she whispered, just as the smoke consumed her and slipped into the ring. 

Wilhelm looked down at his hand, now empty and he felt the eyes of Aaron's family on him. He ran when they began to question what he was doing there and who had brought him. When he reached his home, he ran into his room and quickly climbed into bed. His face fell into the pillow and tears were pulled from his grief stricken body as he realized what he'd done and there was no way to fix it. 

******

1156 - Europe

Bruno felt the flat of the sword against his neck. His head remained bowed until he heard the command that he was to rise. He then grinned exposing white teeth that were straight and without any deformities. That smile was one that had served him well throughout his life and he knew it often helped him land many a willing lass into his bed. 

When the dubbing of several other men, most having served with Bruno was done, rounds of ale were passed to the newly appointed Knights. Each one grabbed a nearby woman and were soon dancing and frolicking to the sound of several pipers. Eventually Bruno felt his body responding to the woman he was spinning about the room and he pulled her toward the stairs of the Lord's manor. Not everyone had been given a private room in the Lord's home. Just Bruno and two others. The remaining Knights would bunk below with the servants, or in the stables with their horses. Bruno had been one of the few to please Lord Sinclair in such a way that he'd been rewarded with great wealth as well as a warm room. 

"Oh you are a fine one," the woman whispered against the newly appointed Knight's neck. 

Bruno grinned, nipped her neck and pushed her against the wall. His body pressed into hers and he ground himself against her pelvis. She thrust back and he sucked in when he felt her heated core rub against his aroused sex. "Come Sir Bruno, let me help you with that war horse." The maid giggled and pushed the giant of a man away. Her palm ran across the bulge in his breeches and she smiled, licking her lips in anticipation. 

Bruno chuckled, winked and scooped her up into his large, beefy arms. "There's a lot there. You've been warned." 

He kicked open the door to his room and heard the shriek of a young girl. He glared at her and laughed when she scurried out, leaving him and the maid alone. "That will teach her," he muttered, then kicked the door closed. It only took a few of Bruno's long strides to reach the bed and when he did he tossed the woman onto the center. She bounced and laughed, her skirt rising up to expose her knees and thighs. Bruno saw the hint of her sex and lifted one brow. 

"I knew tonight I'd be warming your bed," she said with a giggle and lifted her dress to her hips. 

Bruno laughed, quickly pulling off his boots and tossing them to the side. "You were waiting for me, huh? Though we've just met? I think you were waiting for anyone." He pulled his shirt over his head and then released his breeches. "Do you walk around like that? Does the Lord just come up behind you and take what you so freely offer?" He asked his questions while he crawled between her spread legs. 

The maid giggled and laid back on the covers and the pillows. "Perhaps, but right now I am offering it to you," she answered, running her hands down her bodice and tugging on the strings. 

"Aye that you are," he agreed and began to work his way up to the sweet honey that beckoned him. A startled " Ow ", brought his attention away from the tender morsel that lay before him and he looked up. "I've not done nothing lass," he said, a look of confusion on his face. 

"No, not you. There is something in . . ." she wiggled and then pulled her hand out from behind her back, "here it is. It must have fallen off when you were up here changing earlier." She held out the ring and then pulled it back. "I believe I deserve a reward." 

Bruno launched himself up the maid's body, took the ring and threw it behind his back. "I've got just the thing," he said and plunged his swollen sex into her. 

The woman squealed in pleasure, wrapped her long legs around his hardened muscled ones and thrust her hips forward. The gold and amber gem nothing more than a pain in her back, now forgotten. 

When Bruno disentangled himself from the sexually spent woman, he tossed both feet onto the floor and rose from the come-soaked bed. His long fingers pushed through his unkempt black curls and he made his way to the pot that rested in the corner. His right foot stepped down and then he jumped up, cradling the tender skin. He cursed and quickly looked to the bed, hoping the woman hadn't seen his pain. He stared down and the light of the fire caught the gold ring on the floor. "Now where did you come from?" he asked, picking the jewel up and cradling it in his palm as he finished making his way to the pot to relieve himself. 

Once done he went back to the bed, slipped the ring on his hand and crawled back to the body that was snuggled in the warm quilt and covers. He wrapped his arm around the tiny waist and toyed with the curls of the woman's sex. She rolled to her back, opened her legs again, never once waking up to ask him to enter her. 

Bruno chuckled to himself as he moved to mount the woman. Obviously she was used to being woken up in the night. He cared not as he aimed his cock and once again felt her body welcoming his. When morning arrived Bruno awoke to an empty bed. He felt no ill effects from drinking the nights, before and he knew that though he was just twenty, he like all Knights had been enjoying the wines and ales long before they became Squires. He rolled onto his back and brought his hand up to wipe away the sleep from his eyes. 

Sunlight filtered itself into his room, catching the amber gem on the ring he now wore on his finger. He sat up and toyed with the ring, twisting it to the right and then the left. As he did this he thought of how valuable the stone was as well as who it may have belonged to. He knew he was staying in a guest room, but perhaps Lady Sinclair had dropped the bauble after a night of unruly passion with an important diplomat. Just as he was about to leave the bed he felt the ring's band grow warm. He eyed it cautiously and then watched with a slack jaw as smoke began to rise up from the center of the jewel. 

Laresa felt the pull of a new Master and for a brief moment she hoped with all her heart that it was Wilhelm, Rolf, or Heidi. There was so much there she wanted to do. She had imagined herself with the family from generation to generation. It was a rarity for that to occur, but it was something she secretly longed for. As time grew so did her enslavement to the ring and so did her desire for stability outside of its power. Her violet eyes took in her new surroundings and she lifted a brow to the man who was repeatedly crossing himself and praying to the Virgin Mother. 

"Master, I am Laresa. You have summoned me from my home. I am here to serve you, what needs do you wish fulfilled?" Her question was one she often repeated, and often she was more than happy to do what was asked of her. Lately though, she'd lived with so many Masters of a newer generation that she found she hated the question or at least the fact she had no choice in if she asked it. A new Master stood before her, but already she knew what era he was from. . .an era where women had little choice. 

Bruno saw that the witch was not leaving, but instead looking at him as if he were an evil warlord invading the room which she had in fact come in announced. He then looked to the ring, the smoke no longer seeping from it and swallowed. "What trickery is this?" he whispered, fearful that the witch would take his normally loud and booming voice as one that was threatening. 

"It is no trick, Master. If you will but ask something of me, I will provide it and prove to you that I am exactly what I claim to be." Laresa crossed her arms in front of her and waited on her slippers. The clothing she wore was similar to the outfit she normally wore when called from the ring. The small vest, this time a pale yellow, hugged her breasts and the coolness of the room caused her nipples to show their annoyance at being roused from a warm home. Her pants, not really pants at all, billowed about her, the color matching the vest. Her sex was covered by a thicker panel of the same cloth, but it was the gold bracelets on her arms and ankles that seemed to hold her Master's attention. 

"You are a slave to this?" Bruno asked, pointing to the ring on his finger. 

"Yes, Master. I have been since my youth and I will continue to be so until it is my time to be with my people in the Heavens or it is my time to be free." 

"Free? Is that possible?" 

"It has been done before. I witnessed it once. I know not the trick though." 

"That is good for me then, isn't it. A genie huh? I must confess my ignorance. You appear to be a beautiful witch, perhaps a demon, but a genie. . .what is this?" 




Laresa's World Ch. 18: Hanan



A word of thanks to Darkniciad for taking the time and trouble to correct my English.

*

The air was hot and filled with the familiar smell of baked dust and spices. Laresa knew instantly that she was back in the desert. A quick glance around confirmed she was. 

"I'm at your command, Mistress."

"Wait until you're called, girl. Are you a new slave?"

"No, Mistress. I'm a genie. Your genie."

The dark-haired woman laughed; a low throaty sound that matched her royal bearings.

"My genie, no less. Excellent, girl. But you still have to wait until you're called. Now go."

The woman waved a slender hand and Laresa caught the glint of silver bracelets. She opened her mouth, but the woman frowned and pointed to the far side of the area. With a small smile Laresa decided to play along for now.

As she sank down among a few plump cushions, Laresa took in her surroundings. The smell of the place had already given it away, but the dark walls of the tent confirmed she was in the Sahara desert. More precisely, she was sure she was in the Ahaggar Mountains. The cushions, the beautifully crafted lamps and the shape of the tent all pointed towards a Tuareg shelter. For a brief moment she recalled the memories of how she had become a genie. The sacrifice of her body had taken place in these mountains. Although it had happened thousands of years ago, the place still felt oddly familiar. The genie shook her head to get rid of those painful last images. She focused on her new mistress instead. 

From her place on the floor, her back against the dark cloth of the tent, the genie studied the woman who was her Mistress. The brilliant blue of her robe set off her dark hair and golden skin. Despite the loose fit Laresa could see the curves of a mature figure. Right now the woman was inspecting Laresa's ring, turning it around between her slender fingers.

"Where did this come from?" Muttering to herself she rubbed the large amber stone. "It was much brighter when I found it."

Suddenly, she turned around to face Laresa. 

"What's your name, girl?"

"Laresa, Mistress. I'm at your command."

The startling light eyes narrowed. "What was that, about you being a genie?" The low voice was soft but the air of authority was clear.

Laresa smiled and launched her standard explanation. "I'm the genie of the ring, Mistress. My name is Laresa and I am at your command for as long as you possess my home, unless you break the rules."

"I see ..." With a thoughtful expression the woman slipped the ring on her finger. "And what are those rules?" 

"I can heal a person but I cannot bring people back from the dead, I cannot make another person fall in love with you, I'm not permitted to dramatically alter history, and if you lie to me you lose me instantly."

An attractive smile transformed the rather stern face. The lush lips curved and a dimple appeared in one cheek. "That sounds like a proper genie, all right. My name is Hanan, Laresa."

Hanan took a few steps and sank down in front of Laresa, folding her legs beneath her in a practiced movement. "I guess I found you because I have need of you. I never saw the ring before and I should know the contents of my jewelry box." She smiled a bit sadly. "There hasn't been an addition for years. Not since my husband passed away."

"Mistress, will you permit me to read your thoughts?" Laresa hastened to clarify when she saw the cold frown return. "You wouldn't need to explain everything; I could read your meaning."

"And what if you decided to take over my thoughts? You could rule my mind." The light eyes fixed Laresa with a stare that would intimidate most people.

"I can't do that, Mistress. I can only obey you."

"Very well. You have my permission." The cold stare softened but remained trained on the slender, silver-haired genie. "Go on, read my mind, then."

Laresa felt the sadness and understood it had been dimmed by time. She pushed it gently aside and found that Hanan's mind was filled with intricate schemes. She was fascinated. This was no simple Tuareg wife. Hanan had been first wife to the Amenokal, the tribal leader. The genie felt sorry for this proud woman. After the death of her husband, she had been forced back into the traditional role of mother. 

"You are concerned for your son?" When Hanan nodded, the genie continued. "I sense your anger at your husband's brother. He is Yusuf?"

"Yesss." Hanan hissed in anger. "He's a traitor. He should have yielded the power to rule years ago, when my son turned 16. He's refused to step down as Amenokal, and most of the herdsmen are scared of him -- and his bunch of brutes."

"Are you sure all the other warriors are on his side?" 

Laresa smiled when she saw the color rise in the proud face in front of her. The bond between her and Hanan enabled her to see the image that quickly flashed by in answer to her question.

"This Khalid I see in your thoughts, he can be trusted?"

"I'm not sure." Hanan bowed her head and fingered the bunch of silver bracelets that adorned her wrist. "He was my husband's first advisor... he..." She heaved a sigh. "I just don't know. Besides... we are talking about proud warriors, they would never listen to me."

"I can see you've given this a lot of thought. Your mind is filled with ideas and I think we can do something with them."

Laresa realized she was getting close to acting of her own accord, but she was feeling an odd sympathy for Hanan. Perhaps because she hadn't started wishing anything, maybe because she stirred old feelings of loyalty to family and clan, whatever the reason, the genie felt compelled to help Hanan as much as possible. 

"Can others see you as well as I can?" Hanan inspected the scantily clad genie. 

"Only if you wish it to be so, Mistress." Laresa smiled when she caught the spark of uncertainty from the older woman.

"I see, perhaps it's best to remain unseen then. Now, about ideas. Will you help me to get my son to take his proper place among his people? Yusuf sent him away when he was nearing his 16th birthday and Hakim has been reluctant to spill blood." Hanan sighed. "He feels his own position is not worth the lives of others, so ever since he came back he's been keeping himself aloof."

"You named him well; Hakim sounds wise beyond his years." Laresa tapped a fingernail against her teeth while thinking. "The best course would be to get your son in a position to prove his worth over his uncle. The less blood shed the better."

Laresa sifted through the images in Hanan's mind and had to suppress a giggle when she found a naughty corner dealing with Khalid. The main source of income for the tribe gave her the best idea however.

"Yusuf has been organizing the caravans?"

Hanan made a derisive sound. "It's supposed to be the chief concern of the Amenokal. Keeping the caravans moving, providing guidance for traders and watching out for the safety of all, that's what the tribe has the Amenokal for. Rumor has it though, that Yusuf has been busier in Tamanghasset visiting the belly dancers than going to the coffeehouses to meet with traders."

"There have been raids before, right? So ... how about your son preventing a massive raid on the next caravan? I could make sure all warriors would know about a dispute between him and his uncle concerning the safety of the train." When Hanan nodded with interest, the genie warned her. "I would have to make it look genuine, which means there will be blood spilled. I can only promise you to look out for Hakim. I cannot prevent his death if it is his time."

Hanan had a fierce look of determination on her face. "I understand. Better to die as a man than to live as a coward. Insha'Allah."

"Now, you have to find out when the next council will take place. Maybe you could ask Khalid?" Laresa giggled when Hanan blushed at the mention of that name. "That way you can find out how far you can trust him as well. I can tell he's important to you."

Hanan shrugged. "Who'd want a widow in her middle years? I'm too old to bear sons." 

"If you'll allow me to stay with you when you seek him out, I could see for myself. Sometimes the view from farther away is clearer than from close by. Besides, once your son has taken over, you should get the chance to some happiness again. You're not that old yet." 

The genie felt genuine sympathy for the woman. She wondered, not for the first time, if she was getting more of her humanity back over centuries. She understood ever more about the emotions and motives of humans. Like this Hanan. She could relate to her worries as a mother, just as she could understand her secret wish to be loved and cherished once more.

When Hanan spoke with the warrior, Laresa observed him unseen. The traditional blue veil, the tagelmust that gives Tuaregs their nickname of blue men of the desert, covered his face. His sharp eyes were visible though, and he stood proud. His broad shoulders and powerful legs proclaimed him a strong man. The genie smiled as she caught his glance after Hanan turned away. Perhaps he was in his middle years like Hanan, but his interest was certainly not that of an old man. There was fire in his eyes, and Laresa thought she could almost feel the heat of his passion. 

"He said there is to be a council meeting in two days." Hanan sounded out of breath and her face was flushed.

"Good. That gives me time enough. I'll make it so that your son finds evidence. You have to make sure he presents it at the meeting." Laresa checked herself. "Do I have your permission to go, Mistress?"

Hanan looked uncertain when she gave the genie leave with a gesture of her hand. "Oh, Laresa? What did you think? About Khalid, I mean."

Laresa turned to look back with an impish spark in her smoky violet eyes. "It's not important what I think. What is in his mind should be enough to keep you warm at night though." With that she disappeared, leaving a light tinkle of laughter behind.

* * * 

Hovering near the mountain pass, Laresa felt apprehensive. So far, everything had gone according to plan. Hakim had spoken at the council, but his uncle had waved his concerns aside. His words implied that his nephew was a scared boy, unfit to rule -- unlike himself of course. With some urging from his mother, Hakim had gathered a handful of trusted young men. They followed the train of camels, remaining out of sight, but staying close enough to give assistance.

The creaking of leather, the typical sounds of a disgruntled camel, and the jingling of harnesses announced the caravan. Just as Laresa spotted the first animals coming around a bend, she felt an odd tingling. 

Who? Her eyes wide in surprise, she scanned the surrounding countryside. There was no mistaking the feeling; there was another genie nearby -- and she was fairly certain that she had met this one before. She never saw him then, but she had felt this particular presence in Indonesia, when that monster, Daniel, had been her master.

Damn, she couldn't handle a distraction right now. She had promised Hanan to look after Hakim. Frowning in concentration, the genie followed the trail of energy she could feel until she found the source. High up in the pass ... Laresa gasped when she found him, the genie that lived in an elaborate bracelet.

"You? It was you with Daniel too? Who is your Master?"

"Hello to you too, Laresa. Too bad my last Master ordered me to kill yours at the time. But perhaps we can have some fun this round?" The dark skinned genie grinned and winked at her, licking his lips suggestively.

"Oh, cut it out, Mirza. I don't have the time for jokes. Who's your Master?"

"Haven't you guessed? Yusuf of course. I felt your presence a few days ago and he asked me to counter your interference."

"He did? Now, what do we do? I can't remember ever having been in such a situation before. Have you?"

"Can't say that I remember." Mirza rubbed his chin. "There's no point in us fighting. Besides, we're not compelled to fight our own. I know that for a fact. So ... we could see which of us is the smartest." 

"Mirza, something odd is happening here. Perhaps it is just me, but it seems as if we can make decisions on our own. Can we figure out a way to obey without harming the other?"

The dark genie stood up and stretched his tall frame, looking down at his petite silver-haired counterpart. "If I could really make my own decisions, I would put you on your back and forget about my Master." He bent down and cupped her breast. "I haven't seen a decent female in years. And you, my dear Laresa, are a more than decent female."

Laresa swatted his hand away, but his chuckle made her blush. "Stop that. What, exactly is your task? I'm committed to putting Hakim in his proper place." She sighed. "That means putting your Master down a peg, or two."

Mirza turned serious again. "I know. But Yusuf was not very eloquent. In his anger, he merely told me to go keep an eye on you, and warn him if the caravan is indeed attacked."

Laresa grinned. "If you have to keep an eye on me, you can't leave here, right? So, after warning him of the attack you should come right back here. I won't tell you of my plans. That way you can't tell him." and I make sure that you, my clever fellow genie, are too busy to interfere.  

She leaned back on her elbows, stretching her legs in front of her. "In the meantime, do keep your eyes on me. I like that." With a subtle movement of her shoulders she made her breasts jiggle.

"Excellent plan." Mirza waved his hand and her clothing disappeared. "If I have to watch you, I'd better make sure to see all." 

Laresa giggled and moved her legs, parting them slightly. She had come to like showing off her body. After centuries of being gazed at, she had learned to channel the desire towards her own arousal. Mirza's dark gaze made her nipples harden and she could feel a tingle starting between her thighs.

"Ah, yes, spread your legs for me. I'd love to see your valley, filled with dew." 

Laresa obeyed him, the moisture welling up as she felt his stare burning into her core. Mirza bent his head and kissed the hollow of her throat, before licking a path down to her breasts. One hand rolled a nipple while the other slipped between her legs.

As she felt his teeth nip her she moved her hips, giving his hand more room to explore her moist folds. Her hands felt the muscles in his back, trailing down his spine and kneading his butt until he slipped a finger inside her. Laresa moaned and spread her legs even more.

"Oh yes, that feels so good."

Mirza added a second finger, stretching her walls and rubbing the sensitive spot just inside. He kissed his way down her belly to lick the pearl at the top of her slit. The desire spiraled through her body, taking her higher and higher when a distant shout jerked her back down.

"Nooo, not now." Mirza growled in frustration.

"Shush, go warn your Master, and come back here. You still have to watch me, remember." Laresa kissed him on the lips and turned to look down the mountain pass.

She concentrated on the sight below her, but she could feel the presence of Mirza leaving her anyway. A small shiver ran down her spine, which she suppressed quickly. Time for play should be later, she hoped.

At the entrance to the pass, a pile of boulders that had come crashing down the mountainside halted the caravan. The few guards that Yusuf had sent along were not very effective in calming down the merchants and their animals, so all of their attention was focused on that task, instead of their surroundings.

Laresa had made sure the boulders crashed in front of the caravan and not behind them as had been the original intention. It would have sealed them off from Hakim, or any other help, giving the raiders ample time to kill and loot the entire train. As it was, the scum from the Libyan desert had to scramble over the rock pile, yelling and screaming to intimidate their victims.

The genie watched the chaos grow until her sharp ears detected the sound of hoof beats. Hakim and his band of young warriors came thundering up the mountain on their Arabian horses. For a brief moment she was confused by the number of his band, but she sensed her link with Hanan. It seemed her Mistress had taken advantage of the fact that Tuareg men all wear a veil to cover most of their face. The only thing visible would be her light eyes, but Laresa was sure Hanan would keep in the back and avoid looking people in the face. She'd probably act as a nervous youth. Still vaguely perplexed by the number of people who were following in Hakim's wake, the genie refrained from acting.

Hakim shouted orders and his band spread out between the raiders and the merchants, acting as shield in front of the caravan. He left his uncle's guards to calm down the camels, cleverly excluding them from his strategy.

Watching the fight from a distance, Laresa felt Mirza's presence at her back once more, but she kept focused on Hakim. So far he was doing well enough. Se could see he was a proficient fighter with the traditional sword. She guessed he had been trained by his father as a youth, grooming him for his future task as the next Amenokal. Whatever the case, there was no need to fear for his life. He'd do all right. 

Laresa relaxed and leaned back into Mirza's body. She could feel his erection pressing against her butt and she wiggled her hips, inviting him to carry on with his earlier caresses. He obliged. His hands came around to cup her breasts, his fingers rolling her hardening nipples until she moaned and bucked her hips.

"I can't wait any longer, I'm sorry, Laresa. I have to have you. Now."

Mirza impaled her on his hard shaft as he spoke the last word. Forcing a grunt from her body at the impact. 

"Yesss." The genie hissed with pleasure. Mirza was big and he stretched her to the limit. 

Laresa put her hands on a boulder in front of her, to support her as she bent over and pushed back to get more of Mirza inside of her. His hands slipped from her breasts; one holding her hip, the other coming down between her legs to stroke her pearl.

She watched the fighting below ebb away as her desire built up, the sensations in her body spiraling higher and higher, until she exploded with a scream that pierced the clear mountain air. Mirza added his shout as he pumped his seed inside her, the low tone of his voice causing the rocks to tremble.

Their combined voices seemed to still the humans. For a moment it looked as if they were frozen in time, motionless yet clearly in the midst of action. However, all faces looked up, towards the source of the inhuman sound that caused the mountain to shiver.

Panting from their orgasm the two genies watched in fascination as small pebbles rattled down the mountain, followed by patches of gravel that slid down, larger boulders that started to tremble and the humans who finally came to their senses enough to leave the area of a truly earthshaking climax.

Leaving the dead enemies behind, Hakim rounded up his band and escorted the unscathed caravan back down to safety. Laresa watched him and through her link with Hanan, she could sense the woman's pride in her son. No doubt this adventure would secure him his rightful place.

After the near disaster with this caravan and Hakim's capable handling of the crisis, most tribesmen would be willing to follow him instead of the lazy, incompetent Yusuf. Even more so, now that Laresa spotted Khalid among the warriors as well. With the voice of such a seasoned and highly respected fighter on his side, Hakim would certainly do all right.

Reluctant to leave her lover Laresa still hovered near the top of the pass when she was called back into the ring. The last thing she saw was Mirza's surprised look as he disappeared too. 

*

Due to the deadline of this chain, I was forced to end the story at this point. If you feel cheated because you want to know more about Hanan, you're quite right. I intend to write Hanan's story in the very near future. In the meantime, I hope you enjoyed this chapter enough to vote, and perhaps leave a comment as well.



Laresa's World Ch. 19: Seymour



Seymour slowly waved the talisman around himself in a circle. A tingle rushed through him at one specific direction. It felt like the soft caress of a lover, spreading outward just under his skin. They had never been able to imitate the effect. They had fashioned numerous stones, through the centuries, that took the place of this talisman but none of the copies ever felt the same as this; the original artifact. He didn't like the feel of the stones, which is why he used the original whenever possible.

He moved slowly through the woods with the talisman held before him. Outwardly it appeared as nothing more than a very well crafted wand, with a raven's feather tied to the handle with a hemp cord. The feather and cord were not the originals. In fact, Seymour knew they weren't integral to the operation of the item. Many centuries ago the original cord had warn away and broken. The wand had remained without the decoration ever since, until he discovered a reference in some of the oldest journals describing them. He couldn't duplicate the exact nature of the original cord, since it didn't describe the material, but the feather was explicitly that of a raven. With thoughts of historical accuracy, he had added back on the decoration.

The tingling grew. He was almost on top of the object of his quest. Seymour's excitement grew in proportion to the sensation coming from the divining wand. Suddenly there was a pulse of energy and the wand grew quiet. He knew from his experiments that it would resume as strongly if he moved it beyond a foot of whatever magic it had detected.

Seymour found himself standing in the middle of the woods and looking down at the groundcover of old leaves, the wand, almost forgotten in his hand, at his side. He was afraid of the final step. If I do this there is no going back. I have defied no rules yet, just tradition. He took a deep breath to steady himself and knelt.

From the lower position he suddenly knew what he was looking for and his heart leapt into his throat. It can't be! If he had asked for a sign for reassurance, none better could have appeared than what lay before him. It may have looked like nothing more than a tarnished gold ring with an amber stone, but Seymour knew better. The ring contained magic; a djiin. In fact, this very genie had helped to create the very talisman which he held. When the agent had taken it, he had mistaken it for the ring before him.

Gingerly he lifted the ring and shook off a few leaves. He held it poised above his finger. To place it on his finger would release him from his previous life. He enjoyed his work. Seymour had always enjoyed research, learning, reading, and just knowledge in general. Working for the Society, he had access to some of the rarest and most well hidden lore the world had ever known. He catalogued everything meticulously and organized the library and, when necessary, authenticated the rare artifact that the handful of agents actually managed to acquire.

That was their problem. The Society of Djiin was small. In total there were maybe a dozen members. Once, the Society had never maintained more than three members and two apprentices at any given time. Through the centuries they had given over to acceptance of the futility of three people scouring the world for the vessels containing genies and begun adding members. Seymour had been the first person brought in exclusively for his talents as an administrator and curator. They were growing quickly and needed the organization. Now that he had finally finished organizing the tomes of information, he felt free to begin what he felt would be the most crucial step for the growing society.

The ring plunged downward. The cold metal met the hard flesh and bone, at the base of his finger, and he gaze it a turn. The motion had been fluid for he didn't trust himself not to back out. Almost at once the ring began to heat, symbolically burning away his former life, the smoke that poured from the ring only added to the imagery. He had now broken the Society's first, most ardent, rule; never use the power of the djiin.

