10 comments/ 15121 views/ 15 favorites New Moons (Immortal love series) 3 By: literature_writer New series! All individuals within the story are above or equal to the age of consent -- US law. (18) All individuals within the story are fictional; any similarities between person(s) are purely coincidental Feel free to post and comment -- I appreciate feedback and critiquing my work so I can get better, but there is a difference between critiquing and being rude. I may not be the best writer but I love it, if you want some story that is perfect stop searching for literature on the internet and go to a library. Thank you for reading. This story will be quite long so I suggest bookmarking or another way to store the page that you are on. I encourage my readers to critique my work but please do not slag off what I write Remember: not everyone has two sugars in their tea (hint: what you don't like someone else may) Acknowledgements I would like to thank Chelsea Fine for the AoA series (Google) showing me about immortalities and curses I would like to thank Charlotte Abel for the Channie series (Google) showing me about magic and love I would like to thank Shiggymoto and his literotica Ashley series (check it out), for showing me true love is not always easy... it can be a battle but worth it if you fight hard. But I would love to thank my sister -- the reason I live each day. Blurb David has searched for almost a thousand years for his one true love -- his sister -- Ashleigh. With unlimited powers they search the earth to be together, but a centuries old curse placed by their mother, to stop their incestuous relationship, means that whenever they are intimate Ashleigh will die; but with immortal blood she will be reborn again. Trouble is they must be intimate within the first year of her rebirth or else they both suffer immense pain until they do so. Can they break the curse? Will true love prevail? Now Ashleigh is back again, but with no memories of her old life or her brother she soon must learn to remember: about herself, her powers, and her love. She has one year. Chapter 1: Confessions "You're my brother?" Ashleigh asked timidly, her voice breaking threatening to collapse under the emotional strain. She stood up off her bed under wobbly knees but managed to shuffle forward until she was face to face with David. "You're my brother." She said again internally confirming what she had found out not minutes ago. David remained silent but nodded his head. Unable to hold her gaze he stared down at the floor. SLAP! The blow was quick and hard leaving a red handprint along with a lingering sting across his cheek. She had hit him, he realised. For the first time in his immortal life his sister had struck him with intent, not the usual friendly playfulness that she was fond of, but full force smack. That realisation was worse than the actual attack. Ashleigh collapsed to her knees before openly sobbing into the palms of her hands. Still staring at the floor David watched as Ashleigh – his love – cried from her emotional anguish. Her bountiful golden hair filled his vision as her body bobbed up and down in synch to her sobs. Once again his heart hammered against his chest, each beat sounding like a gunshot inside his head. Throughout all the years they had been together never had she been so distraught, and never had he felt so helpless. This was the time he couldn't cradle her in his arms and shush her with his soothing words. The invisible safety net that she didn't know their relation had suddenly been cast away leaving the ugly naked truth. "Why?" she managed to choke out against the torrent of rivulet tears streaming down her face. David thought in confusion as to an appropriate response to the question but she elaborated further before he could respond; "Why didn't you tell me?" The question became clearer but the answer still remained just as daunting. So why didn't he tell her they were related? A thousand reasons clambered his mind, and while each provided reasonable judgement, tactical reasoning or a certifiable response enough not to evoke another backlash each reply fell shy of the deep truth. Years before he found her alone in the woods he had made the conscious decision not to reveal their true nature hoping that if she didn't know the truth she wouldn't create the emotional bond that had always shared, if that single bond was broken, she would be free. A glimmer of hope that if she was free from his life the curse would become obsolete – after all it was designed so they would never be together. It was a small hope with almost no basis yet when the person you love most keeps leaving you alone ask yourself... would you do the same? Yet it didn't matter. The first time he set eyes on her in the woods all planning and emotions flooded his system like a tsunami wiping away all of his planning leaving his soul bare. "Why didn't you tell me?" Ashleigh asked again with a more bold tone of her voice, her eyes bloodshot and her voice raw. She stood from her knees and stared into his eyes determined to hear an answer. She deserved as much. Finally David collapsed, in the end, no matter the answers he could formulate there was only one true response: "I was afraid." Ashleigh opened her mouth to speak but David cut her off sensing her response, "I was afraid if I told you..." he paused searching for the right words, "I was afraid things would be different. That if you knew who I was we'd just be circling back around like we have for the past thousand years." Ashleigh looked at him as he said the final sentence, had he really just said 'thousand years'? He has to be confused... "I should have told you this when we first met.... I love you." David said staring into her hazel eyes searching for the reminiscence of his beloved old sister. Something stirred inside her stomach, that was the first time he said those words, 'I love you', and maybe in ten thousand other scenarios the tears running down her cheeks would be of joy or love, but in this time they weren't. It was a sad realisation that the one man she so desperately wanted to hear those words from had suddenly been changed, it was her brother.... Brother – in other words: related, they shouldn't be feeling like this. "I-i-i..." Ashleigh stammered for a sentence babbling out incoherent streams of nonsense as her mind tried to process the event rapidly unfolding before she had time to catch up – as if the world had gone into hyper-drive and she was still stuck in the slow lane. "That should have worked...." David mused unapparent to his sisters rambling. Those were the words: I – love – you. Say those words and all her past emotions and memories should have returned. Ashleigh should have returned. But Ashleigh hadn't returned, while the woman standing in front of him for all intent and purposes was Ashleigh it wasn't 'his Ashleigh'. She wasn't the Ashleigh he knew, the one who he had first made love to under a starlight sky, or the same Ashleigh who playfully laughed when he made a dim-witted remark about her, she wasn't the same woman. But why? It seemed he has been asking that question a lot recently. And if there was one peeve he hated it was the uncertainty. Just once he wished life would pan out the way he wanted without the bumps or twists to complicate matters. "What should have worked?" Ashleigh's voice broke David from his trance of thoughts bringing