2 comments/ 10681 views/ 24 favorites The Afflicted Ch. 17 By: ShyChiWriter Thanks for reading! As always, I look forward to your comments, votes, and favorites. Best! David Lake * * * * Claude awoke first. He felt amazingly rested and he was sure that they must have slept for a half a day or more. He was soon to discover that he was mistaken about the time. His naked mother and sister were still snuggled in tightly on either side of him. Upon feeling him stir, Frederique's hand tightened possessively around his shaft, but she did not wake yet. Claude felt that someone else was awake and he lifted his head slightly to see that it was Martin, who had Glennis wrapped around him like a gorgeous blonde blanket. "We must have slept forever," he thought. "No, we've barely been asleep an hour." Claude inquired back. "How do you know?" Martin responded. "I always know what time it is. I'm not sure what time it is here, but when we went to sleep it was 3:49 pm in Paris, and it is coming up on 5:00 pm now." "That's some trick you have, Martin... Hey! We're talking in our heads! I guess we can do that now." "Yes, but you're not being very quiet." The voice that said the last statement belonged to Abby. She had awoken and she was peeking up from where she was nestled with Jacob. She was looking cuter than ever, but there was a curious glow about her as well. "Sorry," said Claude and Martin together. "Don't worry, darlings," she chirped in their heads. "We'll figure it out as we go." The three of them were able to extricate themselves from their lovers and they padded over to the bath. The two boys each exchanged a long, sensuous good-morning kiss with Abby before they stepped quietly into the water. Abby took each of their hands and led them into the water. They reached waist deep and then she released their hands and moved her hands to their hard cocks, leading them the rest of the way until the three of them were about chest deep in the great tub. The water was delicious, the scents were magical. The world was so new to them all. Their senses seemed to have been quadrupled in terms of sensitivity. Just as colors were brighter for a mortal who was turned Afflicted, they had undergone an even further transformation. Now, sight, sense, smell... all of it was heightened. Add onto that the fact that they were now sharing portions of each other's gifts and the world was indeed very, very different. "How did you sleep?" whispered Claude to Abby. "Wonderfully," said Abby. "But I'm not happy with you." "No? Why not?" "Well, with that complicated ritual of us mating, I still feel incomplete, dear Claude. Though you might be Aimée's prime mate, and Frederique's, for that matter; I still hold a claim over you. You too, Martin." "I agree," said Claude. "It is undeniable. We can all feel the bond between us. I do love you, but what is it that's bothering you? "Well, my muscular mate, the union was complete when each of us felt the seed of our first mate." She had put her arms around his neck and lifted herself up, wrapping her legs around his waist. "And?" asked Claude. "And, lover," she whispered in his ear. "You never came inside of me last night. We are not yet fully mated, and I desperately need you to complete the rest of our bond." She kissed him deeply, but then turned to Martin. "You, too, clockmaker," she said, reaching out a hand to pull him to her. "You and I have unfinished business as well. You wait right there." She groaned as she lowered herself, impaling her cunt on Claude's broad cock. She had a surprised look on her face as she lowered down. "What's wrong?" murmured Claude. "Nothing... it's just that, you fit." "Oh, and that's different how?" "You never did before, Claude. It always took me a while to adjust to your size." "Oh, well... perhaps it's the water." "Yes, perhaps." She began fucking Claude slowly, their motions matching the slow, sensuous nature of water. "Claude dear, don't hold back," she said after several minutes. "We have a big day... I just... I need this so badly." "Yes... Yes... Abby," growled Claude. He sighed as his body stiffened and his seed poured into the shapely redhead. "Oh my... oh my!" hissed Abby. They were striving to be quiet, but it wasn't easy. As soon as Claude's seed poured into her, she pitched into her own climax and it was unlike any she had ever known. Her eyes flew open upon feeling his heat coat her silken walls. "So good," she whispered. "It has never felt so good." A hunger awoke in her eyes and she rested there for a short time before sliding off and hopping straight into Martin's arms. "Now then, Clockmaker, you and I need to complete our bond as well." She slid down upon him and had another surprised look. "What is it, now?" asked Martin. "Oh... nothing," she said with a grin. "Nothing at all." "No, it's something," said Martin. "Tell me." "No." "I'll read your mind then," he insisted. "Oh Martin, you'll never be able to do that if I don't want you to, no matter how many gifts we gain. Now, just fuck me, darling." She rode him quicker this time and the waves splashed in the pool. In short order, Martin was spending his seed within her and she was gasping with pleasure. "So ungodly good," she moaned. "You've never... I've never... you boys don't know what this is feeling like." She couldn't describe it to them, but each spurt of their seed within her was like a shot of energy. "What is it like?" asked Claude. "What do you mean?" "I... I can't describe it other than this. When you cum inside of me, the closest thing I can compare it to is when we would get our