The smoke coalesced into the most beautiful woman Seymour had ever seen. He had read accounts of Laresa, but the mere words refused to do her justice. She had a perfect figure, accented by a gown which hugged her curves and seemed to change colors as it shifted, propelled by some unknown wind. Blond hair, so pale it was nearly silver, flowed slowly around her and moved to the same tempo as her gown.

But it was her eyes that held him. Seymour had always wondered why accounts varied about her eyes. He had assumed that she changed to suit the desires of her master, now he was not so sure. The eyes he stared into seemed to change color constantly, flowing from gold, to violet, to green to blue seamlessly. The robe could have been explained by simple tricks of the moonlight, her eyes could be nothing other than magic.

"What is your desire my master?" Seymour released a breath he hadn't known he was holding. He was Laresa's newest master. His fate had been decided, if he was lucky he would simply be discharged from the Society. Some rogue agents had been killed for what he had just done. "Master?" He had spent too long contemplating his choice. "I am..."

"Laresa. I know who and what you are. Please do not try to read my thoughts. I know I haven't phrased it as such but I hope to form a good relationship with you and will not need to explicitly state what is a wish and what isn't."

Laresa was often known for her independence. Seymour didn't have the heart to be a strict or harsh master to her, but he couldn't afford for her to ask too many questions of him. If she ever tried to read his mind, she might become concerned or curious when she discovered his mental shielding. It was also possible that his status as master, his connection to the ring, would countermand his staunch mental discipline and grant her complete access to his thoughts.

"I understand master. I will not try to read your thoughts. This will, however, make granting your wishes more difficult." There was a calculating intelligence behind those eyes. Seymour noticed that her eyes had settled on a light blue, so vibrant they seemed to shine in the near darkness. With those powerful eyes staring back at him, he suddenly became very self-conscious.

"Please, my name is Seymour." He knew he was blushing but couldn't seem to stop. He was a bookworm. He might be large enough that the bullies never targeted him through his education, but he was homely enough that the attractive women never even noticed him. He didn't exactly think of himself as ugly, just slightly less than average.

And now the most beautiful woman he'd ever met wished to fulfill his ever desire. No wonder so many people end up using genies for their own gratification! The look in her eyes proclaimed her desire, no, her need to please him. Too many people would recognize that look only as sexual, but there was more too it than that. Seymour had been in love, what seemed like a lifetime ago, and knew what it had been like to want nothing more than to bring joy to another person.

Then, she had found the one thing he had not been willing to forsake for her. He now recognized that she had systematically stripped away his life in search of something that she could use as a fault in their relationship. Her departure had driven him more completely, more desperately, into his work with the Society. She had driven him to love nothing more. And now, his love for the organization drove him to segregate himself forever.

Laresa's eyes softened. "Please master Seymour! Let me grant a wish. I cannot bear to see such pain in you."

"It's nothing. The past isn't quite as forgotten as I had thought." He looked up and smiled, but it never quite reached his eyes. "There was a cave not to far from here. Could you transport us there and provide some light for us?"

Laresa smiled and it lit up her face. He felt the rush of blood heat his groin, but his heart seemed to fall in on itself. The world lurched around them and suddenly they stood in the very cave he had passed on his way to find the ring. They were far enough back that the temperature was that natural cool that all caves were. The bland walls were lit with the flickering orange glow of oil lanterns.

"Would you like to hear the rules master Seymour?"

Absently he shook his head. "No, thank you, I know them." He had picked up one of the lantern and was already investigating deeper into the cave. "And please, you don't need to call me master."

"How do you know so much about me? You are not the first master with such foreknowledge."

Seymour's eyes flew wide in combination confusion and nerves. He had read every chronicle of Laresa, and there were many, She was one of the most extensively catalogued genies. Never did it mention a master who knew who she was prior to her first summons. Either that meant there were masters who the Society's psychics had never been able to scry, or those events had not transpired yet. Seymour knew that the items containing genies would disappear given certain conditions, to be transported to somewhere else, but did that mean they were jumping through time as well? That seemed a little to science-fiction to him; too H. G. Wells. This was 1953, time travel had been proven improbable due to the issue of paradox.

He answered her cautiously. He knew he couldn't lie to her, but would a partial truth be enough? Would omission be viewed as a lie by the magic that bound her? "There are a great many tales of your activities. You have been a very active genie throughout the years." He waited for her to fade but she didn't. Her magic, their magic, was a much more forgiving judge than he would have been. What he'd said was true, but never explained how he'd come to know the tales. She nodded sagely, accepting the partial truth as her magic had.

As his nerves settled his body once more reacted to Laresa, so much so that he had to turn away. "Seymour, there is more you wish of me. I cannot read your mind to tell for certain, but it is clear that there is." Her voice sounded almost tired. Had so many masters really taken advantage of her desire to please? She moved closer to him, as she spoke, so much so that he could feel her presence like a warmth across his back.

"You are very attractive Laresa, and my body would like nothing more than to have you, but there are other things, more important than lust." He couldn't keep the image of her supple body from his mind, naked and sliding upwards along him. He could almost feel the silk of her flesh pressed against his skin. He shook the thought away as his heart turned to stone within him and dropped. His very soul rebelled against the thought of using her in such a way, as it had of keeping the truth of the Society from her. "My goal in life is to study the nature of magical artifacts. I have one which could aid me on a small scale but I would like more." Seymour pulled out the talisman and Laresa's eyes widened. She knew it. After so many years she remembered the very wand she had helped to create.

"Would you teach me to create such as these?" He finally met her eyes, those shining pools of summer sky. "I do not want you to help me for my wishes. I hope that you will help me for the love of discovering knowledge. Perhaps you will be able to discover more about yourself." He knew that Laresa prized the ability to choose for herself, but that was not the reason he granted such liberties. He understood the American suffrage movement and agreed completely. He was honest with himself and admitted that he was glad his search for a genie had led him to this country, even if McCarthy was proposing his very own "witch hunt."

"You are giving me the freedom to choose to help you?" He sighed, to afraid of her response, but nodded anyway. Laresa smiled and he could feel something in the magic that surrounded the ring shift. She was once more free, if only temporarily, to choose her own destiny. "Thank you Seymour. It is a great gift that you give me and one I would not lightly ignore." She smiled, that radiant smile that sent heat through his body. "I will help you."

Still flushed, Seymour smiled and looked away. "First, I would like to turn this cave into a suitable residence. There should be room enough for perhaps as many as fifty or more people to live here." He was thinking ahead, to a time when the society grew larger still. "I would like to form a school, though I know I will never get that chance. Even still it should be set up to remind me of what could be. Laboratories for testing and studying magic and science commingled."

He barely noticed Laresa was caught up in his excitement. His passion began to transfer to her. "For that many people you will need a large dining room, kitchen and a number of recreation rooms." As she spoke, her magic began to reach out, to touch the very walls around them. At the back of the cave, the rock began to run like water. As it flowed away it began to sink and twist to create a spiral passage further into the depths of the earth.

Seymour had thought long and hard about the base. For too long had the society moved around as locations became available or unacceptable. With so little protections they had lost many of the artifacts they had gained. Both genies and other artifacts had been stolen by magical and mundane methods. "We need a vault to store those things to rare or dangerous to be left in the open. A vault with powerful wards to keep out those who would plunder knowledge for personal gain."

Seymour could feel the space opening beneath him. He could feel Laresa's magic flowing through the bedrock as if it were his own, but he had no magic, did he? He could feel the rock melt away, sliding into the forms he requested. The layout was foreign to his dreams but the placement so logical that he had naught to object. He felt consumed and filled with her magic, adrift as the power raged from the ring to alter the world around him. The psychic had tried to warn him. You will discover more than just your hidden desires if you tread this path. He had feared it meant he would lose his way. He had never dreamt of this.

When the magic began to recede, Seymour remembered one last room. "There needs to be a central office. Within the office will reside a map of the world. Beneath this map I need another talisman like this; one powerful enough to sense great magics across the globe."

There was excitement in Laresa's eyes. This project was not only intriguing but his exuberance must have been contagious. "You can feel it can't you?" Laresa's question shocked Seymour. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you. I simply felt some form of connection when the magic overcame me. It always feels as if the connection runs through my master rather than directly from the ring to me, but you are the first who has shown signs of recognition."

Seymour looked away in embarrassment. "I did feel something. I felt the power flow through me. It could feel the very walls take shape at your command. It felt wondrous."

"They, this very place, took shape at your  command Seymour. You  are the master, you are just the first I've ever known to feel the connection."

"Ok, our  command. But I should have known I had talent."

Laresa merely smiled and waved his explanation away. "Most people with talent never know." Abruptly, she changed subjects before he could question her remark. Suddenly he realized that might be a blessing for him as to admit the true reason he should have known would have brought him perilously close to acknowledging the Society. "I can make an artifact that can do as you ask but there will be some limitations to it." She began to count the issues on her fingers in a habit that appeared far too modern for his knowledge of her recent activity. "It will be far too large to move easily. Because of the scope of the detection it will only be able to sense the active use of magic. It will be unable, on its own, to bring up a holographic projection of the world."

"Excuse me. What do optical tricks have to do with the magical artifact?" Laresa's eyes went wide with Seymour's question, as it she had said more than she was supposed to.

"I'm sorry, I forgot where I was. What it means is that you will need to supply the map for the magic to project locations onto. It can be as simple or technical as you wish."

"Do you mean like a globe as opposed to a map?" Laresa nodded. "Very good! Would you be able to create a globe for me as well, large enough to read easily and determine locations?"

Laresa crossed her arms and simply stared at Seymour. The look she gave him was very unbecoming but suddenly he understood how he deserved it. Of course she can create one. That would be simplicity in itself. The whole explanation was simply to let me know that the artifact could use any form of map. As the realization dawned Laresa's expression shifted to bemused. He might have kept her from reading his thoughts, but no one could live for thousands of years and not learn how to read body language, and Seymour knew he was far from the best at dissembling.

"Your wish is my command, master." Laresa winked with the last word and made sure he knew she was playing with him. Once more he felt the magic flow from the ring. This time, as the power rode over and through him, he expected it. He did not simply what he was trained to do, but what was natural; he analyzed it. It did flow out from the ring, but it did not spread evenly through his body, instead it first traveled to his head. From there, the power moved straight to his left breast, to his heart. It was only then that it began to spread its amazing touch throughout his body. As his knees weakened he vaguely realized that it didn't quite reach his lower legs.

All too quickly it was gone. When Seymour eyes opened, Laresa was standing inches in front of him and staring intently. Her smile, her very expression, was something completely foreign to him. There was a fire in her eyes that sent blood racing downward. She took a half step forward. He took a full step back in terror. He was prey, that was what the look in her eyes spoke of. His mind refused to accept what he knew that look to mean.

"Documents!" Laresa's face contorted in confusion at the unexpected declaration. "We need instructions for the wards and the new talisman." Seymour was rambling. He knew he was, but he was uncomfortable and his mouth wandered when he was uncomfortable or excited. Truthfully, he knew he was both.

A grin spread across Laresa's face. Her eyes flitted briefly to the ring on his finger, her ring. Whatever had been in her expression before had intensified. Her smile was decidedly feral, even primal. She had cornered her prey and knew it. Seymour flinched as her hand came gently up to his face with a feline grace. "Your wish..."

Seymour didn't quite hear the rest as, once again the power flowed through him. It seemed to grow each time he made a wish. He didn't know if he could handle much more, fortunately everything he needed was here. Perhaps he would only need to ask her to seek out a few of the magics they detected, he certainly hoped that would be the case. His body shook from the overwhelming sensation that raced through him.

All too quickly it passed, only to be replaced by an equally enticing, and nerve-racking one. Laresa's body pressed against Seymour. Her hands were on his face and her mouth was inches from his. He hadn't realized she was taller than he was, but now, with her head tilted slightly forward to meet his and his hard length pressed delightfully into the crease of her legs he was all to aware of her. He was aware to her firm body, separated from his by nothing but a couple of layers of fabric. Of everything else, Seymour was most acutely aware of her gorgeous, vivid, light blue eyes.




Laresa's World Ch. 19: Seymour



"Very seldom have I met someone with a passion as yours." Her voice was very low, almost unheard, even from right before him. "You do not want all this for yourself. You have never once thought of what would benefit you in all of this have you?" He shook his head slightly, barely able to vocalize his response. Her smile seemed to gain in intensity, in brilliance. The question had been a test that he had passed. He had not lied.

Laresa's hips shifted against him to slide him farther into her incredible warmth. "Then let me find something you might want for yourself." His breath was ragged. His heart raced. He wanted her very much, but he would never ask, could never ask. She knew this and wanted this for him. He knew he should stop her. This was the very reason the Society shunned the use of genies. They were power, desire. His very ideals could crumble before such enticement.

Her lips met his and a very different, but no less powerful surge raced through his veins. He strained painfully against the fabric of his pants. The curve of her legs encircled him and held him against the very heat he so desperately wanted. He had to stop this. He pulled back and his mouth opened to say the word.

Her eyes flew wide. "Guns!"

Laresa's pronouncement was so unexpected that it took Seymour a moment to comprehend the simple word. When it finally blazed through the haze of his lust his mind began to work once more. "How many?"

"A dozen men with guns are just outside the cave and seeking you." Seymour didn't question how she knew or why she would tell him. He had never asked her to watch for the people he knew would hunt him. The Society could have sent agents which she never would have discovered. Likely they still had. There was one out there she could not sense.

Her eyes were on the mouth of the cave behind him. He spun, keeping his body before hers. Strangely, as he faced a wall of firearms, his first thought was that he was no longer hard. The agent stepped into view, and Seymour knew the man. Jonathon was the premier agent, sent to deal with the most dangerous situations.

Seymour was in trouble, but he could not, would not, let Laresa be taken. With tears in his eyes he turned back to look at the shining woman. She was confused, and perhaps a little afraid. She didn't often have guns pointed at her, and these had a feel of magic about them. He knew there were wards on the bullets but now he could feel them from a dozen yards away. His smile was weak. "I'm sorry Laresa." Her confused gaze moved to meet his. "I never lied to you."

Her eyes widened as she began to fade. He knew the statement made no sense in light of her magical restriction. In the moment he had, it was the only thing he could think of. The magic had not considered omission a lie, but he did, and that made this last a lie.

"Very nice." The deep, cold, voice drew Seymour's attention back to Jonathan. He stood by one wall and inspected it. "You have built a fortress. I know of your drive, your faith. You sought out the greatest of heresies for us didn't you?" Jonathon finally turned to look at Seymour and the small academic nodded meekly. "Did you learn nothing from all of your reading? They are not to be used. You only lose your way."

Seymour could not answer, for he almost had done as he was being accused.

Jonathon continued, oblivious to Seymour's inner turmoil. "We are not without compassion. We will not discard you out of hand." Seymour looked up slightly. The look in the imposing man's eyes was as powerful as Laresa's had been only minutes ago. Those dark eyes saw him, as she had, as prey, but the fire held a completely different emotion.

"You have done many great things for us. Many times has my own life been effected, bettered even, by your insightful interpretations." Seymour knew, from the reports, that motivations he had deciphered had saved Jonathon, and every agent, on more than one occasion. None of them had been adverse to crediting him in their reports.

"Even more, you know far too much of us, our agenda, our activities, to allow you to simply walk away." Seymour couldn't help but glance at the guns, still steadily trained on him, as the man's explanation turned terrifying. When he looked back to Jonathan, those hard, dead, eyes were locked on his. "I hope you fashioned yourself a cell deep within these confines, for you are destined now, by your own actions, to remain forever with us. You may continue your life's work under guidance, but never again will you leave our bounds."

Jonathan motioned with his hand and the mercenaries moved to surround Seymour and take him below. To the learned man there was hope once more. He would devote his life once again to his pursuit of knowledge and diligently report what he discovered, but now he had a greater goal. He had seen the longing in Laresa's eyes when he granted her freedom. It was now his mission to bequeath that gift to her permanently. If he was to spend the rest of his life amongst his beloved books and experiments, he could at least search for her greatest desire. She had helped him find his passion, he could do no less.

Thank you for reading my latest chapter of Laresa's World...I urge you to take the time to read the previous (and forthcoming) chapters and follow the travels of our luscious genie through time, and from master to mistress and back again. Further tales of Laresa can be found in Danellekitten's "Miranda and the Prince" stories...Thank you to everyone who has helped contribute, and especially thank you to RedHairedandFriendly for coming up with the concept.

Copywrite Deathlynx, January 2007



Laresa's World Ch. 20: William



He loved the sight of her face twisted in ecstasy, and her big tits bouncing as he pounded into her. She screamed, her head lashing back and forth on the pillows, her red hair flashing in the dim light. With a final thrust, and a loud, growling scream, Will emptied his seed into her. Collapsing down onto his hands, he grinned at her, receiving a smile in return.

"Lord, William, you know what a woman needs," she panted.

Will sighed, "Lass, you squeeze tighter than the taxman."

Offering a mischievous grin, she contracted her muscles, tightening her quivering walls around his slowly softening member. With a loud growl, William pulled free of her tight heat, gasping for breath as his cock twitched. "Yer a wicked lass – ye know that?"

Pouting, she let out a disappointed moan and said, "Don't go."

"I ain't got none left in me tonight, Louisa. Give me a night of rest, Lass, and I'll give ye a ride ye'll remember to yer dying day."

Pulling him down next to her and kissing him, Louisa whispered, "I'll remember every time until my dying day, William."

He could tell she was drifting off a few minutes later. His eyes were getting heavy as well, but his bladder was telling him he'd piss himself in the night if he didn't get up soon. Louisa, lying with a smile on her face and his cream dripping slowly from inside her, didn't stir as he rose.

Heading toward the door, Will praised his luck in happening across the woman. She had been married to a man of the sea, and been widowed young. She took to William quickly, especially once she learned he was leaving shipboard life behind forever. A man with salt in his speech that wouldn't be going back to the sea, where her husband had died, was exactly what she'd been looking for, without even knowing it.

She'd started whoring, just to get by, and that was how Will had found her. He'd paid for his first poke, and decided to see if he could charm his way into that cunt for free. It took more than a little work on his part, but he felt it was worth it. A pretty woman with a place of her own, far from the sea, was exactly what he was looking for. She couldn't get with child either, which just made her all the prettier in Will's eyes. He could poke her all he wanted, and never have to worry about little urchins running about.

Once she let him start replacing her livestock and fixing up her place, so she wouldn't have to whore, he was soon sharing her bed every night. The last three months were the best Will Tanner could remember in all his life. She kept the place clean, kept him fed, and spread her legs any time he wanted it. All he had to do was keep the place from falling apart, and keep food in the cupboards.

Shaking off the last few drops of piss, Will pulled back up his trousers, returning to the house.

The sword point in his back stopped him in his tracks, just as he was about to step inside.

"Hello, Bill, I know it's you. I'd know that scurvy mug of yours anywhere."

A hand on his shoulder spun him around, and William stood facing his old mate, Deadeye Pierre.

"Ye decide ye'd had enough of the sea too, Pierre?" William knew better, but he had little choice other than to hope he was wrong.

"Captain Trenchard is very angry with you, Will. We've been aport longer'n any of the mates can remember, all for you, Will. I got a gift for you, Lucky Will, from Captain Trenchard and your mates you robbed." Reaching into a pocket of his coat, Pierre withdrew a scrap of paper and pressed it into William's hand. "Guess you ain't so lucky no more."

With that, Pierre burst out in an evil laugh and ran off into the darkness. William slowly raised his trembling hand, knowing what he would see when he opened it.

The Black Spot.

William screamed in terror and frustration. Somehow, they had found him.

"Will – what's wrong, Will?" Louisa asked, emerging from the bedroom with a fearful look on her face.

William ignored her, dropping the paper to the ground and rushing past her into the bedroom, where his sword and gun both lay.

Louisa picked up the paper, looking at it in confusion. Walking back into the bedroom, she found William pulling on his shirt. Once the garment was in place, he immediately started checking his pistol.

"William, you're scaring me. What is this paper?"

"It's The Black Spot!" William spat out, starting to throw clothing into his old sea-bag.

"I don't understand. What about a black spot?"

Still hurling his few possessions into the bag, William blurted out, "The Black Spot's a pirate's death sentence! They'll be coming to kill me! All I took was that damned ring and a lil' bag o' gold, an' they chased me all the way here!"

Raising up her hand to look at it, Louisa stared in horror at the ring on her finger. "This ring? They're coming to kill you for this ring? You were a pirate?"

"Damn it woman, there's no time for squawkin', I've got to get meself out of here, or I'm gullied for sure! Them miserable sons of bilge rats'll skin me, if'n they catch me!"

Pulling off the ring, Louisa hurled it at him. Her eyes flashed with anger, but were also full of tears. "You bastard! You get out now, you murdering pirate! I'm not dying for your stealing!"

Will slung his sea bag over his shoulder, not noticing the ring caught in a fold of the bag. "I'm for going, woman!"

Running to the door, he looked out the window and froze. There were torches moving toward the house, and he could already see the faces of two men.

It was too late.

"I'm gullied," He muttered, knowing there was no escape now.

"You lying bastard, you deserve what you get for stealing and lying to me!" Louisa flung open the door and walked outside. She screamed to the approaching men, "The bastard you want is in here! Get him out of my house!"

Will hissed, "Fool woman, get back in the house!" He knelt down and grabbed for her skirt, but she darted away from him, continuing to scream to the torch-bearing men, pointing into the house.

"Oy, look here lads. We'll have us a bit of fun 'fore we carve up ol' Will."

All the blood drained out of William's face, and a chill crept through his flesh. He knew that voice, all too well. Captain Trenchard had sent that animal, Black Eyed Pete, to kill him. Will knew he'd be a long time dying if Pete got ahold of him.

Wincing, knowing what was going to happen, he slammed the door. Quickly sliding the bolts and bars into place, he backed off and waited, with his gun at the ready. His only hope now was to force them to burn him out. Burning alive was far better than anything Pete would do to him, and would be over quicker. Looking at the pistol, he considered just sticking it in his mouth and pulling the trigger.

He heard Louisa scream, as well as the sound of her nightgown tearing. His hand twitched, and he started to turn the pistol toward himself. After a few moments of violent trembling, he sighed and let the pistol fall to his side. All the while, Louisa screamed in terror and pain outside. He knew his old mates, and they knew they had him trapped. They'd take their time with Louisa, and then come for him.

Dropping his sea bag, Will decided just to give up. He heard a sound, and looked to see the ring rolling across the floor. Scooping it up, he slid it onto his finger. Maybe if he took off running, flaunting the stolen ring, and managed to get far enough away, they'd decide to shoot him. The sounds of gunshots ringing through the night would be enough to worry them, and maybe they'd leave Louisa alone after he was dead.

William took a deep breath to summon up his courage, glad he'd already emptied his bladder, because otherwise, he'd be standing in a puddle of his own piss right now. Noticing the ring was on crooked, he straightened it, so the amber stone would really show when he taunted his old mates with it in a few moments.

"I am Laresa, how may I serve you, Master?"

The sound of a woman's voice behind him nearly stopped Will's heart. Spinning around, he spit out, "Satan's teeth!" His arm came up, and he aimed his pistol at the scantily clad woman.

The sight of her was breathtaking. Her hair was a blonde so pale; it could only be called silver. In fact, it glittered with highlights of that color that surely weren't natural. The gossamer gown she wore did little to hide her body, revealing the ample swell of her bosom and trim waist, hiding little more than her nipples and her sex behind less translucent layers of material. He stood, staring at her with wide eyes, his pistol trembling in his hand. "What kind of devil's temptress are ye?"

Laresa's senses gave her a general idea of the time and place in which she now walked the world outside again. The sound of cruel laughter and terrified screams from outside pierced the silence. Laresa could sense that her new Master was deathly afraid of both her, and of those beyond the barred door.

"I am no temptress – the devil's or otherwise. I am a genie, Master, and I await your command," Laresa explained.

"Ye've the devil in ye! Ye're not for fooling me, witch! I'm not for believing stories about genies and lamps. What are ye, Trenchard's devil whore?"

Laresa's eyes narrowed, and she frowned. It was bad enough that her Master was calling her a whore while pointing a gun at her, but a woman was also being raped only a few feet away on the other side of the door. "You summoned me from the ring. You need only make a wish to prove my words. I cannot lie to you, Master."

William erupted into a laugh tinged with madness. "Aye, a genie. Well then, devil genie, I wish every one of those squid-sucking mother murderers, Captain Trenchard and his whole crew, was all dead, so's I wouldn't have to be looking over me shoulder for 'em for the rest of me days."

Laresa hated these wishes – she took no joy in killing. Reaching out with her senses, as she had little choice, she knew that at least these men were far more deserving of their fate than others whom Masters had commanded her to slay in the past. Killers, thieves, and rapists all, each had copious amounts of blood on their hands. She fought the power welling up inside her instinctively, knowing it was futile. This had happened too many times before, and it was a fight she could not win. Still tasting bile, despite the obviously foul nature of the men, Laresa released her power. "It is done."

Laughing again, William steadied his hand, aiming his pistol with more accuracy at the Djinn. It was then that the silence intruded upon his chaotic thoughts. Listening carefully, he realized he no longer heard screams and laughter from outside. After a few moments, he warily stepped backward toward the door. When he reached the portal, Will quickly stepped sideways and looked out the window, darting back out of view as quickly as possible.

Not believing his eyes, he darted in front of the window for a second glance, and then at last walked over to take a long look outside. His old mates, at least six of them, lay sprawled on the ground, near their still-burning torches. Louisa was lying on the ground, her clothing torn away, with a man mounted atop her.

Turning back to the genie, he asked, "They're dead?"

"Such was your wish, Master," Laresa responded.

Slowly holstering his gun, William ran his fingers through his long, dark, curly hair. Keeping a watchful eye on the genie, he opened the door. When the men didn't spring to their feet and come after him, he walked outside.

Approaching the spot where Louisa lay, he recognized the man on top of her, with his cock still buried inside of her. It was Walleyed Pike, a man who had never liked Will, on account of constantly losing games of bones to him. Black Eyed Pete lay staring with unseeing eyes nearby, and William recognized the other four men as well.

Kicking Pike off Louisa, he watched the man limply flop to the dust. Louisa was unconscious, either from the shock of the rape, or from having a man drop dead atop her in the process of doing so. She was breathing, so he knew she was alive.

"Damn me, they are dead,"

"As I said, Master, you wished them dead, and so they are."

William regarded the Djinn curiously, asking, "All of them? That murderous dog Trenchard too?"

"He – and all his crew – breathe no more," Laresa answered.

"Well damn me – damn me. So all I got to do is be making a wish, and ye'll be doing it?"

"There are rules, Master."

Rubbing his chin, Will gestured to the unconscious Louisa. "Well, put her back in her bed, and we'll be talking about these here rules. If ye're real like the stories, then ye're a trickster, and I'll be listening good."

