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Redemption

By: cinful



"Are you alright, my child...?"

Child? She didn't feel like a child...not when she looked at him...his fine clear skin, his tousled hair...

A priest...for god's sake...he was a priest and she wanted to bury her hands in his black curls...burrow under his traditional cassock and taste his incense tainted sweat...

Get a hold of yourself, Marissa...this is bigger trouble than even you can handle...

He touched her shoulder...surely the approved priestly gesture to make when someone is on their knees in an empty church...tearstained and shaky.

She didn't have to see herself to know how she looked.

Mirrors were useless anyway...

Her skin prickled, hairs rising on the back of her neck...And not from revulsion.

How could this be? Obviously holy men were supposed to touch demons and make them weak and hungry with desire, because, right now, she was about as weak as one might imagine a 200 year old creature to be...

"Can I help you?" 

He knelt beside her, voice deep and resonant...like church bells...and spoke again…

"I'm Father Nicholas...what's your name?"

Marissa. Her voice would not come. His heat was overwhelming...settling in her stomach...calling out. Her teeth ached. Not now...you've resisted for so long...you can't give up now...

"You don't have to tell me your name," he whispered, hand still heavy on her bare shoulder. 

Did he feel the icy coldness, was he reviled by her and too well trained to show it? 

His fingers stroked her back slightly. Her spine melted. 

"Do you want to be alone?"

Alone...too much alone...the Others had abandoned her long ago, contemptuous of her need for absolution.

"Do you want me to stay?"

She found the strength to whisper yes...a raspy sound almost painfully loud to her ears...he leaned closer, unsure perhaps that he had heard right. She dropped her head back into her hands.

His arms came around her, he shifted, somehow he was behind her, holding her. Was this still a Vatican approved gesture? Had he crossed a line, driven by pity…or more?

"You are in God's arms now, child, you are safe...you are loved...everything is alright now..." His whispers were choral notes...angels chanting. Shivers went through her cold skin...caught fire...heated to a wild flame in her belly.

She had not felt the urge to feel a man inside her since the Turning. All desire was blood-based situated deeply in her fangs, in a heart – if you could call it that – that beat in rhythm with mortals when she was near them. 

These familiar urges were present...but more...there was more...wildfire in her groin...tingling notes of pleasure that traveled through her torso and made her breasts heavy, her nipples hard.

He pulsed with a hymnal rhythm that pulled her. 

She could smell him, all his mortal fluids...blood, sweat and semen. She could feel her nostrils flare as she breathed him in. Could taste his salt. Wanted to swallow him whole.

He kissed the top of her head.

"God is with you," he promised.

She swallowed a bitter laugh...

She felt his crucifix brush her back as he leaned in...it left an imprint in her skin...invisible but as permanent as a tattoo. She wanted him to press the metal against her belly, her breasts, her thighs...to lay the heavy chain against her hairless groin.

Further damned...was it even possible?

A sob escaped her without knowing. She pressed closer, turning her face to his shoulder.

He gathered her in his arms...This had to be an action not recommended at the seminary, too physical...to earthly for such a holy office. She was in danger of pulling him too close to condemnation in his god's eyes...but she was too overwhelmed by this fire to care. Her fists lay against his chest, his heartbeat like a purring kitten beneath her touch.

His robe was satin against her but much too rough somehow...all she craved was his skin, his heat, his blood...his cock sliding into her.

What about the aching for salvation that had driven her here?

Be damned, she thought, this is sweeter.

She dropped one hand, found his lap. Lay her fist there as though by accident.

Down, father...down you go. You can't save me...I can't save myself...but I can have this.

Her tongue caressed her aching teeth for a second then darted out, found his stubbled throat...tasted.

He tasted like saints...and hellfire...fallen angels unrepentant.

His cock stirred beneath her hand.

She could feel his sincerity, his innocence. He was not one of those false priests...the licentious kind that hid their carnal natures behind cassocks and crosses. His anguish was plain...and sweet.

"Forgive me father, for I have sinned…"

A sound, purely animal, came from him. She licked his lips, full and hot. He sighed against her mouth, met her with a kiss. Caught by the lure and no longer in control of his thoughts, his actions. 

She moved, straddled his kneeling form. Pressed her breasts against the cold crucifix, pressed her groin against his hot erection. Her hands grasped his face, pulled it back so he was looking into her eyes.

His were green...and haunted. His lips hung open as he gasped for breath. She wet them, then her own. Tongues twined in wet communion.

His hands, slightly rough...huge...tore the dirty rags from her body. His thumbs, grazed her breasts, then softly, like a benediction, he lay his palms over them, nipples crushed beneath the ecclesiastic pressure.

"God is in here, child...he abides within your breast...no matter how you stray..."

"Stray with me," she whispered against his mouth, biting his full bottom lip, sucking up the red droplet. Everything within her trembled, then roared.

He managed, with inhumane strength to rise to his knees with her in his arms, turned...

Dropping her tangled rags behind them he placed her, naked on the altar and stepped between her spread legs. Seeing her hairless silken mound, he groaned and sank to his feet.

"Cleanse me father for I am unclean," she whispered as his tongue caressed her swollen labia, tickled and flitted inside her briefly. Her belly tightened, filled with heat and weight too much to bear. 

His teeth grazed, sank into sensitive skin.

"Absolve me," she whispered, reaching for his hair, pulling him up by tangled sweat-damp curls.

He rose, fought for release from her grasp, lifting his robe over his head and sending it to the floor. Her nails shredded his shirt as he fought to free himself from clothes grown too tight…

His crucifix swung against his slightly hairy chest. She grasped it, pulled him to her, rubbed the metal against her stomach. He bent to kiss her again and the silver cross dropped into her lap, slid against the damp aching flesh between her legs.

"Now, father, save me now..." She reached for his cock, used it to push aside the cross, and slid the hot tip of his sanctified length against her wet opening.

Her breath slipped from her at the hot touch of him. Her fangs slid free, pierced her lip gently.

His hands grasped her thighs, bruising as they forced them further apart. He lay his head back as he thrust into her, full length...so thick and long she was sure it pierced her heart. His throat was exposed, supplicant to her whim...her need.

She pulled his face back to hers, eyes meeting his, fangs exposed for a moment before finding the hot groove of his throat with her starving mouth.

She broke hot wet flesh, ripped in, felt the familiar long-denied rush of sweet blood...heady as wine.

She drank as he thrust into her...fluids making a circle...unbroken, of need, of desire.

She had thought her flesh dead but she felt the orgasm as it rippled through her, beat against her like waves...her head fell back, blood dripping down her chin as she gave a strangled scream.

"Father forgive me," she cried as she thrust her hips back at him in punishing fury and joy.

"Oh God," he screamed. 

She tightened like a vice around him, her other hungry mouth milking him dry.

They stayed locked, like feral dogs, for a moment before he moved, licked his own spilt blood from her breast. Slowly he drew himself from her body.

She shivered with sensation, blood rich now and satiated.

His eyes were glazed and she knew he would not recall this in the morning.

Untangling herself she leapt down from her perch on the bloodstained altar. She'd been a virgin when she had been given the dark kiss...had thought she would never bleed...

As she walked, naked, up the aisle to the stained glass entry of the cathedral she knew one thing for certain...

She would know one again...

And again...and again... 

Redemption



The song on the radio was a smooth R&B love song – the type to make a person glad to have someone. I looked over at Nesha to share a memory that the lyrics invoked. She was still looking out of the window. Feeling courageous, I reached over and stroked her bare thigh. Without a word, Nesha shifted until my hand slid to the seat. I sighed heavily, resolving to keep both hands on the steering wheel. Why did I even bother? I didn't think what I did warranted the punishment she was dishing out. It was her idea in the first place. Nesha said it would be an adventure. I was perfectly happy with the status quo – our regular routine of life as a couple was anything but boring. Arguments were few, sex was frequent, and the cooking was like the dishes Grandma used to make. When the time clock sounded, I was among the first to my vehicle in a hurry to enjoy the comforts of home. I wasn't receiving any type of "comforts" lately. My hands gripped the steering wheel. Seven days. This had been anything but adventure.

Nesha's biggest fear was that we would start to take each other for granted the more time we spent together. To support her view, she cited the ancient theory of lesbian bed death and the break-ups of couples we knew. The fact that we were always fucking somehow didn't qualify as a statistic to be included in her research. Our night apart should also cause some subjects for conversation so our relationship won't become stagnant. My mind was already racing with ideas for a night out with the "boys" that I only nodded when Nesha said we should miss each other a little bit. So she hooked up with some femme friends and I rolled with their respective studs. I never expected my escapade to collide with Nesha's adventure at our favorite strip club. Even more surprising was that I was in the middle of smacking some buxom beauty's ass when I turned and noticed her. She played it off well. Laughing, she told me to order her a drink and we all sat down together. To the rest of the crew we were the perfect loving couple; but I could feel the cold tension of her body against me. I could see it when our eyes connected as she slid into the passenger seat of the car. On the way home I prepared to explain my actions for most of the night, however, Nesha gave me another surprise by playing soft music and taking a bubble bath – all without uttering a word to me. 

I sat in the arm chair by the bedroom door kicking myself for giving in to the obvious temptation. She was making me sweat. From, experience, I knew she couldn't hole out. Nesha was just as hot for me as I was hot her which explained why our arguments were so few. When Nesha emerged from the bathroom, her lips were sealed while she prepared for bed. Transfixed by the sight, I watched as she smoothed lotion on her body. Nesha's hands glided across places I had memorized and often daydreamed about while at work. The silence was deafening. With twitching hands, I escaped to the bathroom to take a shower, more than a little worried that her stalemate wouldn't end before morning. My hope was renewed as I slid into bed next to her and noticed she was topless. Usually, when I fucked up, Nesha would put on her "don't-touch-me" pajamas consisting of lounge pants and a t-shirt. She may have already relented. The strip club tended to get us more than a little hot for each other. Carefully, I slipped my hand across her waist and pulled her closer to me. The scent of her lotion tickled my nose and my libido. Coasting up her stomach, my fingertips inching toward her ample breasts; but before I could complete my mission, she spoke,

"Why don't you find that skank bitch you were spanking and play with her titties? You ain't playing with these."

She pulled away from me and settled into a deep, comfortable sleep. Disappointed, I fluffed up my pillows and settled back for a long night of frustrated ardor. Now for a whole week, I had lived seven sleepless, horny nights feeling her body next to mine as she fidgeted in her slumber. Nesha made it extremely difficult strutting around the house half-nude and brushing up against me in the boy shorts I surprised her with when I was still in her good graces. The book in my lap was quickly forgotten as I watched her stretch to dust the entertainment center, her ass just beckoned me. Her activities weren't anything she didn't do that was out of the ordinary, except on a regular day I would be able to grab her and have my way with her. Being the persistent stud that I am, I continued to try again and again. Each time I was shot down with the same response.

"Casey, I'm not in the mood for you."

Shit. Casey, I'm not in the mood for you. I had heard that more times this week than I cared to recall. Casey, I'm not in the mood for you. Fuck, I was horny. As soon as I saw what she was wearing to the party, I knew the torture was only just beginning. The slinky blue dress had a flared hem that provided good pussy access that I loved so much. I could see the heels suspended in air as I kissed her shapely legs. Her nails digging into my scalp as she pulled me closer, deeper inside. Fuck, I needed some pussy. This was getting downright criminal.

The booming sound of the stereo system shook the windows as we pulled up. This was the last place I wanted to be. A night of keeping up appearances was not high on my list of fun. Now getting some pussy, I consider that fun. My eyes feasted on her bare legs as Nesha stepped down out of the SUV. Mutely, I followed her to the well lit two-story dwelling. It was a small gathering; an assortment of women who were either single or coupled off, enjoying good music and conversation. Femmes were attached to their studs in a most possessive manner to ward off all improper advances from the unattached lesbians. Most of the bachelorettes arrived with the intention of hooking up with someone new. Estrogen littered the living room and the back patio for those who enjoyed the gossip and camaraderie. Others escaped upstairs to lounge on the lush couches or shoot a game of pool on the blue felt table. Nesha was seemingly oblivious to the effect she was having on me as she mingled into the crowd to exchange pleasantries. She quickly disappeared with the hostess, completely secure that I would behave amidst the single women. 

If she wasn't going to worry about me, I wasn't going to worry about her. An ice, cold bottle of beer dulled my senses as I attempted to socialize. A group of studs who were also in attendance that fateful night waved me over. After a few minutes, I moved on. If they had been better lookouts, I wouldn't be pussy deprived. Conversations surrounding me while walking through the house were unimportant and inevitably my thoughts returned to Nesha. When I saw her across the room, I gave up on the networking tactic and was sulking by the fireplace when Shea approached me. I didn't feel like being bothered and irritably scowled. At that moment, I didn't care how rude I was being.

"What's going on, Casey?"

My upbringing prevented me from completely ignoring her. "Nothing." I wished for her to go away. Wishing wasn't working.

"Where's Nesha?" 

"Do you see her right here beside me?" I sneered. "Then obviously I don't know where she is."

"Damn nigga. I was just asking. What has you all wound up?" Shea asked. "I'm guessing something to do with Nesha?"

"Mind your business." Keeping up appearances was not my strong suit.

"Look, I'm going to try and be friendly to your ass one more time. You want to come and smoke this blunt with me or what?" Shea shoved me in the shoulder.

That idea was almost as good as pussy and I readily agreed. Out in the garage, among the bicycles and mechanics tools, Shea fired up the neatly rolled cigar. The acrid smoke filled my lungs and some of the pressure eased. Shea indulged me a few hits before taking it from me.

"So what the fuck is wrong with you?" She passed it back.

"Man, Nesha still tripping over that stripper." I complained, grateful for a sympathetic ear. "She's been withholding the pussy for a whole week now."

Shea just shook her head. "That's fucked up. You better than me, dawg. I would have had to take the pussy from Sharissa by now.

Something clicked inside me. Shea had a point. There was only one way to end this. After taking a few more its, I went in search of my woman. I had no time for consideration as I pushed through the crowd. I wanted Nesha. Where was she? I checked the kitchen and quickly escaped from the group of huntresses who had gathered there. I didn't know how I would react if I found her in one of the bedrooms and thankfully I didn't have to find out. I was upstairs long enough to quickly surveyed the room with no luck. Finally, I passed through the sliding glass doors to the patio. She was by the rail of the wooden deck, smiling and laughing with Sharissa. Nesha hadn't smiled like that in a week. Her smile disappeared when she saw me approach, causing my jealousy level to skyrocket. I struggled to get control of it since different types of frustration battled within my body.

"Hey Casey. You having a good time?" Sharissa asked.

"Yeah, I'm good." I kept my eyes on Nesha. "You mind if I talk to my baby for a minute?" 

"Of course not. I'll see ya'll later." She raised her eyebrows at Nesha before closing the sliding door and shutting the vertical blinds.

The moon and the citronella torches placed around the yard provided little illumination. It was peaceful and the only sounds were the mating calls of the crickets and the muted hip hop music blaring inside. We should have been enjoying the night together with my arms around her right now. I didn't have much of a plan and didn't think beyond finding her. My mother always said test the water before diving in.

"Hey Baby."

"Casey, I'm not in the mood for you right now." Nesha replied coolly.

"Well damn, when you going to be in the fucking mood?" I snapped. "Shit, you haven't been in the mood all week."

Her sigh was heavy and irritated. "I'm not doing this here. We can talk about this at home." 

As soon as she turned to leave, I grabbed her hand. That wasn't the best approach. "Baby, it was just a stripper. We've gone to that joint dozens of times."

"I know we have – together. You didn't behave that way when we're there - together. This is how you disrespect me when we're apart?" Nesha asked.

"No, I don't disrespect you."

"How am I to be sure about that? And then, all my girls saw you. Nothing but bullshit, Casey. How do you expect me not to be angry?"

"Okay Baby, I understand and I'm sorry. Please believe I don't disrespect you when we're apart but you cutting me off like I cheated or something." I pleaded my case.

"I don't want to think about it right now. I told you I would..." 

Her demand was interrupted by my mouth on hers. Momentarily she responded, sliding her arms around my neck and leaned into me. Then she was pushing away.

"No Casey. I'm still upset with you."

I pulled her back to me and nuzzled her neck. "Baby, I'm sorry. I can't go another minute without touching you."

"Ooooh shit. You know that's a spot. Wait, I don't care Casey. I felt disrespected."

"You know I wouldn't intentionally disrespect you." My hands caressed her breasts. Damn, it had been too long.

"Baby stop. Not here."

"Here Nesha."

"Not right now. They'll hear us." She tried to reason with me but was losing her own inner battle.

I was already pulling her dress up. "They won't hear you."

Nesha slapped my hands away and backed up. "Yes, they will hear us. I heard what you said, Casey. No, not here."

Tonight I wasn't taking no for an answer. I backed her up until she was against the sliding glass doors. "Nesha, I want some pussy."

Even in the semi-darkness of the night, I saw her eyes glint. "How bad you want it?"

"Damn it Nesha. Stop teasing me." I couldn't restrain myself any longer. Before she could stop me, my hand was underneath her dress pushing her panties aside.

"Wait Casey." Nesha made one more futile attempt but my fingers had already found her sweet, wet spot. "Oh shit, not your fingers."

I pushed gently inside, luxuriating in her velvet walls tightening around me. Her clit was swollen and pulsating against my thumb. Damn she felt good. Was it possible that I had missed her this much? Nesha had spread her legs as an initial reaction, but it wasn't enough for me. She was so wet, I needed to get deeper. With my other hand I grabbed her ass and lifted her up. After she wrapped her legs around my waist, I glided deep and we found our natural rhythm. I tried to be as quiet as possible as not to alert the apartment full of lesbians.

"Ooooh fuck, Baby." Nesha murmured into my neck. She was riding my fingers with smooth strokes.

I used my hips to hump against her. "You know you're my Baby Girl. I have mad respect for you."

"If it hadn't been in front of my girls, ...shit...I prob-b-bly...mmmm...wouldn't have...damn...don't stop Casey."

"You need me to get it?"

"Y-Y-Yes. Get it Baby. Fuck, that feels good." Her legs tightened around my waist as her hips thrust harder. I knew she was close and I didn't want her to be. I didn't want it to end at all. "Don't stop, Baby. Damn, you know how to fuck me right."

"I thought you weren't in the mood for me." I said, teasing her clit.

"Shit,...mmm...you should have known that was a lie." Nesha confessed.

My lips found hers again and when I slipped my tongue into her mouth, Nesha sucked on it with a lusty moan and a hard grind. It was either the beautiful noises in my ear or the hypnotic motion of Nesha's hips, but somewhere I lost my cool and I felt myself humping harder against her. The patio doors squeaked and I was grateful for the loud music playing inside or we would have definitely had an audience.

Nesha's arms held on to my neck and a low moan began to spread throughout her body. She stopped rocking against me and tensed. "OOOOOOOOOOOO. Casey, I'm...ooh shit...I'm....Mmm-hmm...damn."

I slowed the tempo, my hips thrusting with a small circular motion. "You cumming Baby?"

"Mmm...yeah. Oh shit...yeah. Right now...oh...oh...oh...Oh Fuck!"

She gushed past my fingers and oozed down into the palm of my hand. Nesha's head collapsed to my shoulder and she continued to hang on to me. I walked to the lounge chair and sat down until her breathing evened out. I realized I was still inside her and wiggled my fingers. 

"Casey, wait. Take them out. Please, Baby, not right here. It was hard being quiet."

I did as I was told. "I want to taste you."

"Here?!" Nesha answered in a screamed whisper. "You couldn't possibly want me to..."

"Baby, you couldn't possibly make me wait until we get home. After all week, Nesha?" I rubbed my cheek over her exposed cleavage. "Come on, Baby. Ride my face."

"That is so unfair. You know that's a favorite." Nesha was quiet a moment. "What if they hear us?"

"They won't hear us."

"How do you know?"

"Baby, I had you on the patio door and no one heard us. The music is too loud." I pushed my tongue down in between her titties.

"Mmm. No you didn't." She wrapped her arms around my head and arched her back. "Okay, okay. You get fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen minutes?" I whined.

"Yes, fifteen minutes. I want to save some for later when we're at home. Then we can make up properly." Nesha stood and removed her panties. "Hold these for me."

"Yes ma'am." I adjusted the lounge chair until it laid back partially and stretched out. I was ready. Damn, I was ready. I had been lusting after that mouth drenching delight for seven days. Nesha positioned her knees on either side of my head and hesitated. "Casey, don't make me scream." 

My hands caressed her supple thighs moving up to her ass as Nesha's dress cascaded around my head. She felt so soft beneath my hands. "I'll try not to." I muttered as I pulled her down to my mouth. Opening wide, I licked upward across her succulent lips until I reached a swollen clit. I twirled my tongue around it and nibbled with my lips. I loved how her body twitched in reaction as her hips rocked against my mouth. I heard a muffled noise from Nesha but I was too lost in my own desires to make out what she was saying. Besides, I didn't want to waste my fifteen minutes. I sucked her clit into my mouth letting it rest on my tongue. Nesha's body trembled and she tried to shift away. I caught her thighs with my hands and plunged my tongue deep inside her. I moved in and out of her, cursing the time spent letting my fingers have all the fun. I matched her pace, taking my tongue out and sucked her clit back in between my lips. Then she stopped. When she tried to move off, I resisted and held on to her thighs.

"No wait, Casey, I think someone is coming."

I let her go and she scrambled to a standing position. I looked around as she straightened her dress. "No one is coming."

"Wipe your face. We need to go home." Nesha slipped into her heels again.

I started toward her. "Nesha.."

"No Casey, I can't handle you out here in the open. Let's go home and you can eat me all night."

"Okay." I wiped my face and smoothed out my polo shirt. I was ready. "Can we just go or do we have to say good night?"

"It would be rude not to say good night."

"I don't care about being rude." 

"Casey, come on." She slid open the door and I followed her inside. My eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room before I noticed Shea standing beside the couch grinning and talking with Sharissa. The whispers stopped when they saw us.

"Say dawg, we're going to call it a night." I bid my farewells to Shea.

Shea winked. "Going to get that squared away, huh?"

I smiled. "More like continue squaring that away."

"Already. I ain't mad at you. Ya'll be careful, man."

"Yeah." I nudged Nesha who was talking to Sharissa in hushed tones. "You ready, Baby?"

"Yes." She shook her head at my impatience.

After pulling her out of the door, I rushed to the SUV, thankful we hadn't been blocked in. Nesha noticed her panties sticking out my pocket. "Fuck, Casey. Were my panties sticking out of your pocket the whole time we were saying good-bye?"

"I don't know, Baby?" I rushed her into the vehicle.

"Casey, I think Sharissa knew we were fucking on the patio." Nesha said as I turned the ignition switch. She moved to the middle seat and wrapped my right arm around her waist.

"What makes you say that?" The thought had occurred to me when I saw Shea and Sharissa talking but I didn't want to mention it to Nesha.