daily dose of blood. That satisfaction, that fulfillment, that comfort is like that, but with energy as well. I feel more awake with each jet of your lovely seed." "Do you need more?" asked Martin. She was still suspended on his cock, which had lost none of its firmness. "I mean, how awake do you wish to be?" "Very awake, my Martin. "Yes, let's go again." She rode him for a few strokes, but then paused. "Wait," she said. "I want both. Come here Claude." She pulled Claude to her and guided him to a place he did not suspect she would. "In there, are you sure?" "Oh yes, Claude," she said in an almost animal-like growl. "Yes, please." Claude eased slowly into her, his cock pushing insistently against her brown bud as he began to take Abby in the ass for the first time. It was made all the more wild by the fact that Martin was filling her other chamber. With Claude's strong chest against her back, and Martin taking her from the front, Abby was soon sandwiched between her two lovers and being plundered in ways that she'd only fantasized about before. Faster, deeper... and louder, their lovemaking grew until Abby's voice was coming out in shrieks as the two cocks filled her in overwhelming ways. She came at least three times before the boys felt the force building in their cocks. First Martin, then Claude exploded inside of her and Abby got that curious high that was so new to her. "Oh, my lovers," she said. "You are so good. We have such adventures ahead of us." She kissed Martin deeply and then turned over her shoulder to kiss Claude. They were surprised then to hear soft applause nearby. They turned to see their four companions seated at the edge of the bathing pool. "Now I'm not the only one in trouble for being noisy and waking up our mates," said Claude, teasingly. "Oops, sorry," said Abby, blushing. "Don't be sorry," said Glennis, licking her lips. "That was quite a sight to wake up to, and something I want to try very soon, myself." The next couple of hours were spent focusing on 'completion' as Abby had put it. Each lover paired off with someone who they hadn't experienced a full ejaculation with post-mating; it did indeed seem to finalize all that had happened between them. There was the undeniable bond between the seven of them, with the slightly stronger bonds that seemed to run along family lines. Martin and Glennis, of course, weren't family, but being originally outsiders, they seemed to be destined to be each other's 'primes' After the next round of lovemaking, the women gathered in a lounge area to get dressed while the three young men went off to examine the armory near the entrance. Not that the women weren't interested in the weapons, but boys will be boys. "Can I say something?" said Aimée, quietly. "When we were making love just now, did you notice that the boys were..." "Different?" asked Glennis. "Yes. All three of them." "I did too!" exclaimed Frederique. "Claude just... well, he fit better. It was still tight and he was just as huge, but there was something about it. And Martin, he was..." "Bigger," said Abby. "He was no slouch before, but the way he filled me, it was just heavenly. Yes, I noticed. And what about it when they came inside of you?" They were all in agreement that there was something decidedly different about their lovemaking. They had also all felt the lovely cum-buzz as soon as their mate's seed touched them. "I noticed it in my mouth, too," said Glennis. "I sucked Jacob off after he came in me the first time, and when I swallowed his spunk it was like the one time I had a shot of whiskey, but a hundred times better. Mmm, just thinking about it makes me want to go down on him again." "Oh, our angelic little Glennis," said Frederique with a chuckle. "How quickly you are taking to dirty talk." Glennis shrugged her shoulders, giving an innocent smile belying the raunchy potty-mouth she was becoming when it came to sexual matters. "Well," said Frederique, "the others will be arriving shortly and there are many preparations to make. We'd best put on a few clothes so we don't drive any men who arrive insane." She looked at her three female partners and shook her head in wonder. "My goodness, but I do have some attractive mates." They retrieved their clothing and Glennis was the first to make a realization. She, Abby, and Aimée were still possessed of the clothing the Elders had made for them. However, when she went to put on her dress Glennis gave a grunt of annoyance. "Come on, then," she said. "Get on. Hmm, the laces must need loosened." She started loosening the laces of her garment while Abby and Aimée started putting on their own clothes. They too, were having a bit of problem, especially in the chest area. "This doesn't make any sense," said Abby. "A seamstress who has been practicing her art for twenty-thousand years made this. Why shouldn't it fit?" "I know what you mean," said Aimée. "Here, help me with my bodice." Frederique watched on with curiosity "It couldn't be," she mused. She cupped her own breasts in her hands and her head cocked to the side with curiosity. She considered putting on her clothes, but instead she pulled a silk robe out of a drawer. When the deplaceurs and company had gotten the governor's suite ready, they had spared no expense. The boys arrived back with tales of battle axes and crossbows and swords from every era. They were also distracted by the view of the girls, whose bosoms were very, very noticeable in the clothing they'd finally managed to squeeze into. "I like what you're wearing," said Jacob. "Or rather, I like how you're