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

"So that's it? I can't lie to ye, ye can't be bringing back the dead, and ye can't change things what'll be bothering whole lots of people?" Will squinted, watching Laresa's face carefully, looking for any sign of trickery in her features, or body language.

"Those are the ways in which I may be lost to you, unless you should give away my ring, or it be taken from you," Laresa acknowledged.

Standing up from the chair where he sat, Will said, "I wants to see that scum Captain Trenchard. I wants to see him dead with me own two eyes. She'll be waking up and chasing me out with a kitchen knife soon, anyhow."

"As you command, Master," Laresa responded, bringing her power to bear at the same moment.

Will started, growling out, "Bloody..." The shock of suddenly appearing in the cabin of a ship, after being in a house the moment before, took a second or two to wear off. Slumped over a table in front of him was the body of Captain Trenchard.

William kicked the corpse, laughing when it didn't move in response. Reaching to the man's belt, he pulled the jewel-encrusted sword from its sheath at the captain's waist, lifting Trenchard's head at the same time. Will drew the edge of the sword across the captain's throat, opening a gaping wound.

"Just to be sure the bastard stays dead," William muttered, punctuating the statement with an evil chuckle. He then let go of the pirate's hair, allowing Trenchard's head to fall with a hollow thump back to the table.

"Alright, I wish for the good Captain here and his lot of filthy bilge rats to be buried," William commanded, smiling wide as he finished.

The request surprised Laresa, as the hard-edged man hardly seemed the type to request that people he hated receive a proper burial. She could sense something else in his thoughts, but ignored it for the moment as she summoned up her power and granted his wish. "It is done, Master."

Slapping his knee and laughing, Will revealed his motivation with his next words. "The lot of them will be spinning in their graves, being buried on land. Well then, I'm guessing this is my ship now. Captain William, of the Ghost of the Sea; I'm liking the sound of that."

Laresa didn't relish the thought of serving a murdering pirate for years on end. From the thoughts racing through Will's head, it appeared that such would be her fate, however. Her eyebrows twitched upward slightly in surprise after a few moments, when those thoughts faded, losing their luster.

"I left this life behind for a reason. I'm tired of fighting for me life for a few coins." Remembering Louisa, William sighed and said, "Could ye make Louisa be forgetting about what happened tonight? Me being a pirate, the rape, and all?"

Glad to see hints of humanity in her new Master, Laresa immediately fulfilled his wish. It warmed Laresa's heart, knowing that the poor woman would no longer recall the assault. "Of course, Master, it is done."

Snorting, Will said, "That was a damn sight friendlier than anything ye've said since ye damn to near scared the piss out of me."

Laresa nodded her head in a slight bow. "I do not enjoy killing, Master. Removing painful memories of rape is a task I performed with pleasure."

William tapped his fingers on the table in front of him for a few moments. "I'm for wagering that ye'd be less likely to be tricking me if'n I'm making wishes that you like – aye?"

Sensing a softening of the retired pirate's hard edge, Laresa smiled and replied, "I would consider that a good wager, Master."

Covering his mouth, William yawned. "Right now, I'm for needing some damn sleep. Take me back to the house. I'll be seeing soon enough if the lass has forgotten about my black past."

In the blink of an eye, William stood once again in the common room of Louisa's house. "Ye'll be here when I get up, then?"

Laresa explained, "I will return to my ring, unless you order me to remain outside. I need to return to my home within the ring and rest, to restore my powers, on occasion."

"How do I get ye back, then?"

"Just say my name, and I will return from the ring."

Yawning once more, Will said, "I'm for bed, then."

Laresa nodded her acknowledgement, and William walked into the bedroom, half expecting the woman to awaken and start throwing things at him at any moment. Removing his clothing, he slipped into bed next to Louisa.

Rolling over to face him, Louisa opened her eyes slightly and sleepily asked, "What were you doing?"

"Just out watering the grass, Lass," he replied.

"Go to sleep. I want you well-rested in the morning."

Chuckling, Will closed his eyes, too tired to try to come to grips with the strange series of events that had occurred this night.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Laresa relaxed on her cushions, thinking that things could be worse. At this point, William was the perfect type of Master to own her. She neither liked, nor despised him. Other than the killing wish, made in the heat of the moment, and not completely unjustified, his commands so far weren't making it difficult for her to keep her emotions in check.

As she had so many times recently, Laresa longed for the time when she had been truly able to forget about what it was like to be human. For so long, it had been easy. Masters, good and bad, had come and gone, affecting her when she was at their side, and easily forgotten when the ring moved on.

Now, every new Master summoning her felt as though they clung to her, refusing to let her go. She remembered more details of her recent Masters than of dozens combined throughout the centuries. She could still almost smell Ryan's cologne, and hear Clint's voice. A moment's thought easily summoned up Christine's wonder at coupling with a man she had admired for such a long time.

Unfortunately, she could also remember the savage beatings of Daniel, and the cold, cruel inhumanity of Aaron – in vivid detail.

A few moments of relaxation centered her mind, letting her start to drift off into a rejuvenative sleep. She would forget, and live in the moment, as best she was able. She had managed it in varying degrees since the turmoil in her soul blossomed, and she would do so again.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Laresa slipped out of her reverie, hearing the call of her Master. His summons pulled her from the ring, to coalesce from the mists in the outside world once more. "How may I serve you, Master?"

Grunting in pleased surprise, William answered, "I was just making sure I weren't dreaming. So, it's all being real, then."

"Yes, Master, it is real."

A sleepy call echoed from the bedroom, "Who are you talking to, Will?"

Laresa projected her thoughts to William, I can hear, and respond to your thoughts, Master.

Laresa stifled a chuckle upon hearing him think, Bloody hells!

I apologize for startling you, Master. Simply think what you wish to say, and I will hear it, as though you spoke the words with your lips.

"Nobody lass, I'm just muttering to meself," William responded to Louisa aloud.

"Why don't you come back to bed?" The red-haired woman put a great deal of suggestion into the words, revealing beyond any doubt why she wanted him back in bed.

William's mental voice was hesitant and uncertain, the idea of thinking instead of speaking utterly alien to him. She's always wanting for more when I ain't got none left to give. Can ye make it so's I can be giving her what she wants? Did ye hear that?




Laresa's World Ch. 20: William



This was yet another wish Laresa could grant with a clear conscience. Unfortunately, it was a wish that also raised her opinion of her new Master, and eroded her ability to remain disconnected. For now, she simply decided to enjoy the moment. Of course, Master. I find the idea that you think of her needs pleasing. I will restore your ability to perform whenever necessary, as many times as you would like.

William chuckled, and then whispered, "Ye asked for it, lass. Now ye're going to be getting it." He turned and walked quickly back into the bedroom.

Louisa was waiting for him, her nightgown removed, smiling seductively. She parted her legs the moment he walked into view, beckoning him to the bed to take advantage of that action. Will didn't waste a moment in thought, he simply shed the pants he wore, revealing his throbbing erection, and climbed into the bed. A moment later, he was buried deep in her warm, wet embrace.

The first whore Will had paid to have a poke with took pity on an inexperienced young man, teaching him how to pleasure a woman. He had returned for several more lessons before finding the opportunity to test his knowledge. Over the years, he had refined those beginner's skills, priding himself on bringing even quite jaded prostitutes to a peak. Louisa now received the results of that cumulative experience, something she had quickly grown to love from the well-endowed William.

William didn't hold back as he usually did, attempting to stave off his own release. He used every trick he knew, stroking his cock hard and fast into her clinging depths. The loud sounds of pleasure erupting from Louisa told Will that she was enjoying the difference.

As she neared her peak, and William knew the signs well after coupling with her so many times, he grabbed onto her thighs, pounding his manhood home with all the strength and power he could muster. Louisa's mouth and eyes were both opened wide, surprise and delight with his powerful lovemaking stealing her ability to vocalize her pleasure.

When her orgasm hit, Louisa's back arched, and she screamed loud enough to set Will's ears to ringing. William was in near perfect synchronization with her, his semen erupting inside her with the very first contraction of her climax.

Will caught his breath, thinking that she felt even wetter than usual today. As the fog in his head slowly cleared, he remembered his wish. In the same second his mind focused on that thought, he felt blood rushing back into his manhood.

Louisa gasped out, "Oh, lord yes, Will!" His starting to thrust again after filling her with his seed was completely unexpected. She remembered then that he'd promised to make her remember this morning until the end of her days.

As her body came aflame with intense pleasure, she thought that they were well on their way to making a lifelong memory today.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Curling up and covering her sex protectively, Louisa gasped out, "Good God, William, put that thing away!" She chuckled, following it with a long, deep moan. "I'll not be able to walk for days already. So many times, and so good. I don't deserve you, Will – thank you."

"Thank ye, Lass," Will breathed, collapsing to the bed. When his member had swelled for the fifth time, he hadn't been so sure his back was good for another hump anyway.

After a few minutes, Louisa at last uncurled, moving over to lay her head on his chest. "I don't know where that came from, but I hope it happens again some time."

"Aye, me too, Lass. I'm thinking I'll go to town, and get ye some pretty things. Would ye like that, Louisa?"

Sighing contentedly, Louisa snuggled up closer against him. "I pray this isn't all a dream. If it is, please don't wake me up." She yawned then, and said, "I think I'll sleep in a bit. I don't think I can get out of this bed right now, anyway."

William stroked her hair as he spoke, "I'll take care of the chores, and then I'm going to town. Ye'll have pretty things when I get back, me lovely."

"Don't be long," she replied sleepily, smiling at him before moving to lie down on her pillow again. She started to pull up the blanket, but frowned when she realized it was damp and sticky from their lovemaking.

Will rose and fetched another blanket, covering her up and then leaving the room. She was already drifting off to sleep before he closed the door.

Laresa found it refreshing to have a male Master who's first thought was not the use of her body. William had thought about it of course, but she knew from her connection to him that he was still quite wary of her. As welcome as it was not to be thought of first and foremost as a sex toy, Laresa would not have found such a proposal objectionable at this point. In order to grant William's wish, she had been quite intimately connected to the long lovemaking session, and her pent up passions were screaming at her.

William walked into the front room, where Laresa awaited him, with a wide smile on his face. Quietly, he said, "Ye wouldn't be getting testy if I wished for me woman to not be sore, would ye?"

Laresa smiled at him when she replied, "Though your intentions are not entirely selfless, they are likewise not entirely selfish. I don't believe such a wish would make me testy."

"Aye, do that then."

Laresa nodded and informed him, "It is done, Master."

Grunting in acknowledgement, William then asked, "Well then, while I'm courting Lady Luck, how about if I was to wish that I'd always have the coin to live fine, and give nice things to me woman?"

Laresa saw the flashes of immense wealth in the ex-pirate's mind, but he pushed them aside in favor of more conservative thoughts. His reasoning reminded her of Clint, a Master with a similar background. "You do not wish for the wealth of kings, then?"

"What good's gold ye just pile up? I marked rich men in my time, for prancing about with their fancy things. I'm not for wanting to mark meself that way. I'm just wanting us to live real good," William answered, very much the same as Clint's reasoning.


Producing a pouch, Laresa held it out, "This pouch will always contain coin. It will be up to you to moderate your greed."

"That may take a spot of work, Lass," William chuckled, taking the pouch from her and slipping it into his belt. "Well then, I'm for buying some pretty things for me woman. Ye think ye could tell me what she'd like, ye being a woman yerself and all?"

"If you so wish, I could read her mind and discover what she desires far better than my own intuition could determine," Laresa offered.

"Well now, that's damn handy. Ye're gonna draw eyes to ye, in them things, and I'm not for wanting people to be looking me way."

Laresa shook her head, "None can see me except you, unless you wish for me to be visible, Master."

"So you could think things to me, and nary a soul would know you was there, then?" When Laresa nodded, Will smiled wide and said, "Well then, let us be getting to town. I learned in me years that a woman with pretty things is a damn sight easier to be around, and free with her charms."

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Laresa used her magic to complete the day's chores in an instant for William, and then her power moved them to a nearby town. A couple of hours later, Laresa transported herself and Will to a field just out of sight of the house, a bundle of presents for Louisa under William's arm.

Although far from a noble soul, William thought of Louisa's needs and desires, at least where they could benefit him. Laresa could think of worse character traits, and warmed to the rough, foul-mouthed former pirate somewhat. Once again, she thought that he was the perfect type of Master for her, at this storm-tossed juncture in her long servitude.

Laresa's eyes opened wide when she sensed the presence of magic, more specifically Djinn magic. Two people, a man and a woman, appeared between her and the house. Laresa gasped when she recognized the man.

"Well, Laresa my dear, we have some scores to settle," Aaron growled.

Laresa remembered a faint impression of thought that she had picked up from her former Master, just before he had denied his mind to her. Quickly latching onto that thought, she summoned up her power and transported both she and Will across space and time, to a place that Laresa knew sparked at least some fear in Aaron.

"Who in the hells was that, and where in the hells are we?" Aaron's eyes darted back and forth, taking in the strange surroundings.

"Please, Master, just listen. That was a Master who once owned me, and has reason to hate me. Somehow, he had found a new genie, and he has come for me. He will kill you to reach me. I am using my power to try to hide us from him, as I am bound to protect you, but you must heed my words from this point onward, for both our sakes."

A loud roar drew Aaron's eyes toward the sky, and he cowered down to his knees, staring upward in terror. "What kind of devil bird is that?"

Laresa glanced upward, seeing a jumbo jet making its descent toward a runway somewhere off in the distance. "That is an airplane, Master. We are in the future, and people travel in such things in this time."

Still staring in open-mouthed awe at the plane, William asked, "There are people in the belly of that beast? Why in the hells did ye bring us here?"

"I believe my former Master, Aaron, has reason to fear this time, although I do not know why. I think this is the safest place for us, at this point. I need to find some way to hide us from him forever, or you will be vulnerable when I must return to my ring," Laresa blurted out, her mind racing.

William snorted, "Why don't I just wish the scalawag dead, then?"

"He is protected by a genie as well. There is no guarantee I would be able to grant that wish, and he would certainly find us then," Laresa explained, discarding possible solutions in her mind at a rapid pace.

"Damn me – just when I was looking to earn me nickname, Lucky Will," William lamented.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

"Sebastian, a Djinn utilizing their power," said a man sitting before a curious table, on which sat a large, glowing crystal.

The man just named as Sebastian approached, asking, "Where, Khalid?"

"In Nevada. I should be able to center in on the location soon, the power continues to flow."

"I will inform the council immediately. Contact me if you learn more," Sebastian responded with great excitement.

Not even opening his tightly closed eyes, Khalid nodded to indicate he understood, and Sebastian hurried from the room.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Turning to his genie, Aaron snarled, "Why didn't you stop her!"

"You did not order me to do so, Master," Karida responded.

Letting out an inarticulate scream, Aaron backhanded the genie with all of his strength, hurling her hard to the ground. "I didn't waste years to locate you, only to fail now. Get up, bitch. Find her. Find her NOW!"

"Y-yes, Master."

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Beginning to adapt to the fact he had been moved forward in time, William asked, "What year is it? Where are we?"

Laresa absently answered, "It is the year two-thousand six. We are in what you would know as the New World." She continued to pour power into shielding her presence from the seeking ability of other genies, hoping it would work. Because Aaron had not yet appeared, she took heart that it must be working so far. All the while, she tried to think of a way to get out of this dangerous situation.

William muttered, "Two thousand..." Shaking his head in disbelief, he said, "Damn me, what's the world like after all them years?"

Laresa gestured, creating a shimmering pool of light on the ground before William. "Think of something, or somewhere, and this will show it to you in this time. Please, I must think. We are in great danger."

Looking around warily for a moment, William shrugged and looked at the light, thinking of the port where he had left shipboard life behind forever. His eyes widened in amazement when he saw the expansive docks, modern ships, and an enormous city of impossibly tall buildings appear within the viewing portal.

William's mind flitted back and forth, summoning up new images in the pool, each more strange and fascinating than the last. He completely forgot about the worried genie, which suited her just fine at the moment.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

"Wake up, Boris!"

Boris started awake, sitting up in alarm and blurting out, "What is it, Nathan?"

"A Djinn, nearby! We must hurry!"

Scrambling out of bed, Boris laughed long and loud. "We'll finally get our chance to see one, after all these years. What are you waiting for? Get everything in the car!"

Nathan nodded, hurrying to gather up what they would need to track the genie, and record what they learned upon locating him or her.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

The seeking probes of Aaron's Djinn interrupted Laresa's musings. It took all of Laresa's strength to stave them off, dropping her to her knees on the dusty ground. After what felt like hours, the touch finally vanished. Gasping loudly, Laresa leaned forward on her hands, panting for breath.

William stood over her, the viewing pool having been forgotten when Laresa collapsed, and he asked, "Ye back with me then? I been talking to ye ever since ye fell down, and ye ain't heard a word."

"H-he was seeking us, Master. I kept him from finding us, and I don't feel the magic any longer. Perhaps his Djinn is exhausted, and was forced to rest," Laresa explained.

"I was thinking ye'd gone soft in the head on me. Ye've been down there for a damn long while," William said, offering his hand to help her rise.

Looking up at the sun, Laresa realized that it had indeed been hours since she started fighting the magic trying to find her. She sighed, and informed her Master, "I don't know how I can protect you. I will need to rest eventually, and I can't think of any way to protect you then, considering how hard I had to fight his probes."

"Well, that's just me luck. I..." William's head came up, and he tilted his ear to the wind. In a quiet hiss, he said, "Somebody's out there." He drew his pistol, staring toward the flash of light that had attracted his attention, and listening intently.

Laresa reached out with her senses, finding nothing. "I sense no one, Master."

"Ye're not in the best of shape right now, Lass. I'm telling ye, somebody is out there, and they're close. I saw me a bit of reflection somewhere over there." William pointed to indicate the location of which he spoke.

Her brow furrowing, Laresa reached out with her senses again, searching for anything this time, and not specifically people. She sensed a few animals and insects, but nothing else. Just as she was about to tell William he was imagining things again, she caught a hint of something – a void of some sort.

Seeing the change in Laresa's expression, he asked, "Ye see it now?"

"No, but you are right, there is somebody out there, and their minds are hidden from me."

Dumbfounded, Boris asked, "How did he know we were here?" The parabolic microphone in his hands wobbled a little in his nervous grip.

Nathan replied in a whisper, "I don't know, but the Djinn – it has to be Laresa – has detected us. I don't believe she's found us yet, but it is only a matter of time. What do we do?"

Boris thought for a moment, and then said, "I suggest we reveal ourselves – carefully. That man looks competent with his weapon, and despite its likely unreliable nature, I do not wish to chance being shot. I agree that the Djinn is Laresa, and we certainly don't want to startle her."

"Shouldn't we contact the council?"

Noticing Laresa's face turning toward them, obviously homing in on them, he said, "I don't believe we have time. We should be obstructed from direct view if we remain below this rise. We will simply announce our presence."

Nathan nodded his agreement, not having a better solution.

Boris relaxed his mental controls, honed for years to hide his thoughts from Djinn. After pressing a button on his belt, and taking a deep breath, he shouted, "We mean you no harm."

Laresa and William both homed in on the sound immediately. William's pistol pointed directly at the spot where a hillock concealed the men, saying, "Come out of there, ye scurvy lubber, and I'd best be able to see yer hands, or I'll put a ball between yer eyes!"

Boris stood slowly, keeping his hands well above his head and in plain view. Nathan did the same, after a moment of hesitation. Boris found he could no longer contain his excitement, and asked, "You are Laresa, are you not?"

"I think we'll be asking the questions," William warned, his weapon pointed at Boris' head.

Laresa's stomach tightened into a knot. Far too many were calling her by name before she revealed it, of late. Anger welled up inside her, and she asked in low, ominous tones, "Are you friends of Aaron?"

Seeing the anger in the Djinn's eyes, Boris cautiously answered, "He was once one of us, but we believe he has broken the covenant that joined us."

"By my guess, ye'd best be answering better than that, because the Lass don't look like she's liking that answer," William warned, a touch of amusement in his voice.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Sebastian muttered an oath under his breath. "What are they doing? Why did they reveal themselves?"

An aged man in an ornate robe reached out his hand and laid it on Sebastian's shoulder. "Be calm. Boris and Nathan are intelligent men. If they have revealed their presence to the Djinn, they have good reason."

Bowing his head, Sebastian said, "Of course, revered one."

Khalid stiffened. "Another Djinn, in the same location."

Sebastian gasped and then said, "Aaron! I just received a signal from the GPS on his laptop! He is there as well!"

The robed man shook his head sadly. "It is as we feared, Aaron has broken the covenant."

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

"You," Aaron snarled, appearing with his genie to find not only Laresa and her Master, but also two other people he recognized.

Turning in surprise, Nathan stammered, "Aaron, what are you doing here? You have broken the first law. You know we are forbidden to utilize the Djinn."

Laresa stood protectively next to her Master, and attempted to summon up her power to transport them away. Her eyes widened when she felt the power of the other Djinn counter her.

His teeth bared in an angry grimace, Aaron growled out, "I am no longer one of you. You are all fools. I serve myself now, not a bunch of mindless old men. The Society refused to acknowledge my accomplishments, so they can go to hell. You can go to hell, both of you."

Boris asked, "Where is Wallace? You killed him, didn't you?"

"Yes, I killed the old goat. He was the one holding me back. I did all the work, and he got all the glory. Well, who's on top now?" Aaron burst out into wicked laughter.

Laresa's mind whirled. Every time she attempted to leave with William, the other genie countered her. William kept his weapon raised, unsure who to target with the pistol. For the moment, he simply remained ready, listening curiously to the conversation.

Boris boldly took a step toward their former brother, "Aaron, you know that the Society will hunt you now. You cannot be allowed to operate outside the law, and you have taken the life of two Society members. If you return now, and tell what you have learned from the Djinn, perhaps you may only be imprisoned."

"Your count is a little off, or at least it will be," Aaron snarled.

Laresa saw Aaron raise his hands, an evil grin breaking out on his face. Knowing what was to come, she quickly shouted, "Beware!"

"Too late," Aaron snapped, releasing lightning from his outstretched arms to envelop the two men before him.

"Satan's teeth!" William exclaimed, stepping back, trying to aim his gun through the flashing strobe of electricity arching all about the two twitching men.




Laresa's World Ch. 20: William



Laresa's skin crawled. As cruel as Laresa knew the man to be, to see him destroying two people with whom he was obviously acquainted – with such glee – revealed the true depths of Aaron's black soul. Once again, she attempted to leave with William. The other Djinn winced slightly, giving Laresa hope that she might yet overpower the magic blocking her retreat.

The two blackened, smoking bodies collapsed in a heap to the earth, still twitching in a caricature of life, though the two men were surely dead. Aaron stared in satisfaction at the corpses, and then snapped his eyes to Laresa. "You thought you'd hidden from me, didn't you, bitch."

Laresa squared her shoulders and said, "I made a mistake in leaving you with what I granted you when I left. I won't make that mistake again." She reached out with her power, to suck away the magic granted to Aaron when he had been her Master. She knew instantly that something was wrong.

Aaron laughed. "I expected that, Laresa, so I had Karida here reinforce your little gifts. You can't steal my lightning or my invulnerability that easily, now."

Laresa nearly surrendered to despair at that moment. Despite all her effort, he had found her, and even if she managed to escape, he would just find her again. Eventually, she would make a wrong move, or be too weak to resist, and he would have her.

"I don't make the same mistake twice either, Laresa. You'll find that out the hard way in a moment. Karida, kill that relic of the past who wears Laresa's ring."

Those words snapped Laresa out of her downward spiral. Summoning up all her strength, she shielded her Master, just in time to prevent Karida's magic from slaying William. She transformed her fear and hopelessness into power, pushing back against the continuing deadly thrust of the other Djinn's magic.

William kept his pistol pointed at Aaron, the words my invulnerability echoing in his head. Even as Laresa battled for his life against Karida, a war waged within William's head. Resigned to his fate now, his mental conflict was over whether to make a final gesture of defiance by shooting the arrogant bastard in front of him, or simply to accept his fate.

Laresa stood up a little straighter, feeling the attack of the other Djinn weaken. Apparently, she was the stronger of the two. That gave her some hope. If she could resist Karida's attack, perhaps it was possible that she could succeed in reversing the current situation, and kill Aaron.

His decision made, William aimed his weapon at Aaron's chest. "Die, ye yellow bilge rat!"

Aaron laughed, puffing out his chest and tapping it, "Try it, fool. You'll be dead in a few seconds any way."

"Arrogant bastard," Aaron growled, and discharged his pistol.

Laresa felt the power pushing against her vanish, as Karida reacted to save Aaron's life, freezing the bullet in time, millimeters from his chest. Reaching deep within her, Laresa built up her resolve, and drew upon reserves of power she had never before tapped. There was only one way to stop Aaron, and that was to kill him. Tasting bile, Laresa gathered her magic.

Aaron screamed, "Ignore the bullet! I'm invulnerable, you stupid bitch. Kill the idiot who fired it!"

"But, Master..."

"Ignore the bullet and kill him!"

Karida released the power holding back the bullet, and Aaron's eyes opened wide as it plunged into his chest.

Before either Laresa or William could react, both Aaron and his Djinn vanished.

A second after they disappeared, it dawned upon Laresa what had happened. The wish she had granted him originally had made him invulnerable to the weapons and attacks of the Inca.

The Inca possessed no firearms.

William burst out in laughter, "Got that son-of-a-bitch!"

"His genie will save him." Laresa decided that she could no longer risk William. Her strength was already waning, and she would soon need to return to her ring. "Master, I will return us to your time, if you wish."

"Aye, this world is bedeviled, take me home," Will responded.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

"Both Djinn are gone," Khalid announced.

"There is no sign of Aaron on the GPS monitor, either," Sebastian confirmed.

The older, robed man said, "Summon every member of the Society here. We are exposed to the Djinn, one of our own has turned against us, and he utilizes the power of the Djinn. We must mourn those we have lost as well, for surely what we heard was the death of both Boris and Nathan."

"It will be done," Khalid and Sebastian answered in unison.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Laresa called up her magic, feeling the weakness within her grow more profound. They returned to the exact spot, and the exact moment from which they had departed.

Laresa immediately tried to explain to William what she believed was the only solution. "Master, I will be forced to rest soon, and you will be in danger. So long as you possess my ring, he will seek you. The only way I can protect you, is to leave you. Just as my magic remained upon him, so can it remain with you. I can grant health and stamina, for both you and your woman, for all your years. You already have the pouch that will never empty of money, and the pirates who sought your death are dead themselves."

William's brow furrowed and his lips pursed as he considered Laresa's words. "So I'll have coin, live well, and be humping with me woman in me old years, aye? I already spent too long looking over me shoulder, and I'm not for doing it again. If ye do them things for me, I'll let ye go."

