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Mine...Yours Pt. 01

By: payenbrant



Author's Note: I am not sure how this story will be taken. It has been on my mind for a long time and decided to finally write it. There will be typos and grammatical errors of all sorts. Mainly because I cannot find an editor. That being said, if someone after reading this would like to be my editor, please contact me. Other than that, read, and enjoy. 

I also would like to acknowledge two people who were kind enough to make me write this. Lovecraft68, thanks for telling me what you did. Lady Ver, for telling me it wasn't crap. I appreciate you both very, very much. 

***** 

(Greg's Side of the story) 

Chapter 1: A different point of view. 

There are a whole host of problems with working at night. Lack of essential vitamin D, different sleep schedule from most other people, a sense of being cut off from a large percentage of the world to name a few. My job is even a little worse than that. I work in an industrial complex...kind of. My office is a truck, that I drive around and link up to dumpsters that I then empty in a large compactor that is emptied twice a week. Not exactly where I wanted to go with my life, but there isn't too much to really complain about. I don't have to deal with annoying people, except for the occasional homeless person sleeping in one of my dumpsters. The nature of my work makes it kind of hard to add anything to my social calendar, and by nature of events in my life I tend to not like other people all that much. 

Not that I am misanthropic by any means! I don't HATE people, not really. The fact of the matter is I really like people, at least I used to. Hey I am not trying to be enigmatic here, I just, am not wanting to put the cart before the horse. My reasoning will come out eventually. I should get back to the story. 

I live off a main drag of highway pretty close to Portland, Oregon. That's in the United States of America for you people not familiar with world geography. I love Oregon, especially where I live. I am an hour from the Pacific Ocean, a half-hour from evergreen rain forests, and an hour from snowy mountains. Also if you head east for another hour you hit high deserts. We got it all in this state, except for Disneyland, we do not have Disneyland. Well, nothings perfect. 

So I live off a main drag of highway behind a used car dealership. You take that side road down past the dealership and there is a small pocket of houses that are a kind of throwback to 50 years ago. Each house is individual in size and style. Each plot is about an acre and a half or so, it is not uncommon to see gardens or pools or those weird looking half covers people use to protect their big camping trailers from the weather. Yeah, my house is in that group. It's got an old wooden fence about nine feet tall around the front yard and driveway. You have to get out of the vehicle and open the gate, then drive in to park the truck, then go out and close the gate! I know, shocking that I don't get one of those automated gate opener thingies. I am naturally lazy, and after I saw what was involved with installing one of those... I will just get out of my truck and open the damn gate! 

My house is an older two story that needs a lot of work. Drywall, and bare floors, two bathrooms with exposed plumbing, three bedrooms, and living room with open kitchen all as one room. Top floor is just one long room that runs the length of the house. That's where I sleep, and watch my neighbors. My back acre of the house has a large shed/barn, several fruit trees and is fenced in only that it has arborvitae planted tightly around the border. Anyway, back to watching my neighbors. I enjoy people watching, always have and always will. Interacting is a different story. I can do it, but I always feel as awkward as goose in a room full peacocks. Yeah...weird analogy huh? Didn't I just explain I am socially awkward!? 

It's not that I am bad looking, who am I kidding... I can't tell you I am good looking! It's not like I got a photo to back it up! Then again, I can't tell you I am bad looking either for the same reason. A picture says a thousand words and I am just NOT going to write a thousand words about my looks. I am average looking with deep-set eyes, thick lips, goatee, and dark blonde hair. I cut my hair by getting a clipper putting the number #1 attachment on it and running it all over my face and head, then shave off the rest that offends me. I am 5 foot nine inches tall, or 175 centimeters for you metric lovers out there, and weigh a whopping 240 pounds. Yep, I am 25 pounds overweight according the doctor after my last physical. No, I don't plan on losing it. Worked hard to get so it stays. I got a 50-inch chest and a 38-inch waist and size 13 shoes. That sums it up, you want more on what I look like then you're nosy and have no life. 

Now, my old neighbors had moved out about six months before, then the new ones showed up around June a few months ago. I only noticed them coming in because I heard a large vehicle pull up and a bunch of noise as people got out. I did the natural thing anyone else would do in that situation, grabbed my wood axe and carefully peered out my window to see what was going on. In my position it's always good to ere on the side of caution. Yeah, I know, made you curious. You'll find out eventually. 

That was the first time I saw my new neighbors, well, two of them at least. It was also the first time I Saw them. Yes, I capitalized that word, there is a reason for it I had a rather traumatic experience that changed my outlook on life dramatically... Hell with that. It does not do it justice. I had a monumentally screwed up and fucking unfair, evil, just plain WRONG event that happened in my life! It was 7 years prior to these events and it broke me and reshaped me in a lot of ways. Some good, but in my opinion a lot bad, and I don't have the strength to fix it or do... Yeah, suffice to say some shit went down and lets get back to the story before I blow a gasket. 

I am able to see the truth behind people. Sounds profound but it's not. Someone looks happy, but I see a frown like photo negative behind his or her eyes. Big whoop. Does not take a brain surgeon to figure that out! You have to have the sensitivity of rock crusher to miss it most times when someone is acting one way and feeling another! Anyway, so I can see this type of stuff in people, I just wrote it off for a long time as an overactive imagination coupled with a sense of extreme loss and emotional trauma that I went through. Sounded reasonable at the time. Then I met a very nice old gentleman named Wilson Henry Abernathy the Ninth. Yep, you read right. The Ninth. His family must have had no imagination to keep naming they're children over and over with that kind of handle. 

I Saw him coming out of, of all things, a burger joint on the side of the highway near where I live. He was happily humming to himself and swinging a bag of something by his side. Just looked like a regular older gentleman in a tan suit jacket and jeans. Although that was when I got a look at the specter walking next to him. I say specter because that was the only way to really describe it. I could say it looked like a reversed negative with long teeth staring hungrily at everyone around him. That would be accurate but kind of melodramatic, I guess. That was the first indication that I knew something was wrong with me. My imagination is pretty active, dare I say over-active, but this vision I was Seeing appeared to be in the, "Yep. I am officially going bug nuts" category. 

The gentleman looked at me, took a second look and asked, "I don't have any stains on my face do I?" I shook my head. "Any grease on my shirt?" I again shook my head "My zipper undone?" He asked again with a small smile. I tried out my voice and found my vocal chords still worked. Disconcerting when you see what appears to be two creatures looking out of a single pair of eyes at you. "No stains or anything, sir." I croaked out, and then coughed. I think the last time I used my voice was when I spoke to my boss three days ago on the phone about making sure the compactor area was clean at work. Most I said to her was, "Yes ma'am, Get right on it." 

The older man frowned, "You feeling a little under the weather son?" He reached in his suit jacket and held out a small bag of menthol cough drops. I didn't want one but took it anyway. I Looked at him again, but it was still disconcerting to see that second pair of dark eyes peeping out at me through his bright blue ones. I didn't feel like he meant me any harm, but I still concentrated for a moment and pushed down the Sight as I had come to call it. "No sir, I am fine. I was just curious about you as all." 

Now why the hell had I said that?! Must be the whole desire for human contact thing making my mouth move when I should just shut up and walk away! He grinned a little more, giving me a once over. "Flattering as that is I think I may be a little too old for you young man!" He chuckled. That snapped my eyes to his and I could feel my temper flare. How DARE he assume something SEXUAL! Just because I was curious about him he would...! I took another breath and let the anger flow away. This all took place for less than a moment, but the old codger seemed to notice my reaction to what he said. "I didn't mean anything by it son. Just trying some light humor is all." I gave him a half smile and shrugged. I really meant to tell him it was nothing and bid him a good night and finish my walk to the gas station for a can of Grizzly and a two-liter of Mountain Dew. Yet when my mouth opened I wanted to punch myself in the face! 

"I was just wondering why you look like a human and a monster at the same time." I said as I was leaving. I almost stopped but he didn't say anything. I kept on walking looking at the pavement mostly, halfway to the gas station I glanced up more and saw him standing in front of me. I knew he hadn't followed me, he hadn't passed me, he...ah shit. "Can I help you sir?" I asked. This little old man walked right up to me, his eyes searching mine. 

"The names William Abernathy." he replied. "I guess if you can tell so much about me we should be friends. What's your name son?" I shrugged; it worked well when I was a teenager for answering questions. "No one sir. Good night." His hand gently settled on my shoulder as I walked by him. I guess I should mention I don't like being touched and I have not been touched by anyone but my own parents and occasionally my sister in a long, long time. The moment I felt his hand land on me, I gave a quick jerk of a side step only to find out I could not move! My hand came up of its own volition and grabbed William's thumb to give a twist to break his grip and step out. Yeah, obviously NOT thinking clearly if with one hand this little man can hold me in place. Not too bright there. 

I looked into his eyes as I tried to step away and get my shoulder out from under his hand. This time there were no second pair of eyes, just a mélange of color shifting hews with an animalistic eye shine staring back at me! My heart fell into the soles of my shoes and for one brief moment I felt terror, then it evaporated like a gust of wind to the empty place inside of me. After all, when you really have nothing to live for and your life is a never ending hum drum existence, you can't be terrified of anything for too long cuz' you're curious to see what happens next! 

Before he could say anything I shrugged again, well half shrugged since he had one of my shoulders in his grip. "My name is Gregory Brooks, sir... uh. Mr. Abernathy. What can I do for you?" He gave a half smile. "I don't know if your crazy, or just really..." He chuckled and the eye shine dissipated. "I would go with crazy Mr. Abernathy." I replied, then gave a cough again as my voice was definitely getting over worked that day. 

"Call me William, Mr. Brooks. Now to satisfy your earlier curiosity. What do you know about vampires?" That was the beginning of the weird aspect of my life. 

To say we became friends was an understatement. Well, as much as I was able to become friends with someone, he was a friend is a more accurate way to put it. He respected my need for distance, since he really wanted to have his own as well. I never asked him much about his life, never asked him much period. We usually would meet up after I got off work if it was a slow night, and play darts at his town house in the Pearl District of Portland. Since it was near PGE Park there always seemed to be something going on. I did ask him about the whole blood drinking thing, just because you have to know that, if you smell like food to your best friend. 

"I used to be a food taster back in the Day," William started to tell me. Then waited for my obvious question about how long ago that Day was, and what his job entailed. I didn't really care so said nothing and just waited for him to tell me what he wanted. His eyebrows arched in surprise, then he harrumphed into his fist and continued. 

"Well, I tasted food for poisons, and freshness before the king ate or drank anything." He continued. "During that time I..." He stopped and glanced at me again. "Greg, you really don't care do you?" I cocked my head to the side, and thought about it. "Not really, no." I admitted. "Honestly I am just a little worried that you think of me as food is all. So I wanted to hear what you had to say." 

He chortled. "Think of you as food? My dear boy, I am a gourmet!" He stood and briskly walked to a large black walnut wardrobe next to his small kitchen. He opened it with a dramatic flourish and gave a little half bow. 

"Gregory...so many vampires live on human blood, we can live on animals, but most do not like it." He selected a sturdy wide mouthed clear wine glass from his rack by the wardrobe and blew a short puff of air into it before he inspected the bowl. "I, as I said, am a gourmet. While most vampires think of eating animals as a last resort, I embrace it. They all picture a raggedy individual suck on rats in dirty street corners. This though is how I look at it. Come here, take a look!" He waved me over vigorously and of course I came, now curious about the...nozzles? 

We have all seen those soda fountain stations at fast food joints, and gas stations...but this one took the cake! All brass, copper, and I swear there was gold and silver leaf inlay on the woodwork inside this thing. There were rows and rows of brass spigots lined up in the front with small plaques naming each one. I started to read out loud. "Aardvark, Giant Anteater. Wolverine. Grizzly. Polar Bear. Hummingbird. Blue Whale. Marmoset. Baboon. Capuchin. Humpback whale. Dolphin. African Grey. Pelican. Kangaroo..." I shook my head, and had to chuckle. "William, you have a zoo on tap or something?" He smiled and filled his goblet half way with blue whale and quickly put in a touch of wolverine, grizzly, seagull, and then a single drop of hummingbird blood.  

He held it to the light and gently swirled his wrist. "Most vampires do not know this, since all they do is drain their victims dry. Most animals, if you drink only that blood, tastes rather bland dear boy. I, though, could not help myself! I had to experiment! I began collecting blood from different beasts and blending them together to form different cocktails of flavor. This right here has a base of the largest mammal on earth, then coupled with the blood of the wolverine and the grizzly gives it an aggressive full-bodied feeling. Then I added the seagull that is a good mix for any drink because it is found everywhere and eats everything; therefore the properties of the blood vary greatly from one bird to the next. Universally I find it to be good filler for any drink. Then the hummingbird. Only one drop because it is very light and airy. Also extremely sweet. I tried a half glass once and I was up all night and into the next day!" 

He finally seemed satisfied with the mix and then drained the glass completely in one decisive motion. I heard him making appreciative sounds in his throat, and his cheeks were moving in and out as he seemed to savor the flavor. Now using my trick of the Sight, I watched both him and his shadow form. His other self seemed inordinately satisfied as well, showing wide color shifting eyes and darkly gleaming teeth! In fact William showed amazing color in his cheeks and his steps seemed even more lively as he walked to the sink to clean out his glass and then place it once more upside down in the hanging rack. 

"I have had human blood before, dear boy." He said to me quietly. "It is a satisfying meal. Though the guilt one has from taking something not freely given can make it turn to ashes on one's tongue." He closed the doors to his wardrobe, well, not wardrobe. Vending machine, no, soda fountain... blood fountain. Heck. Drink fountain, that's what I am going to call it. Ooops. He is till talking, better pay attention. 

"We all drink human blood at first when first turned, but I have always been a bit of a rebel. I did not like taking something that didn't belong to me, but my Master thought I was being foolish. He explained to me that we could live on animals, but that the taste was terrible and not as nourishing. He bade me to do so as log as I liked but that I would return to regular prey soon enough." 

He sat back down and stretched his arms over his head appearing to relish the sensation. "The fool thing is this, I do not enjoy eating something that I can hold a conversation with!" He chuckled at his little joke, and then paused, a slightly larger smile appearing on his face. "Well, that is unless both parties are agreeable to it!" I had to laugh a little at that. "You lecherous old dog!" I admonished him. 

"Dog, right. That brings me back to my story." He said, snapping his fingers. 

"I have always loved a challenge Gregory. When my Master told me that I could drink from animals as I wished I immediately went to the slaughter yards to find cow blood, the same thing with the swine." I nodded for him to continue. "Either one by itself tasted terrible, even combining them was awful. Then I had an epiphany...this was like baking!" William could see I looked a little puzzled. "To make pancakes you need flour, salt, eggs, butter and milk correct." I nodded. "Well, if you ate flour by itself it would taste terrible would it not? Or salt by itself?" Again I nodded. 

"The answer was so simple I am surprised no vampire before thought of it! It was an accident that caused it. Such causes most great breakthroughs in science and in the kitchen. A dog attracted to the meat and blood I was sifting through attacked me. Some of his blood ended up in the cow blood and contaminated it. After taking an experimental sip I could tell that basic properties had been changed. That is when I truly began my best research!" He sighed and tilted his head back gazing at the memory. 

"I still remember my first flask I created. A strong bovine base of strong Scottish heifer. With a good part mixed of wolfhound, ewe, and weasel. The final component, a generous splash of owl. I found you always want to go light on the bird blood. It should be used more as a seasoning, not sure if it has something to do with their hollow bones or some such. All that being said, my first group of flasks was a huge success for me. One full swallow filled me sufficiently for at least a whole night, in fact in some ways it was BETTER than human blood!" 

Now that got my attention! I sat up, truly interested for the first time. "You mean your mixed blood was better for you than human blood!? Then why aren't vampires doing that all the time!? Why are they feeding on people?" He waved me down. "Most of our abilities, the charming of people, the illusions and so forth. Those come from human blood. Especially if we find a human who is a mage or sorcerer or of that ilk. All I was able to do was mix a nutritional variation that I could balance in a way to make me stronger and faster than most. Albeit with a little tweaking I have come up with combinations that can do different things, such as resistance to sunlight for short, very short periods of time. Most vampires just want power, which is what human blood offers. Me though, I am content with what I have. " 


Mine...Yours Pt. 01



He looked slightly embarrassed; "I do have to admit, that after making and sampling all of my combinations, human blood has lost a great deal of interest for me. It's like comparing a...what do you call it? Uhmm. Ah! A happy meal to a home cooked meal. It always tastes better when you make it yourself!" 

I guess I am telling you about William because I wanted you to know that I at least have a basic grasp of WEIRD. That way you will believe me when I say that all the people down there moving in my new neighbors were not exactly...normal. Each one of the big bruisers moving furniture at the direction of two women was obviously animal like. It was like a superimposed picture of a man with a glow of an animal man around him. Seriously, how would YOU describe it? I am trying but it's hard to put into words! One of the women was a large Nordic blonde type. I mean large not as in "I have to waddle through doors carefully because of my stomach." But large as in, "I walk through doors sideways and crouch because my shoulders and forehead will utterly destroy your doorframe!" 

She was gorgeous in a stern police officer way. You know, the kind you wished would arrest you and feel you up while your handcuffed. I shuddered and felt my teeth clench in anger as I thought that. How nice Greg...hasn't even met your neighbors yet and you already are trying to make yourself hate them. Good job! I had to swallow a couple of times to rid my throat of bile and continued watching. The Nordic babe was definitely like the mover's, but her animal specter was much grander than the others and seemed almost solid. It suddenly turned and looked right at me! A second later, Blondie followed suit and was staring right at me! 

Well, what to do? I set my axe by the wall, moved more into full view and wished I had put on a shirt to make a better impression. I smiled without showing my teeth and waved. She gave a half-grin and waved back and turned her head to bark more orders. (He HE! Bark!) Though the animal image was still watching me as I stepped away from the window. I wished I had gotten a better look at the other one, all I saw was a little slip of a brown haired woman with a weird hazy thing going on. I only saw her from the back, but it looked like heat waves were coming off of her. Ah well. I called my mom. 

"Hello Gregory! Is that you?" 

"Yes Mom, you know it's me from the caller ID." 

"Oh, well I didn't have my glasses on. So what do you need?" 

"Couldn't I have just called to talk to you Mom?" 

"True, you could have but most of the time it's to ask me something...did you call to talk?" 

Sigh,"No, I need to ask you something." I feel like such a bad son. I hear mom giggling. How a woman who is over fifty can giggle and it still sound adorable astounds me! 

"So, what can I do for you Greg?" Mom asked. 

"Well, I have neighbors just now moving in..." 

"That's good! Now you can have someone to socialize with besides that older vampire gentleman. It would do you some good to hang out with regular folk instead of all of those ghost and gobliny type people. I blame it on the fact that you work at night! All sorts of things come out at night! Why, did you know that..." 

I had to stop the rant, even though it was a good rant I HAD to head it off before mom got rolling and I would forget why I even called her in the first place! 

"Mom that's great, I understand but the reason I called was, when do you bring your neighbors a gift. What should I give?" I asked. 

"What kind of gift?" 

"I don't know, that's why I am asking." 

"What do you want to say with the gift?" 

"I uhh...don't know. Like, welcome to the neighborhood I guess." 

"Food is always good and appreciated. Don't bring beer or alcohol especially if women are involved it will give the wrong idea. Should be something simple for them to eat because they probably don't have all of their dishes and cups unpacked yet. Does that help sweetie?" 

I thought for a moment, yeah...that's good advice. "Thanks Mom, I can work with that." I heard her laugh. 

"Alright now honey, glad I could help." There was a pause and I could almost hear her concern coming over the phone. 

"Are you doing alright Gregory? I know we saw you last week, but we don't talk all that much..."she let the thought trail off. 

"Yeah Mom. I appreciate the concern, but I am taking each day as it comes. No problems yet, and yes, if something comes up you and Dad will be the first people I call." 

"All right Gregory. I know you have to go, I love you sweetie." 

"I love you too Mom." I heard her little coo she gives when I said that I loved her and she told me goodbye before she hung up. 

Next stop, pantry. I had decided on cookies and Coke. I had a twelve pack in the fridge and all the makings for cookies in the pantry. My Dad used to pay me to make them for him. A cup of coffee and two cookies in the morning were what he usually took for breakfast. They were oatmeal with semi-sweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, finely chopped dates and the final ingredient was shredded coconut. Yeah, in case you are wondering, they are good. Ask me some time and I will give you the recipe. I usually make a lot for myself and freeze them and eat them the same way my Dad does. For the neighbors, I'll make fresh and save what's left for myself. 

Couple hours later my first batch of cookies was loaded up in an old pizza box I cleaned out for the occasion, after lining it with paper towels. I honestly did not have a plate large enough to hold three dozen cookies comfortably. I mean, come on! I'm a bachelor! Sometimes I am surprised I even have a plate other than paper plates. 

I threw on a clean t-shirt and jeans, put on a pair of sneaker slip-ons and walked next door. Was I nervous? Hell yes! Was it because of what I saw when I used my Sight? Nope! Plain and simple I did not like most people and usually wanted to be left alone. Then why am I doing this? I go over now; the expectation of neighborly duties should be out of the way. 

They will not feel like they have to come and see me. They will not have to return anything I am giving them, and since contact will be made they will not feel like they have to come over and contact me. I can walk by and just wave and keep on walking like all the other people do to me on my street. There will be no expectations. If things go well, I can show up, give the food, get some names, and then let them go back to work. Then I can go and get a couple hours of sleep and go to work. 

I exit my fence, walk over to the neighbor's yard balancing the pizza box on one hand and holding the coke in the other. It seems that everyone is inside, though most of the cars are gone. The sun has gone down a ways and it is now late after noon. I walk up to the front door and while carefully balancing everything hit the doorbell and wait. Then I hear a voice behind me say, "We didn't order a pizza and you do NOT look like a deliveryman!" 

I look over my shoulder and see a tall, dark woman with an Afro haircut looking daggers at me! Not just dark, but black, and I mean really black. "I uhh..I..." I stammered. 

"So who are you?" She continued talking right over me, and began walking closer still staring into my eyes. "Like I said, we didn't order pizza, I don't smell pizza coming from that box, you don't look like a deliveryman, all this means you're a trespasser a person who is NOT invited! So why don't you do yourself a favor and get the FUCK out of here right now!" 

Well, at least I knew for sure they wouldn't be over to visit me! If I was a hermit, these new neighbors of mine were like those isolationist people who build fortresses in the Rocky Mountains waiting for the Russians to invade! I make them look downright friendly! I gave the woman a once over and didn't even bother activating my sight since I would probably have no contact with her again. Then with a shrug I turned and set the pizza box and coke on the doorstep and said, "Whatever, welcome to the neighborhood." Then started walking away. 

"Hey!" A voice called behind me, I slowed and half turned to see the Nordic chick at the door looking at me, then wave me back. She glanced at the black woman and said quietly, "Really Jemima? You can be such a bitch sometimes!" She turned her bright blue eyes back to me. "Hey neighbor. I saw you looking out your window and wave earlier. What's up?" I shrugged. "Brought gifts, say Hi. I did it, so enjoy. See you around." I turned and started walking back home. Yeah, might have been rude but I was flustered. Usually people got to know me first before they told me to F off! Was I overly sensitive, I don't know, I just knew that I was not all that comfortable and wanted to go home? I do know that I was angry. 

I could hear them talking behind me, "Hilda! How was I supposed to know he was our neighbor?! I was asleep until a little bit ago!" The black woman, I guess Jemima is her name said. 

"I see, so bringing over a pizza and drinks looked so suspicious you had to get in his face like that? Actually that smells like cookies...COOKIES? Oh gods that smells good!" I turned slightly and saw a beatific smile on; I guess she must be Hilda's, face. She had crumbs on her cheek. 

"They're still warm, and oh, I think I just came a little from that bite! You go over and apologize to him right NOW! We can't have someone who makes cookies like this not like us!" 

Jemima huffed. "It's not like I can eat those, and they smell terrible to me! You like them so much you make nice, I am going inside to get something to drink!" I chuckled as I saw Hilda pick up another cookie from the box, she saw me and waved at me with the hand holding the cookie giving me a nod since her mouth was full. I gave a quick wave and continued around the corner into the path of a mountain bike! I grabbed it by handlebars and heard the rider give a squeak of surprise and pain as I gripped the handlebars tightly through her hands. The front tire now rested between my thighs and I gave a shout of surprise as I cinched down harder. I looked up to see the rider... 

Cute... Almost sickeningly cute. Cute little button nose, cute little dimpled cheeks, cute little rosebud mouth. I had to close my eyes from the sugar overload of her looks! When I opened them I was still looking at her, but her mouth was open and staring at me. Now, I have been stared at before. Usually when I do something stupid, or like when William first met me, when he was trying to figure me out. This was, strange. Her mouth was a little open and she was panting, initially I thought it was just the adrenaline rush of running into someone on your bike. Her eyes though never left mine, and she was gripping her little hands tighter to the handlebars than when I had been grabbing them. 

Oh yeah. I look down at where my big hands are squeezing her tiny ones onto the grips. I gently let go and grab the front of the bike and move to the side holding it up with her on it. Her eyes followed me, and I could see sweat beading on her forehead. That just didn't look right, she looked as if she was scared. "You ok, lady?" I asked. She gave a little jump in her seat and seemed to shake the cobwebs out of her head with that action. She looked at me again and just seemed contemplative for a moment. 

"Yes." She replied drawing out the word. Now she didn't look scared, more curious. Kind of like, nope got nothing, I honestly don't know how you can go from looking so scared you could piss yourself to curious about the same subject in a matter of seconds. "What's going on here? You okay Gwen?" I heard Hilda say from behind me. Well I guess that explains the not scared anymore part. 

Gwen never took her eyes off me, and I saw her raise her hand and start to move it to touch me on the forearm. At that point my head and body were now talking to each other and I stepped back before she could make contact. "Careful going around corners, I think I proved that just now." I said. Man, all this talking was making my throat sore. I nodded to Gwen and Hilda, started to keep on walking. 

"Hey!" the small woman, Gwen, called out. I turned slightly, still walking away. "What's you're name?" She asked. "Greg, see ya. Enjoy the cookies." As I was leaving I could hear them talking. 

"We have cookies? Oreos?" Gwen asked. 

"Nope, home made good ones!" Hilda replied. 

"Home made? HE cooks?" 

"Must be. They are fresh, warm and I smell only him on them. No one else handled them." 

I almost tripped and fell over. I was right, not completely human. Well, looks like that's the last I will see of them. Even though I got to admit. That's the most fun I have had in a while. 

Chapter 2: Internal Perspective. 

I have always hated winding staircases. Nothing against them personally, and they look pretty and all, just don't like using them. They always make me feel like I am a prisoner, trapped, being led down or up to a place I really don't want to go. Kind of like now. I have been walking this stairway for a while now, leading down, and down to a place I have no desire to go. It's important though. I go there once a week to help keep my sanity, such as it is, intact. I finally reach bottom, and in the lowlight of this basement floor I see the Door. Still locked tight with a spinning wheel that pushes four rods from the center of the door outwards to fit into eighteen-inch deep sockets. Each rod is made from a heavy-duty steel alloy and is four inches in diameter. The wheel is similar to that of an old time bank vault, and is wrapped in a chain that is all of one piece, it's end links fused together to form one unit. I know this door intimately for I have inspected it many times, just like I am doing now. 

I take the grease gun and carefully coat the hinges, working the product into the grooves of metal. I inspect the rods, looking for any sign of rust or corrosion. I come to the wheel and lubricate its workings, giving it a test turn with the little bit of play it has from the chain. I want to make sure the mechanism still works, for one day I am going to open this door and deal with the consequences it brings, but not today. The noise of the wheel alerts the prisoners and I hear a very familiar voice call out. 

"Hey! Greg? You come down here to say "Hi!" Is it that time of the week already?" His voice sounds a little raspy, but not from disuse. I nod my head then realize he can't see me so I move to the door and slide open one of the two slots in it. I see eyes, so very similar to my own look out at me. "Hey Greg! Good to see you! You got time to talk for a bit?" I nod and grab a folding chair leaning against the wall and set it up so I can see him and he can see me. I pull out a pack of Marlboros and hand him the pack and a book of matches. Then pull out a can of grizzly wintergreen and put a quid in my own lip. He lights up and takes a long soothing drag and gives a little laugh as he exhales. 

"You know, I still hear bits and pieces of life down here." He told me. I shrug. His eyes narrow, conspiratorially. "You do realize that your neighbors are not what they seem!" I smile a little, allowing humor to fill my eyes. Damn it feels good to feel humor again! He sees me smile and his own lips break into a wide grin. "Hah! That looks good on you my friend! You should do it more often." He takes the cigarette out of his mouth and I can see him lean forward more. "Seriously though man. You know that big blonde is a werewolf right?" I nod. "That Jemima chick, I get the same vibe from her that I get from William. That last one, the one that looks like she's a walking heat distortion...I'd bet my last smoke she's a witch!" 

A witch? Never ran into one of those before, at least, not to my knowledge. Huh. I ask, "How do you know this stuff? I only started knowing this crap a couple years ago. You weren't even around when I got my Sight." I stepped back from the door for a second and I heard his fist pound lightly for a moment on the inside of the Door. "It's like this Greg," he began. "I am not the only person locked up in here. Also, there's something else in here that I know you're curious about, but when you locked the two of us up in here, you locked it away too! Dumbass." The last word was said quietly and I could see him breathe out the smoke of his last inhale. 

His eyes appeared again, a lot wider and a little strained. "There's knowledge you need in here my man. You locked it up along with everything you valued, and it is the one thing that will save your ass down the line! I know why you did it, I understand! But Dude! Get over yourself, and embrace the pain that you have made us get stuck with for the last six years! I know she betrayed you, I know she threw you down and curb stomped you! I have been sitting in this shit for all this time and you just come down here to..." he stopped as I stood up. 

"Hey, DON"T GO!" He shouted. His arm, dirty and black as if with soot pushed out through the small slot. "If I am stuck here in this damn black box you will at least LOOK at me when I am TALKING to YOU!" I put the folded chair aside and started walking towards the spiral stairs. Then I heard a small voice that froze me in my tracks. "Talk to me please?" It was a child's voice, and I was helpless before it. I turned and walked back, and knelt down by the lower slot. I opened it, and a grubby little boys face peered out at me. I could see a dull blue light behind him, but it did not put his face in shadow. He hadn't aged since I had placed him along with the other person in the cell. 

"I get kind of lonely in here sometimes, and when you come to visit, the other guy is always taking up your time and I feel left out." He said this almost bashfully, looking down at something he was twisting in his hands. "Sorry about that," I replied. "He can be kind of demanding for my attention." My throat choked up looking at this little boy, and it had nothing to do with not using my voice much. Of all the things I regretted locking away, this was the one I regretted the most. This innocent and trusting child. It killed me every time I talk with him. I knew that once I ascended the stair I would not feel it anymore, but for now I relished feeling anything, even if it hurt a little. 

His bright eyes looked up at me again, and he held his hands out to me, and a dark blue light filled his palms. "I saved this for you, I thought you might like it." I smiled and tentatively took it in my own hands. "Thanks, I'll send it back to you when I am done with it." He frowned when I said that. "Why don't you keep it? I made it for you to have!" His eyes teared up a little bit. I swallowed, hard, to make the lump in my throat go away. "Because I can't keep it all the time with me, it will get in the way of what I have to do. I will enjoy it though, and I do appreciate it." The younger version of me sighed. 

"We have to stay locked up for how much longer?" he asked. "Only another year. Then I will open the door and let you both out." His eyes grew haunted, and he murmured. "It's going to really hurt when that happens isn't it? All that pain and rage at what she did...wow." I could feel tears beginning to fall down my cheeks, but it wasn't me crying, it was the younger version of myself on the other side of the Door. He held his hand through, and I grasped it. "Don't forget about me?" My Trust asked. "Never!" I replied. Through the top slot, another hand came down and I grasped it as well. "Please, never forget me!" My sense of Justice pleaded. 

For one brief moment I felt complete! I felt whole, with the missing parts of me filling in the craters of my soul. My back straightened and my eyes filled with life. I could feel my blood flowing in my veins, coursing through my body with every beat of my heart! Joy filled me and I felt as I did before the tragedy, before my honor was besmirched! At the corner of my eye I could feel a calling, a voice, a power reaching to me. Then I let go of the hands, slammed the slots back in place and silence filled the dingy little basement. I held the fluttering blue memory in the palm of my hand that my younger self gave me. I let it sink in, and remembered a pleasant afternoon playing with an electric car racetrack with my Dad when I was very young. 




Mine...Yours Pt. 01



Then I let it slip away and forced it back through the Door to where it would stay safe and hidden. I could not feel that emotion, could not afford to. One more year, one year and I could break that vault wide open and finally come back together and be me. I could become ME again. Not this hollow shell walking around. As I climbed back up the stairs, I wondered what else was inside the vault. They both said that something else was in there but I still did not know what. Also, how did he know what a witch was, as I told him, I had never met one before. Hmm, something to think about at another time. 

I reached the halfway point of the staircase and began to deepen my breathing, and slow my pace. At the last turn I closed my eyes and trustingly took each step and then felt my foot reach the last step. Exhaling slowly I opened my eyes just as slowly and looked around me with a sense of confusion. That dissipated as I remembered where I was. I was sitting in the living room on a blanket with my couch at my back. Meditation has a lot to do with breathe control and visualization. Maybe it's different for others, but that is how it's always been with me. I could wax long and poetical about the subject, explaining how I made the door to lock up key parts of my personality so I could survive the injustices that have happened to me...but really, who cares? I certainly don't. I glanced at my cell phone to get the time. 9:30pm. I had a half hour before I had to get to work. 

I was just getting up to take a shower and was stretching the kinks out of my legs when I heard a knock at the door. A tingle of fear shot up my spine, no one comes to visit me, and my parents usually call before they do! I grabbed a t-shirt and then my wood axe and set the axe by the door as I glanced out the window. I saw what looked like a very agitated Jemima on the front steps. Instead of opening the door I opened the window next to the door and spoke through the screen. "Can I help you?" I asked. 

She turned to look at me, and I saw her lips firm into a line. "You aren't going to open your door?" 

"Why should I?" 

"I wanted to talk to you." 

"Go ahead, I am listening." I replied. 

"Talk through a window...seriously? I wanted to talk to you face to face." 

"You can see my face, I can see yours, and we are talking." 

"This is ridiculous," she muttered to herself. 

"Just as ridiculous as cussing out, and threatening someone who was bringing food to his new neighbors as a show of welcome and good will? Huh...welcome to my life Jemima." I snorted and pulled back from the window. 

"Wait!" She called as I began to shut the slide. I stopped and looked back out at her. "I wanted to apologize to you!" She ground out through her tight-lipped mouth. 

I slammed the window shut and opened the door looking directly at her eyes and activating my Sight. "Really? You wait two days before you come and apologize. If you had apologized right then when you made your little mistake this whole conversation would not be happening. Instead, you let your own pride get in the way and you walk off in a huff. Thank you so much for pre-judging my intent and me. In fact, you probably don't even want to apologize. One of your roommates must have made you come over to do it. Why is that?" 

I had been watching her, and her face remained the same with just a slight tightening at the corners of her eyes as they narrowed. The shadow reflection of her true self was snarling with teeth bared, eyes dancing a riot of colors. "You like to hear yourself talk don't you?" she said with venom in her voice. "My turn to talk, Greg! How would you feel if you saw someone you didn't know, come up to your porch with an old used pizza box, and you know he wasn't invited! You're in a new neighborhood; don't know anyone and your extremely protective of your two roommates! Sure, I overreacted and I am sorry about that! So just let me say I am sorry and I won't bother you okay!?" She let her breath out slowly then took a deep one. "Actually Gwen and Hildy...Hilda I mean, wanted you come over and have dessert with us tonight. So, damn...looks like I still gotta bother you a bit. Okay? They would appreciate it." 

Now it was my turn to sigh, I had wanted to avoid this whole, get to know the neighbors thing. "Look Jemima, I appreciate it, but I am leaving for work soon. Also I don't like getting together with other people I am not really a people person. So thank you, but no thanks." She looked surprised, and asked, "Then why did you bring us treats in the first place?" 

"Just because I don't like hanging out with other people does not mean that I am an asshole! I wanted to be welcoming. To show that I am glad that I have neighbors and too be nice. You want me to pick up your guy's mail sometimes if you're out of town, got it. Need your lawn mowed sometime, sure. I just am not all that social." My throat was starting to act up from all the talking. Last time I talked this much was two weeks ago with William at his house when I borrowed his washer and dryer to clean my clothes. 

Jemima took a step closer to me and I stepped back the same distance behind the threshold of my doorway. Her eyes widened in surprise. "You really aren't kidding." It wasn't a question. Her eyes took in my stance, my position, and then fell on the end of the axe handle by the door. Both versions of her I Saw were contemplative, not worried, and more curious than anything. "I understand, Greg. I will let them know you're not coming over tonight. They will probably invite you over sometime in the future, just to let you know that they will be knocking on your door in the future." 

"I'd prefer it if they didn't." I said flatly. With that she smiled, and her face completely changed into a much lighter countenance. "Whatever, Mr. Recluse! You think you can stop your neighbors from coming over and trying to get you out of your house?" She laughed, and for just a second I saw the swirling colors of her other form merge in her eyes. I dismissed my sight and gave her a small smile as well. I had to handle this delicately. 

"Most men would appreciate three beautiful neighbors trying to get him to join them, almost sounds like a cheesy erotic novel!" Maybe that line was a little too forward, crap. "But I did mean it. I like to be left alone. I live, and eat and work. I have a few friends, family...but I like to be alone." I chortled and then glanced sideways at Jemima before closing the door. "You should smile more Jemima, you're really quite lovely when you do!" I closed the door and let out a short cough and then let the mask of emotion on my face fall away. I hate having to wear it, but it always makes people uncomfortable to see someone with well, emotionless eyes. 

Seriously though, why would I ever want to be around people anyway? They learn a little too much about me and out come the pitchforks and torches and it's off to the burning stake! William was easy. He is able to discern much more than people give him credit for. Maybe it's because he's a vampire. I think it's just that he is more open-minded. 

So why didn't I give the nice ladies next door a chance, probably because I wanted to keep my life inside my body! After all, most people don't like to have a neighbor who is a sex offender. 

Chapter 3: Time passes. 

Probably lost some readers there. That's fine, and I don't blame them. You see, I don't see myself as a sex offender, the law sees me as one, but I don't. It's not that complicated, I did not do it! There, I said it. I can prove it to, sort of. You see when it comes down to a "He said, She said" type of trial, things get dicey. Especially when things get suppressed in court, like the love of my life is Bipolar Manic Depressive! Or that she went off her medication. Or that she out and out lied in the courtroom committing perjury. I also thought that a lifetime of being a more or less good person would do me some good. Sure, I shoplifted once when I was younger. Got caught and had to go to court. The judge asked me how I pleaded, I told him, "Stupidity!" I paid my restitution then went back and apologized to everyone in the store. So yeah, that was the one real bad thing I had done prior to this whole bad thing. We had dated for months, her and I. My lovely Dawn, with the hypnotic blue eyes and pale brown hair. She was a curvy woman who could fit right under my chin when I held her. She accused me of so many things, murder, moving dead bodies, drug dealing, physical abuse, mental abuse, robbery, killing her cat, yeah...there's more but you get the picture. All of it was thrown out since there was no proof. The only one that stuck was sexual abuse. That was because it was between the two of us and no other witnesses were needed. 

They tried to give me Rape1. Which would have put me in prison for several years. At the arraignment, they dropped it to Sex Abuse 2. Much better, but still I had done nothing wrong, so I fought it. A nice three day trial where I was made out to be a monster with my own girlfriend crying alligator tears in the stand against me. Talk about a low point in my life. You may think that I am treating this lightly but I am not. I have cried my tears already, and I will be DAMNED before I cry anymore on account of her! I was found guilty in a court of law. After all, it doesn't matter the truth with law it matters in how best you present whatever tainted facts you have. They suppressed her mental illness until the last minute in court. That is where I found out that in legal speak my girlfriend was bug nuts! 

So to make a long story short I was found guilty of Sex Abuse 2. The definition being this: Sexual coercion without using threat, force, violence or blackmail. My question then is this...what does that leave? I talked her into it? Ah well, what's done is done, can't change it...time passes. 

First time I was led into jail, I had the dubious pleasure of being introduced to the penal system. IE: Getting shoved into the wall and getting "Leaned on" by the officers to make sure I didn't move. I still can feel the pain in my ribs and kidneys from that. Got jumped a couple of times since hey, I'm a sex offender now. Time to show him that we hate you! Got that a lot. Lost some fights, won some others, got taken aside and punished by the guards for causing fights.when I won them. Hey it goes with the territory. I am now a seventh class citizen. 

All my education means nothing, can't get a job working for anyone that checks out your criminal history. No one wants a sex offender on the payroll. So I get the meaningless drab jobs. Can't get an apartment, because no one wants a "SO" living in their complex. Even though my crimes did not involve drugs, alcohol, violence or children...yeah. Sucks to be me. All that being said, I now have my own house. The place I live now. Kind of amazing luck on my families part. My Dad won the Oregon Megabucks and got a little over four million after taxes. The house was one of those that were foreclosed on so we got a sweet deal. It's a piece of work as I described but livable. I pay him back as I am able. He keeps saying it's a gift, but it's family. You gotta do something in return. 

No one on my street knows much about me. Since I am not on the sex offender predators list I am not being watched by anyone, thank goodness. Though a couple people have looked me up, so I have been attacked, about five times in the past six years. Usually in groups of three to seven, and yes, I got my ass handed to me one of the times. Twice I got them to back off, the other times I got bloodied up pretty good but I was the one who walked away. In no way does this imply I am a bad ass, I just was lucky, a little skilled and had a better reason to fight. They wanted someone to hurt, I wanted to live. Living is a good motivation. Though that kind of is secondary in my view right now. Ah well, that's beside the point. 

The point that I am trying to make is that I went a little crazy, woman I loved condemned me to be viewed as a monster. The law that supported and thought would protect me from these baseless accusations hung me out to dry. The police force who I was raised to believe were the good guys now make my life hell as they harass me when the mood takes them. I have to watch my back for perfect strangers who want to take a swing at me when I least expect it. My good name is now synonymous with that of a criminal that other criminals try to avoid or hurt. My career choices are flushed, and my dreams of a wife and children...don't make me laugh. 

I was told by both my father and mother that somewhere out there God had the perfect wife just waiting for me. When I was fifteen years old I prayed just about every night for God to watch over that woman. That he would protect her, fortify her, and give her peace and happiness. I pray the same things now, just a little different. I pray that she can find a good husband. I would never...NEVER, want my wife to have to go through even a tenth of what I am going through now. My sense of Justice, from the beginning was going ape-shit crazy. It wanted blood for what had been done to me! I was in no position to do anything about it. Everything was arrayed against me, I was abandoned by all but family, and even some of them, not my mother and father of course, were leery of my situation. I took my sense of Justice and locked it away behind the Door, the same place I hid my own personal tears and rage and my turn of fortune. I thought I had found another kindred sould and shared myself with another woman. When she found out about me, she attacked me as well. Being wiser about the legal system I dodged that bullet quite handily. 

Soon the sweet nature that I had been nurtured with as a young child I locked away. I figured once I was off probation I would let those things out of the self made cell of mine. Then in the safety that time had given me I could deal with all of it. The only problem is that in the meantime my actions had made me a hermit, and emotionally stunted. Oh well, theres always a cost for safety. 

So here I am, alone, and safe after a fashion. Then the new neighbors showed up, and then I met ...Lucretia. 

Chapter 4: Halloween Night. 

You probably thought I would tell you all about a romance that happens between me and one of the neighbor's next door. Or some of you were hoping for all three to love me and it would be one huge college party as I had a different girl every night! Wrong. Nothing like that happened. I had gone over a few times over the summer to have a late dinner, or watch a movie. One time I even joined up with a bunch of other guys, all of whom were werewolves, to help dig out a pit they were shaping to put in a pool! No one asked any questions about my past, they kept it all light and general conversational topics. How are the Oregon Ducks doing. Are the Trailblazers actually going to be any good this year. What's your favorite car? The usual stuff. 

You might be wondering why they never noticed that I noticed they were all different, more than human? I mean, come on! They are all beings with heightened senses and super strength, and a whole parcel of other skills! They should know when a lowly human is on to their game right? I really have no answer, at least none that might satisfy you. All I know is that I spent at least half the time arguing over hot dogs that Gwen had grilled for us with a bunch of the guys in the backyard. You know what the argument was about? How it was more important to memorize the periodic table than know sports statistics! Yeah, I don't think they really cared if I knew what they were or not. At least they never said anything. 

I was then invited to a Halloween party that the girls were having. Hildy...I mean Hilda...ah heck with it! You know whom I mean and she gave me permission to call her Hildy after a second batch of my cookies. So I have earned the right to call her Hildy! Anyhow, Hildy asked me to make some more cookies for the party. I told her I had to work that night but she assured me that the party would still be going strong into the morning. So I figured, why not? I had started to become comfortable with all of them, and was even beginning to talk a little more. My mask that I wore that showed my emotions was becoming less of a mask and more real all the time. My attitude was improving. 

"Yeah, seems like fun Hildy! Do you want me to bring anything to drink?" 

"Nah Greg, we got that covered. I know you don't drink any booze so we got plenty of soft drinks for yah." 

"Alright, I'll see you all then." 

Halloween night I tried to get to work as early as possible and was able to knock off way early, just before midnight. I raced home to take a quick shower and changed into a polo shirt, clean blue jeans, and basic black sneakers. I pulled out the cookies I had made the night before and put them in another pizza box. I know, you would think by this time I would get a cookie tin or platter. It was kind of an inside joke now between us all. It was kind of nice to now be a part of an inside joke. Boy, sounds crazy doesn't it? What was I dressed up as? A normal person...good costume huh? 

I go around the corner of the fence and see a bunch of cars, trucks, even an older 1970's Volkswagen Bug. Funny thing was that there was no music playing. Jemima loved music, we may not get on well in most areas but I loved listening to music with her. If any of the old time music could make a comeback, I was rooting for Glenn Miller! As I drew closer to the house I could hear faintly, grunting and moaning. That didn't sound to encouraging! IF something was wrong though, I could...what? Call the police? Heh, yeah right! Probably be accused of stalking, even with an invite to the party! 

Well, I had been invited, so I opened the front door and walked right in...and hurriedly covered my eyes! I fumbled blindly with my free hand for the door knob and quickly stepped back out into the night, I slammed the door and then took several gasping breaths! Holy CRAP! Was...Did I jus...Oh my Gosh! I had walked right into the middle of an orgy! Now, I am no prude, I have been around the block a time or two. I have taken part in some things that have been kind of shameful sexually. Well, at least I felt ashamed, not that it was wrong per ce...more like I had tried something new and found out it wasn't my bag. You know, part of experimentation, finding your limits that sort of thing...I'm rambling. 

Okay now, orgy! Big stinking orgy in the middle of the living room! Not what I was expecting, I kind of thought I had a pretty good handle on what my neighbor's were like, guess I was wrong. From what I heard and the brief glimpse I saw they looked like they were having a good time. I probably should not intrude and should be heading home! I was about to set the pizza box on the front door and leave when I stopped. I had been invited. Me! I was invited! When was the last time I had been invited to a party that wasn't put together by family? Seven years ago was the last that I could remember. 

I started to get angry with myself. Just because my hostesses were doing something I was uncomfortable with, does not mean that I should not go in. I don't have to join in with their activities, I can just go in, grab some food, talk to someone who isn't making the nasty and then excuse myself. I was INVITED, I don't have to leave for fear of rejection or of hate! They don't even know that about my past and if they did know that haven't said anything. I was accepted damn it! 

I opened the front door up again and stepped through. There were at least thirty people, uh, I mean beings there. Looked to be equal parts male to female, maybe a little more female. Wow, some really attractive females! Ah well, I walk through the living room to the dining table at the back by the sliding glass doors. I saw that the pool lights were on, but no one was out in it. Seemed everyone was, ahem, enjoying themselves together...as a group, ahem. It seemed kind of funny that no one noticed me come in. Usually Hildy had like, a sixth sense about that. Anyone coming or going she knew about, it was uncanny! I set the pizza box on the kitchen counter and picked up a paper plate to peruse the gastronomic delights that awaited me! 




Mine...Yours Pt. 01



If I could've, I would have fallen in love with my neighbors simply for their cooking! I gazed at the banquet of the food set out on the kitchen table. That's why I set my cookies on the counter, the table was full. Pots of pulled pork, T-bone steak, thick cut honey glazed ham, sweet potatos with brown sugar and walnut crust. Corn casserole, different kinds of chips and dips. Two different kinds of fruit salad, with what looked like real southern banana pudding! I immediately set about to make a Dagwood sandwich! If your not familiar, A dagwood is based off of an old comic strip that...never mind. It's a great big, huge sandwich that's all you need to know! 

"What are you doing here?" a rough voice said. My eyebrows went up in surprise. I hadn't heard anyone come up, and didn't see anyone approach me. But there she was, a blonde...uh? I don't know. She looked like a brownish haired barbie doll. No, seriously! She looked like a barbie doll come to life with real skin and hair and, weird. You know how something looks too perfect so you know it can't be real? This was it, too perfect to be real. I finished my bite of sandwich I had just taken and looked around for something to drink. Of course, all that food and I didn't bother to get myself a drink. The lady looked like she expected an answer and expected it now! I kept chewing and held up a finger for her to wait, and moved over to the kitchen where I found...YES! Mountain Dew! Nothing makes a dry mouth go away like Mountain Dew! 

I cured my problem as I heard her huff her breath in exasperation. "Sorry, I couldn't answer with a mouth full. What did you ask me?" 

"What are you doing here?" she repeated like I was a slow person. I raised an eyebrow at her in surprise. Not even asking my name or offering her own? She was as rude as Jemima when I first met her! Even more so since this isn't even her house. "Well, I was invited to this party by the hos..." she didn't even let me finish. 

"I never saw you come in!" she snarled. 

"I work nights, so I got here la..." 

"Why aren't you with the rest in the front room!" she shouted. It sounded more like a demand to me, like she wanted me to be with all of those conjoined bodies on the floor, couches, and if memory serves the coffee table! This was getting weird, and I have seen some weird shit! 

"It's not really my thing. I don't really like watching other people having sex, and I tried doing the group thing once and didn't care for it. Anyway, that's beside the point. I don't know who you are, and I never saw you before here...I mean, here before. What I mean is, who are you?" My head started to feel funny, and I could almost hear a voice clamoring in my head to get my attention. 

Her eyes were watching me closely, and I saw a very faint smile cross her lips. "That's it, just relax! I am just a friend who was invited in, I had to use the bathroom so the party started without me. Why don't you go into the living room and I will join you there soon?" her voice was syrupy thick, and suggested of things that you would never tell your parents about. Or tell your wife, or well, tell anyone because it's just so wrong! It all felt so unreal, like a dream. This lust I was beginning to feel, it was growing so fast! I wanted to yank her over the table and press her face down... 

Blink. 

That was all it took, in that space of time, all my emotions died. I felt the sweet peace and heavy weight of a few months back, before I even met my neighbors. I felt my mask of happy Greg fall away and break into pieces. "What is your name?" Even my voice felt cold! I thought I had been making some head way in getting my emotions back. Looks like I backslid a bit, and I didn't know why, at least not yet. This perfect looking woman bared her teeth at me. As a side note, beautiful women don't really look very beautiful when they bare their teeth. 

"What the hell? How did you do that!" She shouted at me. I could hear the moaning and sex sounds from the living room get louder. I replied from the still frozen hot center in my chest. "I still don't understand what you are talking about. I just asked your name." She looked me over carefully and tentatively reached out a single finger tip and touched me, I pulled my arm back. I didn't really care about her touching me one way or another. I was just waiting for a response so I could understand what was going on. 

She shuddered and her smile grew wide and predatory as she sucked the tip of her finger. "Oh, such pain, and you're all pent up? A broken little man like you needs a little lovin'. You taste just delicious! I am going to enjoy this!" Alright, this just pegged every single alert that the human body has, and some that haven't even been realized yet. My Sight kicked even almost before I even called it. There was no beautiful woman before me. Where I usually see the person, with the truth about what they are as a shadow behind it, I saw just what it was, no after image, just her. 

All dark grey skin, with little sparkles that shone like black glass speckled throughout her body. Wide dark wings folded on her back. No hair on her head except for eyebrows, just a pair of black horns a little thicker than my thumbs at the base, and spaced as wide as my hand apart. They protruded out from her forehead then swept back along her skull about five or six inches with sharp points at the ends. Her ears were only slightly pointed, not long or anything, they almost looked human shaped. Her body was long, and tall. Well compared to me anyway. She looked to be about four or five inches taller than me, but thin, almost emaciated. Definitely female shaped, but almost totally lacking in breasts. You could hardly even call her an A-cup. Just flat breasts with darker black colored nipples about the size of a hershey's kiss. Her arms and hands looked almost disproportionately long to her frame, the small claws on her finger-tips reached to her knees. 

Yeah, I did say claws. At least three inches long, very thick too. Her feet, were definitely different. She looked to be standing on the balls of her feet, but not. It looked like a bird's feet, foot, whatever. With a big long claw, talon looking thing coming out of her heel. It looked like a manicurist would wear out a case of emery boards polishing those up. Probably have to use a machine file, or a rock, or...sorry. I ramble when I am scared. 

I saw a mist with my Sight coming off of her and a quick glance saw that it was surrounding the people in the living room. Well, I can tell you right now that I was not born yesterday! I know, from personal experience that Witches, Werewolves, and Vampires exist. IT wouldn't be too far a stretch to believe that other creatures of myth could exist as well. I met her eyes and my sight let me look deep into black orbs with no pupil. She smiled and I could see short pointed teeth in her mouth. 

"What are you!?" I asked calmly. Though I felt anything, but calm outside of the icy void in my chest. That voice inside my mind clamoring for attention was getting really loud, and I was starting to formulate a plan. I had a pretty good idea of what her response would be, and I had an idea of what I should do, just not sure if I could pull it off. Timing would be everything. 

"Silly, little man? You haven't figured it out? I am a sucuaaAHOOoof!" 

The Door in my soul bent outwards, and blue light flooded from the gaps. My hands shot forward snatching her horns in my grip. As a side note, that's how I know they are a little thicker than my thumbs. I took a half step back with my right leg and yanked her towards me. She was heavier than I thought and harder to move than I anticipated but I still yanked her towards me and down face first into my rising right knee! That made it easy to plant my right foot and smash my left knee into the other side of her face as a follow-up. 

Not knowing how a creature such as her might handle me attacking her, I secretly was afraid that all it was doing was tickling her, I rammed my knees rapidly home several more times. I could hear a gasping sputter with each blow, then I saw her hands move, I wanted those claws nowhere near me. I turned and twisted my hips hard, swung her like a heavy sledgehammer through the sliding glass doors. I had been aiming for the pool but she hit the porch railing sideways and tore it off on impact before tumbling to the lawn. Damn. I had worked hard to make sure that top rail was level, and got into several arguments with Jemima about it! She kept on saying it wasn't level with the ground. I kept on saying it was level with the house, and the house was crooked! Funny what things come to mind in the middle of a fight isn't it? 

I knew I was strong, but how could I have thrown her that hard? Even throwing a bag of fertilizer, those things are like 50 pounds, I couldn't go more than several feet. I tossed her and she weighed much more than that, through a sliding glass door, across an 8 foot deck, and broke off a railing of two by fours held in place with carriage bolts? Either I am buffer than I knew, or I need to re-examine the Home Depot's parts warranty! I stepped out to see her struggling to her feet. Her face looked flatter but was already starting to fill back out to her original form. I closed my Sight and saw that the human Barbie doll look was gone. Her wings unfurled and she crouched to shriek at me. Seriously, I don't know what to call it. It's wasn't a roar since it was too high pitched, and there were no words so it wasn't a yell, so I call it a shriek. She got her meaning across though. She was going to hurt me so bad that I would need a thesaurus, a dictionary, and a medical journal to comprehend the damage she was going to do to me! 

"So, what's your name?" I asked calmly as I bent down to pick up the porch railing. Either she didn't hear me or she decided not to answer, at least with words anyway. One beat of her wings lifted her off the ground, and now I could see a grey tail dangling behind her. Huh, I wonder why I never noticed it before? Probably distracted at the time. The next beat of her wings launched her right at me, teeth bared, rear claws extended to...She smashed right into the end of the porch railing I held up. Normally, her weight and speed would have bowled me over, however, the top porch rail I was holding was nicely tucked with it's back end against the house, so she basically lolly-popped her self in the stomach! The wood splintered and she hit the deck hard. I proceeded to knock her in the head a few times with the broken rail before stepping back. 

"Curse that foolish wizard and his weak sacrifice!" she grunted, trying to get back up. I stomped her head to put her back down. She hardly seemed to notice except to narrow her eyes at me. "Enough, mortal! You won." She spat through gritted teeth. She began to get up again so I football kicked her in the face! "If I won, you stay down and answer some questions!" I growled. I really wasn't feeling so calm anymore. She grimaced, and spat black blood onto the deck, "This body is weakening...damn fool wizard! Ask your questions, I will be gone soon." The first part of her statement didn't seem to be directed towards me, the second, I guess I better ask quick. 

"What were you doing here?" I asked, keeping my distance. She lolled her head to the side to look me in the eye. "Trying to kill the Gatewatch." She responded. I really wish I knew more, but I didn't even know enough to ask the right questions. "Alright, you came to kill the Gatewatch...why?" 

"I was hired to." came the softer reply. 

"By whom?" 

"Don't know his name. Paid in spells." Her voice was getting softer, she looked weaker. 

"What's your name?" I asked quickly. Her eyes darted to my face again and narrowed. 

"What's yours?" she returned. 

"Greg." 

"My name is...Lu...ohhh!" her eyes began to roll back in her head. I stepped closer to her. 

"Come on, answer the question before you go! I...Yowch!" I shouted and stepped back quickly. 

The bitch had shot her hand out as I stepped within range and slashed my shin! I saw her lick my blood from her claws and she smiled. "I have your scent and taste now, Greg! Know this! If I am ever summoned to this Plane again I will hunt you down, and feast on every bit of energy you possess! I swear it by the Empty Throne! I...Lucretia, will hunt you down and drain you dry!" Then she laughed, long and hard, even as her body disintegrated into ash. 

I hopped back from the remains, and saw even the blood she spilled disintegrating. "Son of a... Crap!" I leaned against the wall of the house, then felt eyes on me. I turned and looked in the doorway and saw everybody in the party looking at me. Except, wow. The guys all were in...I don't know what you would call it, werewolf form? Sounds almost like a cheesy martial arts movie. Look! I use Crane Form against his Werewolf Form! Hyah!. Okay, again, scared and rambling. 

I saw Jemima step forward, fangs extended, eyes all rainbow colored. "You alright Greg?" Amazing, you would think with her teeth like that she would have a lisp or something, but she didn't. Must have a lot of practice doing it. 

"Just some blood loss. No biggie. Thanks for asking." I chuckled. I really was feeling dizzy. I saw a larger were wolf with long blonde hair step forward and take my shoulder with a hand. Normally I don't let people touch me, but hey, I wasn't feeling all that good and Hildy wouldn't hurt me. Hildy? I looked back up into her face, then smiled. "I am guessing that's you Hildy?" The wolf looked down and a voice not too conducive to human speech answered, "Yes." 

"Well that's good. Love the fur coat by the way. I'd ask if it was new, but I guess you had it for a while and this is the first time I'm seeing it?" 

Hilda's mouth opened in a dog like wheezing laugh. Jemima had torn open my jeans around my leg, and was eyeing my wound critically. Then she began to lick it! 

"Hey!" I shouted. "None of that!" My other leg came up and smacked her in the face, or tried to. It just kind of flopped up and down. 

"Relax Greg." Gwen said, walking up to me. Her lipstick was smeared and her hair was mussed as she was doing up the buttons to her blouse. I saw the rest of the guys had changed back and most of the girls too, they were starting to get dressed. I could see one girl bent over putting on her panties. I couldn't help myself, and gave a low appreciative whistle. She stood quickly and turned to look for who whistled. She met my eyes and I held my hand up to my ear to pantomime a phone. "Call me?" I asked quietly. She smiled, shook her head and finished dressing. 

Jemima was staring at my face, while licking my blood. She appeared puzzled. "Don't tell me." I said, "My blood tastes strange to you?" She shrugged. "Nope, you just taste plain vanilla human to me. Kind of surprised you took a succubus one-on-one though. You must be some kind of crazy. I am just making sure your wound is cleaned up and my saliva can stop any pain you're feeling. Then Gwen can do her thing and fix you up." She paused in her licking. "I gotta say, Greg. You're taking this all very well. Most people would have pissed themselves and gone screaming into the night!" 

I looked over at Gwen who was watching me closely. "Where is everyone else going?" I asked. 

They all glanced at each other. Gwen spoke first, "We're not sure how much to tell you Greg. There's an awful lot that will just leave you with more questions. Some is to protect you and the other stuff is just not our information to give." I nodded. Then looked down at Jemima inspecting her work on my leg, then at Hildy who was slowly turning back to human, or human appearance. Then looked at the broken glass door. 

"I see, well. Looks like I am involved now. Oh, and I am sorry I broke up the orgy that you were all spelled into with no chance of getting out of. After speaking to the succubus before she went the way of the dodo, She told me she had been hired to kill the Gatewatch or something to that effect. Then after beating her with nothing more than a hunk of wood and my own body thereby saving you all from death by fornication. I understand you not wanting to tell me anything. I guess I really am not the trustworthy sort. I am sorry to have bothered you, don't worry, I'll see myself out" 

Hilda, while still not beast like, was still very strong! She picked me up in her arms and set me on the couch to lay down. I tried not to think about what had been going on where I was laying just a little bit before! "Sarcasm doesn't really suit you Greg." 

"How would you know Hildy? I don't talk all that much period! In fact I normally don't talk to anyone at all!", I said weakly. Really, you would think that it would take more than some scratches to make me feel this loopy. I don't act like this! Gwen walked up to me, and placed her hands on my cheeks. I pushed her hand's away. 

"None of that now! You just came out of an orgy, wash your hands first, I don't know where they have been!" I muttered darkly. Gwen at first seemed put out that I wouldn't let her touch me, then smirked. "Huh? You let Jemima lick the blood from your leg. Don't you know where her tongue has been? Seems a little late to get testy about things like that." I shook my head. It made me feel funny to shake it like I was concussed or something. "No, vampires...scare me. Couldn't of stopped even if I wanted to. Too strong...you, you're going to see...please...witch...don't touch me." 

I didn't know half the stuff I was mumbling. I just knew if she touched me, somehow she would know what I didn't want her to know about me. I don't know anything about magical healing, but it seemed like a huge invasion of personal space. Fear of the unknown and all that I guess. I could only hope, that she would respect my wishes... Then I fell asleep. 

Chapter 5: Exposed. 

I woke up, still on the couch with some sort of compress on my leg. I had only been asleep for a few hours and I heard voices talking. I recognized, Jemima, and no one else...some male voice. Oh, crap. A police officer. 

"Ma'am, we received an anonymous phone call about a disturbance happening here, and the time we get here several cars are immediately leaving the scene. You also have an injured male who is a known sex offender passed out on your couch, I just need to know what happened and then interview him when he wakes up." The officer sounded business like and reasonable. I knew though, he was wondering what an SO was doing alone in a house with three women. Very beautiful women at that! I heard another female voice, must be his partner, talking to either Hildy, or Gwen. Then a shadow fell over me, and I saw Hildy, with the other female police officer with her. 

"He's awake." The female officer said flatly. Her eyes took me in with disgust, dare I say even...loathing? I like loathing, I think that sums it up quite nicely. Her eyes took in my recumbent form with LOATHING! Yeah you never really get used to it, even after seven years, you never get used to that particular brand of look from people. Like you have a growth on your face the size of a softball, that is colored fuschia. 

"So, Mr. Brooks. We just have a few questions to ask you and we will be on our way." I swallowed and asked, "Am I being arrested?" 

"No you are not, at this point in time." The male officer said, "It would just be helpful if you could fill us in on a few details of what happened tonight." 

I swallowed again since my throat was dry, must have slept with my mouth open. "IS this conversation being recorded?" I asked. The female officer's brows drew together. "No, we are taking notes though, so please be as clear as possible." I chuckled. "No deal, unless I am being recorded and am given a copy of the recording I have nothing to say." I saw the male officer frown. "Is there a reason you are being unreasonable? What's wrong with answering a few questions we have? We are trying to help you Mr. Brooks." I saw Hildy slowly sniff the air, and she was now watching the officers more than me. I could almost see her ear twitch, waiting for my answer. 




Mine...Yours Pt. 01



"Last time I spoke without an attorney present and just told the truth to a police officer who was just wanting to know my side of the story, everything got twisted. I was thrown in jail and accused of something I did not do. Details can be twisted, even erased, by those taking notes. With respect I have nothing to say at this time unless I have an attorney present." I told them quietly. The female officer placed her hand on my wounded leg and began to squeeze the bandages. "Are you sure there is nothing you want to tell...hey!" 

Jemima pulled the woman's hand back off my leg, "Excuse me, officer, I didn't want you to get any blood on your hands." Jemima's face looked anything but peaceful staring into the officer's eyes. Her eyes began doing that color shifting thing again, and the officer relaxed. 

"Not a problem." She said softly, almost dreamily. Jemima turned her gaze to the male officer who was starting to stand and reach for his weapon. You should never make physical contact with a police officer. I know this only to well when I tried to shake one of their hands. Jemima's eyes locked onto his and she said firmly, "Please stand next to your partner and look at me." He did so and now both were staring at Jemima. Her teeth grew long and her eyes shifted back in forth through the color spectrum more quickly and even brighter than before. Then she spoke, but in a voice full of authority, of total command. 

"Thank you both for coming out here to check on us. We appreciate your valuable time, officers, and thank you for checking our house and the grounds for intruders. Since you found nothing, it seems to be maybe a stray animal of some kind was making a racket. There didn't seem to be any need for notes to be taken." As she said this Gwen walked up with a glass of water for me, then turned and tore off the notes that the officer's had been taking in their notepads. 

"Now that everything is settled, why don't you go to the coffee shop down the highway and get yourselves something to eat and drink. You will remember this as being a routine call, and a false alarm...do you understand?" Both officer's nodded and headed out the front door to their patrol car. 

"They going to be alright to drive?" I asked softly after the door was shut. Hildy looked down into my eyes and I could see it. She was starting to do the thing I hated. Damn it! I could see the pity beginning to form in her eyes looking down at me! I don't want or need your pity! I don't like the way it makes me feel! I don't like feeling like a soft helpless child! I don't...feel. I feel! No wonder I have been off my game and everything hurts, the Door. The Door is damaged and I got to fix it. I could feel tears as my emotions so long shut away, were now making themselves painfully aware. 

Normally I could deal with this fallout alone in my house, but now I have an audience of three women all looking down at me. I wanted to say something, but I was afraid to cry, to show weakness in front of them. It sounds stupid I know, but that is how my mind works. Never show weakness to potential enemies, and as a sex offender...everyone is a potential enemy. 

Hildy spoke first, "Why didn't you tell us?" I looked away. 

"Greg...why didn't you tell us." She asked again. 

"What was I supposed to say?" I returned. "I am not on any watch list, or considered a threat onf any kind. It's not something you just walk up to someone and tell them!" 

I chuckled, and stopped before it became a sob, Jemima noticed though and her gaze sharpened and became more intent on my face. "You just don't introduce yourself as the friendly neighborhood sex offender now do you!" I finished. Gwen had a ghost of a smile on her face as I said that. 

"Jemima, when I first met you, you were being all protective of your roommates. Would that have been a good time to tell you?" I asked. I saw Jemima shake her head and glance at the ground for a moment. 

"Gwen, same thing I asked her. I saw you looking at me with fear on your face when you nearly ran your bike into me. I at first thought you were just surprised and shocked. Then you kept on being afraid of me...would that have been a good time to tell you?" She shook her head and looked about to speak, but then just waited to see what I would say next. 

I looked over at Hilda, and saw her fold her arms over her ample chest and look down at me. She smiled, I would love to say it was a wolfish grin, but I am just not that lucky enough. "Don't even need to ask Greg, I get it." She leaned over, close enough that her long hair fell in my face. "I know you're innocent. I can smell you, and in my long life I have known many types of people. You are not what they say you are." I closed my eyes, just relishing in what she said. 

I felt a hand fall on my leg and I startled a bit from the unexpected contact. "Easy there slugger!" Jemima said with a soft chortle. "Just saying my piece now." Her hand came up and I watched wide-eyed as it caressed the side of my face. "Even without a sensitive nose like Hilda's. Anyone who could fight off a succubus could not be a sex offender. If you were then you would have been one of the first to be her lunch!" She pulled her hand back and made room for Gwen who sat down at my hips on the edge of the couch cushion. She opened and closed her mouth many times before she spoke. 

"I am empathic Greg. I feel other people's feelings and emotions, it borderlines on telepathy. When I first saw you, and you touched me; I felt so much pain, shame, anger, and then nothing! Each time an emotion surfaced it would disappear. I was curious about you, and a little afraid. I am not as old as my roommates, so I have never encountered someone like you before." She placed her hand in the center of my chest. "I feel you now though. You are still hurt..." her voice trailed off, and her eyes warmed to me as she looked back down at me. 

"I feel it! You are grateful!" She sounded so happy, and I was being touched, the first time in a long while where I was being touched and it felt goooood! Good enough that I was starting to have a physical reaction that made me embarrassed! I felt Gwen give a quick rub on my sternum and give me a giggle and a wink before she stood up again. Oh...right...empathic. Probably picked up on my, oh hell! I shifted a little uncomfortably. "Guys? I appreciate what you all have said, words can't really... Thanks." Dang it, I can feel my eyes starting to leak! "I'd really like to get home if you don't mind?" 

Literally three minutes later I had all three women in my house and I was tucked into my mattress on the floor of my bedroom! I saw Gwen walking around my bedroom, such as it was, staring at my bookselves. I have a lot of them, made from cinderblocks stacked with 1X8 pieces of lumber. She started reading my authors. "Sun Tzu, Nietzche, Socrates, Asimov, Heinlen, Thoreou. Those are some interesting choices. A lot of, I guess classics." 

She kept wandering around and looking out the windows as I lay there watching her. "Where's Hildy and Jemima at?" I asked. I could guess though. She giggled and said, "If I know them they are probably exploring your house and seeing what secrets they can find! Probably trying to find your hidden porn collection! I would have looked under the mattress, but your lying on that right now." I just stared at the ceiling. She noticed my lack of response. "Something I said?" She stepped closer. "You know they aren't really searching your house like that, I can call them back if you..." 

"I don't have any porn." I said quickly. "As a sex offender on probation I am not allowed any porn." I took a deep breath. "Not even a Victoria Secret catalogue. If I have a girlfriend and she sends me a picture on my cell phone of her bra covered breasts, and the police find it they can take me back to jail and I get a new charge. Or my PO, that's my probation officer, can extend my probation as much as they see fit. It is a violation to look at that sort of stuff." 

Gwen got quiet. "So you can't see anything sexual in real life either?" 

"If I had a girlfriend she and I could do the horizontal mambo as much as we wanted with no repercussions. Except of course for pregnancy, or a chance at STDs, or a broken heart when she finds out what I have been labeled. Yeah, kind of messes up the whole dating thing." 

"But...I don't get it, if they got to know you, heard your story like we all did...?" 

Yes dear reader, I told them the story of my hurt. I am not going into it again if you don't mind, you already got the story and it kind of hurts to write it all out again so I won't put it down here a second time. Tough. Their reactions were what you would expect, except for Jemima's. She seemed to not be surprised by the way the court system worked itself out on me. Now, back to the story. 

"Sure, I get some sympathy, or they freak out. Kind of a coin toss most of the time in how they are going to react. " I replied. 

"So when was the last time you have been with a woman?" Gwen asked softly. I eyed her for a moment. I was wondering if this was going to be one of those situations where the nubile hottie then comes onto the hurt bed ridden hero who saved them to give him some much needed release. Then they cuddle until the sun comes up, make love one more time and they both know now something special has sparked between them. I met her eyes, yeah, that is kind of what she was thinking. 

"It's been four years for me, and I haven't been looking to get any either." I said flatly. She blinked. I could see her mouth the words Four Years to herself. "Why not?" she asked. 

"Obviously it's because of the stigma associated with...hell Gwen. Why are we having this conversation, seriously? I can see the pity and shock in your eyes, are you looking to give me...? No, this conversation is done. I appreciate you trying to get to know me and understand my situation, but please. I can't do this right now, possibly ever. I really need some sleep." 

Gwen looked like she wanted to say more, her mouth opening and closing a few times, but she was saved by Hildy poking her head up above my rough form banister at the stair leading into my room. "Hey, Gwen! You finished healing him up yet, you got to see this!" Gwen turned to look at her roomie, and I picked up the blanket and saw that, yep, other than a few scars my leg was looking just as good as it was yesterday! 

"How did you..." I started to ask, but she interrupted me. "I'm a witch Greg, it's what I do! Coming Hildy...Greg wants to sleep." She started to leave and I threw the blankets off of my body and stood up. Hildy looked closely at me, but appraisingly, and differently. I guess this was the first time she saw me without a shirt. I was just wearing long legged gym shorts for bed, and now she got to see my pudge. Remember I told you all I am a bit overweight? Well, now she was really seeing it and I felt a blush begin to creep up on me, but stopped it. I'm in my own house and they are poking around in it. 

"Show me what you were going to show Gwen." I said quietly. "Also, I don't believe I gave you permission to go snooping in my house did I?" I heard Jemima's voice sail up from the stairs. 

"Nope, you didn't Mr. Recluse! How else we gonna find anything out about you if we don't look for ourselves. Gwen! You gotta see this guy's basement!" 

My jaw dropped! "No!" I shouted. Too late, Hildy and Gwen were scooting down the stairs, and I lumbered after them with a slight limp. I rounded the stairs and a got brief glimpse of Gwen's broomstick skirt as they sailed down the basement stairs. I gave pursuit and then we were all standing in my basement and Hildy was looking over everything with a critical eye. 

My real-life basement is a lot different than the one in my mind's eye. There is no Door, is one major difference. The other is that my basement is my gym. I salvaged a bunch of large mirrors that normally would be thrown away out of the dumpsters at work. I mounted them with hardware I took from another dumpster to the wall all along one side of the basement. It looked similar to what you see at most professional gyms, or dance studios. I had several heavy bags of various sizes and heights hanging from the wooden supports in the floor. Some were homemade out of car seat coverings, a couple I had purchased years ago. There were cinder blocks with bars passed through them and tied tightly with cord, they were obviously weights of some kind, and yeah. It looked like exactly what it was, a post apocalyptic weight room. 

"Why would you hide this from us? What is there to be embarrassed about?" Gwen asked looking at me curiously. Jemima added. "This room has seen a lot of use. You should be as fit as a professional athlete from all this. It's got your smell and...blood over all of it. So what gives?" 

I took a half step back from all of those eyes on me. I felt so, exposed I guess is the right word. Like that old dream of giving a report in front of the class and all of a sudden you realize your zipper is unzipped and you chose that day of all days to go commando to school? Something like that is what I was feeling. First these women realize I can See them for who they are, that leverage I had was now gone. Same time they now find out I am a sex offender, and see how the cops treat me, then I had to depend on them to patch me up. That all in all was a lot to handle for anyone to deal with. Then they search my house, for what I don't know, and find my gym. If they are smart their going to put two and two together and... 

"Camouflage..." Hildy muttered to herself, while scenting the air of the room. 

"What's camouflage?" Gwen asked. Hildy looked at me, and I couldn't move. If my Door had been fixed, and not leaking emotions all over the place I might have not given anything away. Oh well, if wishes were dinner no one would be starving. 

"His body, it's his camouflage." Hildy said simply. The others looked at me, their eyes tracing my form and looking for what Hilda was talking about. 

"He looks like he always does, I don't," Jemima's voice trailed off. She licked her lips a moment and then snapped her eyes to my body again. "Your right Hildy. His taste doesn't add up to what I see." 

Gwen still looked confused. Hilda stepped up to me and my body stiffened and I stood straighter to meet her eyes. "I smell it in this room. You work out here, and hide your training because you feel hunted. You don't strike me as a prey animal, you fight with surprise tactics. I saw that when you fought the succubus." I heard Jemima snicker. 

"How could you have seen the fight Hildy, you were busy at the time!" The werewolf cut her eyes sharply to her vampire companion and the snickering stopped, but the smirk stayed on the woman's lips. 

She turned her head back to me, then quickly smacked me in the stomach! I let out a surprised woof of air, then quickly sucked back in oxygen through my teeth. I glowered at the woman. "Like I thought," she said. "That layer of blubber around you is only an inch or so thick. Your abs are hard as a rock. I bet you could do sit ups with Gwen sitting on your chest." She looked off to the side and spotted a circular fifty-pound weight with hand grips I had jury rigged by the mat on the floor. "You hold that when you do your abdominal workouts?" I didn't respond just stared hard at her. 

She nodded, and glanced around the room again. "You work out hard here so they don't see you train, and you don't try to get rid of excess fat, so no one knows how strong you might be. You always want to be underestimated don't you?" 

I felt a shiver up my spine, and I saw Jemima and Gwen look at me differently, appraising me much the way Hildy did from the stair in my room. "What do you want from me?" I asked quietly. Hilda's eyes widened in surprise. "Seriously, what do you want from me!" I said it louder. Jemima started speaking but I cut her off. 

"You keep poking at my secrets, and I just want to be left alone! I tried to be a good neighbor, and I felt that we were beginning to get along. I thank you for accepting me and listening to me but you all are going too far. Too. Damn. Far!" I took a deep breath and let it out slowly, letting the tension leave. Surprisingly, my Door felt firm, and back in place at the end of it. I always heard that deep breathing can solve a lot of the world's ailments, guess there must be some truth to that. I could feel my face changing back to the empty look that I normally carried on me. The face I use when I am alone. Gwen shuddered a little seeing it. I guess someone who is an empathic witch, they must find it a little disconcerting. 

"I would like you all to leave now. Please do not come back. Thank you for inviting me to your party, and thank you for fixing my leg. I think it best to say goodbye now." I turned and walked back up the stairs and waited by the front door. I finally saw them at the top of the stairway and opened the front door for them, "This way, please." I asked quietly. The women came forward, and passed me on the way out. Hilda stopped and looked slightly down at me, "Look, Greg, I am sor..." 

My voice came out hoarse, and I had to clear my throat and start again. "Jus...Just get out." 

If she had been wearing her fur coat when I said that, her ears would have been drooping. "Farewell. My friend." she said softly. "Friends don't treat people like you treated me." I replied. She looked back at me and said her last sentence softly just for my ears alone. 

"Greg, sometimes friends push." 

To be continued...



Mine...Yours Pt. 02



Author's note: This section is shorter than my first part. Reason is that I try to find good spots to put in a "too be continued..." If I had included all the rest I am still working on you would not have anymore to read now would you? I would still be writing it until I get to the next good stopping point. So here is the next chunk. I hope you all enjoy. Please leave me comments or feedback if you have any questions and I will do my best to answer them. To let you all know, by the way, this is my story. Not yours. I would not like to see copies of it roaming around like feral pigeons just waiting for a hawk to swoop down and eat it up and carry it off to its young for a late dinner! Well, that analogy got a little away from me didn't it? So, please respect that it is my story and don't use it for anything else other than reading. I guess you could just memorize it if you wanted...but that would be silly...I would laugh at you.

Sincerely, PB

*****

Chapter 6: Pride.

I closed the front door, no I didn't slam it! I wanted to, but that would have been rude. Sure, I was upset and they invaded my personal space maybe they even meant well. No, I know they meant well, it was just too much though. I mean, when you get down to it, I am gun shy around people and this was like a big old' bazooka blast to me! How would you feel if in the last few hours you had all of this happen to you huh? You probably would be a little antsy as well, and you're not me! I had no idea what to do, about anything at all. I checked out the windows as I heard noises, I looked and saw Gwen, Hilda, and Jemima arguing at my front gate before leaving. I only caught snippets of what they were saying hearing words like "I told you so." "That was so mean of you." "Poor Greg."

Poor Greg...POOR GREG? 

I gritted my teeth, pity, I never get used to pity. Will got it right on the head with that one. I remember walking with him to the Silver Dollar Pizza place near PGE Park. He had a curious expression on his face, and it looked like he wanted to say something to me, but was unsure how I would take it. At the time I was still sick with "I-don't-careitis", because I was an emotional void. Thank you SO MUCH neighbors for letting down my guard with you! I'll deal with that later. We had gotten to the door when Will finally stopped me by tapping me on the elbow.

"Gregory, do you mind if I make an observation?" 

I shrugged.

"You know I hate it when you respond with a gesture when I know you have the power of speech."

I smiled a little and gave a half shrug, "I know."

He sighed, "Speech is one of the few things that separate us from the animals, and I am now making friends with a primitive who uses grunts, gestures and monosyllabic verbal responses. Why do I put myself through this?"

I gave a grunt, another shrug and opened the door to the restaurant for him to walk through. 

"Maybe Will, it's because I am a curiosity to you, and I open doors for my elders? Or it could be that you feel a sort of pity for me?" I replied.

His eyes snapped to mine, "Not pity Gregory! Never pity. Pity is something you feel for those who are so much lesser than yourself. You are not lesser than me. I feel sympathy, same as I would for any reasoning thinking being." He strode through the door, sat at the bar and ordered a large seafood pizza with shrimp, scallops, and spinach leaves. I sat down next to him, and ordered a Mountain Dew and large combination. As I reached for my wallet, his hand landed on mine stopping me. "My treat Gregory, I wanted to talk to you a bit, and hopefully if you have to wait for food that I paid for I can get past your pride and we can talk. Without you leaving."

I shrugged again, but felt a little nervous. I had only known Will for a week or so now, but I really liked the man...vampire... uh, person? He actually was fun to hang out with, was crazy accurate at throwing darts. He claims it wasn't a vampire thing, but something he picked up when he lived in London proper. I don't believe him, but he still is a fun guy to hang around. I mulled over what I knew of him and decided that I would hear what he had to say. So I waited for him to speak.

He seemed a little nervous, which was surprising to me. Considering his age, and his levels of experience I figured he would be well versed in just about any situation. I was curious as to why he would order a pizza, I figured that with his "Liquid" diet that he couldn't eat food and I said as much to him. "I have been experimenting with many different cocktails and combinations, my friend." He replied. Then reached into his pocket for a small vial, which he then upended into his mouth with a grimace. "Yech! I won't tell you what is in it, but I am sure I finally have formed a compound that will allow me to eat solid food!" My jaw hit the bar!

"You serious!"

"Of course I am serious! Do you think I would take the chance of embarrassing myself in a public place like this if it didn't work? I already had a, what do you call it? A cheeseburger! That's it; a cheeseburger, and I could hold it down just fine. Flavors of the meat seem to be a little off from what I remember when I used to consume meat all the time, but I could TASTE! Over 500 years of searching and experimenting, and I can taste food again." He grinned at me, and then looked seriously at me. 

"I still need to talk to you my boy." I shrugged and he rolled his eyes. 

"Fine, I talk you listen?" I shrugged again and snickered. 

"I worry about you Greg." I faced forward and took a sip of my drink after putting a dip in my lip. "I smelled blood on you yesterday. You also are walking with a limp, not too pronounced, you cover for it well. You want to tell me what happened?" I shrugged. 

"Work accident, the tabs on the dumpster caught me when I was linking it to be dumped in the compactor. Banged my hip pretty good." I replied. He nodded, and took a drink of his Dead Guy Ale. Hah! I know right. He is a vampire and what does he drink when he can finally drink and eat food? Dead Guy Ale! You should try it, it's pretty good.

"I see, he responded. I thought the blood I smelled was yours." I nodded. "No problem, Can understand your concern though. Thanks." He took another sip. 

"I was actually more concerned for the four other blood types I smelled on you. You don't seem to like violence, and I was worried about your reaction to hurting others." He said quietly. 

Yes folks, I got jumped. It happens to people occasionally. More so to people who are like me, those with my label. Not all that often, but enough to make us leery. You see in the beginning of all this I knew an injustice had been done to me, so I began to spread the word. I had a grand idea that I might be able to change how people view sex offenders. That I could show that many of us were falsely accused or situations had been blown out of proportion. Like the two kids that get drunk and they both have sex and the girl claims rape, and the guy didn't even like her or remember having sex. Like that stupid Vegas movie with Ashton Kutcher and Cameron Diaz. Or the father who puts some ointment on his little girls tummy and when the girl is asked if her daddy ever touched her "Down There" she says yes and he ends up in jail. The list goes on. 

Many people say they understood my side of the story, but what a person says does not necessarily mean anything. It's the actions that take place. I got into my first altercation shortly after getting out of jail, walking to my car from a Starbucks. Right at the intersection of 185th and Walker Road. Nice little mall there, good Easter sales. That was the first time I had been attacked by a group. I got hit in the back with a tire iron, and turned into a fist that made me see stars, my legs got swept and I was on the asphalt looking up and trying to breathe. It happened fast, no more that fifteen to thirty seconds and the guys ran. I cried from the shock, more than the pain, I couldn't believe anyone would do that to me! What had I done? It was the words that were spoken to me, that clinched the situation in my mind. 

"Don't worry Rapo! There's gonna be a lot more of this in your future!"

My trust got locked away that day. It had been steadily pushed more and more into the background after Dawn, and her lies. Now I could see there could be no trust for the world at large, only for those I really knew. Even then, they should be held suspect. The next time I was jumped, I was ready. My sense of justice burned deeply. I caught the arm that was swinging, and dropped, putting my assailant face first into the ground! While there I caught the foot swinging at me, ignoring the pain of the kick and twisted hard putting the other man on the ground. Then I was back on my feet and doing my best to kick them anywhere I could. They got up and ran, yelling how they would get their friends and come back for me, and my family.

So how did my sense of Justice come to get locked away? After my first visit to the police. I explained my situation, and they said all the right words. Their investigation didn't even get past the paperwork I filled out. They even tried to hold me for twenty-four hours for getting into an altercation! It took the security footage from the owner of the Starbucks to show I was acting in my own defense so they let me go with a good bit annoyance.

Nobody gives a damn about an SO.

I realized that justice is pointless, I will never get it. There is no justice in this world and maybe when I get to heaven I can get justice up there for what has happened down here. "Vengeance is mine sayeth the Lord" and all that crap. For a while I wanted revenge, I always thought that revenge is just like justice, but with some teeth and better attitude. Wrong, revenge burns hot, and it's like putting racing fuel in your engine. It really gets your motor running, but it also kills the life of your engine. Since I only got one engine, I need to take care of it. I stopped trying to get people to understand the situation with sex offenders. Most don't care, they hear the words Sex Offender and immediately see a rapist, or a pedophile. We are not all rapists and pedophiles; many of us are victims as well. The exact percentage, I don't know, and there is no way to tell. I only know me, and my story. Story...? Crap, Will is talking still!

I glanced over next to me and saw Will patiently waiting. "I was jumped, attacked, and waylaid, whatever you want to call it. I got out of it, a little banged up but I am fine. You know how long the pizza takes to get here?" I asked changing the subject.

"Pride." Will said suddenly.

"Excuse me?" I said after a pause.

"Pride." He said again, with a quiet smile.

"Repeating yourself is not helping me understand better." I returned.

"You carry a great deal of pride in you Gregory Brooks. Wounded pride albeit, but pride none-the-less. I worry that your pride may one day kill you or completely alienate you from those around you."

I shook my head. "Sometimes I do not understand you at all."

"Think about it Gregory. Did you go to the authorities every time you were attacked or just the first one?"

"I don't feel comfortable talking to you about this William."

"I understand, but if you won't talk about this with me, then who will you talk to about it with?"

"I have a court ordered therapist that I go to..."

He scoffed, loudly, interrupting my statement. "Hah! A paid lackey who probably tells all your secrets to the court system so they can find more to charge you with, of course!" I shook my head, "No, I am paying him so he is MY therapist, not the courts!" He smirked.

"Such arrogance, my dear boy. He is not YOUR therapist as you strongly put it. He is on a list that the legal system uses so he get many of his clients from it. In turn he supplies information to the courts so he facilitates their jobs. Oh yes, he is definitely YOUR therapist! There's that pride again."

I opened my mouth to say something snarky, then stopped. William had a point. I am man enough to admit, that maybe I need an outside opinion on things. "Tell me what you wanted to Will."

"You have a tremendous pride in you, borderline on arrogance. It pains you that you needed to go to the police, those you felt betrayed you, to get help on those who attacked you. It also pains you how they reacted to your situation, and all these years later you won't go back. You won't go back to let them know how the attacks have escalated have you?" I shook my head.

"Then what will you do when it gets too much for you to handle?" he asked gently.

"Probably die." I replied.

He froze, being what he is, and he is REALLY good at that. It must be a thing that the supernatural can do that us regular types can't. To hold perfectly still, without moving or twitching. Even after all this time I have never seen one who had cerebral palsy. 

"You don't mean that Gregory." He said quietly. "You have no wish to die."

"Some days I have no wish to live either so what are my options?" I responded.

"Look Will, I am surprised I have lived this long. I am 33 years old, and I hope to make it to 40. I don't know if I will. Either those vigilantes who believe they are doing good work by beating and possibly killing SO's out there will get me..." I paused, taking a breath and for the first time in a while I opened myself up to someone.

"Or maybe I will just get tired of having a label I didn't deserve branded into my forehead. There are times when I wonder if it will just make things easier for my family if I just ate some rat poison, or ate a bullet, or slit my wrist. I wish I had lost my right arm over what has happened to me. Then I could have some sense of honor! What's the point of honor, and living a good life if it can be taken away so quickly when I didn't do anything? I know honor is a self -thing and only I can take it away from myself, but walk a mile in my shoes and see what it feels like. You have known me for how long now, and...and...(cough)...I need a drink... Sorry."

A person can only go so long without opening up to anybody. We are social creatures and the need to unburden ourselves sometimes is tantamount to survival. It may have been stupid of me to open myself up like that to someone who I had known for only a short amount of time, but it felt good. Besides, every man needs to be a little stupid sometimes. It's one of our best features.

William didn't look at me, and accepted his pizza, mine came about the same time, and we began to eat. I kept sneaking glances at him. Firstly because I had just done something similar to letting him see me naked. Being exposed always has risks. Secondly, he was eating pizza! William also did not seem to like it, as for that, though, he finished the whole thing. I had the rest of mine packaged up and took it with me. As we were getting ready to walk outside were I was headed to work, he stopped me and gave me a quick man hug. You know, the quick embrace with a couple of stiff whacks on the back. 

"Stay strong Greg. You are a good man, if you ever need anything, give me a call." He said somberly. I grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Can I use your washer and dryer sometimes?" He guffawed.

"Anytime, night or day, even if I am asleep come on over."

Anytime, night or day. Going to need to call my friend and ask him some questions.

I watched as my three neighbors left my front yard, still talking quietly to themselves. Why did I send them away? Sure they were getting too close too fast, and yes, it felt good to have friends... It was what I didn't know. Sure, I have secrets, but my secrets don't cause a succubus to appear at a Halloween party that tries to kill everyone there! I have to find out what is going on, especially now that I have a spooky hit man, or hit woman...hit-succubus that wants to kill me, with prejudice. Which brings me to my next thought, how DID I actually fight back? Geez. I need sleep in the worst way. So I did what anyone else would do in that situation. Go to bed and sleep. I would visit William tomorrow.