him back to the present. "You should be you." David replied. Ashleigh gave him a quizzical look in obvious confusion. He sighed, "I'll explain everything tomorrow." He hoped to deter her from what was obvious to become a very awkward conversation. How do you tell someone they're really a thousand year old sister with an incestuous relationship brought about by a millennium old book bound by magic from a sacrificed baby? Answers anyone? Email me if you know how.... Ashleigh was reluctant to drop her line of inquiry but was she herself losing a battle to process all the information. Perhaps a new days outlook would provide a better image, there was only one problem: "I can't go back to sleep. Not after what happened." Needless to say David understood her troubles; her once simple life had been shattered replaced by the most confusing night of her life – well, human life, "You'll be safe." He promised her. As one can well imagine, she was sceptical, too much had happened in the short span of hours to allow her to trust David fully. Even if she wanted to she still would be unable to get back into the same bed where not moments ago the most frightening experience had happened in her young – for her – life. She shook her head wanting David to understand what she was feeling. She was scared... petrified really. David was at a crossroad. He understood her reluctance to sleep – hell, if she ever slept again it would be a miracle – yet he couldn't well send her off to bed and unlike the other Ashleigh, he couldn't invite her to his bed. After several seconds of consideration he came up with a neutral proposal; "Do you want to come downstairs and watch T.V?" He saw the look of apprehension in her eyes before she gave a curt nod of her head not wanting to but unsure about anything that was happening. Finally she quietly spoke, "I don't want to be alone." And it was true, despite the lack of trust David had caught himself in Ashleigh absolutely didn't want to be alone, especially if it meant staying beside her brother for a little while. David nodded sympathetically; "Why don't you go set everything up and get comfortable, I'll be down in a second." For a few seconds he stood enchanted as he watched his sister silently and solemnly walking away down the stairs. Once she was out of his sight he summoned all the energy around until once again his entire body was ensnared in red hue. The ever present and oddly reassuring pink line linking hearts glowed with ambient brilliance as he toiled internally with his emotions. "Don't you ever come in here again you heinous bitch!" He snarled waving his hands ahead like a blind man would to navigate. For several minutes he wandered the upstairs leaking his magical enchantments to ensure no other energy projections would interrupt again. Certain that there were no stray energy – typically left over from projective spells – he calmed down enough to quench the enshrouding energy and joined Ashleigh who had curled up on the couch, remote in hand, flicking aimlessly through the movie channels. "You ok?" He asked in a low voice walking past her into the kitchen area. Ashleigh didn't respond but he assumed she would have nodded rather than say no. He fetched bag of microwave popcorn, kept for secret midnight pleasures, before popping the paper bag into the microwave for three minutes. With the monotone hum of the microwave droning on he joined Ashleigh on the couch choosing to sit closely by her side more for her comfort than pleasure. Ashleigh stared absently at the screen, the flickers of images suddenly having lost all meaning, her mind raced trying to process and make sense of all that had happened within the last few hours. She was no longer was alone in the world – she had a family, a brother, who by all accounts loved her more than any sibling should. She had long figured out it was indeed David who must have found her when she was in the woods, gave her his shirt, and questionably left her. She had a mother, albeit, a psychopathic, possibly delusional mother but the question of who she was or came from was, for now, partially answered. But what was most perplexing of this whole situation was not the normality of having found family, but her whole perception of reality had been twisted upside down. From a seemingly normal date, that now seemed light-years away, to an unforgettable nightmare... magic was suddenly real, David was magical, their mother was magical.... she was magical... From physical, emotional and psychological exhaustion she allowed her head to slump to the side taking a small amount of illicit pleasure from the close contact of touching David –her brother, she reminded herself. She still loved David such was obvious from the on-going yet pleasant shivers their touch elicited. And even though she had only just found the true extent of their relationship Ashleigh found herself debating societal judgement towards her feelings. Society has always taught that incest is wrong, a way of beasts not man, universally banned with punishment it's the topic of many writers who want to dazzle their readers in awe. It is a thing to be glorifiable yet frowned upon. But is it so? After all what is the true perversion of incest? Who does it harm? From a medio-legal standpoint there is an increase risk to genetic deformities within a child and yet from the same standpoint is there not an increased risk of genetic deformities from smoking, drugs or other variables, if so why are they not banned as is incest? Why does the tobacco company flourish instead of sinking against the burden of babies addicted to nicotine, or born with missing limbs? ask yourself that same question next time you judge someone. With a heftily sigh Ashleigh sank lower into the side of David who tenderly wrapped his arm around her side allowing them more comfortable and deeper contact. For a few seconds she watched the movie vaguely aware of the plot before the loud ping of the microwave timer interrupted the tranquillity. She sighed again when David hefted himself up and away to fetch the popcorn but silently scorned herself in remembering that although she loved him he was now officially her brother. What they had could never happen again, what she felt could become nothing more than in infatuation. David returned and placed the bowl of popcorn on the armrest beside Ashleigh. Four times during the movie he caught her glancing back and forth at him but he remained still only paying attention out of the corner of his eyes while still maintaining the illusion of watching the move – truthfully he had no idea what was going on. With a sigh of his own he focused on the screen letting his arm slip behind his sisters slender frame taking pleasure from the tingling of his fingertips as he brushed across her skin. Half an hour passed before the movie ended, the two lovebirds on screen ending with a romantic kiss to the backdrop of a small restless Italian city. Ashleigh stirred very slightly shifting her body just enough for him to notice. She had fallen asleep. Her eyes lightly fluttered closed as her shallow breathing blew timed wisps of air at his arm. Hypnotically her chest rose and fell in tandem to her breathing, she looked truly beautiful. Carefully using enough magical energy not to disturb her slumber David used a levitation spell at the remote to move it from her armrest to his hand before powering