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Something New Ch. 01

By: loumey1



Just a head's up –all plot for this chapter. I am planning scenes for upcoming chapters, but it will probably be chapter 3 when they first start to appear. Also this is my first story, so constructive feedback is welcome. 

This story is copyrighted, please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks! 

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The night passed, peaceful and deep and Lisa was getting a good night's sleep for the first time in weeks. Needless to say she was not happy when she suddenly woke to full alert. She sighed as soon as she recognized the reason. He was standing by her bedroom window, slightly glowing and transparent and dressed in his full medicine regalia. He saw that she was now awake and spoke to her.

"A summons is coming. You will need the full kit. Also, put on the pendant, it will be useful."  Having delivered his message, he vanished. After all, it was a waste of energy to remain visible for longer than necessary, and both he and Lisa had a pragmatic streak. 

Lisa sighed and got out of bed. So much for a good night's rest, she thought as she stumbled towards her bathroom, dragged a brush through her dark hair, and swiped a toothbrush across her teeth. She washed her face to help clear her bleary hazel eyes and grabbed a hair-tie to hide the fact that her hair was frizzy and sticking out in some unusual directions. Throwing on some clothes, she was about to head to the workroom when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Lisa, it's Shari" Lisa's eyes widened a bit at the tone in her friends voice. Whatever was happening Shari was very worried, and Shari was someone that was always calm under fire.

"Shari, what's the matter?"

"It's Thom, something's wrong and I can't tell what it is. We were walking out to the clearing, he needed to do his monthly thing, and he suddenly got light headed and started going into shock. I got him back to the house, and he fainted. I haven't been able to wake him since. I've left him with my sister and am coming to get you. I'm about 10 minutes away."

"No problem, I'll be ready." Lisa replied.

Shari used to be an ER nurse, so Lisa knew that the fear radiating in her voice was well founded. The problem was that Thom was a channel that had been blasted open through drug use a few years ago. In his case it was not by choice; a former roommate thought it would be funny to 'loosen him up a bit' and dosed him. Unfortunately Thom happened to be highly sensitive to drugs of any kind, and ended up with an overdose. Thom had been lucky to survive. At least the moron had enough sense to call the paramedics, Lisa thought to herself. 

Due to the rather violent nature of the way his gift was opened, Thom had some unique problems that the medical world was unable to cope with. Every month, Thom would perform a ritual designed to put limits on his ability to channel so that it didn't flood and overwhelm him. Doing that ritual allowed him to live a normal life and to hold down a job, rather than descending into madness which he had been well on his way to doing when Lisa first met him. 

Lisa frowned, she had major warning bells going off over the timing of Thom's collapse. Her instincts were saying that it wasn't a coincidence that this happened before Thom had a chance to perform the ritual.

Lisa went to her workroom and grabbed the largest of her bags which contained a full working kit with everything she might need. She double checked the contents and added a few other items, and then grabbed the pendant her guide had shown her earlier and put it on. It was a piece her mother had given her, an equal armed cross made of silver, with a center disk that rotated. On one side of the disk the artist had inlaid a pyramid inside a square, inside a circle, and on the other side he had inlaid a spiral. It was a potent piece, particularly good for gathering and concentrating energy, but one that matched her energy so well, she didn't even notice it when she was wearing it.

Just as she finished her preparations she heard her dog bark to alert her that someone was approaching. Lisa acknowledged her large Rottweiler mix, and Sasha immediately quieted down. A moment later there was an urgent knock, and Lisa opened the door. 

Standing on her doorstep in the chilly night air was Shari looking rather frantic. Lisa grabbed her coat and her bag, gave Sasha a quick pat on the head, locked up, and got into Shari's old model Jeep Cherokee. 

Shari and Thom lived up in the mountains, and required four-wheel drive. Lisa drove a Jeep as well, but the road to Shari's place at night was difficult for those that were not very familiar with it, hence Shari driving down to get her. Shari took off as soon as they were in the car, and Lisa settled in for the drive, turning the situation over in her head.

"Shari, how close are we to the dirt turnoff?" 

"About ten minutes. You gonna journey?" Shari replied, being familiar with Lisa and how she worked by now.

"Yes, I want to try and get some more information." 

Shari nodded and Lisa settled herself into the seat, reclining it slightly. Lisa slowed her breathing and shifted her awareness into the spirit world. Finding herself immediately accompanied by Horse, she requested information and assistance on Thom's condition, and was taken to one of her guides. This was not the same guide that had woken her earlier. Instead, an Egyptian priest appeared before her, and she nodded her head in respect to him. He smiled and gestured for her to approach a large scroll resting on a stone altar.

"This has happened before. Look." He said to her, and moved aside so she could see the scroll. It was almost like watching a movie. She saw a woman who was obviously a channel. Next she saw the woman walking through halls. A shadowy figure was waiting, he darted her with a blowgun and then disappeared. The woman collapsed. Next she saw the woman in a near catatonic state with people taking care of her and trying to heal her. After a period of time, the woman finally awoke and seemed to be back to normal. As she continued to watch, though, things changed. The woman no longer was physically ill, but it was obvious that she was no longer herself. There was something using her, and not for good ends. She caused quite a bit of damage before she was stopped. Unfortunately stopping her had also involved killing her.

Lisa looked up from the scroll at her guide, raised an eyebrow and waited for him to speak to give her an option other than death. 

He gave her a small smile of amusement at her expression. "This is what will happen if you do not succeed in stopping this now. Know also that the one responsible prefers the shadows. You cannot stop this on your own and you will need assistance. I suggest you use the clearing, it may as well be a Circle."

With that advice, Lisa felt herself being pulled back. She settled back into her body and opened her eyes. Just in time, she thought, there's the turnoff now. Shari slowed and made a hard right, and the jeep immediately started to vibrate with the dirt road. Shari was going a bit faster than normal, and it was making Lisa's teeth rattle. Lisa understood completely, though, and knew that the ride wouldn't be much longer at this point. 

Lisa thought about what her guide had just told her. She was grateful for the warning of the true nature of what she faced with Thom. She also found it interesting that he had deemed the clearing to be a Circle. He was basically telling her that she needed help from the Fae, and that they could be contacted there.

"Shari, did you happen to see if Thom had a puncture wound anywhere?"

Shari looked a bit startled, "What, you mean like a snake or spider bite? We're much too high an elevation for rattle snakes, and there aren't any other poisonous snakes in the area. Besides he was wearing his hiking boots, it takes a lot to get through those things. I thought about spider bite but the symptoms don't match. Widows and Recluses both cause significant pain and markings on the skin around the bite. Except for the fact that he's unconscious, he's perfectly normal. I gave him a quick check for bite marks of any kind once I got back to the house, but I didn't go over every inch. Whatever is going on is not normal, Lisa. You know I worked ER, I've seen just about everything and this doesn't match anything. That and my gut are what made me call you instead of an ambulance."

Lisa nodded. "It's possible he may have had the skin punctured, but probably not with anything standard or traditional. If that's the case, and the item is still in or on him, it would be much better if nobody touched it. Also, when we get to your place, I am going to need to go to the clearing first." 

Shari nodded, keeping her attention on the road. "Do you need anything that you haven't already brought?"

Lisa mentally reviewed the contents of her bag. "Umm... Do you have any whiskey?"

Shari seemed a bit startled by the request, but after long association with Lisa she didn't question it. She knew that Lisa didn't make frivolous requests. "Umm, we actually have some Jameson a friend of ours gave us last week."

Lisa smiled, Jameson was Irish whiskey, and the Fae seemed to prefer either Scotch or Irish. "Perfect, I'll need to take that with some glasses up to the clearing with me." 

They lapsed into silence for the rest of the ride up, Lisa getting herself prepared, Shari concentrating on the road. Finally they reached the sharply inclined driveway that lead up to Shari and Thom's place. Shari gunned the engine to get a bit of a running start, and they bounced up to the top of the hill, where Shari and Thom's house sat nestled in the trees. Both women got out of the car, and went into the house. Shari checked on Thom, who was in their bedroom with her sister, Marianne, and then came back out and went to grab the Jameson and some glasses from the kitchen and handed them to Lisa. 

"It would be best for you to stay here for the time being," Lisa said to Shari.

Shari nodded, "Do you need a flashlight to find the trail?"

"No thanks, I'll be ok, there's enough moonlight out there for me to see by." Lisa didn't want to have her vision limited by the flashlight. Between the possibility of a person or persons with ill intent out there, and the mischievous nature of the Fae, it would be asking for trouble to use a flashlight.

Lisa stepped outside, extended her senses and called on some of her spirit allies to keep watch in case anyone was lurking out there. After a short walk, she came to a natural clearing that was almost perfectly circular. She stopped at the edge put down the whiskey and glasses, and placed her hands together in front of her, bowed, and requested permission to enter. 

She felt the energy of the clearing shift and grant her permission. She stepped in, and began to set things up. The clearing itself already had its own boundaries and protections, so she just requested that they be active. Lisa then opened the whiskey, and put it and the glasses center. During the entire process she felt eyes on her, but she knew they belonged to the Fae rather than anyone lingering that should not be there. She also felt some agitation from them, and assumed that it probably had to do with the attack on Thom earlier. 

Lisa stepped away from the center of the circle and said, "Welcome friends, I come bearing gifts if you wish to partake. I ask your assistance undoing that which was done to Thom earlier this evening."

Lisa heard light muttering from the edges, they were definitely agitated by the events earlier. She felt the attention shift and focus, and there was suddenly a tall, slender, elfin looking man with long, white blond hair and vibrant green eyes. A Sidhe, Lisa thought to herself not particularly surprised since she half expected they would be the ones to respond. She assessed his simple appearance, and realized he was extremely powerful. The more powerful the Sidhe, the less they tended to broadcast it. 

Whoever did this has made some powerful enemies, Lisa thought to herself. Sidhe, out of all the Fae, were the ones you least wanted to offend. They tended to be light hearted and approachable, but if provoked, their anger and punishments tended to be quite ... harsh, not to mention creative. 

"Healer, We have heard your need and offer Our assistance. The shadow that entered Our lands is not permitted. We will demand no payment from you. Your service in this matter is sufficient payment."

Lisa kept her face serene and bowed to him. Obviously he was royalty; the fact that he was not demanding payment of some sort also meant that they felt they had responsibility to rectify the situation. She was happy about that since she already owed them, and she didn't want to increase her debt. "Your aid is accepted with gratitude. By what title would one such as yourself prefer to be addressed by one such as myself?"

His eye flickered in slight amusement. She had neatly sidestepped any status related problems between them. "Our full titles would be cumbersome for work that needs to be streamlined. While Our full title honors Our past, We must also consider the needs of the future. You may address me as Tiernan.'"

Lisa heard a bit of startled muttering from the edges of the clearing when he gave her that name. Typically the more powerful the Sidhe, the longer their title. For one such as this to allow her to use such a short title was more than a little startling. Lisa deliberately bowed again. She knew it was not necessary, but she wished to show further respect. "I am honored to be graced with the presence of one so wise." Lisa gestured to the whiskey. "Please join me in acknowledging our accord."

"Before we seal the bond, there is one other I wish to join us in this endeavor." Tiernan stated, dropping the royal 'We.' "This one is unique, and may be somewhat startling to you."

Interesting choice of words, thought Lisa, and made a mental note of his phrasing. "If you vouch for this one, I am willing to meet them." Lisa had no doubt that Tiernan wanted this to succeed, but she also knew that the Sidhe never did anything for just one reason, and that was triply true of royalty. By making him vouch for this third person, he was personally responsible if they did anything problematic for her personally.

Tiernan's eyes again flashed in mild amusement. "I so vouch for Max Tau."

"Then Max Tau is welcome to this circle." Lisa replied formally. As soon as she uttered those words, someone stepped out from the shadows of the forest, and into the circle. As he came forward, Lisa noticed how fluidly he moved. Interestingly, it was not the boneless grace of a cat; rather it was the gliding smoothness of a snake. He was not slender like the Sidhe, but he wasn't overbuilt either. He seemed to be a happy medium of toned muscle on a normal size frame. Something about him, though, conveyed a sense of immense power and strength. His hair was reddish brown, and cropped very short, but his eyes were what really captured her. They seemed to keep changing through different shades of gray, sometimes looking more silver, sometimes more charcoal, and through every color in between. They seemed to hold a quiet strength and a depth that piqued her interest. She felt drawn in by those eyes, and found herself surprised at her reaction. However she had work to do, so she put it aside to deal with later.

Calmly Lisa nodded her head to Max, and said "Welcome, Max Tau, vouched for by Tiernan. Before we sit together, I would know what you are."

He smiled, "That is reasonable." he replied in a soft voice that seemed to have over and undertones that echoed through the land around them. "I am Dragon Touched, there are not many of us." He replied. Then, taking note of Lisa's blank expression he added, "It is easier to show than to explain, if you would permit me?" he said to her, tapping a finger to his temple to indicate he meant to show her directly, mind to mind. "I give my word that I will do nothing beyond that."

Lisa got the deep sense that Max's word was his bond, absolutely and irrevocably. She nodded her head in acceptance, and felt a soft touch on her mind. She allowed him in and he showed her enough to gain a basic understanding. He was quite literally touched by dragons in that they had chosen, with his consent, to alter him so that he gained certain abilities. It seemed that what he gained was designed to enhance and support the skills he already had. He had been a great warrior before accepting the offer of the dragons, and the gifts they gave him enhanced his ability. She caught the gifts of longevity, strength, agility, endurance, heightened senses, and something else that she couldn't quite see yet. Max must not have intended her to see quite so much, though, because she caught a startled feeling, and he immediately withdrew.

Lisa smiled a little at his surprise. "Max Tau, I greet you and thank you for your presence and your explanation. You are welcome here. Will you join us in our endeavor?"

"My aid is granted freely." He replied again, in that curiously soft voice which still echoed through everything around them.

"Then please join us to seal our agreement." Lisa replied as she knelt on the ground, opened the whiskey, and poured a glass for each of them. Tiernan sank down to the ground on her left in the inhumanly elegant and graceful fashion of all Sidhe. Max dropped down to her right, and almost seemed to be coiled and relaxed at the same time.

Lisa handed each a glass, and proceeded to sip hers first. Tiernan and Max then followed, sipping their drinks as well. Once each had finished their whiskey, and set their glass back down in the center, they rose as one and began to walk back down to the clearing. The remainder of the whiskey was left in the circle as a gift. Lisa knew it would be gone by morning, and Shari could go and retrieve her glasses tomorrow. 

Something New Ch. 02



The ice has spilt. Your cock is hard as ice, but hot as steel. I can feel the urgency straining within you. And there is an answering rise within me. Your hands leave my breasts, caressing my shoulders & down my arms to grasp my hands and pull them up above my head. You hold them here, leaning into me. I hold my breath, not sure what's coming next. Your eyes lock with mine and you right hand slides down barely touching my face and neck; your fingers trace my pulse and you smile at the proof of your effect on me.

Your face comes closer and my eyes close as I feel your lips on my cheek. My breath escapes in a soft whoosh. You switch hands and your left one squeezes my left breast creating a moan which you catch in your mouth.

You release my hands and they tangle into your soft hair, pulling you closer-if that's possible-kissing you with all the fire and passion building within me. We come up for air and I grin wickedly. I step forward, twist, and slam you against the machine. I pin your shoulders and kiss you fiercely, biting your lower lip before moving to your ears and neck.

My hands are pulling your shirt free of your pants so I can feel your hot flesh. They slide up to trace your nipples but there are buttons restricting movement-dammit! My fingers make short work of them and my mouth eagerly worship the newly exposed skin.

My hands are massaging your chest, paying particular attention to your hardened nubs. As my mouth makes it's way downward, my tongue steals out to trace your belly button. I grasp your hips as I drag my lips from one side to the other, feeling the head of your prick brush my chin with each pass. My ears pick up the sharp intake of breath and I can't wait to put my mouth on your cock and satisfy...

...my curiosity. I smile and trace the skin just above your waistband with my tongue... 

My breath is hot on your stomach and your hands delve into my hair and pull my head closer, placing exquisite pressure against your manhood. I pull back so my finger can undo your jeans, easing some of the tension. I slowly peel back the denim to discover you're not wearing underwear. I glance up at you, your eyes are so hot! And the intense look you give me makes me catch my breath and clench my cunt.

I reach around to slide the pants over your bare, clenched ass. My hands are trembling. You kick off your shoes so you can step out. I can barely breathe; I can't believe this is actually happening! I look at the magnificent example of maleness that is in front of me and feel my mouth watering. I gently take your shaft in my hand, caressing it in a pumping motion, catching the bit of pre-cum that has oozed out; your fingers tighten in my hair. My tongue escapes to lick my lips. Your eyes watch the motion. "Put your mouth on me," you whisper, and you bring my head closer.

My tongue reaches out to lick the shaft. I revel in the salty taste and I love hearing ho the smallest. slightest touch affects you. I go down first using both my lips and tongue before making my way up and doing my favorite thing of all-enjoying the head! licking around it, laving it with my tongue and then tilting my head and taking the whole thing into my mouth. I hear you suck your breath in and the ragged exhale, I love these sounds; they make me wet!

Your hands are holding my head still and you're trying to fuck my mouth. But taking your entire length requires a bit of time and relaxing of my throat. I'm going as fast as I can. Your hips are going back & forth, trying to be slow. I finally am able to take all of you and the feeling of your head hitting the back of my throat & beyond is more than you can stand. You thrust into my face and I lose my relaxation. Yet you're still holding my head.

"Yeah, fucking take it all. Mmmmm," you growl. I feel your hands running through my hair. I hold my mouth open as well as I can, allowing your cock to plunge into my throat and occasionally trying to use my tongue to caress you. I fondle your balls with one hand, using my other to steady myself against your thrusts. Your hands twitch and go deeper in my hair to grab tighter.

"Ahhh, fuck. I'm gonna come!" you manage to grind out before your orgasm overtakes you and you jerk your hips; shoving your entire length into my mouth & down my throat, squirting your cream as I try to swallow. You're still experiencing aftershocks as you pull out and I lick what remains from your glorious member so I can remember the taste of you.

and that's the end...or is it?



Something New Ch. 02



 All plot again for this chapter. I am planning at least one scene for chapter 3, so stay tuned. All constructive feedback is welcome. 

Thank you everyone for all the wonderful comments! It really does make me incredibly happy that my story has been so well received so far. (I am doing a happy dance even though you can't see it lol) I hope the next installment meets expectations. Enjoy!

This story is copyrighted, please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks!

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The walk back to Shari's house was uneventful, though everyone was still on alert. Well, at least it was uneventful until they actually got to the house and Shari's sister Marianne leveled a shotgun at them. Fortunately as soon as Marianne got a good look at Lisa and let her explain that Tiernan and Max were there to help, she lowered the weapon and let them in. To Lisa's relief, both Tiernan and Max seemed to take it in stride.

The three of them were now gathered in Shari and Thom's bedroom. Max had rolled Thom over, and Lisa and Tiernan both focused on the same spot towards the bottom of Thom's right buttock. Lisa and Tiernan looked at each other and Tiernan spoke, "That was the point of entry, but whatever was used is no longer there. I wish to see the shape of what was used before we do anything else. It will not cause him harm to delay slightly, and it right now it is our only connection to the being behind the shadow."

Lisa nodded to him, "How would you like me to assist?" 

Tiernan considered a moment, "I wish for both you and Max to stand guard. This will be very delicate work, and I sense there will be ... pitfalls along the way. Max, would you please take care of anything that attempts to enter this room." Implied in Tiernan's statement was that he meant both physical and non-physical threats.

Lisa relaxed a bit, trusting in Tiernan's assessment that Max would be capable of watching their backs on both levels, it was one less thing she would need to worry about. Tiernan continued, "Lisa, I would particularly like if you would be willing to monitor the working itself while staying disconnected from it. This way should there be any problems, you will be free to act."

Max and Lisa both nodded their agreement. Max claimed the one corner of the room in which he could watch all windows and the door at the same time. He had an alert but relaxed stance, and once again Lisa had a sense of immense strength along with quiet competency that she only sensed from people that were masters at what they did. Lisa had no doubt that if anything not belonging should try to enter, it would be in for a nasty surprise. 

Lisa sat down in a nearby chair and once again, entered Journey space. She called in her power animals, and requested assistance. Most of her friends took on positions of watch and defense, but she noted that animals particularly suited to the dark came forward to work with her more directly; specifically Bat, Owl, Catfish, and Fox. 

The thought flashed across her mind that it was appropriate given what her guide had told her earlier about this being's preference for the shadows. With Bat's ability to use sound, nothing was hidden from him. Owl had her sight, silence, and extreme precision and accuracy. Catfish dwelled in the muck and the dark and did not rely on sight. He brought not only his sensitivity to his surroundings, but his ability to dig through the muck and get to whatever was buried. Finally Fox brought her cleverness, secrecy, and softness making her one heck of a good spy/scout.

Lisa felt Tiernan begin, and watched in a neutral pocket of Journey space, keeping herself hidden from prying eyes. She wanted to be certain that there was no outside interference, as well as watching for any traps in the work Tiernan would be doing. She followed him as he drew the energy imprint of the foreign object from Thom. Tiernan was forced to be very tightly focused to get a clear image, and it was in this moment that Lisa felt something stirring. A moment later the 'lights' went out and everything went dark. 

Lisa merged with Bat and was able to make use of his senses to 'see' in the shadows. It did not take long before she sensed something approaching. All that she could make out was a moving swirl of darkness that was being herded towards them by some of her other animal guides.

Lisa felt Owl focus in and prepare, then saw her launch straight at the pool of darkness approaching them, extending her claws into its heart. Lisa moved immediately to support Owl, and extended her own power to trap whatever it was. Once Lisa had it firmly ensnared, Owl released her claws and flew back up into a tree to watch. The 'lights' came back on, and Lisa tried to get a look at what they had caught. It was still trying to conceal itself, and so it looked like she had caught a swirl of shadows and darkness. Lisa touched in quickly with the others that were guarding Tiernan to make certain that this was not a two-pronged attack. Receiving confirmation that they were still watching, and that all was quiet, she shifted her attention back to the thing before her.

"Show me your face, show me your face, show me your face." Lisa demanded, using the repetition of three to force it to drop the disguise.

As the shadows melted away, Lisa saw a humanoid form begin to appear, but it was gaunt, bleeding and broken. It was so damaged that she couldn't even determine gender. She realized that this was not the actual being behind all of this. Rather, it was a spirit bound to its service. 

"Why have you come here?" Lisa asked.

"I was ordered to." The spirit replied in a hollow voice. From the sound of its voice Lisa could tell that this spirit had given up hope, and that its hopelessness was tied into its bindings. 

The spirit continued, "I was ordered to implant this on the Fae." It said, holding out what looked like a large parasitic worm equipped with a sharp, piercing 'head.' Lisa had never seen anything quite like this in the natural world, though some of the parasites out there were pretty gruesome. Besides the feel of this was that of a created thing, rather than a natural creature. 

"I don't know everything about it, but I know it taints the person that it is implanted into," The spirit continued. "This one was special, but I don't know what else it was supposed to do. I just know it took longer to make this one." 

Lisa blinked a little at how cooperative the spirit was being. "You seem to be very helpful," she stated, waiting for a response.

"I have never been ordered not to help, only not to approach anyone else. Since you have trapped me and I did not seek you out, I am free to speak. Giving you information can only help me, so therefore I am helpful." 

Lisa evaluated this statement for a moment and checked in with Owl. Receiving confirmation that this spirit was indeed speaking the truth and not omitting anything pertinent, Lisa decided that she wanted to do something about the parasite construct before going any further. She requested assistance for the task, and Badger came forward from the trees around them. She conferred with him for a moment, and they agreed on a plan to deal with the creation.

Lisa turned back to the spirit and created what resembled a mason jar with a lid. "Please put that into the jar and close it." Lisa said, indicating the created worm thing that the spirit was still holding.

It immediately obeyed the instructions, looking rather relieved to get rid of the thing. As soon as the spirit let it go, it immediately started writhing around and jabbing with its head, probably looking for someone get into. Lisa prepared another container of energy around the 'jar' to double seal it, and brought it out towards Badger. She then enclosed Badger inside the energy shield with the jar, and asked Badger if he was ready.

He just gave her his usual grumpy look and said, "Just get on with it."

She dissolved the jar and Badger immediately pounced on the worm like thing, trapping its 'head' under one claw. Slowly Badger began to take it apart, starting with the softer back end.

Lisa knew that it was because Badger was working to get as much information as he could by taking it apart, rather than from any sense of satisfaction from the act. Finally he reached the 'head' and crushed the stabbing end with a tip of his claw, finally killing it. As soon as it was dead, the remains of the construct quite literally dissolved, leaving nothing behind.

"And that is why I took it apart before killing it." Badger grumbled as if to itself. Lisa had the sense that he said that more for the spirit's benefit than for hers, probably so that it wouldn't decide they were a threat. After all, cooperation was so much easier for everyone.

Lisa gave a wry smile and added "And that's also why you don't mess with the 'Keeper of Stories.' As you've often told me, 'He who knows how to analyze knows how to take apart.'"

Badger gave a short grunt of amusement. "Glad to see something actually sunk into that thick skull of yours," he shot back at her. Then shifted gears in his typical abrupt way and spoke to her in private mode. "That thing was most definitely a construct. It was very complex and costly in both energy and time to create. This one was targeted specifically for Sidhe, which means our 'friend' is looking to expand into new territory. The parasite was basically designed to wipe the person out of the body, but leave the knowledge and memories in the mind intact."

She took the hint and replied to him in the same private mode. "So in essence, this being needed access to the knowledge and power both, rather than just access to the power the way it seems to work with Channels. And worse, it may have also been hoping to infiltrate the Sidhe as a whole through its host."

Badger just nodded at her. Lisa made a note to make sure that Tiernan sent a warning out to his people even though it was unlikely there were many of these creations around.

"If it had succeeded, how well would it have worked?" Lisa asked Badger.

"Hard to say. It was designed to act fast. Sidhe, not being completely of this world would have a higher ability to survive a compressed process than a human. That very speed is what makes it more likely to have succeeded since he would not have as much time to fight it or to call for help, much less allow that help to arrive."

Lisa turned back to the spirit they had captured. "Is there anything else you can and will tell us about the being that has you trapped?"

"Yes and yes. You've probably figured it out, but it likes the shadows. What that means is that it is the power behind the throne, rather than the one seated upon it. So don't let yourself be distracted by the figure head. It's ancient, but I don't think it's capable of physical form, so I don't know what it looks like. Also, it's a supreme manipulator." The spirit shuddered a bit as it said that last part, and that told Lisa more about what this spirit had been through than anything else. 

The spirit went silent for a moment, seeming to consider something. Lisa waited patiently, and finally it turned toward her, its eyes haunted. "I hate this existence, I hate being bound, and I hate the creature that did this to me, but I also cannot help but come back to it willingly. It offered me freedom once, and I could not make myself take it." 

The spirit turned away in shame. Lisa felt it radiating in waves towards her and answered her inner call to address it. She did not offer pity or comfort to the spirit, instead she stayed neutral and said to it, "Consider this. Manipulation is as natural to this creature as fighting is to a warrior. Warping the mind and spirit of those it holds captive is no challenge to it. Would you blame yourself for your injuries if it had beaten you?"

The spirit paused, and then shook its head slightly.

"Then why blame yourself because it has beaten you with less physical methods? An attack on your mind and spirit does not make it any less an attack than the one that leaves broken bones. Non-physical leave broken minds and spirits, and the fact that neither your mind nor spirit is truly broken is a testament to your fortitude and great strength of spirit."

The spirit looked at her, and Lisa could see some of the illusions it had believed in falling away. Faint hope flashed in its eyes and it began to take on a more human countenance to the point that Lisa could tell that it was female. 

Lisa was particularly pleased at that last part. She wanted to free it, but for that to happen, she needed to break some of the self imposed bindings first. The more human the appearance, the more ready the spirit would be for freedom.

"Thank you for that," the spirit said to her. "There is one more thing I can give to help. I know its energy signature."

Lisa paid close attention, "That would be very useful."

The spirit nodded and showed it to her. Energy signatures were interesting things. They were basically the essence of the being they belonged to, a reflection of who and what it was at heart. They were complex, layered and absolutely unique. The spirit had learned the signature well in its time with this creature, and now Lisa knew it too.

"Thank you," Lisa said, and added with a small smile, "That took a lot of courage. You have given us something that is invaluable." Lisa checked in with Badger, "Is there anything else of use that she can tell us?"

"No." He replied in his gravelly mental voice.

"I would like to free her, is it possible to do it at this time?"

A new voice entered the conversation, "With the right assistance." Fox told her, while emerging from the trees. Catfish also appeared again, swimming to the bank of the stream that had appeared with him. Fox continued, "We have been scouting and digging around. We can help you break the bindings."

"Excellent," Lisa replied, and then turned back to the spirit.

"I can free you and help you cross over if you would like." The spirit considered her words with some apprehension. Sensing the cause, Lisa added, "You will not be alone."

The spirit considered for a moment longer, "Yes," it answered.

Lisa nodded at her, and then linked with Fox and Catfish to break the bindings. They had tracked the roots of the bindings, and also knew where the traps were laid. Together they carefully released the many layers of bindings, while still holding them so they didn't snap back and alert the being that its captive was gaining her freedom. 

Finally they removed the last one, and Catfish took over anchoring them for a moment. Lisa looked over at the former captive, and saw that she had fully regained her human appearance and was literally glowing with happiness. Lisa approached, and took the spirit's hand.

"Look, you are being welcomed home." Lisa said to her, gesturing to a glowing gateway that had appeared and which was emanated by pure joy and love.

The woman released Lisa's hand, letting out a cry of happiness, and ran towards the gate. She paused at the threshold and turned to Lisa. "Thank you so much," she said, and then she stepped through. The gate disappeared, and Lisa steadied herself for a moment. 

Psycho-pomp work was always the most challenging to Lisa, since she had to fight the desire to step through those gates herself. It had taken her years before she could approach anywhere near them without being in very real danger of doing just that.

"That was well and kindly done." A voice said behind her.

Lisa started and spun around, relaxing when she saw Tiernan standing there. 

He smiled, "You were in here longer than expected, we wanted to check in," he told her.

Lisa nodded, "You should head back, I am about to let those bindings loose to snap back, and I don't intend on staying here to be found."

"If you would hold for a moment longer, I will wipe all traces of what happened here," Tiernan offered.

Lisa nodded and allowed him to work. His ability far exceeded hers in that area, since he would literally wipe away the spiritual memory from this pocket of the spirit realm. To anyone trying to read anything here, it would be as if it nothing had ever happened.

Lisa felt the shift that indicated Tiernan had finished. He turned and gave her a quick mischievous smile before vanishing. Knowing the Sidhe, Lisa suspected that he had laid a few traps of his own into this little pocket of the spirit realm. Lisa made sure that everyone had cleared out, and then together with Catfish, they pulled at the bindings to create a bit more tension, and then let them go like a rubber band, simultaneously vanishing from the place.

*****************************

Lisa opened her eyes after settling back into her body, and blinked as her vision adjusted. She noted Tiernan seated next to her, and then her eyes met Max's, who was seated across from her. He was staring at her with an intensity and focus he hadn't displayed before and she again felt her interest stir, this time stronger than before. She was relieved when he broke eye contact. 

With some irritation she pushed her interest aside yet again. She had work to do and this was neither the time nor place to explore random attractions to other-worldly beings. Especially since she was probably just reacting to that presence he put out, not to mention that other-worldly beings attracted people just by being other-worldly. She had seen it happen before, and she would be damned if she would allow a freaking teenage infatuation to interfere with the work before her. Or, for that matter, to make an idiot out of her, especially since she was old enough to know better. 

Lisa realized she was now getting quite angry with herself and that wasn't any more conducive to the work than infatuation was. She calmed herself down and checked on Thom. Now that she knew the nature of what had been implanted on him, she was able to track it. She saw that it was still in the surface levels, and though it was working in deeper, it was moving slowly. In short, they had time and things were not yet urgent. She threw up a few subtle containers to keep the thing where it was, and then withdrew.

"I have information that relates directly to what happened to Thom." Lisa said to Tiernan and Max, though she noticed her voice was rather hoarse. She cleared her throat and continued, "I also think it might be good to give Shari a bit of an update since we've been in here awhile, and quite frankly, I need a few minutes to gather my thoughts."

Tiernan nodded and Max said, "If things are not yet urgent with Thom, then a short break would allow us to better prepare for the next stage."

"Then we are agreed, coffee-breaks all around," Tiernan chimed in with a smile, which earned him a giggle from Lisa and a quiet chuckle from Max. 

Max offered Lisa his hand, and she allowed him to help her up out of the chair. She was gratified that she finally seemed to be getting her attraction under control. The interest still flashed when he touched her hand, but it wasn't quite so distracting. Thank God for small favors, she thought to herself. 

Lisa was under no illusions though; she knew that she would be dealing with her infatuation later on and in full force. The up side was that she would be able to do so in private, and for the time being at least, her hormones were leaving her alone and letting her function. 

The three of them walked out of Shari and Thom's bedroom. Lisa saw Shari hovering nearby and looking anxiously at them. Lisa walked up to Shari to update her.

"We have finished part one, and will be moving into part two of the process shortly, but we needed a quick break in between." Then Lisa looked Shari right in the eye and said softly, "You won't hear me say this often, but you were right not to call that ambulance."




Something New Ch. 02



Shari immediately started crying, and Lisa just held her, knowing that Shari had been wound very tightly and had been questioning herself into little pieces. Lisa's words released all that tension for her, and she just sobbed out her relief along with her worry and concern for Thom. Lisa just held her and let Shari cry herself out.

After a few minutes, Shari quieted back down again. "Will he be ok? How is he doing?"

"He is unchanged at the moment, but I believe he will be ok after we complete the next part of the work." Lisa said to her.

"Thank you so much." Shari said as she hugged Lisa again. Then Shari seemed to come back to herself and realized that Marianne had been serving the men tea, and she was keeping Lisa away from any refreshment. She pulled away and asked, "You want your usual?"

Lisa nodded and gave Shari another quick hug, then joined everyone at the old wooden kitchen table. Shari set a steaming mug of oolong tea in front of her. Lisa closed her eyes and inhaled the scent for a moment. She then began to sip, slowly letting the warm earthy flavor slide over her tongue and down her throat, savoring it with an expression of bliss on her face. 

She opened her eyes and saw that Tiernan and Max were both watching her with bemused expressions. "You look like a cat that's gotten into the cream." Max said to her with a grin.

Lisa laughed, "I love oolong, and this particular blend is one of my favorites. The best should always be savored."

"I can't argue with that," he replied with a smile as something flashed in his eyes briefly, too fast for Lisa to catch. 

Lisa smiled back and went back to sipping her tea. The simple conversation continued around the table. Shari seemed to take strength from the normalcy of it, while Max, Tiernan, and Lisa used the opportunity to regroup and center before they needed to enter the fray once again. Marianne just seemed to take note of things, and Lisa had the feeling she would be accosted with questions from her at a later date.

Lisa glanced at Max, and noticed that he appeared to be studying her again. She looked him in the eye and raised her eyebrow in a silent question. He gave her a small smile, acknowledging that she had caught him studying her and returned his attention to the rest of the table.

They finished the rest of their tea, and Max and Tiernan excused themselves to go back to Thom. Lisa stayed behind for a moment, gave Shari another hug of comfort, and then went to join them.

**************

Lisa having used the break to gather herself together again, had just finished sharing all she had learned. Tiernan had seen a small part of it, but he had not witnessed the worm construct or its destruction, and his eyes darkened in thought for a moment before looking back at them. 

"It would seem your adventures bore more fruit. I saw the shape of the weapon, a simple needle concealed in something that may have been a pen. What you have found, however, is much more important. I must warn my people, and I do not wish to wait for the time it will take to complete this work. Please excuse me, I will not be long."

Lisa and Max both nodded at him, and he strode out of the bedroom. They heard him speak briefly to Shari and Marianne and then they heard the front door open and close.

Lisa looked at Max and noticed that he was studying her again. "Did you have a question for me?" she asked him.

"Not exactly, or at least not one I can put into words yet. Something about you is different than the other healers and shamans I have met, and I am having difficulty figuring out what it is. You are definitely highly skilled, not many would have been as successful in that situation." 

Lisa shrugged away the compliment, "I just serve Spirit to the best of my ability, and try to do what I'm told," she said with a small smile of amusement. 

He flashed a quick smile at her joke, and then paused for a moment as if thinking about something. "I think I do have one question." He said, "You seem to work with a lot of different animal spirits?"

Lisa smiled a little, it wasn't the first time someone had been confused about that. "I was a bit surprised by that as well at first, as was my teacher. The short version is that they have told me, en masse, that I may call upon any of them at any time as needed. That though I tend to work primarily with a core group, any and all animals are my power animals, and as such they have given me the same permissions I would have with one of my primary animals. It is a gift I have had cause to be very grateful for on many occasions, this being one of them. It is also a gift I had difficulty accepting at first, thinking it was something I had conjured up out of my own head. That is, at least, until they got a bit more direct with me." Lisa added with a small smile at the memory. Lisa decided to change gears a bit, "What about you? How did you become Dragon-Touched?"

Max smiled a bit, "They wouldn't leave me alone, so I acquiesced to get some peace." He told her with laugh. Lisa got the distinct impression that he was teasing someone with that comment, probably a friend of his among the dragons, and gave him a wry smile. He decided to tell her more since she had been so forthcoming with his questions to her, and didn't seem to have the annoying habit of pushing him for information he didn't want to share. 

"I was a fighter, a long time ago." Max's eyes turned silvery gray as he dug up old memories. "I was also a bit too cocky about it. One day a stranger came into town and challenged me. I accepted, and we had barely begun when he defeated me. That had never happened before. At first I was angry and wanted revenge, but then I realized that I was being stupid. I approached him respectfully and asked him to train me. He was surprised by my request. I can't blame him, I hadn't really shown him my best face before that moment. He decided to take me on and he taught me. He is the one that made me into the warrior that you see today."

"As it turned out, he was Dragon-Touched, though I have never figured out if training with him is what brought me to the attention of the dragons, or if I already had their attention and that was why they brought him to me . Anyway, eventually they offered me the position, so to speak, and I accepted. I have served in that capacity ever since."

Lisa idly wondered how long Max had walked the planet. Dragons were the most ancient of all creatures, and longevity granted by them could date Max at any point in history. His speech was too well adapted to modern day to give her any clues, which was very telling of his ability to cope with change.

As Lisa was mulling this over, they heard the front door open again, and both of them brought their attention back to the matter at hand.

Tiernan walked back into the bedroom, and settled back into his seat. "My people have been warned, and we are checking to be certain that none has already been claimed by this shadow creature. It is time to remove its influence from Thom, and then shine the light at this shadow," Tiernan said rather abruptly. 

*********************

Lisa and Tiernan looked at each other, ready to begin. The three of them had set up space, in essence creating a container for the work, and Max was now holding and guarding it. That freed Tiernan's and Lisa's attention and energy for the work at hand. 

Lisa held up her drum, and began to play, beating a simple four-beat rhythm. Then she added her voice to the mix, using one of the songs her teacher had given her. The song was an active one, full of fire and life. Tiernan began to dance a simple step to it, and she felt him using his movement to work the energy.

Together the two of them created a false energy body of Thom, and moved it to hover just above Thom who was still lying on the bed. Lisa continued to play and sing while Tiernan danced, the two of them brightening the energy from their counterfeit until they felt the attention of the worm construct shift. Together they made the counterfeit into everything the construct sought until finally, it worked itself out of the real Thom's energy field, and into their fake. 

As soon as it entered, Tiernan danced to seal up the counterfeit, preventing the construct's escape, and then Lisa let the full force of a forest fire pour into the song, rather than the light playful dancing fire that it had been before. Their counterfeit blazed in an inferno, and they felt the worm construct consumed and destroyed. 

Lisa allowed the fire to continue until the counterfeit was completely destroyed, deciding to opt for overkill. After all, she really hated having to revisit things. 

As the fake was consumed and the fires dimmed, Lisa brought the song to a close, and Tiernan followed with his dance, so they ended in unison. Lisa set down her drum, and then she and Tiernan placed their hands over Thom's body, serving as a conduit so the injuries created by the worm could be healed. They certainly didn't want to have removed one thing only to have something else attach. 

Lisa, feeling her part was complete and stepped back and away from Thom. Tiernan then put his fingers to either side of Thom's temple and spoke a blessing. Thom's eyes fluttered and opened.



Something New Ch. 03



Hi everyone, 

Thanks again for your comments – I really do love reading them! Also, I added some 'action' to this chapter. It's my first time writing anything like that, so hope it came out okay. As always, all constructive feedback is welcome. Enjoy!

This story is copyrighted, please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks!

**********

... Lisa, feeling her part was complete stepped back and away from Thom. Tiernan then put his fingers to either side of Thom's temple and spoke a blessing. Thom's eyes fluttered and opened.

"Welcome back," Tiernan said quietly, and then moved away from Thom to give him space and time to adjust. Lisa put herself into his field of vision so that he would see a familiar face, and waited as Thom started to move to alertness.

Finally he spoke, "Lisa? What's going on?"

***********

The sun was just starting to come up over the horizon and Lisa had just finished giving Shari, Thom, and Marianne the basic rundown of everything that had occurred. Lisa groaned inwardly, Sunrises are way overrated she thought to herself. She then turned her attention back to the room to evaluate reactions.

Thom's face had held a lot of disbelief initially, but she had noticed his eyes wandering over to Tiernan and resting on his pointed ears. Thom had gradually lost his expression of disbelief until he finally reached his current state which seemed a mixture of mild shock, and stunned acceptance. As for Shari, Lisa knew that she had taken in every word that was said, but was not currently in a mental state to process it. The good thing about that was that by the time Shari actually looked at the evening's events, the information that was now sitting in the back of her mind would already be partially processed and therefore much easier to deal with.

Lisa checked on Marianne and noted that she had a mixture of shock and relief on her face, and she also kept glancing over at Tiernan. In her case, though, she seemed to gain a sense of comfort from him. Lisa tucked that observation away to analyze at a later date.

Lisa looked over at Shari and Thom again, and decided that the couple really needed the comfort of each other at this point. She glanced up and saw that Marianne had reached the same conclusion, and together they rose and led the way out of the bedroom. 

Shari noted the movement and focused on them. "Thank you, all of you. Lisa, do you need me to drive you home? You can also stay here the rest of the night if you want. Same offer applies to both of you gentlemen," Shari said, as she started to get up.

"Stay put," Marianne barked at her sister in a voice worthy of any drill sergeant. "I'll take care of it." A small smile of amusement appeared on Shari's face, and she obeyed, sinking back down into Thom's embrace. With that, the four of them left the bedroom with mild amusement in their eyes at Marianne's ability to take command. 

**********

Shari watched her sister and Lisa leave her bedroom with the two men in tow, and was relieved that her sister was handling everything. The possibility that she would lose Thom had terrified her, and now she was feeling the aftereffects of a very trying night. She let herself sink back down and immersed herself in Thom's embrace, pressing her face to his chest and listening to his heartbeat. There was something immensely soothing to her in the sound, and it helped to calm her.

She felt Thom run his hands up and down her back, soothing her with his touch. As soon as he felt her relax, he rolled over her, and kissed her softly. Shari felt intense need well up, and returned his kiss with intense passion, surprising him with the heat of her response.

The small part of her brain that was still functioning noted that this was a very natural reaction to crisis situations and was to be expected. Shari told that part of her brain to shut up, and then let herself sink completely into her desire. She felt a level of hunger for him that she had never before experienced, and she needed to satisfy that hunger as she had never needed anything before in her life. 

She pushed at Thom, which her way of asking him to roll over. When he acquiesced, she rolled on top and straddled him, managing not to break their passionate kiss during the maneuver. 

She pulled back from the kiss, gently sucking his lower lip. It was a move that never failed to bring a response, and this was no exception. She heard him groan, and felt him harden through his jeans as he ran his hands up under her t-shirt. 

She immediately brought her face back to his, but only lightly brushed his lips before moving down his jaw and neck. Nibbling and kissing as she went, keeping him so distracted he didn't notice she had unbuttoned his shirt till he felt her hands sliding up his stomach to his chest. 

Shari continued to trail kisses and nibbles down his throat and onto his chest, slowly making her way to one of his nipples, teasing around the edges before flicking her tongue across it. She felt him squeeze her hips and press her down onto his hardness. Shari felt her wetness seeping through the sweats she was still wearing. 

Thom slid his hands up the sides of her body, lifting her shirt as he went, deliberately avoiding her breasts as he pulled off her shirt and tossed it aside, happy that there was no bra to deal with. Shari lifted up slightly and arched her back, pushing her nipples forward, and running her fingers up his chest and over his nipples in a very clear request for the same treatment.

Instead, with a chuckle, Thom lifted himself up to her lips and kissed her again, dueling with her tongue. Shari ground her hips, rubbing herself against the hardness she felt through his jeans, and pulled back from the kiss, again pushing her rosy tipped breasts forward. This time, Thom granted her unspoken request, and ran his hands up her ribs, and cupped each small mound before running his thumb over her erect nipples.

"Oh God!" Shari moaned as Thom used his knowledge of her body to send shivers straight down to her pussy. 

Shari decided that she had enough of his jeans, and let her hands run down to undo the button and zipper. Smiling at him, she scooted a bit further down his legs, grabbing the waist of his jeans. "I see something that just isn't fitting in these anymore." She said in a husky voice. "Let's say we get rid of them."

Thom smiled at her and obliged her by lifting his hips. She slid the jeans down, deliberately letting the cloth slide over the thin fabric of his briefs that was still covering his straining cock. She got the jeans down past his hips, and then before he could lower his hips again, quickly grabbed the waistband to his briefs and smoothly slid them down as well, allowing his cock to finally stand proudly with its new found freedom.

Shari eyed him appreciatively and slid his pants the rest of the way off. "I've said it before, and I will keep saying it, I love your cock!" Thom smiled and Shari moved back up his body, sliding him between her breasts, and then along her stomach as she went, making him twitch in response. As she straddled him again, she let the cloth from her sweats rub against him, while she once again kissed him, nibbling and sucking on his lips, and brushing her nipples against his chest.

Thom groaned, and said, "Why is it that only one of us is naked?"

Shari gave him a playful look and replied, "All in good time, you should never rush the unveiling." She continued to rub herself against Thom's cock, while leaning down to lick and nibble at his neck and chest.

Thom decided that two could play this game. He slid his hands into her sweats, and began squeezing and rubbing her ass. He teased her, letting his fingers slide around the inside of her thighs, and then up to brush her dripping entrance or her clit, and then would move them completely away again.

It didn't take long before Shari, who had started out pretty keyed up, couldn't take it anymore, and sat up with a curse, "Fuck it! You win, I want you in me now!"

Thom chuckled, and felt his desire flare even higher at Shari's blatant need. She pulled Thom's hands from her pants, and managed to get out of her sweats in a maneuver she'd never be able to do if she had been thinking about it. She positioned him at her slick entrance and sank down, taking him completely inside her in one quick move. Shari gave a low moan and shuddered slightly with the pleasure of having Thom inside her. 

After a moment Shari started moving, lifting herself and sinking back down, taking Thom's cock deeply into her dripping pussy. Thom's fingers danced over nipples and he smiled as he appreciated the view. Shari moaned again, and started to grind a little each time she sank down onto him. 

Thom shuddered with the sensation and the memories that Shari riding him always brought. The first time he had ever seen her was riding a mechanical bull at a kitchy bar he was doing some work for. She was there for a bachelorette party, and the sight of her riding that bull had driven him crazy. 

Thom looked down to watch as Shari's wet pussy moved up and down his glistening shaft, letting his memories add to the sight before him. Shari started to increase her rhythm and the combination of the change in tempo and the sight of his cock filling Shari's pussy sent another wave of pleasure through him, and Thom grunted in pleasure.

Thom continued to knead her breasts and nipples with one hand and he slid his other hand down her stomach to slide between her lips, stroking along her clit. Thom felt her fingers digging into his chest and saw her biting her lip and moaning in pleasure. 

Thom knew she was close, and brought his lips to her other breast, and sucked on it, while giving a quick pinch to her other nipple. The double sensations pushed her over the edge, and she gave a cry, her walls clutching at his cock as he erupted with the first squeeze of her orgasm. She ground her hips down onto him, her walls milking him until he was completely spent, and they both collapsed entangled in each other.

****************

Lisa, Marianne, Max and Tiernan had just left Shari and Thom's bedroom, and all of them had a fairly good idea of what was going to be happening in there, so they moved into the other room quickly.

Marianne asked, "Do any of you need a ride anywhere, or did you want to stay here?" 

Tiernan and Max looked at each other, and Lisa knew there was some sort of communication happening between them. She decided to wait and see what they had to say before giving her answer. She had the feeling that whatever it was, it would affect her. 

Tiernan spoke up, "We do not believe that the danger is over. My people are on guard, which will afford a great deal of protection on the grounds, but we believe one of us should stay here with you for the duration if you are agreeable. We believe that of the two of us, my skills are a stronger match for any problems likely to arise here."

Marianne nodded, "I think I speak for both my sister and brother when I say you are welcome, and we are grateful for your protection."

Tiernan nodded and then turned to Lisa. "We also both believe that it would be ... prudent, for Max to perform a similar function for you, Lisa."

Lisa felt a bit surprised by both of these requests, Fae of any power rarely stayed away from Underhill for any length of time. Technology tended to react in unusual ways with their power, which made them understandably wary of staying around it for much time. People tended not to react that well when their toaster suddenly started dancing, or their coffee maker began spouting haiku. She was also a little uncertain about the idea of Max living with her for however long this arrangement ended up lasting. 

She felt innate trust towards Max, but by the same token, as a woman living alone, she was not that comfortable letting a man she had known only a few hours stay in her house. Then there was the issue of her attraction to him, and that was a whole other kettle of fish. I wonder what part of the Universe decided my life wasn't interesting enough. Lisa thought to herself wryly.

Tiernan seemed to sense her inner conflict and continued, "We know that strictly speaking, the original terms of our agreement have been fulfilled. We both wish to extend that agreement until this matter is completed." 

Tiernan's tone hardened and he reverted to his use of the royal 'We' again. "We are most displeased that this creature was able to move in Our lands without Our knowledge. Furthermore, its actions are not permitted by Us on Our lands. We have Our own debt to repay Our lover of shadows, and would consider your acceptance of the extension of this agreement along with housing Max to be acceptable payment of your debts." 

Lisa blinked in surprise. Currently she owed the Fae a few favors. She did not owe them a great deal, but still, this seemed like a relatively small favor to ask for in return for full payment. This did nothing to ease her mind about this situation. However, the fact was she did owe them, and he had a right to demand rather than request as he was so politely doing. 

Lisa gave Tiernan a sharp look and said, "I accept extending our agreement and Max is welcome as a guest in my home."

Tiernan gave a small smile, knowing he had cornered Lisa, and not feeling the least bit of remorse about it. "Good, then all is settled. Max knows how to contact me, which will allow us to stay coordinated." He allowed his smile to become a bit bigger and added, "I believe the arrangement will work out quite nicely for everyone."

Lisa raised an eyebrow at that, knowing he had multiple meanings behind it, and choosing for her own peace of mind to just not think too much about it right now. 

At that moment, everything seemed to catch up with her, and she suddenly felt very tired. "Marianne, I know you're probably tired too, but if you're willing, I would like a lift home." Lisa then turned to Max to explain her request. "I've got my dog at home and she needs to be taken care of, otherwise I would take Shari up on the offer to stay and get some sleep." 

Max nodded, "It's not a problem, we can leave whenever you and Marianne are ready."

"You're only a short drive, Lisa, I can get you home, no problem," Marianne replied. "Let me just get Tiernan settled, and we can head out."

**********

Lisa walked into her house and greeted her large pup. She had already requested that Max wait a moment before coming in, so that Sasha had a chance to greet her before being introduced to a newcomer. Max mentioned having some experience with dogs, so he seemed to understand, but Lisa also wanted to make certain she had more control of the situation since she didn't know how good Max was with dogs. 

The main problem was that Sasha's appearance tended to scare people, even though she was pretty sweet natured. She was large, but not as heavy bodied as a pure Rotty, since she had some hound in her too. She had the Rottweiler markings, though, and that combined with her size and love of barking scared people. Scared people did stupid things that made Sasha wary. When she was wary, she tended to bark even more. Lisa wanted to prevent that problem from occurring in the first place since she wanted peace while Max was staying with her.

Lisa asked Sasha to sit, and once her butt was on the floor, she asked Max to come in. Lisa watched Sasha's body language, so that she could keep the meeting calm. To Lisa's surprise, Sasha's tail immediately began to thump, and she moved restlessly, wanting to approach Max, but also wanting to obey the 'sit' command.

Lisa had never seen Sasha warm up to someone so quickly. Lisa let Sasha up out of her 'sit,' whereupon she immediately went up to Max, wagging her tail the entire time, and actually jumped up on him. Sasha had only ever broken her training to jump on one person, Lisa's grandmother, whom she particularly loved. Lisa had never seen Sasha jump on another person, and was shocked at the behavior.

Max bent down, getting Sasha's feet back onto the floor, and then proceeded to scratch her butt, smiling at her reaction. That was her favorite spot, and she immediately began to melt, arching her back and sinking down to the floor. Lisa giggled a little, pleased that Sasha had taken so quickly to Max and relaxing a bit more about the idea of having Max staying with her. 

"Outside?" Lisa said to Sasha as Max stopped scratching her. Sasha immediately trotted over to the back door, and Lisa opened it to let her out.

"Are you hungry?" Lisa asked Max as she washed her hands and put some coffee on to brew. She found that a mug of coffee never kept her from sleeping, but would help her stay sharp as she settled Max in. Lisa's stomach had also chosen that moment to suddenly become aware of the fact that she had done a lot of work that evening, and she needed food, preferably protein. "I've got eggs, oatmeal, grits, or if you want something cold, there's some cereal."

"Whatever you're having is good," Max replied. He knew she was tired and didn't want to put her to any additional work.

"I was thinking of eggs myself, I usually go for some type of protein after the kind of work we did tonight. How would you like them, scrambled, over-easy, poached?" 

"Scrambled is good, but you don't have to go through any additional work. I know you must be tired."

"It's really no trouble, besides, I like to cook; I find it relaxing." Lisa replied as she pulled out a small pan and got it started heating on the stove. She then grabbed the eggs and some tarragon and thyme, and proceeded to whip the mixture with a fork. 

Lisa then pulled out some bread she had made the other day. Lisa's mother had taught her how to bake, and she enjoyed making her own bread. She cut a few slices and threw them into the toaster. She pulled out the butter, cream cheese, and some raspberry jelly since she didn't know what Max might want on his toast. To her surprise Max took all of that to the table he had set without her even noticing. If I didn't notice him doing that, I'm in worse shape than I thought. 

While Lisa was taking care of breakfast, Sasha had come back to the door and Max let her in. She then went to her water bowl, and Max saw that it was getting empty, so when she was finished, he picked it up and refilled it at the sink. 

Lisa noted all this with surprise and a full force resurgence of the attraction she had been trying to suppress. She smiled in amusement at herself. It was rather funny to get so turned on over something as simple as taking care of her dog. Then again, Lisa had always taken note of small things that people did, since it told her more about them than the big things.

Lisa also realized that with as strong a reaction as she was having to him, she really was going to need to address it, and sooner rather than later. She just needed to figure out how to do it, this was somewhat unfamiliar territory for her personally, though she assisted others in this area all the time. Very ironic. Who says that God doesn't have a sense of humor? she thought to herself. I'm also too fuzzy to deal with this appropriately right now. After I have had some sleep and am a bit sharper, then I will figure out what to do.

Lisa dished out the eggs, grabbed the bread from the toaster, and brought the plates to the table. "Do you want some coffee?" She asked Max, and then grabbed a second mug when he nodded. 

Finally she had everything served up, and the two of them sat down across from each other at her round kitchen table. 

"This is fantastic," Max said to her as he tasted his food. 

"Thanks," Lisa said with a smile. She took pride in her cooking, and it gave her pleasure to see people enjoy the things she made. "I have fun experimenting, though sometimes the results are not so successful." Lisa then decided to see if she could find out more about Max. "So where are you from originally?"




Something New Ch. 03



He smiled briefly, thinking on all the places he had been. "Originally, I was from England, but I've spent a so much time Underhill, that it's rather a second home, not to mention the amount of travelling around I have done. How about yourself?"

"I was born in Florida, but we moved out west when I was about twelve. You speak with little accent, I would never have guessed you were from England?"

Max smiled slightly, "Part of it is that even though Underhill is not quite this world, it still borders, and so I am able to keep up with things. The other part is that when the dragons create one of us, they also give us assistance in adapting to the times. My understanding is that it is a bit of an investment on their part when they choose to create one of us, so they try to make sure their investment pays off. If we couldn't adjust, we'd be quickly dead."

"I'm guessing there aren't a lot of you then. It would explain why I've never heard of Dragon-Touched before," Lisa commented.

"No, there are not many of us, and yes the investment is part of the reason. The other part is that from what I gather, they cannot bestow the abilities on just anyone. If the person doesn't have the correct ... wiring, for lack of a better term, the circuits get blown and the person ends up being killed or becomes a mindless husk. Fortunately they can usually tell if the change will take or not, so it's rare for an accident to occur." 

Lisa nodded in understanding. "Do all Dragon-Touched share the same abilities?"

"Yes and no. Some things, like the adaptability I mentioned earlier, and longevity are in all of us, but other things are more individual. A lot has to do with what you are before accepting the job. I was a warrior, so most of my gifts are warrior related. Another trait we seem to share with the dragons is that the older we get, the more power we gain. In some cases it is an increase in our existing abilities, in other cases, we receive an entirely new ability." 

Max smiled at her again and shifted topics, "Your turn to share. How did you end up on your path and what kind of training do you have?" 

Lisa felt another surge of attraction at Max's smile, and was caught a little off guard at his questions. She managed to pull herself together again, and hoped she had covered her distraction. She also realized that he had neatly prevented her from asking the very natural question regarding his age, and decided to let the question go, at least for now. "First let me ask you, how much do you know about shamanic work? I ask so that I know how much to explain."

He nodded his acceptance of her reasoning and said, "I don't know a lot. I've met a few here and there, but only briefly and not in circumstances that permitted much in the way of questions. I know that shaman, or whatever title they are using, tend to act as healers, sages, and general workers of whatever ceremonies and magic needs to occur. Aside from that, I don't know much."

Lisa nodded and was glad she asked. Max seemed to be highly observant and the sort to follow a track relentlessly to its end. Explaining things up front would make things much simpler.

"First, I'm going to start with some basic explanations. To begin, as you referenced, shaman can be found in every culture around the world, from the Celts, to Tibetans, to Norse, to Native American cultures. As my teacher used to say 'Nobody owns the wind.' My training is not attached to a specific culture, though my teacher's training was. Ceremonies are rife with cultural significance, and would not necessarily hold as much meaning for someone in mainstream American culture. That is assuming, of course, they actually allowed me to perform the ceremony and didn't go running for the hills in the first place. Basically my teacher gave me the root of shamanism, and allowed the tree to grow as it needed for its environment.

"Now the role of the shaman can be many faceted, but the simplest explanation is that they oversee the health of their people. What makes a shaman different, however, is that most of their work is done on the spiritual and emotional levels of the person they are treating. In short, we heal the spirit. We also heal for our community as a whole, and sometimes for the land as well. This is the area where things like influence over weather come into play. 

"Regarding the physical side of healing, some of us have training in things like herbs, or medicine – Eastern or Western and blend their training. There is also the fact that not all ailments that affect us physically are rooted in the physical.

"In essence the only real difference in the work itself is the external. The internal, the root is the same across the board. You can think of it this way, gravity works the same here as it does in China, we may differ in the types of inventions we create to deal with it, but the principles that underlie all of it are still the same." Lisa paused to make certain that Max was following. 

"Makes sense, same thing in different fighting arts. There are countless styles and ways of approaching how to fight someone, but all of us are working with the basic principles governing the body, how it moves, and its vulnerabilities and strengths," Max commented.

"Exactly so," Lisa replied. 

"Now as to your question of how I ended up on this path, the short answer is that the Universe led me there. It started out in my college days, there was a woman that was giving an intro class into shamanism, and since I didn't know anything about it, I decided to take it. She later ran a short series to give the basics and I took that as well. 

"That was the extent of my training for a few years. Then, literally right after I graduated with my Biology degree (quite complimentary to this work by the way), events happened that led me to my teacher. I heard her speak at a small local event, and decided to request a session with her to evaluate her skills. I was impressed with the level of her ability and knowledge and from there became her student. 

"One of the things I most admired about her was her ability to have both structure and flexibility within her teaching. Her teaching reminded me a bit of the way you build a skyscraper. The building has to have a very strong foundation and good bones. However, if you make the building too rigid, the wind or earthquakes will destroy it. You need to make it flexible enough that it can move, but not so flexible that it has no structure and falls over."

Max nodded at her analogy, immediately thinking of his own teachers, and realizing that his best instructors had the same approach.

"Anyway, I spent a few years with her, and the training was quite thorough. Then it was time to leave the nest, in a manner of speaking. I have received training in a few other healing modalities that compliment the work, but at heart, I am a shaman."

Max nodded, his eyes lightening to pale gray as he took in the explanation. "Thank you for being so complete with that explanation. It is the first time I have received one that didn't seem designed to confuse."

Lisa laughed and imagined the types of responses Max had probably gotten before. "We can definitely be a quirky bunch. I almost feel sorry for you."

"Almost?" Max asked, raising his eyebrows.

Lisa gave him a lopsided grin, "Any kind of confusion or enigmatic statements you've ever received are nothing compared to the kinds of things we are subjected to on a regular basis. There used to be a saying that went along the lines that to be a shaman you had to be crazy. There's a reason for that."

Max chuckled, "Crazy like a fox?"

"Sometimes, sometimes more crazy like Coyote." Lisa said, mentioning the animal well known for being Trickster. Lisa rose and put her dishes in the sink, "How about I show you around, and then we can catch some sleep?"

Max nodded, took his dishes to the sink, and followed her for a tour of the house.

**********

Lisa was in her bathroom, washing her face. She had shown Max around earlier, and knew he particularly appreciated her 'all purpose' room, complete with mirrors that he could use to train. She saw that he had been pleasantly surprised that she had an indoor space suitable for martial practice. 

Well and so I should. I'm not anywhere near Max's level, but I do have my tai chi practice, and that includes two weapons forms. I need the space or I would manage to break a window or something, not to mention I'm not particularly fond of practicing in knee deep snow, even if it is traditional to train in all the elements.

Lisa dried her face and looked at herself in the mirror, evaluating her appearance. She knew she was striking, with her very fair skin, hazel eyes and dark hair. In fact, her hair was such a dark brown that it looked blue-black when it was wet. 

She was curvy and quite tall. Actually she was taller than most men, though most of the time she didn't take note unless the difference was very dramatic. While showing Max around she had noticed that he was just slightly taller than her, which didn't happen often. She had also noticed that her attraction was making up for lost time and going into overdrive if he so much as smiled at her. This is really going to get awkward and uncomfortable very quickly if I don't do something about it. 

Lisa had been toying with the idea of just coming out and admitting to Max that she was attracted. She figured at least then there would be an answer one way or the other. Her main concern with that idea, though, was that she didn't want things to become strained between them. They needed to work together regarding the shadow being, and mistakes made there could be very serious indeed. Of course if I don't tell him I will probably be just as prone to making mistakes out of distraction.

Lisa had also considered the less direct route of flirting with him, but she had been clumsy on the rare occasions she had tried that in the past, and she figured that the inevitable nerves she felt around Max would only make it that much worse. 

The simple fact was, Lisa didn't have a lot of direct experience in this area. First, finding someone that could accept what she did and wasn't freaked out by her ability to see into their core was not something that happened frequently. The few that didn't get freaked out ended up getting obsessed instead, and that was just as unhealthy for a relationship as the person that was freaked out. This made for a situation where relationships were few and far between.

Lisa sighed, This is getting me nowhere fast. No more excuses, sleep now, decisions when I wake.

Lisa walked back into her bedroom, and got into bed, setting her alarm clock to get her up in a few hours. It was daytime, after all, and she did not want to sleep the day away. Lisa settled under the covers, and closed her eyes to sleep.

To Lisa's chagrin, it didn't take long for her to realize that she was too keyed up. She tried a variety of calming exercises that had always worked in the past. Unfortunately they were failing her now. The problem wasn't really her mind not quieting, it was her body. Lisa finally realized that she was not going to get any sleep without satisfying some of the ... urges she had been experiencing since meeting Max.

"Damn," Lisa said to herself as she rolled over and decided to just give in.  After all it's the only way I'm going to get any sleep. Lisa laughed a little at herself when that thought fully registered. With the laugh she released a bit of her frustration, and relaxed, giving in to her body's current state of desire. 

Lisa slid her hands up under her soft sleep shirt, and lightly traced a trail up to her full breasts, cupping and then squeezing them before letting her finger slide across to her nipples and flick across their peaks. Lisa gave a soft moan, and immediately clamped down on the sound. The last thing she wanted right now was Max to hear her.