Chapter 7: Gatewatch

Later on that day, about 2pm in the early afternoon I woke up feeling better than I had in a long time. Dreamless sleep does wonders for the healing body. I went down to my gym, and grimaced. It felt tainted now, I guess is the best way to put it, other people have seen it, and now it is no longer a secret. That's probably why I felt that I was being watched the entire time I was down there. I started by running in place; fast steps, for 30 seconds then light jogging for five, then back to fast. I alternated doing this for about a half hour, and then moved to the bags. Yes, I have martial arts experience; no I am not a ninja...or anything for that matter. I got a few years of tae kwon do, and a few years of ju-jitsu, and my whole life of the school of hard-knocks. That last dojo there is a harsh teacher I tell you what. 

Finishing up with basic combinations, I then began weight training, not sure how much my weights are, never bothered to weigh them. Most of my work is isometric, pressing against immovable objects, and my own strength used against me. This is followed up by countless curls, stretches, lifts and drops with my free weights. Free weights meaning cinderblocks and chunks of metal with hand holds. No expense spared on my gym. I cooled down by following some basic fighting forms I had worked out myself, then figured it was time to get cleaned up. 

I got up and walked out to my backyard, noticing that my fruit trees were going to need to be cleaned up before winter really set in. Better to do it now, so I don't have to worry about them later. Amazing the amount of fruit you can get off of a tree when it is trimmed back and fertilized. I grabbed the camp shower I had sitting out on the back porch to get warm in the sun, then stepped back into the house and stood in the bathtub hanging the bag on the hook in the ceiling. Yes I actually have water, just no water heater, and it's easier to shower this way than getting a new water heater. Also less expensive, have you looked up how much a hot water heater costs? I finished my shower, refilled the bag from the rain barrel under my house gutter and laid it back on the porch. I grabbed some dirty clothes and hopped into my beat up little Toyota truck and took off to see my friend Will.

As I said, he lives in the Pearl district of Portland, so he has money. He has enough money to have a garage, which I pulled into. I would love to say he has a mansion or some such, but he doesn't, just a nice modest house with no windows on the bottom floor. Once you get inside you see how things, are clean, neat, of good quality, modest and...you get it? The guy is loaded, but likes things to be simple. I always expected vampires to be like in the movies in grand houses with long sweeping staircases, and chandeliers and decadence. Maybe keeping an extra staircase over against the wall so he can practice his sweeping entrances for blushing virgin college girls! Well, no, he can put on those airs but he seems to like his basic suits, and his basic house and a kitchen where he can practice cooking.

I think he still eats, but after he found that his taste buds have all changed around after being turned he is now trying to find food that tastes good. Cheeseburgers are good, seafood pizza not good. I could have told him that! I walked into his kitchen with my load of laundry as he was basting a rack of lamb.

"Gregory, how good of you to stop by! Happy belated Halloween!" He said effusively, yet not taking his eyes from his work. 

"William, still practicing what constitutes a good meal? Having difficulty using the stove, or have you solved that problem?" I replied.

"When one no longer needs to cook and the last implement used was an open fire to cook with, the intricacies of the kitchen stove are perplexing. Though I have to admit, this woman who wrote this book...Betty Crocker, I believe she is called. This has helped me immensely!" He finished his basting and grinned, a hint of fang showing. I swear he was salivating! 




Mine...Yours Pt. 02



"I learned much from the debacle of seafood pizza. I have made culinary strides that would put other vampires to shame! Did you know that most deep fried foods, except for..." He flipped open his journal and checked a few notations, "Here it is. Foods not to be consumed that have been deep-fried. Zucchini, cheesecake, any form of pork, or candy bar." He raised his eyes from the page to meet mine. "I believe I saw heaven, though, eating a deep fried Twinkie. That, my friend was glorious."

I chuckled. "You really have been going all out on this haven't you? It's only been three months since you found a combination of blood that let you eat food again." He nodded. "I have been trying all of my old recipes, those I remembered and those I wrote down. 700 years is a long time to remember, and I am finding that things, and tastes will change. Take the pizza, for example. I used to adore seafood. Now I can't stand most of it. Is that a product of my change, or is it simply a matter of time changing my palette? I don't know. I tell you this though..." His voice trailed off as he gazed at the rack of lamb, before putting it in the oven and setting the timer. "I am having so much fun re-learning it all!"

I finally got down to what I needed to discuss. "Will, I am going to toss my clothes in the washer, yes...I brought my own soap. Then I need to have a serious discussion with you." His expression firmed, now serious he said. That will be just fine, the lamb has another few hours to go anyway. Let me get a glass and we can talk." 

Meeting together in the living room I took great delight in flopping down onto his love seat. I got it for him, sort of. It was being thrown out from where I work, along with its bigger cousin the couch. I of course grabbed them and looked them over. A few tears and some stains seemed to be the only problems, so with sowing kit and carpet cleaner in hand I got them fixed up. I gave the loveseat to William since he does not seem to like me putting my stocking feet on his furniture. That way I had a seat to crash land/fall into at his house when I came to visit. He likes it because when snobby friends come over they turn up their noses at it in disdain!

"So..." Will began, sitting comfortably in his chair, a full port glass of, well, blood in hand. "Tell me what is on your mind."

"The Gatewatch." I said simply. I watched him carefully for any response or signal. My Sight was in gear, and he appeared calm. His other side, well, it raised it's dark head and was looking directly at me, and chuckled...chuckled? "So your neighbors finally told you who they are? You must have Seen them at some point. I almost told you myself several times. How did it happen, see Hilda sunbathing and she decided to change form to warm her fur out in the sun or something like that?"

Well, at least he isn't surprised and I guess he figured they were safe. "I was invited to their Halloween party and found out last night." He laughed at that. "A Halloween party, really? How appropriate! Did they all change and show you their forms were real and you had to act surprised?"

I sighed, he was making this out like it was no big deal but I guess to him this shouldn't be a big deal. After all, he and I are friends. A little thing like this shouldn't be too big of a deal, at least to his mind. I decided to shake it up a little. 

"Nope, found out when a succubus attacked me at the party after she used some kind of hinky juju to make all the people in the party participate in an orgy. Probably feeding on it in some fashion, I don't know." He shot up in his chair trying to swallow his drink while he was spluttering.

"So I attacked the succubus and beat her down, then she...I don't know, dissipated, disintegrated, something like that. Before she left she told me that she was there to kill the Gatewatch, someone had hired her or something. Ah, yeah, a wizard paid her in spells to kill them. She kept saying how her body was too weak and that the wizard had used like a cheap sacrifice. Anyway, that's beside the point. I want to know what the Gatewatch is, what it does, and how it's going to affect me since they live next door."

Will's mouth opened and closed several times, "You...you, Gregory Brooks... You fought a succubus? Even weakened, that... " His voice just trailed off into nothing and he gazed off into space. He also was not answering my question.

"Will, I find it hard to believe that now you are the one who is speaking mono-syllabically. I thought that our power of speech is what separated us from the animals." I tried to make him laugh, but it didn't seem to be working. "Will? Hey Will...William Abernathy!" I shouted. He jerked in his chair, and then his eyes found my face again. 

"This shouldn't be possible Gregory. No regular human can fight a succubus, even if it was in its weakest form. Even if the wizard had only used a mouse as a sacrifice, they are that strong! Tell me how it happened." That last was a demand, not a question. I bristled, I don't mind answering questions, or helping someone if they ask. Just don't make it a command, like you're ordering me around. That pisses me off! Probably why I never did well in the BDSM experimentation of my youth.

"First tell me what the Gatewatch is, then I may...or may not tell you about what happened." I replied. His look was questioning, his other form was raging! Guess I am not the only one who doesn't like to be ordered, or given ultimatums. He stood quickly, "This is important Gregory, tell me what happened, now!" I stood as well, "Will, you know how I work, and you know what buttons should not be pressed dealing with me. You are my friend, so I am telling you just this once because you are my friend. Don't hand out orders like you are King Tut! I am not your lackey or your stooge or henchman. You don't order me around! Ask me, give me some respect! Just because you're all out of sorts over this is no reason to forget the proper protocol..." I was interrupted as he said almost frantically.

"Please tell me now...right now, please. I will answer all questions you have if you please right now tell me with a fucking cherry whipped topping if you tell me quick right now, with another please!" 

Okay...wow.

"This is really serious isn't it?" I said softly.

"Yes, Tell me now. Please."

So I told him. He asked me how I got into the house, I told him how I had been invited. He asked how people were positioned in the living room, I told him as best as I could remember. He seemed to mull over this a bit, even pulling out a sheet of paper and a pencil to have me map out how people were placed in the living room. I did my best, but I really didn't see much. I was still a little miffed at the time, and there was food to eat so I had gone for that. I tried to remember all the names of the people involved in the orgy; he helped me with that since he knew most of the people who would have gone to the party. Finally he asked about my fight, and I explained the things I had been feeling without getting into my Door, and how I had lashed out at the succubus, catching her by surprise. He shook his head at that. 

"Something isn't adding up. Succubae, read emotions constantly, it is similar to your gift of Sight as you call it. She would have seen your bodies desire and acted before you had time to finish your move. They are crafty and vicious, a succubus will never come out the loser in a battle or in contract negotiations." He thought a moment, and then smiled. "Maybe you should have had one as an attorney at your trial!" 

"I think the prosecution already had one." I muttered darkly. At least Will was smiling again. He seemed really put off by the whole situation, but now... Maybe it wasn't as bad as I thought. "So am I in the clear? Can I ask my questions now?"

"You can ask your questions, I have a lot to think about, but no...you are not in the clear at all dear boy. Some how, you managed to beat a creature from the Outside, not a demon, and Outsider. Something not of this plane. Now you have learned it's name, and it has a connection to you. Also it swore by one of their people's most powerful totems to "Drain you dry" I think she said. No, you are most certainly not in the clear my friend. What I am curious about though, my friend is how she didn't pick up on your emotions, and how did you block her ability to inspire mind-altering lust in you. Any ideas? This could be handy for people to know in the future."

I shrugged, "I can't be the only guy in existence to be able to use my brain and have an erection at the same time Will. I don't see how it's that complicated. Sure, I felt lust, I also felt scared, angry and a whole bunch of other emotions too." He shook his head at me.

"Seriously Will, just tell me how much trouble am I in. Do I need to put lines of salt at the doors and windows of my house, bathe in holy water, leave spots of my blood at different places around town to throw her off my scent?" I sighed, as if I didn't have enough trouble in my life. Got into an argument with my neighbors and possibly alienated them, and now...THIS!

"Succubae are creatures of lust, and have negotiated contracts with mortals before and in return for sexual favors have granted magical power and gifts. Think of them like an evil genie. Succubae are not evil, per Ce, they are just different. Mainly because they are Outsiders...they just don't think like us. That is why they are so good at negotiations, because they don't think like us; they can find loopholes in any written contract. Even the blood bonding oaths have not been all that successful. I only know of two that actually worked. The others all had the master's die, rather quickly too." He pondered this statement before he said it. 

"Strange isn't it. It was always the longer the contract or binding where the mistakes are made. The more words used, the more chances for them to find a loophole. Isn't that true in life as well." He snickered.

"That still doesn't help me any. I need, just tell me about the Gatewatch. Lucre..." I didn't even finish her name before William was across the room with a hand over my mouth!

"Do not speak her name!" He hissed. "She has a link to you, and will find you if you call her name. Do they teach people NOTHING in schools anymore?" 

I gulped. Good to know, call her name she comes running, or winging, or however they travel from one place to another.

"So, back to the Gatewatch?" I asked sheepishly. Will nodded. "I personally think they should be the ones telling you this, but from what you shared you had a bit of a misunderstanding on the issues of personal boundaries?" He raised an eyebrow at me. 

"You could say that, yes."

"Ah, well...unfortunate. The Gatewatch's main purpose is to stop people from summoning Outsiders. They do it through education, and force. They teach those in the magical community the dangers of these rituals, and also the punishments for doing them. You need three to be a Gatewatch. One with links to death, one with links to life, and one with links to magic. A Vampire, Werewolf, and a witch are perfect for this. A witch is preferable to a wizard or a mage to join the group for a number of reasons. Mages are a like a one-trick pony, their skill level really only fits in one field like, ohhhh... Pyromancy, or kinetics, or telepathy. Wizards are more powerful that witches, having a broad base of spells they can use, but do not play well with others. Also, they have a tendency to want to break the rules. This is just speaking generally. Many wizards are good men and women, just the rule breakers are commonly from this group of people."

I nodded my head and gestured for him to continue.

"There's not much more to tell you Greg. The Gatewatch is called just that for they close the gates, that rituals to summon Outsiders open. It creates a tear in the membrane between the Planes making it easier for less powerful entities to be called or push through on their own into this world. A Lord or Lady can push through on their own, but imagine if any imp or other creature could cross on a whim. It could be catastrophic!"

I grinned at that, "Or it could make life interesting! The police sure as hell wouldn't be after me as much, they would be too busy dealing with other crap."

"Is there anything else you want to know? I admit, I have more than enough to keep me busy for a while, busy...? The lamb!"

William was off like a shot, racing back to the stove. The timer was off, but it must have been on silent or something. The smell of over cooked meat was in the air, not true burning smoke, but the kind of smell that you knew that a chainsaw might have a hard time cutting your dinner. I couldn't help it, the wounded look on Will's face was just too much, and I began to laugh.

Chapter 7: Friends

I went to work after ordering in dinner at William's house. The charred sacrifice of lamb was unceremoniously dumped in the round filing cabinet. We talked of my work, and his work. Oh yeah, I never mentioned it. William does land acquisitions. Whatever that is. I really have no idea. He buys land for other people and makes sure it is...good? Yeah, no idea. We talked about it for over an hour and a half and I still have no clue as to what he does. I must be dumb or something.

Anyway, went to work, and starting driving all through the industrial complex, just enjoying the night. I know I said before that working at night has its downsides, never really got into the good sides though. No harsh sun glare in your eyes, no blistering heat, no annoying people. Yes, I said it. Annoying people. Just quiet, with a little bit of background music from the local 24-hour classical music station. No idea what they were playing, it just sounded good, and peaceful. I think it was Beethoven's, 1 and ¾ concerto symphony. If I offended anyone by writing that I am sorry, sort of. Can't they come up with a good name, and use proper wording so it makes it more memorable? I mean, I like the way the music sounds, but to give it some long name with numbers in it is just silly. 

Work was easy, since I had pushed hard last night to get it all done for the Halloween party, wow. It's been less that 24 hours since that all happened. I felt my throat tighten. In less than 24 hours I kicked my three friends out of my home. I kicked them out of my home! I knew my Door was shut tight, but really... No amount of bottling can stop all emotions. I still felt sadness, I still felt regret. Sure they had been pushy, what woman isn't, but under it all I knew they meant well, didn't I? Was it like Will said, and my pride wouldn't let me open up to them, why did I keep on throwing up fronts and walls? Why?

Because I am scared of being hurt again...Duh! Am I easy to figure out, or what?

Okay, so we have isolated the problem, now what? How do I get past this fear? Should I just jump in with both feet, and get it over with? No that will look like I am dumping on them. Then again, I also kicked them out of my house, how do I reconcile that? Man, I hate being out of practice with this social crap. It was better when I was isolated and alone. I didn't have to deal with all this touchy feely stuff.

"You missed a full dumpster back there." A voice said from the passenger seat.

I screamed, in a manly way. I did not sound like a goosed cheerleader. That's the story that I am sticking too, and Jemima, will back me up on that.

Yes, Jemima. She did something that only vamps can do. Appear out of nowhere in a moving truck while I am busy thinking about other things. Rotten, stinking, annoying vampires!

I stopped the truck hard, clanging the hitches of the four dumpsters behind me, and then popped my door stepping out of the truck and pulling my keys with me. She just sat there, looking at me with a little grin on her lips that lit up her eyes. I mean that not literally lit up her eyes...just that, you know, normal light up eyes. That doesn't help. Its that little grin women wear when they know something you don't know or they are as pleased as punch about something and you don't know what it is but it makes them smile and you feel like a doofus. Yes, that was a run-on sentence.

"Hey." I said non-comittaly. "There a reason you just took a year off my life. I just about had a coronary." 

"I just came to talk Greg." She said.

"I got a cell phone, could of called." Why am I so short with her? This is a chance for reconciliation!

"You never gave us your number. IF we wanted you we just had to go over and knock on your door."

Well, she had a point. If I remember correctly, they also never asked for my number, again...just walk over and knock.

"Why didn't you come over and knock?" I asked finally.

"You told us to get out and never come back." she said simply. Her smile was gone now. Amazing really, when Jemima smiled, she looked about 23 years old. When her facial muscles were at rest, or in some other expression than smiling, she looked anywhere from 30-50 years old. Maybe it's a thing that women can do. Never really noticed it before.

"Well, you're here. So talk. " Really Greg? How RUDE can you be? She is trying to mend fences and you're being as curt as you always are. Just apologize for being rude and kicking them out. Then explain how you would like to get to know them better but set boundaries so they don't go so fast. It's not that hard! 

Jemima grimaced as if she had a bad taste in her mouth, "Greg..." I stopped her.

Actually, Jemima, I'm on the clock." I said. Her mouth firmed into a thin line and it looked like she was going to slap me. Not sure how strong vampires are, but I am sure it would hurt like of a son of a gun!

"So, would you mind walking and talking with me? I really want this job done so I can sleep tomorrow." She appeared to consider that request, then nodded graciously. 

"Fair enough."

"Groovy."

"You did not just say that!"

"I'm not the one with a 70's hairstyle. Your hair is so poofy you could probably use it as a crash helmet."

"I will break your teeth and use your tongue as an ashtray!"

"You don't smoke."

"I'll start!"

"It's bad for you! Your teeth will turn yellow!"

"I'll use whitening strips!"

I couldn't help it; I really tried not to, but the image of Jemima with three whitening strips... One across the front of her teeth, and one down each fang wrapped with a little bread twisty to keep them from falling off? Oh Gawd! I laughed! A deep belly laugh, which had me tipped back in may chair looking at the headliner of the work truck. I could see her staring at me, looking like I was a crazy person. Her eyes were changing color rapidly, and her fangs were starting to show. See her fangs brought the image back to my mind and I lost it again. I probably did sound like a lunatic, and my laughter did possibly have a manic quality to it. I blame the fact that, until recently I didn't have much to laugh about. 

I wiped the laughter tears from the corners of my eyes, still giving a hiccupping chuckle every now and then. I did something then I have no explanation for, I blame the endorphins released from laughing. I held out my hand to her. Low, by her thigh where she was sitting, palm up. She looked down, cocking her head to the side a little, then her eyes met mine.

"I'm sorry I over-reacted to you all yesterday. I apologize. If I hurt your feelings, then I am even more sorry. Really, I am." I said quietly.

She studied my hand a little more closely; she looked like she was going to make a joke about garbage men and dirty hands. Then her face softened, and she rested her hand in mine. Fingers that could rend 4 x 4 posts closed gently around my thick mitt of a hand. "It's cool Greg, if anyone knows that you don't like snooping people it should have been me. I'm...we're sorry for pushing. Well, me and Gwen are. Hildy still thinks we did the right thing, but I know she's sorry for hurting your feelings."




Mine...Yours Pt. 02



I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Then I cleared my throat so my voice wouldn't crack. When I did speak my voice was a little thick. "Please just give me a little time. I've only known you all a little over a summer. It's...yeah. Gonna take a little time." I started to release her hand and she took it more firmly. 

"Listen Greg, I also wanted to thank you, we all do. I don't know if you really get this or not, but we could have died. Gwen, Hidly, me, and everyone at the party...we could have DIED! I am a little over 160 years old. I lived and died during the Civil War. I could have ended up that way permanently. Thank you." Her eyes were soft pools, and her thick beautiful lips looked moist and plump. She parted them slightly and moved in closer. I could feel her sweet breath on my face, and for just a nano second I felt the slight pressure of her lips just barely touching mine. 

Then I tuned my face so her kiss landed on my cheek!

I KNOW! Before you all say anything I know! I really wanted to kiss her too. Just...

"Too fast!" I gasped. I clutched her hand tighter, looking down at the steering wheel, my heart beating a mile a minute. "Just hang on... to fast. Thank you Jemima. I...wait. Just wait. Whew!" 

I took a few deep breaths. I glanced over at her and she looked confused but understanding. She couldn't help it though. "Well, if a kiss on the cheek can turn a white boy into a red boy...I wonder what a blowjob'll do! Probably turn purple!" She laughed hard at that; I couldn't help but to laugh a little as well. She gave my hand another little squeeze then let go. She opened the passenger door and stepped out of the truck, closed the door and walked around to my side where I rolled down my window.  

"Friends?" Jemima asked.

"Friends." I affirmed with a nod. "I get that friends sometimes push, but please don't push to hard...okay?"

Jemima kissed her fingertips and placed them on my other cheek. "Alright sweet boy!" Then she walked away. I yelled after her, "And ease up on the kisses! I will have a coronary you know!" 

I heard her laugh and smiled to myself. From feeling pretty bad a few minutes ago, things sure were better now. I felt like kicking myself for not accepting the kiss, it just didn't seem like the right time though. Ah well, back to work. Though that was the first time in a long time I worked my entire shift with a smile on my face.

Chapter 8: Visitors.

Next afternoon, I woke up, and again felt like someone was watching me! Not in the gym this time, but in my room! I walked to my window, and looked down at my neighbor's yard. Gwen was splashing in the pool, and a couple of the werewolf guys were reattaching the porch railing with a new piece of wood. Every now and then one of them would stare up at my room, then there would be a whispered conference between them. One time they looked up and I stepped into view. The both hurriedly looked back down at the new rail they were measuring. I don't know if that was a good thing, or bad thing. At least I had a better explanation for that weird feeling I was getting.

I put on my gym shorts and they felt a little loose on me. I checked the ink mark I made on the drawstring, and saw my belly was beginning to recede. I made a mental note to pick up some cheap ice cream at Winco on the way home. Fastest way I know to gain back inches is to eat a half-gallon of ice cream in one sitting, then lay around playing video games, or reading a book so you don't burn it off. I started a pot of coffee brewing, and then went down to my basement gym for my work out. After doing my running I felt those eyes again, like I had an unseen visitor watching me. I stopped from beginning my isometrics and carefully looked around the room. I didn't know if vampires could turn invisible, and I don't think that Jemima, or William would come over and spy on me. Hmmm.

I moved in the direction of my wall mirrors, then stopped. My gut was telling me...I turned and walked back toward the stairs and immediately changed back to my mirrors again. I still heard nothing, and felt nothing but the sense of eyes watching was gone. Weird. I continued my workouts with no more interference, then took my camp shower and cleaned up. I was having my first cup of coffee while my toast was toasting when my doorbell rang. My head came up and I looked around in surprise. First off, I wasn't expecting anyone. Even my neighbors wouldn't have come over so soon after I told Jemima I needed some space. Well, maybe it was them...honestly I can't put anything past them! Then secondly...

My doorbell doesn't work, it never has!

I grabbed my axe, placed it by the door and peered around the corner of the window. My face was close to the screen when suddenly a face appeared right on the other side of the window inches from my own! It was a face I was intimately familiar with, I hadn't had any nightmares about it, but I'm guessing my brain has just been working up the courage to hit me with them one night when I least expect it. The face had long brown hair, and perfectly proportioned, too perfect in fact. The lips twisted into a cruel little smile full of perfect sharp teeth and the eyes filled with the color of black ink. "Hello Greg! I have your scent!"

To be continued...



Mine...Yours Pt. 03



Author's Note: I want to say thank you to End of Story for your patience at my terrible humor and tons of questions both applicable to the situation and inane. Also for helping me to better use punctuation marks. A thank you to patientlee who will probably never read this but helped me become more fragile. To lovecraft68, for making me look at different mindsets. Also to somebody who you all don't know and will never meet, though I wish you could. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for just being you., I wish I was more like you.

Chapter 9: Mother

That rough voice in that perfect face, those eyes and sharp teeth! I know there is a little Red Riding Hood joke somewhere if I could only...

"Gahk!" I gurgled as an arm shoved through the window screen and grabbed me by the throat! Sure way to stop an idle train of thought, go for the throat! I braced my feet against the window ledge grabbing Lucretia's arm at the same time. I used every single ounce of strength in my body and yanked as hard as I could. I figured with myself braced and being substantially heavier than her I could yank her through the window into my house, and closer to my weapons. Well weapon...a wood axe. Seems like a puny weapon to use on a creature like this; a porch railing worked out pretty good for me before though. Then a thought occurred to me. I am still pulling, and I am not going anywhere! In fact there was just enough play in her grip for me to twist a little and look out the front window.

Oh shit biscuits and mustard gravy! I am so boned!

The hand around my neck grew tight enough for a second so I could feel the pinpricks of manicured nails turn to claws. I had just enough time to see that beautiful pink skin begin to turn dark grey and those funny little sparkles start to show when I became airborne! 

"Paybacks a bitch, GREG!" I heard as I sailed over my front walk way and nearly hit the large trunk of the locust tree in the middle of my lawn! I hit, and tumbled for a few paces and used the momentum to roll back to my feet. Then I got a good look to see how she had changed. Oh the basic characteristics were still there. She had the same color, horns, too long arms, claws, and cheekbones sharp enough to slice artisan bread. Before she looked kind of thin and anemic. She filled out, I could see muscle flexing underneath her skin, and actually get a good look at her since this time it wasn't dark out.

Her skin was dark gray, looked as cool as a rock in a creek bed, same color too. It looked like it would be cold to the touch, thinking back on it, her fingers were cold around my neck. The rest of her, well, before she was all skin and bones and wiry muscle. Now she must have replaced at least another thirty pounds spread all over her frame. Oh, and still taller than me. I had maybe, what 40 pounds on her weight wise...and she threw me this far? Now you know why I said I was boned. Couldn't let her know that though. Nope, definitely not made. She was formed. The lines of her body, the contours, she was a big girl yes but beautiful If only we weren't about to mix it up.

There is something I have learned about fights...you never know who is going to win. You can't ever look at a match and say, "Oh yeah! For sure this guy is going to win!" There are always pro's and con's things for or against each opponent. One person could slip, fall on their back and the fight goes the other way. Though in fighting Lucretia that would be a bad idea, getting her on her back. From what I can see five of her six ends are pointy when she's on the ground. Be like getting caught in an upside down lawnmower at full throttle! Her wings, damage those and she can't fly, but who knows what other tricks, she's got! I remember her saying she traded in spells, so she's got magic, and I have no idea what kind of stuff she can do in that area. 

The pros and cons were being tallied and it looked like I was definitely boxing out of my weight class. 

Just as Lucretia started forward a small white hand landed on her shoulder, rooting her to the front steps.

"Wait...I would speak with him. Remember why we are here." The speaker stepped into view and I saw an almost snow white woman, who seemed to have the same super power that Jemima had. I couldn't tell if she was a 20 year old or a 60 year old. How do women do that? Lucretia bowed her head. 

"Yes Mother." She said through clenched teeth.

Mother? I am so beyond boned! I am now in the land of BOHICA! For those of you who don't know, that is an acronym for Bend Over Here It Comes Again. This is so miserably unfair! I go to a party, get into a fight not of my own making, now little wuss grey girl comes back as the Grey Hulk to rip me a new one. Hey, I am next door to the Gatewatch! Shouldn't alarms be going off in their house and they all mobilize to their cool car in skintight leather outfits like a supernatural Charlie's Angels? I mean I am next door for Pete's sake.

"Your thought's are very confusing young one." That soft voice said. I did a double take at that. "It has been a long time since I walked this Plane, but I swear I only understand one word in four of your mind. It's like...a sandstorm with the grains flying every which way, but still moving in one specific direction. You are very...strange."

I blinked, "I'm strange? Really? You come to my house, ring my doorbell, and have your; I guess daughter rip me through my window and throw me on the lawn? Lady, you got your definitions really screwed uhHUUUF!" Yeah, Lucretia hit me. Right in the solar plexus, you know, the part of the body that lets the lungs work? I kept trying to breathe air back in, but she hit me hard. I choked for a second, only being able to breathe out before my muscles got over the shock and I took in a deep lungful of air. I glared at her; she only lifted an eyebrow and smirked. 

"Show some respect! I don't have a weak body this time, Chjorzit!" Her mother gave her a look and she subsided, looking down and away in chagrin. Who were these people and what do they want...and what the hell did she just call me?

"To answer your questions before you come up with anymore, I brought Lucretia here. There was no ritual calling, or sundering of the veil. Therefore, the Gatewatch as they are called in this century have no reason to appear, in tight leather clothing. Is that how they garb themselves now? The picture's in your mind were not focused...your imagination? It must be." She smiled quietly.

"It has been so long, but still a shapely calf can turn the eyes of men!" She had a throaty laugh that was; well it wasn't really a sexual sounding laugh, just alien. Like someone tells a joke in a different language, and they all laugh, but you didn't get it at all. It was like that except I got the statement, it made sense...but her laugh was still, creepy.

Lucretia was still standing aside, and seemed to be staying put for the moment that gave me the chance to look over this, Mother creature. She had moved closer to me, so she was standing in the shade of my locust tree, and now...wow. She really is white. White skin like whole milk, hair the same color, even pearlescent white eyes! Heck, her hair and skin matched in color so much it was hard to tell where her scalp started and her hair began. Then I did something stupid, I turned on my Sight to View her. 

You ever looked directly at the sun before? I have, you see spots for a long time after, and your eyes hate you for being an idiot. The sun is like 93 million miles away, and it still can wreak havoc on the optical nerve. Now imagine it was about 6 feet in front of you. 

Ouch!

It hurt more than my last beating, than all the beatings I ever had together! I couldn't tear my eyes away from her, no that's not a her. That's a cosmic force! I couldn't tear my eyes away fast enough. I could feel tears leaking from the corners as the tear ducts tried to lubricate them again. It felt like I had dry sponges in my sockets!

I heard the being called Mother talking and soothing hands tried to touch me but I spun away, barely missing the tree trunk, "Hands off"! Then I felt large, clawed fingers grip my shoulders, holding me fast. "Go ahead Mother, I have him." That did it. Couldn't see, couldn't get away, utter strangers...no, enemies holding me so I could not get away, and I had no idea what the other one was going to do. Oh, and I am in pain. I heard the whispering voice in the back of my head, and though my door didn't open, I could feel warmth around the cracks. I felt the cold heat in the pit of my stomach, and a strength I remembered from just a couple nights ago. It pushed out from my body and Lucretia's hands lifted from on top of me. I could still feel the coolness of her body, but she was no longer touching, not making contact with me.

"What the..." she began, but I shut her up by twisting my hips and throwing a reverse elbow with my left arm to her chin! Her head tilted back, and I turned to give her three strong punches to what I estimated was her gut. Naturally a person will bend a little forward with this move, and I snapped my forehead into where I judged her head to be. I misjudged though. I practiced this move for humans, and remembered her horns too late to stop. We clacked together and she woozily stepped back but didn't fall. I didn't feel anything, at least, not pain from the contact. I felt the pressure on my forehead from her two horns, but it felt almost as if I had been wearing a helmet of sorts. Try it sometime. Put on a helmet and bop it with your fist. You will feel the pressure of the blow, and hear the noise, but no pain. It was something like that. I was so thunderstruck by this I didn't follow up the attack. 

"Hold, both of you!" Mother said firmly. From her voice she was somewhere off to my left and behind me. "Maybe I should have let you fight earlier to answer my questions! Now hold still mage, while I heal your eyes. If I had known you had the gift of Vision, I would have warned you of Looking to closely at one such as I." I felt Mother's hands, both delicate and strong; move over my cheeks and nose and then my eyelids. The pain and burning began to dissipate and I opened them to see the white pearl-like eyes of the being, creature, whatever regarding me closely. I felt that power inside me shift and begin to swell.

"Enough of that now." Mother spoke, and it sank back into me, dormant. I probably looked like a fool with my mouth open like that and staring. 

"How did you do that?" I stammered.

"I am Queen."

Wait...Queen? Does that mean...

"Yes, young one. I am female. A she. Not a woman, though in form I am similar. Similarities are where the line is drawn, for I am not human. It is a bit much to think of me as a Cosmic Force, still...I thank you for the compliment."

I guess I can call her, her then. "What of Lucretia then? She is..." 

"She is Succubae, though of a different kind than the stories told among you. We were not always seducers that prey on the seed of men. We once drew power similar to the ways of the Leech, what you now call Vampyre. We draw energy, they feed on the liquid of the heart."

I had always called Lucretia her, but had been undecided for a while if they actually were women, or not. I guess it was just easier to call them her, she or whatever than to call them it, seemed so disrespectful. I can already hear what you are thinking. Why worry about being disrespectful to something trying to kill you? Sorry, way I was raised. Being respectful costs nothing, and who knows...might help you out sometimes. Wait, one of those words sounded weird...

"Uh, do you mean vampire?"

"As I said, vampyre."

Hmm. Probably a case of calling something tomatoes /tomato. Wonder if Will knows something about that? Not the tomato thing, the Vampyre/Vampire thing. Maybe its like an' Ye' olde' English type of talking? No, doubt that. This lady used some strange annunciation that had a different feel to it. Huh...definitely something to think about later, when I am not worried about my life!

"My daughter reported a failed contract in killing the Gatewatch, she told me how a human bested her in combat, threw off her charm, and damaged her form. I was curious how this was possible, so I journeyed here to you bringing her along since she knew the way." Her white eyes roamed me. "Now I have my answer. You are not whole. A broken thing cannot be made to work correctly until it has been repaired. Whole pieces of who you are have been removed, and placed..." Her voice trailed off, and her hand came close to my chest. I stepped back.

"Please don't..." I began.

"Hold still." Mother finished. I was held still. If I thought William or Hilda or anyone else was strong, it was nothing compared to how well her words held me in place. It was like being buried in wet sand up to my neck! She placed her hand on me and I felt...nothing. No seriously, I had been braced for just about everything from a tickle attack to a Temple of Doom heart removal! I waited for about thirty seconds and then cleared my throat. I waited for about ten more seconds and cleared it more loudly. 

"Excuse me, uhm...Mother?" I said gently. Her eyes snapped open, and with a light frown on her lips I felt an unseen hand slap my face hard!

"I am not your Mother!" She said with a sharp tone. She looked about to launch into something scathing about my genetic history and jungle animals so I tried to head of the lecture and asked quickly.

"I don't know what to call you, what name should I use?" She seemed to think this over.

"Call me nothing then, I cannot think of what I should have you call me. You will probably be dead soon anyway. So it is of little import." I felt a cold sweat break out over my neck and face, and could see Lucretia grinning from ear to ear a little way beyond my captor.

Finally Mother took her hand from me, I still couldn't move though. "I have a thought on what we should do to remedy this situation that we find ourselves in, young one." She placed her fingers on her lips, tilting her head to the side, almost like a robin scoping out a worm in the grass before eating it. Eating... Something about eating...my toast! 

"What is so important about...toast?" Mother asked.

"You interrupted me before I could have breakfast..." I replied. Then a thought hit me, might just buy me some time. "You all hungry?" I asked.

Lucretia's eyes widened in surprise, and Mother had a small grin that almost showed teeth. Then it hit me, yeah, ask a couple of succubae if they're hungry! If Lucretia's reaction to me when we first met was a good indicator I am like a three course meal with a nice cream sorbet dessert. 

"I can whip you all up something to eat. Do you like hash browns?" Nice, do they even eat people food? I guess they are people, after a fashion. Mother considered this and finally nodded. "As I said before, it has been long since I have been here. I would like to try these...hash browns?" She saw me nod that she got the word right, and then I was released. I walked behind Mother as we went to my front door.

"I'm watching you Greg." Lucretia hissed as she fell into step beside me. She used her couple of inches of height on me to glare down her nose.

"Tell me something I don't know." I retorted.

"You will die before the sun sets!" She snapped.

"Like I said, tell me something I don't know...Lucy!" I chuckled. Oh, that got her hackles up! The fact that she wasn't getting a rise out of me, or that I shortenized her name, either way if she was a cartoon character steam would have been coming out of her ears! 

By the way, yes...shortenized is not a real word. I made it up since it seemed applicable to the situation. No you may not use it, it's mine.

I thought I caught a hint of a smile from her mother as she walked through my door. As I passed through a thought occurred to me. "My doorbell doesn't ring, how did you use it?" I tried it and it rang a merry four-tone chime!

"I wanted it to work." Mother said simply. Right...hmmm. "What about my window, can you...want it to be fixed?" She looked at me with another simple smile, "I think I want it there as a reminder of how things are."

Gulp!

I lead them into the kitchen. My toast was burnt, but the coffee was still good. I poured them each a mug; Lucretia got the one that was chipped on three sides. Mother got one that was camouflage patterned and said, "Be all that you can be!" Got it for ten cents at Goodwill. She glanced at the coffee and then at her daughter. Lucretia was still frowning at me. "Drink, daughter! He has shown hospitality." It was so strange to see this diminutive looking person handing out orders and such to someone who was at least twice as big as her.

Lucretia glowered and took a sip. Then another. She blinked in surprise staring at the dark liquid. Then drained the mug! Yep, Starbucks now has a new member. I felt a little like a drug dealer. Mother looked down and took a sip, then crinkled her nose. I said, "I'd give you cream and sugar but I don't have any. I...sorry." Mother seemed to mouth the words to herself as if testing them. "I want cream and sugar for my, what is this called?" 

"Coffee." I supplied. The words were hardly out of my mouth before both a little pour pot of cream and a small bowl of sugar with what looked to be a small ceramic teaspoon appeared in front of her. I was astounded, but then my own mother's training kicked in and I picked up the sugar bowl and spoon. "May I serve you?" She blinked at me, and it was hard to gauge her expression. Solid white eyes will do that. Wonder how good she would be at poker? 

"You may." I put in one scoop and looked to her, she nodded for another. I gently stirred the coffee, and began to pour in the cream, watching again for her nod out of the corner of my eye. Finished, I stood back, waiting for her to take a sip. She never looked at the mug, but kept staring at me.

"Please, drink your coffee. I will start on the meal." 

I was, and yet wasn't surprised on how calm I felt. When I was first put in jail, all you feel is fear, and all those other negative emotions. The human body and mind cannot keep that up forever. Eventually you become accustomed to it. This situation was no different. Well, it was, but follow my logic here. Eventually, Mother is going to either turn Lucretia loose on me, or do me in herself. At least that is how I understand the situation. In the meantime, she can't be doing all the ordering my death or killing herself if she is eating and waiting for a meal. I heard wings rustling behind me; I glanced over and saw Lucretia shifting in her seat. Being six feet tall, 200 pounds and with an impressive wingspan of at least twenty feet she looked miserable trying to comfortably sit in a kitchen chair I got from work.

Oh yeah, my kitchen table is a folding table that I got where? In a dumpster. This may or may not surprise you, but do you have ANY idea of the stuff that people throw away? I got stories that would surprise you, but that will be for another time.

"Hey, Lucy. If you change to your other Barbie doll form you can sit more easily." I said, while pulling out some potatoes and ham. 

"What form?" She asked.

"You know, the funny looking one I saw you in outside my house, and at the Halloween party." I replied.

"Funny looking? It is not funny looking!" It is a mix of all things I see men look at. When I walk among people here I get stared at a lot, I feel their lust."

Sigh, clueless! I started peeling the potatoes and talked with glances back at the table. 

"Of course they're gonna stare at you, you do look gorgeous, but that's the problem isn't it? You're too gorgeous! No one wants to talk to you or get to know you, they're just going to want to stick something in something wet. Not to mention, no real women looks like that. You stand out, and some people will pick up on that. I sure as heck did." 




Mine...Yours Pt. 03



I heard silence from them as I got some butter and put it in my broad skillet. I glanced back and saw Lucretia was in her Barbie doll form and hefting her breasts in her hands while looking down at them considering. Instant erection...Activate! She seemed to be puzzled and her mother had en elbow on the table watching between the two of us. 

"Gimme a sec' to get the hash browns cooking and I'll explain, kind of busy here." I said. I got the food in the pan, and threw some ham on the toast and restarted the toaster oven. I walked over to the table with the pot of coffee and refilled both mugs, then looked down at Lucretia. She looked so different this way. Warm eyes, and soft pink skin. Hard to tell there was a monster of epic proportions under that façade. 

"Stand up a second." I asked. She did and my mouth went dry. Naked woman, even all fake like this it had been a long, long ass time since I had seen one. The orgy didn't count, this was different. This was a naked woman standing here looking at me in my kitchen. I was making food for her, and we were going to eat together...and...and... I could feel my eyes begin to moisten and an ache began in my chest for a dream that would never ever come true for me.

I once dreamed of having a wife, and family. To be newlywed and explore my wife's body and ask of her thoughts, to wake up late on a Saturday morning and have breakfast at the kitchen table not even bothering with clothes! I had wanted to have someone who I could share my life with, who I could love without reservation and who I could hold in my arms and hear her say that she loved me and really mean it. To not be so damn alone, and scared and...

"What would you change?" I heard Mother ask. I blinked and saw Lucretia waiting in front of me, still naked, and with an odd expression on her face. I cleared my throat and rubbed my hands over my face to wash the thoughts and feelings away.

"Well first off, what age are you going for? Late twenties or something like that?" I asked.

"What would you suggest?" Mother returned.

"Let's work on the hands first." Lucretia held up her hands to inspect them. Perfectly manicured with a nice white half circle at the base of the nail bed and so forth. Trust me, they were perfect. I took her hands in mine, and I could not suppress a shudder of...I don't know, I wanted to say revulsion, but I really don't know. Now I was the one confused!

"Most people, I mean humans type of people are not perfect. They have little flaws and little habits that make them individuals. Make them unique." I turned her hands over, inspecting the palms. 

"You have no scars." I stated.

"No, I heal very quickly, and my body doesn't carry scars." I showed her my hands. "See this, on the pinky knuckle of my hand. I was punching squished apples from a cider press and I opened my skin when I hit the edge of the wood." I turned my hand to show her the side of my ring finger. "Grafting knife, sliced it down to the bone when my Dad was teaching me how to graft trees. Humans, no matter who they are have little inconsistencies to their bodies." 

"How do I choose? What do I change?" She asked. I glanced at Mother who was just sitting there, watching with no discernable expression.

"Well, what times were you injured that didn't involve a fight?" I asked. Lucretia pondered this for a moment biting her lower lip on the corner. "I once was sleeping with my sisters when I came home from the desert, we were all piled in a corner, when Seneca had a bad dream and she kicked out in her sleep and struck my knee. She is not like me, no claws like I have, but her toe nails are still sharp and she cut me open." She glanced at my face again.

"There was no scar though, I healed from that in moments then went back to sleep! Unlike you, I don't carry my scars for the rest of my short life." She said with a condescending smirk.

I ignored the jibe. "That's fine we can work with that. Put the scar there on your knees." I said.

"You don't give me orders! I will tear your head off and spit down your neck before I...!" 

"Do it." Mother said.

Immediately Lucretia looked down at her left knee and a small scar, more of a divot really, appeared under the patella of her knee.

"Good start. What else have you got?" I said quietly.

Between quick trips to check on the food we got a lot done. Soon her skin had changed to a more robust creamy rose complexion, and her hair no longer looked like an organic herbal essence advertisement. Her eyes were a little off centered since humans almost never have perfectly spaced eyes. Now she had a little scar at the corner of her right eye, and a slightly longer one on her left elbow. She got those in a fall she had while flying. It really pissed her off to show those scars since she never had to wear them.

"Most women don't like showing off their scars either, they think it detracts from their beauty. To have you carry them and act that way, naturally, to hide them. That will help you blend in by acting more like a human does." I got caught up in looking at her, just these little changes sure made a huge difference. She truly was striking, and now... I couldn't help it but to reach out and trace my finger on her shoulder. I wish...forget it! I got cooking to finish. As I turned I caught Mother and daughter sharing a look as I served up hash browns and open-faced ham sandwiches. I had cut up an apple into slices to serve on the side. I stood to eat since I only had two chairs and they were occupied. 

Mother ate with her silverware, as Lucretia devoured her food with her fingers. I winced seeing this, and Mother noticed. She looked me in the eyes and darted her eyes at her daughter. I shrugged. Her lips firmed and she motioned at her daughter again with her eyes. I shook my head emphatically at her. She grimaced and made a claw motion with her hand. I felt fingertips digging into my chest, hard. I stared right into her blank white eyes and softly said. "Kill me now or kill me later. You will not order me about. I may not be much, but I will not be told what to do. Try asking me!" That last sentence was said kind of sharply. Her eyes widened again.

"I ask that you show her how to use utensils." Lucretia's head came up from where she was gorging herself, ketchup dripping from her chin, and a crust of hash brown on her cheek. She looked horrified! I almost started to smile, then thought better of it. I will not go into the details of what happened. I can give you some of the vocal highlights though. At least of what she said.

"Why do I have to hold it, hands work better to feed me!?"

"Knives are for killing things, not cutting food! My teeth work perfectly fine."

"Give me back that meat or I will flay you with my wings!" 

"Forks are stupid, just one more thing between my mouth and food."

SMACK!

"Thank you for the meal Greg. Sorry Mother"

I sat back with a sigh on the kitchen counter, washing my hands and soaking a rag so Lucretia could wipe herself down. I waved to Mother, motioning to move aside with me. Surprisingly she did, maybe she could see the perplexed look on my face. We left a naked and messy Lucretia playing with the taps on the sink.

"What is going on? Why did you want me to show her how to eat with a spoon and stuff?" I asked quietly. She grinned and showed her teeth for the first time. They were a dazzling white, and every one of them serrated and sharp looking as a razor! Just seeing those teeth made me shiver with fright! How did she not bite her tongue, like, all the time? 

"I love, very...very few things in existence. She is one of the few. I also have lived for a long time. So long in fact you may very well have a hard time comprehending it. How long is the most long lived being you know of?" She asked.

I shrugged, "There's Methuselah, but for someone I know...I have a vampire friend who I think is over 700 years old." She blinked. "You are friends with William Abernathy? You must mean him. There is no one closer to this area of the same age." She seemed to think a moment, then let the thought pass.

"My daughter is different than others of our kind. She sought to learn the use of magic, and fighting more than the ways of the seducer. Many of her sisters have been used in contracts and have gained great power by the energy they have gained." She paused, as if unsure what to tell me. "When the wizard hired Lucretia and used the sacrifice of the elk and wolf for her form here; he thought it would be sufficient for her to use her charms as succubae to drain the Gatewatch of their life. He did not know my daughter has no skill in this. There is much pride in her soul and a desire to prove herself, so she never told him her skills and let him assume as he would. Of course she is able to sense emotion and cause emotion in others. We all do that from when we are born. Her plan had been to wear out everyone at the gathering, and drain them all with a kiss each."

She smirked at this, "People tend to think that you must lay with one of our kind to be taken from, not so. We can also take with a simple kiss if we wish!" She smiled at me. "Think on that the next time your lips touch another's, it might be one of my children in disguise!" I shuddered again, though it was thinking more at what that bear trap of hers would do if she playfully bit my lips! Ouch!

"I digress, "she continued. "With a weak sacrifice, though strong for most succubae, Lucretia could not use her other skills and assets and had to use trickery and guile to get the needed result. She is not, talented, at this. Her assets are strength, speed, endurance, and magic. Which is where we now come to you, dear Gregory Bastion Brooks..." I started at her use of my middle name. When a mother uses your middle name, well, it can't be good. And this is a Mother to be sure. Also, HOW did she know my middle name? Oh yeah...reads minds.

"You are a telekinetic." She stated. "Geshundeit." I replied. She arced her eyebrows at me. "I don't understand why you bid me good health, and in another language." I rolled my eyes, and then remembered whom I was rolling my eyes at. "I was trying to make a joke. I am not a telekinetic, that's a person who, what? Move things with their mind? Pssh. I have never done that." 

I pondered this for a moment.

"Are you trying to tell me that, really, I have some long lost magical ability that is rare and special?" I gasped in false shock, "Oh my gosh! I must have been a lost child taken in by a loving family and I don't know that I am adopted! Now, with your help I am actually a magical lost prince who is actually a mage of some sort and I will go on amazing adventures! I will make friends and bed beautiful women and then fight a climactic battle over my kingdom where I will reign for a long time since I found out how to be immortal and live happily ever after!" My feigned happy face disappeared. "I'm tired, I only just woke up a few hours ago, and I'm tired. You threatened my life; Lucy over in the kitchen threatened my life. I am trying to figure out how to keep it. Then you throw this at me? Just get to the damn point! I am at the mercy of a shark-toothed Queen and a stuck up princess and you want to play games with me?" One side of me felt good getting that off my chest, the other...have I COMPLETELY LOST MY MIND?

Mother began to giggle, and then it turned into a deep belly laugh that echoed and reverberated around my living room causing Lucretia to poke her head around the doorway and walk closer to join us.

"What is going on Mother?" she asked. Said person continued to snicker, and somehow her eyes looked warmer, almost like the smile she was wearing was finally reaching the rest of her face.

"It is good you are here daughter. I would like you to meet the new negotiator for your contract!" 

Chapter 10: Negotiations.

You could have heard a pin drop. Well, I have plywood floors so it would have been easy to hear anyway.

"WHAT?" Lucretia shrieked, snapping the word out. I have to admit that I was..."GAHK!" I was against the wall her hand around my throat.

"What game are you trying to pull here human?" She snarled. "You think to control me? ME!" She shook me like I was a dirty dust mop. Being shaken by the neck, just to let everyone know...hurts. Quite simply put you only got vertebrate and tendons that are of any real substance in there. It being squeezed and jerked around like that had me thinking wishful thoughts for an onsite chiropractor. It also woke up that power of mine, it pushed and her hand opened from around my neck an inch or so. I yanked my head back and it hit the drywall, I could hear it crack. Yet I didn't feel pain from it.

"That's it, I'm done. Little miss wings here has just passed my patience and left it far in the dust!" I looked over at Mother who still seemed to be trying not to laugh. 

"You started this, so finish what you were going to say. Oh, and tell evil Tinkerbelle to stop grabbing my throat before I rip off her tail and use it as a necktie!" I said. For the first time, Lucretia looked worried about trying to grab, hurt, hurl, or manhandle me. I wanted her to. She didn't look as scary now, compared to when she had all those claws and horns. 

Mother spoke, "Lucretia, long have you not understood the lives of those on this plane. You do not know their habits, their practices, their mannerisms. I cannot teach you for I am...out of practice. You refuse to follow the path of your sisters, so I have another option in mind." She turned now to look at me.

"You, Gregory Bastion Brook. You wish to live..." her eyes hooded for a moment as she considered, "...at least for the moment. I propose to bind you two together. My desire is for you to teach her how to live here in your world, to teach her to pose as a woman of your species. Show her what men want so that she may be a true succubae." 

I began to laugh, I have not laughed, or cried for that matter, as much as I have in the past few days in years. 

"Wait! Wait!" I choked out. "You want me, a sex offender, to teach a succubus...what? How to seduce men? Lady you're crazy!" I heard Lucretia begin to snarl and rounded on her. "Really? Come on you! You have got to admit this is a bad idea! She may be your mother, and your queen. She may also be able to kill me, or you if she wanted. But this idea is ludicrous!" I turned back to Mother as she asked me a question. 

"You say you're a sex offender...what is this? Did you offend someone with sex? I do not know this phrase." Mother asked. I put my face in my hands again. How do I explain this? Just keep it simple, don't get angry...just say it like it is.

"I had a girlfriend who was mentally unbalanced who told the local law enforcement that I raped her. They took me to trial and found me guilty of a lesser charge. It still made me a sex offender." 

Mother seemed surprised. "What strange...do they not have eyes? To call a rock a rose is just foolish since a rock is not a rose just as a rose is not a rock. It matters not. I know you will be a good Master for my daughter." I blanched at that. Master. I hated that title, except if used by craftsmen. Then it's a title that tells of skill rather than one of ownership. 

I said, "No." I heard an emphatic echo from next to me. I turned at the same time that Lucretia did, and our eyes met. 

We both looked for a moment at each other, and I saw that for once, we were in accord. We turned back at Mother who seemed as pleased as a cat who had caught a rare and endangered bird between her paws. "Why..." she began to ask and we both answered at the same time talking over each other.

"Mother how DARE you do this to me? I thought..."

"I am no one's Master, and I will not put up with..."

"He will use me Mother! He'll make me..."

"I know what it's like, and she is not one to..."

"I don't need his knowledge I can find out other..."

"Have her go to the library, got a great self-help section..."

We both trailed off, as her laughter grew louder, it almost sounded human. "You two are perfect for each other! It's settled then, you will teach her what she needs to know. What do you wish in payment?"

I shook my head. "You don't get it. I am not entering into any agreement with you, or her." 

"Then I will kill you, right here, right now. Your life will end, all possible tomorrows will be forever closed to you, and your spirit and soul will go on to the afterlife to its final destination. I will kill you for harming my daughter, and because it will please me to do so. I haven't killed a mortal in ages and being back here I suddenly find a desire to do this." She told me all this with a simple smile on her lips. I kept on forgetting that this is a Queen, you don't just refuse royalty!

I felt the cold again, oh not the emotionless peace that I get. The cold of knowing that whatever I said next I had to be very careful, like stepping on a landmine and you don't know if you armed it, or not. I rubbed my left hand through my short bristle of hair on my head.

"What are you offering?" I asked. "What are you offering for compensation?"

"What do you wish?" She made a gesture and I felt different. I was, well...what the heck?

I looked down and my stomach was gone. In its place was tight and hard washboard abs; with those little hip indents that look like a V down on the inside. I always hated those since usually posers got them in a gym. I could work anyone of those namby- pamby weightlifters into the ground, but it-looked kind of good. I felt something else and turned a little out of their line of sight to check out the goods. There it was, it was, ahem, longer I think is the correct word. I glanced at Mother.

"That part wasn't necessary. I was always a grower not a shower." I said.

She just grinned. "It still is."

Well...that's impressive!

I sighed and thought about it. I had always liked my body; I worked hard enough on it. Sure I was on the shorter side, but I liked that. I liked being as wide and stocky as I was. I liked that I could pick up and move over 600 pounds if I got a good hold on something. Heck, I liked my cock! I didn't need any extras in that area. What I had was more than sufficient for when I actually had sex. Not like I needed to worry about that anymore anyway. 

"Please turn me back." I asked politely. "This isn't what I want." Mother nodded and then I was myself again. A quick check in the shorts in case she altered my...nope, still good. Interesting, so she can change my body on a whim, just like that. My mother would sure like that. Having been a diabetic since she was a little girl she... Oh, no way. Is it even possible?

"You can change peoples bodies right?" I asked, Mother nodded.

"Can you alter a body's genetic makeup?" Mother thought a moment then nodded.

I gulped and rubbed my hands together nervously. "Can you heal a genetic disease?" I hopefully asked. Mother appeared to peer at my head, whatever she saw there made her eyebrows raise in surprise. 

"That is the price you wish paid?" She asked incredulously.

"Half of it anyway." I replied. She appeared to consider then nodded once. "It is done."

I ran to my bedroom right up the stairs and passed a confused looking Lucretia along the way. I ran to where my cell phone was left by the bed and quickly hit speed dial #1. The phone rang twice before I heard my Mom's voice. 

"Hello, Gregory?"

"Yes Mom, it's me. Can you do me a favor?"

"You didn't just call to talk?" 

Sigh. Bad son.

"No, I really need you to do something for me though."

"Alright, if I can Gregory. I wouldn't mind if you came over more often. Your Father and I miss you."

Sigh! Really bad son!

"Can you take a blood test for me Mom, and tell me where you're at?"

"Why? I just took a test a few minutes ago and I am about ready to take my shot of insulin. What's wrong sweetie?




Mine...Yours Pt. 03



"Mom, please do not take that shot! Just take your blood test again and tell me what it says."

"Why, what's going on Gregory?"

"Please just do it."

"You are acting very strange son, but..."

"Mom if you do it I will come out and spend the day with you and Dad and I will bring pizza and wash and wax your van!"

There was silence over the phone. "Are you alright Gregory? You're worrying me."

"Please mom, just take your blood test."

I heard over the phone the "Ouch" of Mom pricking her finger, just like she has to do two to three times a day to check her blood glucose level. That coupled with having to take shots of insulin so she doesn't die makes things, difficult for her most times. My Mom has diabetes, had it ever since she was twelve years old. It's been hard for her, but she is still one of the happiest people I know. I don't know how she does it, but she does. The disease has started to affect her nerves, causing horrible cramps in her legs that wake her up crying and yelling as her muscles spasm. If this works...if this works...please!

I heard a gasp over the phone. "Mom!" There was silence. 

"Something is wrong with the machine." I heard Mom say, but her voice was tremulous. "I checked myself earlier and the test read 190. The doctors told me, that normal for me is between 80-120. This says I am 113. It must be a false reading I need to test again." 

I heard another ouch, but Mom was panting a little, I could hear the excitement in her voice. Then I heard a beep of her tester. "It says 113... Greg, it says 113!" I heard her laugh, and then she stopped. "I need to set you down Gregory!" I heard the phone land with a hollow "thunk" then the sounds of stuff being moved around. 

"Mom? MOM!" I called. I heard the phone get picked back up. "I have some of the old color changing strips left. While I am still bleeding I am going to try one of those. Third times the charm right son? Also, the machine tester could be broken, these don't lie." She sounded so excited, and then quiet. I heard a sob. 

"Mom? Mom, talk to me!" I heard her crying and I grit my teeth. "It's the same!" I heard her say between gasps.

"They are all the same Greg! I don't understand. Am I better? Is this permanent, or is this going to just last today, was it something I ate? What's going on?" She continued crying.

I tried to calm down, but I was so...excited seems like such a shallow word for how I felt! "Mom, first thing is when Dad gets home from work you set up an appointment with him to go to the clinic and get some blood work done. I think...I really think you're cured. You are no longer a diabetic Mom." I heard the crying intensify and I wished I was there right then so I could hug her. Even if they were happy tears, I never liked seeing my Mom cry.

A little later she settled down, and she still was sniffling. "Greg, are you still there?" 

"Yes Mom. I'm here."

"Did you make this happen? Did you cure me? I know I say I don't want you to hang around those gobliny friends of yours...did they do this for me?"

How do I answer that, (Yes Mom, I made a deal with the Queen of the Succubae, and half of the payment was you being cured of diabetes!) I shook my head. "They did it for me Mom. Just wait until Dad comes home, tell him what happened, show him the test strips and go to the clinic. Okay?"

I heard her inhale a breath then let it out slowly. "Alright son, I'll do it. I love you." 

"I love you to Mom...bye."

"Bye, oh wait! Tell whoever did this I will bake them an apple crisp! I want to thank them myself."

"I'll tell them, bye Mom."

I hung up the phone, and felt my eyes watering again. I walked back down stairs and saw Mother drinking some more coffee, and Lucretia nervously pacing the floor. Mother looked slightly up at me as I drew closer. She looked confused as I took the cup out of her hands and placed it onto the table. Her mouth full of serrated teeth dropped open as I drew her into my arms and gently hugged her close to me. She spoke first after a gasp of surprise.

"I saw you thought to do this to me when you came downstairs, I didn't believe you would!" she said softly.

I didn't say anything, but held her closer, my tears falling in her white hair. I took a breath to speak, but it caught in my throat and after my voice squeaked once I gave up and just held her.

"You don't need to speak Gregory Brooks. When you can speak clearly though, I would like you to tell me what this apple crisp thing is."

I chuckled and then let her go. Man what an emotional roller coaster today was being. I get attacked, threatened with death, make breakfast for royalty, and Mom gets healed of a lifelong degenerative disease. I glance at the clock. It's still not even 5pm yet! 

"There was something else you wanted as your price?" Mother asked. I nodded. I went to the small cabinet just inside the back door where I came in every night from work. On it, was an empty plastic gallon milk jug. Every time I came in I would set my wallet, keys, can of chew and other items that find their way into my pockets while I am out. The coins all went into the milk jug, and they have been adding up over the years. The jug was about three quarters the way full and so heavy I was afraid to pick it up by just the handle. 

I handed it to her, "See this jug?" Silly question, of course she saw it! "What I need is this. To take care of Lucy..." The owner of said names snarl interrupted me. "My name is Lucretia! Use it or lose your tongue!" I considered, I wasn't afraid of losing my tongue. I knew now I could defend myself against her, even if it was only sporadically. But I never liked people making up names for me either. She had a fair point. "Fine, Lucretia." Strangely, saying her name while looking at her, in her eyes I felt that weird tremor again. Just like in the kitchen when I was feeding the pair breakfast. I wanted...longed... I pushed the thought away for another time. Glancing back at the succubus I saw she must have been feeling something as well. What it was I didn't know, but her face was now pensive, agitated.

"I am going to need more financial help if she is going to be staying with me. I need the value of this milk jug in gold once a month." I figured there to be anywhere between 300-500 dollars in there. Mother unscrewed the cap and dumped some of the coins in her hand. She carefully examined each one. 

"Anything else?" she asked, examining a penny closely. I shook my head. "What about revenge?" I blinked.

"I could give you your revenge, wouldn't you rather have that?" she clarified. I gulped. Send Mother after Dawn? She could make anything, ANYTHING happen to the woman who wronged me! My hands would be clean, I would have the perfect alibi I...

"No thanks. I appreciate the offer though." Lucretia snorted. Mother glared at her daughter. 

"I hope you learn the lesson he just taught you right here daughter. It would do you well to remember it!" she snapped.

I was confused at what the lesson was myself and said so. Mother rolled her eyes at me, where did she learn to do that?

"From you." She said.

"Excuse me?" I asked, startled out of my thoughts.

"Rolling my eyes as an expression of frustration or exasperation. I learned that from you earlier."

Darn mind readers! Keeping me on my toes and surprising me!

Mother smiled...I shuddered.

"Done, I accept your terms and conditions as so thought, stated, and interpreted." Mother declared and clapped her hands sharply, once.

"Mother, I will not do this!" Lucretia stated firmly.

Mother ignored her and continued looking at me and went on as if she had not heard her speak. The words seemed to be more for Lucretia than me.

"We succubae have used this plane as our hunting grounds for eons. In all that time you humans, and vampyres, and lycans have remained alien. We do not understand you, and you do not understand us. I care not whether you understand our kind. I do care about understanding you." Her white eyes slowly shifted down my form and back up to my face. I had the hideous impression she was seeing much more of me than I wanted her too, all over again.

"This is why I want my daughter bound to you for as long as you wish to teach her. That way in turn she can teach others of our kind. That is why she will do this, and she still has an out. If you do not bind her strongly enough, she will find a loophole as you call it. Then she will kill you." She chuckled at that.

I shrugged. "She's been threatening to kill me since I met her. It's been kind of losing its force with how often both you and her say it. I have probably been threatened with death by you both twenty times, from when she swore by the Empty Throne to kill me, until now!" 

Lucretia shrank back from her mother and looked like she was going to run. Mother kept staring at me, and I swear I could see something invisible shimmer next to her before it became still. "Is that what she said, her exact wording was to kill you?"

I swallowed, "Umm, I believe it was, "I swear by the Empty Throne to hunt you down and feast on every bit of energy you possess!" it was something like that." 

"Did you swear this by something that was not yours to swear by, Lucretia?" she asked, her voice soft and dangerous.

"Y...Yes, Mother." Came the quiet reply. The Queen sighed and lowered her head.

"This changes nothing, wheels have been set in motion that are impossible if not foolish to stop. We will begin the binding, remember to keep firmly in mind what freedoms she will have and how she is to obey you."

I shook my head to clear out the cobwebs, still thinking of wheels and plans. "Wait isn't this a contractual negotiation? Aren't I supposed to sign something?"

"We could, I prefer the older method myself, much more concrete that a piece of paper."

"Then how...Whoa!" An invisible force lifted me and plunked me down in a chair at the kitchen table. It did the same thing to the still naked Lucretia, and I got a great view of her body as she sailed through the air and landed in the chair across from me. 

I stared across at my soon to be student, who looked just as pole-axed as I did. "You ever done this before?" I asked.

"Once." She replied.

"How did it go?"

"I found a loophole and beat him so hard that he couldn't fly for a long time!" she growled.

What wings? I thought only humans did this contractual binding type thing. Suddenly Mother was standing next to us, and she had one of our hands in each of hers. Lucretia changed into her grey skinned form and glared at me with solid black eyes. Mother pierced Lucretia's palm with one sharp fingernail and did the same thing to mine. Then she slapped our hands together and our fingers locked into a tight hold on each other. I tried to let go, but my fingers wouldn't unclench! Mother smiled down at us, and I glanced over at her.

"So...what do we do now?" I asked,

"Now, you begin." She stated.

Chapter 11: Bound

"Begin what?" I hope my voice wasn't as high as it sounded. It was strange, the sensations were all incredible, and weird. I would try to explain it but unless you have shaken a succubus' bloody hand with your own, you don't really have a frame of reference. The contrast of my wide thick fingered hand and her long slender fingers with sharp claws was very disconcerting. I could feel the silk of her skin, with a touch of roughness from those little shiny black sparkles. They felt like glass of all things.

"We covered payments, and compensation for services rendered..." Mother began, and then Lucretia finished, "...now we cover how much control you have over my actions!" 

Okay, now I see how loopholes could be formed. I could say she had to obey me, but if she just followed the letter of the law, obeying exactly my words, I could be found in breach of contract and she would try to kill me. In fact, pretty much everything could have a loophole in it! I don't have a genius IQ; I am not some super-smart Einstein in jeans and a t-shirt. I don't know what to say! I don't...

Actually, I got an idea. William had told me that it was the wordiness of the contracts that tripped humans up into deals that screwed them. Well, I am not very wordy, at least verbally. My head is like a dozen playful kittens and a crate of yarn. I can ramble on and on about the craziest stuff and miss whole conversation and important events.

Like binding myself to a succubae, got it. 

Focus Greg. Keep it simple. What is the shortest and bestest (I know it's not a real word but it SHOULD be!) way to keep this binding safe for me? I could feel her blood mixing with mine, each beat of my heart pushing more of the red fluid out and into the mix forming in our hands, and dripping on the table. I could see little splatters of the liquid on the off white plastic surface. Kind of reminded me of oil and water, you can put the fluids in the same glass but they will still be separate. Her black blood pooling but still separate in color, as if it was too good to mix with my own My own...my...I got it!

I looked up from where our hands were joined, and gently rubbed my thumb on the back of her hand. She blinked and looked down at the caress. Then I spoke. "Mine."

Both Mother, and Lucretia looked at me, waiting for more, or at least an explanation. I shook my head, closing my eyes. I could feel pressure building in me, like when I activate my sight, but bigger. Much bigger. I opened my eyes to see their expectant expressions. Waiting for me to speak.

"Mine." I said again.

Lucretia looked up anxiously at Mother. "What does that mean?" Mother just stared at me, though her white eyes seemed a little extra shiny.

"Do you know what you are doing Gregory?" Mother asked.

"Mine."

"You are taking everything."

"Mine." 

"You must give what you take." I could hear the warning in her voice. I smiled at her and for a moment I thought I saw a ghost of a smile pass her lips. She turned to her daughter.

"Your answer?" she asked.

"NO!" Lucretia snarled and tried to pull her hand away. I clasped tighter. If I let go, I just knew my mom would be a diabetic again. I would also be hunted and slaughtered by this beautiful creature in front of me. Yes I know. I said beautiful and I meant beautiful! She may be forty-three different kinds of obnoxious and not even remotely human except in having two arms and two legs but she was beautiful and I can admit it. Even though the fact that I am sitting at my kitchen table with two succubae and have a trio of monsters as neighbors means I probably need a shrink, I am still in the middle of this and will see it out to the end!

The pressure was more intense and I could see those annoying sparkles at the corner of my vision. I could feel heat coming off my body, and Lucretia's face twisted in surprise as I stared at her. "What the fuck?! What the...?"

I blacked out. 

I felt cold steel against my cheek and I was sitting on something cold and hard. I heard clicking footsteps and then my leg was nudged with something very sharp, and poky. I snapped my eyes open and kicked out in the direction of what I felt and saw something jump back away from me.

"Lucretia?" I asked. It looked like her, sort of. She was smaller, and, well. I don't know. She looked more peanut shaped I guess. She was a touch shorter than me, and a little fuller. What the heck was going on?

"What is this place Greg?! How did we get here? What the FUCK did you do to me?" she said gesturing to herself. I shook my head and heard a little voice behind me.

"Oh! She said a bad word!" Another voice responded.

"I know kid, keep your ears covered until I tell you otherwise."

"No, I want to hear, and see her. I think she's beautiful!"

"I guess she is, if you get past the tail and the wings."

I knew those voices, but how did...?

"You must give what you take." Mother's voice said in my head. Huh. Makes sense, it's a binding, and I called her Mine. By me keeping the contract short and covering all the loopholes, I made it impossible not to expose myself to her. I looked over at her again, and she was fuming. "I guess this is what you look like on the other side, back home?"

She growled at me. I guess I was right. I turned to the cold metal vault Door behind me. Somehow both of the view slots were open and a heavy blue light was pulsing out through every crack it could find. 

"Things have been getting really exciting in here Greg!" My Justice told me. "Me and the kid don't feel so trapped anymore."

"Greg! What the fuck is going on!" Lucretia shouted. The little boy behind the door covered his ears and stuck his tongue out at the now smaller succubus. 

"She only has the one volume setting doesn't she?" Justice drawled as he took a drag off of one of his ever-present cigarettes.

I waved at the succubus. "Come on over, I'd like you to meet, uh, me." She looked as confused as I felt weird using those words. Just the fact that I had to say that phrase out loud meant I probably needed to have my head examined. Which, all things considered, probably was not a bad idea!

"I want to get out of here! Where are we?" She said again, but for some reason moderated her tone better. Huh, maybe my other aspects that I had cut off from myself had a positive influence? I don't know. 

"Remember how Mother said I was broken?" 

"Sort of, not really paying attention."

"Well these are my missing pieces." I said, gesturing to the two faces peering out from the view ports. Lucretia's mouth dropped open.

"Humans can do that? Isn't that like trying to cut off your own tail?" I heard Justice guffaw behind me and my Trust snicker. I didn't look back at them. Usually I would feel overwhelming sadness being here, along with a few laughs...what was going on?

Lucretia came closer and I caught my breath. Yep, peanut shaped. Her bust was larger, not obscene. Solid 34 B cup, a pleasant handful, her hips were wider, and looked perfect for my hand to cup and draw her in if she was standing next to me. Her skin was still grey and sparkly, and I wanted to touch it again. She turned to look at me, her eyes still wide in surprise at this new revelation in my personality. It was funny, maybe it was the lighting, or maybe I was looking at her with new eyes since I was close to my missing parts, but she didn't look so scary anymore. She looked...

"Why the hell would you split yourself apart like that? That is foolish, our kind couldn't live like that. Are all humans so blind?" She snarled.

Just like that...the magic was gone.

"I'll explain later. Right now we are in the middle of a binding, and now that we have a moment it seems, we need to get some things straight." I said.

She tried to come at me, but light flared around the door and she backed off. I looked back at, well, my selves I guess. "Which one of you did that?" They looked at each other and shrugged. "I think it was you, could be the other guy but he is still all wrapped up."

That was worrying, but I would deal with that later. I still had a wound up and off-balance succubus to deal with. Not that I was feeling all that balanced myself, but that's been the story of my life so far. If I ever find the Fate who puts me in these kind of crap situations... Let's just say I got a hefty slap in my pocket with its name on it!

I started to walk in the direction she had moved towards and found the spiral staircase that I used to leave. I could see her standing at the base of the steps, looking up. Her wings were trembling so much they made sounds like a towel flapping in a breeze. I finally got a good look at her tail and saw that it wasn't the typical affair that you see in so many pictures. The thing actually looked like prehensile monkey's tail, but smooth, without the hair. She kept her back to me, her arms hunched.




Mine...Yours Pt. 03



"I had been told by m...my sisters, what it was like to be bound. This is NOTHING like what th...they said it would b...be!" she said. I didn't know what to say, so I probably did something smart. I said nothing, and waited. She sniffed, and rubbed a clawed finger under her nose and cleared her throat. To see such human like gestures done by something that was clearly not human was startling. I moved up to stand on her right about three feet of space between us. She glanced my way then looked down at her birdlike feet. Her talons and claws were clacking the concrete floor nervously.

"They told me how much fun it was to be their Master's little slave, always knowing in the back of their mind they could find the loophole. Sometimes they would find it quickly, other times not. Usually if they found it, they would play along with their prey until the perfect time to attack, and they would humiliate and torture their Masters before draining them." She ran a clawed hand along her throat.

"The first time I was bound it was to one of our neighboring planes. A Lord. He was like me, a hunter. My sisters are good at using what they have to entice men. I always preferred the direct approach, it just seemed more...honest." Her throat caught. "My Master liked to hurt me, not in the good way either. Through words, a gesture, placement with the others, awards...all that He would show that I, the daughter of a Queen, was as nothing to him."

I stepped closer to her; I wanted to see her face as she spoke. She shifted a little but didn't move away. 

"I only had the strength he allowed me through our bond. I couldn't use my magic, and I did not have the physical assets to be what he wanted me to be, so, I was relegated to doing tasks that were...were... Uncomfortable. I found the loophole he left, it was so glaringly obvious I was surprised I didn't see it sooner!" She grit her teeth and then looked at me with fists clenched. "I won't tell you what it was either!" 

"That's fine..." I said almost in a whisper. I was afraid if I spoke to loudly she would be quiet and I wanted to hear what she had to say. I got the feeling she normally didn't open up like this herself, and I preferred this to a shouting match, or a fight. Was she being this open because of where we were? Was it some sort of spell-like aspect of this binding ritual? Maybe it was none of these. Maybe, she just didn't talk to many people and now...

"I broke free of the contract and attacked him, right there in court I called up a storm of sand and stone, something they had never seen in that Plane and I struck him again and again until he did not rise, and could not fly. Then I went home. I spent my time in the desert wastes, collecting, thinking...planning on what to do with my time. I would go home and sleep huddled with my other sisters." She smiled then, and I saw her teeth were very similar to a human's teeth. Just a few on the corners of her jaw were pointed. She actually had a very nice smile. I wonder what succubae collect? Stamps? Trading cards? 

"My sister's are beautiful! True Succubae. Seneca, the eldest has long blue black hair almost to her feet, even in her other form she is beautiful!" Her smile faltered. "I am never summoned even though my name is known to many. You want someone killed contact me, you want someone to bed, call Seneca, Rulli, or Astar." Her claw wiped under her inky black eyes, and I saw it was wet. I reached in my pockets and I found nothing. Wait, this is my head, I make the rules! I handed her an old faded bandanna of mine, first thing I thought of. Yes, it was at least clean.

"What's this for?" She asked.

"Umm...wiping your eyes?" I asked, surprised.

"Oh." She bunched it and wiped the excess tears away.

"I finally got a summons from a wizard, not really powerful, or well known. The Gatewatch had killed his father who had summoned many of our kind before. I was to be his revenge. I took the contract, hoping to prove myself." She sighed, and started to hand back the bandanna, but I stopped her. "Go ahead and keep it, Lucretia."

When I said her name she looked up at me again and I saw a small shy smile. "I was invited into the party, that way I could bypass the wards and protections in place. After a few hours of slowly raising everyone's lust, and pushing out my pheromones everyone was copulating. I was able to feed by slowly draining that energy, and keep the cycle going. After a few more hours I was going to kiss everyone there to make sure there would be no witnesses. I couldn't have held much more energy than that, and it would have looked really good to come back home with such a prize in my possession!" Her smile faltered and then she turned to look at me.

"Then I saw you, a human in the middle of all this. One of the weakest of the sentient beings on this Plane! You stopped me, hurt me, and banished me back home! I see now you have a little of the gift about you, but you should not be able...not...who ARE you?" She shouted. She sounded desperate, confused. 

"My name is Gregory Bastion Brooks." I said quietly. I felt a calm come over me and I wished I could remember what I did to do it.

"That's your name, it doesn't tell me who you are." She said, voice beginning to crack.

"Then why don't you get to know who I am?" I replied and held out my hand to her.

She looked at my fingers like each one was going to bite her!

"You know that I am just going to try to look for a loophole and try to kill you. It's what I do, it's in my nature!" She said quietly, head bowed.

I nodded in agreement, "I choose to trust you." 

I saw out of the corner of my eye, a grubby headed boy appear. Lucretia looked at him as if wondering where he came from, then looked at the Door, then back at me, as my trust stepped into me and I felt...wow, no words to describe that one. Let's just say I felt, better! 

"What was...no, just No!" She said taking a step back. She gulped and continued speaking.

"I won't be controlled, a Master always limits us. I won't have my powers held captive like that again!" Her eyes were wide as she said this; I saw a flash of nictating membrane moisten them instead of blinking using her eyelids.

Still holding out my hand I said gently, "I once had a cat. His name was M&M. A bit rough around the edges, but cuddly and loyal. My neighbor at the time had her cat de-clawed, that way her rascal wouldn't scratch the furniture, or her on accident. One day, her cat was attacked by a dog. If her animal had claws it could have defended itself or climbed a tree to get away. That's why I never had my cat de-clawed. What would be the point of it? If I wouldn't do that to a pet, why would I do that to a thinking and reasoning being?"

I stepped closer to her, my hand still outstretched, "I would not limit you, I only ask that you listen to me and obey me because I am trying to teach you...to help you. I would never bind your power, it wouldn't be just." 

She glanced to my side, I didn't bother to look. I could smell the scent of a cigarette as Justice put his hand on my shoulder. With a murmur of, "It's good to be back." He slid into me as well and for the first time in a long while I felt whole, almost complete. I guess the missing piece is still behind that damn Door. I'll look into it later. Right now I got a confused and worried succubus that looks to be close to a breakdown of some kind.

She thrust her hand into mine, grasping it tightly. Her other hand came up to wrap around them both. She stared right into my face, her black orbs glistening in the blue light.

"Are...are you..." she stopped to swallow and to firm up her shaky voice. When she finished her sentence though, it just about broke my heart. 

"Are you going to be another thing I have to survive?" I shuddered, and slowly pulled her closer to me. I felt her horns, surprisingly warm for how cool her skin was, pressing on the side of my jaw as her cool nose and mouth pressed into the side of my neck.

"Lucretia, I've been kinda thinking the same thing about you since we ever met." I said quietly. Her own arms came around me and she held me tight.

"Lucretia?" I asked after a moment or three had passed. She kind of mumbled a reply. "Lucretia, we have to finish this."

I felt her sigh, her breath cold on my chest, "I know."

I stepped back holding her hand and the world fell away.

Still grasping hands across the table from each other I saw Lucretia looking at me as if she had never seen me before. Mother was smiling so wide every single scary tooth in her face was on display. I looked down at the blood on the table, it was all one color. Both the black of hers, and the deep red of mine had mixed. I stared at the teary eyed grey woman in front of me, and spoke the words of a new start.

"Mine?"

"...Yours."

To be continued.



Mine...Yours Pt. 04



Chapter 12: Student

Do you have any idea...ANY idea, of how good it feels to be free? I'm not talking about the feeling you get when you put down a heavy backpack. That just means you set down a weight you have been carrying, that's like when you let go of an old grudge or resentment. While that does feel good, I still got plenty of those. I am talking about being FREE! When you can take a breath and the joy of life fills your lungs. You look at the world with new eyes and an appreciation you didn't have before, you feel like you can do anything and BE everything. It's like you can only contain 10 cubic feet of happiness in your heart but somehow you found a way to push twice that in there! It's the most unbelievable feeling ever!

I still have not experienced it. 

Sorry to let everyone down, nope...I'm not better. I feel better, having not locked a bunch of myself away, but I am still a damaged human. Do I have a new appreciation for life? You bet! Do I still have a tough patch to hoe? Well, looking across the table at a succubae with a death-grip on my hand tells me all I need to know about that. My life just got a whole lot more complicated. For some reason, I can't stop smiling. I mean, come on, my life was just going to work and come home, over and over again. I was in a trench that I had made for my own safety. "Routine is King." and all that nonsense. I used to take my paychecks from my old job, hop in my truck and just drive one direction to see where it would take me, then use the other half of the paycheck to pay for gas to get back home. Sure I would be broke, but who cares? I had stories to tell!

Looking at this scary, and yes, beautiful woman in front of me...I am going to have one hell of a story to tell!

Lucretia wiped her eyes with her left hand, and looked down where we were still joined. She watched as my thumb continued to gently caress the back of her right hand. "Why do you touch me?" she asked.

"Comfort." I replied simply. My voice cracked, and I cleared it. I looked over and saw Mother's mug of coffee half-empty and probably cold sitting on the table and took a drink. Yes, I look at things as half-empty, and yes I did guess the coffee was cold. It was, I was right, so there!

I glanced at Mother who was still smiling, but not as wide, thankfully. I was starting to like her, but those choppers of hers, they gave me the heebie-jeebies. "Is that it, are we bound...uhm...binded...whatever the word is?" 

"Yes, little mage...you are both one." She smirked. My jaw fell open. ONE? That is, that is...what the? She laughed that creepy laugh again.

"Oh the look on your faces!" She chortled. I turned my face and saw Lucretia with the same expression of shock I must be wearing. 

"Being on this Plane is so refreshing!" Mother continued. "I seem to be developing a sense of whimsy." She took the mug I was still holding in my hand and polished off the dregs of the coffee inside of it.

"Release his hand now, daughter." Lucretia did so, and Mother took her clawed hand in hers and kissed the wound in her daughter's palm. When she took her lips away, she looked into Lucretia's eyes and murmured something I didn't catch. The grey skinned succubus bowed her head and nodded, then Mother kissed the top of her bald head between her horns. She came nearer to me, and took my hand in her own, I almost pulled back, then thought better of it. Old reflexes and all, but if Mother wanted to hurt me, she'd had plenty of opportunities already and hadn't done it yet.

She turned my right hand palm up and then kissed the wound, she paused, did it again. When she looked at me her eyes were puzzled, then cleared as she gave me a knowing grin. "So, you're one of those Brooks?" She said softly, her white eyes searching mine. I could see a touch of red on her lips from the tiny puncture in my palm. I reached up with my other hand and gingerly wiped it off. 

"If this is going to be another type of bloodline, lost royalty, prince, and kingdom bit..." I began.

She giggled, sounding very human as she did. "No, young mage. You have already made your feelings known to me on that subject!" Her finger's traced my cheek. She seemed about to move away and stand, but then moved in close to whisper in my ear. I could feel the soft brush of her hair on my cheek.

"I will only say this once, Gregory Bastion Brooks..." She began. Her voice was soft, but strong in a way that reverberated in my mind down to its core. Like it was imprinting itself on the Foundation of Thought itself. 

"There is a great Power in being a Teacher, in the passing on of knowledge to a Student. It is one of the most sacred of all traditions, and one of the most looked over. There is also a form of Protection as well. For when you guide another, you become more than you thought you were able to be. While the one you guide becomes more as well. You hope one day they become more than you ever were, and so the cycle goes on. Become...Grow...Learn...Surpass!" 

She slowly pulled back and I looked up into her face as she picked up my hand and licked the blood I took off her lips with my finger. She winked at me and said coquettishly, "I have your scent Greg!" Then disappeared. Seriously, just disappeared! No theatrically raising arms and poof of smoke, no ripple in the air, or portals or anything. Just...gone. 

I took a deep breath and scrubbed my hands over my face. I had scooted my chair back from the table when Mother came around to talk to me. Now, I leaned over my lap, elbows supporting my head and just sat there, absorbing everything that just happened. I was tired, sitting in my kitchen barefoot in gym shorts and grass stains and sore ribs. My head hurt, and I was filled with emotions I hadn't felt in a long, long time. It was quiet, except for the light dripping sound from my sink that I never got around to tightening. There was a light tapping noise, like a fingernail on wood, I could hear it under the table. I turned, bending over more and I saw a pair of bird-like feet with long black talons tapping on the floor slowly.

Right...this is going to take some getting used to.

I exhaled slowly and sat upright, staring at my new...uhm...roommate? She had crossed her arms under her naked breasts and had a challenging look to her, like she was waiting for me to give her orders just so she could flip me off. I wonder, do succubae flip people off or just...ah heck. I need a nap, how am I going to get work done with all of this... oh crap! Work! I looked at the clock; it was only 5:45pm. Whew. I do have time to take a nap.

"I need sleep." I said suddenly and Lucretia jolted in her chair. I guess she was expecting me to say something else. "You tired?" I asked. She appeared to think about that for a moment. 

"I am mentally fatigued, but my body is fine." She said quietly. I raised my eyebrows at that. Oh yes, her body was MORE than fine to my eyes! It was also naked, crap, she needs clothes. I don't have anything that would fit her. Can I leave her here alone to go shopping? Maybe I can borrow some clothes from Gwen? No, Lucretia's too big off a girl...Jemima? No, Jemima's too tall. Hildy is right out way too big unless Lucretia wanted to swim in her shirts, and how would the wings fit anyway? None of this thinking is productive, I need some rest first, then go to work. Everything will be clearer with a nap. I stood up and so did Lucretia, she moved back keeping the table between us. I saw her reaction and shook my head.

"Really?" I asked. "After all the stuff that took place in my head, that really is how you react to me?" She looked all around, then grimaced at me. 

"What someone says, and what someone does are two different things...Master!" she said in a clipped tone. I winced at her title of me. "Names Greg, not...that other word."

"You are my Master and I will call you Master!"

"Well if I am your Master, then call me Greg!"

"Very well...Greg. Is Master pleased with me calling him by his name?"

Sigh

I walked closer to her, and she backed up to the counter by the sink and came to a stop. Her wings spread wide and she began to tremble as I continued to move closer. I reached up my arms and she put her fingers, claws first against my skin; a little bit of pressure was all it would take to impale me. I wasn't thinking about that though.

All humans have certain feelings that are innate, that we are born with. Sometimes, they are suppressed. Sometimes they are beaten out of us by hardships and trials. Other times we lock them away. Like I did, which is a stupid thing to do by the way. Want to know what one aspect of Justice is? Compassion. I looked into those solid black eyes of Lucretia and felt compassion. In a strange world, and bound to someone she only met twice. First time I beat her and shamed her. Second time wasn't really conducive to getting to know each other. I am basically a stranger and now she knows me and sees me in a way most husbands and wives NEVER get to know each other. She probably feels like a fish out of water gasping for breath on dry land!

So, I felt compassion for an other-wordly denizen who wanted to kill me. I guess I am more sensitive than smart. I came closer and pressed against the claws she held against me. My hands slid under her shoulders and followed by my arms. Her hands spread open, palms against my chest as I hugged her. 

"Remember this?" I asked softly. Her breathing was increasing. "Remember what I said to you, what you said to me, not so very long ago?" I felt wetness against my chest and her hands slowly slid up to circle around my neck. She nuzzled her lips and nose against my throat. I felt her nod once; actually I felt her horns bump against my chin more than the nod! 

"You told me you would not limit me, and that you choose to trust me...fool." She said quietly.

"Yep...I am." I returned.

"I could kill you right now." She said quietly. 

"Yeah, look where your teeth are." I said with a chuckle and pushed my throat harder against her lips. I felt them part, and sharp little pinpricks gripped my throat.

Her arms tightened around me. I could feel her nipples harden against my chest and her legs straddled my thigh, I had a feeling that the leg of my shorts was going to be a little wet. She made soft mewling sounds in her throat and I felt the pressure increase; the little pricks in my neck were more pronounced like she was lightly chewing.

"I won't stop you Lucretia, I told you I trust you, and I am not going to limit you. It's your choice."

I slowly ran my hands up and down her spine. My left cradled the back of her neck and my right went all the way down to the countertop by her hip then wrapped around her waist, drawing her tighter to me. I turned my head, and felt the pressure lessen from my throat as I did. Probably would have cut me if she hadn't eased off... For a moment I wondered why I was doing this, this wasn't like me, and I had no idea how to interact with other people very well. Let alone, a frightened and confused succubae! For some reason, it felt right. She needed to have this, whatever "this" was.

I finished turning my head so I was within range, and with her teeth still on my neck and I gently kissed the spot on her head where her mother had done so just a few minutes prior. "It's okay, I'm here, I am going to help you however I can." She gasped, letting go of my neck with her teeth and burrowed her face into my chest. 

"I am so scared!" She squeaked. "You are not acting like...I am just so...Raaah!" She squeezed me tighter and her wings wrapped tight around me and made it hard to breathe. The girl had one heck of a grip! I took a deep breath, and she seemed to sense I needed oxygen to survive. I filled my lungs finally. With arms and wings still around me I felt more than heard her begin to talk again.

"This...everything is so different to me. Your home is different, every smell is different, the sounds are strange I don't even know how to describe most of them. Your plants are all... I have only been here twice! My sisters..." I interrupted her. 

"Your sisters are not here, I am." I gripped her a little more tightly, and she nestled into me. I hardly think it was affection that caused her to do this. I was the one thing that she actually knew in this Plane. I would think a swimmer would do the same thing to a rock if they were in a fast current and didn't want to be swept along to who knows where. To any one who was peeping through a window and watching this they might think this is sexual. No, it was something far more than that. You have to look at what she is, a killer, a predator who was designed to drain energy from her targets and then go back home to do whatever they do with all of that stuff. Of course it was hard to think of her like that, wrapped up naked against me...naked...clothes. Where the hell am I going to find clothes? Lost my train of thought, ah well.

"Come on, Lucretia. I need a shower and a nap, you probably could do with some rest too." I took her by the hand and we walked out the back door to the porch where I kept the camp shower. She was glancing furtively about my yard as if to see what might be coming for her.

"Why are the trees different colors?" she asked.

"The leaves? Oh, it's fall, leaves change color and fall off. They grow back next year."

"I see...what is a year?"

Sigh...gonna need to start with the basics.

I went back inside and hung up my shower. It hadn't really had time to warm up, but it was a little better than lukewarm. I started to get undressed when I saw her standing there watching me.

"A little privacy please?" I asked.

"Why?"

"I am going to get naked and generally I don't like being viewed naked, that's why." I responded.

"I am...naked...why shouldn't you be?" 

"Well...because...you don't have clothes yet, I do. You had no choice to be naked, I do. Anyway, I need to wash up before taking a nap. Just, ah, help yourself to some food in the kitchen and I'll be out in a bit...okay?"

She seemed to ponder this, then finally nodded. I noticed that she had to tuck her wings in to go through the doorway. Huh, how am I going to make that easier on her?

I finally got to lather up and get rid of all the grass stains, and had to be careful around the bruising on my back and ribs. I was just rinsing off when I heard a sharp hiss and a cry from the kitchen. I threw the curtain wide and raced out of the bathroom as fast as I could, dripping water. What I saw was...odd. I saw Lucretia hissing angrily at a rather large rat struggling ineffectually in her grip. It was squeaking and chattering in her grip and she was chattering back at it.

"Master! I caught this thief trying to steal from you!" she said, giving the offending criminal a shake. I ...I really have no words to describe how I felt. It was ludicrous! I mean, come on? How would you have reacted to the situation? I almost laughed, but I restrained myself. She actually looked very serious about the whole thing, so I decided to play along. 

"Thank you Lucretia, keep him here while I get dressed." She plopped the rat down on the table making me wince. Gonna have to Clorox the table top before I eat next time. She chattered at it, and the rat huddled in on itself, and...yep, took a dump on the table. Check, extra strength Clorox. I went upstairs and dressed in jeans and a t-shirt came back down barefoot, wondering what to do. I hate that! One part of a routine meant I always knew what to do, even if it was boring. This though was a whole other ball of wax!

"Where did you find him?" I asked.

"Her...I found her, Master in the cupboard behind the column of grain." Ah, behind the oatmeal. "She tried to hide, but I caught her, she was chewing the column to get to the food." Then she glared at the rodent. "She was trying to get to my Master's food!"

I stared from her to the rat, and thought about it. A wild rat would have taken off like its tail was on fire. This one just sat in the middle of the table, shivering. As crazy as it sounds, I think Lucretia could actually talk to the rat! If that was true...well, damn, I felt sorry about the rattraps I had set out for so long. 