down the television shrouding the room in darkness. With a final look at his gorgeous sister he smiled. Chapter 2: Past and present David knelt on the dirty floor, blood and mud caked his still bare legs. His whole body felt numb as if a part of him had just died, thin slivers of tears ran down his face washing away the spatter of blood in parallel lines. He didn't know what to do; it was like his body and mind were both frozen in time. Ashleigh was gone... not mere seconds ago his sister was cradled in his arms weeping like an infant child and yet now here he was alone surrounded in an otherwise undisturbed world. What had happened? David struggled to open his memory, the last image being his sister caked in blood and tears naked in his arms before everything went red, and when his eyes opened she was gone... There was one obvious explanation; it had to be the book. That pink line he always fretted about thinking that their mother may see and understand truly the extent of their involvement was suddenly torn from his chest leaving a void in his heart that he knew neither how to fill nor how to get back. For five minutes he remained slumped on the ground, a low distant rumble foretold the warning of a storm. Only minutes later the skies opened releasing their torrent of rain, still David remained frozen, rain lashed at his body while the wind buffered him from all angles. Blood, mud and tears were washed away along with the remnants of the scene; the once dried mud from their coupling became slosh in the downpour. A thunderous boom echoed around him before a searing light of blue forked down to the ground snapping him out of his shock. Without bothering changing David ran back to the house. The landscape moments ago so serene and peaceful was now ominous, the trees became shadows as thick black clouds blocked the sun. When just he and his sister had set out neither paid attention to where they were going, aimlessly wandering around amongst the trees they were just happy to be close and with another but as David ran now he found himself pulled by a new force in a direction he knew would lead to the house. Finding out what happened first was the key and for that he needed the book. He avoided the house all together careering around to the back yard to the shed. A quick scan of the door revealed no curses and no lingering energy, a simple shockwave spell shattered the iron lock and he swung open the door scanning the dark interior for the wooden chest. Given the storm, that and no invention of the light bulb, the interior of the shed was pitch black. Feeling his way around he divulged deeper into the darkness before he knocked his shin against something hard on the ground, the dull thud of wood appraising that he had found his target. As he had done so many times before, using his hands, he scanned the chest for any curses or energy signatures but once again found nothing. Obviously all of their mother's magic curses and spells were hindered useless now she was gone. Summoning what little energy there was in the dark gloomy shed he cast a simple 'be light' spell washing away the darkness with an incandescent luminous blue/white light emanating from a hovering orb just above the chest. Inside the chest was just as before, a few towels and cloths scattered above in a vain attempt to hide what lay underneath prickling with untamed energy... the book. As soon as his fingertips touched the cover of the book underneath the mountainous layer of cloths a surge of electrical energy crackled above lighting the entire woods for a split second in a white/ blue colour. Slowly the layers of cloths and rags dropped over the edge of the wooden chest spilling onto the floor as the book hovered out of the chest before wavering at eye level facing David. The book opened without assistance and the pages flicked across until the middle of the book was exposed. Amongst the old and tattered yellow pages stood a single white line: The test has begun... Ashleigh awoke to the mouth-watering smell of bacon, egg and sausage. The powering and savoury aromas battled her senses causing her mouth to water before her brain could even register she was awake. Groggily she sat up, realising she was in the living room on the couch she looked around and found David in the kitchen cooking, his back turned to her. "Good morning sleepy." He said with his attention still turned towards the eggs in the pan. 'How did he know I was awake? She thought to herself as she sleepily yawned, cracked her neck from the kink of lying on the couch and stood up heading towards the kitchen. "We need to talk." She stated firmly standing beside David watching while he turned the eggs over, rolled the sausages and flipped the bacon slithers. "We do." David nodded, "But you need to eat first." He grabbed a glass of orange juice and handed it her from behind not once turning around. "Go sit down, this'll be ready in a second." New Moons (Immortal love series) 3 Still caught in her slumber Ashleigh followed David's instructions and sat at the wooden family table. Gently something soft nudged her thigh causing her to look down only to see the mountain cat. Momentary panic overtook her body before flashes of last night returned to her cleared mind – it was Simba, David's highly unorthodox pet. Slowly she stroked Simba's head as the large feline purred before nuzzling back. What's your secret? David shooed the animal bringing Ashleigh her breakfast on a white, clean, porcelain plate. Simba returned and laid his chin on her thigh purring softly. "No." David stated casing Ashleigh to break away from the food lying beneath her nose, "You know where your breakfast is." He watched Simba who seemed to acknowledge David's words and sulked off out of the door. "You made him breakfast?" Ashleigh enquired. David flashed a grin, heart stopping – even if he was her brother – but shook his head, "He has to hunt to eat his breakfast." "You mean he has to kill?" Ashleigh asked again not quite believing the thought of the gentle beast killing a helpless animal. Seemingly David understood her thoughts, after all she had been raised in a controlled society where food was already killed and packaged, "I don't want him to become too domesticated. He knows he'll be fed for dinner." The logic made sense but somehow her only thought was the next time she would see the beast it would be covered in blood from its latest devour. Finally David nudged her plate reminding her that there was her own breakfast elegantly cooked by her brother – remember that... brother... brother... "So you're my brother?" Ashleigh asked after lightly nipping on a succulent sausage impaled on the end of her fork. David nodded but did not speak. "And our mother..." "Dead." David answered quite bluntly. "But last night?" Ashleigh took another timid bite of the sausage. David sighed, "I don't know what happened last night, it's something we're going to have to figure out." "We're?" "Oh, sorry. I understand if you don't want to. I know someone who may know something so you don't have to come." David quickly rectified his error – she still must be unsure about him. "No, no. it's fine. After all it does involve me." David nodded along but still kept quiet. Finally she had to scratch the metaphorical itch, "So magic?" David remained annoyingly quiet. "I'm a witch?" "Technically a sorcerer, a witch uses spirits." "Ok start