filling it out. That's the same thing you were wearing yesterday, right?" "Oh shut up, Jacob," said Abby. "Touchy! I was speaking the truth. I do like it." "I don't. They hurt." She squeezed her breasts with annoyance. "Speaking of uncomfortable, are any of you thirsty?" asked Claude. "No, but there's some water right over there," said Aimée. "No, not that kind of thirsty. Thirsty. All three of us are just craving something. We tried the blood stores they put here, but blood just doesn't smell right to us anymore." "No, we're not thirsty at all," said Frederique. "In fact, as soon as we made love today, we were better. Hmm, Abby, could you call Galen for me?" "Of course," said Abby. "But, you could too, I would imagine." "I could? Oh, I suppose so. Let me try." Frederique reached out with her mind. She did not have the global reach of Abby, who could sense anyone anywhere now. However, Frederique was able to reach out with her mind and sense the minds of those close to her. She found Palo, who was running security sweeps with Seiko, Hypatia, who was reviewing some sort of plans with Patroclus, Franz, busy at work on some gadget as always. And then, Galen..." "Galen, I need to talk to you," she said in his mind. "Who is this and hasn't anyone ever told you it's rude to enter without knocking,"said Galen. "You know very well who it is, Galen," she said. "And we need to talk to you, now." "Alright, alright little girl, just send your daughter to me and I'll come right away." "Who are you calling little girl, Galen of Pergamon? I'm almost six-hundred and I've lain with you." "Well call me a dirty old man, because I've still got over a thousand years on you. Go on then, send Aimée my way and I'll be right there." Moments later, Aimée appeared with Galen at her side. "Oh my," said the physician. "Look at these busty beauties." "That's part of what I called you here for," said Frederique. "Something is different and we need you to tell us what it is." "Well, go on." They told him about completing their mating, then went on to describe their clothes not fitting, and the surge of energy... the buzz they received with the boys' seed. He listened patiently. "Plus, they are different," said Abby, indicating the boys. "You know, down there?" "We are?" said Claude. "You could have mentioned it to us?" "Hmm," said Galen, contemplating the situation. He put a hand on Claude's chest to feel his system. "Different down there, clothes not fitting... and you boy, you've got bloodthirst going on. Go and have your daily dose." "That's part of the problem," said Claude. "I don't want any blood, yet my body continues yearning for something, even after I've had some water." "I see," he said. "But you women have no thirst?" "No," said Frederique. "It stopped once we made love." Galen's analytical mind was turning. He evaluated all of the variables and kept thinking. He went to Frederique and opened her robe with no worries for modesty. He placed his hand on her abdomen and evaluated her system; then he took her breasts in his hands. He whispered in her ear so no one else could hear. "Those are a bit heavy and full, don't you think?" Frederique nodded quietly. Galen went on with his musings. "So, Martin, please, would you please take lovely Abby here. I think having her on top would be best." "What? I..." "Come on then, no time for being bashful, not among our kind." "I'm ready," said Abby. She already had her dress off and tossed it on a fainting couch. "It was bothering me, anyway. Come on then, Martin." She crossed to him and unbuckled his trousers and had him naked in short order. Though he seemed embarrassed, certain parts of him certainly weren't all that shy. "Mmm... very nice," said Abby, fondling his cock. "Let's get this back where it belongs. She pushed him down onto the couch next to her dress and mounted him with ease. "Very good," said Galen. "Now, if you would, please make yourself invisible, my girl." "Oh, if you insist," she said. She was sighing from the feel of Martin inside of her but she scrunched her face in concentration to make herself invisible. There in seemingly mid-air, was Martin's cock, held up at an improbable angle, moving back and forth, and compressing in fluid-like patterns. "Hold still, my girl," insisted Galen. "You're no fun," said Abby's disembodied voice as she stopped moving. "I would place him at 16 point 5 centimeters, give or take," said Galen. "So, right around six and a half inches and just shy of 13 centimeters in circumference. Now, if you will please, make yourself translucent, Abby." "I'm... I'm not sure I can. Using Jacob's gift is still something I'm learning." "Help your sister out, Jacob,' said Galen. Jacob nodded and put his hand on Abby's shoulder. She slowly came into view, looking something like a water-creation. "Just her pelvic region is all I need, from her labia to her abdomen." "No problem," said Jacob. Abby's body reappeared except for her midriff, which looked sort of gelatinous and transparent. Martin's cock was still there, but so were her diaphanous internal parts. Everyone watched on in fascination. "There, you see. A relatively normal vaginal canal, she still has two centimeters before he hits her cervix, even fully inserted." "Point being?" asked Claude. "Now, Frederique. If you would please replace our randy redhead." "With pleasure," said Frederique. The two women shifted places. Frederique mounted him, rode him for a few strokes, and then turned herself invisible. "Oh... so good," she moaned from empty air. "And would you look. Our young clockmaker's