"I think they saw my panties in you pocket. Oh my god, why did I listen to you?" Nesha stretched her legs out on the seat.

"Because you wanted it was bad as I did." I said, calling her out.

"So what if I did?"

"So it's not my fault if they did know." I entered the on ramp looking for cops. "You shouldn't have kept my pussy from me."

"Oh really? You finally realized it still belonged to you, huh?" Nesha taunted me. "This could have been solved long ago. All that extra work I put in flouncing around the house."

"Is that right?" My hand slid from her waist to her pussy before she could stop me.

"Wait a minute. I was just playing." Nesha grabbed my arm, even though her hips were already reacting to my touch.

"I'm not playing." I replied, my fingers immersed in luscious wetness.

"I-I can s-see that." Nesha draped her leg over the back of the seat.

"You know I don't like you keeping my pussy from me, Nesha." I informed her, my palm caressing her clit.

"I had t-to, B-Baby...mmm shit. Casey!" Her nails dug into my arm. "Right there, Baby! Right there!"

"You sure?" I teased, speeding past the big rig truck so the driver couldn't see down into the SUV.

"Yes! I'm sure, I'm sure! Ca-Casey!" Her body tensed and after a few beats, Nesha's grip on my arm loosened. When I exited the freeway, Nesha removed my hand.




Redemption



"Baby." I protested.

"Cops. We're almost home. Damn Baby, you act like you haven't had it in a month or something." Nesha struggled to free her twisted dress from around her waist.

"Shit. Long enough. Then you were mad at me too. That just made it worse."

Her voice was soft. "Did it?"

"Yeah, I hate it when you're mad at me."

"Don't do stupid shit." She replied.

"Lesson learned."

"You know, this was the first time you have ever abided by the no pussy punishment. I was very surprised." Nesha admitted as we pulled into the garage. "All that teasing I did and nothing to show for it." 

Huh? "What are you talking about? I did try." My confusion knew no bounds. As she stepped from the SUV, I was given an unobstructed view of sexy, bare ass until her dress fluttered down from her waist. 

"You half-assed tried." She sighed as she grabbed a bottle of water from the refrigerator. "But I think you have redeemed yourself."

I followed her up the stairs shedding clothes along the way. "You know if you really need me to show how redeemed I am, I can. I really want you to feel that, you know, how redeemed I am."

Nesha laughed and skipped the rest of the way. She was still giggling when I caught up with her slipping out of her dress and even more still when she was on her hands and knees in the bed. The snickering suddenly became moans of pleasure when I positioned my head between her thighs. She did say I could eat all night. All in all, I think my week ended well; with a mouth full of pussy and my ears full of redemption.



Redemption



The sun was warm as Ester walked naked from the secluded hot spring. She had been coming here every day since she discovered the little oasis two years ago when her father, Lord Sinclair had announced that she was to be married. She had been very angry with him and she sought to punish her him. So she ran away and in the process she stumbled across this little piece of heaven by mistake. You see Ester was used to getting what she wanted and she did not want a husband. But her father had looked far and wide for just the right man. Her betrothed was a knight of good standing, a Crusader from the House of Kent, who was away fighting heathens in the Holy Land. He had agreed with the conditions set forth for the betrothal and sent word that he would collect his intended when he returned. She knew it was wrong, but she prayed daily that he would forget to come and get her. 

She had actually begun to think that her prayers had been answered when her eighteenth birthday came and went and there was no sign of her knight. She smiled as she stretched out in the soft grass and the warmth of the sun lulled her until she could no longer hold her eyes open. 

Sir Matthew of the House of Kent watched the girl as she stepped out of the pool of water. It had been too long since he had been with a fair skinned woman. Just the sight of her naked body made his blood stir, running hot and molten as it raced through his veins. His manhood strained against his leggings begging to be freed. He used to a man of honor, but no more. War had changed him and changed him in the worse way, made him into a creature he did not even recognize. He watched her as she stretched out in the tall grass. His manhood throbbed with need. It would be so easy, who would be the wiser? It was not like she was someone important for god's sake, she was not the Lords daughter; she had to be a peasant, a serf. A lady would never find herself alone without her guard to protect her. And she most certainly would not be lying naked in the tall grasses of a secluded meadow.

He moved closer. She was a tiny thing, but shapely and beautiful with hair the color of ripened wheat. A woman that beautiful was made for just one thing and one thing only and that would be for a man to ride hard between her thighs. He decided that after he raped her, he would take her to his home where he could take her at his leisure. His betrothed would nary say a word and if she did, he would quickly teach her her place. 

But this little morsel was not going to get away. She would be a pleasant diversion from his husbandly duties and if his wife proved to be comely, then all the more. Quickly, he shed his chain maul, jerkin, shirt, leggings and hose. He put his boots back on, took a rag and wadded it up in his hand and then he picked up three or four long leather thongs that he was accustom to carrying and crept toward the sleeping woman. She had a small sword close by her hand that he managed to move out of her reach without waking her. He had the element of surprise on his side 

He descended upon her and her eyes flew open as did her mouth. He stuffed the rag into it and secured it behind her head with a hard knot. He quickly rolled her over onto her belly and tied her hands behind her back and then rolled her back over. She tried to kick at him, but he held her legs wide open and down with his hands. He bent his head down to taste her, but stopped and looked around, he thought he heard voices. He stood and then he bent down and picked her up and bounced her hard against his shoulder to stop her struggles. He ran to where his clothes lay and picked them up before he carried her off into the deepest darkest part of the forest where he was sure no one would follow. 

Several miles in, he came across a shack long ago abandoned. He kicked open the door and walked inside. He kicked the door closed behind him. The light of day was dimmed by the thin oil skins that covered the two window panes. It was a small room, a single room with a table that was missing a leg, a chair, and a bed in the corner. The bed had some kind of make shift mattress on it that had been stuffed with straw. There were a few animal pelts thrown on top of the bed that were covered in a thick layer of dust. The bed itself looked to be in good repair, he was sure it would hold his weight. Her threw her down on the bed and quickly secured a shapely leg to each corner. He pushed her upper body over and untied her hands. She slapped at him and he clubbed her in the head with his fist, dazing her long enough to tie each of her arms to a corner of the head of the bed. Now she laid before him spread eagle.

He wanted to kiss her, but didn't dare remove the gag from her mouth. He kneeled down on the bed between her thighs and then crawled up her body until he had a hand planted on either side of her chest. He watched her face as he prepared to assault her nipples. She was violently shaking her head from side to side. The gag muffled her screams. With a wicked smile he lowered his head and sucked one of her nipples into his mouth. He rolled his tongue around the hard taunt pink bud and then nipped at it with his teeth, he felt her shiver. 

He reared back on his heels and pushed her legs farther apart. He then began to slowly stroke himself. She watched with in terror as his erection lengthened and became more ridged. At his touch, she pulled harder against the bounds that held her. She sobbed as his fingers pulled back the soft petals of flesh that hid her womanhood. His body screamed for release and he prepared to enter her. She felt him touch her with the head of his cock. She cried out in pain as he pushed his swollen erection into the opening of her sheath. He reached down and with both hands; he lifted her hips up off the bed and thrust himself deep into her body ripping through her maiden head. 

Tears streamed from her eyes and she sobbed as the pain became more intense with each thrust. He was surprised to find that she was still a virgin; the old Lord must not have been the man he thought him to be. 

Sir Matthew continued to pound away at her, he did not care that she was an innocent. She would soon learn her place in life and right now that was pleasuring him. He looked down and could see her blood coating his cock each time he pulled back. The sight of her blood excited him, making him harder. He increased his tempo and thrust deeper and harder into her. She lay rolling her head from side to side as she whimpered. 

God she was tight, he leaned down and filled his mouth with a taunt ripe nipple and he wanted to mark her as his, so he bit down until he tasted blood. He lifted his head and smiled at the teeth marks he had left around the soft pink areola. The bite was deep; she would bare his mark for the rest of her life. He lifted her hips higher up off the mattress and continued to thrust himself deep into her. Her sobs had nearly stopped and she lay motionless, he felt a familiar tightening in his balls as they slapped against her pretty little ass. He pulled her bottom up tight against him each time he impaled her. Each thrust more arduous than the last, and then with a great primal howl he collapsed on top of her, filling her womb with his hot seed. 

As he lay there on top of her, spent and exhausted he made the decision that would leave her here for the time being; he would go and collect his bride and send her on to his home. Then he would come back here and spend a few leisurely days between the sweet thighs of this fragile little flower he had tucked away in the woods. He felt his cock stir within her again. He pulled out of her and then he said. 

"I'm going to untie your legs. If you kick me, I will beat you. Do you understand me?"

Threw her tears she nodded that she did.

He took hold of her ankles and lifted her feet high above her head bending her body in half. He then entered her. God she felt so good, she was so damn tight. He increased his rhythm and she tried to scream, but the lack of air in her lung and the gag would not let anything but a muffled sound past her lips. She passed out and from the pain as he fucked her. She fit him so damned snug that the muscles that lined the walls of her sheath convulsed around him with each deep thrust. He had never taken a virgin before, were all women this tight before they become accustomed to the fit of a man. He felt his balls tighten and once again the sound of his voice echoed off the walls as he filled her womb with his seed. 

*****

When he arrived at the gates to collect his betrothed, the whole place seemed to be in a great turmoil. He called up to the watchman. "I am Matthew of Kent and I am here to fetch my betrothed, the fair Lady Ester."

The gates were opened and Sir Matthew rode on in to the court yard. He was greeted by the Lord of the Manor. 

"I am sorry to inform you my son, but it seems that my beloved daughter, your betrothed has disappeared. No one has seen her since early morn. You by chance did not come across a fair maiden, slight of stature with green eyes and hair the color of ripened wheat did you?" Ask the Old Lord.

Sir Matthew got a sick feeling in the pit of his belly, had he just kidnapped and raped his own betrothed and left her bound and lying naked in that shack deep in the wood. "No, my Lord I would have remembered a pixie of that description had I seen her," he lied.

"She is as full of mischief as a pixie fairy, I must admit. But that would be my own doing. I did not raise her with a strong hand, I am afraid to say. She has always been a strong willed child and she knows how to wrap me around her lovely little fingers. I did not deny her anything and I let her do as she pleased. But in my own defense, she is my only child and I could not bear to see her unhappy," the Old Lord said as a tear slid down his cheek. 

Suddenly a great panic gripped Matthew by the throat. What if someone found her? She would cry rape and than they would kill him. He had to keep that from happening. 

"I will join in the search. I came from the North and didn't see anyone."

"We have yet to search the woods to the north, which is where we are headed at first light. There is an old abandoned hunter's shack in the deepest depths of the woods. It is my prayer that she is there, seeking shelter for whatever reason. It would be a great relief to an old man to know that you are trying to find her," said the Old Lord.

"My men are in the forest." He lied again. "I will return to where they are camped and we will search the woods, turning over every rock and log until we find her. When I have her, I will take her to my home and I will send word that she is safe and sound with me," said Matthew of the House of Kent.

"We will join you in the morning at the hot springs in the meadow at the North Eastern entrance to the forest. The hunters shack is not far from there."

"I will meet you in the morning, I will go now and ready my men," said Matthew as he turned his horse around and headed back the way he had come.

He rode into the night to get to the hunters shack. A thick fog impeded his progress and made traveling extremely slow. At last the fog lifted and he could see the shadow of the shack ahead of him. He pulled up in front of the cabin and jumped down from his horse. He burst into the room afraid that someone might have already found her, but there she lay just as he had left her. He came to stand over her naked form, the gag still in her mouth. His eyes traveled up her naked body and his cock began to stir. He was going to take her once more before he took her home.

The room was chilled, but he did not feel it, he was hot, so hot for her. He shed his clothes and crawled up between her legs. She tried to hold her legs closed, but the restraints prevented it. He was gentle this time; he would give her pleasure first. Maybe she would see that he really was not an animal. 

He dipped his head down between her legs. He tasted the dried blood of her maidenhead. He worked his tongue over the hooded bead of flesh and made her jump. He continued to lick and nip it with his teeth. She began to whimper, but her soft cries were not as they had been before, he was giving her pleasure and she was beginning to enjoy what he was doing to her body.

He felt her quivered as he dipped his tongue into the tight sheath of her womanhood and she nearly came up off the bed. He continued to rub the little pearl of pleasure with his finger as his tongue darted in and out of her. She had stopped whimpering and was now moaning, moving her hips in time with his tongue. He felt the moisture flow from her as her body prepared its self for his invasion. He would not disappoint her. He sat on the backs of his heels and lifted her hips and gently he entered her. A little at a time, until her body relaxed around him. Then he leaned down over her and immediately was saddened by the bite mark he had given her. He kissed the nipple and drew it into his mouth, working each in turn as he pumped in and out of her.  

He felt her tremble as her climax drew near. He withdrew from her and moved down lower until he could work his magic with his mouth. He brought her to the edge and then stopped, he did not move again until her body relaxed. He reached up and untied her hands and then mounted her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and arched her back up under him as he thrust into her. She matched him thrust for thrust until he took her back to the edge of a deep abyss and they both plummeted into the depths together. Her body quivered and shook as her release ripped through her. She pulled the gag form her mouth and cried out as she shattered into a million little pieces of delicate glass. His own release came with a deep growl and he emptied himself into her again. 

He lay motionless on her, she did not move. He was afraid to look into her eyes. He slowly got up and untied her legs and she removed the leather thong from around her neck that had held the gag in place. He offered her his shirt and she slipped it on over her nakedness and sat up in the middle of the dirty bed. 

"I need to go outside," she said.

"Of course, but do not try to run. We have much to talk about," he said as he helped her up off the bed and followed her outside. She walked into the woods and heard him say. "No farther." 

She obeyed and a few minutes later she was on her way back to the cabin and to him.

"Maiden, I deeply regret my actions. I acted neither with honor or chivalry. I disgraced my knighthood and I dishonored you, my betrothed, for I am Matthew of Kent," he said as they sat down on the bed beside her and hung his head in shame. 

He looked up at her and could read the instant shock that painted her face and he was deeply ashamed as he watched her face crumble and great sobs of sorrow rack her small frame. He was unsure of what to do, so he reached for her and she let him gather her close. He held her against his body as she cried.

"Why?" She asked as she looked up at him.

"I was not always that animal that found you. I had been a caring man at one time, of man of compassion and capable of love. It is no excuse for my actions, but I have seen and caused a great deal of pain and suffering that I forgot to how feel, how to be humane, and how to care. When I came across you in the meadow, I wanted you. Plain and simple, I thought you to be a peasant, fodder. You were without any guard and with your looks and beauty I thought you to be the Old Lords, leman. I will take you back to your father and I will accept the consequences for my actions."

"What if I am with child?"

"I will take responsibility for the babe that might have been created between us. I will marry you if you so desire. I promise that I will honor you the rest of my days and you will never want for anything, if you will have me."

"Take me home," she said. There was something that had changed in him. Now that her mind was no longer clouded by fear and pain, she took a hard look at him. He really was sorry for what he had done. Some part of her heart melted and began to ache for him. He had carried a great burden. She had seen and known many a man that had gone off to war and when they returned, they were never the same.  

"If that is your wish," he said as he hung his head.

She took hold of his face with her fingers. She could feel the unshaven stubble of his whiskers. She turned his face upward until he looked into her eyes and then she said. "My own parent's marriage had been an arranged one and they hated each other. I do not hate you. I am not sure how I feel about you as of yet. You are not vile to look upon and you are relatively clean. I wish that we could have met under different circumstances. So I ask you to take me home so that I can gather my trousseau and prepare for my wedding. What has happened between us, will stay between us. I will tell my father that I wondered off and got lost, and you found me."

"You do not have to marry me, I will give you a healthy payment if you so wish."

"And if I find myself with child, what then, no other man will want to raise my bastard."

"I will take the child."

"You cannot have the child without the mother!"

"You—would want my child?" He said as he looked at her in disbelief.

"The child is innocent. He is not responsible for your actions. We were both in the wrong. I never should have been at the spring alone and I should have never been sleeping naked in the grass. Tell me, what would have happened had it not been you, who found me sleeping there?"

She leaned in and kissed him. His arms circled around her like bands of hard steel. His tongue pushed at the threshold of her lips. She parted them and he slipped into her and explored the depths of her warm mouth with his tongue. She broke their kiss as she pulled his shirt over her head, she lay back and pulled him down on top of her. She spread her legs wide and gladly accepted his hard cock as he thrust into her. She wrapped her legs around him and he gently made love to her. 

Afterward he took her to the stream; together they bathed in the water. He was so grateful for her, she had saved him in more ways than he could say, more ways than she would ever know. She had given him back his honor, his dignity, and his soul. 

****

There was a lot of commotion going on in the House of Kent as everyone prepared for the arrival of the baby. Lady Ester laid upstairs in labor, ready to bring forth her son into the world, exactly nine months to the day that she lost her innocents to her beloved husband, Matthew.



Redemption



Brian Andrews pulled his leather jacket tighter around him as he stepped out of the large office building. It was only October, but the weather was already colder than it normally was this time of year. A sudden gust of wind brought a scent along with it that made him stop in his tracks, lifting his nose slightly to figure out which direction it came from. He turned abruptly to follow it, ignoring the car that had been pulled around to the front of the office for him. 

"Brian? Is everything ok? You're going to be late!"

Brian turned and growled at him. "I don't care! You can tell the whole lot of them to fuck off! I'm going to go meet my mate!"

Justin, the man who had driven the car around for him, widened his eyes. His Alpha had scented his mate! He scrambled out of the car and chased after Brian. Catching up to him, he asked, "So, do you even know who you're looking for? Did you see her? Or just smell her?'

Brian glared at him, "Can you just shut up for once? I've only scented her, but I have to follow that scent until I find her. Period. You can go ahead to the meeting if you'd like."

"Oh no, I'm not going anywhere! This is too exciting. I mean we might actually get a break from you now and then if you have a mate. You know how difficult you get!" Justin grinned at his long time friend and Alpha. He loved teasing him and always told him when he started acting like a jackass. 

Brian started to reply, but stopped in his tracks. Her scent was stronger now, which meant his mate was close. He moved slowly through the crowded street, so as not to take a chance walking past the mystery woman. 

When he caught sight of the woman he was searching for, he nearly shifted. She was so beautiful. Long red curls hung down her back, her skin was smooth and soft looking, and her bright blue eyes were staring back at his. His wolf started pacing back and forth, demanding he claim her . Not here in the middle of the street. We have to wait. She doesn't even know what we are, yet. Patience, my friend." That didn't placate his wolf, but Brian pushed him back. He would deal with him later.

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

Annabelle Stevenson made her way down the sidewalk, stopping now and then to look in the shop windows when something caught her eye. She couldn't afford anything on this street, but liked to look anyways. Stopping to look at a beautiful red dress in a window, she noticed a handsome man in the reflection. Her heart stopped. He was breathtakingly gorgeous, the kind of man a woman fantasized about. And he was looking right at her. 

Annabelle watched through the glass as the man's eyes went from green to a swirling gold color. Just as she'd expected. A werewolf. This might be easier than she'd thought. Turning, she smiled sweetly as she walked up to him and pulled out a card. "This is my number. Call me." She said and she started to walk away.

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

"Wait! What's your name?" Brian couldn't believe she'd done that. She'd actually come to him, given him her number! 

"Annabelle."

"Annabelle," he muttered to himself. It suited her, he decided. He turned to find Justin staring with his mouth hanging open. He gave him a huge grin, then started for the car. "Hurry up, or you're gonna make us late."

"Alright, alright." Justin grumbled, climbing into the driver's seat. 

Brian let out a sigh of relief. He could finally go home and call Annabelle. The meeting with the Alpha Directorate had lasted two and a half hours, and they still hadn't gotten any closer to getting answers or finding solutions. All any of the pack leaders had been able to find out was that someone had been using magic in the area. And not just any magic, but Cimmerian magic. 

While there had been some feuds between wizards and werewolves in past centuries, everyone pretty much stayed in their own territories now. If there was ever a need to enter another's domain, you always called ahead and got permission. In the last couple months, someone had been using Cimmerian magic to lure humans, and even some werewolves to their deaths. No one seemed to be able to find out anything, as most operatives either never returned, or if they did, their brain had been so warped they couldn't even tell you their own name. Now the Directorate had been assembling once every two weeks to swap any new information they might have received. So far, it seemed that whoever was behind the attacks was covering their tracks pretty well. 

Brian made his way out of the abandoned warehouse that was used to house the Directorate meetings. Now all he wanted to do was head back to the compound, call Annabelle, and get some sleep. Although he wasn't sure how much sleep his wolf would let him get. The wolf in him was restless and uneasy because he couldn't be near his mate right now. Soon. We'll be with her soon, boy. Brian tried to reassure his wolf but there was no denying him his mate. His wolf huffed at him, but retreated slightly. 

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

Annabelle couldn't help the smile that crossed her face as she answered the phone and heard the voice of the handsome man she had given her card to. "You don't waste much time, do you?" 

"Not when it comes to someone as gorgeous as you, doll," Brian replied, trying to keep his voice light. It was all he could do to not jump in his car, find out where she was, and claim her right then. The soft lilt in her voice when she had answered made his breath catch in his throat. He could listen to her talk all day. 

"Well, you sure do know how to flatter a girl, mister."

"Brian." He realized he had never introduced himself earlier. 

"Well, Brian, is there a particular reason you called? It is kinda getting late, you know." Annabelle decided it would be better to keep a bit of distance between them. It would be easier that way. 

"Come to....I mean...I'll..uh....would you go to dinner with me?" He finally blurted out. God, what was wrong with him? Here he was one of the oldest werewolves on the planet and he was stuttering like a damn teenager. 

Annabelle did her best not to laugh at him. He was so darn cute! "Yes, I'll go to dinner with you. Tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I mean, yes. Tomorrow. I'll pick you up?"

"How about I just meet you there? I've got some errands tomorrow evening anyways." They discussed the details then said their goodbyes. Annabelle was surprisingly happy after hanging up the phone. She had to remind herself not to get too involved. She was only doing her job and if she wasn't careful she'd ruin everything. And if she ruined everything....well she really didn't want to think about that. 

Placing the phone on the bedside table, she lay back against the pillows. While she had to be sure not to get emotionally involved with the man, she couldn't see any reason why she couldn't at least fantasize about the gorgeous hunk. Tugging her giant t-shirt up to her waist, she gently ran her hands over her creamy white thighs. She imagined how it would feel if it were Brian's fingers sliding through her wet heat, as she began to circle her clit with one hand. With the other hand, she began to lightly pinch her nipples. 

She slid two fingers in and out of her pussy as fast as she could, while thinking about sliding his cock into her mouth as he moaned with pleasure. Pressing the heel of her hand against her clit, she came hard, screaming, when she pictured Brian erupting into her mouth while she swallowed his cum. It was the most intense orgasm she'd experienced in months. She fell asleep with thoughts of Brian still in her head.