"Lucretia, where did you learn to speak her language?" I asked. She gave me a funny look, "What do you mean her language? I just speak." 

"You mean, you just know it?" I asked to clarify. She shook her head. 

I continued, "I just speak English, what language do you think you are speaking?"

"I am just talking, Master. I don't understand what you mean by language or any of it. I just talk." She said simply.

Well that's definitely something to think about! Never mind for now, I have an upset rodent accused of thievery sitting on my table. I glared at the rat and it stared back with its beady eyes and twitching whiskers.

"Lucretia, please translate since I do not speak it's language and it probably does not speak mine." I could see her nod out of the corner of my eye.

"You!" I felt ridiculous talking to it in a stern voice. If this was Lucretia's idea of a joke I was going to paddle her bottom for playing this one on me! "Did you enter my house, where I live, to steal food from me?"

The darn thing rolled onto it's back and squeaked piteously! I was blown away. For just a second I thought I could hear something in the...then it went away. Hate it when my mind does that! "Yes, Master. She said she did and is asking for mercy." Lucretia ground out. I wondered what to do. I never really liked rats. I set traps, but also...what message would my actions send to Lucretia? She was like a dry sponge in this world. What would I want to teach her, show her? If I acted one way, wanting to show her compassion, understanding, and sympathy...would killing this rat out of hand since it was a pest...what would she learn from it? A dawning realization hit me of the full scope of my responsibility.

Damn! I should have asked for more gold!

"Rise." I said to the supine rat. It rolled back over to all fours. "Understand that this is my home, and my food. There is a shed out back that you may live under. Once a week I will put out a loaf of bread for you all to eat. It is for you and your family. If I, or my friend..." Lucretia looked at me in surprise while translating when I used that word and it startled me too I have to admit. "...catch a rat in my house after you, it will die. Do you understand?"

The rat squeaked again, "She understands, Master." I nodded, and without thinking too much about it, picked up the rodent and grabbed a handful of oatmeal out of the carton. I walked out the back door to the small shed in the back yard. I set the rat down and placed the dry cereal on the front step of the shed. "There...don't come back." I said in a dry tone of voice. She squeaked again and began stuffing her mouth with the cereal. As I was walking back to the house where Lucretia waited by the back door I swear I heard a faint, "Thank you!" in a high voice float to me from where the rat was. I dismissed it as an over active imagination.

Chapter 13: Rules

I came back into the house and after washing the table and my hands took Lucretia's hand in mine. "Come on, I'll show you to your room." She didn't move so I stopped. 

"I had my teeth at your throat, you're not upset?" she asked.

"I'm upset, but not for that reason." I replied. She cocked her head and then followed me.

"Then what are you upset about Master?" She finally asked. I clenched my jaw.

"Your not going to let this Master title thing go, are you?" I growled.

"Your evading my question by bringing up the Master title again." She pointed out.

I shook my head. Even with her being from another Plane, and not knowing anything about humans, remarkably perceptive. 

"Alright, let me show you your room first, and then..."




Mine...Yours Pt. 04



"Why can't I sleep in your room Mas..." my hand covered her mouth before she could finish her sentence.

"Fine! We will discuss this right now! You, if you have to, call me Master as a form of respect outside of this house. First time I hear you say it in a snide fashion or with sarcasm I will put you over my knee! But I swear, in my own house you DO NOT call me MASTER! I am Gregory, I was born Gregory and I will die Gregory. You can call me Greg, or Bastion, or Brooks; actually don't call me Bastion, not many people know my middle name. Just, I hate being called Master. Think up something else." 

Lucretia's eyes were wide at this tirade, and she raised up her other hand and pulled it away from her mouth. She worked her lips for a moment and then smirked at me. I really hope she didn't push this issue, especially since I had no idea what sort of effect spanking her over my knee would have.

"As you say, Greg. I will respect your wishes." I waited, her smirk was growing larger. I knew something was coming.

"Some of my sisters had Mast...um, lords who did not want to be called that word either. They wanted to be called daddy. Would you like me to call you daddy?" My mouth was agape, and her lips kept twitching.

"Did you just make a joke?" I said incredulously.

"It's only a joke if you laugh." She replied.

"Oh, then I wanted to laugh, but I was so surprised. I didn't know you knew anything about humor."

She fiddled with my hand for a moment, looking down at where it held her own. 

"I will repeat what you told me, when I wondered who you were." She looked back up at me, and changed into her human form. I could see the changes that she had made at my and Mother's suggestion.

"Get to know me, Greg." She said seductively. Her eyes, heavy lidded and her rough voice now as smooth as chocolate fondue. I blinked, then remembered saying something similar to her, except I hadn't said it the way she was saying it now! Also I hadn't been scrumptiously naked and...

"Keep walking you hell tart!" I chuckled and led her down the hallway to a spare room of mine. I had an air mattress and a sleeping bag stored here in the closet. There were no furnishings, but it had a glass sliding door to the backyard, and an unused fireplace that had not been completed yet. Just like everything else in this house.

I let her look around for a moment and told her I would be back. I went upstairs and found a small t-shirt my sister had left the last time she visited, and also grabbed a pair of swim trunks. I brought them down and handed them to her as she was staring out into the backyard.

"Here you go, put these on." I said.

"Why?"

"Because I am not having this conversation with you naked."

She shrugged and got dressed. I sat on the floor leaning against the wall and she sat down next to me. I Felt a little uncomfortable with this so I moved over a few inches, and she did the same. I guess she is a cuddle-type of person.

"You asked me before what you did that upset me?" I started. I looked at her and saw her nod. "Alright, here it is. You're just way...WAAAY too damn sexual!"

She pulled back her head like I had slapped her! I was going to explain when she jumped right back in to attack.

"Excuse me?" she shouted. "I thought I was coming here to learn how to seduce people and right away you tell me I am too sexual?"

"Well, if you would let me finish a thought then you might learn what I got to tell you!"

"I am a succubae it is in my nature to..." I covered her mouth with my hand.

"Seriously, let me tell Ouch!" I yelled when her human teeth bit me! Humans have sharper teeth than we give them credit for. I know this since I have a new scar on the outside of my left hand.

We struggled for a bit, I probably used some language you shouldn't use in front of a lady and I am pretty sure she was cussing up a storm too. I couldn't tell since it mostly came out sounding like growls because she was biting me!

Finally when I pried her mouth open I grimaced in pain. "Alright! Hold on! Truce! Let me say something before you hit me or bite me again." 

She held back, but her eyes were blazing.

"You told me this is all a new experience for you right?" She nodded.

"Did it ever occur to you that this is all new for me too? Did you think I woke up this morning wondering if all of a sudden I would have an unruly beautiful woman dropped on my head and now I have a whole new role in life? Do you think I am qualified to teach you ANYTHING?" I shook my head. 

"I am still in the middle of all this and I find it hard to believe! I am scared too! I am scared that I am going to screw this up, and not only will I fail you as a teacher, but I don't even want to think about what the consequences will be for others if I can't do this. I know that I am hard to get along with, but I am trying. I guarantee you I will say things that will piss you off at times. I will probably get you mad at me for any number of reasons. I will probably disappoint you as a teacher and that other word which I told you not to use." 

I held my hurt hand tighter, and saw it was bleeding a little bit. I sighed, and leaned back against the wall again, staring across the floor. "I promise you Lucretia, I am not giving up. I made a deal, and I am going to keep it. I will train you to the best of my ability." I looked at my hand then back at her face, which was blank. "Please don't bite me again."

She slowly nodded at me, and waited. Finally she asked, "Don't I need to be punished?"

"Why?"

"I attacked you, shouldn't I be punished?"

"I really don't feel like it right now. Can I just finish what I was telling you?"

"Yes M...Greg." She was blushing. It was cute!

"Now where was I?" I wondered, trying to get my scatter-brain back to work.

"You told me I was too sexual. WAAY too damn sexual." Lucretia reminded me.

I winced at that. That probably had come out a little too harsh. Way to go Greg. Such a smooth talker you are...not.

"Most women won't come on to a guy like that. I know that wasn't what you were doing, I actually don't know for sure what you were doing, and I don't really want to know to tell the truth. Rubbing yourself on me and so forth, don't do that to people, sends the wrong message."

I took a breath and then looked at her face to see how this was going over. She just calmly watched me, like a cat watching a mouse hole! 

"Ahem, well. I don't really know how to explain it better than that, at least for now. For the time being I need to sleep, then I am going to take you with me to work. I don't want you being by yourself yet." 

Lucretia nodded, then looked around the room again. "Who else sleeps in here?"

"Uhm...just you."

"Who else lives here?" she asked again, looking puzzled.

"Just me, and now you. I live alone." She stood up and I did as well. She paced the floor a few times then gave me a grin.

"You mean this space is all mine? I don't have to share it?"

"Yes...I guess. I mean if we have company spend the night we may have to use some of it, but then it's only temporary." I said lamely.

Lucretia jumped at me and wrapped her arms and legs around my neck and waist.

"Thank you Greg!" she giggled.

I started pawing her off of me!

"Agh! This is just what I was talking about!" I muttered grumpily. "You don't just jump on people like that! Your girlie bits all rub on our male parts and...you don't do that!"

"That's okay," she smirked up at me after I got her down on her feet again. "I will follow your rules, and won't be that way to people." Then she wrapped me in a tight hug that, yes, pushed and rubbed those parts of hers on me all over again!"

"What did I just tell you?" I grumbled pushing her off again.

"I can't do that to people, but you're not people." She replied. I blinked at that. Huh? My expression must have made the question plain to her.

"You aren't people, you're my..." she thought about it for a second, then grinned at me. "You're my Greg!"

That was too darn cute! A little creepy to be sure, but cute! I chuckled, "I get your point. Use me though to practice, no full-bodied-pelvis-humping-embraces. Probably short-circuit an old guys pacemaker or something. Just do it like this." I gave her a quick warm hug. Even that felt different, doing something as simple as that with her. Probably because I was so tired. 

I think she saw the difference, because she kept on practicing it on me as we took turns blowing up the air mattress and getting her sleeping bag ready. I made a note to myself to get an actual mattress and sheets and stuff for her. Probably could find most of that stuff at Walmart, I kind of have to shop there since they are open 24/7. I told her to lay down and get some rest since we would be up most of the night. Dutifully she lay down and I took her hand in mine. I was about to pray with her before bed. Something I did out of habit when tucking kids in to go to sleep. It struck me as wrong all of a sudden. Does she even believe...? Heck with it. "My House!" I can pray if I want to.

I prayed for safety as we slept, and for quiet minds and hearts. Then I said a prayer of thanks for the opportunity to have Lucretia in my life and guidance in teaching her. After I said Amen I looked down at my little devil who was watching me with bright human eyes. I felt that old pain again flare up. I wished like crazy she was human, but...I'll take what I can get. I got a new friend. 

"Am I?" Lucretia asked.

"Are you what?"

"Am I your friend?" She clarified.

For a second I wondered if she could read minds like her mother, then I remembered the look she gave me when I told Mrs. Rat that Lucretia was my friend. I nodded my head.

"I've never had a friend." She said thoughtfully.

"What about your sisters?" I asked.

"That's family, they aren't my friends." 

"I guess your right about that."

Chapter 14: Work.

"Gregory...time to get up." A woman's voice broke into my sleep muddled head box. 

A head box, for those of you who don't know, is when you are sleeping and your body ends up wrapping the pillow about your cranium with your nose poking out. Completely seals of light, and leaves you in darkness which is perfect for sleep. Though sometimes your nose can get smooshed, you can't breathe and wake up suddenly, but other than that...the head box is wonderful.

"Greg? Your box is beeping." The voice said again. My box? I then heard my alarm clock and slapped the snooze button with a hand.

"Greg?" the voice said again, a little more firmly. Must be my mom. I must still be at home and the past eight years have all been a bad dream! Oh thank GOD!

"Five more minutes Mom. Be up in a bit!" I mumbled. Then tightened my head box and let out a deep sigh of contentment. There was a pause and I heard a clicking noise. Then I heard, breathing, as Mom got closer to my head. Wait a minute, that clicking was familiar... I peeked out of my head box and saw black eyes and...

"Yaaah!" I screamed and rolled off the other side of my mattress into the wall! I looked over and saw Lucretia giving me an expression I was becoming much too familiar with. A smirk. Geez all Friday! I can't stand that smirk.

"Are you alright, Greg?" she asked. 

"Never better." I grumbled. 

I looked at the clock. 9:30pm. Time to leave. I got up and slid on my work pants, hat, coat and shoes. I looked over at my winged student and said. "Go ahead and put your clothes on. It ain't much, but it will keep you decent while we get you some new things to wear." Lucretia nodded and vaulted the railing to the stairs dropping down to the next floor.

"Lose the wings while we are out and about, and no Parkour inside the house young lady!" I yelled after her. Sheesh, I really am sounding like an authority figure. I shook my head at myself and finished filling my pockets.

Down stairs I saw her in t-shirt, shorts, and some of those old flip flops your supposed to wear in the showers in jail. I never got rid of them since they were handy to walk out with to the mailbox. I looked her up and down, grabbed my old canvas work coat to cover her up. It was late fall early winter, ludicrous to have her catch a cold on her first night here. We went out to my truck, had another adventure with using the seat belt. She didn't like it, acted afraid of it for some reason. I guess she didn't like being restrained or something. She seemed to calm down when I put one on as well, though she wouldn't let go of my hand while we drove. Glad my trucks an automatic.

You would think shopping would be a terrible experience or I would have something humorous to say about it. It went really well actually. I showed her the paper ads at the front of the store, we walked into the women's section, then wandered to the men's section, then the children's. Then the automotive section! I just wanted to get her clothes, but she wanted to look around, I gave her a time limit and after touching and smelling everything she said she had enough and we should go. I told her I wanted to buy her something, so she followed her nose to the food aisle and picked up a Hershey chocolate bar. I finally threw my hands up in frustration, bought her the candy bar and walked out, her flip-flopping behind me all the way. She doesn't want clothes? Fine! I'll pick her some stuff up later so her "Highness" can wear what I choose! 

Out in the parking lot, her flip-flopping turned to regular walking and I glanced over my shoulder and stopped. She was munching on the candy bar with that smirk that said, "Look at how pleased with myself I am!" She was wearing new clothes. She had a thick dark blue zip up sweatshirt, and a thick white tank top underneath. This was followed by baggy olive-colored cargo pants held up with a wide leather belt with a gaudy silver belt buckle that had that lame-ass little devil girl reclining back on it. The pants were tucked into what looked to be steel-toed hiking boots with bright blue laces in them. 

"Please tell me you didn't steal those!" I pleaded.

"Of course not!" She mumbled around a mouth full of chocolate. "I made copies of what I liked in the store." She licked the chocolate off her fingers and I saw she was wearing fingerless leather gloves. I shook my head again...she seems to make me do that a lot.

"You do know that you look like a walking advertisement for teenage rebellion? All you need now is to put on too thick eye shadow and find the appropriate shade of hooker lipstick to complete the picture." I glanced down a little and grimaced. "While you're at it, put a bra on! Your gonna poke someone's eye out if you don't get those covered!"

"Yes M...Greg." She replied sarcastically. 

"You can call me Master now, if you really want to." I said after hearing her catch her words. 

"I would have said it without the proper respect." She returned. Hmmm, maybe she does listen.

"So if you can make clothes out of...I guess, magic. How come you didn't do it before?" I asked as we got into the truck.

"I didn't know what they were made out of, or what they smelled like, or how they felt. Really Master, you should know these things."

Makes sense in a way, I guess. I drove to the industrial complex where I work and had her sit in the passenger's seat while I did a quick check of the work truck. Then off we went. I told you before, it's not a glamorous job, but it's my job and I enjoy it. I saw some of the gleaners; those are guys I don't chase from the dumpsters. They have permission to check if anything is salvageable they can use. The scavengers are the ones who will empty an entire container to find the brass valve at the bottom so they can sell it for meth. I belieive the proper term for them is tweaker. I don't know, what I do know is it leaves a helluva mess for me to clean up.

Lucretia was full of questions, and seemed to have gotten over her wide-eyed wonder of everything. At least, now she was asking about everything she was seeing. 

"Why are tires round, and why do we need tires when the round metal thing is stronger?"

"Why are buildings shaped the way they are, and why are they called buildings?" 

" Why are the seats covered with cloth?"

"Why is there a tree shaped air freshener when it doesn't smell like a tree?"

I tried to answer any and all questions as best as I could. I remember when I was a kid I would ask questions about everything, my dad never told me to stop asking or grew tired of it. Except when he had to concentrate on what he was doing.

It was going to be a long night.

Eventually Lucretia ran out of steam and saw me starting to move the dumpsters to the compactor. She hopped out of the truck and walked along with me as I found some metal pieces I pulled out of some of the dumpsters.

"What are those for Master?" she asked.

"Compactors only so big, and I got a lot of junk to throw in there. I pull out metal pieces so I can sell them as scrap metal. That's metal that gets melted down and made into new things. Basically it's recycling, but you actually make money at it."

"Why do you need money? Mother is going to be giving you gold." Lucretia asked while picking up an aluminum water bottle and sniffing it. She recoiled away making a gagging sound.

I didn't laugh, I may have smiled but turned so she couldn't see. "It's good sense to do this. It doesn't take much time. I save space in my machine for real trash, and I get a little spending money." I also got to interact with more people, something I hadn't needed of late by having friendly neighbors. Neighbors...oh man...how in the world am I going to explain this to them?

Just like that...Murphy's Law decided to take a crap in my cheerios!

"Hey Greg! Who's your friend?" I heard Jemima say from behind me.

Chapter 15: Help

I tried to act nonchalant, and waved over at the approaching vampire. Problem is, that my brain kinda short-circuited. It was like when I met William for the first time and my mouth engaged and my head wasn't on the same page. "Hi Jemima! This is Lucretia, the succubus from your Halloween party. Lucretia, say hello to the nice Gatewatch lady and be polite please."

I'm dead...so incredibly dead! Lucretia pulled a Hail Mary and saved my ass.

My succubus turned wide eyes to Jemima whose eyes looked like a rainbow caught in a paint-mixer they were changing colors so fast!

"My name is Lucretia, from the 6th Plane, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am sorry for trying to kill you."

Then she stuck out her hand to shake!

Jemima's mouth opened and shut like a goldfish. I took that moment to walk up and gently press Lucretia's hand down to her side. I had an idea that was so crazy that it just might work! 

I have always wanted to use that line.

"Lucretia, when introducing yourself to someone you should not bring up past attempts on their lives." I chided her.

"But Master, through talking with you, I thought it would put her at ease to know I am not going to try to do it again." She responded, turning to look at me.

"Mas...s...ster!?" Jemima sounded like she was choking.

I ignored her, "You did everything right Lucretia. You had the proper tone of voice, you were a touch too polite, but in this situation that is a good thing since you have never been properly introduced. I mean you met once, but again...don't want to bring up the assassination attempt. It kills the mood that you want to create for your first real meeting."

"Greg! What in the..." Jemima began. I glanced over and held up a hand. "One moment Jemima, I got to teach her something here."

Lucretia seemed to be all ears, waiting for me to talk. I am so glad she was playing along for this, or things could get bad. 

"Generally speaking when meeting people of this century we do not say it is a pleasure to meet them unless at a formal event which I will explain later. For a jeans and non-collared shirt event we say things like "it's nice to meet you" or "good seeing you" though that last one can also be used for saying goodbye."




Mine...Yours Pt. 04



Lucretia rubbed her chin, "Human mannerisms are confusing Master."

"Don't worry about it. You did a good job with Jemima here for your first try. I think after you meet William Abernathy, a friend of mine, he can help you a bit better than I can. He is always better at explaining stuff than I am...even if he does use larger and older sounding words to do so." I chuckled a little, still keeping a sideways eye on Jemima. She looked like she was going to burst apart at the seams!

Lucretia turned back around to Jemima and said, "Thank you for letting me practice my greetings on you."

The poor Gatewatch vampire was breathing hard, her eyes dancing back and forth between us. "I...I just...GREG! What in the HELL is going on here! Why are you...and what is THAT?" 

She stepped farther back from us and I thought she was going to leave, but she just stayed where she was and opened her phone. She punched a few numbers into it Then she looked back at us, her face blank and unreadable. 

"Greg." Jemima said.

"Yes." I answered.

"Did you summon that creature?" She snapped an accusatory finger at Lucretia making my succubus bristle.

"Nope. Her mother brought her through." I replied.

Jemima slowly lowered her arm, though her gaze never left Lucretia's area she spoke to me again.

"Explain." She commanded.

"Why should I?" I responded.

That got a look from both her, and Lucretia! 

I guess I should explain. Jemima was being commanding, bossy, and trying to tell me what to do. She had no authority over me, so she had no right to talk to me like this. Classic behavior of a bully, and no one likes a bully. Funny thing is everyone says they hate bullies, yet we keep on getting more of them all the time! As for me, I don't get bullied anymore, not ever.

I walked towards Jemima. Oh, she looked pissed. "Lucretia, please stay back by the truck, Jemima and me need to talk."

"Yes Master." Lucretia said, then sat on the tailgate of the truck, playing with a pipefitting I had found, and watching us interact.

Jemima opened her mouth but I held up my hand and spoke over the top of her. "Hang on there! Wait, what exactly is your problem?"

She gaped at me, "Where do I even start Greg?"

"How about you start at the beginning and when you reach the end stop. Oh, and try not to sound like a demanding school principal while you do it...okay?"

It's a good thing her hair already was in a retro-afro style or it would have bristled! She clenched her fists so hard I heard knuckles pop and she was gritting her teeth. Ah, found out something. Her fangs actually fit on the outside of her lower teeth when extended. Huh...I always wondered if they folded in like a snakes fangs or something like that. 

"Greg..."

"Yes." I interrupted.

"Let me finish...please."

"Okay."

She shook her head raising her hands to her temples. "Greg, is that, or is that not, the succubus that you fought at our Halloween party a few night ago?"

"She is." I said simply, my hands behind my back.

"We saw you beat her, she even crumbled apart like they always do...did you summon her back here?"

"Already answered that one. No I did not." Jemima seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

"Good, that's...that's really, good actually."

"Her mother, someone who calls herself Queen, brought Lucretia through the Veil, or Border or whatever you call it. Lucretia was supposed to avenge herself by killing me" I stated.

Jemima glanced at Lucretia who was swinging her legs while sitting on the tailgate and playing with my multi tool now.

"Lucretia!" I called.

"Yes Master?" 

"Don't break my tool, I need it later!" I called out. I nearly slapped myself in the face for my double entendre'! Really, hanging out with a succubus for less than twenty-four hours and I was getting a dirty mind! I watched Lucretia giggle, and start playing with the pliers.

"Don't worry Master, I'll be gentle with your...tool!" I heard her laugh louder, then go back to trying to take apart the pipe-fitting.

Jemima didn't look too pleased with how lightly I was taking the situation. I was almost surprised at how I was acting, but I guess my brain was finally catching on. If I treat this like a serious situation, which to be honest it was, then Jemima will be acting even more serious. Then things escalate, and my guess is things would start exploding and blood would be spilled. For some reason though, I was kind of grooving on all the tension. It was like I was having a controlled adrenaline rush while everyone around me was getting more tense. Which wasn't normally like me at all, another thing to think about. I hope my brain can keep track of all this stuff to remember. I wonder if I should start keeping a journal?

The fact that Lucretia was acting like this was all a walk in the park seemed to help, though she acted really nervous when Jemima first walked up. Then again, the first two times we met she seemed to be cold and cruel. Yet now after binding herself to me she was acting different. She's acting different, I'm acting different. I know there is something important to that, but I can't figure out what it...oh yeah, Jemima's talking.

"Are you in danger Greg?" she asked seriously.

"All the time, which type of danger are you referring to?" She growled at me. I saw Lucretia's head perk up, and she pulled back the hood of her sweatshirt watching us closely.

"This isn't a game, do you even know who, or what you're messing with?" Jemima snapped.

"Yes, I am messing with you. Instead of being polite and talking with me your being a demanding wench."

I stepped forward and poked my finger in her chest, I could feel that pressure building in myself again.

"Greg..."

"You keep saying my name like it means something. You have told me time and again you're my friend. Heck, last night you tried to kiss me! Then tonight you come walking up and start acting like I am a criminal? Huh? Are you the type of woman who just tries to make out with any guy, or do you try to pick one who you judge to have good character? You strike me as the type to find the right one. So if I am the right type, then where do you get off immediately assuming the worst when you see a situation that you don't understand?" I stepped closer to her, and she seemed surprised at how close I was getting.

"So who did you call Jemima?"

"What...I..."

"Was it the rest of the Gatewatch? You all coming down here to put the hurt on me because you thought I summoned an Outsider? Is that it? So now, three people who I called friends are going to come and treat me like an enemy?"

"Greg it's not like that!"

"Then what is it like? Tell, me Jemima? From my side it looks like I'm the bad guy now...Explain!"

I figured I had her off balance enough by ignoring her demands and making several demands and arguments of my own. I engaged my Sight and sure enough it was easy to see she was totally off balance. Both her and her specter self were staring at me with wide eyes. I happened to look down as my hand was receding from poking her and I almost lost it!

There was one thing that I had never done before. Never even thought of doing it, and now that I think about it, I never would have attempted it even if I thought about doing it! Yeah, I hoped you followed that since I nearly confused myself. In the area of using my Sight, I usually used it for brief glimpses or studying other people closely. I had never thought to look at myself. I don't know why I never thought of it. I guess most normal people would be going crazy and using binoculars and microscopes or looking into pools of water or anything to experiment and learn. I must be one slow turtle then since I never really cared too much to see what I could do. You can imagine then, my surprise, when I first Saw a part of me.

Bandages, lots of bandages. Not like band-aids, with the little adhesive and pad on it. Not like an athletic compress either. These were like, linen I guess, wound around my chest, arms, legs, even my fingers! I quickly pushed my surprise away from me, but Jemima seemed to catch it anyway. 

"What's wrong?" she asked quietly. Her eyes darted over to Lucretia who had hopped down from the trucks tailgate and was walking over. She had a concerned look on her face, and her right hand was clenched so tight around the scar in her palm I could feel it in my matching scar. Wait, how could I feel in my scar what she was feeling in her scar? It was, of course, at that point that all hell broke loose!

In mid step, just about ten feet from me, a huge blonde furry shape slammed into the much smaller succubae in front of me and they went tumbling across the asphalt to smack into a bunch of dumpsters in the train! At that point Gwen seemed to materialize out of thin air with a deck of really big, odd-looking playing cards in one hand. Gwen shot a glance to Jemima who in turn nodded to me.

"Sorry Greg, this has to be done." Gwen said and tossed several of those cards through the air towards the struggling pair on the ground. I saw Hildy leap back from Lucretia who was now huge again. I guess that must be the shape she takes when in combat. All six feet and 200 pounds of lethal wings and claws! There didn't appear to be a scratch on her as she crouched and faced off with the werewolf. One of her hands opened and between her five claws I saw sparks begin to fly, like she had a couple handfuls of sparklers in her grasp. The cards finished their flight to land a few paces from my succubus and the sparks died out.

Lucretia looked at her hand, noticed the cards and I saw real fear cross her alien features. She suddenly shot to the side and slammed into, nothing. She was pressing with all her strength against what looked to be air!

"Barrier." Gwen said, as she shuffled through her cards. "Keeps Outsiders inside as I find the proper formulae to banish them."

Lucretia moved a couple paces to the other side and felt along the invisible walls there. Then she jumped and slammed her horns against what appeared to be a roof, again all invisible to the eye. I looked at Gwen and said, "Stop this right now."

"No Greg. She is not supposed to be here." She replied.

"Yes she is. I bound her!" I said, my voice rising.

Gwen looked at me like I was crazy. "You couldn't have bound her, only people who have magic can bind an Outsider!" 

There's that magic shit again! I know I have the Sight, so I guess that makes me a "magic" person. 

"You don't understand, she didn't tear through the Veil, there was no ritual to bring her here. Her mother..." I tried to explain.

"Greg," Jemima interrupted. "This is really for the best. She will kill you one day, it's what they do."

I didn't know what to do. I thought I was out of my depth before, but this really took the cake. Let's recap here. Jemima, vampire...could hand me my ass on a silver platter with a side order of whimpering. Gwen, witch...just sealed off an angry Outsider with a couple of playing cards. Hilda, werewolf...a walking, snarling, hairy tank on four legs. Greg, human...yeah, got a power I don't understand and probably isn't applicable to the situation.

Yet the pressure was still building.

I started walking towards Lucretia who was still raging inside the, I don't know, magical construct? Oh yeah, Gwen called it a barrier. That word sounds smart so I will stick with that as a good name. I don't know what I was going to do, exactly. I just know that, this was my responsibility. Lucretia was my responsibility. Mine...Lucretia was MINE! They didn't have any right to take her from me! To trap her in a cage...A CELL! I followed the rules to the best of my ability! They tried to hurt her! They are trying to banish her! Who gave them the right to do that to what is MINE? It's not right, it's not JUST! 

I could hear Gwen and Jemima trying to call me back, but I ignored them. They didn't matter, at least not right now. I turned on my Sight, and Saw the glistening silver walls of the barrier shimmering in the dark. They were almost transparent and I could see Lucretia trying to dig ineffectually at the asphalt, but the barrier covered the ground as well. Smart girl. Can't climb it or get around it, try to dig under it. Then Hildy got in my way. I had to look up to see her. I thought she was glaring at me down her long muzzle, but looking at just her eyes and ignoring those big ivory colored teeth I could see it looked more like pleading. 

"Please Greg..." her voice rasped out. "We are trying to help you!"

"By attacking my student, by trying to break an agreement I made?" I asked quietly. She looked confused.

"Agreement...you made...?" 

"Move, Hilda." I demanded. I could see her ears twitch as I used her name, and not the Hildy I had before.

"This is what we do Greg. You can't just..." She started.

I had heard enough, though. I was angry, and felt justifiably so. I grabbed her fur-covered arms and yanked up and to the right. I don't know if I was more startled or she was as she was thrown almost to where Jemima and Gwen were standing! I reached down to touch the cards. I figured that if I moved them, maybe the barrier would drop. A static charge of lavender colored light flashed around my fingers making me draw them back! That hurt, like getting shocked with a car battery, without the burning of skin though. Well, I was no stranger to pain! I shoved back, and the lavender sparks kept on making my fingers twitch.

My own pressure kept growing, and I could see a soft blue glow enveloped my hand. The sparks were no longer hurting; they died maybe an inch or so before touching me. I picked up the card and swiftly moved to pick up the others, until they were all in my hand. Lucretia now free turned and shook her wings. She dropped to all fours and tail lashing began to charge the three members of the Gatewatch!

"Stop." I said to Lucretia. She did, and turned on me furiously!

"Master! NO! They tried to banish me! They attacked me! They need to..." she carried on in this vein for a while. I let her get it out of her system. Venting is good for the soul. Believe me, I know. She looked to be winding down so I held up my hand and waved it to get her attention.

"Go ahead and change back to your rebellious teenager look." I suggested. She looked stunned. 

"I am more easy to harm in that form." She said quietly. I nodded.

"Don't worry Lucretia, I will protect you." I said jokingly. She snickered, then paused and looked me over. 

"Master, you're different." Her large clawed hand touched the side of my arm. "You're, really different."

"So are you...shouldn't you be ignoring me and wreaking bloody vengeance on my friends over there?" I asked sarcastically.

Lucretia changed to her human form, complete with hoody and bright blue bootlaces. She looked over her shoulder at the three women. "I guess, I am. I don't feel like attacking them anymore...why?"

I shrugged, "You ever get the feeling that we are both the teachers in this contract? I think Mother has more plans than we know about than just you learning about humans." Lucretia nodded her head at that statement. 

I took her hand in mine and walked back up to my neighbors, I held out the cards in front of me. "Here Gwen, you can have these back."

Gwen took a step forward, and at the same time I pulled Lucretia behind me, putting my body between them.

" Gwen. Please don't use them." I said, holding them out. She took them, truth be told I was surprised as hell that we hadn't been attacked walking up. Hilda was watching me with narrowed eyes. Jemima still had a shocked look on her face like I had slapped her ass in church, Gwen...she just looked sad.

"I don't want to fight you, but Lucretia is mine. I didn't break any laws that I know of, and if you want to talk more about this in the future. Ring my doorbell and come on over." I shook my head.

"Jemima came to visit me at work last night, and we talked. I am sorry that I kicked you all out of my house. I tend to not like people poking at my secrets." I turned to look at Lucretia and felt her hand tighten in mine. "I guess I don't have that luxury anymore." Looking back at the three Gatewatchers I said, "If you come over tomorrow, I will do my best to answer all questions that you have, and I will even make cookies...a lot of cookies." From their expressions, you would almost think that I was trying to bribe them...maybe I was. They are really good cookies, probably are suitable as good bribery material.

"Now, if you will excuse me, Lucretia is helping me with my job tonight. I hope to see you all tomorrow around...I don't know. How about 3:30pm?" Hilda glanced at the others, and then nodded at me.

They left, never turning their backs on us and I breathed out slowly, releasing the tension in my spine.

"Greg?" Lucretia asked.

"What? No Master this time?" I chided.

She was quiet for a moment and then squeezed my hand a little tighter.

"Why did you not let me attack them?"

"They are my friends." I answered simply. She seemed to need more of an explanation so I thought about it.

"Help me get these dumpsters back in place, and we can talk while we work." I said.

I got the compactor going and started going through the train of garbage, every now and then pulling bits of metal out for the scrap pile.

"Alright Lucretia, you ever make a mistake?" I asked.

"Sometimes." She replied, pushing a cart until I indicated for her to stop.

"Does that mistake make you different than who you are?" I asked again. I raised the dumpster to dump, then used a pole to make sure all the loose articles had fallen out and into the machine, then cycled the large press.

"I don't think so." Lucretia replied, watching the dumpster come back down to the ground. Then she took the other end to help me push it over to the rest of the empties. 

"Did the Gatewatch make a mistake by trying to banish you?" I asked after latching the hitch in place. Lucretia shrugged.

"They seem to think that I am going to kill you, so maybe they didn't." She said. I chuckled and put my arm over her shoulder as I walked her to the door of the truck and opened it. I helped her in while she frowned at me. I leaned in a pushed her hood back so I could get a good look at her face.

"That is something I really, really appreciate about you!" Her eyes widened with a questioning look. "You don't try to lie to me." I said, and leaned in to kiss her cheek. I pulled back and her eyes were black all the way through! Her breathing was heavy and she grabbed my arm as I pulled away.

"Master..." She took a breath and slowly exhaled, her eyes going back to their normal hue. "You use the word "Please" a lot so it seems to be important." She gulped. "Please...continue to be the Master you are."

Now I was puzzled. Not for long though, she kept on talking.

"You let me get away with so much. I...I should have been punished a long time ago for acting the way I did several times. You didn't, why?"

"You are not your mistakes. The Gatewatch made a mistake, no need to attack them; we will set it straight tomorrow. You made some mistakes, but it was out of ignorance, I am not going to punish you for that." I patted her hand.

I got around to my side of the truck and started up the engine. Time to put the empty dumpsters back and then go home. I saw my little Succubae looking at me.

"Another question?"

"Shouldn't I be punished for biting you?"

"Nah! If I punished all my friends for biting me, I wouldn't have any friends."

She reached over and took my right hand in hers and traced the scar in my palm. "You really are very different from any Master I have ever heard of..." She kissed the scar and a strange tingle passed through my body. "...Thank you."

"For what?"

"For what I learned today." She answered.





Mine...Yours Pt. 04



To be continued...



Mine...Yours Pt. 05



Author's Note: I appreciate so much the comments I have received. I hope that you all who read this are enjoying the story thus far, and will continue to read what I write. I would like to thank my editor End of Story for help with my improper use of words. Also thanks to the rest of those people, you know who you are. Yes, I would name them, but you want to read a story, not my notes.

*****

Chapter 15: Kitchen 

I awoke to the sounds of...clattering? No, not clattering... Rattling? Clanging? Clinking? I give up. Sounds woke me up! I rolled over and looked at the alarm clock. The red digital display was proudly showing the time, it said, "12pm." Joy. Six hours sleep may be enough for some, but getting home that early in the morning and realizing I had forgotten to buy sheets for Lucretia's bed made me cranky. That's why normal people make lists, so their poor overworked brains don't have to deal with that crap! The...sounds continued, and seemed to be coming from the kitchen.

I got up and started to run in place lightly for a minute or two to get warmed up then began to stretch. I thought about what happened last night while doing this. I hated the fact that my friends and I had that standoff. I went over it again in my mind and saw several ways I could have gone about things differently, but I knew that was pointless. Normally we go over our mistakes to learn from them. I didn't see much I could learn from that situation last night. Then again, I'm not the brightest bulb in the box, so maybe I missed something that could help. I need to talk to William; he would probably get one hell of a shock meeting my new roommate! I went downstairs, walking past the kitchen to get to the basement and poked my head through the doorway to see what was making the noise.

What the heck?

I saw my succubus, sitting at the kitchen table, sorting through gold coins. No, sorting is the wrong word. She was stacking them in little towers to see how far up she could get them before they fell over! Even as I was watching, one of the towers started to lean, and then tipped to the table making that odd sound I was hearing upstairs. Her tail seemed to lash in minor frustration as she promptly pushed the coins aside, clearing a space in front of her. Then she selected one of them, looked it over, and swallowed it! 

"Hey!" I shouted, stepping into the room. She started in her chair, knocking another tower over causing some of the coins to roll onto the floor. She looked up in surprise as I loomed over her and grabbed her chin. She started to struggle but I held on determinedly as I started prying her mouth open. "Don't you eat those, gold is not good for you! Trying to poison yourself?" She began growling as I hooked my fingers behind her jawbone and pulled.

"Let go!" she snarled.

"Open wide and say Ah." I replied.

"I'll bite you again!"

"Don't you dare you jumped up excuse for a fruit bat." I muttered. 

I fished around in her mouth and...there! I found it just to the back of her tongue near her uvula. I got two fingers on it and pulled it out, her saliva dripped from it like clear syrup...EW!

"What was that about Greg?" She asked hotly. I wiped off the coin on the corner of my sleep shirt and set it back on the table. I looked at the pile of gold and then it hit me. There was a lot there! I remember showing Mother the jug and saying I wanted the value of it. She must have misunderstood, or she purposefully misunderstood. I only met her once but that sounds like her. I had maybe, $500 or so, in change in that milk jug I showed her. I think she took the value to mean the WEIGHT of the jug. I was now looking at a plastic milk jug filled with gold coins shaped like quarters, nickels, dimes, and no pennies. Huh. I guess golden pennies were too much to ask for. 

"This is my gold right?" I asked.

"Obviously." Lucretia replied in a huff.

"Then shouldn't you ask my permission before eating my gold?" 

She thought about it, and I saw her black eyes narrow. Then a sheepish expression crossed her features. Her tongue extended towards the table and I had a moment of shock. It was long, pink and pointed, probably as long as my hand and wrist. It was also very thick; I wondered how it fit in her mouth! A moment later her throat started making convulsions and several more gold coins fell out on the table! This was followed by a few odd looking rocks and what looked like a white agate of some sort. Lucretia quickly picked up the rocks and the white agate and swallowed them again. 

"What the hell was that?" I asked, feeling a little green around the gills. 

"The contents of my crop." She said plainly.

"The what of the what?" I asked faintly.

"I use stones and such to help grind the food I eat. It fits in my crop." She patted the lower part of her neck with a clawed hand. "I looked at some of the stones here, but most are too brittle. I tried one of the coins and it seems to work well."

I was still trying to wrap my head around the whole "crop" thing, but then the original thought came back to my head. "Gold is poison to us, like lead. I take it it's not poisonous to you?"

"Nope." She looked down, then scratched at the base of one of her horns and wouldn't meet my eyes. "Sorry about taking your things Greg. I thought you wouldn't mind."

"Really?" I sounded unconvinced.

I was quiet, waiting for her to say something. She squirmed in her seat. Silence, wonderful weapon commonly used by wives, angry mothers, and smart schoolteachers! The silence grew, and I knew she had to be feeling uncomfortable with it. Finally...

"Okay! I didn't even think and just did it all right? Are you happy now?" she grumbled. 

I chuckled in my throat and then slid the coins back over to her. "Thanks for asking, you can put those back in your crop, or whatever you call it." I watched in queasy fascination as she took the handful of gold coins and swallowed them in a gulp. That's just...weird! I wonder if she has to actually chew her food before she... 

Ah well, that's a thought for another time. I started to head down the stairs.

"Where are you going Greg?" She asked. I turned to see her standing behind me, her wings folded tightly with the claws on the arches around her throat, made her look like she was wearing a weird bat cape. I suddenly had a picture of her in my mind hiding her face behind it and saying, "I'm BATMAN!" I tried not to laugh, but a little of it came out any way and she cocked her head to the side questioningly. 

"Never mind that, I'm just going down stairs to work out a bit before I have a shower." I told her. 

"May I come?" she asked. An innocent question to be sure, but... This area was my inner sanctum as it were. I didn't like to train in front of other people; it made me feel self-conscious. Maybe it's a sign of insecurity? I think more it's that I didn't like people watching me, studying my moves. Some of them were a little brutal. Oh whom am I kidding? There were a lot of moves that were brutal. For example, everyone sees in a fight someone getting punched in the face, the guy takes it and then after a pause comes back swinging. Now, take that same individual and have them get a quick fingertip jab to the throat...what happens? You guessed it, well maybe you did. The man goes down! No it doesn't collapse his windpipe; it takes a lot more pressure to do that than you would think. It does make him choke and gasp for a while and he has to rethink his whole fight strategy. Usually by that time I am hoofing it and I am far away by the time my attacker is back on his feet. Better than pepper spray.

I am a paradox. I absolutely LOVE to fight. The rush, even the pain is all-secondary to the feeling of fighting. It is pitting your self against another person or persons and finding out who is better at it. It is a primal calling that all males have. Some females too but generally speaking males have it the most. If you don't believe me, listen to this. Close friend of my family was against getting her sons any sort of weapons, or toy weapons. The kids weren't even teenagers yet and had no self-control. It makes sense, Mom's love to protect their children. So she gave them stuffed animals, and Legos and so forth. She came home the other day to her rug rats in the back yard running around the backyard squeezing round after round from their teddy bears legs at each other with the appropriate machine gun sounds effect coming from their mouths. This was followed by bags of Lego "grenades" tossed at each other.

Boys will be boys.

Back to the point, I love to fight I just don't like hurting people. There it is, my paradox. To fight you have to 1. Be willing to hurt someone. 2. Give yourself permission to hurt someone. That means I am stuck. I don't like hurting someone and I am not allowed to hurt people. Well, I am, but things will go really bad for me if the cops are ever called! Me being a sex offender, they come down really hard on anyone with that label. It would almost be better to take the beating and hope you live through it, then call the cops so your attackers can do thirty days in jail. Of course then they get out and come after you again. 

This is why I train, by myself. I don't want anyone to know what I can do. I don't want anyone, who knows me to know what these hands can do, and have done. There is a fear in peoples eyes that won't go away when they know that you've...yeah. I think you get the point, and it's depressing as hell to talk about. 

"Not today, Lucretia. Tomorrow, I think would be better. You gonna be alright up here?" I asked. She looked like she wanted to say something, but then stopped and reached out to touch me, but I didn't want to be touched right then and moved back. Stupid depressing thoughts making me all moody and crap! She moved again closer and I held up my hands.

"What are you doing?" I asked. She blinked.

"What you did for me yesterday." She replied.

I was now confused, but then she came closer and hugged me! What the heck? She bared her throat to me and tilted her head to the side. I hugged her back, kinda quickly with a little pat on the back and tried to step away.

"Bite me. You'll feel better." She said, holding me tighter.

"Uhm...what?" I said smartly.

"You let me yesterday, you showed me trust, you were open. I want to show you trust."

"I don't want to bite you!" 

"But you feel sad, and scared?" She said, drawing back to look me in the eye.

"I always feel sad, and scared...how do you know that though?"

She held up her right hand and showed me the scar, then took my right hand and closed them together, our scars touching on our palms. I hissed my breath out in surprise, the same time she murmured in satisfaction. 

"I feel what you feel, Greg. I don't know why you feel the way you do right now, but I don't like it."

I heard what she said but was still, wow! This explained a bit to me of why I was thinking the way I was last night...or early this morning. Depends on your viewpoint of the time frame I guess. I was probably picking up on what she was feeling as well in the middle of her fracas with Hilda. I thought about it some more. I didn't make much headway though since I had a naked woman, uh, succubae pressed to me. She wasn't doing the whole body press that we had talked about yesterday. It was almost a companionable embrace. I know saying that makes me seem like a connosuier of fine hugs, which is silly. I do have my standards though.

Lots of people see kissing or sex as the most intimate thing you can do with someone, and they are right. It is a sharing of bodily fluids and a joining of souls as it were. Think about this though, a hug is an enormous expression of trust. Someone, who is not you, is putting arms around your torso or neck. Do you have any idea what a person could do to you in that position? I see both women and men who are "huggers." They just hug every person they meet like it was a handshake. It makes me shudder to see them do it, and to know I used to be like that before...yeah, no more depressing thoughts today.

Lucretia was still holding my hand in hers and was now watching me quizzically. 

"Your emotions really move quickly." She observed.

"That's me. Gregory Brooks, the emotional yo-yo." I shot back.

"What's a yo-yo?" Lucretia asked.

"A child's toy. I'll get you one, you might like it"

I moved in suddenly tilting my head to the side and gently clamped my teeth on the right side of her neck. She gasped, her hand squeezing mine sharply and her wings fluttered for a moment. Looking over her shoulder I could see her tail arc, shiver and then go limp. A smell that was both sweet and slightly tangy, like tangerine peels came to my nostrils. I wondered what it was, mentally shrugged it off. I let go with my mouth and gently licked the spot I had bitten to sooth it. When I pulled back I saw Lucretia's eyes were large, and her mouth was parted and she was panting slightly. 

"You okay?" I asked, arching my eyebrow at her.

"Never better." She murmured faintly.

"Good, I will be back after I finish working out and take a shower. Then I can show you how to bake cookies." I told her. She nodded an affirmative and I went down the stairs to my basement.

I pushed myself pretty hard in my work out, at least with the weight-training portion. I am always careful pushing too hard with the isometrics. They put a huge strain on the body, so it's no good to push hard in that and blow out a muscle group. Just what I need, getting a "flat" when I really need to get some work done!

I finished and ran in place for a bit, shaking my arms, when I felt eyes watching me again. I did a slow turn and saw nothing out of the ordinary. Was it my imagination running wild again? Was it...? 

"Lucretia!" I shouted. I heard her answer from the doorway. Was she waiting for me there?

"Yes, Greg?"

"You actually can help me, come on down here!" I called up. I kept scanning the room, even engaged my Sight. I saw nothing, but could still feel eyes watching me. Lucretia came down stairs and I asked her to hold one of the heavy bags so it would not move. I wrapped a couple towels around my fists and began warming up with basic three and four punch combos. She shifted into her larger form and held the bag rock steady.

"How many forms do you have?" I asked out of the blue. I was trading feet, back and forth kicking about the level of my thighs near the bottom of the bag.

"I usually switch between this one, and my human form." She replied. I thought about it, asked another question.

"So what is that third form of yours? This one seems like the one you use for combat."

"Correct. That third form, is uh, what I look like on the other side, in my world." She sounded almost bashful telling me that. I had no idea why she would sound shy, I mean, I don't have a picture or anything to show you all, and I am not going to spend a thousand words describing her. She was beautiful, not in any one way or...I really am not good at describing it. I know I have done it earlier to a certain extent, so you can reference back to that if you want. I just know that I saw her and thought she was exotic, scary and a whole bunch of other words to define pretty! Being all, bashful, like that I suppose I should say something.

"I think you're really cute." Cute? Yeah Greg, that's a good word. Especially telling it to an Amazon like that. Still it made her smile, if she didn't have those shark teeth in her mouth it might even be a nice smile! She could probably strip all the flesh off a steak with one pass through those jaws!

"You think so?" she asked.

"Yeah, I do."

"Then why won't you let me sleep in your bed with you?"

I was just starting a kick when she asked that and somehow I tripped over my own foot and fell against the bag, which in her current state she held easily.

"Excuse me...what now?" I gasped.

"Why won't you let me sleep with you, in your bed?" She said again. "Since you are my Mas...Greg. My Greg." She amended after seeing my expression change. "I don't understand why you won't take me to your bed. I thought it was a dream of most men...and women to have one of us sexually. I thought you just didn't find me attractive." She saw I wasn't kicking the bag, so changed back to her smaller winged state. She moved from behind the bag and posed herself.

"You tell me I am too, no, that's not the wording. "WAAY too damn sexual!" That I need to tone it down." Her hands slowly slid over her body. "Do you not want me?" She asked. 

My mouth went dry. It had been such a long time for me, and the feelings of affection, of possession filled my chest. She was Mine! All Mine! Did I not pay the price? Had I not bound her, exposed her to some of the deepest parts of what made me who I am? If anyone had a claim to sample and taste those lips, to lose myself in her body it was ME! 

Then my head got back in the game and it tamed my raging hormones with a bullwhip and a cattle prod! At least, the mental equivalent of them at any rate. 

"Do you really want to talk about this now? We still have food to prepare and guests coming over? This may be a long conversation." I said quietly. She crossed her arms and tapped a sharp black claw on her dark grey lips in thought.

"Tell me some now so I can think on it, and we will talk tonight?" She offered. 

That seemed fair enough.

"I am worried about you draining me dry if I let myself be exposed to you like that. I also don't think it would be good for us to enter into a sexual relationship with you being a student and me being a teacher." Though I had to admit I'd had a few fantasies about that when I was younger. There was this one teacher I had in High School, man she was hot to trot with legs...uh...ahem. Never mind!

"Let's not forget, I don't have the best track record with women. My "girlfriend picker" seems to be broken in the old noggin and I usually pick the worst ones possible for me to date. Oh, and another thing. This one is probably the most important one of them all and I should have listed it first. I don't know you very well. We only met like, what, two days ago? I don't know about you but I am not fond of just jumping in the sack with someone until I get to know them better."

Her mouth opened in surprise at that one and she started to speak, but I held up my hand to forestall her. "There you have it, now, think on what I said. Save your questions and comments until after our guests leave, okay?" Her mouth bobbed open like a fish a few times, then she nodded and we went back upstairs. I wasn't looking forward to the conversation we were going to have later, but on the plus side, after Lucretia came down I hadn't felt the eyes on me anymore!

Chapter 16: Cooking

Shopping with a succubus was a fairly normal occurrence. Not too much different than shopping with a woman, except you didn't have to hold her purse while she tries on a bunch of clothing that she doesn't buy. Of course I used to do that too. I liked nice clothing, the way the cut of a shirt lay on my collar and side. Even choosing my T-shirts carefully to fit my frame so I looked good. Now, if it says my size on the tag I just don't care as long as it is in a plain color. 

Cooking with a Succubus is a totally different experience! I told her eggs were food when I set them out. She picked one up and ate the whole thing shell and all. What's worse, she LOVED it and proceeded to empty the carton as fast as she could! I was able to salvage half a dozen while she happily munched and scarfed the rest. Then she got into the butterscotch chips while I was creaming the sugars together. Then she dropped the oatmeal on the floor so I had to get a new container of it and had her sweep the mess up for Mrs. Rat in the back shed. Then she got her finger stuck in the blender, which didn't do much damage to her, but bent the blade on my mixer. A few tweaks with my multi-tool got it working again, but now the blades clacked a bit at high speeds. The crowning moment was when she found my dates. 




Mine...Yours Pt. 05



She tried one, popping it into her mouth, and froze stock-still. Her eyes got this far away wistful look in them and she began to chew slowly and methodically. I swear she almost looked teary eyed. She took a handful and set the rest aside for the cookies. Slowly, one at a time she ate them seeming to savor the flavor like it was a fine wine, or scotch.

"Something you want to tell me?" I asked, while washing out the mixing bowl. I had the first batch in the oven. She didn't appear to hear me. 

"Lucretia?" I asked louder.

"Hmmm...what?"

"Something you want to tell me?" I motioned to the dates clutched in her grey hand.

She gazed down at them and smiled, "They taste, I don't know, like home to me!" I raised my eyebrows in surprise. 

"You folks have dates, in your Plane they have that kind of fruit?" I asked incredulously.

"No, I never tried them before, but...they taste like home. I don't know why."

Well that was some food for thought! Get it, food for...never mind.

I had the first batch out after about fifteen minutes or so, and had them on the cookie towels to cool when the doorbell rang. 

"Hey, Lucretia, get your game face on, and get the door for me will you?" I called.

"Sure thing Greg." Her human form trotted past me in the same clothes that she wore last night, sans boots and hoody. I could hear the front door open and voices speaking.

"Hi! I'm Lucretia, who are you?" 

Huh? Lucretia should know my neighbors on sight after meeting them the way she did last night. I looked at the clock; it was a little after two. It's too early for the Gatewatch, so who could be at the door?

"Gregory?" a mature woman's voice called out I heard a male voice say something and Lucretia suddenly darted back into the kitchen. "Greg...it's your parents. They are here, what do I do?"

"Well, invite them in, and uh, bring them back here to the kitchen." I said, falteringly. Oh, crap. How are they going to, what am I going to, why did this have to...

Sigh.

My mom came in with a bowl of fruit salad in one hand and my father holding her other hand. He had to duck his head a little to come through the doorway. They both wore glasses and had typical features one would expect of a married couple at the ages of fifty to sixty years. Happy, content and loving. At least that is how I hope most people look when they reach that age of life.

My mom smiled and hugged me immediately and dad shook my hand. He gave an appraising look at Lucretia, with a hint of suspicion. Honestly, after everything that happened to me with Dawn and the legal system I think my parents were almost hit harder than I was. You see my parents are real down to earth honest to god Christians. They believed that you do what is right, follow God's law and everything is fine. Then this all happened to me. Their faith in the legal system was shattered and they found out that the police don't protect the civilians, they protect the law. Look it up in their oaths, you'll see I am right. So they had a paradigm shift that happened after all their lives believing something, then found out it was false. They have also heard the threats, and I made sure to let them know about the specific threats made to them because of me. That way they could defend themselves. Yeah, bunches of laughs all the way around.

Lucretia looked more closely at my dad and cocked her head to the side. Mother looked at her and asked,

"Gregory, who is your friend?"

"Ah...um...mom, dad, this is Lucretia. She's my new roommate." I walked over and put my arm around her shoulder.

"Lucretia, this is my mom and dad, Mr. And Mrs. Brooks." I gave her a little tap on the shoulder and she seemed to wake up out of whatever she was thinking. She quickly walked up to my dad and shook his hand saying, "It's very nice to meet you Mr. Brooks." He engulfed her hand in his, but shook gently. His lips turned up at the corners in a wry smile.

"Pleasure to meet you as well, Lucretia." He returned. He watched her carefully and shot me a look as Lucretia moved in front of my mom. I just nodded my head. His eyes widened and we waited to see what would happen next.

"It's nice to meet you Mrs. Brooks." Lucretia held out her hand to shake but mom didn't take it. She moved closer and asked, "Are you one of Greg's, gobliny, friends?" Lucretia seemed confused, I could see her mouthing "gobliny" as if trying to understand it.

"I think I understand. You're asking if I am human...or not?" she replied after some hesitation.

"That's right dear." Mom said with a smile. Lucretia looked to me for guidance and I waved her on.

"I'm not human, I am...gobliny?" Lucretia said it like a question.

"Did you make me well?" Mom asked, her eyes were smiling but her voice trembled.

"No, that was Mother...my mother." Lucretia said. 

Mom swept Lucretia into her arms and held her tight! My succubus let out a little "oomph" of surprise, but then allowed herself to be loved on, as only a mom knows how to do. My dad's eyebrows were raised and he looked a little tense, I stepped next to him and we watched as Lucretia carefully returned the hug.

"She is...what, Greg?" Dad asked quietly.

"If I tell you, do you promise not to freak out and let me explain?" I returned. He seemed to think a moment. 

"Is my wife in any danger?" He asked.

"Not today. Certainly not from Lucretia." I answered as honestly as I could. He nodded.

"Lucretia is a succubus." I said quickly. Hearing this mom froze for a second, then she leaned back just enough to look into my roommate's face.

"Lucretia, sweetie? What does that mean?" My mom is a people master, not sure if that is a title, but it's a good description. She has such a huge and thoughtful heart she does things that most people don't think to do. When mom goes to another person's house to visit, she brings a gift. If someone gave her a pack of chewing gum that person would get a thank you card in the mail. If you are talking about someone who is there, as if they aren't there, she will bring them into the conversation. Like she just did now.

Lucretia looked trapped. Sure it was just my gentle mother holding her, but she had a look on her face of being cunningly snared! She glanced at my dad, looked to me, almost pleadingly. 

"It's okay, she's my mom, you can tell her." I said gently.

Lucretia gulped, "I am an Outsider, from a different world. I um...a succubus seduces men and women and drains them of energy. I am not very good at seducing so Gregory is teaching me how to do that." She looked down, and away to the side. My mom, bless her heart, did not let go of my roommate. She moved her pleasant face closer to Lucretia's.

"Are you going to harm my son?" she asked. I could see Lucretia trying to figure out how to answer that.

"Not on purpose, everything is so different here, but...no, I don't think I want to." She said finally.

My mom thought about this for a moment, then moved her hand to gently bring Lucretia's head to face her again. 

"He is my son, and I love him..." Mom's voice broke and she cleared her throat. "I love him so much. I don't know all the ins-and-outs of how you came to be together, but please take good care of him and he will take good care of you." Mom stopped speaking and looked deep into my roommate's eyes, then smiled faintly. She must have been pleased with whatever she saw there. Mom leaned closer, gently bumping her forehead against hers. I heard her talking and saw Lucretia get a startled expression. I could guess that mom said something to her, I just wasn't sure what.

Then they separated and mom patted Lucretia's cheek before turning to face us. "I think the next batch of cookies is ready to come out of the oven." Mom declared.

The next fifteen minutes I started bringing everyone up to speed on how Lucretia came to be in my life. I didn't spend too much time on all the occurrences that happened in my head. I know dad would have understood, he and I having some father/son conversations about how I was doing with my thoughts and feelings. I just didn't feel like airing that stuff out yet. They both noticed that I was warmer emotionally. I would laugh more as we joked and talked. I also really TALKED with them. For the past several years I had become more and more withdrawn, even to my parents. Funny how that happens when a tragic event happens. They just seemed so happy that I was acting more like the son I had been before.

I explained the Gatewatch to them, and the problems that we had run into. Most people would probably never tell their parents any of this stuff. I have found that has led to many problems in those people's lives. Think about it. If your parents love you, and are not abusive or insane, you have a tremendous resource at your disposal. Kind of cold and calculating to put it like that but there it is. You have someone, and if you're lucky, two someone's who want what's best for you. They have sacrificed and loved for you all their lives. They have much more life experience than you have, and you can pump them for information. 

It is foolish not to use other people's experiences to learn from, since in all likelihood you will have to learn it yourself either from making mistakes or poor choices. I won't even tell you about the time I thought I could change the oil in my car by myself and didn't need my dad to help me. Let's just say it was an embarrassing...yeah; let's leave it alone.

I told them how the Gatewatch would be there at 3:30pm, and they told me they wanted to be there for it. I was surprised but pleased. Nice to have two people in my corner already, especially when mom told us we needed more than cookies and fruit salad. She took over the kitchen, roping Lucretia into helping her. My poor little succubus was in the middle of a whirlwind of activity first setting out plates (all mismatched) and cups (half of which were chipped so had to be replaced) along with silverware on the kitchen table.

Soon we had little appetizer snacks of ham wrapped pickles and those little cheese, cherry, pineapple toothpick snacks. This along with some chips and salsa and the salad mom brought and my cookies...looked like we were having a party!

While Mom and Lucretia were in the kitchen putting the final touches on the food, Dad pulled me aside into the living room.

"Son...are you alright?" he asked softly.

I nodded.

"I remember talking to you about your neighbors. You really liked them a lot."

"I still do Dad." I was wondering where he was going with this. 

He put his hands on his hips and looked at the ceiling for a second then seemed to come to a conclusion.

"Have you decided what to do if the...Gatewatch...choose to not let you keep Lucretia?"

Oh...hadn't thought of that.

I knew that I hadn't broken any of the rules. I hadn't summoned my succubus. There was no Veil tearing ritual to get upset about. She had been bound to me, legally...and I was still alive. To me, nothing was wrong. This had all just been a misunderstanding on their parts. Then it hit, their job description was to stop this from happening in the first place. Probably like how law enforcement personnel view medical marijuana growers. They are so used to stopping the growth and usage of weed, that to have a legal grow operation in their town must make their heads hurt! Well, that does kind of put things in a different perspective. I may have done nothing wrong, but I still have an Outsider living in my house! Good question, what would I do? The answer was simple.

"I made a promise Dad. I am not going to abandon Lucretia. I made a deal with her mother, and I promised her that I would stick with this." I said firmly.

Dad smiled and gave me a man-hug. "That's my boy!"

Then the doorbell rang and I heard a voice say, "When did he get his doorbell fixed?"

Chapter 17: Cards

I took a deep breath and saw dad give me a nod. Okay...After wiping my hands on my pants I opened the door to see Gwen, Hilda, and Jemima waiting on the front porch. 

"Hey guys, come on in!" I said cheerily. They all three exchanged incredulous glances and followed me into the living room. Gwen saw my dad, and turned her head at the sounds in the kitchen. "I thought it was just going to be us, talking..." she ventured.

"I figured I would explain everything to both you and my parents at the same time." I said. Hilda cast a shocked glance to my dad who just smiled and nodded. Jemima looked around and asked. "So where's the succubus?" 

As if on cue Lucretia came from the kitchen holding a bunch of glasses in her arms and handed them out to everyone, my dad first. After my friends saw my dad take the glass with no hesitation they took theirs. Mom came out of the kitchen with a pitcher of iced tea. I don't own any tea! 

"How did...?" I began before mom smiled knowingly and answered before I finished. "Lucretia made it! I can't believe how handy she is in the kitchen." My roommate must have magicked up some of that stuff but how did she know how to replicate it my first sip told me, mom always carries a water bottle of tea with her. Probably gave her a taste and then she made more of it. Makes sense...oh...wow! I will never have to buy Mountain Dew again!

After we all had our drinks we meandered into the kitchen and started serving ourselves some food. The Gatewatch looked a little peeved. They probably figured Lucretia and I would be huddled together and fearful of them coming over. Or maybe we would put up a bold face and be argumentative. I hoped they didn't think they were walking into a trap and we would be lying in wait for them. These women were my friends. I don't do that to my friends. I snickered to myself at a sudden thought I had. Lucretia looked up, as did some of the others at the sound. 

"I was just thinking," I said to my roommate. "...I spent so many years avoiding women after Dawn, and now look at me!" I waved a hand taking everyone in. "Three of my best friends are women, and just a few days ago I got another friend, who is also female!" I shook my head with another chuckle. "We all try to make plans and try to control our lives and Fate just has to put his fingers in and stir things up. Damn, why do I even try?"

I put a cookie in my mouth to make room for the fruit salad on my plate. Gwen was giving me a strange look, and Hilda and Jemima seemed contemplative. Lucretia was giving me a smile, and when she walked by me she paused for a moment.

"Say it again?" She asked me.

"Say what?" I wondered.

"That I am your friend." She supplied.

"If I do, will you stop eating my eggs like bon-bon's?" I kidded her.

"That depends on what a bon-bon is."

"It's like a Hershey Candy bar, but better. Sometimes they...ah. Yeah, it's a type of chocolate." I didn't want to go into the intricacies of different types of confections right then so I just gave up. Then I gave her what she wanted. I looked into her eyes, smiled, and said it.

"You, Lucretia, are my friend."

If her smile got any brighter, I would need sunglasses! I saw the Gatewatch...well, watching, our interactions. Dad was smiling at us, and mom was being mom and walked by us giving Lucretia an affectionate rub on the shoulder and bussing my cheek with a quick kiss. "You two are cute!" Mom said as she snagged two more cookies. I almost said something about watching her sugar intake then remembered, mom was all healed up. I looked more closely at her plate and saw she had five more cookies on there! She saw my expression and laughed.

"I don't have to worry about glucose levels anymore Greg! Just have to worry about getting fat!" She told me around a mouthful of cookie. I could see Gwen wanted to ask, but was trying to be polite. I decided to explain.

"Lucretia's mother offered me my choice of...uh...compensation for teaching her daughter how to act like a human. One of the things I asked for was healing my mom so that she wasn't a diabetic anymore." Gwen's eyes got really wide.

"What else did you ask for?" Hilda asked, she was holding her plate with one hand and the other arm was across her stomach. She had her head cocked to the side and her expression was, hard to describe. I'll say this to you all...I hate it that women are so inscrutable. When a woman wants to be, they can turn on the mystery and you can't get even an inkling of what's going on in their heads! Of course they want you to figure it out so I cheated. I turned on my Sight and looked more closely at my friend. 

Her body was relaxed, but her animal self, looked like it had lost its best friend. Kind of an interesting way to put it I guess. I glanced at the other two and I could see the same thing, sorrow and heart ache. They truly thought I was trapped in a bad situation and Lucretia was going to kill me! Well, that may be true, but I wasn't prepared to see the guilt that was lurking like a dark cloud over all three of them. It made sense as I thought about it. I was a loner and because of circumstances in my life I kept people at a distance. They pushed me into becoming social, and then I sort of fell into having friends. I started to have a life again.

I had gone to their party, gotten attacked by something that had been coming for them, and gotten injured. I don't see it as their fault, but they do, they...see this whole affair as their responsibility. They see me as trying to make the best out of this situation to survive. That was it, they are all overwhelmed with shame, and guilt, and a desire to see this whole thing put right. That's why Gwen told me that she was sorry and that it had to be done last night when we were attacked.

Hilda, no...I can think of her as Hildy now. Her animal specter was looking between Lucretia and I with sorrow. I had never really Looked at her very closely before, except for the first time when she moved in. Hildy never seemed to hide all that much. She was open, honest and you could take everything she said at face value. On closer inspection though, what was all that sorrow about? Her specter turned to see me staring and I got the surprise of my life. Yes, I have had a lot of surprises until now, but this is the first time THIS ever happened.

Her specter noticed me watching, and looked back at me! 

Doesn't sound like much to you, but my power just always let me observe; now it was interacting. Her specter was looking directly into my eyes and there was a sense of loss, of losing something, of...hard to describe. It felt like knowing you were going to get a Christmas present then it got lost in the mail. You don't know what it was, but you knew it was something cool. Now your going to be calling your rich uncle who sent it to let him know it was lost. You know he is going to tell you what it was and that will make you feel terrible because now you actually have a value to put to the present.

I was feeling really confused until Hildy noticed I was staring at her and met my eyes as well. With both her and her specter staring at me I realized what it was that she was feeling and my heart did a belly flop in my stomach. 

She really liked me! Not just liked me as "Hey, Greg's a great neighbor! You all should have a cool neighbor like Greg who makes badass cookies!" No, this was. "I think I like Greg, and I really want to get to know him better. I think, he could make it so I don't feel so lonely either. I am never going to get the chance now, because if that succubus doesn't kill him then he is going to fall for her and I am never going to get the chance to get to know him the way I want to! I am going to have to live next door to him knowing that she is trying to seduce him when I wanted him for myself! I finally find someone who doesn't care that I am...!" 

I shut down my sight and closed my eyes at the same time. The feelings and the information were getting a little too intense. I opened them to see Hildy staring at me, puzzled.




Mine...Yours Pt. 05



"When this meeting is over, you and I are going to plan a time to get together. We need to have a talk." I said to her levelly. Hildy now looked really confused, she probably felt as confused as I was. It didn't make sense to me though. Why would she feel any attraction for me? I am...well, ME? Nothing awesome going on over here. Hildy, man, she's got the body, the looks and the strength to get anyone she wants. I am short, wide, and average in the looks. Sure I am strong, and got a sense of humor when I want to, but I am nothing to write home about. 

We finished our meal, and went back into the living room for the meeting. I could bore you with all the questions, and the statements. I won't, it would take way too long. The general gist was this. 

"No you didn't break any rules, but we are concerned for your safety." 

See, that is called shortenizing. I took an entire afternoon of rhetoric and put it into one sentence. Nothing I could say or do would dissuade them of the fact that I was dealing with a predatory Outsider who would in all likelihood kill me. Lucretia couldn't even repudiate the arguments because I had asked her to always tell me the truth. She didn't look happy about telling other people though. 

I saw Gwen quietly placing some of those weird looking cards of hers facedown on the coffee table while we were still debating. I was nervous about kicking in my Sight again after Seeing what I did with Hildy, but I needed to know what she was up to. I had seen what she did with those cards last night, and I had no desire to get into a fight here in my house. I saw the lavender glow of her power through the cards, and I saw a woman's slender hand touching Gwen's shoulder from behind. She had long black hair held back with what looked like a bandana of sorts. Not like the ones of today that you see, but long and flowing. It was like a scarf but meant to wrap the head and trail behind in the hair of the person as an accent.

She was watching me, and watching Lucretia closely. Then she whispered something in Gwen's ear and touched the deck of cards. The young witch of the Gatewatch slid two more cards onto the table, and flipped them all over. I had assumed they were tarot cards, but really old. I was wrong, each card was blank. I was looking at them with my Sight, and they were blank. 

"You can see things that others wish to hide." A ghostly voice said next to my ear. I turned and the woman with long hair was looking me up and down with frank appraisal. I wondered if I should say anything, but I didn't want to appear crazy by talking to things other people couldn't see. The woman glanced at the cards and gave me a small mischievous smile. 

"You may see things most do not see, but some you are not meant to." She glanced aside and I followed her gaze to my dad who was watching us both, while the others were paying attention to the cards. Wait, my DAD can see this woman? She gave him a brief, slow nod that he returned. With a final smile to me, she moved behind Gwen and whispered something in her ear before she vanished.

"I don't know what to say, Hildy, Jemima." Gwen said slowly. "The cards don't lie. He broke no rules, and while he is in danger there is nothing we can do about it. It's out of our hands."

Jemima's hiss raised the hair on the back of my neck and Hildy's growl made my chest tremble. My mom stepped forward and said peaceably, "I know your all concerned over my son, but haven't you noticed..." They interrupted her.

"You have no idea what that monster there could DO to your son!" Jemima spat.

Hildy glared at mom and started to push her aside to confront me, and stopped. My Dad's hand had grabbed her wrist. The werewolf girl turned to meet my Dad's gaze with a snarl and then froze at the expression in his eyes.

My mom once told me that my father was a very powerful, driven, and motivated man. That he seemed to have an ability to push others, and to get results in whatever endeavor he was a part of. She also told me that at times he scared her with how intense he could be. "Your father is a safe man Greg. Just do not confuse him for being tame. He is safe, not tame. I wouldn't ever want to tame him, it would destroy who he is." I was seeing a little of the wildness come out in this big man as he pulled Hildy closer.

"My son is who you have the problem with...go talk to him. But you touch my woman, my wife, my MATE like that again...?" His voice had been quiet, but there was an undercurrent to it I had very seldom heard, but it sobered up Hildy as fast as a bucket of ice water.

"Understood Mr. Brooks." Hildy said quietly. He very slowly let go of her wrist, and then walked back to the sofa to sit down. I blinked. He had covered a lot of ground to get from where he was sitting to get to Hildy, and that fast? Wow.

Gwen spoke up then, "I wasn't finished with my card reading." Jemima sat back down next to her friend and watched Gwen studying her cards. Hildy was slowly pacing back and forth her eyes flicking to all of us in the room one after the other.

"What were the terms of your binding with Lucretia?" Gwen asked as she studied the last card with disbelief. I shrugged.

"I wanted to keep it simple, so I just used one word. I called her Mine." Gwen waited, they all waited. I held up my hands in a shrug, "That was it, I just said, "Mine."

Gwen seemed not to get it, but Jemima did. "You claimed it all! Nothing held back? You didn't give a time limit, set restrictions, anything?" I thought about it and looked over at my succubus and cocked an eyebrow at her. She shook her head. I brought my gaze back to Jemima's. "Not that I am aware of."

Hildy was pacing faster, glaring at Lucretia before she growled out, "You must be lying! You gave a succubus free will? What holds her in check? She could decide to attack us right now and we'd be hit with no warning!"

"You are his friends." It was the first time Lucretia spoke during this meeting. "I don't want to hurt his friends, or his family." She said this last part with a nod to my parents, causing my mom to smile at her.

"Yet you still can't tell us you won't harm him? How can we believe you?" Jemima asked. Gwen was really frowning at her cards, suddenly she gasped as if she had an epiphany. Wonder what that longhaired woman whispered in her ear this time?

"I got it! I understand now!" She quickly stacked her cards back up and put them in the pocket of her skirt. Then she ran past us into the kitchen. She returned with three glasses and two bottles of my Mountain Dew.

"You be careful with those Gwen, I don't like people getting into my Dew." I cautioned. I am fiercely protective of my beverages, especially my Dew! She had my favorites, the original green and the slightly newer blue raspberry. She set two of the glasses down on the table on either end and set the third in the middle.

She handed Lucretia the bottle of blue Dew, and me the green and then turned her attention to the spectators. "This is why it's working!" she declared all excitedly. 

"Hildy, she is restrained and yet has freewill. Jemima, you're right, nothing was held back, this is what happened!" Gwen turned to Lucretia, "Go ahead and fill the glass half full." She turned to me and asked me to do the same thing.

When we were done Gwen picked up the glasses and spoke again, "Now, Gregory made his claim on Lucretia, he said she was "Mine", and in so doing he wanted all of her, total control." She poured Lucretia's glass into the empty one in the middle off the table and continued her monologue. "As we all know once something is taken there is a void. It must be filled, and Lucretia was now empty, everything was taken. Gregory could have left her like that, powerless and defenseless. For some reason he decided to give everything of himself as well." 

That surprised me. I didn't know that was going to take place. I just knew that inside my head Lucretia looked lost and I offered what I felt was right, was just. If I demanded all of her it was only fair I give all of myself. That's probably why it was so easy to get my aspects past the Door. Huh...yeah. I am so going to need a good therapist when this adventure is over.

While I was pondering Gwen surprised me and tried to take the Dew out of my hand and I tightened my grip! "Hey, don't just snatch my drink from my hand, warn a guy next time!" Gwen just grinned at me, and I allowed her to take the glass from my grip. 

"So Greg then gives all of himself to cement the binding." She poured my green Dew in with the other, filling the glass to the top. "Now we have a whole lot of material, and it needs to get put back or we have two empty husks walking around." Gwen tipped the glass and poured half of the mix into Lucretia's glass and half into mine. I was starting to get an idea of how serious this bond was, and why I have been starting to act differently than I normally do. Sure I have been apathetic at times, but I am also jovial and hard working, loyal and all that. I tend to try to do what is right by the dictates of my conscience. Lucretia though, is cold, calculating. She is prone to anger and violence. She is protective of what's hers, and full of rage and spite and...oh shit. Lucretia's eyes were wide as well watching me. I think she was getting it too.

Almost mechanically I raised my glass to my lips and as if she was my reflection in a mirror Lucretia did the same. We each drained our glasses and set them on the table, still staring at each other.

"So what exactly does this mean?" My mom asked into the silence as we were being watched.

"It means," Gwen continued. "It means that Gregory has done something no one has attempted before." 

She stared at me almost bordering on awe, and surprise and a little bit of fear. "I don't even know what to call it. She is an extension of him, and he is an extension of her. They still are who they are, but...I don't know." She turned to look at Hildy, "She won't attack us because Greg wouldn't want to because we are friends. That is the control Greg has. He has as much control over her as he has over himself."

I glanced down at the bite mark Lucretia left on my hand yesterday then looked back up at her. She snickered and I chuckled. Apparently I get into arguments with myself! I looked at the scar in my palm and rubbed it with my thumb and saw my succubus shiver. So, she's apart of me, at least the way I understand it is that our personalities have mixed somehow. We both gave of each other so much we averaged out in the end. I probably should feel scared or something, but now that I understand it, I don't feel so bad.

My dad was looking thoughtful as the party wound down. I wouldn't say the Gatewatch was particularly happy with the outcome of tonight's meeting, but we had come to an understanding. I had also gotten permission for Lucretia to go next door and visit Gwen and Jemima. Sure, I am a great guy to hang out with, but I am sure that Lucretia needs to be around others. After all, I know in my own head I am not the best example of what humans are, or how we act. Gwen was fascinated by this whole thing, and wanted to talk to Lucretia more. She also wanted to take her out with the girls since all women need girl time. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but I figured I would burn that bridge when I got there. 

Finally everyone was gone, and Lucretia was helping me with clean up. "Greg, can we talk now?" She asked me. I really didn't want to, so I gave myself an out. "Wait until the dishes are done, then we can talk."

"Why do we have to wait, we are alone?"

"Maybe I want to give you my undivided attention?" I said with a smile.

"I wish you would." Lucretia said so softly I almost missed it. I glanced at her and saw her blush. It was so cute. She was so pretty and she smelled so good. Like vanilla and dish soap with a hint of tangerine.

I hurriedly glanced back to the sink and said kind of sharply, "Change back to your true form Lucretia." She frowned at my tone of voice, but did as I requested.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"It's easy to forget what you are when you look like a human woman. I need the reminder of what you are." I answered.

"Why?" she asked, the edge of her wing brushing along my arm as I turned on the taps to do the dishes.

"Because it is a lie, when you are in human form. No matter how you look and sound, you are not a human. With you I always want the truth, even if it's uncomfortable."

She was quiet, contemplative. It seemed she was almost shrinking away from me. So I handed her a dishtowel.

"What's this for?"

"I need you to dry the dishes and put them away as I wash them." I said, handing her a rinsed cup.

We were silent for a time and I was enjoying the quiet. I found that I really did like her next to me, even in this form, I found her very attractive. Finally I thought to ask a question that had been nagging at me. 

"Why does your skin sparkle?"

"Sparkle?"

"You know, spots in it are shiny." I touched her arm where those little pieces of black glass seemed to be imbedded. 

"That's obsidian. I know it's from this Plane, for some reason it's in my skin, I don't know why."

"Does it hurt?" I asked. I know, sounds like a stupid question, but I just thought rocks in my skin would feel uncomfortable.

"No!" she said with a laugh. "It's my skin, so why would it hurt?"

Couldn't argue with logic like that. We finished the dishes and I took her hand in mine and led her upstairs to my room. It was night out, and the sky was clear so I opened the North window and climbed out onto the roof of my house. 

"I could have just flown up here you know." Lucretia muttered.

"True, but someone might have noticed. It's dark and no one looks up anyway so you re safe to stay the way you are." 

We sat down just a few feet down the ridgeline of the roof and I laid back, arms under my head. Lucretia watched me for a moment then did the same. I waited for her to speak, but she didn't say anything.

"Why is sex so important to you Lucretia?" I decided to get the ball rolling in this conversation.

Lucretia stayed quiet. I turned to look at her but she was just gazing at the stars. The streetlights blocked most of them in a soft orange glow, but you could still see some.

"I never really looked up at the sky much at home." She said softly. "Funny when you think I flew in it often enough, I should have taken more time to look at it." She turned her head to look off in the distance, toward the horizon. "That is where your sun sinks?"

"We call it sun sets, but yes."

She repeated the words and seemed to be thinking.

"Sex isn't important to me Gregory. Why do I need that when I can take what I want with a kiss? I wanted to know if you find me sexually attractive. I wanted to know if you would let me sleep in your bed."

I thought about it, "Why shouldn't I have thought you meant sex? Sure seemed like it they way you were phrasing it."

She rolled over on her side, one wing lying along her body like a blanket. "I like to know you think me attractive, I know you hate the word but I am going to say it. Succubae like to know their Master enjoys looking at them. As you humans say, "Plain and Simple" that's it. Even the old Master I had liked looking at me, though I suspect it was for different reasons. As for sleeping in your bed, I am lonely." 

I gave her a questioning look. She continued. "When I am home, with my family, we all sleep together huddled as a group. I miss it. I miss laying half on Mother and half off with Rulli's horns along my hip and Astar's feet tapping against mine. I have spent time out in the desert by myself, but when I am home..." Her voice dwindled off and she reached her hand out and laid it on my elbow. 

"When you're home you have the closeness with your family. This is your home and you have a room that's big, that's all yours, but you are lonely when you try to sleep." I saw the glint from her horns that let me know she had nodded.

I sighed, so it wasn't sex. It felt really good to know that, at the same time a small part of me was disappointed. That part of me doesn't get to vote on anything anymore so it was easy to make it shut up. Then a reckless thought occurred to me that made me grin.

"Lucretia, do you have to feed each time you kiss someone?" I asked.

"No."

"If I give you a kiss, do you promise not to feed on me?"

My question was met with silence. Then I felt her shift and come closer to me. Then a cool thin blanket covered my chest and hips. It moved slightly and felt like soft leather. I am guessing...wings?

"You do find me attractive then Master?" she said almost disbelievingly.

"I already told you I did...are you just fishing for compliments?" I asked. I let her calling me Master slide this time. I think I shocked her with my question so a slip of the tongue once in a while is okay.

I heard her giggle. "Many times people say one thing and do another. It's nice to hear it said and shown." 

I felt her nuzzle her nose into my cheek. "Tell me what you like about me Greg?"

"Why?"

"I would like to hear it." She said simply. 

"You ARE fishing for compliments! No shame, none at all."

"Yes...please?"

Oh she had to break out the big guns and say please! I rolled over so I was facing her and snuggled in closer.

"I like your horns..." I started

"Really? They are not too long?" she interrupted.

"Hey, I'm complimenting here. If you want to interrupt then I am going to stop talking." I growled jokingly. 

She giggled again and snuggled closer.

"I like your eyes. They have a nice almond shape to them that makes them expressive even though they are one solid color. I think your skin is spectacular, and I have wanted to count your obsidian spots for a while now, just to get an idea of how many you have."

I leaned back a bit and kissed her nose. "I like it that you obey me, but you are not a push over, you challenge me...but in a good way." She seemed confused.

"It's hard to explain, but you're not...you stand up for yourself. I think that's sexy as hell."

"Thank you..." she started to say.

"I'm not done yet. I like your wings, I know human women don't have them and that's fine, I couldn't imagine you without them...you would just look wrong. I even like your tail, I can watch it swish to know what kind of mood your in. Just so you know, hold your tail still playing poker, it's an obvious tell when it's twitching. You will never be able to bluff."

I raised my head to look down at her. "Now, my lovely Lucretia...may I give you a kiss?" I heard her choke for a second and I put my hand on the side of her face. "You alright?" I asked, concern in my voice.

It took her a moment to speak and then I realized that she seemed to be near tears! "Did I say something wrong, did I offend you? I'm sorry, was I not supposed to mention your tail? Is that like a succubus taboo or..." A clawed hand covered my mouth, and she raised her head so it was close to mine.

"No one has ever said...that was so nice...you stupid, wonderful...! Raah!" Then she yanked me down to her and kissed me!

She tasted of the cookies we had for the party, and her lips were cool against the almost burning heat of my own in comparison. My arms slithered around her shoulders and I held her tight to me. Her hands slid down from my neck to my waist where she pulled me even tighter against herself. I gently pulled her horns, tipping her head back and used the tip of my tongue to draw lazy circles on her throat. That seemed to drive her a little crazy as with a harsh growl she flipped me over onto my back and sat astride my hips. I got a good view of her with her wings spread, teeth bared in a fierce grin. The little lights of the city seemed to reflect off of all the shiny spots of stone in her flesh. She looked like a beautiful stone sculpture come to life.  




Mine...Yours Pt. 05



Just as Lucretia looked about ready to pounce on me I put a hand on her chest between her breasts stopping her. She whined, almost an avian croak the way it came out.

"Just kiss me, sweet Lucretia." I commanded softly. She took a deep breath, and slowly nodded. She fell forward catching her weight on her hands, now placed on either side of my head. I took her face in my fingers, looking up into eyes at once so alien to me, but for some reason they were becoming so precious. Our lips gently met, and I tasted the tip of her tongue, as it brushed my own. I felt her shudder above me a couple times as our kiss dragged on for a few minutes. Then she lay down on top of me, snuggling like I was a body pillow.

"Lucretia?" 

"Yes Greg?"

"Time for bed."

"Don't want to move."

"Come on." I chided.

"Stay here?" I thought about it, smiled. Why not? You only live once!

"How about you sleep in my bed, with me. I tend to get too hot at night and your nice and coooooOOHL!" I shouted as suddenly I was flying through the air in Lucretia's grasp! Her wings beat with heavy flaps as we shot through my open window and sprawled on the floor. A few tugs and I was lying on my mattress and a purring Lucretia was in my arms.

I started laughing, and she joined in with me. 

"Thank you Greg."

"Your welcome." I replied warmly. I could feel her lips just under my ear and her teeth grazed my skin every few breaths and it made me smile. It made me think of what was said at the meeting and I gave a quiet chuckle.

"What is it?" Lucretia asked.

"Just thinking of what the neighbors said."

"Which part?" she queried.

"The part where they were worried about whether or not you would kill me." I said. I gave the top of her baldhead a quick kiss. "They seemed upset that you seemed undecided."

Lucretia was silent for a moment, and then her hand pulled my head down so we were face to face.

"Know this Greg..." She sounded so serious that all humor left me. "...I will never, ever kill you...unless you want me to." Her eyes started to glisten again and she gave me one last quick kiss before burrowing her face in my neck and tangling her legs with mine. Judging by her deep breathing she had fallen right to sleep. It took me a while before I could do the same.

To be continued...



Mine...Yours Pt. 06



Author's Note: I especially want to thank End of Story, he is overworked and underpaid to do the job for me he does. Especially since I don't pay him anything. Any spelling mistakes are mine, and if those mistakes are found in dialogue...I probably did it on purpose. So there! Please, read, and enjoy. Please leave comments as well. I have grown to love reading them! I do ask that you do not include "spoilers" in the comments. Let new readers enjoy the surprises.

Chapter 18: Dreaming

I knew it was a dream...I knew it beyond the shadow of a doubt. How did I know? Simple, I was in a jail cell. I knew that I would die before I was ever put in a jail cell ever again. Therefore, I knew this had to be a dream. To be at the tender mercies of those who hate you, to eat, sleep and wash only by the tolerance of enemies? Never going back to that again. As someone labeled a sex offender, being in jail is a constant battle of both the body and mind. You are alone, with every hand raised against you. Either people are indifferent since they are just doing their own time, or they try to find ways to fuck with you. I mean that both literally and figuratively. As an SO you can fully expect that when other inmates finish using the mop bucket, to get the dirty water tossed under your door to flood your cell. I'm pretty sure at least one of them took a piss in it before they did it.

As an SO, if you are ever put in jail, I highly recommend you get the vegan meal. Plead that it is against your religion, or whatever to get it. It is made separately from the others since no animals can be harmed in the making of it, at least that is how I understand it. Most of the inmates know which meals are going to sex offenders and will either spit, shit or piss in your food. The vegan ones have a better chance of being left alone. As a fresh-faced kid going in, I was scared. Never been to jail before, still confused as hell as to why I was there. Last I heard, my girlfriend/fiancé was accusing me of rape. I found that out when I was being processed and still in handcuffs so, not much I could do. Oh sure...much later I was accused of a lesser charge. But for the time being...I was a rapist. 

While my mind was reeling like a hyperactive hamster from these accusations I was thrust into a whole different world. One of pain as I was strip-searched having to bend over and cough with a cold finger shoved up my asshole. One of pressure, as I was held against a wall by a Nazi jail crew and given a hard welcome. I was told to be good or I would be given another, "self-inflicted-injury." Found out that SO's commonly "injure themselves", so it was their obligation to be watching me. 

As I said, I would never go back to jail alive. That's how I knew this was a dream.

I glanced around my cell, concrete slab with a thin mattress with even thinner pillow covered in cracked and worn vinyl-like material. Two thread bare sheets and one nasty green blanket, was probably donated from a third hand store. Based on the scratchiness of the wool and the amount of holes in it I'd say the blanket was a reject from the ones sent to soldiers in World War One. I did a quick check to make sure all the items in my room were off the floor, another check to make sure I had a roll of toilet paper that wasn't wet or crinkled. If it was nasty like, it meant that someone wetted it down before it came to me so that it would be useless. Or maybe they pissed on it. A lot of the "jokes" inmates play on SO's seem to involve urine for some reason.

Once I saw my floor was clear I stood up from where I had been sleeping a moment ago and did the old trick that many inmates who suffered from claustrophobia do. I stretched out my arms to touch the walls and carefully moved to the center of the room so I couldn't feel them. Then closed my eyes and allowed my thoughts to take me away. The dim lights that are always on making it impossible to sleep without a head box faded to the background. The noises of the other inmates slowly drained from my ears and thoughts. The claustrophobia welling in my chest began to release its hold. Soon I would be out in the sun, walking barefoot in my family's field talking with my dad. Or maybe I would remember washing dishes with my mom as a boy. I would soon force my mind into a meditative peace and comfort that I could and would maintain for hours at a time.

I heard the chunk of the door to my cell disengage a second before cold dirty water flooded under the door!

I snarled as the cold hit my feet and sure enough, I caught sight of a man in uniform pass his badge to a partner before he charged in right at me! My bare foot slammed into the middle of his chest and sent him staggering back to his buddies behind him. 

I remembered this. Day three, after being processed in general population I had then been moved to a more secure pod in jail. This is the welcoming committee. I knew the dream would end the same way, even though my mind was sharper now, and I was willing to fight, unlike the first time. The guard was moved to the side and two more came in. I ducked the first swing and got tackled by the second guard. I dug my first two fingers in his eyes, after hooking the fingertips I pulled hard! His scream was in that high-pitched range that men try to avoid since it shows no self-restraint at all. The other tried to kick me while I was down, so stupid. I could see the kick coming and moved my head and shoulders so it just missed, then grabbed the kicking leg as it came back. A quick roll and I should have been able to drop him to the ground while his friend tried to see again. 

No luck. 

Small cell remember? He caught his balance on the wall, and kicked me in the face with his other boot. It stunned me for long enough for all three to grab my dazed body and haul me to my feet. That's when the fourth man came in. I don't remember his name, or his face...I will never forget the sound of his voice. He sounded so happy to me, as he vented his anger on my chest, ribs, hips, even bending me over to start beating my ass with that damn asp of his. An asp is a collapsible baton if you want to know. Applicable name too. He beat me over and over until I stopped resisting, then he beat me more to see if I had any fight left. 

I know that at some point now I am supposed to wake up, usually that's what happens. I wake up in twisted soaked sheets, my body shaking and taking deep sobbing breaths. Then I go take either a cool shower, or just soak my head. Then I stretch for a while and try to get some sleep.

Usually. Not this time.

I kept getting battered, and they weren't stopping. Finally they dropped me on the ground and start stomping on me! This isn't right, guards can't leave much of a mark or it doesn't look like a self-inflicted injury? What's going on...? Oh God! They're going to kill me! They are going to beat me to death! I'm going to die! I'm going to die in this shitty smelling cell soaked in urine laced mop water; to two mouth breathing inbred guards who probably fuck their grandmothers since they can't find any pussy of their own? 

"NO!" I didn't say it. Someone else did. 

I caught the next stomping foot and pulled hard. The pain of getting my other hand stomped on since it wasn't protected in my fetal position? I ignored it. That pain is the cost of doing business when your life is on the line. You tend to forget about that kind of thing when you want to survive. The guard fell on his back, and I hit him as hard as I could with a knife hand in the center of his throat. I heard a popping sound and he began to gag and twitch on the floor!

"YES!" Said a soft voice in my ear.