pendulum is now 19, no; it keeps going, 20 centimeters or approaching 8 inches, and 16 centimeters in circumference." Frederique followed the same process and Jacob turned her translucent. Galen peered down with a critical eye. "Look at that, just a half a centimeter to go to her cervix." "What? I grew?" asked Martin. "All will be revealed in time, young lad. Now, Abby, please mount your brother, if you will." "Oh Galen, you are so demanding." Jacob was already undressed and quite erect from watching the goings on. "I would estimate Jacob to be nearly 23 centimeters, so please do take him in, you ginger minx." Abby mounted Jacob and at Galen's command, she was again 'clear' in her middle section. "And look at that," said Galen. "All of him fits, but her cervix is still a bit higher. So, to explain; I have looked inside of your systems, and I have seen remarkable things. Your bodies are smart. Your Afflicted Cells, and Elder Cells, AND Human cells have merged... truly merged. Something about this union makes your bodies infinitely adaptive. The reason why your lovemaking has been so pleasurable is because your sexual organs are adapting dynamically to each other. If a larger man enters one of you women, your interior will expand... I would wager to say that even your internal organs might shift. If a man enters a woman who is naturally smaller, then your penis will adjust." Claude seemed a bit concerned. "But, Galen, I don't exactly want to get smaller." "Oh good god, young Adonis, never fear. Even if you adjust, you won't stay that way. Did you not just see what Martin did?" Martin was still lying with Frederique astride him. His cock was still visible through Frederique's translucent mid-section. "Wait, that is the case, then..." He concentrated on his own body and within Frederique's translucent middle, his cock surged upward and wider. "Oh, my, Martin," moaned Frederique. "So... so very big. Ooh!" Martin had been watching down and had seen the reason for her exclamation. His cock had surged upward and pushed against her hymen, compressing her womb beyond. "But, she didn't keep expanding," said Martin. "Because, young gadget boy," said Galen in a sly tone. "Sometimes girls like being filled all the way." "They do indeed,' purred Frederique. She returned to 'regular' opaqueness and stood up, letting Martin slide out of her. His now huge member flopped out of her onto his belly. He looked down at it and focused on making it grow and shrink at will. The Afflicted Ch. 17 "Don't play with it dear, there will be time for that later," giggled Aimée. Galen was contemplating the situation and mused out loud. "I would wager that these young men could get quite large. Think of it this way... you know how a man's member can go quite large after a long wait? With an Afflicted male, think of how stiff he gets after just a day of abstinence. He is, in fact, measurably larger at that point. Not significantly, but still, it is an observable difference. The point being, that is what is referred to as hyper-tumescence. I suspect your young men will be able to achieve that state at any point. They'll be able to grow quite large, and you will most probably be able to accommodate them, regardless." "But what about our thirst?" said Jacob. "Why do we feel this way? Like we need blood, or something? And why don't the girls?" "Ah, there's the other question, isn't it? You see, you seven do retain traces of the Affliction in your bodies. The two central traits of our symbiote are lust and thirst. Lust doesn't seem to be a problem, but thirst. Well now, when the Affliction tastes blood, it is sensing the living cells of its prey in the fluid and it is satisfied that it has 'hunted'. However, you are now civilized, for lack of a better word. The Elders are a highly sophisticated race. Since you now carry their strain, your bodies reject the idea of blood, quite possibly because the Elders have been vegetarians since before there were written languages. However, you still have that thirst for living cells." "For the women, they have slaked their thirst many times today. Where are there living cells if not in the millions of little swimmers in a man's seed? Either on your tongues or in your nethers, you girls have satisfied your thirst today." "So, does that mean we need to pleasure them with our mouths?" asked Claude. "I have no objection, but is that what it will take to satisfy the three of us?" "I'm sure the ladies wouldn't mind, but no," explained Galen. "Though a woman's secret garden is certainly delightful, it does not carry the sort of vibrant life that your bodies are now craving." "But, what then?" asked Claude. "How are we going to quench this thirst? I love my new brothers and they are certainly my mates, but I love women. I have no desire to satisfy my needs through them." "No indeed, but there is another solution. Frederique, if you will?" Frederique had a sly grin on her face. "Come here, my boy," she said in a sultry voice. Claude went to her and she kissed him deeply before pulling his face down to her right breast. He kissed and sucked hungrily, and with a wry grin she reached down and gave her breast a squeeze, at which point Claude came up spluttering, his mouth full of white fluid and his cheek spattered with the same. "What in the..." he stammered. "What, don't you remember the flavor, my son?" she teased. He chuckled. "Of course not. I was just a baby. I never knew it was so sweet." Claude stopped then with a different sort of surprised look on his face. "However, I feel so much better, already. My thirst