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

Justin knocked on the door to Brian's office as he hung up. "Judging by the smile on your face, I'd say you already called her, didn't you?" He demanded with a wide smile. Brian gave him a mock glare.

"We're going out tomorrow night. Not that it's any of your business."

"That's great. Now that we have that out of the way, Kendra has some news." He stepped aside to allow a small, dark-haired woman to enter the room.

Kendra was a beta within the pack, loyal, and independent to a fault. She had been tasked with following all leads on the recent attacks. Kendra had an unassuming air about her that made people relax around her, which was perfect for gathering information. If anyone could find out who was responsible for the attacks and use of Cimmerian magic, it would be Kendra. 

Brian looked hopeful as he asked, "What did you find?"

"Not much. I've got a couple new leads though I don't know if they will end up being dead ends or not. I do know I'm being followed whenever I leave the compound. I've even started to leave at odd hours, but it's not working. "

"So, that means......" Brian ran a hand through his hair, and leaned back. He didn't even want to finish that thought.

"Someone is leaking information from our meetings," Justin finished for him. 

"DAMMIT!" Brian slammed his hand on his desk. "One of the pack is helping whoever is behind this? How could I not see it? Who the hell could it be?"

Kendra lowered her eyes in submission, not wanting to cause her Alpha to lose control. He'd been on edge lately, but seemed even more so tonight, and she wanted to avoid a fight if at all possible. "I'm sorry, my Alpha, to be the one to bring you such terrible news, but I needed you to be aware of the situation."

Brian tried to present a calm front even though he was seething inside. He took a deep breath. "Thank you, Kendra. I can send Brody and Evan with you when you go out from now on."

"No," Kendra replied indignantly. "I can handle it. You just needed to know, in case something should happen, that's all. I do not need body guards!"

Brian nodded. "Alright. You can continue to go it alone. For now." Kendra smiled her thanks, then left. Brian turned to Justin, "There really isn't anything more we can do tonight so let's get some shut-eye. First thing tomorrow, we start figuring out who the hell has turned traitor."

Justin nodded, keeping silent. For all his wisecracks, he knew when to shut up. It had been a long day, what with finding the Alpha's mate, the Directorate meeting, and then Kendra's disturbing news. They all just needed to get some rest and then figure it all out tomorrow. He made his way to his room on the second level of the building. 

Brian sat in his office until well past midnight, brewing over the events of the day. Part of him was looking forward to the next day, and part of him dreaded it. Just knowing that there was a member of his pack giving out information caused him great distress. He couldn't imagine who it might be, but he would damn sure find out. No one would get away with hurting his family. Finally, he gave up and headed to his suite, hoping to get some much needed rest. For now, he decided to push all thoughts of traitorous weres out of his mind. Tomorrow would be soon enough. 



Redemption



I was getting kind of concerned. He had been pouting around the house for two whole days now. I was used to his mercurial moods shifting quickly and was adept at reading and adapting to them as they came. However, it was very seldom that such a heavy mood came to rest upon him for so long. I knew it was my fault but I also knew that nothing I could say at this point would be helpful so I decided to stay quiet. I also knew that once he was ready I was going to pay. It had only been, (in my opinion at least) a set of minor transgressions, but it was my refusal to apologize or show even a modicum of remorse that had led him to freeze me out, the worst type of punishment for an attention seeking brat (me) whose own moods were often defined by his approval, or lack thereof. 

We were only having polite conversation and limited interactions. I was pretending that I didn't care, laughing extra loud as I watched TV or talking super loud to my mom or my friends on the phone as I paced passed him down the hall. He sat in his office chair and stared stoically at his laptop, only slight inflections of his eyebrows let me know he even paying attention. At this point I could have gone on both knees and begged forgiveness and he would have stepped over (or on) me on his way out the door. He was so frustratingly stubborn! But then again if I would have just apologized right after I got home late and was a little tiny bit tipsy then I probably would have saved myself, and him, a whole lot of heartache. Part of me wondered if he didn't also know about the guy at the bar who kept hitting on me or that I kinda liked it. 

Regardless, here I was, day three, still all frozen out and not sure what to do. I was lounging in bed as he got up to get ready for work. I was watching him pick out clothes, our normal morning chit-chat conspicuously absent. The pull between us was still strong and this fact alone kept me from freaking out completely but I was starting to get a little depressed from the lack of his affections. He kept glancing at me, both directly and out of the corner of his eye but wouldn't make eye contact. I thought he might have been softening but I couldn't be sure. He finished dressing, then quickly did his hair and brushed his teeth in the bathroom before heading out the door. 

No smile. No kiss. Not even a darn good bye. Definitely not softening, I thought pessimistically. I sighed and got out of bed, I was going to clean the house and do the laundry and cook something amazing for dinner. And workout and have something sexy on for him when he got home. Basically do everything in my power to get him to forgive me. I set about getting it all done, starting with making the bed, when the text message alert on my phone went off. My heart leapt when I saw it was from him, but anxiety took over when I read it. 

"I'll be home at 6pm. Be ready." 

I knew exactly what he meant and while I was happy for the contact, I was worried about what was to come. The alpha, dominant part of him was a big part of what had attracted me to him. I was a rebel at heart but with him, I was naturally submissive. It felt so good the way he was able to bring out and intensify that part of me while still allowing me to maintain my independence. We were a perfect match, our strengths and weaknesses both corresponding and congruent. We fit together like puzzle pieces, only truly feeling whole when we were snapped together snuggly.

The caveat, however, to our intense connection was that when things were off, it threw us into a kind of raw emotional tailspin. When my rebellious side decided to rear it's head and I did something that displeased him, well that was the worst. He was so used to my near obsequious behavior that when I reverted and did something that went against his wishes, it hurt his feelings and forced him away from me and into himself. Which, in turn, left me feeling empty and guilty and helpless to fix the situation because once that line was crossed, he had to come out of it on his own. And when he came back, there was always a price in order to right the wrong. 

And the 'makeup' sex, well that was electrifying. It was the victory dance at the end of an arduous battle. The deprivation and sadness in between only served to further heighten the levels of ecstasy when we came back together. When he 'forced' to me to submit to him, it flipped a switch in both of us that gave us an immense, all consuming level of physical and mental gratification. I loved giving myself over to him completely, bestowing upon him my trust and faith, knowing that he would never take advantage of or extort my vulnerability. He knew and understood my limits but always pushed just a little bit past them because I loved and could almost always handle a challenge. Which is why I loved him so much.

It had been a while since I had upset him like this. We mostly lived in harmony, a mutual desire for a drama-less life and a great deal of symbiosis working in our favor. But when I was bad....

I couldn't help but wonder what was in store for me as I cleaned and straightened our home and browsed through the kitchen in search of meal inspiration. Drinking without him was strike one. He liked to monitor my intake, let me know when I had had enough and always made sure I got home safely. Strike two was driving home afterward. Even though I wasn't drunk, not even close, I should have called him. It would have made him feel better if nothing else. Lastly, I was home two hours later than I was expected and I had left my phone in my purse on silent, missing his numerous calls and texts. Strike three. 

Any one of these and I could have overcome his wrath, silent as it was, more or less right away. Any two and I could have wriggled back into his good graces with just a little extra effort, I definitely wouldn't have minded that. But all three?! I honestly had no idea what he had planned. I knew that it would be harsh and I would be sore afterward but I was still willing to endure whatever it was in order to restore the balance I had so selfishly thrown off kilter. Plus I knew he would eventually give me all of the pleasure he had been denying back a thousandfold. As nervous as I was, I felt myself opening up, getting wet and excited as I readied myself for him. 

By 5:57 I was ready to go. I was wearing a lacy black negligee with translucent bra cups that showed off my pink nipples and matching thigh highs held up by a black belt and suspenders. A skimpy red robe covered me up but still allowed a sneak peak into my cleavage and of my legs. I was completely shaved and wearing his favorite perfume. My hair was back and up, makeup perfection, a little eye shadow with a slutty red lip, my naturally rosy cheeks blushed further with arousal and nervous anticipation. I hoped he wouldn't keep me waiting; although I understood that punishment would fit the crime, I didn't think I could take much more time away from him. 

Luckily at exactly six o'clock I heard the garage door open. My insides clenched up as the seconds it took for him to park and find his way inside felt like hours. When the door finally opened I held my breath as I heard his footsteps come through the kitchen and into the living room where I was waiting. Our eyes met for the first time in nearly three days and immediately my spirits soared. It was almost embarrassing how happy he could make me. He looked me over, saw my hopeful grin, and a wry smirk passed over his face. 

"Hey," I said, quietly, not taking my eyes off his.

He didn't answer. He instead left me sitting on the couch as he went into our bedroom, to change, I presumed and drag out my torture just a little bit longer no doubt. I tried not to grow impatient as I waited for him but as the minutes ticked by I started to become concerned. Had I misunderstood something? Had I done something wrong? The doubts had just started to flood my mind when finally, mercifully, he emerged. He was wearing a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans along with a scowl that marred his handsome face. 

"Hey?!" he mocked loudly when he finally deigned to speak to me and I cringed. He obviously was not going to make this easy. He walked over towards me and roughly placed over my eyes a blindfold that he securely tied behind my head. He then put over my mouth a ball gag, forcing my mouth open and my teeth around it. He secured that as well then sat down next to where I was on the couch and roughly threw me across his lap. I cried out as I felt him lift up my robe and push aside my nightie so he could access my ass and begin my punishment. 

"Shut up!" he said as he smacked my ass hard, the stinging slap beginning my journey towards submission. I tried to cry out softly and felt the tears spring to my eyes behind my blindfold earlier than normal as I felt the true extent of his anger at my actions expressed in his assault on my ass. He slapped me several more times, each one harder than the prior, until I could no longer contain my grief and began sobbing around my gag. He stopped smacking me and started rubbing my ass and then my back as I cried, mistakenly letting me think it was nearly over until he suddenly went back to spanking me, spurred on by my infant-like wailing. 

He stopped again when my ass was burning and most certainly redder than my cheeks and slid his hand towards my pussy which, despite my dramatics, was wet and warm as he shoved in two fingers. My sobs slowly turned into muffled moans as he fingered me and I desperately tried not to move back against him, lest he stop his ministrations and the pleasure to cease. I also knew not to cum until he said I could and that time was certainly not now so I chose to just take in the pleasure he was allowing me and forced myself to follow the rules. It felt so good, the pleasure he was giving me with his fingers such a heavenly distraction from the pain in my ass. 

"You are such a slut," he snarled as he felt me get wetter and wetter with every movement of his fingers. "Too bad I'm not going to let you cum yet," he finished, removing his fingers as I groaned. I felt him reach forward, over me, to grab something off the table near our couch. I heard something rattling and squirting noises as he worked on something on my back. I then felt him slide a lubed finger into my ass, opening me up and then a fair amount of pressure as he slid something hard into my ass. A butt plug, I knew, but not one I had felt before. I heard some clicking noises and then felt my ass start to vibrate in tiny pulses that awoke the nerves there and started a wonderful tingling to spread throughout my body. 

As the pleasure began to overtake my body, he again reached forward and grabbed something from the table. Before I had a chance to react or wonder, the hard wooden paddle hit my ass with great force. I screamed out as loudly as my gag would allow and was rewarded with another, harder smack. 

"Do you know why you are being punished?" He asked me in between smacks. I nodded furiously, turning my head back towards him wishing I could look into his eyes. He hit me again and told me to keep my head down. I complied quickly. "You know how I worry," he said, again smacking me hard with the paddle and upping the level of the vibration on the plug. The combination of pain and pleasure hit my brain and immediately I was in my sub space. My body and mind were surrendering to him completely. My pussy was gushing with wetness and I was hovering dangerously close to an orgasm but was determined to keep it away. 

I was alternating between cries of pleasure and wails of pain but the true intensity was emanating from my brain. He continued smacking me hard with the paddle, alternating sides and pushing and tugging slightly on the plug in between. Just when I thought I could take no more he stopped smacking and dropped the paddle on the table. He pushed me off his lap and onto the ground. 

"All that noise you made gave me a hard-on, now you need to suck my cock. I'm going to take off the gag but don't say a word or I will use the paddle again. Do you understand?" I nodded, my ass on fire but the warm tingling from the plug and the thought of his cock in my mouth was stronger than the pain. He removed the gag and the blindfold then sat back and waited. 

I squinted as my eyes adjusted to the light. He had already removed his pants and lowered his boxers; he guided my head towards his thick, hard cock, apparently anxious for me to begin. I tried to start slowly but he wasn't having it. He shoved my head down roughly, gagging me, and held my head there for several seconds as I struggled to breathe and to not fight against him. He then slowly eased my head up and I quickly gasped for air before he shoved my head down again. 

This time I was better prepared, I fought against my gag reflex and took in air through my nose as he held my head down on his cock. When he loosened his grip I knew that was my cue and I started to move my head up and down the way I knew he liked it, my tongue actively stimulating all of the right spots on his hard shaft. I sucked him in and then let go, coming to suck just on the head before releasing him with a pop. I looked up at him, his eyes were closed and he was almost relaxed but they sprung open when I stopped and I immediately began again. 

His hands were buried in my hair and I could feel his nails at the back of my neck as he guided my head down his cock, my mouthy willingly opening to take him in and suck on him, hard, all the way down and back up again over and over again as he started moaning and I felt him swell in my mouth and could taste the pre-cum as he got closer and closer. I moved my head faster and increased the suction as I brought one hand to rub his balls and soon he was cumming with a moan, hips coming up off the couch as I caught and swallowed the hot juice he was shooting into my hungry mouth. 

His grip on my hair did not loosen as he finished, he pulled my head up by it once I had taken all he had to give. He still was not smiling but his eyes had softened and taken on the horny, lustful look that I knew all too well. "Good start," he said, grabbing the remote and upping the speed on the butt plug. "I bet you want to cum, don't you?" He asked, knowing that sucking his cock always made me horny.

I nodded as the pulses in my ass got stronger and he laughed. "Too bad," he said sarcastically, looking at me writhe in pleasure from the vibrations. Now that he had cum I knew he could keep me on edge for hours if he wanted. He stood up and pulled me into the bedroom, removed my robe and motioned for me to hop up on the bed. I saw that he had a set of restraints laid out already as I climbed up on to the bed. I spread my arms and legs out obediently so he could fasten them to me and then to the bed securely. Once that was done he refastened the blindfold around my eyes and the gag around my mouth. 

He then moved between my legs and brought his face to my warm pussy. I felt the tip of the plug push it further into my ass and the vibrations were so near my pussy that I didn't think it would take much for me to cum so I prayed he wouldn't spend too much time there. Soon I felt his fingers slide into me and directly to my g-spot just as his tongue flicked out to find my swollen clit. Immediately, the orgasm hit me at full speed and nothing I could do would've stopped it. My incoherent moans that I tried to subside, along with the bucking of my hips gave away what I wanted to hide. I could feel his glare but I didn't think it was fair. 

"Wow, I don't remember telling you you could cum...." he said quietly, rubbing my legs softly. He knew what he was doing, he just wanted me to suffer some more, I silently thought, giving him a hidden glare of my own. "You can glare at me all you want but you broke the rules...again," he finished as he started untying me. Apparently even with my eyes covered my expressions were readable. 

"Turn over," he said sharply when I was unfettered. I did so and he quickly set about tying me back to the bed, face down, ass up, and I knew what was coming. He removed the gag but kept the mask on. I felt him come and sit on my legs, rubbing my ass and thighs with his hands. He reached up and slowly began to remove the plug from my ass. When it was out, he tossed it aside and began smacking my ass again with one hand while slowly working two fingers in to my ass. I moaned out and he smacked me harder back into submission and I tried to keep quiet. 

I had never been into anal until he had shown me how good it could be and now I liked it almost as much as when he fucked my pussy. But this was not about my pleasure, and when I felt him pull out his fingers and shift his weight off my legs I braced myself. He used his hand to pull apart my creamy cheeks and placed the tip of his cock right on my rosebud. He did not waste any time with gentleness before plunging his entire dick into my ass. The leftover lube from the plug did little to ease my discomfort as he roughly began fucking me. 

I sucked in my breath and tried to relax as his hands came up to my throat and gently squeezed, cutting off my air supply and causing momentary panic to come over me. He released after a few seconds and I gasped before he did it again, this time heightening my pleasure and causing a deep moan to come from my throat. The vibrations went straight to his cock and when he grasped my throat again he held on a bit tighter before yelling out that he was cumming in my ass. I nearly blacked out before he let go and collapsed on top of me. I reveled in feeling him so close to me, loved how his body felt on mine and sighed in ironic contentment. He kissed the back of my neck and whispered in my ear how very much he loved me.

After a few minutes he got up and untied me, removed my blindfold and took his place in our bed behind me. His arms came out to pull me closer to him and again we were one. Until the next time at least.

The end.



Redemption



This is another story of mine, previously published which I've decided to share here.Hope you all enjoy :)


© 2013 by S. C. Edward.

All rights reserved. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without prior written permission of author. The characters appearing in this work are fictitious and any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental. Please be advised that this tale includes detailed sexual situations, lack of condom usage, profanity and is not suited for readers under the age of 18. Intended for mature audiences only.




Foreword

This story is dedicated to an unknown ex-convict I came across on the train one day, a few years ago. He had an outburst on the train about not being given a chance to find employment, even though he had rehabilitated himself, and was out of prison. His story inspired me to write this. The situations in this story will include adult themes, and are intended for mature audiences.








Chapter One



He'd lost it all. Mark's only link to the outside world was now dead. His mother had recently passed away, and he was left all alone. He was forgotten. No one he knew while he was free bothered, or cared to contact him.

Life in prison was rough. He always had to be on guard, never knowing who would attack him next, or what new problems would arise. He had to portray himself as a tough character, because no one respected weakness. It was a savage environment, and before his mother's passing, he promised her that he would survive.

To make it out of prison, and live was his only goal. During his first years there, Mark made a name for himself amongst the other inmates. To establish his reputation, he had to take down so many who challenged him.

Now no one even dared to look his way anymore. He was 26 now, and had survived almost five years behind bars. Many thought his death imminent in such a dangerous place, but he had proven them wrong. His mother had given him hope.

She was the only positive thing in his life when she was alive. She had forgiven him for all his mistakes and was truly a good woman. He wept in secret and silence when she passed. Of course he remembered his promise, but he had no idea how weak he was without her.

She was his backbone through all this. All of the fighting and alliances that he'd made to preserve himself; they were all done in hopes to make up for being a bad son.

He had been a nuisance to her before he was locked away and it was something that still weighed on his mind. Now that she was gone, what else was there? No other family, no ex-girlfriends and no buddies. His thoughts turned to killing himself or better yet letting some other inmate do it for him.

Sometimes at night in the dark of his cell, when there was nothing left to do but give in to his thoughts, he would wonder whether he should go on. What good would it be if no one else could accept him? His kind was shunned by society. No matter how minor or major his offense, he would be stamped a convict.

He knew this title alone was unsettling. People were conditioned to fear what they didn't understand. The world was a cold place with no sense of empathy as far as he was concerned, and his sins would forever be written on his sleeve. No one would look past them and see a man who struggled every day of his life.

He managed to hold up for the next few weeks, even though underneath it all he was crumbling. Fear and loneliness were beginning to take a strong hold and he was losing sight of having any kind of life outside prison walls.

Dr. Benjamin Benson, an instructor who taught an English course at the prison noticed Mark's rapid fall into depression. The retired college professor had taken a liking to Mark and hoped to help him. He knew that Mark had the potential to live a good life despite his shortcomings. One afternoon, Dr. Benson held him back after the class was over.

"Can I talk to you son?"

"Uh about what sir?" Mark said with a look of confusion.

"Is something bothering you? You've been looking very distracted lately. Are you worried about something?"

"I'm fine."

"With your release coming soon, I thought you'd be much happier son. How much time do you have left?"

"Six months."

"You don't look happy about that. Do you have family waiting for you?"

"No sir...not...anymore."

"Oh... I'm really sorry son." the professor replied remorsefully, as he realized why his pupil had such sad eyes.

"My mom passed away three weeks ago."

"I know how hard this must be for you, and I'm sorry if I seemed insensitive just now."

"It's alright... we all got to go sometime right?" Mark said, forcing a smile.

"I was meaning to talk to you a while ago about something, but if this is a bad time we can always talk later. I'd hate to trouble you at such a difficult time."

"Well sir, I'm already here so you might as well tell me what's on your mind."

"Are you sure Mark? What I want to discuss will take a lot of thinking over."

"Go ahead."

"Well Mark, you see, I've noticed you and I think you have potential. You seemed to have a great interest in furthering your education. I wanted to make you an offer... maybe to get you off your feet once you leave here. My brother is opening a new business and is in need of a few good employees. Of course I can train you to fulfill the job requirements. All you need to do is take a computer course and I've been teaching one here for a few years. I start the course over in a few weeks... but I realize what you're going through right now. It's just something to think about... and don't worry. My brother has no problem with hiring you straight out of prison. He feels the same as I do...shit happens to everyone! We all deserve redemption Mark."

Mark couldn't help laughing at the professor's last few words. He had never expected to hear Dr. Benson speak so casually. He admired the old man and if there was anyone to look up to after his mother's death, it was Dr. Benson.

"I don't have to think about it sir. The answer's yes!" Mark said, smiling much easily this time.

"OK great! I was hoping that you would take the offer. I really want to see you succeed."

"You know, when my mom died I thought I was finished. I didn't have anything or anybody left... and fuck trying to get a good job! Uh...I mean I know how most people look at us and I've seen a lot of bad stuff. Nobody takes pity on us...you know?"

"Don't worry son. Just do your best and you will make your Mama proud in heaven."

Mark found a new source of hope. He still felt a little lost without his mother, but at least he had something to look forward to when he got out. His respect for Dr. Benson had grown and he felt blessed to be given such a great chance. He was not going to waste it.

With the little internet time he was given, he spent all of it reading and studying. Now that he had something to apply himself to, dealing with his grief would be much easier. He didn't want to be sitting still, thinking about what a failure he had been to himself and his mother. He had always been physically strong, but the bombardment of these negative thoughts might have truly been the death of him.

The next six months went by quickly. Mark excelled in the courses and impressed the professor greatly. Dr. Benson escorted him out of prison on his last day and set him up at a motel for the night. He had gained enough knowledge to start working in the next two weeks and everything seemed to be falling into place.

He spent his first night of freedom indoors. He had adapted to living in cold cramped up cells and sleeping in an almost fetal position. He'd almost forgotten what a soft bed felt like. No longer would he have to worry about men stealing from him or attacking him while he slept.

For the first time in years he felt comfortable and safe. He owed all of this to the professor and made a vow to himself that very night. He would do all that he could to meet the expectations of Dr. Benson and his brother. Not many people were given a second chance and he would repay the professor for being a faithful man.