The two other guards, still standing, stared at their buddy on the ground in shock. It was only for half of a moment, but it was enough time for me to strike hard and fast after getting quickly to my feet. I struck with my fingertips, palm up, and right after contact with the throat I would curve my fingers a little as if beckoning someone. They both collapsed, one gagging, one choking with a rattle to his breathing. That unknown face of the fourth guard, the last one standing, suddenly became clear to me. He smiled, and his face looked full of pride. Then bandages of what appeared to be white linen wrapped around his entire frame, even down to his hands! Just before the lower half of his face was covered I heard him speak.

"You are PATHETIC!"

Then my Door slammed shut just inches in front of my face. The wheel spun pushing the security bolts in their slots. The chain, perfect and unbroken appeared in the wheel housing. Everything was firm and tight. I was still breathing hard, and took several steps back from the Door. While walking away, I saw...words? No...pictures? I guess symbols would be the best way to describe them, etched in the floor of my mind. They were large, at least two paces across, maybe half a pace high. I couldn't make heads or tails of them. Looked almost cuneiform. Or Runic...like what the old people used way back in the day. Just a whole bunch of cut lines in the cement. Decided to open up my Sight and take a look.

It was absolutely beautiful! Just three words, written as if guiding me back towards my Door. You can tell a lot about a person by how they write. I figured it was bullshit too, like reading a horoscope or something in that vein. My hand writing looks like a chicken with a limp stepped in a puddle of ink and cleaned its feet off with some paper. Then I had a professional look at my handwriting to do an analysis. Scarily accurate, back to what I was seeing though. Laid out like one of those Japanese Haiku poem thingies, I followed the words and remembered them. They were what Mother had spoken to me, which seemed to resonate in my chest.

First word, "Become." 

I stepped over it, almost felt sacrilegious to step on it. I thought maybe I'd feel something cool walking over it, like I would have gained something by crossing a beautifully presented word that was carved in the bedrock of my mind's eye. I felt disappointed, I didn't feel any different; truthfully I was relieved. I've had enough with mucking about in my head for a while. 

Came to the second word, "Learn." Same thing stepped over it and felt zilch, zero, nada! 

Third, "Grow." 

Just the same thing, rinse and repeat. I felt like I was missing something, probably wasn't. Just my head playing tricks on me again. Funny that I would think of my head playing tricks on me...when I am currently inside of it!

I was right back at my Door. I remembered my other aspects telling me that someone was still inside. I remembered their grubby faces, like they had been covered in soot or something. I also remembered the blue glow that was shining in there. Suddenly my slow turtle brain made the connection. That power that I seem to have, it covered my hand in that blue light when I picked up Gwen's cards! It was the same color as the light behind the door! I began to reach for the chain on the Door. Whatever questions I about my supposed power lay behind it. Suddenly bandages shot out between the seams and cracks of the barrier and wrapped around me, holding me tight.

"I am so DISAPPOINTED in you!" a voice crumbled. Yep, crumbled. Best way I know how to describe it. It sounded like a dry loaf of bread being crumbled into bird food. There was only one slot in the door, where before there had been two. It opened and I could see pale yellow eyes peering out at me. 

In my current state, of immobility, I did the only thing I could think of.

"Good morning!" I said cheerily. The eyes narrowed.

"Fuck you and your morning!" It spat at me. I could see the pinprick pupils widen, and then narrow as it focused on me more intently.

I did a mental shrug and then said, "I guess you are not exactly the personable side of my personality?"

It chuckled, though I heard no trace of humor in its voice. 

"Good, you show humor even when you are vulnerable. You still have some spirit in you after all. I was beginning to worry!" It said. 

Slowly the bandages let me go, and I walked closer to the slot.

"So who are you?" I asked. The eyes widened and I could see that they were all shot through with red, like the damaged eye in those Visine eye drops commercials. It turned its head so it could look at me sidelong through the opening. I could see the long strips of bandages wound all the way around its entire head, covering the ears and everything. Only leaving the mouth and eyes open to my view. 

"You don't remember me?" it asked quietly. It shook its head and muttered so softly I could barely hear it. "Pitiful, and sad. Locked away for so long you don't even recognize me, or remember my name. Such a waste, for no one knows me better than you." The longing in its voice pulled at me, it seemed to sense this and bared flat teeth at me in a terrible parody of a grin.

"So, you want me out now?" Now it seemed amused. 

"Don't know, I don't know what you are."

"Whose fault is that?"

"Mine obviously, or ours...depending on your view I guess." I said while glancing away. Looking back its eyes were right back at the hole staring directly at me.

"I was hurt and you did not help me. I was wounded and you locked me away. I was hungry and thirsty and you fed me nothing but pain. I tried to talk to you, to let you know how I was doing, but each time you thought of me you just pushed me away and pressed me in here harder! Now, you tell me! Who the FUCK am I?" It screamed. I had started stepping back from the slot and nearly fell over at the force of its voice. The blue light seeped out of the gaps, and the bandages flowed with it. I firmed up my own emotions and walked back to face it again.

"I don't know. I'm sorry, but I really don't." I said simply. It snorted, sounding like silk tearing.

"Then I have nothing more to say to you." It turned and began to move towards the blue light and I called out. "Hey! I need to know something..." 

It kept walking but that voice called out to me. "Even if I explained anything to you...you wouldn't understand it because you still don't even know what you need to ask." Then it stopped, and seemed to consider. I blinked my eyelids for only a moment and when they opened it was back just inches from me. I wanted to step back again, but didn't. I did almost, kinda sorta, pee my pants though!

It grinned. "You stood your ground. Good."

"I tell you this only so that you can survive. For if you die, I am lost." It appeared to ponder for moment, picking its words carefully. 

"All hands are against you. There is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide, and you are alone. What do you do?" it said finally. Not what I was expecting, I was hoping for words of wisdom or at least something informational. This had been a question I had thought on many a time, the answer was automatic and easy.

"Simple, you always have a place to run or hide. In a fight you are always on the move, so your options are always changing."

"WRONG!" 

Its voice thundered with the will of a god and the wrappings tied me up again, but now they were beginning to slowly squeeze the air out of me! 

"Foolish! Weak! Wretched!" It growled out. The Door was shaking and a tone was sounding somewhere. I could hear voices as well as feel the caress of blue light over my body.

"When you have nowhere to run, and no place to hide and every hand is against you, you KILL! You go FORWARD! You ATTACK! No retreat! You must break them, bleed them, burn them and blind them! You destroy! No quarter was given you so none shall be given in turn! THAT is why you are WEAK!"

I was trying to breathe. I mean...this is my head...I make the rules, don't I?

"This is why I don't let you have this Power. When you locked me away you locked it up as well! You are not worthy of this birthright. Take your weak gifts and leave this place! I will help you, but only so that I may live. Don't expect more than that!"

I couldn't breathe! My heart was trembling, and the pain was indescribable! I was going to...going...

Just before my eyes closed, I saw the last word that Mother spoke to me emblazoned on the top of the Door. In fiery white letters, plain as day it read, 

"Surpass."

Chapter 19: Awakening.

"Gaaah!" 

I gasped. Throwing my arms wide and thrashing out of my wound up sheets. I tried to stand only to stumble and land on my back on the floor of my room. I could feel heat coming off of me in waves, and sweat trickling down my face, through my short hair and down my arms. I closed my eyes and then slowly opened them, focusing on the ceiling as I tried to control my breathing. I felt a drop of something thicker than water at the same time as I heard a feminine sniff. I saw a dark shape that looked like a...cocoon? Chrysalis? Something like that. It was hanging right above me. My muddled brain woke up and I saw Lucretia hanging upside down from the center ridge of my ceiling. She was directly above me, wings wrapped tight around her torso and I saw her wipe her nose on her arm. It left a black streak behind. I looked down at the center of my chest and saw a big dollop of black there too. What the...?"

"Lucretia, are you alright?" I asked, my voice coming out almost as a wheeze. I coughed and cleared my throat. She didn't answer right away. "Lucretia...?" Her voice came out small.

"You wouldn't wake up." She sniffed again and swiped her forearm over her face again. "You were talking in your sleep, and then you started..." her voice trailed off. I wanted to press her, but she sounded pretty shaken.

"Did I hit you, while I was asleep?" In the dark of my room I just barely saw her nod. I started to rise, but then fell down again. My legs felt like they were made out of stacked rubber bouncy balls! 

"Okay, I'm going to lay here for a bit." I muttered. I looked up at my friend again. "How bad did I hit you?"

"Broke my nose... actually, my nose, chin and cheek. Lost a couple of teeth, should be alright soon." 

I scrubbed my hands over my face. I had done that? 

"Bad dreams Greg?" she asked. I looked up at her again and saw her licking the black blood off of her arm while she watched me, carefully. I nodded up at her. 

"Astar gets them sometimes. Rulli says that's because Astar spends all of her time reading so her head is full of things to give her bad dreams." 

I chuckled, "Sounds like something a sister would say." I could see Lucretia grin a little. I raised my arms up.

"Come here, please." I asked.

Gracefully, Lucretia let go of the ceiling with her feet doing a forward tuck and roll. Her wings opened and slowed her fall before she landed on all fours right next to me. She looked a little anxious as she checked my eyes, for what I don't know. She seemed to relax then bent her head to lick the spot of blood off my chest. It tickled, and made me laugh quietly as I folded my arms around her to hold her close.

"I'm sorry I hit you." I murmured into her pointed ear.

"You didn't mean it."

"True. Still I am sorry I hurt you. Even if it was an accident it was my responsibility."

"But you didn't do it on purpose?"

I pulled my head back to look at her, "Guess I am going to have to explain it then. Remember the rat?"

"The kitchen thief?"

"Yes, that one. The sneaky kitchen rat thief!"

"The one who now lives under the shed in the... backyard?" I nodded.

"Now if I was walking around in the backyard doing some work, and Mrs. Rat..."

"She is not married..."

"Excuse me?" I said, jolted from what I was going to say by the interruption.

"Ms. Rat...she is not married. You called your mom Mrs. Brooks because she is married."

"Oh...I see, well...Ms. Rat if she was walking around in the yard, and let's say I sneezed and didn't look where I was going because I was distracted and stepped on her."




Mine...Yours Pt. 06



"Then she would die." Lucretia said with a small nod. I shook my head.

"You know, you are kind of a grim roommate to have. Things are always death, dying and such. We need to get you started on Disney movies or something!" 

"What's a Disney movie?" Lucretia asked.

"Something for another time. We are talking about accidently stepping on Mrs., I mean Ms. Rat." 

I took a deep breath causing Lucretia to rise and fall on my chest as my lungs expanded then deflated. It made her giggle.

Gosh she sure was cute! In a razor-toothsome kind of way.

"So Ms. Rat is hurt...whose fault is it? Who takes responsibility?" I continued. Lucretia seemed to think it over and then...

"No one's at fault." I nodded and then waited expectantly. She saw I was waiting for something else, then shrugged. 

"You are right, no one's at fault...what about responsibility?" 

"I don't understand."

"An accident means no one's at fault but..." I reached out and lightly rubbed my thumb around the base of her horns and she leaned into my hand with equal pressure. "...since it was my foot that harmed her, I bear the responsibility of helping her."

"What would you have to do, Master?" Lucretia asked sleepily. I almost got mad at her for using that title then saw her face. My rubbing of her head seemed to be lulling her to sleep! I just grinned and kept rubbing letting her comment slide.

"I would first tell her I was sorry and then do my best to help heal her. I would take care of her responsibilities that she could no longer do...within reason of course. Like feeding her family if she had any, that sort of thing."

"I see...I...ooh." Lucretia said, right before she passed out. I could hear her soft breathing as she finally succumbed to my soft touches. I gave her a minute or two to make sure she was soundly asleep, then moved her over to my bed and gently laid my blanket over her. I can't imagine what that must have been like for her, waking up to me swinging around and all. I still felt really bad for that. I quietly went down stairs, and took a quick birdbath rinse in the kitchen sink. I saw the sun wasn't up yet, but there was no way I could sleep right now. 

My legs were feeling better, still a little wobbly but not useless. I went out to my back porch, took out a can of wintergreen chew and put in a dip, spitting over the side into the grass. I sat down on the steps leading to the backyard and laid back on the wood deck of the porch, looking up at the sky. Then I allowed myself to think about it. The dream, or whatever the hell that was. Some people would call it a "vision" or some such. I choose to call it a dream. Whatever it was, my other aspects had been trapped with it down there for a while, and that mysterious power I had was in there as well. 

"What was that thing?" I said aloud. 

I heard a light squeak by my head.

I almost...almost slapped my hand down hard in the direction of the noise! As it was I turned to see Mrs....I mean, uh...Ms. Rat looking at me. 

Now rats aren't all that big, I've seen them as pets before. To have one easily within arms reach, and looking right at my face? Kind of, not scary, but definitely disconcerting.

"Are you...?" I heard amongst a soft squeak. I blinked, and the rat shuffled a little closer. Its beady eyes were watching me closely, as if it were unsure of something. Its whiskers were twitching and finally it stood up on its hind legs looking down at my face. I just realized...this is a big rat! It was comparable in size to my forearm!

"Are you well?" I heard this time with no squeak. It was a soft voice more suited for a nanny. Not the twenty-year old babysitter, but the older nanny type. The one that takes your kids to school, cooks a balanced nutritional meal, washes them and puts them to bed with a short story like Aesop's fables. 

"I...uh...probably not." I responded slowly.

Ms. Rat put her little paw on my forehead.

"You don't..." The last part of what she said dissipated into squeaks and she sounded just like a rat again. I pulled my head away and sat up. She almost recoiled from me, but stood her ground. 

"Let's get something straight here..." I began, only to be cut off by a flurry of squeaks and chirps and then she rolled over on her back! Good going Greg, you are such a bad ass, you are an absolute terror to every rodent you meet! Without thinking too much about it I picked up Ms. Rat and cradled her in my arms. I gently stroked her fur and I felt the tremors die away. Every now and again I would hear a soft squeak and then I felt her nestle her nose into the crook of my elbow. I continued to stroke her and began to talk.

"Funny, Ms. Rat, I could have sworn I heard you speak. Not sure if you can understand what I am saying, but...yeah. I have had a tough couple of days and am not really at my best. Actually, in a way...I kind of feel like I am at my best! This past week, my life has been shaken and pulled in so many different directions I don't know which way to turn. I got a werewolf, a vampire and a witch as neighbors. I got a succubus as a roommate, and now I have a talking rat living in my back yard. My life, well...my head is kinda full right now."

I looked down at the rodent, and I could see her eyes were closed, and I was feeling kind of peaceful in a way, holding this animal. Weird that she relaxed like that, I know I couldn't have done it if I was being held by something that was so much bigger than me. I felt a little tenderness in my belly for the critter. That's when I heard it, the soft squeaks changed.

"It's indecent! I shouldn't be doing this, but it's been so long since someone held me, and petted me! He smells so nice and he's so warm. I'll just pretend I am his, for a little while..." That nice voice began to fade and soon she was still.

I must be going crazy! I heard it! Distinct as day! This rat just TALKED! I sighed and gently rubbed her fur at the base of her neck.

"No can do, I heard you. We don't have to talk about it now, but we will later." I said softly. One of her ears twitched, and the rat turned its head to peer up at me with one button eye. "You don't have to say anything now...but if this is a trick someone's playing on me heads are going to roll, understood?" The rat squeaked once, and turned its head into the crook of my arm. It was shortly after that I fell asleep.

I awoke to a snarl and a rat cowering in my arms! Lucretia was in full battle mode towering over us both!

"Thief! Now you try to steal MY master?" she barked. One long fingered hand reached for the rat who was squeaking frantically, and I crossed my arms over the animal so Lucretia couldn't reach it without hurting me.

"Hang on! Hold it!" I yelled, turning my body from side to side as Lucretia tried to grab my arms.

"Greg...that creature is trying to lure you into becoming its Master!" She declared, finally getting a grip on Ms. Rat's tail and trying to pull her out of my arms. I quickly snatched the poor rat in my left hand and gripped Lucretia's wrist with my right.

I finally had some breathing room and said, "Nothing happened! Ms. Rat came up to me to see how I was doing, I thought I heard her speak; actually I did hear her speak. Then I picked her up and held her because she looked, I don't know...Just stop and let's talk this out okay?"

Why did I feel like my girlfriend caught me hugging another woman she didn't like?

Lucretia held still. Then stared hard at the rat, and slowly let go of her tail. I moved Ms. Rat back to the crook of my arm and I stood there, waiting on Lucretia to make the next move. Strangely, Ms. Rat was the one who started talking.

"I didn't mean it, Lady. I saw him lying on his porch and became concerned. People don't normally do that. I came up and asked him if he was well, and then tried to check his temperature. Then he sat up, and I don't think he understood me..." If a rat could blush, Ms. Rat sure looked like she wanted to. Lucretia gave her no slack. My succubus bent closer to Ms. Rat and said in a low voice, "And then...?"

With a nervous twitch of her whiskers Ms. Rat said quaveringly, "He picked me up, and began to stroke...my fur. He was petting me!" She scrubbed her little paws over her face. "It has been years since anyone held me. I didn't think there would be any harm to just imagine that I had a wizard again. I know he is yours, but I just wanted..."

"Excuse me..." I interrupted then used both hands to hold the rat up to my face. "Did you just say you wished to have a wizard again?"

"Yes milord." Came the reply.

"Call me milord again, and I will feed you to a python! My name is Gregory, Greg to my friends. You can call me Gregory, because now I feel like an idiot for trusting a talking rat." I paused. 

Well, there is a sentence I never thought I would say in my life.

"Yes, Gregory!" Ms. Rat squeaked in fright. There I go again, scaring poor defenseless creatures!

"So what's this about a wizard? And years? Rats only live like two or three years." I asked.

"I once was a wizard's familiar. I was bound to him. With all the magic we cast together I came to have a long life, with long lives comes knowledge." Ms. Rat responded.

I thought about it, made sense in a fashion. I know from reading fantasy novels and such it...but this isn't fantasy. I am holding in my hands a talking rat! I glanced at Lucretia who seemed rather contemplative. Well, I had a make out session with one figment of myth last night, so a talking rat shouldn't be too hard to swallow. Which made me think of the python reference I made earlier. I'm a jerk!

"I apologize for threatening you with, well...feeding you to a python. That was rude of me and I shouldn't have said that. Forgive me?" Lucretia stared at me in surprise, so did Ms. Rat. Though I am not very good at telling anything from a rat's facial expressions.

"Nothing to forgive mil...Gregory." Ms. Rat said faintly.

"So where is your wizard?" I asked. I did a quick check around the yard with my Sight, but didn't see anyone in robes and a pointy hat waiting to ambush me.

"He cast me out. He wanted a new familiar, one that was more "socially acceptable" so he sent me away after he successfully gained a new companion." Her ears drooped; it was like watching one of those 3D animated movies. She was so cute doing that! "For fifteen years I served him faithfully, then that cat came into the house and I was gone!" Ms. Rat said fiercely. I blinked.

"He got a cat?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes, an evil tiger-striped cat! Threatened to have me eaten if I didn't leave! I was out and in the street and didn't know where to go. I was smarter than the other rats but they were all horrid! I had no one to turn to and until I was in your house and your friend grabbed me I didn't have a place to live!"

I then found out that a rat could cry and it was heart breaking!

"Then I saw you had a succubus, I thought you must have magic, maybe I could talk to you. Then this morning you held me, and it felt so good to be touched again, I missed it so! I know it was wrong, but I just wanted to dream a little! To believe I was wanted again!"

Oh stars and little fishes...I was going to cry! I looked over at Lucretia whose eyes were on Ms. Rat, she was doing her blank face routine, but I could feel it in her scar where her fists were clenched. For some reason this story struck a nerve with her. A really big, deep nerve! 

"What is your name?" I asked softly while smoothing back Ms. Rat's whiskers.

"Nancy." Nancy replied. I tried not to laugh. Nancy did not seem like a rat name at all! Then again, what would be a good name for a talking rat? All the usual ones didn't seem to work. Crackers? Peanut? An old high school buddy had a rat named Wilfred, but he was a weird dude. Nancy is as good a name as any other. Actually the more I looked at her, the more like a Nancy she looked.

I glanced back at Lucretia and her fingers were laced together, and she had put on her human form. Probably because we were in our backyard, and it was close to the middle of the day, hard to explain her appearance with Halloween come and gone with Thanksgiving on the way. She stared hard at Nancy who turned in my arms to return Lucretia's stare, but her eyes were much softer.

"Thank you for being civil..." Nancy said, "...I would never come between a familiar and their Master." Lucretia nodded, but her lips were still in a firm line. I thought of the lesson of responsibility I tried to explain to Lucretia up in my room. I had an idea!

"Well. Lucretia, Nancy. Let's get something to eat." With that, I turned and walked towards the backdoor of the house, Nancy still in my arms.

"Greg!" Lucretia shouted. I looked over my shoulder. 

"Yes?"

"Nancy stays outside in her shed!"

"Did you nearly kill her?"

"Well...I wanted to..." She replied.

"You had a misunderstanding with her?" I asked pointedly.

"I...yes. But she wasn't hurt and she's fine!"

"True, but you almost killed her and scared her half to death." 

I began to subtly move my arms to make Nancy shake. She seemed to get what I was doing and started trembling on her own.

"Look at her..." I chided Lucretia. "She is still shaking, least you can do is give her a good meal?"

My succubus started to open her mouth with an angry retort, and stopped. She appeared to mull it over and with a grimace nodded her head in assent. 

"Fine, we will feed the thief, then she goes back out to the shed!"

I heard Lucretia muttering to herself in another language as she stalked past me into the house. Nancy chittered happily then looked up into my face. "You are a good teacher Gregory!" I shrugged, almost making the rat lose balance. 

"I try."

Chapter 20: Royalty

Lucretia was making toasted cheese on Dave's Killer Bread. Yes that is the name of the brand of bread; it's real, it's in Oregon, and it is tasty. I grabbed a towel and set it on one side of the table for Nancy to sit on and started cooking up a quick skillet for myself to share with Lucretia. I watched her from the corner of my eye, she had her arms crossed and was staring at the toaster. It was like she was purposefully avoiding looking at anyone else. 

I cut up some potatoes and ham, cracked a couple eggs into the mess and set the skillet on low heat. Lucretia still hadn't said anything or tried to get close to me. 

I freely admit I am clueless about women, but I know enough to tell when they are upset. I stepped closer so I was standing next to my succubus, and gently bumped my arm against hers. She ignored me...but I saw her ears twitch. Ah HA! If she was in her human form, her lower lip might even be sticking out in a pout. I looked over my shoulder at the table and saw Nancy fastidiously cleaning her whiskers and face. 

I guess rat's care about being well groomed as much as the next...uh...person?

"Thank you." I said quietly to Lucretia. She was still staring at the toaster oven.

"For what Greg?" She answered without looking at me.

I put my hand on her shoulder and leaned in a little closer.

"For taking responsibility for your actions. Sure, you had a misunderstanding and nearly hurt someone. You are trying to make up for it, and now you might have made a new friend. I am proud of you." I said that last sentence almost as an afterthought, but my gut was telling me it was important I let her know that. In all honesty, I was proud of her. I knew she was vicious, possessive and calculating. Yet she was trying to follow my guidance. The Lucretia at the Halloween party would NEVER have thought about, let alone make a piece of cheese toast for a talking rat.

Its statements like that one, that let me know how strange my life is really becoming!

It must have been the right thing to say to her because her arm went around my waist and she leaned on my side, her horns rubbing against my shoulder. "I want you to be proud of me, Master."

"Greg." I reminded her. She was starting to slip, needed to stop that before it became too much of a habit. She sighed and then looked up into my eyes, a faint smile on her lips.

"Know what I just realized Greg?"

"What's that?"

"Doesn't matter what I call you. Greg...Master...any of it. You are what you are to me, what I call you doesn't change that." Then she rubbed her horns on my shoulder again. The toaster finished and she served the food on a small plate for Nancy at the table. I watched her and thought about what she said. I knew there was something important there for me to come to grips with, but it eluded me for the time being. Oh well. If it's important, it will come to me.

I stirred the skillet a couple of times, then sat down to eat, putting half of the mix on Lucretia's plate for her to enjoy. Though, enjoy, might be too strong of a word. I am an okay cook, more of a survivalist cook to tell the truth. I can sear meat, and burn potatoes and such, flavor I am not all that good at. I can bake like a superhero though! My cookies are proof of that. Lucretia used both her knife and fork this time, and with a few gestures and watching me, she mimicked my movements. Though I know deep down inside she wanted to use her hands. Maybe I will take her sometime to that one Indian restaurant where you sit on cushions and use your hands to eat food? Have to remember that.

"Nancy?"

"Yes?" said the rat, looking up from her meal. I never knew rats could eat so much. That piece of cheese toast looked like it was half as big as she was.

"I can't have you living in my shed anymore. I'm sorry."

I watched Nancy slowly stop chewing, then make a deep gulp to swallow. I went over and got a small bowl, which I filled with milk from the fridge. I set it down so she could have something to drink. She lapped up some and did a quick dry wash of her face with her paws. She sighed softly. It was strange to hear an animal sound so human.

"I thank you for your generosity to me. May I ask what is to become of me?" she said formally.

"Obviously, a thinking and reasoning being such as yourself cannot live in a shed. So we must find a home for you."

Lucretia did not appear to be very happy with the direction this conversation was going, I felt her foot grab mine, and it almost made me jump out of my seat! I hadn't spent too much time thinking about it before, but she has bird-like feet! It was the oddest sensation to feel her toes wrap around my ankle, with the cold hardness of her claws almost pricking my skin. I reached over to pat her hand in, I hoped, a reassuring way. 

Nancy saw this exchange and must have come to her own conclusions.

"You have been generous with me, Greg. If you are to offer me a place in your home I cannot accept it. You have a familiar, though the connection is very odd between you two. I know what it is like to get pushed out when someone new comes along and I don't want to have that on my conscience." This last part was said with a little nod of her head to Lucretia.

"I wasn't thinking of you staying here." I told Nancy. "I wanted to find you a home...how do you feel about witches?"

She shook her head. "I was a wizard's familiar, so I am too different. It is like asking an apple to become an orange. The process...well, I don't know how familiar you are with the ritual to acquire a familiar but it is different based on the Master. A mage, and a wizard would bind a familiar along different paths." 

I scratched my head, "You know, you are the third person to call me a mage. How can you tell? Do you smell it, do I need a different type of aftershave or something to cover it up?"

Nancy giggled. Man it was weird to see a rat giggle! "No Greg, I can just feel it, like a vibration in the ground. If I had to guess I would say you're telekinetic." 

I shook my head and rubbed the back of my neck. "I am not seeing any signs of that." Nancy looked puzzled and scampered across the table to get a closer look at me. I felt Lucretia's foot tighten on my ankle and it made me hiss a bit in discomfort. I glared at her and she meaningfully looked at the rat. I gave her my best, "Trust me" look and she slowly let go of my ankle.




Mine...Yours Pt. 06



Nancy ignored all this and stood on her hind legs to regard me solemnly. "You have had no odd experiences? Things moving that shouldn't have moved, suddenly catching something you dropped when you should have missed it. Or having strength to lift or move something that was impo...." She stopped talking as my gaze sharpened and pinned her where she stood. 

"Go on, finish that last sentence..." I encouraged her. She coughed, delicately into a paw and then repeated herself. "Having strength to lift or move something that was impossible to move?"

"That's the one." I said quietly. I looked over at Lucretia who nodded her head.

"Greg, you threw me fast, and hard when we first met, a human should not have been able to do that. Just last night when you struck me in your sleep, the damage you did should not have been possible unless you hit me with a war club." I was wondering what a war club was while she gently ran her fingers over her cheek and nose.

"Still hurt?" I asked. I hated that I hurt her. She shook her head.

"No, just don't have the energy reserves to heal it instantly."

"Wait, energy reserves?" I asked.

"Yes, what did you think we did with the energy we take from humans?" she asked in surprise.

I hadn't really thought about it. I thought it was like food to them. You know, like you go into Jamba Juice and order a smoothie. I would go and get the orange juice with protein powder, banana, yogurt and so forth. A succubus would order a 25 year-old male with red hair and blue eyes. We both drink and are satisfied. Apparently it was more than just food.

"So what do you do with it then? The, energy I mean." I asked. She looked at me like I was asking which was up as compared to down.

"I use it to power my magic, aid in healing, cross to other Planes, that sort of thing...as you like to say."

"I thought only lords and such could cross the Veil into other Planes...?" I began, but my voice trailed off as I saw her smile. It was positively predatory!

"That is correct."

Okay...uhmmm...something seemed wrong with this somehow.

"Then why did you need to be summoned, and why did Mother have to bring you over with her?"

"She didn't have to. Being a lord or lady of our Plane just means you can hold a certain amount of power. Mother can hold the most energy, which means she can do more with it. She can cross freely between the boundaries all she wants. When you hold enough in you, you don't need to use it to make a hole in the Veil, you can just slide through the cracks."

She looked off to the side, seeming embarrassed. 

"After my last Master, I didn't want to be summoned anymore. So I had no energy to use. I still had my magic, but to have a pool of energy to draw from increases its strength. Since I wasn't being summoned I had no way to fill that well inside of me."

I thought that over, "So you were basically stuck?" She nodded.

"That is one of the reasons I was so upset with you when you interrupted that gathering on...Halloween?"

I nodded that she got the word right and she continued.

"There were a little over 30 beings there, beings I could have drained. I would have been filled up almost to the maximum of my ability to hold." 

She smiled and gently rubbed her stomach.

"The smell of them all was delicious! It isn't food for us...but in a way it is at the same time. It's a pleasant sensation to feed like that. No that is too small of a word. It is an exciting, stimulating sensation to feed like that!"

Her dark eyes were bright and her wings shivered a little. I gulped nervously, and then discarded that feeling. This is Lucretia! I can't be nervous around her! She is my friend. But I still had to know...

"So, when you touched me you said I would taste delicious...?" I asked hesitantly. She looked embarrassed and wouldn't meet my eyes.

"Yes..." She wouldn't say anymore.

"Lucretia?" 

"Please...don't ask me." She said softly.

She said the magic word! Damn it! I really wanted to know, this could be important, but obviously she was uncomfortable talking about it. How do I...?

I scooted closer to her but she wouldn't meet my eyes and looked away from me. 

"I won't pry into something if you are really uncomfortable. I just need to know if there is anything I can do so I won't be so...um...appetizing...if I run into anymore succubae."

Without looking at me her hand blindly grabbed mine off the table and she held it hard in her grip.

"None of them will so much as taste you while I live!" she growled.

Okay, didn't answer my question, but took care of my worry. That will do for now. I noticed that Nancy was watching us closely with her little paws clasped in front of her. I swear the rat was smiling. Lucretia glared at the rodent and said darkly. "Something you want to say, thief?"

Nancy's whiskers twitched in what looked to be an attempt to hide a laugh!

"You two are so cute together! I have never seen, read or heard of a Master/Familiar relationship like this!" 

"We get that a lot." I admitted. My thumb caressed the back of the clawed hand, and Lucretia's did the same to mine.

"Alright, time to get ready to go." I announced.

"Where are we going?" Lucretia asked. Nancy too looked curious.

"We are going to go see a friend about finding a wizard who needs a familiar!"



Mine...Yours Pt. 07



Author's Note: To End of Story, who makes my work readable...even if he doesn't like mountain dew you are awesome. To the usual people who help me in little ways, you know what you do and I thank you so much. Too the fans as well. I would write without you but your comments and hate mail are wonderful to read! Keep it coming.

Also a thank you to MarieLyne. You may not know it but by writing back and forth with you it helped me turn a hard nut into an onion. I very much appreciate our fun but infrequent conversations. I dedicate this Part 7 of my story to you. You have a gift.

*****

Chapter 21: Scent

We all piled into my little white truck, Lucretia put her seat belt on without a hint of discomfort this time. Her hoody was half way unzipped since it wasn't that cold out. Still, I noticed her nipples poking through the shirt and sighed.

"Why do I have to remind you to wear a bra?" I asked.

"Why do I need to wear one?" she asked back.

"You are exposing yourself too much." I said

"My breasts are covered by cloth, nothing is able to be seen..." she responded.

I was about to make a sharp retort, but her tone sounded...huh...she actually didn't know it seems. Nancy crawled from my coat pocket onto the armrest between us and watched as I pulled open Lucretia's hoody. My succubus arched her back a little, seeming to preen under my attention. I admit, it did make me smile a little. It was nice to have someone who wanted to display herself for me! I remembered Dawn would...

I felt a tremendous weight fill my stomach, and I crammed that feeling away hard behind the Door! I almost snarled as I remembered my dream. Well, going to have to take all these situations that keep cropping up and handle them one at a time. First answer Lucretia's question, second, find home for Nancy, third...third...why is Lucretia drawing away from me? Oh, that's right...she can feel what I am feeling.

I took a deep breath and let my tension fade, Lucretia looked worried, but not scared or anything...that was good. I gently parted her hoody again, and directed her attention to her chest.

"So, see how your nipples are pressed against the fabric? They are making dents in the cloth of the tank top?" I pointed out.

"Yes, I see them." She said.

"Well when guys see a girl with erect nipples, to them it is a sign that she is aroused. It makes them take notice of her and imagine her in ways that...how do I explain this..." My voice had trailed off to a contemplative mutter. Nancy took up the explanation in a crisp "nanny" tone.

"Dear, to flaunt yourself in front of other men when you have a Master is scandalous. It shows that he is not enough for you so you must attract others. That is not to say that you can't wear anything that is revealing, that would just be silly. But basic decorum dictates that you should at least wear undergarments when out in public. Unless you are on a beach wearing a bathing suit, but even those usually have liners in them." 

I nodded my head at the rat, "Basically what she said." 

Lucretia looked back and forth between us then frowned. I saw her close her eyes in concentration, then the fabric of her tank top shifted and I saw two cups of a bra appear under the fabric. She glanced down and saw the outline.

"Does that work Master?" She questioned.

"Don't know, does it feel comfortable?" I asked.

She shifted a little, and then reached a hand around to the small of her back.

"There's this little thing on one of the straps that's kind of itching!" She complained. She brought her hand forward again and then used her hands to shift her boobs around. "It also feels constraining. Do you really want me to wear one of these?"

I thought about it. I know that if I had a girlfriend I wouldn't want her to go around braless with her knockers swaying around for all the guys to ogle at. I wouldn't want them to think less of her, or have to worry about them trying to hit on her. Then again I am trying to teach her how to SEDUCE people. Hmmm...

"Here's the deal...for now wear a bra, but one that is comfortable. When you are on your own you can choose how to dress, but with me, please wear what I ask you to wear." I thought that was fair, and I could see Nancy nodding in agreement.

Lucretia shot the rat a dark look, then closed her eyes and concentrated. I could see through her tank top different cuts, colors and styles of bras rapidly shifting as she tried out the feel of each one. Finally it stopped on one that she smiled at and gave a little wiggle to test it. I had her lean forward so I could run my hand over her back.

"Which one is this?" I asked. Not like I know a lot about women's undergarments, but I was curious.

"It's a thin...umm...what do you call it? Ah! A sports bra! It doesn't have any of those scratchy things and hooks." She told me.

I did a quick nipple check and saw she was covered, as I moved away I saw her looking at me. She appeared to almost hesitate, like she was shy. I was worried about what she was going to ask now. She had no problems with nudity, so whatever was making her blush now must be one heck of a...

"I haven't kissed you in this form Master, may I?" she asked quietly.

A kiss? She was embarrassed about asking me for a kiss? Hmmm...

I looked at her, here she was looking so human, and sweet. A lie. Straight up lie! It was easier to kiss her in her true form because then she was being what she was, a succubus. There was nothing hidden from me. The horns, tail, wings, teeth and her other alien features were all on display. Like this, she looked like any other 25 year-old woman. She looked like what I wanted. I wanted a woman like this to kiss and cuddle with. A woman I could watch late night movies and share a tub of popcorn while we make fun of the film. Instead I am stuck with...wait...something she said to me earlier jumped out in my mind.

"Doesn't matter what I call you. Greg...Master...any of it. You are what you are to me, what I call you doesn't change that." 

Lucretia is smarter than I thought!

No matter what form she takes, Lucretia is still MY Lucretia. When she is six feet tall and ready to fight, she is still Lucretia. If I am willing to kiss her when she has a mouth of razor tipped teeth, then why do I hesitate to kiss her when she looks like a human?

I leaned back a little taking a closer look at her. Her brow furrowed, I guess I was taking too long to answer.

"Master...?" she began. I held up a hand.

"Give me a moment...thinking." I told her.

Why did I respond the way I did to her when she is human looking and wants a kiss? Because I felt that when she looked this way it was a lie. That can't be right, now that I have figured out in my own head that no matter what she looks like she is still who she is. Then why hesitate to give her a kiss? Is it because I feel like she is trying to entrap me with her feminine wiles? Nope...her wiles aren't what was attracting me to her in the first place...it was her honesty. Her honesty...wait...I am the one who is screwed up! She has been honest with me so far, I am interpreting her being like this as being a lie. Oh, well done Greg...your supposed to be teaching her and you're the one getting lessons here!

I laughed, had to. At least my mixed up head gave me an answer! I draped my right arm over Lucretia's shoulders and pulled her to me. The position was a little awkward with the armrest between us so I lifted it up out of the way. I heard the click of her seatbelt disengaging so she could come closer still. I could feel her firm body under the hoody as I settled her in next to me. Her brown eyes looked up into mine, and her lips parted in a soft smile. I gently kissed the tip of her nose making her giggle, and kissed the small scar at the corner of her eye.

"I like that you left the scar." I told her.

"It seemed like a good suggestion, even though at the time I didn't want to hear what you had to tell me." Lucretia said.

"I would like to kiss you now, okay?" I asked. Lucretia nodded, but didn't wait for me to kiss her. She threw her arms around my neck and lunged the short distance between us planting her lips on mine. She was almost ferocious in how she kissed.

Oh my! I found out that her tongue somehow stays the same even in her human form! It was rather uncomfortable to French kiss her, but I tried my best to keep up. Something strange began to happen though. My lips started to feel a little cool, not because her body was cool...this was different.

You ever go swimming in a swimming pool, one that has a deep end? When I was younger I would go all the time. I loved to challenge myself and swim all the way to the bottom. I liked to go down to the deep part and touch the drain at the bottom. My dad and mom told me to stop doing that. They were afraid I would stick my finger in the grate and then get my finger stuck in it. I thought they were being a little too over protective until I read about it happening to another kid. Then I just thought my parents were really smart and stopped doing it. 

Anyway, sometimes I would go down too often and when I came up for air I would be panting hard and my lips were tingling like crazy. This was just like those times. 

I pulled back from Lucretia and she gave a needy whine. I found her hands suddenly gripping my jacket and she pulled me back to herself hard! I tasted her lips again as she began to kiss me with a passion that I had only seen in really cheesy black and white movies! The tingle was getting stronger and suddenly it felt like something...like...I don't know...was...really hard to describe.

It felt like my mouth was full of ice water and I was letting it slowly dribble out of my mouth over my lips. I don't know why anyone would do that, but it you are curious as to how it felt then do that and it's a pretty close approximation. The moment I felt that feeling I could hear Lucretia moan like she had just tasted the finest chocolate liquor and was rolling the flavor around in her mouth. The flow grew stronger still and suddenly I realized what was happening.

"...ucresha...sop!" I tried to say as her lips slid over mine again and again. I pulled my head back from her to pant out again. 

"Lucretia sto..." She ravenously pressed her mouth to mine! 

I grabbed her shoulders and pushed hard against her, she pushed right back! I growled in frustration, and an answering growl came from low in her throat. Suddenly I heard a sharp squeak and Lucretia yelped in surprise. I saw Nancy scurry up to my dashboard away from the direction of Lucretia's seat.

Lucretia looked down to where there was now a small hole in the thigh of her cargo pants. She looked back at me, her eyes black all the way through. First time I noticed they had changed color, maybe it was because she had been feeding on me. Wait...she had been starting to feed on me! Lucretia's eyes widened as she suddenly realized what she had been doing and her hands covered her mouth. Nancy was looking back and forth between us, her body tense as if she didn't know which way to move yet.

"Greg I didn't mean to..." Her voice trailed off as I covered her mouth with my left hand. I didn't trust myself to speak just yet, but also...I didn't want to hear her apologize either. I could feel her fingers trembling under my palm as I took deep steadying breaths. My heart was racing a mile a minute! I could feel my pulse beating in my ears. I was scared to death and felt so alive at the same time. I felt an insane amount of pressure building deep in my soul and a roar from a far of voice was echoing in my mind. I figured I must truly be insane. Why do I think that?

I wanted to kiss her again!

When my heart slowed and my body felt...well, as peaceful as it was going to get under the circumstances. I took my hand away from her mouth, and she lowered her hands as well. Her fingers weren't trembling anymore, but her lips were. She started to speak, but I shook my head at her.

"Don't apologize Lucretia. I know you are sorry. We...we will talk about this later, alright?" I told her. She nodded her head.

"Thank you Nancy..." I said to the rat who tilted her head at me. 

"No need to thank me Gregory. I should have known this would happen..." She said. "Your Lady was just reasserting her claim on you." Nancy paused a moment, her rear leg coming up to scratch behind her ear.

I glanced over at Lucretia who was blushing furiously. Maybe I should have her stay in her human form more? She was adorable when she blushed like that!

"So this is how you react when I hold someone who you're jealous of?" I chided her.

"Only when you're holding a thief who is rubbing her scent all over you!" Lucretia growled. 

Her eyes were beginning to turn black again. I saw Nancy out of the corner of my eye carefully putting more distance between her self and me. It was putting her closer to Lucretia, which seemed a bad idea, but then I got it. It was almost funny!

My succubus thought that I would want a talking rat over her! Where in the world would she get that idea? Oh...hmmm, let's look at this from her perspective. She has only been with me a couple of days, and sure we made great strides in our relationship, and last night was, well that was fun. Then this morning she sees another woman, sort of...not going to think to hard about that. She sees another "woman" in my arms and we are sleeping together! 

I sighed. This is one of the reasons I try not to get into relationships. How do I show my succubus that she is the one I want, not a talking Furby?

I knew one way.

I grabbed Lucretia and yanked her to me roughly pulling her into my lap with her back to the driver's side window. Good thing she had taken off her seat belt when she was kissing me, would have wrenched her neck! She gave a cry of surprise which I silenced by giving her a slow deep kiss. I could feel the tingles in my lips and quickly pulled back. I laid my cheek along side hers and rubbed it against her.

"There, am I getting enough of your scent on me?" I asked as I nibbled her ear lobe. "Do you need to be jealous of a little lonely rat? She is a nice rat I have to admit, but I have you...why would I need more than you?" 

Lucretia's teeth were biting my neck suddenly and I stroked her hair with my fingertips pulling her closer. She let go with her mouth, presumably to say something. She did, and it surprised me what she had to say.

"Mine! You are MINE!" she growled fiercely. I blinked at her.

"I thought that it went the other way around?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. She shook her head.

"Doesn't matter! Yours, mine, mine, yours...you belong to ME! Just like I belong to YOU!" 

She was breathing hard, prepared to fight it seemed. Actually, in her mind maybe it was a fight. In my mind, there never was a fight, not for my affection. I traced my finger along her lips. So I belonged to her, as much as she belonged to me... hmm?

What strange belongings we were!

I gave her another quick kiss making her blink, and then settled her back into her seat. I got her buckled in and asked her to set Nancy in her lap. I wasn't about to take the chance of getting Nancy's scent on me. Not with Lucretia being as possessive as she was. For some reason I liked her being that way with me. Maybe I am a masochist, but it was nice to be that valued!

"You kissed me again Greg. After what I...why?" Lucretia asked out of the blue. Nancy chattered. Sounded like she was laughing

"Something you want to say thief?" Lucretia asked the rat. 

Nancy looked over at me, and I gave her the nod to go ahead as I started the truck. 

"It's simple, you scared him by starting to feed on him. For humans, that's like falling off of a horse. You need to get back on or you'll be too scared to try again. You scared him with your kiss, he kissed you to get over that fear, to show he still could. I am guessing it's a control thing." Both Lucretia and Nancy looked over to see my reaction. I gave a half shrug and put the truck in gear.

"You're almost right Nancy...you forgot one important part though." I said as I started driving.

"What did I forget?" Nancy asked curiously.

"I just really like kissing Lucretia!"

When I said that, my succubus began to blush again, and tried to hide her grin. Her eyes grew bright and it seemed as if the stress of her earlier feeding mishap fell away. I smiled listening to Lucretia's delighted laughter as I turned onto the highway. 

Chapter 22: Vampyre

I had thought about who we should go to see to help Nancy. My initial reaction to talk to the Gatewatch, namely Gwen, had been kind of shot down when Nancy explained she was a wizard's familiar. Not to mention, emotions still might be running high after our meeting yesterday. That meant there was only one person I could think of that was knowledgeable about all this magical gobbledy-gook. 

William Henry Abernathy the Ninth!

Besides, he hadn't met my new roommate yet...he was sure to deal with all this better than the Gatewatch had. Will was one of the most low-key people I had ever met. Except when it came to furniture. I was fortunate to have a mother who made me take my shoes off before I ever entered the house. For some reason, Will likes to have neat, tidy and clean furniture. I am sure he is one of those guys who, when he gets a couch he leaves that hard plastic covering on it to protect the fabric! It's probably why he let me put my own dumpster loveseat in his living room. So I could lay on it however I wanted to. 

Driving into Portland, Lucretia was acting like a tourist, her face pressed against the widow, looking at the buildings, trees and the funny fashions people wear. To me it all looks the same, but every beatnik, hipster, hippie or grunge lover out there all says they have to have a particular look. I could care less, though some of the hats those hipsters wear don't look too bad. I hate driving in cities, and Lucretia kept trying to ask me questions about what she was seeing. I finally told her to ask Nancy since I was driving and had to pay attention. From what little I could hear Nancy seemed to be doing a good job of answering all the tiny little questions and the bigger ones.

We passed by a small store with a sign proclaiming "Voodoo Doughnuts" Specials on Bacon Maple bars...Mmmmm! Note to self, pick up a dozen on the way home. I can afford it now! Of course it also caught Lucretia's eye and she had to ask Nancy about it.

"What's a Voodoo? It's a doughnut?" Lucretia asked with her eyebrows drawn together.

"Voodoo is a form of magic/religion. They just use it as marketing to sell doughnuts." Nancy replied.

"What is marketing?" Lucretia asked, now watching the trolley on the light rail transit tracks.

"Marketing is convincing someone you have something they want." Nancy said finally. She looked over at me, and I gave a half shrug and a nod to confirm it.

Lucretia chewed her lower lips as she thought about this. Then she unzipped her hoody and looked at her chest.

"So when I wasn't wearing a bra, and you said it would attract men...that is a form of Marketing?" she asked Nancy.

I snorted and almost swerved the truck into another lane! Nancy clung with her claws to Lucretia's pant leg so she didn't fall over. When I had my chuckling under control I said, "That is a new way to put it, but yes...you definitely could call that a part of marketing." 

The questions kept on coming, Lucretia seeing something she didn't understand and Nancy resting her forepaws on the edge of the passenger window to peer out at what was being asked. Most of it was standard stuff about fashion, buildings, bicycles and animals. One really stood out when we were passing Skidmore fountain.

"Why is that man painted like metal and holding still?" Lucretia asked.





Mine...Yours Pt. 07



"That is a statue dear." Nancy said.

"Oh...is that also a statue?" Lucretia asked, pointing in another direction.

"No, that is a man painted like metal who is holding still." Nancy said patiently.

I was so happy when the light changed to green and I could keep driving!

Finally made it to the Pearl district and pulled into Will's garage. I wondered how to get Nancy in the house, sure she could have scurried along with us, but that seemed kind of rude. With Lucretia being all jealous, I wondered how to go about carrying her in. Nancy solved the problem by hopping into Lucretia's hood as it hung down her back. 

We walked up to the front door and I took a moment to brush Lucretia's hair out of her face, adjust her hoody a little, zip it up a touch more. This was her first time meeting my best friend and for some reason I wanted her to look good. First impressions and all that kind of stuff. Lucretia was smiling at me the entire time.

"What?" I asked, while straightening her hood, making it even on both sides, Nancy looking at me with twitching whiskers as if she knew something I didn't. I swear, women all over, even animal type women. They all know the "I know something and I am not telling you what it is!" look down cold!

"Nothing!" Lucretia smiled at me.

"Tell me, what's up?" I asked again.

Lucretia looked down at her boots before glancing at me shyly. "I like you fussing over me Master." 

Oh for heaven's sake! I am turning into such girl. Guys don't care about stuff like that! Yeesh!

I put one hand on top of her head and mussed her hair up! Felt better immediately.

She grimaced and stepped a little behind me to pull her hair straight as I pressed the doorbell. Don't know why I did that, always just walked in before...it just felt right this time.

I heard footsteps and Will opened the door. He was wearing a nice red polo shirt and dark blue jeans with what looked to be square toed loafers. 

He smiled as he saw me and opened his mouth to say something when Lucretia gasped in shock.

"Vampyre!" 

Will's jaw snapped shut as he rounded on my succubus, then he gasped and then growled.

"Outsider!"

I wanted to say something but Will snagged my coat with one hand and I was flying into his house head first! I hit his carpeted floor and rolled several times before I ended up sideways against the baseboard of a wall. I groaned as I started to rise, I heard Lucretia give a screech of rage as William slammed the front door and hit the lock!

"Will...?" I asked, well...maybe I just said it, didn't ask...Or did I think it? Not sure...head fuzzy. I'm certain I said it out loud...I think. 

I guess I was feeling a little loopy from my earlier flight and subsequent crash landing. 

"Don't worry Greg, I will protect you." Will said, walking briskly away from the front door. 

His eyes were bright, and had settled on a deep red color instead of his usual color-changing pattern. I shook my head and groaned. There was a pounding noise and I thought it was coming from between my ears but it was actually coming from the front door. Will looked in that direction and gave a satisfied grin.

"I built my whole house to be strong enough to prevent any attacks from Outsiders. Not one of them have the strength to breach these walls!" He said to me confidently. I finally got my brain in gear and said the first thing that came to my mind.

"Does that include a Lady Outsider who is bound to me?" 

William's grin slipped a little. "A Lady you say...bound to you?" I nodded. Will drew a deep breath and then let it out in a sigh.

"Oh...bugger!" he groaned. Just then the ceiling caved in!

Lucretia came sailing down to the floor amidst a ruin of wood, tar paper and composite shingles, the moment her clawed feet touched the carpet she launched herself right at William! She moved so fast I didn't even see her move. 

One moment I saw her falling, the debris hitting around the area where she would be landing, the next she was gone. Where she should have been standing were four deep gouges in the carpet.

Will must have the reflexes of well...something that has really good reflexes! Somehow he dodged Lucretia's attack and as she went by him his eyes seemed to boil a deep red. She tumbled over a couch and then I saw William do something I never thought he would ever do. 

He roared! 

Calm, reserved William who had a dry wit, and a penchant for good food roared a challenging battle cry that made my legs go weak! An answering shriek came from behind the couch before it sailed through the air at William's face. He made a motion with one hand and what looked like a stream of red liquid shot from his fingers and sliced the couch to ribbons and it fell apart in midair to pepper his body harmlessly. 

He snapped his fingers once and the liquid came sailing back to him and floated over his hand looking for all the world like a teardrop.

"Did you say her name again after I told you not to?" Will said to me quietly. His eyes were unnervingly intense, and his skin was as white as bleached bone. His fangs were very pronounced as they stretched his upper lip. His nostrils flared and I saw Lucretia charging him again. At which point I did something stupid. 

I know...me? Do something stupid? Shocking huh?

I stepped between them, my hands raised palm out in either direction. I wasn't sure what was going to happen...I just knew I couldn't have my best friend and my roommate do this. I heard a gasp of surprise from Lucretia as her chest slammed into one hand. I heard Will's roar die out as his own attack, not sure what it was, splashed red all over me, it made a sizzling noise and steam rose from it. I felt a weakening on that side of my body, but no real pain. He quickly called the liquid back.

"Greg! Are you all right? I didn't mean to hurt...hurt...you?" I looked down and a translucent blue film seemed to be slowly undulating around my body. I mean, my entire body! I looked down and could see that it was even under the soles of my shoes! I looked over at Lucretia and I could see her looking closely at my eyes again. It made me wonder, when I had hurt her in my sleep last night, had I looked different?

"Lucretia, did he hurt you?" I asked.

"No Master." She responded. I could hear a startled gasp come from William.

I turned to look at him, and my voice came out eerily calm, "Lucretia is mine. Please...don't attack her again."

William dismissed whatever that red glob was in his hand with a shake of his wrist. He peered closely at my face then dropped his head to look at the floor. 

"Well...this should be an interesting story. If I am to hear it I bloody well need a drink!" He walked right past me and past Lucretia who was still in her battle form and disappeared down the hall.

My succubus began running long fingered clawed hands all over me as if to reassure herself that I was okay and I was actually there.

"I got so scared when that vampyre grabbed you and took you away from me!" She murmured. Her hands were sliding over my face and around my neck. I beckoned to her with a finger and she leaned in a little closer. I gave her a quick peck on the lips making her blink in surprise.

"Now I have kissed you in all three forms!" I grinned up at her. She smiled, but it was a nervous one as she glanced in the direction William had walked.

"Don't worry he's my friend. It will be fine." I assured her. She appeared unconvinced.

"Is this another one of those misunderstandings?" she asked me. I nodded.

"Then by the Void he better apologize...that chjorzit!" she growled.

"What does that even mean?" I asked. 

She opened her mouth to answer, then stopped and appeared to reconsider. Finally, after a couple of false starts she explained it.

"It's something I shouldn't have said...it's very bad." She responded.

"Would you say it to his face?" I asked. 

She thought about it. A couple of times she opened her mouth to speak and thought better of it. 

"Maybe if I hated him, but no. It might anger him and then he would destroy me." She finally stated.

Will, destroy her? Huh, that told me something about Will then, he wasn't an ordinary...wait. Lucretia called him a Vampyre. That difference in names again. Well, time to get some answers from my friend.

I heard a squeaking noise and went back to the front door. I opened it and Nancy hesitantly came inside.

"Are you all right Gregory?" she asked while surveying the ruin in the room. 

"Just fine, come on in and meet my friend." I said. She scampered next to me until she caught up with Lucretia who had changed into her human form. My succubus put Nancy back into her hood and followed me into the main living area of William's home. 

He was standing in front of his blood dispenser and was currently mixing a drink that seemed rather heavy on aardvark. He slammed it down and then began mixing another.

"Will...?" I began.

"Wait dear boy..." William said, after he polished off his glass again. He filled it a third time now, seeming to make it heavy on the platypus. He took a careful sniff, made a face at the drink and added a single drop from his hummingbird vial he kept next to the brass taps. Another test sip and he gave a grunt of satisfaction. He set his glass down, and closed his cabinet locking it tight. Then picked up his glass to lean against the wall while watching me closely. 

"Well, I believe I am suitably inebriated to hear how my good friend is now MASTER to one of the most deceitful beings in existence!" He took another swallow from his glass, grimaced, and eyed his drink like it had betrayed him somehow. 

Lucretia glanced at me nervously and unconsciously her hand found mine. I gave it a light squeeze to reassure her. William noticed this with widened eyes, and shook his head sadly.

"You made a blood compact to boot! Really Greg? When you step into it you don't do things by halves do you dear boy?"

"Maybe if you had explained a way to protect myself I could have avoided all this?" I ventured. I had never seen William like this, normally he was serious or he was funny or...not like this. His eyes stayed red the entire time he watched us.

"What are you drinking Will?"

"Blood, obviously...what were you thinking Gregory?" He indicated Lucretia, not his drink.

"I was thinking of how to save my own ass when Lucretia and Moth..." My voice trailed off as his eyes seemed to boil and his hand clenched tight around the glass he was holding. It shattered and I saw something that almost made me recoil back a step. 

The falling blood slowed and stopped, then it reversed its fall to coat his fist. A moment later it seemed to seep in through his pores into his body! What the heck was going on? I engaged my Sight to view my friend to get any idea I could about what he was feeling. I got another surprise...there was no specter...it was all him.

"Do you mean to tell me that Mother came here, to this Plane?" he said softly. I nodded. 

His sharp eyes landed on Lucretia and he asked. "This is her daughter?"

Lucretia spoke then, "I am her youngest." William's eyebrows raised in surprise.

"I thought Astar was the youngest?" 

"No. I was born shortly after the last time Mother came to this Plane."

William appeared to do some quick math in his head, "How long ago were you born?" he asked suddenly.

"What does that have to do with anything?" I asked. He ignored me and glared at my succubus. She appeared to be thinking, then turned to me.

"A year has four seasons? Spring, summer, fall, and winter?" she asked.

"Yes." I said.

She appeared to think some more and was ticking off numbers quietly on her free hand. William was starting to get more and more agitated. Finally she put him out of his misery.

"I was born 220 years ago by this Planes definition of passing time."

Will let out a huge sigh of relief and slid down to sit on the floor. "Thank all the gods of my forefathers and all the angels that blew their trumpets!"

Lucretia put two and two together and got four. "You thought that you had seeded me?"

William gave a tired smile, "That's one way to state it, but it sounds so...clinical when you put it like that!"

Now I got it, boy my brain is such a slow turtle! 

"You got busy...with Mother?" I asked incredulously. He grimaced at that. 

"She makes it sound clinical, you make it sound tawdry...like...like I bent her over a basin or something! Is it so hard to believe that I wanted to know the pleasures of a woman? Is that not what you do with a succubus, enjoy their delights?"

I thought about it, and it made sense. From everything I knew a vampire couldn't have sex in the regular way folks do. A succubus, based on the little info I have could...I pushed that picture from my mind! Mother and William doing the naughty wasn't something I wanted in my...Oh! I thought of it again! Blech!

"Isn't that what you have done Gregory? I can imagine that if you had the chance to taste Lucretia's skills that it would help you with your reticence around the fairer sex?" William asked.

I wanted to smack him upside the head for saying that! How dare he make such statements about my Lucretia? She wasn't just some sex object to me! She was my student, my roommate, my friend! I L...!

My heart was pounding as I slowly breathed in. Thank goodness for deep breathing relaxation techniques. They came in so handy, better than aspirin for taking care of headaches and better than a slap in the face to wake you up. William was standing now, and he glanced between the two of us there in front of him.

"There is more going on here than I realize..." he began, and rolled his eyes at me as I gave him a short nod. "Then I think you better tell me the whole story before I...What in the world is that?" 

Nancy poked her nose out from behind Lucretia's head and climbed onto her shoulder.

"Really Gregory, I have enough blood in the house. I appreciate the sentiment, but, I have no need for you to bring me a snack." Will said.

"A SNACK?" Nancy huffed in anger. She raced down Lucretia's clothing and skittered across the hardwood floor of William's living room right towards his foot! He blinked in surprised and backed up against his couch. Quickly Nancy scaled the couch and climbed onto the arm of it so she could better chew him out.

"How dare you sir! Gregory had invited me to come here to speak to someone who was a friend to help me in my situation! Then you throw Gregory around, someone who has been nothing but kind to me, and then lock him away from his Lady! Then you fight each other and make horrid accusations about them both! I for one will not stand for it! I would rather be HOMELESS than accept any help from an uncouth lout such as yourself! If you ever had any upbringing I suggest you apologize to my two friends right this instant!"

It took a real force of will, not to laugh!

I wish I had a camera to take a picture of William with an awestruck look on his face getting a stern lecture on etiquette from a...a talking RAT! Oh it was priceless. 

William recovered quickly though. He immediately nodded to Nancy and turned his attention back to us. His face was serene, but I knew him. His eyes were flabbergasted!

"Miss Lucretia, I humbly apologize for any discomfort I gave you on arriving here at my home. I can only plead ignorance of all the facts of the situation, and a desire to protect my friend." He gave a small bow, and held it. I gave Lucretia's hand a quick squeeze, she looked to me and I motioned with my eyes in William's direction. She seemed to finally get it.

"I thank you for your apology and I accept. You may rise." I hadn't expected that last part. I gave her a questioning look and she gave me that predatory smile again.

Oh yeah...she's royalty!

I went through the same thing with him apologizing, but I brushed it off. I'm a guy, no need to forgive each other for something like this! Guys just forget about stuff, women...different story. Men forget, never forgive...Women forgive but never forget. 

Nancy was tapping her foot while watching William. He crouched down, resting his elbows on his knees to get a better look at his accuser. He smiled at her, showing just a hint of fang.

"Now, Gregory, please introduce me to this charming creature!"

"Of course. This is my good friend William Henry Abernathy the Ninth. William, this..." I was interrupted by Nancy clearing her throat. 

"Thank you Gregory, but I would prefer to introduce myself." She said not unkindly. I shrugged and waved her to continue.

Nancy faced my friend and bowed her head once and then raised it up half way. In a soft, but carrying voice she began to speak.

"Mr. Abernathy, my name is Nancy Drew Dickson. I was so named by my former Master Allan Wade Dickson. I ask that you please call me Nancy as those other names have little meaning for me anymore. Other than the rough beginning on our meeting...I am very pleased to make your acquaintance."

William looked even more dumbfounded, yet very gratified at the same time.

"Forgive me...Nancy...I must ask. What has become of your former Master?"

"He cast me aside in favor of a familiar more suited to his needs...I..." Nancy's voice hitched for a moment and a soft squeak come out. She cleared her throat and continued. 

"I don't know anything about him now. I haven't spoken to anyone until I met Greg and his Lady."

William rubbed his chin and looked off to the side for a moment. He nodded his head once then held out his hands together, palm up in front of Nancy.

"If you will allow me, I was about to prepare a luncheon, may I have the privilege of your company in the kitchen?"

Nancy's whiskers twitched and then she slowly stepped into his palms and he carried her to the center island in his kitchen. He looked around for a moment and then set a large towel on the counter. 

"For your feet." He explained to Nancy. "I am sure a lady such as yourself has clean paws, but my counter is cold and I would like you to be comfortable."

Nancy preened a little at the praise, and Lucretia and I joined them as we set about preparing to cook.

The best way to get to know William is through food, and talking and preparing items to eat in the kitchen is a sure fire way to get him to relax...as long as you don't get in his way. Being what he is I have almost been trampled before when a timer went off and William rushed to get his soufflé' out of the oven in time! 

Soon we were seated around the dining table. William seemed to almost be his usual self. It was if he could sense something different about Lucretia, and me for that matter. That being said he seemed very alert, noticing my roommate's movements and mannerisms as she told her side of how we met. We finished up with her starting to draw energy from me in the cab of my truck and how I handled it in turn. The part where we came to his doorstep he already knew of course.

William wasn't going to pass up this chance to try out his cooking on fresh new food tasters! While he was serving food he excused himself when the doorbell rang. The insurance adjuster had come and gone with a shake of his head about how unlucky it was to have a meteorite strike the house. I have no idea how Will had managed to convince the poor fellow of that happening, but he managed it!

"So, what is it you needed me for? I assume it wasn't just the story of how you and your darling succubus came to live together?" William asked while he finished serving us our meal. It was breaded razor clams and poached halibut with a weird sauce that smelled great and looked terrible!

"There are a number of reasons actually..." I told him. "First up, Nancy needs a home. Secondly, I got a bunch of gold that I need to turn into cash, and thirdly...thirdly? Is that even a word?"




Mine...Yours Pt. 07



"Finally?" Will offered.

"Finally...yeah, that works. Finally...I need your help with figuring out if I am a mage or not." I finished.

Will nodded his head and poured me a glass of white wine. I promptly picked it up and set it in front of Nancy who looked around in surprise. She stood up on her hind legs to take a sniff of the drink, and a tentative lap with her tongue.

Will laughed. "I'm sorry I wasn't thinking!" He stepped back into the kitchen and returned with a nice crystal cut decanter filled with a green liquid. I nodded my thanks and poured myself a small flute of mountain dew. He shuddered as he saw me take a sip.

"I work my fingers to the bone and you can't even drink a good wine with your meal." He muttered half in jest.

"You know why. I don't drink alcohol." I returned.

"Why not Master?" Lucretia asked.

I waited for William to take the first bite of his meal, then took a bite of my own...I had to admit it. The vampire really was getting good at cooking. Actually no, not a vampire...vampyre is what Lucretia called him.

"Lucretia, I turn into a real fool when I drink." I told her.

"That's not what I would call it!" Will smirked. I glowered at him.

"What would you call it?" Nancy asked.

"I turn into an outrageous flirt...let's leave it at that!" I stated.

"What?" Will asked. "You're not going to tell them of last year's New Years Eve party debacle? That wonderful soiree at my office?"

"Nope, and it would be very...VERY good for you not to do so either!" I retorted.

William dissolved into a fit of chuckles while Nancy pressed him for more information. 

"I will tell you later after he has gone!" I heard William say to Nancy in a stage whisper.

Nancy seemed surprised by William saying that. "After they're...? Why would I...?" She held still and scampered across the table to stand on her rear paws to get a good look at William.

"Sir, are you offering to let me stay with you?" Nancy asked in surprise.

"Why not? No one else lives with me! I even offered Greg one of my rooms and he turned up his nose like he was too good to live with me. Outrageous!" He leaned closer to the table so his eyes were only a few inches from Nancy's.

"Wouldn't you like to live with me? Hmmm? I am just a lonely single vampire, living alone, having too much time on my hands to think about...being alone. I would love to have such an adorable and conscientious companion stay with me. Please accept my offer?"

Poor Nancy didn't know which way to turn or what to say. She just sat their quivering her whiskers and sputtering! 

"My! Oh My! I...I...Uh! Mr. Abernathy I don't know what to...Oh my!" 

"Please, my dear. Call me...William. I insist!" He said in his deep baritone voice.

Nancy now looked like she was going to swoon!

"Hey Will?" I interrupted with a lazy smirk. I had my chin propped up in my hand as I stared in fascination at this master charmer at work. He glanced over and grinned at my expression.

"If you lay it on any thicker buddy, I'm going to need a mop and bucket to clean it up." I drawled.

Nancy seemed to break out of whatever trance Will had put her under. 

"Mr. Abernathy...William! You are incorrigible!" She stated in a mildly shocked tone. I couldn't help but notice she was still preening a little and giving him sidelong glances. 

Will laughed. "See? This is what I need. A caretaker to help keep me on the straight and narrow! Pinocchio had his cricket conscience, I shall have a reproachful rat!"

"I am not sure I like being classified as reproachful!" Nancy said with a little heat.

"Were you or were you not full of reproach when lecturing me on manners not a half-hour past?" Will returned.

"Well, there is that." Nancy acquiesced. She looked over at me. "What do you think Gregory?"

I shrugged, "Honestly, William is probably the safest place in the entire city that you could stay. You certainly won't lack for food."

I turned my attention back to Will, "Before we get too far into this subject, I need to ask you something." I wasn't actually sure how to ask. I didn't know if this was a taboo subject, or if it was too personal...like when you go to a public bathroom. You always leave at least one urinal space between you and the other guy when you go to take a leak if you can. I figured I would just ask it then, hopefully William knew me well enough by now to not be offended.

"Vampyre? Or Vampire?" I asked.

He waggled his hand back and forth in the air. 

"Alchemist." He responded.

"You're a scientist?" I clarified.

"Remember how I told you that I began to mix animal blood? Well...I tried mixing other things as well. You see, vampires are..." His voice trailed off and he sighed.

Lucretia spoke up then, "You smell like one of the Old Ones. One of those before the Ice covered this Plane." He glanced at her and nodded. I did some quick math.

"You're older than 700 years?" I asked.

"A little. I will be 723 in a few more weeks. That was one of the reasons I was glad to see you. I wanted to have a little party on my birthday."

Lucretia looked confused, "You have to be older than that! My nose does not lie."

"It could be broken? Or are there other scents that are confusing it?" I asked. She shook her head.

"No, he smells like one of the Old Ones...sometimes they come to our Plane. Vampires, being dead can cross the Veil fairly easily. That is why there always is one as a member of the Gatewatch." 

William was nodding in agreement. "Let me explain Gregory, understand I am not too proud of what I have done to get this way..." He rubbed his hands together slowly, then steepled his fingers.

"The human mind is not equipped to handle long life. Whatever we are now, we once were human. I have learned over the course of time to compartmentalize my own mind into life spans as it were. I have lived seven different lifetimes, eight actually to be honest. In my first life, shortly after I was turned I was filled with diablerie. I reveled in the occult aspect of being a vampire. I rebelled against many of the traditions and teachings of my Master and the other Elders. For example, mixing and consuming animal blood." 

He stood and began to pace back and forth in the dining area, he didn't appear nervous as much as he just seemed to be reluctant to talk.

"Will, if this bothers you we can do it another time if you want, or never..." I said. Will interrupted me with a small smile and a wave of his hand.

"No...no, it's quite all right. You asked a fair question and I am sure Lucretia's curious nature would keep poking until she found a suitable explanation." 

He slicked back his hair with one hand, and then continued his story. "Vampires do not turn to ash as Bram Stoker wrote it. Our flesh disintegrates yes, but our bones are left behind. I went in search of these remains, always trying to find older and older remains. The reason for this...is rather embarrassing actually. I wanted to liquefy these remnants and make, well, a potion."

"You mean like those mixed drinks you make with animal blood?" I guessed.

"Precisely. I had tried it on some other bones of freshly killed vampires, a few feral ones that I helped my master hunt down. Using a basic base of...well, doesn't matter. I succeeded in turning the bones to jelly and then mixed it with a base concoction of mine." He shrugged. 

"I drank it, and felt...different. Some how I had taken the knowledge and skill sets of that being into myself." His fingers caressed his lips and he gave a small shudder.

I already could tell where this was going and I wasn't sure if I was horrified or happy. I mean, think about it. Those dead vampires didn't need their bones anymore. If there was a way to get something cool to happen out of it, it was like the ultimate recycling job! William began to talk again, so I paid attention.

"I went in search of older and older remains, obviously. I found a full skeleton of one of my predecessors, he had been alive for a little over two millennia, and passed away in a forest fire 500 years before I was born. I quickly began the alchemical process and soon had three potions ready for consumption."

He stopped talking to open his blood cabinet back up, I thought he was going to get another drink...I was half right. He pulled out what looked to be a glazed clay jug that looked to be about two gallons in size. It was sealed with a thick white wax and had paper wrapped around the bottleneck.

"I drank the first two but saved this one." He said softly, running his fingers up and down the earthenware container almost reverently. 

"After consuming the first potion I was astounded at how I could view the world...I had the insight of one who was far wiser than I, and the fortitude to investigate the questions that I had. After drinking the second I had memories and thoughts that were from a different time and place. I understood what a Vampyre was...how different a vampire is by comparison." He appeared lost in his thoughts as he gently placed the container back in his cabinet and locked it again.

"What is the difference?" I asked. Almost instantly I felt sorry to say it, to interrupt his thoughts, but he seemed so melancholy.

"Put simply, it is power. Vampyres generally are older, and being older they have grown stronger and faster and more durable. By drinking the first two potions and, I assume, the third I will be almost as strong as my predecessor. But it is more than that. The true Vampyres walked among humans, they were teachers, historians, architects. They passed on the knowledge that came from their longevity to others. They were great men and women." He sighed and sat back down.

"Even if I was to drink that last potion I would not be a Vampyre...I would be a hollow imitation of what they were. That is why I do not drink it. I would be more powerful...oh yes! Each time I looked in a mirror though it would be a reminder, that try as I might, I could never reach that level of nobility. I just don't have it in me to do so."

I was stunned! William was one of the nicest and most honorable vampires, no...vampyres...no...DANG IT! Men...William was one of the best men I knew. He looked past my labels at who I was as a person. He used his discernment on me, not his judgment...

"Oh please!" I snorted. Will jerked up at the noise and glared at me.

"I share my deepest secret with you and you mock me?" He said, raising his voice.

"All I have heard so far is that you were able to capture a little bit of what those old vamps had from way back when...I have heard nothing for you to be upset about. So you drank a blood and bone smoothie and it woke you up more to the whole wide world? Good!" I said and stood up to walk over to him. I could see Lucretia and Nancy exchange nervous glances. Not sure what they had to be nervous about. I was the one poking a stick at sad sack of a vampire...vampyre...whatever!

I looked down at my friend and crossed my arms giving him that half smile he found so annoying.

"From my perspective everything you have received from doing this...this thing has been a benefit. So what really has your knickers in a twist?" I asked. He slowly began to stand up, keeping his eyes on mine. He was doing that thing I hate. Direct eye contact with a little snarl thrown in for good measure. I personally couldn't care less.

I was having that same adrenaline rush I got when I was confronting Jemima at work...I almost felt drunk!

"You don't know what you're talking about...boy!" he hissed.

"Enlighten me then...geezer!" I said with a smile.

"I took power from another, I didn't earn it!" he snarled.

"So...who gives a shit? Did your master, or any of your other friends say anything?" His expression gave him away. "Yeah, I didn't think they would. You didn't tell them...probably kept it a secret because you found a way to gain more power." I tapped my lips in thought.

"So besides you, who else knows about vampyres and how snazzy cool they were?" I asked. He thought about it.

"Less than a handful. Mostly passed on through stories by word of mouth." 

I chuckled, "Let me get this straight...you are all upset, and have been kicking yourself for a long time because you "took" power that you didn't earn?" He nodded once and I could see the slight flush of shame rise in his cheeks.

"Will, I really do like you man, you are a good friend but sometimes you are an idiot!" I put a hand on his shoulder, which made him stiffen.

"You earned the right to this "power" as you call it by coming up with your blood concoctions in the first place! Who else would have thought of it hmmm? Oh, and lets not forget that you have actual MEMORIES of these vampyres floating around in your brain while your old vampire buddies only have STORIES." I smiled at my friend.

"Whether you call yourself a vampire, vampire, man or mortality challenged...don't ever let me hear you talk down about yourself again. You hear me? If you do I will take strap you to a chair and force you to watch the Pirates of Penzance with Kevin Kline!"

Will made a face of disgust and looked like he needed to spit.

"I feel like I have some of those leaves in my mouth that you put in yours willingly!"

"Oh, you mean wintergreen chew? Would you like some?"

"Good gracious NO!" Will actually recoiled away from me. Then he smiled.

"Thank you Gregory...it helps to see things from a different perspective sometimes." He admitted.

"I like to think of it as a better perspective myself." I said airily.

"This coming from someone who thinks Mt. Dew is an appropriate drink selection for a fish dinner?" He returned dryly.

Well, I am certainly glad to have this whole vampire/vampire thing sorted out. Telling him about the gold coins I realized something...this man is a genius. First off he got some of the people he works with to begin investing the gold quietly. Investing is a multi-faceted word I found out. I thought it meant something like stocks and bonds and so forth. William was quick to assure me that those words were applicable, but there were many more words as well. 

So I sat back and let William do what he did best...direct, balance and supervise. He saw the amount of gold I had, did a double take and after a doing some quick math he got to work. He asked me if I trusted him, I told him I did.

"Wise decision my dear boy...welcome to being wealthy!"

Several phone calls later at least 14 different faxes that I had to sign and a couple hundred copied emails later we had a notary at the door who left after I signed documents that gave William power of attorney for me. I was in a whirlwind that left me with several thousand dollars in my pocket and a new preloaded credit card in my wallet. Lucretia had her own wallet which she made as a copy of Williams since she liked the tri-fold look better. She even nicely made him another copy of his original wallet since his was getting a little worn around the edges.

Then I was talking with some general contractors that came over shortly after William dismissed the notary and I found the other aspect of investing. Maintaining what you already have. Found out with the housing market picking up my foreclosure house was actually worth a lot more than my dad had originally paid for it! After discussing repairs and finishing the rooms I signed yet another document that hired them to begin work on finishing my house.

I honestly didn't care that much. As long as I had a mattress to sleep on, a place to cook and a place to get clean I was happy. Lucretia though seemed to be learning a lot as she paid attention to all that was going on. I caught some of the people coming through, especially the men, giving her sidelong appreciative glances. I made sure to stand near her and make a little bit of physical contact each time they did. I wasn't sure if it was to protect them from the danger they were in, or if I was being a little bit possessive.

Let's just say I was confused and leave it at that shall we?

When the last person left, Will stretched with his arms over his head making his back pop in several places.

"Well, that's two down on the list Gregory...what was the third thing?" William asked.

I looked at Nancy who was using Lucretia's advantage of having thumbs to look through the linen closet for appropriate bedding and so forth. Yep, problem one was taken care of it seemed. Nancy seemed excited to live with the older vampire. I had watched, as between phone calls Nancy fetched paper and pad as Will worked at his computer. They discussed the merits of different food, authors and classical music between emails and phone calls. She even got a pot of tea boiling! I wished I could have seen how she did that! It looked like they actually would be a good match as roommates. Almost as good as the one I have.

Lucretia came over to me and said, "Nancy has finally decided on a place to sleep."

"Really? Where?" I asked. William chortled. 

"I have three bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, plenty of storage space, a garage, basement and an attic! The young lady can sleep where she wishes." He said grandly.

Lucretia frowned in thought and then said, "She said that she found a nice pair of...saddle-tip shoes? I think that is what she called them. They were very old and have..." she trailed off as William tore out of the room!

"That cheeky trollop! NANCY! Stay out of my closet!" He thundered as he marched down the hallway to his bedroom!

I started laughing! William is at his best when he starts calling people those odd British curse words like trollop and bollock and nutter. I don't know what they mean, but they are funny to listen to!

I could hear them arguing, well, I could hear her high-pitched voice compared to William's baritone going back and forth in the other room. It sounded like he was having the time of his life!

"Gregory?" Lucretia said, stepping front of me to get my attention.

"Yes?" I answered. She fixed me with a frank gaze, and almost looked a little upset with me.

"Why did you need to ask William about your magic?" she asked. I wondered what she was getting at.

"He's the only one I know who uses magic besides Gwen. I thought he would be good to ask." I replied.

Lucretia now did look upset. She even put her hands on her hips to glare at me!

"Master!" she said hotly, "...did it ever occur to you to ask me if you were a mage, or how to use your abilities? Or did you think that since you are my teacher that I wasn't worth asking a question like that?"

My mouth dropped open and I was rendered speechless! Of course! Mother had told me Lucretia used magic. I saw her use magic on a number of occasions, why didn't I think...? Crap, she was right. I never thought to ask her about it. I just assumed that since she was so innocent of our world and the things in it that she was just that, an innocent and naive person.

I needed to remember that she is basically royalty. Her world may be alien to me, and everything is different here for her...but she is 220 years old! She has survived much and has years of experience over me in a lot of areas in all probability. 

I am a fool.

"Lucretia? I am sorry..." I said contritely.

"For what?" she asked, crossing her arms and tapping a booted foot on the floor.

"I am sorry for not treating you like an equal. I apologize." I said.

"Oh...I see..." she said. Her tone of voice was still frosty enough to chill beer. "So how do we fix this situation...Maybe some bowing and scraping would be in..." she stopped talking as I glared at her.

"I bow to no one!" I muttered darkly. Lucretia smiled at that. 

"Looks like we found out one way to call up your power Greg!" She told me with a bright smile. I looked down to see that odd flowing blue color on my chest and hands. Why that sneaky little succubus! She planned to get a rise out of me to see what it took to wake up my abilities!




Mine...Yours Pt. 07



"Well, looks like you got a reaction out of me, so what do we do now?" I asked.

She looked me up and down, came closer to flick her finger at varying places to test that blue barrier. She suddenly switched to her full combat form.

"Now we test it." She said simply, and punched me hard in the chest!

To be continued...



Mine...Yours Pt. 08



Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who waited patiently, and also to the ones who did not wait so patiently. I appreciate the Emails of encouragement...and deleted the Emails of death and dismemberment. I never knew I had such...CREATIVE readers! Honestly, I thank you all for the support. I hope you all enjoy the next section of my story.

Chapter 23: Care

(One month later)

I fell backwards, landing hard on my ass and rolling completely over my shoulder to lay out flat on my belly. The blue field around me shimmered and winked out. I was panting so hard that I sucked a bit of grass into my mouth from the lawn and spit it out in disgust. Something flickered in my vision and I rolled to the side as a sharp black spear pierced the ground right where my head had been resting!

I gripped the shaft and turned enough to kick out hard and hit the knee of my attacker. She just smiled at me through sharp teeth. Lucretia chuckled at my counterattack. Yep, she has taken over my training times in the morning. No more working out in my gym, at least not the same way I usually did. Once I asked her to help me find out about what type of magic I had, she turned into a slave driver making me use it and control it. 

"That tickled Greg! Got to focus or your magic won't let you stop me!" She punctuated this by attacking again!

I absolutely hate it when she uses this stupid, rotten, mean and annoying attack! Her wings fold up, I mean all the way up. She has around a twenty foot wing span right, and the whole wing part lays flat along the thick spine of the wing. Then the little claws near the arches fold over her arms so that the spine of the wing runs along her arms all the way down to her claws. Basically, they act like pointed rods that extend at least 5 feet past her fingertips. I never knew that the spine of her wing was so flexible. It actually was kinda nifty to see her do that, it looked like she was packing up a stunt kite.

Except then she would attack me with her brand new weapons!

I thought it was hard enough to spar with her when she had those nasty claws on her hands and feet, and let's not forget those ominous spurs on the back of her legs, but nooo! Then she had to go ahead and get her wings involved in the whole mess! They stung and cracked like a switch that left deep bruises instead of welts, and one time when I dodged her attack, the points penetrated the walls of my backyard shed! She never gave me any slack when we were training, constantly pushing me and punishing me when I let my shield fall.

All right, let me bring you up to speed here. Turns out, Mother was right about me, sort of. I am a telekinetic, just not a very useful one. When you think of telekinesis you think of somebody cool, who can do useful things. Like someone who can reach out a hand and call their keys from the coffee table across the room and they float gracefully to their hand. Or any number of other useful tricks. Yes, I am a telekinetic, but my range is almost exactly...2 inches. 

That's right! I am about as useless as crescent wrench in a beauty parlor! I can move things without touching them, as long as they are only two inches away from me, or less. That is the lamest and most pathetic power restriction I had ever heard of... or even imagined! Let's use that key analogy from earlier. If my hand is within two inches of my keys? I just lean and pick them up! There, problem solved, no need for any power or magical whoopy!

Lucretia seemed fascinated with my ability. She had me lift things with my mind, or lack there of, from the palm of my hands. Then she made me hold it there for a half hour each day. She said something about pushing my boundaries and yadda-yadda. My mind would usually wander off as I didn't understand any of it. Then she would measure the space between whatever she was having me lift and the palms of my hands to see if I was extending my range at all.

Never did.

One of the useful things I got out of the deal was a full body shield that protects me. I first brought it up when Will dropped his...whatever it was on me at that disastrous first meeting between him and my roommate. The other is that I seem to be able to lift things that are really...REALLY heavy now. Lucretia says it's because I have such a short range, that my power can lift heavier things to make up for the lack of distance. Something to do with "balance and forces" and again my mind just wandered off for a bit while she tried to explain it.

All I know is that now, I can almost juggle my dumpsters at work! Also Lucretia has to work really hard not to get hit when my power is active. Though, like now...when my brain is tired and I can't even hold a shield against a puff of wind she likes to ramp up her attacks on me!

It's at times like this I wish I hadn't of given her free will. Her clawed foot came up to stomp me and I shifted so it missed, then rolled the other way as her other wing struck down at me. Then she pounced, or fell on me and I rolled with her over and over on the grass. She was laughing as I finally stopped moving with her on top.

"So, giving up I see....Whoa!" She shouted as I brought up my legs and my power flickered enough for me to have the force to get her off of my chest. I rolled to my feet, breathing hard and sweating like an ice cube in a toaster. Lucretia stood, and looked me over. 

"You are getting better Master. You're able to hold your concentration longer than a week ago. Your shield is able to take stronger strikes. You are also able to move faster by letting your mind move your body through your power." She observed while brushing yard debris off of her skin.

"I honestly don't like using my telekinesis to move my body around." I told her. "It makes me feel like some kind of psionic sock puppet! I was born with muscles to get around, seems weird to use my mind to move my arms and legs faster."

Lucretia nodded. "Wise to think like that. Using telekinesis to move your limbs you might push them to hard or too fast and damage yourself." She paused and scratched her chin, a gesture she seemed to be picking up from Jemima.

I guess I should tell you about that too. Lucretia has not been hanging out with me 24/7 all this time. 

We enjoy each other's company, but she needs interaction with others.

Jemima, Gwen and Lucretia seemed to all have hit it off really well. Three weeks ago I had walked Lucretia over to visit my neighbors. She was in human form, so the apprehension on her face was easier to see. They were going to have a girl's night with a Twilight movie marathon. They seemed to see it as a comedy. 

Don't ask me, I'm male...it must be one of those female things. 

I walked in to say "Hi" to everyone and show that I was alive, and undrained by my succubus. Lucretia had brought over cookies since she wanted to see if she could make them as well as I did. She didn't add the white chocolate chips and instead doubled the amount of butterscotch. They seemed alright, not really up to my standards of cookies, but I may be a bit biased. After the initial awkwardness was done, the two Gatewatchers and Lucretia seemed to relax. Yet, we seemed to be missing one?

"Where's Hildy?" I asked Gwen. She just sighed with a cute little frown. 

"She is still not...comfortable with having an Outsider in the house." Jemima explained from over by the microwave. 

I glanced at my two neighbors appraisingly, "And, you all are?"

"More or less..." replied Gwen as she took the cookies from Lucretia and set them over on the dining table. "I am more of the more and not the less!" Said Gwen as she started to divide cookies between three plates. There was a large veggie, and a large pepperoni pizza sitting there as well. Both just waiting to be devoured. I thought about asking for a slice, but decided against it. 

Lucretia looked uncomfortable, and I stood next to her as she stared at the dining room table. 

"You okay?" I asked Lucretia.

Gwen continued her dividing of food, but I could tell she was listening. That was fine. The ice needed to be broken somehow, and if they could see a little of Lucretia's vulnerability that might help. It was important for my succubus to have interaction with more people than just me.

"No, Greg..." she said.

"Wanna tell me what's up?" I asked. I could almost see Gwen leaning forward to hear a little better. Ten dollars says Jemima is doing a vampy thing of some sort to hear better also...any takers?

"I...I am in the house where I almost killed these people that you want me to be friends with." Lucretia said hesitatingly. "I feel...ashamed?" She looked at me questioningly. I nodded.

"That might be the word. Remember how you apologized to them a few days back?" I asked. She nodded.

"Maybe it's not so much ashamed, maybe it's more that you realize what you almost did. You nearly took the lives of an entire party of people. Now you are in the same house where it all happened and two of those people are here and want to get to know you better. Little overwhelming huh?" I asked. I gently took her hand in mine and rubbed her soft skin with the pad of my thumb.

I didn't meet her eyes for what I was about to say, deep down I was a little uncomfortable myself. Especially with what I was about to admit.

"Now, let's work on your empathy a little...okay?" I said, looking down at our hands.

"Okay." Lucretia said softly.

"Now, think from my perspective here for a moment. I am back in this house where I first met you. In fact right about where we are standing I hurt you and then tossed you out of the house through that door over there." I pointed at the now repaired sliding glass doors, but Lucretia didn't look at them, she stayed looking at me.

"So for me..." I continued. "...I don't feel so much ashamed of what I did. What I feel is bad for hurting you. At the time I didn't know you, now that I have gotten to know you, I need to tell you something."

Now I looked her in the eyes.

"Lucretia, I am very sorry for hurting you. Will you forgive me?" 

The look on her face was weird. She looked both delighted, scared and puzzled at the same time.

"Forgive you? I...I don't have the authority to forgive you. You are my Master..." She stammered. Oh, I was having none of that from her!

"Did I or did I not give you free will?" I asked.

"You did." She said quietly.

"Then you have all the authority you need. Will you forgive me for hurting you?" I asked again.

This was a big moment for her in understanding humans. 

To forgive someone is to not hold an action against a person. That doesn't mean you forget what they did, that would be foolish and silly. Like when you loan a friend twenty bucks and then you forgive the debt. They don't owe you twenty bucks anymore, but you also remember that they aren't good at paying back debts. They are still your friend, but you don't loan them money...well...maybe you do but that's your own prerogative.

Point is, I was asking Lucretia to really exercise her freedom here. I wanted her to use what I had given her. I wanted her to experience what it was to be human. Sure Mother wanted her to learn how to seduce me, but I wanted her to learn what it was to be human as well. Every hunter knows it's important to study their target, right now Lucretia has the option to study her prey by being it.

Also, I really did actually feel bad for hurting her. At the time it was justified, but now getting to know her better I understood where she was coming from. I really did want her forgiveness. I wanted to move on in our relationship and to have that always in the back of my mind weighed heavily on me. Of course I knew that there would be more times ahead when we would hurt each other, but that was then, this is now.  

My succubus looked around the room for a moment as if looking for some inspiration to help her make a decision.

"It's okay...I understand why you hurt me back then. There is nothing to forgive Greg." She said finally.

I shook my head, "You are on the right track but you're missing the point." I leaned forward and gave her a little kiss on the forehead.

"Understanding is fine. To put yourself in my position and see the world from my perspective is good. Forgiving is to go past that. To not hold something against someone even though you don't understand why they did it in the first place. I am glad you understand where I am coming from. But still...I would like your forgiveness. You don't have to do it now, but think on what I said and let me know your decision okay?" I rubbed one hand up and down her bare arm and watched her face as she thought on what I said.

"Yes Master." She said, though it was said almost absently. I gave her a quick hug and then snagged a slice of pepperoni pizza anyway. Come on! I was hungry!

I spoke to Gwen and Jemima for a moment.

"You guys look out for her while she's here? Give me a call if there is any trouble. Even if you think there isn't a situation starting you give me a call okay?" I asked.

Jemima chuckled and dug through the refrigerator for a bottle of wine that sloshed funny. It was probably blood of some sort.

"Don't worry. We have been watching you two for a while now, well...Gwen has. I think we will be fine tonight."

I looked at Gwen for an explanation. She just gave me a saucy grin and with a flick of her fingers a large card from her deck appeared between her middle and forefinger.

"Magic silly! How else could we watch you?" She grew somber for a moment and looked a little peeved. Though I wasn't sure if it was with me or not.

"Really Greg. I am surprised at you...why didn't you tell us that you were a practitioner? We could have helped you a lot sooner?" Gwen scolded me.

I shrugged and gave her a lopsided grin. "You saw how tightlipped I was about myself before all of this supernatural stuff happened. Then we had our little falling out, then Lucretia showed up as a houseguest...Just when was I supposed to find the time to tell you?"

I watched Lucretia walk into the kitchen where Jemima was drinking her blood and wander around it a little, gently touching and sniffing everything. She went over to the refrigerator and looked at Jemima questioningly who nodded her assent. She opened the door and gasped!

"Greg! They have eggs! Lots of eggs!" She said delightedly. I walked over and shut the door when I saw her start to reach inside. 

"Wait a minute! Whose house is this?" I asked before Lucretia could pout. She didn't pout but crossed her arms under her chest.

"This house belongs to the Gatewatch." She replied with a touch of sullenness.

"Good. Do you remember the rule when in another person's house?" I asked.

"Always stay in human form and even if they know my true nature to remain clothed unless I am hunting prey." She responded automatically.

I almost face-palmed myself!

"I meant concerning drawers and things around their house? You know? Around their things that belong to them?" I asked again with a little more emphasis on certain words. She caught on quick. I think seeing the eggs short-circuited her head since her taste buds were taking over the thinking process. At least my first rule came through loud and clear since she remembered it quickly.

"Oh! That one. Always ask before taking, and if you're not sure about it...ask the owners of the house first for permission." She responded after a pause.

She turned and looked at Gwen and Jemima, "Excuse me, I really like eggs. Would it be alright with you if I had some?"

Jemima and Gwen exchanged a glance and then Jemima replied. "Sure...why not? You can have a few." Lucretia quickly opened the door and snagged a carton of large grade A extra-large chicken eggs. Just as she opened the carton I made a subtle motion that stopped her and got her attention. I mouthed to her silently...