from the beginning." Ashleigh stated confused already by the new world she found herself thrust into. In the hour that ensued David told Ashleigh all he could about everything he knew. The various types of magic, when and where they were born, how they fell in love, the fight, the curse, the death, all her past lives, and their future objectives: Find their mother, destroy their mother, destroy the curse. When all was done and finished David waited patiently for Ashleigh to say something, anything. Several times during their talk whenever she became sceptical about magic and sorcery David deliberately used energy magic to show her, he called a ball of flame to hover in the air, a 'be light' spell and a telekinetic spell to move her plate of barely touched food. Ashleigh's head pounded, her heartbeat reverberated in her eardrums. Everything she had just been told defied natural law, the things she had seen defied the laws of physics. She needed a moment to think feeling faint from the purge of information. After a cumbersome silence Ashleigh stood up abruptly and literally ran into her room – as told by David. The room she barged into looked much like the guest room except with more personal items that gave the room character. A wooden framed bed sat in the right hand corner running lateral down the right wall. Plush purple – one of her favourite colours – covers spread out over the mattress. At the foot of the bed stood a large wooden and regal wardrobe made from solid oak and very old yet preserved immaculately that made her think it had been more than natural intervention. On the top of the wardrobe sat a row of ornamental items. A small china doll sat at the far back left resting against the corner of the room while ahead of that was a more modern teddy with yellow synthetic fabric in the shape of a bear. On the far right corner leaning against the back wall was a porcelain plate with a stencilled symbol on the head. They all resembled things that Ashleigh liked but she was looking at them through strangers eyes they held no meaning without their respective memories. Ashleigh threw open the wooden doors of the wardrobe careful not to smash the parallel mirror on the left door facing the wall. Inside was to be expected with tens if not hundreds of clothing – again, the type of things that she would wear, some of the clothing however was extremely old such as the Victorian dress with the frilly hem and tight V neck to expose the bosom, beside that was a whalebone corset with intercalating laces for tightening. Underneath all of the clothing at the base of the wardrobe was a pile of eight books bound in dyed red leather looking very old and yet at the same time regal and personal. She grabbed the first book and began reading: 1429 David has become obsessed with finding the cure. He thinks the cure may lay with another sorcerer who moved to Constantinople, so that's where we're going – I can't leave him to go alone now can I... As much as I love David I think his search for the cure has become more feverent. He's finally managed to track down a ship that will take us – it's a trading ship and he's asked me to look presentable meaning I have to wear the dresses of the culture rather than my own clothing. Thankfully he's taught me how to write my diary even when away from home so all I have to do is think about what to write. The trading ship David bought has just left so I'm writing this using the magic David taught me. The captain's quite nice, an old man who loves being out at sea. Our rooms nice too, David made sure that he and I shared the room together, for some reason he's become very protective of me, maybe he's forgotten he was the one who taught me how to hunt. The captain tells me it's going to be three days on the boat before they make land. I don't mind being with David but each day with us together unable to express our love keeps playing on my mind. David said he doesn't care that we can't 'be together' but I keep thinking differently... it's the most natural way to tell him of my feelings yet we can't. The urges keep getting stronger but we know as soon as we do finally I'll be gone. I just hope we find this man before we do anything. Please god let us be free and together... As she read quietly Ashleigh let a single tear trickle down her face, it was her life, of that much was certain. And it was certainly clear how in love she was with David despite there being a genetic link. As she read the pages she finally came to understand their bond together, they were more than brother and sister, even more than lovers but were indeed soul mates. David and Ashleigh belonged together she even felt as much lying deep inside herself that she too loved David with an unrelenting want. So perhaps if they released this curse that plagued them both David and Ashleigh could be together. She finally understood David and her own societally challenged relationship and was determined to give it a shot. "So what do we have to do?" Ashleigh asked standing on the stairwell facing David who was still sitting at the wooden table, head in hands. He looked up from where he was sitting before determining quickly what she had meant. Given what he had told her he guessed at what her vague question was referring to. "I know a man." He said looking at her, staring into her hazel eyes. "He should be able to help." Ashleigh nodded. The bar David drove to was quite literally the last place on earth that Ashleigh expected. Situated on the southern bank of the river Thames the small bar was a local tavern for sailors longing for a cheap beer and a good fight. The small grubby looking structure was wedged between two large warehouses like a child between two adults. The murky stagnant air of the river wafted in the night bringing with it a slight eerie mist and chilly temperatures. David unbuckled his seatbelt before facing Ashleigh. "Before we go in I want to explain something first." Ashleigh nodded but remained quiet except blowing out a small puff of air ready for another major game changer of information. "The guy we have to see, you know him. Well, the old you. He might say something's that confuse you, or say something that you have no idea what he's talking about but don't worry nothing will happen. Just remember everyone in here has an ulterior motive and nothing is said straight. Don't agree to anything you don't know about and don't look afraid or intimidated." "Now they already know that we're here, they have listening spells all over the place but you're safe in this car, so whatever you want to say please say now." She remained quiet. What the hell have we gotten mixed into? "One other thing." David said. Ashleigh turned and faced him staring into his deep brown eyes. "Whatever happens in there... this is for me." He cupped her cheek in his hand before leaning in and pressing his hot mouth to hers. His lips remained closed careful not to scare her with the unexpected intimacy. Even so the touch of her soft warm yet moist lips mashed against his own felt incredible sending sensations of pleasure he never thought he would feel again. That little hole that had always damned his heart grew just a smidgen smaller. Ashleigh closed her eyes and revelled in the intimate contact. Though not expecting a kiss as intense as this when he did the overwhelming sensations soon took precedence over her moralities. Her own hand