Lisa kept massaging and then let one hand start to creep down. As her hand moved closer to her already wet pussy, she got a little rougher with the hand still playing with her breasts. 

Her breathing got harder as she slid her hand down under her panties, and slid a finger between the lips of her pussy, coating her fingers in her wetness, and then stroking upwards to her nub. She slid up her clit, stopping just short of the tip. It was so sensitive that she shivered a little with the sensation coupled with the need to keep quiet.

She continued stroking around the clit, never quite hitting the tip, while letting her other hand continue massaging her breasts. The sensations were building, and she knew she was getting close. She slipped a finger into her folds while her thumb finally stroked over the tip of her clit, and arched in reaction to the sensation.

Lisa felt the wave building as she stroked and massaged herself, curving her finger to rub against her g-spot. As she felt the peak coming, she gave her nipples a pinch and the combination of pleasure with slight pain pushed her over the edge. She clenched her jaw shut and pressed her lips together to keep from making any noise, making her breathing even more ragged as the pleasure crashed over her and her body arched in twitched, riding the wave of sensation. 

As Lisa slowly came down, she finally felt herself begin to relax. Soon she had fallen asleep, finally getting some much needed rest.



Something New Ch. 04



Hi everyone,

I'm very sorry if I mislead anyone with my 'action' comment in the last chapter – I didn't think to mention that it wasn't between Max and Lisa – Sorry! 

Thanks again for all of your comments! It helps me be a better writer, and makes me happy to read them too. As always, constructive feedback is very welcome. 

This story is copyrighted, please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks!

**********

In a city loft, it sat on its leather couch, considering its next steps while feeding off of the people living around it. It knew every emotion and feeling of each person in its building. Nothing was hidden from it. It was a creature of shadows, and it knew what they kept hidden in the dark.

It knew their fears, desires, and most importantly the hurts they kept buried. Know the hurts and pain of the person, and they were yours. It was easy.

It frowned slightly, that very ease was part of the problem. It was bored. Very bored.

It was ancient, and the longer the life, the more difficult it became to find entertainment. It had played with humans for so many centuries that they simply didn't hold many mysteries anymore. 

It was so old, so ancient, that it had been everywhere and done everything. It supposed that it was a testament to the great variety and flexibility of humans that it had been entertained by them for so long, but that was no longer the case. 

It wanted, no needed, new toys, and it had plans in motion to acquire them. The sacrifice of its little bound spirit was regrettable, but necessary. She had been more entertaining to it than most such servants, but it had noticed that her entertainment value had started to wane, meaning it would have become completely disinterested soon. She was better used to further its plans.

It was more annoyed that its little gift to the Sidhe hadn't been presented than it was over the loss of the servant. It was not easy to create a masterpiece like that. It had required creativity, artistry and skill to create something that could take over one of the Fae, not to mention the enormous cost in power to actually give such a thing form. It had taken centuries and many failed attempts to accumulate the knowledge and power for its elegant creation to come into being.

It sighed and shifted on the couch.  Ah well, I knew there was a risk that it would be destroyed. Still, I had hoped for a little success at least.

It felt a new presence enter the building, a visitor. A small cold smile moved briefly across its face. It's guest had arrived and was in the elevator on his way up. 

It rose off the couch as it felt him approach the door. He would be very useful to its plans, and would provide a small measure of amusement in the interim. 

**********

Lisa found herself standing by a fire. The guide that had awoken her the previous evening was seated on a log staring into the flames. He was no longer wearing his full regalia, instead he was dressed in everyday leathers. Lisa felt that she was in a campsite, and had the impression of hides being stretched and dried somewhere off to her left, and some sort of shelter off to her right.

He seemed to be waiting for her to join him, so she seated herself in front of his fire on another log just off to his left. He remained looking into the flames for awhile, and so Lisa did the same. She felt peacefulness descend over her with the quiet sounds and flickering dance of the flames.

Finally he spoke, "Do you know yourself?"

Lisa considered his question and her reply carefully, feeling there was a test in this. "Yes and no. Part of me, part of all of us always knows ourselves, but we do not always know what we know. We have yin and yang, masculine and feminine, seen and unseen in us. That which is unseen can be known, but not through sight. Therefore neither our conscious nor unconscious self knows us. However, when the two come together as one, then we can know ourselves, even if it is only for that short moment. In short, it depends on your point of view."

A ghost of amusement passed across his face at her reply. "How do you see yourself?"

Lisa again considered his question. It was similar to the last one, but different in some very key ways. She answered slowly, feeling her way to the heart. "I see myself first as a shaman and all the roles that being such entails. I also see myself as healer and as teacher, both of which are roles I play as shaman. I see myself as daughter, grand-daughter, niece, and sister. I also see myself as a business owner, leader, and caretaker. I am responsible for the business which entails being responsible for the people that work for me." 

Lisa paused and thought a bit more about the question. She felt there was another something deeper that she hadn't verbalized yet, and waited for that to come to the surface. Finally the piece that she had been looking for emerged, "I see myself as joyful and happy, and someone that holds true to the person that I am at heart, or at least tries to."

He smiled at the last part of her response. He asked her another question, "and do you see yourself as Woman?"

Lisa let this question settle on her more deeply than the previous ones. She had not examined herself on this question before, and she looked inwards to see what the answer was. She felt a bit surprised at what she saw. She looked back across the fire and replied, "In some ways yes, in other ways I have denied that part of myself."

He smiled at her again, wearing an expression of a teacher pleased with his student's progress. "Exactly so. You hide part of your nature, but it is a part that does not belong in the shadows. You have an opportunity before you."

Lisa knew he was referring to Max and her feelings towards him. "I think I see that," she replied. "I have been troubled because I must find the path that will allow me to take advantage of this opportunity, but which would also not interfere with the work that has been set before us. I must balance my heart and my responsibilities, and not accomplishing this could have very serious consequences."

He nodded his head, his eyes full of understanding that came from personal experience. "It is sometimes difficult to balance all aspects of life, but remember that you can always ask for help" he replied. He stopped for a moment, and then continued, "Tell me, what are your gifts?"

Lisa was startled by this question since it seemed completely unrelated, and not one that she felt any uncertainty about as she had with the previous questions. She began listing her abilities like a grocery list. She had accepted each of these long ago, and so she no longer felt emotional baggage around them. "Spirit walking, vision, sound healing, empathy... " Lisa stopped dead in the middle of the list as she came to a sudden realization. "Oh crap!" she exclaimed, and then colored a bit at her use of language in front of her guide and teacher.

He just laughed at her exclamation and wore a pleased look on his face. "Exactly so, empathy." He repeated back to her.

"No wonder I've been going nuts," she said softly, "it's not just me that I'm feeling. I've been oblivious, when I could have dialed that down at any point." Lisa looked back up at him, chagrined that she had not caught that earlier. On the up side, now she knew the interest was being reciprocated. 

At least they took pity on me and decided to lead me to the answer. They could have let me stew in the emotional morass for days or weeks even, assuming I hadn't caught on to what was happening. It would certainly have been a memorable lesson. Lisa thought to herself, relieved that she would not have to endure that, and that her guides had decided she didn't require such a memorable lesson.

Her guide continued to smile in amusement, but turned his attention back to the fire again. His expression became serious, and Lisa sensed that this was not all there was to the meeting. He seemed deep in thought, and Lisa waited patiently for whatever he wished to say next.

"The work that has been laid before you is difficult and holds dangers along the way," he said to her in a soft, meditative voice. "The being which you will confront is old and crafty. You must step carefully; the ground which appears firm may not be so." 

He went silent again for a moment, as if considering something further. "You can track its spirit, but it would be wise to do so with extreme care. You must walk softly..." he paused and waited for her.

"...and carry a big stick." Lisa finished the famous Roosevelt quote, thinking over what he had told her as she looked into the fire again. She knew he sometimes liked to reference sayings and quotes, and this was obviously one of those times. She had not missed his earlier reference to 'age and craftiness trumps youth and inexperience.' 

She suspected this was his way of telling her that Tiernan, and Max, were going to be absolutely crucial to dealing with this being, and that it would be unwise for her or anyone else for that matter, to try anything on their own. Besides, there was a mystical quality to the number three, and she would be throwing the gift away to not take advantage of that.

Lisa looked back at her guide again. "Is there anything else that I need to know?"

"Only to Relax," he replied with a grin, referencing the first and primary principle of her tai chi lineage. Lisa laughed, and felt the scene fading away as she came back to herself and woke up.

Lisa felt calm, and was grateful for the conversation. The realization that she had been picking things up through her empathy had helped her find her center again. Lisa got up, noting that she had woken before her alarm, and made certain to switch it off so it didn't go off later. 

Lisa then made a quick call to Shari's house so she could speak with Tiernan. She passed along the warnings she had received. She knew that he had been planning to pass the energy signature along to a select and trusted few among his own people, but she suspected he would now be revising some of his plans.

Feeling a weight lift off of her when she passed on the warning, Lisa ended the call after making arrangements for Max and her to meet Tiernen later that evening. 

Lisa then put on some sweats, and went to her 'all purpose room,' which was a very large room with vaulted ceilings. It had probably been intended as a great room, but she had quickly turned it into something quite different.

Lisa called it 'all purpose,' because she not only practiced her tai chi here, she also practiced her salsa dancing, she had her upright piano against a wall in here, and had an out of the way corner laid with some flame retardant mats for the light silversmithing and jewelry making she did in her spare time. 

Lisa walked to the center of the room and placed her feet shoulder-width apart. She began with a standing meditation, centering herself, becoming very present, and dropping her energy down to root or ground. She stood till she felt solid in her center, and moved into her tai chi form from there. The balancing and centering effects of the form finished what her guide had started, and she felt that anchored again by the time she finished. 

At that point she felt ready to move into weapons and grabbed her practice sword. She ran through it at three different speeds, starting slow and ending quick, relishing the unique feeling of not being lead by the sword, but not choking it either. It was a perfect balance of structure and freedom. 

Lisa sliced and cut, feeling each move as if the sword was actually cutting through something or someone. She enjoyed that feeling because she knew in that moment she was connected to her sword. She drew to the end and closed the form, standing for a moment. Then she sheathed the practice blade, and grabbed her quarter staff from where it was leaning against the corner.

Lisa loved sword and the way the stabs and cuts felt. Staff was another story though. There was something very natural about the feel of the wooden staff, a rightness and simplicity about the weapon that just appealed to her nature. 

It's probably just the fact that you can't 'unload' a staff, she thought with a smile. Meaning that there is no such thing as a practice staff, a staff is always a potentially dangerous weapon. Add in the fact that there are two striking ends, and you have a weapon form that is not as forgiving of mistakes. Lisa had come close to nailing her own head with it a time or two over the years. 

Lisa walked to the center of the room and ran through the staff form at three different speeds as well. She deflected, thrust, and bashed imaginary foes, always keeping the staff balanced in her hands, and remaining conscious of both striking ends. Finally Lisa closed this form as well, and put the staff away, feeling nice and warmed up, sweating slightly.

Slipping into her usual routine, she went to put on some salsa music. The tai chi forms brought her great pleasure and joy, and also satisfied that slightly bloodthirsty side of her personality, but salsa was her play time. She would only dance to a couple songs, since it wasn't as much fun to dance alone, but a couple songs was all she really needed to let loose a bit.

Lisa didn't know if Max was still sleeping or not, so she kept the music low, knowing that since the bedrooms were on the other side of the house, it shouldn't bother him. 

Three songs later she went to shut off the music but before she got over to her iPod, Chan Chan started to play. It was one of the slowest salsa songs she knew, and it wasn't that popular with most of the salsa crowd, but there was something about the sinuous quality of the music that always moved her. Lisa decided to dance one more song before shutting off the music. 

Lisa's body movement was always good, but the supple quality in the music had her accentuating it. She just gave herself over to the music, and closed her eyes as she danced, her body moving as sinuously as the song. She didn't use any flashy shines, but rather made use of slow turns and pauses, always undulating her body. She was lost in the music and unaware of anything around her.

****************

Max had woken, completed a meditation, and then spoken with Tiernan, so he knew they would be meeting later. He was heading over to make use of Lisa's practice space and heard music, so he approached quietly, not wanting to distract her. When he got to the arched entryway, he stopped dead at the sight that met his eyes, and could only stare. 

Damn, she can move her hips, he thought to himself. He was simultaneously stunned and aroused watching her move. She looks like she's part snake. 

Max realized that his body was responding to the sight before him, and he was really grateful his clothes were loose. He started listing the names of different medicinal herbs, concentrating on their uses and identification. That seemed to do the trick, and he felt himself return to normal as the music ended.

"You looked really good." He complimented, smiling a little as Lisa jumped at the sound of his voice and turned a bit pink.

"How long were you standing there?" She asked.

He quirked his lips at her in a playful expression, "Long enough to enjoy the show," he paused, drawing out his pause to let her wonder for a moment. Then he continued "Also long enough to regret not having gotten here earlier to see more."

She blushed further at his compliment. "Thanks," she said quietly and then paused a moment. "I'm not used to having an audience when I let loose completely."

"Do you ever let loose completely?" Max asked in a gentle voice, thinking of the fact that it was not particularly easy to read her. She tended to maintain a calm, unruffled exterior. It made him curious about what was beneath the surface.

Lisa's eyes seemed to grow old for a moment. "I would have to say rarely. Part of it is that I need to maintain balance and neutrality when working. If I don't ... well let's just say that best case is I become largely ineffective, worst case things go very badly.

"Most of the time it really isn't a problem. It allows me to act from a balanced place and not get pulled into whatever brought the person to me in the first place. It also gives people a space with no judgment, but I know that in friendships and relationships, it may come across as me being ... remote." Max noticed a very brief flicker of sadness in her eyes before she smiled again. "I think it's why I dance. I need something that is pure fun. Salsa is all about playing, and just like kids, we need recess." 

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy!" he quoted at her with a grin. Then his grin shifted to an understanding smile as he continued, "I don't think you're remote, but you are controlled. It's obvious to me that you care deeply. You are more challenging to read than most," he paused for a moment before continuing, "but then I have always liked a challenge." 

Max was speaking quite truthfully. He was interested in getting to know Lisa better. He thought she might be one of the rare people he could call a friend. He didn't seek out friends among humans very often anymore for two main reasons. First was that his lifespan was so much longer since becoming Dragon Touched, that he just couldn't take the heartache of loosing friend after friend as they died. 

The other part of the reason was that the very difference in the length of his lifespan gave him a very different perspective. Heck, a person that was in their sixties had a vastly different point of view than someone in their twenties. The age difference for him was significantly larger, which meant that he simply didn't match with most of those that didn't have similarly long lives.

"Thank you for saying so," Lisa replied while holding Max's eyes for a moment. He could see that his words had meant something to her. Then he watched as her mood shifted, and a more innocent expression of child-like curiosity moved in. "Do you dance?"

Max was caught a bit off guard at the question, although he figured he shouldn't be since it was a very natural thing for her to ask. "I have in the past, but I have not done so in a long time. Waltz is probably the only dance that I know that you are also likely to know." Max's eyes shifted colors as memories hit him. He decided to deflect the conversation back to her before he was caught too deep in them. "How about you? Are there any other dances you do?"

He had the suspicion that his deflection wasn't fooling her when she gave him a brief piercing look. Then her expression shifted again, and she looked happy to talk about something that she so obviously enjoyed. Her face lit up, and it even seemed like the air around her was a bit brighter.

"Salsa is my favorite, but when I go out I they usually play a little cha cha, merengue and bachata to break up the salsa, so I do them all. I've also learned a bit of waltz and foxtrot, but I have almost no experience with those."

"If you want to practice waltz I can help." The words were out of his mouth before he realized he was even going to make the offer. He paled and suddenly felt like he had a pile of lead in his stomach. He couldn't believe he had just offered to dance waltz. It had felt like someone else had taken over his mouth, and all he could do was watch as the words came out.

Lisa looked at him with a bright smile and answered. "I would very much like that, thanks! How about you? Would you like to learn salsa? It's fun and there's lots of room to experiment once you have the basics down." Lisa's smile shifted to something more playful, "In fact, it's encouraged."

Max seized on the opportunity to avoid waltz like a drowning man seizing a life vest, though externally keeping his face and voice as calm as possible. "I think I'd like to try it. You teach first, though. It's been awhile since I've danced and I'm out of practice. Besides, you've got salsa music all ready to go." 




Something New Ch. 04



Lisa flashed a happy smile. "Give me a couple minutes. I need to check in on business. It's Sunday, but sometimes things happen. Also that reminds me, I would like to see about getting an identity made for you. Tiernan said you didn't have one, and you will be interacting with the world more directly than he will. I would rather not run into complications."

Max nodded his agreement. "It is a good thought, and not something that had occurred to me." Max then frowned as a sudden thought occurred to him. "What about the expense, though? Surely you do not owe the Sidhe to this extent?"

"Don't worry about it, Jason's a friend and he owes me a favor anyway. Besides, this feels particularly important to me, and I have learned not to ignore feelings like that." 

Max nodded his acceptance again, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Lisa was about to leave the room when she snapped her finger having remembered something else. "Oh, one more thing, I spoke with Tiernan, we thought it would be good to ..."

"... meet with him this evening." Max grinned at her surprised expression. "I spoke with him earlier. He passed along what you told him."

"Cool, then I don't have to repeat it all." Lisa said, and then turned to leave again. "I'll be back in a few minutes."

Max nodded and said, "No problem, take as much time as you need." 

"Thanks," Lisa said to him as she walked out.

Max breathed a sigh of relief and gratitude that he would have a chance to settle himself down before having to dance. He was even more relieved that he didn't have to jump back into waltz right away. He had managed to avoid it for so long... and living with the Fae that was not an easy thing to do. 

He had worked so hard to never have to deal with waltz again, and there he was listening to his mouth offer to dance it with her. He wondered if something else really had taken control of his mouth for that moment, he certainly was not accustomed to his mouth acting on its own. He suspected that if there had been interference, it was not from anything ill intentioned, but he did not appreciate being meddled with. It was a question he would need to investigate later.

He yanked his mind back to the idea of practice. If I want to be calm by the time she gets back, I should get to work.

********************

Lisa walked back to her bedroom, grabbed another t-shirt and went into the bathroom to freshen up a bit. She didn't want to do anything as obvious as a complete change of clothes, but she didn't want to stink either. She then went to her computer, and checked on her e-mail, making certain there was nothing urgent awaiting her attention and replied to an e-mail from her business partner.

She then sent an e-mail to Jason, her identity specialist. He had started his business after finding out his best friend was a Were. After getting over the initial shock, he realized that long lived nonhumans like his friend had a very real need to officially 'die' and be able to take possession of their assets under a different name.

With as many paper trails and legal documents as were involved in today's world, the business of dying and inheriting, or even transferring assets before 'death' had really become quite complicated. Jason was so thorough, that when he was done, the new identity would have a birth certificate, credit history and score, social security number, school records, and so on. 

The public side of his business was dedicated to specialties that dovetailed with the back end. His company officially did things like background, security and credit checks, forensic accounting, fraud detection and so on. It was quite successful, and he had some of the best people in the business working for him. The back end side of his business specialized in identity and paper trail creation. He was very careful about whose business he would accept on the backend though, always checking them out thoroughly. 

Lisa had no idea how he managed to create all of that documentation, but there was no doubt that Jason was the best. About thirty seconds after her e-mail went out, he gave her a call.

Again, she didn't know how he did it, but he had some way of making certain the phone was secure. She rather suspected that he had someone on the payroll that had a Talent for it. He let her know it was safe to talk, and she told him what she needed. He gave her a time and place to bring Max, so he could receive his identity, and then they passed a few minutes catching up. 

They finished talking, and Lisa hung up the phone. She sat in thought for a moment, perusing Max's offer to dance. His panic had not shown on his face, but she had felt it rolling off of him in waves. She suspected that he had not intended to make the offer, and was shocked that it had happened. 

Lisa was just as glad that it happened. Whatever was underlying his feelings, was screaming out to her for healing. Lisa also suspected that it was something that if not addressed, would cause problems for all of them. Things that were buried tended to come out in unexpected ways that were generally not helpful. It was a very raw wound though, and was going to require a careful approach. 

Lisa had very deliberately given Max the temporary 'out' of learning salsa when she felt his panic. She could tell that his trigger was tied specifically to waltz. Other dances were not comfortable for him, but they weren't the direct line into it that waltz was either. 

Lisa shook herself a bit and told herself, Enough analyzing, it's time to get to work. Lisa stood up and headed back with anticipation at the opportunity to teach Max salsa.

*************** 

Lisa was very impressed at how quickly Max was picking up the moves. She suspected that it probably had something to do with what he had mentioned earlier about the dragons imbuing them with the ability to keep up with the times. At least it was the only thing she could figure since she had never seen anyone learn anything so quickly before.

Max also had a truly wonderful lead. He didn't haul her around like a sack of potatoes, but he also wasn't so soft that she felt like she was dancing with a limp noodle. He had an impeccable sense of timing, and there was something about his lead that made it almost effortless to follow. In short, she was having a great time. 

She also was enjoying the excuse to be close to him. There was something comfortable and safe about it, despite her desire to lean in to him anytime they ended up in a closed position.

Max seemed to be enjoying himself as well, though she definitely caught flashes of pain. She also noted that those flashes of pain were almost always followed by an attempt to divert it. He would stop completely and question her about technique, then follow that by focused practice on whatever technique he asked about. Even if she hadn't been able to feel his pain, she'd have known that something was up by his obvious behavior. Lisa was getting more than a bit tired of the tactic, and was planning on putting a stop to it.

...and there it is. she thought to herself as she felt him squash another flash of pain, and sure enough, the question followed a moment later as he stopped and broke out of the dance.

"Should the angle be a bit higher or a bit lower on this?" Max asked.

Lisa gave him a look she had seen from one of her tai chi masters once, when one of the students had been lecturing a fellow classmate during a break. It was a look that asked the question 'If you are a Master, why are you here?' 

Lisa said calmly and evenly, "The angle should be the same as you have been doing it from the beginning."

Max was brought up short and caught himself just before bowing as he would to one of his masters, and nodded at her to cover the motion. Lisa caught the aborted bow anyway, and knew her point had been made. Martial arts training is so helpful when trying to make a point to someone, Lisa thought to herself with an inward grin.

**********************

Lisa and Max were finishing up with one last song. Max heard the music ending, and without even thinking about it, he dipped Lisa in a move that had them pressed body to body, with one of Lisa's legs up in the air, and their faces inches apart. Max felt a sudden flood of desire overwhelm him. He closed the slight gap, pressing his lips gently to hers.

Lisa saw Max's eyes darken to a charcoal color just before he leaned in to kiss her. It didn't take long for her shock to wear off, and she responded to his soft kiss, feeling her desire well up, and head straight to her groin. She pressed the leg she had lifted during the dip to press against his hip, and let her foot wrap around his thigh.

Suddenly he pulled back and righted them both, releasing Lisa and stepping away. Lisa looked at him, still a bit dazed from what she was feeling after the kiss, and his sudden pulling away. 

"I'm sorry," Max said. "It won't happen again."

Lisa centered herself as well as she could in that moment and asked for help from her guides. She felt assistance come, and turned herself over to it, not knowing what else to do in this moment. She quietly spoke one word, "Why?"

Max was startled at the simple question. He had expected her to either try to be understanding or to get upset. He did not expect her to ask such a simple, and yet open ended question. He looked at Lisa's eyes again, and saw such gentleness and wisdom in them. The memories came forward again, and his pain surfaced, his control over it cracking even further.

Max considered all the possible answers he could give to her question, his mind running in circles trying to decide the best course of action. Then he heard the voice of Ember, the dragon that had made him. Ember's voice was solid through the maelstrom of his emotions, like a mountain in the face of a storm. "Speak to her, tell her your story," Ember urged.

Max felt more of his resistance crumbling. Ember was always aware of what was happening with him. When a dragon created one of the Touched, there was a permanent link between them. Ember also very rarely spoke up unless Max either contacted him, or it was important. The few times that he had not followed advice Ember had chosen to give him, he had regretted it.

Finally Max made a decision, and answered Lisa, "Is there a place we can sit? It is a long story."



Something New Ch. 05



Yay again for all the great comments! I always love reading all of them, they're great motivation and they help me make/keep the story strong. As always, constructive feedback is very welcome. 

This story is copyrighted, please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks!

**********

Max followed Lisa into her treatment room and immediately felt a sense of deep peaces settle over him. This was how he felt on sacred ground, and he relaxed a bit feeling the sense of safety that sacred ground evoked.

Lisa gestured to a pair of comfortable, yet modern looking chairs, and he sat down as Sasha, who had followed them in, curled up next to him. He had only glanced at this room when Lisa had showed him around earlier, and now he was taking a closer look. 

There was a massage table set up and covered with linens, which he thought was a clever way to modernize things. He also noticed that underneath the table she had stones laid out in specific patterns. He was interested in the stones as he saw several that he did not recognize, and made a note to ask her about them later.

There was a mahogany drawer unit whose surface had been covered with an elegant blue cloth, and which held a large number of tuning forks, hanging on wire stands. The area directly in front of the forks looked like it was set up as an altar, and when he saw that, he realized that it was probably the reason the room felt so good. Lisa used the altar to anchor and maintain the integrity of the room, keeping it sacred. 

Max looked closer at her altar to see what was there and noted a simple curved iron candle holder, a silver icon of one of the saints, and some carved animal fetishes. He could see two bears, a cougar, and a badger from where he sat, and there were a couple more he couldn't quite make out from his position. 

He also noticed a porcelain incense holder painted with cherry blossoms. The incense holder had a Japanese feel to it, and he rather suspected the incense was Japanese as well which pleased him. He had spent some time in Japan and had developed an affinity for their incense. He wondered briefly if she had an interest in incense ceremonies, before continuing his perusal of the room.

As he looked around he noted some brass singing bowls, a bowl of sage, and some very interesting painted drums hanging on the walls. One of the drums was hanging directly above her altar area, and had a very unique design painted on it. The center of the drum held a triskele ending in yin/yang symbols at the three tips. The way it had been painted gave it the impression of a spinning motion.

Noticing the direction of his gaze, Lisa commented, "That's the drum I built with my teacher. Each drum in here is special and has different energies, but that one is my personal drum."

"I like the mix of cultures. You wouldn't think they would work together, but you've integrated them." Max shifted his gaze back to Lisa again, "It seems to be a good fit."

Lisa smiled at his compliment and Max brought himself back to why they were here in the first place. He took a deep breath and reached a hand down to scratch Sasha behind the ears. It steadied him as he prepared to begin. Lisa simply waited with no sign of impatience.

"As you know, when we become Dragon Touched we also become very long lived. This happened a couple hundred years ago. I was living in Austria at the time, and had been granted a small amount of land in the countryside. I had been sent there in order to balance an unstable region. 

"The lifestyle suited me well. I could live comfortably but also practically while doing the work I was sent to do. There were parties, and I would attend when I felt drawn to being more social.

"It was at a dance that I met a girl. The dragons have never interfered with our private lives, and there had been marriages to humans before, so I courted her. Eventually I told her what I was, and asked for her hand. She accepted and we married. 

"Initially things went very well. We suited each other, and were happy. Then, as time passed, I began to see signs of dissatisfaction in her. Eventually I was able to get her to tell me the problem. We had been married for two years and she had not gotten with child. Not only did she want children, but in those times, it was considered a problem if a woman had not provided heirs. It did not bother me so much, but she was very upset. Her family, in particular, was not very kind regarding the matter.

"It was at this point that I looked further into the matter and found out that we become almost completely infertile once we have been changed. I hadn't checked on it sooner because ... well, after the first century or so, I wasn't quite so interested in bedding anything in skirts." Max looked a bit rueful. 

"Anyway, the point is that if I had known about the infertility earlier, I would have told her before marrying her, but it never occurred to me that I wouldn't be able to sire any children. 

"This was the general state of things when something rather ... problematic happened. Remember how I told you that as we age, we get stronger, and that we sometimes develop completely new abilities?"

Lisa nodded in response and Max continued. "Usually new abilities would have nothing to do with anyone other than me, but in this case," Max began to flush a little bit, "it had a direct impact on both of us."

Max flushed even further with remembered shame as he relived the first time the new ability had shown itself. "Sometimes when we gain a new skill it comes on us gradually, but sometimes it is triggered by times of strong emotion or stress. Stress and emotion were both particularly high as a result of our attempts for a child. She was obsessive about it, and we were ... together pretty constantly. The strong feelings combined with the stress of my work and her unhappiness triggered my new ability right in the middle of one of our nights together."

Max stopped for a moment and closed his eyes, remembering that night. Remembering how it felt as he thrust into her, both of them about to climax, and then something changed. He remembered her eyes widening in fear and horror, screaming as she suddenly pushed away and ran from him. 

Max opened his eyes again, a faint trace of moisture glittering slightly in the light. "Imagine looking up at your husband, and suddenly seeing this," Max said, as red scales formed all over his body, black talons emerged on his hands, his gray eyes formed a vertical slit like a cat, and a forked tongue emerged between sharp teeth to flick out and taste the air.

Lisa was a bit shocked at his transformation and inhaled quickly in surprise, but it didn't take her long to get over her startlement. Then she found that not only was she not revolted, she was very curious, and just as attracted to him in this form as when he appeared fully human.

Max shifted back again, and was not quite able to meet Lisa's eyes, for fear of what he would see there. His alter form tended to terrify most people, reminding them of demons. That had been his wife, Hilde's first reaction. She believed him to be overtaken by some demon, and he couldn't blame her. His full shift even came complete with wings and horns, both of which had manifested that night. 

The simple truth was, Hilde had already stretched her faith in accepting that he had anything to do with dragons in the first place. Add to that her growing belief that God had turned his face from her and was punishing her by not granting her children, and it would not have taken much to push her over the edge. To see the man she had married suddenly turn into a monster had pushed her about twenty miles past that edge and she had gone into full panic mode. 

Max sat silently, caught up in a replay of his memories and Lisa spoke to encourage him to continue. "I can only imagine what her reaction must have been, and what you must have felt as well. It must have been traumatic for both of you."

Max glanced up at Lisa again, and was surprised that not only did he not see any sign of revulsion or fear, her eyes were full of understanding. There was absolutely no judgment in her eyes regarding him or Hilde, which shocked him. Most people would at the very least, immediately take sides, she hadn't. She just sat without anger, disgust or revulsion, just understanding and peace. She's completely centered, he thought with wonder. He had never experienced that from anyone that wasn't either a dragon or one of the Fae.

Then he remembered what she had told him earlier when he asked her about her not letting loose.  "...Part of it is that I need to maintain balance and neutrality when working. If I don't ... well let's just say that best case is I become largely ineffective, worst case things go very badly..."

He was experiencing that first hand, and now he understood what she had been talking about. He truly felt that he could tell her anything, and she would not hold it against him or anyone else. 

I still think she needs to let loose more often, though, he thought to himself before focusing again on Lisa's words.

A sad smile flickered across his face. "Traumatic is a bit of an understatement. She thought she had married a demon and was in fear for her soul as well as for her life. I tried to explain things once I finally understood what was happening to me, but she did not want to have anything to do with me. She began avoiding me, taking a room as far away from me as possible, and even going so far as to not eat so she would not see me at meals. I had no desire to force her to be in my company, and had food sent to her rooms so she would not starve.

"This is where things stood for many months. Then one day she came to eat dinner with me. I was very happy at the thought that she might be softening to me again. She seemed to have come to some sort of peace with herself, which had been lacking up to that point. She suggested we host a party since it had been far too long, and people would begin to talk.

"I agreed, willing to give her just about anything she wanted at that point. I think I saw it as a chance to begin again. She organized the entire thing, and I was overjoyed at her apparent change of heart. Even though she still kept to her rooms, I thought it would only be a matter of time before we were together again.

"The party began and people began to dance. I noticed that there were very few women in attendance, and I thought it odd, but ignored it in my joy at dancing with my wife again. In the middle of the dance, the music suddenly stopped and I was surrounded by men, all holding weapons of some sort in their hands. 

"My first reaction was to protect Hilde, but she pushed away from me and the men pulled her back behind them. It was obvious they thought they were protecting her. It was in that moment I knew what was happening. The entire party had been a ruse. 

"I still don't totally understand why she decided to go through with the whole party idea rather than something less elaborate. The only thing I can think of is that she felt she needed public proof that I was not human, so she could justify betraying her husband. Maybe there was a revenge component as well, since we met the first time when we danced together. I don't know what her reasoning was, but I know the end result.

"Her betrayal snapped something in me. I don't remember exactly what happened after that point, I don't even know if I shifted or not. I only know that at the end of it, I was covered in blood and everyone in the room was dead or fled, except for my wife who was too shocked to move."

Max paused again as he remembered the sight of dismembered dead and dying men all around him, the crimson blood spattered on crystal chandeliers, staining the white walls and pooling on the gleaming wood floor. He even remembered hearing one of the men, he didn't know who, say 'Forgive me' with his last breath. 

Most of all he remembered his wife in her beautiful white and yellow dress, the same dress she had worn for their wedding, standing in the midst of scattered chairs which the musicians had knocked over when they fled with their instruments. She was in a state of complete shock, almost no sense in her eyes, blood spattered across the wide ornate skirt, marring the ruffles and delicate embroidery with spots of crimson. 

Max began to speak again, his voice rough and choked. "I just looked at her and I..." he broke for a moment struggling to get the words out. "... and I grabbed her throat. I came close to killing her. I don't know what stopped me." Max looked disgusted with himself as he admitted that.

"I remember cursing her. After that the heat went out of me and I became cold and cutting. I said many things, but the one that cut her the most was when I told her that she was no better than Judas who sold out Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. She saw me attend church and take sacraments. I asked her how I could be a demon? I would not have been able to set foot in God's house, much less take sacraments if I were. That seemed to get through to her, and then she collapsed in a breakdown.

"It was about this time that my servant, Sigmund, came back from delivering a message to one of my contacts in a neighboring city. It should have kept him away for one more day, but he heard gossip at the inn he was staying in, and rode on through the night to warn me. He was the only other person aside from Hilde that knew what I was.

"Our house was momentarily deserted, with everyone including servants having fled at the beginning of the fight, but I knew it was not likely to last as more time passed without any news. I made quick plans, and Sigmund helped me implement them.

"Hilde was near catatonic at this point, so I cleaned myself up and then dressed her in clothes more suitable to travel. I left her gown in the ballroom and we set fire to the room so it would be difficult to figure out who had died and whether I or Hilde was still alive. I knew that only one maid was likely to notice the absence of a simple travel dress, and that if she did, she would keep quiet about it, not wanting Hilde to come to harm.

"I gave Sigmund references, a list of contacts, and enough money to start over anywhere he wished to go. I also gave him one last task which was to bring Hilde and another pouch of money to a nearby convent. I knew the abbess; she was fair and would take care of my wife. Hilde briefly regained enough sense that I was able to convince her that the only way for her to atone was to serve God from that moment on and join the convent. That one task became her complete focus. I was never certain what she thought she was atoning for though, having betrayed me or having married me." Max's voice wavered briefly with pain.

"I left the country completely. After such bloodshed, there was no way I could stay. It was not long after that the region destabilized completely, and Napoleon invaded. To this day I don't know how she did it, but the abbess protected all of the sisters that were under her care, including my wife. 

"I made certain that Hilde's care was paid for under the name of a distant cousin. In those days payment of that sort would keep Hilde out of a servant's role. Her state of mind was fragile as it was, I could not be responsible for breaking it more than I already had.

"The fact was, she was still my wife, despite what she had done, and I kept my vows to her," Max said with force, anger and pain flashing briefly in his eyes, which had turned a flat, dark gray. 

"That night many good men lost their lives, Hilde became a broken shadow of herself, and war came to the place that I was supposed to keep stable.

"Ever since, I have avoided all dancing, waltz in particular. We were waltzing when we first met, it was her favorite. We danced it again at our wedding, and it was the dance that was interrupted that night." Max finished speaking, and closed his eyes for a moment, trying to regain his composure.

Lisa simply sat quietly, projecting a general feeling of peace and support. Sometimes offering comfort helped to release the emotions. However, Max's pain was so raw and vulnerable, that any contact with it would only make him bury it again to protect himself.

After a few minutes, Max opened his eyes again, and Lisa judged it time to speak. "It seems to me that the locals were not the only ones that died that night."

The words cut straight to his heart, and he tensed, becoming rigid in his seat. Lisa waited in silence again, waiting for him as he decided how to respond. Finally, he let out a breath that was half sob and some of the tension went out of him.

"You're right," he said softly as he looked down at the floor. Then he lifted his eyes to meet her gaze and said, "You're right, but that does not mean I am any less responsible for what happened that night."

"Why do you think you're responsible?" Lisa asked quietly and evenly, keeping her tone neutral and attaching no judgment to what the answer should or should not be. It was simply a request for information, nothing more, nothing less.

"I did not pay attention to what was happening, I did not take appropriate steps to prevent what happened that evening. I accepted the task and the responsibility for keeping the region stable, I failed. I promised to love and protect my wife, I failed in that too."

"Do you believe in God?" she asked him in that same neutral tone, not commenting or debating any of the statements he had just made.

He looked surprised, but answered, "Yes."

"Do you hold God accountable for what we do to each other?"

"No, of course not," Max answered quickly.

She persisted, "But God is all powerful, is it not within God's power to prevent us from doing the things we do? Should God then not act to stop bad things from happening to people?"

Max was starting to feel a glimmer of recognition at her line of questioning, but his mind was still too clouded from the pain of reliving his time with Hilde to hone in on it. "I believe that God could, but then we wouldn't ever learn to be responsible for ourselves and our own actions. We wouldn't learn how to fix the messes we make, or how to prevent them from happening again."

"Do you think you are better than God?" Lisa asked, still maintaining her neutral tone, knowing that this question would cut through a lot of the morass that Max was feeling. 

"No." He stated with a hardness and finality to his tone that would leave nobody in any doubt as to feelings on that particular question.

"So if God is not responsible for the actions of others, why are you?"

"Because I was in a position to stop it." Max answered quickly.

"And God was not? How can that be if God is all powerful?" Lisa persisted.

Max had no answer for that. He sat silently, thinking about her words, his eyes becoming a light grey as he considered about her reasoning. He shook his head, "I understand what you are saying, but I still feel responsible."

Lisa nodded her head and gave a small smile. "Feelings are rarely rational things. It does not make them any less valid." 

She could see the different threads that tied into the wound that Max had been nursing for so long. Failure to complete his task, his wife's betrayal and subsequent breakdown, the guilt he felt at having killed people that he had been trying to protect, shame over his physical appearance when shifted and all of it tied into him having opened his heart to someone. 

Now he kept his heart closed in order to protect it. He cared about the people around him, but would not share his heart with them. Dance by nature opened it again which was the real reason that he avoided it.

"My teacher always used to ask three questions when someone came to her, injured. 'When did you stop singing?' 'When did you stop dancing?' and 'When did you loose your joy in stories?.' I think we have an answer to the second question, but what about the first and third?"




Something New Ch. 05



To say Max was surprised at this new line of questioning was an understatement. She has made an art form out of the unexpected, he thought to himself. Still, he felt trust in her in a way he had not trusted in a long time, if ever, so he gave serious consideration to both questions.

"I haven't lost my joy in stories, and I was never much of a singer, but what little I did, I stopped after that night too," he said, starting to understand the correlation.

She smiled, "Well that's pretty impressive. You managed to retain at least some ability to express joy in spite of some very deep wounds. Not many would have had the strength to retain their joy in stories."

Lisa paused a moment to let that statement sink in, and then she continued, "So the question now becomes, do you feel the need to bleed some more, or are you ready to close the wound?" Lisa used the same neutral tone she had used earlier. She knew that she could help him, but he needed to be committed to addressing the problem, not because she thought it was right, but because he did.

A small smile of amusement moved across Max's face. He was surprised as he felt a part of him seizing upon what he knew was being offered. He already felt a sense of relief after speaking his story. He had never shared it before. Some, like Ember, knew it, but this was the first time he had actually shared it with someone. 

He had also felt some of his guilt lessen after her questioning. He still hurt, but the emotions had cleared enough that he could see the need to confront this. Max looked up at Lisa and said, "I have bled long enough, it is time to try and heal the wounds."

It's about time. He heard Ember's acerbic comment.

Oh excuse me, Your Majesty, for not keeping to your time frame. He replied, sarcastically.

Ember just chuckled and said, You are forgiven, just make sure you keep to my time frame in future.

Lisa knew something was going on by the way that Max's eyes unfocussed for a moment, and she waited to see what it was. When he came back to himself he saw her questioning look.

"Sorry, I was out for a moment. Ember was making comments about how long it took for me to try and address this. Ember's the dragon that created me."

Lisa felt a bit startled at the name. She had interacted with dragons a few times, and Ember was her main contact. "Is he red, fiery nature, tends to stay around lava flows?" she asked.

Max's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Sounds like him. I take it you've met?"

Lisa nodded. "Yes, and you can tell him that this, like everything else, is happening at the perfect time and the perfect moment." 

Max heard Ember laughing at her words, and he chuckled as well. Lisa was throwing what Ember himself often said back into his face. 

Tell her I'm glad the lesson finally took, Ember replied.

Max relayed his words and Lisa just smiled and shook her head a little at Ember's response. "He's incorrigible," she said with a little laugh.

Lisa looked at him consideringly for a moment. "I do not think it is an accident that this has all played out the way it has. Something about this feels tied in to the reason we have all come together in the first place." 

Lisa rose from her seat and continued, "Give me a moment to give Shari a call, so they will know we are going to be later than expected, and then we can get started."

*********************

Lisa had just gotten off the phone with Shari, and was standing in front of a curio cabinet that she used to keep some of her stones. Lisa knew that it would be crucial for her to keep herself focused on the work ahead, and given her attraction to Max, she was concerned about her ability to do so. So she was standing there asking the stones for a volunteer to hold a part of herself.

Fragmenting yourself was not always a bad thing all the time. Lisa knew that she needed to do this. The work ahead of her involved traveling in his landscape, his subconscious. It was a very personal thing for people, and in order to keep in integrity, she had to do it without her own desires affecting things.

In short, to do the work ahead of her for Max without interference, she had to split the piece of herself that wanted nothing more than to touch, caress and get close to him. It was a technique she had used before, but she never did this lightly, and it was always done with the promise to retrieve and reintegrate that part as soon as the work was complete.

Lisa felt a tug from one of the stones, and let herself hone in on the one that was volunteering. How appropriate that it be rhodochrosite, she thought as she pulled the gemmy pink stone out of her cabinet. Rhodochrosite was a gentle stone that was all about the heart. It seemed like a good match given that she needed to house the part of herself that was attracted to Max. It also felt like a reinforcement that the attraction was not purely physical.

Lisa cleared the stone, and then closed her eyes, asking for the part of her to come forward that would interfere in her ability to work on Max. As that part stepped forward, she explained to that part of herself that she needed to separate briefly, but that it was only for the duration of the upcoming work.

Receiving agreement, Lisa blew that part of herself into the smooth stone that lay in her hands, looking like a deep pink piece of candy.

Lisa carried the stone back into her treatment room, and placed it on her altar between her bear fetishes for safe keeping, and then turned back to Max to get things started. Between the healing work and the work that lay ahead of them with Tiernan, Lisa knew it was going to be a long night.

******************

Max and Lisa had just come back from Shari's. The evening had been a bit long for both of them, but fruitful. Lisa had been surprised to find that the Fae were present so strongly that they were making their presence visible in the physical world. 

From the moment she arrived, she saw just about every race of Fae hanging around, even some of the ones usually considered to be dark. Lisa had noted that even Max had been a bit surprised at the extent of protection Tiernan had put into place, and that had confirmed Lisa's thinking that Tiernan had really pulled out all the stops.

Lisa had another surprise waiting for her as well. It seems that Tiernan had decided that Thom needed more training in his channeling abilities, and had contacted someone he referred to as 'The Voice.' The old woman was quite direct and had a formidable aura of power about her. As soon as Lisa met her, she had proceeded to tell Lisa that she was to be her student as well, but that her lessons would start at a later date when Thom was better in hand.

Lisa had been too shocked to do anything but smile weakly and thank her new, self appointed teacher for being willing to take her on as a student before 'The Voice' headed off again, to 'torture me some more' as Thom had put it. Lisa recognized that she was probably quite fortunate to have such a teacher willing to train her, but she definitely felt some trepidation about the future lessons.

From there they had moved to a private planning session with Tiernan. It seemed that Tiernan and another Sidhe mage were working on something together for their common enemy. Tiernan was unable to explain much about it in comprehendable terms. 

Basically what they were creating was completely new and experimental, and Tiernan just didn't have the ability, or the desire Lisa suspected, to explain it in depth. In addition, until it was ready, Tiernan did not want to do anything to alert it to their presence, which meant no further journey work tonight. 

Instead they spent their time discussing probable abilities of their enemy, and methods they could use to counter those abilities, planning for a variety of possible attacks. During that time, Lisa had a thought solidify that had been niggling at the back of her brain earlier that day. 

She kept having the feeling that Max confronting his past today had been a very good thing in regards to timing. At the time, she had thought that that sense might be related to her own interests in Max, but not anymore. 

She had pointed out to everyone at the table that their enemy was a creature of shadows, that it knew the shadows. 'What do we keep in the shadows?' she had asked, and then proceeded to answer the question. 'We keep our secrets, our fears in the shadows. If we face this being, we need to be prepared to face all those things we keep hidden as well.'

That statement had effectively stopped all conversation dead in its tracks as everyone considered the implications of what she had said. Then they began another flurry of discussion about ways to counter that. It had been productive, and they had a number of new ideas for defense as a result. They had implemented most of those ideas before they left, and Lisa had a few more to implement on her house, which she was planning to take care of tomorrow. 

Lisa was now going through her usual evening routine of letting Sasha outside one more time, and giving her a dental bone that she got each evening, and was also watching Max out of the corner of her eye. She saw that he had followed her as she was taking care of all of this, and that he had again checked on Sasha's water bowl and refilled it.

Lisa felt he had something on his mind, but hadn't figured out how to get it out. Finally she ran out of things she could do to stall. Sasha was taken care of, and they'd both drunk their fill of tea or coffee while at Shari's.

Lisa decided that if she was going get him to talk, she'd have to open the conversation. "How are you feeling?" she asked him as she sat down on the couch, waiting to see if he would join her. 

Max remained standing for a moment and looked introspective as he considered how to answer that question. "I'm not certain," he answered. "I think things are still settling." Then to Lisa's relief, he walked over to the couch and sat down on the opposite side, turning to face her. "I definitely feel better in some ways, but there's still so much that is new."

Lisa nodded, "It's not that unusual. You faced a lot just telling me your story. From that you went into receiving shamanic work, and then joined in the planning session tonight. I would be surprised if you were feeling anything but uncertain or confused."

He chuckled a little at her response, which put Lisa much more at ease. It meant he wasn't getting too overwhelmed if he could appreciate humor. 

"I've often been told I don't do things in half measures" he said with a smile, "It would seem that is true in all aspects of my life."

Lisa laughed with him, happy that he seemed to be taking this in with equanimity. Then Max's expression grew softer and more serious.

"Of course if I really want to keep that reputation for no half measures, there is one more thing that I still need to address," he said, in a soft voice.

Lisa looked in Max's eyes, which had turned a rich charcoal grey, and felt her heartbeat quicken, and her nerves begin to surface. She kept her expression smooth, though, and just raised an eyebrow in inquiry.

Max hesitated a moment, and then seemed to decide to plow ahead with whatever he had on his mind. "I realized that the reason all of this came up in the first place is that I am very strongly drawn to you." Max's soft voice was a bit rough as he pushed the words out. 

Lisa felt elated at his words, although her fear didn't go away. It seems she just shifted from being nervous about what he was going to say, to being nervous about the next steps. Lisa leaned towards him and reached her hand out, laying it against his cheek. She felt a thrill at the touch, and enjoyed the masculine feel of the stubble that had made an appearance at the end of the day. 

"You are not alone in that attraction." She answered softly, her nerves making her voice shake a little. "I have been drawn to you since the first moment we met."

He gave a small smile, and reached his hand out, touching her cheek in return. He slid his fingers along her jaw, till they rested behind her neck, and his thumb lightly caressed her ear lobe. Lisa closed her eyes as a little shiver of pleasure ran through her at the touch, and then opened them again, as she felt him pull her closer. 

She saw him leaning in, and she followed suit, closing her eyes again as they gently kissed for the second time that day. Lisa felt like she was flooded with electricity the moment their lips met, and kissed him harder. 

She mimicked his earlier action, and slid the hand that was still on his cheek, down his jaw line, and ran her fingers across his close cropped hair. She rested her other hand on his ribs for a moment, before letting it slide around and up his back, and scooted her hips closer, allowing her to press up against his chest. 

Max wrapped his free arm around her waist, holding her close as he teased her lips open, and caressed her tongue with his. He felt her shiver, and then gave a little shiver himself as she flicked her tongue against his lips.

He slowly slid his hand up her side, letting his thumb trail across her stomach as he went, caressing briefly under her breast before sliding his hand around to her back again.

Lisa became a bit more aggressive, pressing him against the back of the couch as she ran her hands up his stomach and across his chest, never once breaking their kiss.

Max slid his hands up under shirt, and brushed his hands across what felt like a lace bra. Lisa arched in pleasure, but then pulled a little away from him. 

He slid his hands back down to her waste, worried he had gone too far. When he looked into Lisa's face, he was surprised to see pain and sadness on her face.

"Oh God, I'm sorry, Max," she said, bowing her head. "I want you so badly, more than I've ever wanted anyone, but I think I need to tell you a bit more about myself before we go any further."

He gave a brief chuckle to take the sting out of his words. "Anyone ever tell you that your timing stinks?" he said in a husky voice.

Lisa gave him an apologetic smile, "I didn't expect that level of desire ... from either of us" she said softly with a little tremble in voice. "Believe it or not, I'm not infallible in my read of other people, and that's even more true when I'm the one involved."

Max's senses went on alert with that last statement. He wasn't as good as she was at finding people's pain, but he'd have to have been deaf, dumb, and blind not to have caught the emotion underlying that. Max shifted his grip, and pulled her into his side, holding her to give her comfort as she said whatever she needed to say.

He felt her relax and lean into him, and then she took in a deep breath to explain. "I am not particularly experienced in relationships," she said somewhat hesitantly. "There are two reasons for that. The first is that I'm afraid I'm not very trusting and I tend to close myself off a bit. You were actually pretty close to the mark when you asked me earlier about not letting loose. 

"The second reason ties in to the first. Part of the reason that I'm not particularly trusting is that people get scared off when they realize how deeply I can see into them. It's not something I can stop doing either, it's too much a part of who and what I am to be able to turn that off when getting close to someone. It would be like asking you to stop seeing the color white, it's simply not something you can stop."

Max heard the defensiveness and the pain again in that last statement, and figured that there must have been someone close to her that had given her a difficult time over that.

"What this has meant is that the rare occasions I have trusted enough to be vulnerable enough to become ... physical with someone, it has not worked out well." She looked away for a moment, and he saw tears threatening to fall from her eyes. Max simply held her, allowing her the space for her pain, as she had allowed for his earlier. 

She continued softly, "When people are afraid of you, they tend to cut a lot deeper in defense," she commented, almost to herself. He understood her, their hurts weren't really all that different.

"The bottom line of all of this is that the level of my desire for you scares the hell out of me. I have never moved so fast with anyone before. I've only known you for a day, I shouldn't trust you this much, but I do. If you ended up fearing me, it would probably make me just about useless in dealing with our enemy. 

"I'm afraid that rushing anything between us could be a recipe for disaster. I know this is a lot to dump on you, especially after the work we did this afternoon." Lisa winced a little as she felt guilty for all of this so quickly after he had dealt with his past pain. "If you want, we can both call it a night, and we can talk about this tomorrow instead" she offered. Lisa stopped talking at that point, not certain what else to say. 

Max continued to hold Lisa firmly, letting her know that he had no intention of sending her off by herself after opening herself up that way. Instead he just thought about what she had said, while softly caressing her arms. 

Max chuckled briefly before beginning, startling Lisa slightly. "I think I can safely say that if things don't work out between us, it won't be because I'm afraid of how deeply you can see into me. You already saw my deepest pain, and while it was hard to face, I was not afraid to let you see it. I think that is very telling."

Max held Lisa's gaze as he stated that, willing her to see the truth of his words, and for the first time ever in his long life, was willing to let someone see all of him. The extent of his trust startled him as well, and in that moment, he truly understood Lisa's fear of the speed things were happening between them.

Max gave her a mischievous smile, and moved suddenly, so she ended up laying lengthwise, while he used his body to trap her against the back of the couch.

Lisa was startled and felt her desire spike again with Max's maneuver. There was something protective about the way he had put his body between her and the outside world. She felt sheltered in a way she had never experienced before and shivered slightly in pleasure at the experience.

"As for slowing down, I understand your feelings, and I'm willing to do that," he smiled as he paused briefly, "but I'm not willing to stop completely," he finished as he kissed her again, teasing her lips with his teeth.

She melted under that kiss and the feeling of his solid body pressing up against her. Max finished his kiss, and looked at Lisa for a moment. He saw that her hazel eyes were completely unguarded for the first time since they had met, and he saw such warmth, it amazed him. It wasn't just her desire, though that was quite obvious he noted with satisfaction. It was that she had such love, joy and kindness, he was amazed that anyone would ever think she would deliberately hurt them.

"You are truly the most amazing woman I have ever met, human, Fae, or anything else," he said softly as his eyes briefly looked ancient. 

Lisa was startled at his words, having figured out at this point that he had been around at least a good thousand years, maybe longer. She also knew that he wasn't trying to deceive her, he truly felt that way. It touched her so deeply that she couldn't stop a few tears from falling. 

Max seemed to understand, and simply held her close. "Thank you," Lisa said in a shaky voice. "That meant a lot to me."

Max smiled at her and kissed her lips gently again. Lisa relaxed as she kissed him back, feeling a deep sense of happiness and contentment to be held so sheltered and secure. It wasn't much longer before Sasha watched from her bed as Max and Lisa drifted off, content in each other's arms.



Something New Ch. 06



Thank you all for the amazing comments, I was very touched by them. Reading your feedback literally puts a smile on my face for days. :) 

Sorry that this chapter was a bit delayed, I was out sick for a couple days, and my brain just does not work well in that state, so I didn't get much writing in. Unfortunately the next chapter will probably be delayed a bit longer than this one, because I will be out of town for a week. I usually post updates to my profile page, and I promise to start putting dates on them now, since I just realized that there weren't any.

Finally, while I hope I did a good enough job identifying the meanings of different text formats in the body of the story, I thought I would give a quick rundown, just in case:

"This is verbal speaking, the text is normal and there are quotes enclosing what the character is saying."

"This is speaking mind to mind. There are still quotes, but the text is italicized."

This is a character's personal thoughts. It is italicized and without quotes.

Enjoy, and as always, all constructive feedback is welcome!

This story is copyrighted, please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks!

**********

Max woke as he realized he was both extremely content and very uncomfortable. It was an interesting mix of feelings, and not a combination he had experienced before. He was content because Lisa was sleeping in his arms, and was cuddling up against him. He was uncomfortable because sleeping on the edge of the couch was not exactly relaxing, though he had slept in worse places. 

He focused on Lisa again, looking at her soft face, tendrils of her dark hair curling over her eyes. He brushed it away, liking the silky feel as it slid between his fingers. 

He smiled as he realized that her height meant he didn't have to bend over so far to kiss her. He had always been unusually tall. In his time he had been considered something of a giant. It was a bit of a relief to him that average heights had changed over the centuries. He was still tall by current standards, but not abnormally so. 

Lisa shifted against him and put a leg over him in her sleep. He froze as he had another realization. Her height meant that their bodies matched up quite well, and as he felt her warmth against him, he began to react. 

Max clamped down on his reaction and decided that the couch was not the place to spend the rest of the night. Gently he moved her leg off of him, and quietly slid his legs to the floor. Lisa clung to him more tightly as she felt him shift away from her, and he smiled, warmed by her need for him.

He kept his upper body near hers as he slid his arms under her, and then proceeded to gently lift her up from the couch. He didn't display it often, but he had been stronger than he looked before the transformation. After he was changed, his strength had increased exponentially and Lisa was no burden at all.

Max carried her down the hall and saw that Lisa's bedroom door was closed. He thought about it briefly, noting that she seemed to always keep it shut. Like she said, she doesn't trust others easily. The bedroom is personal space, so she doesn't let everyone see it, he thought to himself. 

Max took the option that was less likely to upset her, not to mention just plain easier, and went for the open door of his room, placing her gently on the bed. As he lay her down, he realized that she wasn't releasing her arms from around his neck. He chuckled softly as she continued to cling to him in her sleep, and rather than try to free himself, climbed over her to get onto the other side of the bed.

Her body gravitated right into him again as soon as she felt him lay down next to her. Max rubbed his hand up and down her back to soothe her, and frowned a bit as he realized she was still wearing her bra. He knew that those were not comfortable for a woman to sleep in, but after everything he had just gone through to keep her asleep, he had no intention of waking her up now.

Max decided to try to remove it himself, not that he needed much convincing. He even managed to do it without removing her shirt, though he was amazed he didn't wake her. She must be exhausted to sleep through all this, he thought to himself. 

Max thought about it for a moment, and realized that he hadn't caught any signs of her being this tired. He decided that in the interest of his current role as her protector, he needed to use his ability to assess her physical condition. 

Typically this was something he only used to find an opponent's strengths and weaknesses, or to figure out how close someone was to death. It was not an ability he tended to use outside of a combat situation, but he needed to know her true state. 

As he looked into her, he was shocked by what he saw. She had appeared to be at full power and full capacity, and indeed, she had tremendous resources, but she was actually quite depleted. It amazed him that such a gentle woman had such iron will and strength inside her.

Her depletion concerned him though, and he chose to go deeper. It wasn't something he did often because he sometimes found out more about a person than he, or they were comfortable with him knowing, but he felt it was necessary. 

As he looked deeper, he felt some relief as he saw that she wasn't in as bad a shape as he originally thought. Yes, she was depleted, but the energy was being replaced quickly as she slept, more quickly, in fact, than he had ever seen in anyone before. Curious he looked to see if he could figure out the source, and was almost physically rocked back as he was suddenly thrown out of her.

"Do not push your luck son of dragons. You are not the only protection she has." He heard a stern voice say. He looked around and saw a figure at the foot of the bed. As he watched, it became more solid and he was able to see what looked like someone of Native American descent dressed in formal regalia, though he was unable to make out any real details. The look he was getting from the spirit, though, made him feel like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"We allowed you to look into her, but you overstepped your bounds. Don't do it again." The man said, and then disappeared. Max felt a bit shell shocked but the spirits weren't done with him yet as another figure began to appear in the spot the man had stood.

"My but you are a handsome specimen of a man," an old, wizened, and definitely female voice cackled at him. As he looked, the figure began to solidify into an ancient white haired woman with piercing eyes. "Don't let old feather head scare you off," she said with an amused smile. "He actually likes you or you would be passed out right now receiving some of the worst dreams of your life. In fact, knowing him, if he disliked you that much, he'd make sure those dreams would prevent you from ever 'performing' again!" She cackled at the look on his face as her last statement registered with him, and it wasn't a comfortable sound. 

The old woman looked him sharply in the eye, and he felt like he was being tested. Finally she said, "You're good for each other, don't doubt it. Now, forget us and sleep." she commanded and she too faded away.

Max was unable to resist, and drifted off.

**********

Lisa was slowly waking from the best night's sleep she'd had in months, and her mind was starting to sort what was dream and what was real. She felt herself pressed up against a warm body and her drifting mind decided it was an after image of a very pleasant dream. She clung to her dream state, feeling so content that she wanted it to last a bit longer before she woke in her very empty bedroom.

Of course, as usual, once she began to wake there was no holding onto her dreamy state, no matter how pleasant it was. As she slowly became more alert, she realized that the content feeling of snuggling up to another body was not dissipating. That realization brought her mind instantly to full wakefulness and she opened her eyes to see Max's sleeping form next to her.

All in a rush she remembered the previous night and smiled as she reveled in the warmth and happiness she felt waking up next to him. Then she registered that they were sleeping in his room rather than the couch, but she had no memory of coming here herself. She realized that he must have carried her, and the fact that he had managed to do it without waking her impressed her immensely.

She thought of the strength it would have taken, and a little shiver of desire ran down her body. After all, as tall as she was, it wasn't easy to carry her smoothly, and if he'd jostled her, she knew she would have woken instantly.

Lisa also realized that while she was wearing the same clothes as last night, her bra was gone. It was almost as if that one item had magically vanished, leaving everything else as it was. 

She blushed a little, and lingered briefly over thoughts of the skill Max had displayed in doing all of this. She studied his sleeping form and blushed a little more as her mind inevitably wandered into less pure territory and gave her a couple of graphic visuals to go with it. 

Lisa pulled her thoughts out of the gutter, and studied his face instead. It was angular with a wide brow, firm jaw and close cropped dark hair. She knew he kept his hair that short so it couldn't be grabbed in a fight. Max very much reflected the warrior she knew he was, from the simple and practical way he dressed, to the smooth way he moved. 

Lisa relaxed, appreciating the moment of just being there with Max, and once again felt that flush of pleasure move through her body. She moved her face to the join between his neck and shoulder, and nuzzled into that sensitive spot, enjoying his spicy masculine scent.

Max woke with a smile. He looked at her for a moment, and then tilted his head to mimic her actions. Lisa shivered as he teasingly kissed her neck, clinging to him a little tighter in response. 

He smiled at her obvious pleasure, and then pulled back again to look into her eyes. "Good morning," he smiled at her as he spoke.

"Good morning," she replied giving him a happy smile in return. 

Max felt a sense of satisfaction drift over him as he held her and saw her smile light up her face. He didn't know what, but something seemed to have settled for him as he slept, and he felt at peace for the first time in a very long time. 

As he basked in the relaxation that sense of peace brought him, he felt his passion rise, and once again had to push it down. This could get old very quickly, he thought to himself. Still, he had learned his patience and control over the course of centuries, and he was not going to be ruled by his anatomy. 

Maybe by hers though, his mind countered, and he quickly shut down that line of thought before it got him into trouble. After all, he might have tremendous control, but there was no point in testing his limits unnecessarily. Max knew that as difficult as it was, it would be much more rewarding in the end if he didn't rush her. Of course, like any good General, he also planned to take advantage of every moment leading up to that point to fan her passion. 

He caressed her cheek gently, "I love your smile," he said softly, "Your whole face lights up."

She looked away briefly in a moment of shyness at his compliment, but then met his eyes again. "Thank you," she said softly, and then paused for a moment as if considering something. "How did you get me in here, and ... uh, make me more comfortable without waking me?"

He chuckled softly at her indirect way of questioning him about her bra, and she felt the vibration through her chest, "Very carefully," he answered with a satisfied smile. "Don't worry, I did everything through your shirt, so I didn't look. I just know how ... restrictive it can be, so I thought you'd appreciate having things loosened up a bit."

Lisa shivered a little at the double entendre and ran her hands down Max's back, embracing him again. He returned her embrace, and then she gently pulled away. "As much as I'm enjoying this," she said with a smile, "I do need to go into work today. We've got a meeting scheduled that I have to attend. We're getting set to go through some updates and upgrades on our website as well as on some of our backend software, and they kind of need me so they know our requirements." 

Lisa paused for a moment and continued with uncertainty in her voice. "I'm not certain what you want to do today. You can stay here, or you can come into the office with me, but that might prove to be boring for you..." she trailed off at the look on Max's face.

His expression had turned serious and taken on a harder edge. "The reason I came to your home in the first place was to protect you. I can hardly do that if I am here and you are somewhere else. I will come with you as your bodyguard," he said decisively. 

Lisa could feel the tension in Max's body and realized she must have unwittingly struck a nerve, though she wasn't quite certain what it was. "I understand, I've just never needed a bodyguard before." 

Lisa felt some of the tension leave his body, and wondered if maybe he thought she was going to fight him on the bodyguard thing. No way, I'm not stupid. If Tiernan's instincts say I need protection, I would have to be the biggest idiot on the face of the planet to ignore them.

Lisa also realized she should give Max a head's up about the makeup of their staff. "By the way, you should probably know that we employ a lot of nonhumans as well as humans. My business partner's a vampire, and we've got a few more of her people in various positions. We've also got a number of different weres, and some Talents, which is our catch all name for humans with extra abilities. All the humans we employ know about the others. We're not so big a company that it's become an issue."

"That's quite a mix, how do you keep the peace?" Max asked with surprise. He knew that politics between the various were groups could get sticky at best, not to mention the issues that arose between vamps and weres. He didn't know enough about what she called Talents, but even so, he could think of a number of issues that could arise there too. 

Lisa chuckled as she answered his question, "Mostly because they know they'll be in deep kimchee if any of them break it. Since we know what we're employing, they don't have to work to hide things, and we'll make allowances for them within reason. After all, there's not a lot of employers that you can tell, 'I'm going to be out the next few days because my mate just went into heat' and expect to still have a job. 