Relieved, Laresa released her power, bestowing lifelong health and sexual prowess upon both Louisa and William. "It is done, Master."

William actually felt numerous aches and pains that had been with him for years vanish with the granting of his wish. "Well then, how do I go about letting ye go?"

"You can wish me away to another place and time, or simply lie to me. Either will accomplish the same thing," Laresa answered. "I thank you for not forcing me to endure the death of a Master. It is a very unpleasant experience."

William chuckled, and said, "I don't think I'd be caring for it much either, Lass. I think I'm going to miss ye, though. I didn't trust ye much, but ye've proven yer a good Lass, I'm for thinking. That bastard is a mean one, so I wish ye luck, Lass."

Laresa gasped, feeling the power of that wish wash over her.

Concern crossed William's face. "Are ye all right, Lass?"

Laying a hand over her heart, Laresa answered, "I'm fine. I hope that what I just felt was what I believe it to be. I could certainly use the luck you just wished me."

"I didn't even think about that when I said it," William laughed, shrugging his shoulders as his lips turned up into a smile.

"Thank you again, Master."

William looked down at the ring on his finger with a sigh, finding what he must do next difficult despite his words. Giving up the power to have all your wishes come true was not easy, but he knew from the encounter in the future that even a genie couldn't save you from all fates.

"I never once thought about having a poke with ye, Lass."

Laresa couldn't help but smile at that lie, as she transformed into smoke, returning to her ring, and hurtling across the face of space and time once more.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Aaron struck Karida with all his strength. "You stupid cow!"

"I tried to warn you, Master, but you commanded me, and I was forced to obey," Karida protested from where she had fallen to her knees.

"Find Laresa again — now!"

Closing her eyes, Karida reached out with her power. To her surprise, she could find no hint of the other genie. Concentrating harder proved to be of no use either. "I-I cannot locate her, Master."

Throwing up his hands, Aaron screamed, "What do you mean, you can't find her?"

"I do not understand, Master. I can sense neither her presence, nor her power attempting to hide her from me. Perhaps I am too weak. I must soon rest in my ring,"

Growling in frustration, Aaron waved his hand, "Go then. Return to my side the moment your power is restored."

Karida vanished back into the earring that served as her home, and Aaron sat down heavily into a chair behind him. A thousand thoughts of the torments he would visit upon Laresa, when he finally reacquired her, flitted through his mind – each more terrible than the last.

Shrouded by the magical luck bestowed upon her with William's wish, Laresa rested in her ring.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Thanks to Roust for his editing, as always.

Red dreamed up a wonderful character, and Laresa is a joy to write. Be sure to read the rest of the chain, and keep your eyes open for Laresa stories outside the chain as well. Danielle has an 8-parter, I'm in the process of filling in the time between Ch. 15 and 16 (first story already out), and Black Tulip is working on the ending to her last chapter as well.

A nod goes out to Deathlynx for all those IM conversations fleshing out the Society of Djinn too. What part do they play in Laresa's tale?

Only time will tell...



Laresa's World Ch. 21: Martin



England 1812

Martin toyed with the ring on his finger. Laresa had told him the rules. He knew he couldn't make Shastae fall in love with him, but he knew he didn't stand a chance of making her his if Andrew was always in the way. He licked his lips before taking a deep breath to call forth his secret weapon. 

A small mist of smoke filled the air around him and he watched, once more amazed, as Laresa came forth and presented herself to her Master. "Good evening Master. How may I serve you?" 

Martin smiled at the woman who was garbed in a gossamer gown of shimmering green and blue. He enjoyed looking at her and at times wanted to lay with her, but he loved Shastae and it was Shastae he needed to possess. "It is time Laresa," he said quietly and then nodded to the couple dancing. 

Laresa looked at Shastae and Andrew, their bodies were pressed together as the music of the small orchestra played a sweet melody. She had dreaded this night. Martin was not a bad Master. He was just young and immature. He'd found her after he'd been tossed from his horse during a routine jump. He'd slammed into the ground, and her ring had dug into his hip as he'd try to rise from his new home on the wet ground. The ring slid easily on his finger and when he turned it and Laresa appeared, she quickly explained who and what she was and all it entailed. 

As soon as Martin realized the true depth of her abilities, his mind began to weave ways he could make his desires become reality. Laresa had felt the true adoration for the woman Shastae and by the depth of Martin's feelings she was sure the young woman in question felt the same way. She'd been wrong. 

"Master it is my job to do as you wish, but since you have allowed me to speak freely with you, I must ask you . . . are you sure you wish to do this?" Her violet eyes looked pleadingly at her Master. 

"I just need Andrew out of the picture Laresa. I can't compete with him. Look, he's everything I am not. Even with your changes she hasn't noticed me." Martin stared at the beautiful creature in his brother's arms. Her long blonde curls were piled on top of her head, several curls had escaped caressing the back of her neck and tickle her shoulders. He longed to run his fingers through her hair and bring them to his lips. "Do it Laresa. I just need him gone. Not forever, mind you, but right now she only has eyes for him. Keep him safe, but it is time. Bring in the messenger and let my dreams come true." 

Laresa sighed. She could sense the outcome of her Master's wishes, but as much as he allowed her to speak her mind, it was rare she was able to change his and never had she been able to convince him that Shastae was in love with no one but Andrew. "It is done," she told him and together they turned to watch one of the King's Captains walk into the ball room.





Laresa's World Ch. 22: Rutila



Rome – at the height of the Empire

An obviously false smile decorated the fat man's face as he gestured toward the red-haired young woman next to him. He finished with what he hoped would be her high selling point. "She is barren as well, and thus shall present no unwelcome consequences in that area. Shall I have her undress for you, Scaeva?"

Scaeva only acknowledged Lurco on occasion during the long, drawn out description of Rutila's merits. He had eyes only for her soft flesh, so tantalizingly concealed beneath her toga. There was no need for Scaeva to see her unclad, in order to know that the swell of her bosom and hips would paint a remarkable picture when bare. Her face was likewise soft, gentle, and framed in red-gold curls. Her eyes were properly downcast, and she appeared to be in good health.

"I do not believe that shall be necessary, Lurco," Scaeva said, turning back to the fat man. "I am curious as to why you would wish to sell such a fine flower, however."

"There has been some difficulty with my wife, I am afraid. I am truly loathe to part with Rutila, but my wife's mood grows unbearable," Lurco explained.

That explanation satisfied Scaeva. He vaguely remembered that Rutila had been in the household since birth, daughter of another slave. Once Lurco had married, and his wife discovered the corpulent man's trysts with the slave, she had obviously objected.


Turning back to Lurco, Scaeva asked, "Very well, what is your price?"

While the two men bartered over her, Rutila examined the man who would likely soon be her new Master. She kept her eyes downcast as often as possible, while getting a sense of him. Relief washed through her that he was young, and handsome. If she were to serve as his pleasure slave, it would be a far less onerous duty than when she served Lurco in that capacity.

Some small amount of pride swelled within her heart when the negotiations were short, and the price agreed upon was considerable. This was the first time in all her life where some sense of value had been placed upon her. Pride, and hope that her existence would now be less dismal, were two rare emotions for the young slave woman.

Rutila followed her new Master back to his home – looking forward to a change in her dreary existence.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Scaeva opened his eyes and withdrew from Rutila's depths, trailing sticky ropes of his semen and her wetness. Despite the climax that still shook her body, Rutila moved quickly to engulf Scaeva's manhood in her mouth. Cleaning the evidence of their coupling from him, she kept her intimate muscles tightly clenched, so as not to soil the bed with his seed.

Scaeva sighed, and pushed Rutila away from his organ. "Go bathe, and prepare for the evening meal."

"Yes, Master," Rutila replied, bowing to him. She quickly gathered up her clothing, leaving the bedchambers for the bath. The warmth of her orgasm cooled instantly from Scaeva's distant tone, becoming a cold grip of fear on her heart. She had displeased her Master again.

Hurrying to the bath, her mind whirled in worry. Her life here for the last six months was the best she could imagine for her station, but that might soon end, if the whisperings of the other servants and slaves were correct. The gossip amongst the household staff pointed toward Scaeva selling his pleasure slave.

Tears threatening to well up in her eyes, Rutila did her best to push the thoughts away. She did not know why the Master would be so displeased with her, but it was obvious each time he used her body that the act was not all he expected it to be.

Not only was she well provided for, and well treated in Scaeva's household, but he had also given her the gift of her first climax. Always in a room with other servants while in Lurco's service, she had never explored her own body. Likewise, the corpulent man's stamina had been insufficient for her to achieve orgasm either. The first time – and every time – she reached her peak on Scaeva's thrusting manhood or darting tongue were some of her fondest memories.

Rutila's lip quivered, as she realized it might soon end. The Master never spoke of what displeased him, and Rutila's lack of life experience prevented her from discerning it on her own. She crossed the courtyard to the baths, her pace slowing as depression gripped her.

Stepping inside, Rutila removed her sandals and replaced them with the wooden soled ones that would protect her feet from the heat of the baths. This too was a privilege before unknown to her. Rutila had come to enjoy her daily washing in the Master's exquisite baths.

Stepping into an alcove, she removed her clothing and placed it on a shelf. A servant would take it and launder it after her bath. Deciding to forego a steam today, Rutila passed the door to that room and proceeded to the steaming pool beyond.

Kicking off her sandals, Rutila settled into the water to wash. The warmth seeped into her, washing away some of her melancholia even as she rinsed away the grit of the day.

When her toe brushed against something beneath the water, Rutila pulled it toward her with her foot. Reaching down, she withdrew it from the water – her eyes opening wide with surprise. The object was a ring, with a golden band and a large amber stone.

Having never worn jewelry, Rutila could not resist slipping the ring on her finger for a moment. She smiled when the ring fit perfectly, and then adjusted it to sit straight upon her finger.

The steam from the pool suddenly appeared to increase in volume, swirling and thickening. Obviously not a natural phenomenon, the sight caused Rutila to back away toward the opposite side of the bathing pool. Her heart beat fast in fear, as the mists swirled together into the form of a woman.

Laresa took in her surroundings, getting a sense of where she was in space and time, and then bowed to her new Master. "My name is Laresa. How may I serve you, Mistress?"

"Who are you? I will call for help. My Master is very fond of me and would not see me come to harm," Rutila warned, backing up against the edge of the bathing pool.

Sensing the thoughts of her new Mistress, Laresa discovered that she was now bound in service to a pleasure slave. The parallels to her own existence were not lost upon Laresa. "You need not fear me, Mistress. I am a genie, summoned from the ring you wear on your finger. It is my duty to serve and protect you. You need only to make a wish, and I will grant it for you."

"I wish you were not frightening me so," Rutila responded in a quavering voice.

"Unfortunately, I cannot tamper with emotions, Mistress. Would that I could calm you heart." Sensing that her clothing, strange to the young woman in the bath, added to Rutila's discomfort, Laresa called upon her power to stand nude before her Mistress. "This is but a small example of the wonders I can bring with my power. Surely there is something that I might do for you, Mistress."

"Do not call me Mistress, should another hear you speaking to me so, I will be punished," Rutila said quietly, awed by the sudden disappearance of Laresa's clothing.

"Very well, Rutila," Laresa responded with a slight bow. "Fear not others hearing me, because I am invisible and silent to any but you, unless you wish it otherwise. Surely you have a wish in your heart – something you desire beyond anything else."

Rutila indeed did desire something, but Laresa was surprised to discover it was not freedom. Beyond anything else, Rutila wanted to please her Master, so that he would not sell her to someone else.

Sensing that her Mistress did not intend to vocalize the wish, Laresa prompted, "I can use my power to grant you knowledge, and I may guide you in pleasing your Master. I know well the ways of lovemaking."

Stunned, but intrigued by the silver-haired woman's offer, Rutila considered the wondrous things she had already beheld since putting on the ring. After a few moments of consideration, she said in a small voice, "I wish to know how to please my Master, in such a way as to be beyond anything he has ever imagined."

Laresa's face broke out into a wide smile. She called up her power, and said, "It is done. Think about going to your Master, and see what knowledge you now possess."

Rutila's eyes widened when her mind was flooded with uncountable little gestures, touches, and techniques she had never before thought of. "This will please my Master?"

"I'm quite sure it will," Laresa responded with a crooked grin. "If you wish me to, I can remain invisible at your side, giving your further guidance, as you satisfy your Master beyond anything he has ever dreamed."

Rutila asked, "Why do you do this for me?"

"I am bound to do so as Djinn, but I like you, and I want to please you as well, Rutila. I'm sure you can understand that desire," Laresa replied.

A slight smile crossed Rutila's features. "I do." Still somewhat frightened, but also filled with hope, even as she was now filled with centuries of lovemaking knowledge, Rutila stepped from the bath. The thought of pleasing her Master overwhelmed all else, giving her confidence like none she had ever experienced.

"Should I go to him now?"

Laresa winked and said, "Men are predictable creatures. I will guide you in arousing his interest. He will be far more pleased if he believes it is his idea. Go about your normal duties, and I will let you know when to entice him."

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Rutila felt her cheeks growing warm as she walked toward the table with the wine pitcher. Her hips swayed sensually in the manner Laresa suggested would surely draw her Master's eye. Indeed, his expression was curious when she poured his wine upon reaching the table.

Returning to her place in the room, again letting her hips move in a sinuous dance, Rutila suddenly remembered the ring upon her finger. Oh, no, I must not be seen wearing amber and gold! The Master will surely punish me!

Laresa's calming voice popped into Rutila's head, Don't worry, I'll make the ring invisible to him. He will not notice it.

Laresa guided Rutila to move slightly to the left, where the sunlight streaming into the room brightly lit her. Rutila's thin stola took on a translucence in the bright light, silhouetting her lush curves to good effect.

Rutila could not help but smile as she saw her Master's eyes turning to her frequently throughout the meal. Whenever he called for more wine, he would always reach out to touch her, and Rutila could see the hunger building in his eyes, even as he sated the hunger in his belly.

Upon completing his meal, Scaeva signaled Rutila to follow him. Rutila felt gooseflesh rising all over her body in anticipation. It had been quite some time since the Master had called her to his side more than once in a day.

He is in your net, Rutila. Go show him pleasure like he has never known, Laresa thought to her Mistress.

The Master's hands went to her clothing the moment they entered his bedchamber. Rutila trembled slightly from his touch, and the conspicuous evidence of his arousal tenting the toga wrapped around him.

Laresa's voice sounded within Rutila's mind, Slide your hands down his body, as you kneel in front of him. Look up into his eyes as you undress him. You'll know what to do after that.

Rutila smiled at her Master, and did as Laresa suggested. The sound of pleased surprise from Scaeva sent warmth coursing through Rutila's body. The look of lusty desire in his eyes as she undressed him was one she had rarely seen in recent days. He pulled at his clothing as well, and soon stood nude before her. His considerable manhood twitched in anticipation, as her warm breath kissed it.

Rutila knew exactly what to do. Dozens of new possibilities flitted through her head, the thoughts increasing her own desire. Leaning forward, she wrapped her hand around him, exposing the swollen tip of his cock from its concealing sheath.

Scaeva groaned in delight as Rutila's tongue swirled over the head of his cock. This was something new, not the puppet-like actions his pleasure slave had performed ever since he purchased her. Reaching down, he twined his fingers into her red-gold hair, watching her tongue slide all over him, moistening the hard flesh with delightful skill. His fingers tightened in her hair when her lips closed over the tip of his erection, and a loud gasp burst from him.

The strong, bittersweet taste of his offering caused Rutila to let out a little high-pitched moan around him. Suckling the swollen tip of him, she swirled her tongue through the pre-cum oozing from him. Acting upon her new, magically granted knowledge, she let her tongue slide along the ridge where the head met his shaft. She paused upon reaching the ropy cord at the front, tickling it with quick flicks of her tongue.

Pumping her hand over his turgid flesh, slipping his foreskin over the now wet flesh beneath, Rutila bobbed her head in quick motions over his tip. She let him pop from between her lips with each stroke, but never lost contact with his flesh for even a second. Her Master's sounds of pleasure grew deeper, and louder, as she labored over his manhood.

Scaeva pulled forward on Rutila's head as she engulfed him. A long sigh escaped his wide-open mouth as she took him deeper than ever before – nearly his entire length wrapped in her warm, wet embrace. Her shining curls whipped against his thighs, as she took him in at an ever-quicker pace.

From his sounds, and the swelling of his organ in her mouth, Rutila knew her Master would soon reward her with the fruits of her labors. She marveled at the knowledge that allowed her to take him so deep – pressing even into her throat without undue discomfort. A slow, but steady flow of flavorful juices oozed from him to flood her mouth with pleasurable sensations.

Her Master's hand fisted in her hair, and he pulled her against him with a loud, grunting scream. Thick spurts of his seed erupted into her mouth, nearly choking her, filling her mouth full. She swallowed, only to have him replace the thick pool of semen with another, even as the first slid warmly into her belly.

Rutila continued to suckle him slowly, milking every drop she could from her Master's trembling body. At last, he pushed her away, placing his hands on her shoulders to steady his trembling knees.

Laresa could sense Scaeva's delight from Rutila's new exuberance, and knew she was granting Rutila exactly what she wanted. Her mouth had certainly pleased him, far beyond what he had expected upon calling her to his bedchamber.

Still somewhat wobbly, Scaeva put his hands under Rutila's arms, instructing her to rise. She licked her lips as she stood, causing her Master to smile. He then pulled her toward the bed, silently instructing her to lie down with a slight nod of his head.

Part your legs and stroke your folds for him gently, Laresa instructed.

Rutila did so, and the wide smile on Scaeva's face caused a fresh surge of wetness to seep into her depths. He moved between her legs, and Rutila moved her hand to give him unfettered access to her wet heat.

When his lips touched her, Rutila had to fight to stay upon the bed. Her back wanted to arch high, pushing her sex into his lips and tongue. When his tongue parted her labia and slid inside her, she bit her lip hard to stop the cry of ecstasy welling up within her.

Laresa could sense disappointment coming from Scaeva. A moment's concentration revealed the source of that disappointment, and the reason Rutila was causing it.

He wants to see your pleasure, Rutila. That is what has been displeasing him with you. He wants to know that his touch causes your body to stir. I can sense how wonderful he makes you feel. He has no wife to anger when you cry out in bliss. Release your body to enjoy his touch. 

For a moment, Laresa could feel Rutila fighting against years of conditioning. Her previous Master had ordered her to be silent and virtually unmoving when he took her. When Laresa's words punched through those controls, the Djinn felt something entirely different.

Laresa leaned back against the wall in surprise as Rutila's ecstasy wash over the genie through the connection with her Mistress. Laresa's sex tingled as a rush of wetness welled up inside her, and her nipples stiffened into turgid points. Rutila moaned loudly in delight as her Master's tongue tantalized her, and Laresa could not suppress a moan of her own as she shared in the sensations.

The sudden change in Rutila's reactions spurred Scaeva to even greater efforts. This, in turn, brought even more cries of pleasure from his slave. Her body now writhed and undulated beneath him, pressing her folds tight against his lips. Her musky scent of arousal filled his lungs, and the tangy taste of her abundant juices flooded his mouth. For so long he had wanted to see her share in his pleasure, and now she did so – far above his expectations.

Laresa caused her clothing to vanish in the blink of an eye. Connected to the couple on the bed before her, her clit throbbed violently, begging to be touched. Reaching down, she stroked her wet folds, as she fell into the overwhelming waves of pleasure crashing against her from her Mistress and the woman's Master.

Rutila pinched her hard nipples, a warbling cry of great volume echoing through the room. Her pleasure was mounting quickly, as Scaeva's lips wrapped around the bud at the apex of her lips. His tongue massaged it, even as his lips suckled it, and Rutila felt as though her body were expanding, on the verge of bursting at any moment from the pleasure.

Scaeva looked up at Rutila's face, watching it tighten as the woman's orgasm approached. Red-gold curls spread out like a halo around her, as her head tilted back, and her body rose up from the bed below.

Laresa's fingers flashed over her sex, her own climax building alongside Rutila's. She closed her eyes against the mounting pleasure, as it was the emotions from the couple driving her ever higher, not the simple sight of their lovemaking.

Both genie and pleasure slave reached their peaks simultaneously. Though only Laresa could hear both their screams of ecstasy, either one alone would have surprised a listener with its volume. Laresa slid down the wall to her knees, and then sat down heavily, continuing to rub her quivering folds in fitful bursts.

Scaeva pulled away when Rutila's breathing began to sound labored. Sitting back, he simply watched her writhe and moan, expressing the feelings shooting through her. He wished now that he had not indulged in filling her mouth with his seed earlier. It would be far too long for his tastes before his manhood could be coaxed to swell once more.

It took Laresa some time to catch her breath as well, but she still recovered more quickly than did her Mistress. She gave Rutila a short while longer to recover, and then sent out her thoughts. He is pleased with you, Rutila. He wants to see you react to his cock deep within you. If you wish, I can use my power to enable his manhood to swell one more.

Rutila's mental voice sounded as breathless as her real voice would have. Oh yes, please!

Tease him with your mouth, and I will release my power, Laresa instructed.

Rutila sat up and leaned over her Master, looking into his eyes with a sweet smile, before lowering her head to his loins. Scaeva leaned back on his hands, wishing that there were some hope her mouth would breathe life back into his manhood so soon. He was surprised to feel blood rushing into his flaccid member almost from the moment her lips touched him.

He was not even yet at full erection when Scaeva lifted Rutila's head from his lap, guiding her to lie down. Rutila required no guidance, quickly rolling over and rising up on her hands and knees. She knew her Master preferred that position, and she loved the depth to which he penetrated her as well.




Laresa's World Ch. 22: Rutila



By the time he moved into position behind her, and grabbed Rutila's hips, Scaeva was in a complete state of turgid arousal. He wasted not a moment, slipping into Rutila's hot depths with a single, slow push.

On the bed, Rutila let out a high-pitched moan as he filled her. Scaeva sighed contentedly once he was fully enveloped inside her, holding her hips tight and reveling in her sound of pleasure. Still seated on the floor a short distance away, Laresa's back arched away from the wall, as if his cock were sliding inside her as well. Moving to lie back on the floor, she quickly added to the magical sensation by thrusting two fingers into her depths.

"Take me, Master," Rutila moaned.

With a satisfied grunt, Scaeva did exactly that, pulling from her depths slowly, before pumping his hips quickly forward once more. Not only did her words spur him on, she felt warmer and wetter than ever before.

A sharp yelp of surprised pleasure burst from Rutila as his cock hit her depths again. She looked back over her shoulder, flipping her hair out of the way with a toss of her head. Her eyes closed and she moaned upon seeing the delighted look on her Master's face.

Beyond any restraint – in his excitement over Rutila's sudden change in demeanor – Scaeva thrust into her with all the strength and speed he could muster. His pleasure slave moaned, yelped, and even growled her pleasure, as her heavy breasts swung hypnotically from the power of his thrusts.

Though Scaeva rapidly moved toward the point of no return, both his pleasure slave and the unseen genie were likewise spiraling toward climax just as quickly. Rutila's fingers curled into the bedclothes as she screamed in release, the sound echoed only a moment later by the silver-haired Djinn.

Scaeva buried his cock in Rutila's depths, groaning as his organ pulsed within her, filling her with his seed. Rutila gasped as she felt the pool of warm cream expanding within her. Her fingers buried inside her, Laresa could feel the hot spurts as well through the connection to her Mistress.

Rutila collapsed to the bed, her walls clamped tight around Scaeva's throbbing organ. He likewise sank down on top of her, utterly spent. Laresa enjoyed the dual satisfaction of her own climax, and the bliss of her relieved Mistress. Rutila could tell she had pleased her Master well, and she no longer needed to worry about being sold.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Rutila's smile was radiant as she stepped from the bath the next morning. Scaeva had allowed her to share his bed for the night, something that had never before happened. Climbing out of the water behind her, Laresa admired the young woman's shapely backside for a moment.

When Rutila turned to put on her sandals, Laresa said, "Your Master is very pleased with you, Rutila, but you could have more. You could wish for your freedom."

Rutila's reaction to that suggestion stunned Laresa. While the young woman certainly daydreamed of that possibility, it was far overshadowed by a thick fog of fear. Having never known freedom, the prospect of being responsible for her own care frightened her even more than her previous fear of being sold.

Laresa attempted to convince the young woman with calming words, "I can help you, Rutila. I could provide whatever you need, until you adjust to a life of freedom."

Before Rutila could answer, a voice from the front of the baths caused both women to turn toward it. "Rutila? Where are you?"

Through the connection to her Mistress, Laresa knew that the voice belonged to the head of Scaeva's servants – someone who did not care for Rutila at all. A moment later, the scowling woman stormed into the bath.

Rutila remembered Laresa's ring, and quickly slipped her hand behind her – a moment too late.

"What was that? Are you stealing from the Master? Show me that hand, Rutila. I saw gold."

Before Laresa could react to suggest her Mistress wish for the ring to be hidden from the entire household, Rutila panicked. Not now – not when the Master approves of me again! I wish this ring were far, far away!

Laresa dissolved into mist, returning to her ring, which vanished to appear far away, as Rutila had wished.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Laresa settled into her cushions, wishing she'd thought to hide the ring from everyone from the beginning. Lost in the emotions of her Mistress, she'd simply made a mistake. Summoning up a shimmering gown of silk to cover her nude body, Laresa sighed and thought, At least she has her wish. Her Master will surely not sell her now.

Then Laresa remembered Rutila's fear from the suggestion of freedom. As she considered it now, Laresa wondered if perhaps the same fear didn't lurk within her as well. Surely, she wanted to be free, to live her life as she wished, but thinking about it now, she realized that the thought of freedom frightened her as well.

Without her powers, she would not know the true thoughts and intentions of those around her. People could lie to her without fear of consequences. She would have no magic to defend herself, or those she cared for. After possessing the power of a Djinn for so long, Laresa was unsure if she would even know how to live as a mortal woman again.

Laresa's troubled thoughts continued, until she drifted off into sleep amongst her cushions.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Lying in bed, her spent and snoring Master next to her, Rutila snuggled up against him. She still quivered from the pleasure he had given her, and her heart was light. The Master treated her more as a lover than as a slave now. Others were given her daily duties, and she simply provided companionship to her Master throughout the day.

Sighing, she wondered what more she might have, if she still possessed the magical ring. The slight pang of regret passed quickly; as she had more now in her life than she ever could have hoped for, before finding Laresa's ring.

"Thank you, Laresa," she whispered, before drifting off to sleep as well.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Present day – Headquarters of the Society of Djinn.

Samuel walked into the room, and every man turned toward him, eager to hear the results of the vote in the High Council of the Society.

Samuel shook his head and sighed. "Only my vote has changed. The others hold steadfast in their convictions, despite our exposure to the Djinn and the danger Aaron presents. The High Council mandates that we continue as we always have. We seek out the artifacts, and contain them. Only once we have isolated all the Djinn will the final decision on their disposition be debated."