"A few means three..."

She nodded and gently tapped each egg with a fingernail before selecting three. She put the carton back gently holding her treasures. She inspected each one carefully sniffing it and tapping them a few more times. Then she popped each one into her mouth and swallowed them whole! The eggs made a crackling noise as their shells compressed in her throat. She patted herself just above her sternum and sighed with pleasure as her crop began its job of crushing the food the rest of the way.

"As Greg likes to say, that hit the spot!" She turned with bright eyes to see Jemima and Gwen watching her with open mouths. 

"I know..." I said. "I was surprised the first time I saw it too. But she really likes eggs."

Hmmm....gave me an idea for a gift to get her in the future. Likes eggs...seems to like them whole. How big...? Oh yeah! She would like those! I chuckled to myself, and no...I am not telling you what it is! It's a surprise for her and I am not giving any hints.

Jemima and Gwen got over the surprise of seeing what looked like a regular human girl swallow eggs whole, and then they began the careful dance that girls do when meeting each other. Compliment accessories. It must be true for succubae as well as humans for Lucretia picked up on the art form rather quickly.. Gwen complimented Lucretia on her pants and Lucretia seemed fascinated by Jemima's hair. She asked if it got in the way at all.

"Not really Luce!" Jemima said with a small grin. "I had it in corn rows for a while but didn't really like it. I also think I look better this way."

"I agree." I said with a nod. I was putting my coat back on before I left. I had the night off so I figured I would go to the store. I was going to purchase a selection of CD's for Lucretia to listen to. She had discovered that my clock radio played music so would lay on my bed and slowly roll through the stations listening to it for long stretches of time.

"Jemima has great hair. That time when she almost kissed me I had wanted to touch it to see if it was as soft as it looked!" I said with a wink. It was only after I said it that I realized what had come out of my mouth!

Lucretia got very still as she touched Jemima's afro. Then she continued as if nothing had been said. 

"This was before I was bound to you?" She asked carefully. 

Jemima answered for me. "Yeah. I thought he deserved a kiss for saving us from you. He turned me down. Though I guess it all worked out all right in the end. After all...he got you didn't he?" Lucretia looked at the vampire's face and took a deep breath through her nose. Then leaned over a little closer and took another.

"You are trying to protect my feelings, but you are mostly telling the truth. You find my Master attractive?" Lucretia asked quietly.

Jemima seemed unsure how to respond but decided on the truth, "I find him attractive, but not really physically. I prefer my men tall, dark, handsome and with a definite hint of evil!" That last word was said with a suggestion of lechery and her tongue touched her lips for an instant.

Lucretia took that in and then asked, "If he didn't meet your requirements then why do you find him attractive?"

Gwen walked up alongside of my succubus and placed her hand on Lucretia's arm in a familiar gesture. Women are very touchy feely it seems! One minute they want to banish and the next the want to cuddle! Does anything women do actually make sense?

"I also really like Greg. I had wondered what it would be like to have him as more than just a friend...or neighbor. Most women wonder that, at times, about the men in their lives." Gwen said.

Lucretia looked at Gwen in surprise. I myself was starting to feel really uncomfortable and was hurriedly eating my slice of pizza so I could leave!

"Why would women think that about a man who didn't meet their requirements?" Lucretia asked Gwen.

"Simple Luce!" Jemima answered, her trademark smirk back on her lips. "Women always want the fantasy, but in reality...we want someone who is totally different!" 




Mine...Yours Pt. 08



Jemima sighed as she saw Lucretia's expression. "How about this cupcake...? We watch the movies, have some girly time, eat until we can't move...then if you still have questions? We will answer as many of them as we can before "daddy" over there comes to pick you up and take you home...okay?"

Lucretia nodded, then giggled. "He doesn't like being called daddy!"

"So what do you call him then?" Gwen asked.

I coughed loudly getting their attention.

"HE..." I said a little loudly. "...would like to be called when you girls are done so I can walk Lucretia home. He also doesn't like to be talked about like he isn't there while in the same room!"

Jemima nodded and I could see the tip of her tongue poke out her cheek while she considered me. 

"You probably call him..." Jemima began to say it but I put my fingers in my ears and hummed to myself with a smirk on my face.

"Sorry! Can't hear you." I took my fingers away and walked up to Lucretia giving her a hug.

"Have fun, be good. I will be back to pick you up and walk you home. Any questions before I go?" I asked. Okay, I was being a little sneaky here. 

I noticed Lucretia gets this...jealousy thing...with me around other females of any kind...even with Nancy! I like to reassure her. So usually it means I give her hugs and my scent gets on her, and she can smell her own scent on me. For some reason it seems to calm her, don't ask me why, I don't fully understand it myself. Kind of like how she still doesn't like seat belts. She tolerates it and after explaining in greater detail how they work she understands why she has to wear one. Though she still complains saying that she can't get hurt, and I have a body shield so we don't need to wear one.

"No questions Greg. I will stay and watch...whatever they were talking about." She finished. 

"It's a movie....you're going to be watching a movie." I explained.

"Oh...movie? It moves?" she asked.

"Yeah. Humans like to shortenize stuff. Movie stands for "Moving Pictures." It basically is a whole bunch of pictures that moves rapidly so people can see the film." I attempted to explain, but with no frame of reference for her to understand...I don't think I did very well. .

She still looked confused, but Gwen put a plate of food in her hand and directed her to the couch.

"If we try to explain everything to you Lucretia, it loses its fun. Let's just watch the films and let Greg go out for some guy time...okay?"

I left, but wasn't too worried. I hadn't gone shopping for music in a long time. There were all sorts of things from Indie music which made me think of Indiana Jones and was something completely different! Then there's the alternative pop/rock/ballad/bagpipe music? Then the oldies, the gold/platinum/ceramic editions. Then techno, electronic, trance, dance, and industrial....

Sigh! 

I decided to take Lucretia with me next time and forget the whole thing. I meandered around a while, just killing time, and then thought about going back home to relax and...my right hand trembled.

Normally, that's not a big thing, but then I felt a rush of anger, followed by extreme sadness and then frustration and more anger! 

What in the world? I looked around and could see nothing that would make me feel like...it hit again and I almost felt like snarling!

Something was wrong with Lucretia!

I pulled out my phone and dialed Gwen's number. She picked up on the first ring.

"Everything's fine Greg." Gwen said quickly.

"Bullshit!" I spat into the mouth piece. An older woman gave me a look of disdain, which I returned with a look of fury making her back up a step from the heat of my glare.

"Put her on the phone right now!" I demanded. 

I heard Gwen saying something and an answering snarl in return.

"Lucretia?" I asked loudly, then heard the phone clatter. I heard footsteps and Gwen picked up the phone. 

"I don't think she knows how to use a phone and she's..."Gwen's voice trailed off and she sounded almost in shock. I felt my eyes tearing up and growled in my throat a bit.

"I don't believe it..." Gwen said in a soft voice.

"What? I don't like being kept in the dark here Gwen!" I tried not to shout into the phone.

"Lucretia...she's...crying! I am seeing a succubus cry!" Gwen sounded like she was witnessing a pig with wings pulling aerial acrobatics!

"I'll be right there! Stay with her, please." I said quickly.

"It's alright Greg, she's...she is alright, take your time." Gwen said quietly, with a trace of wonder in her voice.

Alright? ALRIGHT? 

My roommate is crying her eyes out and it's alright? I'll make Gwen eat her entire card deck and Jemima can snort her hair products if Lucretia is...

The feelings were changing.

The sadness was changing into, I don't know, a sort of melancholy and then resignation. As I got into my truck I felt it shift again and even felt a twinge of hope, like a little tiny sparkler all by its lonesome on the fourth of July. It grew, and I could almost feel myself smiling along with the gaiety I felt in my chest. I pulled up in front of my neighbors and I heard...trumpets?

I knocked on the front door and then just opened it since no one was answering it. I heard oldies band music playing and turned into the living room to a bizarre sight.

Gwen, Jemima and Lucretia were all in 1920's flapper dresses with head-bands and feathers and the whole nine yards. They were grooving to "The Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy from Company B!" Lucretia was dancing and prancing and Jemima was strutting and posing and Gwen was shaking and bouncing! There was a bottle of root beer imbedded in the dry wall and cookies and food launched all over the floor. A pizza box was upside down on the table leaking sauce on the heavily varnished wood.

The girls were laughing and singing along to the song, and then it came to the end.

"Alright Lucky! You liked that one. Let's get some Louis Armstrong from back when...Hey Greg!" Jemima said as she took the old vinyl out from under the phonograph needle and reached for another sleeve.

"I can't believe this girl! Luce here can dance like I have never seen! She's the bee's knees!"

Lucretia spotted me and skipped over to wrap her arms around me in a tight hug pressing her face to my chest, her long feather from her head band poking me in the nose!

"Master I am having so much fun! Jemmy has so much good music to listen to and it makes me..." Her voice trailed off as a lone trumpet sang out from the speakers and I swear my roommate's eyes rolled back into her head as she began to twirl and sway to the golden sounds of Louis Armstrong.

Gwen came over to me as Jemima (Jemmy? Really?) and Lucretia (Lucky? REALLY?) swayed about the open floor of the living room.

"What the hell happened Gwen? One minute I feel Lucretia angry enough to chew through a tent stake and I come here and she's dancing and happy as...I don't know...something happy! What gives?"

Gwen shrugged. 

"We were about halfway, maybe three quarters the way through the first movie. Lucretia had been getting more and more tense as she watched. Finally she threw her drink at the wall and starting tossing the food and screaming at the TV telling them how they were idiots and didn't know anything. She changed back to her, succubus form, I guess you would call it and hid her face in her hands and wouldn't look at us. Jemima tried to talk to her but Lucretia just walked over to the corner of the room and folded her wings around herself and wouldn't respond to us. You called and I think she might 'of heard your voice. 

I tried to hand her the phone, but I don't think she understood what it was because she knocked it away from me which set Jemima off and she grabbed a hold of her to keep her from moving. Then after I picked up the phone from the floor I turned to see Jemima looking surprised as Lucretia hugged her and began...she began too..." Gwen's voice trailed off.

"She cried...right? That's what you told me." I offered. Gwen nodded and still looked a little shell-shocked.

"Well she seems better now, what did you do to help her? I usually just stay near her and hold her hand when she gets that way." I said.

Gwen watched me carefully and spoke slowly. "Greg...Succubae don't cry. They don't feel sadness or remorse. All they feel are the basic needs and wants, maybe a little curiosity, but they CAN'T feel those other things!"

I looked back at her startled a little myself, "Are you trying to tell me that Lucretia isn't a succubus?"

Gwen huffed in exasperation. "Of course not! Lucky...Lucretia is a succubus. To be born of a succubus no matter what it sleeps with, its offspring will be a succubus! What I am saying, Greg, is that succubae don't feel sad, they don't feel remorse or pity."

She faced me straight on. "When Jemima and I heard you talking to her about forgiveness and trying to explain it all, we were both laughing inside, because a succubus would never understand or want to understand what you were talking about." 

She looked back at "Jemmy" and "Lucky" who had linked elbows to dance side by side. 

"She was holding Jemima, thinking Jemima had been trying to give her a hug and not restrain her. She was sobbing about the show. We had to explain to her it wasn't real, that it was just a story, a made up one at that." Gwen swallowed. 

"Somehow...I don't know how...you really did allow her so much more than just free will Greg. You are letting her feel the world that we live in as we do!"

I tried to process that. I always knew that Lucretia was a stranger in a strange land, but this, I think...went way beyond that. Lucretia is basically over 200 years old, and never felt a ton of emotions and feelings that we as people from this plane do. At least, that is what Gwen was telling me, as I understood it. Now, on top of being in a brand new place, Lucretia is also now feeling...well, feelings! It must be like what a blind man feels if he had never been able to see and now all of a sudden he can, but even more extreme than that. Gwen was looking at me like she was waiting for me to say something.

Of course my mouth opened before I really thought of what to say!

"So you're basically telling me I made an Outsider into an Insider?" I asked.

Gwen shook her head and clenched her little fists at her side while giving me a gimlet glare. The effect was spoiled by her flapper dress and long necklace. She looked a little like a child in her mother's clothes, but I would never say that. 

What...? Piss off a witch? That's just crazy!

"Don't treat this lightly!" Gwen admonished me. "We have an Outsider who for all intents and purposes is...is...Native!" Gwen rubbed her forehead and looked down with a sigh.

"Jemima had asked Lucretia if she had liked anything about the movie at all, you know, trying to have her focus on something that didn't make her sad or upset." Gwen then looked me dead in the eye.

"Music!" Gwen spat out! I raised my eyebrows in question.

"Yeah...music...everyone likes music, I was going out to try to find some for her when..." I started to tell her when Gwen grabbed my arm to get my attention.

"My point exactly! Succubae don't give a crap about that sort of thing! Jemima started pulling out her old records and playing that big band music and she started smiling! Then when looking at the cover of the album she wondered about the clothing...the CLOTHING!" Gwen said as if thunderstruck.

I shrugged, sure Lucretia liked that stuff, we had talked about it before. She wanted different clothing and so we went shopping again for her to make copies of stuff she liked. I drew the line at skinny jeans...I don't care what anyone says...I hate designer skinny jeans!

Jemima pulled out some of her old clothes from the flapper era and then Lucretia made copies of them and then we were all..." Gwen's voice trailed off. She smiled and her eyes grew warm. "Your succubus is different, it made me think and I did a little research...even consulted the cards." Gwen stepped closer and started whispering to me. 

"In all of our histories among my people and we DO know our history! There has been only one other confirmed joining of an Outsider to a being from our Plane. It wasn't to a human either." Gwen said quietly.

Obvious question, had to ask it. "Who or what was it with?"

Just as Gwen was about to tell me Lucretia snaked her arm through mine and began to pull on me. 

"Dance with me Greg!" she told me, and my stomach clenched a bit.

Nope, not afraid of dancing...I actually enjoy it. I like to waltz and swing as much as most people...maybe more...okay... a lot more! I just hadn't done it in a while and the last time I did it was with a woman who...yep. Dark thoughts all over again. 

Sigh...I have a lot of issues don't I?

Lucretia seemed to feel that, probably the same way as I felt her earlier. She began to pull away but I stopped her with my hands on her hips and pulled her closer, leaving about a six-inch gap between us.

"I would l...enjoy dancing with you!" I said through a stutter. I have been having more of those lately! I placed my right hand on her waist, pinky finger brushing the dress material over her hip. My left took her right hand in mine and I looked at Jemima. 

"Moon River?" I asked. She nodded and I quietly told Lucretia how we are going to dance, and how I would lead. I can't do that cool, hip, freestyle "Shake your booty to the music!" type of thing. I do know how to dance with a woman though...it's simple. All you have to do is picture yourself as a stand that holds something precious and lovely and you want other people to see how special it is. Once that thought is firmly in your mind, follow the steps you know by heart and it will happen. What will happen you ask? 

Your partner will shine!

The sweet gentle song played and I swayed my succubus across the carpet. Her brown human eyes were on mine. I could smell her, that soft vanilla tangerine scent that her body always seemed to produce. Her left hand on my shoulder every now and then squeezing as she would give a little giggle or a small smile of pleasure. I felt...so good! The fear of something wrong when I first showed up had dissipated, and this felt so right, being with her like this. When the song was done I leaned over and kissed her, deeply, right in front of Gwen and Jemima who both gasped.

Oh right...that is one of the ways succubae feed! I pulled back and planted a small kiss on top of her head through her hair.

We went home shortly after the dance, actually, I take that back. We went home after we helped clean up the mess and worked hard at cleaning the stains out of the carpets. I never knew that Lucretia's ability to replicate stuff could be tweaked to remove marinara sauce from cloth! Interesting possibilities. I may never have to dry clean again.

Back in our house I was getting ready for bed and Lucretia in her winged form was already in it. When she asked me something as I was taking off my pants.

"Greg...am I a monster?"

I stopped as I considered her question. My initial response was anger, how dare she call herself a monster! But I had to temper that reaction with logic. The more I thought about it, the more I didn't like the answer. I sighed and finished taking off my pants and socks and lay down on the mattress next to her. 

After that one time of lying next to each other, I found I wanted her there, so while she did have a bedroom, she would sleep with me in mine. If I wasn't there though, she was not allowed in my room, I do need some privacy now and then. That being said though...I had forgotten how much I had missed a body next to me while I slept.

"Technically...yes. You are considered a monster." I said gently. I rolled over on my side to face her. She had a faraway look that was kind of sad and anxious at the same time.

"Technically...I am a monster as well." I told her in the same tone of voice. Her eyes lost the faraway look and returned back to examine me.

"Because you are a mage and different from most humans?" she questioned.

"No, because I am seen as someone who harms others." I clarified.

She thought about this and placed a clawed hand on my chest, her fingers sliding over the little bit of chest hair I had in an absentminded way.

"You are seen as a monster because of this woman who told others you had hurt her when you didn't." She stated. I nodded my head, not really wanting to talk about it. I watched her mull over whatever she was thinking and then give a half nod. 

"I am a monster because not only am I different from humans I also prey upon them." She stated and her voice trembled once in the middle of her sentence. I didn't say anything, but took her hand that was laying on my chest and held it tighter against me. She watched our hands touching and smiled then it gradually disappeared as her eyes rose to mine again. Her expression turned incredibly serious, like she needed to...I don't know, confess or something.

"When I came back here with Mother I wanted to kill you, very badly, and very painfully." She said quietly. I said nothing but I am sure she felt my heart beating faster.

"It was strange how you responded to both Mother and me. I felt fear from you, and many other emotions, then you invited us inside to eat. You cooked and served us, and ate with us." Her voice had turned a little incredulous at the end as she stared at me.

"When Mother told me we would be bound I began to panic. I had been down that path before, and it was very unpleasant. I did not want to be bound to someone who hated me, and who I hated! I did not want to be bound to you." Her voice grew quiet, but her eyes never left mine. I waited to see what she would say next. A minute passed. Then two minutes, the only thing moving on her was her nictating membrane that was under her eyelid. It would flick out every now and then to moisten her shiny black eyes. I did not have that luxury, so I would have to blink, or clear my throat, but I kept eye contact with her as we lay there in my bed.

"You were kind to me..." she said suddenly and it almost made me jolt in bed a little. "You were kind to me even when you were scared. Mother and I could feel the hurt coming off of you." She swallowed hard and her eyes got wider. 

"Greg, the reason we know you are not a...sex offender? Yes, that is the word. The reason we know is that you do not have that...taste about you. You do not succumb quickly to us, they are broken people and are easy to influence, you are not. You are very hurt and do not trust easily. You are also very..." Her voice trailed off and she snuggled closer to me, my arms went around her automatically.

I wished she hadn't stopped talking! It felt like there was something important that she was going to tell me! Then I heard her voice.

"I don't want you to die..." it was so quiet that I could barely hear her. My eyes began to tear up.

"Well, Lucretia...It's only a matter of time until I do."

I felt her nose rub against my sternum as she shook her head at me. 

"I have decided to use my free will to disobey you if it ever comes up, Master." Lucretia said quietly. I immediately wanted to jump on that and ask what she was talking about. However, being quiet so far had seemed to be a good idea. I kept on shutting up!

"I told you once before that I would never kill you unless you really wanted me to...remember?" She asked.

How could I forget! I could hardly get to sleep that night, and I still had no idea what she was talking about! I said nothing and just gave an "MmmHmmm" of acknowledgement. 

"I have decided that even if you asked me to kill you...I will disobey you." She said finally.

Enough of this! I need to talk, to say...something!

I pulled back a little, but Lucretia wouldn't look up at me.




Mine...Yours Pt. 08



"Why? What does this have to do with anything?" I asked. She finally looked back up at me and I saw she was crying.

"I care about you! I am a succubus. I hunt, I use magic, I kill what I want and take what I want, I don't know fully what you have done to me but I don't want it to stop and I am afraid that if you die I will go back to being what I was and I don't want that!" She was starting to get louder and her tail was lashing behind her.

"I saw that...movie? Yes...movie. And more and more I started to feel something inside of me, I got angry. These two humans, well not human. One of them was and the other wasn't. One was food for the other and they came to care for each other. But one needs to eat, and the other is food...don't you understand?" Lucretia's voice was getting louder and sounded almost desperate.

She had risen up onto an elbow and was looking down into my face now. I think I kinda sorta got what she was saying...but it didn't make much sense. I knew I should have watched that whole first twilight movie!

"You're worried because I am food?" I asked. She shook her head and gritted her teeth.

"Not just food! You don't understand...you taste...You taste....RAAAH!" Her hands captured my head and she gave me several quick kisses and I felt a tiny shiver of cold slide past my lips. Lucretia moaned and dropped my head and her back arced while she seemed to roll the flavor of whatever was in her mouth before swallowing.

"You are a man, full of fear, hate, anger...but also full of compassion, caring, and honor. You are conflicted but try to do what is right. You are fiercely loyal, and also even when scared you showed kindness and trust to a monster that wanted to kill you!" She blinked and looked down at me. 

"That is why you taste so good! It's not because you are a mage, it's not because of good breeding. We draw on the energy that you create in how you live your life! Someone like you, hurt and still trying to do what you believe is right is a delicacy of much worth where I come from. I know of succubae that would FIGHT to get you into their clutches!" 

She almost sobbed then and fell forward onto me, clutching me tight...given what she had just said about clutching I was feeling a little nervous, but still I smoothed my hands over her back trying to give her comfort. That did make her sob.

"It proves it...right there! You just did it again. I felt your fear then you pushed it aside because you wanted to make sure I am okay! That is why I am not going to kill you, which is why I am so torn! I have one of the best sources of energy, and you gave me freedom to take it if I want to and I can't because I CARE about you!"

I felt her punch the floor of my room and I heard a cracking sound and something falling. Judging by what I heard I think my succubus just punched a hole in my floor.

I tried to look at this from her perspective...because I was still a little lost. My brain is pretty slow most times, and it's hard for me to wrap my head around some concepts. Then the last thing she said, and the rest of what she said filtered through and one thing above all else slammed into me so hard that it shook me to my very core!

I grabbed her biceps and I felt my power give me a little extra juice to raise her face to meet my eyes.

"Did you just...Lucretia...did you...?" I stammered. I could feel my body shaking under her. Her eyes went wide at, I guess what she was feeling from me, or my expression.

"Did I what Greg?"

"Did you just say that you care about me?" I asked quickly, all in a rush so I hopefully wouldn't stammer.

"I care about you...more than...mph!" I cut her off so she couldn't finish that sentence with my hand over her mouth

"Don't bite me! Just...stop a second alright?" I asked. She nodded, but looked a little peeved.

I fell back on my mattress and felt my grey skinned roomie get more comfortable on me. I tipped my head down to look at her. Her hands were flat on my chest and her chin was on them watching me intently. I sighed and let my head fall back on my pillow.

"I can see up your nose." She said out of nowhere. She sounded curious and I think she would have moved for a better look if I had not lifted my head to give her a dark look.

"What? I have never seen up a human's nose before. There is a lot of hair in there!" She remarked.

"Lucretia, focus for a second. Actually I need to focus...ummm...okay, short answers. Three words or less." I stated, holding up three fingers. My head lying back on the pillow I couldn't see her, but I felt her nod.

"You care about me?" I asked.

"Yes I do." She responded.

"I am not a good choice of someone to care about." I groaned.

"I'll decide that." She quietly growled.

I decided maybe I was looking at this wrong. The surge of emotions I felt from her, this is just a new experience right? It's that she care's, she couldn't possibly l...like me! I am...in the eyes of the world I am a monster. Sure she is a monster too but she comes by it naturally. I am a "self-made" monster so it would seem! I can't believe I am thinking like this!

"You care for me as a friend right?" I asked finally.

"Yes." Was her instant response.

Whew! That I can handle! That makes sense...but...gotta know.

"Any other way you care about me I should know about?" I asked tentatively. She was quiet, but I let her think.

"Use more words?" she asked hesitantly. 

I nearly slapped myself in the face! 

"Yes! Of course...sorry Lucretia."

"I naturally care for you very much, as you are my Master!" She paused, and took a breath. Her fingers moved slowly over the skin of my chest. "I also care for you because you are very brave, and very kind." 

She almost said more, then stopped and rubbed her right palm with that small scar over the area on my chest where my heart was located.

"That's enough for now." Lucretia said quietly.

I pulled her to my side and covered her with our blankets. As I looked over at my friend I smiled and rubbed the base of her horns making her give an avian type of purr.

"I care about you an awful lot too my friend. Thank you for saying those nice words to me."

"Your welcome Master..." Lucretia mumbled as she quickly fell asleep. 

Just like I have for several nights before, sleep was a longer time coming for me. Not that I was upset, but I felt a little bit of warmth and a strange hope in my chest. It had been a very, very long time since I had felt that way. It was comforting and a little nerve wracking at the same time, and it was nice to stay up for a while and watch my roommate sleep next to me. The last thing I remember before sleep took me, was thinking how natural it felt to have this grey skinned woman be at my side.



Chapter 24: Papa.

So I guess you could say my life has been getting very interesting indeed! For some reason having verbalized the fact that we actually care about each other seems to have dropped a lot of nervousness that Lucretia feels and a lot of that is also inside of me. Of course that coupled with our workouts together and then the distraction of the workers coming over and fixing up my house is also a help...sort of. 

Never would have thought that Lucretia would take such a shine to working!

She would pester the workers asking questions as they were laying carpet, or using that funny looking wire to run more wire of different colors through the holes they were making in the drywall. William came by sometimes, which also made me realize I had never invited him over! I had gone to his place several times, but never had him over to my house...some friend I was! 

"There is a certain...uhmmm...elegance you might say...to living in such...humble quarters." He said haltingly as I showed him what and how I lived. Nancy was perched in his shoulder, she looked different, her eyes were more...I don't know, aware maybe? She was just as she was before though...sensible and sweet.

"William..." she said mildly. "I don't think that Greg would mind you telling him how your really feel."

William raised a hand to stroke her back gently for a moment then said, "I never knew you lived in such a state! No water heater, bare floor and walls, no furniture to speak of! I do not call that dilapidated old couch with coffee stains and gods know what else permeating it...furniture!" 

He gave the living area of the house another quick glance and then said, "Really Greg! You could have moved in with me! A camp shower...a bloody camp shower! Why did you choose to stay here, or not try to fix it up more?"

I shrugged and watched Nancy tickle Will's ear with her whiskers and give a little chittering laugh.

"It's mine, and I don't really need much to keep me satisfied. It works, but..." My voice trailed off as I watched Lucretia in the backyard walking slowly in the grass. She was staring down at the ground as if searching for something.

"How are things with our little Outsider?" William asked as he stood next to me. Together we watched as Lucretia bent to pick up a rock, tapped it with her finger nails while examining it closely.

"Pretty good. We have made a lot of headway in my abilities with my magic, and she has become, much more comfortable with me. This past month she has been running me ragged, between that and getting into all the supplies and tools used by the workers to fix up the house I sometimes...heh...it's hard to keep up with her!" I grinned at my friend. I watched his eyes widen and he gasped in shock.

I turned my head back to the yard and saw the tail end of Lucretia swallowing the rock! 

"Did she just...? My word I...!" William stuttered.

"I thought you knew everything there was to know about Outsiders? That is for her crop...she uses it to grind up her food." I paused for a moment, thinking.

"When you were with Mother..." I shuddered again, bad mental image! "Didn't you spend time talking with her? Getting to know her?"

William shook his head, "At the time we both were only after one thing. She wanted my energy and I wanted to..." He grinned at me with a little waggle of his eyebrows. "I wanted to "Get Busy" I think is how you put it!" 

He sighed again, "You are the only person I have heard of who tried to get to know his charge. I assume you have not lain with her?" He asked with a sideways glance.

"Not in the biblical sense. We sleep together at night. We have kissed and made out several times, that's about it though." I answered.

William nodded absently, "You show great restraint. Succubae have pheromones and even their saliva contains a form of mood enhancing toxin that makes their victims succumb to their desires."

I blinked...Her...?...Eeew! Her saliva?...Blech! Roofie spit!

"Well she has bitten me several times and I have had plenty of time to...uhm...ingest her drugged...uh...saliva! I never really felt it then." I answered hesitantly.

Nancy quickly climbed over to William's other shoulder, "I told you so! Now...pay up." 

William frowned, "Wait a moment you verminous hussy! Gregory...this is very important. This may be uncomfortable to answer, but much is riding on this...since you have been at my house, she has never tried to use magic or her other assets to make you want to have sex with her?" His voice sounded a little strained...almost desperate!

"Ummm...no, not to my knowledge?" I said questioningly. 

I heard Nancy laugh and she shook herself, running her forepaws over her face and around her ears.

"HA! 720 years old and still a 30 year old rat knows something he doesn't!" She chattered. Lucretia looked up and saw us. She smiled and gave a little wave, then continued her search around the arborvitae.

"Pay up!" Nancy demanded now.

"Fine!" growled William. He reached up and handed me Nancy, then took a few steps back. Then he crooked his left elbow and raised up his right arm and began to sing!

"I am the very model of a modern major general...!" Will started and my mouth fell open! 

Nancy began to giggle and clap her paws with glee! I saw Lucretia stalk back to the back porch and watch with wide eyes as William rapidly went through the whole song with dramatic flourishes and embellishments. I wanted to laugh, but decided against it. 

When he was done Nancy scurried down my body and quickly scaled Williams's clothes to perch on his shoulder and rub against his cheek. He blew air out of the corner of his mouth and growled out, "Enough woman! I hope you're satisfied!"

"That was wonderful William!" Nancy squeaked, continuing to rub against him affectionately. He appeared somewhat mollified. He shot the sleeves of his jacket and inspected the cuffs for a moment.

"I almost don't want to ask..." I began but William cut me off with, 

"Then don't, Gregory...just...let it be known, and realize that I never welch on a bet!"

His eyes twinkled for a moment. "Though if I had won the bet Nancy would have..." He stopped as Nancy's fur stood on end and she resembled a bottle brush!

"You wouldn't DARE!" Nancy hissed.

"Why madam! I wouldn't dream of it!" William replied guilelessly.

Lucretia came up on the porch then, she held some smooth river stones that came from...well, no idea how those got in my back yard. She had an excited look on her face as she gazed up at the overcast sky. 

"There's going to be a storm tonight!" She almost crowed as she handed me the rocks. She then kissed me on the cheek and skipped into the house as William stared after her in surprise.

"You really have bound her completely! I saw how she acted before, holding your hand and looking for reassurance...but now...something happened?" He asked.

I nodded, not sure how much to tell him. "We had a conversation a few weeks back, and I told her that I cared about her, and she told me she cared for me. It...seemed to free us both up in some way. Not really sure how." 

Will nodded, "The truth will set you free..." he began but I cut him off.

"No, the truth only sometimes set people free! The actual truth means nothing unless you can prove it." I told him sternly. He blinked at me for a moment. 

"I keep forgetting how young you are, so you look at life with eyes so jaded." Will said softly. He glanced around my house again and gave a small smile. "For all of its broken promises and pain...life...the world...it's still a beautiful and wonderful thing. One day you will remember it."

Nancy rubbed against his ear. "William you are such a sweet man and you try to hide it behind your fangs!"

William shrugged, making Nancy wobble on her perch, "I try...though...Gregory..." He said my name thoughtfully, almost like a question.

"I have a question, but Nancy knows more of this, and more of the proper phrasing so I will let her ask you." William finished.

Nancy just shook her little head, her ears wiggling for a moment. "I don't know if this is the proper time for it..." she said quietly to Will.

"You think about that now? After making me perform in front of an audience? It could be nothing, so tell him since he is probably being kept in suspense right now." William said with a small smile, though his tone was serious.

Nancy harrumphed, which was very cute to hear from something so small! Then she fixed her button eyes on me and asked, "The first time you met Lucretia she had been brought over by a wizard that is what she told you?"

I nodded.

"Normally a sacrifice is given, and that creates energy to allow them to have a physical form over here on our Plane. Usually it involves blood or the trade of something powerful, like an artifact of magic. The lords and ladies of realms can pass through the veil if they contain enough energy, but to remain here for an extended stay they require an anchor. If not, then at some point they will do what William told me you saw."

I gaped for a second, "You mean Lucretia is going to turn into ash spontaneously on me?" I asked incredulously. I had the horrid thought of waking up one morning to a pile of black ash and soot next to me on my sheets and gagged a little.

Nancy chattered and shook her head.

"No! Silly...she is stuck with you and you with her. The sacrifice for her was the death of a wolf and a...elk?" She said the last part questioningly and I nodded. 

"Yes, a meaningful sacrifice symbolizing both the predator and the prey..." she continued. "What you did was give her a sacrifice AND an anchor, a stable platform upon which to draw energy. In this manner she can stay here as long as you are alive."

I thought about that and I saw a look of concern on William's face. I raised my eyebrows at him and asked, "Something you want to add?"

He paused, thought for a moment, "It could be nothing...but how is she feeding herself...maintaining her body while she is here?" Will asked.

"You have already told me you are not laying with her, and you know what it feels like when she draws your strength through a kiss...so how is she...?"

"I haven't." Lucretia answered. She walked through the patio doors onto the back porch where we were all standing. "I haven't been feeding on Greg, and I won't."

Nancy gave Lucretia a look of concern, "Dearie, how will you be able to stay here and..." Lucretia interrupted her and spoke right over her.

"I only really need his energy to heal myself quickly, or to power my magic, other than that...it's been taken care of." She gave me a sidelong glance and I wish she was in her human form to see her blush. Like this with grey skin, I could only feel it through our connection.

William scratched his head, "Well, I trust that you know what you're on about. However..." He gave me a pointed look. "You two need to discuss what it means having an Outsider this closely attached to you." 

Then he directed his gaze to Lucretia, "You also need to tell him what could happen to you...understand?" 

She nodded and we walked William and Nancy to the door. I opened my gate and he backed up his Honda Odyssey Minivan onto the street and drove off. Really...a MINIVAN? I was surprised too until I saw the inside. All blacked out windows with a comfortable place for him to crash when the sun comes up if he's on a long trip. Also, it was one of those new anniversary type vehicles, had something like 1,000 horsepower with a rebuilt engine and a big ol' turbo something or other on it. Made no sense to me but hey...who am I to judge?

I thought about what Will had told me before he left and now I felt grumpy! How come I was the last to know about these things? That there was an additional problem or danger to Lucretia's and my relationship? Isn't there like a rule book somewhere like...I don't know..."Dating Outsiders for Dummies?" Not that we were really dating or anything, I mean I liked Lucretia a lot...I mean, I really cared for her a HUGE amount. It's not like I l...

FLASH!

The overcast sky lit up in the distance, but bright enough it still caught my attention and distracted my thoughts. Several seconds later I heard a rolling rumble of thunder. Ah! Lucretia was right...

A storms coming.

My succubus was starting to bounce on the balls of her feet.

"Lucretia, can we talk a bit?" I asked.

"Sure Greg...what about?" I blinked at her, was she really that clueless? Didn't she just hear the conversation that we all had on the back porch? She was staring at the sky, seeming to wait for the next lightning flash.

Oh...distracted by the storm.

"William told me something about ash and you then leaving and a lot about energy...care to fill in the missing pieces?" I asked a little sourly. She may be distracted, but this was important! To me it was important at any rate.

"Oh..that..." she said absently while watching the clouds darken. "It's nothing really. I won't turn to ash because I had more than a strong enough sacrifice...you."

Me? Wait...ME! I am the sacrifice? As if she could read my mind, and maybe she could...hope not.




Mine...Yours Pt. 08



"You gave yourself to me, and I gave you myself. I am now a part of this world as if I was born here." She told me, her eyes still on the horizon, a small smile on her face.

"There is no chance of me turning to ash and fading away if this body is destroyed." She grew somber for a moment and faced me.

"If this body is destroyed, while I am here this strong...I would die...true death." She told me. Then smiled. "But I am very hard to kill Master, because of our bond I have all of my strength and abilities...so do not worry!" Then turned back to watch as the storm grew larger, and the lightning got closer.

I was gobsmacked! What a thing to lay on me? Lucretia could DIE? I was not comfortable with that idea at all. Did she know this would happen back when we first clasped hands at our joining? Did Mother know? I seriously contemplated asking how to break the bond and send her home! I didn't want her in any danger, sure when we first met I didn't care a fig about her, she tried to kill me! Now though, I enjoyed her company. It was wonderful to wake up to her smiling sharp-toothed face even if it still gave me a moment of near bladder relieving terror before I remembered her. Just because it felt good to have her in my life was it worth the risk to her? Should I release her and let her go? I was staring at my shoes when I saw her long claws appear in my vision, they scratched idly at the wood of my front porch. She crouched down and looked up into my face.

"I forgive you...Greg." 

I shook my head and gave her a puzzled look. She gave me a tender smile and her black eyes seemed to soften.

"You sometimes turn into a...what is that word...grab bag? That's the one! You sometimes seem to turn into a grab bag of emotions. I have had time to get used to it, but Mother? She reads thoughts so she probably had a confusing time trying to keep up with you!" She straightened up to look me in the eye since I wasn't slouched and looking down anymore.

She grasped my right hand in hers, our scars touching.

"You were thinking of breaking our bond to protect me?" She asked quietly. I nodded. She gave a small coo of pleasure and ran the back of her fingers gently on my cheek.

"You would set me free to protect me...how could I not forgive you Greg?"

Her grip cinched on my hand, almost painful. Her voice came out tight. "If you did, I would no longer be the way I am now. I would be...I think the word is...not evil...what?" Her voice trailed off as she thought. Her eyes widened and then narrowed as she got the concept she was wanting to impart to me.

"I would then be the hunter and you would be my prey again." She said finally. Her hand squeezed even tighter, and I activated my shield to increase my strength to squeeze back and protect my hand from her pressure. She smiled and stroked the translucent membrane of power that covered me.

"That is one of the reasons I train you so hard Greg..." she told me quietly, but with a slightly impish smile to belie the serious nature of our conversation. "...I fear little, but I am afraid of one day going back to the way I was. I want you to be able to protect yourself from me if that should ever happen!"

"I did pretty good against you the first time!" I said, trying to joke, but the thought of Lucretia in all of her fury coming after me made my belly button want to pucker all the way to my backbone! All she had been doing so far against me were physical attacks, she hadn't used any of her so called magic yet! Well, beside the parlor tricks of replicating clothes and odds and ends, or getting stains out of upholstery and carpet. If her magical ability was anything like her physical fighting ability then my roommate was a thaumaturgic powerhouse!

She chuckled and ducked her head for a moment then looked up at me through her eyelashes. "You may not have a porch railing to use in your next fight!" Then a large raindrop fell on the side of my face. Lucretia looked at it, smiled and then licked it off! 

She was six inches away from my face and licked it off! I keep forgetting how long her tongue is.

"It's starting!" She nearly squealed and began to prance around the front yard, glorying in the rain.

Now I like the rain as much as the next person, but the growing nearness of lightning flashes and the shorter space between the flashes of light and growls of thunder were kind of disturbing to me.

"Lucretia!" I called as she spun around the locust tree in the front yard. "Get your grey tail in the house! It's dangerous out here!"

She laughed and said, "I can't Master! It's a storm! I need to be in the storm!" Saying that she pirouetted, spread her wings and lifted her self to the ridge of my roof in a few strong beats that sprayed rain from their surface. I spluttered then ran to the back porch to get a better view of what she was doing. Entering my backyard and looking up I saw the clouds begin to race, moving faster and thickening. I could only imagine how massive the thunderhead was becoming! 

I felt suddenly very small and very, very insignificant.

Clouds don't form that fast normally, this seemed...was Lucretia doing this? I watched her as she was standing in the rain, clawed hands held to the sky her head tilted back and from the side view I had it looked like her mouth was open. She looked wild and savage and beautiful up there. She also looked happy, like she was having the time of her life.

Then I felt a tingle, a feeling...just like I had felt in my basement and at a few other times before. That feeling you get of being watched. I scanned around my yard, wondering if someone was finally able to see my succubus in her true form, then it felt as if the eyes shifted from me, and the feeling changed. I felt...pride?

Lighting in twin forks rippled along the belly of the dark clouds overhead and when the thunder crashed through the air Lucretia moved and I saw her dance.

Now I had danced with Lucretia a couple weeks back, and I saw her messing around with Jemima and Gwen when I had first showed up. We had even danced, just the two of us through the construction debris of our living room and in our backyard through the tall grass. So I had an idea of how she moved and how her body shifted.

This was nothing like that.

Her wings extended and those little claw like fingers at the arch of her wing folded over her arms, just like when she made those nasty weapons in my training. She left her wings unfurled though, and began to wave them hypnotically. She then moved her feet in intricate patterns that only someone with the sure grip of a birds claws could do on the ridge of a roof made slippery from rainwater. She moved along the ridge, stepping almost daintily and with precision as if she had done this many times before, a wing going up, then back, around and then over. It was a dance, but it felt more primal, stylized...yet random.

She swept low, both arms and wings coming forward like she was bowing in supplication, even her tail drooping in the wet drops of rain splashing around her, then she sprang up and began it all over again...but faster this time! Then she began to sing, but not in the voice I knew so well. This sounded like an avian call, like that of a murder of crows all calling at the same time! It was strident, fierce and in a weird way sounded kinda cool. 

It hurt my ears though! I sighed, and even as strangely beautiful as this whole production was...I figured it was better to get her inside. I was opening my mouth to yell to her to get down when both the song and dance rose in pitch and fervor! She was spinning and twirling like a dervish when it came crashing to a halt! Standing tall with her wings and arms reaching for the clouds she called out in a loud voice that seemed to pierce the sky...

"PAPA"

Lighting flared like roiling snakes, meshing together almost like a net as they passed far into the distance in every direction, one bright bolt slammed down into Lucretia's raised palms and my succubus was illuminated from within and without and I heard her joyous voice shout out again...

"PAPA!"

Then all was still and the clouds dispersed. My roommate was still on the roof and watching as the dark storm that maybe really wasn't a storm, rolled away towards the hills. I stood there as well, staring, trying to make sense out of what I had just seen, then my slow turtle of a brain kicked into high gear and I flashed back to a memory.

I was about 8 or 9 years old at the time and my younger sister was about 4 or 5. Dad was sitting on the couch and had turned off the TV. I was upset since we were watching a movie that I had wanted to see, and my sister was trying to get my dad's attention. She was wearing a long sleeved pink shirt with Rainbow Bright on it, and a ballerina tutu colored yellow and blue that was far too big for her and she had huge oversized movie glasses on. Dad smiled and hugged her and she laughed. Then she carefully got up on the wood coffee table we had and began to sing...off-key...and dance...badly. 

Hey, I was a kid...I was no judge of the Modern Arts at the time! Come to think of it I still don't know the difference between a dip and a duck!

Dad was smiling and watching as my sister twirled and sang and he watched her carefully in case she got too near the edge of the table so he would have to catch her. I wanted to get back to the movie, but it appeared that dad didn't care to watch it anymore. I got up to turn on the television set when I saw him give me a glance and a signal with his finger not to. I sighed and picked up a book I had been reading earlier and decided to wait it out. 

When my sister was done, my dad praised her and hugged her, telling her how much he loved her and was proud of her. I sighed again, loudly, and rolled my eyes. She ran off to go play, or do her dolls hair, or whatever she wanted to do and dad came over to sit next to me.

"Whats wrong son?" dad asked...he liked to ask questions that he already knew the answer to!

"We missed so much of the movie, and she had to ruin it by singing and doing that dance thing!" I replied in a snit.

I could see dad trying to figure out to explain this to me, and that pissed me off even more. I wasn't a little kid! Sure I was kid, but I knew about more adult stuff like car wax and hammers and snails and stuff!

"Greg...I am the first man that your little sister will ever love..." he began. I shrugged and he noticed, then turned me so I could face him more directly.

"Listen son...this is important. You may not understand what I am telling you now, but you will get it one of these days and it will make sense. So listen up...you hear?" He said seriously.

I knew then that this would be important, because the last time he told me this, I finally understood what death meant when I stepped on a frog.

"I am the first man your sister will love, and that means that she wants to sing and dance for me. She wants to know that I find her beautiful and special and precious. That's why I turned off the movie, and paid attention to her. I wanted her to know that I would stop what I was doing to give her the attention that she deserves both as my daughter and the woman that she is going to one day be." 

He paused and his eyes got a faraway and sad look. A little pensive as well.

"I am the example of what she is going to look for in a husband, and I want her to find a husband who will turn off the TV and look at her and pay her attention. To accept what she is giving him..." 

He looked back at me.

"When your little sister was singing and dancing...do you know what she was doing, do you know what she was saying and doing through her actions?"

I shook my head, still trying to wrap my mind around the concepts he was sharing with me. It was too big of a thought for a boy like me to understand, but the nature of it felt immense.

My dad smiled and his eyes softened as he looked back at the coffee table where just a few minutes before my sis was singing her off-key little heart out.

"Your sister was saying that she loved and honored me...even though she was too young to fully understand it." His eyes hardened as he caught my young eyes with his stern ones. 

"So next time she does that? You keep your loud sighs and grumbles to yourself young man! Do not disrespect what your sister is doing when she is trying to express herself to me!" He said quietly in a no nonsense tone of voice.

Looking up at Lucretia, watching her stare after the clouds, that's what she was doing! I had never heard her speak of her father before...never asked or thought of it myself to be honest. This whole light and sound show though? I had to wonder about who or what he was. All the dancing and singing though made sense now.

Lucretia was honoring her daddy.



Mine...Yours Pt. 09



Author's Note: Yes, I have been away for a while, hardly even checked my messages. Work during the holidays takes up a lot of my time, and I got a bad case of the flu on top of it all. Thank you all for your encouragement. Not too sure how I felt about the death threats. Though...the descriptions have given me ideas for other stories! :-) In any case I am glad to be back to writing and here is the next installment of Mine...Yours. Please leave me comments and tell me your thoughts, I enjoy reading them.

Sincerely, 

PB

*****

Chapter 25: Father

With the clouds now out of sight, the regular cloud cover seemed kind of comforting, like a dark grey blanket that softened sound. Kind of made it humid, but with the cool air it didn't feel too muggy. I saw Lucretia totter a little on top of the roof. She bent her knees and crouched lifting her tail for balance to stop herself from stumbling. I jogged into the house and went up the stairs to pop out of my bedroom window. I carefully made my way over the rain slick roof to where Lucretia was standing, with a tired smile on her face.

"He saw me!" she said happily. I put an arm around her shoulder and glanced in the direction the storm clouds had gone.

"Your...papa?" I asked. Ordinarily I would have said dad or father or something like that. The whole pyrotechnic display with lighting and so forth made me decide to ere on the side of caution. She nodded. Full of information this one! Just overflowing with answers to all the questions I have! 

Sarcasm...

"Ready to get back downstairs?" I asked.

"Sit with me?" she returned.

"Not on the roof...downstairs sure."

"Okay." She said quietly and we went back downstairs and sat on my old couch. 

She fidgeted with her fingers, while I looked at her. I wondered how she was dealing with being struck by lightning. I mean, the Guinness world book of records recorded one guy who has been struck like seven times in his life. I wonder if his wife felt safe walking outside with him? Did he make her stay at least 50 feet away at all times? I mean, he must really need to change his cologne or brand of clothing if it attracts electricity like that. Does it make him really good at changing light bulbs? I wonder if his job was as an electrician? Wouldn't it be ironic if...

"I don't get to see my father very often, he spends more of his time here on this Plane than he does in my own." Lucretia told me. I nodded, waiting for her to continue. She stayed quiet. Why was she being so reticent to speak? What...is she embarrassed of her dad? Or should I call him father? I guess dads who are present in their kid's lives get called "Dad" and the ones who aren't get relegated to "Father." Is that why she looks uncomfortable? Did Lucretia not have a good relationship with him or he was...?

"I used to play with him when I was young. He was always around for the first..." her voice trailed off as she squinted her eyes in thought and counted on her fingers then she continued. 

"...five years of my life. Soon after I reached adulthood he began to avoid me. He never avoided me if I went looking for him, but he never came looking for me." She finished.

Huh...so the first five years he was around, okay. The formative years in any child's life no matter what the species, is important for mental and emotional development. That doesn't really...wait a minute!

"I'm sorry, did you say the first five years of your life he was around, and then he became distant when you reached adulthood?" I asked. 

"Soon after, but basically...yeah." She replied.

"What about the years between five and when you reached adulthood? Wasn't he around for that?"

"I don't understand the question...there are no years between that!" Lucretia said incredulously.

"Look, human kids start going to school around age 4. They go to kindergarten and then the next 12 years of their lives is spent between going to school and going home. When they reach the teenage years they might get jobs or other stuff and then when they either reach the age of 18...they are considered adults." 

Lucretia now looked really confused and held up her hands for me to slow down.

"You mean it takes 18 YEARS for a human to become an adult?" She said in surprise, almost like she didn't believe it.

"Technically...yeah. Though the term adult is kind of...well...huh. Let's just say I have met some 40 year olds that still can't be considered adults." I grinned at my little joke, it seemed to go right over Lucretia's head as she rubbed her chin.

"For most of us, we reach our mature size and come into our full abilities after five years. Is it really that different for humans?" She asked curiously.

I was flabbergasted. "You mean you went from this size..." I held my arms out like I was measuring a baby. Then I indicated her sitting across from me. "...to this size in the span of five years?"

She nodded. 

"Well, you must have had some incredible growth spurts then." She didn't seem to hear me.

"To have all of that time! 13 extra years to learn, experience and grow! I could have done SO much in that extra time!" She appeared almost giddy. It also made me curious, and then I had a thought.

What was her world like? She had touched on a couple of things here and there, but I had never really asked her about it. I felt kind of dumb to tell the truth, here I am with a being from another plane of existence, and I never thought to ask her about her home! Yeah, something is definitely not working right! I felt an echo of agreement from within me and grimaced. I hadn't visited my Door in a while. Ever since getting tossed around by...whatever that was in bandages, I had been kind of leery of doing any kind of meditation. I knew that wasn't a smart way to go about doing things...but then again, I have never really been anyone's definition of what being smart is.

Just as I was about to ask about her home Lucretia began to yawn. "Bedtime?" She asked. I nodded and she got up from the couch and walked to the base of the stairs. I didn't get up and Lucretia noticed this. She turned to question me.

"You are not coming?" She asked.

"In a bit, got some thinking to do first." I replied.

It looked like she wanted to say more. Instead she dipped her head and smiled. "Join me soon, Master." 

I gave her a lopsided grin and shooed her away negligently with one hand making her giggle. When I couldn't hear her footsteps anymore I sat down on the floor and crossed my legs so they were comfortable, leaning my back against the base of the couch. I settled my breathing into an easy rhythm, and shortly after, I felt my perspective shift inward.

Down the spiral staircase I walked and upon reaching the cold basement floor in my mind's eye I walked towards the Door. I came to the first words of Mother's weird benediction, of sorts, and studied them all again. The three words in raised lettering on the floor, and the last one inscribed on the Door itself, I noticed a big difference in one of them.

The first word was all crumbled, only a shadow of what it had been remained!

"Don't worry about it Greg!" that voice called out from the Door. I turned my attention to the speaker and I could see his bloodshot eyes staring at me with a strange desire. Either to cause me physical harm or...no idea, just strange. I walked closer, avoiding the ruin of the first word and watching the man at the view slot. I glanced around. No linen bandages waiting out of sight to snag me at this monster's whim. I shook my head at myself...if it was out of sight then how in the world could I see them!?

"So...Gregory? You still want to let me...out?" The being wrapped in bandages asked with a chuckle and a hideous grin.

"You ready to tell me who you are yet?" I answered back. It bothered me. Well a lot of things bothered me, but his weird sense of humor was right at the top of my list! The others that were locked away all seemed intent on getting back in with me. This one, this aspect of who I was...am...whatever! 

This one seemed content to be where he was, and just observe me. Like he was carefully weighing and measuring my every move or choice..

"Why do you think it's funny? Being locked in there, what's so amusing to you about it?" I asked, my mouth tight with annoyance. He just laughed and it made the short hair on my head stand on end! 

"Why did you lock us away, Gregory? Was it because we made you feel? Was the pain of her betrayal so great that you had to separate yourself from us?" He asked.

I ignored the question. "Why are the words that were engraved here dissipating?" I asked. He sighed and shook his head.

"I really don't care, but I will tell you if you answer my question." He grated out.

"Fine, answer my question first." I demanded.

A bandage long and thin drifted out to stir the remains of the word like a child idly tracing a finger in the dust.

"The Mother came and I watched as she created the words from the essence of your cell. They respond to the changes in you, as they fade so does your cell..." The bandage caressed the second word that was there.

"...as you change, so does your little world, and your view of it." The bandage snapped out suddenly and tightened around my wrist!

"Now answer MY question!" He shouted.

I let my power flicker to life and it stretched the bandage from around my wrist and I slipped out of its grasp. I gave the bandaged man a smirk and he just smiled wider!

"YES! You are learning!" He chortled. It sounded like someone was beating on a wet half inflated basketball!

"In answer to your question? Yes, I locked you all away, to keep that pain from driving me insane. If I hadn't, every single slanderous remark from the police, my probation officer, and all the rest would have been a fresh wound. It was too much to handle so I locked it away, and I didn't mean to put you all in with it, but it happened and I am sorry for it." I said.

Then a thought occurred to me. "My sense of Justice and Truth didn't seem to be affected too much by it. That means..." My voice trailed off as a sense of horror filled me. I turned to look at this unrecognizable aspect of myself and I suddenly realized. This aspect of myself that was twisted beyond all recognition, this damaged...oh God in Heaven! I didn't, I wouldn't really...No!

It began to laugh, an insane high pitched laugh that made my chest ache and my blood freeze!

"That's right! You put it ALL on me! You locked me away and wrapped it all on me! What do you think this is?" He screamed and pulled at the white cloth wrapping him from head to toe.

"Day and Night whether asleep or awake, sitting or standing it burns and aches every second of every hour. I have no rest and no comfort only this pain that you have sentenced me to!" He suddenly slammed his face against the Door his eyes filling the view slot and his voice rang out like a bell making the whole place vibrate.

"WHAT DID I EVER DO TO DESERVE THIS!!??"

Then he went quiet, and the silence itself was just as deafening as when he was screaming at me.

I wanted to say something...I just didn't know what to say, I had never been in a situation quite like this before. I didn't need to speak, the bandaged form began to talk again.

"There are a couple of things that make this situation funny to me, to answer your question Gregory." I saw movement behind the door and I began to move closer to keep this hidden aspect in sight.

"The first is, that you don't remember locking me away. The second is thinking I want to go back inside where you are. I have enough hurt to deal with already to do that to myself."

Go back inside...what?

"Do you mean being let out...what do you mean back inside?" I asked. Those eyes appeared suddenly in the slot, filling my vision, but for once no fear or concern touched me as I stared into those reddened orbs. I guess I really was changing.

"Your perspective is so skewed! You made a cell to lock away the aspects of yourself that registered that pain...you never thought...you never realized!" He began to laugh again, a sad despairing sound. 

"You felt so much better letting in just two aspects of who you were, and you think I am the ONLY one left?" He continued to cackle and I began to feel that another secret was going to be coming, and I wasn't going to like it very much.

"You made that Door and thought we were all trapped behind it, in reality...

"YOU LOCKED YOURSELF AWAY FROM US!" 

Then those eyes moved from the view slot and for the first time the light dimmed and I got a glimpse of a vast area, more of a feeling than actually seeing. I also felt hundreds of pairs of eyes looking back at me. It gave an impression of being in an outhouse in the middle of a field and you feel you are all alone, then when you open the door to step out you realize you're in the middle of a crowd.

The red rimmed eyes came back again.

"So you see Gregory, why would I want to lock myself in a tiny little cell with you? WE are all out here waiting for you to re-join us!" 

With those final words the viewport slammed shut and the floor beneath me seemed to buck under my feet tossing me to a sitting position. I closed my eyes and grimaced from the shock. When I opened them again I was sitting cross legged on the floor with my back against the couch.

"Well...Damn!" 

How do I process something like this? What do I do now? I had always known I was broken...ever since the judgement came down against me when I knew I was innocent. That does kind of make someone doubt their sanity! It's hard to explain to a lot of people how it feels, most don't seem to get it, no matter how hard I try to explain it so they understand. I sort of gave up, except for a few individuals, I just stopped telling my story.

Most don't seem to care either way.

I thought of my first meeting with Lucretia and her Mother, and how they took the information. They didn't seem to care either except to them it was all foolishness since they could tell the truth. How strange that an Outsider, someone not from this world is able to tell what is a lie when the normal inhabitants of my own world could not do the same. 

All of this thinking wasn't going to help me now, at any rate. It was now time for me to get some shut eye. 

I climbed the stairs to my room after using the bathroom to freshen up. I could hear the low rumble of thunder in the distance and looked out of the window to see if the storm was returning. I couldn't really tell anything so I finished brushing my teeth and as I said before...went upstairs to go to sleep. The moment my head rose a little above the floor of my loft bedroom I felt eyes on me, but much more distinct. It wasn't like before when I couldn't tell where they were coming from, no...this came from over by the wall. It came from an absolutely massive black form with black eyes that seemed to have a bit of shine to them. That shine was the only thing that allowed me to differentiate the eyes from the uniform black of whatever this thing was.

"Greetings..." said a voice.

It was low, like the thunder I had just heard before, and carried a richness to it that was...well, for lack of a better word and I hope you will excuse the pun...electrifying.

My initial feeling was fear, followed by a weird mix of curiosity and anger. Curious how he got in, I mean...obviously a he with that voice and all! Though it could be a she for all I know I mean, can't women have deep voices that make your body vibrate when they talk? They could and if I ever meet one I am definitely going to reserve judgment. However until that time I am going to go with my initial thought that this thing is a dude!

Anger decided to make its presence known as I opened my mouth...

"Really? You broke into my home and entered without asking and show up in my room and the first thing you say is that? How about saying you're sorry for entering without my or Lucretia's permission? Better yet, how about marching your ass to the door and then knocking or ringing the doorbell first? I would probably have let you in anyway even if you are...so...really...damn you're huge!" I finished.

Truthfully I wasn't scared anymore. I got used to telling if people wanted to do me harm or not, this...thing definitely didn't give off the "I'm gonna hurt you!" vibe. It seemed more of a "Wait and see..." kind of vibe. 

The eyes turned and I still could not see him very well. I could tell I only came up to where his chest might be. Looking away from me, over at the bed where Lucretia lay sleeping, well she appeared to be starting to wake up from all the noise I had been making. The being moved closer to my friend and I was wondering what he or she was doing when a large hand the size of my head and an arm as thick as my leg extended towards her! Before he could do what I think he was going to do...actually I had no idea what he was going to do I just could not imagine it to be good, I stepped in front of that arm and my shield came up. The eyes narrowed and then I felt a pulse of warmth envelope me.

It was an odd sensation, like a warm blanket that muffled my vision, hearing, even my sense of touch! Experimentally I touched my chest, and even the sensation on my shield was diffused and fuzzy. It also made me feel sleepy and my eyelids drooped. I was having a hard time standing. I looked over at Lucretia and she had settled back down on the mattress and contentedly sighed. I saw the being's large hand gently brush her hair and run black fingers over her cheek. The thought of my bed with a soft succubae to cuddle with sounded so good to me... I started to turn when that same hand as black as used motor oil encompassed my entire upper arm. I looked down at it and wondered where it had come from. Slowly it led me away from the bed and then...the feeling vanished. 

I blinked a couple times and shook my head to clear the cobwebs. Actually, from how fuzzy I felt there must have been some dust bunnies amongst the cobwebs as well! The hand let go of my arm and now I was face to...um...chest? Face to chest with this mountain of blackness that was peering down at me in curiosity.

"I apologize for not asking permission to enter your home..." It began. I raised up my hand to stop him from speaking. Still upset, but obviously it didn't seem to want to harm me...yet. Also, I figured it's always better to make sure visitors knew where they stood. That was why I was about to correct him.

"Actually you are only half right," I told him. "It's actually not just my home, its Lucretia's as well. So it's OUR home." I put the emphasis on the word to make sure he picked up on it. From the way his eyes widened and the pleased feeling I got from him I must have said the right thing. His eyes looked back at my sleeping succubae and they seemed to grow...luminescent? 

"You give her partial claim to your home?" He asked quietly. I nodded. "You are different...not what was expected." The voice rumbled as the eyes turned back to me.

"You have me at a disadvantage, mind telling me who you are?" I asked. "While you are at it...maybe change or show me what you are?" I added, letting some of my irritation leak out in my voice.

Slowly the black began to coalesce around the eyes, and a face began to take form...but what a face!

Sharp cheekbones and full thick black lips and a rounded dome of a head with no trace of hair, not even eyebrows or eyelashes. Powerful shoulders with muscles upon muscles covered by a thin dark purple vest that highlighted the ripples of his abdominal lines. He also did have that ridiculous "V" at the bottom of his six pack that guided the eyes down to...the waist band of...are those...what is he...?

He was wearing baggy silk pants that looked straight out of...and those shoes were...pointed with curled toes? I did a double take, then a triple take. He looked just like he had stepped out of an old Arabian Nights movie set! I wanted to laugh at him, but there was something...




Mine...Yours Pt. 09



It looked like he had travelled many miles in those shoes, and the rich silk of his bloused pants looked faded like they had seen too many sand storms. This was not a costume...this is what he wore. My eyes travelled back up the length of his body. He seemed to have shrunk down so he was only a head taller than me, but it in no way diminished the...I want to say power but it wasn't that. He seemed to vibrate with energy and life and...I don't know how to explain it...

I can say that I am very glad I didn't laugh at him!

I cleared my throat, "Ahem! Thanks for letting me see you. So what were you expecting from me?" I asked him.

"I had no expectations, I just came to see." He swivelled his head to look at Lucretia again. "I came to see my daughter, and I wished to converse with you without her knowing I am here."

He smiled and for a moment all of his joints and eyes seemed to sparkle with light, "It was a surprise to see her dance and sing for me again...just like when she was young!" He stared fondly at my friend and I could feel a strong sense of pride, wonder and longing.

Lucretia's DADDY?

Oh crap! What a way to introduce yourself Greg! Accuse him of breaking and entering and telling him to get his ass outside? Way to score points! Can he read minds like Mother? Is he reading my mind now? Am I making a bigger idiot out of myself now by him seeing what I am thinking and now he thinks I am crazy? Come on dummy! Say something before he...

"It is good to be silent unless you truly have something to say, and thank you for letting me think in peace while I contemplate my child." He turned back and crossed his arms over his massive chest while looking down at me. Then he gave me a small nod, which for some reason made me feel like he had saluted me somehow.

"Most in your position would be...louder." He observed, and then seemed to wait. What he was waiting for I did not know. So I just stood there staring back at him.

He obviously was scoping me out, not that I could blame him, I am a guy and I am rooming with his little girl! Any father worth their salt would be doing an interrogation followed with threats of castration if harm came to their princess! I had no idea if he liked what he saw or not, but I figured this was his show and I would let him set the pace...

Heck with that! I had questions!

"So, what do I call you, or are you like Mother and have no name or at least not one that I can say?" I asked.

He pondered this and then answered, "Mother has a name for me, but it is not one you may call me...Lucretia has a name for me, but again...it is for her use only." He scratched his arm and I saw small flashes of electricity like on a Jacob's ladder as he did this. "You may call me what I am...I am Djinn."

I sighed, this conversation would be longer than I thought! What the heck is a djinn? Sounds like a genie mixed with a sneeze!

"You hungry...uhm...Djinn?". He shook his head. "Would you like some coffee or tea?" I asked.

"Only if you are having some, coffee please." 

I led him down to the kitchen, and got the coffee going. Then I got him one of my mugs, actually it was the same one that I let Mother use when she was here last. I saw him smile faintly as he looked at it.

"What's so funny?" I asked Djinn. He glanced up as his hand dwarfed the mug.

"This is the same cup that my mate used when she was here last." He replied. My eyebrows shot up in surprise! Maybe I need to wash my dishes better!

"You can smell her on it or something?" I asked. He shook his head.

"No, I recognize it from when I was here with her last."

Now I was really surprised, and confused!

"Sorry man, I think I would have remembered you if you were..." I stopped talking and started thinking. Something was tickling, at the back of my mind.

When Mother had been sitting at the table and had said out loud that she wanted cream and sugar for her coffee, it had sounded like she was making a request. Then when the Empty Throne had been discussed I had seen what looked like a heat shimmer in the air next to her. The times I had been watched with invisible eyes...when I had looked for it with my Sight. Had it always been...him?

He watched me closely, gauging my reactions.

"So...that was you...the whole time?" I asked slowly. He nodded.

I pulled out some munchies to nibble on. Right now I had some questions for the big man, I mean djinn. Actually, I grabbed a dictionary off the bookshelf that we now had in the living room. Yes, I have a bookshelf in the living room. Lucretia demanded it. I always want her to put my books back when she borrows them, but she doesn't have permission to enter my room when I am not home so she deman...I mean she requested a bookshelf in the living room.

I set down the dictionary and looked up the word "djinn" after checking to see that his coffee (No cream and three sugars) was full. I won't tell you what I found out...mainly because you can look it up yourself. I will say my eyebrows raised up and I looked a little wide eyed at my guest. He just sat there, sipping his coffee watching me without blinking.

"Ahem..." I coughed into my hand. "Would it be out of place to call you something else than Djinn?" 

He thought this over and said, "If the name fits."

"Would it be all right if I called you...Marid?" I asked carefully. The warm smile and the way he sat up straight in his chair told me I had guessed right.

"That would be acceptable." Was his rumbling reply.

Okay, dodged a bullet on that one! Now I had a name. Now, I just needed to see what he wanted and get some conversation going.

"So, you came to see Lucretia and speak to me?" I asked while getting a plate of dates, goat cheeses and some of my cookies for us to munch on. I set it on the table and plucked a date to pop in my mouth and chew as I waited for his answer.

"I saw her several times, I only thought to make my presence known as I have seen her change over the past month or so." Marid replied. He took a cookie and picked it up. He smelled it a couple times and then tried a bite. He gave a pleased rumble and then quickly munched the whole thing, then picked up a piece of goat cheese to eat as well.

"Lucretia really likes that cheese." I told him as he ate another piece. "She said it reminds her of home. The same thing with the dates."

Marid smiled and picked up a date, considering it. "When she was a child and I would bounce her on my knee, I would bring food and toys from this world to her..." 

He paused as he ate the date, then continued. "Mother did not approve. Since she had been born in that realm, Mother wanted her to BE of that realm." He smiled and his eyes went to the ceiling. I assumed he was looking at where Lucretia lay sleeping.

"I would return often to be with my mate, but soon after Lucretia reached her mature age I was not allowed to have much interaction with her unless she sought me out. Though..." He smiled again as he ate a cookie and then drank a little more coffee.

"I was able to see that the influence of what I am held fast despite her Mother's race." He chuckled. The tremble of it, made the dishes rattle a little on the table. I gave a questioning look at the ceiling and he gave a nod.

"She is fine and will not wake from the spell of slumber I cast. We may talk as we wish." He replied. Made sense. I had felt as if I had drunk a whole bottle of Nyquil after a complete turkey dinner with a full days labor under my belt! No way would Lucretia wake up, even if a train whistle had gone off by her ear.

"So Lucretia is half succubus and half...djinn." I asked, a little confused. Gwen had told me that Succubae only gave birth to Succubae. He shook his head and polished off the remainder of his coffee. I filled it up for him and he gave me a nod of thanks. You can always tell different nods apart. A slow nod means someone understands what you say, a quick nod after doing something for someone is a nod of thanks, or the head cocked to the side and wide eyes means surprise. Standard stuff.

"No, I merely meant that her interactions with me changed her perspectives, much to Mother's anger!" He smiled again, "She was VERY angry with me! The fights we had were made into human legend, and making up..." He gave me a grin that was rather unsettling.

"I first saw she was different from her sisters when she wanted to spend time out in the wastes. I would watch as she would fly over the long desert sands that are so similar to the..." I held up a hand to stop him. He said a word I couldn't hear right and I had to ask him about it.

"The Rope Kaleebaah? What is that?" I asked.

"You mispronounced it, but it doesn't matter. It is where I was made and where I was given my role on this plane." Marid explained.

"I move the storms and the rain to where it needs to be. A delicate balance is held in place by the will of the Lord of this Plane. I was given my task, and I cannot leave it for long." He finished his second cup and took another cookie. 

That felt like he was getting ready to leave soon. I quickly stood up and grabbed a zip lock bag. I snagged over a dozen cookies from the freezer and swept them inside of it and then emptied the plate into another. I handed him the bags and he looked at them for a moment before putting them inside his vest where they disappeared. I checked out that thin vest and mentally compared the thin silk to what in my mind should be fat with a bag of cookies. He must have some kind of magic that allows, uh, I don't know! If he does have a magical holding thing I wonder how much he could carry?

"Quick question before you go..." I said while thinking back to all that Gwen had told me. "I don't know if it is wrong of me to ask this, but I think it's important. Are you and Mother in love?"

His eyes stared into mine for several moments as he appeared to think. "I will tell you a tale and then I must leave." He said quietly.

"Over two centuries ago I met a woman of white who challenged me to combat. We raged back and forth for over 7 days and nights. On the morning of the eighth day we were both exhausted having hardly any strength left to even move. I asked her why she had wanted to challenge me, she said, "I am Queen and have power beyond measure, all I have now is curiosity. I wish to know of this power mortals call Love. So submit and give me my wishes!"

I was now amused and granted her my boon and three wishes I granted her. She used her first wish and for the next 7 days she would be in Love. The first thing her eyes saw she would Love. 

She decided to look upon me!

For the next while we enjoyed each other's passions and spoke under the stars and high in the clouds; which are my home. We shared secrets and hopes and our future wants. When the wish ran its course and the desire for Love would leave, to our surprise it stayed! For I had fallen in Love with her as well! From our union a child was made, born on another Plane, but with ties that I know are buried deep in her heart."

He stood straight and tall now and bright sparks appeared on his skin.

"For I am MARID, and though none may see it in her, I am her PAPA! None can deny this, and no one can take that away from her! Succubae though she may be, my daughter was born of love and that places her high amongst many!"

His voice lowered and the intensity passed. I wasn't sure what to say, so I pointed at his vest. "Those cookies, she made those. I hope you enjoy them."

He smiled and stroked his vest where the two bags had disappeared.

"Out of curiosity, do you have any questions for me at all?" I asked. I couldn't believe this visit was going to be over so soon! 

"I have learned what I have needed to learn Gregory Bastion Brooks." Marid replied. "I ask only that you do not use your Sight to try and find me. I can be, painful...to look upon. Mother made me aware of this so I chose to shield you from discomfort."  

I followed him up the stairs, and he stood at the edge of the bed looking down on Lucretia who lay in slumber, her arm tossed over where I would normally be sleeping. She was used to sleeping in a pile with Mother and her sisters so she was always touching or holding me in some form as she slept. I kept telling her not to hold on to me since I was used to sleeping alone. She just had given me the "Look" and said that I had better get used to it!

I did.

"You can talk to her if you would like...I am sure she would like it." I told him. He shook his head.

"No, I must bow to the requests of her Queen. Even if I am her sire, I have no authority over her." Then he smiled at me.

"Though...could you give her this for me?" he asked. He held out his hand and dropped a piece of what felt like metal in it. It was about the size of a golf ball and was angled and grooved yet each side was smooth as glass. 

"Is this obsidian?" I asked. He nodded.

"She always liked it when I brought her baubles when she was younger." Then Marid laid his hand on my head and muttered softly under his breath.

I almost thought I should push his hand off, been having enough trouble in my mind as it was, didn't need a djinn to add to the mix. Instead I just felt...the same.

He bowed slightly to me and seemed to hold that pose and wait. I figured, when in Rome...do as the Roman's do! I placed my hand on his head and I spoke quietly under my breath. I thought of what to say, since this seemed to be a blessing of some sort or other.

"Wherever you travel, wherever you fly,

I will keep Lucretia safe and close by.

You have my permission, freely given and offered,

To return anytime to visit your daughter."

I know, can't rhyme to save my life...felt right though. It seemed to be since Marid grinned widely at me. Then he appeared to flow into nothing but darkness and sparkling light and slipped out of my window and into the cloudless sky.

Chapter 26: Hilda

No...Lucretia was not happy that I did not let her wake up to see her Papa!

"GREG!" she yelled as she hurtled across the backyard at me! I spun at the last second using my power to turn with her. I grabbed her wrist twisted, angling my hips, slamming her hard to the dirt! I rolled away with my hands up, palm out in an attempt at making a pacifying gesture!

"Wait! Come on Lucretia! Didn't we have a nice time last night? Good heart to heart, forgiveness and couple of laughs right? Oh shit!" I yelled and dove to the side as those stupid wing spears EXTENDED right at me!

"I haven't seen Papa in generations! He was here...close enough to touch!" She kept yelling and swinging her weapons at me. She stood in one place and kept cracking them like whips making the ends snake out to try to either grab me or strike me. I didn't know which honestly, but either a grab or a strike seemed like a bad idea!

So I made a little mistake this morning. We woke up and went downstairs, had a nice breakfast and so forth, got outside to do a little training when I brought up that I had seen her Father and talked to him. She had stood there with her mouth open in surprise and then she gritted her teeth and then...

Well, I am sure you can guess what happened.

One of the whip strikes hit the ground close to me and I stomped on the end of it and planted my weight on it. Now here's a thing about having massive strength. Sure, you may be strong enough to punch a huge section out of a tree, but what about mass? Strength and mass are intertwined. You may be able to push something that weighs half of a ton, but unless you have enough mass or traction to keep your feet on the floor, you're just not going to be able to do anything.

Being a telekinetic with a range of only two inches, it was more than enough to do what I wanted here. I used my power to grip the earth under my foot and cinched down on the end of her wing spear. I quickly reached down and gripped her extended wing and yanked, hard! Her claws had been digging into the dirt to supply a steady platform to strike from, but I had a better grip with my power, and assisting my arm strength was child's play! I yanked her so she was sailing through the air right at me. With one wing trapped even if she got the other unfurled she...

She unfurled her one remaining wing and used it to angle her feet, spurs first right at me!

Should have seen that coming...crap.

I struck fast, my fist slamming hard into her feet making her cry out and sending her tumbling hard to the ground beside me. 

Now it was my turn!

She stood up, limping and growling as she shook off my attack. I had been experimenting on my own with something. Using my power I could basically hover between half an inch and two inches off the ground. Of course hovering in air made it hard to hold my feet under me. There had been some truly embarrassing falls I had taken because of it! But, I could move a lot faster, almost like ice skating, but with my mind rather than using my legs.

I raised up on a small cushion of air and shot across the lawn much faster than I could run! I zipped up behind Lucretia just as she was turning and kicked her across the face before zipping past her and colliding with the fence!

Still wasn't very good at stopping!

I heard a groan as Lucretia picked herself back up off the ground and woozily stared at me. Then she grinned and gave a coughing hack before spitting black blood on the ground. She grinned at me, and I could see she had a tooth missing! 

"That...Gregory...was GOOD!" She chuckled throatily. Rolling her head to stretch it I heard it pop a couple of times. When she smiled again I saw her tooth had almost grown back fully!

"Round 2?" she asked with sweetly insincere innocence.

Round 2? ROUND 2!? I didn't even understand why we were having a Round 1! Sure I could guess she was pissed about not seeing her dad but did it really call for...Oh Big Shit Biscuits And Mustard Gravy!

I was right, Lucretia was holding back on me. She really could use magic!

A streak of lightning arched out at me like a scythe cutting wheat and I rolled under it and got to my feet. I zipped to the side on a cushion of power and barely dodged a series of thick barbed chains that shot out of the soil to ensnare me! I saw her smiling and laughing as little pin pricks shot from her hands that burned with silver fire across my vision. They hit my shield hard and I felt it drain a little.

I saw those back sparkles in her skin widen and then cover her so she appeared to be made of black glass, it appeared to be an armor of some sort with sharp edges instead of rounded corners. Didn't seem to slow her down though as she took off to chase me down. I zipped towards the house and up the wall allowing my power to grab hard to the wood and brick pulling myself upwards to dodge the bolts of silver. I kicked off of it, turned once in the air and came down hard stomping both feet into Lucretia's head with all the force and power I could call to bear.

She sank to her knees in the backyard dirt and looked miffed but that was about it. That armor must really be something else!

Her wings no longer had that spear look to them as she swept them at me again and suddenly I noticed that the edges looked sharp! 

That was going to hurt...

I hardened the shield tight around my arm in desperation and the blue field of energy turned opaque as the blades hit...and stopped!

I let out a sigh of relief before a clawed foot kicked me hard in the weaker shield now on my stomach and knocked me back against the fence again!

I was getting tired, and desperate! I figured I would do this next move and if it worked...cool...if not...well I was in for a whole galaxy of pain!

She rushed in, black claws matching the shiny armor that now covered her and I moved to the side just a little allowing the sharp edges to miss me. Then I focused on my shield as hard as I could and the whole damn thing turned opaque! I wrapped my arms around Lucretia trapping her arms to her sides and began to squeeze. I couldn't see her when my power was solid like this. I didn't need to this close.




Mine...Yours Pt. 09



I felt her head butt me...

My shield held.

I felt her claws try to dig in...

My shield held.

She tried to knee me, to break my hold she wriggled like a snared snake!

My shield held!

Then I heard it, a quiet whisper from her lips.

"My...Greg..."

Her safe words!

I immediately let go and dropped the shield. I fell back on the ground panting like I had run a marathon! I looked over and saw that my succubae was in the same shape, though her armor seemed to have hair line cracks in it around her biceps and chest. She was grinning at me from ear to ear though as that black armor began to sink back into her.

"That was SOOO much fun Master!" she crowed and flopped back to stare up at the morning sky.

"You had me thinking that you were serious!" I tried to yell but it came out as a wheeze. "I thought I was fighting for my life! I thought you were really going to kill me!"

She wiggled her hand in the air in a "Maybe" gesture. 

"I thought about maybe breaking your arm or leg, then just decided to push you hard to see what you could come up with when you were really pressed." Lucretia sighed and stretched, her arms over her head, her back arching pushing her breasts up. I could see her nipples were hard and she ran one hand down over her chest and belly and down the inside of her thighs. I blinked and looked away.

I found out that combat for some reason made Lucretia as horny as a cat in heat! Well, minus the mewing and the clawing and so forth. Well...she does the clawing I guess now that I think about it!

"Hey! What the hell is going on over there?" I heard a voice yell over the fence and a blonde head peered over with an angry scowl. I was looking upside down into Hildy's face. I saw the werewolf scan the yard and shake her head as she saw burn marks and holes from explosions and so forth all across my backyard!

"You guys keep it down! We got a meeting happening here soon...okay?" Hildy said.

The leader of the Gatewatch had been avoiding both my roommate and I for the past month. I know that Lucretia had spent time with Jemima and Gwen on several occasions now, but Hildy was always absent. Hildy also avoided me, and since I had been wanting to talk to her about what I had seen of her feelings for me...I was getting annoyed.

"You know Hildy...from this angle, I can see up your nose? You trim very well, can hardly see a thing!" I said in a slow drawl. Lucretia snickered and the large blonde wolf frowned down at me.

"Come on Hildy! Lighten up!" I said with a smile. Hildy glanced back and forth between me and my roommate and raised her lip in a silent snarl.

I made a snap decision and said, "Lucretia, please go inside...Hildy and I have to talk." Lucretia stood, looked Hildy over casually and then started to move closer to me. I stopped her.

"Not now Lucretia. I need to talk to Hildy." I said firmly. My roommate stared at the side profile of my face as I kept eye contact with my neighbor. I saw her nod once and then walk back inside. Within a few steps she had changed back to her human appearance, but her clothing had shifted to include a long sleeved T-shirt in dark blue and skinny jeans...skinny jeans! 

Hate skinny jeans! We were going to have a talk later.

Hildy kept staring at me and we kept up the eye contact for a while. I knew it was ticking her off, that is kind of what I wanted. Just like Jemima she gets off balance when she was ticked. I didn't want to attack her though, didn't want a fight. I just wanted her to talk to me! Communication is the key to any relationship. Whether it's with your parents, your children, friends...hell...even your barber! Don't tell your barber what you want, you get a lousy haircut. Hence why I buzz my head every other week.

"What did I do to make you hate me Hildy?" I asked quietly. Hildy looked startled at my question. I guess she was expecting me to say something else. I pressed forward more, while I could tell she was off balance.

"Is it because I have an Outsider? Is it because I tried to survive an impossible situation? Or is it because I am trying to teach her to play nice with others? What is it Hildy? Why are you avoiding me? Why do you move away when I try to talk to you? Why do you leave the house when Lucretia and I come over?"

I got up and then put my hands on top of the fence and gave a little jump and yanked myself over to land in her yard. Darn arborvitae sticking to my clothes!

I kept on talking and her eyes were getting bigger. "Ever since you all came over to my house and we talked about the binding and everything that happened, ever since I told you we needed to talk..." I shook my head.

"Can we talk now Hildy? Just tell me what's wrong? I know you got a meeting soon and I don't want you to miss it... How about you just tell me what the problem is and I will go home and think about what I can do for my part? Then we can talk again and...MmmMPh?"

I am a pretty big guy. Pretty solid and thick. I am not moved easily. Then again, having a 7 foot tall Nordic Werewolf grab me in her arms and kiss me hard was a surprise!

For several seconds I felt her lips on mine and she tasted...well...not all that much experienced in kisses. Lucretia's were the best in my book, but Hildy's was a close second! She let me go and gave my lips a quick lick with her tongue before stepping back.

"I'm sorry, just wanted to do that once to see what it was like. If this conversation doesn't go well I wanted to at least know what it was like to kiss you." She said firmly, her hands on her hips as she looked me over.

I wobbled once on my feet and steadied myself with a hand on the fence. Okay...maybe that kiss was a little more than second...! I shook off the feelings I felt. 

"So you want to know my problem Greg? You want to know my issue?" She said sternly. I nodded and rubbed a hand on the back of neck.

"I am jealous!" Hildy snarled. "I am jealous that...that I can't have you!" Hildy raised her right hand from her hip to cover her eyes and groaned.

"I can't believe I even SAID that out loud!" She sighed. I couldn't believe it either! I mean, look at her! Then look at me! If ever there was an unexpected response that was...I mean...what the hell? Hildy is tall, blonde, stacked and smells really good. I am short, squat, and I smell only alright. There is something wrong with this picture!

"Ah...uh...Hildy? Why in the world would you want ME?" I asked incredulously. The very idea that this beautiful creature would want me was...the look she gave me as I asked the question was almost as disbelieving as my own.

"You're kidding right? Greg? You're not kidding. You really don't see it?" Hildy asked in surprise. I shook my head and shrugged.

"You are a beautiful woman Hildy. I am...not. I mean I am not a woman or beautiful obviously but I am not, you know. I am not in your class of...you understand what I am saying here?" I asked, upset with my own lack of articulation.

She laughed and shook her head in response. "I get it but you're missing the point." She motioned to me to follow and we walked up onto her back porch passing the pool that I had helped put in a few months before. Jemima waved from inside the house where she was vacuuming and Gwen was putting together plates of appetizers. Hildy directed me to sit in a chair at the patio table. She sat across from me and seemed to gather her thoughts.

"I am the daughter of the Alpha of this area. It includes all of the Portland Metro Area, extends to Tillamook down to Eugene and as Far East as Bend." She told me. I said nothing but on the inside my stomach lurched...that was a large tract of land!

"Being the daughter of an Alpha, I was constantly being courted until I became a member of the Gatewatch, for seven years we dedicate ourselves to protecting our world from people who try to tear the Veil either on purpose or just from ignorance. My Father did it before me, and Jemima's Sire, and Gwen's Father...a warlock did it before her." She sighed and I waited for her to continue, I didn't want to ask any foolish questions and show my ignorance.

"Gate Watchers do not have relationships, we do not need the distraction. Actually, Jemima and Gwen didn't really need to worry about that...but that is their story to tell if you want to ask them about it." She leaned forward and put her elbows on the table.

"Being who I am, who my father is, and now my position of a prestigious role in the community...I could have anyone I want. I have too!" She said with a slightly predatory grin. I gulped, then raised an eyebrow at her. She chuckled at that and rubbed her fingertips over her lips.

"Then I met you...or rather I saw you through the window of your house. We had just moved here, shortly after we all met and swore our oaths. The house had opened up on the market, the original owner complaining they needed to sell it and fast! They took a massive loss on it too. We had it checked out but everything was on the level and we moved in." She rubbed her throat and didn't meet my eyes.

"I don't know how much you have read or how much you know about our kind. We do not have "soulmates" as the romance novels like to say. We do not smell someone and then our souls call out to each other! That's a load of horse shit!" 

She met my eyes again, "That is not to say we can't like the way someone smells and want to get to know them better."

I shifted uncomfortably, then had a thought that made me start to chuckle...then laugh and laugh hard! Hildy looked at me in surprise and I tried to explain but it took me a few seconds to get my laughter under control.

"You like the way I smell and I empty dumpsters for a living?" I saw her start to nod but when I finished speaking she froze and looked horrified at what I was implying. Then she laughed as well! Which got me going again. Hildy for all of her beauty has a funny deep pitched tittering laugh that is almost as funny as a good joke by itself!

"It's not only your smell Greg..." she told me with a mock glare. "...it's also your humor, how you talk. The way you carry yourself." She looked down at the table and idly scratched a neatly trimmed nail on the glass surface.

"It was nice to not have to be the Alpha's daughter or a Gate Watcher with someone...to just be myself. To get to know someone without those restrictions of class keeping everything formal." She paused a moment and swallowed and then looked even further away from me, off to the side and out into the yard.

"Also, you would hide from us...emotionally. It made me...want...to chase you. To draw you out, to see if I could make you want to get to know us. To like us...to like me." Hildy said quietly.

I sat up at that. Being my friend was a game to her? This didn't sound like the Hildy I know...but, it made sense in a weird fashion. What is one thing that a predatory animal will do if you try to run? It would chase you! Duh.

"So...if I understand correctly what you are saying Hildy. You kind of liked me, and when I would want to be alone and would pull back from you it made you want to follow...to chase me?" I asked just as quietly. I tried to keep the bit of anger in my belly out of my voice but I guess some came through anyway. She turned back to face me and gripped my hands in hers where they were resting on the table.

"I know that sounds bad Greg, but that was just my instinct. I liked...like you. I wanted to get to know you better. I wanted to have the chance to become closer to you and see if anything developed." She growled in frustration.

"Then that damned Halloween party! We all were having a great time and then some of us started making out and one of my old pack mates was there and soon we all were having a real party. I remember seeing you come in, then cover your face and step outside again. Then you came back in and I saw the look in your eyes. You were angry, and determined. I saw that new girl who had been invited in by someone talking to you. I saw her change and then I saw you..."

She glanced down at our hands and she released my left one to wrap both of her large soft palms around my right one. "I saw you fight for us Gregory." She said softly. Her eyes were large and warm, her smile was small and inviting like she was sharing a special secret with me.

"In my position we fight for others, it is a rare thing to have someone fight for us...it felt...good!" Hildy said, her fingers now stroking my wrist.

"Then we found out your secret, and saw how you were treated. It confirmed your actions and the reason you were the way you are. We saw your house and then your basement..." Hildy continued, her nails lightly scratching my skin sending pleasurable chills up and down my arm.

"I saw what you were, a man...who once was peaceful, forced to harden himself and just wanted to be left alone. It called out to both the animal side of me to hunt and pursue you. You are powerful in your own way..." Her fingers then began to sooth the small light scratches she had been giving me.

"At the same time though, the fact that you were so broken hearted and undecided on your course of actions called to the woman in me. That, together with how you already were, made me want you all the more!" Hildy raised my hand and kissed the inside of my wrist, her tongue flicking out for a moment to taste my skin with a feather like touch. 

I didn't pull away, I was feeling really comfortable...surprisingly so. She continued explaining her thoughts to me, but was now massaging my hand, both of her hands working my palm.

"Then to find you bound to a succubae? I was sure you would be dead soon! Jemima and Gwen both sided with me, we had to act after that night when you stood up for that creature. Then we met your family and watched how you all interacted...I felt despair!" She stopped and looked down at my hand.

"I can smell Lucretia on you Greg!" Hildy said softly in a small voice. "Even doing what I have been doing to your skin I can still smell and taste her on you!" She looked up at me.

"So now you know. I am jealous, and I have been avoiding both you and her because I wanted you and as long as you have her I don't even have a chance. Or she might kill you and that is the same thing as well." She set my arm back on the table and wiped at her eyes, even though I saw no evidence of tears.

"I am not used to losing something when I really want it. Maybe that's my problem. Maybe it's just a blocked goal...I..." her voice trailed off as I got up from my chair and circled around to her side of the table. I crouched down so I was slightly looking up into her face.

"Thank you..." I said to her. "You don't know how special you made me feel knowing that a woman as beautiful and powerful as you wanted me. It makes me feel a lot better about myself. I have not been wanted by anyone in a long time." Then I hugged her.

I said once that there are different kinds of hugs and I had detailed them in two categories. This one definitely falls into the giving kind. I wanted her to know I had heard and appreciated what she had said. She clutched me back and I heard her whisper. 

"Would I have had a chance with you?"

"I don't know..." I answered honestly. "I am a lot different right now than I was a month ago. Who can say?" 

I pulled back to look in her eyes and I brushed her bangs back out of her face. "I do know that it hurt a lot to not have you in my life. Please don't shut me out again?"

She sighed and looked down at the table. I was standing now and her arm was around my waist her head against my hip. "Alright...I will even try to be around the...Lucretia. I don't know how friendly I can be with her."

"Try for just being civil?" I suggested. Hildy snorted but smiled a little. 

"I think I can do that!" She said with a small chuckle.

"Hildy...Alpha Michael is here and...oh, hi Greg!" Gwen said as she was drying her hands off with a hand towel. I smiled and held out my other arm to her and she gave me a half hug. 

"Egad!" I heard Jemima groan. "Anymore sweetness...gah! It's all I can take. Careful or a whole bunch of Hallmark cards are going to be born!"

I saw Jemima walking on to the back porch with a small dark haired man following her. Jemima had a couple of bottles of ale which she set on the table.

"The meeting is going to start soon. Trevor, this is Greg, our next door neighbor with the Succubae roommate. Gregory...this is Trevor Malfour, Gwen's Dad and teacher."

I held out a hand and shook his, he gave me a considering look, then smiled and said, "Gwen has talked a lot about you and Lucretia. I guess I should say I am ...grateful? For her to have the experience of working with an Outsider...but I still have some concerns." He shook his head and chuckled.

"I'm sorry! Fathers have the right to be concerned...but I shouldn't be giving you a hard time about it!" He gave me a grin and asked, "Were you invited to this meeting as well?"

A female voice softly sailed through the sliding glass doors to the porch and answered before I could open my mouth.

"Of course not!" A gorgeous red head stepped out in a long dress that had a long slit on the side to expose long...very long legs. Even in the shade of the overhang that covered the back porch from the light of the sun I could see that she was a vampire...how you ask? Nope...didn't need my Sight. She just strutted like she owned the place! I guess she felt it was important to maintain the stereotypes.

The smile she gave me took the sting out of her earlier words, though it did make me feel a little like a fly saying "How do you do?" to the spider before being invited into its parlor for a drink!

"Impressive specimen he may be, he is still not..." her voice trailed off as she smelled me. She choked for a moment. "You know William?" She murmured absently as she took a step back.

"Ummm...if you mean is he my friend then yes I know him. If you mean...well, I have no idea how else you could mean that so yes, I know him."

She peered at me closely. "Do you know who I am?" I shook my head to show I did not. I also was fast coming to the realization that I was swimming in water a little out of my depth!

"I am Suzanne...a one-time disciple of William's. I am Jemima's Sire." She said. I shrugged and held out my hand to shake, which she did not. I looked down at my hand then at her hands and said, "I do wash my hands Suzanne."