"There's also the aspect of neutral ground for weres to get to know each other and other nonhumans. Most of the major were leaders have decided that fostering more understanding between races to reduce fights would be to their advantage. As a result, enforcement issues for them are reported to whoever that individual reports to. After all, even in the least social animal forms, there's still some sort of hierarchy. It's easier on all of us to let that person sort it out.

"As for the vamps, my business partner Keisha, is very high ranked, so she takes care of any issues there. From what I've seen, she's powerful enough that nobody wants to annoy her, and she gets seriously annoyed when people waste her time because they can't get along. 

"We don't usually have too many issues with the Talents, but when they arise I'm the one that handles them. With them, usually just the threat of losing their job is enough to take care of the problem. 

"This is also a large part of the reason we have deliberately kept the company on the smaller scale rather than getting to the size of the big conglomerates. Not to mention it's a bit of a headache to have to manage something that size. We're big enough that we get what we need from it, without it taking over everything else. Keisha, quite frankly, doesn't need the income, but she likes keeping busy and she has a great appreciation for irony." Lisa said with a half smile.

"How so?" Max asked, intrigued.

Lisa laughed, "You're gonna love this. Our company makes high end, high quality animal food and supplements."

"Pet food? You have a vampire making pet food!?" Max said incredulously, laughing at the images that conjured up.

"In essence." Lisa smiled to take the sting out of her next words. "Remember, though, our entire product line is human grade, and some of our lines are even kosher, so calling it pet food is a bit of a misnomer."

"Point taken, still the idea of a vamp co-owning a company dedicated to food of any kind is pretty damned funny," Max said as he laughed again. 

Lisa smiled back, enjoying the sound of his laughter for a moment before continuing. "It's also a reason that having weres in our employ works so well for us. They can give us a lot of direct feedback about the scent and taste of the mix and how to change it to make it more appetizing. A lot of them like it so much they even stock it at home and a lot of packs also tend to keep our stuff on hand. Remember, we're not making dog or cat food, we're making human food that's a match for animal nutritional needs and tastes. 

"We've even made strides into wild animal supplements and have found a great market again with the weres, but also with zoos and large animal trainers. It helps that we add a little extra oomph by attaching a bit of general healing energy to everything. It makes our competitors crazy when they try to duplicate our formula and they can't get the same results." Lisa chuckled a bit at that particular image.

Max laughed again at all the pictures this new knowledge conjured, "How ever did you end up with a vamp partner in an industry like that?"

Lisa smiled, "Pure chance. I ran into Keisha when I was called in to assist with one of her underlings. It was a situation that required an extended stay, and during the course of it, we discovered we worked well together. At some point I started talking about how I was home cooking all of Sasha's food because I wasn't happy with what was commercially available. 

"I think I said something to her along the lines of 'someone should start a company that makes human grade dog food.' Keisha decided she liked the idea and that 'someone' should be me. The rest is history. The two of us are not only compatible in business, we're good friends too. I think you'll like each other."

Max just gave her a small smile in reply. The truth was he hadn't really spoken with many vamps. It tended to put a damper on conversation when the other person was trying to kill you. Still, from the sounds of it, this Keisha was not like most of the vamps he had met.

Lisa glanced at the time and shifted into high gear when she saw how late it was, "Come on, we need to get moving or I won't have time review before the meeting."

**********

Lisa sighed and rubbed her temples briefly as she sat across from Keisha in their board room. It was Friday, the end of the week, and she couldn't recall having ever having had to put out so many fires during the entire history of the business. They had had all manner of equipment failures, and just today had to discard an entire run of one of their most expensive supplements when it was found that for some reason, the healing energy wasn't taking to the batch. 

That particular point really concerned Lisa, and she had saved a portion of that batch to do further testing. There shouldn't be anything that would prevent attaching energy, and she was disturbed.

If that weren't enough, there even seemed to be some troubles brewing between two factions of weres, and while Lisa could and did notify the leaders in charge of the two groups, Alpha Smythson never seemed to tire of giving her headaches. If it weren't for the fact that he was one of the more powerful packs in the area, and that he truly did want peaceful relations between nonhuman groups, she'd have stopped employing his people a long time ago so she wouldn't have to deal with him.




Something New Ch. 06



About the only saving grace this week was that Lisa hadn't been called on for any healing work. Well that, and having Max around, even though her hormones were driving her crazy. 

His presence was both a pleasure and a concern for her. She practically melted anytime he touched her, and that worried her given their short acquaintance. Still, the more she learned about him, the more she was drawn to him. He was this amazing combination of warrior and gentleman, courteous and masculine, not to mention intelligent and honorable, and she got wet just thinking about him.

She had needed to change her underwear more frequently in the last week than at any point in her entire life. She had taken to carrying an extra pair in her purse so she had it handy while at work. He also didn't miss much, and she suspected that he knew the effect he was having on her. 

Of course it didn't help that he would take any excuse to give her little touches or looks, not that she really minded beyond the underwear issue. He always seemed to know just how far to dance up to the line without crossing it. She was grateful for that since it kept his presence supportive rather than restrictive, even though it drove her desire for him to new highs.

Lisa sighed softly, her mind drifting to how well he had integrated himself into her life. He was a partner in every sense of the word. He even helped out, doing things like picking up Sasha from the neighbor on play-date days and washing dishes when she cooked for them. He looked out for her, and yes that was part of his job as her protector, but she had the feeling he would do that regardless, it was part of his nature.

In short, he put her comfort and needs above his own, something she did not take for granted. As a healer she was the one that often provided that service to others, and the fact that he did it for her meant more to her than all the pretty words in the world. 

"Lisa, wake up!" Keisha's silky voice interrupted Lisa's musings. When she saw she had Lisa's attention again she continued, "You were off in space somewhere, hon. Of course," a sly smile appeared on her face, "with that fiery dragon you've got out there, I suppose I can't blame you. Can't say that I'd even make it into the office with him around, much less keep the hours I know you've been spending here."

Lisa laughed, and felt her mood lighten up a bit. "You know my hours because you've been spending the same hours here yourself, and as for Max," Lisa colored a bit, "We haven't gotten to that level quite yet. A fact I'm sure you know with that sharp nose of yours," Lisa said pointedly. 

Keisha did indeed have a keen sense of smell, but her nose was also narrow and pointed, which gave her a sharp, almost fox-like look, complete with fiery red hair and a petite, feminine frame.

Keisha smiled at the joke and asked, "and why hasn't it gotten to that level? You can't tell me it's for lack of interest" she paused and pointedly sniffed the air, "on either of your parts."

Lisa sighed again, and knew that Keisha wasn't going to let this go. Still, maybe it will do me some good to talk about it with her. Lord knows she's got plenty of experience to draw on. Lisa looked over at Keisha ready and willing to listen, and she relaxed and just let herself talk. "You know my dating history, what little there is at any rate?" 

Keisha nodded.

"I'm feeling uncertain about this largely because of the speed. You know me, I don't do one nighters, but you might not know the full reason why. For me there is no passion, no desire without an emotional connection to the person. I don't do one nighters for the simple reason that I've never been turned on by someone unless I've gotten to know them first."

Lisa paused, acknowledging Keisha's surprised look, and then continued. "I even tried to force myself to do a one-nighter once, thinking that if I let things move along I'd get interested. It failed miserably." 

Lisa paused again at the memory of that night so many years ago, and then continued. "It ... scares me that suddenly here I am, barely able to keep my hands off someone. That just doesn't happen to me, and" Lisa paused searching for what she was really feeling, "I think I mistrust it." 

"Do you think someone else is influencing you two?" Keisha asked quietly.

Lisa felt a little startled, she hadn't considered that idea. She looked inside herself to see if she could detect any influences. She came up empty, and then the last conversation with her guide around his fire flashed into her mind, and she relaxed. "No, or at least if there is, it's not malevolent."

"Then what don't you trust about this?" Keisha asked, knowing full well that her friend had sharper instincts for something that was off than anyone else she knew.

"I don't know, I ..." Lisa went silent a moment, and the answer came to her. She whispered quietly as she looked down at the polished wood of the table, "myself, I don't trust myself."

Keisha was a bit relieved that that's all it was. "Well hon, that's just plain stupid and you know it," she said, returning to her style of direct communication and startling Lisa into looking back up at her. "Ain't you always the one talking about acceptin' things that get handed to you by the Universe? Seems to me you've been lookin' a gift horse in the mouth." Keisha's drawl began to come out a bit, which only happened when she felt strongly about what she was saying. 

Lisa realized that Keisha was right and smiled at her business partner as she suddenly felt clarity for the first time since meeting Max, "You're right, I just needed a kick in the pants to see it."

Keisha laughed, "Anytime hon, it's my pleasure."

Lisa smiled and then switched gears. "Now, back to business, so I can get home and, ahem, stop looking at that horse's mouth."

"...and maybe start looking at a few more interesting parts." Keisha finished with a suggestive leer, which had both women bursting with laughter.

Max chose that moment to enter the board room followed by a slender vamp in a mechanic's jumpsuit. Max noticed Lisa turning a bit redder when she saw him, and given her reaction, he assumed he'd been the topic of conversation. He just raised an eyebrow at the two women and waited for them to get themselves under control.

When they'd calmed down again he simply said, "It's good to see the two of you laugh, but I'm afraid we're going to be the bearers of some bad news. Phil, why don't you go ahead and tell them."

The slender young man stepped forward and eyed the two nervously. He was obviously not comfortable with speaking directly to the higher ups. "Well the short version is you've got a saboteur." 

Keisha and Lisa both shot up in their chairs, all traces of their humor disappearing to be replaced with anger and concern. 

Phil produced a piece he had pulled from one of the machines. "I knew the problem on your tablet press was in the controller unit. I had an idea of what it might be, and a way to fix it quick without having to completely replace the unit. So I pulled it and opened it up, and uh, well it's been tampered with," he said pointing at a pair of wires that had been spliced together. "Usually I would have just pitched the unit without lookin' in it, since they're usually more trouble 'n they're worth to repair, but uh ummm..." Phil trailed off, seemingly letting his nerves get the better of him.

Lisa gave him an encouraging smile, waiting for him to continue. "Well, you see, ma'am, umm ma'ams uhh..." Phil took another deep breath starting to turn slightly red and continued, "I wanted to see if I was right or not about the repair. I promise if I'd 'a been wrong I wouldn't 've charged you for the extra time." 

Keisha gave him a slightly seductive smile and spoke in a voice like warm chocolate, "Don't worry Phil, we believe you. The fact is you have helped us with your curiosity, and we appreciate that."

Phil was now entering the color family of a beet, something very interesting and almost comical to see in a vamp, but he also seemed to calm down a bit. It seemed that his main concern was getting in trouble over wasting time, and Max assumed his superior was probably a bit too tight on the time clock, not knowing how to properly manage an asset like Phil.

Phil handed the unit, wrapped in paper towels, over to Keisha. Keisha tried to sift through the smells attached to it, but found that too many people had been in and around the unit to make it possible to detect the saboteur. 

"They're either lucky, or know something about hiding their scent, there's too much on this, there's no way I'll be able to get anything useful from it."

"Yes ma'am," Phil continued. "I checked also as soon as I saw what had been done, but I had the same problem."

Keisha glanced briefly at Lisa, and Max knew there was a moment of communication there, before Keisha spoke again. "Good work. In fact Phil, I know I speak for both of us here, when we say we are quite impressed. So impressed, that we are interested in offering you a position with us."

Phil swallowed hard and his Adam's apple bobbed a bit as his eyes got large. "With you?!" he exclaimed. "That would be, I mean... I have to check..."

"I know you are currently under Chan's care, but Chan is under mine so if you are amenable to the idea, I don't think there will be a problem with you working more ... directly under me than you were before," Keisha said with a hint of amusement. 

Max wasn't certain if she intended to follow through with both meanings on that last statement, and from the look of Phil, he wasn't certain about it either as he nodded his acceptance.

Keisha paused as her eyes unfocused for a moment. "You have done excellent work here. You'll find Sam, my assistant, waiting outside the door. I've already informed him as well as Chan about your change in position, and Sam will handle all the details."

"Yes ma'am, thank you ma'am!" the young vampire bowed to Keisha, and left to go meet up with Sam.

Lisa looked at Keisha, she was wondering about her desire to shift Phil's position to their company. To Lisa's way of thinking, a company making food and supplements was not the best use of the abilities of someone like Phil, not that she was unhappy having his skills at their disposal.

"Before you ask, I've been looking for a way to transfer Phil over to me without undermining Chan. Chan is useful, but his style is too ... harsh for someone like Phil. Problem is, if I simply walked in and took possession of Phil, it would weaken Chan's position with his people. By the same token, if Chan were simply to transfer Phil to me, that would also send a message of weakness. Chan deliberately put Phil in my path so we could set this up to be seen as Chan taking advantage of an opportunity to gain status. In short, it will look more like a political move. Not that that won't be the case; I reward intelligence, and it takes an intelligent and long sighted person to recognize the potential in Phil and be willing to place him under another's care so he can flourish and be an asset to all of us.

"For the time being, Lisa, I'd like to keep him here under the excuse of solving the various technical difficulties we've been having. Also, I know he's a mechanical genius, but he's recently started getting into the software side of things. If you're okay with it, I'd like to bring him onto our upgrade team as an observer in addition to his duties on the factory floor."

"I have no problem with that," Lisa replied, and then gave Keisha a slightly suggestive grin. "He seems like he's very eager to please."

Keisha laughed, and Lisa noted a certain smoky look in her eye. It might turn out that he will be pleasing her in more ways than one, Lisa thought to herself. "Now back to this issue of the saboteur," Lisa continued. "I told you about the incident that brought Max and Tiernan out of Underhill. I find the timing of all of this very coincidental, and as you know ..."

"...You don't believe in coincidences." Keisha finished.

Lisa nodded and continued. "I am especially concerned about that batch that wouldn't take the healing energy. That just shouldn't happen. Ever." 

Lisa suddenly had a thought, "Hang on, let me check something." She turned to her laptop and pulled up an inventory screen. "Crap. Did you know that shipment was intended for Alpha Smythson's pack? It's part of his standing monthly order."

Keisha sucked in her breath, "Shit. I'm bringing in my people. Thank God we put a hold on all shipments."

Lisa nodded, and then turned to Max to explain, "The Smythson pack is one of the strongest, if not THE strongest were pack in the area. He's a royal pain in the ass to deal with, but he's also clever and was the first Alpha to successfully integrate different were types into one pack. In short, he's not someone you want to piss off unless you want a full scale war. Do you think Tiernan would be willing to send one of his people over this weekend to double check any inventory we've believe to be safe? The Fae sometimes catch things the rest of us don't."

Max's eyes unfocussed for a moment, and Lisa knew she was checking in with Tiernan. He had told her a few days ago that he could do this, and Lisa knew that it was a high honor that Tiernan had granted Max that permission. Max's eyes sharpened again, as he came back and said, "Tiernan says he'll have someone here the day after tomorrow. The person he wants to send won't be free till then. He says he'll open a portal for them outside by your Ash tree."

Lisa nodded in thanks and turned back to Keisha, "Also, if that vamp mage of yours is available, I'd love to have him check things over too. I also think we're going to need to meet with Alpha Smythson in person and let him know about this since he's being targeted."

Keisha lifted her lip a bit in irritation, but nodded in agreement. "You're right, I'll arrange it. I'll also make sure that Tolouse swings by this weekend to check things over. He'll probably be quite willing. He doesn't want an all out conflict with the weres any more than the rest of us do. We've been down that road before, and it's taken both sides centuries to mend the damage."

Lisa rubbed her temples again, "Ay, this just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Who would have thought that a company as simple as us could possibly be at the center point for something like this."

"The way of the shadow walker is to be cunning, silent, and to strike without warning. Your shadow creature has learned this lesson well," Keisha commented with a frown. "In fact, better than most of us who spend our lives in shadows. We are fortunate to have caught this at all."

******************

With a plan of action in place, Max and Lisa were headed back to her house, and for the first time this week, it was before dark. Lisa was lost in thought, trying to decide how she wanted things to progress this evening. 

Max was also driving in thoughtful silence, considering an idea that he thought would help move things forward a bit between the two of them. "How are you feeling?" he broke the silence, "Are you tired, or up for doing something tonight?" he asked.

Lisa looked over at Max in interest, speculating about what he might have in mind. "As long as it isn't work related, I'm in good shape."

Max smiled, keeping his eyes on the road, "I'll second that," he said with enough heat in his voice to make his meaning clear. Max chuckled when he saw Lisa's slight blush in his peripheral vision and then continued. "Keisha told me there was a local ballroom, and they had a social dance going on tonight where they'll play mostly waltz. I haven't filled my half of our bargain yet, so I thought maybe we could go if you're up for it?"

Lisa sat up in excitement, "I'd love to! Do I have enough time to shower?"

Max checked the time display on the dash, "Yeah, you should have at least thirty minutes before things start, and you never have to show up right when a dance starts anyway," Max said to her as they pulled into Lisa's garage.

As soon as he turned off the engine, Lisa leaned over, placed her hands on his face, and kissed him. "Thank you," she said as she leaned her forehead against his.

He stroked her cheek and said, "No, thank you. It's because of you that the thought of waltz, of dance in general, no longer pains me. You gave me a great gift with that."

Lisa pulled away slightly, looking him directly in the eye. "All I did was assist, you gave yourself that gift, and now you're sharing that gift with me," she told him with a smile as she kissed him again.

Max groaned softly as they separated again. "We'd better stop this if you want me to be able to leave the house," he said, his voice slightly raspy. 

Lisa smiled at him and squeezed his hand before they got out of the car and went inside. 

**********

Max had been left breathless when he saw Lisa emerge from her bedroom in her dress. It was a gorgeous sapphire blue that made her stand out as it hugged her curves, and flared out in a flowing skirt that would look fabulous on the dance floor. He rather thought that she enjoyed the way he looked as well, given the way she had inhaled and smiled appreciatively at him.

Up to now, Max had been wearing either casual clothes or business attire. Lisa thought he looked great in just about anything he wore, but then she saw him in a formal suit and she had the urge to jump him right there. He was dressed all in black, and the lines were clean and modern, emphasizing his air of strength and power. Lisa couldn't wait to dance with him.

The two of them had just arrived and Max took her out onto the floor. She already knew he was a good dancer, but here, with a dance he knew, he became exceptional. Max felt solid and confident against her, using his customary grace to advantage on the floor. Lisa relaxed completely in his arms, feeling absolutely secure in his ability to keep her safe and not run her into anyone else. She was left breathless and elated as Max twirled her around the floor, smiling at her the entire time.

They danced to several more songs, and then took a break. Max stole a quick kiss once he had escorted her to the sidelines again. Lisa then noticed a slight frown on his face, and followed his gaze to see a woman who was probably in her sixties or seventies seated on one of the chairs across the room. He turned back to her and asked, "Would you mind if we had different partners for this next one? That woman over there is being totally ignored."

Lisa smiled at him, touched at his consideration for others. "Not a problem, it's normal in salsa for couples to dance with different partners, so it's not a big deal to me. In fact, I think I spotted a young man over there that's been too nervous to ask anyone so far."

Max kissed her lightly again before they separated, and Lisa saw the woman's face brighten when she realized he was approaching her. She shook her head briefly, the men here were idiots. That woman was probably a better dancer than most of the ladies here, and judging from her face, was probably kinder too. Lisa approached the young man she had noted earlier. He smiled briefly at her, and seemed surprised that she was approaching him.

"I know it's usually the men's job to ask, but do you want to dance?" she asked with a smile.

"I'm not very good," he said, fear written all over his face.

"Doesn't matter," Lisa said, still grinning at him. "I'm here to have fun, not to compete. How about it?"

He smiled nervously and took her hand. It was obvious that the young man was a beginner, but she noted he had a pretty good sense of timing, and a pretty clear lead for someone so new. If he kept with it, he would undoubtedly become an excellent lead, and she told him so, making him flush with the compliment. 




Something New Ch. 06



"Thank you, that was fun," she said to him with a smile as the dance ended.

"Thank you, you're a great dancer," he said, obviously still nervous.

Lisa grinned at him, ignoring the compliment and said, "I expect another dance from you, but you have to ask me next time."

"Uh, okay," he said nervously. "Thanks!"

Lisa nodded, and looked around for Max, and saw that he had asked a young girl to dance, who was obviously out of her element. She smiled at him, as she caught his eye, and he smiled back at her, the two of them in an unspoken agreement to get more people out onto that floor. 

*********

Through the course of the evening, Lisa had found herself even more drawn to Max than she was before, something she didn't think possible. The fact that he had noticed and done something about the ladies that were not being asked to dance touched her deeply, especially since she still remembered being one of those wallflowers herself. 

Max had proven a kindness and consideration that she did not often find in others, while still always coming back to her and letting her know she was his focus. She knew there was nobody in the dance hall that had any doubt the two of them were together. The first lady he had asked to dance had even come up to her to say "Better hold on to that one, miss, he's a keeper!"

The music closed again, and Lisa thanked her partner, feeling Max approaching. She turned around, and sure enough he was standing behind her, still looking amazing after a full night of dancing. He smiled, and took her hand, just as the next song began. Lisa recognized the opening notes of Norah Jones' 'Come Away with Me,' and melted into Max as he matched his movements to the soft, romantic feel of the song. 

Their steps became long, making Lisa feel like a bird floating on the wind, and the way Max was holding and looking at her made her feel like they were the only two people on the floor, like a princess in a Disney movie dancing with her prince. 

As the song ended, Max spun Lisa back in from an extension, and wrapped his arms around her. She kissed him, and then moved her mouth up to his ear. "Let's go home."

Max shivered a little at the feel of her breath against his ear, and the hint of more to come that was in her voice. He kept his grip on her waist, as they walked off the floor.

***********

Max was grateful the drive back was short. There was a current running between the two of them, and it was difficult to keep his focus on the road. 

Finally, we're here he thought with relief as he pulled into the garage again. He turned off the engine and was surprised to suddenly have Lisa pressed up against him, kissing him deeply. He held her and kissed her back just as passionately, running one hand up to her neck, and the other around her waist, holding her against him.

When they finally came up for air, Lisa looked at him with smoky passion obvious in her hazel eyes. "Why don't we finish this inside?" She asked.

Max removed the seatbelt and got out of the car in record time, entering the house first to make certain all was safe. He felt a thrill of anticipation run through him as he checked everything and came back to Lisa's side.

As she let Sasha out one more time for the evening, he picked up her free hand, and used his thumb to lightly stroke the sensitive skin. He kept contact with her, building up the electricity that was already running between them.

Lisa leaned her back against his chest as he circled his arms around her. He softly kissed her neck, as she shivered and pressed a little harder against him. He smiled lightly, it hadn't taken him long to figure out that her neck was a major hot spot, and he was taking advantage of that now. 

They let Sasha back in, and then Lisa pulled away slightly, taking Max's hand with a smile, and leading him to her bedroom. Max was surprised. Up to now, while they had been spending nights together, it had always been in his room. It would seem that she had decided to let him in, in more ways than one.

He felt a thrill of happiness, and followed her in, gathering her up in his arms. He kissed her tenderly, acknowledging her trust in him with his lips.

Max slid his hand up her neck into her dark hair to release the clasp that was keeping it tied back. He ran his fingers through her long silky locks, enjoying the feel as the soft strands slid across his fingers. He kissed her again, this time passionately, Lisa matching him as their lips melted together in the fiery heat of their desire.

Max wasn't holding back anymore, and Lisa had finally let down the last of her own barriers. She pressed against him harder than before, and pulled his jacket down from his shoulders. He let go of her briefly to let the jacket fall to the floor, before sliding his hands to the skin exposed by the back of her dress, reveling in the soft feel of her against him. Lisa gave him a heated smile and stepped back from him a moment, sliding her arms sensually against his as she moved away. 

She turned with a cat-like grin, putting her back to Max, and looking over her shoulder at him in a playful way. He stood, waiting to see what she was going to do, and watched, dumbstruck, as she slowly unzipped her dress, revealing her pale flesh, and then slid each arm out of the straps, letting the fabric glide across her skin. 

Still holding the dress up, she swayed her hips. A moment later she let it fall and stepped out of it, still giving him her mischievous smile. Max inhaled sharply as he raked his eyes over her tall, curvy frame, her ass accentuated by her blue lace underwear. She turned seductively in her heels, bringing her full breasts into view, clad in a matching blue lace bra with the rosy pink of her nipples peaking through.

Lisa slinked back up to him, it was the only word he could think of to describe it, and put her arms around his neck. Max was amazed. He had half expected that she would be timid and nervous, and he was surprised and excited to see this side of her emerge. He never would have guessed that this lay beneath her serene exterior. 

He grabbed her to him, running his hands down her sides to her perfect ass, pressing her against him so she could feel his reaction for herself. She smiled and rubbed herself against him before sliding her hands down his shoulders to start unbuttoning his shirt.

"Hang on, this is faster," he said gruffly once she had gotten the top buttons undone, and he pulled his dress shirt over his head, causing Lisa to giggle. She was certain she heard a few buttons go, and something about that turned her on even more. He pulled her against him, and Lisa reveled in the feel of his bare chest against her, his back under her hands, and his hardness pressing at her through his pants. She sighed as she lifted a leg to wrap it around his thigh, exposing more of her heat to his hardness. 

Suddenly Lisa felt her feet fly out from under her, losing her shoes in the process. "Fuck!" she yelped as Max lifted her up and carried her to the bed. 

He grinned in amusement, it was the first time he'd heard her curse. "Yes, I believe we're getting to that," he said, as he lay her down on the soft sheets. 

Lisa giggled and blushed slightly, a thrill of anticipation running through her at his words. She pulled him towards her, wanting to feel his talented lips and tongue against hers again.

He moved in, but veered downwards to her throat, kissing in the hollow, and then sucking and licking to either side. Lisa moaned softly, throwing her head back and exposing more of her neck to him.

Max loved her response, and held off moving any lower until she started arching her chest up and actively trying to push him lower. He smiled and kissed his way down between the V of her breasts, still clad in the lacy bra. He slid his hands up and began massaging her soft globes, carefully avoiding the hard peaks straining against the fabric.

"Please, Max, stop teasing!" she pleaded.

He grinned, delighted at her need, and paused a moment letting her wonder if he would grant the request or not. Then quick as lightning, he latched onto one of her rosy peaks through the thin lace.

She arched up against him and dug her fingers into his back, gasping as he gently nipped her, flicking against the rough lace with his tongue. Lisa felt each nip shoot straight to her groin, making her even wetter. 

Not wanting to neglect her other side, Max teasingly trailed his mouth across her skin, while using his fingers on the soft globe he had just left. Lisa moaned as he licked through the lace before gently nipping at the second nipple.

As she arched her back again in response, Max slid his hands under her and undid her bra. Lisa pulled the straps off her shoulders and tossed it to the floor, feeling a little shiver of anticipation as her breasts were now completely exposed to Max's heated gaze. 

He held her passion filled eyes with his smoldering ones and simply said, "Gorgeous," before his warm mouth moved over her bare flesh. He alternated nips amongst gentler licking and sucking, and Lisa was on fire with the mix of sensations it caused. Max was driving her so high she felt ready to levitate right off the bed. 

"...And we're just getting started." Max's voice suddenly caressed across her mind. Startled she looked down at him, as he looked up and smiled at her with her rosy peak still in his mouth. The sight sent another bolt of electricity through her.

Lisa pulled Max up, and he came this time, suckling on her nipple till he moved too high and it popped out of his mouth. Lisa kissed him, letting her lips express how she felt as she responded to his mental contact. "I never knew that this could be a caress too" Lisa said to him, opening her mind to him so he could see first-hand how he made her feel. 

As she relaxed some of her controls she was caught off guard, and a maelstrom of passion and lust crash over her. Lisa immediately knew better than to fight it, and tried to ride with it instead, her entire body arching and her legs wrapping around Max in a vice grip as the heat coursed through her. She realized that she was experiencing his passion as well as her own, and that the two combined had amplified the feelings. She damped down her empathy, bringing the surge down to more manageable levels. 

Lisa opened her eyes, and could tell by the look on his face, that Max had felt that as well.

"Wow," was all he could say for a moment.

"Sorry..." Lisa said before Max cut her off with another kiss.

Don't be, I thought it was amazing. Can you keep doing it?" he asked her, his mental voice caressing her again. 

Lisa shuddered in reaction, and opened a more controlled empathic link between them. This time it was less overwhelming, and enhanced every touch, highlighting every place their bodies were in contact. She was amazed at the echo of what Max felt when she touched him, and vice versa. She had never before allowed such a personal connection, and her heart soared with joy in the experience. 

Lisa's skin was hyper sensitive now, and her entire body now felt like one big erogenous zone. It was amazing and mind blowing, but she wasn't certain how much more of this state she could take without some release.

Max felt her need, and it fed into his own desire, building in him like molten lava. He exerted iron control over himself, and slid his hands down her body, brushing lightly against her as he went until his fingers reached her dripping pussy. She was so wet, that the thin fabric of her lace panties was soaked. He ran his thumb upwards against the fabric, till he felt her hard nub. He ground his thumb against her, and she moaned again in pleasure.

"Please..." she said in his mind, losing the ability to form words, but the feelings coming from her let him know what she wanted.

He smiled, and brought his face down to her, hovering over her, inhaling her musky feminine scent, and licked her through the lace. She arched her hips up against him and clutched at the sheets. He slid his hands up till he reached the waistband, and then slowly slid the blue lace down her long legs. 

Lisa lifted her hips again, trying to push them down faster, but he refused to be hurried. He continued his slow, torturous journey down her sensitive thighs, tickling the back of her knees, stroking her elegant calves, and finally caressing each foot as he slid the last scrap of fabric off her exquisite body.

As he moved back up he used his mouth instead of his hands, repeating his journey in reverse. He kissed along the sensitive arch of each foot and the insides of her calves. He paused, teasing at the back of her knees, and then continued up the inside of each thigh. 

Lisa was now writhing on the bed with desire to have him back at her aching core, moaning and opening her legs wider. He smiled at her reaction, and continued at the same pace. He reached the apex of her legs, but he still wasn't ready to give her what she wanted. He kissed his way up to her hip, and then across to her stomach. 

He held her hips down to keep her still. "Look at me," he said, and as soon as she made eye contact, he kissed her stomach, and then began licking at her belly button, slowly inserting and removing his tongue as he kept eye contact with her.

She groaned again at the sight, and he could tell she was about to close her eyes again, when he urged her to keep eye contact with him. He continued his way to her other hip, and then to her leg, holding her eyes with his as he went. Finally, he hovered over her glistening pussy once again, and still holding her eyes, he dipped his face down, taking a deep breath in as he once again enveloped his senses in the scent of her arousal.

His obvious pleasure sent another thrill down her body, and straight to her groin. Lisa continued to hold his eyes, letting him feel her rapture through their link, and watched as he finally brought his amazing mouth down over her.

As Max's lips descended and finally touched her nub, Lisa was overwhelmed with such exquisite pleasure, she couldn't control herself as she threw her head back again and moaned. She felt the wave in her building, and she yearned for it to crash over her like an animal in heat.

Max knew she was getting close, and inserted a finger into her slick opening, curving it upwards and rubbing against her as he wrapped his lips around her hard bud, sucking and flicking it with his tongue. She immediately ground down against his hand, and he added a second, and then a third finger, curving them all upwards as he stroked in and out.

The feel of his mouth doing the most amazing things, combined with the penetration of his fingers was all she needed. She felt the tidal wave come crashing over her and she cried out, clutching the sheets as her walls gripped at his fingers.

Max felt her pleasure as she came, and he found himself close to losing his last shreds of control as he shuddered in reaction with her, just barely retaining enough function to keep pumping his fingers in and out through her orgasm. 

Finally, she began to come down, and Max felt the pressure ease up enough that he didn't feel like he would explode with the next touch. 

Lisa became more aware again, and while the release had let off some of the pressure, she felt like she still needed more. Then she realized that part of that need was coming from Max. She focused her gaze on him and saw that he was watching her, fire in his charcoal eyes. 

When he saw that he had her attention, he slowly slid his fingers from her, brought them up to his mouth and sensually licked them clean. Lisa felt her desire skyrocket again. The sight before her was the sexiest thing she had ever seen, and she let him pick up on that thought and her feelings. He gave her a pleased smile.

Lisa held his eyes as she slowly rose, bringing her legs back together and resting her chin on her knees. She gave Max another sultry smile. "You show me yours and I'll show you mine ... again," she said in a playful voice.

Max laughed, and wasted no time in removing the last of his clothing. Heat coursed through him as he felt Lisa's appreciation and approval radiate through their link when she saw his hard cock emerge for the first time, standing tall with a bit of precum glistening at the tip. He twitched slightly in reaction, and couldn't help the appearance of a goofy grin on his face at her approval.

She rose to her knees and pressed her soft lips against the mouth that had just brought her to such incredible heights, loving that she could taste herself on him. She felt his hard member pressing against her stomach, and she slowly slid a hand down his lean frame, feeling his silky length for the first time. 

It was the perfect size, hot and hard, and it felt good in her hand. She let her hand slide up and down, as she kept her lips and tongue happy exploring his mouth. He shuddered, and after a few minutes reached down to pull her hand away before pushing her back onto the bed. 

"Awww, I was enjoying playing with that. However will you make it up to me? she asked him teasingly, letting the mental contact stroke across his mind the way her hand had stroked his shaft.

"Only one problem, you little minx, he said with a wry smile,  "That toy doesn't belong to you, I'm just magnanimous enough to let you play with it.

Lisa giggled as she laid back down, opening her legs in invitation, "I'm sure we can come to some sort of agreement so we can both play, now can't we?". 

Max groaned, and slowly slid up her body. "Well I suppose I can find some way to share," he said as he brushed his body lightly against her, knowing it would enflame her even more.

Lisa reveled in the feel of him over her, twitching in reaction to his body's light contact. She moaned in anticipation as she felt him rubbing against her slick opening, coating himself with her still flowing juices.

Lisa wrapped her arms around him as Max began to slowly slide his length into her velvety softness, inch by inch. He wanted to fully experience each moment not only of their first joining, but also the amazing double sensation of feeling himself slide into her from her perspective as well as from his. To simultaneously feel her enveloping him, and feel him entering her was the most amazing experience of his long life.

Lisa was also feeling the double perspective, and she moaned and shuddered with the sensations coursing through her. When Max was finally buried completely inside her, she felt just about ready to pass out in ecstasy. Max waited a moment to let her recover slightly, and then slowly began to move.

Lisa wrapped her legs around his waist, digging her fingers into his back. A moment later she brought her lips up to Max's shoulder. She was driven by an insatiable need to have something in her mouth and she gently bit down on his skin, licking and sucking as she went. 

Max groaned, driven higher by the nips and licks at his shoulder, not to mention the pleasure she was feeling. He increased his pace and he felt her lose her last remaining shreds of thought. She was completely taken over by pleasure, need and instinct, as she moaned and screamed into his shoulder, lost in the delicious sensations of him pumping in and out of her.

Max took her lips with his and pressed her back into the bed, letting his tongue delve into her mouth, as he drove into her with increasing need. 

Lisa latched onto his mouth like a lifeline as another tidal wave of pleasure, larger than before, crashed over her and her walls clamped down him. She squeezed her legs hard around his waist, arching her hips, angling even closer against him, lifting herself off the bed and clenching every muscle in her body. 

Feeling Lisa crash over the edge broke his control completely, and finally he came with a roar, exploding, filling her with his cum as her walls continued to clamp down on him. As his control broke he felt his body begin to shift, and he pushed it back down quickly, locking it away. He had no intention of repeating the experience of his first shift. 




Something New Ch. 07



Sorry for the long delay in this chapter. I had 2 business trips in a one month period. A lot of time was also sucked up by some unexpected issues that came up. I hope to get the next chapter out much faster. Also, I post updates on the status on my profile page, if anyone wants to check in.

Thank you everyone once again for all your feedback – I love reading everyone's comments! You all keep me going when I encounter those bouts of writer's block, and you are the ones that inspire me to get past it, rather than give up. It is deeply appreciated.

Enjoy, and as always, all constructive feedback is very welcome!

This story is copyrighted; please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks!

**********

Lisa woke, warm and happy, tucked against Max's side with an arm draped across his stomach. Her memories of the previous night so clear in her mind she shivered in pleasure. Her eyes drifted down his body and her lips curled upwards when she saw him standing proud. An idea popped into Lisa's head as she took in the view, and she frowned slightly, trying to figure out how to do it without waking him. 

She'd discovered he was a light a sleeper a couple night previous when she'd gotten up to use the bathroom. She jumped when he asked if anything was wrong. She'd also caught the glint of metal in his hand when she'd risen, though she still had no idea where he hid the weapon. Lisa considered the problem. 

I think my best chance is to move like I'm just shifting around in my sleep, she thought, putting thought into action to try it out. Max didn't stir, and Lisa moved again. A smile chased across her face at her success, and bit by bit, she moved down his body. 

Max floated in a light doze, aware of Lisa's shifting. Drifting pleasantly in satisfaction and contentment, he waited for to settle again.

Finally, Lisa thought as she reached her goal. She grinned and licked her lips in. She hovered over him inhaling his masculine scent, overlaid with a trace of her own muskiness. A wave of happy satisfaction washed over her and she descended.

Max was vaguely aware of something odd in Lisa's position against him, and his semi-conscious mind was halted in its tracks when he suddenly felt hot, wet lips enveloping him.

Max's eyes snapped open, and Lisa smiled, keeping eye contact as she descended. Max could only stare in shock at the sight before him. Her warm, pink lips were stretched over his hard cock, and there was such an expression of pleasure on her face, he groaned and twitched, completely overwhelmed. 

Lisa slowly sucked him into her mouth, loving the feel and taste of him. She grasped the base of his steel shaft in one hand, and slid her other hand up to cup and massage his balls. As she slowly rose, she let her lips settle around the rim of his head, flicking her tongue against the V before sliding it up around the tip.

Max groaned again and his hips bucked slightly. Lisa descended again, sliding her tongue against him as she enveloped him.

"Yum" Lisa sighed across his mind, while sucking him like her favorite lollipop.

With that one word, Max's desire skyrocketed, and he knew he wouldn't last long. He groaned clutching at the sheets, giving in to the entire mind-blowing experience. She felt incredible, and was giving him one hell of a show. His vision of her pink lips around him, framed by her dark hair, burned in his mind. 

Lisa's eyes locked on his, letting him see how much she was enjoying every delicious moment. He had a moment's warning when a slightly wicked look came into her eyes, then she linked with him again, and her pleasure washed through him, driving him even higher. Never once did she pause in her delicious sucking and licking of his rigid cock. He bucked his hips and clutched harder at the sheets, heat flooding through him like a firestorm.

Lisa's pleasure spiked, radiating through Max, pushing him past the edge before he could even attempt to control it. "Lisa ... cumming!" he managed to gasp out before his balls tightened in her hand, and he exploded in her mouth. 

Max watched her and desire surged again as she sucked him for every last drop, prolonging his release. 

"Mmmm... I soooo want more of that," she whispered across his mind, letting him slide slowly out of her mouth, still suckling at him. 

Lisa grinned at Max's stunned and sated expression, wearing a very satisfied smile while sliding up his body and straddling him. She leaned down, and he put his arms around her as she kissed him. "Good morning," she said, still wearing that same smile.

Max smiled back, "Good morning. I was right to dub you a minx." He chuckled. "In fact, you're grinning like the cat who got the cream."

Lisa's smile widened. "Well I did, and what minx wouldn't be thrilled about that?" 

Max chuckled, running his fingers lightly down her back. "So, minx, how many more surprises do you have up your sleeve?"

Lisa laughed lightly, "How many surprises do you have up yours?" she countered.

"As many as there are grains of sand on the beach, stars in sky, and drops in the sea." Max replied, referencing an old story. 

He smiled at her, and slipped his fingers lower, sliding them between her wet lips, feeling the evidence of her desire. Lisa gasped in pleasure, and he slipped a finger into her, coating it with her juices before withdrawing his hand again. 

"Enjoying yourself?" he said to her with a grin, lightly rubbing his fingers together in front of her while caressing her folds with his other hand.

Lisa smiled in answer, bringing his hand to her lips. She sucked his finger into her mouth, mimicking her earlier actions. Heat coursed through Max, and he twitched, already getting hard again. 

Max slipped his hand away from her mouth, and grasped a nipple, giving it a pinch. Lisa moaned in pleasure, and Max reached over to pinch her other nipple, watching her reactions closely.

"Oh yes!" she gasped as she leaned down, her fingers digging into his chest. Her arousal was skyrocketing, and she was yearning for release.

Her responsiveness and the view of her breasts dancing just above him, fanned his own glowing desire into flames. He took a nipple into his mouth, nipping and flicking his tongue against the hard peak. At the same time, he allowed his exploring fingers to slide into her wet heat.

Lisa moaned, lost in the intense sensations. She was already so close, it wouldn't take much to push her over the edge.

Encouraged by her reactions, Max switched to her other peak, giving it the same rough treatment, stroking his fingers in and out of her more quickly. He slid his thumb over her hard clit, and Lisa arched and bit her lip. 

Max continued stroking and thrusting his fingers into her unrelentingly, and finally felt her body tense, heralding her release.

"Max!!" was all she could get out before the pleasure crashed over her, her fingers digging into him as she was overcome by the waves pulsing through her.

Max continued pumping his fingers into her, but gentled his treatment of her soft globes. Pleasure washed through him at the sight of Lisa moaning above him, grinding down on his fingers. 

Finally she came down, and Max felt intense satisfaction while he held her against him, her walls still gripping his fingers.

Lisa opened her eyes, and kissed Max deeply, caressing his tongue and lips. 

She was startled when her world spun quite literally, and she found herself on her back, Max pinning her down on the bed. She smiled up at him, and locked her lips against his, her desire welling up all over again. 

"Something you want?" she whispered coyly in his mind.

Max trailed light kisses down her jaw, and nibbled on an earlobe, making Lisa gasp.  "No, but there's something I think you want," he answered playfully, nestling his hard length in her dripping folds.

"Mmmm ..." she sighed her pleasure into his mind, nibbling at his neck and shoulder. "Are you certain there's nothing you want?"

He smiled, and shifted to rub his tip against her entrance "Well maybe there is something," he replied, his desire dancing across her mind.

Lisa wrapped her legs around his waist, brushing a foot sensually down his firm ass. "Then let's satisfy us both."

Max kissed Lisa deeply, "Sounds like a plan," he replied, plunging into her, completely sheathing himself in one stroke.

Lisa cried out with passion as he filled her completely in that one powerful motion, staying immobile as she adjusted to him. Need quickly built in her, and she shifted against him, desperate to feel his powerful thrusts. 

Max refused to move, keeping Lisa pinned beneath him. 

The desire coursing through Lisa was building and she was getting desperate. She tried to buck her hips against him, frantic for any movement at all. She would have had more success moving a boulder.

"Something you wanted?" he asked, huskily, his eyes smoky gray with desire.

"You're an evil, evil man," she half moaned at him, shivering at the sound of his voice.

"Are you sure about that?" he replied, rocking his hips a few times, and then holding still again. He was using every last bit of his control to keep himself from pounding into her wet heat with wild abandon. 

Lisa's gasp of pleasure turned into a cry of frustration when he stopped. "At the moment, yes!" she cried.

"Maybe I should do more to live up to your expectations then," he commented with a sly grin, sliding a hand up to roll a nipple between his fingers.

"Ohhh... Please Max!"

"Please what?" he asked, his smile growing larger sensing the words he had been waiting to hear.

"I can't take it anymore, please!"

"Please what?" he repeated, giving a pinch before massaging her hard peak again in his fingers. 

"Oh God!" she moaned. "Fuck me!"

Max chuckled, "I'm not God, but thanks for the compliment," he teased, while slowly rocking his hips, delighting in the feel of her writhing against him.

"More... Harder..." she moaned, bucking her hips against him.

"As my lady requests," he replied in a gravelly voice, his smoky eyes turning almost black as he finally let loose, slamming into Lisa as she cried out in pleasure.

Lisa clung to him, lost in the feel of him hammering into her. She dug her nails into his back, leaving scratches that disappeared from his skin as quickly as she made them. Her moans of pleasure filled the room, and drove Max higher. 

Lisa was lost in a sea of fire, Max her only connection to physicality, and for once in her life, she didn't care. She let go all sense of duty, obligation and responsibility, feeling the freedom of release. A tide of euphoria radiated out, sweeping through her body and making every last inch of her tingle in unbearable ecstasy.

The swell of ecstasy reverberated through Max, and he pumped even harder, desperate to bring her release before he lost all control. The shift in momentum was all she needed, and with a final cry, Lisa came harder than she ever had, clamping down on him with preternatural strength, and arching with flexibility that would have amazed her if she had any awareness left to register it. 

The hard shock of Lisa's walls gripping his throbbing cock ended his last pretense at control. Max exploded in her with a roar, jetting against her walls with inhuman force, red scales briefly erupting over his body before he forced them away again. 

Time seemed to slow down, and they hung in a moment of pure rapture for what seemed an eternity.

They both collapsed, and Max's ears were serenaded by Lisa's giggles. Max smiled, pure satisfaction and pride washing over him at that sound.

"Still think I'm evil?" He asked, when she had come down enough to stop laughing.

"After that, I know you are," she replied with a smile, still catching her breath.

"Look who's talking." He commented, lightly caressing her back. "I never would have guessed at the minx that lay beneath the surface."

Lisa grinned and blushed, "Common mistake. Maybe because I go for quality over quantity."

Max smiled at the compliment and kissed her lightly. "Maybe you can get both," he said with a gleam in his eye.

Lisa blushed harder, and replied, "Maybe so," before settling back against him.

Max relaxed into the pillows, finding a sense of deep comfort in feeling her pressed against him. He continued trailing his fingers down her arms and back, and took the opportunity to look around her bedroom in daylight. 

The walls were painted a silver blue and her furniture was modern and white, creating a clean contrast that appealed to him. The artwork on her walls were all original paintings and featured shamanic themes. He was particularly drawn to one painting of a raven speaking to a bear. He continued his perusal and almost burst out laughing when his eyes rested on her shelves. 

"What?" Lisa asked. Following his gaze, she laughed when she realized what he was looking at. "I'm a bit of a Disney fan," she commented drily. Max was currently at a large number of Disney figurines. 

Max chuckled, "I like it," he said kissing her nose. "I like that you can still be a kid sometimes."

Lisa smiled, feeling happy that he approved. The figurines were more meaningful to her than most people realized. She also had to admit to herself that they were a bit of a test for anyone that she allowed close to her. Max had just passed with flying colors.

Lisa rose up to her elbows, sliding her hand down his chest. "I'm in the mood for a shower. You?"

Max gave her a smile full of promises, "Always."

************

Sasha sniffed outside the bedroom door. Huffing a sigh she walked back to her bed, glad she had thoroughly emptied her bladder last night. She plopped down and flattened out, the picture of bored disgust, and waited for the humans to finish bathing and let her out. 

*************

Lisa was scratching Sasha's ears while reading an e-mail from their upgrade team, while Max trained. She practically glowed with satisfaction and contentment, and hadn't felt this happy in ... well ever. Her fingers stilled and a smile plastered itself across her face, lost in that moment of pure freedom and ecstasy.

Max was quite simply the most amazing man she had ever met, In more ways than one, she thought to herself, flushing in pleasure. Sasha thrust her nose under Lisa's arm again, and Lisa's fingers began scratching again.

Yes he was amazing in bed, No, amazing's not good enough. Marvelous, mind-blowing, fan-freaking-tastic! I have never come like that before. Add to that he's kind, considerate, unbelievably masculine, Lisa shuddered again in pleasure. He makes me feel ... treasured and loved... Lisa let that thought settle in her mind, considering the implications.

A harsh ring sounded and Lisa jumped, shocked out of her reverie by her business line. "This is Lisa," she answered in her brusque professional voice, quickly pulling herself back together.

"I've got the meeting set up with Alpha Smythson." Keisha said shortly over the phone. Lisa knew she was probably still irritated from her conversation with the alpha. If he gave Lisa a headache, it was nothing compared to the reaction Keisha had to him. "He wants us to meet him on his property," Keisha stated flatly.

No wonder she's so pissed. Lisa took a calming breath, "Did he say why?"

"Something to do with his new mate. He didn't give me details. He's personally guaranteed our safety, so I have chosen to believe him," she finished coldly.

Lisa was startled. She hadn't heard the alpha had taken a mate. It must have just recently happened. Lisa replied soothing her friend. "He may be a lot of things, but he's never lied to us. Besides, you know whatever the issue is, it would have to be important for him to allow a vamp onto his property, much less one of your stature." Keisha just grunted in response. "When does he want to meet?"

"More good news, today at three."

"Somewhat short notice, but doable."

"Lisa?" 

"Yes?" she narrowed her focus, hearing the very slight uncertainty in Keisha's voice.

"Do you have time to ... I don't know, do what you do?"

Lisa became alert with that request. "Yes. I was already planning to work on that failed supplement batch."

"Good." Keisha replied, sounding relieved. "I could just be reacting like any vampire my age walking into a were stronghold, but I keep feeling like you need to be a shaman today."

Lisa's eyebrows shot up, Keisha rarely received gut feelings that related to anyone but herself. The importance of what Keisha said reverberated through her like a gathering storm. "Message received, I will prepare accordingly."

"Sounds good. See you at three."

*************

Lisa walked a dense forest trail, following Bat as he led her unerringly through the brush. She had just completed analyzing the supplement batch with the assistance of Badger, Catfish, and Ant. Nothing could take something apart like an ant swarm, and that is precisely what Ant had done. That coupled with Badger's ability to root things out, and Catfish's ability to see the hidden with senses other than the eye, had given her all the information it was possible to glean.

Unfortunately there was not a lot. About the only new information she was able to get was that the batch had been manipulated in order to make those who ingested it more susceptible to something, and that it would use the power she infused into the supplements to make it happen. What exactly that something was, was still a mystery. 

Lisa focused on Bat as he led her through undergrowth that grew more and more dense, putting her thoughts aside. Finally they reached a cave hidden beneath a cliff outcropping. On a boulder outside the cave was seated the aged guide whose features matched the rocky outcropping; a white owl perched on her shoulder, its feathers blending into her long white hair.

"I trust you had a pleasant evening, her guide greeted her with a wry smile, "and a pleasant morning too!" Lisa could feel her spirit form blushing, and her guide's cackling laughter echoed against the cliff wall. 

"Now then," her guide declared when she was finished making Lisa feel uncomfortable, "You came here for something, so go on, ask."

"I am looking for more information on that supplement batch, and any other information in regards to what's been happening with the sabotage. I also wanted to ask if there was anything that I needed to know about our meeting with Alpha Smythson, especially as Keisha..."

"Had an odd feeling. Yes, yes, I know," she cut Lisa off. Then shot Lisa the grin that made her look half crazy, but which Lisa knew she only wore when she was particularly pleased. "Let's start with the supplements. You're cleverer than you think young lady. What gives form to energy?"

"Intent," Lisa answered promptly, wondering where this was going.

"Exactly. What is your intent when you set the energy into the supplements?

"That it be used to benefit the receivers in whatever shape is appropriate for them," Lisa paused, then her eyes widened in surprise. "Wait, you mean that my intent is what stopped it?"

Her guide nodded, still wearing that half crazy grin. "Beautiful isn't it? And a credit to you. Not only do you say it, you mean it. You imposed no vision for others, rather you allowed Spirit to shape it to Its will. So you prevented infiltration and were warned of a problem at the same time. Well done girl!"

"Uh... Thank you," Lisa replied in stunned shock. The fact was, it was a very near miss, and the knowledge of that kept Lisa from feeling too proud over the catch.

"Yes it was a near miss, but a miss none the less. Remember that."

Lisa was used to her guides sometimes answering her thoughts, so it didn't disturb her that her guide did so now. Quite the opposite, she felt comforted by the words.




Something New Ch. 07



"Just so. Now, for the sabotage question, there is nothing further we can add at this time, aside from telling you that you are on the right path." 

Lisa nodded her acceptance. She knew better than to try and push for further information when given an answer like that. At best she would receive incorrect information, at worst, they would decide she needed a few extra trials as life lessons, and those trials were guaranteed to be, well, trying.

"Finally in regards to the wolves..." her eyes gained a faraway look for a moment and her voice shifted, taking on a bell-like tone, "Do not hesitate to help, no matter the obstacle."

Lisa shuddered. She knew that voice, though she did not know its owner. She knew it was crucial that she follow the advice. "Thank you," Lisa said, bowing in respect. "Is there anything else that I need to know or that you need from me before I go?"

"Child, you can stop asking me if there's anything you can do. Your service is enough payment. As for the first part, I have two things to say. The first is, don't over-analyze. The second is, The Voice is almost ready to begin your teaching. Give her your undivided attention."

Lisa bowed her head again in gratitude. "Thank you. I will remember your words."

"I know you will, child, it's the reason I give them to you so freely. Not everyone hears the benefits of an old woman's ramblings." She rose, the owl balancing on her shoulder, and embraced Lisa. "We are here for you when needed, she said, and then Lisa felt herself being pulled back to her body.

****************

Lisa and Max were approaching the Smythson property, a sprawling ranch well over six hundred acres, which butted up against national forest. 

Lisa was analyzing the upcoming meeting, attempting to plan for all of Smythson's likely reactions. It's almost a given he's going to be confrontational. He's always been a bit difficult, and it's only gotten worse. Ever since ... 

"Oh!" Lisa exclaimed. "Max, I just realized there's something I forgot to tell you."

Max raised an eyebrow in query, keeping his eyes on the road, and Lisa continued. "I went out with Alpha Smythson. Once." 

Lisa paused for a moment, her irritation over that one time evident. Max glanced at her briefly, anger beginning to form, knowing he was not going to like what she was about to tell him.

She took a breath and continued, "Like most alphas he's more than a little confident, and sometimes downright arrogant. As an alpha he's used to being dominant and being obeyed, not to mention he believes that he's God's gift to anything with two X-chromosomes that walks through the door. He didn't quite understand that when I say 'no,' I mean it. He kept pushing further, trying to change my 'no' to a 'yes' and finally I used my abilities on him to make him stop. He's never quite forgiven me for that."

"He hasn't forgiven you," Max stated flatly, staring straight ahead, his hands tight on the steering wheel. 

"Yeah, I know," Lisa commented, somewhat warmed by Max's response. "I was defending myself, but I also understand the way he feels. You see, I delved into him, found his innermost fears and hurts, and used them against him. I misjudged a bit, though, and ended up forcing him to relive a rather traumatic event. He went catatonic for several minutes. 

"To bring him out again, I had to go deeper. In the process, I saw more of what had been going on in his mind. He's quite literally never had a woman deny him. He honestly thought I was playing a game with him, and I also saw that if I had continued to fight him, he would have stopped. 

"I'm not saying this to excuse his actions, because he was absolutely in the wrong. I am telling you this so that you understand why he is likely to be more of an ass than usual, and so that you understand some of the undercurrents." 

Lisa paused, still seeing the anger on Max's face. She sighed, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have sprung this on you so late. It happened so long ago, I just plain forgot that you didn't know. Think of it this way, if someone that you had thought of as harmless suddenly trapped you into something so traumatic that you went catatonic, how would you react to that person?"

"Please do not put me into the same category as that. I accept the consequences of my actions," Max ground out. "If I had been stupid enough to push you so far that you had to defend yourself, I would be begging your forgiveness for my idiocy."

Max held up a hand, forestalling Lisa's response. "I understand the point you are making, and I won't make the situation any more tense. However, if he should even think about laying one finger on you ever again..." Max trailed off, his eyes shifting to a cold steel gray.

Lisa took one of his hands in hers, running her fingers over the rough calluses, and placed a kiss in his palm. "Thank you."

Max quirked the corner of his mouth upward in a half smile, holding her hand in his, all without taking his eyes on the road. He was angry, but he was adjusting quickly, incorporating this new knowledge into contingency plans.

"We should be getting close to the entry soon," Lisa broke into his musings. "We'll probably see Keisha's car before we see the gate. In fact, that should be her up ahead," Lisa commented. It was hard to miss the vibrant yellow Ferrari, particularly as it was framed by a black stretched SUV. 

Max's lips twitched when he caught sight of the car. Keisha drove a purplish-black BMW when in a business situation, so Max hadn't seen the 'Sunflower,' as Lisa had nicknamed it. 

Lisa grinned, "When we get out, ask her for some sunflower seeds."

Max laughed, catching the joke immediately. "I'll do that."

They drove up, and parked Lisa's tan Jeep next to the 'Sunflower,' making an odd pair. 

Max nodded to Keisha, "Care to share some seeds with the rest of us?" he asked mildly.

Keisha rounded on Lisa, "Must you tell that to everyone?" she asked with irritation. Lisa saw the corner of her lip quirk, though, so she knew that Keisha wasn't really upset.

Lisa paused, pretending to consider the question. "I suppose I could switch to something like, 'Care to share some sunblock?' but I figured you'd had your fill of sunlight jokes a long time ago." Lisa replied mildly, letting her own lips quirk up in a half smile.

Keisha just shook her head in disgust, looking up as a young were with blond spiked hair approached them.

"Makes a statement," he commented when he got closer, nodding to the two cars.

"Steve! I thought you were in Italy! You changed your hair! How are you doing?" Lisa said in a rush, recognizing and hugging the young were.

Steve laughed, returning her embrace, lifting her off her feet. Max watched the two carefully, letting Steve know with his eyes, that Lisa was not to be touched.

Steve's eyebrows shot into his hair, "I see you've found yourself a ma...man" he changed what he was going to say midstream at the look in Lisa's eye. Steve eyed Max and gave a dramatic sigh, "All the good ones are married or straight!"

Lisa laughed at his antics and Max relaxed slightly, though he was still keeping a close eye on the weres around him.

"As lovely as this reunion is, Lisa, I'd like to get this meeting over with," Keisha's smooth, cold voice stopped Steve's teasing dead in its tracks, making Lisa wince.

"Of course, you are quite right. My apologies." Steve replied in his professional voice, dropping all hint of his flamboyant personality. "Please, if you would all get in, we can be off."

Lisa knew that Keisha was more than a little uptight about entering pack lands, no matter what promises Smythson had made. Keisha knew intellectually that he would hold to his word to his dying breath, but that didn't erase the memory of centuries of fighting between their races. 

Keisha's coldness was her way of masking her discomfort. Not that she wasn't capable of ruthlessness as cold as the Antarctic, but she never walked that road without reason. She basically had a bit of a Machiavellian streak. She did not take joy in being ruthless, but recognized the necessity of it within the vamp community and used it with cold, calculating precision. 

The three of them climbed into the waiting SUV. Outfitted like a traveling boardroom, it was obviously one of the Alpha's personal vehicles. The leather captain's chairs were plush and had footrests. There was one large and several smaller LED screens, small tables equipped with outlets for laptops, and when Lisa whipped out her phone, sure enough, it picked up a locked Wi-Fi connection.

Keisha was pleased at the level of luxury, despite the fact that her nose flared slightly in distaste. Lisa assumed it was because she could smell the alpha over everything. Sometimes sensitive smell was a curse.

The trip to the alpha's house was short, uneventful and completely silent. 

******* 

Lisa and Keisha were currently seated in a wood paneled boardroom, outfitted with a huge walnut conference table polished to a rich sheen. Max was standing behind them in his role as bodyguard, and Lisa had sent him a mental hug before turning her attention back to the upcoming meeting. 

The doors opened, and Alpha Smythson walked into the room, leaving his people outside. Max took less than a second to evaluate the man. The alpha was on the shorter side. Max guessed he was about 5"6," stocky and barrel chested, and to Max's surprise, he was an albino. His pure white hair was cut short in a conservative business style, and his beard was trimmed neatly and precisely, accenting his square jaw. 

Max did not miss the quick flare of the alpha's nostrils, and the glance in his direction, and assumed the alpha had smelled him on Lisa, and sized him up just as quickly.

"Good afternoon Alpha Smythson, thank you for seeing us on such short notice," Keisha spoke richly and smoothly, showing no sign of irritation or discomfort.

"Good afternoon Elder Bowen, Shaman Read," Smythson growled out, using their formal titles. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Lisa spoke, giving him an abbreviated version of what had happened to Thom, and what they had learned since. He sat with a faraway look in his eye, as she spoke, but she knew he was listening to every word. Any questions he had would arrive rapid fire when they were finished. Lisa wrapped up her part of the story, and then turned it over to Keisha.

Keisha took over in her silky smooth voice, and had just finished talking about their discovery of sabotage, when an anguished and angry howl rang out through the building.

Lisa stood up sharply, feeling a storm of emotion washing over her. It swept her up like straw in a hurricane, and she fell to the floor. At least she would have fallen to the floor, had Max not instantly appeared at her side to catch her.

Lisa was adrift in a maelstrom of seething anger, pain, betrayal, and fear. She could only go where the storm took her, and she could see nothing but the bleeding woman at the center of it all. Screaming unendingly, fighting against the chains that bound her. 

"Lisa! Lisa, can you hear me?!" 

Max's voice shot through her awareness, a lifeline cast into the darkness Yes. Keep talking. Lisa said shortly, focusing all her attention on tracking Max.

A few minutes later, Lisa opened her eyes, seeing Max's worried face above her own. "I'm ok. Just a bit shaken," she said softly, becoming more aware of her surroundings, including the fact that she was laying on the floor. 

"Help me up, please?" she asked him.

Max's face grew more concerned, as he considered her request.

"Please? I'm really ok, just a bit shaken. It's important."

The urgency and need in Lisa's mental voice burned across his mind, and he immediately helped her up, even though he wanted nothing more than for her to stay prone. He steadied her as she regained her sense of balance, careful to keep his expression neutral in the face of the alpha.

Lisa drew herself up and looked Smythson in the eye. "Alpha, who was that and what has been done to her?" 

Smythson stared back at her in challenge, growling slightly. "None of your business."

"I am not backing down. It is my business when you're driving that woman into complete madness." Lisa replied harshly.

Smythson's red eyes glowed, and his hand shot out to grasp Lisa's throat so fast even Keisha didn't catch it. Max, however, was another story. 

Smythson suddenly found himself flung against the wall, hanging about a foot off the ground in a choke hold that prevented him from speaking.

"Boy," Max's eyes were an icy gray, and his quiet voice took on the same odd over and undertones they had when he appeared in the circle that night. Keisha's and Smythson's eyes widened at the sound, obviously hearing something in his voice that Lisa could not. "You will not touch her. Ever. Am I understood?"

Smythson managed a very small nod, pinned as he was against the wall. Max lowered him slowly, allowing him to regain his feet before releasing him completely. 

As soon as he could breathe again, Smythson spoke, "What are you?"

Max just gave him a look, saying shortly, "Someone that knows how to behave like a man and not a spoiled brat."

Smythson's eyes flashed again, and Max stared him dead on, letting his eyes shift. Smythson stared in shock at the slitted dragon eyes staring back at him. "No... It's just legends..."

Max let his eyes shift back again. "Legends often have a germ of truth to them," was all he said before walking back to Lisa's side. "Now I believe you were going to answer her questions."

The alpha sighed and collapsed back into his chair, grateful he had decided not to bring any other pack members into this meeting. If anyone else had witnessed that little display it would have created a lot of problems. He rubbed his face briefly, finally deciding to swallow his pride and tell Lisa what she wanted to know. After all, it wasn't as if they were having any success.

"That howl you heard was my mate, and before you ask, I didn't do anything to her. She was found by some of my people out on the national forest. There's a rogue on the loose in there, and the only reason he hasn't been caught is that he keeps mostly to the back woods. Quite frankly our hope was that he still had enough mind left that we could bring him into the pack since he's been so skilled at evading us. After this incident, we no longer have that hope.

"We believe she was hunting since not only was she in camo, but she was covered in deer scent. We assume the rogue honed in on the deer scent, and decided to claim her when he realized it was a woman. My people interrupted him before he could consummate, but he'd already changed her.

"In short, it's a forced change, and it's not going well." Smythson stopped, and turned his red eyes to look at Lisa directly, something he hadn't done since that fateful night. He expected her to despise him, be angry at him, or even to be gloating. Instead, her face was filled with nothing but compassion, both for the woman in such agony below, and, to his surprise, for him.

"Lisa..." Smythson paused, his hope rising at the kindness in her face, "Do you think you can help?"

Lisa was shocked at the shift in Smythson. The fact that he actually asked her for help was completely unprecedented. "I will do my best, for both of you," she promised.

************************

Lisa looked through a small window at the woman that was currently chained to a wall in the white containment room. She knew Max was making his own assessment as well, but she did not know what conclusions he had drawn. Smythson stood next to them, his pale albino features so tense, he looked like a marble statue.

Lisa gave a mental sigh as she assessed the woman, glad that Keisha had opted to leave. This was going to take time, and there was only so long that the vampire could tolerate being so completely surrounded by weres.

The woman, though very clean, was ragged. Her clothing was ripped and torn, and her light brown hair was tangled and sticking out at odd angles. Lisa assumed her current state was the result of unpredictable changes and the emotional maelstrom the woman before her was holding inside.

She was obviously used to the outdoors, her tanned skin and harsh features attested to that, but at the same time it gave her a rugged beauty. This was no fragile flower before her, but rather a fierce goshawk, ready to attack.

"We had to chain her, she almost broke the door down on one of our other holding rooms," the alpha explained, his voice an odd mixture of worry and fear interlaced with pride in her strength. 