is not nearly so bad; I don't' feel that intense craving any longer." The other girls were looking down at their breasts with bemused expressions. "Galen!" said Aimée with some concern on her face. "Please tell me we are not with child already! We've just gotten our mates; I wanted a little while before children." Galen smiled a patient smile. "No, Aimée, I can assure you that you are not expecting." "Then how? Why?" "Life, my friends," explained Galen. "You are full, absolutely full of life. And, as I say, your bodies and your very cells are terribly smart. The Elder part of you rejected the 'barbaric' idea of drinking blood, but your womanly bodies sensed that the males would need sustenance. So, they started generating the perfect thing to take care of your mates. I believe as an added bonus, you most likely will not experience your monthly cycles any more. However, you'll still need to take the precaution if you don't wish to have a child. I would imagine you would need to take extra care, as full of life as your bodies are now. I say that with one caveat, I do not believe you girls will be able to get pregnant by a human male, nor an Afflicted male for that matter. Your egg cells would reject the sperm cells as anyone other than these three here as too foreign." "Well, I suppose we shouldn't mind," said Aimée. "I mean, look how I'm filling out my dress. I guess I shouldn't complain." "Yes, and we've got a free pass to sleep with as many men as we want," said Glennis lustily. "Really, Glennis?" said Claude. "No, dearest, not really," said Glennis. "I wouldn't mind dallying now and again, but you three are so appetizing, I can't see myself wasting too much time with others." The boys, especially Martin and Jacob, were eyeing the girls' cleavage quite hungrily. Frederique sensed their need and took Galen by the arm, leading him to Aimée. "Well, we have some thirsty boys Galen. You may go while we take care of things." Aimée whisked Galen back to New York and reappeared again in a moment. "Want to see a nice trick?" said Aimée. Without waiting for an answer, her clothes were suddenly hanging in the air still retaining her shape and Aimée was standing next to Claude, fully nude. Her breasts were rounder, fuller, than they had been the day before - for good reason. The clothes, freed from her form, fell in a rumpled heap to the floor. "Are you still thirsty, my brother?" Claude could only nod as she took him by the hand and led him to a free couch. The other girls each took their 'prime' lover by the hand. Abby was mounted upon Jacob in no time and Glennis went to Martin where he sat and slid down on him. The boys took drinks, and like the girls with cum, each young man experienced an intoxicating buzz as soon as the milk hit their tongues. As for the girls, they felt that lovely release of pressure (generally reserved for nursing mothers) as their lovers drank hungrily of the substance that was to replace blood in their lives. "Don't neglect the right one, Jacob," purred Abby as she slid up and down her brother's cock. Jacob willingly switched sides and she purred as he drank her sweet offering. "How does it feel?" he asked after a long draught. "I mean, for you." "Well, physically it tickles a bit, but it is lovely, too" she said. "But emotionally, it is very fulfilling to know I have something to give to you. All of this time, I've been drinking from that beautiful cock of yours, I like having something to offer in return." On the next couch over, Martin was buried in Glennis. He had drunk his fill from Glennis and they were staring deeply into each other's eyes. "Bigger," said Glennis. She moaned as he swelled his cock within her. "Smaller," she giggled. She groaned at the wonderful feeling of her pussy contracting to fill the void his cock had just left. "Ooh, this will be fun indeed, my Martin," she said. "Bigger again." Claude, having drunk from Aimée, now had her legs up over his shoulders as he pounded her. "Fuck me, Claude. Fuck me harder!" she growled. The excitement of him drinking from her for the first time, mixed with the burst of energy he received from her milk had sent them into a frenzy. "Hey, now," said Frederique. "I'm still in need of a little release, too." "Of course, mother," said Claude. "Come here." As he continued pounding his sister, Frederique stood beside him and offered him her breasts... but it was a bit awkward. "Oh, here," she said, and climbed up to straddle Aimée on the couch. Now, up on her knees, she was able to give him very good access to her breasts which now were perfect, full orbs that stood out even more improbably because of their added 'filler'. "Oh, gods, mother," groaned Claude as he kept gliding into his sister while he drank her sweet and revivifying nectar from her perfect and legendary breasts. "This feels so good," she moaned. "You know what would feel better... since you're down there, daughter?" "I - was - just - thinking the same thing," said Aimée, her speech coming out in bursts between Claude's thrusts. She raised her head to find the perfect angle to her mother's pussy and the three of them made a stunning triangle, Claude gliding into Aimée, Aimée pleasuring her mother, and Frederique having her tits sucked by her son. Harder he fucked, faster Aimée licked, and deeper he sucked until a burst of milk sent him over the edge. All three of them came with such intensity that they could barely even speak and they fell into a heap, arms and legs all jumbled together. They all soon rose and separated, exploring their temporary home once more. 