snaked upwards to cup his face before her lips parted involuntarily. David reciprocated in full gently sliding his tongue along her bottom lip sensually probing and exploring before divulging deeper into her waiting orifice. Ashleigh followed suit allowing her tongue to gently rub across David's exploring a mouth that seemed so alien yet familiar. The siblings remained inside the car kissing with a renewed strength as if they were all that remained; the outside world oblivious to their existence. David was the first to break away leaving Ashleigh a yearning for more. When she finally regained her senses her breaths were short and rapid with a slight flush over her face bringing out an angelic aura. David stepped out his car before opening the passenger door for Ashleigh. Remember the saying: Can't judge a book by its cover? Well in this instance you can, this was the exact thought of Ashleigh as the tavern door swung open allowing the pent up stench of stale alcohol and grime to escape into the salty river air. Inside was exactly as expecting if not somewhat worse. Rowdy sailors'' clogged the long wooden bar, assortments of mixed alcohol, peanuts and other grub littered the wooden top spilling over the side and onto the grimy floor. The floor was scattered with wood chips and sawdust, random splotches of red stood out indicating a fight had broken out with injuries enough to draw blood. Mahogany table tops with a poor quality finish, caked in dried alcohol and other substances best left unknown loitered around the room with no discernible pattern. Out of the twelve tables nine of them housed a too drunken man who at some point during the day had become so incapacitated they were unconscious in the chair they sat. At the far back of the room three men pitted against each other in a game of darts laughing bawdily when the other missed their target. David seemed amiss to the chaos, even when he side stepped casually to avoid the sloppy punch thrown by a man with too much beer in his system. Without batting an eyelid to the unconscious horde he casually strolled to the back of the bar where a lone man sat drinking the foul liquid. Ashleigh followed close behind trying her best to keep a straight face and not show the extreme discomfort within. The lone man finally looked up from his mug as David and Ashleigh pulled up a chair at his table. With his drink gone he laid the mug neatly in a line with several others – twelve to be precise. The man was the poster child for the alcoholic man who had spent much his life on a deck and not a home. With unkempt skin dirt and sweat masked his face giving an oily black sheen. A deep and ugly purple scar stretched along his face starting from under his right eye and ending just beside the corner of his mouth. Atop his head was a thick mass of jet black hair that had not seen shampoo or even water for many days. A scraggy thick black beard was just beginning to bloom giving patches of random stubble. When he spoke his breath virtually dripped with the foul stench of cheap beer and tobacco. A hint of a Russian accent gave suspicion to the man's natural nationality. "Ah, Mr Stanhope I trust your drive was pleasant." "Let's cut the shit Mikhail. I trust you have what I need?" David said. The man clasped his hands together grinning stupidly, "Why David a little civility please. I trust he doesn't speak to you like this my dear?" He turned to Ashleigh as if actually a serious question. Ashleigh stammered several times without coherency but it was the low growl from David that drew back Mikhail's attention. "Fine yes I have the item." The man reached underneath the table before hefting a black leather suitcase onto the table and turning the case to face David and Ashleigh. His fingers worked nimbly for a second over the golden plated latches on the side releasing a springing mechanism that instantly opened the top to reveal the inside. The inside of the case was lined with beautiful deep red velvet contradicting the dull exterior. But it was the item in the middle, the item in question, that was the star. A gleaming silver dagger. The blade was at least eight inches long and three inches wide looking as razor sharp as it is deadly. The handle while wooden and five inches long was intricately carved with skilful markings the most obvious being the form of an ash tree. "It is yours." Mikhail said while holding up his hand like a student in class. Within moments a waitress who looked more burly than female arrived holding another glass mug filled to the brim with a straw coloured liquid. She placed the glass directly in front of Mikhail before walking away; Mikhail lifted the glass before gulping down a good third of the vile brew. "For a price." "Mikhail you are three words away from losing your liver." David growled with an angry look on his face, his jaw clenching along with his fists underneath the table." Ashleigh placed her hand over his own entwining their fingers in an effort to subdue his anger 'case he made true his threat. She secretly smiled as she felt a reassuring squeeze of his hand as his expression softens slightly. Mikhail seemed indifferent to his anger as if enjoying his psychological torment; "Again with the brutality David. Yes, we are all aware of your penchant for violence." His statement brought the acute awareness of his scar causing Ashleigh to observe it more closely. This in turn caused Mikhail to break away from looking at David to notice Ashleigh; slowly Mikhail ran his hand down his face over the purple angry scar. "My dear it is rude to stare." Ashamed and embarrassed to be caught Ashleigh quickly averted her eyes but tried to keep her expression neutral as David had told her, Mikhail literally burst out laughing, an wide yet malicious grin on his face, "So the rumours are true!" His overemphatic boisterous laughing continued, "She does not remember." The entire bar became deathly silent as every pair of eyes seemed to settle on their table. Even those not moments ago snoring loudly became suddenly alert as they watched the drama unfold. David was at breaking point, his face scrunched up as his skin turned deep red. With an inhuman roar he stormed out of his chair knocking it over before leaning over the table and grabbing Mikhail by the collar of his dirty shirt. His left hand balled into a fist and hurtled towards Mikhail aimed at his face. "David!" Ashleigh shrieked. Mikhail eyes were scrunched close and his teeth clenched together awaiting the impact. After several long tense seconds he finally opened his eyes to see David sat back at his seat, his hand clutched with his sisters who regarded Mikhail with a somewhat smug expression. Mikhail cleared his voice before speaking but it did nothing to prevent the stressful tone of his voice, fear evident with every syllable. "M-Mr David, you are a noble man. Let's make a deal for the dagger shall we?" Calmed down a little David nodded a managed a curt smile. "Ah, Rasputin's dagger... a rare item indeed. Took me eighty years to track it down." Ashleigh gave David a quizzical stare but could not stop the question popping out her mouth, "Rasputin?" 