"I take it you've tried to explain things, and it hasn't gone well," Lisa stated, not really needing to see Smythson's nod of agreement at her statement.

"Here goes." Lisa muttered, and then pushed the button to activate the room intercom system. "Hello, Ms. Jones? My name is Lisa Read. May I speak with you?"

The woman's head snapped up, and some of the feral gleam left her eyes, as Lisa's request began to register. "You can speak all you want, it's a free country. Or at least it used to be," she finished with a glance at her chains. The woman's voice was harsh, probably because of the howling and screaming she'd been doing in her rage.

"I can speak, but I'm not that fond of nothing but the sound of my own voice," Lisa said, her wry humor apparent in her voice. She was encouraged when she noticed the corner of the woman's mouth quirk slightly. "Ms. Jones, I am not a were of any kind, I am a human. I have no allegiance to this or any other pack. I am here strictly to help you. May I come in? Will you guarantee my safety?"

Max's face went stony at her words. "I am not letting you go in there by yourself," he told her flatly.

"You are not letting me?" Lisa's eyes flashed at him, though she kept her words restricted to their mental conversation. "I am not a child, and I won't be caged any more than she will."

"I'm not trying to cage you, which you should know. In case you forgot, the reason I came here in the first place was to protect you. I cannot do that on this side of the door. Even Tiernan could not tell the nature of the danger, only that it was there, and that I was needed. How do you know that this is not the very danger I was needed for?"

"You, you were with me..." the woman in the room interrupted their mental argument with her musing. "I felt you there, but I couldn't see you..."

Lisa sucked her breath in surprise, all anger at Max forgotten. She shouldn't have been able to detect Lisa at all during that maelstrom. The fact that she had spoke to certain abilities.

The woman continued, "I would promise you safety, but I don't think that I can. You should bring in someone else to protect you." That last statement was said in a flat tone.

"Are you sure? I do have a friend with me. He's not were, but he's not human either." Lisa knew without a doubt that if any were set a single toenail into that room, it would be very bad. She just didn't know how the woman would react to another nonhuman. 

"What is he?"

"I am her protector," Max cut in. 

Lisa swallowed her irritation, noting that he was avoiding telling them exactly what he was. "Like me, he is not bound to the pack or its alpha in any way."

The woman considered for a moment, and then nodded, "You can both come in."

"Thank you, we will be in momentarily." Lisa released the intercom button, and turned to Smythson. "You must make certain that neither yourself nor any other were sets one hair into that room, at least until I tell you differently. It's the only way there's any hope of bringing her through this."

Smythson focused his red eyes on her for a moment before giving her a short nod. He shifted his gaze to Max for a moment, letting him know how much trust he was giving him by letting him in there. Then he settled outside the door, guarding his future mate as Lisa and Max went inside.




Something New Ch. 07



******************

Lisa sank down into a plush black leather chair, Max seated in its twin to her right. They had been invited into Smythson's personal study after spending several hours with Carol. She was not safe yet, but she was considerably improved. 

As it turned out, Max's presence had been helpful, since he could relate his experience of suddenly having his scaly form, with Carol's forced turning. Lisa gave a mental sigh, I'll have to apologize to him later. I know he was just trying to protect me. I just really hate being forced into anything.

"Thank you, both of you, for everything you've done today," Smythson broke into Lisa's musings, as he collapsed on the couch opposite them, letting his guard down just enough that the strain and worry showed on his pale face. "Lisa, to you I owe particular thanks, and a long overdue apology. I'm sorry for the way I treated you that night, and for the way I have behaved since. It was wrong, and I'm sorry that it's taken me this long to accept that." 

Smythson held her eyes as he apologized, the shame he felt plain for her to see. "Thank you Christian," Lisa replied, using his given name for the first time since that night. The alpha's eyes widened at the sound of his name on her lips, recognizing the significance. A small smile played around his lips, as relief flitted across his face.

Lisa followed an impulse and rose, giving the startled alpha a hug. He froze for a moment, and then returned the hug, feeling a huge weight lift off his shoulders with her forgiveness.

When they separated again, he just looked at her with amazement. "If ever you need my help, call on me, and that includes for anything in regards to our common enemy. From this point on, you are family."

Lisa stared for a moment, shocked at the magnitude of what he was offering. He was giving her an open ended pledge of assistance, and gifting her with a status almost nonexistent outside were community. "Thank you, I am honored."

Christian simply nodded in acknowledgement as Lisa sat back down.

Max watched the exchange with interest. He was pleased that the alpha had finally grown up. There was something about him that Max rather liked, even if he had needed to throw the man up against a wall earlier.

"Now on to the issue of your mate," Lisa switched gears, shifting all of her focus to the issue at hand. "We were able to make a lot of progress today, but you absolutely must go slowly with her. Try to dominate her in any way, and she will fight as if her very survival depended on it. In her heart and mind, it still does. At this point she will make absolutely no distinction between an act of dominance and a threat to her life."

Christian grunted to indicate his understanding, and waited for her to continue.

"Nobody enters that room without her express permission. She is very likely to test all of you on this in the coming days. She will likely refuse entry at least once, maybe more than once, if only to see the reaction. You must respect her and allow her to make her choices, no matter how odd they may seem. In essence, weres as a species are on trial with her, and she will decide to live or die by the evidence presented to her in the coming weeks. 

"Finally Christian, you in particular must not enter that room yet." Lisa held up a hand, forestalling his objection. "I didn't say you couldn't talk to her, just that for the time being you must not enter the room. Are you willing to put her needs above your own?"

Smythson growled, but nodded his assent, and Lisa continued. "My suggestion to you is to try talking to her through the intercom if she's interested. Say nothing to her about being your mate. She will not understand it, and she will feel trapped.

"Remember that she was human and was turned against her will. She is still coming to terms with her animal side, and does not trust it as you do. Entertain her, get to know her and let her learn about you as you alleviate her boredom. Let her interest in you blossom on its own, as humans do, or she won't trust it and will fight the mating pull. She may even reject it completely if she feels threatened enough." 

The alpha stilled and felt like a bucket of ice water had been poured on him. The mere mention of that possibility froze any objections in his throat.

Smythson nodded his head in acceptance of Lisa's instructions. It wasn't easy for him to acquiesce. His wolf wanted nothing more than to lay claim to his mate, but he didn't become one of the most powerful alphas by being stupid. 

"Do you want to destroy our mate? Break her so badly she goes completely rogue or kills herself?" he asked his wolf side, trying to make his feral half understand. His words at least stilled his wolf long enough to listen. "Would you ask her to hunt if she had a broken leg?" His wolf growled at the idea and he continued. "She is hurt, and we will only hurt her more if we push her. I trust you and I need you to trust me on this. We MUST wait, or we will kill her." His wolf shuddered and whined at the idea, and finally settled down, much to Christian's relief.

"Thank you, both of you," Christian included Max in his thanks. Max met his eyes, letting the alpha know that all was peace between them.

"Call if you need me before tomorrow," Lisa said as she rose to leave, Max staying by her side.

***************

"Max, I'm sorry," Lisa apologized as soon as they were back in the car, the sun setting behind them as they drove. "I shouldn't have fought with you earlier."

Max's brows drew together, "Why not?"

"Because you were right," Lisa said, a little surprised. "I was putting myself into a dangerous situation, and then I made an unfair accusation when you tried to stop me." Lisa paused for a moment, coming to a realization. "No, scratch that. You didn't try to stop me. You tried to help me do it more safely, and I yelled at you for it."

"Maybe so, but that doesn't mean that your reaction was wrong," Max replied, surprising Lisa. He continued with a slight grimace on his face. "I could have been a bit more tactful. I ordered you rather than requesting, not the best approach. Lisa, I don't want you hiding how you feel because you think I won't like it."

Lisa was brought up short by that last comment. "Max, you are different from any man I've ever met, human or not."

Max chuckled slightly, "I'll take that as a compliment."

Lisa smiled, threading her fingers through the hand resting on the console. "Oh, it is."

"Then I hope you take it as a compliment when I tell you the same." He replied, using his thumb to caress the back of her hand. "You are different from any woman I've ever met. Seems like we're made for each other," he teased lightly, though that last comment was not entirely in jest.

Lisa considered his words, her heart racing at the implication and flashed a smile at him. "It does seem that way doesn't it," she said softly, trying to figure out her feelings. 'Don't over-analyze,' her guide's words whispered across her mind. Lisa settled back, let go, and enjoyed the moment with Max.



Something New Ch. 08



 Thank you everyone once again for all your comments, they are deeply appreciated. Your feedback tells me what I'm doing right, and what can be improved, which makes me a better writer. Thank you for taking the time to write and let me know how you feel about these chapters.

My editing process did take a long time on this chapter, because I ended up with some fairly large re-writes while reviewing. On the up side, it also means the next chapter is about half written since some of those chunks got moved. As usual I'll post to my profile page when the next chapter's ready.

Enjoy, and as always, all constructive feedback is very welcome!

This story is copyrighted; please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks! 

*******************

"We can't find any further signs of tampering. Danaan and I can layer some more protections in with yours if you want." Toulouse, an ascetic looking vampire with iron gray hair said. 

It was Sunday, meaning that the plant was deserted. Lisa, Keisha, and Max were currently gathered in one of the storage rooms with Toulouse and Danaan, a tall Sidhe that could have been Tiernan's twin sister but for her brown eyes. Danaan and Toulouse had just double checked every bit of stock they had, both food and supplement, as well as the machinery for any tampering of a non-physical nature. 

The two of them had worked remarkably well considering Toulouse had a highly ritualized approach, and Danaan was more fluid and earthy. They had seamlessly joined abilities and powers as if they had been working together for years, and from the glances Lisa saw them casting at each other, they were as surprised as everyone else.

"We would appreciate it if you did, thank you." Lisa replied.

"We have a common enemy," Danaan replied, shrugging off Lisa's thanks.

Lisa nodded in acknowledgment. "We'll be in the meeting room if you need us," she added, pointing to a small, glass windowed room with a manufactured table and chairs. It was used mostly for small groups, and was particularly useful for things that required a little privacy like job interviews, personnel issues, or any small meeting that just needed a little peace.

Toulouse and Danaan turned and got to work, making Lisa smile again. The two were so in sync with each other, they looked like a precision drill team. 

"I can stay and keep an eye on things out here in case there are any problems. Besides," Max's mental voice took on a slightly humorous edge, and a chuckle floated across her mind, "I suspect Keisha wants a bit of one on one time with you."

*************

"So, spill." Keisha demanded with a smile as soon as they had shut the door. "I didn't get a chance to ask yesterday, with all the goings on."

Lisa colored slightly and considered Keisha's question. She knew that there was no point hiding anything from the vampire, but she wasn't used to sharing such intimate details about herself, even with someone as close to her as Keisha. "I don't know how much I can add that your nose hasn't already told you," Lisa prevaricated.

Keisha rolled her eyes, "You need more girlfriends. How was it? How was he?"

Lisa turned redder, and she couldn't stop a smile breaking out over her face, much to Keisha's amusement. "I have no complaints," Lisa managed to get out.

"Really!" Keisha's smile turned wicked, "About time you had a good fuck!"

"Keisha!"

"What? It's true. You're too tight when it comes to your own stuff. Other people tell you all their shit, who do you talk to?" Keisha asked, speaking in the blunt, direct way she only used with her friends. Lisa had always found the switch between Keisha's natural, direct self, and her claws-beneath-the-silk public persona fascinating. "Besides, I seem to remember you saying something about this shadow creature likely having access to whatever we keep hidden. What better way to fight that, than drag it out into the light?"

"Point taken," Lisa said with a laugh at Keisha's logic. "The thing is, yes he's umm ... talented, but it's more than that. He's got a lot of depth, and the more I learn about him, the more I like him. Maybe even most importantly, he respects me and the abilities I have, without fearing them." Lisa paused for a moment and then looked Keisha in the eye, "Do you know how rare that is?"

Keisha considered her friend for a moment. "Yes."

Lisa colored slightly, realizing that Keisha did have similar issues given her status within the vamp community. Only difference was that in Keisha's case, they were usually throwing themselves at her because of it, rather than running in fear.

"At any rate, Max has seen that side of me, and he's the first man I've met that didn't flinch away from it. He's also considerate, not just to me but to others too."

Keisha nodded her understanding, encouraging Lisa to go on. It was ironic. Lisa was one of the best Keisha had ever seen at what she did, including helping people find healthy relationships, but she herself struggled in this area of her life. 

When Keisha first met her, Lisa was uncertain about her as well. Over time Keisha had proven to her that she was a good friend, and Lisa had relaxed. When she did, Keisha saw Lisa's true self with no holding back. She'd liked Lisa before, but the joy that radiated from her when she opened up was unparalleled. 

Keisha could count on one hand the number of people she would trust the way she trusted Lisa. As far as she was concerned, Max was good for Lisa, and she knew that her friend was likely to do something stupid if she didn't get a chance to talk it out and hear some plain old good sense.

Lisa continued, "I know I'm not good at this area of my life," she said, echoing Keisha's thoughts. "That's why I keep freaking out at the speed this has all been happening. I keep thinking I'm doing something stupid sleeping with him after only knowing him a week."

"Well hun, that's yah problem right there. Yah keep thinkin' too much 'bout somthin' that's not fah the head to decide," Keisha said, letting her speech slow and her accent thicken. Keisha knew it would comfort Lisa and make her pay close attention. With anyone else Keisha would agree with slowing down, but Lisa was not most people. If anything, Lisa's typical approach was like watching moss grow. 

"Yah, tol' me yah guides had been pushin' yah in his direction. Ah ain't never seen 'em steer yah wrong afore, an' they don' give yah their two cents often. Ah think they'd be as likely to steer yah wrong now as Ah 'm t'find teeth on a hen."

Lisa giggled at the image. "You're right, I guess I keep forgetting that part," Lisa admitted as she felt herself relax a bit. "Of course that's not the only consideration bouncing around my head. I also think about long term. Assuming things work out, he's not exactly mortal, and I am."

"Well hun, there are solutions t' that," Keisha said with a significant look, baring a fang.

Lisa gave Keisha a startled look. "Are you offering to turn me?"

"Hun, if it makes ya'll happy and lets yah stay with yer dragon out there, then yeah, Ah'm willin' t' turn yah."

Lisa stared in shock. Keisha just plain didn't turn people. She had done it once in her life, and it had not turned out well. Keisha had refused to turn anyone since. For her to offer this to Lisa was huge.

Keisha's lips quirked upward at Lisa's expression. "Ah've been thinkin' 'bout offerin' fah awhile, but Ah know how much ya'll enjoy food. A liquid diet don't work so well fah that. 'Sides, it wasn't urgent."

"I don't know what to say... Thank you. I will give it a lot of thought."

"I know yah will, hun. It's why Ah offered. Yah prob'ly want t' see where things go with that man o' yours first."

Lisa nodded in agreement, and went silent, lost in thought. After a moment she looked back up at Keisha, remembering something from the previous day. 

Lisa switched gears asking, "By the way, yesterday when Max pinned Christian to the wall, his voice shifted, and both you and Christian reacted. Why? Christian also mentioned something about legends?"

Keisha smiled slightly at Lisa's abrupt change of direction. Over the years, she'd gotten used to the way Lisa's mind worked and found it entertaining. 

"Christian? Ya'll back on a first name basis?"Keisha replied surprised, her accent starting to fade as her thoughts shifted to business concerns.

"Sorry, I didn't have a chance to tell you earlier. He finally apologized." Lisa quickly filled Keisha in on the previous day's events.

"Interesting. Looks like Max managed to knock some sense into that pup. Might make things easier for us too..." Keisha commented, her eyes fading slightly as she considered possibilities.

"Now back to the question of Max's voice shifting and legends?" Lisa brought the conversation back around again.

"Hun, you're like a dog with a bone," Keisha commented with a smile. She looked off in space again, considering the question. Finally she spoke. "First, to answer your question about legends, Dragons are legendary, but pretty much nobody's heard of Dragon Touched. Fewer still believe they were ever real. I was on the fence till I met yer man out there. As for the change in his voice..."

Keisha paused again, considering the other half of Lisa's question. "There's something in his voice that speaks to us, vamps and weres alike. Maybe other nonhumans too.

"His voice speaks of power, and there's something else. I think if he wanted, he could control all of us, and not the way a vamp would do it. He inspires loyalty, and you can't help but do what he asks."

Keisha rested eyes that had gone very serious back on Lisa. "The only reason that I do not consider him an extreme threat is that I can also see he is an honorable man, and I have been watching him." A predatory smile appeared on Keisha's face. "After all, there's not many I can trust, and I wasn't about to let you get blindsided, not to mention myself. I didn't get this old without being cautious and I take care of my own." Keisha finished. Then her smile turned playful and knowing, "Now, how about some details before he comes back?"

*******************

"You know, I've been here for over a week, and I don't think I've heard you play," Max commented, nodding his head over at Lisa's piano. They were back from meeting with Danaan and Toulouse, and had just completed their daily routines. Lisa went through her tai chi empty hand and weapons forms, and Max through the variety of training exercises that he rotated through each day.

"Oh," said Lisa, a bit startled, "I'm really more of a hobbyist. I guess I've gotten used to not playing when other people are around."

You keep your piano polished and dust free, even though you haven't been playing. You have more love for it than you're letting on, Max thought to himself. 

"I'd love to hear you play," he said.

"Umm... I guess I could," Lisa said, her nerves obvious. "I can play a few things, but I'm not that great."

"Please?" was all Max said in reply.

Lisa nodded, and walked over to her piano. She pulled out the bench, and lifted the seat to pull a piece of music out. Max was able to read 'Chopin Nocturne in Em' printed across the top. He knew a number of Chopin pieces, after all, Max had been around during Chopin's lifetime, but he didn't immediately recognize this one.

Max sat down against the wall, waiting for her to begin. Lisa settled on the bench rather gingerly, and took a deep breath. Then she started to play.

Max closed his eyes, instantly swept away by the music. The rolling base line with its triplet timing emphasized the longing that cried out in the four time melody. The emotions swelled through the music, filling the room, carrying Max with it. 

Lisa played and Max felt the pain of loss and anguish. The music spoke of the lost soul, trapped alone in the dark, nowhere to turn. Then the piece shifted into the next movement, speaking of love and hope, the single ray of light shining into the darkness. 

Max was completely lost in the music, and a tear came to his eye as it shifted again. It was the same melody that had opened the piece, but this time it felt full of a need to act, a desperation to connect with someone or something. 

That modulated a final time, repeating the melody that had spoken of love and hope. The changes in this second rendition, though, brought a sense of peace and redemption. It was like being blessed and held in the arms of an angel. 

Max floated in the feeling, realizing that before meeting Lisa, it had been centuries since he'd felt this way. He opened himself completely to it, drifting in a perfect state of rapture.

Lisa ended the piece, and released the pedal when the final notes had faded away. She slowly moved her hands away from the keys and turned to look at Max. He was seated on the floor against the wall, and his eyes were still closed. He was in a pose of such stillness, that Lisa kept silent, waiting for him to move.

He finally opened his eyes, and Lisa was touched to see them shining with emotion. "I don't ever want to hear you downplay your ability again." Max said, his voice slightly rough, "I've heard that piece before, but never with such feeling. It was the most beautiful thing I've heard in a long time."

A tear shimmered in Lisa's eye, and she looked away as it slipped down her cheek. Max rose and walked over, placing his hand against her cheek and turning her head back to him, as he sat on the edge of her piano bench. He brushed the tear away with his thumb and her eyes finally rose again to meet his.

"Thank you," Lisa said, her voice shaking slightly. A small smile played about her lips. "I guess I have a hard time sharing music like this. It's very close to my heart, especially this piece."

Max smiled softly, "I can tell. It comes out when you play." Max gently brushed her lips with his. "It was beautiful. Thank you. I hope you'll play more often." Max gave her a gentle smile, "I like it when you don't hold yourself back."

"Oh? Isn't that a bit of the pot calling the kettle?" Lisa replied deflecting slightly.

Max raised an eyebrow, "Is it? I didn't think I'd held back on anything."

"You've been holding back shifting when we, ummm, get together."

Max smiled at her roundabout way of referring to sex, but he was also surprised at her comment. "I guess you could call it holding back, I hadn't thought of it that way."

"Why are you suppressing it?" 

Max gave her a startled look, "I didn't think you would want me to shift. I've not exactly had the best luck with that form."

Lisa nodded and asked, "Can you shift now?"

Max's uncertainty increased, "I could ... but are you sure you want to see it?"

Lisa smiled at him, "It didn't bother me before, in fact there was something kind of attractive about it." She was very aware of his hesitancy, but she had spoken nothing but the truth, and besides, there was something about his feelings on the matter that called to her healer's nature.

Max considered her request for a moment, and then stood up, giving himself space. He took off his shirt and shifted, leaving out the wings and horns. He watched her carefully, staying ready to shift back quickly if she reacted badly. 

Even though she'd seen this form before, it had been brief, and she was working on his behalf at the time. He knew her well enough at this point to know that when she was in full healer mode, she didn't let anything interfere, including her own feelings. This situation was different. This was personal, not professional, and he couldn't help but be nervous over her reaction.

Lisa admired him, letting it show on her face. He was completely covered in fire red scales, his feet had shifted to a more animalistic shape, and he walked on his toes in this form. His eyes were slitted like a cat again, and curved black talons tipped his fingers and toes. 

She rose and approached him, placing her hands on his hips, sliding them across his stomach and up his chest. She felt Max's sharp gaze on her, and knew he was watching for any sign of fear or disgust.

Lucky for both of us I don't feel either of those things, Lisa thought to herself with a slight smile before shifting her attention back to her study of him.

His scales felt hard and smooth beneath her hands, and there was a spicy scent, warm like cinnamon, but with a harsher undertone. Max shivered slightly at the sensation, and let her continue her exploration, amazed at how well she was accepting this form.

Lisa was fascinated by his scales. They didn't overlap like a snake, but didn't have the rougher, pebbled feel of lizard skin. It felt a little like the ganoid scales found on sturgeon and gar fish, but much smoother. It was something completely unique.

Lisa continued her exploration, moving behind Max, running her hands over him as she went. On his back the scales became larger and darker, overlapping down his spine. They were also a bit thicker, and as solid as they felt, she figured that not much would be able to pierce them.

Lisa circled back around to face him again, sliding her hands down his arm, and taking his hand in hers, examining his talons. They were sharp and curved, reminding her of an eagle, and Lisa wondered if his joints had the same ratcheting ability. If so, then the pressure he was capable of producing in those clawed hands would crush bones like paper.

"Can you feel me through the scales?" she asked him, tracing her fingertips up his palm.

"Yesss, I can feel you, but not the sssame way asss when I'm human. I'm sssensssitive to pressssure changesss, and I alwaysss know where everyone isss without looking, but nothing hurtsss me unlesss it getsss through the ssscalesss." Max's speech was now full of sibilants, and his forked tongue flicked out briefly as he spoke. She figured it must be difficult to speak with the shift in tooth and tongue shape.

Lisa placed her hands on his face, exploring the more angular shapes present in this form. She brushed her thumbs over his lips, feeling the silky smoothness and then stepped into him. Somehow the sensation of his scales against her was comforting and exhilarating at the same time.

She pulled his head close to hers, and slowly kissed him, exploring his lips. Moving on, she slipped her tongue into his mouth, being careful of the sharp teeth now residing there. He froze at first, still in shock, and then he responded, his hands slipping around her waist. His forked tongue surprised her with its dexterity, wrapping around hers, flicking unexpectedly and making her sigh in pleasure. 

Max ended the kiss, pulling away slightly, and studied her face. His eyes were wide, and he seemed at a complete loss for words.

Lisa smiled at him, opening herself up, using her empathy to let him feel what she was feeling; happiness, contentment, and perhaps most importantly, desire.

"I can't believe it..." he finally managed to get out. 

"Believe it." Lisa stated, "I can't hide what I'm feeling from you when I open up like this. This is how I feel, nothing hidden, nothing pushed to the side. I find you as desirable like this as I do when you're human."

"I'm amazzzed. The bessst I've ever encountered was acceptance, and that was only from the Sssidhe. It's one of the reasssonsss I've ssspent ssso much time Underhill. I'm having trouble getting over the fact that you don't find this repulsssive."

"Why would I find it repulsive? It's still you. You're the same man that has shown kindness and consideration, not just for me, but for others, since I met him. You're the same man that has taken every opportunity to pull in the harness with me, rather than ignore the load or try to drive me. You are the same man that has shown me respect and has behaved like an equal, a partner. You're the same man that has given me pleasure like I've never felt before..." Lisa paused a moment, turning red with that last statement. 




Something New Ch. 08



Max brushed her cheek with the back of one clawed finger, astonished at her words. Lisa looked him in the eye and continued, her voice quivering slightly with emotion. "You are the same man that does not fear me, or my abilities. I can never find someone like you repulsive."

"You assstound me, Lisssa. There isss a bit more to thisss form that I ssshould ssshow you though," Max said, deciding that to be completely honest with her, he needed to show her everything. He stepped away from her and removed his sweats. Lisa noted that in this form, there was nothing visible between his legs, and she assumed that it was retracted inside his body the way it was in reptiles. At least she hoped that was the case, and that it wasn't completely absent the way it was in most birds.

Lisa waited for him to show whatever was remaining that she hadn't seen. As she watched, his chest deepened and a very large pair of wings formed at his back, along with a tail. She was fascinated to see that same membrane that made up his wings was also attached between his tail and legs, like a bat. She assumed it was to help him steer or brake while in flight. A pair of slender pointed horns rose from his skull, giving his face a more angular, reptilian look. Lisa found the shift fascinating, though she could see how his appearance would look demonic to most people.

Sasha chose that moment to walk into the room, and started barking as soon as she saw Max. "Don't shift back," Lisa told Max, calling Sasha over to her.

Max knelt down, keeping his wings against his body, and trying to look as non-threatening as possible. Sasha approached slowly while whining, and Max extended a taloned hand for her to sniff. Sasha hesitated, and then slowly extended her nose forward to smell him. 

Lisa soothed and praised Sasha, and as she sniffed Max, her tail started wagging slightly. Max slipped a hand around to her shoulder, and ran his hand down to scratch her butt. This dissolved the last of Sasha's reservations, and she wagged her tail while sinking to the floor in pure bliss.

Lisa laughed, and went into the kitchen to grab Sasha a bone. When she came back in, Sasha was laying on the floor getting a belly rub from Max. She got up immediately, when she saw the bone, though, and when Lisa handed it to her, she trotted off to eat it on her bed.

"Sorry about that," Lisa apologized.

"There's no reason to be sorry, it was a normal reaction. I'm just glad she accepted me so quickly. Her bark is a bit loud."

Lisa gave a rueful smile, "It's the hound in her. I sometimes think you could find that dog from a mile away."

Max laughed and stood up, once again watching Lisa's reactions carefully. Lisa resumed her interrupted study of him, still feeling the same pull she always felt towards him.

"I take it you can fly?" Lisa asked while she looked over his wings and tail.

Max looked surprised at the question and answered, "Yesss. I'm lighter than I look in thisss form."

Lisa approached again, her eyes sharp with interest. She put her arms around his waist again, feeling the join of his wings along his body. "May I?" she asked, as she ran her hand across the membrane of his wing.

"Of courssse," Max answered, opening his wings a bit wider. 

Lisa slid her hands up the inside of his left wing. It felt smooth and leathery, and she could tell it wasn't anywhere near as fragile as it looked. It was definitely constructed very much like a bat wing, with long elongated bones forming the structure.

Max closed his eyes, feeling an unexpected shudder of pleasure at her soft touch. He'd never realized how responsive this form could be to gentle contact. 

Lisa continued her exploration, oblivious to Max's reaction, tracing her hands lightly over the leading edge of his wing, surprised at the strength she felt in such a delicate looking bone. Lisa ran her hands across the wing membrane till she came back to his body, and then traced the edge of the membrane down his thigh.

She knelt down, looking at the way his tail attached to the membrane between his legs, running her hands across to stroke along his tail. Lisa noted that his tail was slender but muscular, and the tip extended a bit past the membrane.

"Lisssa," Max's voice had an odd strangled sound to it, and she snapped her head up to see what the problem was.

A smile spread across Lisa's face, and she ran her hands up Max's legs and hips as she rose. She stepped closer kissing him deeply, while sliding her hand between them. She grasped his shaft, which had emerged from between his scales, and her smile grew when Max hissed slightly and shuddered in reaction.

"Lisssa, are you sssure you're okay with thisss?" Max asked, pulling away slightly to study her face.

"If I had a problem, I wouldn't do this," Lisa smiled and stroked him, noting the different shape he had in this form. Instead of a mushroom shaped head, there were two bulges on either side, giving him a rounder form. Lisa was fascinated, exploring his new shape while gliding her hand over him. 

Max hissed again in reaction and grabbed her hand. Lisa was able to register that he'd gotten rid of his talons and horns before he gently picked her up, and carried her to the bedroom. This simple act thrilled her in ways she never thought possible. As tall as she was, she never really felt safe if someone tried to pick her up. Max was the exception to that, and the exhilaration she felt being carried, pushed her desire into overdrive.

Max was in awe over Lisa's reaction. He never thought anyone would find this form attractive. Well not anyone that I'd want to be with, at any rate, he thought to himself. 

When she'd grasped and stroked him, he'd wanted to take her right there. He had barely reigned in that impulse, promising himself to save that experience for another time. He wanted to do this slowly, to raise her passion and give her so much pleasure that she wouldn't ever regret accepting him in this form. 

Lisa wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him passionately. His forked tongue caressed hers and she moaned into his mouth. Max broke the kiss, and put Lisa down on the edge of the bed. He slipped his hands under her t-shirt, and pulled it up over her head. Lisa shivered in pleasure, feeling his smooth scales brushing against her ribs.

Max just looked at Lisa for a moment, drinking in the view of her sitting there in a sports bra and striped sweats, her dark hair cascading over her shoulders. There was something incredibly sexy about it, and appreciation filled his eyes as he knelt down in front of her.

He took her foot into his hand, and slid off the white cotton sock, tickling her slightly and making her giggle. 

"Max!" was all she got out before he repeated the procedure with her foot, making her giggle again, jerking her foot in reflex. He simply held on, noting the contrast of her pale skin surrounded by the vibrant red of his scaled hands.

Max slid his hands up her legs. Nudging them open, he moved his body between them, rising up on his knees to lick at her neck, grateful for the protection his scales gave him. He slid his hands up her stomach, and stroked her hard nipples through the cotton of her bra.

Lisa sighed in pleasure, tilting her head and leaning into him. She slipped her hands to his waist, again feeling the join of his wings. Remembering his previous reaction, she swept her hands up his body, tracing the line of his wing membrane. 

Max shivered slightly, sliding his hands to her back. Lisa felt the sudden release of her bra as he undid the hooks, and then shocks of pleasure that went straight to her groin when his slick, scaled fingers slipped under the fabric, caressing her breasts.

Lisa threw the bra away into a corner of the room, and pressed her hips against him, rubbing his hard shaft through the thin material of her sweats. Max hissed softly, and lowered his head, using his forked tongue against her nipple, sliding his hand under the waistband of her sweats, till he found her hard nub, already slick with her juices.

Lisa arched in pleasure, running her fingers around the back of his head to hold him against her, while the fingers of her other hand danced across the leading edge of his wings. 

Max opened his wings and enveloped her in them, wrapping them around her in a warm embrace. The flexible membrane caressed her skin, and Lisa pulled Max's head up again, desperately needing to kiss him. 

Lisa dueled with his tongue, and ground against his hand. Max let his fingers delve deeper, searching for her core, his thumb stroking her clit. He slid a finger into her, and she moaned in pleasure, rubbing against his enveloping wings, making him shudder in response.

Max increased his speed, sliding another finger into her, pinching and rolling her nipple with his other hand. Lisa arched back against Max's wings, her walls clamping down on his fingers, pleasure playing across her face. 

Max lifted her up, snaking his tail into the waistband of her sweats and sliding them down, his fingers never leaving her core. Max supported her with his wings and dipped his head down, flicking his tongue against her in a light path from her neck, over her breast, and down her stomach, finally stopping at her dripping heat. 

He slid his fingers from her, and flicked his forked tongue against her weeping entrance, licking up all the way to her clit, wrapping around the hard nub briefly, before drawing his tongue back in, savoring her taste. 

Lisa grasped his shoulders, and moaned, her legs trembling. If it weren't for his wings, she probably would have fallen over. Max looked up at her face, his slitted eyes dark with passion. 

"Max please, I need you in me now," she managed to get out through the haze of desire clouding her mind.

"No. Not yet. I'm not done tasssting you yet," he replied, holding her hips to support her, while extending his tongue again.

Lisa was awash in pure pleasure. His tongue was doing things to her that she'd never felt before, and if it weren't for his grasp on her hips, she didn't think she'd be able to stand. He would alternate long slow licks with quick flicks, and there was no place that dexterous tongue couldn't reach.

Max lapped every part of her pussy, and Lisa's legs trembled with the pleasure he was giving her. Finally she couldn't take it anymore and screamed as she came again. 

Lisa bucked against him, overwhelmed by the sensations, and still Max lapped at her, holding her in a gentle but unbreakable grip, stabilizing her with his wings and tail. Her fingers dug into his shoulders, and he relentlessly licked every bit of her essence, flicking against her over-sensitive clit, making her climax again.

Lisa's legs no longer worked, completely overcome with ecstasy, and Max finally withdrew his tongue, gently lowering her down. Lisa regained enough awareness to straddle him as he lowered her, positioning herself over him. 

Lisa felt his tip against her slick folds, and almost screamed in frustration when he suddenly stopped. "Are you sssure you're okay with thisss?" He asked, giving her one more chance to change her mind. The way she looked, her hazel eyes glazed with passion, and her dark hair clinging damply to her face, made stopping the hardest thing he'd ever done. 

He had to be certain, though. He couldn't bring himself to enter her without removing the last trace of doubt that this was what she desired. He had to know that she wouldn't regret this later and that she would not revile him.

"Yesss..." Lisa moaned with frustration. She wanted him to fill her, wanted to feel his thrusts. She opened up again, letting him feel her urgency and need.

The last of his doubts were wiped away and Max gave an odd strangled hiss. He immediately lowered her, exerting his considerable control, slowly working the rounder shape of his cock into her. He didn't want to hurt her by forcing it in too quickly.

"More!" Lisa cried out in pleasure, trying to force her hips down. 

Max's control snapped, and he slammed the rest of the way home, completely sheathing himself in her velvety heat.

Lisa savored the feeling for a moment, and then started rocking her hips against his lap. She moaned, quickly discovering that his shape in this form rubbed her in all the right places. Max waited for her to set the pace, and then matched her, thrusting into her, caressing her with his wings.

The sensation of Max's slick scales brushing against her soft skin pushed her even higher. Lisa rocked faster in response, Max matching her speed, increasing his force. His hands found their way to her breasts, rolling her nipples between his scaled fingers while she bounced against him.

Lisa leaned her head down to kiss him, hungering for the feel of his lips. Max's tongue wrapped around hers, and he stroked her back with his tail.

She clutched at him, the knowledge that he had trusted her enough to not only stay in his dragon form, but use it as well, sent another wave of euphoria through her, and deepened her trust. Her heart connected with his, only for a moment, but in that moment, they were as one being, and an overwhelming sense of completion through them both. 

Lisa shattered against him, and he erupted into her with a hissing growl. She arched back against his wings and tail, the intense pleasure making her grip his shoulders so tightly that if he had been in human form, she would have left bruises. The moment seemed to last forever, riding a tide of ecstasy with no end.

Finally they both collapsed and Max dropped an arm to the floor, supporting himself and Lisa for a moment while he recovered. His wings were still wrapped around her, and Lisa's arms were loosely locked around his neck, while she laughed into his shoulder. 

Finally she regained her breath and kissed him softly. Max slid out of her, and then picked her up, laying her down on the bed. Smiling at him, she refused to let go of his neck, pulling him towards her. Max kissed her, shifting back to his human form, while climbing over her and stretching out along her body.

Lisa felt the change in his lips and tongue as he shifted, and felt another wave of heat all over again. She moaned slightly in response.

Max broke the kiss with a smile, gently brushing her damp hair out of her face. "Well if I had any doubts before, I think they've been answered."

Lisa gave him a slightly wicked smile while she trailed her fingers down his lean frame. "Are you sure they've all been answered? I wouldn't want you to worry later."

Max chuckled, his gray eyes darkening in response. "Maybe we should just make certain..."

**************

"Hi Carol, how're you feeling?" Lisa asked as she and Max walked into the secure room. It was Thursday now, and she was making rapid progress controlling her shifts, but she wasn't quite there yet. The improvement was obvious though. The chains were gone, and she now had open access to the attached bathroom. There was also the addition of a small table, and several folding chairs. 

Christian himself had commented on the speed of improvement when they'd arrived. He'd thanked Lisa again for her aid, reiterating his offer of assistance and that he considered her family. He'd also asked her if he might be able to see Carol face to face. Lisa had made no promises, but told him that if things kept going this well, it shouldn't be long.

Lisa suspected that Carol felt a measure of safety in the separation between herself and the rest of the were compound, at least for the time being. By enforcing that nobody entered without permission, and the obvious attempts to make her comfortable while still keeping her and everyone else safe, her prison had turned into something of a refuge while she adjusted. 

"Better." Carol answered Lisa's question, "A bit restless, but much better." 

"Good to hear," Lisa replied with a smile, while she reinforced the sacred space she had created a few days ago. She did nothing visibly, Carol already had a huge shift in her world view to deal with, and that was more than enough for anyone without trying to explain Lisa's shamanic background. 

Fortunately, Lisa was so experienced at creating sacred space, she no longer needed to do anything visibly. It came from having done it with full ritual so many times, that she could now do it with a thought.

Carol continued after Lisa sat down, "I think my animal side likes you. I do too for that matter." Carol's gaze shifted to Max, "You as well." 

"I'm very honored, thank you," Lisa replied.

"I'm honored as well, and happy to hear that your animal side is taking a liking to Lisa," Max replied with a smile, "It means she's safer."

Carol relaxed a little at that. It was a small amount, but Lisa's tai chi experience let her catch the almost imperceptible shift in muscle, and the equally subtle shift in Carol's energy.

"You mentioned you were feeling restless," Lisa commented, "my guess is that your animal side wants to go outside. If you're willing to put up with an escort, Christian may be able to arrange something."

Carol seemed surprised by the offer. "What if I hurt someone? I'm still not in control."

"That's the reason for the escort, and I have no doubt that Christian would make himself part of that group. You would have a difficult time hurting him." Lisa saw a flash of interest in Carol's eye when she mentioned Christian, and was pleased. Looks like the alpha had been doing a good job courting his future mate.

"Why? Because he's an alpha?"

"That's part of the reason, yes. I think you need to ask your animal side for the other part, though," Lisa replied, and Carol closed her eyes to talk to her animal side.

Carol had not yet accepted her animal enough for it to reveal what it was to her. Lisa was working with Carol to help her open her heart to her animal, whatever it was. After all, the animal side of any were wasn't really a separate entity, it was just another, more primal aspect of their own spirit. For Carol to find true control, she had to stop fighting with herself. It's all very Star Wars in a way, Lisa thought to herself with an inward smile.

Lisa did not know what type of animal Carol shifted into, and she had deliberately not asked Christian. Under normal circumstances, turnings were part of the mating process, so Carol would have ended up the same type of animal as whoever turned her. Like vamps, sharing blood was needed to make a human into a were. Weres tended to bite their own lip or tongue, and then bite the person, hence all the stories about being bitten by a werewolf. The fact was, saliva alone had no ability to change someone. 

The really interesting part about the process, was that the consummation of the relationship would set the animal type in the human to match whoever did the turning. And wouldn't that be a fascinating research project, Lisa thought to herself. In Carol's case, the process had been interrupted before it had been consummated, so her animal type was up for grabs. 

 And thank goodness for small favors. At least I don't have to deal with rape trauma on top of everything else. 

Lisa had a personal theory that in cases like this, the animal form was linked to an animal spirit that would most closely match the nature of the person. From an evolutionary point of view it makes a lot of sense, Lisa thought to herself. A turning without a mating is almost always forced or accidental. The closer a match to the person's own spirit, the more likely they are to survive the transformation. Natural selection alone would choose in favor of a mechanism like that, as long as there were no other major drawbacks.

Lisa had a feeling that whatever Carol's animal was, it wasn't a wolf. Not that she wouldn't make a good wolf, but the howl that Lisa heard last Saturday didn't sound right. It had an odd growly tone to part of it, and it ended sharply rather than fading as a wolf's did.




Something New Ch. 08



Carol came back to herself shaken and startled, and Lisa waited for her to speak. "She says she won't attack him. She says he's hers..." Carol winced slightly. "Sorry, make that she says he's ours. It's weird, though. I get the sense that she doesn't normally care about males..." Carol's eyes widened, "She says they're inferior, not as strong as she is, or as smart. She respects Christian, though. She says he's the only male whose strength and cleverness matches hers."

Carol froze for a moment, and then the color drained out of her face. "What the hell am I?" 

Lisa was used to these sudden shifts in mood. Carol had her whole world turned upside down, and was still trying to find her balance. "You are a were, and a powerful one at that." Lisa answered in a direct voice. "They don't usually need to chain a were to hold them, you know. Or did you think that taking the door out of one of these rooms was easy?"

"I... I guess I hadn't thought about it much." Carol paused, lost in thought, relaxing a bit. Then her gaze suddenly sharpened. "Wait a minute, what's all that bullshit about men being inferior?"

Lisa laughed softly, "Sounds to me like it's something linked to your animal. My guess is whatever she is, females are stronger than males. That doesn't happen in many mammals."

"Why won't you tell me what you are?" Carol muttered to herself, and then went still. Lisa remained quiet, sensing something important afoot. 

Carol looked into the darkness her animal lived in, and a reply came, the harsh voice echoing in her mind. "Why should I reveal myself to you when you just want to get rid of me? I don't have a choice either, I'm here to stay. I will not be caged by you or anyone else. I've only tolerated this room this long to help you."

Carol was stunned by those words, and then felt a rush of guilt. "I'm sorry, I didn't realize. I didn't think of how this would be from your side." Carol paused for a moment, considering the situation, and what it must be like for her other half. "You know you scare the hell out of me ... but I think I'd like to know what you are."

"Are you sure about that? I'm not something most humans find pretty, or comfortable to be around." The harsh voice was stating a simple fact. It didn't really care one way or the other what people thought of her.

Carol considered the statement for several moments, trying to figure out what her animal could be, and drawing a complete blank. Finally she answered, "I can't promise I won't still fear you, but I would like to see you."

"Fair enough," the voice replied, and Carol heard an odd howl from the darkness. There was something that was both like, and unlike wolf or dog howls that she'd heard, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. The howl was getting quite close, and she saw movement in the darkness with the occasional flash of its eyes. The gait was odd, but she couldn't see the shape of the animal moving towards her.

Finally it emerged and Carol just stared in stunned shock at the large creature that had come forward. "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph... I didn't know you could howl."

"Well I suppose that's better than you running off in fear," her animal replied, amused, and then made the giggling laughter sound Carol expected to hear before shifting to a low growl sound that was somehow comforting.

"A hyena..." Carol said to herself, not quite sure what to think about her animal. Carol knelt down, "May I touch you?

In answer her hyena approached and pressed her shoulder against Carol before lying down. Carol noticed the interesting way her hyena folded her front legs underneath her, and she reached a hand out, touching the course fir. She buried her fingers in her hyena's coat, feeling the hard muscle underneath, and running her fingers over the rough bristles that formed the 'mane' down her spine. 

"Can you tell me more about yourself? I don't know a lot about hyenas," Carol asked.

The large spotted female gave her another low growl sound, but again, Carol felt comforted rather than afraid. "Of course I can, the question is whether I will." Her hyena cocked it's head, her black eyes evaluating Carol. "I think you have enough information for now. Besides, the human and the Strange One are starting to get worried. Talk to me again after you've done a bit of research." With that, her hyena rose, flicking her short tail into the air, and ran off into the darkness.

Carol became aware of the room again, and looked over at Lisa, who was watching her carefully. "A hyena, she's ... I'm a hyena."

Lisa smiled, pleased that Carol had finally met her animal half, and was accepting it. The fact that she had said 'I'm a hyena' was major. "A very powerful animal, and I'm betting she had spots?" 

Carol nodded and Lisa continued, "Do you know much about them?"

"I don't know anything about them, except for the laughing part. She also says she won't tell me anything till I've done some research." Carol said with frustration coloring her voice.

Lisa laughed, "I like the way she thinks. Would you like me to tell you a little about them?"

"Yes please!"

"Let's see, Spotted Hyenas are the largest, the most aggressive, and possibly the smartest of the hyenas. Spotted Hyena females are larger than males, and Spotted Hyena males are highly submissive to the females. Well I would be too if I were a male and the females were likely to tear me apart if I annoyed them.

"Anyway, hyenas are nocturnal, though they are also quite capable of hunting during the day. They are strongly muscled, and their jaws have more bite force than even a brown bear. 

"Everyone knows them as scavengers, and they are, but Spotted Hyenas are highly skilled hunters, both alone and in groups, and can take down virtually anything. They are also good swimmers and have been documented hunting in the water as long as there aren't a lot of Nile Crocs around.

"They have a very complex social structure. There is a single matriarch or alpha female at the top of the hierarchy, and Spotted Hyena clans can be as large as eighty animals. Power in Spotted Hyena society is not dependent on strength or size, but rather on social networking and the ability to make allies. They also test as high, or higher, than chimps, especially when the test requires cooperation.

"In short, you have a very interesting animal side, and one that I think will give Christian a run for his money. Not a bad thing." Lisa commented with a grin. Not to mention his surprise when he finds out what's involved in mating a hyena in animal form, Lisa thought to herself with amusement. 

"Most people don't seem to like hyenas, but you sound like you really admire them?"

"I find most animals fascinating," Lisa said with a shrug. "It's why I went for a Biology degree when I was in college.

"I believe creatures like hyenas are disliked because they are so very different and odd looking. Lions are feared because they can and do hunt people, but because they also appeal to most people's sense of beauty, they are given more admiration than hyenas receive. I find hyenas interesting because they are unique and intelligent, and yes I do see beauty in them."

"I knew I liked her for a reason," Carol heard her hyena say with a growling bark, and smiled slightly. "My hyena likes what you said."

Lisa smiled, "Thank you, I look forward to the day I get to see her face to face." 

Carol looked surprised. "Won't you be afraid?"

"Maybe. I won't know the answer to that till I meet her."

"What if she attacks you?"

"Then I'll probably die." Lisa responded, very matter of factly, her lip quirking upward in a smile. She knew that Max had stiffened slightly at her response, and she'd probably hear about it later.

"That doesn't bother you?"

"Well I don't want to die, if that's your question, but I'm not afraid of it either. Your hyena has said she likes me, and she's also proven to be highly intelligent. In fact, she's more intelligent and better able to see consequences and future possibilities than most other were's animal sides. I do not believe your hyena would see it to her advantage to harm me, so therefore, I don't believe she will."

Carol shook her head in amazement. "I think you're a bit crazy, but she also says that you're right." Carol paused, and then continued. "So now that I've met my hyena, and I think we're starting to understand each other, how do I, or we, or whatever, make it so that the shifting isn't so uncontrolled?" Carol asked, changing topics.

"What does your hyena have to say about that?"

Carol again looked inward, but Lisa noted that it took much less effort for this time, which was an excellent sign. "She says she's getting tired of being called by what she is, and not by her name. She says her name is Tiu." Carol said, elongating the 'i' with a slightly howly sound, and cutting the sound of the 'u' off quickly. "She's also telling me to ask again tomorrow." Carol finished, getting seriously annoyed at being put off again.

Lisa laughed softly, at the reply, and simply said, "Thank you Tiu, for telling us your name."

"She says for a human, you did a good job pronouncing it. Umm... She's also asking about getting outside..."

"We'll need to check with Christian. Would you be willing to let him in here?" Lisa was taking a gamble in offering, and hoped she wasn't throwing too much at Carol. She'd been integrating with Tiu extremely well, and Lisa really didn't want Tiu getting more restless than she was already. 

"Umm..." Carol stood up and paced for a moment. She obviously had something on her mind. Carol looked up, and then looked between Lisa and Max.

"Max," Carol said, "There is something I need to talk about with Lisa privately. Tiu is promising her safety ... and I believe her." Carol paused and looked away for a moment. "I understand if you don't trust me. I know I'm asking a lot, but I wouldn't even think of asking for this if I weren't absolutely certain she was safe."

Max looked at both women for a long moment, and then focused on Lisa, meeting her clear hazel eyes with his worried steel gray. 

"I believe her, Max, and this feels like a pivotal moment. I need to do this." Lisa told him, letting him feel what she felt about this moment. "She herself suggested a body guard from the beginning. I truly do not think she would put me in harm's way. I believe Tiu counts me as an ally, and she's made a number of comments about liking me. High status hyenas don't remain high status without ally relationships."

Max sighed his acceptance, "I trust you," was all he said to her as he turned and left.

Those three words touched Lisa so deeply, her eyes watered briefly.

"He's very different." Carol commented as he left.

"That he is," Lisa said with a slightly misty smile. Then she refocused on Carol as she settled back into her chair, waiting for her to begin. Lisa noticed that in the few minutes since meeting Tiu, Carol was showing a new self-certainty, that while not absent before, had not been as strong.

"I'm ... interested in Christian, and not just because of Tiu," she began, without preamble. "I've never had the best luck with men, though. You see, my Ma left my Da when I was a baby, and Da raised me on his own. He's the one that taught me how to shoot, fish, hunt, survive in the woods, and so on. Truth be told, I don't think he really knew what to do with a girl, so he treated me like a boy. 

"I liked all the things he taught me. He never forced me to do something I hated, which is why, to this day, I have no clue how to change the oil on my car, even though Da was a mechanic. Life was pretty great till I got older and got interested in boys. I found out pretty fast that most guys don't like tomboys.

"I didn't want to give up hunting and fishing, I loved them too much, and besides, it was the best way to spend time with my Da. So when a guy was interested in spite of my hobbies, I jumped at the chance. Stupid mistake.

"I ended up with one guy that just wanted to get into my pants, another that was a lazy son of a bitch. He was real happy I could fill the freezer and, being a woman, was responsible for all the house work. Then there was the last one who decided to use his fists on me when he decided I needed to give up my time in the woods. I called the cops on that one, and with bruises matching his hands, they were able to get a conviction. Unfortunately he wasn't away for very long and when he got out again, he came after me." 

Lisa noted that Carol's voice had turned monotone and dead on the last part, and she requested additional guidance, knowing she was entering tricky ground. She felt the deep peace and compassion of one of her primary guides settle over her, and she let him in, merging with him. He reached out through her senses into Carol, gently touching the wound he found there, soothing the sharper edges. The wound and pain were still there, but eased just enough to allow her to speak.

Carol took a deep breath and continued. "My Da tried to protect me. He... he stepped outside to talk to..." Her voice broke and shook. "...He shot him as soon as Da walked outside. I... grabbed my Da's old Winchester, and I killed him. He was coming after me next. It was too late, though. Da died almost instantly." Carol lapsed into silence, and Lisa stayed quiet, modulating the energy of the room to give Carol space for her anger and pain. It needed to come out, not be eased into suppression.

Carol finally spoke again. "With all of them I thought they were good men at first. Only found out later I was wrong. The last time it cost my Da his life. I can't do it again. Especially not with someone like Christian. He's too powerful and too rich for me to get away if it turns bad. Better not to start up in the first place."

Lisa stayed silent for a moment, letting the words hang in the air. Letting Carol really feel the weight of what she had just said, and letting her feel Tiu's agitation. Lisa kept her tone absolutely neutral and asked, "How do you feel about that decision?"

Carol gave her a startled look, expecting Lisa to try and give her advice, or steer her in one direction or the other. "I... Not good," Carol answered.

"And how do you feel about the possibility of being with Christian?"

"I don't know. Tiu's interested, but I don't know."

"You're afraid of the possible consequences." Lisa stated, and Carol nodded. Lisa was silent for a moment before continuing. "I have often found that the best measure of a person is to see how they treat others, and how others treat them. If you had never had a conversation with Christian, and only had what you had observed in others to go by, what would you think of him?"

Carol paused, sifting through her conversations and observations since she'd been here. A smile played across her face and she answered, "I'd think he was a cocky SOB, but also that he cares about his people and they respect him," she paused, trying to put something else into words. "I don't see fear in the people here, mostly they seem happy."

"Now think back to the other men. What were other people's reaction to them?"

"Huh, mostly disgust or avoidance. Wish I'd caught onto that sooner..." Carol trailed off, contemplating things. 

"So would you like to meet Christian face to face? Given Tiu's nature, and as sharp as she is, I doubt very much she would have any interest in a male that behaved inappropriately."

Carol smiled a bit, "You're right about that. She's showing me that she has no problem disciplining or outright killing any male that crosses the line." Carol paused for a moment considering, then said very directly, "I'd like to see him."

Lisa nodded and said, "Hang on a minute, I'll ask Max to bring him in. I happen to know he never strays far from your door. I think he's even been sleeping on a cot in the hallway, rather than his own bed."

Carol's eyes widened, she'd never known anyone that would go to those lengths for her, except for her Da. "He didn't tell me that..." she commented, trailing off in thought.

"Max, I think it's time for these two to meet face to face. Would you mind bringing in Christian?"

"Not if it gets me back in there with you. This has not been a comfortable experience."

"It was important. Thank you for trusting me." He gave her a mental caress in answer, and then went to get Christian.

It only took a few moments, and then Lisa and Carol heard Christian's voice over the intercom. "Carol? Are you okay with this? With me coming in?"

"Yes, I'd like to talk to you face to face. Not that the video chat wasn't fun, but it's not the same."

Lisa raised an eyebrow in surprise. She hadn't realized that Christian had done anything like that. Clever alpha, she thought to herself. 

The door opened, and Max and Christian stepped inside. Carol froze, her gaze fixed on him, conflicting emotions running through her. Christian froze as well, not wanting to do anything to put her on the defensive. He already knew what her animal was, and he'd been doing some reading about hyena behavior. He had no intention of being submissive to her, but he didn't want a fight either. Hyenas were a hell of a lot more vicious, and without a sealed bond in place, he didn't trust that a fight wouldn't turn into a death match.

Carol finally managed to break out of her stunned silence and went to sit down, glancing at Christian out of the corner of her eye. Christian followed, taking a chair across from her.

"Christian, might it be possible to arrange an outing for Carol in the near future? She's been getting a bit restless."

Christian seized on Lisa's conversation starter, and focused on Carol. "How restless do you feel?"

"Well I'm not ready to try climbing the walls yet, but I don't think it's far off. Tiu's getting very tired of the scenery."

"Tiu?" Christian asked in surprise.

"It's her name, my hyena. She got tired of being called hyena."

"Makes sense. I like her name. I may even be able to say it in wolf form, which makes me like it even more." Christian replied with a grin. "As for a trip outside, I think we can arrange something tomorrow, as long as you don't mind myself and a few others coming along?"

"No, I don't mind. I don't want to put anyone in danger, and Tiu is ... very pragmatic" Carol's voice trailed off for a moment as she looked away. Then her eyes snapped back to Christian with an intense focus. "Would you mind ... I mean, could I see your animal form in person? I saw the pictures, but it's different with you here..."

Christian was surprised by the request, and glanced at Lisa who gave a slight nod. "As long as you don't mind if I strip first. I'm rather fond of my clothes," he commented with a grin.

Carol colored slightly. "No, I can just turn my back for a moment."

"What, and miss the opportunity to see me in all my glory?" Christian said with a slight twinkle in his eye. His natural sense of confidence and humor were emerging.

Carol gave him a look like a disapproving school teacher and pointedly turned her back on him as Lisa did the same. She knew that Christian didn't care, but the fact was, she did, and it was obvious that Carol did as well.

"He's decently covered in fur now, if the two of you want to turn back." Max said after a moment, with humor in his voice.

Carol and Lisa turned around. Carol's eyes grew large and her nostrils flared as she took in the sight and scent of the great white wolf before her. His reddish albino eyes gave him a particularly fierce appearance, even though it was obvious he was trying to be nonthreatening. It wasn't an easy thing for a wolf his size to do.

Lisa watched as Carol's face took on a bemused expression and she approached Christian, holding out her hand for him to smell. He briefly pressed his nose to her palm, and then pressed his head into her hand in a blatant request for a scratch. Carol dug her fingers into his fur and began scratching him behind the ears as his tail thumped against the floor. She'd obviously been around dogs before, since she seemed to instinctively know just where the best places to scratch were.




Something New Ch. 09



Thanks for all the wonderful comments! You guys are awesome, thank you so much!

Salsa appears again in this chapter, and for those that are curious, I've posted a couple links to Cuban style on my profile page.

Enjoy, and don't forget to vote!

This story is copyrighted, please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks! 



**************

"Want to go out tonight?" Max asked with a smile. 

A big grin appeared on Lisa's face, and an air of childlike excitement came over her. "I'd love to, where?" she asked, assuming he had a place in mind.

Max gave her a teasing grin. "That's for me know. It's someplace nice," he told her, letting her know how to dress. Lisa nodded and ran off to freshen up and change.

This last week Lisa had been running herself ragged. Between Carol, dealing with their enemy, and the more mundane but no less important work associated with running her business, Lisa quite literally had every minute scheduled.

Max was happy about Carol's progress yesterday, not just because he liked and respected the future alpha female, but because he knew it would reduce Lisa's work load. He helped her in any way he could, taking the reins on the security issues and handling all communication with Tiernan, but there was always more to be done. They still didn't know who the saboteur was, and that, more than anything, had all of them on edge.

Max figured that at this point, Lisa needed something that was pure fun to relieve some stress before she cracked. Her reaction told him just how right he'd been. Not that our nights together aren't fun, he thought to himself with a brief smile, but it's not quite the same thing.

*****************

Max couldn't take his eyes off Lisa the entire evening. She was wearing a red dress, almost the twin of the blue one she wore their first night together. Elegant and flirty, it expressed the fire he had discovered dwelled beneath her surface. It moved with her like a living thing, accentuating her curves in all the right places, and playing peekaboo with her long legs.

Lisa was thoroughly enjoying the night out, fully aware of Max's reaction to the dress. She'd also been in rapture over the meal, enjoying the textures and flavors created by a truly excellent chef.

Max had taken her to Black Cat, and she assumed Keisha told him it was one of her favorites. Not only was the chef very creative, but he owned the farm that grew the fruits and vegetables for the restaurant. He also sourced meats and cheeses locally, most of them coming from neighboring farms. This meant that his menu changed constantly as different things came into season, and everything was always fresh. 

Lisa took guilty pleasure in Max's reaction while she ate, particularly during dessert. Her first bite of the chocolate salt tart they'd ordered had elicited a soft groan from him. She'd teased him, sliding the spoon slowly out of her mouth enjoying the chocolate, being careful to keep an innocent expression on her face. She didn't want him to know that she knew what she was doing to him. 

"I'm not really ready to go home, are you?" Lisa asked Max as he paid the bill. 

"Nope, what did you have in mind?" he asked, interested.

Lisa grinned, "It's Friday night, and the Julien hotel a couple blocks down always has a band. I happen to know it's Quemando tonight, and they're one of the best salsa bands in the area. It's fun, and all the best dancers come. I can introduce you around a bit."

"Sounds good," Max said smiling in anticipation. He hadn't seen her dance salsa since she taught it to him a couple weeks ago. He was looking forward to seeing her move like that again.

**************

Lisa was right, Quemando was a great band, full of complex rhythms, strong vocals, and an electrifying energy. They were playing in the huge lobby of the hotel, and there were so many people that the dancing was spilling out onto the patio and hallways. Max was impressed that there were virtually no collisions, since salsa was not in any way an orderly dance like waltz.

In waltz everyone at least moved in a circle in the same direction. Not so in salsa. It was more like, 'be as flashy as you can in whatever little niche you can find on the floor as long as you don't hit anyone else.' Max was aware of people's movements, anyone who'd seen fighting tended to be, but even he'd had to make some quick adjustments to prevent collision.

Max's eyes drifted back to Lisa, watching her smile while she danced with Jason, a good friend of hers. Max noted with interest that she was friends with a lot of the dancers, but it was obvious her relationship with all of them was, and always had been, strictly friendship. He tucked away that tidbit to examine another time.

Jason was throwing a lot of spins and bigger, flashier moves at Lisa. Max watched her red dress flare out, giving him glimpses of her soft thighs. Those periodic glimpses were testing his control. Add that to her sensual movement, Well let's just say I'm not going to need to study medicinal herbs, gun parts, or the political structure of the Sidhe for a very long time, Max thought to himself with a wry smile.

His thoughts settled on Lisa. Throughout the evening Max noticed that she glowed with joy, whoever she danced with. It didn't seem to matter whether her lead was just beginning, or very experienced, she always left smiles in her wake. It was a trait he loved in her.

The music regained Max's attention, catching a telltale that told him the song was ending. He immediately moved in and swept Lisa up, waiting for the next song. He drank her in with his gaze and smiled. Her hazel eyes were bright, and her dark hair curled with sweat. She looked wild and untamed, like an ancient goddess from his youth. 

Max, as usual, had a plan. He'd danced with different partners this evening as well. One woman, Alexis, had known Lisa for years and also happened to be particularly strong in Cuban Casino style. She'd let him know that Cuban was Lisa's favorite style, and he had focused on learning it. 

Alexis had taught him a few things, then introduced him to Nate, another friend of Lisa's as well as an instructor. Nate had taken a few minutes to show him a couple of the more complex Cuban moves, playing the role of the follow so Max could figure it out. It had been strange leading another man, but the teaching was worth it. 

Max had practiced with Alexis several more times in between dances with Lisa. Now he was ready to spring his newfound ability with Cuban Casino style on Lisa. The next song started up, and giving Lisa a devilish smile, he picked up the rhythm. Lisa was stunned but thrilled when he started on the third beat instead of the first, and began the circular pattern of Cuban. 

Lisa had been enjoying teasing him all night with flicks of her hair and little 'accidental' brushes. She felt a thrill of anticipation shifting into Cuban style. The differences gave her the opportunity to really accentuate her body movement. She fully intended to have Max teetering on the edge of his formidable control by the time they left.

She giggled with happiness, giving him a playful, flirty look. She loved the slick, suave nature of Cuban, and was pleasantly surprised that he'd adapted so well to such a drastically different style. 

Max's eyes darkened and he suddenly wrapped her up with her hands locked behind her head, bringing her in to dance body to body, his leg between hers. His lips were so close she thought he was going to kiss her, and then with a mischievous smile, he used a mini-dip, arching her backwards, his head hovering over her chest. He gave her a sizzling look, and then flipped her back up and away again. 

"I think this style suits you," Lisa commented grinning and flushed with pleasure. She was never happier than when she got to play with her partner and he played back. The fact that her partner was Max made it even better. She could let loose, and work him up as much as she wanted, because she fully intended to deliver on the implied promise.

Max smiled at her comment and then threw another move at her. This time he wrapped her arm around his neck, continuing to turn, leading her in a circle with his head. Their faces were so close she could feel his breath against her, and then he spun her out again. 

Max played with her, displaying for her like a peacock, just as the dance demanded. Lisa loved every moment, her eyes sparkling with happiness and appreciation. He released her into moves with just the right force, and picked her up again before she even knew he was there. He played with hand tricks, doing the unexpected so smoothly, her surprise would catch up to her when the move was half over. 

Lisa laughed and rewarded him with her own sensual, playful moves each time he managed to surprise her. He switched back and forth between things that were simpler and more complex, giving Lisa the opportunity to add her own flair. He loved the way she played off of him, matching her moves perfectly to whatever he threw at her, always moving her hips in that seductive, sinuous way that sent fire through his entire body. 

Suddenly Lisa's smile faltered, and she missed a simple move. Max brought her in close again, feeling how stiff she'd become.

"What's wrong?" He asked in her ear, shifting to scales anywhere his skin was hidden by clothes. It was not an easy trick to do, but he had spent a long time practicing.

"I'm not sure... Something's not right though. I think we need to leave. Now," Lisa told him in an urgent tone.

Max nodded, concern and wariness in his eyes. He danced her out to the edge of the crowd, both of them keeping smiles plastered to their faces. They grabbed their stuff and walked towards the exit. They were almost there when Lisa stiffened further and wobbled slightly. She reached a hand up, clutching her necklace, which was some sort of clear black faceted stone. 

Max wrapped an arm around her waist, making it look like nothing more than an affectionate gesture. In reality, he was supporting her weight, and getting more agitated by the moment.

Lisa leaned against him, grateful for his solid presence, and escaped through the doors into the cool night air. Once outside, she felt stronger and her head cleared a bit. "I'll tell you in the car," she said to him, not feeling safe discussing anything yet.

He nodded, and the two of them walked quickly down the street.

**************

Damn, it thought to itself in frustration, so close. 

It was here by chance. It needed to check the hotel out, and took the opportunity to feed from the crowd. After all, what real use did anyone here have for all the energy they were generating? The feast may as well go to some purpose, and if people went home a bit more tired than usual, well then they'd probably just assume they'd had a good night dancing.