'Opulent' was an inadequate word for the sumptuous quarters they were in. The Afflicted had indeed kept up the maintenance of the place. It had been designed as something of a Xanadu for the Roman governors and over the centuries, the Council had seen to it that the place was maintained. Silks had been replaced every few decades and it had been kept clean as well. All of them hoped, more than a little, that they would be allowed to set up home here. From the quarters, they went down to the small city below, and though it wasn't as fancy, it was still an impressive gallery of quarters and passageways which could easily accommodate hundreds, if not thousands. Eventually, they returned to the Governor's Chamber and pondered when the others might be arriving. Suddenly, the world seemed to slow down. An alarm went off in their heads. Aimée felt it first and the four of them winked out and were back in the Governor's chamber. "There," she said in their minds. Abby focused in on the spot Aimée was indicating. With their hyper senses, they saw a figure blurring into view. In a nanosecond, Aimée had jumped to her clothes to retrieve a sword and jumped again to the place where the person was materializing. Frederique did the same, and the four of them formed a square around the person. All of this happened in a stunningly short amount of time. It was Bullet. She looked about in surprise at being surrounded by the four beauties. "Interesting," said Bullet. "I'm assuming your new state of being gives you some extraordinary powers. I've never been that anticipated. I was just sent to bring ..." She drifted off, amazed. "I'm sorry," she said. "But wow, I mean, what the hell happened to you?" She was reacting to the visible transformation the women had undergone— full, high breasts, round hips. They were beyond womanly, but even with that there was a hint of muscle below the surface. When they walked, their motion was akin to a wolf or a large cat. Each motion was a perfect blend of strength and grace. Even their faces seemed a bit different and there was still that indefinable glow about them. None of this was lost on Bullet who was clearly awestruck by their beauty. "It seems the Elders and the Afflicted make a good match," said Frederique simply. Bullet nodded, shaking her head in wonderment. "I would agree with that statement." She was suddenly distracted and looked past them. "Oh my, my, my!" she exclaimed. The boys had been in another area and were no walking toward them. Their new forms were no less impressive; chiseled chests and arms, perfectly defined abs. In similar fashion as the women, they were not musclebound, but there could be no doubt as to their strength. Having lived in the dorms, Claude and Jacob were less modest and simply walked to the women without putting anything on. Their cocks seemed to be in a perpetual state of near readiness and hung down partially full, swinging temptingly as they walked. Martin wrapped himself in a bed sheet and in a way it made him more appetizing to the women, wondering what was waiting below. Bullet shook her head to clear her mind. "Why I came. Why did I come here? Oh, yes," she said. "Yes, absolutely. There is to be a conventus." "How large?" asked Frederique. "All," said Bullet. "What are we talking about?" asked Aimée. Frederique explained. "A conventus, translated 'convening', is a gathering of a great number of our people. I have been to a few. Usually, a conventus means five hundred people, where different areas of our kind will send representatives to the gathering. The last full conventus was in the year 632. There has never been one in my lifetime." "It is beyond a full conventus," said Bullet. "The Elders are sending fifty of their kind as well. Mortal friends are also being invited. For example, your friend Captain Brand from the Siren will be along." "He's alive?" said Aimée and Frederique at the same time. "Oh yes," said Bullet. "He somehow managed to evade the black guard and was one of the strongest mortal fighters in the resistance. Countless day-helpers will be along as well. We'll be meeting right here. The old Roman theatre is still standing and in fair condition. We will gather there. I was sent to inform you and ask if there is anything you need." "Are we to be presented to the crowd?" asked Frederique. "I mean, will they put us before the group." "I would suspect so," said Bullet. "Then we need clothes," said Frederique. "Well," mused Bullet. "You would actually make quite an impression as you are. But, I suppose we can arrange something." "Do they need our help with transport?" asked Aimée. "No," said Bullet. "I have strict orders to not engage you in any work. The deplaceurs will handle the individuals and the Elders have some machinery that can assist in moving larger groups." "Machines that can deplace people?" asked Martin. "Yes, Franz is practically drooling for the chance to dig into their workings." "So am I," said Martin. "Well, we'll see," said Bullet. "The Elders are a curious bunch. They are warm and courteous, but also very guarded about their culture and their technology. But, I've got to get going. Between spreading the cure and this conventus, I've covered more of the globe in the past week than I had in the past century. I'll send along the tailor, a dressmaker, and as many seamstresses as you need. They'll be here shortly." Perhaps ten minutes later, Brolly arrived with the personnel Bullet had mentioned in tow. He arrived first with the dressmaker (a mortal man named Florian) and his assistants. Then Brolly brought the