Geoffrey pounded the table before him. "This is absurd! What if Aaron starts gathering followers? He will easily obtain all the artifacts by utilizing the Djinn, and then we will have a madman in command of dozens of genies!"

Mutters of agreement sounded around the table.

Samuel held up his hand for silence. "Please, Brothers, we must remain calm." Hanging his head for a moment, he took a deep breath and then looked into the eyes of each man before him. "We may have to take steps on our own, if the Council will not act."

Though most of the men in the room were stunned by these words, coming from a man who had always been the last to consider action, Geoffrey was extremely pleased. "Aaron must be stopped – no matter the cost."

"I have not yet committed to that course of action, Geoffrey," Samuel cautioned.

"You will, Samuel. We have no choice," Geoffrey responded ominously.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Elsewhere within the headquarters, in his small room, Benjamin flipped through digital copies of the ancient writings of his people. He knew that not far away, the group that had formed around Geoffrey and himself met in secret. He also knew the outcome, as well as if he were in the room with them. The High Council would never act – they were too divided.

He also knew that Geoffrey would be advocating the use of the Djinn – strongly. Benjamin had to hope that a lifetime of conditioning would prevent the others from agreeing to that too quickly. He would counter Geoffrey's passion soon enough, but for now, something about one of these ancient documents haunted his thoughts and dreams.

Running his fingers through his dark hair, his brown eyes scanned the page before him. A few words were quite obscured, so he clicked to enhance the image. He kept his eyes focused on the blurry spot of the document, knowing that sometimes he saw things while the enhancement software was working that he might not see once it completed running.

The document blinked away, causing his eyes to ache from the sudden change. Sitting back, he realized he had clicked a few centimeters too far to the right. The image on the screen of a silver-haired Djinn, one of the few frames to survive on the tape after Aaron's wrath destroyed the camera, took Benjamin's breath away.

Even the image of the beautiful genie could not steal away the nagging thought that there was something in those old documents everyone had been overlooking. Closing the picture, he returned to the document, and again trained his eyes on the indistinct spot of the text.

That's it. I remember another mention of this. Some sort of remains from the Djinn ceremony, ritually interred afterward, apart from the ashes of the fire and the victim.

The passage Benjamin read now went into slightly more detail. The objects were some sort of by-product of the magic that created Djinn, and were hidden away for a purpose. Apparently, only one man ever knew where the objects were buried, and he swore an oath never to reveal the location to another soul.

Perhaps this is the solution we have overlooked for so long. These remains are obviously of some import, to have such cautious controls exercised over them. They would all be somewhere near the original location of our settlements.

Even as he considered the possibility, Benjamin knew he would be going in search of these objects. It simply felt right to him. Even as important as the current situation with Aaron was, Benjamin was a voracious scholar by nature, and could not ignore the possibility of finding lost knowledge.

Clicking over to the internet, he searched for a flight – a flight home.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()



I'm sure you've noticed a few common threads in recent stories. The question is, where do they lead?

You'll have to read the next chapter to find out ~_^

Thanks to all of you who are reading Laresa's tale, the comments have all been wonderful. Thanks, as always, to Roust for his lightning fast editing. The brainstorming between Red, DL, and I has been a blast, getting the next several chapters planned out.

Please take a moment to vote, and perhaps comment, on the story. That's our only payment as free authors, and it's what keeps us writing!



Laresa's World Ch. 23: Laresa



Laresa lay, languid in the moist grass. The summer sun beat down on her skin, to warm her contented flesh. Her hands shifted tenderly from the soft blades to the rounded form of her swollen belly. Every time she thought of the life growing within her, her heart raced! She thought back to the moment, seven months before, when it all happened.

For a seeming eternity the ring had floated on the wings of Rutila's final wish. Although she sometimes appeared instantly in a new location, there were times, like this when the ring seemed to float in the ether for long periods. These times were even more frightening and frustrating than the times when her home was lost in the mortal world. At least then there was the guarantee she would eventually be found. After all, mortals were always searching every little corner of the globe. With magic, Laresa was never positive she would come back.

Then, all at once, she felt the pull of the world on her home. The laws of physics once more asserted their custody over her. This time, she was fortunate. Within seconds she felt a presence hovering near. Then came the telltale jolt of someone putting on the ring and an almost instant pull of the summons.

As Laresa materialized she came to face two men. One, shorter than herself, with light skin, red hair and, light grey eyes. The other was almost too large to be real. He was over seven feet tall, the darkest of skin, with broad shoulders, and an amazingly muscled physique. The thin fuzz of hair, seemingly the only on his body, was pure black, and his eyes incredibly dark. He was irresistible.

There was a single incongruity to him. When her tribe committed themselves to the sacrifices, this man would have been a veritable giant, a god among men. There were no legends of one such as him. He could not have been made by the Djiin, but no other civilization had made their kind. This man was not only a genie, but the single most powerful she had ever met. It was as if his sheer power could barely be contained by his immense form.

"Laresa?" The smaller man drew her attention once more. "Good. We were hoping to find you. I am Patrick and this is Krell. We have searched for you." He moved up to her, her ring comfortable on his finger. He raised a hand to her cheek. "You are about to be freed."

It was all so confusing. Like a growing number of previous masters, Patrick knew who, and what, she was. Laresa could do not, but stare dumbly at the unusual pair. "I'm sorry, master?" So shocked was she that the title came out almost as an afterthought. "I do not understand."

Patrick's smile was warm and consoling. "We have a destiny to fulfill. I was once responsible for the eradication of a people. Who is not important. I was given a single chance to redeem myself." He paused and turned to the large man. "Krell's story is similar, but his crimes are even more heinous than mine. He volunteered for the rite, knowing that he could be condemned for eternity if it did not succeed." Krell simply nodded, his expression embarrassed and ashamed.

Patrick stepped back from Laresa and turned to his companion. The two raised their hands to meet and Patrick quickly slid the ring, her ring, onto Krell's hand. Laresa lurched forward in terror, but did not disappear back into the ring. Another contradiction; a genie who could empower other genies?

Patrick's light tenor voice brought her back from her confusion, in answer to her very thoughts. "He cannot summon your kind, which is why I did, but only he holds the power. He...we, were created, reborn, with the purpose of setting straight a great wrong."

"Laresa," Krell's powerful baritone seemed to echo throughout her body. The deepest recesses clenched in desperate response to that voice. Her body ached to feel him inside her. "You are free." Suddenly the world lurched. When Laresa regained her equilibrium an object dropped into her hand.

Laresa stared at the lump of amber and gold as she lay in the grass. The glorious yellow light glinted off of it. Such a simple thing for so many memories. As a shadow fell across her the ring still seemed to hold the light. She knew it was an illusion, a trick of the mind, but she imagined it held some power still. Perhaps it was just a reflection of another kind.

She looked up and smiled. He crouched down, above her head, and smiled. Laresa couldn't help but gaze down at the wonder that hung between his legs. It was this that had given her the great gift that swelled within her. His lips came forward to kiss her forehead before he flopped lazily down behind her.

As if on cue, over a dozen furry forms raced over and huddled among their alphas. Laresa nuzzled the pack's new pups and luxuriated in the feel of the warm fur. As a final gift, Krell and Patrick searched her mind for the ultimate time and place to live out her life. She smiled as she simply watched James. Her smile grew as he began to change form. He wanted to run with the pack, run with her.

It was a glorious feeling to run as a wolf, even more so now that her human form was so unbalanced and ungainly. Predators and prey alike knew how to run, were built to run, regardless of the circumstances. She began to roll to her side and begin the transformation James had wished for, so long ago, when a hand grasped her wrist. There was something wrong with the feel of the flesh that held her. It was cold, too cold to be healthy. Laresa looked down and screamed.

She tugged frantically at her arm as she tried to spin back to face James. He was gone. The pack was gone. The grass was gone. The sun was gone, replaced by a uniformly grey sky. This wasn't a normal overcast. It was as if the very world had begun to change around her.

Laresa coiled her legs beneath her, adding their strength to her fight, but the hand was implacable. The dead flesh refused to yield it's grip as it burst through the ground. It had the blue-grey pallor of decomposition but was as supple as if living. Worst of all, the longer it held her the more heat it seemed to draw away from her. Laresa feared this unknown abomination, but more, she feared for the unborn nestled deep within her. She threw herself backwards, but her feet only slipped beneath her, to send her sprawling to her butt.

The instant she hit the ground, a half-dozen more hands tore through the earth to grasp her other arm and legs. She fought the monstrosities, but every struggle cinched their grip and pulled her a little tighter. Slowly Laresa was dragged to her back where more hands broke through to hold her shoulders, her arms, her chest, her head, anything they could reach.

The world seemed to still a moment, as the dead flesh detained her. Then a single hand burst from the ground between her legs, held slightly apart by the grip. She screamed and shut her eyes to the cruel torment, as if blocking the sight could diminish their presence.. The hand came to rest on the silver/blond curls that so many masters lusted after and used with abandon. This hand was warm, but still, it seemed to drink her warmth to fuel itself as absolute cold began to spread across her skin.

The hands began to press, as if to pull her into the very ground by sheer force of power. Laresa panicked that they would bury her alive, but quickly realized they were pulling themselves free. One by one, the corpses dragged themselves free of their earthly prisons. All but the one who drank her very soul, all but the one between her legs.

Laresa's voice grew ragged with her screams. Their strength was undeniable. Her eyes snapped open as she felt pressure, at her inner thighs, pushing her legs wider. Though an eye dangled from a partially rotted socket and skin sloughed from his very bones, she couldn't help but recognize the man. She knew the sliced neck had occurred after his death. With up to his hips free of the ground , she screamed at the incongruous erection that pointed accusingly at her. Captain Trenchard and his men had come for their revenge.

Bones, sharpened like daggers, sprouted from the ends of his fingers and tickled lightly against her hips. Slowly, deliberately, those fingers began to trail upwards, to caress the life swelling within her. It was a promise to her. The slightest struggle and those razor sharp talons would pierce and shred her. She felt the cold, hard, and very dead, shaft press to her entrance.

"Stop!" The reaction to the command was instant. The pirate moved no further, but continued to part her terrified depths slightly. Laresa did not recognize the high alto voice. The source of the voice was blocked from her sight by the hulking body of the pirate captain. "Hold her, nothing more!" The captain stepped back and took his place by her left ankle. Revealed was a youth she had seen but briefly, and never alive. It was the bully, Wilhelm's terror, who had died by her magic, much as had the pirates.. Slowly he continued to advance until he had taken the captain's place, to kneel between her legs. But this child had no thoughts of violation.

Slowly his hands came to rest of the unborn. Young Aaron's cold, condemning eyes called to her. "How have you the right?" It was little more than a whisper in it's accusation. "How many children have you stolen?"

Laresa's heart seized in grief, unable to deny the truth. Through the years, through all of the masters, there had been many hundreds to die under the influence of her powers. With those she refused to save, those she let die, those who died at the hands of weapons she created or summoned for her masters, and those she tricked, the number multiplied by a factor for ten.

There was no pain as the youthful bully pressed against her. As if by magic, Aaron simply flattened her stomach. He kneaded her flesh until no signs of the precious unborn remained. Slowly, he shifted his hands down above her skin. When he found his chosen spots he pressed against her with fingers locked in position. They sank through her skin and muscle, as if she were made of liquid, and she felt him clutch her. His hands spasmed closed, crushing all hope of further conception, before retreating from her. Laresa's renewed screams had nothing to do with the pain of the flesh.

Tears fled down her cheeks. The world wavered through her watery gaze. The boy became inconsistent while she watched his hands move to the sensitive juncture where legs meet groin. She blinked furiously as confusion stayed her eyes. The hands that gripped her were far too large for a mere boy. The large palms helped to grip around much of the girth of her legs. Her sight cleared to witness the youthful bully transform into another of his namesake.

Kneeling between her legs was Aaron, harsh master and would-be god. She could never forget the powerful, athletic body she had given him, or how he chose to use the other generous endowments. His thumbs pressed at her tender flesh to open her depths before his aroused cock. Even with all of the cruelty of the sudden events, his touch sent anticipation through her. She was no proof from her own enhancements, and his body was perfect. Her body betrayed her by moistening for him.

He shifted forward slightly to wet himself with her juices. Her breath caught and his grin, the smile that pronounced his evil, spread across his face at her reaction. He pushed his head in to her clutching warmth and stopped. Her heart raced and she hated herself, hated her body for wanting him. His hand reached forward to grasp the ring, her ring, on the chain around her neck. With one fluid motion he threw himself backwards, to rip the chain from her neck, and thrust his hips forward. Without magic to protect her, he ripped a painful path into her tight form.

He pushed himself deeper and she screamed. He hit the back with an agony of fire and kept thrusting farther. He tried to pierce her very spine as he burrowed himself fully into her. She tried to struggle but the dead hands held her still, the pirates knelt and bowed as supplicants before their god. The moment her pain began to wane, he forced himself deeper or shifted within her to renew the effect.

He held himself there as his arms reached skyward. Slowly the ring slipped onto his finger. His grin returned to a disturbingly contented smile as he contemplated the fit. The pirates holding Laresa passed her arms effortlessly up her body until her wrists met above her head. Aaron cocked his head to curiously view the broken necklace, as if he had never noticed it dangling there, trapped between her ring and his flesh. He drew it free and then brought it to her crossed wrists. She followed his hands with her eyes. Instantly it bound her tighter than any wish she had ever granted.

As her gaze traveled back down the arms, she realized that the monster between her legs, and deep within her, had changed once more. As his ~for it was clearly still a man's arms~ hands came into sight holding, a cane, Laresa knew Daniel. Another master who had thought a perfect physical form would match his soul, another master who had been wrong. He had been evil and sadistic. She knew he had tried to wish for her to heal him, in his final moments, but no words had been able to pass his lips.

Her eyes barely met his when the bamboo cracked against her cheek. His eyes spoke of her betrayal. She had failed him, actively defied him with her strict adherence to rules that didn't, technically, exist. He pulsed with excitement as he watched her writhe in pain. The increase in arousal forced him deeper and pressed more firmly against her. She cried out. He knew, he felt her depths resist him, tear under the pressure. Her scream of pain turned to one of terror as she realized the danger. The added pain excited him more. He shifted only slightly and occasionally as he seemed to rip her apart from within. Finally his molten seed erupted within her.

She felt him pull free, aggravating every damaged nerve as he did, to spill himself across her naked form. She could barely see as he moved up her body. The cane was gone. Smooth hands cupped her chest, and once more she knew he had changed. She quaked in fear, helpless beneath the, now, unknown man. He clawed at her, perfectly manicured nails digging in to her supple breasts. With her jaw finally swelling from the cane, she could do little more than whimper. She heard the masculine laugh and knew the monster had transformed into Dolph; the man she had tricked into negating his time with her.

His flaccid form slapped her lips. Broken, she tried to open for him but could not. She heard his cruel laughter and a hand griped her shattered cheek. Where her own will failed, instinct succeeded. She tasted his ~Daniel's? A shapeshifter's~ seed and her blood as he stuffed himself into her mouth. Unable to move, she could do nothing, but he found ways to amuse himself. Dolph had never viewed her, or any woman, as more than meat anyway. He grew. His body forced her mouth wider, and all she could do was whimper. Soon he not only distended her jaw, but found himself choking her as he should never remember doing.

Her throat tingled suspiciously. Suddenly she felt wider, more able to accommodate the sheer mass within her. He pulled back slightly and a hand returned to cheek, gently this time. She felt her ring on his hand as he soothed her broken body. As her cheek healed, she found herself looking upon the dark, sculpted, body of Horace.

She lay stunned as he straddled her. Was all of this his doing? Was he responsible for the terrible chaos that had spilled into her world. Why would he attack her in so many forms? Nothing made sense. Why would he then heal her?

He slid backwards, his hand trailing across her soft skin. Slowly he leaned back forward. She opened her lips to accommodate him. He kept his rhythm languid, as if to make love with her mouth. As she felt his intensity increase, she felt the pressure, the passion building within her. She reacted as if he filled her, still wounded, depths rather than her mouth. She felt him building to climax, felt herself staying a moment ahead of him. Her back arched and her body froze. When time returned the tension in his body, straddling her neck, explode into her mouth. The lust a balm washing through her overtaxed body.

She collapsed, seemingly bonelessly, to the ground. Slowly she became aware of nothing but his weight holding her down. A quick check of her perfect memory proved the pirates had vanished when Horace appeared.

Horace leaned over. One hand help her wrists while the other clutched at her freshly healed lust. He gripped just enough for the slightest, sweet, pain. A single finger slipped tauntingly inside her. He leaned close to her head to whisper to Laresa's. The words caressed her ear but the tone was cold with hatred. "You are a slave. You will never be anything more than a tool, a device for the simple humans to use as they see fit."





Laresa's World Ch. 24: Jonathon



Author's Note:  I went a little long again, so I hope the story carries the length for those reading Laresa's tale.  Apologies for the delay between Ch. 23 and 24 as well.

Almost no sex in this chapter, either.  Just a little heads-up for anyone who might be looking for a stroke story.

======================
The Dark Ages – England
======================

The ringing of metal on metal echoed through the still air.  Jonathon grunted, blinking the sweat out of his blue eyes, as he parried Kain's overhand strike.  Furrowing his brow, Jonathon stepped back and prepared for his adopted brother's next move.  The strike Kain had just launched could have seriously hurt him, had he not deflected it so well.  Even dull practice weapons could be deadly when wielded with the sort of power Kain threw into his blows.

Kelanor laughed, urging on his son.  Jonathon did his best to ignore it, knowing he had to keep his guard up, if he didn't want to be nursing painful injuries while doing his chores later.  Dancing back from a swipe of Kain's sword, Jonathon countered with a blow of his own.  In truth, he could have easily penetrated Kain's guard, but Jonathon moved just slow enough to allow Kain the opportunity to parry.  Long ago, Jonathon had learned the folly of making his adopted brother look bad, and he knew better than to ever do it again.

Kain deflected Jonathon's half-hearted strike, but slipped slightly in the mud as he did so.  Jonathon again attacked, knowing that Kelanor watched carefully, and if he didn't take advantage of the opening offered by the slip, he would surely be punished for it.  Once again, Jonathon swung at Kain's shield arm, with the intention of allowing him to recover, and block the blow.

Some of Kain's extensive training showed through, as the young man regained his balance, sending Jonathon's strike high.  Jonathon expected the counter, and saw it coming, but recognized an opportunity for Kain to land a blow on him – one that shouldn't hurt too much when it hit.  With a grunt, he accepted the blow to his side, mostly blunted by his armor.  He would have a bruise, but nothing that would bother him much as he worked later.

Kelanor shouted, "Enough!"

Jonathon came to attention immediately, knowing that even a moment's hesitation would draw a rebuke.  Kain, on the other hand, chose to take the opportunity to smash his shield against Jonathon's chest.  Jonathon stood firm, putting one foot back to maintain his balance.

"I said enough, Kain!"  Kelanor crossed the courtyard toward the two young men.  Glancing at Jonathon for a moment, he absently muttered, "Off to your chores, Boy."

"Yes, Sir," Jonathon replied, hurrying to get out of his armor and store away his weapon.  He knew that he had to care for his equipment properly, or he would be punished.  Likewise, he would be expected to deal with Kain's weapons and armor later as well.  Listening to Kelanor praise his son, Jonathon had to fight down a surge of jealousy.  Reminding himself that he was just an adopted orphan, and lucky to have what he did, Jonathon moved quickly to the kitchen entrance.

As he passed his other adopted brother, the older man followed Jonathon inside.  Once they were within the castle, out of hearing range of his father, Michael said, "You could have parried that strike – and you could have struck him on numerous occasions."

Not sure what to say, Jonathon hesitated.  After a moment, he settled on replying, "I must not have been thinking well in the heat, Michael."

Sighing, Michael shook his head.  "You were thinking perfectly well.  You let that blow land, and you purposely avoided easy hits.  What will Kain learn if you do not take advantage of his mistakes?"

Frustration and embarrassment swelled up within Jonathon.  He knew Michael's words were perfectly true.  He also knew what would happen to him if he took them to heart, however.  Michael spent most of his time on the other side of Kelanor's lands, managing the knights in another castle.  He could not know what Jonathon went through, whenever he let his true skills show.  "I'm sure you could have, Sir, but I'm just not that good."

"You must stand up for yourself, Brother.  If you allow Kain to bully you, he will do so for all of your life.  Consider it, Jonathon."  Clapping Jon on the shoulder, Michael walked the opposite way down the stone corridor.

Jonathon took a deep breath, wishing it were so easy, and made his way toward the armory, to put away his equipment. 

===============================
Present Day –
Headquarters of the Society of Djinn
===============================

Benjamin walked down the trail at a brisk pace, moving toward the cavern that served as the headquarters for the Society.  He considered it lucky that he hadn't been pulled over, considering how fast he had been driving on the way back from the airport.  He simply could not contain his excitement, and wanted to get to work immediately on the two fascinating objects within the metal box he carried.

The first several days of searching had been quite disappointing.  He had located three or four of the ritual burials, only to find the objects that should have been entombed there missing.  Despite the pains of his ancestors to keep the objects hidden, the amount of ritual involved in the creation of the Djinn imposed rigid structure on every element of the process.  Once he had located the first empty cache, the second had proved to be a measured distance away – identical to the distance required for the burial of the ashes from the sacrifice.

Finally, he had found the flattened silver pearl, shot through with diamond dust.  The next cache had likewise yielded a teardrop shaped piece of amber, with a golden sphere within.  Two of the objects in hand, Benjamin had decided to return and study them.  He could go back at any time to search for more, if the items proved to be important.

Nodding to the sentry, Benjamin stepped into the wall of cool air emerging from the cavern, heading quickly toward the hidden door within.  Once inside the headquarters proper, he increased his pace.  So close to his equipment and notes now, he couldn't wait to get to work.  In his eagerness to reach his room, he didn't even notice the man coming out of an intersecting corridor.  They collided, shoulder to shoulder, jarring both men.

"I'm sorry, Daron, I wasn't paying attention to where I was going," Benjamin began.  A buzzing and vibration from the box he carried cut off any other words, as did the strange look on Daron's face.  Daron looked down at a box he carried, and Ben could hear a faint buzz emerging from it.

Fascinated, and now more excited than ever, "Have you found one of the artifacts?  Is it in there?"

Daron looked around nervously, "Yes, but keep your voice down."

Benjamin realized that Daron was part of the group advocating the use of the Djinn to complete their mission of finding all the artifacts.  Considering the way Daron was acting, it was obvious that the group planned to keep this artifact – or that they had decided to utilize them.

"Come with me to my room for a moment, where we can talk in private," Benjamin requested.

After a moment's hesitation, Daron nodded and followed Ben down the hall, skipping a little at first in an attempt to keep up with Benjamin's brisk pace.

=====================
Back in the Dark Ages...
=====================

Jon breathed a sigh of relief as he finished washing the last pot, and put it away.  The castle was quiet, the edges of the kitchen lost in a dark gloom, only a circle of flickering torchlight illuminating the space around Jonathon.

Though he knew he would have to be up in only a few hours, Jonathon simply couldn't bear the thought of going to bed without bathing.  Between sweating through the sparring match earlier with Kain, and washing all the dishes in the sweltering kitchen, he was gagging on his own smell.

Pouring a little hot water into the round metal tub, just enough to take off the bite of the cold water filling it, Jonathon kicked off his over-large leather shoes.  He then stripped off his simple linen tunic and trousers, and shook out his sandy-blonde hair.

The torchlight reflected off the sweat glistening on Jonathon's body, enhancing the appearance of his well-muscled frame.  Accustomed to hard work, and lean – but nourishing – rations, Jonathon was a striking figure.  Stepping into the tub, he squatted down to splash water over him.  The tub was far too small for him even to sit down in, but it served the purpose well enough.  He would have to mop up the water splashed out afterwards, but the bath was worth it to Jonathon.

He felt much better, if a little cramped up, once he finished rinsing the sweat and grime off.  Bringing a hand to his chin, he frowned at the stubble there.  While the rest of the family sported well-groomed beards, Jonathon simply couldn't abide the facial hair.  He remembered tasting his soup three hours after he ate it when he had let it grow out, and decided never to do it again at that point.  Walking over to a cabinet, Jonathon retrieved his razor.  He lamented the additional mopping the trail of water would require, and cursed the lack of foresight that necessitated it.

Kneeling down on the hard stone, Jonathon splashed water on his face, and went to work with the razor.  A few minutes later, he ran his hand over his chin, and grunted in satisfaction.  Grabbing a cloth, he blotted the rest of the water from his body, and then turned to pull on his clothing.

He paused for a moment, thinking he saw movement in the gloom of the kitchen doorway.  Shrugging his shoulders, deciding that his eyes were playing tricks on him, Jonathon dressed and picked up the tub to take it outside and empty it.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Unknown to Jonathon, a brightly blushing young woman hurried through the halls back to her bedroom.  Hoping to find some warm milk to help her sleep, Caroline had stepped in front of the kitchen door just as Jonathon turned – revealing himself to her in all his naked glory.

A mixture of shame and excitement boiled within Caroline as she closed her door behind her.  Recently come to live with her uncle when her parents passed on, she had felt her heart flutter the moment she saw the foundling, Jonathon.  The image of the young man, nude and gloriously handsome, now added strength to the troubling feelings Caroline harbored for her adopted cousin.

Sleep came to her with even more difficulty now, her stomach in knots and her loins tingling annoyingly.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Jonathon sat at his rickety table just inside the kitchen door, wolfing down his dinner.  He could be called on at any moment, and knew that his only opportunity for a hot meal lay in eating it as quickly as possible.

As he ate, he couldn't stop his eyes from focusing beyond the slightly open door.  The object of his distraction was Caroline, her long, dark hair flowing freely down her back, framing a face more beautiful than any Jon had ever imagined.  He could barely think when he was close enough for him to see her brown eyes.  She turned toward him, and he quickly put his head down, concentrating on the nearly empty plate of stew before him.

When he dared glance back up, Jonathon saw a slight flush of color in her cheeks, which made her appear even more beautiful to him.  Sopping up the last of the gravy on the plate with some bread, he sighed before popping it into his mouth.  

Caroline was a lady of quality, and he wasn't even a proper bird.  She would be married to an important Lord, someone who could increase Kelanor's influence.  With disgust, Jonathon remembered his adopted father's reaction upon hearing of his own brother's death.  Kelanor's first thought was of how advantageous it would be to take in the beautiful Caroline, his dead brother little more than an afterthought.

A thump on the top of Jonathon's head pulled him from his dark thoughts, and his continued study of Caroline's face.  Rubbing his head, he muttered, "Ow," and turned to find the matronly cook standing over him, scowling.  She waved a wooden spoon menacingly, the very weapon that had struck him a moment before.