It was caught completely off guard when it brushed up against someone that was like a blazing sun next to the flickering candles of these insignificants. It was not pleased that it had alerted them to its presence. Especially when they'd hurt it and fled. 

Not that they hurt me much. It was more like a love tap. A flicker of dark amusement swept across its face. 

Unfortunately by the time it managed to get through the crowd to the door, its prey was long gone. It's been a long time since I've had a chance to play with such a one, it thought, its being filling with desire for a new toy.

Its eyes darkened picturing how it would manipulate and finally break the person to its will. The crowds of people began giving parting around it, automatically reacting without understanding the danger. 

Time to leave, it thought to itself with a cold smile. There's no point in scaring the sheep because one got away ... for now.

***************

They were almost back to the car. Max had shifted his eyes and tongue, extending his senses. He would quickly flick his tongue out to taste the air, and the dark held no secrets for his slitted dragon eyes. 

He'd been startled when Lisa's hand had opened and he'd seen the stone in her necklace shining in infrared like a miniature spotlight. With that much heat he was surprised her hand was unmarked.

Finally, there it is, he thought using the remote entry button to unlock Lisa's Jeep. She opened the door, and dove immediately into her glove box, emerging with a small container of something white.

She opened it and Max smelled and tasted mint, and underlying that ... Salt. It's salt with mint and something else.

Lisa put her nose to the jar, taking a deep breath, holding and exhaling. She stood up straighter, and then took a pinch, casting it in the direction they had just come from. Then she made a quarter turn, and cast another pinch, doing this in each of the four directions, before taking a final pinch, bending to touch it to the ground, lifting it up to the sky, then bringing it to her heart. She said a brief prayer, then opened her hand, blowing the salt grains as she cast them before her.

Max wasn't certain what she had just done, but he could feel the power moving through her, enfolding them both. It felt peaceful and calm, and Max felt some of his tension ease.

She put the container back into her car, getting into the passenger seat and briefly touching a leather pouch hanging from her rear view mirror. Max felt the protections on her car strengthen, and he walked to the driver's side. He got in quickly, pulling out of the parking space in silence, waiting for her to explain as they headed home.

"It was there. Our shadow enemy was somewhere in that room tonight," Lisa finally said, keeping her eyes closed. "I felt it. It was feeding from the crowd, and it brushed up against me..." Lisa trailed off for a moment, and Max frowned, deeply concerned. 

She opened her eyes again, looking into the night before continuing. "I caught its attention. It's interested in me. I don't believe it knows who I am, and it didn't get enough of a taste to track me, but if it encounters me again, it will know me. I'm certain it will work harder to stay hidden the second time around."

"Hence the ritual with the salt?"

Lisa nodded. "It's a blend of some essential oils mixed into sea salt. Think pleasant version of smelling salts."

"Makes sense," he replied somewhat absently, his mind focusing on their close call. "Salt's been used to purify for centuries."

Lisa nodded. "That blend also has mint, rosemary, and cedar added to it."

"Mint for purification and freshness, rosemary for remembrance, and cedar for the sacred?"

"Essentially, yes." Lisa answered, surprised. "I didn't know you knew about herbs?"

"I've been around for a long time. It's only in recent history that people have forgotten how to use them. Besides, being able to treat your own injuries improves your survival rate on the battlefield." Max replied without humor.

"How old are you?" she asked in one of her lightning fast jumps of subject.

Max flashed a small smile of amusement. He was getting used to her sudden direction changes. "Old enough," he commented drily. "Let's just say that Christianity wasn't around when I was born."

Lisa raised an eyebrow, "I bet there's a lot of historians that would love to talk to you."

"Maybe, but there's a lot that's faded away. Do you remember when you were a baby? As time passes, the less important parts fade away in favor of the present. Quite frankly I think it's better that way just for reasons of sanity."

"Makes sense," she commented, and lapsed into silence.

"You should probably check your protections when we get back," Max said, attempting to break the silence. "I'll contact Tiernan. I'm thinking it might be good to ask for a few extra guards."

Lisa nodded. "I don't believe it will be able to locate me, but I'd feel better with a few extra people around." Her voice was somewhat stilted and Max frowned.

"What about the stone in your necklace?" Max asked, trying to break her out of her odd mood. "It was throwing off an incredible amount of heat."

Lisa gave him a startled look and he explained, "Dragon eyes. They let me see infrared, among other things."

"Ah. The stone is a faceted tektite." Lisa's voice shifted to her teaching tone, "It's formed in meteorite impact from the melted material that is thrown up after the meteorite hits. It cools while still flying through the air. It's unusual to see it faceted because it tends to have a lot of air pockets. I came across this piece a few months ago on a website, and it I was drawn to it. Normally this is a working piece, and I don't wear it when I'm just going out for the evening, but it called out to me as I was choosing a necklace, so I put it on. Glad I did too."

Max raised an eyebrow in inquiry and Lisa answered the unspoken question. "One of its uses is to strengthen the energy field. It also has some protective properties, and it carries the energy of the impact that created it in the first place. In short, when used properly, it is quite ... potent."

Lisa lapsed into silence again, her mind clearly elsewhere. Max gave up trying to break her out of her brown study, and focused on the road. The rest of the drive was accomplished in silence.

***********************

Lisa quietly moved through the trees. She knew safety lay ahead, but there was something in the woods with her, searching for her. Her instincts told her she would not make safety in time. 

Freezing under some bushes next to a large tree, she listened for anything that might tell her the location of whatever was hunting her. She took deep breaths, calming her racing heart so it didn't pound in her ears. 

She went silent and still, damping down her energy and her mind. Now she would be able to hear the slightest whisper of sound in the silent forest. 

Not three feet from her hiding place, a shadowed figure silently emerged, searching. Lisa held her breath to keep from gasping at its sudden appearance. Its yellow eyes probed the darkness and Lisa shut her eyes tight. She suddenly felt certain that no matter what, she must not move or meet the creature's gaze. 

The creature still made no sound, and Lisa didn't know if it was still there or not. Her desire to see what was happening was strong, but the forest around her was a silent as a tomb, so she stayed frozen in the dark.

Something touched her back, and she fought not to react. Carefully she readied herself, making certain not to show any outward motion. Then she felt the touch again, Hand, it's definitely a hand, she thought. She picked her moment, and struck out at it, keeping her eyes tightly shut.

"Lisa!"

Lisa's attempt had failed, and she was being held down. Time to try something that isn't physical, she thought to herself, calling to the Wakinyan, the Thunder Beings, for help. They answered and lightning came to her hand, ready to strike.

"Lisa! Wake up, it's Max!"

Lisa hesitated. 

"Lisa, wake up! You're dreaming!"

Lisa cautiously cracked a single eye, looking down rather than into the eyes of whoever was above her. She saw the familiar planes of Max's chest, and the white of her sleep shirt. When she turned her head, she saw her own room. Finally she fully opened her eyes and met Max's worried gaze. 

Lisa went from defensive to horrified, and immediately released the lightning, barely remembering to give thanks. She felt a trill of wild laughter from the Wakinyan, and a surge of gratitude rose in her as the lightning surged back to the clouds. Then reaction set in and she trembled uncontrollably.

Max shifted to her side, and held her, stroking his hand down her back to sooth her. "It's only dreams," he whispered softly.

"No, it's not only dreams," she replied, pulling out of his embrace and sitting up, not looking at him. "Max, I almost killed you."




Something New Ch. 09



"I'm guessing that you're not referring to the punch you threw?" he asked softly, sitting up next to her. He deliberately didn't touch her, feeling that now was not the right moment.

Lisa shook her head, still trembling. "No, with lightning," she said in a flat voice, looking down at the bed.

"So I take it you're able to manipulate weather, then," he stated calmly.

"Yes. I don't do it much. Usually just to fix what's out of balance, or make sure my work doesn't create problems, but I thought I was in danger..." Lisa shuddered again, horrified at what she had nearly done.

"You probably wouldn't have killed me." Max told her quietly, reaching out and taking one of her hands in his. "I might have been momentarily stunned, but dragons are forces of nature, so even though fire is more Ember's realm, I have some tolerance for lightning as well."

Lisa finally looked up at him, and he smiled gently. "I've actually been struck by lightning before," he commented offhandedly. "It felt a bit odd, and didn't harm me in the slightest." 

Relief flooded through Lisa and she relaxed, almost sobbing with the release. Seeing most of the tension leave her body, Max pulled her back into his arms and she pressed against him, needing to feel him now that she knew she hadn't almost killed him. 

He held her close, pressing his cheek against hers. "I'm sorry I pinned you, I should have known that would make you fight. I'm guessing that's what made you pull the lightning in the first place?"

She nodded, pulling back slightly to look at him. "What woke you?" she asked.

"Something just felt off. You were too still." Max went silent for a moment, "Tell me about the dream?" he asked.

Lisa tensed slightly in his arms. "I was in the forest and I was hiding from something looking for me. I was under some brush trying to figure out where it was, when I saw it was just a few feet away. It had glowing yellow eyes, and it was looking for me. I knew that whatever else happened, I must not meet its gaze, so I shut my eyes and went as still as possible, quieting my mind and my energy. The forest was absolutely silent, and I didn't move until I felt something touch my back." Lisa looked at him and asked, "I assume that was you?"

Max nodded and Lisa continued. "I thought it was the creature, and that's when I tried to hit it. Then you pinned me, but I thought it was the creature again, so I gathered lightning, and the rest you know." Lisa paused, continuing a moment later with a hard edged tone, anger creeping into her voice. "Max, I don't like this. I don't think this was just a bad dream."

"I agree, and I think I need to wake Tiernan."

Lisa winced slightly, she hated waking people up, but nodded her head sharply in agreement. She then tilted her head as if she were listening to something. "The Fae that Tiernan sent over are upset, I'd better talk to them." Lisa rose and Max grabbed her hand.

"I'm going with you, I'll contact Tiernan after." Lisa nodded, grabbed a robe and slipped her feet into a pair of flip flops. 

The two of them stepped out into the cool night air, Sasha following them with a worried look, sniffing at the air and whining slightly. She knew something was wrong, but could not figure out what, and it upset her. 

Lisa walked up to her Ash tree, its leaves painted silver with moonlight. She stopped at the boundary, sending out a wordless greeting, and a tiny, pixie-like Fae appeared before her, his wings fluttering to hold him at eye level.

"Good evening and thank you for your help."

The little pixie gave her a bow, and she sensed his agitation and desire to know what had happened. Lisa showed him the dream, letting him see it for himself. Words were too clumsy to convey the information properly, and there were things Fae eyes could see, that others would miss.

He buzzed his wings briefly in agitation, and Lisa saw flashes of light appear around her yard, knowing that he was passing the information along.

"Healer, we know that creature." His voice rang in her head,  "Its purpose is to seek, find, and entrap. You were right to hide your eyes from it. It should not have been able to get that close to you, especially without alerting us. This is the second time this enemy has slipped its creatures by us. There will not be a third."

Lisa nodded, acknowledging his promise. "Thank you. We're planning to speak with Tiernan next."

The Fae buzzed his wings again in acceptance, and then disappeared from sight. Their agitation was palpable and almost audible, like a nest of angry bees. Lisa almost felt sorry for anything attempting to get past them at this point. Almost. 

Lisa turned and saw a small light floating near Sasha, who had calmed down considerably. "Thank you," she said to the floating spark, grateful that the Fae had taken the time to calm her dog. She felt a wave of acknowledgement from the spark before it too, disappeared. 

They went back inside, Sasha settling calmly on her bed. Lisa stepped into her treatment room to gather a few items, and headed back to her bedroom. Max sat on the bed while Lisa moved around, setting things about the bedroom. He closed his eyes and reached his mind out to his friend. Max quickly discovered that Tiernan wasn't sleeping after all, but he was likely to be pretty grumpy at the interruption anyway. 

"Heyla Green Eyes, sorry to interrupt, but something's up."

"There are many things up, only one of which is of any concern to me at the moment."

"It's important, but I think I can give you a few minutes to finish."

Tiernan grumbled, "That's hardly enough time to make be worth it."

"Ask your partner if she feels that way. Besides, not my fault our enemy has crap timing." Max just heard Tiernan's sigh of annoyed assent, and cut the contact.

Max opened his eyes, watching Lisa come back to bed looking much calmer. He also noticed that the room had gone from a gentle peaceful feeling, to something akin to a bank vault. He wasn't sure what she did, but the effects were palpable. 

He reached out for her as she got into bed, and she relaxed against him, her back against his chest, his hands circling her waist. He was amazed at how quickly she had shifted from angry to calm. "You seem like you're not upset anymore?" he asked softly in her ear.

"I went into my working mode, rooting and centering myself. It lets me see more clearly and allows me to make use of my anger without getting stuck in it. I still have anger and probably some fear beneath it, but the energy's channeled into the protections, turning it into something useful. I'll probably still have to deal with it later, but this works for now. "

"Sounds similar to keeping a cool head in a fight."

Lisa smiled slightly, "Why do you think I keep my tai chi practice strong? Why should I reinvent the wheel when others far wiser than I, have already created something so elegant and effective?"

"Sounds reasonable to me," Max replied, humor in his voice.

"What did Tiernan have to say?" Lisa asked, switching topics.

Lisa could hear the smile in his voice as he replied. "I'll talk to him in a few minutes. He was otherwise occupied, and his partner would not appreciate my interrupting him right now."

"Oh dear," Lisa said giggling slightly at the image. "I suppose I wouldn't much care for it either if it were me."

Max nibbled at her neck and whispered in her ear, "It won't ever be you, because I'd have to kill Tiernan if he ever tried to bed you."

Lisa tilted her head to the side, giving him better access, shivering slightly with pleasure. "Oh he could try," Lisa commented offhandedly. Max's disapproving growl sent a wave of satisfaction through her. "But it would be a futile effort on his part."

"Oh?" Max asked in a husky voice, his breath tickling her ear, "and why is that?"

Lisa looked over her shoulder and gave him a secretive smile, "Well that's for me know, and maybe for you to find out."

Max stroked his hands up her sides, "And what will it take for me to find out?"

"More time than you have right now," she answered with a grin.

As if on cue, Tiernan's presence was in his head again, and Max pushed aside his flash of irritation. He managed to calmly report Lisa's dream, and Tiernan pulled the images she had shared from the Fae that were guarding her property. Max felt Tiernan's anger radiating through the link. 

"It's just as well that Amergin has just put the finishing touches on the project we've been working on. We should meet tomorrow, and in the meantime, I'm releasing The Hunt."

Max was startled at the last part. As clever as their enemy had been, he couldn't imagine that it wasn't prepared for The Wild Hunt.

Tiernan answered his unspoken concern. "Let's just say it's been awhile since they've had much fun, and after they dispatch the tracker, they will shift their attention to our shadow creature which will help us physically locate it. They're modifying their usual methods, and the creature will not know they are on its trail until I give them the word. They understand the crafty nature of this prey. They may be named wild, but they are clever. Those who aren't don't survive long."

"Just make sure they are careful of traps, especially when they go after the tracker. It could be bait."

"They're alert for it," Tiernan said in a 'don't teach your grandmother to suck eggs' tone.

"We'll see you tomorrow then. What time?"

Max sensed Tiernan grinning through the link. "Let's say after lunch, it's going to be a late night," Tiernan replied with amusement, "Oh, and let Lisa know The Voice is ready to teach her." he said almost as an afterthought before cutting the link to go back to his previous activities. 

This was the kind of behavior made people think that the Fae were shallow, fickle creatures. Not that they didn't sometimes behave that way, but Max knew it had more to do with the fact that most Fae lived very much in the moment. 

Out of all the Fae, the Sidhe were particularly good at laying down plans as twisty as a gnarled oak, and as crafty as a fox. They did it often. It was just that once they set those plans in motion, they didn't feel the need to micromanage them. As a result, they focused their attention on whatever was currently at hand, rather than wasting their time watching for the pot to boil.

Max relayed everything Tiernan said to Lisa. Her eyes grew wide at his mention of The Wild Hunt, and Max let her know what Tiernan had told him about that as well. 

"The Hunt is a powerful force, but I am concerned." Lisa said. "Our enemy is too ... warped in the way it thinks and plans. It has already demonstrated a propensity for manipulating the minds and souls of others, and has gotten by the Fae twice. I do not want to think about what it could do if it gained influence over The Hunt."

"Everyone is proceeding with caution for that very reason," Max replied. "I'm not totally comfortable with it either, but we cannot continue always being on the defensive. That will not win the fight."

"You're right," was all Lisa said before lapsing into silence.

Max saw her starting to move into the same odd mood she'd had in the car, and decided a distraction was in order. He slid his hands up from her waist to cup her breasts through the cotton of her shirt, briefly sucking on her earlobe. "Now, about the answer to my question..."

*******************

"Lisa, Max, good to see you both!" Shari greeted them with hugs as they entered her house. 

"Good to see you too, Shari! How are you and Thom?"

Shari broke out in a big smile. "It's been wonderful, Lisa. Whatever The Voice has been teaching him has helped him so much, he's more relaxed and happy than he's been in years."

"That's fantastic! I'm thrilled for both of you," Lisa said with a big smile, hugging Shari again. "How's everything been for you with Tiernan around?"

Shari's smile turned mischievous, and she answered, "He's a good house guest, even leaves the toilette seat down. Oh, and he takes up one less room than we thought he would, which is just as well since we also have The Voice staying with us."

Lisa laughed at the toilette seat comment, and then raised an eyebrow. "Marianne?" Lisa asked, not really needing the confirmation since Shari's sister was the only other person in the house.

Shari nodded while they walked to the kitchen where everyone was seated at the table. Another round of greetings started up again, and then Tiernan caught Lisa's eye.

"Amergin will arrive later. Until then we do not have anything further to discuss since our last conversation. However, The Voice is ready to begin your teaching. She is waiting for you in the circle where we met."

Lisa nodded in acknowledgement. Tiernan had mentioned that The Voice was ready last night, so this was not a surprise to her. "I'll head over there, then. Is there anything I should bring with me?"

Tiernan shook his head. "Just yourself."

Lisa turned to head out the door, Max moving to go with her, but Tiernan stopped him. "She needs to do this alone. She will be safe for the duration. You have my word."

Max looked Tiernan steadily in the eye for a long moment, and then nodded his head in acceptance. He knew that if Tiernan promised her safety, she would be protected, even if part of him felt that nobody could protect her as well as he could.

Lisa gave Max a soft kiss before turning to walk out the back door and up the mountainside to meet with her new teacher.

***********

Tiernan clapped Max on the shoulder, drawing his attention away from the door Lisa had just walked through. "How about a sparring match, my friend? I'd like to see how rusty you've gotten without me around to keep you on your toes."

Max gave him a wintry smile, recognizing the distraction for what it was. "That's your problem Green Eyes, always underestimating your opponent."

"Well now, them thar's fightin' words!" Tiernan replied, briefly using a very fake western accent and grinning like a loon.

Max shook his head at his friend's sense of humor, but couldn't help quirking his lip in a half smile. Well, and I could use a good sparring match to keep my skills sharp, not to mention that I need the distraction. Max frowned briefly, as another thought occurred to him. I wonder if there's a shooting range around that I could make use of. I haven't practiced with firearms for a while.

"Since you're issuing the challenge, I get to pick the weapon," Max replied.

"Hey, you're the one that insulted me, I get to pick!"

"Statement of fact is not an insult. Besides, you insulted me first, Green Eyes, so I get to pick."

"Insulted? That was just friendly teasing. You really shouldn't be so sensitive..."

Tiernan's voice faded away as the two of them walked outside, and the door closed behind them.

****************

"Enter child, I won't bite." The Voice was seated on a log in the center of the glade. Her salt and pepper hair was pinned back in a tight bun, and she wore a simple white robe, with sandals on her feet. She looked rather like she'd walked out of a biblical story, and Lisa had hesitated at the edge of the clearing.

She approached the woman, nodding her head in respect. Lisa could feel the aura of power that she wore like a cloak. It enveloped The Voice, Lisa, and the entire clearing, testing everything and everyone it came into contact with.

"Child, please sit down. You're making my neck stiff."

Lisa promptly sat on a rock, but was still at a loss for words, so remained silent.

The Voice looked her over. Lisa knew the old woman was assessing her, but oddly enough, it felt like a friendly perusal, rather than judgment being passed. 

The Voice smiled at her, nodding as if in confirmation of something. "You have a long road ahead of you, child, but it will be full of joy because you carry it within your heart. You have travelled well for your young years. I am pleased to have the teaching of you."

"Thank you ma'am, I'm honored" Lisa said a little awkwardly. 

"Please, call me Sonja, it will be less cumbersome, and you have no need to be hit over the head with titles." The old woman laughed lightly. 

"Thank you, Sonja. It does make it easier," Lisa said, feeling relieved and relaxing slightly. Lisa knew that by giving her a name to use, Sonja was granting her both respect and status. She felt rather like she'd passed a test.

"Now, your teaching will be a bit unusual," Sonja began, and Lisa focused all her attention on the old woman. "Typically I only teach channeling and skills related to channeling. You, however, are already proficient to the level of your abilities and need no further instruction in that area. Instead, there is one who wishes to teach you through me."

Lisa nodded her understanding, surprise flickering across her face. 

Sonja's lips lifted in a brief smile, and then she turned more serious. "The being who wishes to teach you is trustworthy, but has requested to remain unknown to you at this time. I have verified its identity, as I will not channel anything I have not vetted," Sonja said the last part in a firm tone.

Lisa nodded again in full understanding. She had seen far too many people mistakenly think that any spirit that approached them had good intentions. Such spirits weren't evil, anymore than a mountain lion was evil for eating a deer. That didn't mean that the deer wanted to be eaten, even if it did walk into the lion's jaws.

"There is something else I should tell you. I will be fully awake and aware while channeling this being, meaning I will hear everything you say, and will know everything said to you. Just as you hold to confidentiality in your healing work, so I do as well."

"Thank you for letting me know," Lisa replied in a serious tone. "I am actually somewhat relieved that you will be present. I have not found the most ... wholesome of beings to be channeled by those that are unaware during the process."

Sonja gave her a knowing smile. "Good girl. If it's a clean being, there should be no reason for you to be absent. It's your body the entity is using, after all. Would you allow someone to stay at your house that insisted you leave while they were there? Rather ridiculous isn't it?"

Lisa laughed at that image. "Oh, I'll have to remember that one."

Sonja just gave her a knowing smile in response. "So, are you ready?"

"Yes, thank you."

Sonja just gave her a slightly wicked grin, "No thanks needed. I serve as you do, and besides, your soon to be teacher now owes me a favor. It is a prospect that I am not unhappy about."

Lisa just raised an eyebrow in surprise, wondering just who and what this being was. Lisa watched as Sonja closed her eyes, settling deep into herself.

Lisa felt a shift in the energy, and Sonja's eyes remained closed as she spoke. Lisa's eyes widened when she heard the bell-like voice emerge. She knew that voice. It was the same voice that had assisted her over the years, never revealing who or what it was. "Greetings Lisa, please call me Eldingar."

"Greetings Eldingar, thank you for coming to teach me, and for the help you've given me over the years."

Eldingar-Sonja smiled, "I have knowledge you need, but now is not yet the time to reveal myself to you. The time is approaching soon, though."

"I look forward to meeting you face to face."

Eldingar-Sonja chuckled slightly, "I'll hold you to that. Now, down to business, we have much to cover. Let's start with something recent. Lightning."

Lisa's eyebrows rose and she inhaled sharply. Whoever Eldingar was, it was obvious they had been keeping tabs on her.

Eldingar-Sonja smiled slightly, "Lightning isn't the quietest of forces, though it can be quite effective when properly used. How does lightning choose a target?"




Something New Ch. 09



"It goes to the place that calls most strongly to it." Lisa paused, searching for better words to explain it. "It's pulled, not thrown."

"Exactly, and what pulls it?"

Lisa gave it some thought, "I'm not sure how to explain it. Often it's an imbalance in the energy, but sometimes it's ... an affinity. Sometimes it strikes because it 'likes' the energy held by the place or object. It's hard to explain. I can feel when the energy is attractive to lightning, and I can usually shift it to be more or less so, but trying to put what that energy is into words is eluding me."

Eldingar-Sonja nodded in understanding. "Is the behavior of lightning different from that of other weather forces?"

Lisa thought for a moment, "Yes and no. Some behave similarly, others are completely different. Some forces will follow channels made for it, like water. Some can be pushed, some move to fill the holes, sort of like if you take a bucket of water out of a pond, the remaining water rushes in. So there are some things that work the same way, and others that need to be approached differently."

"Good, now what about Earthquake?"

Lisa looked at Eldingar-Sonja in startlement and unease. "I don't know, I've never messed with that." 

"Volcano? Flood?"

"I've never messed with any of those," Lisa replied, feeling extremely uncomfortable with the idea.

"That is what we will begin with. You will find that the energies are not that different from what you've experienced with the weather."

Lisa just looked at Eldingar-Sonja in shock for a moment, but recovered quickly. She had already been told that what she would be taught here was important, and she knew she had to have faith and put aside her worries so she could learn whatever was given to her to learn. Lisa took a deep breath, nodding her acceptance, and they got started.

***************

Max frowned briefly when Tiernan, nearly managed to disarm him for the second time with a basic move he should have seen coming a mile away. It should never have happened the first time, much less twice. Tiernan backed away, standing up from his fighting stance, and lowering his staff. Max followed suit and lowered his staff as well. 

"I've never seen you this distracted," his friend commented, with a wry grin. "While the advantage might be nice if we were fighting in earnest, I would rather not see you hand that advantage to anyone else. Talk to me."

Max sat down on a large log on the edge of the clearing they'd been practicing in, and Tiernan joined him, waiting for him to speak. "It's Lisa, as you already know. I have never doubted your ability to protect someone, and I still don't, but there's a part of me that cannot let go of the fact that I am not nearby while we have an enemy on the loose."

Tiernan's eyebrows rose sharply, his friend's agitation plain to see. "I knew there was strong potential between the two of you when I asked you to come here with me, but I did not anticipate this strong a bond."

"Nor did I," Max replied, pausing for a moment, "and I'm not unhappy about it," he continued softly.

Tiernan smiled, "I'm happy to hear that. You have been too long in pain, my friend. It is plain to see she has helped you with this, and you have welcomed her help?"

"I don't know if I welcomed it at first. It was more that I trapped myself into it." Max commented in a rueful tone. "Now I welcome both what she has done, and continues to do for me." Max closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and deciding to admit everything to his friend. "Tiernan she has seen and accepted my other form. I love her. I loved her even before she accepted me and for the first time in my life, I don't know what to do about it."

"But you have been in love before, is this not the same?"

"Hilde was the only other woman that I loved strongly. I loved Hilde, but what I feel for Lisa is deeper, stronger. She's gotten me to dance again. Without pain."

Tiernan lifted his blond eyebrows in surprise. He had definitely not expected anything like this. He'd known Max a long time. He saw the damage done to his friend through Hilde's betrayal. The injuries were deep enough that he honestly had not expected Max to be able to ever form this kind of tie again. 

Max lapsed into his own thoughts during Tiernan's silence.  I loved Hilde, but with Lisa it's different, and it's been different from the beginning. Losing control of myself enough to kiss her the day she first taught me salsa isn't something I've done since before becoming a Dragon Touched. For that matter, offering to teach her waltz in the first place wasn't exactly normal. 

Max considered everything he'd done and felt in the short time he'd known Lisa, coming to a conclusion that truly shocked him, and he spoke aloud. "Tiernan, not only do I love her, but I don't ever want to be without her. I never felt that with Hilde. I loved her, and I knew and accepted that she was mortal and would eventually die. It was a painful thought, one I did not dwell on, but I didn't feel like I would be missing half of myself when it happened." 

"Glad to see you've admitted your feelings to yourself," Ember's acerbic voice echoed through their bond. "I have to say I'm impressed. You not only figured it out in record time, but you beat Lisa to the punch. Not an easy thing to do with someone like her."

Max narrowed his eyes briefly, he could tell that Ember knew more than he was letting on. "Spill it, what do you know that you're not telling me?"

Ember gave a dry laugh, "You are truly impressing me today. I think hanging around the shaman has taught you some tricks. I approve."

"Glad to hear you approve, but you're avoiding the question."

Ember's voice warmed, "What I know is plain for any to see. She obviously loves you, though I doubt she's realized the full depth of her feeling yet. Still, I don't think it will be long." Ember paused, drawing out the silence for a moment, and Max waited, knowing that Ember was contrary enough to clam up completely if pushed. 

"There is one more thing," he finally continued, "It is the simple fact that I like her, and will be most disappointed with you if you let her get away."

Max's eyebrows shot up at that last statement. Ember didn't typically express an opinion one way or the other about people, unless he felt the need to warn Max. He'd been completely indifferent about Hilde, saying something about not sticking his snout into other people's mate choice. 

Max replied in a dry mental voice, "I'll make certain to keep your feelings in mind as we proceed."

"See that you do," Ember replied drily before his presence faded back to its usual faint background noise. Max knew that as far as Ember was concerned, that was the end of the conversation, and he would not answer any further queries on the matter. 

As fickle as a cat, Max thought to himself, and heard a faint echo of laughter, telling him that the dragon was not staying as oblivious as he pretended.

Max looked back up at Tiernan who gave him a slight nod, letting him know he'd heard the conversation with Ember. "I have never heard any dragon express such an interest in personal relationships before," Tiernan commented in a thoughtful tone.

"Ember's never done so before. I can't speak much for others, but he's always been indifferent. I'm not certain what to make of it."

"Perhaps he sees something in this that will be of great benefit to you, and to him in the future. That is the only thing I can think of for him to express such an opinion," Tiernan replied and then shook his head. "A dragon's ways are its own. They are contrary creatures, and Ember is the most contrary dragon I have ever met. I think we will only drive ourselves mad trying to figure him out."

Max nodded his agreement, and Tiernan continued. "I think you may also set your mind at ease over her mortality. As surrounded as she is by nonhumans, I believe that is a situation easily remedied should she desire it to be so."

"You're right about that, but I don't know how she would feel about losing her humanity. For that matter, I'm not sure how I feel about it."

"Why? I have never seen you uncomfortable with nonhumans."

"I'm worried the changes won't be only physical. What if it changes who she is?"

Tiernan considered his friend's concerns and what he knew about both vampire and were turnings. He knew that Max's concern was twofold. First that she would go through a turn she didn't really want for him, and that it would basically kill who she was. The second part of his fear was that they would be stuck in a situation where he would feel responsible to her, guilty for making her turn, and that he would no longer love the person she became. 

Tiernan finally spoke. "I do not believe that will be a problem for Lisa. Turnings often expose more of who the person really is at their core. It is often said that a person's true nature comes out when they are in a survival situation. It is the more primal nature that comes out in such circumstances. Turnings strengthen a person's primal nature, and the challenge of a turning is to balance the primal nature with reason. Lisa already has a good balance, and I do not believe that strengthening that part of her nature will cause great difficulty for her." 

Max nodded, feeling some of his fears ease, and much of his restlessness settle. Tiernan noticed the shift in Max, and rose. "Now, how about you prove to me that your brief lapse in sparring ability was truly a result of your distraction, and not due to you being out of practice."

Max's lip quirked upwards in a half smile, "We'll just see who's out of practice... and Tiernan? Thanks."

****************

"Again," Eldingar-Sonja said quietly in a tone that allowed no argument.

Lisa was dripping with sweat, working under Eldingar's guidance to control the very forces of nature. No, not control, Lisa thought to herself, influence. There is no controlling nature, only requesting or influencing it to move in the direction you wish.

Lisa had been surprised at how quickly she'd been able to learn everything Eldingar had thrown at her. That is, until she'd started with tidal forces. These required influencing the moon, which in turn had influence over the Earth's rotation. Lisa knew she was having great difficulty because she was afraid of this power. The responsibility and the consequences if she made a mistake terrified her. Lisa knew she was not going to make progress with tidal forces until she dealt with that fear.

"Eldingar, would it be possible to stop for a moment?"

Eldingar-Sonja 'looked' at her for a moment. It was an odd sensation because Sonja's eyes remained closed though it was obvious that Eldingar was fully capable of seeing her. "Perhaps that might be wise. You have too much fear in you, it must be addressed."

Lisa bowed her head in acceptance of the statement. "I know I do. I have been trying to let it go, and I was able to do that for everything else up to this point. Influencing the moon scares me badly enough that I am getting stuck."

Eldingar-Sonja nodded in agreement. "It is not altogether a bad thing that you have this fear. It means that you understand the power of and have respect for these forces. That is wise," Eldingar-Sonja paused a moment, considering the situation. 

"Tell me, what does the moon influence?"

"It influences the tides," Lisa paused briefly, "but that's not what you're asking, is it? I'm sorry, I don't think I understand the question."

"Perhaps if I re-phrase. What does the moon rule?"

"Emotions?" 

"Precisely. You struggle with influencing the moon. You are afraid of it. Are you perhaps afraid of your emotions?" 

Lisa sat in silence, looking into herself to find the answer. Lisa stilled her mind, drawing her awareness within, asking Eldingar's question of herself. In that moment of stillness, the answer came shining through, shaking Lisa to her core.

Lisa's eyes snapped open with a gasp, and her eyes filled with the tears of emotion suddenly freed. It was long moments before Lisa's throat relaxed enough that she could speak. Eldingar-Sonja waited patiently.

"You're right," Lisa finally managed to get out of her locked up throat. She forced herself to keep speaking, each word she pushed out helping to release her voice. "You're right, I have been and am still afraid. I was suppressing something. It was buried so deeply I couldn't see it, and working with the moon was shaking it loose."

Lisa took some deep breaths, preparing to admit what she'd been locking away. "It's Max," Lisa said. "I already knew that I cared deeply for him. What I had not admitted to myself was that I love him. I love him wholly and completely. What I feel for him is as strong as these forces of nature you have been training me handle. The strength of my feelings terrifies me."

Eldingar-Sonja nodded. "It is not so unusual to be afraid of great love. What will you do now that you have admitted this to yourself?"

Lisa took a deep breath, thinking for a moment. "I don't know yet. I'm going to need to talk to him, even though the thought terrifies me. It's not in my nature to ignore or suppress this now that I have seen it. I don't know what I'm going to say, though."

"Speaking with him would be wise," Eldingar agreed with a nod. "Having things settled one way or another is always better than limbo." Eldingar paused, assessing Lisa's state. She seemed stable enough, and Eldingar continued. "Now, let us go back to tidal forces and see if you do not have greater success this time."

Lisa nodded, collecting herself so she could focus on the work at hand. She smiled briefly when she realized that though she felt the magnitude of them, the thought of tidal forces no longer made her freeze in terror.

****************

Max saw Lisa emerge from the forest, The Voice accompanying her. He was by her side in a flash, noting how drawn she looked and how slowly she was moving. He put his arm around her and felt her lean into him. He did something he had only done once before since he'd gained the ability. He shared some of his strength with her.

Lisa leaned against Max as they walked up to Shari's house. Eldingar had not ended the lesson till she was so exhausted, she could barely see. She'd had to rest before she could even stand, much less attempt the walk back. Sonja had given her a sip of an herbal tincture she'd had with her. It helped tremendously, but she'd still had to keep to a snail's pace the entire way back. It had been the longest walk of her life. She was grateful for Max's solid presence by her side, and Sonja's understanding silence.

She closed her eyes, smelling a faint trace of his slightly harsh cinnamon scent, and it comforted her. Warmth slowly crept into her, and her exhaustion lifted. Suddenly she realized where it was coming from, and she opened her eyes in shock.

Max smiled at her, softness in his eyes, and nodded slightly in confirmation. Lisa smiled back at him, her heart swelling with emotion, deeply touched at the gift he'd given her.

Sonja watched the two of them with happiness. She'd walked this planet in various incarnations for longer than she cared to remember, and seen horrors most people couldn't even begin to imagine. The beauty before her lightened the burden, making everything she'd experienced seem worthwhile.

******************

"Amergin has completed work on our little project," Tiernan said, nodding his head at the silent white-haired Sidhe that had walked out of the forest earlier with little fanfare, "and The Hunt is close on our enemy's trail. As soon as they find the creature, we will know its physical location, and that is where your skills will come into play, my friend," Tiernan said to Max.

Max nodded, "Once we have a physical location we can plan further on the best way to deliver your gift. Care to explain what it does?"

Tiernan smiled, giving Max a 'wouldn't you like to know' look. Lisa shot her 'nun look' back at him, waiting for him to answer the question. Tiernan laughed when he saw her expression, and explained. "Essentially it is intended to trap the power of this creature. The energy signature that you so efficiently acquired for us, has been worked into the design, making it something that should be extremely attractive to our shadow creature, as well as very effective."

Lisa shivered slightly at Tiernan's cold tone when he said that last part. She had no doubt that however this creation worked, it would not be pleasant for their enemy. She couldn't help feeling a slight twinge of satisfaction. The number of close calls was putting everyone's nerves on edge and Lisa was getting particularly antsy. Not only was she a target, but to add insult to injury, they'd made zero progress locating their saboteur. She detested having an enemy in house that she could not identify.

On the up side, I do have a few more ideas gleaned from the discussion over the last hour. I really like the idea of a modified geis to help uncover anyone that wishes us harm. I'll need to play with it, but I think I can manage something that might work without being overly complicated.

"Does anyone have anything else?" Max asked, breaking Lisa out of her musings. He'd noted that the conversation had reached a point where the talk was moving in circles, and it wasn't productive. Everyone shook their heads and he continued, "Then I suggest we all get some sleep. We're not going to make any further progress without more information."

Everyone agreed, and Lisa and Max headed out. 

******************

"Thank you," Lisa said to him when they'd gotten back to a paved road and she wouldn't have to raise her voice to be heard over the noise and vibration from the dirt road.

"For what?"

"For what you did earlier, giving me some of your energy."

Max glanced at her before turning his attention back to the road. "You needed it, you'd never have made it through that meeting without it," Max replied softly. "What happened up there anyway?"

"Training to use and manipulate the forces of nature is what's happening up there, and to be honest, it scares me."

Max's eyes widened slightly, "I can understand why, those are not forces to take lightly."

"No, and what's more, I've been told that it is critical for me to learn this. This has me worried. What is coming that I would need skills such as these?"

Max inhaled a bit sharply at this new piece of information. This did not bode well for an easy confrontation with this enemy.

"Max?" Lisa asked to get his attention again. Thinking about how she'd spent the afternoon reminded her of her difficulty with tidal forces. She had to talk to him, and she decided to strike while the iron was hot, before her fear got the better of her. Normally she would know how a person felt through her empathic ability, but her own emotions prevented her from accurately sensing his, and she was terrified. 

She took a deep breath when she saw his eyebrow lift in response, and plowed ahead, her voice tight with nerves. "Things are likely to wrap up soon, for good or ill. What were your plans for after this is complete?"

Max's heart raced a little faster at her question. He could hear the higher pitch and slight quaver in her voice, betraying her nerves. He hoped that it meant what he thought it did. He used his peripheral vision to watch her, while keeping his eyes on the road. "First let me ask you, what are your feelings for me?"

Lisa was startled by the question, and felt a stirring of hope. She knew he wouldn't ask that question if he had no interest in staying. She gathered her courage together and tried to get the words out to tell him what she felt. "I care very deeply for you," she said softly. She wanted to tell him she loved him, but she couldn't quite force it out around her fear. 




Something New Ch. 10



 A slight head's up, there are some sections in this chapter that start to get a little darker. Nothing particularly explicit, but I also understand that some readers may find certain sections disturbing. I denote section breaks with my standard set of asterisks, **************** so if you find you need to skip, just look for the next set of asterisks.

Thanks so much for keeping up the comments, they keep me writing, and are very much appreciated! Enjoy, and don't forget to vote!

This story is copyrighted, please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks! 

****************

Morning light streamed through Lisa's bedroom windows, slowly lighting up her bedroom. She had no desire to move. Max had risen earlier to let Sasha out, and then come back to doze a bit longer. Her head rested on his chest, the sound of his heartbeat wrapping her in deep peace and contentment. Her mind drifted lazily, and she let her eyes wander, unfocused, around her room. After a few minutes she found her gaze on her Disney shelf, focused on her statue of Belle and the Beast. 

Idly she realized there were some parallels between that story and her relationship with Max. Interesting that I always loved that story, both before and after Disney made the movie. She let out a soft, happy sigh, and felt Max's hand stroke her hair.

"Good morning," he said softly. 

Hearing his voice through his chest deepened her contentment, and she stroked a hand against his ribs. "Good morning," she replied, without moving. 

"Penny for your thoughts."

She smiled. "Not really thinking, just drifting," she replied, and then opened a channel between them so he could feel her sense of happiness and peace. She felt him return her feelings, and they relaxed, happy to be together in the moment.

Lisa's eyes drifted to her dresser, and the thought occurred to her that she ought to clear out some drawers for him. She frowned briefly as that thought led to a realization. "Max? Why don't you have any luggage, and why did it take me till now to realize it?"

He chuckled softly. "It's a gift from a Sidhe mage that I helped. He created a ... I guess you could call it a pocket outside of normal time and space. It responds to my requests to store or retrieve items. I keep just about everything there since it's with me no matter where I travel. He also added a binding to keep people from noticing it so that I wouldn't have to answer awkward questions. He was very thorough."

"So that's where that knife came from."

"What knife?"

"Well I assume it was a knife. It was back when we were sharing a bed, but not sleeping together yet. I woke up to use the bathroom, and you woke and asked me if everything was okay. I remember seeing the glint of metal, and assumed it was a knife. I remember it because I couldn't figure out where you'd hidden a weapon."

"You have quite an eye, and a mind, for detail," he commented softly, still threading his fingers through her hair, enjoying the feel of her resting against him. "Most people would have forgotten or dismissed something as small as that."

Lisa smiled, though she knew he wouldn't be able to see it from his angle. "Yep, I can be an anal retentive pain in the ass when I want to be," she replied with a laugh.

Max chuckled, his laughter making his chest bounce lightly against her head. "I appreciate the warning. I'll endeavor not to provoke that side of you," he replied, a smile in his voice.

Lisa snorted in amusement, and then lapsed into silence again, not ready to move yet. She closed her eyes, letting herself experience every detail fully and completely.

"Tell me about your family," Max asked softly, not wanting to jar her from her peaceful state.

Lisa made a contented sound. Her mind was still floating, and she and replied with the first things that came to mind. "My mother, step-father and aunt live about an hour from here. I have a sister, and she and my brother live here. They're on vacation in France right now." Lisa smiled in amusement. "All of us have dogs, and when we get together, we usually end up with a dog pack underfoot. My grandparents and some extended family live in Miami, and I have more extended family in New York. I also have some very distant relatives in Spain."

"Spain?" Max asked, surprised.

Lisa lifted her head to look him in the eye, half smile on her face. "Sorry, I guess I never got around to mentioning that my mother's Cuban. After Castro took over, some of my family fled to the US and some of them went back to Spain."

"Makes me wonder what other secrets are floating around," Max teased her. "I'd like to hear more about this, though," he prompted, curious about her family history. 

Lisa looked away briefly in memory. "My mother often tells the story of when they left. They came here on the Freedom Flights in the sixties. Castro allowed people to leave, likely in part to get rid of resistance. When approval came through they left. They were allowed to leave only with a single change of clothes and something like thirty dollars, and they were strip searched on the way out. My mother was five and she remembers the soldiers searching her. She also remembers her uncle being arrested. No reason was given. Castro and his men didn't need reasons, they did what they wanted. Nobody ever heard from him again, and the family believes he was killed."

Lisa went silent for a moment, sending a brief prayer and her respect to the great uncle that she'd never met, and then continued. "My mother talks about how the plane was completely silent the entire way here, until they were firmly on American soil. Everyone was terrified that Castro would order the plane to turn around. 

"After landing they went to New York since there was work there. They stayed there for a number of years, and then later they moved back down to Miami. Eventually the crime in Miami got so bad that my mother decided to move out here, and we've been here ever since."

Max was fascinated by this new knowledge of Lisa. He'd never guessed she had a family history like this. Still water runs deep, he thought to himself. "How about your father?" he asked

"He died when I was four. Lymphoma. I'm actually older than he was when he died," Lisa said quietly.

Max could see the sadness and pain in her eyes, and wrapped his arms around her, holding her against him, offering what comfort he could.

Lisa relaxed into his embrace, releasing the tight reign she usually kept on her pain, and she felt a couple tears escape her eyes and fall to his chest. It was a small release, but it seemed to be all she needed. Max's solid presence was like a balm to a hurt she'd carried a long time. 

After a few minutes the sadness passed, and Lisa tilted her head, tenderly kissing Max. "Thanks," she said, her eyes locking with his to let him know how much simply being there had meant to her.

"Of course," he replied, returning her kiss. "I love you."

Lisa smiled, her face lighting up, "I love you, too, Max," she replied. She didn't think she would ever tire of hearing or saying those words. 

"Speaking of my family," Lisa said, changing tracks, "My sister's birthday is coming up, and I was wondering if you'd like to come... and not as my bodyguard." 

Max's eyes were suddenly a bright silver, and he smiled. "I'd love to," was all he said before kissing her deeply, letting her know how he felt.

When they came back up for air, Lisa gave him another brilliant smile. "I was nervous it might be too much too fast," she admitted.

He grinned, "Age gives you a different perspective."

Lisa laughed, and then glanced at the clock, groaning. "I didn't realize how late it was. We should get moving." she said as she got out of bed. She stopped for a moment and tossed a teasing smile back at Max. "That is, if you can, gran'ther,"she giggled. 

Max's eyebrows came down, though his lips twitched in amusement. "Gran'ther? We'll just see about that," he replied, chasing her into the bathroom. It wasn't long before her giggles turned into squeals of pleasure.

****************

"You have disappointed me," it said softly, its velvet tones promising punishment. He shivered, fear skittering over his skin. 

A hand traced lightly over his bound wrists, then down his arms, nails lightly scoring his skin. "Tell me," the silken voice continued, "why did you fail?"

His fear spiked, and he opened his eyes against his blindfold. It was a useless attempt to see the face that belonged to that voice. It was always pointless, but he couldn't help trying. He shivered again, trying to think how to answer the question without incurring further punishment.

"I'm sorry, Master. I followed your instructions..." his voice froze in his throat when nails scratched down his side.

"Are you saying it was my instructions that were faulty?"

"No! No, I didn't mean to say that, I'm sorry if it sounded that way, Master."

The nails scored his other side and the voice spoke in hard tones, "You still seek to place blame on me. You think I misunderstood?" 

"No, Master! I'm sorry. The fault is mine and mine alone. I failed you and I have no excuse." he said, finally realizing the only answer that might buy him any hint of leniency.

Its lips curled in a thin smile observing the quivering man before it. He's fortunate I still have use for him, it thought to itself. It had been disappointed in this toy. He had not been as valuable to its plans as it had hoped, though it had been mildly entertained by him. 

"Yes," the voice said again, back to its original smooth tones. "The fault is yours. You deserve punishment for your transgression, do you not?"

The man's throat dried. He knew the moment he said 'yes,' punishment would follow. He also knew that he could say 'no,' and if he did, his shackles would be removed, and he would be released. 

The price, though, was never again to be welcome in the presence of that voice; that smooth, honeyed voice that wrapped around him, caressing without ever touching. The thought of exile was worse than anything his limited imagination could produce. "Yes, Master," he answered, willing to take anything not to be banished. Or so he thought.

"Yes," it said, lightly tracing its nails across his stomach. "Punishment for you, but I think a reward for my other servant; the one whose competence and loyalty prevented your discovery. I rather believe you owe a debt of gratitude," it said, and lightly scored his inner thigh. "Do you not agree?"

He flinched slightly, and felt stirrings in his groin with the proximity of that hand, exerting his will to stay soft. He knew that any outward sign of arousal at this point would only worsen his punishment. "Yes, Master."

"I'm so pleased to hear you say that," the silken voice wrapped around him, the slight hint of cruelty trilling against his spine, shooting electricity straight to his flaccid member. He breathed deep, desperately trying to keep himself from hardening. 

"Yes. You will pay your debt and receive your punishment. For the rest of today, you will belong to him." 

Those words removed any trace of arousal. To HIM? No, I can't... Not a man... he thought in panic. Then his mind inevitably made other connections. Wait... Is the Master a man? I thought... but I've never seen her... his? face. But I would swear I felt a pussy, you can't fake that! His thoughts stopped completely for a moment while shock washed over him, realizing that he didn't actually know whose pussy he'd felt all those times. He didn't know... He'd never laid eyes on the owner of that electrifying voice...

It was watching his face carefully, waiting for that moment when he froze in shock. A cruel smile appeared on its face, and it used his moment of inattention to insert a penis gag, emphasizing the nature of his punishment.

He felt something being pushed into his mouth, and before he could think, he did what he had been trained to do. He opened and accepted whatever was placed there. Too late did his mind even think about changing his answer. Too late did he consider rejecting what was put before him. Too late, and now he was committed. He felt the gag, recognizing the shape, and fear washed over him again.

It smiled in mild amusement at the toy before it. It knew what was going through his head, as it also knew that by the end of this day he would screaming in pleasure and begging for more. So predictable, it thought to itself. 

Briefly its thoughts drifted to the presence he'd brushed against that night. It knew that one would be ... less predictable. Manipulating that one without breaking them would be considerably more entertaining. It knew its tracker was gone, but that was only a minor setback. If anything, it only served to make the game all the more intriguing.

It turned its head, bringing its thoughts back to the present and eyeing the servant that had been waiting on his knees in the corner, amused to see his half hard state. He'd been well trained and had been manipulated to its will with the same methods it employed now. It didn't always use sex to break down a person's will, but for the ones that fell into this particular path, it became like a drug. They needed its approval and attention as badly as they needed air. The illusion of choice was just that, an illusion. It had found, though, that people stepped so much deeper if they thought they had freedom.

It saw its servant's gaze flick briefly to the bound toy, and its smile widened. Its servant knew exactly what to do, and would enjoy every moment. Two birds with one stone. Both take one more step closer to me of their own free will. 

It chuckled. The sound was cold, causing shivers in both of the men before it. "Enjoy your reward," it said, before turning on its heel, leaving the room. 

****************

Lisa and Max walked into her office, drawing the blinds on the windows. Being Sunday, there wasn't anyone there, but closing the blinds enfolded the space which would support the work she was about to attempt. 

Lisa planned to implement her idea of a modified geis, and wanted it in place before people came into work tomorrow. Max leaned against the wall by the door frame, simultaneously guarding the entrance, and keeping an eye on Lisa. 

She unrolled a mat she'd brought and lay down, the carpet providing extra cushioning. She closed her eyes, and took a moment to appreciate the quiet. When she was ready, she called to the protections she'd laid over the years, building them up, rather like stoking embers into a flame. It didn't take long, and her protections now hummed with power. 

Satisfied, Lisa shifted her senses, seeing the spirit world overlaid on this one. She examined the layers of protections and support structures in place throughout the plant. She examined the threads closely, finally picking out the additions made by Danaan and Toulouse. They had done a beautiful job integrating their work with the structure she'd already set up. Everything they'd done had added strength and beauty, never competing, only complementing her work. 

Seeing that nothing she was planning would interfere with the new structures they'd added, Lisa pulled away from them to begin. She requested help, focusing on Mouse. The work ahead was going to require some delicacy.

Mouse appeared on her shoulder her light brown fur framed by Lisa's dark hair. "I like your idea," she said quietly. "It is subtle. I can help with this." 

Before Lisa could reply, Mouse darted off into the network of protections, investigating and learning the structure throughout the entire plant. She was fast, and Lisa had barely even attempted to track her progress when Mouse returned. 

"Let's build the geis, then I can weave it into the frame work. You wish to place this in two locations, yes?" 

"Yes," Lisa replied. "I believe we're more likely to catch someone on the manufacturing side, but I want all our bases covered. I want to cover the time clock area, and the reception area for our office staff. That should be behind the desk, though, so we don't hit customers with the geis. Once that's set up, we'll be able to use the cameras to help us from there. The effects should be obvious."

Mouse gave a squeak of amusement. "The bathrooms are nearby?"

"Yes. Not that I think someone betraying us deserves to make it in time, but they're close." Lisa's plan for the geis was very simple. Anyone that had deliberately and knowingly acted against Lisa, Keisha or the company, would immediately have an intense need to use the bathroom. It ought to feel a bit like they'd overdosed on a laxative, and Lisa's hope was the strength of the reaction would make it easy to tell who simply needed to use the bathroom, and who had been affected by the geis.

It was a simple consequence and intended only for short term, so would not require the power or the complicated layers that a traditional geis would need. In addition, since the need to use the bathroom was a natural process, it was easy to influence and would not arouse suspicions. 

Lisa set herself to work, pulling in energy. She quickly began weaving the strands, giving the energy direction and purpose, creating form. Mouse observed from her perch on Lisa's shoulder, studying the shape while Lisa worked, her sharp eyes missing nothing.

"Beautifully done, with a good eye for detail. This will not unravel." Mouse commented before moving off Lisa's shoulder, rolling the geis up, and carrying it off. 

Lisa traveled with her, an ethereal tagalong, to help bind the geis into her protections. They entered the room with the time clock, and Lisa held one end of her weaving, the edges sitting like gossamer in her fingers. Mouse took the other end and delicately wove it into the protections on the room. 

Lisa could feel each strand settle into place. Each point merged with a tremendous sense of satisfaction, telling her that the working was perfectly constructed. It didn't take long before Mouse was finished, and the geis hung across the room like an invisible spider web.

"And why not?" a new voice added, soft and dangerous. "After all, all things come to my web."

Lisa saw Spider moving over the geis, testing and learning the location of each strand, and sent her a wordless greeting with thanks for her presence.

Spider acknowledged the greeting and continued, "I will leave some of my children here. They will help."

"Thank you," Lisa replied in surprise.

"You have earned a boon from me. You have saved many spiders. Your actions have not gone unnoticed."

Lisa could not think of a reply to this statement, and so remained silent. Mouse appeared on her shoulder, and together they travelled back to her office, where her body was laying prone on the floor. She quickly set about weaving the second geis. 

It did not take long. Having made one already she completed the next one even faster. Again they were speeding off, this time to the reception desk. It was not long before Mouse had woven the geis into the hallway behind the desk, and spider had set another one of her children to monitor that weaving. 

Once again they were back in her office. Lisa thanked both Mouse and Spider for their help. Mouse simply ran off, not staying to acknowledge the thanks. Spider clicked her fangs together briefly, before disappearing.

Lisa laid down into her body and gradually reseated her spirit self. The connection between spirit and body was never broken when she spirit walked, but if she did not properly anchor herself into the physical, she would have difficulty focusing until body and spirit realigned. The feeling was rather like being out of phase with herself, and it wasn't the most functional state. Considering her next task of the day was a visit to Carol, being in that state would be very bad, not to mention irresponsible.




Something New Ch. 10



Max watched as Lisa's breathing quickened, and saw the telltale twitches that told him she would be awake soon. It had been interesting to observe, though there wasn't really anything to see. The work she did was not on the visible spectrum. He could feel the shifts in the energy though, and the fluctuations had piqued his curiosity. 

Lisa opened her eyes slowly and moved her fingers, cracking her knuckles before she sat up. Max offered her a hand, and helped her to her feet. "How'd it go?"

"Very well. I think this will bring us closure on the sabotage issue," Lisa said, giving him a toothy grin.

He returned her smile tooth for tooth, commenting in his soft voice, "I look forward to reviewing the tapes on Monday. It is time and past for the guilty party to be found." Max paused briefly, and then asked, "Did you have other spirits helping you in the work? The taste of the air changed a couple times."

Lisa gave him a knowing half smile. "I almost never work without help of some sort. This time I asked Mouse for help, and then Spider showed up of her own volition to lend assistance."

"Spider would explain the darker feel," Max commented, almost to himself.

"Well she is a predator. She likes to tell me 'if it gets caught, it deserves to be eaten.' Like many things she has to say, there's more than one meaning. The not so obvious one is that if it gets caught, it deserves better than to be left rotting on the ground. It deserves to be eaten and appreciated. She also has connections as a keeper of knowledge, and with our fears. In a sense, she's a keeper of history. She is not a comfortable animal for most people."

"No, I would imagine not," Max commented with a smile of amusement, as he rolled up Lisa's mat and tucked it under an arm. He rather liked Lisa's teaching mode. "Is there anything else that needs to be done before we leave?" 

"Nope, we can head out to the Smythson grounds as soon as I lower the protections to their previous level and lock up."

*************

"Looks like things have been going well," Lisa said to Carol as she took a seat. They were meeting outside for the first time, sitting in white chairs around a table that held glasses and a pitcher of iced tea. Lisa noted that Christian still had a few of his people stationed around, including himself, but they were far enough off to give some space. 

"Yes," Carol answered in a distracted tone. Lisa could tell she had something on her mind, and simply waited for Carol to ask. "Lisa? You introduced yourself as a healer, but what exactly does that mean?"

Lisa's eyebrows rose. That was not the question she'd expected to hear. She remained silent for a moment, debating how to answer. Lisa held Carol's gaze, and finally spoke. "It means exactly what it says. I help people see and heal their wounds."

"Yes, but you're not a doctor or a therapist, are you?"

"No I'm not, at least not in the traditional sense," Lisa answered, evaluating Carol and touching in with her guides. Their answer surprised her. She wasn't sure if Carol was ready to hear the full truth yet, but they had never steered her wrong before. "I am a shaman," Lisa stated, and then continued to explain when she saw Carol's blank look.

"There's a lot of confusion about the term. The title of Shaman is originally from Siberia. Anthropologists started using it as the title for anyone filling that role in any culture, and so it has become a familiar term or title for those such as myself. The title varies by culture, and the role of shaman exists or has existed in every single culture around the world. It's basically 'that which we call a rose, by any other name...'" Lisa quoted with a smile. 

"...would smell as sweet." Carol finished, nodding her understanding.

Lisa continued, "In essence, we're all working with the same principles, and it's only the framework into which we place it that varies. Just like gravity works the same here as it does in China, so do the underlying structures governing this work, and as my teacher always said 'nobody owns the wind.'

"As for what we do, the quickest explanation is that we act as a bridge between the spirit and physical worlds. Sometimes we're called the 'walkers between the worlds' partially for that reason. 

"Our work can include many different tasks. Some include healing people at the individual or community level, healing the land, cleansing, psychopomp, which is helping souls to cross over, weather work, and so on. Sometimes religion may overlay the shamanic part, but though the shamanic piece is often joined at the hip with religion, the two are still distinct entities."

"Oh. But you haven't been doing any of that," Carol replied in a confused tone.

"I haven't?" Lisa asked with a smile.

Carol paused, suddenly realizing that in an extremely short period, she had gone from a mass of hurt and rage to someone that had spent yesterday hunting in hyena form and enjoying the experience. "But you didn't do anything," Carol paused and waved her fingers, "you know, woo woo."

Lisa laughed lightly, "No? I guess that depends on the definition."

"Well you didn't do any chanting or bring in any drums or anything."

"I could if you like. Drumming really is quite healing, and at some point, full shamanic work would probably be a good idea. After all, you have undergone some fairly significant shifts in a very short period. Of course, you weren't in much of a frame of mind to accept something like that when we first met, so I chose to use different tools."

"Like what?" Carol's voice lost the disbelieving edge, and was now more curious.

Lisa grinned, "How did you get the point where you were willing to meet your hyena?"

"I don't know, seems like mostly we talked, and things just seemed clearer after. Did you do something to me?"

"No, I just pointed you to where you could find your own answers. Part of the ability to do that comes from my training, and part from the assistance of my guides. Are you familiar with the idea of spirit guides?"

Carol nodded, in answer, but she was more focused on something else entirely. "I don't understand, why not tell me what I should do?"

"Your decisions are yours to make, not mine. It's rather arrogant of me to think I would know what was best for you. You are an adult and therefore the only one qualified to determine what is right for you. I am happy to help you look for answers, and to offer help once you've made a decision, but I will not and never did make a decision for you."

"But what if I had chosen to reject being changed?"

"Then I would have accepted that you had chosen death. I would have grieved, and I would have made absolutely certain you fully understood the choice you were making, but I would not have stopped you."

"But you're a healer!"

"Yes I am," Lisa replied, her eyes taking on an ancient, faraway look. Sadness flickered across Lisa's face before she continued, "Sometimes the greatest healing is death, as much as it pains those left behind."

"But..." Carol began, her face a mask of denial and confusion.

Max chose that moment to break in, something highly unusual for him. "I have walked this earth a long time," he said in his soft voice. "The best healers I have ever seen, knew and understood this. It is not an easy thing for them. Facing this causes them more pain than if they tried to keep the person alive."

Lisa looked at him with thanks in her eyes, and a small smile hovering on her lips. Very few people truly understood the acceptance of death in a healer. That he did, and that he understood it was not something taken lightly, warmed her.

Carol stayed quiet for a moment, her eyes unfocussed. Lisa assumed Tiu was chiming in. Probably not a bad thing. Hyenas have a unique perspective on death. For that matter, they have a unique perspective on a number of things. 

Carol let out a sigh. "I can't say I understand it, not completely, anyway, but she does," Carol commented, referring to her animal side, "and I think eventually I might."

"That's more than most people are able to manage. Thank you." Lisa replied, with emotion in her voice.

Carol's gaze sharpened, and a flicker of understanding flashed across her face.

Lisa smiled, and decided that it was time to move to another topic. "So, how did yesterday go?"

A satisfied expression flickered over Carol's face. "Tiu and I are working much better together. We hunted yesterday... It was an interesting experience. I like her, her sense of humor is similar to mine."

"That's wonderful, Carol." Lisa was very happy with the speed that Carol was integrating with Tiu. This boded well on many levels, for Carol, for Christian, and for the pack as a whole. Combined with her acceptance of the shamanism thing, Lisa had a feeling she would be able to broach the subject of Carol's other abilities very soon.

"There is one thing though..." Carol looked around, and then focused on Max. He took the hint and moved a little further off to give them a bit more privacy.

"Lisa... Did you know... You know a lot about hyenas..." Carol kept starting and stopping, not able to get the words out. 

Lisa had a good idea what Carol was trying to ask about, and broke in. "I'm guessing you're trying to ask about Tiu's genitals?" Lisa asked, and continued when Carol nodded. "Spotted hyenas are very unusual. Females have a pseudo-penis, which I'm sure you discovered. It's actually not a penis, but rather a very long clitoris. If you choose to mate in that form, he'll need your help in order to insert himself. It's actually kind of a nice mechanism to prevent anyone forcing you." Lisa added at Carol's pale look.

"But... I don't want to look like a male..." 

"You don't. You look like a female human in this form, and a female hyena in your other form."

"But it's weird. Nobody's going to want me..." Carol bit off her words, afraid to say anymore.

Lisa knew that Carol was really thinking that Christian wouldn't want her, which boded well for the mating pull. Carol did not strike her as the type that would normally get this worked up over physiology. "Did anyone say anything about it?"

"No, except Christian to say that it was normal. I didn't know about that part till I shifted."

"And did he have a problem with it?"

"How could he not have a problem with it?" Carol replied angrily.

"Has he backed off, or treated you in any way different from before? I'm guessing not, since he's gone through all the trouble to move his office out to that table, so he can stay near you." Lisa commented nodding her head to where Christian was working. His laptop, cell phone, and various papers were stacked around him and he had people stationed to run back and forth to his office.

Carol looked over with a slightly longing expression. And there's the pull again, Lisa noted with some satisfaction.  I'd better make sure she understands it, though, or there's going to be more problems.

"Carol," Lisa said to regain her attention, "I know that mating bonds have been mentioned, but how much do you really understand about it?"

Carol looked at Lisa, and then sighed. Lisa had helped her understand what had been happening better than anyone else; maybe because she was human, and had a human's perspective on things, maybe because of that whole shaman thing. Whatever it was, the fact remained that Lisa had been effective. 

Carol decided that if she wanted to sort this out, she needed to be open with Lisa. "I understand that I can't stop thinking about Christian, and that Tiu has already decided he belongs to her, or rather us." 

Carol's jaw clenched and her fingers tightened on the arms of the chair she was sitting in. "Anytime a woman gets anywhere near him, I feel on edge. Sometimes it gets really bad, and I have to stop myself from attacking. Lisa, this can't continue. It's hard enough to control shifting without wanting to attack every woman that goes near him."

"The reason you're feeling that way is because of the mating pull you feel towards Christian. All weres, have potential to feel this when the right person, or in very rare cases, persons come along. Your animal side is an aspect of you, and is part of your primal nature. Even in full humans that part of us recognizes the potential for a bond. 

"In becoming a were, your primal or instinctual side has strengthened to the point that your body can change shape. Because this side of you has gained so much strength, the abilities associated with it have grown as well, including the ability to recognize the person that is your match. On this matter, when your animal speaks it is undeniable. To ignore your animal on this will make both of you miserable. If it gets bad enough, and the rare times someone has denied their bond, it always does, both of you are very likely to go rogue."

"What is that exactly?" Carol asked. "It's been mentioned a couple times, and I know it's bad, but I don't understand what that is."