He tried to sleep but this new-found sense of comfort led his thoughts elsewhere. He hadn't been with a woman in years. His mind wandered to the images of all his exes and he was immediately turned off. They had always been the perfectly slender and vain type.

Not once had they gotten to know who he truly was and only wanted what material things he had. He'd been burned too many times by them and couldn't get a hard-on no matter how hard he tried. He knew that he shouldn't judge women only by their appearances, but he just couldn't get it up.

For the time being he stroked himself under the covers. He didn't have a specific woman in mind, but it occurred to him that he had a movie channel service at the motel. He turned on the TV and clicked on the first X-rated movie channel he found. It featured the same type that he didn't want. Next channel.

What he saw next got him rock hard in seconds. He saw a curvy, beautiful, black doll posing for the camera. It never occurred to him that any other type of woman existed. He grew up in a small town populated by mostly white people. He'd never even entertained the idea of a black woman and was intrigued by what he saw.

She was proud and beautiful. Her skin was a beautiful mahogany tone and appeared very soft as the camera man zoomed in on her figure.

Mark wished that he could have been the camera man, or better yet whoever was about to fuck her. He waited and saw a white man in boxers coming into the shot. The man admired her body as she bent over for him.

She had a 2-piece red bikini on and it barely covered her voluptuous body. She giggled and moved the thong aside, exposing her chocolate pussy for all to see. She spread her lips apart and waited for the guy to take action. He inserted his finger into the pink flesh and began finger fucking her from behind. Mark was so turned on as he watched.

She was squirming and moaning from the slow penetration. He had never seen anything like it. The guy pulled his finger out and it was drenched with her creamy juices. The black goddess stood up and positioned herself over the man. She had taken her bikini bottom off and was ready to ride a nice thick cock. Her partner began groaning with pleasure and she lowered her pussy onto him.

"The lucky bastard!" Mark thought as he stroked himself faster.

He had never been so turned on by the site of a woman before. As she rode her partner, her ass jiggled and she looked delicious. He closed his eyes and lay back on the pillow. All he could hear now were the sounds of her moaning and the smacking of her buttocks as they made contact with the man's lower torso. He imagined that he had a thick and beautiful temptress of his own.

Her body was beautiful and soft. She had gorgeous bronze skin and she sat on top of Mark with only a sheer pink shirt on and tiny cotton panties to match. She ran her fingers over Mark's smooth and chiseled abdomen while his strong hands dug into her soft thighs.

Mark could feel the heat of her plump pussy lips through the cotton panties as she sat directly on top of his exposed hard cock. He reached under the tight shirt and squeezed her large breasts, making her taut nipples poke out even more through the thin fabric.

A tiny gasp came out of her supple lips and Mark could feel her panties getting damp as she slowly grinded on top of him. He lifted the tank over her head and pulled her body towards him. He kissed her lips deeply and passionately while he fondled her dark nipples. She was getting wetter for him and squirming on top of his cock.

Mark ripped the sides of her panties and pushed the soaked fabric aside. His fingers gently spread her lips apart; he wanted to feel her warmth on his shaft. She was dripping on top of him now and he couldn't wait anymore. He raised her buttocks and guided himself into her tight insides.

She cried out in ecstasy as he slid inside her warm and wet body. His hands gripped her soft bottom as she rode him slowly, taking every inch of him into herself. This was by far the best fantasy he'd ever had and he was panting hard as the hot, white droplets ran down his hand from the tip of his cock. He was soaked in sweat and exhausted, but felt too lazy to shower again.

He cleaned himself off with a towel and fell back against the pillows. All was quiet and calm in the motel and the ex-convict slowly drifted off to sleep.





Mark spent the next few days settling down in his mother's home. The house was now his, free and clear. He had also inherited a considerable sum of money from her and with it he would be comfortable for a while. She was laid to rest in the town cemetery and he spent the remainder of his free time visiting and talking to her.

He believed that her spirit could hear him and he wanted to ask her for forgiveness. He stood at the foot of her grave, bowed his head and spoke quietly.

"Hi Mama... I'm sorry that I never got to see you again. I miss you so much and it hurts to know that I will never hear your voice again."

Tears were streaming down his face now. He couldn't contain them.

"You see Mama? I kept my promise. I made it out. Dr. Benson's been very nice to me and he even got me a job. I wanted to make you proud Mama... and I'm sorry I was such a shitty son to you back then...I didn't know what I had. I'm going to try my best to make you proud... I won't mess up again, I promise. Just watch over me okay? I love you."

He was determined to carry out that promise; he owed it to her and himself. It would be a challenge, but one he would definitely take on.

He kept to himself most of the time. Many of the people he knew when he was younger had either moved away or were deceased. He was like a stranger in a familiar town. Dr. Benson frequently called him to see how he was settling in. The site of his new job was only a few miles from the town and Dr. Benson assured him that he would fit in well.

The professor invited Mark to have dinner with him and his brother. He wanted Mark to feel comfortable with his new boss and arranged a meeting at one of the town's formal restaurants. Mark was very anxious about this dinner invitation.

He was comfortable around Dr. Benson and had known him for the last two years. It was the brother of the good professor that he was worried about. He didn't know if he was capable of impressing anyone, especially because of his previous circumstances.

He decided to buy himself a new wardrobe to prepare for the dinner, as well as his new job. He had outgrown his old clothes and put on some muscle while in prison.

All his days of dressing like a thug were over. He was a man now and he would dress like one. As he looked at himself in the mirror he didn't recognize the person staring back at him. He was used to seeing himself in the neon orange jumpsuits provided by the prison.

Here stood the image of a distinguished gentleman. His grey eyes lit up and he smiled at the man in the mirror. Mark stood tall at 6'4" and weighed about 220lbs. He was dirty blonde and his hair was trimmed neatly into a butch cut. There was no evidence of him being an ex-convict, except for a thin diagonal scar which ran down the left side of his neck.

It was barely visible and his collar hid most of it. He looked very handsome in the black designer suit and he wished his mother could have seen him. Here was a new man, reborn and given a second chance at life. As he heard the professor pulling up in front of the house, he took a second glimpse at the mirror and reminded himself that the past was behind him. He felt a little confident now and walked out to meet him.

Dr. Benson was impressed at how well Mark cleaned up. He hadn't expected to see him come out in a suit and tie. He even thought that he had the wrong house when Mark walked down the steps.





Dr. Benson arranged for them to meet his brother at the restaurant so that Mark wouldn't walk in alone. He probably knew that Mark might feel uneasy about being introduced to the man who was to be his new employer. When they arrived, his brother was already waiting for them and Mark was surprised to find out that Dr. Benson was a twin.

The brother was the very image of his mentor, except he was a few pounds lighter and wore a pair of black frames. As they approached the table, he got up to greet them.

"Well hello young man!" he said smiling. "I've heard so much about you. I'm Richard Benson."

"How do you do sir?" Mark smiled and shook Richard's extended hand.

"I've been most eager to meet you. Benny here had lots of good things to say about you. How's this town treating you so far son?"

"Everything's going good. I'm settled in my mom's house and I'm looking forward to working again."

"I see. I heard about your mother's death. I understand that she hasn't been gone very long from this world. I'm very sorry for your loss."

"Thank you, sir."

"I wasn't sure it was such a good idea to have you join us only two weeks after you got back. I wanted you to have some time to grieve and get reacquainted with the town. Benny told me that you were ready to start right away. Is that how you still feel?"

"Yes sir, I think it would be good for me. I'd rather not wait."

"Alright, well if you're ready then we're glad to have you. I've asked one of your co-workers to help you settle in. Her name is Michelle and she's a very nice young lady. I've already explained your situation to her and I hope that's not a problem."

"Uhh...no not at all." he said reluctantly.

"Don't worry son, we treat each other with respect at my company. I wouldn't give you over to someone who would make you feel uneasy. She's been with me for two years and was an employee at my older business. She's proven herself to be very trustworthy and I don't think you will have any problems."

"Well... in that case I can't wait to start." Mark replied, hoping that his boss was right.

As the three ate, Mark listened to the conversation between the brothers. They seemed to have a great relationship and he felt very lucky to be in the midst of them. The fact that Richard looked exactly like his brother comforted him.

He knew their personalities were probably very different but Richard seemed like a very kind man. He even paid for their dinner and drinks. When Mark and Dr. Benson got up to leave, he shook Mark's hand and welcomed him to the company. He also gave Mark his business card just in case he changed his mind about starting early. Mark then thanked him for dinner and the great opportunity.

"What would Mama say if she could see me now?" he thought to himself as he walked out of the restaurant.





Chapter Two



Mark nervously waited at the door of the spacious office. The floor was divided into tiny cubicles where most of the other employees were busy typing away. As he stood there, he tried to guess which one of the women was Michelle. He looked very professional on his first day, in a suit and tie. However, knowing that she already knew some of his back story, made him very anxious. He had hoped that he wouldn't have to disclose any information about himself to his co-workers. All he wanted to do was stay busy and earn his keep.

"Things might get complicated if she tells everyone about me. What if they already know? They'll all be talking behind my back."

Those were only a few of the negative thoughts on his mind. The secretary was expecting him when he arrived and told him to wait at the office entrance for Michelle. He followed her instructions and stayed on the lookout. A middle aged woman wearing a white two piece suit came walking towards him, looking down at a folder. She had a serious look on her face and he held his breath as she came closer.




Redemption



She didn't seem to notice him and walked straight past without saying a word. He exhaled in relief. Her presence was very intimidating and he looked back at her as she walked down the hall.

"Mark Delaney?" a very soft voice called out.

Mark turned his gaze from the serious woman and saw someone much younger smiling at him. She was about 5'7 and a bit on the heavy side. Even though she was not as slender as the women he was used to dating, she still had a beautiful curvy body. Most of the weight was in her voluptuous breasts and thighs. Her straight jet black hair was parted down the middle and the shiny tresses fell gently against her shoulders as she walked up to him. He took notice of her golden-brown skin tone and wondered what she tasted like.

His thoughts had gone back to the night in the motel where he discovered his new attraction. She was much prettier than the woman in the movie. Her snub nose complimented her face very well and when he looked into her brown eyes, he saw a certain warmth in them. He quickly got his head out of the clouds and cleared his throat as he extended his hand to her.

"Hi!"

"Hello, I'm Michelle... I'm so sorry that I made you wait. I was falling a bit behind this morning." she said kindly.

She took his hand and smiled. She had the prettiest set of teeth he had ever seen and the pink lip gloss she wore accented her smiling mouth beautifully. Her hand was very soft and he almost didn't want to let go. His own hands were rough and a bit calloused from all of his activities in prison.

"Your cubicle will be right next to mine. Mr. Benson said that I should do all I can to help you feel at home here, so if there's anything you need, just ask OK?"

"Sure. Thank you."

"Follow me, I'll show you to your space." she smiled.

As she turned away, he couldn't help admiring the wide curve of her hips. The way her bottom swayed as she walked entranced him. He felt guilty about his thoughts, but he couldn't help himself. He wondered what she looked like naked, beneath the blue satin blouse and black slacks. If only he could touch her bare skin...just once.

"Your work load this week won't be too heavy since you're new. I suggested this to Mr. Benson and he thought it was a good idea. I thought you might want to get used to everything first, then you can start with a full schedule on Monday."

"That's really considerate of you. Thank you."

"Oh it's no problem. I just hope that you like it here."

"I think I will." Mark said smiling.

Michelle led him to his cubicle and pulled her chair up to his. She was very close as she explained what he would be doing for the day. Her fragrance was delicious and he became fully aroused from the lovely scent. He was happy that he was sitting down; otherwise she would have seen the huge bulge in his pants. She had no idea how turned on he was and she made things worse for him when the side of her breast grazed his arm. It was an awkward moment and Mark pretended not to notice.

"Oh... sorry." she said with an embarrassed look on her face.

"It's alright." Mark replied with an understanding smile.

It was his pleasure to feel the softness of her breast against his arm. He thought that she would move away from him after that but she remained close. She didn't seem afraid of him and he wondered how much she really knew about him.

"OK I'll be over here if you need me. Do you have any questions before I go?"

"You're gorgeous...can I take you out sometime?" was the question he wanted to ask her; however his mouth uttered different words.

"No, I'm good for now."

She smiled at him one last time and turned to her desk.

He got to work. The plans she laid out for him were simple and he had no trouble staying on track. From time to time his eyes would drift away from his computer screen to look her way. She was very friendly with everyone in the office and he loved listening to her voice. It was very calm and soothing. Michelle even got a laugh out of the serious woman he saw earlier. He had calmed down a little since their bodies touched, but he still wanted her badly.

As the day went on, he got to know a few of the other employees. Michelle took the time to introduce him to a few of the men near his cubicle, as well as the serious woman. Her name was Margaret and she was their supervisor. He supposed she looked serious for that very reason. Overall, she was nice to him and he felt a little more relaxed around her.

The day went by quickly for him. Michelle had been very attentive and went out of her way to show him around the other offices and break rooms. He didn't expect things to go so smoothly and was glad that she was his guide. No one ever mentioned anything about his past. They might have been aware of it but there was never a hint from anyone, not even Michelle. She seemed like a very sympathetic creature and this led him to like her even more.



Mark had fallen into the normal routine of working at the office. His first months there had gone very well and he was well liked by the rest of the employees. A few of the men would constantly invite him out to a bar to have beers or watch a game. He wasn't sure that they knew about his history, but they gave him the impression that it probably wouldn't matter. Dr. Benson still called frequently to check on him and things seemed to be stable for once in his life.

Although Mark was now one of the popular guys in the office, he kept his distance from Michelle and for his own good reasons. He did like her but he was afraid of being rejected. They made small talk every now and then, but their conversations never went beyond their lives outside the office. He wanted to know more about her but didn't know if his advances would scare her. The last thing he wanted was to frighten her.

His chances of keeping his job might even be ruined if she felt uncomfortable in any way. He still was an ex-convict and nothing would change that. He felt unworthy.

All he could do was watch her pretty smile from afar and hope that one day he would get his opportunity. Other women made advances towards him every once in a while, but he didn't want them. Only one woman was on his mind.

One Friday afternoon, while he sat at his desk rummaging through a few files, he felt a light tap on his shoulder. He turned around to see lovely Michelle.

"Hey!"

"Hi, how are you?" Mark asked happily.

"I'm good thanks. Um listen, I've been meaning to ask you this for a while... but I didn't know how you would respond. My birthday's on Sunday and the office planned a birthday party for me tomorrow afternoon. I know its short notice but most of the guys are coming and I was hoping you'd be there too." she said with that pretty smile that he loved.

"Oh wow...definitely! I'd love to go. How old are you going to be?"

"Don't you know you should never ask a woman her age?" she smirked.

"Oh..."

"I'm kidding Mark!" she laughed. "I'll be 26. It's going to be at Hudson Park. Do you know where that is?"

"Yeah, I don't live too far from there."

"Ok cool. There will be drinks and lots of food, so I'm sure you'll have a good time. It starts at 5:30 and will probably go on into the night till everyone gets wasted." she chuckled. "You know, since we have the three day weekend and all."

He smiled in response as he thought that this might be his lucky break. Maybe he would get his chance to talk to her.

"Marky-boy! You down for the party?" one of the office guys, Steve yelled aloud, interrupting their conversation.

"I'll let you guys talk. See you there Mark!" Michelle said rushing away.

Mark frowned at the unwelcome interruption, but Steve just gave him a sly smile as they watched Michelle walk away.

"Dude, I think she likes you!" Steve whispered.

"What? Why? Cuz she invited me to her party? Everybody's invited man."

"Naa...that's not it. I just overheard something and it sounds like she's into you."

"You overheard what?" Mark asked suspiciously.

"She and Margaret were having a talk in the break room about the party and she told Margaret that she really wanted to invite you but she was nervous. She said she always thought you were cute... so yea, she likes you dude!"

"You're not bull-shitting me are you?"

"Look man, I see you lookin' at her all the time. Now you got a chance to say something to her. Anyway, I'm in charge of getting beers and liquor tomorrow and I need a little help. I'll pick you up if you want."

"Yea sure... and don't go spreading this around Steve. I don't need any problems."

"Hey man, your secret's safe with me!" he chuckled.

Mark didn't know whether to believe Steve or not. His plan was to calculate the mood of the party and if she was comfortable with him, then he would make a move. He was actually looking forward to having fun. The closest he had gotten to a party since he left prison was watching a football game at the bar with the other guys. He barely ever went out and if he did it was for groceries or other essentials. Prison life had somewhat turned him into a recluse.



When Steve picked him up the next day it occurred to him that he should have gotten her a present. He had no idea what she would like and Steve was out of ideas as well. Mark decided to get her a bouquet of two dozen roses and wrote her a little "Happy Birthday" note on the attached card. He didn't think it would be an impressive gift judging by what he had to go through with his exes, but he hoped that she would accept them.

When they arrived at the park the sun was close to setting and lavender lanterns lit the pathway to the party. It had already begun and seemed very lively. The area was set up with a huge white table adorned with flowers, candles and gourmet treats. The birthday cake was separate on a tiny table surrounded by streamers, balloons and gifts for Michelle. Everyone seemed to be having a good time, even Margaret who danced with Mr. Benson and a wine glass in hand.

He recognized a few of his mates, and was about to make his way to them when he felt that familiar finger tapping his shoulder. It was the birthday girl and she was stunning. She wore a long black lace dress with a high neck which hugged her curvy figure. The tiny silver beads which studded her bodice caught the lamplight and made the outline of her ample breasts shimmer. Her hair was pulled back into a tight pony tail and she wore long threaded silver earrings which dangled against her neck.

She looked very happy to see him and gave him an unexpected hug. He still held on to the roses because his mind had gone blank when their bodies met. Her body was softer than he had imagined and her scent was all the more intoxicating. She withdrew from the embrace and he handed her the bouquet.

"Happy Birthday!" he said.

"Wow thank you so much, they're beautiful!"

"I would've gotten you something else if I had known about the party earlier but..."

"That's my fault, but it's ok. I just really wanted you to come." she said happily. She lifted the bouquet and inhaled the sweet scent. "You're the only one who got me flowers tonight; I've never gotten roses before. That was really sweet of you."

"I'm glad you like them." he said bashfully, running his hand over his short hair.

Her rosy lips were calling to him and he did all he could not to stare at them for too long. Her mouth opened to say something more, but then a few of the women from the office rudely cut in and hugged her without warning. She was caught off guard and they pulled her away to their group of friends. She looked back at him sadly. She didn't want to leave but all she could do was smile sweetly as if to apologize for the second interruption. He waved at her and watched as she was dragged away, wishing he could save her from them.

Steve came up to him and shook his head.

"So close huh? Come on man, let's get a drink."

Even though Michelle was no longer in sight, Mark was still laughing and having fun. Once in a while he would look around for her but there were more than 50 guests there, half of them the entire office. He and Steve entertained themselves by betting who would be the first woman to end up flat on the grass from drinking too much. It had come down to Margaret vs. Cindy, a spunky young red-head who was known for spiking her coffee every once in a while. Both women were laughing loudly and attracting a few glimpses from the other guests.

In the end Mark won the bet. Margaret was smart enough to sit down at a table, knowing she would be in trouble if she stood any longer. Cindy on the other hand, stumbled behind a tree and began throwing up on the grass. A few of her girlfriends rushed over to hide the scene as she fell down to her knees. It was quite funny and Mark couldn't hide his amusement.

Suddenly, out of nowhere a hand gently tugged on his arm. He looked back to see the lady of the evening.

"Can I steal you away for a little while?" Michelle whispered softly.

"Yea, sure."

She led him to an area away from the crowd, surrounded by large oak trees. It was very dark where they stood and he was thankful. At least no one would try to grab her away again.

"I read your note... were you serious?" she said as she held up the card in her fingers. Written on the card was an offer to take her out to dinner on Sunday. He didn't know if she had any plans for her actual birthday night, but figured it was worth a shot. At least if she rejected him, it would be discreet.

"Yea... but if you have plans it's alright."

"No, I'd love to. I just didn't expect it, that's all."

"Well, I didn't have time to get you a proper birthday present, so I thought I'd treat you to dinner."

She smiled bashfully and nodded her head.

"That's very nice of you... what time should I be ready?

"How about 9...is that alright?"

"Yea perfect... well umm they're calling me to cut the cake." she said and he noticed her eyes drifting back to the party. "My number's on the card...call me ok?"

He took the card back from her as she ran back into the arms of her friends. He tucked it safely into his wallet and walked back to Steve. No one even noticed that he was gone because they were still too busy laughing at Cindy. Mark was glad that he took the chance to scribble his invitation on the card. He didn't think she would see it until it was too late, but she had.

The party went on past 1a.m. and by then everyone was beat. Mark had a little too much to drink and began feeling very sleepy. He said a quick goodbye to Michelle, who was still surrounded by the women and Steve drove him home.



Mark lay back against his pillows, still dazed from all the alcohol in his system. The tiny card picked up Michelle's scent and he inhaled her perfume deeply as he remembered the feeling of her soft body against his. He had wanted to kiss her so badly, but their surroundings would not permit it.

Although it was his usual habit to be apprehensive around other people, he didn't feel that way when she was near. Michelle had done nothing but make him feel like a normal human being. She was something special and he couldn't wait to see her again.









Chapter Three



"So, it doesn't bother you?"

"Well, no. It doesn't. From what I was told, you went through a lot when you were younger and anyone can identify with that."

"How much do you really know... about me?"

"I know that you committed a couple of armed burglaries and there were a couple of charges having to do with drugs. I don't know all the specifics but Mr. Benson said that you were given a five year sentence. That must have been really tough."

"Yea ... it was, but my mom was always there for me. Did he tell you about that part too?"

"Yeah...I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize, she was a great mom and it was just her time to go. I'm really the one who messed up but before she died I promised her that I would change for the better."

"And you have." Michelle smiled.

"Yea well I think I have a long way to go. I'm still workin' on it."

"You're doing good Mark, I think she would be proud...besides you got me keeping an eye on you."

"Oh yea, you're my guard huh?" he laughed.

"Yup... I'm watching you, so don't you mess up!" she giggled. "Wow! That's a big one! Come on lets follow it!"

She pulled Mark by the arm and they followed the gigantic manta ray which swam past. Michelle was an ethereal beauty as the blue light from the underwater scene reflected off her dark skin. She seemed to forget herself and giggled like a school girl as she pulled him along.

Mark wanted to take her somewhere memorable for her birthday. He could have wined and dined her but that was unoriginal. He wanted to do something that she wouldn't forget.

As a child his mother took him to aquariums all the time because he loved the water. She was a single mother and didn't have much money to spend on toys. Instead, she would take him on long walks through the zoo and aquarium. He was amazed by ocean life and being pulled along by a pair of soft hands was nostalgic. His mother had done the same.

They had the aquarium almost all to themselves and everything was simply beautiful. It was their private underwater garden. Mark now knew that they shared the same love for the marina and it gave him even more confidence. He spent hours worrying about whether taking her to the aquarium was appropriate for a first date.