"Boy, have you lost your wits?  I said; go fetch more wood for the cook fires.  The bins are nearly empty."

Knowing the hefty cook wielded that spoon with more skill than Kain did a sword, Jon rose quickly and said, "Yes, Ma'am."  After a final glance at Caroline, he hurried toward the kitchen exit.

Eight armloads later, Jonathon decided that one more should suffice for a couple of days.  Most other men would have to make twice as many trips, but Jonathon had a natural strength and balance, which allowed him to carry far more in a single trip than any other could hope to.

Dumping his current burden into the bin behind the kitchen, Jonathon spun on his heel and headed back toward the woodpile.  As he approached, he realized that before long, he would have to take up his axe and replenish the pile as well.  He took a little comfort from knowing it would be another month or so before he would need to start lying in the winter stores.

Gathering up his next load of wood, Jonathon saw something sparkling between two of the split logs.  Curiosity overwhelmed him, and he put down his burden to see what might be glittering so brightly on such an overcast day.

Pulling the logs out of the way, Jonathon lifted the ring with amazement.  He couldn't believe that one of the other servants would have such a fine piece of jewelry, and doubted one of the family had bothered to visit the woodpile for any reason.  Turning the ring in his fingers, he examined the golden band for any marks – finding none.  Between the gold, and the large amber stone, even the relatively uneducated Jonathon knew it must be valuable.  He thought, How did you get here?

Jonathon pulled out the tail of his shirt, forming a little pouch, and deposited the ring in it.  He then tucked the ring into his trousers, where it should be safe as he carried the last load of wood back to the bins behind the castle.  He decided he would ask his adopted mother if she knew to whom it belonged.  Kelanor would likely accuse him of stealing it first, and ask questions later.  Esmarelda treated him much better, and might even reward him with a story for finding the obviously valuable ring.

Walking back to the castle, Jon smiled, thinking that perhaps the ring belonged to Caroline.  He daydreamed about presenting her with the ring, asking if it were hers, to see her face light up in delighted surprise.  That thought made him feel as if he were floating above the ground, hovering the last few steps to the bin.

The cook brought him back to earth a moment later with a scream, ordering him to hurry up with the wood so he could clear the table.  Depositing the wood in its place, he hurried back into the castle, before the domineering cook came after him with her spoon again – or something worse.

===========================
Aaron's Temple –
At the height of the Inca Empire
===========================

Aaron's brides cringed, as he struck his genie hard across the mouth, sending her tumbling to the cold stone below.  "Useless bitch!  First you can't find that whore Laresa, and now you can't even find an unbound Djinn?"

Karida cringed, knowing the look on Aaron's face, and knowing that the pain she felt now was a pale shadow compared to what he might very well be preparing to inflict upon her.  "Please, Master, there are simply no unbound Djinn anywhere that I can locate – at least not one of such power as you desire."

"Useless female.  The Ancients must have erred in your selection to become Djinn.  You have to be the most powerless genie I have ever encountered.  Such simple things I ask of you..."  Shaking his head and growling, Aaron turned away from the slowly rising genie, scowling at his frightened brides.  "What are you all staring at?"

The women lounging about the temple cast their eyes downward, each and every one having felt Aaron's wrath themselves in recent days.

Turning back to Karida, Aaron grabbed her by her silken robe, ripping the bodice as he dragged her to her feet.  "Find me a genie strong enough to overpower Laresa.  My patience wears thin.  Fail me again, and I will crush your home, and your existence.  Do you understand me, you worthless bitch?"

"Y-yes, Master."

===============================
Present Day –
Headquarters of the Society of Djinn
===============================

Benjamin held the amber relic close to the box Daron carried once again, getting the same strong reaction as before.  Though the silver item had reacted to the Djinn artifact within the box, the reaction of the amber item was much stronger.

"You see, it reacts even through the shielding box," Benjamin said in a rush.  "We should open the box, and see what happens when the artifacts without the protective case between them."

The worried look on Daron's face intensified.  "Ben, the Society doesn't even know I have this artifact, and the only reason they don't is because it's in this box.  I'm supposed to bring it to the group – you know that – and then we'll decide... Well, you know."

Holding the two relics he had discovered in his ancestral homeland in his palm, almost right under Daron's nose, Benjamin said, "But, Daron, think about it!  You see what's happening.  This could be the most important discovery made since the beginning of the Society!"

Shaking his head, Daron countered, "Then we'll let the group decide.  I'm not making a decision like this myself – no way."

Ben sighed.  "Very well, but they're no more decisive than the high council.  We're wasting our time."  Standing up, he pocketed the two items he carried, gesturing impatiently to Daron.  "Well, come on then.  Let's go."

=====================
Back in the Dark Ages...
=====================

Exhausted and bleary-eyed, Jonathon wandered into his sparse room, kicking off his shoes as he walked.  When he reached the bed, he pulled his shirt over his head, his brow furrowing beneath the cloth when he heard a clatter.

Removing the shirt, he saw the ring and remembered it at last.  He had been sent on task after task upon coming back inside from the woodpile, and thus had completely forgotten about the ring.  Picking up the piece of jewelry, he once again examined it.  For some reason, the urge to put the ring on was gnawing at him like an old hound chewing a soup bone.

Shrugging his shoulders and chuckling, Jonathon slipped the ring on his finger.  His first thought was that it looked ridiculous – entirely too gaudy for his taste.  The second was that it felt a little tight.  Twisting the ring a little, hoping to lessen the irritating sensation, he barely caught movement out of the corner of his eye.

"Saints preserve me," Jonathon muttered when he turned toward the movement to see a swirling cloud of mist.  The cloud congealed, becoming more opaque by the moment, and then suddenly transformed into a woman.

Laresa looked around, immediately recognizing the time period, and the general location.  She had been to this era before, and she wasn't terribly fond of it, overall.  The rich and powerful treated everyone else like animals for the most part, and it hit entirely too close to home for the enslaved genie.

Already sensing fear of discovery from her new Master, Laresa spoke softly, and added a touch of magic to ensure that nothing going on inside the small room could be heard without.  "Greetings, Master, I am Laresa.  How may I serve you?"

Jonathon stared in wide-eyed amazement at the silvery-haired woman, attraction and fear battling for control of his emotions.  Her curves were barely concealed by a thin, flowing blouse, and long expanses of her smooth legs showed beneath the short skirt she wore.  Still dumbfounded, Jon couldn't manage to force a single word from his lips.  Two words echoed loudly in his mind, however – Demon temptress.




Laresa's World Ch. 24: Jonathon



"I'm no demon, come to seduce you and steal your soul," Laresa explained, cutting through some of the annoying questions she frequently had to answer for a new Master.  "I am a genie, and I will grant your wishes, within limits, for so long as you possess my ring, and do not break the rules.  I cannot hurt you, and in fact, I am bound to protect you as well as I am able.  None can hear us now, thanks to my magic, so you may speak freely."

Jonathon opened his mouth a few times as if to speak, but his brow furrowed in frustration – absolutely nothing appropriate coming to mind.  At last, something popped into his head, and he asked, "What did you say your name was?"

Laresa smiled, thinking things weren't starting off too badly.  After her recent nightmare, she was glad to be outside her ring in the world again.  "My name is Laresa, Master."

"I'm no Master, I'm just an orphan," Jonathon responded, shrugging his shoulders.

"Well, you are my Master, because you have my ring.  Shall I call you something else?"

"My name is Jonathon," he replied.

"Jonathon, then.  So, what can I do for you, Jonathon?"  Since the tedious details of introduction were now over, Laresa studied her new Master.  Almost immediately, she felt desire swell within her.  Jonathon was very fit – something that was quite easy to see, since he was naked from the waist up.  Shoulder length, sandy-blonde hair framed his chiseled features, softened by a cast of kindness that made him all the more handsome.  A quick glance also revealed quite an interesting bulge below his waist.   Though Laresa had known many men since becoming Djinn, Jonathon certainly ranked amongst the most gorgeous she could remember.  She had to fight against a quiver of excitement threatening to make her visibly shiver.

Jonathon laughed nervously, and replied, "Uhm, I don't know."

Already deciding that she liked the charming young man, Laresa thought to see if she could win some points – and possibly some free will – by giving him all the necessary information that would keep him from accidentally breaking the rules.  "Let me explain the rules to you, Jonathon – if that's all right with you?"

His manners suddenly springing to the forefront, Jonathon said, "That is fine.  Would you like to sit down?"

"Thank you, Jonathon," Laresa replied, and sat down on his bed.  A slight smile twitched her lips when she saw him blush, and heard him thinking about such a beautiful woman sitting on his bed.  "Now, the first rule is you cannot lie to me, nor can I lie to you..."

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Laresa managed to coax the exhausted young man to sit next to her after a while, explaining the rules of her service, and her limitations, in detail.  She could tell he was fighting off sleep, and losing the battle rapidly.

"I don't know how I'm going to explain you," Jon muttered.

"Remember, none can see or hear me – save you – unless you wish it, Jonathon," Laresa reminded him.

"I forgot," Jon said with a shrug, and then yawned again.  "I'm going to feel terrible all day after being up so late."

"I can ensure you are fully rested in even a short time, if you so wish, Jonathon," Laresa suggested.

Raising his eyebrows, and tilting his head to the side a little, Jonathon said, "Well, I guess that's as good a wish as any.  If all this is real, it would sure be nice to wake up not feeling like a whipped dog."

"Rest then, Jonathon.  You will feel as though you have slept all night when you awaken."

"I don't think I have much choice – I can't keep my eyes open."

Pushing him gently, feeling a tingle between her legs when her fingers brushed up against his muscled chest, Laresa said, "Sleep, then."

Jonathon nodded, and lay down.  He drifted off to sleep almost immediately.  Rather than return to her ring, not wanting to face the possibility of another nightmare until she had no choice, Laresa instead reached out with her senses, discovering what she could about this place, and the other people in the castle.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Laresa's psychic exploration proved to be something rather unpleasant at first.  The cook, a central figure in Jonathon's life, was a surly, bitter woman.  His adopted father thought more of the family hounds than of the orphan he'd taken in.  Worst of all was Kain, who harbored a seething hatred toward the foundling.

There were a few spots of light, however.  Esmarelda, Jonathon's adopted mother, loved him as if he were her own.  She feared to show it, however, because of the way her husband treated her when she did.  Michael, who would be returning to resume command of another castle's garrison in the morning, felt much the same as Esmarelda.

What Jonathon's adopted cousin felt went beyond mere familial love, however.  Even the experienced Djinn felt color rising in her cheeks when she brushed up against Caroline's thoughts.  Not having been raised in the castle with Jonathon, and knowing he was not a blood relative, Caroline paid little thought to taboo when she considered Jonathon.  Laresa could certainly understand Caroline's desire for the handsome young man, because it mirrored Laresa's feelings.

Laresa only realized she was caught up in Caroline's fantasy and arousal when she nearly climaxed, even as Caroline did so on her flashing fingers.  Letting out a quiet, quavering sigh, Laresa clenched her intimate muscles and tried to clear her mind.  She wished she'd not fallen into the young woman's thoughts so deeply – or had given in to them fully – because now she sat intensely aroused, and unsatisfied.

Laresa fought down the temptation to take care of her own needs with her fingers, returning to her scan of the castle – somewhat reluctantly.  The rest of the castle's inhabitants thought of Jonathon as a member of the family, although they did their best to keep it hidden.  Kelanor noticed when the servants treated Jonathon with extra respect, and usually found odious tasks for them when they did.

Laresa nearly returned to Kelanor, to delve deeper into his thoughts, but decided against it.  She didn't feel up to exploring the ambitious man's dark mind any more this evening.

The first rays of the sun streaming through a window alerted her that it was actually no longer evening, but morning.  Jonathon roused even as she realized it, stretching and sitting up.  Laresa licked her lips, watching the play of his powerful muscles as he stretched.  He was truly a remarkable man.

Jonathon chuckled.  "I suppose you are real.  I feel as if I slept the whole night through."

"Did you truly doubt it, Jonathon?"  The amusement in Laresa's words came through quite well.

"Actually, no – but it is nice to know for sure."  Jonathon threw off the covers, but realizing he was clad in only his trousers, he quickly jerked the bedclothes back over him, searching for his shirt on the floor.

Laresa wiggled her fingers, and the shirt magically hovered up to hang in the air before Jonathon.  "Thank you," he said, and then struggled to dress beneath the covers.

Laresa smiled, stifling a chuckle, and turned away to reduce his self-conscious feelings.  "I've seen a bare-chested man before, you know.  It's hardly indecent, Jonathon.  It's rather common, actually."

"I know, I just... well..."

Laresa did chuckle this time.  "It's okay, I understand.  So, have you thought of something you might want to wish for?"

Now dressed, Jonathon rose from the bed and said, "I was thinking about what you said, and I think I want to wish for you to have free will.  I can tell you really want it, and I don't feel right ordering you around, anyway."

Laresa felt the wish take hold.  "Thank you, Jonathon.  It really makes me happy that you did that for me.  A happy genie is a good genie, so you should keep me happy."  A little more of Laresa's desire crept into those words than she'd planned, and so she clamped her mouth tightly shut.  She really wanted to push Jonathon back into the bed, and tear his clothing right back off of him.

Jonathon laughed, "I wish it worked that way around here.  I think they apply quite the opposite to the servants around here."

"Why do they treat you like one of the servants?  Were you not adopted into the family?"  Laresa more or less knew the answer lay in Kelanor, but she wanted to see what Jonathon thought about the matter.

Jonathon shrugged.  "I'm just an orphan.  I'm lucky to have a place at all.  I'm treated well, and I do okay."

"Perhaps you wish that you were treated more like family..."  Laresa paused when a thought popped into Jonathon's head.  Acting on that thought, she said, "Or you wish to know your real family."

"How did you..."  Jonathon stopped, remembering his conversation with the Djinn the previous evening.  "Oh, yes, you can hear my thoughts.  I do wish I knew my real family.  All I know is that they died, and I'm the only one who survived, because my mother hid me away."

"I could show you, Jonathon."

"I need to go start my chores, or I'll get demerits, and have more chores to do," Jonathon said, shaking his head sadly.

"Oh," Laresa said, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture.  "I can take us outside the flow of time, show you what you want to see, and return us here only a moment after we left."  Seeing the confusion in Jonathon's eyes, Laresa smiled and simplified her offer.  "I can show you, and it will only take a second.  Nobody will have time to miss you, and you won't lose any time to do your chores."

"Oh, okay," Jonathon said with a note of excitement in his voice.  "I really would like to know what they looked like – what kind of people they were."

"Take my hands, and close your eyes," Laresa instructed.

Jonathon did so, and Laresa slipped them outside time, into the space between moments.  Reaching out, she searched the time stream for him, locating him at the moment of his birth, with his mother and father.

Laresa could feel the surge of emotion from Jonathon when he beheld his parents.  Jonathon could be a twin of his father, and his mother was a breathtakingly beautiful blonde woman.





Laresa's World Ch. 24: Jonathon



Off the side of the road, well out of sight of town, Jonathon donned his father's armor.  It fit him as if made for him, and the sword felt like a natural extension of his hand.  Holding up the bright blade before him, catching the faint sunlight, he said, "Kelanor will pay for what he has done."

Laresa loathed killing, whether being forced to do it herself, or see it happen, but she made an exception for Kelanor.  She had resumed her exploration of Kelanor's mind, as Jonathon talked with old Brendon – finding a cesspool of ambition and greed so deep, it boggled her imagination.  There was nothing the man would not do to increase his wealth and influence.

Likewise, she knew nothing else would give Jonathon peace, or justice.  There was no law in this land at this point in time, except the law of might.  The strong conquered, and the weak were destroyed – that was the law.  Only Jonathon's sword could bring Kelanor to justice.

"Please, take me back to the castle, Laresa.  I must do this."

Laresa could feel the regret in Jonathon, and knew he took no pleasure in what he must do.  Her respect for him increased, feeling such nobility in a man who went to face another that had murdered his family.  "At once, Jonathon.  I will protect you."

Shaking his head, Jonathon said, "No, I must face him alone.  I give myself to destiny, for good or ill.  If I am meant to give my Mother and Father peace, it will be so.  If I am meant to join them beyond this world, it will be so."

Nodding gravely, Laresa said, "Very well, Jonathon."

A moment later, they stood before the gates to the castle.  Jonathon swung open the doors, a break in the clouds bathing him in light as the doors opened.  A pair of knights within gasped, seeing him clad in his father's armor.

Jonathon demanded, "Where is Kelanor?"

"He is in the courtyard, with Kain," one of the surprised knights replied.  "Jon, he'll whip you if he sees you wearing a noble's armor."

Young knights, recently come to Kelanor's service, they had no knowledge of his crimes.  Jonathon said, "That is my trial to face.  Thank you, Simon."  He then started down the hall toward the door that led to the courtyard.

Laresa asked, "Jonathon, will not Kelanor's knights attack you?"

"I will challenge him.  He knows my blood, and despite his nature, he will not ignore the challenge – it would shame him to do so.  He will face me alone, and none will interfere."

Laresa's brow furrowed.  "I am not so sure.  May I have permission to prevent others from interfering in your challenge?"

Turning to Laresa, Jonathon felt the sting of those words.  "I am sorry, Laresa, I did not mean to command you.  If you wish to ensure my challenge will remain between Kelanor and I, you may do so, of course.  Just do not interfere in the challenge, please."

"I don't like that either, but I'll do it.  I understand how much it means to you, Jonathon."

Taking a deep breath when they reached the door to the courtyard, Jonathon said, "Thank you, Laresa – for everything."

"Be strong, Sir Jonathon," Laresa said to him, "Be victorious.  Give your mother and father peace."

Nodding, Jonathon pushed open the door, stepping out into the soggy courtyard.  Once again, the clouds parted, bathing him in bright light.  The reflection from his armor immediately caught the attention of Kelanor and Kain, who turned to see what caused the flash.

Laresa couldn't help but feel a little heartened when she saw the blood drain from Kelanor's face.  He recognized the armor Jonathon wore, and knew what it meant.

Attempting to intimidate the young man, Kelanor shouted to Jonathon, "What do you think you're doing, Boy, wearing armor?  I'll have you whipped, and cleaning out the night soil for this!"

Stepping forward, his stride powerful and confident, Jonathon walked toward Kelanor and Kain.  "Your part in my parent's death has been revealed to me.  I challenge you, Kelanor, as is my right through my blood.  Face me in single combat, or be known as honorless and craven, before your family and all in this land."

Anger brought color back into Kelanor's cheeks, and he stomped toward the upstart boy approaching him.  "You have no right to challenge me.  You speak lies."

"Brendon will confirm the truth.  He will no longer hide your crimes.  Take up your sword, Kelanor," Jonathon said, placing his hand on the hilt of his own sheathed weapon.  "Only my death at your hand can prove my words untrue now, and you know it."


Drawing his sword, Kelanor said, "You are a fool, Boy.  Very well, I accept your challenge.  I should have cut you down all those years ago, instead of wasting my time with you."

An ominous hiss accompanied Jonathon's sword sliding free of its sheathe.  He offered no further words, simply bringing his sword to the ready.  The sound of another sword leaving its sheathe sounded, and Jonathon glanced over to see Kain approaching.

Kelanor growled and held up his hand.  "Stand back, Kain.  That is an order.  Watch how a man of noble blood punishes a peasant who attempts to rise above himself."

Chuckling, Kain re-sheathed his sword.  "Cut him up good, Father.  The little whelp needs a good licking to teach him some humility."

With absolutely no warning, Kelanor leapt forward, his sword swinging in a deadly arc, directly at Jonathon's throat.

Inborn skill – and the training he received in this very yard – served Jonathon well.  His sword came up gracefully, easily deflecting the powerful blow high.  Circling the weapon around, Jonathon brought his sword into an attack of his own.  Kelanor grunted, barely parrying the blow, and stepping backward to regain his balance.

Launching another attack, faking a rush forward to add momentum to the stab, Kelanor grunted when Jonathon moved back a step in preparation.  Kelanor immediately danced to the side, snatching up a shield from where it hung nearby.  He quickly slipped it onto his arm, smiling devilishly.

Undaunted, Jonathon pressed forward.  He knew that he could not win this fight if he battled from a defensive posture.  He needed to take the fight to Kelanor.  Moving in with perfect balance, he swung an overhand blow at Kelanor's shoulder.  The older knight caught it on his shield, and immediately launched a counter-attack.

Jonathon expected a return strike, however, and had his sword perfectly in line to deflect the blow almost as soon as Kelanor began it.  Steel rang against steel once again, and Jonathon forced Kelanor to bring his shield up to defend against a second overhand blow.

His arm stinging from the powerful blow, Kelanor knew he was in trouble.  Jonathon was young, strong, and obviously had learned much in the process of sparring with Kain.  A last minute deflection of a two handed cut with his sword caused Kelanor's other arm to tingle.  A look into Jonathon's eyes revealed something even more frightening, fearless determination – and a knowledge that he fought for justice.

Kelanor knew that he stood no chance – if he fought fairly.  Having no intention of losing, he maneuvered the fight toward one of the perpetual puddles in the courtyard.

Jonathon pressed on, still holding back somewhat.  He could tell that he was the faster, and the stronger.  He also knew that Kelanor was cunning, and well trained.  Jonathon conserved his strength, fighting wisely, waiting for the right opportunity to slip through Kelanor's guard.  Kelanor fought defensively now, as Jonathon had at the beginning of the fight, giving ground.

The battle reached the puddle, and Kelanor backed through it, thrusting suddenly at Jonathon, deflecting a strike from the younger man at the same time.  Jonathon danced back, regaining his balance, and putting himself in the perfect position for Kelanor's treachery.

While such tactics were considered without honor, Kelanor cared less at this moment.  He was fighting for his life and reputation.  Only Jonathon's death could save either of them now.  Kicking into the puddle, he sloshed a spray of muddy water into Jonathon's eyes.

Jonathon reacted quickly, attempting to shield his eyes from the water.  He succeeded for the most part, but the moment of distraction allowed Kelanor an opportunity.  Jonathon barely brought his sword back down in time to deflect the vicious stab, forced to spin to the side as well to avoid being run through.

Kelanor kept up his momentum, spinning and launching a strike at the back of Jonathon's neck.  For just a moment, he thought it was over.  Jonathon was facing the wrong way, his weapon nowhere near in the proper position to defend.  Elation swelled in Kelanor's heart, as his blade drew ever nearer to Jonathon's unprotected flesh.

Jonathon acted on instinct, sensing more than seeing the coming blow.  He dropped to his knees, the stroke whistling just over his head.  As his knees struck the soggy earth, he saw the opening that he had been waiting for.  Grasping the hilt of his father's sword in both hands, he stabbed upward into the seam below Kelanor's breastplate.

Still trying to recover from Jonathon's sudden movement out of the path of a killing blow, Kelanor didn't even realize he had been stabbed until the weapon prevented him from turning.  Then the wave of pain hit him, as well as a shortness of breath.  Jonathon's blade had pierced Kelanor's chain mail, his belly, and slid upward into a lung.

Kelanor's nerveless fingers couldn't maintain their grip on his sword's hilt, and it fell with a wet thud to the soggy earth below.  The treacherous knight's knees soon followed, and he glanced through dimming eyes at the man who had killed him.

Jonathon hung his head, letting out a sigh.  "You can rest in peace now, Father – Mother."

Kelanor never heard Kain's enraged scream, because his life fled before the sound ever erupted.

"You'll die, whelp!  Michael will inherit everything now without Father around to give me my due!  I'll kill you!"  Kain's sword slid from its sheathe, and he rushed toward Jonathon.

Jonathon rose quickly, and brought his weapon up, but he need not have done so.  Kain slammed into an invisible wall before he could reach his intended target.  The air blasted from Kain's lungs, even as his sword fell to the earth near Kelanor's corpse.  Collapsing to the ground, Kain gasped for breath, grasping for his sword.

"Thank you, Laresa.  It was hard enough to face Kelanor, without being forced to kill Kain as well," Jonathon said with a relieved sigh.

Laresa asked, "What will you do about him, though?  He'll just try to kill you again."

"I'll just have to hope Michael can control him – and that he won't challenge me as well.  I really don't like the thought of crossing blades with Michael, and I honestly don't believe I'd survive the test of arms."

"What shall we do...?"  Words failed Laresa, and she gestured toward Kelanor's body.	

"Though my heart screams to toss him in the woods for scavengers to feast upon, I will not inflict such indignity on any man."  Jonathon gestured toward some relatively clean flagstones, "Can you lie him upon those stones, out of the muck, until someone can prepare him for burial?"

Behind the invisible wall, Kain continued to rage, screaming about how Jonathon was mad – talking to himself.  Laresa gestured, and Kain collapsed to the earth.  Before Jonathon could ask, Laresa said, "I put him to sleep."  She then gestured again, and Kelanor's body appeared on the stones, hands folded over his sword.

"Thank you, Laresa.  Now, I must face Esmarelda."

Even as he spoke, Esmarelda stepped out from the door, her hand over her mouth.  She approached Kelanor's body hesitantly, a look of disbelief in her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, Esmarelda," Jonathon said, "I had no choice.  He was responsible for my parents' death."

Glancing over at Jonathon, Esmarelda nodded.  "I suspected things, but I was afraid to ever discover the truth.  He was a good man – once.  I'm so sorry such grief has been brought upon you, Jonathon.  You were always a good boy, and you don't deserve what life has given you.  Is Kain...?"

"He's only sleeping, Esmarelda.  He sought to attack me as well," Jonathon explained.

"What am I to do," Esmarelda said, approaching her husband's body.

"Call Michael back, he will take care of you.  He is respected, and strong.  He can maintain your holdings," Jonathon suggested.

"I wish he were here now," Esmarelda sobbed.

Laresa moved in behind Jonathon, placing her hand on his shoulder.  "She is nearly overwhelmed.  I could bring Michael here.  I believe she needs him, and you have to face him.  You will have to reveal me, and my part in all of this, however."

"Let them see you, then," Jonathon said.

Esmarelda gasped, stumbling backward in frightened surprise when Laresa appeared.

Jonathon quickly said, "Please, do not be alarmed.  Laresa is a genie, and it is through her I discovered my parents' fate.  She put Kain to sleep, so I wouldn't have to fight him.  She can bring Michael here, immediately."

Esmarelda's mouth worked soundlessly – her eyes wide with fear.  Jonathon turned to Laresa and said, "Just bring Michael here.  She needs him."

Laresa nodded, and Michael appeared between them and his mother a moment later.  Startled, Michael gasped out an oath and looked around, trying to discover what had happened to him.

"Oh, Michael," Esmarelda sobbed, running to her son.

Michael took in the scene – his crying mother, his father's corpse, and his awakening brother.  He turned to Jonathon, stunned surprise in his eyes.  His mouth opened, but Jonathon cut him off.