Lisa thought about how to explain this in terms that would make sense. "It's ... basically a complete loss of control over the animal side. For example, let's take the mating bond. The only way to deny the bond is to deny your animal half completely and absolutely. To do this ... imprisons your animal. Your animal half will not take kindly to that, any more than you would. Eventually your animal will find a way to break free, and when it does, it takes control and will not willingly give control back again since its trust was betrayed so deeply. 

"In addition, the animal half is usually stuck in rage and pain, and like any injured animal, will lash out at those that get too close. As you have no doubt been told, it was a rogue that was responsible for turning you. From what I have heard, the wolf in question was clever, but not particularly powerful. Both you and Christian are powerful and smart. For an alpha male and a potential alpha female to both go rogue... Well let's just say it is not something I or anyone else wants to see."

"So we don't have any choice, then. Christian is forced to be with me, and I'm forced to be with him."

"You are not being forced any more than you are forced to fall in love as a human. The difference is that since the animal side is so much stronger as a were, it is better able to distinguish the right person, making the mating pull considerably more accurate. In the centuries that weres have been on the planet, there has never been a single case of mates regretting recognizing the bond."

"Maybe not, but I'll wager that Christian never thought he'd be bonded to a freak."

Lisa went on alert. Carol's words were not likely to sit well with Tiu, and she mentally asked Max to carefully approach. Christian noted Max's movements, and rose, quietly moving closer, and signaling his people to keep their distance so as not to aggravate the situation.

Carol stiffened and started shaking. Fur began springing up on her arms, and her teeth elongated. Lisa could tell she was fighting the shift, and remained perfectly still, knowing better than to excite Tiu's hunting instincts. Besides, Max was by her side again, and Christian wasn't far behind, so she knew she would be protected.

Carol suddenly lost the fight, and a moment later, a huge spotted hyena stood before her, wriggling off the remains of Carol's ripped clothing. Tiu gave a shake, her black eyes meeting Lisa's, her lips lifting in a grimace while she sucked air over her Jacobson's organ, smelling and tasting Lisa's scent.

Lisa felt Max beside her, ready to act if necessary. She watched Tiu and remained perfectly calm, returning the hyena's perusal Thank goodness I always prepare myself before going into a session. If I hadn't, I don't think I'd be so relaxed in the face a hyena that's twice the normal size. They're not exactly small to begin with, she thought to herself, then addressed the were-hyena, her voice smooth and even. "Hello Tiu. It's good to meet you."

Tiu gave an odd growling sound, but it wasn't aggressive. Rather it sounded more like an acknowledgement, and sat in front of Lisa, maintaining eye contact. Lisa had the distinct sense that Tiu was trying to communicate with her, and went deeper into herself, trying to open her mind to the hyena.

"I have been patient," a rough voice appeared in her head, "but there are only so many insults I can take. I tolerated being caged so she had time to accept me. I have shared freely with her as she was ready to hear. I am tired of nonsensical complaints and wasting time and energy. This ends now."

Tiu rose, and Lisa sensed Max tense slightly. The hyena gave him an amused look. "Tell the Strange One he has no need to fear for you. I claim you, Lisa Read, as my sister. You need never fear me." Tiu paused briefly, then continued with a tone of respect, "Not that you do. Fear me that is. It is refreshing to find a human that is not intimidated."

Lisa laughed at Tiu's words, and then relayed what she'd said to Max who relaxed marginally. Lisa wasn't really sure why, but she got the distinct impression that Tiu was willing, but unable to speak to him directly. She was puzzled by that, since Max's skill with mental speaking far exceeded her own. Lisa was able to hear if a mental speaker reached out to her, but Max was the only person she'd been able to initiate that kind of contact with, something she assumed had to do with his ability in that area.

Tiu's attention shifted to Christian, and she approached him, speaking in an open mental voice, so anyone who wished would be able to hear. Lisa invited Max to link with her, so he would hear what was happening.

"Wolf. Do you recognize me as your mate?"

"Yes. You know I do," Christian replied.

"Do you find anything about my appearance disturbing or revolting?"

"No. I find you fascinating and desirable in both forms," Christian replied kneeling down to bring himself to eye level. He continued in a softer voice. "You have no idea how difficult it's been, seeing you, wanting you desperately, and knowing that I needed to give you time. Time for you to accept, time to understand, and time to get to know me. If you had been born a were, we would have been mated the first day we met."

"And this does not bother you? Tiu asked, angling her body slightly and twitching her erect clitoris at Christian.

He gave Tiu a smoky smile, his red eyes filled with desire. "Not at all. I expect that it will give me an opportunity to explore much more subtle techniques to pleasure you." Christian's smile got darker, and his eyes flashed. "I am very much looking forward to learning which areas are the most sensitive."

Tiu dropped her bottom jaw in a predatory grin, and from the intensity of Christian's eyes, and his brief growl, she assumed Tiu was sharing something rather intimate with him. Tiu moved towards Christian, pressing her shoulder against him, while he dug his fingers in her coarse fur and slid his arms around her, his pale skin and white hair a sharp contrast to the hyena's tan and brown coloration. 

Tiu chose that moment to give control back to Carol, who was startled to find herself on her knees, nude in Christian's arms. Carol turned bright red and stiffened, not certain whether to press harder against him to cover herself, or to pull away from the man that caused such strong feelings.

Christian solved her dilemma and removed his shirt. He put it over her, exposing his pale chest covered with fine white curls, and kept her within the circle of his arms. Christian's red eyes were intense as he held her gaze. "Carol, you are mine, and I am yours. Words cannot even begin to describe what that means. I want you in every way, for the rest of our lives. Tiu's form does not displease me, quite the contrary."

Carol looked into his red eyes, stunned and frozen. The slight breeze playing with her short brown hair was the only movement. Finally she managed to swallow and cleared her throat nervously. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Frustrated, she exclaimed "Oh hell!" before she grabbed Christian's head and kissed him, opening the floodgates to all the passion she'd been locking away.




Something New Ch. 10



He was stunned for a moment, but didn't take long to respond in kind, finally exploring her mouth as he'd been dying to do since he first saw her. He broke the kiss, and picked Carol up. He met Lisa's and Max's amused eyes briefly, before carrying her off, causing a number of smiles to break out among his people.

"Well that went well. Tiu's very efficient," Lisa commented, a smile hovering on her lips. 

"She's also the smartest animal I've ever met," Max commented thoughtfully, "and I've met a lot of weres over the years."

"I think it's a hyena thing in general. With the kind of social structures they have, you'd have to be," Lisa replied, somewhat distracted by her thoughts. She had been surprised that Tiu had claimed her as a sister. Christian had already called her family, but to have Tiu not only back it up, but give her the status of such a close relationship was more than a little shocking.

Lisa's eyes roved briefly over the ground, noting that several groups of youngsters were making their way into the forest. Most of them changed on the way, revealing their animal forms. While wolves were most prevalent, Lisa also saw a couple lions, a jaguar, two young bears, and surprisingly, a pair of young horses, who were still growing into their spindly legs. 

"What Christian has done here is impressive." Max commented, his eyes following Lisa's gaze.

"Yes it is," she replied softly, liking this vision of the future. If a pack like this, and vampire leader like Keisha were part of it, the future was more than worth protecting.

**************

He walked into work, trying not to dwell on what had happened yesterday. By the end of the day he'd been begging to be used, to be filled by the man to whom he'd been given. Their Master had heard his begging, had been in the room for it, and had laughed. That laugh had only increased his desire, till he was a writhing mass of aching need. What had followed had been the most intensely pleasurable, and the most disturbing experience of his life.

His mind shied away from remembering too closely. It was like he was two different people, one here and now that was the person he'd always been, and the one he'd been yesterday, bound, blindfolded, repeatedly used by another man, and wanting all of it like he'd never wanted anything before. 

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, focusing on his work day. He stepped forward to punch in and his stomach and bowels suddenly clenched with intense need. His clenching highlighted the presence of the plug that had been placed in him, which in turn, made him remember yesterday all over again. 

He broke out in a sweat, desperately wishing he could run for the bathroom to relieve his twin needs, but he knew he couldn't, not yet. He'd been given very clear instructions, and he knew that punishment would be severe if he didn't obey. His bowels would just have to wait another hour. He didn't know how long his hardening cock would wait. 

************

Max sat at a small table in Lisa's office, reviewing the security footage with a frown. So far there had been no indications that anyone had been caught by the geis. He looked up at Lisa and cleared his throat. 

She met his eyes and frowned at his expression. "No luck?" she asked.

"No. Did everybody come in today?"

Lisa went back to her computer and pulled up personnel data. "Looks like everybody on the manufacturing end is here..." She trailed off, pulling up another screen, "We've got one from accounting and another from HR on vacation. Theoretically they're the only ones that shouldn't be here, but let me check in with my managers to be certain.

Lisa quickly typed and sent an email inquiry, and leaned back in her chair, thinking. Suddenly she sat bolt upright and Max assumed she'd had an idea. He looked at her in inquiry and she replied to the unspoken question. 

"Spider. She left some of her children to monitor the geis. One of them might know something." 

Lisa gave Keisha a quick call, letting her know what was happening, and that she needed to be undisturbed for the next twenty minutes or so. Then she sent a quick note to her assistant, whose desk guarded the door to Lisa's office, letting her know to hold all calls.

Lisa settled in her chair, quietly feeding more power into the protections around her office, before reaching out to the young spiders patiently waiting in each geis. The first reported nothing unusual, but the second... Lisa thanked the spiders and came back to herself quickly. 

"A man was caught on the manufacturing side," she said, opening her eyes. "I don't know why he wouldn't have run to the bathroom, but for some reason he didn't." Lisa rose to look at the computer screen Max was using, and he called up the footage from the time clock room. 

"There, this is the line of the geis," she told him, tracing a path with her finger above the screen.

Max nodded, understanding her meaning. "I'll look for any sudden changes in behavior or signs of strain from anyone crossing that line."

"Thanks," she said, giving him a swift kiss.

Max smiled against her lips, burying his hand in her hair and pulling her head next to his. He lightly nibbled on her ear before whispering, "You can thank me tonight." He caressed her neck as he released her.

"With pleasure," she whispered back with a smile, lightly brushing her lips along his jaw before rising.

They both looked into each other's eyes for a moment, reading the promises there, before turning to go back to work.

***********

Finally, he thought, racing to pull his pants down, and remove the plug so he could relieve himself. It had been the most difficult hour of his life. He'd made it though, without an accident and without disobeying. He smiled at his accomplishment, a thrill of pleasure coursing through him with the sudden intense relief. 

A pair of loafers walked up to the door of his stall. 

Wonder what a white collar's doing over here? he thought to himself. Then his question was answered.

"Clean yourself, unlock the door and turn around," a gruff voice said through the door.

He recognized that voice. How could he not? He'd spent yesterday obeying his commands. It would appear he was not yet forgiven. Quickly he obeyed.

He felt cloth from a suit brush against his naked backside, and heard the stall door close. He shivered slightly, his body responding to the memory of pleasure. Steadfastly he kept his gaze on the white tiles of the wall, even though he desperately wanted to see who was at his back. He knew he would only be punished further if he turned his head.

"Put your knees on the seat."

He obeyed the voice, holding onto the pipes for balance. He was already hard in anticipation, and desired one thing, and one thing only. The release the man behind him could give.

Hands spread his ass, exposing his puckered hole. He twitched slightly when cold lube was dripped on, and then a gloved finger slipped in, probing, massaging and spreading lube. He moaned softly, pushing back against that finger.

"Quiet."

He immediately clenched his teeth, biting back any sound. The finger withdrew, and he almost groaned in protest before catching himself. It wasn't long before he felt something slowly pushing into his hole. It was thicker than anything he'd felt previously, and he tried to relax to accommodate the girth. He shivered in pleasure, gripping the cold pipes, as he was slowly stretched. 

He was so hard, he was aching for release, and still he held on, struggling to hold himself back as shocks of pleasure shot through him. He had not yet been given permission.

Finally his ring closed over the narrow waist of what he now knew was another plug, and he panted softly with the sensations.

"You did well," the rough voice said softly. "The Master says that you have a choice. You may relieve yourself now, or be relieved later. You may answer me."

His rock hard cock twitched. If he chose now, he would gain immediate release, but he knew it would be fleeting. If he chose later, it would be difficult, but he knew it would please the velvet voice he served. That was all it took to make his decision. "I choose later."

"Wise choice. You will come ... and cum," the gravelly voice said with amusement, "immediately after work. Do you understand?"

He nodded, and the voice continued. "You will wait till I have left. You will then count to ten before moving."

He nodded his head and felt the presence at his back leave the stall and close the door before washing his hands and leaving. He counted to ten, and rose from the seat. Each movement sent tingles of pleasure shooting through him as he adjusted to the new plug. He pressed against the stall, letting its coolness draw some of the heat out of his over stimulated body, and filled his head with the most mood killing images he could create.

Finally, he got himself calmed enough that he could pull his pants back up, and slowly moved towards the sink. As he moved he was dismayed to realize that the new plug was different in more than one way. This new one must have been shaped a little differently as well as being larger, because he felt it lightly stimulating his prostate with each step. 

He sighed, At least it's only light stimulation, it could have been worse. This was going to be the hardest day of his life, literally.

************

Max called Lisa over. He believed he'd found the one caught by the geis, though it had taken hours of close scrutiny to find the man.

"I think I've found him," he told her, plugging into the large screen on her wall to play the footage. Blown up to that size, it made the signs much easier to read. He mentally kicked himself for not thinking to use the larger screen to review the footage in the first place. 

Lisa watched as one of their human workers stepped over the line of the geis. It was subtle, but she saw his face tighten and his jaw clench. It was difficult to see in the black and white of the security footage, but she also caught a sheen of perspiration on his brow that hadn't been there before crossing that line. She watched him walk up to the time clock, punch in and head out to the floor. He even managed to keep his gate pretty natural, though there was a very slight, telltale stiffness as he moved. 

Lisa narrowed her eyes. "I'm not a betting woman, but I'd be willing to put money down that he's been affected by the geis. Nice job, that can't have been easy to spot."

"Thanks. My thoughts are to get a tail on him."

Lisa nodded, "Let me bring Keisha in, but I think she'll agree with that. Better the spy you know, so to speak."

***********

"You have done well. Perhaps there is some hope for you after all," the dark voice caressed him, making his hard cock twitch like a dog responding to its master. A small flicker of amusement passed across its face. It hadn't expected this toy to be able to last the day. It had been impressed and surprised, and such small surprises were rare gifts to alleviate its boredom. This toy had proven he had some value after all, and it altered its plans accordingly.

It chuckled darkly. "You have born your punishment well, and so it ends. Beyond that, you have pleased me, so you are deserving of a reward. You may ask a boon of me." Its lips curled slightly, and its eyes glittered in the dim room. It knew what its toy wanted. 

A thrill of happiness surged through him. This was the first time he'd been able to truly please that dark velvety voice, and it made the entire day, teasing from his coworkers and all, worth every second. Being granted a boon was icing on the cake, and he knew exactly what he wanted. "Master, I would like..." he paused, suddenly unsure.

"Tell me, what would you like?" That voice wrapped around him like honey, and he couldn't help but answer. 

"I would like..." he paused again, and then continued in a rush, "to see you while you play with me."

Its smile grew wider. Like a moth to a flame, its toy had asked precisely what it had planned. "I will grant your request, but first, let's make you a bit more comfortable and relieve some of that pressure."

"Thank you, Master," he said, and then gasped and arched in pleasure against his bonds as a tongue slid up his length.

"You may cum," was all he heard before warm lips descended, sucking hard while that tongue flicked against his slit. After spending the entire day in various states of arousal, that was all it took before his balls tightened, and he exploded into that soft, warm mouth. The feeling of relief had him flying higher than the space shuttle, and it took him a few minutes before he could speak again. 

"Thank you, Master," he said when he'd regained his breath.

The answering chuckle overtook his senses, enveloping him in silken tones. "I think it is time to grant your request." Excitement and warmth spread through him all over again, his cock responding to the voice of its Master, already hard again. 

If he had any blood left in his brain, he might have thought it odd that he was able to recover so quickly. Instead, every cell was alight with desire, and all he could think was that his Master would be pleased he was ready again.

He felt a tug at his blindfold, and then the fabric fell away. He opened his eyes, squinting slightly in the dim light, and saw a pair of pale blue eyes before him. There was something mesmerizing about those eyes, and he couldn't tear his gaze away to look anywhere else. Not even at the face in which those eyes resided. 

The eyes came closer. He was trapped like a fish in a net, and his struggles were just as useless. His vision filled with blue, and he could see nothing else. But he could still feel, and feel he did. First hands caressed his entire body, not leaving a single inch unexplored. Then mouths gradually replaced the hands, one by one. They licked and sucked every part of him, and he arched and bucked in pleasure so extreme, it was almost painful. He didn't know how much more he could take. 

Just when he thought he would pass out with the intense feelings, that was the moment he felt a silken touch on his soul. That touch pushed him past the threshold until he lost all sense of who he was, and all he could remember was pleasure and all he could see was blue.

***************

Lisa watched Max glide between kicks, punches, and blocks with a smoothness and strength that was like silk on steel. They had put two different tails on the worker caught by the geis, and excitement was Lisa's companion now that they'd made some progress. Between the tails and The Hunt, Lisa fully expected they'd be able to close out the entire situation very soon.

Her mind drifted back to her perusal of Max. He wore only exercise shorts, and a light sheen of sweat gleamed on his skin, making her fingers itch to touch him. She was so caught up in admiring him, she almost missed when he shifted his routine and came at her with a small smile on his face.

She grinned and sidestepped, flowing with his movements. She wasn't anywhere near his level, but she saw he was holding back to give her a chance. She'd also received her tai chi training from some fairly high level people, and had not let her practice lapse, a fact she was grateful for now.

He kept pressing her, landing hands and feet on her body, though she was surprised at how often she was able to block. Excitement swept through Lisa at this display of his skill. His attacks were quick and precise, but always soft, and that softness, more than anything else, showed the extent of his skill, and sent currents of arousal through her.

Lisa quickly took hold of herself, pushing that aside to focus. She knew she was staying too much on the defensive, but couldn't find a way past his guard. Finally she felt a flash of tension from him and took advantage of it before she could think. One moment he was coming straight at her, the next she'd shifted to the side and given a light push.

Her push was perfectly timed, and he actually lost his balance, tucking and rolling as he hit the floor, before springing back up again, grinning from ear to ear. 

Lisa could only stare in shock. She'd honestly thought the most she'd do was land a touch. It didn't take long for a feeling of accomplishment to wash over her. She knew in a real fight she'd have a snowball's chance in hell to beat him, even if he did hold back, but landing that one push on someone of his level made her feel like she was standing on top of the world.

Max watched her shocked expression turn into a broad smile of achievement. He was impressed. She'd done a good job defending herself considering she hadn't really trained to fight. Idly he thought about teaching her to spar with the staff when things calmed down a bit. He'd seen her move through both her sword and staff forms, and had noticed she had a natural feel for staff, though it was obvious to him she was unlikely to ever be strong in sword.

Well and a staff's easier to come by anyway, he thought to himself. It's not like many people have a useable sword hanging around these days, and it's certainly not something you can carry around in public. A staff though, can be improvised easily. I think I'll also start sparring with her on a regular basis now that we don't have to go to Carol so frequently. 

Decision made, his thoughts turned to other pursuits. His eyes darkened and he shifted to his draconic form, launching himself at her.

Max moved so quickly that Lisa barely registered his shift and the remains of his shorts landing on the floor before he grabbed her, enveloping her with his wings and pinning her arms against her body. He grinned at her, exposing his sharp teeth, shooting currents of heat straight to her core. He leaned in and flicked his tongue against her neck.

"I love the way you tassste," he whispered in her ear before flicking his tongue against her earlobe.

Lisa shivered in response, feeling herself getting wet. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, but knew he wasn't ready to free her yet, so she improvised. "Then why don't you eat me?" she whispered back in a husky voice, wanting to provoke him. She saw his eyes darken further and gave him playful smile, sliding her bare foot up the inside of his scaled leg. She took care to brush against the tail membrane that had appeared with his wings, knowing how he reacted to that. 

He shuddered slightly and she leaned in, kissing him, letting her tongue explore his mouth while carefully avoiding the points of his teeth. He wrapped his forked tongue around hers in a gentle caress, gently teasing her. 

Using his wings to keep her firmly against him, he slid a hand down between their bodies and into her pants. He worked a finger into her slick folds, and she moaned into his mouth, wrapping her leg around his hip to give him better access. 

He rubbed her hard nub, and she arched against his wings, grinding into his hand. The heat was building in her, and she turned her head to lick and suck at the leading edge of his wing. Max hissed in pleasure, and it spurred her on. She worked her way across every part of his wings she could access, while his hand brought her higher.

Max shifted, sliding a finger into her while still stroking her clit. Having something for her walls to grip sent electricity racing through her, and she knew she was getting close to edge. She captured his mouth again, his tongue stroking hers, while he slipped in a second finger to join the first. 

Lisa gasped, teetering on the precipice, craving the release that was just barely out of reach. Max licked and gently nipped at her neck, and then suddenly slid a third finger into her, while grinding his thumb against her clit. She came crashing over the edge, trembling and moaning with the shocks coursing through her.




Something New Ch. 11



 Sorry for the delay on this chapter. I was travelling for a couple weeks for business, and I didn't have a lot of time to write. Unfortunately, my business does have to take priority. Thank you everyone for sticking with me through the long wait on this chapter!

Thanks so much for keeping up the comments, they keep me writing, and are very much appreciated! Enjoy, and please don't forget to vote!

Quick translations/pronunciations for those that are interested: 

Mija (pronounced meeha) is the slurred together version of 'mi hija' which literally translates as 'my daughter' and is a term of endearment.

Mi vida (pronounced mee veeda) literally translates as 'my life' and is also a term of endearment.

Oye (pronounced oy-yeh) is basically an interjection or short exclamation like 'Oh' or 'Ah' in English.

This story is copyrighted, please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks! 

****************

It narrowed its eyes in satisfaction, relaxing while its toy recovered. It knew he had been discovered. It found very faint traces of interference when it had touched his soul. Normally it would have been annoyed, but it recognized the flavor of those traces and its lips curved upward in a slight smile. Soon, it thought to itself, soon I will have you. 

The door opened, and its servant stepped into the room, his eyes flicking briefly at the passed out figure of the factory worker as he stood before his master.

"Tell me about your boss; the human one, not the vampire," it commanded. It knew some already, but now it wanted every last detail, for she was no longer an obstacle to be avoided, she was now its target.

*************

He had just finished giving his master every last detail he knew about Lisa Read, and he felt wrung out. Still he waited quietly with no sign of his exhaustion. He wouldn't survive long if he couldn't hide weakness. 

As he waited for his master to consider this new knowledge, he glanced once again at the young factory worker sprawled on the cushions. He knew the young man would likely be out for another hour or so, and was actually impressed by the strength the man had shown. 

He'd enjoyed the opportunity his master had given him to participate in the young man's training. There was something about him that piqued his interest more than any other, aside from their master, of course.

"I have a task for you," its voice broke into his musings, and he gave it his full attention again. "First I want you to contact your alpha for me. Tell him that there is an opportunity, and ask him if he is interested in discussing it with me." There was no doubt in his master's voice what the answer of his alpha would be.

"Then I have another task for you regarding Ms. Read. It's a pity the woman has hired the bodyguard," it mused. "Still, it makes the game more interesting. Don't worry," it said, glancing at the face of its servant with a slight smile of amusement, "I have no intention of wasting my resources by sending you on a suicide mission against him. No, you should have no difficulty getting away with your lovely hide unscathed."

*************

Lisa fell to her hands and knees in the dirt, almost physically ill with the waves of grief crashing through her. Her tears fell to the ground, making two dark spots in the brown dust while sobs wracked her frame.

"Find your center," Eldingar's cool voice ordered sharply.

Lisa took a shaky breath, trying to control her weeping. She shook off the visions that had started pouring into her head the moment she'd wobbled during Eldingar's testing. Lisa sunk her energy down into her tan tien, and wrapped herself in the solid anchor of the point that sat just below her navel.

Damn I wish we were still working with nature forces, Lisa thought to herself. When Eldingar had come through Sonja, she'd immediately stated that for now, Lisa had learned what she needed to know about the forces of nature, and instead they were going to spend the time working on her ability to center. And I made the mistake of thinking that this would be an easy lesson. More fool I.

Lisa picked herself up from the dirt, and dusted herself off before lifting her head to look Eldingar-Sonja in the 'eye.' Even though Sonja's eyes were closed, there was no doubt in her mind that she was making eye contact. 

Eldingar-Sonja's lips twitched briefly, "The mistake most make is thinking that they are helpless before this type of assault without having healed every injury. We may as well wait for the stars to go out before waiting for that to happen."

Lisa's lips lifted briefly in a weary smile. "Somehow I don't think we have that kind of time," she said in a dry voice, eliciting a slight chuckle from Eldingar. Lisa felt Eldingar's testing shift, and focused her attention, carefully keeping her center strong as the lesson continued.

****************

Lisa's scream rang out over the mountainside, and Max was moving towards her at top speed before Tiernan could even blink. Tiernan smiled slightly, knowing through his people that he was not needed. He put away his sword and walked away. He knew his friend, and there was no question that today's sparring was over.

Max appeared at Lisa's side bare seconds after her scream ended. She was collapsed on the ground, panting in obvious pain. Max stood over her, senses alert for danger. It took him only a moment to register that The Voice was sitting in a relaxed pose rather than a defensive one.

"You have some speed on you," The Voice commented. "My apologies for not warning you, but I did not think she would get this far into training today. She is safe."

Max relaxed slightly and focused more of his attention on The Voice. It didn't take him long to realize that there was something speaking through the old woman. A split second later he recognized just what was talking to him, and he relaxed completely, letting his sword disappear and kneeling to touch Lisa's back.

"It's okay," she gasped out, feeling warmth at his touch, but still not able to lift her head and meet his eyes. She'd been holding pretty well until Eldingar found her connection with Max. She'd allowed herself to become completely distracted, and lost her center so quickly, that she'd been hit with the full brunt of Eldingar's attack. Even though the blow was pulled, Lisa spent what felt like an eternity with every nerve in her body firing in pain. 

It was so intense she hadn't been able to stop the scream. It had taken every scrap of attention she had left just to keep the pain from hitting Max. Her only focus for those for those long moments was to protect him. 

Lisa got her breathing back under control, and started to lift herself from the ground. She felt Max immediately move to support her, and it was only a moment before she was standing, leaning against him. "Sorry for scaring you," Lisa told him, looking up into his pale gray eyes.

He brushed his lips against hers, "I'm just glad you're safe."

Lisa leaned into his embrace for a moment before pulling away. "Thank you for coming," she told him softly, her eyes telling him what his action meant to her. Then she pulled out of his arms with a soft squeeze, and turned back to Eldingar-Sonja, who had been happily observing them.

"I'm ready to begin again," Lisa said, and Eldingar-Sonja's lips lifted slightly, pleased with her pupil's response.

Lisa's strength of will amazed Max. He had a fair idea of what she'd experienced, and for her to stand up so quickly and be willing to continue, showed a resolve he rarely saw. He nodded his head in respect to her, and glanced briefly at The Voice and the being speaking through her. A hopeful smile touched his lips before he turned to walk back into the forest.

****************

I can't believe Eldingar's lesson was only an hour, feels like so much longer, Lisa thought to herself, feeling tired and numb inside. She closed her eyes letting the heat of the shower soothe her body.

"Pain tends to make everything seem longer," Max's mental voice whispered gently across her thoughts. His voice was like a warm embrace, prodding against the numbness. "When you're through in there, do you want a backrub?"

"Oh God yes! Thank you," Lisa replied, relief coloring her mental voice.

Max's soft chuckle whispered across her mind, "You're welcome," was all he said before giving her a mental embrace and withdrawing.

Lisa kicked the heat up a bit higher, knowing that it would make her muscles loosen up more easily. She let the water pound against her, at once both happy and relieved that Max knew and respected that she needed some time alone. Normally she enjoyed showering with him, but not tonight. She needed the time to herself, and she loved that he gave it to her without reservation.

Her thoughts drifted, sifting through the day's events. She let her mind take over, filling the void left by her deadened feelings. She knew she needed to deal with the numbness. She knew it was insulating her from pain and depression that she wasn't quite ready to face. Instead, Lisa pointed her mind towards why she was putting herself through all of this.

They were still having difficulty pinpointing their shadow enemy. Between the tails on Tim, the employee they'd discovered had been responsible for the sabotage, and The Hunt, they had pinpointed the building. Unfortunately for them, it happened to live in a place full of high-end condos, and the security measures made it difficult to figure out the correct unit without alerting anyone. 

If that wasn't irritating enough, according to Tiernan the energy signature of their shadow creature permeated the entire building and the people living in there as well, so The Hunt, which normally would have their prey in sight by this point, was also having difficulty, restricted as they were to methods that would not alert their enemy.

They were currently utilizing Keisha's and Christian's contacts to get a list of residents, and then they would have to begin the work of checking each one. All without alerting anyone that anything suspicious was happening. 

Lisa sighed and washed her hair, her fingers massaging her scalp and helping her mind to relax further. They had all decided that they needed to include Keisha and Christian on the next meeting. We should have had them in on the last meeting too. The people tailing Tim are theirs, after all. Ah well, hindsight is 20/20 and we're correcting that error moving forward.

Lisa rinsed her hair, and stepped out of the shower. She dried herself off, eyeing her blow dryer. She didn't really feel like taking the time, but she knew if she didn't she'd regret it in the morning when her hair went in fifty different directions. Lisa sighed, plugging in the dryer to get started. 

Max gazed appreciatively at Lisa as she emerged from the bathroom. She was wrapped in a bath robe and he held his breath in admiration. She'd taken the time to tame her hair, but her wavy curls never completely submitted. It reminded him of her personality, her calm public face overlaying her sultry and joyful inner self. 

Max grinned, and suddenly was before her, running his fingers through her hair, and kissing her lightly. Then he swept her into his arms before she could blink, placing her gently on the bed. "Lay down on your stomach and I'll do what I can to loosen you up," he said, giving her a playful smile. 

Lisa weakly smiled at his double entendre, and then followed his instructions, removing her bathrobe and giving him unrestricted access to her back. It was only a moment later that she felt Max straddle her and his oiled hands began gliding along her spine. The scent of almond wafted over her, and Lisa was floating in a cloud of bliss.

"You can stop that like never," Lisa moaned.

Max chuckled at how malleable she was under his hands, and felt happy that she was reacting. He'd noticed her lethargy, and was glad to see it hadn't taken over completely. "I guess knowing how to take someone apart has other uses as well," he said in a teasing tone.

"I'll say," Lisa sighed in contentment, "and I adore the smell of almonds."

"I'd noticed. Your favorite shower gel has the scent, and I've seen your expression when you open the bottle. If you were a cat you'd look like you were on catnip."

Lisa laughed. He wasn't far from the mark and she knew it. "So what was that look on your face when you saw Sonja channeling Eldingar? You seemed like you recognized her in some way?"

"Sonja?"

Lisa looked over her shoulder at him, and saw he was genuinely confused. "The Voice," she clarified.

Max was startled. "She gave you a name to call her by? She must really like you. Even Tiernan calls her The Voice."

Lisa just gave him a surprised look. "I didn't realize... I'm glad though. I find it clumsy to have to call someone by their title when I'm working with them."

Max shook his head. Either Lisa didn't know or was ignoring the significance of The Voice giving her a name to use. He put this new knowledge aside to think about another time and answered Lisa's earlier question. "The reason that I looked like I recognized Eldingar was because I did. Before you ask, though, I don't feel right telling you more about her. It's her story to tell, and if it's any consolation, I think she will tell it to you soon."

Lisa sighed in acceptance. "It does appear that she has her own timetable for that, though I'd really like to know more about her. Eldingar's helped me for a long time, and I'd like to know more about the being to whom I owe my thanks, and the training I'm receiving, even if it is difficult."

Lisa lapsed into silence, and Max continued to work her back, enjoying the feel of her loosening beneath his hands. Finally he decided to draw her out again. 

So how bad was it?" he asked gently, his fingers working into shoulders.

Lisa tensed briefly, and then sighed, consciously making herself relax. "It wasn't good, but it could have been worse."

"It can always be worse, but that doesn't answer my question."

Lisa closed her eyes, she didn't really want to talk about it, but she knew she should. She knew she needed to face that tired numbness and look at what it was covering. She also knew that she needed to do so sooner rather than later. She let out a deep breath before speaking. "It was bad. Eldingar poked at every emotional, mental and spiritual wound she could find. I know she's preparing me for our enemy, but I really didn't want to relive my father's illness and death."

Lisa went silent for a moment, and Max sensed there was something more on the edge of her tongue. He stayed quiet and did his best to project an air of support and comfort while working the knots out.

"I've never really talked about this," Lisa finally began, and Max heard her struggle to get the words out. "When my father died, my mother was in so much pain she was ready to follow him. It was only my existence that kept her here." Lisa went silent again, but Max knew she wasn't finished.

"You've felt a bit of how my empathic gift works. It can be as if the emotions and sensations were your own," Lisa paused and tensed slightly again. Max simply slid his hands over those areas and worked to relax her. He had a good idea of where she was going with this, and he was beginning to see where a lot of her strength came from.

"I was four years old. I didn't know what empathy was, much less how to control or dampen it. At that time my mother didn't know anything about these extra abilities either, even though she has talents as well. I felt her grief as strongly as my own, and I still remember telling her 'it's okay mama,' because I knew she wanted to kill herself, and it was the only thing I could think to say."

Lisa's voice hitched, and Max leaned over her, pressing his face into the back of her neck, and letting his bare chest resting lightly against her back. He was using the contact to give her support and comfort, hoping to help her while she showed him such a vulnerable part of herself. 

Lisa took another deep breath, and he waited for her to continue. "I've never told anyone all of this before," Lisa continued in a deadpan tone. "I knew she wanted to die. I knew it and it scared me. I'd already lost my father, I couldn't lose her too. I shoved my pain aside, buried it, so that it wouldn't add to hers. I took her pain and grief into myself to lighten her burden. 

"I never let her know I did any of that, and I don't want her to know. At the very least because I don't want to deal with the guilt I know she will feel. It was my choice, and the consequences of that choice are mine to bear, not hers."

Max rolled to her side, lying next to her and gathering her against him. He saw tears glitter in her hazel eyes before she buried her face in his shoulder. He held her to him, and let his love and respect for her pour out, knowing that she would feel him. That was all it took and she broke down completely, sobbing her pain into his shoulder.

Max held her tightly, trying to be an anchor for her so that she could let go. Her body relaxed against him, and his heart swelled with her trust.

Eventually her sobs calmed, and he chose that moment to break his silence. "You truly were born to be a healer," he told her, his soft voice full of warmth. "At four years old, you already put someone else's pain before your own. You have such tremendous strength of will and such great love, you never cease to amaze me. I love you and all that you are. I am a warrior, but you are a champion of the spirit, and your warrior's heart is as strong or stronger than mine."

Lisa looked up at him in shock. Her eyes, red and swollen, locked with his in disbelief. Her nose was starting to run and he reached out and grabbed a tissue from the nightstand without breaking eye contact. He let her read the truth of his words in his eyes, and her jaw dropped in shock.

He handed her the tissue and smiled softly. "You think I'm kidding?" he asked gently. 

Lisa blew her nose and shook her head. "No," she finally said in a hoarse whisper, her voice thick from her tears. "I know you wouldn't say something like that if you didn't believe it. I just never thought of myself as particularly strong. I knew I could be stubborn," she said with a slight rueful smile, "but I never thought of myself as a warrior."

Max's eyes gained an intensity that seemed to bore straight into Lisa's core. "A warrior is someone who is honorable. They stand in the face of fear or pain and accept it without letting rule them. They help and defend those that need their aid and protection. In the short time we've known each other, I have seen you do all of this."

Lisa shook her head, "But I haven't defended anyone..."

Max cut her off, "What about when you stood up to Christian after feeling Carol's pain. You knew she needed your help, and you didn't let anything stop you. Then later, you told him to stay away from his mate for the interim. That took tremendous strength, and you did it because you knew Carol needed that space. You protected her until she was healthy enough to stand for herself."

Lisa's eyes grew thoughtful while she considered Max's words. "I guess I never saw it that way. Something like that... well there's no question as to my course of action, and I never thought of it as being anything special."

Max smiled, and gave her a soft kiss. "But it is," he replied. "That you never thought of it as special is to your credit, but it most definitely is something very special. I've been around a long time. I've seen people in those situations time and again. There are not many that are willing to make the choice you did." 

Max paused for a moment, searching her eyes. He saw her belief and he continued. "Today too, was the act of a warrior. I have a fair idea of the pain you were in when you cried out, but I didn't feel any of it. I know that for that to happen, given our closeness, you had to work to keep the pain from hitting me. I also know what it cost you to do that."




Something New Ch. 11



Lisa turned a bit red and broke his gaze. It amazed him that she could show such strength, and then feel so shy when that strength was acknowledged. He put a finger on her jaw and turned her face back to his. "Then, not only did you recover quickly, but you stood up and asked to continue with no fear. Most people would have been doing anything in their power to stop at that point."

"The training is necessary. I know Eldingar would not hurt me if she could avoid it," Lisa answered in her logical voice, retreating behind the shield of reason. "I myself have expressed concerns about the fact that our enemy knows the shadows and will likely be able to see our shadows, our injuries. I cannot express that concern and then do nothing about it just because it causes discomfort."

"Discomfort," Max repeated. "That's like describing a tornado as a slight breeze."

Lisa shrugged her shoulders, "It's necessary, and dwelling on how strong it is adds nothing."

"I'm not debating that it's necessary, I'm just commenting on the understatement," Max replied with a smile. "Anyway, none of this is really the point. The point is that you are a warrior. You may not defend people with martial skills, but you are a warrior nonetheless."

Max saw acceptance finally start to creep into her eyes, coupled with a sense of wonder at this part of herself she had not seen before. Lisa leaned in and kissed him. "Thank you, Max. Thank you for listening, and for not letting me deflect your words." 

Max smiled and tenderly kissed her in reply, content with the closeness he felt in this moment. She rested her head against his shoulder, and the events of the day finally caught up to her, gently pulling her down into dreamless sleep.

****************

"Hi mom, sorry I haven't called in a while, it's been crazy busy," Lisa said into the phone. Talking about her mother last night, reminded her that she hadn't called for awhile. 

Lisa bustled around the kitchen, phone tucked between ear and shoulder, setting up the crock pot to cook black beans so she could make moros this evening. The beans had soaked overnight, so they should be soft by the end of the day. When she got home it would just be a matter of making the rice and then cooking the two together for about ten or fifteen minutes. 

She also had a flank steak that she'd shredded last night after making a beef stock. She was planning to make vaca frita to go along with the moros this evening. Basically she'd only need about thirty minutes to have dinner on the table tonight. 

"It's good to hear from you, mija." Lisa smiled briefly, her mother didn't mix a lot of Spanish and English. "What's been going on?" her mother asked, warmth in her voice.

"Well we're going through that whole system upgrade, and that's taken a lot of my time. Oh, and guess what? Christian found his mate," Lisa said in a happy tone. 

Lisa's mother was a healer as well. Though she didn't work as closely with the nonhuman community, she still knew about them. "She was a forced turn," Lisa continued, "but she adjusted quickly."

"Oh that's wonderful news! Not about the forced turn, but it sounds like you've got that well in hand." Lisa shook her head at her mother's perceptiveness before she continued in a satisfied tone. "Christian's needed to settle down for a while. He gets too worked up sometimes, and a mate should take care of that nicely. And you? Anyone I should know about?"

"Oye mom, you have a sixth sense for these things," Lisa answered with a smile. Her mother didn't usually ask about that area of Lisa's life, knowing Lisa would say something if there was anything to tell. "Yes there is, which is part of why I'm calling. I wanted to bring him to Alex's birthday if she won't mind."

"Ay, mi vida, of course your sister won't mind! She'll be as happy to meet him as the rest of us," her mother replied excitedly. Lisa didn't have much of a dating history, and she'd never brought someone to meet the family except for platonic friends. "So what's his name and how long have you been seeing each other?"

Lisa smiled, "His name is Max Tau. We haven't been seeing each other long," Lisa paused, "but mom, it's pretty serious."

"Is he human?"

Lisa winced slightly, knowing the conclusions her mother was probably jumping to. "Well he's not a were, if that's what you're asking. There's no mates thing going on here, but no, he isn't exactly human. What he is I think might be better explained after you meet him, though."

"Lisa, is it something so bad that you cannot tell me over the phone?" her mother asked in a clipped tone.

"No mom, nothing like that, it's just unusual." Lisa sighed, realizing that if she didn't just tell her mother she was going to obsessively worry and probably come up with half a dozen worst case scenarios. "He's Dragon Touched. Basically he's bonded to a dragon, and that gives him special abilities. Interestingly, the one he's bonded to is one that I know."

"Never heard of that one before, I look forward to meeting him. So tell me a bit about him," her mother's voice warmed again.

Lisa smiled thinking about Max. "He's kind, mom, and considerate. He's honorable and he treats me like a partner. I love him."

"Sounds wonderful, mi vida," her mother said softly. She could hear the love in her daughter's voice, and had never heard Lisa speak about anyone in those tones before. "I'm looking forward to seeing him. How did you meet?"

Lisa smiled, "You can thank the Sidhe for that. Max is friends with one by the name of Tiernan. Tiernan came in response to a problem with Thom and Shari, and decided Max would be useful, so brought him along." 

Lisa was deliberately avoiding any further details about the entire situation. She didn't want her mother to worry or attempt to help. She had a gut feeling that it would not be good for her mother to be involved in the current situation.

"And you think the Sidhe getting you and Max together was entirely coincidence?"

Lisa laughed, "Probably not, but given the way things have turned out, I can't say I'm not happy..."

They talked for a bit longer, and ran out of things to say about the same time Lisa finished slicing some onions for the vaca frita. She put the onions into a tupperware in the fridge, and they said their goodbyes. 

Max walked in a moment later, still slightly damp from a shower he'd taken after his morning routine. "Smells good," he commented before wrapping his arms around her waist and nuzzling against her neck. He pulled her away from the sink where she was starting on the dishes. "Let me do that, you spent the time cooking, I can wash up."

Lisa smiled, grabbing a sponge to wipe down countertops while he took over the pans. It was kind of odd, but it turned her on when he helped her like this. Too bad she had to go to work today.

"Lisa? You might want to take a look at this," Max said with an odd tone, while looking out the window over the sink. 

Lisa walked over to him, looking outside. When she saw what he was looking at, she sucked in her breath in surprise. There on her deck was an entire flock of ravens looking straight at the window. As soon as they caught sight of her they started cawing, and Lisa immediately sent out a silent greeting. The birds all went silent and watched her now that she'd acknowledged them, and she followed up with a silent query of why they'd come. 

Lisa began to get see double, and she closed her eyes to focus on whatever was trying to come through on the spirit level. 

She saw grasses and had the impression of the land being very wet. English moor, the thought came to her, giving her a name for what she saw. English moor in Autumn. She looked around and saw bodies and body parts in different states of decomposition. She was standing on a battlefield, viewing the aftermath.

She noted a single tree standing alone, Raven perched in its bare branches. As soon as she saw him, he cawed and spoke. "The battle comes. You have the opening volley. I offer assistance." 

Raven waited a moment for Lisa to nod her acceptance, and then he launched himself off the tree and flew straight into her heart. Lisa felt his presence merging with hers, and quickly adjusted. She was quite comfortable with this form of shapeshifting, and she'd worked with Raven enough times before that the two of them aligned quite naturally. 

As soon as the merge felt solid, Lisa pulled her spirit back more firmly to her body and opened her eyes to see the flock of ravens still sitting out there. Lisa gave them silent thanks, and then grabbed some bread to offer to them.

Max followed her outside, making certain that Sasha stayed indoors. He kept silent through the entire process, and once again Lisa sent a prayer of thanks for bringing him into her life. There were not many people that would have refrained from questions through all of this.

Finally, when the last bird had flown off, Lisa turned to Max and told him everything she'd seen. He listened with a thoughtful look, until she reached the part about the opening volley being hers. Then his gaze hardened. 

"Max," Lisa put a hand on his arm, "Raven is giving us warning. I did not seek to be on the front line, but it would appear that something is likely put me there. It is possible that the opening volley, as Raven put it, is not a physical one. What happened to Thom was, for the most part, a non-physical attack. In fact, given what we know about this enemy, I doubt a physical attack would be its first choice.

"We already know it has an interest in me, and I think the only reason we have not any problems so far, was because it wasn't able to identify me. I am not so foolish as to think that will always be the case, and it may be that is why I will have the first volley."

"So you are just willing to accept it? No questions asked?" Max replied, a harsh note in his normally soft voice. 

"Who said I'm not asking any questions? The more data I can get, the better, and since Raven has chosen to merge with me for the foreseeable future, I have a source from which to gain some direction.

"Max, I have learned that sometimes a certain path has gained so much energy, that there is no way to stop it anymore. Think of a bullet. If I throw it at you, you can catch it in your hand with no trouble. If I shoot it at you, though, there's so much energy behind it, that it would only go through your hand without stopping. I don't know if that is the situation here, but if it is, the best thing I can do is to try and make sure I have on my proverbial bullet proof vest."

Max held her gaze, his worry obvious in his light gray eyes. Lisa could see his inner struggle with his need to protect her, and the implications of Raven's warning. "I do not take this lightly, Max," Lisa said again, resolve in her gaze, "but I will not cower in fear either."

That seemed to be the right thing to say, because Lisa saw acceptance creep into Max's eyes before he took a deep breath, releasing some of his tension. Max wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly. "I love you, Lisa," he whispered against her ear, "more than I ever thought possible. I can't lose you."

Lisa returned his embrace, shivering slightly at his words. "I love you too, Max, and I have no intention of leaving." A decision came into focus in Lisa's mind, and her choice was clear. She pulled back, slightly so she could look him in the eye. "You know that a few weeks ago, Keisha offered to turn me if I wanted? Before, I wouldn't have been interested, but now... I have no intention of leaving, but we both know that time will take me if I stay human."

Max sucked in his breath, surprised at the turn in the conversation. "I don't want you to choose that life just for me," Max said, his voice still rough with emotion. "I never asked Hilde to become anything other than human, and I won't ask you either. Humanity is a precious gift."

Lisa kissed him lightly. "I know it is, Max, and I don't give up my humanity lightly, but I've given a lot of thought to this. Think about what it will be like just trying to go out to a romantic dinner when I'm in my sixties, and you haven't changed. 

"That's just a small part of the challenges when one partner ages, and the other doesn't. I've seen it before, and it causes a lot of pain to both. I think it will make us both happy if I take up Keisha on her offer."

"I want to be certain you really want to do this, Lisa. If there is the slightest chance that you will be unhappy as a vampire, then I don't want you to turn," Max told her, his gray eyes boring into hers, leaving no doubt to how serious he was. "I will be by your side for as long as you want me, human or not, young or old."

Lisa felt her heart lift with joy at his words. She threaded her fingers through his, and gave his hands a slight squeeze. "This isn't something that will happen right away. I will have a chance to gain more exposure to the vampire lifestyle before being turned, so I'll know if it's something that will make me unhappy. Keisha instituted a program awhile back to help interested people experience what they are in for before being turned.

"I also have to admit that I've given a lot of consideration to the issue of sex drive," Lisa said blushing slightly. "Right now we're both pretty well matched in that area, but I know that my drive will change as I get older. As a vamp, that will not be a problem."

"While I very much enjoy that aspect of our relationship, it's not what made me love you," Max said in a tone that left no doubt to his feelings. Then a teasing smile appeared on his face and he continued. "Besides, if I do need release and you're not up for it... well let's just say I'm pretty self sufficient."

Lisa turned a bit redder and he chuckled. "That actually goes for now as well as for the future. I don't want you feeling obligated to please me, and I'm somewhat used to long stretches without a partner." 

Max gave a slightly sad smile at her surprised look, and answered her unspoken question. "After Hilde I lost interest for a long time. Since her there have only been two ladies. Both were Sidhe, and both wanted nothing further than physical release. It's been about forty years since the last time I was with someone."

Understanding crept into Lisa's eyes, though she was still a bit surprised over the long time span. Still, when you're over two thousand years old, forty years is probably nothing, she thought to herself. 

Lisa smiled at him, her mood shifting with the topic, and perhaps with concern that her time might be short, given Raven's message. "You know, I'm already late for work, and another hour or so isn't really going to make much of a difference. Why don't I give Keisha a call, and then you and I can make up for some of that lost time?"

Max chuckled, his eyes darkening to a slate gray. "I want to talk more about this later," he said and held still till she nodded her acceptance. Then he gave her a hungry smile, tilting his head to nibble her neck before whispering in her ear. "Maybe I'll have to watch while you show me how ... self sufficient you can be."

***************

Lisa, Keisha and Max had just stepped outside into the parking lot, ready to head home. "See you later," Lisa called, giving Keisha a brief wave before they all turned to their respective cars. Lisa hadn't gone more than two steps before she felt a sting in her leg. She looked down, and then felt like she was being wrapped up in a thick blanket before falling to the ground.

She registered Max's presence against her as if she was feeling it from very far away, and she heard the sound of Keisha's heels running, before completely losing touch with her body.

***************

Lisa felt like she'd been falling for hours, but finally she felt something solid beneath her. She looked down and the ground was gray. Around her was gray mist, rendering her surroundings completely featureless save for the vague shadows and shapes formed in the fog. 

Well someone clearly has loads of imagination, she commented to herself. She knew she was in some unformed part of the spirit world. She also knew it was claimed, and by who. The shadow creature's energy signature was threaded throughout the entire place. 

Lisa checked her connection to her guides and spirit animals. The connection was still there, but they were held off at a distance. All save one. Raven was still merged with her, and his presence was strong. Now she understood the reason for this morning's show. 

Lisa remembered the sting in her leg, and mentally spoke to Raven. "Did it inject me with one of those parasite things that we removed from Thom?"

"Yes, but you have been protected, so have no concern for that." Raven replied. Lisa felt a flash of relief that she would not have to fight their enemy on two fronts, and sent a brief prayer of thanks for Raven's presence. 

Lisa looked around again at the swirling mist and the gray that was in every direction. "You'd think it could come up with just one color other than gray," she commented to herself.

"But I like it like this. It is full of possibilities," a voice drifted out of the fog. Lisa was a bit startled at the musical and seductive sound. It wasn't what she was expecting. She looked within herself, checking her center and bringing Eldingar's training into her mind. 

'Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more...' Lisa quoted to herself, feeling the determination in those words wash over her. 

"My, but you are interesting. What fun we will have together," the voice floated out again from the mist, attempting to insinuate itself into her mind.

Lisa shivered slightly at the promises held in that voice, but did not allow it to shake her. She knew that mistakes here would mean a lot worse than the temporary pain she'd felt with Eldingar. Instead she held to her center, feeling no need to speak.

"So quiet. Have you no responses, no questions for me?"

Lisa just gave a serene smile. She knew any response now would only give it further insight into her, and she did not plan to make its job easy.

Its chuckle drifted through the mist, and tendrils of fog reached out to touch her skin. Lisa understood that the touch was intended to be pleasurable, but it did nothing for her, and she simply maintained her serenity.

Finally a figure began to form before her. As it solidified, it maintained a shadowy, androgynous look, which prevented Lisa from making out any specific features except for startling blue eyes. Those eyes met hers, and she felt it testing and evaluating her. 

It chuckled again. "I have not been so challenged in a very long time. You are most entertaining."

A sudden realization flashed into Lisa's mind. "Is that was this is all about? Entertainment for you?" she asked in a neutral tone, treating this like a session, and keeping herself out of judgment. She was simply requesting information.

It was slightly startled, not by her question, but by the lack of anger, incredulity, or anything else. "Of course it is," it replied, carefully watching her reactions. "Ennui is such an ... unpleasant state."

"So you prevent boredom by forcing people to your will?" Lisa asked, once again keeping her neutral tone. Treating this like a shamanic session was helping her stay centered.

It laughed, "I force nobody. They choose me, and can choose to leave at any time. Look," it said, and proceeded to show her images of people serving it. She noticed that most of the images were sexual in nature, though she had the distinct impression that sex was only used with a small fraction of the people it manipulated. She wasn't sure why its focus was so narrow, though, unless it was just to keep her from seeing its more subtle methods.




Something New Ch. 11



"They choose you, but most do not know what they are choosing until it is too late. You offer them freedom to leave, but it is not true freedom. You make yourself into a drug for them, and then you take part of them into yourself. They cannot leave you anymore than they could stop breathing," was Lisa's quiet reply.

It was a bit startled at her words. It had deliberately concentrated on the sexual images, knowing that most people could not watch what it showed her and not become at least a little uncomfortable and aroused. There was nothing coming from her but calm, and as a result, she had seen more deeply into it than it had intended. 

"You are very perceptive. Certainly the most perceptive person I have ever encountered. I have not enjoyed a challenge like you in a very long time. Tell me, though, are you normally frigid?" it asked, hoping to startle her into a reaction.

Lisa was slightly surprised at its sudden shift in questioning, and she felt its energy trying to insinuate itself to manipulate her. It was almost like she was dealing with a spoiled child that could not understand why it wasn't getting what it wanted. But that's exactly it, isn't it? she thought to herself in sudden realization. This creature is just like that spoiled child. It is completely self focused, and has always managed to get its way.

"The answer is simple, there was no love in what you showed me," Lisa answered calmly.

"Love is overrated," it commented offhandedly.

Lisa knew it was trying to get a rise out of her, and she smiled and shrugged, holding to her serene state. 

It met her eyes again, and Lisa could see a combination of frustration and curiosity. "You could provide me with decades, perhaps even centuries of entertainment. If I leave your friends alone, would you choose to come with me?"

"No," was Lisa's reply. She gave it no reasons to argue with, just the simple answer.

"You do not care for your friends enough to bargain with me?"

Lisa gave the shadow creature her 'nun look.' It had been dubbed that by an old friend of hers that always said it reminded her of when she got in trouble with the nuns as a kid.

"I see. Then perhaps I will make it my mission to interfere with them, and you may have the knowledge that you are responsible."

Lisa continued giving it 'the look' and replied, "The only one with responsibility in that scenario is you."

It gave her a slightly evil smile, "Oh? Maybe you would feel different if it were your family instead of your friends."

If it hadn't been for Eldingar's training, Lisa probably would have lost this battle of wills with those words. She felt Raven lending her his support. Lisa remained silent and ignored it, treating it like a misbehaving dog.

"Interesting," it said quietly. It was surprised that rather than bringing her closer to it, its threats seemed to only push her further away. That was also not something it had ever encountered before, and it wasn't something it quite knew what to do with. It studied the serene woman before it, and reviewed what it knew about her, discarding some of the information its servant had given. It came to the conclusion that its servant did not know his employer as well as he thought he did.

It smiled again at her, "I see I am approaching this all wrong. My apologies for my mistake. You are not the person I thought you were. I realize now that what you are at heart is a healer. You wish to make the world around you better. I am not without a desire for this as well. Prosperity brings many opportunities, after all. I had not looked to expand that influence very far before meeting you, but perhaps with your help, we together could make a difference, make the world better."

Lisa looked into its eyes, seeing beneath its words to the creature's intent and meaning. "Your version of better does not match with mine," Lisa replied.

It made a small frustrated noise. Never before had it encountered such a wall to its influence.

On and on the game continued. It nudged and prodded, trying to find the flaw that would give it access. It was determined to win, determined to possess her. I will find her price...

***************

Max was preternaturally still. Since he arrived he'd stood over Lisa's prone form which he'd gently laid in the center of the circle on Shari and Thom's property. He was hyper alert to his surroundings, and to any possible signs that Lisa might rise from her unconscious state. His mood was unstable and he'd refused to leave Lisa's side. 

Thom kept giving him wary glances, not quite sure how to reconcile the man he'd come to respect, with this hissing, red scaled creature. Max had even grown a mouth full of sharp teeth, and his typically friendly eyes were now a cold, pale gray and vertically slitted like a cat. There was something about him that struck an atavistic fear within Thom, and it was only having seen others successfully approach the demonic looking man, that kept Thom within twenty feet of him. 

Thom was further unnerved by the giant hyena currently prowling the woods surrounding the circle. He had not expected that from the friendly woman that had been introduced as Christian's mate. There was something a hell of a lot scarier about a huge animal with the kind of jaws she had, and the ability to move so silently.

Something that big shouldn't be that quiet, he thought to himself. At least I convinced Shari and her sister to stay at the house. Hell, I wish I could have stayed there too. I don't know what The Voice thinks I can contribute to this mess. Just about anybody here could kill me in less than a second if they wanted.

Thom shifted his gaze to where The Voice was quietly speaking with Tiernan, Christian and Keisha. All three seemed less than pleased with whatever she was telling them. He saw her say something with a look of finality, and the three nonhumans went silent. Then she turned and approached Lisa's prone form. Thom moved closer so he could hear, though he still kept distance.

"There is a link between Lisa and myself, formed by the one I channeled to teach her," The Voice spoke without preamble. "This link can now be used to send me to where her spirit is being held. I will do this, with or without help," she paused meeting the eyes of Tiernan, Keisha and Christian before bringing her gaze back to Max. 

Max nodded his head in acceptance. Despite his concern for Lisa, he did not take the danger to The Voice lightly. However, he also knew better than to question her when she spoke like this, so he kept silent. 

The Voice's gaze softened slightly as she looked at Max, and she reached out to put a hand on his shoulder in an uncharacteristic gesture of familiarity. "Fear not, warrior," she spoke softly in an odd ringing tone. "The training given to her has kept her strong. She holds her own."

Max's eyes widened briefly in surprise. "Thank you," he said, bowing his head to her.

The Voice smiled and then straightened up again, her gaze taking in the three nonhumans that had followed her like ducklings to Max's side. "Now," she continued in a voice that brooked no argument, "Will you assist or do you leave this circle?" she asked, directly meeting each one's gaze.

"We will assist," Tiernan said in a chilly voice. "We are concerned with this plan, but We will do what We can to make it less risky."

Keisha gave him a slightly amused look before turning to The Voice, "I'm in," she said shortly.

"I will help as well..." A slightly pained look crossed Christian's face as he spoke, and his red eyes clouded briefly. A flash of anger followed by acceptance passed over his features before his gaze cleared again, and he continued. "Make that we will assist. My mate will not allow me to shoulder this burden alone," he said with a wry smile.

The Voice chuckled, "Wise wolf," was all she said. "We will not be unopposed. I would like for your peoples, Christian and Keisha, to take over from the Fae to guard these grounds."

Tiernan's lips compressed in anger and his angular face looked so cold Thom thought it could freeze water in the Sahara. Having lived with Tiernan these past weeks, though, Thom understood the anger. These were Sidhe lands, and to turn over guardianship to anyone else was not easy for him to swallow. It was only a glance at the tightly controlled emotion on Max's face that kept Tiernan silent.

"I understand your reluctance," The Voice said gently to Tiernan, "but you and your people are needed for other tasks. Lisa and I will need your protection from its creatures in the spirit world, and that is the domain of the Fae, not vampires or weres. There is more as well, but what further need there will be has not been made clear to me. I only know that it is critical your people not be tied up in defending this land. Allow your friends and allies to take up this task."

"She's right," Carol's voice floated out of the trees as she stepped forward from the shadows wearing sweatpants and pulling on a sweatshirt. "I don't know why either, Tiernan, but I feel it in my gut. For tonight, guarding this land is our responsibility," she stated, gesturing to herself, Christain and Keisha.

Tiernan nodded his head in acceptance and Keisha spoke in a comforting tone. "We three are all friends to Lisa. Not one of us would hesitate to protect her. The moment Lisa was struck down, I put out a call to my underlings. My people are already on their way, and I suspect the same is true for Christian and Carol." 

The two weres nodded in confirmation. "Think of it this way," Christian spoke, "You are creating a historic moment in the history of vampires and weres. Never before have we fought together, but tonight we unify against a common foe." Christian extended his hand to Keisha. She looked briefly at it, and then extended her own, clasping forearms with him to acknowledge him as her ally.

"We should go make plans, and it would be good for our forces to meet each other first. I'd like to be certain that everyone knows each other's scents so there are no mistakes," Keisha said, and the three of them walked off to the edge of the circle. 

Thom saw the vamps and weres that had arrived with their leaders emerge from the forest to assist, and then turned his attention back to The Voice who was now beckoning to him.

Thom stepped closer, still wary of Max, and tried to watch both him and The Voice at the same time. It was only seeing The Voice standing by Max with no fear that made him step closer.

"Thom, I would like you to link with me and the being I will be channeling. We would like you to act as backup and as an anchor," The Voice said to him. "The being I will be channeling is ancient and powerful and has a vested interest in Lisa's well being. 

"She is here to help us all and it will greatly increase our chances of success if you allow her to link to you as well. I will not lie to you, there will be risk to you in this, and I will not fault you if you choose to absent yourself from these proceedings."

"Lisa has helped me many times. She's my friend. Plus it's just plain the right thing to do. Yes, I'll do whatever you need," Thom replied, surreptitiously watching Max out of the corner of his eye. Thom had to control his urge to step back when Max moved slightly, and he received the full attention of those strange eyes.

"Thom, you can ssstop acting like I'm sssome predator waiting to pounce. I will not touch you," Max said, a faint note of sadness coming through the hissing sibilants. "My anger isss for myssself, for my failure to prevent thisss, and for the one that ssseeksss to take her."

Thom heard the other man's pain, and suddenly felt guilty for his reaction to Max up to this point. This was the same man that he had shared many meals with, whose sense of humor was so very much like his own. "I'm sorry Max," Thom said, relaxing. "I know it's you, it's just ... I think maybe there's been one to many shocks for me tonight. If it's any consolation, the hyena completely terrifies me."

Max's lips twitched, a very small smile fighting through the tension and concern on his face. "Wissse of you. SSShe's much meaner than I." 

"I heard that!" Carol called from across the circle, her teeth flashing briefly in a mock growl before she smiled. "Fortunately for you I think you're right," she finished before turning back to resume planning with her mate. 

The Voice gave a slight smile. "I am proud to call you my student," she said to Thom. She knew this was difficult for him. All he had ever really wanted was a nice, quiet life, and events had conspired to interfere with those plans. She thought he and his wife had done an admirable job meeting those challenges with both grace and strength. 

"This is what we will do..." 



Something New Ch. 12



 Thanks so much for keeping up the comments, I really love reading all of them! Enjoy, and please don't forget to vote!

Also, just wanted to let the person know that e-mailed me, I'm not ignoring you, and I appreciated the comments very much. Unfortunately my e-mail keeps bouncing, so I couldn't reply. 

This story is copyrighted, please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks! 

****************

"Keep holding, reinforcements will arrive soon," Raven's harsh voice cawed softly in her mind.

Lisa felt a wave of relief. She was still locked in a dangerous dance with the shadow creature, and the longer this went on, the more likely she would make a mistake. Whatever else this creature was, it knew how to manipulate people, and she'd had a couple near misses. 

It was not lost on Lisa that the two of them were very similar. Had she made different choices about who she wanted to be, she could very easily have become very much like this thing she was fighting. Of course I would have been miserable if I had chosen that path, Lisa thought to herself grimly.

She watched the creature as it watched her, both of them trying to see into the other without giving anything away. They seemed to be at something of an impasse, and Lisa was privately grateful for the pause. 

It narrowed its eyes. It was more than a little irritated. It didn't seem to matter what it tempted her with or how it tried to manipulate her, time and again all she did was refuse with that unshakable calm. This is simply not possible, it thought to itself. Nobody can resist. I always find a person's price.  

Except this time it hadn't. It considered everything that had occurred and was brought up short with a sudden realization. It stilled, and looked at her in shock. 

"Have I turned green or grown a second head?" Lisa asked, her lips twitching slightly with amusement. 

"You are content. How is that possible? Nobody is content. Not really." it whispered, unable to believe what it was seeing.

Lisa shrugged in response, and felt Raven prompting her to speak further. "When I started dancing I realized that if I didn't enjoy myself, that it was my fault not my partner's. Ever since then, I have striven not blame others if I was unhappy, and took responsibility for myself. Eventually that attitude overtook the rest of my life."

"But you still desire things. A desire for something speaks to a lack."

Lisa smiled. "The two conditions are not mutually exclusive. Just because there are things I would enjoy does not mean that I am not happy with what I have. I enjoy ice cream, but I won't be miserable if I do not have any."

It considered her words, and Lisa noticed that it was starting to look slightly more human. She was still unable to make out any details about it, but there was a sense of solidity that had not been there before. Lisa took the opportunity to examine the creature before her more closely.

"Finding anything of interest?" it asked, its blue eyes suddenly boring into her.

Lisa met its gaze calmly. "That depends on how you define what is of interest."

It blinked, once again taken off guard. It was finding itself more and more unsettled by the woman before it, and did not much like the feeling. "And what did you see?" it finally asked.

"You spend much time cloaking the truth of who and what you are. Do you really wish to hear the truth of what I see?" she asked. She knew its answer, but she also knew that if it agreed to listen, her words would have more power.

"You think I deceive myself? I would not have such an ally in shadows if I did. Speak."