He was still clueless about what she liked and was prepared for some kind of protest. To see her smiling and having so much fun made him feel like he could share anything with her.

Michelle suddenly came to a halt in front of the shark tank.

"You know, that's what Margaret compared you to before we all met you. She tried to put it in my head that no one coming out of prison could be a decent person."

"Did you believe her?"

"Well, I won't lie. She almost had me convinced that you were a bad accident waiting to happen... but when I first saw you, I didn't see that at all."

"What did you see?"

"I saw a good man. I never felt uncomfortable around you for some reason... and that's something I didn't expect."

Mark smiled in response. Everyone was usually intimidated by him, whether it was because of his size or his history. She was not. The hard, gritty, cold man he saw himself as; that man did not exist in her presence.

He honestly never saw things going so well at work or with Michelle. His pessimism led him to believe that sooner or later he would end up in a fight with one of his co-workers or something would happen to land him back in prison. This was one of the reasons why he lay low and didn't go out at all. Now those thoughts were dissolving and he was looking forward to spending more time with her.

"Is that why you came out with me?"

She looked at him and smiled. "Yea, I thought you deserved a chance to have a good time."

"Well thank you, but this night was supposed to be about you, not me."

"And it still is about me. I'm glad you're here... with me." she whispered.

He leaned in slowly to kiss her, but the moment was stolen by a hammerhead shark which caught her attention and made her turn away. Still, his lips met with her neck and he felt her shiver.

She was taken by surprise and laughed softly.

"Sorry... I couldn't help myself."

"You're really cute you know that? I liked it, so don't say sorry."

"So... uh since you liked it, can I do it again?" he said with a sly look.

"Cute...funny... and you're trying to seduce me on our first date!" she laughed.

"Well since you just said that we're dating..." he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer to him "I can do this too!"

"I guess so!"

They both laughed and remained arm in arm as they continued their tour. The aquarium was located near the beachfront and it was a great night-time attraction. The pier was brightly lit with colorful street lamps and the air was thick with the savory aromas of seafood dishes.




Redemption



They were famished after their long stroll in the aquarium and shared a dinner of stuffed lobsters and clams at one of the local restaurants which lined the pier. Michelle loved the experience and begged Mark to take her back the following weekend.

He happily agreed and promised to take her anywhere she wanted to go. He had looked upon her with lust when he first saw her, but now just being in her company was enough for him. It was the happiest he had ever been and he didn't want their date to end.

It was a most beautiful night. The full moon lit up the night sky and a lovely salty breeze cooled the humid summer air. Soon he would have to go back to his empty home, with an empty bed and he dreaded the approaching hours. He didn't want to go without her for even a second.

As they took a walk on the sparkling, white beach sand, he fantasized about picking her up and carrying her off to a secluded spot where he could worship her beautiful body. He knew that he couldn't just act upon his impulses but she had become the woman of all his desires. His thoughts were lost in fantasies of making love to her and he grew very quiet.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked nudging his arm.

"Oh... uh you." he said a little startled.

"What about me?" she frowned suspiciously.

"Uhh... it's noth..."

"Still thinking of ways to seduce me, huh?" she teased.

"What are you talking about?" he asked sarcastically.

"Mmm-hmm, I know what you're thinking about. Remember, I've got my eye on you!" she giggled.

"Sorry warden!" he chuckled and led her to a wooden bench surrounded by a few tall ferns and trees.

It was a hidden area on the already vacant beach and exactly what he had been hoping to find. He sat down first and looked up at her as she stood a few feet away from him. Courage took hold of him and he reached for her hand.

"Come here beautiful." he said and pulled her on top of him.

Michelle didn't back away or fight him off. Instead, she put her arms around his neck as he held onto her soft waist. She had a low cut tank top on and he was now eye level with her cleavage.

He kissed the curve of her breasts softly as he gripped the soft flesh of her back. She gasped softly as his kisses turned into long slow licks across her chest and collar bone. She was leaning on him now and he pulled her leg over his and had her sit on top of him.

Mark's tongue slowly made its way up to her neck till it tasted her chin and then her bottom lip. Their lips met for the first time and he eagerly crushed his mouth to hers. He wanted to be gentle but the mingling of her scent and the sweet taste of her full lips aroused his senses to the highest level. He wanted to devour her. As their tongues met, his hands reached under her tank and stroked her soft belly.

She was what most people would call "obese" and he had spent his young adult life ignoring and rejecting girls like her. He immediately regretted it as he touched her bare skin. The softness of her body comforted him and turned him on even more. It was an indescribable feeling and he smiled to himself as he thought of using her soft belly as a pillow.

"What's so funny?" she asked as she noticed his smile.

"You're so soft that's all...you feel really good!"

She smiled at his reply and stroked his head gently.

"You've never been with a big girl?"

"No never... all my ex-girlfriends were white and skinny."

"Well I hope this won't be a bad experience."

"You like me... don't you Michelle?"

"Of course I do... did I ever make you feel like I didn't?" she said, with a slight frown

"No... I just have hard time trusting people, that's all."

"I understand Mark. Usually that's my line but I don't mean you any harm. I know you've been through so much. I'm not here to judge you, I just want to get to know you." she said still holding on to him.

Their faces were only a few inches apart and this was the most intimate he had ever been with a woman. Almost every girl he had sex with before had never given him a reason to think that there was more to women, other than just a way to alleviate a sexual urge. He felt embarrassed by his inexperience. He was an alien in her world and he didn't know how else to express his appreciation by other than kissing her once more.

A tiny moan escaped from her lips as his large fingers caressed her smooth neck. His hand gingerly moved up to her ribcage and the underside of her breasts.

The feel of his hands on her skin stiffened her nipples and gave her goose-bumps. He slowly ran his index finger over her nipple, making it rise against the silk bra. Their mouths were still locked in a kiss, but she quickly pulled away.

"Mark, you're getting me really wet... I've wanted this for a long time but..."

"I won't go too far, I just wanted to give you a tiny birthday present. I'll stop whenever you tell me to." and as he spoke he slipped the straps off her right shoulder and peeled the fabric off her breast.

He lifted it to his mouth and flicked his tongue gently against her nipple. She moaned and shut her eyes as he twirled his tongue around the dark areola; only slowing down every few seconds to suckle her. Her skin was tingling all over as his large rough hands ran along the sway of her back. She was arching her back now and pressing her breast against his mouth, hoping he wouldn't stop.

Michelle found her voice through the moaning and whispered "Bite it Mark...please?"

He obeyed and grazed his teeth along the edges first, then pulled at it gently. She was grinding on top of him now and he was rock hard from her motion. He had promised that he wouldn't go too far but it was taking everything he had to not rip her clothes off.

Suddenly, she pulled his free hand from her waist and guided it into her pants, under the fabric of her panties. He reached in slowly and felt a thick and curly patch of hair that was already damp with her wetness.

He stroked the hairs tenderly as he continued to tease her hardened nipple. Mark was fascinated by the texture and wished he could take her pants down, just to see what her pussy looked like. This was all new territory and he wanted to discover every inch of her body. For now he felt lucky enough to feel her most private area and would wait for her command.

She was shivering from the pleasure and her fingers dug into his hairy forearms as his hands parted her lower lips. He had never felt anything so soft and wet, and he slid his fingers in slowly, exploring her silky insides. His search led him to her clit which was already swollen and tender. He rubbed it gently with his forefinger and she jerked on top of him as if a shock went through her body.

"Do you want me to stop?" he whispered.

"I...I don't know... I want to say yes... but I wouldn't mean that."

"Then I won't stop." and he began to rub her clit vigorously as she squirmed on top of him.

"Hold on to me tighter baby." he whispered in her ear.

Michelle did as he said and put her arms around his neck, only tightly this time.

His free hand continued to stroke her back gently. The roughness of his hand on her back and the stimulation from the other; both sent continuous waves of hot pleasure throughout her abdomen and feet.

"Mark I'm going to come!" she cried softly.

"That's all I want baby, this is your night." and that was really what he wanted.

Giving her an orgasm on the beach would have completed his present to her and she would surely remember this night for a long time. He could have taken control and ravaged her, knowing she probably wouldn't stop him, but he didn't want to take advantage of her. She didn't deserve that kind of treatment and he wanted her to be a permanent part of his life.

For the first time he was discovering that it made him feel good to give someone else such slow received pleasure. His sexual escapades in the past had always been quick, especially since he never felt any connection with the women he bedded.

Michelle had dropped her slippers on the sand and she was on top of Mark with bare feet. He could feel her toes curling and digging into the sides of his legs as her orgasm drew closer.

"You're going to come for me right baby?" he whispered in her ear. "Come on babe, come all over my finger so I can taste it."

His mouth closed over her bare nipple again and suddenly his fingers were awash with her warm and silky wetness. She still held on to him and he gave her time to catch her breath. He slowly lifted his hand out of her and tasted the sticky sweet finger.

"You're so sweet Michelle, I can't wait to do this again."

"You're so bad!" she giggled. "But I can't wait either."

There was a sudden thunderous crack in a distance and it startled the couple. Tiny cold raindrops began to splatter all over their bodies as they still embraced on the hard wooden bench. He got up and lifted her with ease, as if she was a weightless child. Michelle was impressed by his strength and squealed with glee as he carried her out of the rain. The drops began to fall harder and he found shelter under a tiny empty shack a few yards away from the boardwalk.

He put her down gently and held her close as they listened to the ambience of the raindrops crashing against the ocean waves. Michelle was shivering against his body now. She was dressed for the humid weather but the unexpected rainfall had caused the misty air to cool down drastically. Mark also felt the chill but he unbuttoned his over-shirt and placed it over her shoulders. He wanted to be her protector and he would shield her from anything.

The torrents stopped for a few seconds and they ran to his car which was parked not too far away. He felt like a teenager again and wished he had known her before everything went to hell. Maybe she could have been the one to save him from all the misery. As he drove her home, she lay back on the seat and closed her eyes. She seemed tired, yet very content as he glanced at her.



The light rain had turned into a full blown thunderstorm when they arrived at her apartment and she sighed sadly as she looked out of the car window.

"You can use my shirt to cover yourself if you want."

"No that's okay... listen can you wait here for a little while? I have something for you."

"You have something for me? What is it?" he asked looking confused.

"It's a surprise!" she smiled sweetly.

"You didn't have to get me anything Michelle. It's your birthday."

"Just relax Mark..." and she leaned in to kiss his lips. "I think you'll really like it!"

She didn't wait for him to reply and ran out of the car into the rain. She emerged from her door, a few minutes later with a large bag hunched over her shoulder. She quickly opened the car door and sat down.

"Thanks for not driving away." she smiled.

"I wouldn't do that! I didn't even say a proper goodbye to you."

"I appreciate it sweetheart. Alright, let's go!"

Mark looked confused once again and slightly frowned.

"Go? Go where?"

"Home. I want to come with you... if that's alright." she said timidly.

"So, this is my present huh?" he laughed as his hand caressed her thigh.

"I know I should've asked first but... I guess I wanted to be playful. Bad idea?"

"No, no. I'd love to have you."

"In what way?" she joked and winked at him.

All he could do was laugh as he drove off





Chapter Four



Michelle watched as Mark entered the room with only a towel wrapped around his waist. Tiny shimmering droplets of water still ran down his muscular arms and broad chest as he came forward. She was lying back on his pillows and reached out for him as he planted his lips on hers.

"I missed you, beautiful." he said as their lips met and parted. She stroked the left side of his stubbly face and as her fingers trailed down his neck she discovered the scar. They broke off from the kiss and she took a closer look.

"How did you get this?" she asked, still stroking his neck.

"I had a really bad fight."

"When you were locked up?"

"Yea... the guy almost took me down, but he couldn't get rid of me that easily." he smiled.

"Well, I'm glad those days are over... I wouldn't want anything happening to you."

"I'm not going anywhere babe... I like being with you and I wouldn't do anything to ruin that."

"I hope so. I like being with you too... Hey ...uh before this goes any further... I wanted to ask you... it's a little awkward I guess but really important. You're clean right? Any STDs or anything else I should know about? Crazy exes? Stalkers?"

"I took my last physical as soon as I got out. I'm clean and in perfect health. I wouldn't put you in any danger babe. And as for the exes, they all ditched me when I got locked up. Everyone forgot about me." he said lowering his eyes.

"I'm sorry Mark... I'd never abandon you like that." she said placing her hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it babe. I don't need any of them ... I'm right where I need to be." he said cheerfully.

"You're such a charmer!"

"Sooo... you never told me how you liked my gift." he smirked, as he moved closer to her.

"Which one?" she giggled. "I got so many from you. Are you talking about the flowers? The aquarium...or..."

"Yup, that's the one!" he said as his head dipped to kiss her naked thigh. "It's only a few minutes till midnight. That means I can still sneak in another present."

She laughed as his stubbly face tickled her, but suddenly there was an abrupt silence. Mark looked up to see Margaret's serious expression on her face. That was definitely not someone he wanted to think about right now.

"What's wrong? Did I do something...?"

"No... no, it's just that uh... I'm...uhm..."

"You're... married aren't you?" he said with a hurt look in his eyes.

He knew it; she was too good to be true. How could he have been so dumb? Of course she was taken. Someone as beautiful as her could never be single.

"You idiot!" he thought to himself.

"No I'm not married. I'm..."

"What pregnant?" he harshly interrupted as confusion set in.

He could feel the quick anger and frustration of his younger days coming back. His face felt like it was on fire and he was ready to ask her to leave. What was he thinking? He had been a fool to even think that things would get better for him.

"After this I'm fucking done with women... I'm done! She's been playing with me..." he thought angrily.

"...a virgin."

He furrowed his golden eyebrows and remained silent for a few seconds. Did he just hear right?

"What?"

"I'm a virgin." she said in a tiny, shaken voice.

She looked terrified and he realized why. His steely grey eyes still held that searing anger in them. They told the story of a man who had been through many betrayals. He no longer looked like the man she was familiar with. His face slowly softened as feelings of embarrassment and dread crept over him.

"Michelle I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I was upset because I thought you were leading me on this whole time... making me think that you wanted to be with me."

"I do... want to be with you. I'm just scared... I should have said something at the beach... but I didn't know how to tell you. I didn't want you running for the hills... I wanted you to keep kissing me and touching me." she said as she lifted his hand to her cheek.

He still felt embarrassed for scaring her and couldn't look into her eyes.

"Michelle I don't know if I deserve you... I'm all fucked up and you're so beautiful and kind... and you're a virgin! God! You deserve someone else who can..." and she sprang up and kissed his lips as she hugged his damp neck tightly.

He wanted to escape from her grasp but he couldn't reject her sweet embrace. He wasn't the one who needed comforting or a hug. She should be giving herself to someone better.

"Mark I wanted it to be you. I wanted to talk to you months ago but I saw all the girls in the office going after you and I didn't think I had a chance. They're all so skinny and pretty. I'm nothing like them."

"And that's why I liked you so much. You never had to worry about any of that babe. I wanted to say something but if I scared you, I would probably lose my job. And Mr. Benson would be pissed... I didn't have anyone coming out of prison." he sighed, finally looking up at her.

"You have me Mark... you always did. You just didn't know it."

"We don't have to do anything tonight... I thought you weren't ... I mean I know I went too fast at the beach. I shouldn't have done any of that."

"So are you saying that you don't want me anymore?" she teased with a tiny smile.

"You know I do, I just don't deserve to be your first."

"Mark just shut up and come here!" she laughed as she lay back on the pillows.

He hesitated for a few seconds, only staring at the dainty hand that reached out for him. He couldn't believe that any of this was real. Here was the woman he longed for, finally in his bed. She hadn't been touched by anyone, yet she wanted him; a flawed ex-con. Why? He knew she would say that he was a good man underneath it all, but was he really? Michelle still wanted him despite everything and he wanted her just as much, maybe even more. She was still waiting on him, arm outstretched and smiling. He couldn't deny her. If she really wanted him, he would strive to be the lover and man that she deserved.

He crawled on top of her and kissed her neck gently as she stroked his forearms.

"Are you sure about this?" he asked, looking into her brown eyes.

"I am... it was my choice to make and like I said before, I wanted it to be you."

At that very moment he wished he could go back in time to find her, wherever she was. She should have been his first. His very first time had been quick and passionless. Nothing was savored or had been sacred to him and his partner was already experienced.

His heart galloped in his chest now and his body was tense as he looked into her dark eyes. What was happening to him? He quickly searched his mind for an answer as he hovered over her silently. He was feeling a sharp stabbing pain in his chest and he knew it would kill him if the woman under him was ever hurt in any way. He wanted to protect her. Even from himself.

"What's going on? What's wrong with me?" he thought.

Droplets of water rained down his body and splattered onto her t-shirt as the moments passed by. He didn't know what he was feeling but he did know that he couldn't go through with it. Not tonight. Not yet.

"Michelle, I think we should wait. D-don't get me wrong. I want you... so bad babe... you have no idea. But... I feel a little off...uhm... I don't want to hurt you, and I don't want to move too fast either. I know what I did at the beach was way out of line and I'm sorry. I just need a little time to get used to what you just told me...ok?"

He felt horrible for rejecting her but something told him that it had to be done. The time wasn't right. Her face was blank as she looked up at him and scanned his face. A tiny smile crept into the corners of her mouth and she sat up and kissed his pursed lips softly.

"You just proved me right... you see? You are a good man Mark."

"I can take you home if you want." he said, ignoring her last remark.

"No, I want to stay... unless if you don't feel comfortable being next to me."

"I want you to stay babe. I want to sleep next to you tonight" he smiled, slowly withdrawing from his crouched position.

He walked over to his dresser and turned his back to her as he put on a pair of boxers. He had nothing else on his mind, other than the honor of the woman a few feet away from. He wiped off the remaining moisture from his body and turned off the lights.

Michelle lay still and she watched his every move as he climbed into bed with her. The street lights shone through his windowpanes and still gave her a clear view of his chiseled body in the darkness. He was gorgeous and could have been a model if he wanted to. She could make out a huge bulge under his boxers and it was clear that he was doing his best to fight his urges. She reached out for him again, as she had done so many times before and propped up her pillow next to his.




Redemption



They lay down face to face, under the covers, in each other's arms. A few soft and silent kisses were exchanged between them and Mark couldn't imagine sharing this moment with anyone else. If he could be proud of anything, it would be the fact that he hadn't taken advantage of her tonight. This thought alone calmed his racing mind and he nuzzled against her cheek as he held her close. The softness of her warm body lulled him to sleep and within minutes, both were dreaming.



Mark awoke the next morning to find Michelle still next to him, asleep. He didn't make any sudden movements for fear that he would wake her. She was breathing deeply and quietly and he nuzzled closer to study her face. She was still a beauty without any makeup on. Her dark brown hair was now curled into tiny ringlets about her face and was much shorter than he was used to seeing. The rainfall had taken its toll but he found the unruly hair charming and it made her look much younger.

Her face was a bit puffy from the long night of sleep, but tiny details like that didn't matter to him. The younger, shallow version of himself would have pointed out the hair, the fat on her body, the dark marks on her face from acne and maybe even the fact that her color didn't match his.

Maybe he shouldn't have wished to go back in time. She wouldn't have wanted to be around someone like him; he was sure of it. Women used him as a trophy and he had done the same. Although his circumstances weren't ideal, he was happy that the path his life took sent him to Michelle. He could have made better decisions but it was too late to regret anything now.

She stirred quietly and broke him away from his deep reflection. He remained motionless and waited, but she slept on. An idea crossed his mind and he carefully climbed out of bed and crept towards the door. He wanted to make her breakfast.

Mark was no great cook but breakfast was simple enough. He had done it many times before when his mother was too sick to get up from bed and she loved it. She had taught him how to make cinnamon French toast and even though it didn't look like the finished product from her recipe books, it still tasted great. He still missed her. Almost a year had passed since her death and he wondered if she would have liked Michelle.

Other questions crossed his mind now. He hadn't expected Michelle to be a virgin or so understanding of his circumstances. He wondered why she waited so long. Why did she even give him a chance? She was nothing like Mandy.

Amanda. The girl that he thought would be the one. Amanda was someone almost every man would call drop dead gorgeous. She was a brunette, blue eyed babe with a killer body who had aspirations of being a model. She had huge tits, a nice firm ass and curves that would make men drool for days. He met her at a party and they hit it off right from the start.

They shared little in common, but the attraction or lust was there. At that time, he didn't care about anything else other than getting her into bed and he didn't accomplish this till after a few dates. By then he had grown accustomed to her and wanted to take their relationship further.

The two remained an item for a year and she was the closest he had ever been to falling for a woman. Things began to go sour however, because of her growing popularity. She began to ditch him for parties, clubbing and star studded events.

Another factor which brought the relationship to an end was his discovery of some old paperwork in a bin. It was from a doctor, indicating that Mandy was two months pregnant. The paperwork was a month old and when he questioned her, she admitted to having an abortion. She didn't want to jeopardize her career and hid it from Mark. She didn't think that he would care or protest even though it was his baby and she took action on her own.

It was not that he was ready to be a father, although later in his cell he did consider it. She was becoming someone that he could not trust or understand. Everything went downhill from there and they broke up within a few months. Even after he got locked up, he expected a visit or a phone call from her. There was nothing. He never heard from her again.

He wondered where she was and what she was doing now. Maybe her dreams had all come true and she was happy with some millionaire. A fraction of him missed her and his heart ached from all his fond memories of being with her. A crackle of hot butter from the frying pan brought him back to reality.

He remembered Michelle and her smile; her softness, her warmth. He remembered why he was in the kitchen, making her French toast. She knew of his flaws and mistakes yet she was still there with him. Why should he think about anyone else? Everyone showed their true colors when he was at his worst. It was time to leave them all behind. As he flipped the sizzling pieces of toast, two arms embraced him from behind. It was Michelle.

He had been very deep in thought and didn't realize that she walked in.

"Good morning. I should be doing that for you."

"No way, this is my world famous recipe!

"Maaark?" she scolded him playfully.

"Come on babe I wanted to, plus you were still sleeping when I got up. I didn't want to wake you up."

"You should have though. I would've helped. What are you making?"

"French toast and bacon. Is that alright?"

"That sounds so good!" she laughed.

"Just sit down and relax...I got it!"

Michelle moved to his side where she could have a better view of his face. Her back was against the black granite counter and she grew very quiet. She seemed troubled about something.

"I know you think that I'm mad about last night, but I'm really not." he said seriously.

"You're not just saying that are you?"

"No I'm not. I know you were scared but I think I was too."

"Why?"

"Well... I guess I was afraid of putting you through pain. I didn't want to do that."

"After everything that happened on the beach, I made my mind up to lose my virginity last night. I thought about it months ago. What being with you would be like... and I guess I was too quick last night."

"Don't worry about it Michelle... I know I'm hot." he joked.

"Yes you are!" she laughed.

"So are you babe!" and he leaned in to kiss her.