'Why does he need a dagger belonging to Rasputin?' Mikhail answered her question, "The mad monk, my dear" "I don't get it." "What do you know of Rasputin, my dear?" Mikhail asked. Ashleigh replied, all her knowledge from a single semester based on Russian history, finally she ended, "... he was asked to heal Alexi Romanov from haemophilia. He started to slander the royal family and was stabbed, poisoned, shot and downed before he was killed." The entire time she was explaining what she knew Mikhail steadily nodded along with a creepy smiled played out, his new friendly attitude becoming increasingly creepier by the second. Thankfully David took over the explanation. "What most people don't know is that Rasputin was actually immortal. That's why he could heal haemophilia – he gave his own blood in a drink. When he was killed he was stabbed with this knife, a very holy priest cursed the knife to be able to break any spell that the victim may be under. It was this knife that was the reason he was finally killed." "So you want to use the dagger to break the curse?" Ashleigh asked. David held his breath as he finally nodded. It was too late to keep the secret he wanted to break the curse, just by buying it from Mikhail one could guess the reason behind it, but having all his plans revealed in one night with people he didn't trust was unsettling. "Eighteen." David said to Mikhail. "Twenty." Mikhail countered. "Eighteen and you keep your life." David said. "David please I have four children to feed." "Then be lucky they still have a father." "Nineteen and a half." Mikhail finally settled on. David finally closed his eyes and sighed, "Deal." The two men shook hands before David closed the case and put it beside his chair. Mikhail downed the rest of his beverage in a single gulp before laughing weakly. If it hadn't been for Ashleigh sitting beside him it would have been easier to simply kill the man and take the case – although given her attitude of dislike to the man he doubted if she would have any objections. The chilly night air felt great against her warm face. The foul stench of the tavern lingering in her nose for a brief second before the salty river smell washed her sinuses. She looked out to the river watching the shimmering reflections of the houses and night sky against the murky darkness. A single yacht was moored on the opposite side, bobbing very slightly against the weak current. Without any noise David appeared besides her looking out at the water. "Kiss me." She heard the voice but it seemed deep within her head not her ears. New Moons (Immortal love series) 3 "What?" She said. "Don't speak, think what you want to say, I'm in your head." David's voice was clear and crisp in her mind. "What's going on?" She thought. "They're spying on us now. They can't hear thinking but can see us and hear our words. Kiss me." She was taken aback by his command and the little defiance inside her made her speak – more accurately think – out. "Why?" "We need to show them your hands off. Mine." His? How dare he think he owns me, I'm a real person not an item-- David's lips mashed against hers without any warning. In one fell swoop he wrapped his arms around her waist and easily pulled her closer to his body letting the heat radiate between them into the night. Ashleigh closed her eyes once again revelling in the sensations of his expert mouth latched to her own. Of her own accord her lips parted as her own arms wrapped around his neck. Her tongue peeked out her mouth before divulging inside his. Within her new life she had never kissed a boy so passionately. But as if some primitive ancient memory stirred inside her she found herself taking the lead. The tip of her tongue lightly ran against the tip of his tasting his exotic flavour. Her hands ran from the back of his neck and up through his fine silky hair. She stepped closer mashing her body against his, her breasts flat against his chest. David immediately felt her arousal peak. Her chest pressed against his and he could clearly make out the two hardened stubs that pressed into his pectorals. His own arousal built but by the years of self-control he kept everything PG-13. Given her reaction earlier in the day he expected her to be stubborn about kissing deeming it wrong. But as her tongue stimulated him further he found himself forgetting about old and new Ashleigh but emergence of the two together. He pulled away from her lips and beamed a smile at her that could have melted gold, her knees buckled at his watch, he kissed her on the lips again, just a simple peck, then again on the cheek before finally kissing her earlobe. He opened his mouth and lightly nibbled on her earlobe, an involuntary moan escaped her lips, and finally he stopped and whispered, "Mine." --- Chapter 3: Spell Lessons Retuned "I'm bored." Ashleigh whined kicking her feet like a child. David patiently looked over the top of his book and looked at Ashleigh who had chosen to sit cross-legged on the floor – he, the adult of the two, sat on the couch. "Why don't you read something?" "I don't have any of the books I read." "Well what do you read?" Ashleigh shrugged before walking over her knees over to David and resting her head on his legs. "Usually paranormal-like things; like witches and wizards." Suddenly she perked up lightly patting his leg with a slap. "Hey can you teach me magic? You said you did before so you can teach me again." David folded the corner of the book page before closing it and putting it down. When he had first explained everything to her the morning yesterday he had told her how they first fell in love, including the adventures inside his room and in the woods. He had deliberately cut short the part of being attacked and her almost getting killed but deliberately spruced up and prolonged the part about their first real, deep, passionate kiss high above the treetops. He regarded her for a second deliberating on whether to teach her magic or not. During his infinite lifetime he had always kept the sentiment to make decisions based on the pros and cons, if the cons outweighed the pros then the decision was void. With Ashleigh's proposal, however, his mind worked furiously to measure all variables. Pro: Spending more time with Ashleigh Con: No knowledge of magic thus highly volatile – no control. Pro: Useful for her to know magic Con: Can only teach basic Like a computer spreadsheet his mind worked in nanoseconds breaking down each point before scrutinizing each detail. In what seemed like hours inside his mind in actuality was no more than 1 minute and eight seconds. With a tally of 9:7 in favour of the pros David smiled and nodded his head. He stood up and held out his hand in a gesture for her to follow. With a beaming white teeth grin Ashleigh squealed manically before bouncing to her feet in enthusiasm and clasping David's outstretched hand. With Ashleigh bobbing along behind him hugging so close to his back he could feel her chest rub against his shirt he took her to the place where it all began – his bedroom. David's bedroom was one of the many places that seemed truly static against time. Deciding to keep to his own personal décor the room remained eerie close to the same layout as a thousand years ago, with a few minor modifications. Against the right hand wall and north wall corner was his wooden framed bed with deep black Egyptian cotton sheets, at the foot of his bed was a wooden hand carved chest of draws made from the same trees that grew in the woods. On the near left hand wall against the north wall corner facing the bed was the large oak wardrobe with double door mirrors and antique polished brass