She nodded, "Yes, but I prefer to not have William the Terrible's smell on my body. Nothing personal to you...but I would rather avoid that!"

I was about to ask her what she meant by "William the Terrible!" when I heard a deep and melodious voice ask, "Hilda...child...who is this...person?"

The voice did about three different things to me. The first thing it did was make me feel like a small boy in torn jeans and muddy from splashing in mud puddles suddenly meeting the president of the United States. The second thing it did was confirm the fact that yes, indeed I was swimming in deep waters that had sharks in it. The third thing it did?

It pissed me off!

The owner, I assume a male from tone and texture of the voice, was probably a very nice person once you got to know him. The problem was that the inflections used and how words were said led me to believe that this person viewed themselves as a noble of sorts and most others as peasants.

I turned and saw a man...a very, very good looking man! He was dressed in a dark grey blazer with matching pants and black turtle neck. When his eyes met mine they hardened and I almost caught a snarl before his lips smoothed out. In turn I felt my face blanch and I grit my teeth in real anger now! Then I smiled and held out a hand to him.

"Hello Judge Roberts! It's good to see you again now that I am out of jail and outside of a courtroom!" I looked over at Hildy. 




Mine...Yours Pt. 09



"I take it that your father is Judge Michael Roberts?" I asked with false sincerity. I was forcing my lips to smile so much that it was starting to hurt. Hildy was looking back and forth between us with an expression of surprise.

"My dad presided over your case?" She looked over at her father suddenly with a measuring gaze. "Then you knew he was innocent and you still..."

"Enough...Hilda..." He said in that deep voice he used as a judge. "This is not the time or the place to discuss such things." He reached out and firmly took my hand in his and squeezed HARD! I caught it with my power and matched him squeeze for squeeze. His expression momentarily changed to surprise before he began to let go of my hand. 

I was tempted to not let go and go for the whole enchilada! I wanted to cinch down so tight that his hand would pop like Jello in a lunch sack! I let go though. This was Hildy's dad, no matter what this jackass had done to me I would not show disrespect to Hildy or the rest of the Gatewatch. I turned to Hildy.

"Well, looks like your meeting is about to get underway. Thanks for talking with me and helping us air out our differences. How I about I bring over more than just an appetizer for the next barbeque? I think I got a line on some premium elk sausage and bison steaks...interested?"

Hildy was staring at Judge Roberts, her father and finally tore her eyes away from him to look at me.

"Hmmm? Oh...yes...that would be great..." she said. I leaned over and gave her a hug which she returned. I swear I felt a dagger pressed against my neck as I did it. After I let go I turned to walk out the front door. I saw Suzanne hiding a smile, Trevor openly grinning and Judge Michael Roberts looking like he wanted to rip my spinal column out! I gave them all a cheery wave and walked out the front door and gave a sigh of relief. I could feel the old anger and hurt build up in me again.

Judge Michael Roberts who had found me guilty in a court of law! He was a werewolf and had smelled my innocence and STILL found me guilty when he KNEW better! I walked out of the yard and nearly ran into Lucretia who had been waiting for me.

"Greg? I was watching from our trees and I saw..." I cut her off with a hug and almost squeezed the air out of her! 

"We can talk in the house. I just want to go home." I said into her hair. I felt her nod and we walked into my yard hand in hand.

To be continued.



Mine...Yours Pt. 10



Author's Note: 

Whew! So glad to be back writing! Well, it seems that most of you all liked the last story, now let me answer some questions 1. No...you may not have my love child! As flattering as it is to have people say they want to have my children, I require that you at least take me to dinner first. Possibly some dancing will be involved. 2. My inspiration for the story comes from the same place all inspiration comes from...too much caffeine, my own personal life, the lives of friends and family and an overactive imagination. 3. Yes, I will write this story all the way to the end. I have my outline all the way written out to the words "The End." It will happen.

My poor editor, Real Life really pulled their attention hard! So this story has some, only some of their editing help and the rest was done by a good friend who knows more about words than I do. 

So thank you for reading, I hope you continue to enjoy my story.

This part of my story is dedicated to bearslady, for more than one reason and bearslady only knows two of the reasons why. There are three more reasons but I will never tell! 

Chapter 27: Feelings

I walked quickly through my fence's gate and crossed the front yard in a straight line for the front door. I could hear Lucretia clumping quickly behind me to keep up. It always made me smile in the past to hear her try to keep up without running when I walk fast. It annoyed her to no end that she had a hard time keeping up with me when she was in her human form! Especially when she was so much taller than me in her battle form. The events that just happened a minute ago in the Gatewatch's house curved back to the forefront of my mind and I grit my teeth while my grin disappeared...

Judge Michael Roberts is Hildy's father!

I slammed open my door and for the first time I ignored all the changes that had been taking place in my home. The carpet in the living room where there once had been plywood floors. Drywall now painted and clean, bookshelves on two sides of the living room with a flat screen TV on the opposite side. I walked through the living room back through Lucretia's room, which was now furnished as a guest room. She still called it "Her Room" but spent most of her time with me in my room. She only used it now when she didn't want to go to work with me at night, or when she just wanted some time to herself, which didn't seem to often.

I walked past her bed and her desk that she insisted on having. Lucretia never read on her bed, she insisted that was for sleeping and a desk was for reading. I absently noticed that she now had four shelf stereo systems set at the four corners of the room. Four! After she got two of them, I asked her to explain why she needed more but I still didn't really understand. I opened the sliding glass door and walked out onto the back porch that was newly made out of recycled plastic. It never needed paint, and I could pressure wash it easily to clean it. Also after our first meeting between Lucretia and I, she seemed to feel a mild sense of discomfort on wooden porches, especially when I would lean on the railing. 

I walked off the back porch and slowly paced in the back yard. The fruit trees had been pruned, the leaves raked, the grass cut, and the storage shed painted. The house itself had been covered in vinyl siding that was a mild blue and then trimmed in white, and the roof had been repaired. Everything was really coming together; it didn't look at all like the dilapidated wreck of a couple months ago...

And I wanted to burn it down! I wanted to run around it with a gas can and touch it off and watch it cave in on itself and become a smoking pile of rubble! Then I wanted to blow a hole the size of a tangerine in Judge Michael's forehead and shit in the hole! Then I wanted to hunt down every single person that so much as gave me a cross-eyed look and give them a bitch slap with a brick! I want them to suffer and hurt! They need to hurt...They need to HURT...THEY NEED TO HURT AND FEEL WHAT I HAVE HAD TO...

"Master...?" I heard Lucretia say my name urgently behind me. I snarled as I whipped my head around to stare at her. She had changed to full battle ready. Six feet tall, at least two hundred pounds of lean frame that was immensely stronger than it looked. Black claws and long talon like spurs, her wings flexed and almost shivered as her mouth opened in a silent pant. Her head was tilted, almost bird-like, as she regarded me with a mixture of curiosity, apprehension, and excitement.

"...Who do we...kill...Master?" Lucretia asked between slow breaths. Her tongue licked her lower lip and her right hand squeezed her breast before sliding over her stomach. My eyebrows raised and all thoughts of violence fled in surprise at her question. Who do we...what...kill? I don't want to kill anyone, well, honestly I was letting those thoughts rage out of control for a little bit there, but I would never actually want to kill anyone. I had planned on going down to the basement and working out to get rid of those aggressive feelings. That followed by a good shower and a nap then go to work and come home with maybe a pizza or something. Lucretia liked the all vegetarian with white sauce and bacon instead of tomatoes. Truth be told I liked it too. However seeing Lucretia all ready to declare war kinda killed those emotions in me. And now she is looking at me like...like...

"Gregory you are so...RAAH!" She almost wailed in frustrated rage. She eyed me, looking me up and down from the toes of my shoes to the hair on my head. Then turned and stalked back into the house, changing as she walked without even bothering with clothes and I saw her cute rosy ass cheeks as she opened and then slammed shut the sliding room door to her room while giving me a baleful look over her shoulder. Then she closed the curtains and I heard another faint yell of frustration. I could just see her flopping on her bed and clutching a pillow to her face as she yelled into it in my mind's eye!

Now what got her tail tied in a knot? I walked up to the sliding door and gently knocked on it.

"Go away!" Came the immediate reply. I thought about forcing my way in but a couple of things stopped me. Yes, this was my house and I make the rules and I don't appreciate being kept out of somewhere in my own home. This was Lucretia's room though; I had given it to her for her to use and to have space to herself. I had to respect that and give her space if she needed it. She had done very well in obeying me and in learning all the little lessons I had been teaching. As bad as I wanted to find out what was wrong and fix it, I needed to let her come to me. Or...is this a test? Does she want me to go in and try to talk to her? Or...

A man could go crazy understanding women...and Lucretia is a succubae! I decided to go downstairs into the basement and work out.

My basement was left alone during the remodel. The workers were told not to go down, and the door was kept locked at all times. For some reason I enjoyed using my homemade workout equipment, and scavenged mirrors. I fell into my regular routine of running in place, stretching, isometrics and then using my weights. Then I began practicing my forms...some people call them "Katas" but I have never really been big on ceremony in that regard. I was really working up a sweat so I took my shirt off and then caught my reflection in the mirror. I looked different, very different! I must have lost at least 10 pounds!

A shiver ran up my spine as I realized my extra camouflage weight was slipping. I guess working out with Lucretia was a good weight loss program, but I can't afford this. I need my extra padding so I look soft and doughy, if I am attacked I need that element of surprise. I was just heading up the stairs to raid the freezer for ice cream when Lucretia met me on the steps and pushed me back with a hot stare!

"You can't do this to me Gregory!" She snarled through gritted teeth. Her eyes were black in her human face and her claws on the tips of her fingers kept trying to grow.

"I have been good, haven't I?" She asked as she began to pace in my basement. I just watched her, letting her spout. She came up to one of my hanging bags as she stalked by and negligently hit it...hard! The canvas strap tore loose with a pop from the stitching and the bag fell from the chain to hit the floor. Lucretia kicked it, sending it rolling and tumbling to the far wall.

"I haven't killed or drained anyone...though I had cause. I followed your rules...but you can't tempt me like this!" She told me in a frustrated tone. Her eyes turned back to look at me and the black began to fade, and then it rushed back in until they were dark inky pools. She shuddered and clutched her stomach. I came closer and filled with concern I put my hand on her shoulder. She backed away quickly and then stood with fists clenched.

"Don't touch me! Not yet...you are my ...friend, my Master. But not...not right now!" She panted. 

"What is wrong? Lucretia if you don't tell me what's up I am still in the dark over here." I asked in exasperation. 

My succubus fidgeted and then used both hands to rub her arms crossing them over her body as if she was cold.

"I feel your emotions, and I have new emotions to add to the few that I do have..." She paused, considering her words.

"I am surrounded by food, I can just reach out and drain anyone I see. I have been distracted from it by having all of these new feelings to explore and understand." 

She took several steps closer to me and looked me right in my eyes. "I end things, I destroy...it is who and what I am. I have suppressed that with all of the distractions but feeling what you felt, the white hot heat of it...I...I...oh GREG!" She turned and began pacing again her fists clenched and rose squeezing the sides of her head.

"I want to kill something!" She moaned. "I need to sink my teeth into an enemy and feel that energy slither down into me! I need to do it! And when I felt your rage I thought I was going to be able to satisfy that need...and then, it went away! IT just LEFT!" That last sentence ended in a wail as she punched my heavy bag and broke the seam along its side and saw dust began spilling out through the tear.

"I don't know how to turn it off Greg! Master...I don't know how to put it away!" Her hands clutched her throat, stroking it and then squeezing. 

"Help me...please?" she whispered.

How in the...? Hello! You are going to ask the guy with a Door that for all intents and purposes I locked myself away from, I guess myself? I am sooooo not the right person to field this. I am a case study myself for bottling tendencies, how can I help her. I hurt for her, because I know what it is like to suppress and ignore yourself. Wait, does that mean this entire time....

"Lucretia?" I asked, and she looked at me. "If you want to, why haven't you, uhm...killed anyone? Is it because I told you not to? Is it because of the mixing thing Gwen was talking about, you having my morals?"

She shook her head fiercely, "No, I have free will. I don't because you would be mad at me and...and...because I want to see what happens next." 

My mouth fell open, "See what happens next, what do you mean?"

She shuddered and fell to her knees. "If I went and started drinking up all the energy I could you would hate me and not want me and then the Gatewatch would destroy me or send me home..." She panted a few times and then grimaced, still clutching herself. 

"I like it here! I like the air, I like the people, and I like having a place that feels like it's mine! I like having a Master who is not a Master, I l...I like you Gregory Bastion Brooks, and I want to stay. But it is so hard and I don't know how to make it stop!"

I dropped to my knees in front of my friend and held her tight. My mind was whirling and jumbled like two mice trying to run on the same wheel in opposite directions. Human emotions pushed into a succubae who is only equipped with the bare necessities of feelings, that must feel like trying to carry Jell-O in a paper napkin. You can do it, only very carefully.

I thought about emotion, what do we do with it? How to control it or channel it? As humans we have a ton of emotions. Guys tend to think more with their heads than their hearts, while gals think more with their hearts than their heads, generally speaking. Would a girl better be able to help Lucretia?

No, I am the one who is here, and I am her Master, Lucretia is my responsibility and my friend. No way am I going to foist her off onto someone else. So what was I originally thinking about? Emotions...channeling...got it. Before all of...THIS happened to me, what did I used to do? My Door inside started to give me grief as I pressed against it. Then suddenly from the back of my mind an old memory long forgotten came to me and it made me smile. I had an idea.

"Lucretia?"

"WH...what?" she responded, still shivering in my arms.

"You never had a problem with your feelings before...why now?" I asked.

"I had so few before, now I have many...so MANY!" she blurted the last, almost yelling it.

"You are still you right? You just have more options than you did before."

She pulled back a little and looked into my face, it was so weird to see black eyes crying.

"All the...options keep crowding in, it's a tangle! I can't pick just one!" she said in a tired voice.

I put my hands on her shoulders and then lifted my left hand to cup her face, my thumb gently trailing along her cheek sliding through her tear tracks.

"Repeat after me...okay...I will help you." I said. I actually wasn't sure if this would help or not, but it was worth a shot, and my heart ached seeing her like this.

When I was younger I loved poetry. It would lift me up and I loved the way the words sounded saying them out loud. If you think about it the poets' way back in the day were the original rap stars of their time. They just didn't have enough of a bass beat to put their words too!

Lucretia's hand came up to hold mine against her face; she closed her eyes and bowed her head. Slowly her hair dissolved and her horns showed and she changed into all grey skin, tail, and wings. Her voice was low and soft but I could hear it even though her head was bowed.

"Speak...my Master."

Then I spoke to her, a poem that helped me a lot when times were hard back in high school. Also later on in my life with work and relations with other people. Maybe it could help my succubus with her troubles.

"Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole.

I thank whatever gods may be for my unconquerable soul." 

I said it with a slow rolling cadence, carefully enunciating each word. She paused, and then repeated it. I kept on until the last verse, and I could feel her shivering begin to subside. It actually quit completely and her head rose to look me in the eyes again, a small fierce smile on her face as she spoke.

"It matters not how strait the gate, how charged with punishments the scroll.

I am the Master of MY fate. I am the Captain of MY soul!"

Her finger's trailed my face and her eyes seemed to stare at me searchingly.

"Did you write that, my Greg?" She asked softly.

"I wish!" I chuckled. "It was written by some guy named William Henley who was kind of a sick kid growing up. He wrote it to show that though stuff may beat on you and make you feel bad you are still the one in control of yourself...no one else. I memorized back in school and it has helped me before, I thought it might help you."

Lucretia took her hand from my face and closed her eyes, thinking. "I would like to meet this...Henley. It would be interesting to see what I could learn from him." She looked at me questioningly, "Does he live near here?"

I coughed into my hand, "Actually he is dead, died back in like 1900 or around there. There's books about him, we could go to the library or you could use the Internet to look him up?" Lucretia froze when she heard he was dead, and her eyes began to tear up, then I saw her mouth faintly form the words of the poem and no tears fell. She looked at me in surprise and then threw her grey arms around my neck and kissed me!

"It worked! I am the Master! Not my emotions!" She growled in triumph. I was stunned too. I didn't know if it was going to work, it just felt right to offer it. My next idea was to play Monopoly or Scrabble...anything to take her mind off of what it was on. She scampered back up the stairs and I picked up my shirt. I had just walked up the stairs and decided to take a shower when the doorbell rang. Honestly I really wasn't sure who it would be, but I had a sneaky suspicion Hildy was coming over. If it was her, I didn't know if I wanted to talk to her yet about her dad and all. The problem is that I took so long thinking about it Lucretia opened the door anyway before I could tell her to ignore it.

"Hi!" I heard her say brightly. "Who are you?" 

Chapter 28: Judge

I moved to the living room where the front door was and I saw, Judge Roberts. He was standing in the doorway still in his turtleneck and grey suit looking Lucretia over from head to foot.

"Succubus..." he said it in a skilled way that I don't know how to recreate. It was both a greeting and put down all in one. Then he saw me and I could feel, something. Maybe it was because my emotions were still a jumble from helping Lucretia or maybe it was the fact that Hildy and I were getting along again or maybe I still suck at getting my head on straight but I had no idea what I was feeling when I looked at Judge Roberts. I felt pride, fear, annoyance, anger, regret...and a whole bunch of other things. Made no sense to me so I called up my Sight and took a peek.

"May I come in?" the Judge asked calmly. 

My Sight told another story. I saw a hulking brown wolf at least a head taller than Hildy's form and it looked like it wanted to take a "Bite out of Crime!" Namely, my chest or neck. As I scanned him I started to see why he was Alpha though. I had also been practicing with my Sight, and I started to recognize different things that it showed me. I could see hundreds of little threads that wafted in from all directions as far as the eye could see and some even from the direction of my neighbors. He was the leader of a very large pack of wolves and that means he is connected to them all. I would have to ask Hildy later about the particulars, but it did seem kind of interesting.

"Are you going to attack me, or try to hurt me like you did in Hildy's home?" I asked dryly. I was mentioning how he had tried to do the hand squeeze in shaking my hand. He shook his head in the negative.

"Speak up Judge, just like in court. Doesn't count unless you say the words your Honor!" Okay, so I was not really all that calm. I couldn't keep all the irritation out of my voice. What the heck was he doing here? Why would he even WANT to be here?

I saw his jaw firm and he said, "I will not harm you or yours while I am in your home or on your property...will that suffice?"

I shrugged. "That's fine, come in...want some coffee?" I was turning into the kitchen when I heard Lucretia growl. I looked over my shoulder and saw her, still in human form standing in the doorway staring up at the Alpha. His eyes had tightened and he had started snarl in return when Lucretia spoke. 

"Greg trusts you to keep your word...I do not. I have smelled your kind before Were, and I know how much you value your word!" She spat that last sentence like she had when she spat out a dip of wintergreen tobacco she snuck from my can of chew.

"I am watching you..." she finished quietly and then stood aside for the Judge to pass. He just gave her a toothy grin and stalked passed her to the kitchen where I was pouring a cup of coffee for him.




Mine...Yours Pt. 10



"Cream and sugar?" I asked.

"Just some cream." He replied.

It was surreal, just last night, or early this morning depending on how you look at it, I had served Lucretia's dad coffee and now it was Hildy's dad. Trouble always seems to come in groupings like this. Actually, just having a judge in my house was trouble in and of itself, no need for groupings here. He looked around my kitchen and then up at the ceiling, sniffing every now and then.

"Your home is lovely..." he began, and Lucretia interrupted, loudly.

"Say one bad thing about MY home and I will tear your hide from your body to make slippers for MY Greg!"

He blinked at her; I tried not to smile so I concentrated on making Lucretia her cup of coffee and placed in front of her, then smoothed her hair back from her ear and gently rubbed her earlobe. I had found out it did the same thing as when I rubbed the base of her horns in her other forms.

"Excuse me, Judge Roberts?" I got his attention and he looked at me instead of my roommate. "I can assume you came over here to talk to me, so no offense...could we talk and you go. I honestly do not feel comfortable having you in my home."

He slightly narrowed his eyes at me and took a sip of coffee; he glanced at it, and took another slower sip with a murmur of appreciation. I had been tempted to mix him up a cup of flavor crystal Folgers coffee, instead I had served him a well brewed pot of 100% pure Kona. Just because I would not piss on the Judge if he were on fire doesn't mean I should be rude to him while he is in my, I mean, our house.

"Then I will get right to the point..." he began, and set his mug on the table after polishing it off in one long swallow. "I want to know how you got this house." He folded his hands and waited for my response. I just shrugged. 

"I had been looking for a place to live since I didn't really want to live with my parents anymore, this house showed up with the owner desperate to sell for some reason. My Dad paid for it and gifted it to me...I still am making payments back to him. I had told him I didn't want it as a gift and he could hold the mortgage, but he insisted saying I needed a place of my own." That had really surprised me, but I wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth!

Judge Roberts nodded and then reached inside of his jacket, Lucretia growled and I got ready to put up my shield. He just calmly pulled out his checkbook.

"How much do you want for your house?" He said, lifting his head to look at me, his pen poised.

"Excuse me?" I said in surprised.

"How much do you want for your house? I will offer you two million dollars and thirty days to vacate the premises." He started filling out the check, but left the amount blank.

I shook my head and his lips thinned a little. "Very well, two and a half million..." I waved a hand to cut him off.

"Wait...no. I understood you; you want to buy my house. But why?" I asked. 

"It should be obvious to you, I don't want my daughter living so close to undesirable elements." He glanced at Lucretia, and pinned me with a hard stare.

Lucretia looked like she was going to pop her top! I was surprised as well. Trevor and Suzanne Gwen and Jemima's parents or patron or Sires or whatever didn't seem to have a major issue. So why....

"Explain please...?" I asked quietly. Judge Michael Roberts sighed and drummed his fingers on the table.

"I don't have to explain anything, but I will since you seem to be a bright young man. I don't want my daughter living next to a felon who summons outsiders. She is a good woman who will someday take my place as leader of our pack and I do not want your or that thing's influence on her." 

It took me a second to get what he meant by that "Thing" and when it did I got a little hot under the collar. I had my own bone to pick with him though.

"My roommate aside...felon? You have a hard time thinking about your daughter living next door to a sex offender? Or is it you have a hard time explaining to Hildy how an innocent man in your courtroom got smacked with a guilty verdict when you knew the truth?"

Give the man credit he didn't bat an eye, "Both. You may have been innocent before, but you certainly aren't now. How many people have you hurt Mr. Brooks? Hmmm? I have six different hospital medical reports of people who you put in there. As for having a hard time explaining things to my daughter. I just told her what I had done was for the good of the pack."

I stepped back from the table now, standing with my back to the counter. Lucretia was holding eerily still watching the events unfold swiveling her head back and forth to keep us both in view.

"Wait, how is my becoming a felon good for the pack?" I was trying to keep my voice level, but a quiver of rage was starting to come through. This man was telling me that he...

"Think back to your trial Gregory...it took place during an election year. We all have to be seen as cracking down hard on crime at that point in time. It makes us look good. I have hundreds, no; thousands of people that look to me for leadership in my pack alone, and I need to be in a position of authority to do what is best for my people. I need to be able to protect them, look out for them. They are my family you might say, and I will do much to protect my family!"

I was having a hard time breathing as I tried to comprehend the enormity of his words. "You mean...to tell me...you sold me out to get a few more points to keep your position as judge?" My voice was tight and my words wheezed.

"Not completely. In a case of he said she said like yours was, and the fact that you were an honest sort who told the cops everything so they could use it against you. It was too close. Maybe if you had cried more than she did on the witness stand I could have swung it your way because of sympathy." He gave a malicious little grin. "Honestly Greg...telling everything to the police without an attorney present? Believing that you were innocent would protect you? I figured getting you out of the gene pool would make all humans a little bit smarter. You know, survival of the fittest?"

I wanted to KILL him! But I took a deep breath and offered him a little smile in return.

"Well, thank you for answering that question for me. The reason I couldn't rent an apartment and can only get shit jobs and get attacked randomly by strangers is I was just one of the many innocents sacrificed to keep your position for the good of your pack. Nice to know."

He shrugged, "Not many inncocents, last election year there were only about 7 or so." I clenched my jaw and then took several deep breaths. He seemed to be enjoying watching me get angry, I glanced over at Lucretia, and she was deathly still, her eyes black and still watching us both. I wondered why she wasn't flying off the handle yet!

"So...Mr. Brooks, two million and a half to buy your house? It's a little over twice the asking price even with it all being refurbished." Judge Roberts asked.

"No." I said, and my voice was calm, it didn't shake. Not even a little...well maybe a little but give me a break I am trying to keep my cool here.

The muscle in his jaw tightened and he glared at me. "I watched this neighborhood carefully. I monitored who came and who left. I made sure that this area was full of good people for my daughter. There was never any mention of you. Now I find out you lived here for over a YEAR and just now I find out about you? I am offering you a chance to get out of here peacefully and gain a great deal financially. The next time I ask, I may be a bit more rude than I am now...do I make myself clear?" His voice was quiet and cold. I did not doubt that he could make my life hell if he wanted. Well I had been through a kind of hell before, but I wasn't going to be pushed around anymore.

I leaned forward onto the table and said, "Bring it on Cujo. Or should I say Benji? I will think about those threats you just made at the next barbeque your daughter invites me too. I will remember it and laugh to myself as I see her take a bite of homemade elk sausage I am going to bring over just for her." I gave him a broad wink and a smile. 

"Now get your hairy ass out of my chair and out of my house...I don't like the scent of wet dog." I grinned showing my teeth and kept my eyes on his. Like HELL was I going to blink first! His face rippled and I saw his eyes gleam amber light, it made me smile wider.

"Please, oh please change Mister Zulu Wolf. I would love a chance to beat you down. Lucretia and I could double team you and I could have a new rug in front of the television to clean my shoes off on!" I mock pleaded.

His face calmed and his look of disgust was so palpable I could almost physically feel it! "You are a small, little boy. Do remember that I tried to be peaceful about this." With that said he got up and collected his checkbook and headed for the door. Just before he walked out Lucretia spoke and her voice sounded dreamy, but intense.

"Were Alpha..." Judge Michael Roberts turned to look at my roommate. Her horns were showing through her hair and her black eyes stared hard at her hands that were growing black nails on the fingertips. She had his coffee cup in one hand and used her long pointed tongue to lick all around the rim. Then she swallowed and grinned showing sharp pointed teeth.

"I have your scent!"

The Judge left without a word or backward glance. I watched him walk out and close the gate in the door behind him. I stood there at the window thinking about what transpired and getting a handle on my rage when I heard a small grinding crack and whispering behind me.

"Out of the night that covers me, black as the pit from pole to pole..." 

I turned to see Lucretia staring at the broken pieces of mug in her hand, then she made a retching noise and ran into the kitchen where I heard her throw up!

I went after her slowly and heard her give a small choked sob. I came around the corner and saw her with her hair hanging down and back bent breathing hard into the sink. I came up behind her and put a comforting hand on her back and held her hair as she drank from the spigot to wash her mouth out.

"I suddenly realized that I had his taste in my mouth and that I...that I had swallowed it!" She muttered thickly, and then coughed spitting again in the sink. "I don't want that Were's scent or taste or presence near me!"

"Yeah, he is not one of the good guys." I drawled as I rubbed a hand gently on her back. Lucretia shook her head and coughed again. 

"He doesn't really see himself that way. He sees himself as a protector and champion for his people. He sees all others as less than what he is. That is why he spoke to you the way he did Master." She choked again, and then relaxed. She stretched her neck, tipping it from side to side then walked towards the bathroom.

"I'm going to go brush my teeth Greg, something tastes funny in my mouth and it's not what I left in the sink!" 

I snorted, then looked in the kitchen sink and winced. Maybe I should install one of those waste disposal sink grinders in there. When had Lucretia eaten calamari? I cleaned up the sink and thought a bit to myself. I now had the judge as a threat in my life to add to all the others, I needed to warn my family. I sent my dad a text to make sure he and mom were home, they were. I thought about taking Lucretia with me, and then decided against it. I think dad and I needed to have a good father/son talk time. Maybe since I was meeting everyone else's parents it made me start to appreciate my own a little more.

Who am I kidding? I appreciate them a LOT more!

Lucretia came out and smiled at me with a crest white smile and gave me a soft smooch and a hug.

"By the way roomie..." I said to her, "...you look, really good when you get scary like that! When you threatened the judge as he walked out the door, every other thing on this planet looked drab and dull to how hot you were then!" She giggled and wiggled closer into my arms and gave me a longer softer kiss.

"I didn't like him saying those things to you. He talked like Seneca does, my eldest sister, she says things that don't mean exactly what you think they mean but expects you to know exactly what she means." She pulled her head back and stroked the fingers of one hand through my short hair. 

"Kind of like how you talk sometimes but you do it in a way that makes me smile." She grinned and kissed my cheek. 

"I need to go an visit my parents, and I would like to go alone. But before I go, your dad gave me something to give to you." Lucretia's ears perked, I swear they did. She followed me up the stairs to my room where I opened my sock drawer and pulled out the small stone of obsidian. I gently placed it in her palm and watched as she tapped it and rolled it around in her palm slowly. She took it to the window to let the sunlight play over it's every facet, then did the same thing with the light from my desk lamp. Then she did what I expected of her and she swallowed it.

"Does it have some special significance?" I asked her.

"It's from my Papa..." She replied. I waited for more but that was all she said. 

"What is it you like so much about stones?" I asked again. She shrugged. 

"I just always have. When I was home with my Mother and sisters I loved exploring the castle and listening to the rocks and seeing the histories through different layers in each one. Sometimes a rock would break and then I could see all the different colors in them and read the stories of their lives." She put a finger to her chin and cocked a hip while thinking.

"It is like reading a book but you don't see words so much as pictures." She said to finish off her thought. 

I was flabbergasted...well, not really. It made sense to me, sort of. I'm human so I can't pick up on the subtle nuances of the language of rocks. I have a hard time learning even one human language, though it makes me curious if cement is actually considered a rock and if it had it's own language?

I grabbed my coat and hat and boots since I would be going to work after seeing my family, Lucretia wanted to come with me, I said no. I didn't say it like that. I said I wanted some time alone with my family, and then I would go to work and be back in the morning. I even told her she could be in my room while I was gone this time. That surprised her and she asked me why the change in rules.

"You have shown you can be trusted and you also have remembered to put my things back where you found them, so let's see how you do with this, okay?"

Lucretia got a little teary eyed again, how in the world had I missed that this woman is an emotional rollercoaster?

"You are so much more different than my old master." She said softly and then kissed the back of my hand.

"You know, one of these days we are going to need to talk about your old Master and see just how bad he was, I am just hoping I don't make any of the mistakes he made with you." I gave a smile to show her I was teasing but she didn't smile back.

"I am getting to know you very well Greg, I believe it would be impossible for you to make the mistakes that he did. You are just not that sort of being." I saw that this conversation was now starting to trouble her so I just patted her on the shoulder and told her to call me if there was trouble. I got into my little white truck and decided to call William while I was heading to my folks.

"Hello, This the Abernathy residence. This is Mr. Abernathy's personal assistant how may I help you?" I heard a sweet voice say.

"Ummm...Nancy?" I said.

"Oh hi Gregory!" Nancy gushed into the phone. "Do you need to talk to William?"

I wondered again how Nancy, my friend the talking rat could answer the phone with no thumbs. He must have it set up for conference call or something and she just presses the appropriate button or something. Heck, a rotary phone would be like a mini carousel wheel for her!

"No that's alright. If you could just take a message for him that would be great." I told her. I heard some scratching and her muttering quietly to herself the time and the date and then her voice piped up, "Ready Gregory!"

"Umm, Judge Michael Roberts the head of the local werewolf pack was the judge at my trial and now has it in for me. Tried to buy my house for over two million dollars and made some veiled threats, any advice would be appreciated." I waited and heard Nancy writing, seriously...how did she write? She is a rat for Pete's sake! Maybe she has an inkwell and dips her paw in then writes out the letters then has a little bowl of lemon water to clean off her claws...

Dude...that would be adorable!

"Okay, I have it written down..." her voice stopped and I heard her mutter a little to herself, then she came back on the line. "Gregory, you said a trial? Are you okay?"

I sighed; I wasn't going to get into this now.

"Ask me later Nancy...or just ask William. And physically I am fine but no, I am not okay." 

I heard her voice quaver a little. "Is there anything I can do to help you? I owe you so much already, I would be happy to..."

"Just make sure Will gets my message Nancy. I would appreciate it."

I continued on out of the city, and down past large stretches of farmland. My parents live on some acreage by a river, been in the family a long time. Got some big huge trees and some quiet pastures. They once had been rented out for farmland but after Dad won the small lottery he had turned back into pasture. He lets our neighbor's cows feed on it as well, that way he doesn't have to mow it.

I let my mind wander, as I drove, not to the point where I was not watching where I was driving, of course. It just gave me time to think a little. As a person I can only stay mad for so long, it's against my nature to constantly dwell on something negative that keeps me angry. Anger as we all know, takes a lot of energy to maintain. Sure it is a great source of strength, like when I bring back the dumpsters after a long shift and as I do a drive by to check the others that weren't full...I find out that while I was emptying the others the late night shifts were putting in overtime over the holidays and filled the other twenty! Then I get angry and finish the last dumpsters then the anger goes away and I sleep like a rock!

I guess a better way to put it is that I have learned to set my anger aside over the years; it's still there waiting for me, like today meeting the judge. I have a literal metric crap ton of rage waiting for me to pick it up and use it! I just choose not to...why you ask?

I am afraid that once I put it back on again I may not take it off!

A righteous anger is when you are in the right on one end of a situation and the other is clearly wrong. You are justified to take the stance you are and that fuels you to fight on and push your cause or whatever. Knowing that I am innocent I have what to my mind is a righteous anger. Thing is, I know from what the judge told me, he feels that he was right to do what he did as well. Like that old saying says, 

"No one is a villain in their own eyes." 

To break that down further think of it like this. We all love our cat when it is hunting mice, but I bet the mice hate that mean ol' pussycat! It's all a matter of perspective. Now I kind of regret what I said to the judge. He may be a mean, hardhearted son of a gun, but there was no excuse for me to attack him verbally the way I did. I can't change what he did to me, and how he tarnished my good name in front of others. I can be civil and not...

My front wheels blew and my car started to list! I frantically tried steering but it was sluggish and non responsive! I took my foot off the gas and began to coast to a stop, my wheels making horrid noises as I wrestle my truck to the left side of the road. I put my car in park, turned off the ignition, and put my keys in my coat pocket. I looked around and saw some rolling hills with trees dotted here and there on them in small groves. I guess I was about 4 miles or so from my folks. I pulled out my cell phone to tell them I would be late when my driver side window burst in and I reflexively threw up my arms to protect my face!




Mine...Yours Pt. 10



A hand grabbed me and ripped me out of my truck. It broke my seat belt and I felt something tear in my shoulder at the same time making me scream! Then I was sent flying and tumbling across the road. I rolled into the deep ditch, narrowly missing bashing my head into a culvert. I lay there, stunned, trying to get my breath back. I heard a chorus of growls around me; their deep bass thrum echoing in my chest making it even harder to breathe than before. I looked up and saw four faces staring down at me, all long muzzles and exposed teeth from lips pulled back into snarls. Then one spoke,

"Gregory Bastion Brooks. The Alpha Michael Roberts says Hello!"

Chapter 29: Fight

The first thing going through my mind...I couldn't tell you. It was all a jumble. I kept on waiting for my fight or flight response to kick in, but I guess I was too stunned.

"This is what the Judge was so worried about? This thing?" I heard one of them say. He bent down, smelled me and I recoiled back from him making him give a barking laugh that sounded ugly.

"I smell magic on him, why isn't he using it?" One of them muttered. His hand, or paws...are they hands or paws when they are all human-wolf shaped? Funny what actually does go through ones mind when scared and hurt, nothing useful that's for sure.

"Wha...wha yoo wan...?" I wheezed, and then took a deep breath to get some oxygen back into my blood. It hurt to breathe in that deep, I wondered if I had broken something in my fall? Wouldn't be surprised, it all had happened before I could focus to get my shield in place. I thought about bringing it up now, but right then my shoulder really started to make itself known! My mouth opened up in another groan and then a grimace of pain.

"You turned our Alpha down, from selling him your house. We are going to make sure that you understand it would be good for you to do what he wants." The one who ripped me out of the truck said. 

I sat upright in the ditch and stared at all of the faces around me in surprise and I just blurted the first words that came to me.

"Already? He is starting with the terror tactics already? We just spoke like an hour ago in my kitchen!"

The one furthest from me cocked an ear. It was the first time he heard me speak, well, the wheezing and the groans don't count. He leaned in closer.

"Hey, I know this guy. He was at Miss Robert's barbeque once when I was there. You sure this is the right guy?"

The one closest to me snarled and said, "Get your head back in the hunt! What the Alpha says we do, got it!?"

The first speaker hushed, but didn't look so enthusiastic before. Huh...I wonder...

I activated my Sight and now I saw things reversed. Before, I would see the animal past the human as a specter type image of some sort. Like a ghost if that helps you better to understand. Now it's the human image taking the back seat to the animal form. The first three I didn't recognize, the fourth one who seemed unsure, I knew him. Not his name, but I knew his face!

"Wasn't it a pain in the ass digging out the swimming pool?" I said. "I brought over some lean ground chuck that we made some awesome burgers out of. For some reason I remember you eating more hotdogs though, why was that?"

There was a pause then I heard him say, "I was hungry, the hot dogs were done faster." I smiled and then when I shifted I felt something "pop" inside me about halfway down my chest. I felt something warm trickle in my body and I knew that was bad. I coughed and spat out blood...that was really bad!

"Hey man, he's hurt bad! Weren't we just going to rough him up some?" my nameless buddy said. The first one growled back as a response.

"We have our orders, I have mine. If he lives or dies, the Alpha gets what he wants. He is already prepared to call the others to deal with the outsider for when he passes." I turned bleary eyes to him.

"What did you say?" I asked and spat more blood onto the ground. He looked down at me in the ditch, eyes narrowed. 

"I said, when you die, he is going to get the old members of the Gatewatch to deal with your outsider. Then we can put this whole sordid mess behind us."

He was going after Lucretia? MY Lucretia? Why? She hadn't done anything to him! I was the one he wanted; I was the one in the way! Well Lucretia could handle herself; she could tear his hide off and make it into a trampoline. Then I remembered when Gwen, Hildy and Jemima had shown up at my work, and nearly banished her. The only reason they hadn't been able to was because of my interference. If he got Trevor and Suzanne to help him...he could...

No...she is mine, they will not touch her.

No...She is Mine, they will not touch her!

NO...SHE is MINE!

SHE...IS...

"Hey boss...what's he saying?" One of the wolves tipped his head closer down to me taking a sniff...I realized I had been muttering to myself. A cold pressure was flowing into me, a heat that chilled me to the bone. A loud pounding silence that throbbed in a discordant cadence timed to the trip hammer beating of my heart. I looked directly into the wolf's eyes and smiled. I could feel my own blood dripping from my teeth as I whispered...

"...MINE!"

My shoulder screeched in protest as my left arm shot up, wreathed in the light blue pulse of my power. I didn't care! These assholes were going to hurt my friend, so I was going to hurt them, how dare they! I heard his snarl cut off into a whine, then a few loud cracks as I crushed his throat and vertebrae in my grip. I let him go and his lifeless body flopped down, unmoving except for nerve twitches. The second wolf leapt on top of me, either trying to smother me or just get in close to use his claws and teeth. His blows couldn't get past my shield, but suddenly he was giving yelps of pain and jumped out of the hole with me clinging to him.

With him being that close I didn't have to reach out and grab him. My range is about two inches over my entire body. I gripped two inches into his body wherever he touched me, so now my chest and arms held firm to him! He crawled out of the ditch taking me with him. I braced myself and used my power to yank myself away from him, ripping off muscle and skin wherever I pulled back and away. He fell to the ground and began scratching the dirt, and then started scrambling away. 

I couldn't have that! The power carried me across the ground before my brain had time to register what I was doing and I dropped kicked his head so hard and so fast I forgot to fully harden the shield around my foot. I dimly felt things, a lot of things shatter at the point of impact, but I didn't care. They had to die...They All Had to DIE!

The leader gave a long loud howl that carried on the still air, and then the werewolf roared as he rushed me.

"Bring it! Bring it you FUCK!" I screamed at him and zipped right into his charge. My shield was so strong it was opaque, I didn't need to see I could feel my target. I dug my fingers into what felt like his chest, the strength of my power rushing through me. My enemy's roars turned to pained yelps as his powerful blows impacted my shield. It didn't matter, I had a hold on him and I was not going to let go! I heard terrible cracking noises as I pulled my arms apart and the screaming cries of my enemy suddenly went silent. I let my shield weaken so I could see again and the gory ruin of my enemy lay at my feet, his blood seeping into the earth.

I heard a noise and turned my head to see a naked black man staring at me, and looking a little queasy.

"You killed them, you killed them all!" He put his hands on his head and stared at the carnage on the ground. I exhaled and I could see my breath condense into vapor. Then I coughed and spat blood again. 

"Leave, tell your Alpha what happened. You will not take what is mine. I have given enough and he's taken all that I am going to give. He tries to do this again to me and mine I will bring a storm down on him that will make him beg for death...do you understand me?"

He nodded and turned and began to change, and then he stopped and looked back.

"I don't know all of what happened to who and for what reason but..." he looked around at the dead bodies of his partners. "...but I am really sorry man." He looked past me and then he finished changing before taking off at a run through the field towards the low hills and their trees.

I didn't know what he was so sorry about until I heard a howl come from behind me. I looked back the opposite direction the wolf was running and saw six more wolves coming towards me from the other side of the road! The howl that leader gave must have summoned reinforcements.

I was shaking, I guess my adrenaline or whatever had run it's course and I was crashing. I felt tears coming to my eyes; of sadness or anger I don't know. Maybe both now that I think on it. I braced myself for the attack, planning on which I would take first. The big one in the middle looked like a good candidate. Grab him with a hardened shield, though I wasn't sure how long I could maintain it with how hurt I was. Tear him a new hole to breathe out of and hope the other wolves give me enough time to...

I heard a piercing shriek from high overhead. The wolves stopped as one and turned to look around to see what had made the noise. A dark shape fell like a piece of broken lightning into the middle of the group with a boom that I felt from the other side of the road! Wolf bodies and dirt sailed for a good few meters around the impact site. As the dust cleared I saw my Lucretia in full glassy black armor ,her teeth bared. She was on all fours one clawed hand lifted slightly and tail lashing behind her folded wings.

"Dead! You are all DEAD! RAAAH!" She screamed in a full-throated shriek Then she disappeared...

...And reappeared right next to the apparent leader of the group. She grabbed his head and kissed him hard! Then she disappeared again...

...And I saw her flicker next to another wolf and kiss him as well. Then she vanished leaving a streak of pale yellow light issuing forth from the two wolves mouths. 

Rinse and repeat, she did this to all six of them and then stood in the center of the group one hand held out in front of her. There was a tumbling cloud of roiling sickly yellow light in her hand that she watched grow bigger. I could hear the moans and cries from the werewolves as more and more of whatever the stuff was flowed out of them, some began changing back to human form, but it didn't help as the color just changed to white and added to the cloudy shape floating above her hand.

"Know PAIN! Know it for what you have DONE!" She shouted as her other hand rested over the top of what looked liked a sick storm cloud. The bodies began twitching faster and writhing along the ground like worms just pulled from the soil. I heard human screams mixed with inhuman bellows from animal like throats.

Then Lucretia slammed her hands together and all the noise stopped and the bodies fell silent. She opened her hand and I saw something glisten like a bright gem in her palm. She smiled at it, and then swallowed whatever it was and gave herself a shake. She turned in a circle to view the carnage around her. Then I heard her snap her fingers and hot fire appeared around each body, even those on my side of the road! I stared at it dumbly, enjoying the feel of heat. I coughed again and spit blood out into the flames hearing it hiss in the heat. Suddenly Lucretia was at my side holding me and I slumped against her, closing my eyes.

"Greg! My Greg! What have they done?" she asked, her voice breaking on the last word. I felt myself being laid down on the ground, when my eyes opened again I saw grey cloudy sky and a dark grey face peering down at me in concern. My succubus was so beautiful, I really should tell her more how beautiful she is. She takes such good care of me, I should get her some flowers or something, or a case of Hershey chocolate bars. I felt my mind drifting and my body didn't want to respond to anything I told it. I opened my mouth and tried to speak.

"Lucretia...I..."

She got right down in my face and I heard her growl through tight lips as she began wiping my mouth, I saw red on her hand and she showed her teeth in a grimace at it.

"I..." My eyes closed, it was too much trouble to keep them open. My mind was starting to shut down.

"Master...what do I do Master? I don't know what to do! Your leaking and I don't know what to do!"

My fingers touched, I think her knee...and her hand came down to hold it. Her skin was always cool to me, but now it felt very warm. 

"S'okay..." I murmured. I had never taught her medical stuff beyond an icepack and band-aids. Looks like that was biting me in the ass now.

I looked up at her and I saw she was crying now, or at least tears were falling. I tasted one on my lips.

"Don' cry sweetheart...Don' cry...I l...I..." and then I knew no more.

(Lucretia's Side of the Story.)

My Master is not moving. 

His hand is not grasping mine, nor is he wincing when he breathes. Is he sleeping?

If he is it's a very strange sleeping.

"Wake up! You cannot sleep while you are leaking! You need to tell me what to do!" I shouted at him. 

How dare he do this to me! Why is it that humans don't heal quickly? I have been hurt worse than this and repaired myself in a few minutes with hardly a thought. With all of that energy that they have in themselves, why can't they do the same?

I needed to stop his mouth from leaking, he has blood in there, I opened his mouth and saw that there was no wound. Then he breathed and I saw blood bubble in the back of his throat. So it must be farther down inside of him where he is broken!

I was pleased with myself that I had figured this out, then a small Worry came to me...

Greg was hurt! He was hurt bad! What if he died? I would be all alone here, no one to turn to, and no one to show me things! I felt those tears come again to my eyes, such a strange human way to show an emotion of Sadness, or Anger. I myself wanted to see clearly right now so I banished those feelings away from me.

I rolled him onto his side so he didn't breathe in blood and thought about what to do. The only person I knew of who could heal was Gwen Malfour of the Gatewatch. However, these Weres were of Hilda and the man who came to threaten us today. They could not be Trusted.

A small emotion came to me that said the Gatewatch probably did not know about this nor would they approve it. I coldly silenced it.

I wanted to kill every Were I found! I wanted to make them howl and scream and BURN for this! Damn them for doing this to my Greg!

I felt another emotion, I believe it was Shame and I froze as a thought formed. 

"And Damn me for not being there to protect him!" I muttered fiercely.

This was not helping, I can't fix my Greg, and the witch cannot fix him either since it isn't safe. I had heard of doctors from movies and on television programs but had never met one. I could fly Gregory to William, but it was going to be hard to get in and out of the city like this without being seen. I couldn't stay here since more Were's would come looking for their missing pack when they failed to report in. Also my Master's truck is parked on the side of the road, more people would be attracted by that. 

Gregory didn't Trust many people outside of his family and a few friends so would...?

His family! I had met them twice, once at our home and once at something called Thanksgiving where we ate a large bird and a tasty thing called "pumpkin" pie made of something that tastes terrible by itself. He was going to see his family, so they should be expecting him. I prepared to fly to the Brooks home, and was about to gather my Greg into my arms when something chirped in his pocket. 

I pulled out the square thing, a cell phone he calls it, and saw the name Jonathon Brooks on the screen. I tapped the green button like I had seen Master do that held it up to my ear.

"Hello...?" I tried to say Pleasantly.

"Is this Lucretia?" I heard Mr. Brooks ask.

"Yes, I need to bring Greg to you now."

"Is he alright? About twenty minutes ago I got a bad feeling and I have been on edge ever since. Where are you? I will come pick you up!" He said quickly.

I looked around, "We are in a field by some trees by a road on the way to your home. I will bring him to you since I can fly faster than a car drives."

"We will be ready, can I talk to my son?" He asked.

I looked down at my Master, "He is asleep so I don't think he will hear you." 

Mr. Brooks was quiet then said, "Hurry Lucretia..." Then he hung up.

I stood, with my Master, my friend...My Greg in my arms and rubbed my nose against his forehead. He smelled of sweat, blood, and pain. I Hoped that his family could help him.

I just realized something then, he had called me "Sweetheart." What did that mean? It made me feel...I don't know. I felt warm in myself, Greg better not die or I would KILL him!

Chapter 30: Brooks

I never told Greg all of my abilities, and he had never asked. This had Puzzled me for a while, when we had been sitting in his kitchen and I waited for him to start asking me what I could do and figuring out how to use it for himself he had just asked if I was tired. I had been so Scared and Angry at him, I am not sure even now as to why...

...Yes I do know why! Even after a century, I still remember the cold chains looped over my shoulders and around my hips!

"Out of the night that covers me..." I whisper to myself and the emotion flees. I have no idea which one that is called but it likes to trouble me when I am Sad, or feeling off balance. I will have to ask Greg when he wakes up. I Hope his parents have an alarm clock, that always seems to make him wake up!

No, he never tried to see what I could do for him, he even made himself vulnerable to me! He held me, my claws and teeth ready to shred him into pieces, and just held me! I almost did it, I wanted to drain him just as I swore I would then destroy his body and return home free. Two things stopped me. Mother had whispered to me before she left,

"Daughter. There is much one can learn as a student. This man has bound you to himself, with no restrictions, cherish it. You have both freedom and protection Become...Grow...Learn...Surpass!"

The other was the way he felt. He was warm, and...and...safe. I felt safe! Was this how it was supposed to be? Was this what it meant to have a Master? Not a master...but a Master?

I flew faster...Gregory was held tight in my arms, and I could see his parent's home. There was a large gravel driveway in front of it. I tried to remember what I was supposed to do when entering someone else's home. The Gatewatch I just knocked and entered since they gave me permission. But what did I do the first time? Ah! Ring the doorbell and wait for...

Oh, I see them out front waiting for me. 

I swooped low and raised up to land on my feet, crouching on the rock, still holding Greg in my arms. Mrs. Brooks came running up to me as well as Mr. Brooks. I hissed at them, but cut it off in the middle. They looked like they wanted to take my Greg from me. Which made sense, I told myself. They probably know more about fixing a human than I did. My Protective side curled back down, satisfied for the moment. 

Mrs. Brooks ran up then and laid her hands on Gregory's chest and ran fingers over his face. I wanted to tell her to quit touching him like that when I saw her own face. She was always apple cheeked and smiling. Now she looked pale and her cheeks hollow. Did she feel Sad? Or was it different? I couldn't tell. I heard the thrum of a vehicle. The things that smelled funny, but people who can't fly use them a lot. Mr. Brooks was backing up the truck.

He motioned for me to come closer and opened the tailgate. I saw that he had a pad of some sort with pillows in the back of it.




Mine...Yours Pt. 10



"Please, put him on the mattress gently." He asked. He helped me do so, and we propped him up on the pillows. He paused a moment and placed his hand on Greg's forehead and eyes and began muttering something. I strained to hear it, but I couldn't make out the words. Maybe he had a poem to say when he was full of emotion. I would ask him later. He helped Mrs. Brooks up into the back of the truck and she sat beside my Master, then he looked at me, and really LOOKED at me!

I felt like I was in front of Mother again when I had broken her favorite reading chair because I had wanted to hear the stones tell me of their life. Mr. Brooks eyed me and for the first time I felt naked in front of a human. It felt Uncomfortable.

"You did not hurt my son?" He asked finally and I snarled at him claws flexing. He nodded in affirmation. "I had to ask, please sit in the back and ride with him. We are taking him to the hospital." He turned and headed to where you steer the vehicle, the truck. Like Greg's but bigger, and green. I climbed in the back with Mrs. Brooks who was sitting next to Gregs side and gently running her finger's on him.

"It's okay baby...Mommys' here, I'm here and you're going to wake up soon and we will all put this behind us, like a bad dream. I love you, my baby boy." She looked over at me and did a double take. I think that is what it is called. Greg says guys do it when they see an especially good looking female. It is where you look once then after looking away you look back again. It seems silly to me, why not just look one time for a long time?

"Lucretia...?" She asked in surprise. I had tucked my wings around my body and my long fingers gently held Greg's arm, my claws tucked neatly into my fingers.

"Yes...Mrs. Brooks?" I answered. I think she was trying to ask me a question.

"You look very..." Her voice trailed off as she looked me over. I watched as she reached out a hand to touch my arm. Her fingers trembled for a moment then I felt them firm as she grasped my forearm.

"You look very fierce, and cold. Aren't you cold with no clothes on?" She said in, I think, Surprise?

"I don't wear clothes like this, no I am not cold." I answered. Then I remembered she said I looked fierce. That made me smile a little and my Worry over Greg dissipated and I remembered the manners Greg had been trying to teach me.

"Thank you for the compliment Mrs. Brooks."

"What dear...?" She sounded distracted.

"The compliment? Saying I look fierce, thank you." I clarified, now unsure if she had complimented me or not.

Mrs. Brooks gave me a small smile. Then her eyes went back to her son.

"Who did it?" She asked softly. I shuffled a little bit in place.

"Some werewolves." I answered quietly.

"You weren't with him." Her voice was flat when she said it, but I felt Rage and Shame trying to talk to me and something that wanted to weep that wasn't Sadness but was close to it. Like Astar, my sister, is to me.

"No, he wanted to meet with you both alone, and I was at home...listening to music." I said finally. I pushed the emotions away with a snarl. Mrs. Brooks quickly looked up to my face and then she quickly reached out her hand to cup my cheek and it held me fast as if I had been wrapped in those chains again. I couldn't look away from her eyes as she stared into mine.

"It's not your fault sweetie." She said softly. I blinked. She repeated herself, more emphatically and continued. "Bad things happen, and we never know when they will happen. How could you know he would get hurt? The important thing is when he got hurt you came to help him...didn't you?" I nodded my head. I'd had all four of my stereos playing music while I was standing in the center of the room. Linkin Park, Nine in Nails, Barry Manilow, and Beethoven blaring all it once. The vibrations and noise just washing over me. Then that wrenching sensation in my stomach of my Master being hurt had yanked me to him. I might have broken my glass door getting outside to fly to him.

Her small finger's gripped my cheek and she pulled my head a little closer to hers so we were both leaning over Greg's body that was still oddly sleeping.

"Did you get them? Did you get those gobliny people who hurt my baby?" She whispered harshly. My mouth opened in surprise! Mrs. Brooks was a...Happy lady. She was always Happy, I had never her seen her like this, she was...Vengeful? Is that what this is? I tried to make sense of what I was seeing...this female had gone from sadness to, whatever this feeling was and seems to be handling everything alright. I needed to watch her, figure out how she does this. Then I remembered she asked me a question.

"Yes, I drained and killed them all then burned the bodies." I said. She patted my cheek and pulled me closer to kiss my opposite cheek.

"You are a true friend sweetheart!" She told me. 

How can human's do this! Jumping right from one emotion to the next so easily? Wait, she called me sweetheart. That was what Greg had called me right before he fell asleep and wouldn't wake up. I wanted to know what this word meant! Master couldn't tell me maybe his mother.

"Lucretia, we are at the hospital. Can you look like a person again and wear clothes?" Mrs. Brooks asked, I was a little Offended that she didn't consider me a person until I thought that she must be under some emotional strain, so I said nothing and turned human with my favorite hooded sweatshirt and pants and boots. I climbed out of the back of the truck and two men in identical clothing ran up to us. I didn't know who they were so I stepped in between them and my Greg with arms wide and snarled out, "Back off!"

They stopped and looked past me, I kept my position until a large hand settled on my left shoulder.

"Easy, they are here to help. Gentleman, this is my son. His left shoulder has been dislocated and his right foot is shattered, also I suspect there is internal bleeding..." I ignored whatever else he had to say, but remembered the word bleeding. So when something leaks blood they call it bleeding. So water leaks, but blood bleeds. Good to know.

They called for a stretcher and used the blanket that Greg was laying on to pull him out of the truck and take him inside of the hospital. I didn't like it! I didn't like it at all! I saw strangers touching my Master. Many of them. One tried to stick a needle in his arm! I was bout to stop him when I was surprised by strong arms around me, holding my right side. I looked and saw Mrs. Brooks holding onto me, holding my arms down.

"It's okay...it's okay Lucretia, they are helping him. This is what we do." She told me. I watched as they quickly wheeled him to another room and I stood there, watching my Greg roll away from me...away from me. Oh, Empty Void...away from me! I felt something twitch and then break in me and I dropped to my knees crying in the entryway of the hospital. I didn't know what to do, and Mrs. Brooks held me as I cried. I saw Mr. Brooks walk through the door and talk to a female at a desk in front before the paths turned. At the time though I was distracted by my own tears and for some reason I was trying to comfort Mrs. Brooks and it felt like she was trying to comfort me. 

She would tell me everything was alright while I told her everything was going to be alright...and...and...I don't remember much.

Why am I writing this Gregory? Why are you having me re-live this? I didn't like it then and I don't like it now! Can we skip this part? They don't care about it! Whoever reads this doesn't care about how I felt for this piece here. 

What? FINE! I...fine. 

Mr. Brooks came back and helped us both to our feet and into chairs by the wall. He gave us both a paper cup of water. He kissed his wife then knelt down in front of me as I stared into the paper cups of water. He bent to see in my eyes and then once he had my gaze on his he spoke to me softly.

"This is what it means to be human...Lucretia. You are stronger than us, faster than us, and live so much longer than we do. Yet in many ways we are more than your kind." I stared at him, waiting to hear what he said next.

"We humans are...how to help you understand?" He scratched the side of his head in thought and his voice and the way he spoke sounded so much like Greg it made my throat tighten. Was I going to lose him? We have only been together a few months! 

"Humans are I guess you could say...amphibious. Amphibians can live in water and in the air. We are both physical and spiritual..." he said finally. "You can split a person up into three main pieces, at least this is my belief and so far it has been proven to be true. You have your body, your spirit and your soul." He paused, watching my eyes to see if I was still following him. I guess I was because he put his hand on my knee and continued.

"Greg is a soul. His thoughts, feelings, his experiences...all of it are bound up in his soul. His body, the thing that you see hurt and bleeding, that is only a shell that he uses on this Plane. His spirit is what goes on to the next Plane. His soul, what he truly is...that will remain intact. Do you understand?"

I thought about it. It actually made sense. I come from a place that is mostly spiritual. I need to be given a body to be here, on this Plane. So, if humans are like that as well...that gives me more questions than answers!

"You are saying that Greg will still be who he is even if his body dies?" I asked. Mr. Brooks nodded. I bristled at him, water sloshing over my human fist as I crushed the paper cup. "But I want his body alive and well so I can hold him and tell him...!"

What? What did I want to tell him? There was a word that kept wanting to come to me but it kept on eluding me. Like when I tried to squeeze a watermelon seed. No matter how hard I tried to crush it it would always squeeze out between my fingers. Greg laughed at me trying to crush it until the seed hit him in the eye....then he told me to stop playing around.

Mr. Brooks grabbed my arms and then hugged me. "I didn't mean it like that Lucretia, I...never mind me. I am just a little off right now. Let's wait and hear what the doctor's say." 

We were in something called a "Waiting Room" which seemed appropriately named except that...I hate to wait! If I am hunting, that is different, one must have patience for their prey. Also, waiting, when it is quiet...gave me too much time to think. I kept thinking about what I could have done differently. Should I have killed that Alpha Judge person? Would that have made a difference? Or what if I had demanded to go with Greg, I would have been there for the attack and would the outcome be different? A voice kept speaking to me, loud and insistent telling me this was all my fault. If I had never come to this Plane, if I had never fought Greg, if I had said, "No!" to being bound, if had just done something different...!

"Shhhh..." I heard Mr. Brooks croon to me. I was sitting between him and his wife. His arm was around my shoulders with his hand on his wife's neck gently stroking her skin. At first I thought he had been talking to her, then I saw he was watching me. His eyes were kind, warm, and yet hard...no...that's not the right word. They were strong, not hard. Stone is hard, but it breaks. Wood is strong, but it will bend before it breaks. 

"Greg is in good hands Lucretia, now we just wait and pray." He told me. Pray? Were we going to eat? It wasn't bed time so if we are going to pray we must be getting ready to eat.

"Are you hungry?" I asked Mr. Brooks. He blinked down at me then looked at his wife who had her hands folded and was murmuring to herself quietly. He waited until she was done and then asked her my question.

"No, but I should eat." She put her hand on my arm and smiled, a little Sadly, but I could see her Happy countenance begin to overshadow it. She took my hand in hers and we all walked to a place called the "Cafeteria." There were no calves there, or cows, or any animals, but the smells of food were strong so I assumed they must keep them outside so they were out of the way of people who were eating. I took a tray and chose a sandwich from a box and a small bag of chips that looked a lot like the bigger ones they have at the "Wal-Mart" store Greg goes to. Then I selected a can of Mountain Dew and grinned thinking I would not have to sneak it like I do with Greg's stash. Thinking of Greg made the Sadness return and I muttered the poem again. I had to get to the third line before it left and let me think clearly once more.

"What was that you were saying?" Mr. Brooks asked as he paid for our meals. 

"It is part of a poem Greg had me memorize this morning." I told him. Had it been only this morning? Had all this really only happened in the space of a few hours? He had just been going to see his parents then go to work and...go to work...WORK! Who was going to do his job? His job was important to him, it's a "Responsibility." Responsibilities are very important.

"What is wrong?" Mr. Brooks asked. I guess my face was showing what I was feeling. 

"Who is going to empty the dumpsters if Master is asleep?" I asked. Mr. Brooks paused and thought for a moment.

"I guess I will." He said. Then he sat down with his wife and motioned for me to sit across from him. I did and began to mechanically munch on my sandwich.

"You know how to do it?" I asked with my mouth empty enough for me to speak clearly. 

"Yes, I sometimes went to help and to see what his job was. I just never thought I would have to do it for him." He took a bite of salad and considered his next words. "Responsibilities have to be maintained. If Greg cannot do it, it falls to me to help make up the difference. It restores balance." Then he gave me a little grin that made my chest ache, since it reminded me so much of Master!

"Besides, don't want my boy to lose his job do we?" Then he went back to eating his salad. Mrs. Brooks was eating with gusto and she took a drink of water before talking to her husband.

"It will be getting dark soon, honey. Why don't you and Lucretia go to Greg's work and I will call you if there is an update?" 

Mr. Brooks frowned down at his meal, "I want to be here in case anything changes...I might..." his voice trailed off as his wife held his big hand in hers.

"It's out of our hands now, you and I have done all we can. No we have Faith, and we pray."

Faith...I have heard that word before. I had asked Greg what it meant and he had faltered in his explanation. He said that it was believing in something without any proof, but that you just believed it to be true. Which makes no sense to me at all! He told me it was like gravity, we see it working all the time but we can't truly understand it. So I immediately went on to the internet and found proof of it for him to read.

"So, now seeing this proof does it take away your Faith?" I had asked him. That made him laugh. 

"No! It just means I need to explain it better..." He told me. He never got around to telling me. I really want him to explain those things to me. Not just about Faith, but other things, like why old women like cats when dogs seem to be a much better pet.

Mr. Brooks stood and said, "Lucretia, will you please come with me? We are going to go to work." I shook my head, I wasn't leaving my Greg alone again, not after what happened last time! He came around the bench to crouch down in front of me.

"He is your master?" He asked.

"He is my Master." I replied, letting him hear the difference to my words.

"Then come with me so we can fulfill the duties of your Master..." He told me, and glanced from Mrs. Brooks then back to me.

"...his mother is more than enough to keep him safe. Have a little Faith Lucretia."

There was that word again!

"Faith in what!" I growled. I was tired of these words I didn't understand! I was tired of feeling lonely! I wanted my Master! I wanted my Greg! I didn't know who to turn to...

Mr. Brooks leaned in and held me firmly but gently...it so reminded me of Greg, but also of Papa! Unconciously my arms went around him and I burrowed my nose into his chest. The smell was similar to Greg but very different, the arms the same but different. It felt...Good.

"Have faith in Greg. I am sure he doesn't want to leave you alone. I am sure he misses you too. Let's make sure that everything is running smoothly so when he wakes up it will be just like he never left...okay?" He said quietly.

That I can do, I am still not sure what Faith meant, but I can believe that he will wake up. That is easy, I don't want to think of what would happen if he didn't wake up. I refused to think of that!

"Okay." I said softly. Mrs. Brooks was on the phone calling someone "Pastor" and I heard a man's voice say he would be over as quick as he could. From the tone of voice I could tell he was concerned and a friend. I let it go that another stranger to me was going to be around. Then Mr. Brooks took my hand in his and we walked out to where he had left his truck.

"We need to stop by my home first, I need to change clothes for work and pick up a few things...alright?" He asked me. I just nodded to him and stared out the window. Normally I would be asking Greg about things I was seeing, but now...could I ask his Dad? I cleared my throat, then asked.

"Why are motorcycles called motorcycles...they are just like a bicycle, but they have a motor instead of pedals. Shouldn't it be called a bimotorcycle?" 

He thought about it, "It's too much of an awkward word, and there is more change than just a motor. It is an entirely different thing when it's all said and done. Look at a gas-powered bicycle, that is more of what you're describing." 

I smiled while looking down at my hands. I knew it was a silly question, but I wanted to see if he would try to answer me, or brush me off. 

When we got back to his home I followed Mr. Brooks into the house until he told me to stop. I looked around and saw we were outside of a room I had never seen before.

"Wait here please, Lucretia." He told me.

"What's in that room?" I asked, pointing at the door. He almost brushed me off then seemed to think better of it.

"This is my wife and my personal space, our bedroom. No one but us goes in here unless it's an emergency." Then he walked inside, closing the door behind him.

I could hear some movement and some clanking, then the door opened and my eyes went wide as I saw something I had only seen vaguely in movies.

He had a gun! Two of them...well sort of. He had something that Greg called a shotgun but different. It had two long tubes of metal that were hollow, one on top of the other. The other end was made of what looked like some type of plastic that you hold against your shoulder. I saw him put two rounds in it, why do they call them "Rounds" when they are long? Is it because the bottom is round? I guess that makes sense.

The other I think is also called a gun. It was in a container made of leather that sat on his hip under his work coat. It had a smaller handle that looked to be made of plastic, and I think you only use one hand to hold it.

He saw me looking at his guns and said, "Just in case..." and then walked past me to the door. 

We got to the industrial complex after the sun went down and normally I am Happy to help with the dumpsters, I like finding all of the hidden treasures inside of them! Now the thought reminded me again, that Greg was hurt. As if I needed to be reminded! I kicked the side of one of the dumpsters and it left a dent in the metal. I saw Mr. Brooks look over at me and frown.

"I'm sorry..." I muttered Angrily then reached inside and popped the dent back out so it was mostly smooth again. I got back into the truck and Mr. Brooks put his hand on my shoulder.

"You are handling this a lot better than I thought you would have." He said to me. I looked down at my hands. Not trusting myself to speak. He sounded Proud of me! I liked hearing it, but also it pulled at something below my chest and just above my belly. It hurt but it felt good at the same time! I picked up his hand and held it against my cheek, Greg would do that sometimes. It felt like Greg's hand and it pulled harder on that something inside me. Would Greg's hand feel like this when he got older, would...would Greg get older? Was my Master going to die? Was....Grrrrrrr!




Mine...Yours Pt. 10



I heard Mr. Brook's voice push past those thoughts in my mind.

"I think that you should come with me when we are done with the dumpsters." He said with a smile. It wasn't a really Happy smile. More like the smile Mother gets when she is doing something fun. 

"We need to pay a visit to some werewolves." 

Chapter 31: Paladin.

I was surprised when we pulled up late at night to my neighbors. No lights were on in the Gatewatch's house. I watched as Mr. Brooks opened his door and stepped out into their driveway. 

"It's late, and they are probably all asleep..." I started to say, then remembered that Jemima was a vampire, and probably still awake. "...Greg told me it was rude to call on people in the middle of the night." I finished.

He paused, looked up at the few stars that could be seen above us, then bowed his head and laced his fingers together. I heard him speak softly, and wondered again if he had a poem to say as well to himself. Does every human have a poem of their own? 

I watched Mr. Brooks face harden and carefully said, "Hildy's pack is the one that attacked Greg, but she didn't do it. I think her father was the one to send the Weres since she really likes my Greg. I don't think she did anything wrong, she is his friend."

He nodded his head once and then continued walking to the front door. "This is important, if we are going to visit Hilda's father, then we should tell her why we are going to do so." 

I stepped in front of him and put a hand on his chest. He stopped and contemplated me in the streetlights. I was surprised at my own...brashness? I think that's the word. 

"If we do go to see the Alpha, Hildy's father, and we tell her that we are, she will warn him. He is her papa! She will be more loyal to him than she is to a friend." It made perfect sense to me, as a hunter I would isolate my prey so I could take them down easily. Sure, sometimes a big fight is a lot more fun, but I wanted to make sure we killed this beast! Having him be warned ahead of time before we got there could make things tricky. 

Besides...Mr. Brooks was human, and he maybe has a couple of guns, but what could he really do? I was sure the fighting would all fall to me.

Mr. Brooks nodded in agreement with me. "That is all true, but also it is what I am counting on. Now...let me by, Lucretia." His voice was warm and I caught the hint of a small smile on his face, and for whatever reason I let him pass. Though I don't remember why I had gotten in front of him in the first place...strange.

He knocked on the door and it slowly opened after a few beats to Jemima, looking at him in confusion. 

"Hey Lucky, and...Mr...Brooks! You're Greg's dad. What can I do for you?" Jemima asked. She noticed the gun on his hip and kept him on the porch instead of inviting him in.

"I need to get a message to Hilda Roberts please." He said politely. Jemima glanced at me, and I nodded. 

"Wait right here." She told us and closed the door. I bounced from one boot to the other, waiting, and Mr. Brooks just smiled and hummed quietly to himself. Hildy appeared at the door with a sleepy Gwen rubbing her eyes and Jemima was standing close by the little witch. Hildy had a baggy T-shirt and loose gray sweatshorts on and her hair stuck up in places.

"Lucretia...Mr. Brooks? What are you doing here? Is everything okay?" She asked. Jemima put a protective arm around Gwen causing the witch to look up at Jemima and rub the side of her face into the vampires shoulder. She was wearing a fluffy pink bathrobe and her mussed hair made her look like one of those raggedy dolls.

"My son..." Mr. Brooks began, then stopped as if his air had stopped. I glanced at him and I could see he was struggling. With what I didn't know. I put my hand in his and he turned to look at me. I remembered how Greg would smile at me, and it made me feel Comforted. Even Mr. Brooks smiling at me helped me feel better. So I smiled at him as well. He gave me a nod, then turned his attention back to the three Gatewatchers who were now all wide awake.

"Gregory was attacked and hurt badly by some werewolves on the way to visiting my wife and I. He is in the hospital right now after suffering some severe injuries. Last I heard he was still unconscious." He delivered it all in a flat tone of voice that felt very cold to me.

"I have reason to believe that it was members of your pack Hilda that attacked him. I came as a courtesy to you to let you know that I am going to be visiting your father and letting him know of my displeasure. You may want to stay home tonight." He said. I saw Gwen's hands cover her mouth and her eyes go wide as she squeaked. She sounded a lot like Nancy when she did that. I wondered if I should call William and Nancy? They are friends, is that what you are supposed to do, call friends when someone is hurt?

Hildy looked Shocked, and her words confirmed that. "No! My Dad wouldn't do that! I just saw him this morning and he knows about Greg. He said he was going over to apologize to him and let him know that his hands had been tied! He hadn't wanted to declare him guilty. He would never do...what you said, he wouldn't!"

Mr. Brooks nodded. "I understand. I am just going to go talk with him at his home and see what he has to say. I will not escalate things unless he does."

Hildy shook her head and reached for Mr. Brook's arm. "Please, you're just a human and..." She stopped as her hand landed on thin air. I blinked and saw Mr. Brooks was no longer standing beside me. 

"What does my being...just a human...have to do with anything?" Mr. Brooks asked. He was standing on my other side and I hadn't seen him move! Neither had the others as they turned to look at him and stare when he spoke. 

"How...did you...?" Jemima began to ask when Mr. Brooks interrupted her.

"I can do what is needed when the time comes for it...I just have to be there and be willing and available," He said simply. Then I felt his large hand on my back and he gently steered me around and we walked back towards his truck.

"Wait." I heard Gwen call out. I stopped and so did Mr. Brooks. She came running down the steps wearing jeans, backpack and a coat. I could smell the scent of her magic on the air.

"I want to help..." she began but Mr. Brooks interrupted her. 

"Tuality Hospital, second floor, room N23. My wife is there already." 

Gwen's mouth opened and closed a few times then she turned and whistled. Her bicycle came rolling out quickly from behind the front porch and she hopped on. Then with a few muttered words it's back wheel spun quickly leaving streaks on the asphalt and she shot off down the street, her hair streaming out behind her.

Mr. Brooks was smiling as he watched her leave. "I always liked her! I had thought..." His voice trailed off as he glanced at me and then chuckled. 

"Thought what Mr. Books?" I asked, wondering what he was going to say. He paused, considering, then finished his thought.

"I had thought something might happen between Gwen and Gregory..." I scoffed. He raised and eyebrow in question as he climbed into the truck and I had settled myself into the passenger seat. 

"That would never happen!" I said. "First off, she is much too nice and secondly she doesn't like the same things Gregory likes. She doesn't like Mountain Dew and doesn't like to get dirty. She is very...what did Greg call it...? Ah! She is too "Girly" is what Master called her. Also she concentrates too much on "Tree hugging" did I say it right?"

Mr. Brooks laughed as he pulled out of the driveway, and we saw Hildy get into her car and take off the opposite direction on the highway. I watched her in the back view mirror...rearview? I can never remember.

"Wouldn't we get there faster if we followed Hildy?" I asked Mr. Brooks.

"Yes, but I would like something to eat first. Besides, we need to give her time to talk to the Alpha first."

He pulled into the parking lot of "The Canyon Café" ordered two burgers, fries...a Coke for himself and a chocolate milkshake for me. 

I sipped on the milkshake and he watched me with slightly puzzled eyes. 

"How do you feel about my son?" He asked suddenly. 

I shrugged, "He is my Mast..."

"I know all that, but how do you Feel...about my son?" He asked again and I heard the difference in the words this time. So I thought about it. I remembered the words we spoke to each other, my promise to him. I thought about my reactions to him being hurt. I remembered his soft kisses, and how I almost lost control that one time kissing him in his truck and how he kissed me again right after. How he told me that he just really liked kissing me! I never told him how in the early morning I would lay snuggled up with him in our bed and how tempted I was to feed from him. I didn't want to worry him, though knowing how he is, he would just smile or make a joke. 

"Lucretia..." I heard Mr. Brooks say. I looked up from my milkshake to see him patiently waiting for my response.

"I care about him Mr. Brooks. He calls me his friend and he trusts me. I feel for him like I do for Mother, or my sisters, or like my Papa...but different." I frowned and drank some more milkshake. I Hoped he wouldn't ask me any more questions, because I didn't have the words to answer them. I didn't understand it. Words...

Oh Yeah...

"Mr. Brooks...what is a Sweetheart?" I had forgotten to ask earlier. He took a sip of his Coke and studied me.

"It depends on how it is used and by whom...the circumstances around the word use." 

I sighed. Just like all the other words I had been learning. Like the word "Dough" had a lot of meanings. It could be a female deer, money, or the stuff used to make cookies! Greg just had to call me sweetheart right before sleeping. Then not wake up to tell me what it means!

"My Greg said it to me, right before he couldn't talk anymore. I didn't know how to help him and I told him so, he said that it was alright "Sweetheart" and I don't know what that word means." I thought for a moment, 

"Is it like when I am called "Sweety" by Mrs. Brooks or Jemima?" I asked.

He shook his head. He was now staring at me thoughtfully. "No, that just means they think you are nice, or cool, or hip or whatever the youth of today call it." He waved a waitress over for a refill of his drink, and when she left he said quietly. 

"It means he cares about you, really...truly cares about you. Not just your physical needs but about your inside, about what makes you Lucretia." 

He sighed and I could smell the salad he had for dinner and the coke he had just been drinking. "Lucretia the word "sweetheart" means literally this. That you have a sweet heart. That you are kind, generous, and likeable."

My mouth dropped open in Surprise! "I am not any of those things!" I almost shouted. "I like to...to...I am not a SWEETHEART!"

Mr. Brooks smiled quietly, "That is how Greg sees you. That is how my son sees you." 

I gritted my teeth and growled low in my throat. "How can he see me that way? Is he blind?!"

He shrugged and took another drink of his Coke. "How do you see Greg? That should answer some of your questions..."

I grimaced and thought about it before answering.

"Master is very gentle, and funny. He likes to include me when he does things and he works very hard. He likes to answer my questions. He likes to teach me things, and kiss me." I smiled at that.

"I really like his kisses! His lips touch mine and I want to feed on him, I really do..." I said this last one with a small whine creeping into my voice. Mr. Brooks just arched an eyebrow at me. I didn't notice.

"Even after I started to feed he still kissed me again. He trusted me. I want to be...I like to be trusted." I looked Mr. Brooks in the eye with my brow furrowed.

"I care for Greg beyond a friend and like family but I don't know what to call it." I said finally. "Do you know what it is called?"

He nodded and my heart jumped in my chest! 

"Can you tell me?"

He shook his head. 

My heart fell down into my stomach!

"Why not?" I demanded.

He grinned at me. "You will know it when you hear the words, and if I have to tell you, then you aren't ready to understand it yet." 

I was about to snarl and tell him what I DID understand and make him understand how I don't like to be toyed with! Then I thought about how nice he had been, how accepting he was of me. There were things about him I did not understand, like how he could do some of the odd things he could do. It seemed to surprise Hildy and Jemima and Gwen. I still didn't know everything that humans could do. Mr. Brooks seemed to be able to move very fast, is that something that was rare among humans? Greg could move fast, very fast using his power. But I didn't smell any magic on Mr. Brooks. I chalked it up to one more thing I didn't know about humans and decided to shelve the thought for the time being. 

Back to my "nice and accepting of me" thought, I would have to trust that Mr. Brooks knew what he was talking about. Master trusts him and so I shall, simple as that.

Two burgers were put before us. Mine had bacon and avocado. I don't like avocado by itself. It reminds me of the chjorzit back home. They are about the same size and color. But avocados don't have legs and eat our waste. But on food the vegetable tastes wonderful! I was surprised it is considered a vegetable, when it grows like the apples and pears do on the trees in the backyard. 

"So, you want to meet the Alpha Were and talk with him about why he hurt my Greg?" I asked. Mr. Brooks took a bite of his burger then munched on his fries.

"I planned on it, but I think I know what is going to happen..." he said with a cold smile. I matched it with one of my own. I could feel my eyes begin to change. This is what I do! He was speaking my language! I could feel it from him, he was going to let me carve a path to the Alpha to "talk" and let me drain, burn tear, rend, and kill! I could feel my muscles bulge as they pushed at the limits this human skin put on me! IT wanted out...I WANTED OUT! He just smiled at me and shook his head a little.

"Only if they resist us coming into talk. Settle down Lucretia, it is not the time..." He thought for a moment and held up a finger. "...it is not the time yet." He amended.

I had been about ready to scream in frustration! It was like Greg all over again getting me worked up then switching his emotions to being relaxed and being concerned for me and then work and his neighbors. Never even thinking of what he was doing to me. Then to have him say that last part helped...quite a lot actually.

"So..." I began, my voice becoming calm. "How do you see this going? What do you think will happen?"

He chewed, thinking it over. Then dipped a French fry in Ketchup and held it out to me. It made me gulp a little. I wasn't used to someone who wasn't Greg treating me as casually as this. But I leaned over and ate the fry, waiting for him to speak.

"Judge Michael Roberts lives on the outskirts of Portland, close to Highway 26 before you go through the tunnel. There are a lot of woods there that he and his pack roam on. He has a very nice home, a mansion really. Are you familiar with mansions?" He asked. I nodded my head.

"A house big enough to be a castle and almost costs as much to maintain but it isn't very defensible so it is basically worthless." I told him. He chuckled.

"Close enough! We will drive up to his gate and request to see him. We will go in, and talk with him. I will tell him to leave my son alone. He will agree. If he does not agree I will take away what is most precious to him." I grinned at that, I wanted to be the one that killed him! He had hurt...wait...

Mr. Brooks was watching me carefully. I felt like I did when I was young and Papa had been trying to teach me something. He always seemed to have me try to find out the answer for himself.

"His life is not most precious to him?" I asked. Mr. Brooks shook his head. "No, he takes life to readily and plays with other peoples lives too much for life to be important. Try again."

I thought about it. He was a judge, decides right and wrong. Likes money and uses it to get what he wants. Does not like being questioned and...

"Power?" I guessed. Mr. Brooks smiled and waggled his hand back and forth over the table. "Close, good thinking."

I smiled at the praise and started thinking while finishing my burger and eating my fries. I was halfway done with my milkshake when it hit me. Power wasn't precious, it was a means to an end. It wasn't influence, it wasn't money or prestige. He as much as told Greg straight out at the table when he came over to drink coffee and threaten us. He said, "I have hundreds, no; thousands of people that look to me for leadership in my pack alone, and I need to be in a position of authority to do what is best for my people. I need to be able to protect them, look out for them. They are my family you might say, and I will do much to protect my family!"

My eyes were wide as I looked at Mr. Brooks and he slowly smiled. "Do you see it...tell me?"

"It's security. He wants to be secure. That's why he plans so much, and what makes him ruthless. I said the same thing to Greg after I swallowed his saliva." His eyebrows shot up into his hairline. I shook my head and chuckled. "I was getting his scent from the mug he used." He nodded and snickered at me.

"So how are you going to take his security away?" I asked. He just kept smiling and didn't answer. I wasn't sure if he wanted me to guess or not, so I just stayed silent and waited as he used a piece of his bun to clean off his plate. Then he left a tip on the table and stood up. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"Why don't you answer my question?" I asked in mild Exasperation.

"Because you wouldn't believe my answer." Came his reply.

"Why wouldn't I believe your answer?" I retorted.

"Because you don't believe in what I am." He said over his shoulder.

I hurried to keep up with him. In human form my legs are smaller than his and I Hated that! In my true form I could keep up easily without having to run!

"How can I believe in you if I don't know what you are...well, besides being human!" I called to him as he opened up the passaenger door of his truck for me. I guess that is where Greg learned it from. I buckled my seat belt and winced only a little as memories of cold metal chain holding me down onto a pedestal came back to me. I pushed those thoughts aside as Mr. Brooks sat down in his seat behind the turning wheel. Or is it called steering wheel? I think it's steering wheel.

I waited, watching him as he started the truck and back out of the parking space. "Mr. Brooks?

"Yes Lucretia?" he said, eyes on the road. I thought carefully how to ask this next question. I went through all of the lessons on manners Gregory had discussed with me, and decided how to best phrase my request.

"Will you please tell me what you are? If we are going into this situation together, I need to know this so we can work together." I said it slowly and clearly and politely...to the best of my knowledge.

He glanced at me out of the corner of his eye and then focused on the road ahead. He was silent for so long I thought he had either not heard me or was just not going to answer. I was just turning to look out the front window when he answered.

"I will answer your questions later...but for now...." He sighed. Then he reached over and patted my shoulder.

"I am a Paladin."



Mine...Yours Pt. 11



Author's Note: I thank all of you for your kind words and emails. I love, absolutely love getting all of the comments and reading them. Keeps me going. It is hard to write since I am working so much, real life does get in the way. Kind of sucks doesn't it? :-)

A big thank you to my substitute editor bearslady. Also a thank you to someone who helped me a great deal to understand some of the characters I had to portray in here.

Enjoy...

*****

Chapter 32: Law

I waited for Mr. Brooks to tell me more but he said nothing else. A Paladin? I had never heard of one. It must be a human thing, it sounded important though the way he said it. He had told me I wouldn't believe what he was, but how was I to believe or not believe when I didn't know what it was?

"What is a Paladin?" I asked. Mr. Brooks sighed, glanced at me to give me a smile, then continued focusing on the road.

"Know what a samurai is?" He asked. I knew that one. One of the first movies I had seen with Greg was the Seven Samurai. I had been curious if the world had been black and white long ago. Then it was explained to me that humans didn't always have color pictures. I had asked Greg why humans didn't just share thoughts since they are in color, then found out they couldn't. Which made sense to me, because I had wondered for a while why Greg just didn't explain things to me by linking his mind to mine. I had wanted to ask him about it, because with our bond we could but he had never opened up that part of himself...

Seneca had explained to me what could be done with a link, how she and her master could experience all sorts of fantasies both fun and hideous. I realized during the binding process that Greg's mind is broken, and he wasn't able to...

Mr. Brooks is waiting for an answer!

"It's a warrior who uses a sword and kills people for a purpose other than food or energy." I told him. He chuckled and engaged his turn signal to get on the fast road. I liked it because even though I am sitting still we are moving very quickly! I hoped I could roll down the glass so I could smell the world as it passed by! Then I wouldn't be able to hear Mr. Brooks though, so I paid attention to him.

"That's right, in a way. A samurai is a servant, someone who has sworn an oath to his lord and will serve him in whatever he asks. Even if his lord should ask for his life a samurai will give it." He told me.

I thought on that, and how foolish the samurai were! What if he knew better than his lord what should be done? And to just throw away his life? Hmmm...I thought back to the movie. 

"Can...ummm...samurai have a cause instead of a lord?" I asked. Mr. Brooks nodded his head approvingly.

"Yes they can, and the reason I brought up samurai is that a Paladin is something similar." He paused and seemed to be trying to organize his thoughts.

"A Paladin is a servant to a lord. He is that lord's emissary, servant, voice, hands and feet. His job is to go where his lord wants him to go and be ready. Do you understand?" He asked, sparing me another glance.

"Not really." I replied. Then remembered that sometimes Greg would have me say back to him what I heard him say and then he would fix what he had said originally so it made sense!

"A Paladin is a servant and goes and does what his lord wants and is just...available? Ready? Is that it?" I said. He nodded and then turned on his blinking signal showing he was getting off of the fast road.

"That is right." He told me.

"That's just stupid!" I told him hotly. Those eyes of his glared at me for a moment and it felt like I was being pushed back into the seat! Then he focused on his driving again and sighed.

"I am sorry Lucretia, I forget sometimes that you are not human and don't know our ways." He reached out his hand to me and patted my knee. I placed my hand on his, accepting his apology. Inside though, my emotions were roiling! What had I felt? What had pushed against me? And what the hell was a Paladin?

"How is being a Paladin going to help us talk to the Alpha?" I asked quietly. Mr. Brooks chuckled.

"That is a very good question. The answer is because it is needed and I feel compelled to do it. My Lord will back me on this." He replied.

His Lord? I felt the difference in the way he said it. Mr. Brooks has a lo...no. It has to be said the way he did. 

Mr. Brooks has a Lord.

"Who is this Lord that makes you, a human, go into a home of werewolves? IS he trying to get you killed, that does not seem to be a very good Lord!" I told him, and then Regretted saying that since it could be taken as being disrespectful.

Focusing on the road, and the signs on the side of it, Mr. Brooks took a small gravel path that was barely wide enough for his truck. There were many tall trees around us, and before we couldn't see the sky I saw storm clouds on the horizon, coming from the direction where the sun raises...I mean sun rises.

"My Lord is the Ruler of this Plane..." Mr. Brooks said quietly. His voice was resonant and strong. "My Lord is both a part and separate from this realm which he made from nothing. He is so powerful that he could gather all of this world up into his hand and drop it right into his eye without blinking." Then he smiled and squeezed my knee.

"He also cares for all of us. I am his Paladin, a human sworn into his service." He stopped the truck and stepped out of it, buckling on his belt that held his handgun. When he looked back in at me as I was undoing the seatbelt his eyes were intense and the smile he had was quiet and deadly serious.

"With my Lord on my side, no one can stand against me!" he declared in a soft voice.

I have decided that I like Greg's father!

I climbed out and walked next to him as we came closer to the mansion where the Alpha and his main pack lived. I could hear him speaking quietly under his breath as we approached the gate. I was looking back and forth between him and our destination. We were walking...WALKING right up to the entrance of the enemy! I could have changed and flown us both inside, or maybe he as a Paladin could turn us invisible. All he was doing was talking to himself! He wasn't telling me anything! How was I supposed to...

Mr. Brooks took my hand in his and then I heard his voice as he spoke a little louder for me to hear, "...not what I want to have happen Lord, but what You want to have happen. Please watch over Lucretia, she is precious to my son and also to me. Guide our steps and our actions; show us the correct path to take. Amen."

I stopped walking and it stopped Mr. Brooks who looked back at me.

"What was all that?" I asked incredulously.

"I was praying..." he replied.

"But we weren't going to eat or sleep, we are going to...to..." I sputtered out words. I was so confused! 

I was confused so often that at least...I was getting familiar with the feeling.

Mr. Brooks turned back to face me, his back to the gate that was still a good hundred feet off or so. I could see two men standing guard in front of it. They had the smell of Were on them.

"When we as humans pray, we are speaking to the Lord of this Plane. Tradition tells us to pray before meals and before we go to sleep, but what our Lord tells us..." he sighed and his thumb caressed my hand he held. "...Our Lord tells us to pray continually." He looked over his shoulder at the gate.

"Especially when we might be going to war." His Sardonic tone made me grin. We WERE going to a fight after all! My skin began to ripple and shift as my height increased and I felt the familiar weight of my horns grow on my head. The hair that would fall in front of my eyes to block my vision slowly vanished. My muscles expanded, hardening and stretching. The bit of energy I had taken from the weres that attacked my Greg burned in me wanting to be used! Mr. Brooks took my clawed hand in his and continued our sedate walk to the gate.

"Shouldn't we..." I began before he shushed me.

"Trust me, Lucretia." He said quietly. "Don't let go of my hand."

I fought down a scream of Frustration, but something inside of me told me that I should listen to him. The guards moved to stand in our path.

"Sir, I will have to ask..." his voice trailed off as Mr. Brooks walked right by him and placed his hand on the locked gate. Something clicked and the gate swung open easily on oiled hinges.

"Everything is fine." Mr. Brooks said over his shoulder to the startled guard. "The Alpha is expecting me."

The guard nodded and closed the gate behind us. I arched an eyebrow at the guard and he just waved us on and turned his back on us to dutifully scan the surrounding forest for anyone who might be coming into the compound without authorization. What was going on?

That werewolf had let an armed human and succubae enter without stopping us? Either the security here was really bad or...

I let my senses extend towards Mr. Brooks and felt nothing. No magic, no power, just him. He did feel different than other humans, but then again...all humans are different!

We came to the front doors of the mansion and Mr. Brooks opened the door and walked in with me through the opening side by side. A man in a nice suit came up to us, his eyes opening wide upon seeing me. I grinned at him, showing my sharp teeth and he gulped once.

"Uhhh...Sir? How can I help you?" He said as perspiration broke out on his forehead. I could feel his heart beating faster. Like when I caught a butterfly and felt it's wings beat inside of my cupped hands. I really liked that feeling! I let the tip of my tongue caress my lips and I began to take a step towards him when Mr. Brooks, who was still holding my hand, began walking to the side. He called out to the man who greeted us.

"Let the Alpha know we are coming to see him."

I walked along side of Mr. Brooks and saw he was smiling to himself. We passed many doors, some open, some closed. I saw a small arena set up where some werewolves were fighting back and forth while other's looked on. The two who were in the between states of transition stopped fighting to look at us. Mr. Brooks waved and said, "Hello. Nice to meet you all. I am Greg Brook's Dad, which way is Alpha Roberts?"