Just the taste of her soft lips aroused him and he wondered why she had such a huge effect on him. Not even Mandy had managed to get a rise out of him so easily. He was becoming more comfortable with the news that she sprang on him the night before and realized that he really wanted to earn her trust and its rewards.

It wasn't that she had ever turned him off because he still wanted her, even at this very minute. He broke away from the kiss, leaving her waiting for more. He knew how bad she wanted him and it made him feel good. He wanted to take his time with her but he was dying to be inside her.

She was in the kitchen with only a t-shirt and panties on; the same she had worn to bed. The sight of her voluptuous breasts clinging to the fabric made him hard. He could make out the tiny nipples poking through the fabric and he wanted to lick them again. Her soft thighs were calling to him and he yearned to kneel at her feet, just to kiss them. He was mindful of the hot stove and turned the burner off so that he could focus on her.

He moved towards her and lifted her body on to the counter. She was caught off guard and still wasn't used to how easily he could lift her. She held on to his arms and waited for the kiss that was coming.

"You're really beautiful you know that?" he said, as their foreheads met. "I've never met anyone like you. Do you really still want me after everything you know about me? I'm not rich, or famous or well educated...I'm just..."

"Mark, none of that bothers me. I don't know if you will ever believe me but I saw something good in you that maybe you can't even see yourself... but it's there."

Mark lifted her up once more and proceeded to carry her to his room. Her mouth laid tender kisses on his neck as he carried her away from the kitchen. He didn't know how far things would go now but he had to touch her. He had to taste her again.

"Mark?"

"Yeah?"

"If you want me, please just take me... I want you too. I wouldn't be here if I didn't. I want to feel you inside of me."

He didn't reply but affirmed everything by slipping his tongue into her mouth. He placed her down and gripped her soft buttocks as their tongues intertwined. He pulled away and playfully sucked on her full bottom lip. Licking, sucking and then biting gently, over and over again as he held her body close. He could taste the sweet minty toothpaste on her breath as it mingled with the flavor of her mouth and it enticed him even more.

He fell to his knees and looked up at her.

"Sit down babe, I want to taste you."

She dropped to the edge of the bed and he pulled her legs apart slowly. He moved closer and took turns kissing and gently biting the insides of each thigh, not quite touching the wet area that he knew longed for his touch. He inhaled the scent of her skin and continued to lick in spirals, going ever closer to her wet mound.

"Mark, stop teasing me baby." she gasped as she lay back.

He looked up at her with his grey eyes and smiled. She had no idea what she was in for.

"You want me to give it to you baby?" he teased and suddenly licked her crotch through the cotton cloth.

"Mmm yes... I want you now."

"Not yet baby, just wait a little longer. I want to see that pretty pussy and I want to taste all of it." he whispered.

His elbows moved her legs wider apart and his strong hands grabbed at the cotton panties ripping them apart down the front. Her eyes gaped open as she realized what he had just done and laughed out loud.

"Scared babe?"

"No, not at all!" she giggled.

She was completely exposed to him now and he finally caught sight of what he had been waiting to see. Her chocolate lips were soft and plump, and they were crowned with a thick mass of curled dark hairs which were neatly trimmed into a triangular shape. The sight reminded him of a dark ripe plum and he was ready to taste the center of this luscious fruit.

His fingers slowly stroked the curly hair as he licked the swollen flesh below. She was gripping the sheets tightly now and shuddering as he continued to tease her. He savored the sweet taste as she grew wetter against his tongue. Her lips were now saturated with moisture and she looked more than delicious. His fingers slowly pulled her lower lips apart and he took a few seconds to admire the pretty pink flesh.

"God baby, you're pussy's so pretty... and so wet!" he said, as he licked one of the protruding folds.

Her fingers went for her clit but he quickly caught her wrist and held them aside.

"That's my job baby!" he said as his tongue plunged inside her.

He sucked the pink flesh and bit each glistening layer gently as he held her open. She gasped softly and a tiny stream of her juices trickled out. He lapped it up and his tongue began to travel vertically to that tiny nub which received all of his attention the night before. It was as swollen as the rest of her insides and he dabbed his rough tongue against it, as if to test its sensitivity. She jerked from the light touch and he smiled to himself as he looked up to her face.

Her eyes were closed and her hands were plucking at the tiny nipples. He would have grabbed them away but he was having too much fun nibbling on her. His tongue began to twirl against her clit gently, but without warning he quickened his pace and pressed against it with a stronger force.

She was drowning in ecstasy as he sucked on it harder and harder. Her moaning was getting louder and he could tell that she was getting close. He gave her one last lick and stood up. His erection was almost too painful to bear and he needed to be inside her. It was time.

Mark dropped his boxers and exposed himself to her. She covered her mouth as her eyes fell upon his rock-hard 8 inches which sprang up from a soft nest of fine, dirty-blonde hairs. He smiled at her and climbed unto the bed. He was at her feet now and he slowly lifted her toes to his mouth. He kissed them gently, slowly, massaging her heels and then the underside of her leg. She gasped as she felt his rough hands on her skin once more. It brought back memories of the delicious sensations she felt at the beach.

As he positioned himself over her body, he kissed her exposed breasts one by one and carefully inserted the tip between the wet lips.

"Are you ready?" he gasped as he felt her warm, honeyed insides for the first time.

"Yes, I want to feel you inside me. I'm ready."

"Are you sure?"

She nodded.

He aimed his cock towards her wet mound and slid into her body slowly and carefully. All those years of masturbating alone in his cell could never compare to how good she felt. Not even the women before her could hold a candle to the tight silky flesh that engulfed his shaft. He could only fit a little past the tip into her and he eased out slowly, so she could get used to him. As he slid in again he could feel her muscles contracting around him and it felt amazing.

He went a little deeper and she jumped and gripped his forearms tightly. He lowered his head and kissed her lips as he went further into her body. She was crying out against the kiss but she didn't push him off. He continued to pick up the speed as her flesh gave way and soon all of his cock was enveloped by her soft walls. He had never felt anything so tight, so warm, so silky and soft. Every stroke almost brought him to tears as he slid into her.

She was still gasping under him but the sounds had changed. At first he could hear the pain in her voice but now it seemed to subside into a softer, more pleasured tone. Tears sprang in the corners of her eyes and he leaned forward to kiss the tiny rivers that ran down her cheek. A part of him hated hurting her, but he would make up for all of it later.

His rough hands caressed her nipples as he bucked inside her. He could feel her getting wetter and he continued, hoping that this tiny bit of pleasure would make the pain easier to deal with.

It was a difficult experience for him because while he was feeling good, he was still causing her so much discomfort. He longed to go harder and couldn't hold back.

He suspended his thoughts for a moment and reveled in his pleasure as he bucked faster and harder. She was crying under him still and her fingernails clawed into his arms as he kept up the pace. Within a few seconds he released inside of her and let out a loud groan. He was spent and collapsed on top of her, sweaty and a little disoriented. He was still inside her and he could feel her flesh pulsing. He slowly pulled out and the tight suction caused an audible pop. She winced from the movement and remained still as she caught her breath.

"Are you alright baby?" he asked in a concerned voice.

"Yea, I'm fine... just really sore."

"I'm sorry I hurt you so much... I thought you would've stopped me but you didn't."

She turned her body towards him and kissed his dry lips. His face was damp with sweat and she wiped his brow with her tiny fingers. She was just as exhausted as he was and couldn't move much. Still, he held her close and stroked her back. He shifted to his side to get more comfortable and his grip on her back loosened.

"Don't let me go." she sighed against his chest.

"I'm right here babe. I'll be here as long as you need me."













Chapter Five



Michelle woke up to hear a tiny commotion coming from Mark's living room. She was just a virgin not three hours ago. In spite of the pain she tried to sleep, hoping that the soreness would subside. The area where Mark lay next to her was still warm and she deduced that he hadn't been away from her side for very long.

She stumbled into the hallway and could make out the voice of a young woman. She quietly peeked into the living room and saw a gorgeous brunette woman, probably in her mid-twenties, smiling at Mark.

"I missed you baby. I know you missed me too." the woman said stroking Mark's naked chest.

"Look this isn't a good time and...things have changed." Mark replied.

"Yeah, I heard about your mom. I'm here if you need me baby."

"What? You're here if I need you? Oh really? Where the hell were you for the last five years Mandy?" Mark said with an irritated tone.

"I was busy with work and stuff... you know how it is. I moved to Miami and did a lot of modeling but I'm back now. Come on babe, don't tell me you don't want me. You look so good since the last time I saw you." and she suddenly jumped on top of Mark and kissed his lips.

His body was rigid as she embraced him. He caught her by the arms and gently pushed her off.

"What the hell's wrong with you? You act like I'm some kind of stranger!" Mandy shouted angrily.

"YOU ARE!"

"The Mark I know would never push me away like that. Even after we broke up you were still coming after me!"

"Well I've changed...I'm not that person anymore! I think I loved you at one point...but now... things are different."

"Bullshit! What...just cuz your mom died, you want to turn over a new leaf?"

"Don't you talk about my mom Mandy...you don't know shit about me anymore!"

Mandy didn't answer. Instead she cocked her head back probably in disbelief or disgust as she spotted Michelle.

"Who the hell's this?"

Mark spun around to see Michelle's confused face. He didn't say anything at first and turned back to Mandy.

"That's my girl...hold on a minute." he replied in a calmer tone.

He walked over to Michelle and kissed her cheek before proceeding to his room.

"I'll be right back babe, just hold on a sec." he whispered to Michelle.

Mandy was still frowning and seemed very upset to see Mark's open display of affection. She looked Michelle up and down but didn't say a word to her. She shuffled into her bag and grabbed her cell phone, as if stalling to find some kind of distraction.

Mark quickly emerged from the room with his wallet in hand and pulled out three hundred dollar bills. He held the paper notes out to Mandy while she just stared at him in shock.

"Here, take it. This should set you up at a motel for a while. Sorry, but you can't stay here."

"I can't believe this shit!"

"Well believe it. I don't have time for you! Here take it!" he demanded.

She was fuming and angrily snatched the bills from his hand. He frowned at her as she stormed past Michelle and slammed the front door.

"Who was that?" Michelle asked quietly.

"My ex... I'm sorry if I woke you up babe. I tried to get rid of her but she wouldn't leave."

"Oh. Well I mean you didn't have to make her leave if she needed help or ...something."

He moved closer to Michelle and hugged her body tightly, as if trying to assure her that he didn't want anyone but her. She put her arms around him and accepted his embrace.

"Come sit down with me." he said leading her to a black leather couch. "You don't have to worry about her ok? She wanted to stay here because things weren't going well with her modeling. She lost a lot of money and since she heard that I was back, she thought she could stay with me."

"How long were you guys together?"

"About a year and a half. We broke up a couple of months before I got locked up. I still saw her after that but when I got locked up she never came to see me...even though I was the one paying for all her auditions and photo-shoots. I was so fucked up back then... I did everything for this girl. My mom was really sick. She had cancer and with all the bills I was running out of money. I had to take care of my mom but...it was like I had to take care of Mandy too. I was stressed out and that's why I...got into all that trouble." he said shamefully, looking down at his clasped hands.




Redemption



"Mark...it's okay. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to. I just felt really uncomfortable the way she was staring at me. I know I'm not your type and ..."

"Babe... you're perfect for me. I was an idiot back then. I didn't know who I was or what the hell I was doing. My mom had to suffer for everything I did and I wish I could go back and slap some sense into myself. Only one good thing came out of all of this and that's you. You'll never have to worry about Mandy, I promise."

"I just hate seeing you upset... I want you to be happy."

"I am happy...how do you feel?" he smiled.

"A-a little better... but umm we didn't use any protection. W-what if..." she stammered.

"It's alright babe... don't worry about any of that now. Just try to take it easy okay?"

She looked into his eyes. He was being very sincere and she didn't know why.

"Why are you so... nice? Aren't you worried that I might get pregnant?"

"We can get you a test. I'll take care of it. Just don't keep me out of the loop."

"A-alright." she replied, seeming a little confused.

"How about that breakfast I was making? Ready to taste the best French toast you ever had?" he smiled confidently.

"Sure sweetie." she replied cheerfully.

The two sat down and enjoyed their late breakfast. Mark found out that like him, Michelle was all alone. She didn't have a great relationship with her mother and they had drifted apart for the last few years.

Michelle had also been through many bad relationships and was very unsure of herself. She felt that she was doomed to be single forever and had given up on finding love.

Mark never thought that anyone was capable of remaining a virgin, even past the age of 18 but she gave him a new insight on what life was like for her. Her struggles proved her to be resilient and empathetic. He felt that luck had shined down on him to receive such a treasure.

After breakfast he drove her home. She had some errands to run before they had to return to work. Mark didn't want her to leave but he knew that he would eventually see her at work. He just had to be patient. He tried calling her a few times before he went to sleep but she never answered. He was a little worried but thought that she had probably gone to bed early.



Mark got to work the next morning expecting to see Michelle sitting at her desk and waiting for him. She was nowhere in sight. Still he was hopeful that she would pop up with that pretty smile on her face. She never came in to work. He tried calling her on his lunch break but there was no answer.

It was then that he began to grow anxious. He didn't know what to think. He thought about approaching Margaret and asking her where Michelle was but caution held him back. Although it was killing him, he made his mind up to be patient. As soon as his shift was over he called her again number and she answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey baby, are you ok?"

"Yea... I'm fine. I just wasn't feeling so good today and I called out."

"Do you need anything? I can bring you..."

"No I'm fine. I just need to rest up."

"Are you sure? I missed you a lot today. I was really worried."

"Oh... you did? I ... I missed you too."

There was a long pause and Mark could tell that something was bothering her. She sounded like she was drained of energy and her words were delayed.

"Are you sure everything's ok? If something's wrong tell me."

"I'm fine. Really!"

"Can I come see you tonight?"

"Umm no...I don't think that's a good idea. I'm still not feeling good. I'll see you tomorrow ok?

"Sure...alright. I'll call you when I get home." he replied sadly.

"Ok, bye."

Mark hung up and he drove home, wondering all the while what had gone wrong. Michelle didn't seem unhappy when he last saw her. He didn't know what was going on but he would get to the bottom of it sooner or later. She never picked up the phone for the rest of the night and he had trouble falling asleep. He wanted to be with her.

He grew angry at himself when he remembered how Mandy had forcibly kissed him. That was probably what was bothering her. He did all he could to get rid of her quickly but he hadn't worked fast enough. He hoped that he would be able to convince her that he didn't want Mandy anymore.

The next day came and she was still missing. Another day passed and he was at his limit. She still wasn't picking up his calls. Mark didn't care anymore and found his courage. He asked Margaret how she was doing.

"Oh, she called out again this morning and said she had a fever... poor thing. To get so sick like that, right after her birthday."

"Yeah I know. It sucks."

"Well I'll give her a call after work to check up on her. She never calls out so I know it must be serious." Margaret said sounding very concerned.

A cold chill ran down his spine as he heard those words.

"It's going to be all over for me! They're going to blame me for Michelle being upset." he thought.

He was silently panicking and couldn't shake the foreboding feeling. Michelle was still avoiding him and he didn't know what to do. After work he went over to her apartment and rang the doorbell. No one answered or even peeked through the window. He was growing impatient and couldn't calm down. He missed her terribly but also didn't want her to go through whatever she was feeling alone.

At that point he prepared himself for trouble at work, either by the hand of Steve or Margaret. He never gave Steve any details of their night together but Mark knew that it was possible that others might find out about his interest in Michelle.

He didn't care anymore because he told himself that he could always move on and find work elsewhere... but he couldn't move on without Michelle. He didn't want to let her go.



That night he lay in bed, still dialing her number, hoping that she would pick up. All of a sudden the doorbell rang and he rushed to answer it. His heart was pounding in his chest as he ran through the hallway. He knew it. She had come back.

His heart sank as he opened the door and saw Mandy standing there with a skimpy red dress on and red stiletto heels to match. That sight would have brought him pleasure a few years ago but all he felt now was anger and disgust when he looked at her.

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Oh baby, I came to see you. I really missed you." and she pushed him aside and made her way into the house.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" he yelled back at her.

She ignored him and continued into the living room. He left the door slightly ajar and followed her. She slumped down on the couch and put her feet up on the coffee table.

"I don't want you here Mandy. You got to leave right now!"

"She's not here is she... that girl?"

"Why do you care?"

"Cuz you're all mine baby." she smirked. "I know you wanted to save face in front of her and its ok. I wouldn't want to hurt her feelings either...when she finds out that she's not your type."

"Mandy shut the hell up. Like I said you don't know shit about me or what I like!"

"I know you liked when I used to ride you all night." she replied provocatively. "Come on baby, give me a break. For old time's sake?"

"Mandy I don't want you! Get it through your thick skull!"

"You always have and you always will! Don't give me that bull. If you're trying to say that you want that chick I don't believe you. I ran into her at the pharmacy and told her all about you. I told her how you hated girls like her and I was your type. You remember how those big girls used to come on to you and you would just give them a fake number or something like that. Silly thing was looking at pregnancy tests." she laughed. "If she's pregnant she needs to take her ass to a clinic and get an abor... Umm I mean..."

"Get the fuck out of my house now!" he said angrily through his clenched teeth.

Mandy had never seen him so angry. It scared her so much that she quickly clutched her crimson purse and stood up.

"Fine, but you'll come crying back to me. Just watch!" and she stormed out just as she had done three days before.

He had to calm down. He had to think. He was so angry that he could have punched a hole in the wall but there was no time for that. He hurriedly put on a shirt and a pair of jeans and drove to Michelle's house. He parked his car in front of the house and dialed her number. The lights were on, so he knew that she was still awake. She didn't pick up and at that point he was desperate.

"Miiiiicheeeelllle!" he bellowed outside.

She came up to her window and looked out. It was rather late and he knew that the only way to get her attention would be to make a little noise. He waited for her to come to the door.

"Mark? What are you doing here?" she asked as she opened the door.

"I really need to talk to you Michelle."

"Can't it wait till tomorrow?" she asked wearily.

"It's important... I just found out what Mandy said to you and..."

"She was at your place? So I guess she was right."

"No, no she wasn't. I was an asshole back then, I admit it but I want to be with you. I made her leave and she's not coming back. Please can I just come inside and talk to you?" he pleaded.

She hesitated for a few seconds but stood aside and let him in. She led him to her room and sat down on her bed as she waited for him to speak. He pulled up a chair and took her hands into his.

"Michelle I'm really sorry about everything. If I knew that she had spoken to you I would have been over here sooner."

"Mark, I don't want to make this harder than it already is. I'm tired of drama. I don't want someone like her approaching me like that again. It made me feel sick to my stomach."

"If I had known I would've been here earlier. Look I don't care about her or work or anything else. I care about you! If I have to call out tomorrow to stay with you I will!"

"You don't have to do that. I just wanted to be alone."

He got up and sat next to her.

"I'm here if you need me, ok? Just please don't avoid me. You said that you wouldn't abandon me."

"I'm sorry. I know I was being selfish but she had me convinced that you two would be getting back together."

"That will never happen baby and don't say sorry. It was all her fault...and mine too."

"Well...it's alright, I'm ok now."

Mark became quiet but all these thoughts were churning in his mind. Should he tell her about Mandy and the abortion? What would she say if he told her that he didn't mind if she got pregnant? Would she even want to have a child with him? He didn't want to scare her with all these confessions, even though he wanted to let her know how much he cared for her. He felt that tight pain in his chest again as he did his best to bury his thoughts.

"I'll let you get some rest." was all he could muster. "Is there anything I can get for you?"

"No I'm alright. I'm glad you came." she said kindly.

"Yea...me too. Alright, well I'll call you when I get home." he replied sadly.

That pain in his chest was getting worse. He felt as if he was going to lose her. All the damage that Mandy had done couldn't easily be fixed and he was mostly to blame. How many big women had he rejected? How many did he degrade in front of Mandy? The tables had turned and he would be the one to be rejected. He got up to leave but Michelle grabbed his hand and held him back.

"Don't go Mark...Can you stay with me for a little while?"

He turned to her and saw nothing but compassion in her eyes. How could she be so kind to him after everything she had just been through?

"I know you ...you're always thinking negatively and you need to stop. If I have to beat good thoughts into your head I will!" and she lightly punched his back.

He laughed at her last remark and was instantly reminded of Dr. Benson. It seemed that whenever he was on the path to despair, someone always intervened and he was glad for it.

"Ouch. That hurt 'Chelle!" he lied.

"Yeah well there's more comin' if you don't stop!"

"Oh yeah?" and he leaned over her to kiss her supple lips.

Her tongue tasted sweet, maybe of fruit. Strawberries. He recognized the flavor and he grew hard from her candied mouth. Yet again, even the simplest of things made him crave her. He lifted her from the bed and held her up to his height. He could feel her nipples hardening against his chest.

She had no bra on and as he grabbed her soft buttocks, he couldn't feel any panties underneath the pajama shorts. Her legs were wrapped around his waist and he pinned her body against the wall as their tongues continued to lash against each other.

"God I missed you so much. Are you still sore baby?" he whispered between kisses.

"No the pain is gone. Don't worry ... I want you too Mark."

He took his shirt off and lifted her tank top over her head. He wanted to feel her bare skin on his. He could feel himself getting harder against his jeans as her breasts grazed his hard chest. His hand went down into the bulge of his jeans and he unzipped the front quickly to ease the straining.

Michelle had her arms around his neck and held tightly onto him as his pants dropped to the floor. He hungrily sucked her bottom lip. He had missed the taste of her, the scent of her skin, and the warmth of her body. She was all his tonight and he would show her how badly he needed her. His hands trailed across her ribs and she laughed as his coarse hands tickled her.

He loved the sound of her soft laughter. It was contagious and he found himself smiling as he continued to caress her body. By now he knew that the feel of his hands pleasured her greatly and his hands reached for her voluptuous breasts. Her nipples became erect as he gently kneaded the tender orbs.

"Mmm you're getting me so wet ... I don't think I can take it."

"Babe I just love all of you." he said as he licked her stiff nipples. "I want to taste every inch of you. You don't know how much you turn me on."

She bit her lip as the teasing licks grew ever sweeter, making her skin tingle. Her fingers dug into his biceps as he continued twirling his tongue around the dark areolas.

Teasing, licking, biting and sucking harder. The tugging made her nipples rise to their full extent, as he left glistening circles of moisture on the taut buds. His hand slowly reached into her shorts and went straight for the moist lips.

"Aaaahh!" she gasped as his large fingers worked their way into her tight center.

"Damn you're still so tight baby. Are you sure you don't want to wait a little longer?"

"No, it feels so good Mark...I want to feel you inside of me again."

"Yeah babe, you want me that bad? Even if I get a little rough?"

"Yes ...do it to me...fuck me please. Don't make me beg."

Mark was extremely turned on to know that she craved him. No one had ever gotten him so hot and so hard. He could feel his temperature rising and his urge to be inside her was getting worse. He still had her pinned against the wall and he crushed his pelvis to hers, letting her feel his hard organ against her thighs.