"Please, just care for your mother, and send someone to take care of Kain, and Kelanor's body.  I will tell you what has happened later."

Frowning, his brow furrowing, Michael stared hard at Jonathon, but then nodded and led his mother inside.

"Can you take me to my room?  I really need to sit down and think," Jonathon requested.
Laresa nodded, and transported them both to his room, sealing the door magically.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

The hour was late when Michael knocked on Jonathon's door.  Having put his mother to bed, arranged for his father to be laid in repose, and put his brother under guard, he wanted answers.

Jonathon and Laresa explained, and much to Michael's credit, he listened without judgment.  When Jon completed the tale, he awaited the stoic-faced Michael's reaction.

For a few seconds, Michael was simply numb.  Then, at last, his expression softened, and he sighed.  "I will have to speak to Brendon, of course, but in truth, I believe you, Jonathon.  Mother and I have long held suspicions about Father's ambition, and this is the reason I was sent away to oversee the knights in your father's castle."

Jonathon had no response, still feeling guilty about talking to Michael, after killing the man's father.  Laresa stepped forward, saying, "I can see into men's hearts, and I know Jonathon took no pleasure in facing your father.  He had little choice, for your Father's reach was long indeed.  If he had fled, Kelanor would have had him murdered – rather than risk having anyone recognize him for who he truly was."

Michael nodded, "I can see why.  I remember your father, Jonathon, and your resemblance to him is truly uncanny.  Any who knew the man could not doubt your relation to him.  I'm sorry I didn't see it before now."

"So, it is all true," a voice sounded from outside the door.

As Jonathon and Laresa glanced toward the door, and Michael turned, Caroline stepped into the doorway.  In a small voice, Caroline said, "My Uncle's crimes do not cease there, and I fear they surely would have grown, in time."

Michael asked, "What do you mean, Caroline?"

Laresa reached out into Caroline's mind, and saw the truth.  She gasped, her eyes widening.  Upon seeing that Caroline was unable to answer, she approached the young woman, taking her hand and whispering, "I understand, Caroline.  I can tell them, if you wish."

Her brow furrowed in confusion for a moment, but she had overheard the entire conversation, and thus understood that Laresa possessed some sort of magic.  Caroline nodded, unable to force the words past her lips.

Laresa turned back to the two men, saying, "Kelanor snuck into Caroline's room in the night, and peeked upon her while she bathed.  Quite recently, he crossed yet another line, and touched her as she slept.  I know such men, and it was only a matter of time before he despoiled her."

"This is true?"  Michael asked – his voice tightly controlled.

Caroline nodded almost imperceptibly.

Disgust spread across Michael's face, even as Jonathon's face flushed with anger.  Michael said, "Knowing this, I would be tempted to bury my father in a midden, were it not for Mother's feelings.  Were she to discover this..."

Laresa spoke for Caroline, "She need never know.  Caroline does not wish to see her Aunt hurt any more, either."

"I promise you, I will do all in my power to make this right, Caroline."  Michael then turned to Jonathon.  "This only adds to my belief of your words, Jonathon.  I will still speak with Brendon, but such is a mere formality now.  I will ensure you are protected from my brother.  If he will not stand down, I will have him confined until such time as he will.  I will set guards on your door..."

"There is no need, I can protect him better than a dozen knights," Laresa interrupted.

Michael smiled weakly, "I suppose you can.  Very well.  Rest, Jonathon.  We will go speak with Brendon on the morrow."

Michael turned, and took his cousin's hand.  They both nodded by way of farewell, and then closed the door behind them.

Laresa went to sit next to Jonathon on the bed.  "I can help you rest, if you wish."

"Please, I fear I shall be haunted by all of this in the night," Jonathon said quietly.

"You shall know only peaceful dreams."  Laresa called upon her power, magically removing Jonathon's armor.  "Rest now, for tomorrow, your life shall see a new dawn."

===============================
Present Day –
Headquarters of the Society of Djinn
===============================

Daron at last agreed, "Benjamin, I believe you.  Very well, I will open the box if you can shield this room from detection.  You are my friend, and I know as well as you that neither the council, nor our secret conclave can come to any consensus."

"I know these relics I have found are important.  Come tomorrow, and I will be prepared.  I will have to retrieve a shielding stone from storage, and I'll have to wait until Christopher watches over the room tomorrow."

Daron nodded, picking up his box, containing the Djinn artifact.  "I will see you tomorrow, Benjamin.  I'm just as eager as you to see what your research has revealed."

Benjamin smiled, and let his friend out.  When he closed the door, he thought, I doubt anyone could be as eager as I am.  I feel like I'm about to come out of my skin!  Glancing at the clock, he knew he would be doing so often, until Christopher took over watch of the storage room tomorrow morning. 

=====================
Back in the Dark Ages...
=====================

Laresa, Michael, and Jonathon appeared within Michael's chambers, in the castle that rightfully belonged to Jonathon.  Michael shook his head, saying, "I do not believe I will ever grow accustomed to this movement, but I must admit it is convenient.  We have spoken with Brendon, and come all the way here in less time than it should have required to simply reach town."

"I am not used to it either, Michael.  I only found Laresa a short time ago," Jonathon admitted.

"Your stomach stops lurching after the first dozen times," Laresa said with a note of mirth.

"I will order the garrison to remain here, until you can recruit your own knights.  Once your father's old retainers hear his son resides within these walls again, they and their heirs will be quick to swear fealty to you, I'm sure," Michael explained.  "All the taxes and duties paid from these lands will revert immediately to you, as well.  Trade and the harvest both look promising, and you have a fair amount of coin in your strongboxes already.  You will have the coin to pay your men, and tend to your people's needs."




Laresa's World Ch. 24: Jonathon



"I hope we may maintain ties, Michael.  Once these lands shared a bond of mutual protection."  Jonathon stepped forward, clasping Michael's hand.

"No matter how Father treated you – no matter our lack of blood kinship – you were my brother, and to me, you still are," Michael said formally, squeezing Jonathon's hand.  "Besides, I believe we may very well have another bond joining our two houses soon enough."

Jonathon looked confused, but Laresa could see Michael's thoughts, and knew of what he spoke.  She laughed, and blushed just a little.

Michael laughed.  "Come now, Jonathon.  Surely you do not believe I could fail to notice your feelings for Caroline?  I believe they may be returned, in truth."

"I can confirm that," Laresa added, with a knowing smile.

"Really?"  Jonathon asked, his voice cracking in a way unheard since he passed his teen years.

Laresa and Michael both laughed.  Clapping Jonathon on the back, he said, "Your genie has been right about everything thus far, has she not?  Come, meet the men – and then Laresa can return me to my home.  My mother still needs me."

"Of course," Jonathon said, still looking overwhelmed by all the revelations thrust upon him in the last several hours.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Laresa and Jonathon stood atop the battlements, looking out over the land.  Upon meeting with the knights, functionaries, and servants, Jonathon decided to leave them all in their current structure.  He informed each group that he had much to learn, and they were in the best position to teach him.  He likewise assured them all that any who wished to remain in his service could do so, and that any who wished to go join Michael could do so with his blessing.

"I want to go out amongst the people.  If I am to be ruler and protector here, I must know their needs, and capabilities," Jonathon mused, staring out over the rolling hills.

Laresa smiled at him, saying, "You may need less help than you think, Jonathon.  The most important trait in a ruler is wisdom, and that very statement proves you possess a great deal of it."

"I'm not so sure about that – but I hope to learn."  Jonathon stared out across his lands for a minute, obviously lost in contemplation.  He then turned to Laresa and asked, "Can you make it so we will not stand out?  I don't want anyone to know we are anything more than just another pair of farmers, or townsfolk."

"Easily done – and again – very wise," Laresa said with a respectful nod.

"Let us do that then."

Concentrating for a moment, Laresa opened her eyes and smiled.  "I know just the place to start."

In the blink of an eye, they were gone.

===========================
Aaron's Temple –
At the height of the Inca Empire
===========================

Aaron rolled off one of his wives, one of the few not already pregnant, though he had little doubt she soon would be.  Three of his other wives immediately moved to attend him, suckling the glistening juices from his softening organ.  They then washed him with soft cloths, while he reclined and sipped beer brought by a fourth wife.

Glancing over at his Djinn, Aaron scowled.  He briefly considered ordering her to restore his potency, and then violently taking her ass as encouragement to find him a more powerful genie – soon.

Rolling his eyes, he lay back, deciding it wasn't worth the effort.  How he wished for Laresa – or even Nathifa.  Either of them would be more useful than Karida.

Laresa, Aaron thought, and growled.  He snorted in disgust when his wives flinched from the sound. Useless, weak women.  I will find you, Laresa, and I'll make you beg for oblivion – and then deny it to you.

"Master, I have located a powerful, unbound Djinn."

Upon hearing Karida's words, Aaron hurled his wives away, stalking toward the Djinn.  "What did you say?"

Both excited, and relieved, Karida exclaimed, "I've found one, Master.  I've found one!"

"My clothes."  When Karida didn't react immediately, Aaron shouted, "Quickly, you idiot woman!"

Karida made a nervous gesture, using her power to clothe Aaron, in a manner appropriate for the time period they would visit.

"Now, take me to this Djinn."

===============================
Present Day –
Headquarters of the Society of Djinn
===============================

"Benjamin, this is too dangerous.  The shield failed just now, I could feel it," Daron said, glancing around nervously.

"Don't worry," Benjamin said with a dismissive gesture.  "It was down for only a moment, and the only Finder's Stones not in storage are out in the field.  Nobody would have had time to notice.  Do you see, they do react to each other – this is important!"

Daron looked down to see tendrils of light swirling between the medallion in the box, and the teardrop of amber in Benjamin's hand.  The reaction to the amber artifact was far stronger than the previous test with the silver pearl.  As Benjamin moved the teardrop closer, the light intensified, the strands now crackling like miniature lightning bolts.

"I can feel... There is something..."  Benjamin began, and then stiffened, falling backward out of his chair.  As he fell, the connection between the two items was broken, the lights winking out as suddenly as they had appeared.

Snapping his containment box shut in alarm, Daron snatched it up and moved to kneel over Benjamin.  Daron shook his friend, his voice full of fright, "Ben?  Ben?  Are you okay?  Benjamin, what happened?  Wake up!"

"Hello, Daron."

His eyes going wide, Daron turned toward the voice.  His ears had not failed him, and he swallowed when he saw it was indeed Aaron standing with a scantily clad woman behind him.

"You're Ben's friend, and he never looked down on me like the others, so I'm going to make you an offer none of those other bastards would get.  You have a Djinn artifact in that box, don't you?"

Daron didn't answer, but his thoughts betrayed him.  Never very good at the mental shielding to begin with, it failed him utterly in his panic.  Karida turned to Aaron and said, "Yes, Horace's medallion is within."

"Hand it over, Daron," Aaron said, his voice carrying just a hint of warning.

Backing away slowly, Daron said, "How do I know you won't just kill me if I do.  They say you've gone mad.  They say you're killing people."

The warning in Aaron's voice this time was not subtle, "Don't make me kill another, Daron.  I will have that medallion – now."  Aaron knew what Daron was slowly moving toward – an alarm button.  "Don't do it, Daron.  Open the box."

His hands trembling, Daron surrendered to his fear.  He'd heard what happened to people who crossed Aaron, and knew that the alarm would do him no good.  If he handed over the medallion, perhaps Aaron would simply leave, as he'd promised.  He was shaking so badly, however, that he dropped the box.  In the process of reaching toward it, he moved too close to the alarm button.

Mercifully, the very first shock of electrical energy Aaron hurled burnt out his mind before he could know pain.  His body continued to contort in a twisted mockery of life while Aaron's lightning assaulted it, at last collapsing into a broken, smoldering heap when the power ceased to flow.

"Fucking idiot," Aaron muttered, holding his breath as he stepped over the corpse to retrieve the box.  Now, with Daron dead, he would have to resort to a complicated process to open the box.  Each was keyed to their owner, and could not be opened normally by another.

Scooping up the box with a victorious smile, Aaron turned back to his Djinn, and ordered her, "Return us to my temple."

=====================
Back in the Dark Ages...
=====================

"I never knew there was so much poverty – such despair in the world."  Jonathon shook his head, standing alongside a muddy track near his castle with Laresa.

"Kelanor taxed them rather unmercifully, that's part if it," Laresa explained.  "Things were better when your father ruled this land, and it will take a long time to repair the damage.  Even if I help magically, it will still take a long time, because the people wouldn't understand if things just happened.  They would panic and start talk of evil magic."

"The first thing I'm going to do is reduce the taxes on the poorest people.  There's little sense in taxing them to the point where they can't even feed themselves.  Starving people don't help anyone," Jonathon mused.

Laresa smiled.  "That's a good place to start – although you'll have to find some way to distract the wealthier merchants and such.  People with money tend to get irritated when they're taxed more than anyone else."

Jonathon's mind whirled through numerous reforms he planned to institute, and Laresa scanned the thoughts as they appeared.  Her smile widened when she realized that Jonathon possessed a great deal of wisdom and political savvy.  He would do well with this land, and with her help, it might even regain its former glory in his lifetime.

She had to suppress a wistful sigh when she saw how prominently Caroline was featured in Jonathon's musings.  Laresa couldn't help but be intensely attracted to the kind, handsome young man, but she refused to turn her charms on him.  She knew that he and Caroline were obviously meant to be together, and he would only end up feeling guilty about it if Laresa enticed him into bed.

Pushing those thoughts aside, because they were making her sex tingle in a very distracting manner, Laresa suggested, "It's getting late, we should probably return to the castle.  You have the first of many long days ahead of you."

"I suppose you..."  Jonathon bit off the rest of his words in a curse, spinning toward the people appearing in his peripheral vision, and drawing his sword.

"Oh, please, no," Laresa whimpered, seeing Aaron.  His presence alone was frightening enough, but the second Djinn at the man's side chilled Laresa to the core.  Horace was amongst the first to feel the touch of fire that created the Djinn, possessing immense power and knowledge of untold centuries.  Laresa knew she had no hope of standing against him.

Jonathon stepped between Laresa and Aaron, holding his sword in a defensive posture, and wishing he still wore his armor.  Laresa quickly transported him behind her, saying, "No, Jonathon, they are Djinn, your sword will be useless."

Aaron tilted his head back and laughed – a wicked, mirthless sound.  His eyes seethed with hatred and desire when he snapped them back down to stare at Laresa.  "You don't know how right you are, Laresa.  You have a little history with Horace here, don't you?  We had a long talk, while I was restricting anything resembling free will in him.  You will be mine now, Laresa.  If you try to run again, by the way, I'll kill every living soul within a hundred miles of this place.  I'll do the same thing every time I find you, and you run.  I'll depopulate this world in every fucking era if necessary.  Women.  Children.  I'll kill them all.  Their blood will be on your hands, Laresa."

Aaron's final words were so laced with malice that Laresa nearly collapsed from the impact of them.  Hope drained from her, even as her face paled.

"Who is this, Laresa?"  Jonathon asked.  He could tell from her trembling that something was very wrong – and that didn't bode well for him either.

Clapping his hands, and rubbing his palms together, Aaron stepped closer to Laresa.  "There's just a little problem.  I need your ring, and handsome boy there seems to be wearing it."  Bringing a hand to his chin, he tapped his forefinger over his lips.  "Now, what shall we do to remedy this situation?"

"Jonathon, whatever you do, don't take off the ring.  No matter what he does, no matter what happens, don't surrender the ring," Laresa said in a small voice.

Jonathon stated the obvious.  "Laresa, you're frightened."

"I don't know if I can protect you, Jonathon.  He's going to try to kill you, to get my ring, and I don't know if I can stand against Horace, let alone Karida as well."

Laresa felt a touch on her hand, and looked down to see Jonathon grasping it.  "If such is my destiny, then so be it.  He will pry your ring from my cold, dead finger – and in no other way."

Aaron rolled his eyes and sneered, "Such heroic nonsense."  He snapped his focus back to Laresa, curling his fingers into a fist before her.  "Do you know what I'm going to do to you, Laresa?   I'm going to tear apart your mind, body, and soul.  I'm going to make you beg for oblivion – and deny it to you.  You owe me, bitch, and you're going to pay.  I have larger ambitions now.  I think supreme ruler of the world – perhaps even the universe – sounds good.  Every single life will be mine to play with, like my own little action figures – and I'll use your power to do it."

Forced to look away from Aaron, Laresa's eyes met Horace's.  In those familiar orbs, she saw a mixture of pity for her – and hatred for Aaron.  Laresa knew Horace well indeed, and the bonds Aaron had obviously placed upon him tore into the fiber of Horace's being.  For just a moment, she again had hope.  Crafty Horace would surely find some way to break free of Aaron.

Hope sank again, when she realized it would surely be entirely too late for her.

"Stand strong, Laresa.  I seized the key to my destiny when I picked up your ring.  Now, it is your turn.  I believe in you, Laresa."  Jonathon squeezed her hand, placing his other hand on her shoulder.

Aaron made a disgusted noise, putting his hand on his forehead.  "Oh, will you please shut up.  I think I'm going to vomit.  I've heard preachers spewing less high-minded garbage in my time, Sir Fuckwad."

Stepping out to stand beside Laresa, Jonathon pointed his sword at Aaron.  "Strong words, from a man who stands behind a woman, and a lapdog of a man.  A real man would face me on his own."

Wagging his finger back and forth before his face, Aaron laughed.  "Oh, no, Blondie.  I'm not that stupid.  You know, I'm going to enjoy watching you die."  Turning to look back at his Djinn, Aaron said, "I think I'd like to see him explode.  Little gobbets of flesh and blood sprayed over about a fifty-foot area.  Let's do it that way.  I wonder, do you think you could do it quick enough that some of him might splatter on Laresa, before his death sucked her back into the ring?"

"You're mad," Laresa whispered.

"Mad?  MAD?  I'm way beyond mad you fucking silver-haired whore.  Do you know what you cost me?  By the time I found worthless Karida here, I was on the verge of dying from old age.  I've spent an entire lifetime dreaming of making you pay."  Spittle sprayed from Aaron's mouth as he screamed, jabbing his finger toward Laresa accusingly.  He breathed heavily for a few moments, and then an evil smile spread across his lips.

"And now, I will."

Laresa summoned up her strength, knowing it was a futile gesture.  She had barely stood against Karida.  She knew it would be impossible to resist the type of power Horace could bring to bear against her.

A thought ordered one of his Djinn to summon up a cushioned chair for Aaron, into which he promptly plopped down.  Reaching down, he extended the footrest, and then folded his hands behind his head

"One more death on your hands, Laresa," Aaron mocked.

For some reason, those words didn't cut into Laresa's heart as they had before.  Instead, a tiny spark of hope – of resolve – deep within her flared to roaring life.

Aaron waved his hand in a flippant gesture, saying, "Kill her Master, the little Fabio wannabe.  Do make it messy – but keep it off me."

Laresa closed her eyes, her teeth grinding together painfully, as the combined power of Karida and Horace slammed into her.  Laresa knew Horace was holding back, because she knew his power.  Horace was obeying his Master's command, but he wasn't pouring all his strength into it – yet.  It was only a matter of time, because the rules binding the Djinn were absolute.  Aaron had ordered Horace to kill Jonathon, and he would have to continue trying until he succeeded.

Laresa whimpered as the waves of killing energy slammed into her protective magic.  Still she stood strong, her body so stiff she appeared to be a statue.  Horace's power increased by the moment, and Laresa knew it must overwhelm her at any moment.

She hadn't even realized he was still holding her hand, but a gentle squeeze from Jonathon reminded her.  New resolve flooded through her, and Laresa's eyes popped open.  Directly before her she saw Aaron relaxing, not even bothering to watch.  Her eyes hardened, and Laresa pushed back against the power assaulting her.  Though she should even now be faltering, the wave of death creeping steadily toward Jonathon instead retreated.

Laresa couldn't see it, but Horace's eyes widened in surprise. What have we here?  Have you finally tapped it, Laresa?  Unable to disobey Aaron's command, Horace threw his full power into the attack.

Laresa withstood it.

The previously invisible war of cosmic energy between the Djinn took on physical form, showing as a shield of bright light surrounding Laresa, and a wave of crimson death pounding against it from the other two genies.  Karida trembled, and beads of sweat decorated Horace's brow.

Aaron scowled, and shouted at his slaves, "What are you waiting for – fucking Christmas?  Kill him, already!"

Karida collapsed to her knees, the waves of power from her flickering away and dying.  In that same instant, Horace's fountain of killing energy retreated even farther, pushing back toward him.  Laresa opened her free hand, the fingers splayed out wide and stiff.  In a voice amplified not by her will, but by the sheer energy she wielded, Laresa said, "You can't kill him, I won't allow it.  No more will die by your hand, because of your hatred for me.  NO MORE!"

With those shouted words, Laresa turned her power on Aaron, while maintaining the shield over Jonathon.  She knew the only way she would be able to avoid looking over her shoulder for her former Master – the only true way to save Jonathon, was to kill Aaron.

Horace immediately ceased his assault on Jonathon, turning his will toward defending his own Master.  As Laresa's power struck his shield, Horace actually stumbled back a step, as if hit by a physical blow.  His eyes widened in surprise once again.  He knew Laresa had the potential to summon up great power, but this was beyond anything he had imagined.  It took all he had to hold off her assault, and he could sense that the shield around Jonathon was just as strong as ever.

From between clenched teeth, Horace growled, "I suggest we retreat – immediately, Master."

"Are you stupid?  She's right here in my clutches.  You're supposed to be one of the most powerful Djinn in existence.  Kill him.  KILL HIM!"

Laresa's stomach churned.  Though she knew this was the only way to be truly free, she couldn't do it.  The moment of determined power and instinct faded.  Laresa withdrew her assault, concentrating on protecting Jonathon.

Horace let out a long, relieved breath.  "Master, my power is beyond compare, but it appears Laresa has at last unlocked the true depths of her power.  Of all those sacrificed in the rite, she was the only one to come from the clan of the highborn.  She was the daughter of a Headman, and thus her transformation was special.  She has the potential to rival even the gods.

Just the faintest hints of smug satisfaction – and impressed awe – touched Horace's voice as he continued.  "You have given her the key to freeing that power, and you will never possess her.  If I cannot combat her, surely no other can.  She will defend her Masters with her newfound strength, and no genie will be able to reach them.  You've just managed to deny any possibility of attaining your greatest wish."




Laresa's World Ch. 24: Jonathon



On the surface, Laresa scoffed at the talk, thinking it just a crafty ploy of Horace's to aid her.  Then she again felt the wellspring of energy within her.  Before, defending against Karida alone had nearly exhausted her.  Now she stood, having withstood the assault of both Karida and Horace – one of the strongest known Djinn – and didn't feel the slightest weakness.

A low, rumbling growl emerged from Aaron's throat, changing into a scream of pure rage as he popped out of his chair.  Picking it up, he hurled it at Horace with all his magically enhanced strength.  The chair broke, splinters of wood flying from the impact, and fell at Horace's feet.

Karida slowly stood, her body trembling from the effort.  Aaron didn't even pay her the slightest mind, but simply continued to fume.

His face flushed bright red, and his breathing nothing more than a series of enraged blasts, Aaron stared first at Horace, and then Laresa.  Several times, his wide-open eyes darted back and forth, before settling on Laresa.  "If I can't have her, nobody will.  So she can defend her Masters – fine.  Let's see if she can defend herself."

Knowing what Aaron was about to command him to do, Horace opened his senses, preparing to unleash his power.  In that instant, he knew the truth.  Though her mind was denied to him, he knew Karida would be sensing the same thing.  "Master, We will be unable to fulfill the wish you are about to make.  Laresa's place in the flow of time..."

Aaron ignored him, screaming, "Destroy Laresa's ring!  Send her into the void!  Do it, now!"

Horace smiled, feeling the bond between him and Aaron shatter.  He laughed, the sound never reaching the physical plane, because he was already transforming into a mist, seeping back into his medallion.  Nearby, Karida likewise dissolved, returning to the earring that served as her home.

Because of his vast power and experience, Horace was able to send his thoughts to Laresa.  In the millisecond between his bond to Aaron being shattered, thus freeing him from the fetters Aaron had placed on him, and his disappearance, Horace thought to Laresa, You are too important to the flow of time – too many people would be affected by your death here.  The powers that govern us will not allow it, and thus Aaron is now at your mercy.

Once both Djinn vanished, so too did their artifacts, hurtling across the face of space and time.  Taking a cue from Horace's words, Laresa lashed out with her power, stealing away all the powers granted to him by Djinn magic.  With no genie to protect him now, he resumed his normal form.

Aaron screamed, and jerked a knife from his belt – the very knife with which he had slain his mentor.  Leaping forward, screaming in rage, he dived toward Jonathon.

Laresa's shield was still in place, but it had no chance to stop Aaron.  Jonathon's hand released hers, gripping the hilt of his sword.  In a flash of precise movement, Jonathon disarmed Aaron – quite literally – cutting off the hand holding the knife at the elbow.

Blood spurting in a macabre fountain from the stump of his arm, Aaron fell to his knees, screaming in pain at Jonathon's feet.

Stepping away from Aaron, Jonathon said, "Laresa, stop the blood, he is no threat now.  He is a broken man.  Let him live with what he has done.  That shall be his punishment for his sins."

Laresa swallowed hard, fighting down bile, "Jonathon, what if he finds another Djinn?"

Through eyes filling with darkness, Aaron saw one final hope – the ring on Jonathon's finger.  Lurching forward, he reached for it.

Instinct took over, and once again Jonathon's sword flashed, sliding easily into Aaron's chest.  Jonathon stared in horrified disgust as Aaron continued to try and push forward, sliding the blade deeper into his own body, reaching for the ring.

A bubble of blood emerged, along with a gurgle, from Aaron's lips, and then his arm went limp.  Head lolling in the direction of his arm, Aaron stared at it with the tiny sliver of consciousness he retained, raging at the arm that betrayed him.  He attempted to look up at Laresa – to spit a final curse at her – but only a gurgle of blood erupted from between his barely parted lips.

His head fell to his chest as Aaron died.

Jonathon pulled his sword from Aaron's body, stepping back so the corpse wouldn't land on him as it fell.  "He chose his fate."

Laresa gestured, dissolving Aaron into his component atoms in an instant with her power.  She couldn't bear to look at him any longer.  Her mind reeled, even as power roiled within her.

Sheathing his sword, seeing the distraught look on Laresa's face, Jonathon took her hand again and asked, "Laresa, what is wrong?"

Her lip quivered, but she could not answer.

Worried about her, Jonathon asked, "Can you return us to my castle?"

Relieved to have something penetrate the confusing fog in her mind, Laresa nodded, and they vanished.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Laresa paced within the confines of her ring, Jonathon having told her to go there with his blessings upon returning to the castle, when she requested it.  Though she needed no rest, she could think of no better place to sort out her thoughts.