handles. Beside the wardrobe mounted on bracket frames on the wall was the more modern equipment – a television, externally plugged in through the extensive electrical plaster-wall wiring fitted earlier in the century. On the floor in the middle of the room was a hand woven fur rug synthetically dyed to give the impression of bear skin while stretching along the entire south wall was perhaps the most magnificent furniture pieces in the room, if not the house, a wall to wall bookshelf filled from wall to wall, ceiling to floor, with thousands of books on every conceivable topic. Ashleigh, needless to say, was awe stuck by the magnificent furniture. She barely made it three steps over the threshold before stopping to examine the books therein. Her fingers trailed soft and lightly over the bindings as she walked from wall to wall reading many of the authors contained. Shakespeare, Dickens, C.S Lewis, Anne Frank, even study books such as Advanced chemistry, Anatomical guide, Botany, Astronomy, the list continued. David stood patiently in the middle of the room smiling as she moved from one location to another across the shelf, fascinated by something so trivial to him that he barely gave it two thoughts. He wasn't kidding when he said reading, she thought to herself. When she finally managed to pull her eyes away from the spectacle she stared at David, their eyes drawn to the others. He stood unmoving as stone, his arms folded across his chest, his feet shoulder width apart. Ashleigh turned around looking back at the shelf once more finally realising the entire floor shelf comprised of the same red leather bound books she found inside her wardrobe. "I doubt anyone wants to read my diaries." David said as if reading her mind. She flipped her head around to face him twisting her body so she half faced David while still could face the shelf, she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear before replying, "Maybe I can read them one day." "Maybe." ----- "Remember you're not trying to move it with your mind. You want to visualise it move and then summon a force to push it." Ashleigh nodded before furrowing her brow as she concentrated on the Coke bottle lying on the middle of the floor. Visualise and push. Visualise and push. Visualise and push. In the darkness of her mind she tried to see the bottle move forward, a push towards where David was. She visualised the bottle; every contour, every colour, the label, the lid, each bead of condensation tricking down the side... Then she imagined the bottle moving, how it would slide effortless against the soft fur of the rug. She imagined the bottle gracefully moving forward three inches before stopping in its new resting location; she pictured how the bottle would look in the new location. Complacent that she had enough mental images of the bottle Ashleigh set to work on conjuring the force necessary for the movement. Although David had told her the basis of sorcery magic he had not elaborated on the information wanting to keep it simple for her first spell. Ashleigh focused on the energy in the room. David had already gave her a quick five minute guide on scanning for energy and collection and so Ashleigh once again focused all her attention on finding and collecting energy around them. After four minutes of hard focusing Ashleigh opened her eyes and thrust out her hand, open palmed; desperately she pleaded with the energy she hoped she had to provide enough force to move the bottle. Nothing. "Ungh... I can't do this!" Ashleigh whined, needing to lash out at something she angrily swatted the bottle sending it hurtling behind David and hitting the north wall. Although he could have easily have reached behind him David made a point by remaining where he was and stared intently into Ashleigh's hazel eyes. The bottle slowly rose of the ground before hovering in the air for several seconds, gliding through the air, the bottle slid past David and back into the middle of the two landing right side up. "Show off." Her playful tone and half-smirk showed no annoyance and that the previous bout was over. After a quick yet patience talk from David Ashleigh was ready to go again. Once again she visualized, once again she summoned, and once again she demanded the bottle move. It did. Perhaps no more than one eighteenth of an inch but it was still a success for Ashleigh who happily squealed in delight, falling onto her back before kicking her legs and flailing her arms. David laughed lightly at her glee, he always adored her laugh – much like everything else about her – but laughing was different, it was a sign she was happy and for David that was extra special. Ashleigh recovered from her miniature seizure and stared at the bottle repeating what she had just done but in a quicker time. Once again the bottle moved, this time a whole three inches. Ashleigh erupted in anther giggling spree stopping every moment or so to push the bottle an extra inch before collapsing back to the floor in glee. By the time the bottle had finally moved enough that it was brushing against David's legs almost two hours had passed, the morning giving way to noon, as the sky descended to a deeper blue hue. "Wow look at the time." David said looking out of the window at the sky. Ashleigh followed his glaze but only saw the endless blue with a few mindless white puffs drifting by in the breeze. "How can you tell?" "The sky. The sun, it all changes with time." He pointed at a blue spot and then again at the sun in its new position. "What time is it then?" The question was asked as a more prove-a-point but David responded anyway. "About one maybe half one." Ashleigh reached into her pocket and retrieved a silver flip-back phone, a commodity she would be lost without. Although she rarely used it or actually phoned it, the silver device was her life on a chip. Photos of everyone, everything, all her music, all her notes and contacts were stored in the plastic memory. Sure enough when she flipped it open and looked at the time display it read: 1:34 p.m. "How did you know that?" The tone of her voice of that in surprise as if they had not just spent the last two hours moving a bottle with thought. "You do." David replied, but the questioning look on her face by his reply made him think, this wasn't the same Ashleigh he knew, it was new Ashleigh, "...or did." "Was I ever as smart as you?" She asked sincerely; her life more of a mystery now than when she knew nothing about her family. David had a sudden impulse to kiss her, to feel her plush yet soft lips against his own. He leaned forward on his knees placing his weight on his arms, his shirt fell forward leaving enough room for Ashleigh's eyes to wander to his bare chest and chiselled abs. As his mouth neared her face became flushed from the onrush of blood pumped by her raging heartbeat. Her mouth watered as so did her aroused femininity. David lightly pressed his lips against hers. The instant of contact brought another bout of pleasure that had him working manically to wrestle with his control. He looked up from her lips and found her eyes lightly closed. A moment of surprise swept his emotions as he felt her lips part – despite all her ramifications about them being related, it was she who was now instigating the kiss. He decided it best just to go with the flow, figuratively speaking, and parted his lips very lightly. "Smarter." He said before