"Let me down baby." she whispered.

Mark put her down and she switched places with him, pinning him against the wall. She slowly dropped to her knees and pulled Mark's boxers down to his feet. His hard cock sprang up in front of her and was now a dark pink. He was as hard as steel, yet smooth to the touch and the tiny veins bulged out as more blood pumped into his thick organ.

Glistening droplets of moisture oozed out from the tip and she gently lapped at it with her pink tongue. She could hear him sucking breath through his teeth as his head fell back against the wall.

Her mouth enclosed over the thick mushroom-like tip and she tasted the salty-sweetness of his damp skin for the first time. Her tiny tongue twirled around the pink knob, licking the tiny streams that still oozed out. She began to suck harder and he moaned as he looked down at her.

Her pretty mouth was taking all of him in and he could have just released from watching his cock disappear between her juicy pink lips. Michelle's hands trailed up his torso, stroking his abdomen while her head cocked back and forth over him.

He was going over the edge and tried his hardest to hold on. Her tongue was caressing every vein along the length of his shaft and only the thought of wanting to be inside her again kept him from coming. Still, he wanted more and didn't want her to stop.

"Suck it harder baby." he gasped.

Michelle obeyed and sucked over the entire length, cleaning away the glistening trails her saliva left behind and drawing out more of his pre-come. She loosened her mouth on it, only to wet him again, and then repeat the hard sucking motions.

Her soft hands cupped his balls and massaged them as she continued. Mark stroked the side of her cheek as her tongue still glided over his cock. Long strands of saliva dripped down from her chin like syrup as she wrapped her thick lips around him. He couldn't take it anymore. He had to stop her.

"Come here babe." he gasped and he pulled his cock away from her warm lips.

It was drenched and dripping with her saliva. He pulled her up to her feet and wiped away the saliva from her mouth and chin, only to lubricate his cock with the liquid. He leaned down to her and sucked her bottom lip once again, still tasting the fruit on her mouth.

He peeled her cotton shorts off and cupped her ample buttocks as he lifted her again and carried her towards the bed. He could feel her wetness between the soft cheeks and he couldn't wait to penetrate her tender insides.

He put her down at the foot of the bed and lifted one of her legs atop the mattress. Her plump nether lips were wet and glistening as he stroked them. He teased the outside of the soft flesh with light swirling motions, not opening or entering her.

Michelle was purring softly and shivering as his fingers encircled the damp slit. She cupped one of her breasts and began to pinch her nipple. As soon as she did this, Mark's finger plunged into her moist center without warning and she flinched from the surprise of it.

"Is this enough for you or do you want something bigger?" he questioned her with a smile.

She couldn't answer him yet. The pleasure of just being penetrated by his finger was making her wetter. His fingers curved inside her and he began to go faster inside the tight flesh; opening a wet path for himself as he dug deeper and deeper.

His thumb twirled around her sensitive clit as he went deeper. Her cries became louder as he increased the speed and pressure. He could have given her an orgasm right then but he quickly pulled his fingers out of her. She whimpered as if disappointed from his actions.

"Get on the bed and turn around for me. I want to see your pretty pussy from behind."

'Hold on...I need to get something." and she reached over to her night table and presented a condom.

Mark stared at it as if it were a foreign object, never seen before. He took it from her and looked into her eyes. He didn't want to put it on. Not only did he want to feel her wet insides but he also wanted to be her lover...her man...the father of her child. Maybe it was too early to feel this way but he couldn't deny his love for her.

Michelle saw his hesitation and waited silently.

"Babe... what if I... didn't want to put it on? What if I... wanted to have a baby...with you?" he asked her with hopeful eyes.

"Are you serious?"

"Yea. I am. I want to be your man Michelle. I can't see myself with anyone else."

"Mark...I..." and he leaned in and tenderly kissed her lips before she could say another word.

"Don't you want my baby? I want to spend the rest of my life with you." he whispered against her lips.

"I...I do...but it's kind of too soon isn't it? I mean...are you sure about this?"

"Yes Michelle, I want to have a family with you."

He dropped the condom and it silently fell to the floor as he embraced her cushiony body. He lifted her onto the bed and she was almost eye level with him now. His lips still clung to hers and his hands began to stroke her back gently. They slowly dropped to her buttocks and squeezed the soft rounded cheeks.




Redemption



Some of you may remember by dilemma from two days ago.

I'd set up a surprise homecoming for my husband, Brad. Problem is, I royally screwed it up.

Brad had hinted at wanting a threesome, so I'd recruited an old high school flame named Mark and we'd had it all set up. I got Brad all tied up, blindfolded and even put headphones on him.

The idea was for Mark and me to get him all excited. Only one of us would touch Brad at a time, so he would think it was only me. Unfortunately, I got so turned on that I got greedy. REAL FUCKING GREEDY!

I was SO ASHAMED! I was keeping Brad totally clueless!!

I'd watched Mark suck Brad's cock.

I sucked Mark's cock!

I'd watched Brad rim Mark's ass, thinking it was me!!

IT GETS WORSE! I WAS SUCH A SELFISH SLUT, right in front of my husband, and he never had a clue!

After I watched my husband rim Mark, I got so turned on I actually tounge-fucked Mark's ass, while it was still wet with my husband's saliva. This is something I REFUSED to do to my loving husband. SELFISH, SELFISH ME!!

Finally, I worked Brad up to orgasm with my talented mouth, while Mark was pounding my hot wet ass. This is something Brad has repeatedly told me he'd love to watch! But I turned into A TOTAL ONE-WAY, SELF-CENTERED BITCH and collapsed as they simultaneously exploded, filling my eager mouth and hot ass with spurt after spurt of cum!

I left Brad tied up, blindfolded, with headphones on, through ALL these intimate and fantastic experiences. I kept all these extraordinary experiences ALL TO MYSELF!!

Why? I was afraid my husband would think I am a sex-starved, nympho who loves to get FUCKED BY MULTIPLE MEN!!

That's exactly what I'd become!

The worst aspect was, Brad would have loved to share this experience and I didn't let him!

I'd been a frigging mess for two days, wallowing in guilt, wondering what to do. I even wrote the entire event up, in all its intimate and humiliating details, and posted it on this forum.

I was looking for advice.

Ultimately, I asked Mark. After all, he is the only one who witnessed the totality of my self-centeredness.

He told me he was actually pretty disgusted with my self-centered behavior. That's why he left me passed out at the foot of the bed with cum dripping from my mouth and anus. He wanted me to realize how selfish my plan turned out, EVEN though he knew it started with good intentions.

He told me my only options were:

1. Tell Brad everything.

2. Never say a word and live with the guilt forever.

I really am a 'good person!' That's why this was so DAMNED difficult. I guess ultimately I am selfish, because I chose option A. Rid myself of the guilt and hope Brad would understand.

---CONFESSION---

I baked Brad his favorite dinner, garlic pasta with shrimp and asparagus. He knew this was a signal I was planning on swallowing his cock later in the evening. You see, I ABSOLUTELY SAVOR the taste of his semen after he eats garlic and asparagus!!

I wore his favorite skirt, with no undies, so he could feel my hot wet womanhood throughout the meal (and more importantly, after). Sometimes he takes advantage of my pantyless crotch as I clean up the kitchen. See, I abhor a dirty kitchen and this drives him crazy. He says it's so frustrating and unromantic to stop and wait while I wash the ditches. On ocassion, he will punish me and that's exactly what he did tonight.

After we cleared the dishes to the sink, he took my hand and said, "Let's go upstairs, this can wait."

"No, it will only take five minutes. You go and get yourself ready for the best blowjob ever!"

I turned around, started the water and began washing. Was he going upstairs or was I going to be punished? My pussy dampened and then I felt my answer as my skirt slid up over my hot round ass!

SMACK, SMACK, I flinched as both my cheeks recieved sharp slaps. Now comes the hard part, the actual punishment!

Yes! I feel his hands part my ass cheeks, then nothing.

I pick up a plate and bring it under the hot water.

There it is, I think, as I feel hot breath on my exposed anal bud. I pause, with the plate frozen under the running water. Then, nothing?

I wait, still nothing but his hot breath on my tight hole each time he exhales.

Oh well, I flip the plate over and he hears the change in the flow of water. Instantly, his warm tounge flicks lightly across my puckered hole.

I freeze, waiting for more from that talented tounge. 10, then 15 seconds pass, still nothing.

I make a move to put the now THOROUGHLY rinsed plate in the dishwasher and...freeze again.

His lips tightly encircle my puckered sphincter, like a hard french kiss, and I feel his tounge tip come to rest lightly on the center of my wrinkled bud. I swear I can feel his heartbeat, ever so slightly pulsing on my anus.

The faint pulses continue but that's it! None of the probing or lapping that I desperately need!

"Damnit Brad, I HAVE to get these done so we can get upstairs. There is something I need to tell you while I suck on that hot cock of yours."

Pleeeaaseee," I beg!

"Then, lets get upstairs so you can enjoy my cock."

"But the dishes," I plead, reaching for the dishwasher.

'Fuck,' I say to myself as you spread my cheeks wider and lock your lips around my hole and again gently place the tip of your tounge at my starfish. Then...you stop.

"BRAD!" I scream.

"Upstairs now or give me your confession just like this," he says, replacing his lips immediately.

I shut the water off, rest my elbows on the edge of the sink and sigh, at the same time trying to push his tounge deeper in my hot, wet, frustrated hole.

I feel his head shake No-No.

OK, I begin. "Remember the night you got home?"

Up and down his tounge moves.

I assume that's a yes and think: 'there's no FUCKING way this confession is going to come out right while I'm standing here like a Dom Bitch and he's back there like my little tool.'

"Ow," I feel teeth on my ass. Telling me to go on.

"Remember, that first blowjob?"

Up and down his tounge moves, vigorously. Signifying how he enjoyed it.

"Remember those two slaps to your cock?"

Up and down with a nip of the teeth at the end, signifying his, displeasure.

"Rember eating that oyster from my ass?"

Up and down, up and down vigorously. Damnit, I'm confessing to a tounge. This isn't fucking working!

"Brad, that wasn't me," I whisper.

Nothing. I wait, still nothing, then a tentative left right movement, I take as a questioning no?

"No, it was Mark, from work."

"What," he asks, removing his face from my ass, leaving me feeling suddenly afraid.

"I was trying to suprise you like those e-mails you sent, but I got carried away. Then I was afraid you'd get mad, so I made him go home."

I was, holding my breath, waiting for your reaction.

"Carried away? What the fuck does that mean?"

"Watching you eat his ass was so sexy, I had to eat it too," I mumbled.

"You won't even lick mine but you ate his," you shouted accusingly?

"I had him fuck my ass too, while I gave you that last blowjob," I said and started sobbing.

"You SELFISH BITCH", he screamed and then he spat in my ass.

FUCK. I spun around but he was already heading out the front door.

I collapsed, to the floor, sobbing.

Screw the dishes. My life is a mess. I barely had enough energy to crawl to the couch, curl up with a comforter and sob myself to sleep.

---?REDEMPTION?---

I awoke and sensed someone in the living room. I saw movement and felt strong hands grab my arms. Another set of hands wrapped tape around my mouth and pulled a pillowcase over my head.

I tried to kick and scream but it was futile. My heart was racing a million miles a minute.

Did I lock the, front door?

Maybe Brad left it open when he left?? SHIT, I was helpless and hoped this would just be is a robbery.

That dream was shattered as I felt a sharp knife slit my pullover skirt from the neckline to my crotch. One set of hands held my upper body and yanked me to my feet as the second ripped the torn dress off, leaving me completely exposed and naked.

Once he got my dress off he wrapped it around my wrist, tied them together and then wrapped them in tape. The guy behind me grabbed my wrists and pulled me into the kitchen. I heard chairs crash against the wall and our centerpiece vase, shatter on the floor,

I was thrown backward across the table, so I kicked out with my legs. I heard a muffled groan and lashed out again, kicking air. Shit, I thought as two hands grabbed my ankles like vices. Mr Vicegrip spread my legs and I felt him lewdly lick my exposed pussy, his rough beard burning my thighs as I tried to squeeze them shut. He continued to force his tounge into my pussy, trying to get deeper, searching for my clit.

Mr, Wrists, was fumbling at his zipper with one hand trying to get his cock out. I tried, to headbutt his crotch but hit his belt buckle.

I felt Mr. Wrists reach down and push Mr Vicegrip from my pussy. Then I felt them lift me by my ankles and wrists. They carried me up the stairs to my bedroom and swung me onto the bed. Mr Vicegrip pulled one leg and quickly tied it securely to my bedpost. Then he repeated the process. Mr Wrists cut through the tape and skirt, then repeated the process. I was helpless now, just like Brad was two nights ago, FUCK!!

Wait. How did they know we had rope, under the matress, already tied to the bedposts?

It must be, I prayed to myself!

It had to be Brad. It's too coincidental, right?

The ropes? The fight? We'd never had a break-in. They knew exactly where the bedroom was.

These thoughts made me relax, JUST A LITTLE...who was the other guy.

Brad didn't know Mark, Who could it be?

---A GIFT OF FORGIVENESS---

I hear Brad say, "Like you said, I don't think it was selfishness, I think she just got carried away, swept up in the heat of the moment."

Mark's voice replies, "You're right. Like I told you, her whole goal was to please you."

Up and down, I shake my shrouded head. You notice.

"Let's get comfortable before we take that hood off," Brad's voice says.

I hear belts unbuckle, zippers released, shoes drop to the floor and then feel weight on both sides of the bed. As I relax, I begin to shake uncontrollably as the adrenaline and fear of the last ten minutes dissipates. I feel hands gently rub my breasts, trying to comfort my shaking body and hear you say, "I'll be right back."

A few seconds later, I feel you return and pull the pillow away from my mouth. Then, you reach underneath and yank the tape from my mouth, you slice a small hole in the pillowcase, place your hand under my head and force something through the hole. I instinctively open my mouth, expecting your cock but my lips find the hard cold edge of a bottle. You silently pour some Dalmore into my mouth. I gulp down a mouthful but don't release the bottle. You recognize my need and allow me another long pull.

What a lucky woman I am. Here you are recognizing my needs, trying to calm my shattered nerves, so I can enjoy whatever this crazy night brings. Meanwhile Mark has been massaging my body, warming my shaking muscles, making the tension slip away.

He's worked his way to my outstretched thighs but bypasses my pussy, instinctively knowing it isn't ready yet for intimate contact. He kneads my thighs. As he works down my calves, I feel Brad's warm cock prod the hole near my mouth.

I eagerly part my lips and caress the warm soft head, gently sucking, hoping to be rewarded with some garlic flavored precum but there is none...yet, I think to myself. You gently pull away and say, "I'm gonna light the fire and some candles. You're still shaking."

Mark has made it down to my feet and his strong hands are firmly sucking the tension from my body. My shaking has been reduced to an occasional tremor, then I notice a slight warmth emanating from two spots. My belly, thanks to the scotch, and from my loins, as Mark slowly and sensually sucks each toe, causing my frigid pussy to relax as its juices begin to flow.

Brad returns and gently cuts the tape around the pillowcase and tosses my hood aside. I see his naked, strong body, glistening in the light of the fireplace and two bedside candles. The lighting is perfect for what I assume may be a pretty vivid night. 

I whisper, "I'm sorry," looking deep into his eyes begging forgiveness. IT'S THERE. I breath a sigh of relief!

"I'm sorry too," he says, suprising me. "The e-mails were wrong. It was just a fantasy game we play. It's so lonely underway! I thought you knew it was supposed to stay that way."

"Well, its always made our sex life fantastic, right?"

"Yes," he says. "Until two nights ago when your conflicting emotions got the best of you. I know you were trying to give me a gift you weren't comfortable giving. Then you got scared."

"Yes!" I whisper. He kisses me and that's when I notice Mark's soft tounge working its way, gently along the folds of my pussy. "Ummm," I murmur into Brad's mouth.

"No more talking, just lay back and enjoy," he murmurs.

I close my eyes and nod, as my clit hardens under Mark's talented tounge.

I feel you shift, open my eyes and find your swollen gland inches from my face, a drop of precum glistening in the candlelight. I smile as you milk more. It slowly drips into my eager mouth. I gasp as it hits my tounge, just as Mark shoves a finger into my wet pussy.

You smile as you lower that glistening bulbous rod into my waiting lips. Ahhh, I sigh as it slides between my lips. I taste our apple oil. You pull out and straddle my face, telling Mark to undo my legs, as you untie my wrists.

I immediately bend my legs to give Mark better access and reach for your cock, sliding it all the way down my throat, until your balls rest on my nose. I push you back out slowly and rub my hands across your back.

I notice your back is oiled but I also notice it's HAIRLESS! Your hairy mat is gone! I pull you deep down my throat as Mark laps at my juicy pussy, working it with two fingers now. As your tight balls hit my nose, I glance and YES, your butt is shiny, and smooth as a babies bum!

Oh, it looks so sexy. I pull your cock from my mouth and suck one of you smooth balls into my mouthk as I spread your smooth glimmering ass cheeks with my hands and stare transfixed at you smooth, sexy, and lubed rosebud.

I feel you move down to my pussy and move Mark's mouth aside.

Then I realize why. You begin licking my clit while he pushes my legs high in the air, sliding his tounge down to my neglected ass. OMG, a tounge on my clit and one gently circling my anus...I must get your cock back in my mouth!

I deep throat it again as Mark begins his first tentative probes with his tounge. Your tounge is playing a symphony on my clit and I begin pumping my mouth up and down your shaft, urging you to unleash your seed in my mouth.

Mark rams his tounge deep past my sphincter walls. You slide your fingers deep in my pussy and I feel you swell in my mouth. I moan and force Mark's tounge deeper as I feel your tounge reach a crescendo on my clit. My pussy begins to contract and your cock explodes in my mouth. Mark somehow manages to force his tounge deeper, even though my powerful anal muscles are spasming wildly!

You slide off me.

Mark's tounge slowly slides from my ass.

I savor your sweet cum. WOW, I think.

You slide up beside me and give me a loving kiss and ask, "Good?"

"Ummmhmmm, fantastic"

"The night is young," you reply and smile.

Mark suddenly kneels by my face with his beautiful cock, totally neglected. I lick my lips and give you a questioning glance. You wink and nod in approval. I open my mouth and reach to cup his balls, gently pulling him to my waiting mouth. Ahh, I moan as he slides in and I feel you lazily stroke my swollen, slick pussy lips.

Your mouth reaches out to lick my nipples, as you continue stroking my wet cunt lips, occasionally straying to my throbbing clit. I reach a rhythm on Mark's cock and you gently pull my nipple with your teeth, causing electric pulses to shoot through my loins.

You move your lips from my breasts and nibble at my earlobe, then slide your tounge into my ear, gently tickling it. I glance and see you are mesmerized by the cock filling my mouth. I have the unselfish urge to share. It seems somehow intriguing and sexy.

I slide Mark out and move my mouth to his balls, pushing on his buns to direct his cock toward your unsuspecting mouth. As it nears, you look into my eyes and I stare, transfixed. Your mouth slowly opens and your tounge circles his throbbing head. I nudge Mark's hips closer and slide my lips up his shaft. Our lips meet and we kiss our way back down his shaft.

I grab his hot rod and guide it to your mouth. You look in my eyes and I smile. You take his head in, close your eyes and slide tentatively down his cock. I continue pumping the root of his shaft, mesmerized as you slowly rock back and forth, deeper every stroke. Finally, I remove my hand and cup Mark's tight balls. I slip a finger in his ass and he moans, thrusting deeper into your mouth. I watch, fascinated as you pull back, lick you lips and slide his thick meat between your lips. Down, down, it slowly disappears until your lips are touching my hand on his tight balls. I reach down, rub my nub and shudder in orgasmic bliss!

My other hand begins fucking Mark's tight hole and he responds by grabbing your head and sliding his cock in and out, in and out, over and over again. I rub my clit harder and harder! Mark moans, I moan, his sphincter muscles clamp on my finger. I bury it in his ass, bring my lips to yours, just as he explodes in your mouth. I feel you swallow the first blast and force my lips around his pulsing rod to be rewarded with the second. I quickly shove it back between your lips for the third spasm and watch it fill your mouth. I swap and catch number four and milk more precious semen from his swollen twitching cock.

Mark falls back, sated and you throw me back on the bed, sliding your cock in my throbbing pussy. You are hard as a rock and I am coming wildly, sucking your hot mouth with mine, searching for any last vestiges of cum.

"That was was FUCKING HOT," you wisper in my ear.

I nod in agreement.

"Are we done," I ask?

You say, "This is the only time we'll ever do this. Can you think of anything we should try. Something we might regret not trying later?"

"Well, umm, umm, yes, I guess."

"Then we're not done, are we?" You smile.

"No," I smile in reply.

My hands go to your hairless chest and I ask you to roll over, remembering your waxed anus! My hands begin to rub your smooth, hairless, chiseled back, working my way to your hot muscled ass. It is smooth and slick, like a greased or marinated roast. I dribble more apple oil down your beckoning crack and knead your hot buns like lumps of warm bread dough. I feel you relax as I spread your smooth waxed cheeks and rotate my thumbs ever closer to your hairless, sweet rosebud.

I watch as you spread your legs to give me better access and you push toward my thumbs every time they graze your sphincter. Your smooth and hairless hole looks soooooo inviting. How could I have missed out in this intimate and sensual act for so long? Guess that's something to thank Mark for!

I lower my mouth and you sigh, as my soft, wet and eager tounge tentatively probes your smooth, hot, apple flavored glory hole. I sigh too, as I realize how selfless and intimate this act is. Your hole pushes back, urging my tounge deeper. I lock my lips around your puckered hole and meet your pressure with equal and opposite pressure, feeling your sphincter muscles relax and open slightly as I slide deeper and deeper.

Then I feel Mark's tounge begin duplicating my motions on my anus. This only causes me to push deeper. Then I begin to rock slowly. In and out, in and out, as I reach for your shaft. It is rock hard! As I grasp it, your sphincter contracts on my tounge. I thrust my tounge deeper and at the same time, grab Mark by the hair, pulling him toward your hot ass.




Redemption



I pull out, satisfied I've prepared you well. I lay on the bed, my head leaning back off the edge and pull your cock to my waiting lips, engulfing your shaft. Then, I grab Mark's stiff and throbbing meat and guide it to your tounge stretched anus. I watch, fascinated, as I see the bulb press against your tiny puckered hole.

I hear you moan and feel precum drip onto my lips. Mark squirts more oil on his shaft as he strains to get his swollen gland past your ever expanding sphincter. Suddenly the resistance is gone and his long hard shaft freely slides halfway in. You moan and again, I taste precum literally oozing into my mouth. He backs out and slowly thrusts deeper. Your cock twitches in my mouth. Out he pulls. Deeper his shaft goes. Out, then deeper. Out, then deeper. Out, then he's buried completely! Precum continues to fill my mouth.