One of the wolves pointed and Mr. Brooks nodded once, "Thank you. Sorry to interrupt." Then he pulled my hand and I waved as well before allowing myself to be pulled out of sight. 

"You didn't need to ask for directions, I have the Alpha's scent. I could find him easily!" I whispered harshly.

He took another turn walking by more doors, waving to some, greeting others and always asking for directions to the Alpha. Then he took a corner turn leading us away from where our enemy was and I stopped, holding tight to his hand to turn him around and found that I couldn't! I tried pulling harder and planting my feet but I didn't have the strength! I am stronger than any human, even when Greg is using his power I can hold my own, but this! I still couldn't feel any power or magic or anything from Mr. Brooks.

Fear began to close up my throat making it difficult to breathe. I don't like Fear at all, Anger usually follows quickly on it's heels!

Mr. Brooks looked back at me and grinned...he grinned!

"Don't be scared Lucretia, everything is going to my Lord's plans."

On one of the turns we ran into a young man who had skin darker than mine. I remembered his scent and began to growl. He was one of those that were there when my Greg was attacked and hurt! HE froze upon seeing me and then did a double take at seeing Mr. Brooks. He bowed his head as Greg's father stopped in front of him.

"You're Greg's daddy aren't you?" The man asked Sadly. I still wanted to rip his head off after draining him dry!

"Yes..." Mr. Brooks answered quietly. The black man shuffled his feet a little then looked up into Mr. Brook's face. I saw tears glinting at the corner's of his eyes. Was it Sadness or Shame he was feeling I wondered. It made my own rage back down as I examined his face. I think it was a bit of both.

"I didn't know it was him we were hunting, man, if I knew I wouldn't' have gone. Greg seemed pretty chill and all that. I just did what the Alpha Roberts told me man. I didn't...I didn't know...okay?" The black wolf looked down at his feet, his shoulder's slumped.

I waited for Mr. Brooks to do something, instead I heard him start speaking softly to himself. Then he put a large hand on the werewolf's shoulder, it made him flinch at the contact.

"Your name?" Mr. Brooks asked.

"Tyson...Tyson Westcott." The man said quietly.

"Thank you for not attacking my boy, Tyson. In the future I would recommend you think first before you act. It may be hard to do sometimes, given what you are. Try though, and you will be a better person for it. I forgive you for your thoughtless actions. You will need to ask my son for his forgiveness later. Now go." 

Tyson stepped back, his eyes wide and then took off jogging the opposite direction we were going. I heard him whisper, "Damn, that is one scary motherfucker!" 

I was Angry as well! How dare Mr. Brooks forgive that...that Tyson Westcott THING! Didn't he know that he was part of the group that attacked my Greg!? Didn't he want to hurt them? To make them suffer for what they had done?

"Lucretia..." Mr. Brooks said.

"What?" I retorted sharply.

I looked into Mr. Brook's eyes and what I saw there made me cringe inside. It was like...like...

"Greg is my son, when he bleeds I hurt, when his heart is broken I weep his tears. However, my son spared Tyson's life for a reason. Is it better to kill him when he will learn from this and become a better man?" His hand tightened on mine, to the point where it was almost painful! Where does his strength come from?

"Do not question my resolve, I will do what must be done. It must be what is right though. I follow the Law, the spirit of it. Many times Justice and Vengeance follow the same course. However..." Mr. Brooks looked down the corridor where Tyson had fled. 

"...sometimes Mercy takes the place of Justice." He finished.

"How can Vengeance and Mercy work together?" I asked, now more confused than ever. Mr. Brooks just pulled me along with him, laughing softly and said,

"When we meet the Alpha...you will see." Mr. Brooks told me.

He looked past my shoulder and smiled predatorily, "I love it when a plan comes together!" He said quietly. I turned and saw eyes, many eyes in both furry and human faces. I felt surprise, caution, fear, and anger from the werewolves watching us. Then my nose caught the familiar acrid scent of the Alpha! Well...maybe he doesn't smell bad, but I could feel my heart harden and my crop tightened on the few gold coins and the gift stone my Papa gave me. The actual scent was of cedar and spices and then of warm soft fur. If I had not known who the scent came from I would have assumed it to be from a nice person.

Knowing he was a chjorzit, made me want to sneeze then hold my breath!

Mr. Brooks walked along with me back to the play room...the place where the weres play-fight together. We were paced by many of the wolves, some in animal form, others in that hybrid shape. Many didn't change and just watched as Greg's father let go of my hand half way to the center of the room. He smiled at me and I stayed put. He stepped out into the center of the floor and put his hands in his pockets, then bowed his head and held still.

I thought about Mr. Brook's Lord...the one who was supposed to be protecting him...? Where was this Lord now? I can hear the wolves getting restless behind me, their scent heavy on the air. I can smell their leader, the Judge Michael Roberts getting closer. I scan the room, it's just a large two story square room with a balcony about twice my body's length above the ground that circles all four walls. I see more figures appearing there as well. If Mr. Brooks had wanted to get everyone's attention with walking around...he had succeeded!

I turned to face the wolves creeping up behind us and crouched, flexing my claws and rattling my wings. One of them snarled and I answered with a piercing shriek that made him clap his paws to his ears and back up. 

No wolf pup can intimidate me! 

I saw Hildy appear on the walkway above me, she looked down at me and I couldn't read her expression. She looked upset...Angry, Hurt, Afraid, and...Sorry? What was she sorry for?

"Peace..." a soft baritone rolled through the room and the wolves all settled down. Judge Roberts walked in through the double doors with a little dramatic flourish. He pushed both doors open at the same time and sauntered in filled with the power of knowing who he was and that he was on his own land. That he was king of his own little corner of the world...

...I was fully prepared to correct his thinking!

He looked at me and his lip curled up like he had tasted something terrible; I knew how he felt. Just seeing him I remembered licking his mug to get his scent and I almost gagged myself a little bit. I settled for hissing at him and baring teeth in a snarl.

Mr. Brooks was standing there, his hands in his pockets in the center of the room softly speaking to himself when his head came up and he turned his back on the Alpha to look up near the ceiling. He pointed his finger right at someone and said, "Don't do it! It's not worth it!" The wolves parted and there stood a young man with a gun. It was different than the gun that Mr. Brooks left in the truck, his "shotgun." It had a very long tube on it with a telescope on it. 

I like telescopes! I thought it was smart to put one on a gun.

"Do not obey your Alpha on this...set the rifle down and just watch, this is between him and I." Then Mr. Brooks turned his back on the wolf and smiled pleasantly at the Judge Michael Roberts. I saw a small glint of light and a red dot appeared on the back of Mr. Brook's head. I thought this was a curious thing when suddenly many things happened all at once. 

A gun shot rang out and Mr. Brooks turned. He drew his handgun from his waist and pointed in the direction the red light had come from and pulled the trigger twice. The hand gun didn't move, but from my angle I could see a blast of flame and white smoke billow from the tube. A loud howl was heard and that long tubed gun clattered down to the floor. I walked over to it, ignoring all of the wolves watching me and picked it up. It smelled of...brimstone, or sulfur is the closest I can come up with. I decided it would not be good to leave this weapon lying around where it might be used against us. I bent it at where the tube came out from the heavy plastic part so the two ends touched. Then looked over at Mr. Brooks who had holstered his handgun and put his hands back into his pockets and was regarding the Alpha quizzically.

"What is it you want?" The Alpha asked. I opened my mouth to speak when I got a feeling in my belly that told me to wait. Mr. Brooks must have also got that same feeling because he was silent, just watching the leader of the werewolves with a measuring gaze.

"What do you want here, in my home?" The large man said even more loudly. Again Mr. Brooks was silent, seeming like he was waiting for something.

"Is it revenge? Is that what you want? You want justice for your son?" He chuckled. "Well here I am...take me on then!" The Judge growled. Mr. Brooks smiled quietly and shook his head. 

"You break into my home..." The Judge began speaking when Mr. Brooks raised his hand. The Judge went silent and it seemed to bother him that he did.

"I wanted to know why you do what you do, and now I know." Mr. Brooks said softly. He scratched his chin for a moment and seemed to come to a decision.

"If you attack my son again I will take everything away from you. Your people will leave you and they will hunt you down. This is your only warning, Alpha Roberts." Mr. Brooks said to him.




Mine...Yours Pt. 11



"What can you do to me?" The Alpha said with an unkind smile. "You have a weapon, but it isn't loaded with silver. The wolf you shot, one of my soldiers, is already back on his feet. There are only two of you and even with a succubus on your side you don't think I would let you walk out of here alive do you?" He smiled and chuckled darkly. I saw Hildy move from the corner of my eye. She vaulted the rail and landed on her feet on the ground then ran up to her Papa.

"Dad...please! Do you have to...?" He cut her off with his voice and a gesture.

"Hilda! He is a human with an outsider that has come into our home! Our laws are clear. He has to be...removed." 

I saw Hildy pause, then nod her head and step aside. I stepped closer to Mr. Brooks, I saw the Alpha track my movements, his eyes gleaming suddenly. When I was standing with my shoulder next to Mr. Brooks I felt his hand touch my arm.

"Wait until after I deal with the Alpha, don't interfere." He told me. I felt my mouth open in Surprise! Though honestly I shouldn't have been, this entire trip has been one of Surprises! The Alpha heard him speak and laughed.

"Deal with me? You are going to "deal" with me?" He laughed a little harder and several other wolves echoed it, though most were quiet and watching. Mr. Brooks nodded and took off his belt that held his gun and handed it to me.

"Take care of this, and don't interfere." He told me sternly. Then his face softened and his kissed my forehead! Greg always had to have me lean down since I was taller than him when I was like this, but Mr. Brooks was a little taller than me so he had to bend down to kiss me.

Impulsively I threw my arms around his chest and hugged him! "Don't get hurt! My Greg is already hurt, I don't want anyone else I care about to be hurt!" I realized suddenly that everyone had gone quiet as I spoke. I looked around and saw the werewolves all looking at me as if I had...well...done something strange! I heard Mr. Brooks laugh quietly and his large warm hand gently rubbed the back of my neck.

"Don't worry Lucretia, this will be over soon. Remember that you have a big part to play in this still." He told me. I stepped back, holding his belt with his handgun. Mr. Brooks turned to face the Alpha.

"I understand you Alpha!" Mr. Brooks said quietly, though his voice filled the area. "You have made many choices as a judge that have been for the benefit of the pack, and to the detriment of others...why?"

The Alpha looked surprised as his mouth opened, seemingly without his wanting it to. "The pack comes first, above all else!"

"Even in front of Justice?" Mr. Brooks asked.

The large werewolf began to turn in front of me, and soon a hulking brown wolf nine feet tall at the head stood there in front of Mr. Brooks!

"Did you purposely change to make it more difficult to answer my questions...?" Mr. Brooks asked quietly, "Or did you do it so that you wouldn't answer my questions in front of those you lead? What are you ashamed of?"

With a loud howl the Alpha lunged at Mr. Brooks! He in turn only held out one hand and slapped the Alpha across the muzzle, and stepped to the side quickly. The Alpha tumbled in the air and then landed on his feet snarling at his enemy!

I wish I had some popcorn! This was getting good! I could feel my body responding to the fight, my lower lips were getting damp and I had to bite my upper lip to keep from moaning. I can't tell you how many times I almost jumped Greg when we were training! This though, this was...Oh! Mr. Brooks is soooo HOT! 

"Change back..." Mr. Brooks said quietly. 

The Alpha charge again, looking to overwhelm the small human, then cut low, as if to knock his legs out from under him. Mr. Brooks stepped back and to the side and then snapped his foot out quickly to kick the Alpha on the nose! I bit my lip harder and a small squeal still sqeaked out, and the leather bun belt in my hands was getting twisted as my hands clenched it. I was now more than damp! This was AWESOME!

"Change, or I will make you change and you will not like it!" Mr. Brooks said more loudly.

The large were was circling him, sneezing every now and then. He growled low in his throat. Mr. Brooks shrugged and then sat down on the ground, his legs in that "criss-cross-applesauce" pose that I see kids sit in every now and then when they play games. Everyone was holding their breath, I know I was. Though for me I would probably be panting if I wasn't holding it. This was hotter than that porn I found on the internet when Greg wasn't around!

The wolf circled, looking upset since it wasn't sure how to attack. It felt like this was a trap, but with all of the other wolves watching, his pack, it was easy to feel his anger at getting shown up...and by a human! Oh I was Liking this! The Alpha lunged with both paws, claws first...right into Mr. Brooks hands who was now standing. He checked the werewolf's momentum and held it, stopping him cold. Suddenly the wolf began to scream and yelp as if he was being burned! Hildy started to step forward when suddenly she slapped both hands to her head and moaned in shock. Then her eyes came up and she stared uncomprehendingly at Mr. Brooks, tears streaming down her face!

Everyone was moaning, and then staring at Mr. Brooks. Meanwhile he kept holding the Alpha's hands which were now changing back to human, and the yelping changed to screams and shout of, "No! You can't do that! It's not...it's not...POSSIBLE!" Then he crumpled and sagged as the only thing holding him up was the hold Mr. Brooks had on his wrists. He let go, and Judge Michael Roberts slumped to the floor as a human. 

In the silence that followed I couldn't help it, my lips opened and I screamed! "YAAAAH!" My call echoed around the room, but no one looked at me, except Mr. Brooks who gave a small smile in my directions before looking back at the Alpha...wait...

I took a sniff, and then another longer sniff scenting the air. Maybe it was because I was so far away, and surrounded by other were wolves...

I moved closer until I was only a few feet away from the Alpha, crouched, and scented again. I gasped and looked at Mr. Brooks.

"How...theres...not...I know of no magic that could..." I stuttered at him. My mind was full of the possibilities and excitement as Judge Michael Roberts looked up at me with human eyes, no trace of werewolf in them or in his scent any longer.

The Alpha, was now human!

"Kill Him!" Judge Roberts shouted, pointing at Mr. Brooks. I turned to face the assembled pack and braced myself for an attack. My wings folded into my spears and my armor covered me, cool and comforting. I felt my blood pulse through me as I waited for the wolves.

"Sit down..." said Mr. Brooks, though it wasn't directed at me. 

All the Weres sat. 

"Stay where you are." The wolves all looked at each but stayed still other than that.

I heard Judge Roberts crying behind me, and I turned to face him. My armor sank back into me and my wings unfurled as I looked him over. As just a man, I could see the worry lines that a human gets by their eyes as time passes. His skin had lost a little of that luster one gets from their power. He also felt...frail. Not weak, just...how do I say it?

He felt breakable.

Mr. Brooks said quietly, "I warned you...Now you are just a man, and I hold the lines of power that bind your pack to you. They feel me now, and you are alone. Will you answer my questions now? Will you tell me why you do what you do?"

Mr. Brooks crouched down next to me, I was still staring at the Alph...well, no longer the Alpha, but I wasn't sure what to call him.

"Will you tell me about your mate?" Mr. Brooks said softly. My ears pricked up as I heard Judge Roberts heart speed up. His eyes flicked to Mr. Brook's face then back down to the ground. I was very Curious as to what Mr. Brooks was talking about and I guess Judge Roberts was too.

"How do you know about that...who the hell ARE you?" He whispered brokenly.

"I am a Servant, a Father, a Mate, a Husband, and I am Balance. I serve my Lord and I do the best I can with what I have. Now, tell me how you let yourself get corrupted." It was said in a tone of command. 

"What do you wish to know?" The Judge asked.

"Start at the beginning, and when you reach the end...stop." Mr. Brooks replied. The Judge sighed and tears began to fall.

"My Mate, Astrid, was one of the most beautiful wolves I had ever seen. She married me, joined with me back home in Norway. We came to the United States and moved out here over two hundred years ago. She...well. A few decades back she killed someone for trying to mug her. At that time there was...they put her in jail...the judge...tried for murder...!" The Judge's voice was beginning to break, and the tears were getting in the way of his talking.

I forgot suddenly that this person had attacked my Greg, I am ashamed to admit it. I understand better now why I did what I did, but at the time I was very upset with my actions. I put my hand over his and said, "Just take a breath...we are listening."

I heard Hilda gasp a little as I touched her Papa, and Mr. Brooks put his hand on my shoulder. I felt him give me a squeeze that made my insides grow warm. The Judge looked at me in startlement, and then turned his hand over and held it in wonder.

"How can you...I don't understand!" He said in Shock. His eyes staring into mine.

"You are sad, I may not like you and may kill you in the future if you attack me or Mine ever again...but I wanted to give you comfort." I told him. A quiet voice inside me said that what I was doing was correct, the loud voice was yelling at me telling me I was wrong, wrong, wrong!

"Out of the night that covers me..." I softly intoned. The loud voice went silent and I smiled.

The Judge shook his head and looked down at me holding his hand. He gave it a squeeze and then let it go and cleared his throat.

"My Mate was tried for murder, and we couldn't tell the Judge at the time that she had done because she felt threatened. All he saw was a woman who had killed a 17 year old street kid who tried to steal her purse!" He wiped some fresh tears from his eyes and then said in a stronger voice. 

"She died in jail, not sure how. All my efforts to find out were stymied. It was at that point I decided to become a judge to protect my people if that ever happened to them again." He glanced over at Hildy and gave a small smile.

"I was a single father, raising a cub. Became a lawyer, and then a Judge. I was able to use my influence to guide the Court's decisions and soon became a prominent member in the community." He looked down at his feet for a moment.

"I had to make some hard decisions because of public opinion, and...and I honestly felt a rush from knowing that I held people's lives in my hands!" He said harshly.

He looked up into Mr. Brook's face again, "I remember your son. I remember reading the police reports, how he told the police officer's everything before he had been arrested. I remember being surprised he was that honest. In a case of her word against his, he even admitted to having sex with her when there was no evidence to show that he had done so. His victim had waited a week before calling the police. I remember reading through over 300 letters of character reference in favor of Greg. It all came down to me."

He scrubbed his hands over his face, "The fastest way to gain public approval was to convict sex offenders. I had already used my influence to help a couple of members of the pack, I couldn't afford to be any more lenient if I wanted to maintain my approval rating, so I convicted your son." 

Almost as an afterthought he added quietly, "Besides, it's almost certain political suicide to support any leniency towards sex offenders or those accused of a sexual crime."

He stared at Mr. Brooks and then me. "It never occurred to me what your son would be going through as a sex offender. We tell the jury each time they listen to a case to never think about the punishment someone will go through if they are found guilty. Maybe..." He stared off past us, his eyes lost in thought.

"...maybe I should have thought of that when I sentence an innocent." His eyes came back to Mr. Brooks and he narrowed them as he asked. "If you felt so strongly about it, then why didn't you act all those years ago...why wait until now?"

Mr. Brooks shrugged and replied, "I do not interfere in the laws of men. They are flawed, but outside of my jurisdiction. However, you went outside of the law and attacked my son without provocation, just to get what you wanted. Outside of Man's law...you are subject to a higher law, the Law of my Lord."

Hildy stepped forward, looking at her Papa in horror, her face white. She was probably still getting over the fact he was human now, with no trace of Were inside of him. "Is it true, Daddy? Why did you attack Greg?"

Judge Roberts looked back and forth between us and his daughter and sighed. "I didn't want him near you, Hilda. He was a bad influence. He was a felon, and had an outsider..." He waved his hand at her as she began to bluster.

"I know! I was the one that made him a felon, I know that!" He growled at her. "But his actions since then have not been those of a regular citizen! He has put several people in the hospital needing stitches and broken bones among other things. He also has an outsider, a succubae living with him next door to the Gatewatch...my daughter! I tried to get him to sell me the house he lives in for twice what it was worth, but he wouldn't sell to me. I sent some of my wolves to rough him up a little, to let him know..." His voice trailed off as his daughter, Hildy stared at him. Her eyes were hot.

"Is that why...is that why we have nine of our soldiers not reporting back in?" She asked him quietly. 

Nine? I thought I had only killed six...oh. Greg had killed three of them. I went back to watching Hildy, and wishing I had popcorn. This type of fighting was almost as good as watching Mr. Brooks in action!

Judge Roberts stood tall and put his hands behind his back and firmly looked his daughter in the eye. "At the time I thought it was a sound idea. From what both Trevor and Suzanne told me a few of our troops would be more than enough to put a little fear in him."

Hildy gaped at her Papa! I really wish I had something to nibble...Mr. Brooks put his arm around my shoulders and I felt my desire begin to wane.

"You mean both Jemima's and Gwen's parents were in on this? Well...Fuck you dad!" Hildy shouted. I clapped a hand over my mouth so I wouldn't laugh and Mr. Brooks coughed into his fist.

"First you find him guilty when he wasn't so his life is hell...then you try to beat him out of his own house? WHY? I don't want some bullshit excuse like he is a bad influence on me...tell me why!" Hildy was shouting at her Papa.

"Child...you don't understand what it means..." He began but Hildy cut him off.

"I don't understand what it means? Really Dad? Because from where it stands it looks more like I know more about right and wrong than you do!"

She began to pace in front of her...no, not Papa...she doesn't call him that. Dad is what she calls him. She began to pace in front of her Dad shaking her head and breathing hard.

"You do realize that he doesn't act normal because of YOU right?" She tossed at him as she paced. The Judge stiffened but said nothing. 

"I have been to his training room and I have smelled him. He gets attacked by people because of what he is called. Then he defends himself! Guess how he got the title he has now? Because of YOU!" 

She ran her fingers through her hair and brushed it out of her face. She kept a scrunchie in her pocket and wound it around her hair to put it in a ponytail. Then rolled her neck from side to side.

"So...Dad. We have an innocent man put in a situation where random people will attack him, and he can't turn to the police for help since they don't care. For what, to help a few of our pack who have difficulty controlling themselves? Then, this "criminal" helps out your daughter and saves the Gatewatch from being destroyed by something that is now in this room."

She points at me and I regard her steadily. Her eyes meet mine without flinching, I start to feel a twinge of Jealousy in my belly. I remember that she had kissed my Greg, and bared her feelings for him to see. I was a little upset at the time watching from one of our trees. Greg handled it well and it let me know that I could trust him around other females. I have to admit I felt threatened by Hildy when I first met her. Not so much when she was a werewolf, but when she was human. She had nicer hair than me, and wider hips, bigger breasts and she looked beautiful. I remember looking in the mirror sometimes while my music played while Greg was at work. I would stare at my reflection and try to find a way to make myself look more beautiful.

Greg would laugh at the bodies I would be wearing when he came home. Then he would ask me to go back to the way I was, either as the human shape we chose together, or as my succubus shape. He had told me he liked how I was now, and he didn't need me to change. 

Be that as it may...I was still Envious of Hildy's looks! Even if Greg had chosen me over her.

"Greg saved our lives, and Gwen and Jemima and I got to see just how law enforcement treats people who are called sex offenders." She took a few steps closer to her Dad. "HE saved us and now he is unconscious in a hospital at your hands!" Her voice was carrying loudly now, and Mr. Brooks and I along with Judge Roberts could see the shifting of the wolves around us. Greg's Dad coughed again and he made a gesture behind my back making them all quiet down. Judge Roberts noticed that and grimaced.

"So..." Hildy said, bringing our attention back to her. "We have an Alpha who uses his influence to punish the innocent to secure his position of power to take care of his pack." She ticked that off on one finger and moved to the next.

"Who then punishes that innocent because he can't get his way even though said person saved the lives of his daughter and her friends." She held up a third finger and paused over it, her voice shaking.

"Finally, my father is no longer a werewolf. We have to decide if we should let a human live that knows all of our pack secrets."

The Judge's head came up at that! He turned to look at Mr. Brooks who just stared back coldly. He swiveled his head to stare at his daughter. 

"You can't mean that!" He shouted at her. She just grinned back at him.

"You always told me that the law was there for a reason Dad...or is the law just there to suit your purpose?"

"Of course not! The law is to protect us! It is there to guide us to keep us safe from Chaos!" He shouted back at his daughter.

"How did you protect the nine soldiers who went to help Gregory understand the error of crossing you? In the years since you have been a judge how many times have you actually had to interfere for our, the packs, benefit?" Hildy waited for a response, but her Dad just looked down at the ground.

Mr. Brooks stepped forward, his hand sliding on my shoulders as he walked forward. "I have an answer..." he said softly, but for some reason the room carried the sound to every ear.

"Let Lucretia decide..."

There was an instant of perfect silence where I am sure everyone heard the nervous click of my toenail against the floor. Then everyone began yelling and speaking at once! I could see Judge Roberts staring at me with wide eyes, Hildy as well. My mouth was hanging open as I turned to look at Mr. Brooks who was surveying the wolves.

"SILENCE!" Mr. Brooks roared lazily. They all were silent and unmoving. Mr. Brooks is soooo HOT! I hope Gregory is just like him when he gets better! That thought reminded me that my Greg was hurt, which made me Angry and I glared at the Judge. I could see beads of sweat pop out on his forehead and I could smell the fear scent thick and heavy on the air.




Mine...Yours Pt. 11



"Lucretia has been closer to my son than anyone for the past few months. I say let her decide his fate." Mr. Brooks said smoothly. Hildy seemed to mull the idea over and then nodded. Soon the rest of the wolves were howling their assent. I sized up the old Alpha, now a human, and thought about my options.

I had warned him not to harm us, that I had his scent...he attacked anyway. I listened as he spoke his side of the story. I heard about his mate, and about his actions. It was still no excuse for what he had done, but it helped to understand him. I took a few steps closer, and tucked my wings around my body while I studied him. He was scared, of that there was no doubt. What was he scared of? Well his security was taken away. He was no longer the Alpha, and no longer a werewolf...I REALLY wanted to learn that spell! 

I looked over at Mr. Brooks who was casually watching the situation with his arms crossed. I wondered why he wanted me to make the decision. I was not human, and had no ties to anyone except Greg, if anything Greg should be making this decision, not me! Then I thought some more about it and my face must have changed because I saw Mr. Brooks smile slightly and give a barely perceptible nod.

I was bound to Greg, in a very real sense I was a part of him and he was a part of me. With Greg...hurt, I needed to step up and make the decision that he would if he was here.

So what would Greg do?

I looked over at Hildy, I could see all of the emotions running across her face. I also could see she still cared for her Dad, even if she hated what he had become. I turned my back on them all and stared across all of the werewolves. I could feel their Fear and their confusion. They were pawns in a larger game, and I felt...sorry for them!

That loud voice began clamoring for my attention! I listened to it, and agreed with it. These things wanted to hurt my Greg, they did it once and they could do it again! The quiet voice was speaking now, but I ignored it. I pushed down to where Greg was inside of me. It had always been silent, I think because my Greg is still broken, but every now and then I could taste thoughts and feelings from that part of me where I kept him close. I felt nothing, well...almost nothing. It's like when he is asleep, well, almost. There was that one time when he woke up and his eyes were giving off blue light and I couldn't dodge fast enough and he broke my jaw! He didn't remember it and felt awful afterwards, but normally I can feel him better when he is asleep.

Emotions slowly filtered out of that area, and I breathed them in. It felt good, very good to touch even that small part of my Master. My eyes flew open as my thoughts coalesced and I turned to face Judge Roberts. I walked quickly towards him and grabbed his head, holding his face firmly framed in my clawed fingers. I heard him give a yell before my lips found his and I kissed him, hard! He squirmed but I held him firm and I heard him moan in panic as I slowly began to pull his energy from him! I slowly began to feed, his life smoothly trickling down my throat to pool in my well. I could taste the flavors of Fear, Pride and a deep and dark Sadness. A light sprinkling of Regret seasoned the whole meal. I was very tempted to take all he had...

...but I stopped and pulled my mouth from his. He was shaking as I licked my lips.

"Know this..." I said softly.

"Know that your life could have ended right now. Know that I have decided to show you mercy." I blinked suddenly and looked over at Mr. Brooks with my mouth open wide in Surprise!

"This is what you meant! Where Vengeance and Mercy work together instead of Justice and Vengeance!" I crowed happily as I finally figured it out. I looked back down at the Judge who was shaking and sweating in my hands. 

"I show you Mercy instead of taking your life because you will be a better Alpha now! You will learn from your mistakes and do what is right, because you know, you know absolutely, that if you attack us again we will end you!" I gave him another kiss and took a little more of his life from him and I savored it, rolling the taste of Terror now in my mouth before swallowing. I purred at feeling it sink into my well.

"Alpha...?" I asked him coyly, I was feeling a little frisky.

"Ye...Ye...Yes?" He stuttered.

I got down into his face, so close his nose was touching mine.

"I have your scent!" I growled. Then shoved him over on the ground. I spat once on him then walked over to Hildy, who almost took a step back from me, but then squared her shoulders and looked me in the eye. I thought that maybe I should change back to my human form, but decided she needed to see me like this.

"Thank you for trying to stand up for my Greg. Thank you for not trying to pursue him. I like having you for a neighbor...and I hope...hope that in time, I can be friends with you like I am with Jemima and Gwen."

Hildy didn't seem to know what to say, then she gave me an incredulous smile...at least I think that is what you call it and hugged me! I tentatively hugged her back, and felt another strong twinge of jealousy as I felt her shape! I wish my body was shaped more like hers!

Then I stepped back and saw Mr. Brooks looking down at the Judge. "Will you go after my boy again?" The Judge shook his head. Mr. Brooks nodded once, then bowed his head. I could hear him speaking, but I could not make out his words. Then he held his hand out to me, and I walked over to take it in mine.

"...thank you Lord for Your aid, may Your will be done, and let things go back to the way they were. Amen."

I heard a collective groan from everyone in the room and suddenly the Judge rose to his feet and his eyes blazed with amber light. I could see he was furious, but afraid. Mr. Brooks gazed at him steadily, and since it seemed to work so well for him I did the same, just regarding the large Alpha calmly. He seemed to wither under our gaze and settle back down.

Then Greg's father and I walked out of the room, out of the mansion, through the gate and back to his truck. He opened the door to his truck, helping me in, then reached for the seatbelt and belted it on me. I had changed back to my human appearance, makes it easier to sit in seats without my wings getting in the way. He leaned back a little and then hugged me, gently cradling my head against his shoulder.

"I am so PROUD of you Lucretia!" Mr. Brooks said to me. 

"Mmmy mis mmatt?" I mumbled against his shoulder. He pulled back and I repeated myself.

"Why is that?" I asked again.. He ruffled my hair and kissed my forehead. 

"Because you are growing, a lot!"

I didn't understand, I was still the same size as I always was, but...if he was happy that was a good thing. He got into the driver's side and we started backing down the drive to a turnaround, then he started driving, bringing us back to the hospital.

"Why did you choose to show mercy?" Mr. Brooks asked me. I had been wondering when he was going to ask me that. I had been wondering that myself.

"Greg would have shown mercy, at least I think he would have..." I said quietly. Mr. Brooks was waiting, either that or he was thinking, or maybe both.

"Gregory seems to think life, all life is valuable. He would not approve of me killing the Alpha like that." I said quietly while looking out the window.

"In the middle of a fight if I was to do it, it would make sense, and I would have his complete approval. While the Judge was...weakened like that...?" I sighed and looked down at my hands.

"While he was weak one side of me said that there was never going to be a better chance to take him out, the other said that if I did, there would be more problems created. I felt down to where your son, my Master is inside of me. I made my choice upon that." I looked over at Mr. Brooks who glanced at me every now and then while he drove.

"What does Gregory feel like? It's your bond that you're telling me about right?" He asked. I nodded. "What is it like...this bond? What does it feel like?"

I sighed and thought about it. "You ever watch that movie called Lord of the Rings?" I asked. Mr. Brooks chuckled and nodded. 

"Remember that big fiery eye thing on top of that tower? It was called the...I don't remember what it was called but it could see everything." I rubbed my lower stomach, feeling my bond to Greg.

"It's a lot like that, but with Greg, his eye is shut. There have been several times it has cracked open and I feel him, just like I am sure sometimes he feels me...but most of the time it is closed."

Mr. Brooks was nodding his head, but didn't ask for me to continue so I didn't. Besides, it made me feel uncomfortable to talk about. I understood that my Greg was broken inside...somewhere things didn't connect. I had seen his Door inside of his mind. I'd heard the voices of his two parts of himself as he spoke to them, and it frightened me.

Terrible things had been done to me by my last master, but it seemed that humans were able to hurt themselves more than what anyone could do them. The very idea that Greg would do what he had done to himself, to keep...I wonder...?

"Mr. Brooks?"

"Yes Lucretia?"

"What happened that made Greg lock himself away? He never told me more than a little, but I want to understand...he is sleeping right now and I don't know when he is going to wake up. Could you tell me, please?"

Mr. Brooks was quiet, obviously thinking about what he should say, or maybe how to phrase it. Or maybe not...his knuckles were white on the steering wheel.

"That is for him to tell you. It is something that he knows from first hand experience...it would be best if he tells you." Then he paused, considering. I saw a tear come to the corner of his eye and I reached out to touch it. It was small and felt wet, like regular water. Warm though since it came from a body. Not hot or cold like it comes from the sink in the kitchen. I licked it and tasted salt. I had wondered if human tears were the same as my own.

"If Gregory does...not...wake up. Then I will tell you everything you want to know about my son. Both my wife, his mother, and I will tell you...everything." His voice broke and he coughed and sniffed. Then held my hand in his as we drove back to the hospital.

I hope Greg is like his Papa when he gets older.

Chapter 33: Portals

The sun had fully woken up by now and the alarm clock on Mr. Brook's truck told me it was 10 o'clock in the morning. 

"Where are we going now?" I asked.

"We are going back to see Gregory." He told me as we got off of the highway. 

"Unless you want to go back home?" He asked. I shook my head, my place was by my Master. He was hurt and we had been gone long enough. The enemy was now...well, was Judge Roberts still an enemy? I understood him better now. He had originally done...

"RaaaAAaah!" I shrieked! My fist hit the window of the truck and strangely it didn't break it. Mr. Brooks swerved slightly and glanced over at me.

"Lucretia! Settle down right now!" He said sharply. I hissed at him, though since I was in human form it didn't seem to sound all that threatening to me.

"Don't make me pull over, I will and you will not like it if I have to!" Mr. Brooks said in admonishing tone.

"I let him LIVE! Why did I let him LIVE?" I shouted and then slumped in the seat. I pulled my hood over my face to hide my expression. I was so confused, not so much about everything around me. I really was getting a better understanding on that. Little things tripped me up, but...inside of me. That was different, I didn't understand what I was feeling...everything was different. It felt like something was changing, a lot.

Mr. Brooks kept driving and put his hand on mine in my leg. I was looking down and could see a thick and battered gold ring on the third finger of his right hand.

"Talk to me..." he said quietly. His voice was gentle. It's warmth soothed me, but...inside I was snarling! 

Do you know how many times Greg overrode me? Hardly ever...well, sometimes. But he always explained it. I may not agree with him and sometimes I wanted to hit him, or bite him. I made a decision, without Greg, that went completely against who I was. I see it, it bothers me or threatens me then I kill it. Sometimes I eat it too, depends on how I feel at that time or if I am hungry. This time though, this time I let an enemy live. I had the choice in my hands, the Alpha's energy on my tongue and I let that miserable dog live!

That loud voice inside of me was talking fast and I listened to it. The small voice was there but hard to hear in all of the noise inside of my mind. I looked over at Mr. Brooks and his face blanched at seeing mine.

"Please take me to Greg, now!" I whispered. He pushed harder with his foot and the truck made more noise and went faster.

At the hospital I quickly climbed out of the truck and hurriedly jogged into the hospital. I followed Greg's scent past an older woman looking at paper. She was talking and Greg's name was spoken, I listened with only half an ear and caught the words, "Incredible" and "Amazing...Recovery" whatever that meant. I opened the door that had Greg's scent the strongest. 

My Master!

I moved to the side of the bed and saw Gwen slumped over in a chair, sleeping. The smell of her magic, like lavender and this funny tea called chamomile lingered faintly about her hands. I carefully sniffed Greg and smelled cleansers of some kind that made my nose wrinkle, but under that was his scent. I lowered my head and breathed in the scent of my friend. Everyone has smells of their own, a unique flavor. Greg blushed as he told me how I smelled like vanilla and tangerines. I found each one of these things and while tasty I did not think they smelled good together.

My Greg smells of denim, mint and a smell like old books. It makes my belly grow warm and I salivate sometimes when I smell him. I told the truth to Mr. Brooks, many times in the early morning when Greg was sleeping and I was laying next to him, I had been tempted to drain him.

The few times I had tasted of his energy, his life...I don't know how to describe it to someone who is not one of us. It is like food, and yet it also is like blood. When you don't have enough blood you feel weak, sluggish and dizzy. Your body aches in all of your joints and its hard to move. Its the same with being hungry. You get sleepy and sluggish, you have no energy to do anything. I have been doing much just under my own strength. 

When I am fully fed I can do so much more!

I climbed over the rails of the bed he was in. The beds here are funny. They bend in the middle so it is like a giant chair, and they have those rails. Normal beds don't have them. I wonder if they are to keep someone inside...like a cage? I snuggled next to my Master and he turned a little in his sleep. There was a tube attactched to his arm, my eyes followed it up to a bag that was hanging by the bed. I started to play a little with the tube, running it through my fingers, and felt a cold liquid inside. Are they putting water into Greg or taking it out? I carefully watched the bag while my head lay on his chest. It was emptying. Makes sense in a way. You cannot drink when you are asleep, so they make it so his body can still drink.

Though I had a small wonder if Greg got thirsty enough, would he wake up?

I closed my eyes and felt the warmth of Gregory's body. Even asleep like this, the touch and feel of him began to soothe the turmoil I felt inside of me. The clamor of emotions began to fade and a sense of peace and comfort began to cover me. The earlier questions I had and the decisions I had to make began to make sense. This was the problem that I'd had earlier...

I had needed my anchor.

I smelled Mrs. Brooks come in and heard her whisper to Gwen. I ignored it, though I did hear Gwen murmur a thank you. Then Gwen laid out across the chairs by the window and went to sleep again.

"Lucretia?" I heard Mrs. Brooks ask softly. I turned my head enough to see Greg's Mom looking down at me, with a touch of Concern on her features. "Where is my husband?" she asked me.

"He is parking his truck." I answered. The backs of her fingers brushed my cheek. 

"Is it done...did you get them?" she asked me again...quietly.

My eyes began to tear up, but I smiled. "He lives, but he has paid for what he did." Mrs. Brooks nodded and then moved her fingers to Greg's face. Running her fingers through his brush of short hair.

"You care for him a lot don't you? Is that unusual for a succubae?" Greg's mother asked me. I continued watching her, not saying anything. Her eyes stayed on Gregory's face, her hands straightening the funny clothes he was wearing.

"Do you care for him because he is food, why do you care for him so much?" She asked again, quietly.

"The same reasons I told Mr. Brooks, he is kind and a good Master. He seldom limits me and he gives me choices." I replied back softly. I didn't want to talk anymore. I was comfortable, and ready for rest. I was holding my master, he was healed! Even if he was still sleeping and not waking up, then I would sleep as well.

My breathing slowed and I could feel myself starting to nod off. I held Greg closer, needed to be closer to him! Then I felt his arm shift and come around my back and heard him give a groaning sigh as he rolled slightly. I could hear his mom gasp a little and whisper, "Baby?" He settled and seemed to grumble a little to himself. I heard the words, "Grow." And "Surpass." Muttered in a tone of voice I didn't recognize. Then he squeezed me tight against him like he did sometimes when he had bad dreams. I had only seen the blue light appear from his eyes a few times after the first time after he had struck me. It didn't bother me any more, though I had been cautious.

When I had destroyed those werewolves who had attacked him by the road, I had seen that light flicker in his eyes before they had closed. I could see it now as well, around the bottoms of his closed eyelids, a glimmer that was a little brighter than the light of the room. I kissed his cheek and said softly, "I am waiting for you to get up Master, I will be here.' Then I fell asleep holding onto my anchor, and his arm holding me as well.

I was woken up by an annoying chirping ring! Gwen sat bolt upright in her chair, her wavy hair looking like Jemima's from how she had slept on it! She was rummaging in her large cloth bag and pulled out a cell phone which was making that annoying noise. 

"Hello? There is? But...where's Hildy? She didn't come home? We can't...no...Jemima NO! How big did you say this was? No, call her again, have someone go to the Alpha's house and pick her up. If it's as big as...Oh...shit!" I heard her groan, but kept my eyes closed. I could feel my Greg's chest rise and fall with every breath. Every now and then he would take an especially deep one and it would raise my chin up higher and would almost always make me giggle.

How could Seneca, or Astar or Rulli want to destroy their masters if they were like this? How could...

"What's the matter Gwen?" I heard Mr. Brooks ask.

"Gatewatch stuff...I'm sorry I can't tell you." She said with a tremble in her voice. I moved my head slightly and tested the room for smells. I picked out Gwen's scent and tasted a tang of Fear in the back of my throat. This was different than her fear of spiders. It always amused me to hear her give a small yell when she spotted one. Then I found out that many of them have poison that could kill you or hurt badly. 

I became more wary of them.

I heard Mr. Brooks chuckle, "I know more than you think, young witch. Hildy is busy dealing with the aftermath of what happened with her Dad. She won't be coming for a while. It's almost evening so I am sure if she hasn't contacted you now you won't hear from her for another day or two."




Mine...Yours Pt. 11



"You never told me what happened when you met with Alpha Roberts...?" Gwen ventured tentatively. I could hear the smile in Mr. Brook's voice as he replied.

"No, I don't think I did..." There was silence and I heard the shift of Gwen's skirts. Then I heard her cough delicately. I slit one eye open and saw Mr. Brooks with a thick book in his hands with gold lettering on it. I couldn't make out the words on the cover, they seemed to shift in front of my eyes and not stay still.

"Well...?" Gwen asked.

"Brook's family stuff...sorry but I can't tell you!" Mr. Brooks chuckled, then opened his book and continued reading.

Gwen huffed softly and blew air out of the corner of her mouth. She fidgeted with her cell phone and said softly, "I don't know what to do!"

Mr. Brooks marked his page with a finger and closed the book. "Tell me what you can, maybe I can help...or at least offer another viewpoint."

Gwen glanced at the book he was holding, I guess she could read the title since she seemed Surprised, at what I have no idea. 

"We need the three of us to do...our jobs. Right now Hildy isn't here, and there is a problem that needs three of us to...I..." Gwen's voice trailed off. I saw Mr. Brooks lean back and clasp his hands on his chest.

He began to think out loud while staring up at the ceiling. "Traditionally the Gatewatch is made up of the three main branches of the supernatural. A vampire to represent the relationship between life and death. A werewolf to represent the essence of the physical of this Plane. A witch that is the representation of what is unseen." He looked down into the startled eyes of Gwen.

"These three forces coming together is a way to show those from other Planes we do not tolerate them meddling in our world...am I correct?" Gwen nodded her mouth agape.

"The thing is, that the tradition has gone by the wayside. Now you are the Binder, who holds the outsider in place. Jemima is the Sniffer, who senses where the gates or portals are going to appear. Hilda is your Heavy, who is your brute strength and your shield to defend you." 

Gwen looked Stunned now and my head up as I was listening to this. This was very similar to the information that the wizard had given me those months ago when I first came here to kill the Gatewatch. I know William had been looking into who the wizard was, but hadn't been making any headway. He had asked me as well, but I didn't know his name, and his features had been disguised from me during the summoning. I had his scent, but during a ritual to call someone like me up, with all of the magic charging the air? It would have been difficult to get a good read on his scent.

Mr. Brooks continued speaking, ignoring the look on Gwen's face. "You all can do some of your fellow Watcher's jobs...your cards can attack as well as immobilize. Jemima is still a young vampire but her strength and especially her speed would be an asset in any fight. Hilda is the strongest of you and can take the most damage, but she is intelligent." He rubbed his chin in thought.

"Take Lucretia with you..." Mrs. Brooks said as she stepped into the doorway. "...if she wants to go." Greg's mom added with a nod in my direction. "I think you should ask her to go with you. She is very strong, and she is fast. I don't know how she would feel fighting against others who are like her, but you can always ask."

Gwen shook her head, "She is not from here, she is not of this Plane...the Gatewatch is made up of representatives of here. She is..."

"...Awake!" I growled. I was getting tired of people talking about me as if I wasn't there. Also, I was kind of liking this idea of getting into a fight! I had already killed several werewolves, but this whole mercy thing of Mr. Brooks and Greg...? I could see the use of it, but this seemed like a situation where I would not have to hold back.

Gwen shook her head at me. "No, as much as I like you Lucretia, you are not of this world...this is not your home..."

My head came up at that! Not my home? Not MY home? I rolled over the railing and landed in a crouch by the bed. I changed and allowed my battle form to come out. I stood tall and unfurled my wings. The left one shading the bed from the lights and the right extending and pressing against the window.

"My home? My home is HIM! My Master is my home!" I rasped out. I was pointing a claw tip at Greg as I said this. 

Of course at that point one of those people who look at the papers on the end of the hospital beds came in, took one look at me and turned pale. I snarled at them and saw their eyes roll up and they fainted, crumpling on the floor. I sighed, and then changed back to human form. Mr. Brooks picked up the...nurse? A nice looking woman, I assume she was nice. Then he set her in a chair and carefully patted her cheeks until she woke up. 

"Oh! I am so sorry I thought I saw...something..." She said in alarm. Her voice trailed off as she looked around the room looking for me. Gwen said nothing, but gave the nurse a smile. She apologized again, which I didn't understand why she was doing so. I was scary to humans in my battle form, unless you were used to it. No reason to apologize for that.

After she left Gwen turned to me and said, "See...you are not off this world, that woman was scared to death! As much as I like you Lucretia, you can't join us." She frowned and then looked down at her hands. "Besides, what if we were fighting someone you know? I couldn't ask you to do that."

I could hear the conflict in her voice. It made me wonder if she felt the same things I felt inside of my chest and stomach when I had a decision to make. Most humans I ran into seemed so sure about the path they should take. 

Hmmm...I would have to think on this later.

"Do you know where the portal comes from? Which Plane it is connected to?" I asked slowly. 

"Jemima said it was opening up from the 5th Plane, and it felt like a minor noble was...Lucretia? Are you alright?"

The Fifth! Where my old master lived! A lesser noble? Could only have been a handful of them! Oh this was wonderful! This was...oh YES! I suddenly realized I was breathing hard and clutching myself with a hand on my shoulder and another on my hip in the old gesture and I moved my hands away with a force of will.

"Oh I am coming with you!" I declared and couldn't stop a little crow of triumph and need from my voice. Gwen took a step back from me. 

"Do you know what is coming?" She asked. 

I nodded. "Most likely a servant from my old master! I am just about sure of it. The 5th Plane? The realm of hunters and their prey? Oh yes...I know it VERY well!" I chuckled and rubbed my hands together. I looked out to where the sun was just beginning to dip down behind the buildings in the city. 

"I guess we could use you. Do you..." Gwen started to ask, but I cut her off.

"No more questions Gwendolyn Malfour of the Gatewatch! We do not have time. When the sun sets the portal will most likely open. Sunset, Midnight, Noon, and at Sunrise are the best times for summoning. I want to be ready for this Chjorzit!"

Gwen nodded her head and picked up her big cloth bag putting the straps over her shoulders. "I will see you near Bagley Park. I will call Jemima to let her know you are coming." Then she took off running out of the room. I turned towards the window in the room, preparing to leave when Mr. Brooks hugged me, and I almost pushed him away my nerves were still twitching. A chance for revenge! A small piece of it, but still a piece! I was going to stain the ground with blood this night...

"Be strong Lucretia..." Mrs. Brooks whispered as she hugged me from behind as well. I was now trapped between two people and I felt that old Fear begin to build, then Mr. Brooks spoke.

"Come back to us, we almost lost Gregory...we don't want to lose you too. We are only just now getting to know you, and so far I like what I see." Mrs. Brooks hug tightened on me as I heard her quietly agree with her husband.

I felt the warmth from their bodies, such a change from my own people who can range from being very cold or very hot. Humans are warm, comforting...is that why my kind first sought them out as prey? Because we lack...what? Hmmm...another thing to think about.

They let go of me and I walked back to Greg's side. His face looked a little twisted, uncomfortable. I readjusted his blankets, uncovering his feet. He always likes to have his feet uncovered while he sleeps. Otherwise he gets too warm he told me. He still looked uncomfortable, but it was the best that I could do under the circumstances.

"You will stay with Master?" I asked quietly while looking at his parents. They both nodded yes. I changed and opened the window to fly out to the park. I remembered going there once with Greg, it was a warm day and he had bought a cone of ice that was colored dark purple for me to eat. I hadn't liked the flavor all that much so he had traded his red one for my purple one. I had been surprised that he had eaten it after I had already taken a few bites and licks. Most humans seemed able to kiss one another with open mouths but would refuse to share food that one another had taken a bite of.

I don't know why that memory came to me just now...but it was a good one and I liked it.

I carefully looked out the window and then crouched on the edge. I counted six windows below me, and nobody was looking up. I pushed off and spread my wings. I saw startled faces from some of the windows of people looking out. They may have caught a glimpse at my passing...but I was fast! Soon I was winging my way above the buildings and moving at full speed, my wings pushing the air as I gained altitude. A few minutes later, mainly because I didn't have to stop for street lights...no not streetlights. The lights that change into three different colors that tell you when you may drive or not to drive...what are those called? Stop lights? But they tell you to "Go" as well so they should be...?

Well...those things.

I didn't have to bother with them so I chose a straight course and hid in one of the trees. I watched children playing on a structure of tubes and bars and wood. They would sit on these seats on chains and then push themselves back and forth on them and laugh. My favorite was the tire swing. Greg would put me in the center and I would hold on to the chains and rubber wheel. Then he would spin me in a circle faster and faster! I could hold on easily enough but it was fun to try to walk around afterwards.

I saw a bimotorcycle rider...no...a motorcycle rider drive up to the park and then step off of the machine as the sun fully set behind the buildings. It was a woman but I couldn't get her scent. Then I saw Gwen slowly pedaling her bicycle over the sidewalk through the park to the rider. Then the rider took off her full helmet and I could see it was Jemima. I always wondered how she could get around during the day. I guess that stuff she was wearing covered all of her skin. She and Gwen spoke softly to each other and then Gwen went up on tiptoe and softly kissed Jemima's lips.

I wondered if Mr. Brooks knew that about Gwen when he thought she would be good for his son? As I understood it if a woman kisses a woman she does not like men...but some women like both women and men. And some men like only women and some men like both. Then when I started being introduced to the internet I found that men and women like plastic and glass things that are round and make noises. They do the most strange things with shoes as well!

I looked down at my own feet as they gripped the branch under me. I wondered if I could find shoes that would fit me in this form? I saw a small sparrow land on the branch next to me and give me an inquiring look. I never really talk with birds, I have but they are not very good at conversations. They talk too fast anyway.

"Leave, danger tonight." I said softly. That should be short enough for him to understand and remember. Immedietely he flew away.

I saw the park was emptying, so I changed back into my human form and dropped down from branch to branch to land on the ground. I walked over to Jemima and Gwen who were talking quietly, Jemima looked up as I approached. She gave me a half smile and rubbed her chin.

"You know, this is the start of a really bad joke or a saucy erotic story. A witch and a vampire and a succubus walk into a park..." She chuckled throatily, I could see her teeth starting to show as she smiled.

"So what's the plan Gwen? If you surprise it you can trap and banish it without us, if you can't...then Lucky and I get to hold it in place..." Jemima began but I interrupted. 

"Him, we are going to hold him in place." I told them. Gwen gave me a puzzled look.

"How do you know it's a him?" 

"All nobles in the 5th Plane are male. Women are used for breeding and domestic chores. Also they are used as...trophies." My voice shook and I gritted my teeth, but the words came out.

Gwen looked puzzled as she pulled a small book out of her back pack. "There is no mention of that in our readings, are you sure..."

"YES! Sorry...yes Gwen, I am sure." I moderated my tone. Gwen was my buddy, there was no reason to get angry with her. Even if she was questioning something which I had over 45 human years of experience with! She didn't know that, she didn't need to know that.

Jemima's head came up. "It's coming. Should be here soon. Ready to do some damage Lucky?" She grinned at me, her teeth showing full in the streetlights. I matched her with my own grin and changed back into my battle form. I flapped once, indicating the top of one of the picnic shelters and got a nod from Gwen. She picked up her bag and set her equipment out on the picnic table. The only thing she took was her large deck of cards. 

We waited, quietly. Almost...my claw was beginning to click on the fake stone at our feet. The city was strangely quiet, normally you can hear car horns or people shouting, or at least the sounds of tires turning on the roads. There was none of that.

It was like the world felt something was going to happen and was waiting for it...

Then it did!

A line of bright fire appeared thirty feet off to our left and seemed to turn in on itself. It flexed and bowed, then after another moment had passed it tore open to make a rough circle. I had to snicker at that. Seneca could make a better portal than that and she was the least magically inclined out of all of us! Jemima stood to the side, and I could see she had pushed herself to fully show her vampiric nature. Her eyes were all the different colors of a rainbow, which I have now seen and sat in the rain for a long time to watch it. Her claws while not big as mine, looked deadly. She didn't snarl, just waited patiently for who ever it was to step through. 

I was calm, cool headed, ready to do my part. Then I saw the cloven hoof step through and recognized the band around his leg...

"TARFAL!" I screamed as he stepped all the way through. He was a full head taller than me and wide and powerfully built. He had hair all over his body, and a thick beard around his face to match the dark curls all over his head. He had no wings, but didn't need them as he had powerful legs that he used to make huge leaps. He had thick curved horns on the side of his head and I had seen him smash the face of more than one servant back in my old master's home with them! Seeing him, I felt the chains again, and felt the spittle, I smelled the stench, I felt...I felt...

"RAAAH!"

He had turned to look when I screamed his name, and he had turned into my charge as I attacked. I sank my talons deep into his shoulders. I went up and over him, diving straight behind him tucking my body into a ball. The momentum, added with my weight, yanked him off of his hoofs and launched him into the trees. I heard a sickening crack and a bray of pain that made me smile. I stood and furled my wings, making my spears.

"Oh Tarfal! What a happy night this is! You are JUST what I needed!" I crowed. I saw him stand, black blood dripping from the side of his head under his horns.

"Lucretia...Lord Balmont's Little Bird?" He spoke in a deep voice that brayed a little at the end. I could see his confusion mixing with his pain. My pussy grew moist seeing him standing there dazed. I licked my lips and bit the tip of my tongue with my teeth. My eyelids fluttered as I tasted my own blood! 

This was going to be good!

I sped into him, running on foot, didn't even call up my armor, not for the likes of him! He braced himself and rammed his head hard into my chest making me blow out all of my air. It hurt, but that pain, in a very real way felt so good! I cried out in bliss at finally fighting after such a frustrating day. 

Mercy? Phfft! 

This one deserved no mercy! I was not going to let the Gatewatch banish him! I was going to send him home in pieces!

The best part about getting hit like this is that I was now close to him, and I used that. His hard and rough hands grabbed my waist and he slammed me onto the ground hard making me cry out in rapture again.

"Yes! Tarfal, is that really all you can do? It feels wonderful but really? Is that all you've got?" I slammed the tips of my wings into his chest and stomach, I didn't need them sharp, just needed to let him know I could have penetrated him. The way he wishes he could have penetrated me, the way Balmont wanted to penetrate me! I grabbed his ankles with my feet as he staggered back and yanked them out from under him. He landed hard and I could hear the clack of his horns hit a rock in the grass. One quick roll forward and I had him pinned, I was straddling his belly feeling his coarse hair along my thighs.

My wing spears slammed down hard, impaling his hands in the dirt. I reached in memory for the spell...that damned spell that got me into this mess with Balmont in the first place! With a sigh and a gesture black chains of stone erupted from around us and lashed Tarfal to the earth. I stood, and carefully plucked the tips of my wings from his hands as he brayed out his frustration. I cocked my head, staring at one of my tormentors. The chains grew cruel thorns which dipped into his skin, anchoring him down.

"Oh...my lord Tarfal...you are held down and can't move, you can't get away. Seems so familiar to me somehow..." I said as I walked slowly around my prey. I brought a wing tip to my lips and cleaned it with my tongue, savoring the flavor of my enemy, then rolled it around to mix with my saliva. Instead of swallowing, I spat and it hit Tarfal on his nose.

"Isn't this familiar to you as well...?" I crooned to him as I placed my foot on his chest. I could feel my insides quivering, and I let it build. I was enjoying this and I haven't had a chance to let my need for revenge out in a long time.

"Don't you remember me? Chained down on a pedestal...?" I asked sweetly. My right hand moving down my left shoulder and my left sliding over my right hip. "Unable to move, you threw food at me, and stones, and spit upon me...ME! The daughter of the queen of the 6th Plane!" 

I stomped hard on the center of his chest and felt something break. It felt so incredibly good to do that!

I saw Gwen and Jemima fast approaching and I held a hand up for them to stay where they were. Tarfal chose that moment to speak, well, he didn't speak...he laughed!

"Oh! Little Bird! Lord Balmont was furious with you! To have you at his beck and call? Then to be tricked out of his contract on the hour when he was going to prove his mastery over his realm? Oh he loathes you...you cheated him out of his prize. He will be coming for you now Little Bird...He will...uhhhk!"

I slowly began closing my fingers and the chains twisted, and began to tighten.

"Go back to your master you piece of filth! You coward! You can strike and beat me when I am chained but here and now you are nothing! You are less than nothing...begone!"




Mine...Yours Pt. 11



I clenched my hand into a fist and felt the prick of my nails in my palms. The chains sawed down and my enemy lay in pieces at my feet. I reached down to pick up his head by a curling horn and kissed his lips once, and drained the little bit of life that he had left. Then I dropped the piece of meat on the ground as Tarfal turned to ash! He would go back to the 5th Plane and bring word of me to Balmont. 

I hoped so...

Being bound the way I am, I am more powerful than I was before...I would be ready for that Chjorzit to come here and when he did...

I would destroy him!

Chapter 34: Past 

"Holy...shit..." I heard Jemima breathe softly behind me. My wings flexed, then unfurled themselves, and then folded around my body, the little claws holding onto my shoulders. The quivering in my belly was spent, and the loud voice inside of me purred with satisfaction. I began to smile, and had to cover my mouth with one hand, but noise still escaped. Gwen must have misread it, because I felt her hand slide up and down my back between the edges of my wings.

"Are you alright Lucretia?" Gwen asked. Jemima snorted. "Lucky dropped that guy like a bad habit. A little viscious for my taste but she got the job done."

Gwen stepped around in front of me and her eyes widened. "You aren't...crying. You're laughing?" She took a step back from me, I could see she was bothered by this, but I didn't care. One of the many who had hurt me was even now slowly reforming back in Balmont's chambers. He was probably trying to hurriedly come up with an excuse for why he was back so quickly and also trying to explain how such a mighty noble was beaten so quickly.

Oh I would love to watch that conversation! 

I slid a hand down between my legs and gentle cradled my lips. I purred as I gently gave them a tender stroke with my finger tip and relished the sensation of my sharp claw sliding along my soft inner folds. Jemima scented the air and her eyes soon matched Gwen's own in surprise.

"You are turned on?" I nodded.

"Fighting is an aphrodisiac for you?" I nodded again, my smile widening.

Gwen looked at me in puzzlement, her hand dipping into her back pack and riffling through it before coming out with another book.

"Is it pain you like?" She asked me. I chuckled and shook my head.

"No, it's the fight! I love to fight, to hunt, to kill...its what I do!" I exclaimed softly. I paused as a thought occurred to me, and I corrected myself.

"Mostly that's true, Greg..." The ache came back as I thought of him. "Greg has been changing me, I think. Or maybe I am changing myself." As quick as that, my lips dried and I groaned in frustration as I brought my finger away. I licked it, tasting my own arousal. Something I hadn't felt since, well, since my time with Balmont.

"How has Greg been changing you?" Jemima asked. She had crossed her arms and was glancing over Gwen's shoulder at the book she was leafing through. 

Gwen shook her head in annoyance, "There is nothing here about a succubae who is turned on by battle. Theres one turned on by pain, others by fear and...nothing like you." 

I shrugged, "You can't learn everything from books. Things change, I never thought they would, but I have...in some ways." I looked back at the ash on the grass and the furrows where my chains had dug into the ground cutting through Tarfal's body. "In some ways I am still very much me."

I looked back at my friends who were both looking at me strangely, "As to how Greg has changed me, I don't know exactly. I know I have emotions but you have been there for that. I am coming to understand them more. Greg is...maybe...or I am...I just know that I am growing, that I am becoming more than what I was because of what I am learning from not only him...but from all of you. I am hoping to surpass what I am now and be more..." 

My voice trailed off as I realized what I had just said. Those were all words that my Mother had spoken to me in the kitchen with Greg after we had been bound! What was going on? My thoughts were interrupted by Jemima kicking some of the ash on the grass. She grinned, watching it dissipate down into the ground.

"So, I take it you knew this guy, he called you a name...Little B...?" She stopped speaking as she saw my expression, then held up her hands in I think it was a soothing gesture. "Didn't mean any offense by it. Just curious is all."

I looked at both of these people, and decided it was no great secret. If they did enough digging in the other realms they could find out if they wanted to. "I just don't like to talk about it..." I growled more to myself but they both nodded as if they understood.

"I was fascinated by magic at a young age, my Papa told me..." I began but Gwen interrupted. 

"Your Papa? Your Father? How could he still be alive? Succubae kill their partners after mating with them." I glowered at her and then realized I was still in my battle form. If someone came by they would see me like this. I allowed myself to look human again, and then pulled up my hood to my sweatshirt.

"Usually yes, my Papa was a special case though. For some reason Mother did not kill him. He told me how magic was important for a fight. You can hit your enemy at a distance, or at least distract them so you can land in the killing blow." I smiled, remembering sitting in Papa's lap as he explained to me the intricacies of combat and how to manipulate your opponents into making mistakes.

"I had heard that Balmont, Lord of the 5th Plane, and leader of all hunters had several rare and strong spells at his disposal. When I came of age I wanted to learn them. Mother was a little surprised, but she set up a meeting between him and myself."

I smiled wryly at my two neighbors. 

"He was handsome. Four wings of feathers as brown as chocolate, and smooth hard skin and muscle. His horns were long and bent forward...aggressive. He was, to my young eyes, gorgeous and desirable. The contract was a simple written one. He would teach me magic in return for my service. There was a sharing of power between us with him keeping control unless certain provisions were met."

I clenched my teeth in frustration at the memory.

"I should have had Mother double check the contract, but I was young and foolish and signed it after reading it once. I was then his slave!"

Jemima raised her head at that and her eyes starting shifting through colors, "Say again Lucky?" Gwen's hands went to her mouth and she almost dropped her book.

"I had to do anything and everything he ordered me to do." I said, and I could feel my eyes grow hot with those troublesome tears. "As the daughter of the Queen of the 6th Plane I was a rare trophy. I spent most of my time chained on top of a pedestal. His soldiers and visiting nobles would spit on me, and sometimes throw rocks, and weapons at me. I would get hungry but by the orders of my master I could not move or even ask for food." I grinned and spat suddenly at the area where Tarfal had been destroyed. 

"That chjorzit Tarfal used to hold food in my open mouth and pull it away before I could eat it. Sometimes he would spit in my mouth when I was allowed to speak and beg for something to drink." Gwen looked she was going to gag, for some reason Jemima looked as if she had heard of this kind of thing before. She was the one who asked, "How did you get away since you're here now?"

I smiled as I remembered how it all happened. "I have a good memory and went over and over the contract in my head as my sisters had taught me, looking for the loophole. I finally found it after 45 of your years had passed. He was going to have a...ceremony I guess you would call it." I looked away, not wanting them to see what I was feeling, what I was hiding. Gwen appeared to want to question me about it, but Jemima put her hand on Gwen's arm and shook her head. I guess she understood. She motioned me to continue.

"This ceremony was supposed to shore up his power base and prove to everyone in his realm that he was lord, and none could oppose him. It was after I saw those he considered his enemies walk by me in the hall that I realized the loophole." I started to smile with pleasure as I remembered the events.

"In the event he was surrounded by enemies I was given permission to do as I saw fit to destroy all enemies in the area." I smiled at them. Jemima frowned, but Gwen began to grow a large smile as well and she asked, "Was that the extent, no provisos or addendums?" I shook my head and Gwen giggled.

"Did I miss something?" Jemima asked looking back and forth between us. "Once the enemies were dead, then Lucky here should have gone back to the pedestal or waited for further orders from her...lord!" Jemima spat this last word as well.

"I was allowed to do as I saw fit. I saw fit to attack as hard and as fast as I could, and I saw fit to leave. So I used every spell he taught me, and some my Papa had taught me as well." I smiled proudly. "Balmont was always so proud of his wings! As I drained every being there in the court that I could to get the energy to open a portal back home, I hit him with every piece of magic I knew, until he was broken and bleeding. Once I had enough energy I saw he was getting back up, but his glorious wings were torn and burned and broken. I hit him with one last spell knocking him onto the stage where he had set up...set up...the ritual... And I went home." I hoped they didn't catch on to what I was leaving out.

I hoped in vain!

Gwen pounced on it like a hungry puppy! I myself don't like dogs, but I do like puppies.

"What was the ritual? The one that proved his mastery of the realm and over the other lords?" She had pulled out one of her books and was skipping through the pages. I remained silent. I had only told this story to Mother, and mentioned it to Papa once. I heard that a place in Greece, wherever that is, was almost wiped out.

"I...I don't want to tell you." I said firmly. The memory of it, the fear I felt, and the anger at my helplessness to stop it from happening came back to me. Gwen looked up from her book studying me with curiosity. "There aren't that many rituals for magical use with a succubus except for summoning. I haven't heard of any that..." She stopped speaking as Jemima stepped forward, an understanding look in her eyes.

"It wasn't a magical ritual was it?" She asked softly.

"No..." I replied.

"It wasn't a true ritual at all was it?"

"No..."

"He was going to prove his mastery through you, the daughter of a Queen...wasn't he?"

I didn't answer. Gwen looked sick, and then whispered something softly that I didn't quite catch. My ears don't hear as well when I am human. I looked directly at her and she cleared her throat before asking me a question I didn't want to answer.

"Lucretia...are you a virgin?"

To be continued...



Mine...Yours Pt. 12



Author's Note: Wow...took a while to get this out. Finally had more time again, and will get more out as I am able. I would like to thank everyone for their comments. I love getting them and each time I see a new one it just spurs me on to write that much faster. I ask that those of you who are anonymous, please put down a couple of initials or a pseudonym I can use to keep track of you all. That way when I get a chance I can answer questions for you.

Thank you all for reading.

Sincerely,

Payenbrant.

*****

Chapter 34: Past (continued)

I said nothing, just stared out from under my hood at Gwen who took a few steps closer to me. I got scared, but not as much as I would have a day or two ago. It was almost as if having to be on my own, without my Master, made some of the emotions I had trouble with seem less. They didn't seem so huge anymore. Maybe it was learning as much as I have about the people around me made me better able to cope. Maybe it was the shock of Greg getting hurt the way he had and what Mr. Brooks and I had done about it.

I don't know...

All I know is things made more sense to me and I didn't feel the extremes of emotions as much anymore. Well, the exception being how I ripped apart Tarfal. I think Greg would say something like, "That's fine...he had it coming!"

I watched Gwen warily as she looked me over, "You are! You really are a virgin succubus! How is that even possible?" Jemima stepped closer too, but she seemed to be watching Gwen more than me. Gwen had pulled another book out of her backpack and I was starting to wonder if her bag didn't happen to have magic in it like that one lady in the movie...what was it called? She was a witch that watched over two small children and Nancy loved that movie. She would sing along with the lady about, "...tidying up a nursery." I only watched it because Greg had suggested I watch something called "Disney Movies." Nancy told me that was the one I should start with.

I scented her bag, but caught only her smell, no magic on the actual fabric. She pulled out a small tattered book that was handwritten, and carefully leafed through the pages. What she saw made her look up at me in surprise.

"Lucretia...I...I have questions, can we meet back at our house? I have some enchiladas in the freezer we can bake and I want to, if you don't mind..." She wrung her hands a little and then blurted out a stream of words that made me thing of water running from a hose.

"I know you want to go back to Greg, but he's fine and I have never met a virgin succubus and I want a chance to ask you questions because I want to know if the wish is real and why you haven't lost it yet since I thought that was the first thing you all did!" Gwen took a deep breath and then held her hands to her temples staring off past my shoulder.

"If you...no, you are a virgin. That's obvious since Greg is still alive and this could mean all of our research is slanted on your kind of outsiders which means we have been getting it all wrong and then why did I have to learn all those lessons if they were skewed...?"

Jemima put a hand on Gwen's shoulder, and gave me a slightly proprietary look as she kissed Gwen's cheek. It didn't bother me, I had my own...sweetheart... Just thinking that word made me smile inside. Thinking of my Greg made me feel warm along with the ache. Surprisingly my lower lips clenched! I ran a hand over my hip curiously. The only times I felt that were when I was in a fight, not just a sparring session, but like the last time I fought with Greg, when I let my armor come out. I never got a chance to talk with him afterwards, but I wanted to tell him he had done very well. He had moved so fast to dodge my attacks, he had been so smooth and graceful in his movements...

I had wanted to drain him so badly right then!

It was normal for me to get aroused from the hunt, but this. I had felt such a rush of sensation when I had made myself vulnerable to Greg. He had been going downstairs to train in his basement. Seemed silly to me to train down in the dark, but...that's the way my Master is. I can't argue with the results he received from it either. He had seemed sad, and I remembered how he had been vulnerable to me. Still amazes me that he did that! Greg had shown me the type of relationship he wanted, he had trusted me. So now I showed him trust as well, to let him feel better.

His teeth on my neck, and his hands on my body...I had almost orgasmed just from that! Later on, when we had been kissing on the roof as we watched the sun sink...set I mean. He had trusted me and I had held back. That trust was valuable to me, I can't explain it, how much it meant to me. Now here I am getting aroused at the thought. How many changes am I going to be going through, and when will it stop? How...Will I still be me? I glanced aside at where Tarfal had been beaten and grinned a little to myself.

No...I will always be me! I don't think that will ever change...

"...want some enchiladas?" I heard Jemima ask. I turned to look at her. "I can't eat them myself since I am on a liquid diet, but that means there should be more for you." Jemima finished with a smile. It was easy enough to guess they had invited me over to have Gwen pump me for more information about what it meant to be a succubae who had never had sex. I didn't see what the big deal was, but it was something that had caused a stir amongst my sisters. Since I could always take energy with a kiss, I had never had sex. I saw no point to it. Mother had told me that I should lose my maidenhead soon since...well. 

Whoever takes the maidenhead of a succubus is granted one wish, the older a succubus is...the more powerful the wish. Most succubae lose theirs once they reach the age of maturity. I was going to lose mine 40 years after that in front of Balmont's entire court. After I escaped and came home...I had no interest in it. Time passed, I grew older and still had my maidenhead. From what Mother told me most wishes were for long life, wealth and riches. Several were to just survive the experience with one of our kind!

That is only after reaching maturity, I wonder what kind of wish my Greg would...? 

I pushed that thought away. I know Master cares for me, and he enjoys my company. I don't believe he wants me that way. I am his friend, and he enjoys kissing me. But I feel the need for more, but I am afraid... No, not afraid.

I am...Afraid. 

I could kill him since I have never done this act, this sex, with someone before! I wish I had listened to Mother and lost this curse, then I would know how to control it, I could lay down with my Master and feel him, taste him, drink of him...

Jemima is staring at me, "Are you alright Lucretia? Looks like you were having some deep thoughts there." 

I nodded, "Yes...I think I would like some enchiladas. Ummm...meet you all at your house?"

Gwen still looked flustered as Jemima took her hand in hers, "Yeah Lucky, we will meet you there. I got the good brand of root beer you like too."

I smiled at that, gave a careful sweep of the area and shifted to my regular form and took off into the night sky.

I like the sky here, it's a different color than at home, and the stars are generally one color. Compared to the dark purple sky of home, with its multi-colored stars that seem to wink on and off as you watch them. The sky here is more peaceful. A rich black with pin holes of light peeking through. I tried to replicate it once with a piece of velvet cloth that Greg and I found in one of the dumpsters at work. I poked holes in the cloth with my claws and put it over the light in my room but it didn't work very well.

I also blend in better, my dark grey skin against the black, no one notices me and I am free to fly as I wish. Sometimes when Greg is alone at work I take that time just to fly and watch the world underneath me. I watch the people, how the act and how they treat others. I listen carefully to what they have to say, and how they say it. I see how women dress and how it is similar to what I like to wear or how it is different. Humans are so different from each other.

One woman wears a high necked dress and a strange cloth over her head and is speaking plainly to a woman who has ink in her skin and is wearing next to nothing. I wondered why the woman wore a long dress while the other wore so much less. I don't normally wear clothing, except when in human form. I had asked my Master about that and he just scratched his head a little. He does that sometimes when he is not sure how to answer me.

"Well, Lucretia. When you are all grey skinned and wings...clothing just looks wrong on you. I mean, how are you going to wear a shirt with wings anyway? But when you look human..." I remember him blushing and looking down and away a little as he cleared his throat.

"When you're human looking, and naked you're kind of distracting. I don't really want to walk into stuff or trip and fall all of the time from looking at you!"

I didn't mind him looking at me at all! Honestly it didn't occur to me that it would be a problem. He had been quick to assure me it wasn't, but after a few days of him walking into chairs and door frames I relented and started wearing clothing again. It was nice to have him not be so...what is the phrase? 

No...it's a word...? Ah! Klutz! It was nice to have him not be such a klutz.

I arrived back at home and landed in the backyard. I looked around at the fruit trees, and the yard. I noticed my broken sliding glass door and sighed. I forgot to open it when I flew out to help Gregory.

I walked inside and saw my stereo equipment was turned off. That surprised me. Normally it would play on repeat until...

"Good evening Lucretia..." a male voice said behind me.

For a moment I thought it was Balmont and I spun to face him, but it was a slender man standing in the broken doorway of my bedroom. He had a long peacoat, and a dark baseball cap, and his green eyes glittered in the dark. Like how Greg's glows when he is using his power. I remembered those eyes...

"You failed in your job Lucretia..." He said quietly. "I hired you to destroy the Gatewatch, and you failed."

I remembered the wizard now, I tried to catch his scent but it was clouded. He stepped into my room making me bristle and I growled at him. He paused, considering me, then stepped back outside.

"You made me assurances, saying you were more than strong enough to do the job, and I watched and took pleasure in your devious way of handling the situation. Causing an orgy...feeding off the energy and then planning on killing everyone there? It was a masterful plan...until it wasn't." He said as he ran his thumb over some broken glass in the door frame. It pricked him slightly. I then could smell him more clearly and I opened my eyes wide in surprise as his scent filled my nose.

I could never describe his scent since it had always been muddled with magic, I kind of knew it, but it still smelled different with the interference of the energies he contained. Most wizards and mages are careful to always hold onto their magic, to keep it at the ready so we can't smell them. This is why I had slashed Gregory's leg when we first met, so I could accurately get his scent to track him. A part of me winced inside as I remembered doing that, but I didn't care about him then like I do now.

I now could smell my summoner accurately, and I remembered where I had smelled this scent before...

"Nancy..." I said softly. His head came up and his glittering green eyes narrowed. 

"What did you say?" He replied in a low quiet tone.

"You smell like Nancy...the rat." I said a little louder, taking a step forward. My claws on my feet tapped the floor underneath me.

"Your Allan Wade Dickson...you had a familiar named Nancy Drew." I said a little louder. "You threw her away for a...tiger striped cat."

He paused while watching me carefully. "I don't see how that applies to you failing in your contract. You have been close to your targets for months now and never finished the job, why?"

I chuckled, "You know as well as I do the reason why! You would have felt it, the shift in allegiance. I have a new Master now. All old contracts are null and void when new leadership is established."

Allan nodded his head in understanding, then crossed his arms and his voice took on a business like tone. "I see...so when your contract is at an end would you be interested in finishing the original job for me?"

I didn't want to, not really. I had made friends with Gwen and Jemima, maybe not Hildy...not yet at any rate. But I didn't want to see them die. However, it would not be good to shut all negotiations down. Let him leave with a hope for things in the future, while I make my own plans. William needed to know the identity of the wizard, and so did my other friends.

"I am open to renegotiating our deal...based on what you have paid so far. The spell for replicating food was handy. Perhaps you have another to add to the offer?"

Allan shook his head and gave a low chuckle, "No, I don't think so...well, maybe...depends on if you can get me a trophy from them? Maybe bring me the cards of the witch, a few liter of the vampire's blood and the canines of the Werewolf and we can talk about another spell?"

I pretended to consider, but on the inside I was disgusted at the thought of what he was asking me to do. I was picturing in my mind taking Gwen's cards from cold, lifeless fingers. Jemima struggling as I had her pinned and drained her blood into a mountain dew bottle, or ripping Hildy's teeth from her head. I shuddered and Allan must have misinterpreted it. He smiled openly.

"Ah, the famous blood lust of Lucretia! I sometimes wondered if you were more valkyrie than succubus." 

I forced myself to smile back and wondered at my own reactions. A small part of me liked the idea, but a much bigger portion felt it was wrong to do such a thing.

"When my contract with my current Master is done, then I will find you to reopen negotiations." I said finally. Allan nodded and began to leave, then asked over his shoulder as he walked into the backyard.

"Just curious, but have you fucked your current master yet?" I grit my teeth at the offhanded way he said that, but bit back the harsh response. I remembered that to a succubus sex was just business, so it was normal to ask these kinds of questions.

"No..." I said pleasantly. Not a half second later something struck me hard and fast in the back of my head. I was knocked forward through the air past the grinning form of Allan Dickson into my backyard. I tumbled in the grass, pulling my wings in so I could roll easily. I finished the roll and groggily got to my feet. I shook off the shock of the blow and grinned.

So...who was going to be my next victim?

"That's all I needed to hear..." A rich, deep voice said as a large dark form moved out from my room. I couldn't understand how something so big had hidden itself so well that I didn't notice it in my own house. Forward swept horns, aggressive and menacing showed first in the moonlight as a large head with long hair pushed forward, four wings with rich brown feathers spotted with pure white feathers followed behind him. He was huge, his chest was heavily muscled and he was larger around than our refrigerator in the kitchen. He stood tall on the porch just outside of my door, wings spread, I saw the white feathers coincided with my memories of hurting his wings. 

It made me grin wider

This was it! I had him! Here and now! I had a Master who had given me no limitations, I was at the peak of my power and now my enemy was right in front of me! I rushed forward, my wings folded into spears. I felt the lawn tearing under my claws as I dug in for traction. Then slammed hard into a green shifting barrier of translucent energy...

I stumbled back, shocked and shook my head once. I saw Allan standing with one arm extended towards me, his fingers spread. 

"Thought I came here unprepared Little Bird?" Balmont's voice sent chills through me. "Thought that I wouldn't have someone to anchor me in this realm of forgotten lords? You underestimate me that much?"

Then I heard a small clinking sound of metal on metal, and it made that earlier chill feel like a warm wind in comparison to the ball of ice in my belly. I knew that sound very well. My fingers itched, as they wanted to move to cover my shoulder and hip. My eyes searched over him and saw it. Thick links the size of walnuts, dark as coal except for scripting and pictures of different spells engraved in silvery metal etched in every link. I knew each spell I knew by heart, I had been presented that chain as my spell book by Balmont. Only I had learned to late what it really signified.

He held up his right arm, around which it was wrapped from elbow to wrist. He shook his arm once, slowly from side to side, and I flinched as I heard those links clink together.

"So you remember your leash Little Bird?" He said softly. "You remember how to perch on my wrist? To fight when I wish you to fight? You remember your Master?"

I growled and shook my head at him, squaring my shoulders.

"I am Not your bird! I am Not your pet! I am the daughter of a Queen and I Have a Master!" I shouted at him. My legs still felt weak as I watched that damn chain. The metal digging into my flesh and the cold seeping into my body as I was locked in place...

Never Again! I would die first!

The green shield from Allan vanished, and I considered my old employer, "You brought him over...? Why?"

Allan's face changed, and he looked almost crazed with anger as he spat out, "You failed! That's why you stupid whore bitch!" 

I took a half step back even though I was a good distance from the porch. The calm cool collected Allan of just a few minutes ago was gone, replaced with someone who looked insane!

"A simple job! SIMPLE! You almost had them too and then you fucked it up! A human comes in and beats you, I don't care if he is a mage or not. You are a damn succubus and are supposed to turn men's minds to mush and you can't even do that right!" 

Balmont placed a hand on Allans back, rubbing him gently. A wing went out to shadow the smaller wizard.

"Allan Wade Dickson sacrificed much to bring me here, to get his revenge." Balmont said slowly. "He contacted me about his desire to see the Gatewatch destroyed for killing his Sire. Told me how you tried and failed."

Allan looked up then and said in a much calmer tone of voice, "My Dad summoned a being from the fourth Plane and used it to learn how to cure a form of breast cancer my Mom had. Soon we published the results, my Mom was cured...then the Gatewatch came. Two men and a woman. My dad told them what he had done and why...said he would do it again to save someone he loved. They killed him right there. The woman stepped forward and we found out too late she was a vampire when she drained him right in our living room!"

I pondered this, still watching Balmont warily and wondering what this all meant...then it hit me.

"That was the old Gatewatch...the new members haven't done anything to you so why kill them?" I asked

Allan looked about ready to fly into a rage, but Balmont's hand on his back soothed him. I was curious about this, I knew it meant something...

"I want to hurt the old Gatewatch like they hurt me...death is too quick, torture too fast. Even if I could make it last the rest of my lifetime it wouldn't do a thing. Mom went insane after watching Dad be murdered in front of us. The vampire did something to Mom so she wouldn't remember, thought he died in a traffic accident. She ended up dying herself a few years later. Now it's just me...me and all I want to do is to make them suffer."

His face hardened after saying all of that and he looked up at Balmont who gave him a reassuring smile. 




Mine...Yours Pt. 12



"Now I have power, real power! Now I will kill the new Gatewatch and their parents will feel that pain for as long as they live!"

I nodded once, and shrugged. Made sense after a fashion. Theoretically it made a lot of sense. It would be effective but it still didn't answer my real question.

"I understand all that...but what did you need this chjorzit here for?" I asked while pointing a claw at Balmont who grimaced at me. He gave his arm a shake making the chain clink again and my legs went weak.

Allan gazed up adoringly at Balmont and kissed the massive hand of my old master. "He will give me my revenge. After you failed I needed to get someone more powerful. He came to my call, and promised his service in return for my service to him." Allan fixed me with a stare.

"So simple a contract, he just pricked his palm and I did the same to my own...we clasped hands and each said one word." Allan stared dreamily up at Balmont who turned his head to me and his dark eyes were malevolent as he said, "MINE!" 

Allan's lips softly replied, "Yours..."

Chapter 35: Old and New.

My mouth opened wide in shock! What had Allan done? He had...the echo of what I had done, binding me to my Master but twisted in this way made me feel sick, almost nauseous.

"You fool! He will kill you...when he is done he will destroy you!" I shouted at Allan. He didn't even turn to look at me.

"As long as the Gatewatch pays...I do not care." Allan said. "I will give it all to make my pain stop and theirs begin." 

Balmont rumbled his approval and patted the wizard on the head affectionately like a good pet. Then he turned his eyes on me.

"So Little Bird... How do you want to do this?" He asked. He flexed his arms making the chain creak around his forearm. My eyes darted to it for a moment before going back to his face. He grinned maliciously. 

"You don't have the element of surprise now. Stories of your battle prowess spread throughout my realm. How you took on my entire court and left me broken and bleeding..." His smile became a sneer.

"I will chain you to my wrist again, after I take your maidenhead and make you bleed! You will know your master!"

The moment he said "master" he shook his arm and my eyes dropped to the chain around his arm he attacked with his other and flecks of darkness shot from his other hand. I opened my right wing and called up my armor at the same time. Those flecks exploded into flame against my wing, and I flexed whipping the burning mass back at Balmont who irritably shook it off of himself.

"I already know my Master..." I said, cocking my head, putting a hand on my hip and waving my finger at him like Jemima taught me to do. She said I was dark enough for it, she called it "Blackitude!"

"And he is most definitely not you!" I finished. Then I jumped and took off, winging away as fast as I could. I wanted a battlefield of my choosing, and I was very sure there would be a lot of collateral damage. I liked my house, and Greg and I had waited a long time before it had been finished getting fixed up. I had no desire to see it damaged.

I heard the rush of air and saw in my peripheral vision Balmont giving chase. He must have been upset that his initial attack didn't work. I noticed that he didn't fly quite as well as he used too and it made me smile wider. I began beating the air harder as I thought of where to have our encounter. No place with people, they would just get in the way anyway. No place with anything really valuable...so the forest was right out. I loved the trees and plants too much for them to be destroyed. I remembered fairly close to where my Greg worked was a construction yard with office buildings around it. A good size too, almost like an arena with half finished structures in place.

Perfect!

A sudden silver flash made me roll in the air to the side as silver bolts flashed past me.

"You run? Full of fear then Little Bird...too much of a coward to face me?!" I heard Balmont call. I risked a glance to see him chasing me, the wizard Allan riding on his back, keeping a low profile. I saw him raise his hand and give a shout that was swallowed up in the noise of the wind. I juked the same direction as more silver bolts flashed towards me, but I saw them alter course and follow me!

I dove straight down and rushed towards the ground, then looped upwards trying to shake my attackers. I whirled in mid air holding my fingers in front of me. With a grunt I uttered a word then turned and continued flying. A mirror image of dust kept flying in my place and those silver bolts pierced my doppelganger and exploded with bright light! I heard a cry of triumph from Allan, then Balmont shouted something harsh and the wizard went quiet.

The chjorzit wasn't fooled. Figured, he wouldn't be a lord if he could be fooled by such a simple trick. I continued making my way to the construction yard. When I landed I instantly took note of my surroundings. I began placing small glyphs of great power over the ground in greater concentric rings. I had thought briefly of contacting the Gatewatch, but this was my fight. Besides, those women are pretty tough, and I planned on killing Balmont myself. Especially since now I know how strongly he is in this realm. He could die a true death, same as me.

On the other hand he is also here just as powerfully as me...hmmm...hope he likes my surprises then!

I was ready and hiding in shadow, watching carefully as Balmont landed at the edge of the clearning. I was inside of the structure, slowly breathing through slightly parted lips. A part of me wanted to rush out and attack! Wanted to feel my enemy crumble under my fingers as I tasted his flesh and tore him apart! If anyone ever deserved it it was him!

"Out of the night that covers me...black as the pit from pole to pole...I thank whatever gods may be...for my unconquerable soul!" I softly intoned.

I saw Balmont slowly walk around the edges of the clearing, presumably looking for me perhaps. Allan went the other way. I wasn't too impressed with his magic ability. It was a pain to be sure, and his initial defensive shield had stopped my first charge, but he was inconsequential. First priority was the one with wings.

I saw him undo my chain...no, not my chain! I saw him undo the chain from his arm and casually lash it back and forth. I gritted my teeth remembering how it felt the first time he struck me with it...how he had ordered me to stand there and take it! How I couldn't move, how I was helpless...

I heard Balmont speak something and shoved those thoughts away as I saw him move, kneeling on the ground. He put both of his splayed hands to the asphalt and I felt a slow rumble in the earth. Soon beings began to raise up behind him. Creatures formed of rubble and pipe and stone. I cursed softly under my breath. He was creating doppelgangers of his own. He wanted to avoid my traps by having them come in first to disrupt them, find me and then attack me when I was flushed from hiding. I was tempted to run again, but my anger wouldn't let me.

I wasn't sure if I could take him in a straight fight the way he was now. I could take out Allan first but he had just enough magical know how to keep me occupied until Balmont could get me. This was fast turning into a bad situation, and the way I saw it I only knew for sure one way out of it...

Attack...!

But things had to be in place, so I watched as the dummies moved forward.

"Lucretia! My pet!" I heard Balmont call. "Why do you delay what we both know will happen? How about we make a deal?"

I couldn't help it, I wanted to hear what he had to offer. Succubae are all about making deals after all, it's in our nature.

"All I want is your maidenhead. I will be your first. I will let you go after that. If you don't resist me...I might even make sure I don't hurt you..." He chuckled at that. 

"Worried about your master? He won't know, it could be a deal between just the two of us... What he doesn't know won't hurt him. Better than me taking you by force, and then since you resisted I could always hunt him down and rip him in half because you made it harder on me than you had too."

He began pacing, which got me excited. He could move within range soon and I needed to be ready.

"I hear things in the gossip of the realms. Lucretia the Killer, Lucretia Blood Stalker, Lucretia the Grey...cares for her master. A succubus who cares! What a weakness...a joke."

He paused and was within range! I raised my hands and slowly closed them into fists. I started to gather my energy when I heard his next words and my throat seized up as he spoke.

"You know he is just toying with you don't you? How could a human care for a monster? You don't look anything like one of their women. You don't look anything like what a succubus should either. No chest or hips to speak of, thin face, no long flowing hair." He crossed his arms and stood in place continuing to speak.

"I had thought to try to bind your eldest sister Seneca to me. Now that is a real Succubae! All curves and flesh and hair. Why do you think it took me so long to want to take you? Only wanted to do it once because I had to! Wouldn't so much as touch you other wise. You are an ugly glob of clay Lucretia, being the daughter of a Queen is the only thing that makes you remotely attractive."

My fists were shaking so hard as I gathered up my energy, but I heard what he said next...

"If that is how I feel about you, then what would your master feel...its all a lie. HE doesn't care about you, and he never will."

I knew it was a lie, that the chjorzit was just trying to goad me into something foolish. I just knew it, yet at the same time, it hurt! It felt like the time I had swallowed a tray of lemonade ice cubes Gwen had made for our sweet tea. A large cold feeling filled my belly, and it roiled like boiling water inside me.

I gasped out a sob as he touched on a very real fear of mine and I channeled all of that emotion and the tears that wanted to fall into my attack. 

A chained barbed spearhead materialized between my fists and flew out to slam into Balmont's chest. He threw his arms wide with a roar and I grabbed the chain and began dragging him to me as quickly as I could. He passed near one of the glyphs and it exploded, large chunks of ice stabbing through him making him scream in pain. Then he passed over a glyph of fire and stalagmites of molten rock twisted through his body making him give a weak cry as he began twitching. It made me smile seeing him get weaker. I dragged him through several glyphs as his doppelgangers orientated on me and began to rush towards me.

I pulled him into a final glyph that opened the ground up underneath his charred, broken and bleeding body. He plummeted to the bottom of a large hole, then it filled back in over the top of him, encasing him in dirt, concrete and asphalt. When the trap had run it's course, it was as if there had never been a hole to begin with. In his damaged state he would never be able to get out, and the wizard would not be able to get to him in time! 

He was dead!

I crowed out happily as I prepared my wings. The ridges of each one sharpened into blades and I whirled into the doppelgangers! Dropping low one second, rising up the next. Taking them off at their legs or just slashing them entirely in two. Oh it felt wonderful! For the last one I spun and brought out one leg to bring the claw on my heel right on it's misshapen head. I drove it face first directly to the ground, then smiled as I spat on it and walked away as it broke apart.

I saw the wizard Allan, kneeling, his hands clasped. I wondered if he was going to beg for mercy. I wondered if I should give him mercy after all he had done.

No...Allan was crazy. His need for revenge was overwhelming any sort of sanity he did possess. I walked up to him and looked down as he knelt, his eyes meeting mine. His eyes looked so old in that young face. A face that appeared to be aging quickly. I wondered at that...could this be what Gwen was talking about how stress ages people prematurely? Then I saw it was still happening! Allan appeared to be aging ten years right in front of my eyes! 

An explosion behind me made me whirl and dance out of range of Allan in case he tried anything. Balmont was pulling himself out of the rubble, hand over hand crawling out of the charred hole. He was panting as he stood up and shook himself. I could see the giant rents and burns in his flesh closing rapidly and my eyes widened in realization. 