sensually running to tip of his tongue over her bottom lip eliciting a small moan. Ashleigh's own tongue came out and met him half-way, her hands running over his back as she pulled his body closer. Ashleigh lay back bringing David atop of her quivering frame. Her long legs snaked over his muscularly toned calves pinning him above her as their passion grew like an unquenchable fire. David laid his hands cupping her face lightly as she playfully nibbled his lip giggling softly. Her hands danced patterns across his back before grabbing the hem of his shirt and pulling it over his head leaving. Her hands returned to his bare skin leaving burning trails where she touched. Creating large centric circles along his back her hands dipped lower and lower until her knuckles brushed against his denim jeans and leather belt. Giggling into his mouth she slipped under their bodies before deftly unbuckling his belt and pulling down the zipper. David was in a world of pleasure, his body near naked and so close to the one true person he loved. In some small recess of his mind his brain screamed to stop before things went too far and the ultimate deed was complete, but the side that won screamed to carry on with their entanglement; that no bad could come from a few more minutes of being together in their intimate manor. Once his jeans were undone and pulled further down his toned legs he wriggled slightly letting them shift further down until they were off completely. With each wriggle each body was completely aware of his now hardened erection pressing against her spot through her trousers. Still, the feel of his rigidity against her womanhood was insatiable; unconsciously her body responded by grinding her hips against him, her eyes, once again, squeezed tightly closed as she moaned louder into their combined mouths. Lost in the vice of lust David held the hem of Ashleigh's shirt and lifted it off her body revealing the red padded bra underneath. His fingers worked deftly over the clasp releasing her bosom from constraint. Graciously he accepted her gift and moved his lips from her mouth; he slowly sucked at the nape of her neck leaving a small trail of hickie's where he tasted her skin. Exquisite. The trail lead further down meandering to the right, he gave one final suction to the top of her right breast before leaving a trail of wet, slobbering kisses straight to her hardened nipple. Expertly he played with the hardened nub in his mouth, running his wet hot tongue around the rim, before gently sucking applying enough pressure he knew she loved, Ashleigh repaid in kindness as her hand worked inside his boxers stroking his phallus while her other hand held his head to her breast moaning at his attention. David alternated between breasts, giving each equal time before moving on. Once both breasts were gleaming in his saliva he kissed his way back to her mouth travelling up the left side in the same fashion as the journey down the right. When he reached her mouth he wasted no time in in resuming their game of tongue wrestling. David mashed Ashleigh's breasts in his hands, a nipple between his forefingers and middle fingers applying just enough pressure for her to be simulated. She moaned heavily, arching her back to further his treatment, he pinched her nipples between thumb and forefingers before tugging harder. When he thought she had enough his hands moved from breast to her hips playing coyly with her trousers. He pulled away from their kiss and broke a cheeky grin as his hands slid under the waistband of her trousers to her voluptuous butt cheeks. Ashleigh giggled before holding the back of his neck and pulling his mouth in for more lustful, incestuous kisses. Incestuous. The word meant nothing to either of them as they clung to each other on the floor of David's bedroom floor. "I don't like these trousers." David hoarsely groaned as Ashleigh's hand still played with his aching member – to hell with control. "Neither do I" Ashleigh replied. She removed her hand from his boxer briefs and grabbed the waistband of her trousers pulling them down and over her taut ass, still being kneaded by David. He wriggled the trousers the rest of the way before kicking them off all together. Ashleigh's hand soon returned to her original objective. She stopped jerking his cock for a second as she undone each button releasing his cock with fluidity. Outside his boxers she resumed stroking up and down his meaty shaft moaning each time she knocked his cock against her treasure unconfined. David's mind fogged as he felt his cock rub against her soft silk white underwear, actually making contact between her flowered lips. When she stopped stroking, again, and grabbed the straps of her underwear attempting to pull them off for preparation of the ultimate deed David snapped out of his lust-filled veil and grabbed both her wrist stopping her. Truth be told he had waited years so he could once again 'be with her' but David also knew that once they had 'been together' she would die, and he would be alone for another eon. He coughed to clear his throat; "We need to stop." Ashleigh regarded him with a lustful glaze, she leaned closer and tried to pull his head back in for another kiss but he pulled back sitting up and packing away his member. He put a hand on her shoulder focusing on her eyes as to not get distracted by her beautiful body waiting for him... only him. His hands glowed faintly as he released a small stream of magic into her system washing away the influx of Serotonin that hazed her mind. With her mind more or less clear Ashleigh's immediate reaction was to cover her breast with her arm before panicky searching for her bra, found thrown in the corner of the room with his top and her top. Her clothes were too far to casually reach over and grab them but she didn't feel comfortable enough to move given her extreme state of undress. Thankfully David understood her discomfort and used the same movement spell he had tried to teach her earlier to levitate their clothes and move them closer so they could both get undressed. "You promised you wouldn't use magic on me." Ashleigh replied as she just pulled her trouser over her hips. David raised his eyebrow in surprise, "You remembered?" "No it's just something you would promise me." "I also promised to protect you. Almost failed that one." "David it wasn't your fault, it was just something that happened." He shook his head; "I should have been in control." "Is that what it's always like? Never being able to lose control and always wanting to touch me?" He nodded. "How do you survive?" Ashleigh asked incredulously, for that one incredible lust-filled ecstatic moment her single thought had been to touch David, be close to him, to have him touch her, to have him inside her... she understood that male libido was often higher than female but if David felt like she just did all the time compared to her few minutes, how the hell did he stop? Her protection. The thought hit her like a cheap boxer punch to the gut. The reason he stopped was because he loved her enough to put her life about his own wanton desire. Ashleigh didn't know whether to slap him or kiss him; how many times had he backed away from their consummation just for her? Had he ever in his life gave into what he really wanted without thinking about her consequence? Probably never. He had always put her first, whether good or bad.