Normally, she had to fight the magical reverie that sought to claim her any time she entered her ring, but this time it required no effort whatsoever.  She could no longer deny the truth of Horace's words.  She had unlocked a vast power in defying Aaron.  She could feel it within her, waiting to be released.

On top of that, she could sense not only Jonathon's thoughts, but those of the people in the castle as well, something she could have never done before from within her ring.  Somehow, she knew that if she chose to, she could send her thoughts racing across the globe now, from within her ring.

Having so much power frightened Laresa, bringing back memories of her feelings when she first awakened as a genie.  Her powers had been used for ill before – what sort of nightmares might be unleashed through her now?

Jonathon's concern for her, creeping through the connection to him, brought a smile to Laresa's lips.  It also calmed her turbulent spirit.  She had found balance upon becoming Djinn, and she would do so again.  There were only a few situations where her increased power could prove a problem.  After all, most Masters had simple, base wishes.

Her previous level of power could easily make someone the richest in the world, or the strongest, or the best lover... Little had truly changed.  Masters with grander ambitions were few and far between, and the rules governing the use of her power would prevent many types of wishes from being granted.

Those comforting thoughts calmed Laresa, and she ceased pacing, sinking to her cushions with a sigh.  Flipping her white-gold hair back over her shoulders, she considered Horace's final words to her before he vanished.  Why was she so important to the flow of time that Aaron's wish to see her destroyed had broken the bond with his two Djinn?  She knew that was a question that only would be answered in time, and she actually might never know why.  It could be something as simple as her being meant to protect someone else vital to the flow of time.  In that case, she might never see the results, passing on to another Master before the momentous event occurred.

The confusion and turmoil that had prompted Laresa to seek her ring died away, leaving her at peace.  Jonathon's concern for her continued to grow by the moment, and Laresa rose from her cushions.  It wouldn't do to leave her Master pacing, now that she had found her center.

Emerging from the ring, Laresa saw Jonathon immediately turn toward her with concern in his eyes.  Laresa smiled, and said, "Do not worry.  I'm sorry I caused you to be so concerned.  I just learned some things about myself today that were a little disconcerting, and I needed time to deal with them."

Jonathon smiled back, knowing Laresa couldn't lie to him, and able to tell from her demeanor that it was true anyway.  He sighed, running his fingers through his sandy blonde hair, saying, "I am more than a little troubled myself.  Taking a life, even in self defense, is no small thing."

Laresa walked over to Jonathon, placing a hand on his broad shoulder.  Once again, she had to fight down her urges.  She knew she was going to have to do something about the needs of her body soon, or being around Jonathon would drive her crazy.  "Aaron was mad, power hungry, and irrevocably evil.  The world is a better place without him.  Even Kelanor's crimes are tiny things compared to the horrors Aaron unleashed anywhere he went."

"It is still not easy," Jonathon sighed.

"Good.  When the killing becomes easy, that's when your soul is in trouble.  Don't ever lose that, Jonathon."

"I won't."  Jonathon yawned then, rubbing his bloodshot blue eyes.

"Get some rest.  You still have a lot of work ahead of you – and Caroline to woo."  Jonathon's blush caused Laresa to chuckle quietly.  "Come now, it's quite obvious, just like Michael said.  The two of you belong together, so the quicker you get the courtship out of the way, the quicker you can be married.  It will seal an alliance between you and Michael, as well.  Both of your lands will benefit from your combined strength."

Jonathon asked, "Do you truly believe she feels the same about me?"

"Without a doubt," Laresa replied with a sly smile.

"I know little about courtship.  I might just change that in my fumbling."

Laresa winked, saying, "I'll guide you.  She already wants to be with you, but I'll make sure you don't make any silly mistakes.  Nature will take its course then."

"Thank you, Laresa."

"Now, off to bed with you."

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Over the next couple of months, Laresa's predictions all proved to be well founded.  Through her magic, and Jonathon's wisdom, the lot of his people improved considerably.  Laresa cheated, getting word to the old retainers who had served Jonathon's father, bringing many of them back to the castle in short order.  Word of Jonathon returning to the castle also brought young knights to his service.

Likewise, Caroline and Jonathon fell deeply in love.  Buried beneath their softer feelings was an intense sexual attraction – one that Laresa knew wouldn't endure being repressed for much longer.  Fortunately, Esmarelda sensed this as well, and started making plans for the wedding the moment Jonathon proposed.

For Laresa's part, she found comfort in one of the young knights.  A natural, much like Jonathon, he was only eighteen years of age, and already his name carried through the lands.  Laresa discovered that he had other skills as well.  He was a considerate and enthusiastic lover, with a great deal of stamina.

Laresa made sure that their relationship did not pass beyond sexual, ensuring he wouldn't be hurt if for some reason she ever passed out of this time period.  She was both relieved, and amused, to discover that the young knight had absolutely no problem with this – being far from ready to settle down.

The day for Jonathon's wedding approached, and Laresa watched with amusement, as he endured the tortured agonizing so common amongst men preparing to take vows.

The time drew near, and Jonathon's nervousness increased.  Laresa walked up and took his hands.  She smiled up at him and said, "You love her, and she you.  All you're going to do today is proclaim that in front of your friends, your family, and your people.  It shouldn't be so frightening."

"I know.  I just..."  Jonathon trailed off, but his thoughts revealed the source of his nervousness.

A crooked grin spread across Laresa's face.  "I don't think you need to worry about that.  If it will help you, I can give both of you knowledge that you won't even notice is there, but will keep you from fumbling around much when you go to your wedding bed."

Jonathon's mouth worked as his cheeks flooded with color.  Laresa pursed her lips, fighting hard against the urge to laugh.  "I'll stop talking about it, but consider it my wedding gift.  As if it wasn't already going to be the most remarkable night of your life, I'm just going to make sure it's something even more.  Stop worrying about it.  I don't think you'll think about it at all, once the two of you finally get to live out those fantasies you have about each other."

A knock sounded on the door, and Michael walked in.  "It's time, little brother," he said with a smile.  "Now get to the great hall, or I'll lead you there at sword point.  I can't bear another day of Caroline pining for you every moment you're not there."

Michael's jovial manner cut through Jonathon's nervousness, and he laughed.  "Let us go then."

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

Caroline and Jonathon left the wedding celebration early, their thoughts betraying the reason to Laresa, as if it wasn't obvious to all in attendance.  The party continued, amidst knowing smiles from those attending.

Once the festivities wound down, Laresa had to seek out her young knight.  She couldn't shut out the thoughts coming from the wedding bed, and they showed no signs of ending any time soon.  The shared excitement of the young couple spurred Laresa to enthusiastic efforts, and her young knight soon snored in spent slumber.

Laresa stepped out onto a balcony to drink in the night air, and it was there that Jonathon found her the next morning.  Laresa couldn't help but laugh when she saw him, wearing the slightly surprised expression so many young husbands possessed after their wedding night.

"So, how was your night?"  Laresa asked slyly, laughing when Jonathon's face turned bright red.  "I'm sorry, I couldn't help myself.  I think you've found the key to your lifelong happiness."

"I have," Jonathon responded with a smile.  "If only there was a way to thank you properly.  You have done so much for me, and I wish you could find the key to your own happiness as well."

Though the statement was casual, it reflected Jonathon's true, heartfelt desire.  Laresa let out a little gasp of surprise as she felt her power rise up within her, apparently fulfilling Jonathon's wish.

In the moment before she returned to her ring, Laresa followed Horace's example, using her newfound power to send her thoughts to Jonathon. Something in your wish is sending me away.  From what you said, and what you felt, it can only mean I'm being sent somewhere that can help me find the key to my happiness.  Thank you, Jonathon – be well.

Laresa and her ring vanished, traveling toward their destiny.

===============================
Present Day –
A hotel room off the beaten track...
===============================

Benjamin sat, staring at the television, and not really seeing anything that was happening on it.  He couldn't get the image of Aaron slaying Daron from the security cameras out of his mind.  If only he hadn't persuaded Daron to open the box, his friend would be alive today.  It was all his fault.

His fingers absently toyed with a silver pearl and an amber teardrop in his pocket.  When he left the headquarters of the Society to collect his thoughts, he simply could not leave the relics behind.  Something in the jolt that had knocked him unconscious nagged at him – a thought almost known, but never really congealing so he could see it.  It was frustrating beyond all comprehension, and only added to Benjamin's unease.

A ringing broke him out of his contemplation, and it was only with the second ring that he realized the ringtone came from his private cell phone.  The phone was unknown to the Society, except for a select few close friends.  Picking it up, he saw the call was from Franklin – someone he had not heard from in ages.

Hitting the send button, he brought the phone to his ear, "Hello."

Excitement filled Franklin's voice as he replied, "Ben, you're not going to believe this.  I'm on my private line too.  I found two Djinn artifacts.  I'm almost positive it's Horace's medallion and Laresa's ring.  They just appeared in my apartment here in Cairo, sitting side by side on the table as if someone had left them there for me."

The words didn't really sink in at first.  Benjamin sat silent, unable to form any words to reply.

Franklin continued, "I'm packing right now, getting ready to head home.  I want you to see them first.  I know you've always been fascinated by Laresa, and I wanted you to be the first to see her ring.  The first!  Nobody else in the Society has ever actually touched it since Seymour used it to create the Headquarters.  We'll be the first, Ben!"

The nagging almost thought in the back of Benjamin's head virtually screamed at him.  It was so tantalizingly close now – he could almost taste it.  Guilt about Daron's death warred with Benjamin's eternal curiosity – and curiosity won by a narrow margin.  "I'm in Michigan, where are you flying in to?"

Robert answered, "What are you closest to?  Grand Rapids?  Detroit?"

"Chicago, actually," Benjamin responded.  "I'm up by the lake.  Just came back in to civilization after a bit of a back-woods sabbatical."

"Well, OHare it is then.  I'll call you back when I know what flight I'm on.  Talk to you soon."

"Talk to you soon.  Bye," Benjamin said, hitting the end button on his cell.  The thought of seeing Laresa's ring had him feeling antsy, unable to sit still.  Getting up, he started packing, getting ready to hit the road for Chicago.

()o~~~~***~~~~o()

I hope you've enjoyed this tale, and Aaron finally getting what he deserved.  Please do take a moment to vote and comment, won't you?  Thanks, as always, to Red for giving us such a wonderful character to write, the entire group for such a great experience, and Roust for the editing I couldn't live without. 



Laresa's World Ch. 25: Ben & Horace



Author's Note:  My apologies for the long gap between this chapter and the last. Real life dealt me some serious blows and I struggled with the muse. Please enjoy this chapter of Laresa and feel free to comment and vote if you'd like. Most of all thank you for enjoying Laresa ~ Red

Ben jerked awake as the sound of rain splattering against the window mingled with the sound of a fire, crackling from his dream, merged as one. He reached out for the ring, cradled it in his palm and then brought it to his chest. With a trembling hand he flicked the lamp on. Cautiously he opened his fingers.

The amber gem glistened and the warmth of it radiated up his arm. He'd seen her. . .Laresa. He'd watched her willingly walk to the alter, willingly lay across it and willingly die for her people. She hadn't screamed, pleaded, or even cried as the flames devoured her. Ben knew it was because she'd been drugged and/or hypnotized by the shaman of her people. He wouldn't have known this had it not been for all the research he and the Society had on the Djinn and their existence. 

Yet, Ben knew even more than most. His dreams were becoming more intense and detailed since he'd been struck by Horace's medallion months ago. No longer could he deny that there was something happening to him. Tonight's "vision" as he was now referring to them, was one that was not only lengthy, but was also very personal. He'd been there. He knew it was odd to say and if he told his friends, they would tell him he was nuts, but he wasn't. He had been there watching Laresa die. 

"You're not dead though; are you? Your people didn't know until it was too late. You're in there waiting; I can feel it. I can feel you," Ben whispered to the glittering stone. 

Twelve hours ago he had arrived in Chicago and found Franklin anxiously waiting for him. They had both traded information as fast as their mouths could move and their minds comprehend. In the end, both admitted that just laying all the artifacts out on the table could be dangerous. It was at that time that Ben confessed to Franklin that he'd been having dreams. He shared with him how they had started out as simple ones, not meaning much, but aiding him in finding exactly where to look in History for evidence of Djinn interference. He thought nothing of it at first, just good luck and outstanding wits. Then he had stumbled upon, or was pointed to, papers concerning a legend in a small town of Massachusetts. He visited the town and read what little history was available on a "Witch" called Bethany. The hours grew late, so he opted for a hotel in the sleepy town. That night he had the first of what would later become many dreams. As he slept, the legend became real and he watched it all happen as if he were there. 

Bethany had suddenly appeared one day on the outskirts of the town. She was dressed oddly, wearing thin revealing clothes that made many a man stare in lust. Women gawked and then whispered behind her back. Yet, she said nothing, just smiled wide as she made her way through town and eventually stopped at the edge of a farm. Everyone knew the farmer had passed away; the woman seemed to believe the owner, a young man of only twenty-four years, still lived there. 

Bethany walked up to the house, a look of confusion on her face when no one came to greet her. She still pressed on, walking in as if she owned the small rickety home. When she came out, the women of the town were whispering about her odd dress and the manner in which she had appeared. She asked where Jeremy was and a man came forth, leering hungrily at her. He explained that the young man had killed himself, distraught over the loss of his fiancé. Bethany fell to the ground and wailed for Jeremy, eventually sobbing about going back in time and saving him, confessing that she wanted her magic back, that her life was not supposed to be like this. She was all powerful and she demanded her love return to her. 

The town folk were stunned, but for the most part the men didn't care about Bethany's litany of words. They were seeing a woman, single, and desirable. The women however saw the lust in their husbands' eyes and the words "Witch," "Demon," and "Hell" circulated through the small mob. The smarter men pulled their wives away, the weaker ones listened and soon Bethany was hauled from the porch and pushed onto the ground, where she was beaten. 

Still she wailed as she twisted a ruby encrusted bracelet and begged it to let her back inside. The women shrieked and tore at Bethany's clothes, lifted her by her hair and dragged her to a rotted tree. She was bound to its lowest branch, forced to remain on her toes to stand upright. Not once did she beg for freedom, lost in the despair of her dream being crushed. Men groped her. Women poked her with sticks, lashed at her with reeds and called her vile names. Still Bethany cried to the gods and goddesses, pleading for them to take her back. She wanted to go home; she wanted to be in her bracelet. She wanted a Master. 

Ben watched in horror, unable to move in his dream, or speak. He saw a woman appear, pushing a lighted torch into her husband's hand and then urging him to light the woman and the tree on fire. He hesitated, but knew who he was married to and who would make his life a living Hell if he didn't obey. He didn't want burnt food for the rest of his life, so he stepped forward and ran the torch over the gauzy dress that Bethany wore, then he pushed the flaming end into the rotting trunk, where it took on a life of its own.

That night, when Ben woke up from his first dream, he'd been screaming. The flames of Bethany consuming him as it did her so many years ago. He'd spent a week on researching everything he could about Bethany and Jeremy, eventually uncovering what some saw as "legend" was indeed fact to him. Bethany had been found by Jeremy, her bracelet at the bottom of a dried well that Jeremy had fallen into as a child. Bethany and Jeremy had become friends, and later lovers as the boy grew into a man. But suddenly Bethany disappeared. No one knew where she went, but Jeremy did and he blamed himself, soon afterwards ending his life. 

More dreams followed, some revealing to Ben that some Djinn led wonderful lives, others led horrible ones, but all had been freed with the help of some element that was formed at the time of their imprisonment. It was because of the dreams that he now lay in bed holding a genie and not yet offering to free her. 

Franklin told him they needed to think before they just jumped in and tried to free Laresa. Especially now that Ben had seen the ugliness of some Djinn's lives. Ben agreed and though it had taken him hours to do it, eventually he'd fallen asleep in one of his friend's guestrooms. A soft knock on the door, brought him back to reality and he tucked the ring in his pajama shirt's pocket. 

"Come in," he called out and watched Franklin's wife walk in with a tray grasped tight in her hand. 

"It's early, but I heard you rustling in here and thought you'd like a cup. Franklin's in the study, ready to see you when you're up. He's been studying those trinkets you brought." 

Ben smiled and thanked Franklin's wife, Abby and watched her as she set the tray down and turned to face him. "I've supported Franklin in all he's done with the Society. I think you should give the girl a choice. He told me about the dreams. It's not your right to force her to be something she may not want to be." She lifted her hand and Ben stopped the words that were about to come out. "Franklin's waiting. Drink up and whatever you two decide, I'll be supporting you. Especially if you pull that child from her ring. She'll need someone to hold her hand." 

He watched Abby leave and pulled the ring back out of his pocket. "Why wouldn't you want freedom?" he asked the amber stone and then he remembered Bethany. "She chose to go back to that time. So do you get to choose? Where would you go Laresa? Who would you want to go back to? Or . . .would you want to stay here?" A spark of desire ran through him as he recalled the beautiful woman who was sacrificed for the weather. He would care for her. He'd love her and cherish her, guide her and protect her. 

Ben shook his head as he repeated the thoughts. "Sounds like you'd marry her to keep her safe," he muttered, slipping the ring back on his finger. Quickly he dressed and shaved, all the while enjoying sips of Abby's hot tea and small biscuits she'd also brought up. 

Once downstairs, Ben made his way to Franklin's office. He noticed the older man bent over, magnifying glass in hand and staring intently at something on his desk. "Amazing detail," the old man said as Ben closed the door behind him. 

"Oh?" 

"Aye, the craftsmanship on this is unlike anything I've ever seen before. We don't know much about Horace. He must have been quite a man to have this as his home." Franklin put the glass down and picked up the medallion. "Are you ready?" he asked Ben.

Ben pulled the ring out and sighed. "I dreamed about her." 

"Take a seat and tell me," he said, pulling a pipe out and lighting it. Franklin was the oldest member of the Society that was willing to break the rules, yet he also would enforce them if he felt the Djinn were in trouble. As rare as it was, he did on occasion agree with the young folk and lately, because he was close to retiring, he could see where the Society was dragging their feet and the young folk had the right idea, but needed a bit of older guidance to lead them. He saw that in himself as well as in young Ben. 

Ben sat down and toyed with the ring. He told Franklin the story of Laresa and how she was in love once with a man of her village and then later she was offered up as a sacrifice in hopes to appease the gods and find favor with them. He spoke of the flames and how Laresa had braved it all, seemingly under no distress, but welcoming it. "I'm sure she was drugged or controlled in some way. I remember the screams of Bethany. Laresa would have felt all that unless something had been done to her to make her not feel it." 

"Perhaps you are right, but in the whole scheme of things, does that matter?" Franklin asked. 

"No. I still don't know if freeing them is the right decision." 

Franklin puffed out a few rings. "It isn't our decision. We are here to give them the option, right? If not, then we are no better than the Masters and Mistresses that controlled them," Franklin said, before tossing the medallion at Ben. "Put it on. Let's learn more about these people from one that we know is not only cunning, but older than the two of us put together." 

Ben pushed the ring into his trouser pocket and nodded his head. He slipped on the medallion, toyed with the surface and rubbed the small diamonds nestled inside. "Horace," he whispered, knowing there was no real need to speak, since the smoky haze was already forming. 

Both men watched in fascination as a giant of a man appeared and stared back at them, briefly touching on Franklin, but pointedly fixing himself on Ben. "Good morning, Master. I am Horace. How may I serve you?"

Ben's thoughts were mush as he tried to comprehend he was actually talking to one of the oldest and most known tricksters to exists. A cough from his left made him blink and he turned to his friend. "The Shield," Franklin muttered, eyeing Ben as if he was forgetting something. Which he was. 

"Oh yes. My apologies, I simply forgot," Ben turned to Horace, "this," he said, pulling a Finder's Stone from his pocket, "is a stone that is full of magic, use it to block anyone from discovering your whereabouts. Be quick too. The longer you're left unshielded the easier it will be for the Society to discover what we are doing." 

Horace took the stone and smiled. "Laresa wove this; did she not?" 

"Yes, she did; now do it. . ." Ben insisted. 

"It is done Master. As soon as you showed me the stone. All I needed was to see it; that way I could use that knowledge, plus what I have filtered through your mind to answer your wish. I see much Master. You know more about me than any other, with the exception of myself and Laresa. Which I can also see you are very interested in and you have her ring. You wish to free her? How is that possible? Do you know what you are doing? If you harm her, I'll... "

"Stop!" Ben shouted. "You are not to be in my head!" 

Franklin snickered. "I thought you were going to let him go on and on processing your thoughts. You've got to watch this one; remember he's sneaky." 

Ben sighed as he felt Horace retreat from his thoughts. "He's quick," he muttered to Franklin. 

"You've no idea," Horace answered back, lifting a brow as he tried to comprehend the man in front of him. "I am no longer in your thoughts Master, but what I have seen tells me you are not here to hurt Laresa, or myself; not that it matters to me. I am yours to command. I just must tell you that I cannot defeat her alone; you'll have to get more genies and since you have two already you can't have any more." 

"I don't want any more," Ben sighed. "Do be quiet for a moment and let me think. You saw plenty and yet not enough. Sit down," he commanded, then softened his voice, "Please." Ben watched Horace flick his wrist and then hover, as a pillow of thick red velvet suddenly appeared. He was amazed at how the object just appeared out of thin air and how easily it all seemed to happen. Once Horace was settled on the plush cushion, Ben took a deep breath. 

"Horace, my name is Benjamin. You may call me Ben and this is Franklin. I am your Master, but you will answer my questions as well as Franklin's and treat him as equal to a Master as you can, though I am in possession of your medallion. Do you understand this?" Ben asked, glancing briefly to his friend. 

"Yes, Master. I understand," Horace muttered, his voice betraying his annoyance at being spoken to like a child. "What is your desires?" 

Franklin cleared his throat. "The rules Horace, all of them. We know the general ones, but over the years it is possible for us to have not discovered all of them. Please list them and in detail so we can better understand the limitations of the Djinn." 

Both men watched Horace's eyes slant and both knew they had struck a chord within the genie. "You don't like to list the rules, do you?" Ben asked, eyeing his genie carefully. "You feel you lose some of your power whenever you are forced to reveal the flaws of the Djinn?" 

Horace cocked his head to one side. "I would rather my Masters and Mistresses ask for what they want and fulfill their wants and desires. The rules bar them from that." 

"Surely that isn't true. We have documentation showing times where you seem to have tricked your Masters and Mistresses. If you cared for their well being surely listing the rules would only benefit them and this so called 'joy' you receive from serving them," Franklin interjected. 

Horace grinned. "I simply granted their wishes as they asked them. If they weren't detailed it is not my fault. I did what I was supposed to do. 'Joy?' I found joy in serving some, not all." 

"What you 'want' is your joy. I have a feeling that pleasing one's Master is not high on your list of priorities," Ben said, "but enough of this. The rules please. All of them." 

Normally, it didn't take long for Horace to list the rules, but this time was different. As each one was listed the two men countered with questions and examples, as if they were searching for a way to break the rules, yet not break them. By the time they were content with the answers, Ben felt ready to speak with ease to Horace and not fear his sudden disappearance. "Thank you, Horace," Ben said, before pulling Laresa's ring from his pocket. 

He glanced up at Horace and saw lust written clearly on his face. "Tell me about you and Laresa. What is it about her that makes you want and hate her all at the same time." 

Horace glared angrily at Ben. "I do not hate her. I do not like how she allows her heart to interfere with her judgement. Want her? Oh, Master, if you could see Laresa, breathe in her scent, touch her skin, and taste the folds of her womanhood, then you would know the answer to your own question. To want something so much and never hold it for long. . . that makes you hate the want, not the woman. She is like a tease. Being a Djinn is like a tease. We get attached to one and then suddenly they are gone, pulled away by a broken rule or some other interfering force."

"And when was the first time you met Laresa?" Franklin asked, breaking the stony silence that had descended as Horace spoke. 

"Laresa and I were possessed by the same Master; it was many hundreds of years ago. We served an evil man. Killed many in his name. Violated the rights of his people. Murdered those that would take over his throne if he were to suddenly disappear. We aborted children at his command, grotesquely disfigured his enemies. But, through it all we loved. I was Laresa's first Djinn lover. I was the first of our kind she'd ever seen, since her creation. We became friends. We became lovers. When our Master was finished with her body, I captured her soul and took her to places she'd never been." 

"You loved her?" Ben asked, feeling a stab of jealousy rush over him. 

"Love?" Horace chuckled, "that is a mortal's word. Love has no place in the life of a Djinn." 

"You didn't answer the question," Franklin countered. 

"No need," Ben said, just as Horace moved to open his mouth and reveal the depth of his desires for Laresa. "Tell me why you two continue to meet up with each other. That may have been the first, but it was far from being the last." 

Horace cleared his throat, not because he needed too, but because it added to the dramatics of the day. "We met up again when she was serving a young American woman. The woman muttered something about wanting two genies. I was the closet to Laresa that was not possessed by a Master or Mistress. Therefore to fulfill Hanna's wish, Laresa was forced to call upon me," 

Horace grinned, "She was not thrilled by this. I do not know what happened to the beautiful Hanna, but Laresa and I eventually met up again when a vile Master attempted to kill her and her Master. Needless to say, he failed, for you have her ring. Don't you?" 

Ben toyed with the bauble. "Yes, we do. So you served the same Masters twice and you attempted to destroy her but lost. Why is this? Why did you not win? Are you not the older and wiser of the two? The more powerful?" 

"I am older and I believe I am more . . .what is the word. . . experienced in the way of the world. Laresa is young. She is powerful. I wasn't aware how powerful until she was forced to protect her Master and herself. She tapped into the power of the Djinn, but not the type of power we all possess, but something more. I do know it surprised her. It surprised me as well, for I had thought she was nothing more than another Djinn that could easily be controlled. I will have to rethink my opinion on her, in my own time." 

Ben and Franklin, couldn't help but notice the expression of thoughtfulness that crossed Horace's face. "We believe she is unique because of her bloodline," Ben replied, bringing Horace out of his musings and back to the present. 

"Her bloodline?" Horace asked, suddenly even more interested in his Master than he had been before. "You know who she was before she was a Djinn?" 

"Yes. She was daughter to the Chieftain of her people. We believe that is why she's been more visible over the last several hundred years than most Djinn. We believe we are on the edge of a great discovery. We," he looked to Franklin, "want to try and free the Djinn from their homes."

"Free the Djinn? You know how to do this?" Horace asked, his features now suddenly full of both curiosity as well as a tinge of fear. "I have only heard rumors. I have not seen it done. I know to destroy one is to bring about the destruction of their home. You do know this; do you not? You can not destroy a Djinn's home and free them!" Horace was unaware that his voice had grown more heated, or that his fists were clenched.