He was draining the life energy from Allan to heal himself! 

"I wonder if you could do the same thing Little Bird?" Balmont said suddenly. I grimaced and spread my wing blades...ready to move.

"I know you have it in you to draw energy from your master...will you do that to someone you care about? Drain them...make them become less so that you can become stronger? I can't let you find out." 

Then he disappeared and I felt claws rake down my side and across my belly! I cried out as I felt my armor shatter all down my side and things break and tear inside of me! One of my eyes was covered in blood and I wiped my face, wincing as I did so. I pressed a shaking palm to my eye and I felt nothing...I pressed harder and still felt nothing. I tentatively touch a finger and my claw moved all around the socket...my eye was gone!

A moment of panic filled me, then I concentrated on healing for a moment and Balmont smiled. 

"This should be interesting..." he mused as he scratched the side of his neck, dislodging more of the debris from the hole I had put him in.

I was still bleeding...I was telling my body to heal and still bleeding! That moment of panic came back and it became Panic!

I saw Balmont raise his large hand as if on cue...His nails had grown out into heavy thick claws, short and blunt. He considered them before looking me over. 

"Poison, of my own make. You can't heal from it, except if you use up your stored energy. So...will you draw from your Master?" He shook his other hand limbering it up. Claws grew on those fingers too.

"Lets see Lucretia, how long your master can hold out with you drawing from him. I bet my servant lasts longer!" Then he rushed me and slammed me into the ground! I rolled and called to that bundle of energy I had taken from the werewolves. It was just enough to heal up my major wounds, but my eye was a lost cause. With his next charge he came in roaring like a dragon, which is horrifying but dragons have eyes on the side of their heads so there is a blind spot you can exploit. So dragons never really concerned me that much. 

For this attack I ducked and curled my armored wings around myself and then raised up launching him into the air. He spread his wings when I slammed the end of another chain into his back and yanked him down back to the earth on another glyph I had spread out. I saw lighting dance and curl around his form as he bared his teeth and yanked me into the magical trap. I allowed myself to be pulled, my one good eye showing fear until I hit the edge of the trap and ran right in. He looked shocked for a moment before I slammed my clawed fingers down into his head.

"I am my father's daughter! Lightning is my friend!" 

I beat him back and forth, my claws ripping across his skin faster than he could heal. I figured if I could keep the damage up then I could hopefully make him use up Allan's energy before he could heal up too much. Then Allan would die and we could have more of an even fight. I drop kicked his head hard and was about ready to follow it up when I heard a groan from behind me and a wall of fire appeared around me.

Fire is not my friend...

I leaped out of the fiery cage and tumbled across the ground, wincing at the where the fire had burned me through cracks in my armor. Normally fire hurts but I can heal fast enough to keep up with it. This though, I couldn't afford to expend the extra energy. I saw Allan collapse and grey hair begin to form at his temples.

Then I heard the clinking of the chain...and my heart stopped for a moment.

"Enough toying with you Little Bird! Time to learn your PLACE!" I heard Balmont bellow. I rolled as I heard the whistling sound of air through the links in the chain. It missed me, mostly... a furrow of dark asphalt was torn from the ground and a good chunk of armor from my legs. I screamed more from fear and shock than from pain. The chain came down again as I tried to scramble away but my legs weren't working very well since they were trembling so bad.

Fear, oh the bitter taste of Fear was in my mouth. The second time the chain hit I froze, mouth open, trying to scream. It was all coming back to me...

I was scared then as I was now, my arms began to curl around my body as my wings tried to shield me. I curled up my legs and began to pull in my tail as the blows fell. I felt his hand grab my tail and pull me to him! I cried out and I felt the chain rip across my already wounded belly tearing it open. 

I lay on my back crying, and felt water on my face. I hadn't noticed it before...but that storm I had seen rolling in earlier with Mr. Brooks had finally arrived. I stared up at the clouds and had a thought...

I could barely move but I cracked my lips open as rain fell on my face. "Lord of Mr. Brooks...I don't know what to do...help..." Then I felt Balmont's fist smash into my face, driving my horns into the ground beneath me.

I felt my legs being pulled apart. "You made me work for it Little Bird, now it's not going to be pleasant at all for you!" I felt his claw finger slide over my belly and my own blood being slathered over my lower lips.

"There, now your'e nice and ready for me. Hold this for me..." I felt the chain coil onto my chest, its cold weight pinning me down as surely as if I had been frozen in place with a spell. I felt rough hands pull my legs further apart and push them back to my shoulders, making me cry out as my split open belly gushed fresh blood.

"Don't scream for me yet...save your breath for when I really get going...I have waited a long time for this moment Little Bird!"

Then, I felt something shift inside of me, a small tickle at the back of my mind...a warmth began to fill me as something began to open. An awareness that I was intimately familiar with began seeping into my body, and I laughed once which made me cough and I hacked some of my blood out onto my chin. My one good eye blearily looked up into an intent but slightly puzzled looking Balmont's face. He opened his mouth and appeared to be about to speak when there was a rushing pop sound and a blue flash followed by a shrill scream! 

Balmont pushed his hand on my chest making me wheeze as he turned his head. His hand covered my chest and arms down to my elbows. I had forgotten just how massive he was. I looked over as best as I could and saw...

My Master! He had woken up!

Gregory was wearing his old faded blue jeans that had bloodstains on them from the werewolf attack. He also was wearing a flannel shirt that looked to be too long on him, and I recognized it as Mr. Brook's shirt. He was holding Allan around the throat with one hand, and was holding Allan's other arm by the elbow outstretched from his body.

"Cast a spell like that at me again and I will..." Gregory punctuated the sentence by jerking his hand and Allan screamed as his arm now dangled uselessly at his side. Gregory let him fall and slowly turned around to face Balmont who still had me pinned down and was ready to take me.

His eyes, oh my Greg's eyes were glowing blue, like flashlights! He rolled his neck once and grinned.

"I don't know who you are...and honestly I don't care. You let go of my friend or I will rip you a new asshole!" He said with a smile that showed all of his teeth.

Balmont seemed to consider. "We appear to be at an impasse young mage. How about we make a deal? I could always..." Balmont whipped his head to the side as Gregory kicked the ground, a blue shield enveloping his leg, and a chunk of concrete clipped Balmont's horns knocking his head to the side.




Mine...Yours Pt. 12



"You dare...Ooomph!" He bellowed as Gregory slammed into his chest knocking him off of me. I had always known Master could move quickly when he wanted to, but this was amazing! One moment he had been fifty to sixty feet away, then he had charged with his shoulder into Balmont's chest in the blink of an eye.

I heard a wordless cry from my Master as he raised and lowered his fists slamming them into my old master again and again. I tried to move to help but I couldn't, everything was going very dark. I placed my hands on my stomach, feeling the massive tear in my flesh and whimpered as I tried to hold it closed. Was this what my Greg had felt when he was lying on the ground? Would I be close to death too? I heard my Master fighting and closed my eyelids. The rain felt good, I would just sleep for a bit and when I would wake up we would be in bed, my Gregory and me.

I was so glad my Master was awake...

Chapter 36: The Door

(Gregory's Viewpoint) 

24 hours earlier...

I could hear my name being called but I ignored it. I wanted to sleep. Sleep was always a good thing. Not so much in jail because I would always dream of the outside world, or of nightmares. Nightmares I almost always had in jail, but when I woke up from them I was almost always happy to see the concrete walls around me and know that it was just a dream. The happy dreams that were the worst. In my dreams I would wake up in my old bed and get up, have a cup of coffee. Or I would go out for a walk and see the farmer's fields around my home and watch the clouds turn bright in the morning sun. Then get ready to go to work.

Sleep with no dreams was a wonderful luxury and I was prepared to take full advantage of it by going back to sleep and forgetting all about the real world. I wanted nothing to do with werewolves, witches, warlocks, or talking rats, or vampires or chupacabra or any of it! I wanted to fade away to nothing and never come back!

"Gregory?"

Besides...what was life to me now? I was labeled a monster, treated like a monster, and viewed as one? This was my perfect opportunity to pass on right? I mean...heaven is out there right? Go to heaven and see God if heaven exists and then it all will be out in the open and everyone will know that I am blameless of that sin. Course I have done a bunch of other foolish stuff and that will all be out in the open too. Hmmm, maybe we can gloss over some of the more embarrassing things? They weren't really bad but were VERY embarrassing.

"Gregory? You need to wake up now."

Suicide...is it suicide to really give up on life? For so long I had been merely surviving...existing. Now that I know I have been hurt badly if I gave up and let myself move on to the next life would that be considered suicide...or just merely giving up? Is there a difference?

"Gregory, we need you...Lucretia needs you...can't you feel it?"

Wish that voice would leave me alone...Lucretia. Yeah...what about Lucretia huh? She is the most kickass person I know. Even if she isn't human she is more human to me than anyone I know outside of immediate family. Talk about patient, I am one moody son of a gun. A depressing wet blanket. She puts up with all of that! She saved me from more than just those werewolves...she saved me from me! She made me curious about life. I am supposed to teach her about women am I? Teach her how to seduce a man? I don't know the first thing about any of it! I gave her free will and what does she do? She obeys me...she tries out all of my suggestions and puts up with my orders even when I seem to be clueless. I feel like the blind leading someone who can see half the time...I don't deserve to have someone so incredible in my life.

I sometimes wish she had killed me.

"Child...do you truly wish that? If that were true then this has all been a waste, and all has been for naught." A voice made of spun sugar with a touch of sour lime spoke. I opened my eyes and found myself in front of my Door. The words on the floor were crumbled and dust. The final word emblazoned on my door itself shone with an eerie orange light. I turned and saw a slight woman with a mouth full of sharp teeth. Her skin and hair were as white as newly fallen snow and her eyes were a pearlescent white that were looking straight into mine.

"Hi...ummm...Mother." I said lamely. Lucretia's mom always freaked me out a little. She smiled, and it made my spine tingle.

"Greetings Gregory. You still wish to die?" she asked.

"No, not really. I was just having a pity party for myself." I replied.

She cocked her head regarding me. "A pity...party? Festivities for something that is useless?" I sighed.

"Its not useless, well, actually it is kinda useless but feels good for a short time. Sort of." 

She seemed to roll this concept around for a moment and then glanced back at me. "So are you done with this pity party now?" I snorted and nodded my head.

"Good because it will be time for you to wake up shortly." She said with a nod of her head. She walked over to my door and stood beside it, indicating the symbol.

"Do you know what this is?" she asked me. I nodded. "It means Surpass." She smiled and again I got the heebie jeebies! Why is it that when Lucretia smiles at me her sharp teeth are hardly noticeable...but when Mother does it, it makes me want to run and hide?

"You are correct young mage, now...you have passed the tests of the other words. Become, you have chosen what you wish to become. Grow, you are growing into what you have chosen to become. Learn, you are learning how to grow into what you have chosen to become..." She paused, and ran her fingers over the symbol and I felt it like a feathers brush on the back of my neck when she did it.

"I wish to know why you have not Surpassed this obstacle...why is this Door still here?" She asked me.

I shrugged. "It's done its job so far, keeping everything inside so I don't have to deal with it" She shook her head and growled slightly.

"What has it really done for you boy!" she spat at me. I recoiled away from her. She appeared to take hold of herself. She ran clawed fingers through her white hair and gave me a sweet smile.

"I am not very good at having patience with those who cannot see..." she said softly.

"What am I supposed to see?" I asked, feeling very confused. She sighed and waved a hand and made a large mirror appear in front of me.

"Tell me what you see..." she said in that odd voice of hers. I pondered my reflection. I saw myself, naked, but not feeling shame for it. Even if I was in front of Mother who I considered a female I felt no shame in my body, no desire to cover up. I wondered if it was the fact that this whole exchange was happening in my mind that made it that way for me.

"I see me..." I said slowly. I was trying to figure out if this was a trick question or not.

"Would you like me to tell you what I see?" Mother said after a moment. She seemed almost disappointed. Well, I have disappointed a lot of people so why not a succubus queen? Round out the whole collection!

She chuckled dryly, "You do not disappoint me young one. As I said, I am not very good at patience. It is no fault of yours, only mine." 

She stood next to me looking at her own reflection for a moment and seemed about ready to preen then caught herself and looked me over.

"I see a very strong aspect of who Gregory Brooks is, and I would very much enjoy meeting the man." She said quietly.

I looked down at her in surprise...hadn't expected that. Her words made something inside of me tremble with a sharp pang of fear. Like when you reach inside of a drawer for the fillet knife and you grasp it in your hand and feel the bite of the edge of the blade in your palm. You freeze for a moment and then slowly draw your hand out to see if you have been cut. Something like that.

She nodded her head as if reading my mind.

"Did you believe that you were Gregory, and that you had pushed your emotions and feelings away into a dark place?" I nodded and she laughed a short sharp bark of a laugh.

"That is impossible to do, to really do! All you have done is hide who you are and allow the world to be your cage." She raised up a hand and patted my dumbfounded cheek.

You are the aspect of Survival...Gregory Bastion Brooks. Oh more of you has leaked through than you know. Your sense of Justice and your innocent Trust have come through. I sense Compassion has made itself know as well. Your Door never really was there and I have been waiting all of this time for you to break the final seal and open it. I have wanted you to become whole again, instead of just ignoring who you are and trying to live your life without caring."

My mind was whirling with all of this information . What was she saying? If this was true and for some reason it appeared to resonate within me as true, then I had been...what had I been doing all this time?! 

"Trying to protect yourself from the harsh realities of this world..." Mother answered. "You had always believed that you do the best you can with what you have, do no harm to others and no one will hurt you. This is a lie that many believe."

She waved a hand and the mirror dissipated into nothing, taking my reflection with it. "There is a rule that you believe yes? People believe what they want to believe. That is the rule yes? It has been written in many different books and you humans quote it often enough so one would think they would listen to it."

She sighed and shook her head, "You tell someone something and they see fault with it or offense even though none was meant and then they chastise you for it. Even a simple slip of a word or two can cause others to despise you or wish you harm. No Gregory...you cannot live a good life just by being a good person."

I took a step back from her hand grabbed the sides of my head.

"Listen to me Gregory Bastion Brooks..." Mother began.

"I am!" I shouted back at her in angry exasperation, and walked right up to peer down at her face. "You say that you have a hard time with patience? Well then, let me point out to you to have a little more patience and give me a chance to breathe!" I panted at her.

"You want me to open that Door and your asking me why I don't and your telling me a whole bunch of bullshit and having me look in mirrors and spout a bunch of words at me that make no sense..." I paused and considered what I had just said.

"Actually they do kind of make sense but it doesn't really apply right now. You asked me a question, and I want to answer it." I took a deep breath, glared at the Door and then sighed out my air.

"I am afraid..." I said softly.

"Of what?" Mother asked.

"Of...I don't know...the unknown? I haven't really been whole in a while and I know I got a lot of pain locked up in there."

Mother nodded, "There must also be a lot of good, after all you like yourself don't you?" I glanced back at Mother before staring at the Door.

"The unknown is really very frightening to me, Sounds weird to say it like that but it is...What am I supposed to do if I can't handle it...I...I don't know what to..."

Mother interrupted me, "Lucretia will help you...if you can Surpass your own fear in time." 

That pegged something inside of me, maybe it was Mother's tone of voice but it carried a clear and distinct warning in it.

"You need to Surpass your fear to Learn to Grow into what you have chosen to Become." Mother said simply.

I waited for more, but it didn't come. "What does Lucretia have to do with it?" I asked slowly. Mother shook her head.

"No...Mother it is important, please tell me. There is something your keeping from me." I asked sternly. The quaver in my voice gave away my emotions.

Mother sighed and looked down as she crossed her arms under her breasts.

"If you do not Surpass...Lucretia will die."

Those words hung in the air as if drawn there. I heard them but also could see them like bold print glowing darkly on the inside of my forehead. The moment of silence lengthened as I stared hard at Mother. 

"Surpass my fear? That's it...get this Door open and...and Lucretia won't die?" My voice was rough and choked as I stumble towards the Door. It didn't even occur to me at the time to question what Mother was telling me. I felt it in my entire being, she believed it and so did I.

My hands found the locked wheel and I saw the little bit of play in the chain, I began inspecting it, looking for a weak link. Normally the Door always wants to open, now it was still and silent. I glared at it. Of all the times for it to behave...now was a very bad time to do that!

"Come on!" I groaned, searching the chain. I heard Mother speaking to me.

"You need to get over your fear first Gregory..." I didn't even turn around as I spoke.

"Damn getting over fear! Damn tests and damn the waiting! I don't care if I am afraid, fearful, or a scaredy cat! I need to get over this to help Lucretia...? Then I will!"

The chain broke in my hands and the wheel spun without me touching it, and a second later I heard the clink of metal as the bolts fell into their unlocked position.

"Well done." Mother said behind me. I stood up and squared my shoulders. I grabbed a hold of the door and I saw the symbol on the door glitter again. I took my other hand and wiped it off.

"I guess I just needed a reason to open it that was bigger than my fear." I muttered to myself. I opened the Door and stepped through.

(Addendum)

Mother stood quietly watching as the Door opened, then shut and vanished from view.

"I do not see why I had to be the one to tell him these things...is it not a parents job to do?" Mother said quietly.

"You are a parent yourself..." Mr. Brooks said. He stepped forward to stand next to Mother, staring at the blank wall that had once held a portal that his son had locked. "Why did you not do the same thing with Lucretia.?"

Mother glanced at the much bigger man next to her and shrugged. "I tried...many times. But...she would not listen." Mr. Brooks nodded in agreement.

"Sometimes we have to hear it from someone who is not a parent, and sometimes from someone who is not a friend for us to believe it." He paused for a moment, then smiled. "Probably why people go to see therapists so often!"

Mother gave him a questioning look to which Mr. Brooks replied, "A therapist is someone that people pay a fee to listen to their problems and offer advice or an outside opinion to help them."

Mother snorted and shook her head, "Humans are strange...!" Mr. Brooks nodded, smiling as well.

The succubus queen hesitated a moment, then looked Mr. Brooks squarely in the eye.

"When you summoned me, after so long...I was curious." She stopped, again considering her words.

Mr. Brooks continued instead, "I only knew that I felt the prompting to summon you and tell you of the problems of my son and find a solution with you. It made no sense to me either...but here we are." He placed a hand on Mother's shoulder. "I never dreamed we would be helping your daughter." He thought a moment and smiled a little, "I really like her, a lot. Didn't think that I would."

Mother grinned a shark tooth grin at him and he matched it with his own. "Gregory is very much like his father when he was younger, he is good for my daughter." She turned from Mr. Brooks and began to walk away. 

"Yes, we are helping them...and accomplishing so much more as well!"

Chapter 37: Bandages.

I thought for sure I would be surrounded by blue light or white or something dark and dreary. I wasn't though. The moment the Door opened I felt it disappear from my fingertips and I was blinking at sunshine on my face. I held up a hand as I blinked and squinted to adjust my vision. After I could see again I looked at, and then goggled at my surroundings!

It was a giant pasture bordered by wheat fields and vineyards. The grass was thick and lush and I could feel it between my toes. I took in a deep breath of clean air and almost purred in satisfaction. The sun felt good on my body, like I had been in the dark for too long and my skin was thirstily drinking in the golden light.

"Your back!" said a surprised voice. I turned and saw what I thought was a smaller version of myself dressed all in black with a hood on. He spun once and slammed a small globe on the ground causing a flash of smoke to appear with a bang! When the smoke cleared, he was gone!

I heard a lighter flick and looked next to me to see Justice standing beside me. "Do I even want to know?" I asked him.

He rolled his now lit cigarette to the other side of his mouth as he pocketed the lighter. "Near as I can tell, since I have no idea what aspect he is, he was the part of you that wanted to be a ninja when you were young." 

I made a sound that was somewhere between a gasp and a laugh. "Seriously? That is so...I don't know...geeky?" 

Trust pulled at my hand to get my attention and I looked down at myself...wow this was going to get confusing! "Come on! Lets get this done! He is waiting..."

Who was waiting? I'd kind of thought that I was the lead dog. I was Survival after all. Wasn't I the most important aspect of...well...myself? Trust began leading me down into the pasture. And I began to see more faces. I saw the studious part of me reading next to the lazy part of me fishing. I had always thought those two kind of went hand in hand since I enjoyed reading so much. I saw a few aspects hunting, one that was a boy with a slingshot. The other as a teen with a bow and arrow, and the final very close to they way I looked now give me a glance and a nod before aiming at his target with a rifle.

There were so many, too numerous to count...all variations of the major aspects of who I was. Walking through them, being led by the hand by Trust and being followed closely by Justice...I began to feel it all again. I began to remember all of those memories that I had pushed away because it hurt to think about them now. I began to remember old friends who I hadn't seen in ages and the bittersweet taste of those memories filled my mind. A memory of getting punched by bullies and then getting up and even while crying fighting back against them. I don't remember how it ended as even more memories flooded in.

Trust stopped walking and I was standing beside a pool next to a large tree. Looked to be a sequoia of some kind. I looked down at the pool, it was glowing softly, a rich blue that looked like a piece of the sky above had fallen down to nestle in the grass. It made me think of Chicken Little with the whole shtick of "The sky is falling! The sky is falling!" It made me chuckle quietly to myself.

"Something funny?" a raspy voice asked behind me. I immediately stopped laughing turning to face who I knew it was. I had only ever seen his face, covered in bandages, now I could see all of him. He was as tall as me, and as wide. His fingers twitched at his sides and his red-rimmed eyes looked like they had been crying. I watched him carefully as he moved a little to the side, closer to the pool.

"I asked you a QUESTION!" he thundered and all the other aspects moved to give us more space. Trust and Justice stayed by my side. The bandage man gave them each a look that could have melted lead.

"Traitors...he left US! Now you side with HIM?" He took a step forward and Justice met him.

"There is no him or you or us you pain blinded idiot!" He opened his mouth to say more when the end of one of the bandages came up and wrapped around Justices's head and mouth. It was as if he had been plugged into an electrical socket and his body twitched and spasmed like he was having seizures! Trust moved to help him but I held him back and we watched Justice thrash on the ground, trying to scream but unable to.

"There you go Justice...see what I have had to endure for YEARS! Because of HIM!" he said while pointing at me. 




Mine...Yours Pt. 12



Trust spoke up then and in his high childlike voice said, "So what?" The bandage covered aspect of myself fixed him with his eyes and waited.

"So what? We need to all be one, because this is killing me, its killing all of me!" He turned to me and looked into my eyes. "Isn't it hurting you too?" I swallowed, unable to look away from that innocent child's face. He put his hands on my waist.

"I searched everywhere for good memories to bring you back to us when we would visit you. Justice and I would go down to your box and wait for you to come out. It was dark in there and dirty, but we would wait in there for you to come back and notice us again. We wanted you to be free, to be with us again so we could all be one..."

Tears came to his eyes, "Now you're here, and you need to...you need to...AHH!" He screamed as a bandage wrapped around him and he was tossed to the side to lay next to a motionless Justice. I did't even think, I just attacked. There is one thing I don't tolerate, and that's hurting kids! Well, beyond a wholesome discipline like spankings and such. I plowed into that walking linen bandage and started pounding on him!

He just began laughing, and began laughing even harder when my shields came up and my power flowed into my body. What was with this guy, I was hitting him hard enough to break bricks like Styrofoam and he was laughing?

I was yanked back by the bandages but they didn't seem to hurt me like it did the other aspects...he stood and dusted himself off, and I really took a close look at him. He was wrapped like a mummy from head to toe in pure white linen cloth, even around his fingers and toes. Just a nose hole and some eye holes was all that could be seen.

His movements were pained, made sense when I remembered that he had told me that those bandages were the pain of nine years of what had happened to me wrapped around him...but what aspect was he?

The others all made sense, the costumes, mannerisms and all that showed me who and what they were. I had nothing to go on here! Well it felt pain, that was something...but so did my other aspects. It seemed to be able to use power like my own, even told me how it would allow me the use of it sometimes. Appeared to want to teach me, and guide me sometimes...though it had kind of a cruel way to go about it!

So what feels emotion and pain and is linked to all of my other apects and fellings and yet is still linked to me after a fashion when I concentrate on Survival alone...

Shit!

"You're my Heart...!" I exclaimed softly.

The head snapped to face me. I began walking towards him, hands outstretched. There was so much I wanted to say! So much I should do! Just saying what he was out loud seemed so insufficient. Just recognizing him...what had I done?

I came closer still and he braced as if from a strike but instead I ran fingers over those bandages, I could feel tears prickling at the corners of my eyes as I tried to feel his features to remember. I started pulling and trying to tear the cloth then found the knot and started unwrapping the linen from around his head as he faced me stoically not moving a muscle until soon I saw him...

My face, frozen in time...the expression of dismay that showed how my heart had fallen inside of me when the guilty verdict came down. A young man of 26 looked into my eyes and said softly, the rasp still there but not as strong. "How could you do it to me? How could you take me and wrap me up like that? How...? He stopped as I hugged him tight and began sobbing. It was as if a little piece of who I was was coming back, not smothered anymore by the pain.

"I thought that..." I sniffed and hugged him tighter. "I thought that if I pushed it all down around you, that I wouldn't feel it...I was going crazy I tell you! I was going to go postal or do something stupid! So I...So that's what I did...I am so sorry."

He pulled back just a little and stared into my red-rimmed eyes, now a match for his own.

"I can't forgive you..." he said softly, as the bandages slowly began to wind up his neck. I saw this and grabbed the linen, trying to pull it back down. I was pulling as hard as I could and even with my power it wouldn't budge, then I had a thought and I turned to look around at those who were watching, and I saw a young man with a kind face in overalls and a straw hat.

"You, Compassion?" He nodded and his smile showed through his lips exposing a gap toothed grin. He came forward and I took his hand, without even hardly a thought I felt him slide into me, and like a jigsaw puzzle I had a larger picture inside of my mind.

"Even with Compassion, I can't forgive you..." my Heart told me. I nodded in agreement. 

"No, I can't...but I can forgive myself." I replied. I softly took the end of the bandage and it yielded to my fingers as I began to unwind it.

"What are you doing?" My Heart asked sharply. I smiled sadly as I continued unwinding the bandage. I felt a pickling begin in my fingers, like a low hum of electricity was flowing through the fabric.

"This should never have been placed on you. Pain is meant to be shared, not shouldered alone..." I said quietly. My Heart's eyes widened and his hands came up to grab at mine. 

"No! Don't take it away! I need this...I need this strength, this power!" His fingers dug into my wrists and I paused to consider him, my younger self.

"No, you don't need it..." I thought a moment and then amended my words. "I.don't need this pain. I need something different to fuel me, to make me move on. I need a different form of protection..."

My heart stared at me and whispered softly, "Lucretia...?" I nodded. "She needs me...?" I nodded again, slowly.

"How do I get this off?" My heart said as he began pulling on the bandages. I felt a hand on my waist and looked down to see Trust looking up at me. 

"Pain is meant to be shared, to be carried by many people. That way it is, made smaller with every hand that touches it." He took the end of the linen cloth from my fingers and clenched it in his own grubby fingers and looked up at me with a quavering smile.

"See?" He said bravely, as his hand began to jerk and tears formed in the corners of his eyes. "It's not so bad..." 

I ruffled his hair as he sniffed and wiped the sleeve of his shirt over his eyes. "Pass it on..." I told him.

Soon every single aspect of who I was, the hunters, the knights, the boys and men all came forward and all took a piece of the bandage and kept pulling. My Heart grimaced and groaned as the cloth began to pull from him, in some areas it tried to stick in place and he yelled that he wanted it to stay, but I spoke to him/myself calmly and softly and pulled a little harder. Sometimes I had to give a yank and we all cried out together as flesh sometimes came along with the bandage!

After a period of time, I don't know how long, we were all standing together in a group, every hand holding onto the linen, my Heart holding onto the end. He looked up at me, smiling a tremulous smile and said. "We...no..I am FREE!"

Then all the aspects began to move towards me, each holding a piece of bandage. In moments they sank into me and I could feel in my mind who and what I was. It shocked me to realize I had hidden away so much of who I had been or was or whatever! It was...weird and yet comforting. Like sitting in a bean bag chair for the first time when you thought a straight ladder back chair was the only way to go.

I opened my eyes and felt, for the first time, almost complete. What I had felt before when Justice and Trust came in was NOTHINNG compare to this. I saw Heart looking at me, the final piece of myself. He was still holding one end of the bandage and carefully fingering it before he looked into my eyes.

"Never again...you hear me? Never. Again!" 

I nodded, and with a cry he leapt forward and hugged me...and disappeared. The world shook under my feet, and the glow intensified from the pond. I stepped over to it, admiring it's size and depth. Didn't take a scientist to figure out that this is where my power lay. I had tasted it before, and knew what I was now. I was a telekinetic mage. I could move things with a thought, and protect myself from harm. I was like an X-men character! I almost slapped myself in the face at that!

I stepped closer and caught the reflection of the blue sky above, that was slowly changing to purple and orange, the sun was setting. Made sense, I was whole now. I knew who I was. Now...how do I get out of here?

I thought about jumping into the pond...maybe have a cool transportation event like in the movie Tron. Then shrugged. Maybe I should just wait and see what happens? 

The blue glow was getting stronger, and I was surprised at the intensity of it. Was the power waiting for me really that strong? I searched back in my mind and couldn't remember a thing that would explain to me where it came from...

"It's a Brooks family thing..." I heard my Dad's voice behind me. It also came so suddenly that I jumped in place!

"Whoa! Dad! What the he...heck!" I caught myself before swearing. He was standing there, smiling at me and I could have sworn I saw tears in his eyes. He sniffed once and coughed.

"Its so good to see my son back!" He said. Then stepped forward to wrap his arms around me. I could feel his chest shaking as he kissed the top of my head and his arms tightened almost painfully around me.

"The Brooks family always has one every few generations. Don't know how it started but every now and then we have a family member pop up who is special, gifted. We don't say anything about it because sometimes it skips several generations. We just take it as it comes." He said as he wiped his eyes and stepped back, smiling at me.

"Your Grandfather knew plants, could talk to them and help them grow. We thought that was going to be it, and then my younger brother, your Uncle Grover, turned into a bear cub in his crib. Now you, my son...you're a mage!" He glanced up at the sky and smiled wider at what he saw.

"And a very powerful one at that too..."

I looked up but didn't really see anything. "What do you mean?" I asked. He looked back down at me and spoke quickly.

"There isn't much time son...Lucretia is fighting her old master even as we speak. She is not strong enough to fight him and the wizard he has bound to his service..." I blinked and shook my head trying to keep up.

"Lucretia, old master, and...huh?" I stuttered.

My Dad put his hands on my shoulders squaring me up to face him. "That doesn't mean anything right now, important thing is you understand this. Lucretia needs you...you must go to her. Feel her...Find her. That's the most important...Feel Her...Find Her...Save Her...Understand?"

"Feel Her...Find Her...Save Her. Sounds simple enough." I said slowly, giving a lopsided grin at the end. Dad nodded and gave me a startlingly fierce grin in return. Kinda creepy to see that on him. My Dad was an easy going guy all about honor and stuff. Not violent at all, I knew he could be but still...

Creepy!

I turned from him and got ready to jump in the pond. I had read this story before. Power in pool, jump in pool and go home. Made sense.

"What are you doing?" Dad asked. I looked over my shoulder. "Umm...power is based out of this pond, because it's glowing? Jump in and go home right? Or wake up from this weird dream my head likes to do to me every now and then...?"

Dad laughed very hard, and covered his mouth before putting his hands on his hips and smiling at me. "Only you Gregory! Oh my son...are you in for a surprise!"

I didn't know what he meant, but...oh well. I looked back into the pool that was the glowing with the same blue light as my power. Wondered if it was cold? Just jumping in like this fully would be a heck of a shock if this pond was cold! 

I tucked and jumped, thinking I'd land feet first, but instead I kept going up, and up and up! I shouted in surprise and looked up at where I was...falling? Or...man this is confusing. I saw the sky flickering with the same blue as my power, I looked down and saw the pond reflecting that same light. Did that mean...?

I thought the pond had been the seat, the center of my abilities, but now I realized it was so much bigger than I thought it had been. I remembered what my Heart had told me just a while a go before I knew what it was, that I had been using just a fraction of my abilities! I smiled as a warmth filled me. 

I was whole...I had power...I still had pain, but it was spread out over who I was.

I was me!

The sky swallowed me up and I closed my eyes in contentment.

Chapter 38: Lord.

"Gregory! Put me down right NOW!" I opened my eyes to see Mom looking right into them. She looked angry, flustered and very...well...put out I think is the best way to say it.

I also wasn't touching her, and I don't really remember Mom being tall enough for me to look her in the eyes, and why was she holding her arms out like that? 

"M..." I had to cough, like my throat hadn't been used in a while. "Ahem! Mom?" I tried again.

"Gregory, yes I know your awake now and I am glad you are. I love you but could you please put me down!?" Mom said rapidly.

I swiveled my eyes and gasped as I realized that I was floating above my hospital bed and Mom was being held up as well! I looked back with wide eyes and cut the feeling of energy towards Mom making her scream as she fell!

...Right into Dad's arms. 

Whew! I looked down at my arm that was feeling pain and saw the needle still taped into place from the IV. I hardly thought about it before it slid cleanly out of my vein. I was still floating over the bed in a hospital gown, and again without even hardly thinking about it I righted myself and stood on my own two feet! I rolled my neck and experimentally flexed my arms and rolled my shoulders. I was feeling pretty good actually. I remembered the werewolf attack and grimaced a little. I felt my shoulder again, the left one, and realized I had no pain. I looked over at Mom who had righted herself and now hugged me and began bawling!

"My baby! I was so worried and scared for you! Then Lucretia was here and then Gwen came here and fixed you up. Your foot was broken so badly your toes stuck out in different directions and she fixed you, but you wouldn't wake up! Then you woke up and I started floating in the air with you then you opened your eyes and...I am so happy your okay!" She clutched me tighter and continued crying.

Lucretia had been here? Of course she had been...she had saved me. Saved me...Find Her...What had...?

I felt a fear, and an anger that wasn't my own bloom inside of my belly and I growled. Dad took Mom's elbow and gently pulled her back.

"Come on Honey, Greg has something he needs to do..." She looked up at him in surprise. "But he is just out of the hospital bed..." I tuned the rest of them out as I concentrated on what I was feeling. The feelings were so strong and they pointed towards...There!

I started walking and would have walked out of the room before Dad put a hand on me, I turned to him with a snarl as a part of myself long buried began to surface. He just smiled at me, his face awash in a soft blue light I assumed came from my eyes. 

"Need these or your going to get arrested for indecent exposure. Wish we would have brought you some clean clothes."

I looked down and took the old jeans of mine and Dad shrugged out of his flannel shirt and handed it to me. I had always hated going commando, and was careful how I zipped up my pants. I put on Dad's shirt and left it unbuttoned, "I love you guys, I need to go." Mom gasped.

"Gregory, please...be careful." I snorted at that which made Dad frown. I gave Mom a quick hug. "See you all soon. I need to go."

How did I know where to go, I didn't...I just knew the direction. I just felt, her...I felt my Lucretia. Same as when she hung out with Jemima and Gwen the first time and got upset by the movie. I had taken her to other movies, not to too many movie theaters though. I took her to see a matinee showing of Ironman, the first one which was being replayed for cheap at a restaurant. It's a real treat since you can order food and they bring it to you in the theater. She ended up standing and throwing her drink and my drink and our plates of left over chili cheese fries and my hamburger at the screen! All this while she is telling "Tony Stark" why he was an idiot!

We had been asked to leave, no surprise.

I ran down the hospital stairs instead of the elevator and ended up jumping the rail and falling the three stories to the bottom floor with a dull thud. My power had slowed my fall, and then pushed me forward just like how I had practiced holding myself off of the ground earlier. Strangely different though, I began pulling myself along faster, my range of only two inches was gone, it was more like, I have no idea the range! I would reach out, picking a streetlight base or parked car and pull myself there with a thought, and fast!

The speed I was making my body move was starting to hurt, so I began to harden my shield around me. I was ignoring the pedestrians and traffic, thankfully not much of those out on a rainy night. I felt her in the direction of my route where I pick up dumpsters in the industrial district. I was moving faster and faster...telephone poles blurring past me as I raced along on a cushion of air not even moving my feet! I saw lightning and fire and heard roaring as I got closer...then a sound caught my ears...one I never heard before and prayed I would never hear again.

Lucretia screaming in fright and in pain! It tripped something inside of me and my body seemed to take over! My shield became opaque completely covering me from head to toe. This panicked me because now I couldn't see, Lucretia liked to give me a hard time about this since when I did this she called me a turtle. She had been fascinated by turtles, because they would crawl into their shells and couldn't see anything going on around them, but were still protected. More than one box turtle had been surprised when she had swallowed them whole, but I made her spit them back out. It had been unnerving to see her throat bulge like that!

Anyway I couldn't see and was racing forward towards the sounds of her screams and trying to stop myself from holding that shield when I had an idea that made me want to groan in exasperation at myself.

I opened my Sight...and could see through my shield. I saw several cars parked close to the construction zone where this battle seemed to be taking place and I saw a large, thing. Looked like a minotaur with wings but with a man face instead of a bull face. And four wings? Guess he would need the extra lift to get that much bulk off of the ground. My Sight showed me a glowing line of green energy constantly flowing from a kneeling man to the giant that was now holding Lucretia on the ground. I figured she would have a few tricks for him and zipped closer to the man. He saw me and raised a hand in my direction.

Silver flashing bolts shot towards me and I let them come, speeding up and slamming into them making them give off a ringing pop as I did. I let my shield fall but held my Sight in place as I looked at this...person. He looked deranged and his specter behind him looked to be shouting but I wasn't hearing the words. Another who looked even more insane if that were possible was shouting at someone else and not even looking at me. There was another behind him that was crying and wailing like it had lost it's best friend.

I determined, in my personal opinion...this man needed professional help! He also had cast a spell of some sort at me, and was helping the unfriendly winged giant hurt my Lucretia! The very thought of that made my blood boil! I saw him start to raise his other hand towards me, slowly as if not trying to attract my attention. I grabbed it by the elbow with my other hand, maybe a little too tightly because he screamed again.




Mine...Yours Pt. 12



"Cast a spell like that at me again and I will..." I finished by squeezing mildly for me, but I heard a sound like celery being torn and he screamed again as I let his arm fall down useless against his side. He should be grateful he was still breathing considering my mood! I turned to look at the remaining players in this battle, I could feel my eyes flashing a brighter shade of blue as I saw my Lucretia folded in half and exposed and bleeding and a giant with a truly impressive penis...no, can't say penis. That thing looked big enough to club an ox unconscious!

"I don't know who you are...and honestly I don't care. You let go of my friend or I will rip you a new asshole!" I said. I grinned at him, waiting for him to move or say something. It was obvious what he was going to do. He was a rapist ass wipe and even if he backed off of my Lucretia...he was dead!

I ignored what he started to say, I saw that he had raised up just enough that I had time to strike!

I called on my power and kicked hard at the pavement. With a little mental force it created a nice make shift cannonball that whistled through the air and struck him on his horns! I hadn't cared if it had missed. I just needed it as a distraction. I planted my kicking foot and zipped towards him myself with a yell and bum rushed him off of my succubus! He went over onto his back and I started slamming my fists and yelling at the top of my lungs, just wailing on him! I felt a horn break under my fists and his skull shatter, I was winning!

Then his legs came up and shoved me off of him, and he rolled to his feet. I watched in amazement as injuries were almost completely healed. I had done almost nothing to him! I saw the line of energy between him and the...well not just a man. Maybe a wizard, or another mage? Either way, that green line of energy was getting thicker. 

"What is your name?" The jolly winged giant asked. I side stepped a little and turned so I could keep the wizard and this crazy looking Outsider in view. That rage that I had always ignored was in the forefront of my mind and I wondered for the first time if it had been a bad idea for me to open that door and step outside into who I really was. Then I stopped, and physically shrugged...it felt good, and I seemed to be thinking clearly...so it really wasn't a bad thing at all.

Speaking of thinking clearly, why wasn't the big guy attacking me? Seemed able to heal from the damage I had given him. My Sight was showing he was back to full health, but what was going on in the corner of my vision caught my attention and I warily turned my head just enough to get a good peek at the wiz kid...his hair was white, and all of that green energy flowing through that link, was the wizards!

"Do you see little mage?" The giant said in a low rumble. "I am actually protecting you in a way." He spread his arms and gestured to Lucretia, lying in a heavy indent on the ground, a thick dark chain piled on her chest. 

"She is a succubus, she drains energy...life...your life. Little by little she will take all that you have and what does she offer in return? Sexual pleasure?" He chuckled and grinned, showing off massive teeth in that large head. 

"You can find sexual pleasure with anyone or anything! If your tastes run different than human men or women I know of several beings that would leap at the chance to lay down with a human and it would cost you nothing..." He paused and tilted his head a little as if thinking. 

"They might even make it worth your while. I know of at least two, a sylph and a dragoness that would relish the pleasure of a human male in their bower!"

I said nothing, thought nothing. He continued, "So much effort you put forth for someone who means to kill you. All of us in the Planes heard of your Binding. The daughter of the Queen of the 6th Plane bound to a mortal in an open agreement. It was unheard of, and almost laughable." He paused and considered me again while crossing his massive arms over a chest the size of two whiskey barrels.

"Now that I see you and felt a bit of your strength I think I understand it now..." He glanced over at my friend.

"You have great Will, and through the power of it...you forced her to act the way you wished her too. That is very commendable. Otherwise she may have killed you sooner..."

He clapped his hands once and rubbed them together briskly, his wings flexing. "Now! To business...I wish to take and kill Lucretia, you wish her to be whole. I offer you this, I will let it be know that you wish companionship. I will use my contacts to find a suitable companion for you and take the contract upon myself. No danger to you at all, I will take the risks. That way you have a faithful companion for the entire term of the contract who will leave you alone and unmolested. They will be obedient and subservient and cater to your whims and desires."

His eyes hardened and seemed to grow hot, I could almost see the falling rain his and turn to steam as it fell on his face.

"If you choose to continue to fight me...I will unmake you. Tear off your arms and legs as I violate every member of your family and your friends before I eat them before killing you. Then I will STILL destroy Lucretia the Grey!" He settled down and resumed a predatory smile.

"Now tell me...little mage...what do you decide?"

I smiled back quietly, almost dreamily as I looked past his shoulder. "I choose, for you to die..." 

Then one of the parked cars that I had been slowly rolling with my power closer and closer while he was talking slammed into his back driving him to the ground! I held out my hand indicating another one from the parking lot and beckoned sharply. It raised into the air and slammed down on the squealing monster!

I curled the fingers of both of my hands together slowly, the mounds of wreckage bent to my thoughts and began to curl around this creatures body. He was able to, amazingly enough, push himself to his knees!

"I will destroy you! You and everything you value! I, Balmont! Ruler of the 5th Plane will destroy you!"

I smiled and held him in place.

"Lucretia told me, bound as strongly as she was to me...she could die a true death here...whatever that means...I think you know what that is." I snarled as I squeezed my hands tighter, I felt a strong phantom pressure holding against my fingers as Balmost pushed harder. His eyes blazed and flame appeared around me, I shut my eyes and my shield came into being pushing the flames away to give me room. It expanded from the two inch range of my body to form a full circle 8 feet on all sides around me. A wall of pale blue that let me breath and though I felt heat, I was not burned. 

The monster, no...he was called Balmont? Balmont roared in frustration again and tried to push out of the prison of twisted metal and glass. I focused on him and roared myself with effort as I pushed against that phantom pressure in my palms. The squeal of twisted metal and glass increased as the two cars began to shift and compress around Balmonts body, pinning his arms and legs together. I wondered why I didn't see that green line of energy anymore, but I didn't worry about questioning my luck and I just kept squishing. Soon the metal had wrapped comepletely around his form leaving just his head sticking out.

Balmont kept staring at me with hate filled eyes, and I grinned back at him with anger in my own.

"Never...EVER...screw with me and my family or my friends! You ignorant fuck!" I yelled at him, then I closed my eyes and squeezed, yelling again with the effort. I could feel the pressure in my palms as I began to roll the object in my hands and the tube began to shift, folding on itself and warping. I heard a braying call like a bull in pain that suddenly cut off as I began rolling the pressure in my hands. It felt like when I was a child, rolling modeling clay, and you had to warm it up first.

Then I guess the fuel from the gas tanks in the cars ignited from the left over fire that had sprung up around me and things really got interesting! The pressure became more fluid with the heat and I registered it dimly. I was focused on my enemy though and I rolled it faster and faster, increasing the force and gritting my teeth hard as I did so. Then, as if a switch had flipped in my brain...I stopped, and let my hands fall. I heard a heavy clunk, as something hit the asphalt. I looked in the direction and found what was left of Balmont...

...At least I think it was...

The two cars wrapped around him, with him in the center, were fused together and gleaming with only a few imperfections here and there. It was a very smooth and shiny sphere. I wondered for a moment about how big Balmont was, and how big those two cars were and shook my head in surprise.

For the sphere was the size of a bowling ball! I am pretty sure he was dead.

A small moan caught my attention and I looked over at the wizard and walked over to him. He had wrinkles and long white hair and his eyes were milky as he peered at me.

"I just wanted to avenge my family...my family...you understand don't you? I will not stop until the Gatewatch is hurt as much as they have hurt me!" He said in an old man's quavering voice. 

I nodded my head, "You would do anything for family...kill others and sacrifice yourself for them...I understand that. I really, honestly do." Then I drew my foot back and kicked him in the face! He went out like a light. 

Wanting to kill the Gatewatch? No, hurt the Gatewatch...seems I have come full circle to where my whole experiences started with them. Hildy, Jemima, and Gwen...Then meeting Lucretia who wanted to kill them. 

Lucretia? I spun and stared across at my friend, where she lay in the rain...not moving!

Chapter 39: Love

"No!" I shouted while sprinting across the wet asphalt. The rain was blinding me, and I nearly stumbled and fell on my face dodging through all the holes in the melted surface. Lucretia and Balmont really did a number on the parking area with all of those pyrotechnic displays! I fell to my knees next to my succubus, she was still in her full combat get up. I threw that heavy length of chain off of her so I could better examine the injuries. Her obsidian armor was cracked and whole chunks were missing from it. Black blood oozed from several major lacerations on her chest, arms, abdomen and legs. She opened one black eye to look at me, the other appeared to have been gouged out since the socket was empty and that side of her face was a gory ruin. 

I wanted to help her but I didn't know where to start! She looked so messed up, so hurt! The wounds on her abdomen looked to be the most life threatening so I ripped my Dad's flannel shirt off and started packing the wound with it. She gasped and groaned when I did that, and blinked up at me with one eye. Then sighed, smiled and turned her head to the side. As I held the makeshift compress in place, the reality of this situation began to sink in. Before when she was injured, she healed quickly. For some reason she wasn't now. Why? What is different?

"Lucretia, why aren't you healing?" Her good eye closed and she ignored me.

"Damn it! Stay awake! Tell me!" I shouted. Her eye slowly opened again, and she appeared to have to really concentrate on my face before her one-eyed gaze cleared.

"Poison...can't heal...weak." She said faintly.

I felt ice water run down my back, and it wasn't the cold rain either! Poison? Lucretia could take a bullet from a Desert Eagle to the forehead at close range and it would only piss her off! There was no way that something as simple as poison would...wait. She said, "...weak." That must mean...oh no! I put a hand alongside her face, on the non-torn up flesh. My voice broke and I felt tears mixing with the rainwater on my cheeks as I spoke again.

"Sweetheart? How much energy do you have left?" I choked out. Her long-fingers held my hand more tightly to her face.

"None..." she said quietly. She slowly rubbed her face against my fingers and turned her face to gently kiss them. "I am dying...my Greg."

Those words just about killed me! After everything we had gone through. The arguments, the laughs, the temper tantrums on both of our parts, facing down a Balmont...something or other! No way would something like this stop us! We had come too far! I thought about what my life was like before I had Lucretia in it, and compared it to what my life was like now with her apart of it. No question, she had made it better, I felt more alive now than I had in years. She filled me with a joy I had never known before. She was my best friend, my partner my...L...my L...Oh...

She was my Love! 

I love her...I love her! I felt her shift and groan, more black blood oozed out from under my fingers. The t-shirt was soaked through. I leaned down and kissed her lips, soft little pecks at first and I was whispering to her between each caress of my mouth on hers.

"Please Lucretia...kiss me sweetheart...come on...feed on me..." I started to press a little harder and she began to react a little. I felt a little tingle as suddenly the warmth left my lips and a small ringing filled my ears. Lucretia gasped and her body bucked under my hands. Her one good eye shot open and it locked on my face. I licked my lips and tasted the bitter tang of her black blood. I spat it off to one side and I saw her panting; her face turned farther away from me.

"No! Greg...NO!" she gasped out. "I will NOT feed on you!"

This was a surprise. She had told me many times that she wanted to taste me, to feed on me. Heck, when I finally got her to open up about why she wanted to eat my energy so much was that because of who and what I was, it was a rare combination. Sure, I was your average guy...but the way I was raised, the kind of person I was, pushing through the bad things that had happened to me and especially when I finally overcame a lot of the pain in my past made me extraordinarily tasty. The telekinetic mage was just an added bonus, like that parsley garnish used at restaurants.

Maybe I am like some rare kind of twinkie, you know, the ones with frosting and strawberry jam filling?

"You need energy to heal, your body can't keep up with the damage AND the poison in your system right?" I pressed. I kissed her cheek and felt her shudder under me.

"No!" she said again.

"Damn it! If you die on me I will beat you so bad! I will spank you so hard you won't be able to even stand up without it hurting!" I growled.

"I will not feed on you!" she said.

I continued my little pecks on her cheek, my lips always right there, waiting for her to turn her head.

"Please...pretty please? Feed on me? I am your Master and I am asking you to feed on me. Come on, I know you want to, you even swore to do it? Remember? The first time we met, you swore by the Empty Throne to drain every drop of energy in my body...remember? Come on sweetie..." I kept pressing her, nearly lying on top of her. A couple of times I did get just a touch of my lips and hers. Many times we had kissed, but she had never really drawn anything from me, now it must be almost instinctual for her nature. Each time when our lips touched I felt a little pulling sensation as something was drawn out of me into her. Of course each time she would jerk her head away! I finally stopped and watched her. She was trembling, and tears were sliding from her one good eye. 

"Why won't you Lucretia...just tell me why you won't?" I asked desperately. My face was right above hers, blocking the rain from falling on her head. Of course my own tears were still falling and I could see them glistening on her cheek in place of the raindrops.

"It would kill you!" Lucretia whimpered finally. "I don't want to kill you!"

"You don't KNOW that!" I hissed. Actually, she would know that, her being a succubus and all I am sure she knows her own limits. Not that I cared...she was going to die, and this was the only way I could see how to save her. Funny thing is that I never thought I would live to see 40. I thought either the roving vigilantes, or whatever would kill me before I had a chance to make it to that age. I never saw this happening to me. That being said, this would be a much better way to die. If I had to choose a way to go, saving the life of the person I loved is the best way in my book.

"How am I supposed to live with myself if I kill you?" Lucretia said, openly crying now. "I would rather die than do that!" She continued sobbing, now bringing up her hand to cover her nose and mouth. I could hear her whines and soft cries behind the cover. Sneaky...now I can't kiss her!

"I gave you an order, Lucretia. As your Master..." I firmly began. 

She interrupted me with a snarl. "As my Master you GAVE me FREE WILL! So I exercise my FREE WILL to say fuck you!" She covered her mouth up with her hand again. I tried a new tact...

Truth.

"Try this on then for size, Lucretia. You ask me how you could live with yourself if you killed me? How about this, look at it through my eyes! My best friend is dying...DYING! I can save her, I can help her. All I have to do is be willing to take the chance of dying myself. It's just a chance...not a for sure thing. If I don't she is going to die." My heart was in my throat as I began to finish my statement. I would be saying something out loud to someone else that I hadn't said to anyone in years. But if anyone deserved to hear it, it was this badly wounded Outsider lying under me.

"How could I live with myself if I didn't take the chance to help someone who I love? It would kill me if I didn't do anything to save you. You thought about that, huh? Lucretia I love you! I love you damn it, and if you feel anything for me at all you will let me help you!" 

She held still beneath me, her body rigid and I saw her mouth a word, it was hard to tell with blood on her lips which word it was. I think she was repeating one I just said. .She began to sob harder, great heaving gasps that almost pushed me off of her. Now I saw it, the tear duct by her ruined eye was now leaking tears as well, cutting a path through her sticky black blood. She moved her hand from her mouth and through her gasps I could hear her say, "I...LOVE...you...too!" Then she dissolved into tears again.

I had waited my whole life to hear those words said back to me, and know the person who said them meant it. It had been a dream I thought would never be. That I could love someone and they would love me back. Not out of pity, not out of "If someone says it to you it's only polite to say it back." To hear it being said from the heart, and know that...oh...oh I can't put it into words! Something inside me broke and I wanted to sing, dance, laugh and weep all at the same time!

I began kissing her lips again, and she let me! Then she pushed on my shoulders, stopping me. "Wait...listen...wait...need to tell you!" I stopped her with another kiss that made her body arch under me and a deep groan issue from her chest. 

"Talk later...gotta feed you first." I said, planting another deep lip lock on her mouth. She turned and said, "No, listen to me! Important!" I backed off a little and waited.

"I don't want to take too much. You stop me, all right? Promise you will stop me?" She pleaded.

I wanted to promise her, I really did. But I couldn't. I had a million thoughts circling through my head. Even if it took everything inside of me to get her better I would gladly give it and more. What if her body was healed but the poison stayed in her system, she would need more energy to fight that off? What if she was attacked again while still weak from this fight and she didn't have enough energy to save herself? The most prominent of all the thoughts flowing in my head was this one...

I loved her!

I loved her so much and I would do everything in my power to protect her! I would give her all of my love and I would find more. I would dig deep, scour myself to give her everything of what I was. She was mine, and she deserved it. She LOVED me, and I would give her my all, no reservations. I would give much more if I could, she deserved better than me. I gently kissed the top of her head right between her two horns. Her eye was wide as I moved back down so we were face to face. I remembered us having our first kiss on the roof of our house and what we had said to each other up there. I smiled at the memory and said those words now.




Mine...Yours Pt. 12



"Lucretia...say it again?"

"Say what again?" She asked, her voice quavering.

"You know...what you just said?" I asked with a lopsided grin.

"Are you fishing for a compliment?" She choked out with a smile.

"Yes...please?" I asked with a wheedling tone.

Her hands came up to hold my cheeks, I could feel them shivering, whether from nerves, or pain I don't know.

"I love you more than I love anything I have ever known. I love you Gregory Bastion Brooks. My Master. My Lord. My Friend. My Greg!"

That said it all, right there. Enough talk, time to prove my feelings to the woman I love. I kissed her and held my mouth to hers. The tip of my tongue gently touched hers and I poured all of the feelings, all of my heart all of who I was into her!

It started as a trickle, best things in life always seem to. I have seen her rip all the energy out of a body with a quick smooch and a scream from the victim. This was different...it was almost like she was trying to hold herself back. I wouldn't let her. I gripped her hand in mine, our scars touching letting her feel the pulse of my love, and I could feel an answering echo in her. I gently used my other arm to lift her ruined body closer to me. I could feel her hunger as the trickle grew to a stream and then a flood. Her other arm came up to reach around me and held me tight. I could feel coldness seeping into my lips, and I have to admit, the feeling of energy coursing through and out of my body was rather disconcerting to say the least!

Didn't matter though, for my love, for her...I would go through worse than this. I closed my eyes and focused on her, my Lucretia. I visualized the energy sinking into her poor broken limbs, into her head, in to her beautiful clawed legs. I wanted her better...I needed her to be well! I tried to show her how much I cared in the way I kissed her. To let her know that no matter what I was so grateful for her, and everything she had done for me...whether she even understood what she had done for me or not. I guess she got my point because I heard her sob and tasted more tears than blood.

I felt happy to die then. I know it's a weird thing to say...but it was true. I had found love, I had finally found love in the most crazy and unexpected place in the entire world. If someone had told me several months ago I would fall in love with a succubus and she would love me in return? I would have not said anything, just rolled my eyes and walk away. Now here I was, standing in her arms, her wings enfolded around us both, and I felt better than I had ever felt in my entire life!

Wait a minute...I thought we were lying on the ground?

I opened my eyes to see both of Lucretia's eyes gazing into mine and we were still making out like kissing had just been discovered! Both, of her eyes? When did...? My hands roamed over her, I could feel her skin, soft and unbroken under my questing fingers. She must have gotten the wrong impression because her clawed hands found their way to my belt buckle. She pulled her mouth from mine to urgently whisper. 

"I need you my love! Right now! I need you!"

I didn't have time to say anything as suddenly my pants were around my ankles and Lucretia gave a quick beat of her wings to lift and land on me. I sank deep into her with one quick thrust and felt something tear inside of her! She threw back her head and gave a cry of orgasmic release that must have rattled the windows of the office buildings around us! Her arms went around my neck and shoulders and she began to grind on my pelvis. I was so hard I felt I was going to burst any second. I ignored the sensations and pulled Lucretia upright so her breasts were in my face. I didn't understand much of what was going on, except somehow, my love was well. She was better, she was in my arms, and she felt so good!

Lucretia was doing things with her hips, hands and body that I never dreamed were possible! The feel of her was exquisite, all soft and hard and curves. I could taste her sweat that was like a mix of vanilla, salt and citrus as I kissed her breasts and gently nipped at her nipples. I heard her gasp and give another shriek as she came again upon me. This time I lost my footing and she rode me down to the ground. I was wondering why I wasn't dead yet, honestly. I mean, she had warned me that it would be dangerous for her to drain me with her as wounded as she was but I felt fine. I felt better than fine! Currently I was doing so well I thought I could take on an entire Ironman Triathalon course backwards while whistling the star spangled banner!

I looked up at my beautiful Lucretia and she was smiling down at me with tears running down her cheeks. How could I ever have thought she looked scary? I pulled her down for another kiss and I felt her long fingers lace themselves along the back of my head as she looked on me in wonder.

"I am so FULL!" she almost shouted.

"I didn't think I was all that big...sorry." I said with a laugh. She shook her head and then I felt her tighten on me. Her eyes closed and with a whine followed by a deep groan she came again! I had to clench up not to come myself. She gave a few more shudders, continued riding me, her mouth open and panting.

"Not that my love, though it feels just fine..." she was quick to reassure me. Her grin was lopsided and she caressed her stomach with one hand. "I am full! I don't know how but I am so FULL! I kept on drawing from you and you kept on giving and giving and I couldn't stop and there was still more I...I...RAAAH!" She screamed and came again! Boy...was she sensitive or what?

This time I couldn't stop myself, feeling her tighten on me again like that. My poor body was going crazy after not having sex in so many years. I could feel my own orgasm beginning and I gripped her hips tightly with my hands. I dug in my fingertips and yanked her down onto me as I pushed up as hard as my straining muscles would allow. I felt the back of her tunnel kiss the head of my dick as I pushed up, making her give another scream as we joined as intimately as two beings could do on a physical level.

My own pleasure boiled over and four years of celibacy came shooting out of me into this being I loved. My eyes were shut tight and I saw lights and bright flashes behind my closed eyelids. I thought my heart might almost burst from the pleasure I felt, and for every pulse that my cock shot out deep into Lucretia's womb I felt pain. Not pain as in I was hurting. More like the pain you get from a muscle group you haven't used in forever.

My succubus writhed on top of me moaning in apparent rapture as I filled her with my seed. Abruptly she became still and fell forward onto my chest. I could feel her breathing in panting gasps as her arms circled around my head. 

Everything was still around us, no sounds could be heard. We were in our own little world of touches, sighs, warmth and soft words of endearment.

"You were my first." Lucretia said quietly. He lips caressed along the outer edge of my ear as she spoke.

"I love you so much." I didn't know what else to say. I was still reeling from the fact that I was alive, and in love, and had sex in the first time in forever! Then what she said got through my addled brain.

"You were a virgin?" I asked in surprise. I remembered the tearing sensation I had felt, and then felt silly for asking the question. Couldn't feel silly for very long. I had an affectionate female on top of me. Hard to feel bad when you have that in your arms!

"Balmont was the only other Master I had than you, and he didn't want me for sex. So yes, I was. Not anymore though. You have it now." Her dark eyes were bright and she giggled drunkenly as she rolled off of me onto her back. My fingers found hers and we squeezed our hands together in a tight grip. 

"Is it done?" I asked. She raised her head to lazily look around, she spotted the bowling ball that was Balmonts tombstone. She arched an eyebrow at me and I just chuckled.

"Yes...Balmot is gone, forever. He is part of the Void now." She replied.

"If he is part of the...Void...does that mean he is still around?" Lucretia smirked.

"Gregory...think about it. What is a void?"

Oh...Duh!

I laid there thinking, enjoying the feel of Lucretia's hand in mine. Then I realized that my bare ass was sore. Looked down and saw that my jeans and underwear were pushed around my ankles! I looked over at Lucretia who had the decency to blush, but didn't look away from her examination of my rising erection.

"You are a little slut, you know that right?" I chided. She giggled and then gazed back at my face with a smile and bright eyes.

"What am I going to do with you?" I asked in mock exasperation. Her response was surprisingly serious in spite of the smile on her lips. "Take me home and never let me go?"

"That sounds like a wonderful idea." A voice said behind us.

Lucretia and I scrambled to our feet and I quickly raised my pants and was fastening the buckle as Mother appeared before us.

"You are victorious daughter, and you seem no worse for wear." Mother stated as she looked over her taller offspring. She looked more closely at Lucretia's belly and a soft smile crossed her features.

"Did you consume an entire village or did you...?" Her voice trailed off as she looked more closely at something I couldn't see. She appeared surprised, but almost as if she expected whatever she saw.

"So you know now?" she asked Lucretia.

"Know what Mother?" 

"The secret to my power?" Mother returned. Lucretia looked confused...as I probably looked as well.

Mother pointed at Lucretia's belly. "You don't even realize what you have done do you?" Lucretia looked down and rubbed her stomach. 

"I fed off of Greg, and then..." she blushed but pressed on. "...then he became my first." 

Mother chortled, "If that was all then you would be correct!" She continued. "Think of this daughter...why would I have you come to this Plane and learn how to seduce men? I never seemed to care about it before...why now? If I really wanted you to learn, why would I choose someone who is broken to try to teach you? Hmmm? I could have just teamed you up with a succubae that was older, who had more experience. I could have found a woman who could do a better job than a man with a broken heart. Think daughter, why?"

Lucretia looked around nervously, I could see her trying to come up with an answer. I stepped closer and took her hand in mine, my thumb caressed her fingers in a familiar gesture and she smiled at me.

"That is why...right there." Mother stated. Her arms were crossed as she looked us over. "That is the reason I wanted you bound to him." We still looked confused, so Mother rolled her eyes and began to explain.

"You, my daughter, are one of the most powerful succubae of this age. In raw power and strength none come close to you. That is because of your father and I...we love each other." Lucretia gasped at this. I admit I was stunned as well. 

Mother...in love? Just seemed as wrong as a cat dating a cricket!"

"A well kept secret, known to many but only realized by a few, is that we draw more energy from our prey the more feelings they have for us. Fear is the easiest one to exploit, and it certainly is satisfying. Love is a more dangerous, and unpredictable form of energy. It can provide vast quantities of power that would consume us if we tried to take it from our prey. The only way we can handle it, is if we love whom we are feeding from. Do you understand now?" Mother asked. She continued even though she hadn't waited for our response. Her finger pointed to me.

"You, Gregory Bastion Brooks. You were a man with a broken heart and incapable of love." Then she pointed another finger at Lucretia. "You, Lucretia. An angry succubus, who trusted nothing and no one." She brought her fingers together right next to each other and smiled in a knowing fashion.

"Together you were able to heal each other in a most unexpected fashion. Only someone whose heart was broken can do what you did Gregory. I asked you to teach her how to seduce men. Did you really think I meant for you to do that? No, I knew that you would instead teach her how to love! Lucretia? Did you really think you needed to learn all those lessons about how to be human? Once I heard him state the terms of his contract, I knew that he would heal your wounds as well. I knew that you would grow to love him as I grew to love your father."

She then glanced pointedly at Lucretia's stomach. "You love him, he loves you, you have consummated your love to each other and...something has changed in you both." Her smile grew wider still.

"It will be interesting to watch your progress down this path you have chosen." She tapped her lips with her fingertips thoughtfully. 

"I wish to thank you both for destroying Lord Balmont. I have long wanted to add his Planes riches and space to my own. As a form pf payment for your services to me I offer you the ability to call me when you have need of me Gregory. For Lucretia I give you my boon. Fair?"

I stood there with my mouth open in surprise. I could feel Lucretia bristling next to me, but I opened my mouth before Lucretia's temper caused her to say something she might regret. 

"You mean you set this all up? How? Why?"

Mother's smile was positively vulpine, "Lord Balmont insulted my daughter, and insulted me by proxy. I just set in motion the events for his downfall. I was confident you two could dispose of him, which you both did quite handily. Lucretia got her revenge and unlocked the potential for vast amounts of power. You received that which you have always dreamed of. I received massive amounts of influence and doubled the size of my kingdom."

Lucretia began to nod, with understanding it seems. I was still hot under the collar. Seemed a terrible risk to go through. What if that bastard Balmont had won the confrontation? Not to mention, Lucretia had been wounded incredibly bad. I said as much to Mother who turned sharp eyes on me. I almost felt like I had been physically cut from that look!

"Do you question my methods?" she asked softly?

"If I say that I do, are you going to kill me?" I returned. She stared at me for a long moment, I wasn't sure what she was going to do. She had shown a side of herself before that was almost playful, but what if I really had pissed her off?

She came closer, until she was standing only a few inches in front of me, and placed her hand on my sternum, in the center of my chest. "I will tell you one thing, and hopefully it will answer your questions...yes?"

I shrugged slowly and nodded my head. She leaned closer, her lips almost touching mine. When she spoke I felt a heat that almost bordered on pain flood my entire body!

"I...AM...QUEEN!"

I shuddered with the naked force of those words and then felt Mothers small hand stroke my hair. "Sometimes it is important for you humans to remember the basics, am I right." It wasn't a question!

"Yes, um...yeah. Uh Huh." I gasped.

She nodded, gently kissed Lucretia's forehead, and turned to walk away. I was surprised she didn't do her disappearing act but then I saw her stop to look at the bowling ball of Balmont. She reached down and picked it up. Then she disappeared. 

Guess she needed a new paperweight...

I stared after her, thinking and wondering. Then I felt clawed hands touch my arm, and a pair of cool breasts gently squeezed around them. A pair of horns rubbed along my chin and a wing stretched up and over my head, covering me from the rain.

I turned a little and watched as her other wing came up to cover me and we were in a leathery arbor of her wings as my lover gazed up into my eyes.

"Your...Dad told me I would know what it is I felt for you eventually, when I heard it. He said I would just know." Her hand slid over my chest, sliding up the side of my neck and she had a pleased soft smile on her lips as she watched her hand's progress. 

"When you went to sleep after the werewolves attacked, you called me...Sweetheart...did that mean you loved me then?" She asked.

"I think so...I was kind of loopy when I said that." I chuckled a little and her eyes crinkled at the corners as she gave me a narrowed look, but she was smiling too.

"We need to leave, I think. I want to go back home now." Lucretia said as she looked around the area. I nodded, and then a small flash of silver caught my eye. I went over and saw the chain lying on the ground. I picked it up and saw Lucretia shiver out of the corner of my eye. I took the bloody flannel shirt and wrapped up the chain in it and tied it tight. Seemed like a bad idea to leave it lying around, and I was curious about how it seemed to affect my love in such a strange way, like she feared it or something. Covering it seemed to have been a good idea since she seemed more relaxed but watched the bundle warily.

"Ready to go home?" I asked. She nodded. So I took her hand in mine and started walking towards the bus stop. She stopped me.

"I have a faster way..." Which was all the warning I got before she wrapped her arms around me from behind and shot up into the night sky!

"Sonofabi...!" Then at the speed we were going made the rest of the words get rammed down my own throat! I wisely shut my mouth as we sped through the pouring rain. Lucretia seemed to be in a hurry because she barely slowed down as we landed in the back yard and pulled me into our house. The moment the door was close she sighed and stretched, her clawed hands above her head and her wings going out to the side.

"Oh it feels good to be home with you!" She crowed and then dropped her arms and wings to smile at me with bright eyes. I set my package down and just looked at her, a smile growing wider on my lips. I stepped towards her. A need was growing, a desire building...

...it was coming from me, but I could feel it being answered by her as well. She came at me in a rush and I squeezed her dark grey body against mine kissing her hard, feeling her sharp teeth nipping at my lips and her long tongue trying to push further in my mouth but I wouldn't let her. It made her whine in frustration, and that sound made me groan with want. 

I dropped to my knees and pushed her against the wall by her hips, I saw her wings go wide, splayed out like wallpaper as I gently pulled her legs apart just enough to lick...

I saw stars as both of her hands slapped the back of my head with a cry that hurt my ears. I heard a thunk as her head slammed back and she continued looking up at the ceiling as I tasted a pussy for the first time in, well...years. I didn't even look at it, I was like a man possessed stirring my tongue through sweet tangy folds that gripped me as warm juice slid into my mouth with the extra trickling through my goatee and down my neck! I felt the prickle of her claws as Lucretia gripped me tighter, hearing her whimpering and starting a little wail as her hips undulated under my hands. Her tail came around to drape over my shoulders and I could hear her wing tips start a little drumming motion against the walls as I continued to drink, touch, and taste.

I made a milkshake once from those little orange vanilla cream popsicles you can buy at walmart. It was thick, rich, and delicious. Threw it all in a blender and then when it was creamy I tried it. One of the best drinks I ever had. Until now...I would give up Mountain Dew for this taste!

"Greg...its happening again...!" She panted. I doubled my efforts and I saw her throat convulse as she kept staring at the ceiling. "Master! My Love!" She said again, a tone of panic in her voice. I just groaned into her, my upper lip rubbing what felt like her clit, and I let my teeth gently graze her lips as I pushed my tongue into her again.

Lucretia began to tremble, her whole body vibrating under my hands and mouth. I could hear her talons on her feet tapping the floor. Then her throat convulsed and a high pitched shriek came out of her mouth that made the plates rattle in the cupboards and I thought my ears might start bleeding! Then she sagged, her wings drooping, and her tail and arms going limp, leaning against the wall. I shakily stood up onto my feet, and Lucretia just stayed leaning against the wall, her head back. It looked uncomfortable!




Mine...Yours Pt. 12



"You okay?" I asked softly. I moved forward and almost laughed...but wisely didn't. That thunk I had heard?

Lucretia had thrown her head back and her horns had gone through the drywall and lodged in a 2X4 stud in the wall.

She saw me looking and chuckled herself. "I could just rip out of the wall, but our house has been damaged enough, didn't want to add to it."

Damaged enough? What was she talking about? What had I missed while I had been out of it?

I helped her pull out without damaging the wall too much further. Then brushed the dust off of her and she watched me with languid eyes, Like a cat that has just had a good meal and now wants to find a warm place in the sun to rest. I considered her, then said. "Would you mind changing into your human shape...there is something I have always wanted to do." She nodded, and after a moments hesitation changed to her human for, naked...and oh so beautiful! 

How is it that my love can have three different forms and each one to me is so incredibly lovely. I wondered if I might be partial to any particular form, and then dismissed it. It was all her, the window dressing didn't matter, only what was inside. A lesson I had always known but never really had grasped the concept of until she had come into my life.

Yeah, some great teacher I turned out to be. Which brought up questions I had about Mother and her actions. Still felt like I was missing a big chunk of the story there but I would worry about that later. For now...I was going to fulfill one of my personal dreams I never thought I would get the chance to.

I bent a little and my right arm went around Lucretia's waist, and my left went under her knees and I lifted her up into my arms. She gave an undignified squawk of protest, then giggled as I snuggled her into my chest. I began walking to the stairs that led up to the second floor where my room was.

"Lucretia...?"

"Yes Master?"

"I am going to take you now to Our bed, in Our room." She went still and silent as I crested the stairs and I stood there, still holding her.

She wiggled a little and looked up into my face. "What do you mean?" 

I continued to my bed and gently laid her down and then took off my jeans and laid down next to her and pulled her warm body next to me, bright eyes staring into mine.

"I want you with me. I want you in my room. The other room is still yours but I want...need you with me. I love you, and I am pretty sure you love me." I ran my free hand over the side of her face and down her arm and over her hips. Then slid around to cup her naked backside and press her hips in closer to mine. Her mouth made a small noise that sounded like a whimper when I did this and she nestled in tighter against my growing hardness.

"Remember the binding?" I asked, and she nodded. "It is like that, but a little different now between us..." I fumbled for how to make my thoughts known to her. Then hit upon a way she might understand.

I held my palm with it's scar on it up to her and said, "Mine..." She looked a little puzzled but curious and held her palm against mine and said, "Yours..."

Then I slowly moved my fingers, interlacing them together with hers so we had a tight grip on each other and I said softly, "...Ours!"

Hers eyes began to change to black and she bit her lower lip. Then in a rush she was all grey skin, tail and wings and she pounced on my, kissing me all over my face and clutching me tightly.

"Just when I think I am as full of emotion as I can take you push me further you wretched...wonderful human!" She growled.

I started laughing and she joined in as she lay on me. I began to feel sleepy, and some time passed. I was close to nodding off when I felt Lucretia stir on my stomach, and then slide off to the side.

"Gregory?" 

"Mhm?" I muttered back, sleep befuddling my brain.

That's my only excuse for why things happened next that happened...seriously.

"You beat Balmont and Allan Wade Dickson?" She asked a little incredulously. I shifted and rolled over, pulling my pillow into a more comfortable position.

"Yuhuh..." I murmured, not caring, just wanting sleep.

"How?" Lucretia asked.

"Was mir powerful thn them..." I mumbled while starting to fall back to sleep.

"You were what?" I missed the low, dangerous tone to her voice.

"I am trying to sleep sweetheart!" I grumped grouchily.

"You slept for two whole days, now answer my question! How did you beat them!?" She growled loudly.

"I just used my power and squished Balmont, and then left a decrepit old wizard behind okay!" I grumped at her and rolled back over in med and put my pillow into it's head box formation. 

"You know..." Lucretia said softly, maybe it was loudly...head boxes are good at muffling sound. "You know I really wanted to beat Balmont myself."

"Good for you...can I sleep now?" I muttered. I felt the tip of a clawed finger touch my nose and a giggle. I could smell her breath and pulled the pillow tighter.

"Since you beat Balmont, that must mean that you are stronger than he was, or smarter..." Lucretia said again. I felt her hand slide over my ass under the blankets and I pushed her hand away.

"Yes, I am...stronger...smarter...all of it!" I grouched and pulled the blankets tighter around me.

"Mhmmm!" I heard her murmur. "I want to fight you Master!" She purred into the other end of my head box. I scooted over. Crazy woman! I am tired, want sleep. We had sex, one and a half times. Well the first time was kind of a fast and hard romp, not really up to the standards of a good lover. The second I call a half of a time since it was just oral. But I was tired. I had been hurt, I had found myself and I had found love...

...I was tired and I wanted sleep!

I felt vibrations on the floor of feet walking away, and then heard the rasp of the window opening. I started to remove my head box as I heard Lucretia muttering to herself, "Next time...always open the windows or doors so I don't break them going through."

I pulled the pillow all the way down just in time to see Lucretia sprint back to me and pick me up...

"Lets test your new strength then shall we...my Love?" She kissed me so hard and so fiercely my toes curled and my body went rigid.

"Hope your shield is still strong!" She crowed and launched me head first out of the window and into our dark backyard!

To be continued...



Mine...Yours Pt. 13



Author's Note:

Yes, I am back...was there ever any doubt? I personally doubted it with how extraordinarily complex my life has gotten since I started writing. But, I am back, I am writing and posting this story as I should be.

My thanks to you all. 

*****

Chapter 40: New

Greg's Perspective:

Wow, so much has happened in my life. My Door is gone, I am in love with a succubus, I kicked the crap out of an Outsider lord and...

(Hey! I would have beaten him if he hadn't of had that chjorzit wizard helping him!)

Lucretia, who is writing this? Me...or...you?

(Well, write it right!) 

I am writing it right! This is my perspective, not yours! 

(Your perspective isn't complete.)

Oh, and yours is? You are completely objective? Can see everything from all sides equally huh?

(Well, better than you are doing, obviously...)

Tell you what...you see the thing here at the top of my journal here...? What's it say?

(It's says "Greg's Perspective" your point?)

It mean's it's MY perspective, I will let you write in here later...okay?

(Okay, Oh! Be sure to start with the sex! They like sex, and I really REALLY like Sex!)

I got it, I got it alright! Okay where was I...? Ummm...Lucretia? Why are you...OH! I...I need to concen...oh...concentrate here. I can't write while you do that! Oh, sweetheart! How did you get so good at...mmmmm...okay, lets get back to writing.

If there are any spelling mistakes...it's her fault for distracting me! 

(Giggle!)

I woke up feeling a little stiff, and kind of sore...makes sense actually. I had been thrown out of a window about nine hours before hand. I keep forgetting that for all of her playfulness and her curiosity about everything Lucretia is a fighter. I groaned as I twisted a little to get more comfortable, my ass was killing me where it had landed in the yard. No, not from the initial attack even if you could call it that. Just more of Lucretia's exuberant personality! I had slowed my fall and landed on my feet, then been slammed into by a dark grey form who had pile-drived me into the ground! Then I had thrown her at range with my power making her rebound off of the side of the tool shed...and come right back in to fight!

Not going into the particulars...it was embarrassing. Sure, I got a lot better range, but when you're going against someone who is fast and ruthless and tickles when she has you pinned? It's just not something I am going into great detail about. Except...well...I found out that she is ticklish too!

I felt her cool, clawed hand slide over my ass, and wipe across my cheek. I felt something dislodge and tuned to see a tuft of grass with some dirt still clinging to it. I groaned as I rolled over and saw a pair of horns peeking out from under the blankets. I grinned as I used one finger to pull the blankets down enough and saw black eyes peering out at me over the top of the covers. Her other hand pulled the blankets down to expose her grinning sharp toothed face as she purred, "Good morning my love!" 

I kissed her, and felt her draw energy from me. I smiled against her lips and deepened my kiss. She made a small mewling sound and I felt her draw a little more. It still felt a little like kissing the business end of a loaded shotgun. After all, I had seen what she had done to those werewolves. Something tickled in the back of my mind about that, but would think on it later. I rolled over on top of my sweetheart and ran my hands over her smooth head, rubbing the base of her horns with my thumbs. Her lips trembled against mine and then I felt her tongue gently run over my bottom lip. I moved my arms to wrap around her in a hug and found the fold of her wing. I tried to go under it, but with my weight on top of her, her wings were pressed flat on the mattress. She giggled as I tried to get my hand under her.

"Having troubles Master?" She asked me as her sharp teeth gripped my shoulder and she growled playfully. I grunted noncommittally, and finally succeeded in my objective and got my hand underneath her leathery wing, then tried for my other hand. She laughed and then rose up a little on that side so I could do it more easily. She grinned at me and craned her neck up to kiss me again. I moved my head to the side so she missed. She frowned slightly and tried again. I moved my head to the other side and she missed. Now she did frown and her eyes narrowed. 

I waggled my eyebrows at her and grinned. She appeared to think over what I was doing, then grinned back. She darted her head forward fast and I just barely moved my head aside in time for her to miss again! I saw her frown then open her mouth slightly to breathe in little growls of frustration. Her expression made me laugh. The only problem is, that when I laugh my eyes narrowed so I didn't see her grin of triumph! I felt her tongue shoot into my mouth! I stopped laughing to see she had extended her tongue to cross the few inches of space between us, and it was now halfway in my throat!

I pushed forward now, sucking on her tongue and when my lips met hers she withdrew her tongue enough for us to comfortably keep kissing again. I felt her sigh as her fingers came up to run through my bristle of hair, and I pressed her down into the mattress as we continued making out. Until I felt her push back and her face had a look of pain on it. 

"Need to move!" She grimaced, I moved back and she slid out from my arms. She gave a huff of exasperation as she moved her arms and flexed her wings.

"It was getting uncomfortable having you hold my shoulders under my wings." She explained. She stretched her wings out and rolled her shoulders again before laying back down, and looking up at me where I straddled her knees. I stayed where I was, watching as she readjusted herself. She looked up at me expectantly then looked herself over wondering what I was looking at.

"Is there something wrong Greg?" She asked as she got up on her elbows to look where I was looking. 

"No...nothing is wrong at all..." I breathed quietly. I knew she was confused, but I was hoping she would hold still for a while so I could take in this beautiful picture in front of me!

Picture this...dark blue sheets as the back drop for grey skin. That had tiny little sparkles of various sizes, like freckles, running throughout. The form was female, but with longer calves than regular women. Not a hair on her skin, just smooth and cool. I want to say she felt like stone, but she didn't. There was a hardness to her, but as I leaned over and just let my hands explore I felt her yield to my touch. She twisted a little under my hands, pressing up against my fingers as they slid over her. Her breasts were a little smaller than what would comfortably fill my palms, but were firm and I could feel the play of muscle under them as she pressed into my touch. 

I slid questing fingers over the inner slops of her breasts and felt along her ribs. I pressed more firmly here because I remembered how she had reacted when I had tickled her. Better to use firm pressure or I might get a foot to the face! Her flat stomach, with a hint of the musculature underneath, was quivering under my soft touches. I bent down, shuffling back on my knees and gently kissed her upper abdomen. My hands tenderly kneading her sides above her hips. I saw movement out of the corner of my eye and her tail was twitching and jerking back and forth on the bed. I began kissing around her navel and heard her give that little avian croaking whine as one hand grabbed the end of her tail and held it to her chest.

"Gregory?" She hissed in a mildly frantic voice. I ignored her and continued kissing that soft skin. Feeling her tremble under my touches made me feel so good! It made me feel powerful, knowing that this gorgeously scary creature was enjoying what I was doing to her. How long had it been since I had been with a woman? Years...I'd had a thought that the first time I was with another woman, that I would do it right . That I would pleasure her to the best of my ability again and again until she was putty in my hands. That had been taken away from me yesterday when Lucretia jumped me! 

Yet...that had felt right as well. It had needed to be done. Sex is the most wonderfully, awkward and embarrassing act that we can do with each other. I doubt that it is ever perfect! What is important is the love you feel, the desire, the need and want. 

I loved and desired Lucretia very much. We were as different as two people could be...but I didn't care. I wanted my sweetheart to know that I loved her. I was going to show her without words.

I kissed along the crease between her pelvis and thigh and heard her give a soft moan as she widened her legs a little. I rubbed, lightly, my goatee over the tender flesh of her lower stomach. I could look up now and see her eyes as she tipped her head up. The end of her tail was being held in one hand next to her chin and her mouth was open and panting. I wanted to see her face for this next part. I pushed back a little more and brushed my goatee over the source of a sweet smell. She bucked once and bit onto the end of her tail as she watched me with wide eyes.

"I didn't get to see you do this last night...I really wanted to!" She said in a tight voice. "I had...MmmMAH! Oh Greg..gor..geeee! The...and then...guh!" The rest of what she said kinda got all jumbled as I began licking her again. This time with my eyes on her face. She was chewing on the end of her tail and both of her hands were held tightly on her chest as she whimpered and bucked. I could tell she was trying to keep still so I held her down a little tighter to the bed. This made her eyes widen even more if that were possible and she began bucking harder! She began making a chirping noise along with little needful whines.

I told you all about the taste before, but it doesn't do it justice. Like sweet citrus and salt with a flavor that was distinctly her. It didn't gush or squirt or anything. It just flowed steadily, giving me a chance to breathe between sucking kisses. It also gave me a chance to languidly explore the soft center of my succubus.

Not all women are pink on the inside. Lucretia had soft grey lips that were tucked in nicely, but when opened were smooth and black. Black as coal to tell the truth. It made me raise an eyebrow in surprises but I gave a mental shrug and got back to what I was doing. She also seemed to have more muscles inside of her, and was able to grip down tighter than any woman I had ever been with. Also, when searching for the elusive and fabled G-spot that most guys don't seem to be able to find...found it! 

And...uh...I found another one, and is this a...? Yep! She has a third one too. At least when I explored them with the tip of my tongue she began shivering and stuttering instead of talking, or trying to talk at any rate!

She began wagging her head at me, either in a nod or a shake side to side I couldn't tell. "I...I...Greg!" I slowed down a little and her head came right up to fix me with a hard stare! 

"Don't stop! Please Master!" I opened my mouth wide and covered her whole pussy and started giving her a severe tongue lashing! She fell back with a cry and a loud thunk and I wondered if she had gotten her horns stuck again. Nope, her head is moving from side to side she is still free to move and...oh my...

I felt her pussy begin to heat up, to get warmer. I began to suck harder, greedily pulling on her lips as her thighs flexed and her feet jerked around my waist. Then the claws on her toes shot forward and grabbed me on the fronts of my thighs hard holding me in place and her body arched like a bow, raising her up so only her head and shoulders was on the bed. She let go of her tail and gave a loud call that sounded similar to an eagles cry! I held on for dear life still licking and sucking for all I was worth. Then had an evil thought and grinned against her soft black lips. I pushed a little more forward while she was in the apex of her climax...and sucked her clit into my mouth while rapidly stirring a finger inside of her pussy! 

She gave a yell and fell back to the bed, letting go of me with her claws and curled around my head as I kept up my oral assault!

"Oh Gregory! Too much! Too..gah! GUH! Gruuh! Groog! RRAAAHH!" Then she flopped back on the bed her legs weakly pushing at me and her fingers fluttering around my head. I gently eased off, giving her one last slow lick making her convulse again. Then crawled up next to her where she wordlessly reached for me and I took her in my arms. She was nuzzling my neck and breathing heavily as she straddled me.

"Why didn't I do this sooner?" She gasped. "This is so much fun! Its even better than fighting!" She paused and then slowly sat back, resting on my hips as she thought about it.

"Almost as good as fighting..?" I ventured. She looked down at me, considering, and then grinned and ran her claws over me...which tickled and made her laugh at me twitching!

She gave a tentative grin and slowly began letting her fingers roam over me as well. Sharp claws held so they didn't touch my skin as the pads of her fingers brushed over my forehead, nose and mouth. She got to my lips and leaned forward to give them a soft kiss. Then stopped her exploration to wrap her arms around my neck and lay on me as she burrowed her face in my neck. Her wings sagged down on each side and her legs wrapped through mine and she snuggled into me.

"I think this is going to be a position we do a lot of...at least in this form." I said quietly. 

"Why is that?" She replied. 

"Well, I have never had a girlfriend with wings, and it seems a little uncomfortable for you to lay on them on your back. Can't really lay on you since it puts too much pressure on them." I said. I had been stroking her shoulders and feeling where her wings came out. It was interesting to feel. Never really paid attention to how dense and wide the muscles are there. Made sense that they were so massive there. She weighed what...? How many pounds? Twenty-foot wings, would have to beat with how much force too...? 

Bah! Never was all that good with math!

"So, do you have any idea how Succubae normally have sex? Because I have only done it with human women..." I felt Lucretia stiffen against me, her clawed fingers languidly began stroking the back of my neck as she kept her face against me. I could feel the light scratching of her sharp teeth on my collarbone as she said quietly.

"How many, and what are their names?"

Crap! I gently gripped her horns and pulled back her head to look me in the eye. "One of them was a nice woman I knew when I graduated highschool. I was 19 and she was 18. The second I was in a longer relationship with and we left on good terms. The third was the woman who accused me of something I did not do." I smoothed my fingers over her cheek and ran a finger along the side of her mouth. She gripped it in her teeth tightly, but didn't break the skin.

"Their names?" She asked again. I shook my head at her and said, "No. They are my past...you are my future." She growled louder and let go of my finger. 

I put a hand over her mouth gently and said, "I was with them, but no longer...you are mine and I am yours. I am with you as long as you will have me..." I thought about it a moment and then grinned and pulled her head to me as I leaned forward to meet her in a fast kiss.

"...probably you're going to be stuck with me even if you don't want me. So there!" Then I rubbed my nose against hers as I kissed her longer this time. She giggled happily behind the kiss but it sounded more like a burble with the lip lock going on. Then she leaned back.

"My turn to try the mouth thing...!" She said excitedly. I was laying back as she crouched down next to me. The ends of her wings braced on the mattress for balance. Her hands were now free to be able to stroke me. My...I want to call it cock, but that's so over used isn't it?

Penis? Dick? Member? Unit? Package? Johnson? Tallywhacker? Oh! The Torpedoe! No, that's just silly...

I guess I will stick with cock for now, and use the others as the mood takes me. 

She gently cradled my cock in one hand and my balls in the other...felt a little dangerous with her claws but she was very slow and careful as she weighed the sack in one hand and gave a tentative wiggle with the other.

"I remember what my sisters would tell me, and I have seen videos on the...inner net?" She looked over at me for confirmation. 

"The internet?" I supplied. She nodded and grinned and I saw her lovely sharp teeth. Her lovely...Sharp...teeth!

My cock wilted...it was now doing it's best to pull an imitation of a scared turtle! Lucretia gave a small whine and moved closer to take a look. Unconsiously my body gave a shudder and she looked back up at me.

"Did I do something wrong Greg?" She inquired. 

"No! No...nothing of the sort. Something I need to get over a little I guess." My eyes were shut tight as I tried to get the image of those sharp teeth out of my mind! Why didn't I think of this sooner? Of course Lucretia would want to try out anything and everything...why not try to give me a blowjob? Especially after she enjoyed my oral ministrations so much...she would want to try it too.

The problem is that she has a mouth full of extremely sharp teeth, and they are strong too! Just the image of a double row of razor sharp pearly whites descending on my manhood, made me almost break out in a sweat!

She tipped her head to the side and casually looked over my groin area. "I remember it being bigger. At least it felt bigger inside of me last night." She used her wing tips to push her upper body a little higher off of the mattress. She appeared to ponder this dilemma...then growled and lightly poked at my dick with a sharp claw! 

"Grow harder...now!" She growled. If it was possible for a penis to change from an Outie into an Innie it would have...She glared at it and then grasped it in her fingertips, thankfully careful of her claws and wiggled it back and forth. "Its not working, what am I doing wrong Greg?" Her voice was upset and her face looked crestfallen. "It was hard before...does it not like me?" She asked, looking back and down into my face.

I hesitated as I wondered how to answer her, she saw the hesitation and looked even sadder. I was wondering how to tell her that it wasn't her, it was the sharp teeth and claws being so close to the most sensitive part of my body. Yet that was a part of her. So it was my issue not hers...Then she solved the problem.

Her face brightened and then she was in her human form and straddled me much as I had done her just a few minutes earlier. 

"Knew you liked this form better!" She said with a smile showing perfect human teeth. Her hands with soft pink skin and round fingernails came to rest around my growing shaft and began stroking me. It felt wonderful! It showed too as I rapidly rose to the challenge, quickly getting hard in her hands.

"Its so hard for what it is..." she said softly, squirming her butt a little on my thighs. Her other hand came down and she licked her lips hungrily as soon she began stroking with two hands again. I groaned at the tension and my hips arched as if they had a mind of their own, lifting her up in the air making her laugh a little.

"I like it I can make you do the same things you did to me. I think I am going to stay in this form for a while!" Lucretia purred, then she slid down my legs, leaning forward at the same time. I felt her breasts press against my upper thighs as she lay on my lower body. I got to watch as she stuck out her tongue and gently licked the head of my cock.

That felt good!

Then again, I felt like I was missing something here. Something she had said about her forms and liking one better? I didn't...oh my!