tailor, who was an Afflicted woman. Finally, two other deplaceurs arrived with at least a dozen assistants and countless bolts of fabric. Brolly leered playfully at the women, but said nothing before popping out again. "You boys are lucky, indeed," said Frederique. "You get the tailor." "What's her name?" asked Claude. "That is her name," said Frederique. "She's been making the finest men's clothes for the Afflicted since before I was born. No one knows her real name, and I'm not sure if she knows it herself. Oh girls, we're going to have the finest dressed men on the planet." The women were called over to be fitted. Florian, the dressmaker took in the women with a cool, appraising gaze. After a few stunned moments, his face broke out into a joyful grin. "I have dress forms," he said. "Back in my shop, I have forms that are shaped like the ideal women. I have the buxom form, the girlish form, the pixie-like form. Far too often, I cut the dress and sew it, only to find that I need to make adjustments. Of course, it is my job to flatter each woman's body and I do so very well. Yet, today I am presented with four beauties who I feel I could never flatter. Not with silk or finest cotton, not with flax, jute or modal. No dye, no stitch, no cut will ever give you ladies what you deserve. However, I will do my very best, and I offer you my gratitude now at giving me this opportunity." In another part of the room, the tailor was examining her charges. With her, she had brought a barber. "The hair and the suit go together, you see," she explained. "You two have been recently shorn, but Jonathan here can still do some work. You, the clockmaker, you need the most fixing up. Jonathan, take him first." She evaluated Claude. She moved close to him and began running her hands across his chest and arms. "I used to use a cloth tape," she said in a low voice. "Five centuries back, that's how we did it. It's still how most people do it though I have no use for that any more. You see, if I can feel you I can dress you." "This is fine," said Claude. It was actually a soothing sort of feeling, the way her capable hands were exploring and evaluating every inch of his body. He stood patiently while she ran her hands over every inch of his skin. She even 'measured' his face and neck. While she was doing so, Claude could almost see the gears turning in her head as she took mental notes of his dimensions. Her hands ran down his belly, past his hips, and down to his feet. From there, she measured his calves and thighs. Eventually, she came back to his inseam. As was generally the case, Claude was semi-erect. There was no denying the object staring her in the face. "Cock is a good word, I've always thought," she said. "The way these delicious things strut about and puff themselves up. Tell me, does this lovely Bantam like to puff himself up from time to time?" Claude blushed furiously. "I'm afraid so." "Of course he does, and why shouldn't he?" said the tailor. "What you need then, is loose fitting trousers. Too tight, and it's like you're taking out an advert every time he perks up to take a look around. Trust me, we know. Oh yes, us girls know what's down there. No need to shout it about with a scroll-cylinder in your pants. Yes, looser fitting trousers are what you'll be needing, and I'll put in a special inner sleeve I devised a while ago. For blokes like you, it helps to keep the boy pointed down if you can." She moved on to Jacob and by the time she was done with him, Martin had returned. At her order, he removed the bathrobe he'd been wearing. The other boys couldn't help but notice that Martin was clean shaven... everywhere. "I uh... I thought we should match," he said in a shy voice. The tailor finished measuring them and then rubbed her hands together in anticipation. "Right then, let's suit you up." Bolts of fabric began to levitate from their resting places. They unfurled in the air, and as though an invisible pair of shears was slicing through the fabric, the pieces of various suits, shirts, and pants emerged from the flat fabric and went sailing into the arms of her assistants, who waited until all the pieces for one garment arrived before sitting down to begin stitching. The tailor herself began stitching away at a waistcoat. Martin's curiosity couldn't be contained and he had to ask the tailor about her methods. "I was wondering," he said. "If you can cut the fabric without tools, why don't you stitch it together that way, too?" "Excellent question, lad," said the woman. "In fact, I can do that." She paused from her work and picked up two scraps of different colored fabric. She knitted her brows and suddenly, their edges meshed together and one wouldn't have known that it hadn't been woven on the same loom. "The problem is the clothes just don't hang the same way. The threads are part of the construction. I do blend the fabric in some problem areas, and it's dead useful with silk. Still, the old ways are often the best." On the other side of the Governor's Chamber, it was a flurry of activity. Florian, too, had brought along his own hairdressers and over twenty seamstresses. Each of the four transformed women was assigned her own attendant. The Afflicted Ch. 17 Glennis was assigned a lovely, quiet girl with deep blue eyes and a somewhat somber disposition. "What is your name?" she asked. "Resi, my lady," said the girl with a hint of a German accent. "What a beautiful name. How long have you been a day-helper?" "It has always been so, my lady," she said. With a hint of pride, Resi added, "We have been helpers