Lisa gave it a somewhat sad smile. "I see an existence that has missed many opportunities for great joy and happiness. I see an existence that could have been so much more, and instead is a long repetition of pettiness. I see an existence as gray as this place because it is afraid to let in the vibrancy of life. In short, the ennui you are so desperate to escape is of your own making."

Its eyes flashed in anger, and Lisa smiled and said with another shrug, "You asked and you said you were ready to hear the truth. Do you now get angry because the truth I see is not what you wished to hear?"

Her words had the desired effect of being the proverbial bucket of cold water, and the creature before her calmed though it was still on edge. Lisa was satisfied with this. She knew that she'd put the proverbial fly in its ear.

****************

Max examined Lisa's unconscious form for the umpteenth time while The Voice prepared herself and Thom under Tiernan's eye. Nothing had changed. Her body was alive, but she simply wasn't there. His shifted dragon eyes showed him that quite clearly every time he looked into her, and every time he looked, it only made him angrier.

Max knew he should stop examining her. He knew he needed to be calm for what was coming, but somehow he just couldn't stop checking, couldn't stop looking to see if anything had changed, couldn't stop trying to find where she'd been taken. 

This is pointless and you know it, he berated himself. He could track just about anything physical, but he didn't have the ability to track a spirit, much less free one. That only added to his frustration and anger.

"Are you like one of my children? Have you no control over yourself?" Keisha's smooth voice came from behind him, and he twitched slightly in surprise. 

Keisha smiled slightly, she knew Max hadn't detected her till she spoke, and she was making a point. "At least a childling vampire has an excuse, what excuse do you have to allow your anger to control you? How will that help get her back?"

Max shut his eyes and went still with the effort of controlling the rage that was surging through him with her words. His only movement was the tip of his tail twitching in agitation. Keisha was quickly becoming a target, and he wasn't certain what he would do if he actually lost control. He remembered the aftermath of Hilde's betrayal, though even with Lisa's help, he still had no memory of what had happened during that curtain of rage. He'd like to think that he wouldn't hurt his friends and allies, but he was not willing to bet their lives on it.

"Have you no answer?" Keisha asked, her voice still smooth and controlled. She was taking a calculated risk speaking to Max like he was one of her own younglings. Still, she was best suited to snap him out of his anger. Weres may have to beware going rogue, but when a vampire lost control, their rage turned cold and calculating and was far more deadly.

Keisha watched Max carefully, knowing her next words were risky. "If she could see you now, and we're not certain she can't, how would she feel to see you behaving like this?"

Even Max's tail stilled, making him like a statue in the moonlight. If he had been in human form, he would turn as red as his scales in shame. Max knew exactly how she would feel, and the thought that he may have caused her any further pain or anguish finally snapped him out of his anger. His ability to think and plan returned with a rush, and he saw the fatal error he'd nearly made.

Max turned to face Keisha, his eyes no longer flashing with barely contained anger. Instead they were clear and focused. "Thank you, Keisssha," he said softly. "I'd like to join the ressst of the planning."

Keisha nodded, smiling in satisfaction as they joined Christian and Carol.

****************

"Is all ready?" The Voice asked.

"Yes," Christian replied. "Our peoples, both Keisha's and ours, are guarding Thom's home, this circle, and the surrounding land."

"Our people are Underhill and standing ready," Tiernan answered coldly, his dislike for their present course of action still evident in his voice.

"Then we begin," The Voice replied sinking to a pillow on the ground next to Lisa's still form. Thom followed her lead and sat next to her.

The Voice closed her eyes, and moments later, Eldingar was once again speaking through her. "Your dislike of this plan is well known, Tiernan," she said in her bell like voice. "You need not broadcast it at me. I tell you once and for all this is the path that brings the greatest chance for success. Do you continue to doubt, will you continue to fight me?"

Tiernan looked at Eldingar-Sonja, evaluating his words. Finally he spoke, "We will not fight this plan, but as for doubt..." Tiernan trailed off and narrowed his eyes before continuing, "Even such as you have been known to make mistakes."

Eldingar-Sonja gave him a grim smile, "And just what do you think this is all about? Tonight we rectify a very old mistake."

Tiernan sucked in his breath, his eyes going wide. "THAT is what has fallen into our laps?!" he exclaimed before softly muttering a stream of curses in his own language. "I should have known. Why did you not tell us this sooner?"

Max's eyes widened slightly, and then became hard as flint. He had a fair idea of what Tiernan and Eldingar were talking about, and he was not pleased with Eldingar's silence on the matter.

"It would have made matters worse," Eldingar-Sonja replied with a sigh. "We have a chance of success. I will not jeopardize that to appease curiosity."

Tiernan evaluated Eldingar-Sonja for several minutes, while Christian, Carol and Keisha looked on, trying to figure out what they were talking about. "You will explain everything when this is over," Tiernan stated in command, not request. His green eyes turning to jade with anger.

Eldingar-Sonja nodded. "When this is over, I will be happy to explain everything, to everyone," she replied. "For now, though, time is growing short and we must begin. Keep alert."

Christian, Carol and Keisha nodded, melting into the dark forest surrounding the circle, while Tiernan simply disappeared. Max settled himself in a tree, wrapping his tail around the trunk for security. His job, along with the team of weres and vamps that had been put under his command, was to guard those remaining within the circle. 

He had deliberately not manifested his wings or tail membrane. Those were only useful for flight Or for playing with Lisa, he thought with a brief smile. Flight would not be of advantage tonight. Not only was the moon bright, but the mountainside was forested with pine and aspen trees. Something the size of a goshawk could fly well in this kind of terrain, but he was way too large. No, for this, it was smarter for him to use the trees like a squirrel.

Max settled himself in the Ponderosa he'd chosen. He tasted and scented the butterscotch of the pine's sap each time he flicked out his tongue. It gave a subtly sweet undertone to the flavor of the forest, and he had to admit, it was a hell of a lot nicer than what came to his tongue in a lot of other places he'd been.

Max checked in with his team. He'd distributed them in a ring around the circle and assigned pairs. Each pair was stationed close enough to keep tabs on their neighbors, in order to prevent an enemy from taking out a set and making a hole in the line. He'd also made certain that each pair consisted of one vamp and one were in order to make full use of the abilities of both.

Max would typically not team those that hadn't trained together, but since they didn't know what type of creatures might be coming at them, he wanted the abilities of both species watching at each point. Besides, the way he had them distributed, he could separate vamps and weres into two different lines. The individuals in each line would be used to working together, and he would be able to direct the two lines independently if necessary. 

Having gotten a rundown on the people under his command from Keisha and Christian, Max had a feeling the two groups would partner well. After all, they were each familiar with the abilities and tactics of the other group. It wasn't that long ago that they had been fighting each other, after all. 

Max was impressed with both leaders. Keisha had gone as far as to threaten staking any vampire that attacked an allied were, while Christian had threatened to set his mate loose on any were that attacked an allied vampire. 

Max smiled, remembering the pale faced looks Christian had gotten when he told them that piece of news. It would seem that in a very short time, the entire pack had decided that pissing off their alpha female was very very bad.

If nothing else, perhaps a closer relationship between the two species can be forged out of this night, he thought, flicking a brief worried glance at The Voice, who was now moving to place her hands on Lisa's shoulders.

Max knew he was the only one able to see them. Tiernan had laid protections over them before leaving, including a rather potent glamorie. If it weren't for him having dragon eyes, right now, he'd see nothing but dirt and moonlight.

Max pulled his gaze away again, and focused on keeping anything from getting through. 

****************

Lisa was at another impasse with the creature. On the up side, she was beginning to feel a deep level understanding of it forming within her, and she knew when it finally snapped into place, she would likely have the information she needed to handle the thing.

The sparring matches with it had changed. It was still trying to tempt and manipulate her, but buried within all of that, was some part of it reaching out for change. That part was the single most dangerous thing to Lisa at this point in the game. It was a part of the creature that was genuinely seeking healing, and was also the part most likely to trap her.

Lisa felt her understanding of the creature suddenly snap into place, and was startled at the realizations it brought. "It was human once, wasn't it?" Lisa asked Raven.

"Yes, a very long time ago," Raven replied.

"She... yes, it used to be a she," Lisa mentally muttered half to herself and half to Raven. "She wanted control and she's given up her humanity, her gender and everything else to become this ... thing." 

Raven silently acknowledged that Lisa was correct, and let further realizations sink in. "She was bonded to something... Make that she still is bonded, but the bond is twisted. Ah... the one she is bonded to would break it if they could. 

Lisa went silent, and studied the creature before her, as it studied her. She saw the original bond still there, but there was more. There were more attachments on this creature than just the one bond.

"The links it sets up with other people, it uses them to inhabit their body, but it's more than just being a possessing entity." Lisa focused in on that aspect. There was something strange about it, and she'd not encountered something that felt quite like this before. 

"Shit," Lisa let out a mental curse when she realized this creature was doing something that shouldn't be possible. Then again, I'm the one always saying that nothing is impossible. I just would have thought the energy for something like this would be prohibitive, Lisa thought to herself.

"The original bond. That's where it's getting the energy to pull this off, isn't it?" she asked Raven. He paused, checking for himself, and then once again confirmed her assessment. Lisa went silent considering this new information.

This was different from a normal possession. For one thing, this creature was capable of possessing multiple people at a time. The really disturbing thing, though, was that it was physically as well as energetically possessing them. She'd never seen a being that could put some of its physical body into someone else. 

"This is why it's shadowed. It has joined its physical body with all of these different people. Hence no gender and no real form. The others need to know this, especially Tiernan. It can't be stopped without addressing this. Are you able to pass information to the others?" Lisa asked urgently.

"I cannot, but one is coming who can. She'll be here soon," Raven replied to Lisa's relief. Whatever else happened, this was vital information for the others.

****************

"We're about to come under attack. Calliehg Pack." Christian's mental voice alerted Max. Both he and Max were the most practiced at mentally coordinating large groups, so Christian was currently Max's primary contact. Max took in the images and information that Christian had about their attackers, and then passed it along to his team. 

According to Christian, Calliegh pack in question had coveted Smythson lands for centuries, but had never been strong enough to attempt to take them. There had been an uneasy truce forged between the two packs during the were-vampire wars, but Christian had known it was only a matter of time before that truce ended, now that there was peace between them and the vamps. It would appear the alpha of that pack thought now was the time to attack. 

Snarls and the impact of bodies began to reach Max's ears, and he knew battle had been joined. It wasn't long before he heard Christian's howl ring out over the forest making Max glad that Tiernan had laid sleep on the neighbors before leaving for Underhill. The neighbors weren't that close, but there's no way they wouldn't have heard the snarls, much less that howl, and they didn't need complications like police or animal control.

"Hold your positions," Max ordered his team, sensing some were getting restless. All of them immediately settled at his orders, and turned their attention back to watching for anyone that slipped through the front lines.

****************

Harriet was drawing heavily on her animal side. She'd considered shifting, but while her bear nature gave her great senses and a hell of a lot of strength, she lost a bit on agility. Her gut was telling her that right now, speed was more important, especially since they'd been partnered with vamps. 

It wasn't that she thought her partner would attack her, but rather that they wouldn't be able to fight as well together. She felt this was especially true since he hadn't trained with her to know how to take advantage of her strength. So instead of fully shifting, she contented herself with letting her animal side enhance her senses as much as she could and stay human. 

She was grateful for those senses when it gave her warning before her vampire partner suddenly spoke in her ear. "Heyla, furry one," he whispered in a light teasing tone, "that nose of yours manage to pick anything up?"

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" she growled mentally, deliberately not turning to look at him, and keeping her focus on watching the forest around them. "Silent communication, remember? Do you want to give away our positions?"

Misha stepped back away from his were partner, startled at her words. At first he was angry and was about to reply in kind when his reason surfaced. Then he realized that he was behaving like an idiot. 

"Sorry, you're right," he said, and was pleased to catch a bit of her startlement at his apology. "Guess I'm a bit out of practice," he said by way of explanation, and deliberately did not add that though he was rusty at this sort of thing, he was also letting himself get distracted by her, something he hadn't allowed to happen to him since he was first changed. 

She really wasn't his usual type. She was large framed and muscular, and he typically went for more petite women. Still, she was very feminine, even in her tactical gear, and her blunt way of speaking appealed to him. Not to mention the fact that every he came near her, he practically drooled for a taste of her. 

Maybe later, he thought to himself, after all this is finished. After all, adrenaline can work wonders. In the meantime, he figured he'd do a lot better if he stopped thinking with his dick, and started focusing to be certain there was a later for both of them. 




Something New Ch. 12



Harriet smiled slightly when she heard Misha swarm back up into the trees, taking that faint scent of his interest with him. She was impressed with how silently he moved. He was quieter than even were-cats, which was pretty damned impressive. She had to admit, there were a number of things about her vamp partner than impressed her, and if they both survived the night, she fully intended to further explore his... abilities. 

"Now that you're back at your post," she teased. Her mood had automatically improved with his apology. "I'll answer your question. My nose has picked up a number of things, but nothing that is of concern unless someone needs to track down some elk. Was there anything else?"

"Only that it won't bother me if you shift. I've noticed most of the other weres are in their animal forms, and wasn't sure why you weren't. I just don't want you holding back," Misha replied, pleased that she wasn't holding onto her irritation with him.

Harriet sent her amusement down the link before replying. "Oh you don't have to worry about me holding back. I'm keeping human because I'm more agile this way, and I have a feeling that it will be more useful than my strength. Besides, even staying human, my nose is better than most of the wolves when fully shifted."

Harriet felt Misha's interest and curiosity before he spoke. "Do all bears have such sharp noses, or just you?"

Harriet answered, figuring it would help him trust her if he understood just how keen her senses really were. It was hardly a secret, after all. "Yes and yes. All bears have a much better sense of smell than wolves." 

Misha heard the underlying pride in her voice. Not that he blamed her, he knew were culture well enough to know that a lot of weres didn't give bears much credit. "Even among bears, though,she continued, my nose is one of the best. My hearing and night vision aren't bad either."

Misha was fascinated, and found himself wondering what it must be like to have that kind of scenting ability. Vamp noses tended to be keen, but it seemed he'd missed the boat on that ability when he was created. He had other senses that were sharper, but sometimes it still bothered him that his nose wasn't that much better than the average human. 

"So do..." Misha suddenly broke off, a soft sound in the forest having caught his attention.

Harriet went on high alert, scenting the air for anything unusual. 

"There's something at ten o'clock," Misha told her and paused. "I alerted Max as well as Nadia and Jack," he said, naming the neighboring pair that was off to their left. Harriet maintained her focus on the direction he'd indicated. She was just beginning to catch a scent and didn't want to lose it.

"You've got someone who's bending light and shadow to hide themselves," Max's soft voice came into their heads, along with an image of what the person was doing and their current location. "Capture or kill," he told them shortly, letting them know to take action, and that he'd like the person taken alive if possible. 

Harriet was surprised at the level of loyalty she felt towards the dragon man. The only other person who claimed her loyalty to this extent was her alpha, and it bothered her that she felt this way towards someone she'd barely met. Later she fully intended to talk to the alpha about it, but for now, she had work to do.

Harriet and Misha consulted Nadia and Jack, and in seconds had a plan of action. Nadia and Jack were going to play backup, and watch to be certain their target didn't have a partner trying to sneak through while they were distracted.

Misha climbed back down to the ground, and moved towards their target, acting as a distraction. Harriet's nose told her the precise position of their quarry, and she quietly maneuvered herself behind them. 

She waited for her opportunity, and a moment later she tackled the intruder. A split second after that, Misha was helping her bind and gag the man, and her adrenaline rush was shifting into a sense of accomplishment.

"Neatly done," Max said to them, and they both felt a sense of pride from his praise. "Throw him into one of those cages that Christian brought, and then return to your positions." 

Harriet and Misha quickly did as they'd been ordered, and were back on the line, each pleased with the way they'd worked together, and that they'd had a moment of doing something other than watch and wait.

****************

Keisha was busy coordinating her people, but a part of her was longing to join in the fight. She'd shaken Max out of his anger earlier, but that didn't mean she wasn't pissed. She hadn't succumbed to her anger, though she was dying for an opportunity to work some of it out. 

No, she thought to herself. If I don't want this turning into a clusterfuck, I need to keep track of what's happening and coordinate my people. I can't do that very well if I'm in the middle of the fighting. Besides, she thought with a slight smile, it's not like they need my help. 

****************

"Mate," Carol-Tiu's voice growled into Christian's mind. "We've got the Western slope handled."

Christian heard the satisfaction in his mate's voice, and saw the situation through her eyes. His lips twitched in amusement. She'd decimated the ranks that had tried to attack her. Even the vamps stationed in the area were keeping their distance from her, and usually they flocked to power as much as weaker weres flocked to an alpha

"You have a talent for understatement," he replied, letting his pride in her color his mental voice. He gave her a quick image of how he would reward her later, and broke contact, chuckling at the growl that echoed down their bond. 

He checked in with his other teams and found that each was the same. Together the weres and vamps were making short work of the attackers. Christian found himself quite impressed with the effectiveness of the combination. Had the attackers only been facing Keisha's or Christian's forces, the outcome would have been dicey. But together, it was like they had tripled the number of fighters. 

If they do this well with no prior training together, imagine what they would be like with it... When this is over, Keisha and I really should talk.

****************

Lisa and the shadow creature continued to study each other. Lisa suspected that if anyone were keeping score, she'd currently be leading, but she didn't kid herself into thinking she'd won the game yet. 

Lisa decided to take a risk and examine some of the creature's bonds more closely. Something about them still bothered her on a very deep level, and she knew whatever that something was, it was important. 

I'm not going to get much that I don't already know from this end,  she thought to herself. I need to trace one of these and see the person it's attached to.

"I can help with that," Raven spoke up, following her thoughts. 

Lisa quickly agreed, deciding to strike while the iron was hot, and Raven moved to mask what she was doing. Lisa chose the most recent of the attached bonds, getting the feeling that it would be less likely to detect her than if she tried an older, more established link.

Lisa traced it quickly, knowing her time was limited, and was surprised to discover it linked back to Tim, the factory worker responsible for the sabotage. 

She could see the bond was only recently established, perhaps even within the last twenty four hours, and as a result, the bonding was fresh and not yet well concealed. Lisa studied it carefully.

Crap! No wonder this is bothering me so much! Lisa cursed to herself, and then quickly fled back just as Raven began to tug at her. 

Even though she'd sped back as quickly as possible, she was still a hair too late, and she felt the shadow creature reach into her for a moment. It didn't last long, but she knew it had found something to use against her the moment it smiled.

"No wonder you had no interest in sex, you've already found a very ... talented partner. I should have realized he was more than just your bodyguard." it said smoothly. Lisa was surprised how well its musical voice conveyed warmth and understanding, even though she knew it felt neither. After all, her empathy was working just fine.

"If I had such a one, I wouldn't be interested in much else either. That shifted form of his is quite ... impressive and leads the imagination into so many ... possibilities. It is not often that a dragon's bonded is able to take on their aspect. He is quite special."

Lisa remained silent, though she did wonder how it knew enough about dragons and those they bonded with to make that statement. She knew the creature was leading up to something, and she didn't want to feed it any more details than it had already gained.  

"Oh do not worry, I have no interest in doing anything to him," it paused and its smile grew wider. "Unless, of course, he wanted to do something to me," its voice dropped lower and took on a husky note, leaving no doubt just what that something was.

Lisa was unmoved by its words. She knew Max, and what the creature was suggesting was completely outside the realm of possibility. 

"Of course he is an honorable man, so I doubt I would ever be presented with such an opportunity," it said, managing to sound disappointed. "So tell me, have you asked Keisha to turn you yet? She is the logical choice since weres do eventually die."

Lisa simply remained silent again, using the time to balance her disgust over what she'd seen about its bond to Tim. She needed to get her reaction under control so that her revulsion wouldn't be used against her.

"I see," it stated, watching her closely. "You've decided to ask her, but have not told her yet. How very courageous of you to change for him," it complimented, and once again, its words sounded of genuine emotion that it did not truly feel. 

"I wonder if after you're turned, your fangs will be able to get through those scales of his. You wouldn't want to break one, after all. I hear it's quite painful. If you can, it should be quite interesting to see is reaction to vampire venom. I saw how ... motivated he is as a partner. The additional drive provided by your bite ought to be quite an experience, and is sure to keep things interesting for a long time." 

Lisa was starting to wonder if the creature had a point to make or if it was just trying to get her to let her guard down. Either way, this was beginning to get tiresome, but she knew that, like a schoolyard bully, if she gave it any reaction it would only be encouraged. 

"Keeping things interesting is so very important," it continued, speaking with the air of one with vast experience. Of course in this case, it did actually have experience. "The centuries get quite long..." It paused, giving her a look full of understanding, and once again, Lisa was careful not to fall for its acting ability.

"Not that I think he'll leave you. The thing about honorable men is that they will hold to their word no matter what." Lisa now understood where the creature was going with all of this. It was implying that eventually she and Max would end up trapped together, neither one interested in the other anymore, and with endless years before them. 

Lisa kept her expression smooth, but this really didn't bother her. She didn't know what the future would hold for her and Max, so she didn't worry about what might happen. It may be that eventually they would tire of each other, though she hoped not. If it ever did happen, she knew without a doubt that she would release Max from any promises made to her, and she knew if she asked, he would do the same. It simply was not in her nature to make another person miserable.

And tomorrow I could be killed crossing the street, she thought to herself. The future will bring what it will bring, and worrying about it is pointless. 

The creature narrowed its eyes, once again frustrated that its words had no impact. It could tell at this point, that she wasn't merely putting up a façade. No, this woman was genuinely not affected.

"The cavalry is finally here," Raven cawed into her mind, while 'catching' and passing a link to her. Lisa allowed the link to form, feeling like she was joining hands with the other person. She was a bit surprised when she felt Sonja, coupled with Eldingar mesh with her. As the link settled, she also detected a third person that was holding an anchor back to the physical. 

Lisa took one look at that anchor and realized this was her pathway back. She could now leave at any time, and she felt relief at the same moment she prepared to stay and hold her ground. 

Lisa looked again at Sonja-Eldingar and almost gasped in shock when she finally saw something she would never have expected. "You're the original bond!"

"Yes, I'm afraid that is so," Eldingar said softly. "Only the death of one of us can break that bond."

Lisa's surprise increased. She didn't know why, but suddenly she was able to see much more about Eldingar than she'd ever seen before. "Yes," Eldingar's voice whispered into her mind. "Yes you have seen clearly. The creature before you is of my making. She was once great, but then she chose to become this. She was my greatest joy, and my greatest sorrow."

Lisa digested Eldingar's words quickly, her mind already shifting to something of greater importance in this moment. "Please, you must tell Tiernan and the others..." Lisa showed Eldingar all she had learned in one quick burst.

There was a brief pause before Eldingar spoke again. "He has been told. You have seen further than even I. What it has been doing... This should not be possible, but it explains much."

"Healer," Tiernan's voice came through the link, and Lisa clearly felt Eldingar's and Sonja's shock at his presence. "We have seen this once before. The item that Amergin and I created will help."

''When have you seen this before?" Eldingar asked with some suspicion.

"Do you really wish to waste time on this now?" Tiernan replied, dark amusement in his mental voice. "As I recall, we are short on time."

Lisa could feel the subtext in his words, and figured there must have been some sort of argument between him and Eldingar earlier.

"Fine, but you will explain later," Eldingar replied, a slight smile in her voice. 

"If the two of you are finished verbally sparring, could we get on with this?" Lisa interrupted, knowing there wouldn't be much time before the shadow creature figured out that something was different.

"Of course," Tiernan replied. "My people have been getting into position. As soon as Eldingar relayed your information, I sent them to keep it trapped here. It will be tricky, since it has so many bonds, but all of my people are at my disposal."

"All? What about Thom and Shari? Who's protecting them?"

"You have many friends," Tiernan answered. "Suffice to say, Our land and Our friends are being well guarded, along with ensuring your ability to return."

Lisa was a bit surprised. From his words, she gathered that Tiernan had turned over protection of the physical lands that linked to his part of Underhill. That took a tremendous amount of trust, and Lisa knew she'd want to hear this story later. In the meantime, she had work to do.

"So how do we use your little gift?"

****************

Max was on high alert. He and his team had caught and killed a number of people that had slipped through the fighting. Considering how well Christian and Keisha had managed to decimate the attackers, he knew the ones getting through had been sent on a different mission than the 'cannon fodder.'

He'd seen this type of thing before, but it still left a bad taste in his mouth. To spend so many lives on a suicide mission, simply because you desired something held by someone else was just ... petty and small. It would be a different story if Christian were prone to attacking his neighbors or represented some other type of imminent threat, but that was not the case. Christian's pack was strong and he had a fierce reputation, but along with that was his reputation for leaving his neighbors alone unless provoked.

Max shook his head in annoyance. He's certainly been provoked now. If the Calliehg alpha isn't killed during this little action, Christian may well decide to take care of the problem when this is complete. I may even help him. It would certainly help settle any other covetous thoughts that may be out there, he thought to himself, before catching a flicker of movement from the trees across the circle. 

Max zeroed in on the area and caught yet another person that had not only slipped through Keisha and Christian's lines, but his as well. Max alerted the pairs stationed nearby and prepared himself to attack if necessary. 

A moment later Max was able to stand down, as yet another attacker was taken out by the efficient members of his team. They'd been working together amazingly well, and Max was impressed.

They'd been lucky so far. The largest group of attackers had only three people, though Max did not expect that trend to continue. The problem was that every one of them had a way to conceal themselves. The most successful of these had been able to mask scent. Max was grateful for Misha's preternatural hearing when that one had come through. 

"It's like fighting fucking assassins," Max heard one of his people grumbling after reporting in to him. He agreed with the sentiment, and wondered just what these attackers were after. Any questioning of the ones they'd captured only sent them into a catatonic state, rendering them useless. He kept his senses sharp, drawing on everything he had. Something just didn't feel right. 

Max reached deeper into his bond with Ember, and was gratified when his contrary partner didn't hassle him, and gave Max unrestricted access. It was like a dripping icicle compared to a raging waterfall, and he felt Ember steadying him while he got his 'feet' under him again.

As soon as Max was solid, he extended his new senses into the clearing and the areas surrounding. There was literally nothing that could hide from him. He could even sense the mosquitoes happily getting meals from his team. Too much information, he thought to himself, and Ember helped him filter out what he didn't need to see.

"What is that?" Max asked.

Ember sighed briefly in annoyance. "What else would they be but shadows?" Ember replied. 

"They're the ones concealing the people getting through, aren't they?"

"Right first try," Ember replied dryly. 

"The forest is full of them... Can they do anything aside from concealing people? Do you know how to get rid of them?"

Ember huffed another sigh, "They're ability to influence anything physical is limited, but problematic just the same. It's a pity the shaman is out right now. She could handle such as these easily. Still, there may be something we can do together. You should warn your people."

Ember showed Max what he intended to do, and Max barely got out the warning before Ember moved through him, and flames blanketed the clearing. Ember was in full control, and the flames did not burn a single leaf, nor did they put any heat out beyond pleasant warmth. However, anytime the light from those cheery flames touched the shadows, they burned to ash in seconds. 

"Watch the forest, not the flames!" Max's mental voice barked out to his team. "Nothing gets through!" 

Max felt Ember's surprise. "It cannot be easy to ignore all of this. I'm impressed with these people," he commented. "Warn them again. I'm going to spread this out while we still have the energy. The cost of this is not small."




Something New Ch. 12



Max saw how far Ember intended to move the flames, and he sent a warning out to Christian and Keisha as well. A moment later, the entire mountainside looked like a forest fire, except that nothing was burning, except for shadows. 

Max could feel the drain on their combined strength, but he held nothing back, knowing this was currently the most important thing to Lisa's safety. It wasn't long before Ember had cleared the entire mountainside, and the flames disappeared as if they'd never been. 

"I wonder how many alien sightings are going to be reported after that," Max commented tiredly to Ember, as he reached into whatever reserves he had left. Unfortunately he didn't have much after that little display, but it would be enough.

"Depends on how many people were driving mountain roads at two in the morning," Ember replied with a weary chuckle.

Max heard the sounds of fighting nearby, and checked back in with his team. It seemed that as soon as Ember eliminated the shadows, a group that had been massing for an attack had been discovered. Max had been unavailable, so his people were not only taking care of the problem, they still managed to hold the lines. Once again Max was highly impressed with their caliber, and felt a wash of pleasure that he had the opportunity to work with them.

When the fighting was over, and everyone was back into their original positions, he asked who had coordinated the attack. "That would be Misha and myself, sir," Harriet's gruff mental voice promptly answered, giving him details of what happened along with her reply.

Max took a moment to digest the information, and then spoke to the two of them. "Excellent work, both of you. Consider yourselves seconds in command."

Max then opened a channel to the entire team, informing them of Harriet and Misha's new status, and watched carefully for any disagreement. To his relief, there was little, and Max felt an upwelling of pride in his team.

****************

Carol's fur was matted with blood, and the metallic tang was in her nose and on her tongue. Some part of her brain idly noted that she should be bothered by this, but she wasn't. In fact it felt perfectly natural, though she and Tiu did want to clean up later. 

Since mating with Christian, she and Tiu were no longer separated. It wasn't that Tiu didn't speak with her own voice, but it wasn't really that different than internal conversations Carol used to have with herself before. The main difference was that Tiu's voice was more distinct and opinionated. There was no dominance of one over the other, and Carol was finding Tiu to be her voice of practicality and efficiency.

Carol lifted her lip, sniffing and sucking air in over her Jacobson's organ to get a better taste of what was on the wind. Grim amusement flashed through her and her animal side, as they scented fear from some of the nearby vampires. Tiu's take on it was that they should fear her, and that it was good to keep them in line. Carol tended to feel the same in this instance, knowing through Christian's memories and Keisha's behavior towards her underlings, that they would give her more respect as a result of that fear.

She'd been surprised by the flames that washed through shortly before, but having been warned by her mate, she took it in stride, only snapping a couple of times to keep people in position. She'd actually felt a bit sorry for the vamps during that moment. Fire was more than a little disturbing to them, but they'd held when they were ordered, and she respected them for that.

Another scent came to her keen nose, and she gave a slight growl. Someone was trespassing. Again. Apparently these people did not learn. Her bloodlust rose up. It didn't matter that this land was only hers for one night, it was still hers, and she would not tolerate intrusion. 

She called to several pack members and some of the vamps, sending them to deal with the filth that thought they could walk here with impunity. They made quick work of the sneak trying to slip past their guard, and her blood settled down again. "Idiot probably didn't notice their shadow protection was gone," Tiu commented. Carol agreed with the assessment, and continued her patrolling and monitoring of her people. 

They still had many hours ahead of them, but hopefully the dawn would bring more light than just the sun. She wanted Lisa back, and not just because of all the help she'd given. No, she'd chosen her sister, and she wanted her back. She was family. 



Something New Ch. 13



 My apologies for the extremely long wait on this chapter. Without going into details, the past several months have been interesting, and much of it not in a good way. As a result I have been very delayed in my writing, for which I sincerely apologize. 

My thanks to all of you for sticking with me through the long wait on this chapter. Enjoy, and please don't forget to vote!

Here's a quick recap of what's happened up till now:

Lisa is trapped in the spirit world with the shadow creature as it tries to trap her. The fey are needed to assist directly against the creature, and the vampires under Keisha and weres under Christian and Carol are defending Tiernan's lands as well as guarding Thom, Shari and Shari's sister, Marianne. Max is heading up a combined team that is protecting Lisa's, The Voice's, and Thom's bodies as they deal with the shadow creature in the spirit world.

This story is copyrighted, please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks! 

****************

Lisa watched the shadow creature stiffen, anger filling its eyes as it stared off into the distance. She didn't know what was causing that reaction, but she figured whatever it was, could only mean something good for her. 

"Max and Ember just gave it a bit of a blow," Tiernan commented, his mental voice radiating satisfaction. "Now is the time for us to start," he said, and broke contact to put words into action.

Lisa prepared herself, hiding Tiernan and Amergin's creation. 

"Is there a problem?" Lisa asked the shadow creature sweetly. "Perhaps we should finish this another time."

Its blue eyes snapped back to hers, and Lisa saw a flash of satisfaction. It thought it had something on her. Lisa had not once attempted to deceive or manipulate it since she'd been brought here. Now she was changing tactics.

"Are you tired of my company already? I assure you, I have not tired of yours. Still, it may be that I will have to leave you here for a short while to attend to some matters..." The shadow creature trailed off, hearing the horn call of the Wild Hunt. 

Lisa heard the horns as well, but more than that she heard all their frustration from their long wait. That frustration promised more than their usual ... pleasantness.

A smile passed over the creature's face. "So they think that will work on me, do they?" it commented almost in a whisper, and Lisa felt the shift as it tried to pull itself into someone else. 

Relief washed over her when it frowned slightly, being denied access. Lisa watched it try each link it had, and its frustration and anger grew with each blocked attempt. 

Lisa didn't know, and at the moment she didn't care, how Tiernan's people were keeping the creature trapped, but she was beyond grateful for the help. Now she had her own performance to put on. She turned her head slightly, as if looking for a way out, and shifted as if hiding something. 

A moment later, the creature was before her. "What are you hiding?"

"Nothing," Lisa replied smoothly, keeping her tone cool and controlled. "It's not like I had time to pack before coming here."

The creature looked into her eyes, standing close, attempting to use its presence to intimidate. The horns of the Hunt sounded again, definitely getting closer, and Lisa caught its slight twitch. She prepared herself. It was running out of time, and it would try something soon.

"If I were you," Lisa commented offhandedly, "I'd leave before they get here. They don't sound too happy with you." 

It looked at her in irritation and Lisa allowed her smile to widen slightly. "Or are you trapped here? That does seem a bit like poetic justice."

It gave her another hard look, and Lisa could practically see the wheels spinning. "You are not concerned about The Hunt?"

"Why should I be? It's not me they're after."

It gave her a chilling smile. "That's quite true. It isn't you they're after, but I can certainly change that."

"Oh really? And how would that work? They aren't tracking something as easily hidden as your scent."

Its smile grew sly. "Why don't I show you," it said softly before launching itself at her.

Lisa found herself pinned before she knew what was happening, but that didn't worry her much. No, what concerned her was the creature probing at her energy, trying to latch on and take over.

Lisa kept shifting her energy to keep it from gaining purchase. Raven lent his aid, adding an extra dynamic to her energy shifts, and keeping her just one step ahead. She felt a brief flicker of amusement as she realized that this scenario was rather like fighting borg from Star Trek. 

She clutched Tiernan's creation, still hidden in her hand, and pushed a thread of her power into it. Now was the time of greatest danger to her, the moment to spring the trap.

Lisa deliberately faltered in her resistance, revealing the false trail she'd created. It followed without even thinking, and Lisa felt it push itself into Tiernan's little gift.

It pulled back from her in shock, its eyes wide in disbelief. "No," it whispered. "This is not possible."

Lisa watched, relieved, as bit by bit, the shadows disappeared and the creature before her turned more and more human. Finally all the shadows were gone, and a young woman stood before her, anger and dismay on her face.

Lisa watched, as brown eyes that had once been blue, turned towards her, filled with anger and hate. 

"You bitch. What did you do?"

"I did nothing. You have chosen this every step of the way," Lisa answered in a cold voice. "You chose to give up your humanity. You chose to attack Thom. You chose to attack the Sidhe. You chose to drag me here. You chose to attack me. The situation in which you find yourself is entirely of your making, not mine."

Lisa felt Eldingar bring her presence forward, and she knew the woman could now sense her. 

"How I wish you had chosen differently, Dótta. You are like my child, and it hurts me that I cannot save you from this path."

Lisa could hear Eldingar's pain and sadness quite clearly. There was no doubt in her mind that the inevitable fate Dótta had chosen, cut deep. Lisa watched the woman carefully, hoping for any sign of regret or remorse. Instead, Lisa saw only jealousy.

"You! You set me up!" Dótta hissed at them before a dark smile twisted her beautiful face into something hideous. "I may be doomed, but I can take you with me!" She yelled, before suddenly disappearing. 

**************************

Max tightened his clawed hand on the tree branch, leaving light scratches in the bark. Something had drastically changed, and he didn't yet know whether it was a good thing. He searched for the source of the shift, trying to track it down. His eyes widened, and a moment later he felt a faint tremor. 

**************************

Misha frowned. Harriet and the other weres had started to get restless, though none of them knew why. The best he'd been able to figure out was that they were all picking up on some unspecified danger through their animal halves. For the life, or the death, of him, he thought with a wry smile, he had no idea what kind of danger weres would be able to sense, but not vamps. 

Misha reached out to check with Max again. Their dragon commander had been occupied before, and Misha hadn't deemed this urgent enough to interrupt. 

"Everybody into the clearing, now! Watch out for falling trees." Max's harsh command was broadcast to all of them a moment before they saw him launch himself from his tree, and fly up into the night sky on wings he hadn't had before. 

Misha noted the weres were already moving, as were most of the vamps, and quickly joined the rest. He checked in with Harriet, and the two of them formed a quick plan for safely redistributing everyone, while still protecting the clearing. Though they couldn't see or smell anything there, all of them knew it held some very important people doing very dangerous work.

**************************

Max soared above the forest, warning Christian and Keisha as he scouted out safe locations for their people. It was tricky work. While he continued communicating with the vamp and were leaders, Ember was busy working through him, doing his best to calm the land long enough for people to reach safety.

Both of them knew they wouldn't be able to keep it up long. Banishing the shadows earlier had significantly drained them both. Still, every moment they gave people to reach safety, was one more chance at survival.

**************************

"You need to get back to your bodies. NOW!" Eldingar yelled at all of them. 

Lisa felt Thom pulling them as she raced back through the link he held open for them. It was only moments before Lisa found her body again, and began to wake up. It took her a few minutes to climb up out of the blackness, and in those minutes, her ears were assaulted by loud crashes, snarls, people screaming, and orders being roughly barked out in a woman's voice.

Finally Lisa opened her eyes and sat up, stunned by the scene before her. The ground was heaving and trees were crashing down randomly. A woman she recognized as one of Christian's seconds was the origin of the orders being barked out, as she attempted to free someone trapped beneath a large pine. The most shocking thing of all, though, was the sight of Max in his full draconic form, passed out next to her, his clawed fingertips almost touching hers. 

Lisa reached out and grabbed his limp hand, relieved to find warmth radiating from beneath his red scales. She checked him over and relaxed when she found that he had simply over extended, and would be fine with some rest. He's okay, she told herself, taking a deep breath to let out the tension. 

"Lisa," Tiernan's voice entered her thoughts, his urgency plain. "These tremors are not natural, but we are still tied up blocking Dótta. You must stop this. Here, this is the link to the land." 

Lisa quickly grabbed hold of the ley line he all but threw at her. It was a key energy channel, leading directly to the instability that was causing the tremors. Dótta was manipulating it, deliberately building the tremors into full blown quakes. Lisa sank into the ley line, following it deep into the ground below, Eldingar and Sonja following her in, close on her heels. 

You have no right to do this, Dótta, and you shall not, Lisa thought to herself with steely resolve.

**************************

"Mags, we're ready to lift. Brace his hip when we do," Harriet growled out as she shifted to her bear form. As a bear, she was one of the strongest here, and that strength was needed. The pine trapping Misha was not small.

Harriet grabbed hold of the large Ponderosa, her claws digging into the trunk as she and three others lifted. Slowly the trunk rose, and Misha grunted in pain at the sudden rush of blood to his broken hip. Maggie, their resident medic, braced his leg and hip while two others pulled Misha out. 

When he was clear, Harriet and her helpers lowered the tree back down to the ground, and she shifted back to human. This was a moment she was extremely grateful for the advances her alpha had made in tactical gear. Her clothing and body armor was actually able to adjust to her shift, though it was a near thing, and was a bit tight in her bear form. She was just happy that she didn't have to waste time removing it when she shifted. 

Harriet checked in with the people on guard duty, and sent her helpers to join the rest of the ranks while she went to check in with Mags. 

"So tell me doc," Misha was whispering through the pain with a strained smile, "Will I be able to dance after this?"

Harriet's lips quirked, recognizing the joke, but Maggie was focused on treating his injuries and just gave him a distracted "Yes."

Misha's tight smile widened slightly, and he managed to gasp through the pain, "Well that's fantastic, because I never could before."

Harriet laughed, and Maggie just ignored him, entering an almost trance-like state of focus while she worked. Pain filled his face, and his smile faded as he gasped, clenching his jaw to avoid biting anyone as his fangs descended. 

Harriet moved closer, ready to intervene if it became necessary. Like weres, it would appear that vamps had to control their feral side when in pain, so they didn't hurt the ones trying to help them.

"Don't ... worry..." Misha gasped out. "I've been ... in worse pain ... than this, and didn't ... bite, crap! ... anyone."

Harriet just nodded but stayed put, and instinctively put a hand on his shoulder. She saw his eyes darken and his nostrils flare at her scent, and she realized this was probably the first time he'd deeply scented her. That's right. He told me his nose isn't that much better than human, so what he smelled of me before was probably pretty faint, she thought to herself.

Harriet watched his reaction with interest, feeling no fear. Somehow, some part of her knew he wouldn't hurt her, and so she offered him something she thought she would never do willingly. 

Harriet bent down, and put her lips by ear. "If you can promise you will take only a few mouthfuls, you can bite me. It's the least I can do since you got hurt pushing me out of the way."

Shock passed over Misha's face as his eyes locked onto hers, still wincing in pain. Misha saw sincerity and trust in Harriet's gaze, and was amazed that she put so much faith in his control. "It would help, but are you sure? I don't want you doing this just because you feel obligated."

"It's fine, I don't mind. I think I would offer even if you hadn't just saved my life."

Misha held her gaze a moment longer, seeing that she was telling the truth. He opened his mouth to speak and instead hissed in pain at whatever Maggie just did. Harriet shoved her arm under his nose, and he had to resist the urge to tear into her. 

Instead, Misha gently stroked her hand, and softly touched his lips to the skin of her wrist. Holding her gaze, he gently bit, going only deep enough to get the blood flowing before retracting his teeth, and softly suckling at her wrist. Misha took pride in very few things. His ability to bite gently and accurately was one of them.

Harriet watched in amazement at how tender and precise Misha was, despite his pain. A shiver ran down her spine a moment before a pleasant warmth washed over her. Harriet was surprised that the feeling was so gentle. Everything she knew of vampires said that their venom sent the receiver into a state of euphoria. 

"I cut down the amount of venom. I thought you'd prefer it," Misha said directly into her mind, while keeping eye contact with her. "Thank you for this. It's helping the pain."

Harriet felt the extreme relief in his mental voice, and noticed he was no longer wincing and twitching so much, which confirmed his words. "No worries. This feels quite nice, actually. And thank you for toning it down."

Harriet watched as Misha took one last swallow before placing a light kiss on her wrist as it healed, sending another wave of heat through her. Harriet slowly pulled her arm back, letting it slide through his hand. 

He'd better be ready for me later, because after that little display, there's no way in hell I'm not jumping him, Harriet thought to herself, nearly growling her frustration. Misha smiled at her look of promise, before she turned and walked away, getting back to work.

**************************

"We got here just in time," Eldingar commented. "Dótta layered instabilities and then linked them together. If one goes, the entire things falls like a house of cards. It wouldn't be a large area of destruction compared to other quakes, but it would be devastating."

"From what I saw earlier, the damage is already significant. I don't even want to think about this whole thing going," Lisa replied somewhat absently. She was completely focused on calming the fault and not tripping any of the pitfalls Dótta had laid down. "She must have spent months, maybe years, putting this in place. I'm amazed she could do this without detection. Speaking of which, do we know where she's gotten to? I can feel her still messing with this, but I can't spare my attention to track her. And where's The Hunt? Why haven't they caught her?"

"I ordered The Hunt to stay away for now," Tiernan answered Lisa, startling her. "While they are adept at navigating most terrain, I will not risk them making a mistake here."

Lisa acknowledged his words, realizing she should have expected Tiernan to be keeping tabs on them. This land was his responsibility, and it was one he took very seriously. In his place, she'd be doing the same thing.

"I'm not handling anything else right now, I can try to locate Dótta," Sonja broke into the conversation. "I was fully aware while Eldingar trained Lisa, so in a sense, I received the same lessons. I do not have the gifts needed to calm things, but I do have the skills to seek, and Eldingar's teaching should allow me to navigate safely. The only thing about this, is that Eldingar will no longer be able to use me to mask what she is."

Lisa reminded herself to focus on her work, though Sonja's last words definitely had her attention.

"Well the charade had to end sometime, may as well be now," Eldingar replied. "Go. The need is greater for you to track my problem child, than to waste further energy masking my identity. I only ask that you, Lisa, do not lose focus. The results would not be ... pleasant. "

"Enough already," Lisa snapped slightly. Her patience tended to become much more limited under stress, and she'd already been through enough to test the nerves of a saint. "Just get it over with so we can get back to work. What's the big secret?"

Eldingar chuckled at Lisa's plain speak. "Very well. Let's just say that Ember and I share a certain heritage."

"Ember? Ah, so you're a dragon then," Lisa stated.

" You are not surprised? Eldingar asked, sounding a little disappointed.

Lisa snorted, "There's only so many beings that have the kind of tie in to the elements that you have. The training with natural forces narrowed down the field a lot. I hadn't figured out which being you were, yet, but a dragon was definitely one of the stronger possibilities."

Sonja laughed long and hard. "I told you!" she gasped out when she'd regained some control of herself. "I told you this wouldn't work for long! Lisa's a fully trained shaman, and on top of that, she specializes in emotional and spiritual wounding. Those injuries are always deeply hidden. This little charade was probably like trying to stop an expert cracksman with a padlock."

"Yes well, I'd like to think this worked a bit better than a padlock, but your point is taken, and you were right. I underestimated Lisa, and overestimated my ability. I'm afraid it is a flaw that Dótta has exploited more than once."

"Speaking of Dótta," Lisa cut in. "Does this mean she's Dragon Touched, like Max?"

"Yes and no. Yes, she was created as one of the Touched, but no, she is not like Max," Eldingar replied, sadness evident in her voice. "First, each of the Touched has different skills. Max's and Dótta's abilities are quite different. Second, and more importantly, Max never rejected Ember. This means his ties are stronger and more solid. Max can draw strongly on Ember, as well as Ember being able to work directly through Max."

Lisa heard the pain of that rejection, and it called to her healer's nature. Later, now is not the time, she thought to herself .

Eldingar continued oblivious to Lisa's momentary preoccupation. "In Dótta's case, now that her shadows have been stripped from her, she is really quite weak in terms of pure power, though no less dangerous. She is both extremely crafty and clever, and she never needed much power before meeting me. She has more than enough to be dangerous and in addition, she is now backed into a corner."




Something New Ch. 13



"I understand," Lisa replied. "If there is nothing else, then let's end this before she does any more damage."

"Sounds good to me," Sonja replied. "I'm off."

"Good hunting," Lisa replied, and then shifted her full attention to holding the earth steady.

**************************

Max slowly opened his eyes to find himself tucked up against Ember's side. There was a vague sense of fuzziness to his surroundings telling him that he wasn't physically there.

"Is Lisa okay?" he asked the large dragon. "I'm out, aren't I?"

Ember smiled slightly, exposing his teeth, "She's doing quite well. She held her own against Dótta, stripped her of her shadows, and is currently calming the earth that Dótta is trying to split apart." Ember's smile grew more wry before he continued. "As for being out, right first try youngling. You over-extended rather badly, so your body's going to be down for the count awhile."

Max's lips twitched slightly at the 'youngling' comment. Ember had a rather odd sense of humor sometimes. Compared to humans and even most nonhumans, he was ancient. Compared to the great red dragon that was curled around him, he was a mere child. 

"You wouldn't have gone through the trouble to bring my spirit here for nothing. What else am I needed for?" Max asked. He felt weary to the bone, but his own sense of duty and strength of will, would keep him going till he was no longer needed.

"Let's just say the potential exists that your help will be necessary, and I want to be prepared," Ember replied, calmly. "I will hold you safe here. You should sleep now. You will need your energy."

Max nodded, and resettled himself against the dragon, letting his eyes shut. He had been in more than enough battles to know how to take advantage of any opportunity to rest.

**************************

Sonja picked her way through the intricate lines of energy, feeling rather like she was navigating a spider's web. Even though Dótta was more than a little warped, Sonja had to admit that what she had done did have elegance and beauty about it.  Too bad it's designed to destroy, she thought to herself. 

Sonja paused for a moment, looking around her for the safest path. I may have underestimated how difficult this would be. I may need to think about turning back, she sighed slightly to herself, wondering if there even was a way to navigate all of this without alerting Dótta. 

I'll try for a little longer, and if I'm still not making any real progress, then I'll turn back.  Sonja chose a path and moved forward. She only had an instant to regret her choice before darkness overtook her.

**************************

Lisa frowned while she worked faster and faster, desperately trying to keep pace with the energy fluctuations that Dótta was using to shake the earth. She'd suddenly upped the frequency and it almost seemed like she'd received a new flux of energy. 

Lisa gasped with a sudden realization. "Has anyone checked on Sonja? Is it possible that Dótta is using her to fuel this?" she asked Eldingar.

"It's more than possible, it's likely. Stealing energy was a talent that Dótta always had. She just never misused it till after she met me," Eldingar replied with bitterness.

Lisa frowned at the guilt she heard in the dragon's voice. It was more than time that Eldingar moved on, and she had a strong feeling that until she did, they would continue to be out maneuvered by Dótta. 

"Leave your self-recriminations for when we have the time to wallow in pity," Lisa replied sharply, hoping her words would jolt Eldingar. "So you made a mistake however many centuries ago. Get over it and help me fix it instead of wasting your time on could-a, should-a, would-a."

Eldingar was silent with shock, and then gave a slight chuckle. "You're right," she said softly and went quiet again while she thought about what to do. "I can't leave you to handle this on your own. Dótta has had too much time to set this up, and you need the energy I'm supplying. I could ask Ember for help..."

"is there a problem with asking him?"

"What? Oh, no. It's just that I'll owe him."

"I don't know that we have a choice."

"I know. Doesn't mean I have to like it," Eldingar said with a wry tone. 

"Not to put too fine a point on it, but 'frankly my dear, I don't give a damn.' Get his fiery butt in here."



Something New Ch. 14



 A head's up -- this chapter is a bit short, but I thought it would be better to get the next chapter out than make you all wait any longer. I know it's frustrating when you have to wait for the next installment, but please remember that all of the authors here on Lit are doing this in our spare time for no monetary gain. Therefore our jobs must take precedence, even when it eats up more writing time than we would like.

In regards to the next chapter, I will be travelling for business the next two weeks, but hope to complete the final chapter in October. I'll try to keep everyone updated. 

This story is copyrighted, please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks! 

**************************

He woke from a sound sleep, the howling of his wolf ringing through his head. Nothing is wrong here, he thought at his wolf, irritated to have his rest interrupted. What do you want?

His wolf growled and hit him full force with the scent. "Oh my God, my mate!" he moaned before sinking to his knees, crushed by the overwhelming flood of emotions. "How could I not recognize... All those times...."

"Stop moaning and do something about it!" his wolf growled at him. 

"You're right," he said, shakily standing up. He breathed deep, his head clearer than it had been in years, finally seeing what his wolf had been trying to show him all this time. "You've been right all along, and we have no Master anymore. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you before. Let's get our mate."

His wolf howled in full throated glee, and for the first time since he'd devoted himself to his false Master, they joined together as one. He felt alive again, and marveled at how he'd been living such a dulled existence. He didn't know what had freed him, and at the moment he didn't care. His entire being was focused on one thing. Claiming the mate he should have recognized months ago. 

He raced out of his building fully shifted, guilt and need driving him to new levels of speed. He was nothing but a gray blur, ephemeral and insubstantial; a shadow within the shadows dripping across the pavement. 

****************

Marianne and Shari both drew their pistols, chambering a round in a well practiced motion. Lisa's dog, Sasha, focused intently on the back door, huffing like she was getting ready to growl or bark. Shari sent up a brief prayer of thanks that Max had asked Keisha to get the dog. Her senses were keen, and she somehow knew to ignore the weres and vamps assigned as guards. 

A light breeze whispered across Shari's arm, and their vampire protector appeared between her and Marianne, motioning for silence. 'No shit, Sherlock.' Shari thought to herself, and saw the vamp's lip twitch slightly, telling her he definitely had some mind reading ability.

The pale cheek in her peripheral vision hardened and she prepared herself for whatever was about to happen, deliberately taking a deep breath to relax and keep her aim as perfect as possible. After all, Friendly fire, isn't, and she didn't want any mistakes.

"You will have one moment to fire before I move in. Take it." 

Shari was startled by the sudden, cold voice in her head, but followed his orders. Her finger was poised on the trigger. She intended to take whatever opportunity she was given to defend herself and her family.

****************

Sonja fought against the blackness with everything she had. She could feel her strength being drained, and didn't need to see where it was going to know it was being used for ill. If she could just break the bindings, she'd be able to put a stop to it. If only...

****************

Dótta narrowed her eyes in satisfaction. She wasn't done yet, and the old woman was proving to be a fount of power. It wasn't often her nets captured such a useful prize as this. With what she was able to siphon from her little fish, it was only a matter of time. 

She smiled with malevolent pleasure. Even if against all odds, they managed to take her out, there would be a gaping hole left here as a reminder of what it had cost.

****************

Thom looked over the bodies of Lisa, Max and The Voice. He'd been in a bit of a daze after pulling everyone back from that weird gray place. He was aware that everyone else had gone back into the spirit world, this time under their own volition. He'd still been reeling with the effort, though, and was unable to help.

Once he'd recovered, he started monitoring everyone. At first, everything seemed to be going okay, but now... something was very wrong with The Voice, and he knew that Lisa was in trouble too. Max also seemed to be in the mix, and he was very confused about that. He knew that Max had collapsed in exhaustion earlier. The red scaled man shouldn't be part of this, but somehow he was. 

Thom looked over The Voice again, and made a decision. Whatever else was happening with Lisa and Max, The Voice was in much more trouble, and needed help. Decision made, Thom settled and prepared to do what he could to help his teacher. 

****************

"So Shaman," Ember's voice whispered across Lisa's mind as he slowly began to solidify in front of her, "you've taken a liking to my chosen human."

"I think we have more pressing concerns than the relationship between Max and myself at the moment," Lisa replied with exasperation. She was working past her limits, even with the help of her guides and Eldingar, and she was still barely able to keep up with Dótta. She didn't have time for pleasantries or long conversations. 

Ember chuckled quietly, and Lisa was struck by the similarities between his and Max's voice. "Oh, but don't you see? It is related. Max has overextended, though he is willing and capable of giving more. Through him, I can also assist. There are two caveats though. The first is not an issue. To join with Max and access both of us, you need to be close to him." The fiery dragon gave her a knowing smile.

"And the second caveat?" she asked.

"That is the trickier issue. The additional power from us will probably kill you, and the question is whether you can hold off dying long enough to defeat Dótta."

"Is it possible for one of you to take this over? Somehow I don't think you'd have the same problem," Lisa asked. The solution seemed so glaringly simple to her.

"Unfortunately no," Ember replied, real regret in his voice. "There's a reason that Tiernan keyed the ley lines to you. If he were to key it to one of us, he would run a much greater risk of Dótta gaining full access due to her ... familiarity with us. If that were to happen, she would likely create enough damage to echo across the worlds."

Lisa nodded her understanding. This place was an intersection of worlds, a gateway, and not just with Sidhe lands. "I guess I'll just have to make sure I hold long enough, then," Lisa replied without hesitation. She'd already considered this possibility, and had already made her decision.

"No she won't," Eldingar, who still hadn't manifested herself, interrupted. "I feel there is another way. My instincts about Dótta were wrong, but they are right about this. I know there is another path. Find it." 

Ember's lips lifted in a slight smile. "It is good to hear you speak that way again. You have not been much like your namesake these past few centuries. Thank you for bringing her back, Shaman."

 "That's all very lovely. Now the other path, oh great Seeker?" Eldingar replied with irritation.

Ember laughed, and then went silent, taking a moment to think. "The problem she faces is that draconic energy is that of the natural world and natural forces. Handling energy from one is doable for a human with the right ...wiring, so to speak. Handling from two is the problem. It is the equivalent of asking her to channel a hurricane and a volcano while she is attempting to stop an earthquake. It is too much for any human, and for most nonhumans as well."

 "Get to the point,"  Eldingar's tone was more gruff than Lisa had ever heard before. She was grateful for it, though. She knew they were almost out of time. 

"If she were to share a bond with another being that could buffer her, then she might survive."

 "Another being like a dragon? Is that what you've been wasting all this time to lead up to?"  Eldingar's impatience was quite clear in her voice.

"It is not a waste," Ember replied, sounding insulted. "For this to work, all involved must fully understand. Unfortunately I am unable serve in that way. The type of bond required is, for me, filled by my bond to Max."

 "I take it my bond to Dótta does not offer a similar restriction, or you would not have been so specific?" 

"Exactly. Though your bond to Dótta remains in place, through her actions it is damaged. Therefore there is a ... hole for lack of a better word. You are currently able to form enough of a bond to Lisa to offer some protection."

 "And if this succeeds, and Dótta is killed, what happens to Lisa?" 

"My dear Thintrí, that is entirely up to you."

Eldingar hissed at Ember.  "I told you not to call me that. That name is no longer mine." 

"Pity. It had such beauty. Much like its owner."

"Enough already," Lisa interrupted before the two dragons could start another argument. "We're almost out of time. I am willing to try this second option, and I think I have a fair idea of the possible outcomes."

Ember chuckled again, looking over Lisa intently. "She speaks the truth. She understands the ramifications. Eldingar, you may as well show yourself. You know what is required."

 "I know. I was saving my energy," Eldingar replied shortly. 

Lisa allowed a sliver of her attention to watch a dragon shaped form materialize next to Ember. "You're beautiful!" Lisa exclaimed, and then cursed as her grip on the earth slipped for a moment, and the land rumbled ominously. 

"Thank you," was all Elidingar said. The great blue dragon had materialized next to Ember, light flashing off her like miniature lightnings. "Are you ready?"

"Yes," Lisa replied, her voice, even in the spirit world, sounding very strained. 

"Do you trust me?"

Lisa would have been frustrated at the seeming delay, except the questions had a ritual feel to them. "Yes," was again her reply, and it was the absolute truth. She didn't always trust so implicitly, but there was something about the dragon... 

The lights flickering along Eldingar's body seemed to gain in intensity. "As my trust is given to you, so is yours to me. One as two, and two as one," Eldingar stated the final line of something that carried all the weight and finality of an impending hurricane.

Lisa was a little surprised that she felt no fear, instead, she simply opened her heart and mind to the dragon, as Eldingar did the same. They joined lightly, like two friends holding hands, and Lisa was momentarily overwhelmed by the dragon's thoughts and feelings. 

Eldingar felt Lisa's control of the earth wobble again as they joined. Fortunately, she had expected it to happen, and now that there was a bond in place, she was able to steady Lisa's control.

Lisa felt Eldingar working through her, and it reminded her of a friend keeping her from stumbling. As Lisa adjusted, she became aware of the connection to Dótta, and could feel the anger mixed with jealousy and a touch of satisfaction echoing through the bond. She was also relieved to see that Dótta was unaware of her new bond to Eldingar.

"You can sense her more than I," Eldingar said gently into her mind. Lisa was happy to feel only slight sadness from the dragon, rather than the crippling guilt that had been there before. 

"Indeed," the dragon continued, answering Lisa's observation. "I believe you helped me break away from influences I did not realize were there. I should never have been stuck in an emotional morass like that for so long. Your empathic gift is proving quite useful."

Lisa wordlessly acknowledged her statement. "Are we ready to join to Max? We need to finish this."

Eldingar's reply was to turn towards Ember. The red dragon had been following the energy fluctuations with great interest. While not the intense bonding of a full joining, it went smoother than anyone had a right to expect, and he was pleased. 

His lips curled slightly upwards. "All you have to do is reach for him, Shaman."

Because I don't have enough balls in the air, Lisa thought to herself, and looked for the 'thread' that would lead her to Max. She was surprised when he was instantly there. He recognized her, even though he was only semi-aware, and unreservedly joined to her, giving her everything he and Ember had. 

Lisa almost reeled back. Max was literally putting his life in her hands and he did it without hesitation. It wasn't that he expected to die, but rather he trusted her to stop Dótta, no matter the cost. He knew that cost might include her own life, and expected that if she paid that price, he would as well. There was no holding back.

Lisa's love for this amazing man expanded and filled her to bursting, and through it all, she sensed the same happening in Max. "Use that. Feed it into the lines and break her control!" Eldingar said with urgency, while pulling their love into the work at hand.

****************

Sonja couldn't believe how ineffective her struggles were at staving off the darkness. She was completely immobilized and it was taking everything just to stay conscious. She clung to that consciousness with the desperation of a drowning woman. At the very least, she figured that any energy she burned up resisting, was one less bit that could be used against Lisa.

"Hang on, I'm coming," Thom's voice echoed in her mind, sending off bells of hope in her breast. 

"Be careful Thom, this place is full of traps."

"Yeah, I'd noticed. Who knew navigating office politics would actually came in useful for something. I should be able to get to you in a moment. The net you're in isn't nearly as tidy from the outside."

****************

He panted outside the shield that had been put up by his former Master, taking a moment to recover. His mate was on the other side, unconscious like the rest of the servants. He'd already locked them into a side room and was keeping a wary eye on the door. He didn't know what was going on, but he wasn't going to let anything stop him from claiming his mate. He was still ashamed that he'd allowed himself to be so controlled that he hadn't recognized his mate before, even when they'd fucked. 

He refused to call it anything else. There had been little of love in what happened between them so far, and that only added to his shame and desperation to fix his many mistakes. 

"Calm," his wolf said into his mind. "We will have a chance. Wait. Be ready."

He stopped short in shock at his wolf counseling patience, and let out a short bark that was half laugh. "You scent something?" he asked, remembering the only times his wolf showed this kind of patience, was when the prey was in sight, and success required stealth and planning.

"Yes. Stalk. Wait. We will have blood."

For the first time in too many years, he took the advice of his wolf and settled to wait as long as it would take to gain his quarry.

****************

Dótta frowned and yelled in frustration. Where had the bitch gotten all that energy from? She had been winning, and then suddenly she was losing ground. She reached to draw on the old woman. She would take every last drop to win against that bitch.

Too bad I can't keep her around for later, Dótta thought to herself, as she prepared to drain the life out of the old woman.

She began to pull, and then suddenly there was nothing there, nothing to feed her, and she lost all the ground she'd gained and more. Yelling her anger over the woman's escape, she pulled on every bit of power she could access. She hadn't been around this long without squirreling away reserves. She no longer cared if she drained everything she'd spent centuries acquiring. The bitch would die.

****************

He watched intently as the barrier flickered briefly. He'd almost launched himself at it again, but his wolf had held him back. He'd listened. He remembered how his wolf had an almost uncanny instinct for the precise moment to go in for the kill. 

"Not much longer," his wolf growled softly. 

His lips lifted in satisfaction, exposing his sharp canines. He was ready to finish this.

****************

Lisa had never felt anything like this. It was like she was in a perfect union with Max and both dragons, and the power suddenly felt limitless. She was flowing over and burning out and replacing Dótta's infrastructure with barely a thought. It was heady, and she took care not to let it go to her head. 

Through Elidingar, she could feel Dótta getting pushed closer to the edge, and knew they would need to be careful. She was quickly becoming a cornered animal, and there was little more dangerous than that. 

****************

His mate was stirring, and he kept to the shadows. His mate had never actually seen his human form, much less his were form. He was here to fix his mistakes, not create more.

"Easy now," he said in the same gruff voice he'd used that day, knowing his mate would respond. "You will be disoriented after what has been done to you."

"You... I remember... Am I to be your reward again?" His mate flushed.

"Do you wish to be?" he asked, letting a little of his desire color his voice. He remembered that day in great detail, and was angry at himself for not recognizing his mate then.

"I... I don't know. I just... Wait... Where are you? Who's this?" The young man looked at the form of their former Master, confusion evident on his face. 

"Don't touch it, Tim" he used his command voice. He didn't need the warning of his wolf to know it was dangerous to make any kind of physical contact with their false master. 

Tim snatched his hand back as if burned and looked out into the darkness for the owner of the gruff voice. He vividly remembered his day with that voice, and was confused, not because he didn't like what had happened, but because he did. His head was clearer than it had been for a long time, but that clarity was only adding to his confusion. He wasn't... He couldn't be... He'd never been interested in men before...

He scented Tim's confusion and rising panic, and desperately wanted to go to his mate, but the barrier was still up. "Tim, it's okay," he said softly. "I will not hurt you. Please, take a deep breath."

Tim kept searching the shadows, and could just make out a large figure in the darkness, and brief flash of light reflected from his eyes. He obeyed the request, breathing deep, and finding himself calming down slightly.

"Thank you," the gruff voice said gently.

"You're not human," Tim stated as he calmed. He hadn't worked at that factory this long without learning a little about the other nonhumans. "You're were, aren't you?"

"Yes. Right first time," the voice answered with warmth and some pride at his mate's ability to put things together so quickly.

Tim flushed a bit at the pleasure he heard in that gruff voice. He felt drawn to its owner in a way he just didn't understand. "Would you step out of the shadows please?"

He held his breath, thinking it over, and then began to edge out into the light, moving slowly so as not to startle Tim. He still looked human, mostly, but he was on the edge of a full transformation, and that was sometimes more disconcerting for humans than having the full wolf in front of them. Finally, he was fully visible. Tim let out a gasp, and then met his eyes. 

"You don't scare me. You should, but you don't," Tim commented, as he finally got to see the owner of that voice. He was dark and gave the impression of being shaggy and wild at the same time. His eyes were what really struck Tim, though. A brown so dark, they almost looked black, but which currently held a softness that Tim didn't think was there very often. Dimly he remembered seeing the man in one of the office cubicles at the factory, but he really didn't have cause to go over there, so he couldn't remember where exactly the man worked.




Something New Ch. 14



"I don't want to scare you. At least, not unless you want me to scare you," the were replied, with a slight smile, and a slight glint in his dark eyes. 

Tim felt a tingle of pleasure, which again brought up his uncertainty and fear. The were's nose twitched, and the smile faded. "What's wrong?"

"I... I don't know. I'm just ... very confused." Tim took a step closer to the were, and focused on the warmth in his eyes. Warmth he realized was there just for him. "I... I've never been interested in men. This isn't right. What happened to me? Did you do something to me? Mess with my mind?"

"I have no ability to 'mess with your mind.' In fact, I can barely communicate with other weres when fully shifted," he replied, sadness threading its way through his tone. 

Tim digested this information, his inner conflict apparent on his face. He glanced at the partially shifted wolf again, and saw such compassion and understanding in those dark eyes, it made him want to run straight into his arms. That very desire shook him to his core, and he just didn't know how to deal with the implications. 

He watched Tim going through such turmoil, and it was only the presence of the barrier keeping him from comforting his mate. "Talk to me, please..."

Tim glanced up at the pleading in the were's tone. There was such desperate pain in his voice, he couldn't help but move a little closer to the shimmering barrier between them. He looked into the were's eyes a little longer before finally getting up the courage to speak. "I just never thought I might be gay..." he trailed off in thought again. "I mean, I don't have any problem with gays, I just never thought I swung that way before. It's only ever been women..." Tim trailed off again, lost in thought.

As he started piecing together his memories, Tim paced in agitation, muttering to himself. Finally he looked up, panic and desperation in his eyes, "I need to get out of here! Please!" 

He watched his mate in anguish, looking for anything he could do to help. "The sculpture," his wolf cut into his thoughts, and he understood what needed to be done.



Something New Ch. 15



 Thank you everyone for sticking with this story for so long! I'm sorry for the delay. I went through some large changes in my life, and that was followed by the most severe case of writer's block I've ever had. I knew what I wanted to write, but couldn't seem to get it out till just last week. 

Anyway, thank you again for sticking with me! There should be one more chapter coming to finish wrapping everything up, and I've already got that one started, so I think I'll have it posted before the end of September.

This story is copyrighted, please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks! 

**************************

Lisa paused, studying the situation. The link between her, Max and the dragons had allowed her to push Dottá all the way back into one small remaining pocket. It seemed that all she needed to do was finish the job, but her instincts were saying stop. 

"Crap. Eldingar, it looks like she's got the metaphysical equivalent of a dead man's switch, the way she's routed the ley lines. If we kill or overwhelm her, the whole thing'll go. Do you see any way to diffuse this?"

"Maybe..." Eldingar replied, and then trailed off as she and Ember studied the trap that Dótta had linked to herself. "She's created so many layers, it's a proverbial Gordian Knot. Unfortunately, Alexander's solution won't work here unless we want a smoking pit where that lovely mountain currently stands. She's basically made herself into a keystone. If we remove her, or try to cut through any of this without doing it exactly right, game over." 

Ember spoke up, verbalizing the problem. " She's had this in place for a long time. It looks like she dammed up the ley lines. It has created an energy 'lake,' and she's the dam holding that energy in check. There should be a weakness though. For her to be the dam, she needs to have some kind of anchor. Without it, the framework would overwhelm and burn her out. 

"Her anchor for this has to be tied to a physical object. Something to not just hold energy, but also to provide the tie back to the physical world. Unfortunately, that object could be just about anything, and it would take too long to sift through the hundreds of ties she has to find that particular one."

Lisa considered the dragon's analysis for a moment, and had an idea; one that was not well received. Max was the only one not bombarding her with refusals, but she suspected at least part of that was because he was still in a quasi-dream state. She waited for a pause in the protests and then spoke up.

"Does anybody have a better idea? One that won't destroy half the countryside, or leave Dótta to do this all over again later? She's more unbalanced and with fewer resources than she's ever been. To get her to this point took all Tiernan's people, one of the most powerful were packs, a high ranked vampire and her people, not to mention Sonja, two dragons, and a dragon touched to do it. Do you really want to let her get away and lose this opportunity? What will happen next time? What resources will she manage to bring? I would rather not find out. This is the only way I see to deal with her as well as prevent damage. I am willing to accept the danger. If you are not we can unlink, so that I am the only one carrying that risk."

Ember and Max were the first to acquiesce, but Eldingar was not far behind. The great blue dragon didn't like it, but knew all too well the consequences of not stopping Dótta here and now. The simple fact was, even turning the mountainside into a smoking hole was better than letting Dótta escape again.

"Just so. Let's begin."

*********************

"Tim," the were used a touch of command voice to get his mate's attention again, and Tim responded, focusing back on him and calming slightly. "To get you out of there isn't simple, but I think we can do it. You have to listen to me, though. If you do the wrong thing, you could be hurt or even killed. Can you follow my instructions precisely?"

Tim responded to the authority in his voice, and straightened up, nodding his assent. 

"Very good, now this is what you need to do..."

*********************

"So you've come to gloat, have you?" Dottá sneered at Lisa, who had appeared before her. She was not happy that Lisa looked so calm, but Dottá still had some tricks up her sleeve. She'd been in tight spots before, after all. In fact from one perspective, this whole thing could be considered rather entertaining. Easy is boring, after all. 

"No, Dottá, I am not here to gloat. I am here to ask you to stop this. There is no need to continue. It is wasteful and pointless." 

Dottá felt a gleam of triumph and satisfaction. Obviously the little bitch had seen the trap and didn't know what to do about it, so she was trying to bargain. Dottá smiled. "Out of your depth little fish? I think there's a great deal still to be gained here, especially since you obviously care so much about the lives of the people on this hillside."

Lisa simply raised an eyebrow in response, but remained silent. Dottá felt a combined flash of irritation and interest. Irritation because Lisa was not easily manipulated, interest for the same reason. "I might be willing to stop all of this, but only if I had something to gain that would trump the immense satisfaction of taking out this little hillside and all the people on it."

"Let me guess. You want me as your prisoner, right?"

Dottá again felt that twin flash of irritation and interest. A small smile crossed her lips as she thought about what it would be like when she finally broke the bitch. What a prize she would be, not to mention the extreme satisfaction of punishing her for every last little injury. Dottá held the smile and eyed Lisa, letting her expression convey her answer.

"How ... predictable. Somehow I expected more. No wonder you're bored, you have no imagination."

Dottá felt hot rage well up, "Boring and unimaginative am I? You know nothing of what I have done! Nobody has ever built what I have, or even thought it possible!"

Lisa gave her a bored look.  "If you are referring to all the links you have set up by inserting yourself into the place a mating bond would take root, then yes I do know what you have done. I do not find it particularly imaginative either. 

"Since the beginning of time there have been those that would establish bonds to control others. The only reason your perversion of a mating bond hasn't been done before is due to lack of sufficient energy to pull it off. Only the fact that you had the energy of a dragon at your disposal allowed you to accomplish what many before you had already thought of. Determined and strong willed? Yes. Creative? No."

Lisa's cold analysis of Dottá finally pushed her frayed and unstable temper over the edge. She shrieked and attacked, but this time, rather than resist, Lisa opened herself to the half-crazed woman. Lisa allowed her entry, because it was the only way she could find what she needed to end this.

*********************

Tim was sweating with nerves. The strangely attractive were had told him to tie up their (former?) master, but without directly touching her? Him? There was something very strange about the comatose body, and he'd given up trying to assign a gender. He wasn't sure about a lot of things right now. All he knew was a burning need for freedom and that he could trust the were outside the barrier absolutely. 

Tim had spent his entire life taking orders from others. Quite frankly, he preferred it that way. He had never wanted the stress of leadership. He would much rather work in a supportive role as part of a team, and let someone else deal with those headaches. One thing he had learned, however, was that he had an almost uncanny ability to know who was a good person to follow, and who to avoid. His involvement with the owner of the comatose body had been one of his few errors in judgment. Well, if you're gonna screw up, you may as well do it right, he thought with a wry smile.

He looked around, double checking his work. Following the were's instructions, he'd trussed up the body as best he could without directly touching it, and then had moved some furniture to form a barrier and fashioned a long pole by taking apart several large picture frames, and tying the pieces together with cloth he'd cut from a blanket. He was lucky his things had been on this side of the barrier, since he always carried a small folding knife in his pocket. He'd never have been able to get the strips of material from that blanket without that knife. 

"Good job, Tim," the were said in his rough voice. "I am especially impressed with how well you trussed it up without touching it. That was no mean feat." 

Tim felt himself redden slightly at the compliment, and the were flashed him a brief smile before continuing. "Now I want you to get behind that barricade and use the pole to knock that vase off the shelf. As soon as you do, duck down and flatten to the floor. We can be grateful the floors in here happen to be tile. The vase should break just from the fall."

Tim nodded, finally starting to understand. Again, he hadn't worked at that factory this long, without learning a few things outside the realm of what science said was real. Obviously there was something dangerous about that vase, and it was some sort of key to getting rid of this blasted barrier. Tim extended his makeshift pole very carefully, till the tip of it rested on the shelf next to the vase. Then he slid his pole till it touched the vase, and felt his heart sink. The vase wasn't moving. It must be much heavier than it looked. 

*********************

Lisa would be lying if she said she wasn't afraid. Allowing Dottá in was probably the most dangerous thing she'd ever done. Not only was it risky to her personally, but to the dragons and Max as well. She buried her connection to them deeper than everything else, and they had promised to sever their bond should Dottá uncover it and try to take them over. She hoped she could find what she needed before it was too late. 

God help me, please. Lisa sent a quick silent prayer, and maybe someone was listening and had answered her, because she uncovered a memory that had more than enough emotion attached to work with. She intended to do to Dótta what she had done out of instinct to Christian those many years ago. She planned to trap the renegade Dragon Touched in her own memory. 

I'm truly sorry it has come to this, Dottá. At least this time it's something pleasant, Lisa thought to herself, and then fed power unreservedly into the memory she had found. It grew brighter and stronger, and was quickly overtaking Dottá's mind, but Lisa sensed it still wasn't enough, and despair welled up. She was out of ideas, and so were the dragons and Max. They had no choice but to trigger Dótta's trap, and allow the mountain side to be destroyed, along with everyone else on it. Lisa's only was hope was to see if Tiernan might be able to pass enough warning that a few might escape.

*********************

Maybe if I hit it from the top? Tim thought to himself, and lifted the makeshift pole higher. It wasn't easy. The pole was bending a lot and wasn't that strong. He hoped that if he caught the top, he could make the vase overbalance. 

He touched the neck of the vase and pushed sideways, and it moved slightly. He smiled and pushed harder. The pole was bending sideways and scraping the wall behind the vase, but the vase was starting to give, and then it suddenly overbalanced, and Tim hit the floor. 

He heard the crash, and time stopped as he was overwhelmed by searing white light. It was everywhere, pouring through him, and he felt like he was riding a wild horse that any minute would notice he was on its back, and buck him off. When unconsciousness claimed him, he almost wept in gratitude. 

*********************

Lisa prayed for a miracle, and prepared for her last act in this life. Then, once again, her prayer was suddenly answered. The power drained out of Dottá like a flood gate. The memory that Lisa had been feeding broke free and grew exponentially, trapping Dottá inside. The moment that happened, the energy framework Dottá had tied to herself took her over, integrating her spirit into its structure.

Lisa knew she needed to get out, to separate herself from Dottá or she would be sucked in too, but she simply had no energy left, nor did the dragons have enough to pull her out. She resigned herself to her fate. It was worth sacrificing her very spirit. She was content.

"No!" Max's voice rang in her head, and he tugged just barely enough to free her, but free her it did. Once again she was on the outside, watching Dottá's own creation engulf her. 

"So much for being burned out," Lisa commented wryly to Max as he enfolded her. He was no longer a passive presence, semi-conscious at best. He was fully awake, and his spirit was holding tight to hers. Not that she minded, she was holding him just as tight.

 "Lisa, I am sorry to interrupt you, but you must make a choice and make it now," Ember's voice, faint with exhaustion, interrupted her moment with Max. "Look."

Lisa turned her attention to what Ember wanted her to look at, and saw what was happening. Eldingar was too spent from fighting Dottá to survive the backlash of the severed bond. Lisa knew exactly what choice Ember was referring to. It was one she rather thought she would need to make when she entered into this, and she already had her answer. Lisa searched within herself for the light bond that Eldingar had made with her, and used it to give the dragon a proverbial tap on the shoulder. 

As soon as she had Eldingar's attention, Lisa opened herself completely, making her offer to the dying dragon. Eldingar looked at Lisa through the open bond. It took no time, but Lisa had never felt so thoroughly examined in her life. Lisa felt Eldingar's acceptance of what she saw, and then the bond opened from Eldingar's end. 

They joined together completely, and Lisa couldn't tell where she or Eldingar began or ended, and she didn't care. The pleasure of that moment was so intense, she was in spiritual ecstasy, and had no room for thoughts, only for feeling. Gradually it lessened, and she felt herself and Eldingar become two individuals again, but linked at such a deep level that they would always be as one being. 

Once again she felt Max enfold her, and drifted off into unconsciousness full of joy and contentment so deep, she could only give thanks to whatever powers had brought so much happiness into her life. 

*********************

Shari looked in on Lisa and Max. They had been brought in and laid on the bed in her guest room together. The Voice had told her not to worry about them, they only needed sleep. Still, after a day and a half where they showed no signs of waking, she decided to procure and IV and some fluids for each of them to prevent dehydration. 

The Voice had seemed touched by her concern, but amused as well, which Shari found irritating. Better safe than sorry, after all, and they're certainly not getting any fluids on their own while unconscious. 

Not that she wasn't concerned about the old woman too. Thom had brought her back, just as unconscious as Lisa and Max. Fortunately for Shari's peace of mind, the were medic, Maggie, had already looked her over, and reassured Shari that The Voice would wake the next morning. Shari still checked the woman over for herself, but trusted were. Even though she didn't carry the title, she knew more than most doctors. 

I guess it helps when you've been practicing for a good 60 years, Shari thought to herself with a smile. Shari left the room and shut the door, glimpsing the same shadow out of the corner of her eye that had dogged her since that night. 

Shari let out a sigh of exasperation. "What? You've been following me for two days. Enough already!"

The same vampire that had been assigned to protect her and her sister that night appeared in front of her, an intense look in his eyes. "I can't figure you out," he stated, as if that should answer everything. 

Shari rolled her eyes, "Well that clears everything right up. You can't figure me out, so therefore you turn into a stalker. Well isn't that just peachy."

The vampire reached up to touch her cheek, and Shari slapped his hand aside. "Sorry, not interested. I have a man already, and I'm quite happy. Thanks."

If anything his eyes grew more intense, and Shari started wondering if she would need to call Keisha in to handle this. 

He obviously caught the picture of Keisha in her mind. He stepped back and Shari had the sense that a cold bucket of water had just been dumped over his head. His eyes lost some of their intensity and he seemed to come back more to himself. 

"I'm sorry. I've just never seen a human dispatch Others of any kind so quickly and accurately. It... calls to my other nature, and I have ... misinterpreted the interest. How is it that you were able to drop so many weres?"

Shari now understood why the vampire had been hanging around. When the attacking weres had broken into the house, they had done so en masse, coming through the door and through several windows as well. Her protectors were good, but there were more than they could handle, and Shari and Marianne had both made use of their guns, and dropped several attacking wolves. Shari was just glad she'd bought several high capacity ammo clips before the laws changed limiting the rounds. It took little time to change clips, but that was more than enough time for one of those mutant wolves to get through to her or Marianne.

"Practice," she answered the vampire with a slight smile, and then decided to be nice and explained further. "I practice with every gun in this house regularly. I refuse to have a problem because the closest gun to hand when I needed it, was one I didn't practice enough with. I will admit that it turns out I'm more accurate with adrenaline in my system, but my aim has always been good." 

The vampire nodded, but still had a speculative look in his eye. "You are more than just accurate. You should compete."

Shari laughed, "I tried. I suck in competition. Can't aim worth crap when people are watching me shoot. Frankly, I'd rather have aim when my life is on the line than in a competition anyway." 

The vampire nodded, still studying her like she was some intriguing puzzle, and surprised her by giving her a short bow. "Thank you for speaking with me and answering my questions. I shall not bother you further."

Shari didn't even have a chance to respond to that before he was gone. She shrugged and figured as long as he wasn't going to stalk her anymore, she didn't really care one way or the other.

*********************

Max was came back to himself slowly, feeling a bit like he'd been hit by a truck. Still, it didn't seem as bad as the last time he'd overextended. He took a deep breath and moved his fingers and toes before slowly stretching to a chorus of joint cracks and pops. His right hand brushed against another person, and he cracked an eye open to see who was next to him.

He smiled, seeing Lisa's dark hair all tangled as she continued to sleep. He rolled over to embrace her, and stopped as something stung on his hand. An IV? Maybe that's why I don't feel as bad as the last time. Still, don't need it now that I'm awake, now do I? he thought as he pulled the needle out. 

Then his body made another demand on him. He got out of bed with a slight groan, and went in search of a bathroom. 

*********************

"You're up!" Shari exclaimed with relief the moment he stepped out of her hall bathroom. Max just nodded, not knowing what else since every answer that occurred to him was obnoxious, not to mention ungrateful for all the care she'd been taking of him and Lisa. 




Something New Ch. 15



"Come, I've got some light food in the kitchen. You probably need to eat, but we have to get your body used to food again slowly, or you'll be sick. You've been out for three days now, and I was starting to get really worried, even though The Voice kept telling me it was okay. She's not a doctor, after all, and comas are no laughing matter. I also want to check you over and I have some test questions to make sure you're okay, but you can answer those while you eat."

Max blinked and followed her. It seemed that Shari had a tendency to ramble when she was worked up, and he figured it was easier to just follow her instructions and put her mind at ease. 

*********************

Max laid down next to Lisa again, exhausted. Shari had been thorough in her mental examination of him, and about the only good parts were that most of the tension she'd been carrying fell away, and learning that Lisa's dog, Sasha was okay, though there were a few scratches on her.

Now he just wanted to rest. He laid on his side and molded his body against Lisa's resting an arm across her stomach. He knew before their confrontation with the shadow creature, that he was in love with her. Now he knew just how deep their connection was. 

Their bond had not gone away, and he could still feel her. It was probably why he wasn't worried that she hadn't woken yet. Besides, she'd not only completely depleted herself, she'd then gone and become a Dragon Touched. That alone would knock a person out for a day or two as their mind and body adjusted.

Lisa inhaled deeply, and Max leaned up on his elbow to watch her face, wondering if she was going to wake up. Like he had done earlier, he saw her slowly start to move, stretching muscles stiff with inactivity. 

As soon as her eyes opened, she smiled to see him hovering over her, and he leaned in to kiss her. After he broke off the kiss, she suddenly put a hand over mouth, and croaked as she tried to say something. She cleared her throat and then rasped out "I need to go brush my teeth! I must have morning breath from hell right now!"

Max just laughed. Right now he didn't care, he was just happy she was awake again. He rose and crossed to her side of the bed to help her up. He didn't carry her, since he knew her body needed the activity of walking under her own power right now. He helped her to the bathroom, and then made his escape as Shari came back down the hall and realized that Lisa was up and about. 

He was kind enough to send her a mental warning of what was to come, but he figured he'd paid his dues on this one, and now it was her turn. He heard her reply, promising him payback at some unspecified time in the future, and he just smiled before drifting back to sleep again.

*********************

Lisa and Max were much closer to their old selves after spending another day, mostly sleeping, at Shari's. Shari had decided that the two of them would be staying a bit longer so she could keep an eye on them and make certain that they were fine before they tried to go home. Lisa knew it would put Shari much more at ease, and so she and Max acquiesced after she checked in with Keisha. 

Keisha had promptly told her not to worry, that Toulouse was filling in on attaching healing energy to the food and supplements, and that if she tried to come back to work before at least a week had passed, Keisha would 'come up there, tie you down, and NOT let Max have his way with you.' 

Lisa had blushed almost beet red, at that comment, and was grateful she was alone in the room when she decided to call Keisha. The vampire leader had also informed her that thanks to the were/vamp partnership, casualties had been extremely low, and none of the injuries were life threatening, or would cause long term problems. There were actually more injuries due to the quakes than to the attacking were pack. As a result, she and Christian were planning on continuing the experiment, though Keisha didn't give any further details than that.

She'd also spoken with Christian and Carol, and while they were back on their pack lands, they and Keisha had both sent people to continue patrolling Shari and Thom's property under the command of Misha and Harriet. Lisa figured this was part of the were/vamp working together experiment that Keisha had mentioned.

Christian also told her that apparently their wayward factory worker, Tim, had ended up with a were mate, who was also from the factory, though on the office side. According to him, the situation was rather complicated, since the were in question, Jacob, had originally belonged to the pack that attacked them, and then had been in service to Dottá. According to Christian, Jacob had been terrified of both Christian and Carol, but his wolf's insistence that he go to them, and the fact that his intended mate was completely unconscious and needed help overrode his fear. Christian had not yet decided quite what to do about the pair, beyond medical assistance for Tim.

As Christian relayed the story Jacob had told him, she realized it was his and Tim's actions that had actually saved them all, and she told Christian as much. She also explained how Dottá had been implanting herself as a false mating bond, and that once established, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to defy her will. It didn't excuse their actions, or their responsibility for those actions, but Christian now understood that there were some mitigating factors involved in the situation. 

Lisa was relieved that her services were not needed for Tim. She had plenty to cope with at the moment, and there were others within the pack that were much more suited to helping him come to terms with being gay, not to mention explaining about the whole mate thing and helping him come to terms with that, assuming he chose to accept it. She rather thought he would, eventually, but how long it would take was another question altogether. She felt a bit sorry for all Jacob would end up having to endure before this was over, but on the other hand, karma can be a bitch. 

Lisa leaned back against Max's chest, enjoying the sun. They were sitting on the ground against a log, and Lisa felt such a deep sense of peace listening to the bird songs overlaid with the high pitched buzz of hummingbirds as they flew around defending territories and feeding from the flowers. 

She was still getting used to what had now become a permanent bond, not just with Eldingar, but with Max and Ember as well. The bond with Max and Ember wasn't as tight as it had been while fighting Dótta, but it was still there, and was disconcerting sometimes. She was slowly getting used to it, but she felt rather like the firm ground under her feet had suddenly become quicksand. It helped that the dragons were so clearly not human in their thoughts as well as their form. 

Max was a little bit of a different story. While he hadn't technically been human for centuries, he started out as one, and still thought like one, and the permanent bond with him had been confusing. She loved him deeply, but she didn't necessarily want him to know what she was thinking at any given moment. He seemed to understand and he'd told her she'd be able to filter more with practice, which was the reason she didn't overhear him as much. He'd had centuries to learn control, and she'd never had a need to learn this particular skill before. She was just grateful that this new ability didn't carry over to anyone else. She wasn't certain she could handle hearing anymore outside thoughts at this point.

"You're overthinking again," Max spoke against her ear, his breath sending shivers down her body as it made contact with her skin. 

"You know this is really frustrating. I get the feeling the only reason I overhear anything from you is because you allow it. It's just really ... shaky ground for me."

Max lightly rubbed her arms, and then linked his hands across her waist. "You are better able to hear me than you think. I have to work a bit to keep my thoughts silenced, and the main reason I do that is so that I do not overwhelm you. Especially when my thoughts are filled with images like these."

Lisa's mind filled with his memories of them together. The strip tease she'd done for him, him tasting her, her returning the favor, her face as she came, and a hundred other erotic moments that had her breathing hard. 

Max kissed the back of her neck and she sighed. His lips drifted to the join of her neck and shoulder before lightly kissing his way up to her ear. He felt her fingers dig into his thighs, and slid his hand under her shirt and up to her breast, caressing her nipple through the fabric of the bra. 

"Max..." Lisa gasped out, "we really need to stop."

"Why?" he asked, and stilled his fingers, though he still cupped her breast.

"We aren't that far from the cabin, Shari's at work but Thom works from home, and Marianne is stopping by today. Plus, while I know Tiernan and his people have mostly been Underhill, that doesn't mean someone wouldn't stumble on us."

Max slid his hand back down to her waist again, but stayed in contact with her skin. "There's something else bothering you," he stated, waiting for her to answer the unspoken question.

"I'm still getting used to the mental links. It throws me a bit to know that Eldingar and Ember are aware of everything, and well ... I've never been much of an exhibitionist," Lisa blushed a little and trailed off, looking for the words to continue.

Max could sense there was more, and waited, trying to remain a comforting presence while she figured out how to say what she needed.

Finally things seemed to click into place, and Lisa spoke again. "Do you remember our first night together? Not the night we just slept in the same bed, but the first night we were together?"

"That's not a night I'm likely to forget," Max answered with a soft chuckle.

Lisa blushed again. "Yes, well, neither am I. But what I'm really getting to is that moment I lost control of my empathic abilities. I lost control because I got overwhelmed. The thing is, if it happened again, and another person was in range , say the next room, they could get caught in it too. I still feel a bit out of whack with all these new bonds, and in an intense moment, it would be all too easy to lose control and hurt someone."

"I think I see. As far as Ember is concerned, he's been aware of every moment from the beginning, he just doesn't care. He can't not be aware, but he ignores it. I would imagine that Eldingar probably feels the same, but you can ask her. I do still remember how I felt the first few times I had sex after bonding with him. I seemed to think I had acquired a judge who was scoring my performance. It didn't take long for him to rather rudely disabuse me of that notion." Max's voice reflected his amusement at that memory. 

"As to the second part, I think you are forgetting the benefits of bonding with a dragon. If you lost control and couldn't stop yourself, don't you think Eldingar would assist you? Again, you may wish to ask her."

Lisa thought over his words for a bit, and one thing became painfully clear. She really needed to have a long conversation with Eldingar. 

"Go ahead, I'll let Shari know you'll have dinner later," Max told her before she could even think to ask him. She had been thinking rather loudly again, after all.

Lisa turned and gave him a soft kiss as a thank you, and then rose up to head back to their room so she could have a long, undisturbed chat. She felt Eldingar's approval and relief echo down their bond, and only wished she had thought to do this sooner.

Max watched Lisa walk back to the house and then turned his attention to the trees again. "You may as well come out, I know you're there Tiernan."

"I didn't want to disturb your moment," Tiernan replied while seeming to materialize from the trees. "I only heard the tail end, but it seemed important, and she is certainly deserving of, and holds my respect."

Max stood up and embraced his friend, and the two of them caught up on the state of things Underhill. The most interesting tidbit was that Tiernan had his hands full calming many of the more excitable members of his court. The fact that Dótta had put that whole energy network into place without their knowledge had them riled, and some of the more short sighted members were calling to eradicate humans. Of course these were the same members that hadn't been out of Underhill in centuries, and had no comprehension of the power humans currently held in their world.

"Are any of them likely to start something over here?" Max asked, wanting to be prepared.

"I'm keeping an eye on them. There's one or two that bear watching, but for now, you should be fine. Besides, it's good for them to find out they aren't the cleverest creatures in existence."

Maxed chuckled, having had one or two dealings with some of them. He didn't envy Tiernan this task, though Tiernan certainly seemed to enjoy it. 

"So what is the real reason you are here?" Max asked. Tiernan rarely got to the point quickly, but the two of them had a long developed rapport where they met in the middle.

Tiernan flashed a smile, and handed Max a silk bag with something solid inside. "When she's finished speaking with her new partner, please give her these gifts for us."

Max pulled out two bracelets and immediately recognized what they were, and what they meant. He looked back to Tiernan and lifted his brow in silent question. 

Tiernan laughed. "I think you will recognize who made those. As to why He chose to favor her, well let's just say that her actions put both of us on the debt side of the ledger, and this is repayment." Tiernan rose, "It was good to see you my friend. Bring the shaman with you the next time you visit. She has never had the pleasure, and there are many who wish to meet her."

Max clasped hands with Tiernan, and then the tall man melted back into the trees again. A moment later Max felt the shift that told him Tiernan had gone back Underhill, and from the sounds of things, it would be a long time before the he crossed back again.

Max gave a speculative look at the silk pouch with the bracelets, wondering what the full story was. It had to be something quite interesting for Him to feel something was owed.



Something New Ch. 16



 Thank you for reading, and for sticking with me through such a long gap in the postings. This is the final chapter. Enjoy!

This story is copyrighted, please do not use any part of it without permission. Thanks! 

**************************

Lisa stretched out on the bed in Shari's guest room, and shut her eyes, reaching into her bond with Eldingar so they could talk. A moment later she found herself sitting against a tree on a grassy hillside, with the dragon curled to one side, her head near Lisa.

"I should have suggested doing this myself," Eldingar rumbled softly before Lisa could say anything. Lisa immediately noticed the increased level of clarity compared to a journey into the spirit world. This place was similar, but it was more solid. 

"That's because this is my ... territory for lack of a better word," Eldingar replied, answering Lisa's thoughts. "This place belongs to me, and now to you as well. It isn't exactly the spirit world anymore, and hasn't been for a very long time. Max is also right, you're a bit loud. If you wish, I can help you tone that down a bit."

"Yes, thank you!" Lisa immediately replied. She'd really been trying, but controlling her empathic gift simply wasn't the same as this and she was struggling. A moment later she felt Eldingar's presence increase inside of her, taking control of her shielding for a moment, so she could see how it should be. Now that she knew what she was doing wrong, it wasn't that hard for her fix.

"That helped so much!" Lisa said a moment later, reveling in a sense of quiet and privacy she hadn't felt since waking up. Eldingar's presence receded to normal levels, once she saw that Lisa had the knack. Lisa sighed in relief at the relative quiet in her head now. She hadn't even realized how tense she'd been.

"That is something else I should have thought of doing sooner," Eldingar said, "Especially as our bonding was so unusual. Feeling like you have constant observers would make anyone a bit twitchy. You will still need further training, but this is a start." 

Eldingar paused for a moment, thinking about things before she continued. "Normally we have more time to prepare and, well, get to know each other, I suppose. This is also the first time that a new Dragon Touched has been created while they were bonded to another pair. I have had to adjust as well." Eldingar looked away for a moment, and Lisa had the sense that the dragon was contemplating something. 

"As I said before, our bonding is different on many levels, and not just because of Max and Ember being involved. When we bonded, I was close to death. Normally when a bonding takes place, the dragon is at full strength because it typically takes great energy to form the pairing. When I bonded to Dótta, I was depleted for weeks afterwards. By rights, the bonding shouldn't have worked with you, but not only did it work, our tie is deeper and stronger than a new bonding should be. I suspect that Ember may have had something to do with it, but as depleted as he was, I do not know how.

"At any rate, our bond is more at the level of what Max and Ember have, and they are one of the older pairs around. That is part of why you feel so overwhelmed. You opened yourself to a level of trust that normally requires centuries to develop. I believe it is only your training and experience as a shaman that has enabled you to handle this so well."

Lisa's eyebrows rose in surprise and the dragon chuckled. "Yes, you are handling all of this remarkably well, despite how you may feel. In fact you are doing better than most new bonded humans do, and they are typically dealing with less stressful circumstances."

"I'll admit it makes me feel better to hear that," Lisa replied with a sigh of relief. "Max would probably tell me I'm too controlled, but I feel a lot of responsibility to manage any abilities. I don't want to hurt someone. Well at least not unless I need to defend myself, anyway."

Eldingar nodded her head in understanding, and curled her tail around Lisa in a gesture of comfort. "I understand perfectly LeitheIle. Power is responsibility."

It was the first time Lisa had heard the strange term, but somehow she knew it was a title used between dragons and their partners. It roughly translated other half of my soul. 

"Thank you," Lisa told her new partner, and then shook her head and corrected herself, "Thank you, LeitheIle."

The dragon smiled with genuine happiness to hear Lisa call her that, and Lisa smiled back, reaching out to touch the blue dragon's head. Eldingar leaned into the caress, and then curled around enough to lean her large head against Lisa's chest in a draconic embrace. Lisa wrapped her arms around Eldingar, and they just sat that way for a bit, relaxing into each other's company.

Eventually Eldingar moved her head away again with a sigh. She had missed having a close bond. She had thought she was close to Dótta, but it didn't take long after their bonding for an odd distance to develop. Dótta had always held part of herself away from the dragon, Lisa held nothing away from her, and Eldingar reveled in the joining of their spirits.

"I enjoy this, but there is more to tell you, to help you understand," Eldingar continued. "I believe you will have a much greater amount of power at your disposal than a new Touched typically does, meaning we will need to begin full training very soon. You will also need to be very careful if you use any of your shamanic skills since you could easily burn someone out."

Lisa blinked in surprise, and then nodded her head in understanding. She was used to the power levels she had access to as a human. She knew precisely how much to use for whatever work was at hand. When she bonded to the dragon, she gained access to the dragon's power as well, meaning that what felt like normal levels to her, would actually contain a far greater amount of energy. If she wasn't careful with that, and tried to work on someone, she could accidentally flood them. 

The dragon saw that Lisa was on the same page, and then continued. "On the physical level, if you have not already noticed, your speed and strength have begun to increase. It will happen slowly and you will likely not attain Max's level, but you will still want to be careful till you adjust. Finally, I suspect that you may manifest several new abilities all at once, rather than gradually as would typically happen."

Lisa was a little surprised, but it also explained more than it didn't about how she'd been feeling, and having some answers actually made her feel better. "It's a good thing we've set up the plant with so many nonhumans then. People won't freak so much if something strange happens."

Eldingar chuckled lightly. "Yes, well, it would probably be a good idea to take extra time off so we can be certain you don't lose control, but that does make things a bit easier. Also, before you ask, no, I do not know what abilities you will receive. It is your spirit and your skills that determine the path of your abilities, and every Dragon Touched is different."

Lisa made a mental note to keep an eye out. She would rather catch a new ability before it created a problem. "Thank goodness for small favors," Lisa commented. "I don't have anyone that needs my help right now, and for that, I am extremely grateful."

Eldingar nodded her understanding, and was silent for a time. Lisa waited, sensing there was something on the dragon's mind. Finally Eldingar spoke again, "There is one more thing I should probably share with you, though it is of a personal nature. Due to the bond with Max and Ember, though, I feel you have a right to know." The dragon paused and Lisa could tell whatever she was about to say was not easy for her. "Ember and I used to be ... more than friends. I severed our relationship because he did not approve of Dótta. I did not pay attention to his warning about her, and things were said and done by both of us that were painful to the other." Eldingar gave a slight, rueful smile. "It would seem that the powers that be are forcing us to deal with our past errors."

Lisa nodded. She could feel the pain that the dragon still felt, but she also knew that now was not the time to address those hurts. They would be addressed eventually, but her new partner wasn't ready yet. "Thank you for sharing this, I know it is not a comfortable topic. I almost hate to ask, but is Max aware of this history?"

"Not unless Ember has chosen to tell him. I also would not have told you this had I meant you to keep it from him. I would not deliberately put you in such a position. You may share it with him if he does not know," Eldingar answered Lisa's unspoken question.

Lisa nodded, relieved. "Thank you, It would have been very uncomfortable to try and hide something like that from him. I'm not sure I would have succeeded, and honestly, I'm not sure I would have wanted to."

Eldingar nodded her understanding, and from there they moved to lighter topics, and Lisa was able to really start getting to know her new partner. Yes they knew each other at that bonded level, but that bond told them little about how the other thought, their sense of humor, or any of the other details that one usually knew before agreeing to such a bond.

Fortunately they were both finding they genuinely liked each other, not just because of the bond, but also because they fit well. Their skills and ways of thinking were similar enough to match, but different enough to complement. By the time they were finished talking, Lisa felt their partnership would be strong and very good for both of them. 

*********************

Lisa opened her eyes to a room dimly lit by the bedside lamp and realized it was night. Max was dozing in a nearby armchair, and she smiled taking in the softness that emerged while he slept. It was a reflection of the gentleness that was at his core. He didn't show it in obvious ways, and if you didn't know him, you would probably never see it reflected in the hard planes of his face, but if you watched his actions, it shone through.

Lisa shifted, and his gray eyes, dark with sleep, opened and focused on her. She smiled at him and rose from the bed, walking to him before leaning down to kiss him deeply and thoroughly. 

She knew she'd been more distant than normal with him, but it was mostly because she hadn't known how to handle the influx of information she was getting now. Since Eldingar helped her gain more control, she was feeling much more her normal self, and distance was the last thing she wanted.

Max opened his mouth, greeting her tongue with his, while his hands drifted up to her waist to pull her down into his lap. Fortunately the chair was large and well cushioned, and Lisa had plenty of room to straddle him while he pulled her down.

Max slid his hands under her shirt and up her back, holding her tightly against him while Lisa rocked her hips against his. He didn't know what she and Eldingar had talked about, but whatever it was, he was grateful. Even though it hadn't really been that long, he had missed their closeness.

Lisa broke their kiss and trailed her lips down his neck, stopping to pull aside his t-shirt and nibble at him where his shoulder and neck joined. His thickening member went to full attention, and Lisa rubbed herself against him, making him groan.

He slid his hands down to rub her bottom, and though he wanted to remove her jeans, he was enjoying the feel of her too much to want either of them to move away, even if only for a moment.

Lisa slid her hands under his shirt, sliding the material up while she traced her fingers across his stomach and chest. He lifted his arms, allowing her to remove the cloth, and appreciated the view of her chest hovering in front him while she reached up. He grinned and latched onto her tantalizing breast, ignoring the cotton of her t-shirt and bra. Her pebbled nipple was easy for him to find, and he nipped her through the material. 

Lisa moaned and clutched his head to her, only to pull away a moment later to rip off the offending garments. She didn't even bother undoing the hooks, she just slid the sports bra off with her shirt. She wrapped her arms around Max's head again, silently asking him to continue his ministrations.

Max was happy to oblige. He hadn't forgotten how close he'd come to losing her, and that residual fear made him a little rougher than usual. Lisa not only didn't seem to mind, she clutched him tighter, her fingers digging into his scalp, her hips grinding into him. 

"I don't want to wait anymore," Lisa leaned down and whispered by his ear. "I want to feel you in me again." 

Max's gray eyes darkened, and he released her breast, allowing Lisa to stand so she could remove the rest of her clothes. It took her no time, and he admired her briefly, before she reached down to undo his jeans. He lifted his hips when she tugged, and as soon as she pulled his clothes down enough to free him, she was straddling him again, guiding him into her slick warmth. 

Max pulled her close, reveling in the feel of her body sliding down against his while she enveloped him. Then, without warning, she thrust herself down the rest of the way, their hips meeting with the soft slap of skin on skin. Her walls rippled around him, and she moaned, shuddering with the pleasure of feeling Max fill her again. Her moan turned into a gasp when his lips found her breast again, and she squeezed him even harder. 

Lisa rocked, shuddering with the wonderful friction and feeling of fullness. He felt so right inside her, she still didn't know how she'd been so lucky. Lisa bounced harder and faster, and he met her thrust for thrust, driving himself deeper into her.

Max was filled with the sight of her riding him, of her taking the lead. Amazingly, some small portion of his brain retained enough sense to realize that she had probably needed that sense of control after being so overwhelmed from their bonding.

Lisa let out another moan of pleasure, and leaned down to whisper against his ear. "I love you, Max." 

Suddenly, desperately he wanted nothing more than for her to kiss him. This time, he did something different than he had ever done before. Instead of taking the lead to guide her to his lips, he asked her instead.

Lisa's eyes snapped open in surprise when she heard Max gasp out "Kiss me, please." 

Before she even registered his words, her lips dove down with a mind of their own to melt against his. Hearing him say that sent love and desire raging through her like an inferno. The pulse of pure need that coursed through her was so strong, it launched her over the edge, and she convulsed in pleasure. 

Max swallowed her moans, and followed her a moment later, pulsing into her and clasping her to him. She collapsed against him, and he just held her while he softened inside her, enjoying the sound of soft giggles at his ear. They both drifted in the peace of the moment for a bit. Their release had been quick, but it felt amazingly good.

As Max recovered, he noticed his pants and underwear were still around his knees, and he shifted, kicking them the rest of the way off. Lisa moaned again, feeling his semi hard member shift inside her with his movement. Her moan sent another wave of desire through him, and he hardened again. He decided he wanted a change of venue this time, and held Lisa against him so he could stand, still not wanting to separate their bodies.

Lisa wrapped her legs around his waist as he shifted forward and stood, keeping their bodies firmly joined. Max liked the feel so much, he aborted his original plan of the bed, and slammed against a wall before he started thrusting into her again. Lisa moaned rocking her hips in time, and like before it didn't take long for both of them to find their release.

They shuddered against each other, and Max leaned into Lisa, pressing her against the wall. A moment later, he drew back a little feeling the texture of her skin change, and he chuckled when he saw why. 

"Looks like we're more alike than either of us thought," he whispered, setting her down while he withdrew from her. 

Lisa looked at him questioningly. Max just gestured towards the mirror, and she turned and gasped when she saw her reflection. Staring back at her was a blue female version of Max's draconic form. She stepped forward, and Max had to catch her when a wing caught against the chair, and she stumbled.

"It takes a while to get used to the wings and tail," he told her quietly, while she got her feet back under her. "This body has a different structure, point of balance, and way of moving. You will need to practice moving, and strengthen the muscles of your wings more, before you attempt flying."

Lisa just stared at herself, taking in the shock before Max ran a hand down her back, deliberately stroking the wings which she had clamped to her body. She let out the breath she'd been holding in a gasp of pleasure, and her hand tightened reflexively around the arm he'd used to steady her.

"Holy crap, if thath what it feelth like, what happenth when you fly?" Lisa frowned at her sudden lisp.

Max chuckled softly, "Your mouth structure is different too. You will sound a bit different in this form. Flight doesn't bring the same sensation. It's enjoyable, but nothing at all like it feels when someone strokes them." 

Lisa ran a hand over her head. She had no hair in this form, just scales and a bony ridge with short backwards sweeping horns. It was just weird, and a huge shock. She glanced at Max, and realized how he must have felt, suddenly having this new form with nobody around that would accept him, much less help him figure it out. 

Max gave her a smile, having a good idea of the direction her thoughts had taken. "It's fine," he told her. "Remember that I had more time to get used to my bond with Ember before I ever had to deal with a new form. He did a lot to help me figure out how to work that body, so I wasn't really on my own."

"Lisa," Elidingar's voice drifted across her mind, along with a sense of comfort. "I am sorry. I did not expect this or I would have warned you. A full transformation like this normally takes centuries to develop, if it ever does. The implications of this mean you will need to accelerate training plans."

Lisa relayed Eldingar's words to Max, and he nodded. "I'm not that surprised. It isn't just the unexpected shifting that's tricky. It's that it indicates there's more power coming through you than we initially thought. It would be better for there not to be others around while you learn your abilities, limits, and while anything new is likely to crop up."

Lisa trembled slightly, feeling tremendously overwhelmed. Her feelings echoed across their bond, and Max wrapped his arms around her, giving her something solid to hold onto.

"Ith juth... tho different." Lisa said a moment later, frowning again at her lisp. She slowed down and spoke more deliberately, carefully forming each word. "There iss a lot to get ussed to. Thiss body alone iss a lot to take in. Even my vision is different. Things look the same, but different too, and it's confusing." Lisa paused, and took a breath, stepping away from Max to look herself over again. 

She decided it would be best to focus on the development at hand, rather than worry about whatever else was waiting for her in the wings, and looked down at herself, studying her new form. "Thiss issn't even a mammal body. Fewer parralless than with my human body," she commented.

Lisa ran her hands over her now flatter chest to illustrate, and blanched when she realized her nipples were missing. 

"I'd guess dragons don't suckle their young," Max told her, noticing her expression. "Fortunately there are other pleasure points, and not just the wings." 

He knelt, putting her hand on his shoulder to keep her steady, and ran his fingers down her tail, deliberately avoiding the wing membrane for the moment. He felt her fingers tighten painfully on his shoulder, and decided that shifting his form as well would be a good idea. He was curious what she would feel like against his skin, but figured it would be more prudent to wait till she had better control.




Something New Ch. 16



Max rose again, and stroked her tail with his. He'd deliberately left out his wings and tail membrane to give him more maneuverability, and he smiled when she instinctively wrapped her tail around his. Lisa half closed her eyes, and chirped in pleasure, whereupon her eyes snapped back open in surprise.

"That wath different," Lisa commented, speaking quickly enough that her lisp was back.

Max leaned into her, nipping his way up her neck till he reached her ear. "I liked it," he whispered, before flicking his forked tongue against the elongated curve of her ear in this form.

Lisa's eyes fluttered closed again, and another chirp issued from her. Max continued his ministrations, working all the way to the tip of her pointed ear, before smoothly moving back down and then across her jawline to kiss her, their tongues wrapping around each other in a mirror image of their tails. More chirping issued forth from Lisa, and she noticed a very low pitched deep thrumming coming from Max. She pulled back slightly, listening to the sound.

Lisa smiled at Max's questioning gaze and explained, "I never heard that sssound you're making before. I think it must be ssssubssssonic. Too low for human hearing."

"I didn't know you couldn't hear it," he replied with a slight smile. "I have made that sssound every time I have been with you in thisss form, and it isss only you that have ever made that sssound come out of me."

Lisa pressed back up against Max, realizing that now she knew the thrumming existed, she felt the slight vibration in his chest. Suddenly the thrumming grew louder and even deeper, and made Lisa's body tingle in pleasure, right down to her bones. A continuous trilling chirp issued forth from her chest, and Max shuddered in response, his member standing to full attention again.

Max stroked along Lisa's wings, and her trilling grew louder moments before she wrapped a leg around his hip, and plunged herself onto him. Max immediately began thrusting for all he was worth. The need in both of them coursing so high, there was no room for thought, just pure animal desire. Lisa wrapped her wings around him, never even noticing that she knocked just about everything off the dresser and nightstand in the process. She was surrounded by his thrumming and her trilling, and her entire world was narrowed to meeting Max thrust for thrust. 

Lisa's trilling and Max's thrumming grew, merging together into a whole that filled the room, and the entire house. They were so overtaken that neither of them heard the knocking at their door, or noticed Shari and Thom open the door, gasp in surprise, and then quickly shut it again. 

When they finally found their release, it was with a crescendo of sound and fireworks unlike anything either of them had ever heard or felt before, forcing them both to sink to the floor as their legs gave out. Slowly, awareness returned, and Max noted that their tails were still tightly entwined, and he gently shifted Lisa's wings so he wasn't sitting on top of them as they leaned against the bed frame. They were both still clutching each other, and Lisa's head rested against his chest. He brushed his red scaled hand across her forehead, and along the sweep of her horn, appreciating how his red scales framed her blue. He mused that they looked like a pile of rubies and sapphires, entwined as they were.

Max brushed a hand down her back, carefully avoiding her wings, since he didn't think she could take any more sensation just at that moment, and she rubbed her face against his chest in response. Max brought his hand back to her cheek, and tilted her face towards his. He shifted back to his human form, and leaned down to gently brush his lips against hers. 

Lisa sighed softly in pleasure, and then frowned again. "How do I turn back?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. 

"Just fill your thoughts of what it feels like to be human, and picture yourself back in your body," he murmured against her ear. 

Lisa closed her eyes, and a moment later, she was back in the body she had known all her life. A sigh of relief escaped her, and Max gave her a little squeeze of understanding. "Worried you wouldn't be able to turn back?" he asked softly.

"A little," she replied. "Not that the other form doesn't have some advantages, but I certainly wasn't ready to give up my body."

"I understand, and honestly, I don't want you to give it up either. Your new form is beautiful, but so is this one, and there are some things I like better as a human," he told her, leaning down to brush his lips against hers again, "and that is one of them."

"Mmm... Kissing is definitely better as a human. No sharp teeth and more flexible lips," Lisa replied softly, still basking in the afterglow.

Max smiled and stroked his fingers against her face, and leaned down to brush his cheek against hers, reveling in the moment. "Let's get back up on the bed before we fall asleep down here," he whispered against her ear again.

Lisa smiled softly, her arms draping themselves around his shoulders. "Sounds nice, but I don't think I can move yet."

"Not a problem," Max replied, while he proceeded to get to his feet, and then lift Lisa into his arms. Max noticed that she continued to embrace him throughout the entire process, and he remembered the night they fell asleep on the couch together before he carried her into his room. He smiled fondly at the memory, and just like that night, when he set her down on the bed, he never pulled away, he simply climbed over her to get to his side of the bed, pulling her flush against him, and stroking her softly while he drifted to sleep. 

Lisa sighed with happiness. She loved the small ways his actions showed her how much he cared. It spoke volumes to her and brought a deep level of contentment, knowing he was showing her his heart every time. It wasn't long before she joined him in sleep, smiles gracing both their lips.

*********************

The next morning, Shari was puttering around the kitchen making breakfast, when Lisa walked in an did what she could to help. She wasn't sure how Shari was going to take the news that she and Max were leaving that day. Lisa also wasn't quite sure what she was going to do with Sasha, since it looked like they'd be away for awhile. I guess it depends on where we end up going, she thought to herself. After all, there were some cabins you could rent in the mountains that did allow dogs, it was just a question of finding one secluded enough. 

"Christian might be able to suggest a place," Max suggested, having heard her thoughts.

"Sorry,was I broadcasting to you again?"

"A little, not as bad as before, though. You're starting to get it under control."

Lisa smiled in relief, and shifted her focus to measuring out the coffee properly. The ratio on her coffee maker and Shari's was different, and she really wanted a decent cup of coffee, even with the afterglow of last night still keeping her buzzing.

"Earth to Lisa," Lisa blinked when Shari waved her hand in front of her face. When Shari saw she finally had Lisa's attention she repeated what she had tried to tell her friend a few minutes ago. "That's a new coffee maker, and you must have really been a million miles away not to have noticed. The old one finally crapped out, and if you use the old measurements, we'll end up with dishwater. Use the same ratio you use at home. I, for one, could use a decent cup this morning."

"Are you feeling okay?" Lisa asked, concerned for her friend, and simultaneously trying to get focus into the present.

"Oh yeah, fine. Just a little short on sleep. There was this strange chirping, trilling noise last night. Surprised it didn't keep you up," Shari replied, a questioning look on her face.

Lisa blushed, and when she saw Shari smile just before she turned, she went an even deeper shade of red. Obviously Shari knew very well it had been her and Max. At this point I'm probably starting to look the same color as Max's scales, she thought to herself before self-consciously clearing her throat.

"Yes... ummm... Sorry about that. It was me, and wasn't something I quite had control over." Lisa took a deep breath, since she figured she had a good opening to let Shari know they were leaving. "You know how Max has his draconic form?" Lisa asked, and waited for Shari to nod before continuing. "Well it seems I have one now too, and it was rather unexpected. In fact, there are several things cropping up that are very unexpected, and Max and I need to go away for a while so he can train me on some of this away from other people."

Shari was perfectly capable of reading the subtext there, and knew that Lisa was worried about hurting someone. She figured she could at least take away one worry from Lisa's mind, and flashed her a saucy smile, deliberately acting like she didn't know the real reason Lisa was leaving. "Oh you don't fool me. I know exactly why you want to get away, and I think it would be an excellent thing for your recovery. Seriously, when was the last time you took a vacation? You need to find a nice remote location where nobody can bother you and Max and then the two of you need to screw on every surface in and out of doors before coming back."

Lisa just gaped in shock, and Shari laughed and turned back to the eggs, catching them just before over-easy became over-medium. Shari deftly scooped four eggs out onto two plates already loaded with toast, bacon and fresh berries, and put them on a tray set up with two mugs, milk, sugar, napkins and silverware. "Why don't you and Max kickoff right with a nice breakfast in bed. You can pack after you eat."

Lisa, still in shock over Shari's reaction just poured coffee into the mugs, and carried the tray into the bedroom. It seems like feeling dazed is becoming a more regular occurrence for me, she mused, a sense of relief creeping in, as it sunk in that Shari was not going to be difficult.

*********************

"Hello?" Christian answered his cell, his white eyebrow lifting in surprise at the caller ID.

"Christian? Hey, it's Lisa, and I have a quick question," Lisa's voice came over the phone, and there was definite hesitancy. Christian figured it probably related back to their past history, and once again he wanted to kick his past self for being an idiot. 

Carol's head lifted from the personnel files she was reviewing as soon as she heard Lisa's voice. Carol had proven to have an almost uncanny ability to put people into roles where they would excel. Not much could divert her, either, once she started working on something like that. Christian found it very interesting that Carol was razor focused any time Lisa came up, and he hadn't forgotten Tíu claiming her as a sister. He was rather hoping that Carol's relationship with the Shaman would help him build a stronger friendship with her as well.

"Lisa, how are you doing? You and Max recovering okay? Also how's that weird dog of yours? You know she's not normal, right?" Christian chuckled at the exasperated sigh that came from the other end. Lisa was firmly convinced her dog was just a regular dog. As far as Christian was concerned, the dog smelled normal, but wasn't. He didn't think the dog was a problem or a threat, she just posed a mystery.

"I've already told you, Sasha is just a dog. I've had her for years. Yes she's smart, but you know that when I adopt, I always pick dogs with something going on upstairs. You yourself admitted she smelled like a normal dog, so let it go already."

Christian smiled even bigger, he could tell Lisa was rolling her eyes. He noticed his mate was too, but also had a speculative look, and he figured she was coming around to his side on the matter. 

"To answer your other questions, Max and I are doing fine. We're fully recovered, but we need to find a place to stay for a while that's fairly isolated, which is why I'm calling. We figured that kind of thing was something that weres would need from time to time, so you might be able to recommend a place."

"Yes, we actually have a list of places like that. May I ask what you need it for? I could narrow down your choices a bit. Also the only other person in the room is Carol so you don't need to worry about prying ears, aside from hers. If you don't want her eavesdropping, I can always ask her to wait outside." Christian kept eye contact and grinned at his mate the entire time he talked about asking her to leave. He could tell by the look in her eye, she was going to make things interesting for him later. 

Lisa snorted, "Yeah right. First of all, you know I don't care if she hears anything I bring to you, second of all, it wouldn't matter even if she did wait outside. You two have such a tight connection, she would know before the day was over."

"And that's why she's my sister," Carol stated loudly enough for Lisa to overhear, adding definite emphasis to the 'my' in her statement. "She's smart, and she calls you out when you BS her."

"Oh no," Lisa replied, catching the emphasis. "I'm not getting in the middle of a pissing contest. Even if I wanted the drama, I have more than enough on my plate right now."

That grabbed the attention of both alphas, and their smiles dropped, replaced by concern as both of them sat up straighter. "Lisa, what's going on?" Christian asked, all business now.

"Sorry, didn't mean to worry you. Max and I need a place where I can train and not be a danger to others. I've already developed some new abilities, and Eldingar expects more to crop up, but she doesn't know what. If an ability more deadly were to arise while I was around people..."

Christian grunted his understanding, and then looked at his mate in surprise when she grabbed the phone from his hand. 

"Lisa, you are staying here on pack lands. We have just what you need. There's a cabin with electricity and plumbing that's too far from the main house for any of the kids to wander into you, and our patrols keep anyone else who isn't supposed to be there out of pack lands. We can even post guards in a perimeter as extra protection if you want. I won't hear any arguments. From the sounds of things it will be better if Max and you both can devote full attention to training and not have to worry about guarding yourselves or curious hikers. Also you can bring your dog if you want. It's not like we have a problem with animals around here." Carol finished with a light laugh. 

Lisa was just silent for a moment in shock. Carol had definitely taken to her alpha role quite well. Not only had she neatly answered any concerns, her assessment of the situation was very accurate, and pointed out a few things Lisa hadn't thought about, like wandering hikers and the like. "O-Okay then, as long as Christian doesn't object?"

Christian happened to like his mate's solution, but seeing the look in her eye, he knew they would need to discuss a few things once they hung up. She was integrating her animal half well, but top hyenas weren't necessarily used to sharing power, and her reaction if he didn't agree with her on this was obvious. They couldn't have power struggles over her hyena not getting her way.

"It so happens that I like my mate's solution very well. Give us a call when you finalize plans so we'll know to expect you. We'll have everything set up. See you later." He said to Lisa before they both hung up. He felt a flash of relief when he saw that Carol read his tone, and actually looked a little chagrined. Good, she's seeing it for herself, he thought to himself.

"Of course I am, even if I didn't pick up half of what's in your head, the look on your face was very clear. I'm sorry, and Tíu and I will both work harder to be a team with you and Ghost."

A smile flitted across his face as it always did when she used her nickname for his wolf half. Even his wolf was amused by it. "Will you now? How hard will you work?" he asked her, his voice sultry.

Carol smiled right back, matching him tone for tone, "Oh very, very hard. Want me to show you?"

It was a long time before Carol got back to the personnel files.

*********************

Lisa hung up with Christian quickly, knowing something else had his attention, and having a fair idea of what, given that his mate was the only other person in the room. She really didn't want to eavesdrop on any of that. Instead she started picking up the things she had knocked from the nightstand and dresser the night before, hoping she hadn't broken anything.

Max stepped back into the room, having just brought back the dishes to the kitchen, and loaded the dishwasher for Shari, and smiled when he saw Lisa bending over to pick something up. He pulled his mind out of the gutter, figuring that Shari would probably prefer that they didn't fill her house with strange noises again. Instead, he went to help Lisa clean up, and was surprised when his fingers closed around the cloth bag that Tiernan had given him the day before.

Max straightened up and pulled Lisa up to join him. "I was a little distracted last night, so I forgot to give you this. Tiernan stopped by to deliver it yesterday. It's a gift for you from them," Max told her, while handing her the pouch.

Lisa opened the silk pouch, curiosity in her eyes, and pulled out two silver bracelets. Her eyes widened, and she let out a squeak when the bracelets suddenly moved on their own like liquid silver, to reform around her wrist. She just looked at them in shock when she heard a voice speaking to her, and knew it was coming from the bracelets. She had the sense of Eldingar looking over her shoulder as they both listened to what the voice was saying.

"Shaman, you have done a greater service than you know. To repay Our debt, We offer these gifts. The first is free and safe passage through any of Our realms. Any being violating this order does so at their peril. Our second gift is to grant you a Gniowa. Given your shifted status, We believe this may be of great use to you in the years to come. Your bonded can instruct you on its workings as he trains you. Till such time as We meet face to face, We offer Our thanks, and Our respect."

The voice faded and Lisa didn't think it was possible to be more stunned than she'd been when the bracelets had attached themselves to her. "Well, that's a very nice turn of affairs," Eldingar commented, satisfaction heavy in her mental voice. "Something you did must have had further reaching benefits for the Sidhe than we'd realized. That voice you heard was Gwrtheyrn. He's roughly the equivalent of their High King or Emperor. He holds dominion over multiple realms. Anytime you enter into his domain, your bracelet will let you know so that you may expect safe passage. Also a word of warning to you. You become responsible for the actions of any being you claim, so do not do so lightly.

"What is a  Gniowa?" Lisa asked, never having heard the term before.

"Do you remember when you asked me why I had no luggage?" Max asked her. Her eyes widened, and he smiled slightly at her perception. "Exactly so. You have been gifted your own pocket of space to use as you wish. The workings are fairly straightforward, and I can teach you to use it with little difficulty."

"Wow," Lisa said softly before sitting heavily on the bed. "I'm not sure what to make of this."

"For now just accept the gifts. This is Gwrtheyrn's repayment of his perceived debt to you. Obviously something you did in regards to Dótta benefited him in a very public way, or he would not have acted so quickly and so visibly to repay you," Max explained. "You owe him nothing further than a simple thank you. Mind you, if you enter his realms he will expect you to visit and thank him in person."

Lisa just nodded, taking in everything Max said, but too stunned to do much till she heard him start packing things up. She couldn't just sit there while others worked, and that broke her out of her reverie.




Something New Ch. 16



*********************

Lisa shut the back of her jeep, having just loaded Sasha into it again, and looked around her garage with a sigh. They'd been home long enough for Max and Lisa to attend her sister's birthday. It was also enough time for Lisa's mother to decide Max was a wonderful man and to worry about Lisa at the same time, and for Alex to start making hints to her sister about helping Lisa to plan the wedding. She supposed she and Max probably would do that at some point, both of them had rather traditional views on the matter, but it certainly wasn't high priority right this moment.

Lisa looked around the garage one more time, just liked she'd done earlier inside, and bid the house a silent farewell. She'd be back, but it was going to be at least a month, and that felt like an eternity right now. 

Lisa paused, giving thanks yet again that Keisha was taking care of things so well while she was gone. In fact, Keisha had very bluntly told her that she would drug her and have Max carry her off if she didn't stop worrying about the business. Keisha had also arranged for one of her people to keep an eye on Lisa's house while she was gone, so Lisa wouldn't need to worry about anything happening in her absence. 

"You're very fortunate in your friends," Max told her, while wrapping his arms around her waist, and embracing her from behind. 

"Eavesdropping again?" Lisa teased him, sliding her hands over his. She was getting more used to him answering her thoughts, but it was still annoying at times.

"It's hard to ignore you," he replied, pressing his lips against her neck, giving his statement dual meanings.

"Well hopefully you'll help me fix that," Lisa said, pulling out of his embrace to get into the car. It was time for them to go.

Max held her hand and pulled her back towards him. "There's one more thing before we leave," he said, his quiet voice taking on an odd tone that had Lisa focusing all of her attention on him.

The next thing she knew, Max went down on a knee, still holding her hand, while producing an open ring box with the other. "Will you marry me?"

Lisa gasped in surprise, tears filling her eyes before she fell to her knees to hug him and kiss him deeply. "Yes," was all she managed to gasp out before kissing him again, and then she started to giggle.

Max chuckled, her laughter being infectious, but also gave her a questioning look. 

"It just suddenly struck me as funny," Lisa gasped out. "Here we are on the floor of the garage, framed by the back end of a Jeep with the dog looking on, and it's absolutely the most perfect thing in the world."

Max wrapped her in his arms again, laughing in earnest now, mentally framing the picture in his head. After they had both collected themselves, Max lifted Lisa's hand in his, and put the ring on her finger. Lisa finally took a good look at it, and gasped.

"It's beautiful, just amazing! Where... when did you get this?" Lisa was stunned at the ring. It was a simple diamond with tiny ruby and sapphire chips set in white gold. The workmanship and color of the gems clearly showed the hand of a master, not to mention the fact that it was so well designed, she wouldn't have to worry about it catching on anything.

"I had it made by one of the Sidhe craftsmen. I'm sure the two of us are quite the source of gossip for them at this point. I'm afraid I'd gotten rather known for not getting involved with anyone, so my commissioning a ring, along with all the uproar over the situation with Dótta, means we're going to be famous for eternity."

Lisa blinked. "Oh dear. No offense, but do you think we can avoid visiting Underhill for a while?"

Max chuckled, "You forget, the Sidhe think in terms of centuries. We're probably going to be news longer than we can avoid a visit." Max brushed his lips across hers again, threading his fingers with hers. "There's another reason I asked for a Sidhe craftsman to make the ring. Shift."

Lisa confirmed her clothing was all loose fitting, since her dragon form was a bit larger, and then did as Max asked. Max stroked her fingers, and she was surprised to see he had shifted as well. She also fully understood his choice of rubies and sapphires now. The ring was them, pure and simple. 

"Oh!" Lisa gasped, suddenly realizing something. "The ring ssstill fitsss perfectly! They did the sssame thing to thisss asss they did to the braceletsss didn't they?"

"Yess. I didn't want you to have to remove your ring any time you sshifted."

Lisa flicked her forked tongue against his ear, and then shifted back to kiss him yet again. He showed so much thought and consideration for her, and she made a mental note to never take it for granted. Midway through her kiss, she felt him shift back to human again, and they just held each other for several minutes, before Sasha's worried whine broke them out of their reverie. 

Lisa laughed, "I guess that's our reminder that further celebration will have to wait till later."

Max stood, smiling at her, and offered his hand with a bow, to help her up from the floor. Lisa gave him a mischievous smile, placing her hand in his and saying in a movie worthy southern accent. "Why thank you, kind sir. I do believe I've fallen head over heals for you."

Max's eyes darkened, "Not yet, but I think we can manage that later," he said, chuckling at her blush while he lifted her back to her feet. He kissed her one last time, before releasing her so they could both get in the car. 

As they drove towards pack lands, Lisa was overcome with joy and contentment, and began to honestly look forward to whatever was to come. Not because it wouldn't be difficult, and not because she didn't think that she and Max would have fights. She knew there would be challenges, and she knew there would be times they wouldn't agree and one or both of them would lash out at the other. No, it was because she knew that behind it all, they had their love, always and forever.