for nine generations with not one betrayal. We count six among our family who have joined the Afflicted. My mother was a bloodnurse before she joined, and I am apprenticed here in hopes of taking a mate someday." "I think you will," said Glennis. "You have a gentle soul and a true heart." Glennis's kind words brought a glowing smile to the girl's face. "I can only dream, my lady," she said. "It is my fondest hope." Though the tailor had the advantage of her gift, Florian's scissors seemed possessed of their own special magic. The four women were to have three outfits apiece: one formal, presentational gown; one more casual evening dress; and finally a dressing robe (or as the dressmaker called it, an 'undressing' robe), complete with lingerie. The needles flew and the scissors clattered incessantly. Their hair was piled, curled, trimmed, and braided. At her insistence, Frederique's attendant also took care of down below to assure she also 'matched' her mates. Miraculously, as the three hour deadline approached, they were nearly prepared. They had new wardrobes, were perfectly coifed, and the Seven looked very much like the godlike creatures they had become. With five minutes remaining, Frederique was the last to don her dress. As was her custom, she had chosen red. Her red, silken gown was perfectly cut. Florian actually was the finest in the world at his craft and Frederique's ensemble would be his finest creation to date. It needed to be; more paintings and more statues would undoubtedly be borne from this evening. He was designing for posterity, not just for the event. The gown was lifted over her head and they began lacing and buttoning her in. It was tight in every appropriate place, lifting her angelic bosom perfectly. "Do we need makeup?" Frederique asked of the dressmaker. "God forbid!" he said. "Michelangelo couldn't have come close to recreating the colors in your skin. I won't allow a brush near any of you." Just then, a small tearing sound was heard. The young woman who had been helping Frederique into her gown looked up fearfully. "What was that?" asked Florian. "I'm so sorry," said the young woman. "I was being so careful." The dressmaker rushed to examine the damage and cried out with dismay. The entire back was ripped. "We'll never make it!" he cried. "This will take at least twenty minutes to repair." "Hold on," said the tailor. She walked over and looked at the damage. "Do you have any more of this fabric?" "Well, yes, but..." The tailor held a silencing finger up to Florian. With a flick of her wrist, the back of Frederique's dress was cut out and fell to the floor. A new piece of the red silk was fetched. The tailor picked up a sketchbook and made some quick drawings. "What about this?" she asked the dressmaker. "Oh, that would be lovely," he said. "Very well then," said the Tailor Six strips appeared from the fabric and wove themselves into an intricate lattice - the new construction flew against Frederique's back, and with barely any effort, merged with the dress. The new effect was even more becoming. Frederique's creamy skin shone elegantly through the fabric. "Not as nice as stitching," said the Tailor. "But it'll do in a pinch. When you need to get out, just cut it with a knife. Florian can repair it before the next time you wear it." "Thank you so much," said Florian, hugging the tailor gratefully. "Professional courtesy," she said gruffly. "Now, we should go. It is nearly time." Everyone left the room and the seven companions found themselves alone. "What's going to happen now?" asked Martin. "It is hard to say," said Frederique. "We may be getting some honor, or we may be put on trial - though that isn't too likely. For the Council to call a conventus means they feel this is of great importance." She felt the anxiety in the room and touched her companions reassuringly. "Now, we must calm ourselves," she said. "It is important that we be calm and collected for what is to come. Everyone close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Just like before a battle, you must find composure." They all closed their eyes and breathed slow and steady breaths into their lungs. Abby sent out gently soothing thoughts. When she felt them still, she opened her eyes and looked around at her companions. All of their eyes were still closed. They are so beautiful, she thought to herself. Each of them is beautiful in a unique way. How did I get so lucky? She stopped for a moment upon realizing something. They're so beautiful... how do I know that? How am I seeing them? All of their eyes are closed." "Oh, my! I can see!" she cried out. The others' eyes popped open in surprise. "I can see!" Abby cried. "I don't even know how long I've been able to. All this time I've borrowed the eyes of others. Oh! Look at you! Look how beautiful and handsome and amazing you all look!" They all shed a few tears of joy, but tempered themselves because of what was coming. A messenger came running down the passageway. "Excuse me, your honors," he said. "They are ready for you now." "Are they all seated?" asked Frederique. "Is everyone settled?" "Almost," said the messenger. "Come back when they all are," she said. The messenger was about to protest but decided it was best not to argue with the great Frederique. "This is a performance," she said when met with the questioning looks of her mates. "Make no mistake, this is a performance. Anticipation is a key element to any public presentation." * * * * As always, I look forward to your comments and thoughts. Favorites and votes are very much appreciated.