Mark's rhythm quickens and your shaft matches the rhythm, sliding between my wet, hot lips. Then I feel your tounge on my clit as you slide a dildo deep into my drenched pussy. Mmmm, I hum around your rapidly enlarging shaft. Mmmmm, you moan on my electrified clit. Arrrggh, Mark shouts as I stick a finger up his ass, feeling it spasm around my knuckles, knowing he is shooting deep in your bowels. This drives me over the edge and my muscles clench the dildo over and over and over, just as a hot load of your sweet essence fills my waiting mouth!

It's like an erotic electrical wire runs through us. From a contraction on my finger, it jumps to Mark's cock, shocking your rectum, then jumping to twitch your cock between my lips and finally, down to zap my electrified clit, then running back to my finger, which twitches in Mark's ass to start it all over again. Once, twice, three, four, five circuits the pulses go, slowly ebbing to a subtle warm glow! INCREDIBLE, I think, as I feel a dildo slide from my pussy, a cock from mouth, and watch a long cock slowly slide from Brad's ass, as I remove my finger from Mark's now still anus.

I'M JELLO! FLOATING!! IN HEAVEN! IN LOVE WITH A SHARING HUSBAND...as I drift into a satisfied dream-filled slumber. They seem SO real, SO vivid, SO recent. The heightened sensitivity of my loins makes my throbbing cunt feel so full. The loosened, pleasantly throbbing muscles of my anus feel the memory of a smooth, warm, probing and slick cock head. My body feels the memory of being rocked slowly to orgasm. I moan and stretch in my dreamy sleep, only to realize the rocking is real!

My vivid dream of languidly rocking astride an engorged, pulsing penis, while at the same time, another warm, slick and pleasantly probing piece of manhood, slowly pressures my expanding anus appears to be COMING TRUE! I don't even open my eyes, trusting Brad and Mark completely. KNOWING they will honor my only two requests: that Brad's lips are the only ones to kiss mine and Brad's cock is the only one to make love to my pussy.

Eyes closed and totally trusting, I rock with their motion, feeling Mark's engorged head continue to probe my rapidly relaxing bum. It is slick and hot, probing yet gentle, firm yet soft, as it ever so slowly slides past my pleasantly stretching sphincter...sliding...sliding...sliding...sliding...sliding...

As it reaches my deepest depths, I feel so full, so sated, SO LOVED! They lay like this for what seems like minutes, thinking I'm still asleep, each wondering how to wake me. I let them wonder, enjoying the fullness, in no hurry to have this heavenly dream end!!

Deciding to gently rock me awake, I feel Mark begin to move. Almost imperceptibly at first, I feel him shift his weight forward, then a slight movement back. Neither his or Brad's cock actually move, just the slack skin in their penises sliding over their muscular shafts. The feeling is mind-blowing! There is a slight tension on my sphincter, both pulling it in and pushing it out, but no skin to skin friction. The same amazing sensation is occurring with my vaginal walls. No skin past skin movement, only a subtle feeling of Brad's muscular cock moving ever so slightly within its loose skin and an overwhelmingly subtle sensation on my incredibly sensitive clit!

This goes on for what seems like forever. I wonder. Could they cum from this? I sure could!! They both seem so engrossed in this symphony they are coreographing. It must be pleasant for them, right?

Over the next half hour, the rhythm imperceptibly increases. I feel their breathing slightly increase and notice we are all covered in a thin sheen of sweat. Neither cock has moved, except within their loose folds of skin. I feel their cocks begin to swell and the tempo shifts ever so slightly. I feel so full, sooo secure, soooo worshipped! My clit is electrified! My loins are brimming with an insidious fullness!

I feel their sweat sheened bodies begin to tense as their cocks swell enough to stretch me completely! The rocking stops...the swelling continues, then I feel it, a wave rides up Mark's shaft in slow motion, ending in an explosion deep in my bowels. Time is suspended. A similar current rises up Brad's shaft, depositing a splash of heat against my cervix! This triggers a spasm in my anal walls and kegel muscles. The slow motion reality continues as I feel my spasm trigger another wave up Mark's shaft, depositing more sperm deep in my anus. Still, no one moves!! We all feel the magic!

Brad's cock fires, my muscles convulse...Mark squirts more seed...Brad spasms...I shudder. Repeat...repeat...repeat...until the waves recede to pure tranquility. Suspended animation. I feel heartbeats in my pussy and anus. Sooo full, sooo LOVED!

"Nirvana," I whisper in Brad's ear.

"You're welcome," he whispers back.

"Love," I reply.

"YES," I hear as I slide into a blissfully dreamless slumber.



Redemption



"Tell me exactly what you want."

It's always better to ask directly. Herb had been hinting, talking trashy, doing all sorts of things except telling me exactly what he wanted.

"Well, you know. . ."

"No, I don't."

We were cuddling in our living room late at night, relaxing after our usual Friday night date devoted to dining and dancing. We were almost ready to go to bed.

"Well, that guy you thought was so handsome – I think you called him eye candy?"

"What about him?"

Herb took a deep breath. "He was staring at you, too. You were one of the prettiest women there, and he was looking at you. I knew what he was thinking about, and it turned me on."

"Herb, you're doing it again. I can't read between those lines. Tell me exactly what you were thinking, tell me what you want."

"He was thinking that he'd like to get you in bed, and I was thinking that that's something I'd like to see, to see you being seduced like that."

"You want to see me seduced by someone like him? But I'm your wife!"

"But you had sex with other guys before, Mary, and when I think about that it turns me on. You're very sexy, I'd like you to feel sexy with some other guy – no, that's not right, what I'd like is to see you BE sexy with some other guy."

"That is absolutely nuts. If you ever were sexy with another woman I'd cut your balls off. Is that what this is about, you want an open marriage or something?" I thought our marriage was really good. We were each 45 years old. I had been divorced for three years and Herb two when we got married nine years ago.

"I absolutely do not want to have sex with another woman. I am getting turned on by seeing other guys look at you with lust in their eyes, and I get really turned on by thinking about what it would look like to see you on this sofa with someone like that guy, getting each other excited, then having sex. You asked, and that is exactly what I want."

Wow. I guess some women do hear that from their husbands, but I didn't expect to hear it from mine. The guy we were taking about was handsome and sexy looking, and sure at the instant I did wonder what it would be like to be held and kissed by him, but it was that idle back-of-the-mind fantasy we all have sometimes, with never any thought or plan of having it happen, and that's what I told Herb.

"I know you wouldn't do something like that behind my back, or have an affair. But think about the other thing. That's what I'd like you to do. Just think about it." Herb took a few seconds and then said "what I'd like is to be sitting over there" – he pointed to the chair across the room – "and see something like this happen."

He kissed me, then kissed me harder, and moved so we were lying down and I was trapped between him and the back of the sofa. I could feel him pressing his erection against me.

It was fun doing that, something we had not done in years. He changed everything though when he said "Pretend it's happening, that I'm watching you and you want to put on a sexy show and have fun while you're doing it."

Pretend, to please my husband? I could do that. I do a little acting in community theater and like to do improv with our acting group. Herb knew that: "Pretend it's an improv session," he said. "Pretend, for me."

I was enjoying his kisses and passion, and what he asked for wasn't too much, was it? 

"Give me a minute and I'll do it," I told him. "I just have to think about what character to become."

"Be you," he whispered. That wouldn't work for me, this wasn't anything I'd do, but – yes, I'd be Helen. Helen would do that. Helen was part of our group, and she even told me she thought Herb was sexy. What would Helen do if she was here?

I became her. I was wearing a simple black dress and its hemline was just a little above my knees. It was easy to put my upper leg over his and press my pelvis against his groin and hip and be the aggressor in our kissing.

He liked that!

I reached between us and fumbled with his belt a little, then got it open. His pants closed with a button, and I one handed that open and got his fly zipper lowered too. Herb was pushing against me harder now. "That's what I'd want to see you do," he said as he kissed me back.

I put my hand against his shirt on his belly like I imagined Helen would do. I worked my fingers, now Helen's fingers, pulling up at his shirt until my finger tips were on skin, not cloth. 

"Is this what you want to see?" I asked him as I moved my fingers a little lower until they were caressing his belly.

"Oh yes, yes," he said.

I don't know when it happened, but suddenly I was no longer playing Helen's character, I was me. And he was no longer Herb, he became that man I was looking at earlier. And Herb was somewhere else in the room, watching.

And I knew what I was doing was pleasing both me and my husband, who would be sitting over there. I moved my fingertips under the waistband of this stranger's briefs. "Honey," I asked, "Are you watching? Do you see me touching him?" 

"Oh God, Mary," the man I was touching said, a husband who wanted to be a surrogate for someone else. I pushed my fingers deeper, feeling coarse dark hair, and deeper, until they reached his shaft. "He's too exited for me to play with his cock," I thought so I reached around it and cupped his scrotum. 

I was playing into Herb's fantasy and it was becoming mine, too. "I want to do this while you're watching," I told him, fondling him, then grasping at his shaft, stroking him. His hand moved to my own hip, then onto my leg, under my dress and up until he was fingering me through my panty hose. "That's what he'd do to me if I was playing with his cock," I told Herb, "and I wouldn't stop him. I'd want him to touch me."

Just like that, with just that little bit of stimulation, I felt my husband's penis pulse, and then his briefs and my hand got wet and messy with his ejaculant. Even more surprising to me was his pressure on my groin and what I was doing had me so exited I had a small orgasm, too!

What they say about old dogs and new tricks? It's a lie!

We fell asleep holding each other like that on the sofa, and much later – maybe around 3am, woke up. We left a trail of clothing on the way to our bedroom, had brief but very sweet and tender sex, and fell asleep again.

I awoke around 9 that day and rolled toward my husband and kissed him awake too – with predictable results. When we were done, relaxing in that comfortable after-sex-on-a-Saturday-morning afterglow, Herb said "About last night?"

"Yes?"

"I was serious, you know."

I hugged him tighter, and nodded. "I know."

He was quiet for a minute or two, and then asked what I knew he would. "And?"

I held him a little tighter, pressed against him, put my leg over his hip again like I did the night before. I reached down and held the penis that was still moist from our sex and told him the truth. "It got me excited, too, so if you're sure that's what you want, yes, I'd do it if there's ever a good opportunity."

"It's what I want, Mary" he whispered as he held me. We fell back to sleep again, holding each other physically and promising to hold each other to that promise, too.

I awoke before Herb and was having breakfast when he came into the kitchen. Somehow in the bright daytime it didn't seem right to talk about our earlier conversation.

We didn't say anything about it for the next week, either, but the two times we had sex I knew what Herb was thinking about – his actions spoke louder than words.

That Theater Group I mentioned met once a month on Thursdays unless we were preparing a play. That Thursday evening I was chatting with Helen, my inspiration for the improv I tried on my husband almost a week earlier. 

"Did you know Fred is moving away?" she asked me. Fred was, oh, ten years younger than me, he was unmarried, fun to be with, and a good actor. Helen told me he took a job in Providence, both for the position and because of Trinity Rep, their local theater group. He'd be leaving in a week. "I like him a lot, so I gave him a going away present," Helen added with a smirk.

I thought I knew what that was all about, knowing Helen, but I asked anyhow. "Oh?"

"We were practicing some scenes after last month's meeting – remember, you missed the meeting? Anyhow he told me he was leaving then. I invited him to my place the next week – that would have been three weeks ago -- so we could 'practice' some more. I let the scenes get pretty hot."

"That is, real hot."

"Sizzling hot."

"That hot?"

"We ended up having sex, just like I planned. He is very very good in bed. Too bad you're so married you can't give him a going away present like that, too. Or, if you want to, I'll distract Herb. I'd like to give your husband the same present. I think he's hot too. Is he?"

I'm usually not a catty woman, but couldn't resist a little jab: "He is hot. Would you be offering him a somewhat used present?"

"I'd rather call it experienced, Mary, but yes, it's been well used," she said with a laugh, not treating what I said as an insult. "But I know you, and I guess you are never going to let me give Herb that kind of a, well, it wouldn't be a going away present, more like a cumming one. I understand that."

What Helen thought she understood didn't much matter to me. Towards the end of the meeting I made a point of talking to Fred. "When are you leaving, Fred?"

"I'm just finishing up packing, I'll be on my way Monday," he told me.

"Hey Fred, my husband and I go out for dinner and dancing every Friday night. Why don't you join us? It would be my treat as a kind of going away present to you." 

Fred looked at me with a funny expression – maybe 'going away present' was a phrase Helen used with him as well but then he said "That sounds really nice. Are you sure your husband won't mind if I tag along?"

"I'm sure it will be OK with him," I assured him. He didn't know I had my fingers crossed, so that means the lie didn't count. 

Fred is a really cute guy. He never figured into my fantasies, but just maybe. . .

I didn't say anything to Herb about my plan until we were driving to the restaurant.

"Herby honey, do you remember what happened after we came home last week? We haven't talked about that at all since then."

"Oh, I remember, and I've been thinking about how sexy that was and how sexy you'd be if you did that. I'm hoping for a repeat performance tonight, Mary."

"Is it still something you want?"

"You bet: more than ever."

We stopped at one of the longer red lights on the way to the restaurant. "Honey," I said, "remember me talking about Fred from the theater group? He's leaving the area for good on Monday. You had met Helen, she's part of the group. She seduced him last week as a going away present. Well, I invited him to join us for dinner and dancing tonight. If you don't like that idea we can just go to a different restaurant because I'll never see him again, but if you do want to check him out, maybe we could play that game tonight."

Herb's mouth dropped open, and he looked at me. "Are you serious?"

"As serious as you want me to be."

Herb knew of Fred although he didn't know him personally. He couldn't say a word – I've never seen him speechless before. 

"Do you want to test the idea and we'll see how it goes? Probably nothing will happen, but maybe something will."

He somehow croaked out a "I want to test it."

"Herb honey," I said, "Herb, the light is green. We have to go now. And Herb, are you giving me a green light, too?"

He somehow turned to face the front of the car and it began moving. He reached across the seat and stroked my inner thigh and somehow managed to say "Oh yes, yes, you have a green light."

Fred was at our table waiting for us. It was strained at first, then Fred's personality worked its magic. He made Herb feel really at ease without really understanding why he was tense in the first place.

Drinks, a light meal, dessert. There was music and dancing. "Do you like him?" I asked my husband. "What's important, do you?" he responded. We were dancing at the time: I had two handsome men taking turns dancing with me.

"He's nice, he's handsome, he's a great actor, too," I answered.

"That wasn't the real question I wanted to ask," Herb said. "Do you want me to invite him back to our house?" Herb was dancing, sort of, but he was carrying himself as rigidly as a man could, way past 'on edge.'

I pulled my husband closer, and told him what Fred told me during the last dance. Nearly everything was packed in his house, and even the TV was disconnected. All he can do at home is read and wait for the movers to come. "So, if you wanted to invite him, you could use that as an excuse."

He didn't say anything until the end of the dance. As we were walking back to the table he squeezed my hand and said "I will use that as a reason to invite him."

I didn't have a chance to sit down, a new song started and Fred stood and swept me away. He held me maybe just a little closer than was proper, but it wasn't sexy or bad or dirty dancing at all.

The band announced a break as we walked back to the table. Herb looked at me and asked "Did you ask Fred?" I said no while Fred looked puzzled. Herb took over. "Hey Fred, my wife said your apartment was all packed up."

"Yeah, it is."

"Well, come on and follow us home for a nightcap there. We live over in Sunside, is that far out of your way?"

"No, no it isn't, not much anyway. Yes, I'd like that."

Herb suggested I ride with Fred so he wouldn't get 'lost', but Fred said that wasn't necessary, he was sure he could follow us. When we were driving I wondered if that was so that he could escape if he wanted to. Herb told me he was so close behind it was like being welded together.

"I'm scared," I said, holding Herb's hand. "Nothing will happen unless we all want it to," he told me. 

Somehow the trip took no time at all. We pulled into the garage, Fred parked in the driveway.

It didn't take long before we were sitting in our living room: Herb and me on the sofa, and Fred on what I had started to think of as the 'watching chair'. I was going to let Herb manage this if he could so I could be 'innocent'.

It turns out he could manage it very well. "You guys did a lot of scenes in the community theater together, didn't you?"

I said "A few," and Fred said that we didn't play opposite each other very often.

"What about practice scenes, improve, things like that," Herb asked. "We tried some of that here last week, but I'm a lousy actor, and Mary deserves someone better to practice with."

"We do have lots of good actors in our group," Fred said.

Herb had a plan: "I remember that play you guys put on last winter, the one that one of your members wrote, that romantic one."

Fred nodded. "Yeah, that was 'Affair,' it got good reviews. We like to do scenes from that just for practice sometimes."

Herb stood up and moved away from the sofa. "Hey Fred, you and Mary show me how professionals rehearse scenes like the seduction one in that play. Mary told me you all improvise a lot, could you do that with Mary? Mary, would that be all right? It would be a nice way to continue the evening."

"Uh, I guess it's OK with me, if it is with Fred."

Fred looked at each of us in turn, trying to understanding what the script really was. "I'd like to do that with you, Mary, but Herb?" – he looked at my husband – "do you remember it's probably R rated, not suitable for children or even husbands if they get jealous of the role their wife is acting."

"I'd like to see it, Fred," Herb said, but really speaking to both of us. "Go on."

I remembered the scene and even played it a few times, but never with Fred. And it was hot: every time I had come home after having kissed another actor I took my arousal out on my husband. He liked the result, but I never told him what was the cause.

Fred sat next to me, put an arm around my shoulder, and asked "Ready to improvise, Mary? We don't have a director here so I'll do that too."

I closed my eyes and took the several mind clearing breaths the way we were taught to, and I could feel Fred doing the same thing.

Then his hand found my chin and turned my head so I was facing him, and our lips met, just as the script, as I remembered, had the actors do.

His hand moved to my shoulder, and he pulled me closer, and the kiss went open mouth – first his, then after a minute, mine, and tongues touched. Part of what we were taught was to make sure the audience could see what was happening, and Fred positioned us so that Herb could see that clearly.

I remembered how the scene was written, how it was supposed to progress. There was supposed to be ... yes, there it was, Fred was stroking my arm, then my side, then my hip, and I let my outside arm move from his shoulder, to his chest, then his belly.

We held that for a moment or two, then slowly parted.

"That was so hot," Herb whispered. "I loved it. It's too bad the scene ended there."

"I was doing this same scene with Helen last week," Fred said, "and we just let it go on. There's no law that says it has to stop there." 

"Do that, let the scene go on, like you practiced it with Helen," my husband said. 

Fred said "When I was with Helen I didn't know it was a rehearsal for here. Maybe it was. I'd like to go on if it's all right with Mary."

I looked from one to the other of them. This was IT!

"It would be fun: sometimes I assume Helen's character when I'm practicing," I told both of them. "Let's do it again."

More kissing, more arm stroking, then Fred's hand moved across my breast, pausing, feeling my nipple through the dress. I have small breasts and don't wear a bra with this dress. It still looks modest, but I always liked that it made me feel sexy. Now it really felt sexy! Just like last week somehow we tilted more and more until I was lying on the sofa, pressed against this man, and he was pressing back.

He knew what we wanted, I was sure of it.

He pulled away, sat up and helped me up, too. "Is that more or less what you had in mind?" he asked Herb. Herb wasn't shy about saying it was exactly what he wanted to see, then he turned to me. "Are you having fun, Mary?"

He might as well have asked "Are you ready to let this man fuck you?"

"It is fun. And sexy," I said. I really was saying that it looked like we were all consulting adults.

"When I played this same scene with Helen it wasn't as hot. Helen isn't married, she goes out with a lot of guys. It's odd, being with a woman like that, she felt almost, well, cheap. But you two, I don't think you do this often . . ." Herb interrupted "we never do this!" and Fred continued "so this feels so sexy, so special. I want to go on, but this time, Mary, let's make it really hot." He looked from one to the other of us. "Is that OK?"

I looked to my husband for guidance in time to see him say "It's what I want. What about you, Mary?" Were we really consenting adults?

"I did say I was having fun," I told the both of them.

Fred stood up and adjusted the lights to his liking, turning them down a little bit. They weren't harsh, it was almost, well, seductive.

Then he pulled me up, and kissed me. "OK, this is how we're going to heat it up," he told me, talking now like the director, like the man in charge.

"How?" I didn't want to stop, I didn't know what he meant. Fred looked at my husband, then me. "First, don't take on Helen's character. It's not Helen I want to play this scene with, it's you. Can you understand that?"

"Yes."

"Fine. I think I understand what you both want, and I want it too. So, let's not be pretending this is something other than what it really is. I want you to take off those pantyhose."

Oh God!

Herb looked at me and agreed. "Mary, do that. Do that as Mary, not Helen. Do that now!"




Redemption



Both men watched me, waiting. I felt, well, submissive, controlled. I reached down, lifted my dress, got my fingers around the pantyhose hem around my hips, and pushed them down, under my dress. There was no doubt about the outcome now.

Finally my hose were bunched around my ankles, and I extracted one foot, then the other, and stood there, waiting to be told what to do next.

"Good," Fred said. He moved to the sofa, sat, and patted the cushion beside him. "Let's start, Mary. Let's start for real. Come here, sit by me."

It was the longest three feet I ever traveled. When I sat he positioned me closer to him. 

"OK," he said. "Don't pretend to be someone else, be you. We're going to put on a sexy show for your husband. Are you ready?"

It took a moment or two before I could say "I am."

A kiss. Another kiss. 

A touch on my shoulder, then a pivoting, and I was lying down again.

Still more kissing, then movement.

Somehow I wasn't against him, wasn't pressed against the back of the sofa. I was almost on my back, and he was beside me, not on me, not covering me, but close enough for a kiss and far enough away for me to feel exposed even though I still had my dress on.. 

His upper hand was gently touching my cheek during that kiss.

Then it moved down, along my throat then, to my side. He avoided my breast, his hand caressed my hip, then moved down over my dress to my thigh, continuing until his palm was on my knee, on skin, not on dress, not on hose.

"And now I'll show her what he wants to see," he whispered, and that hand moved to the inside of my other leg, on my knee.

I wanted, I needed, to be kissed, he felt that need, our lips met, and his hand moved up along my leg, fingers moving up, between my legs, bunching my dress around his wrist, his hand was almost trapped between my legs and my dress.

He pulled his lips away for a moment, and whispered again. "That won't do, Mary. Don't make it difficult for me. Make it easier for me to touch you."

I lifted up a little to release the dress, tilted my pelvis and – oh, forgive me – lifted my upper leg and bent that knee so my foot was on the sofa.

"Yes, like that," he said, and his hand moved higher and higher, closer and closer.

At last he touched me, I could feel something – his thumb? – move against labia there, my moist lips there. He was touching my sex -- touching me while my husband watched!

His hand moved, a finger tip pressed against me, and then with a small movement he let it penetrate that space. It entered me! A man was fingering me, touching me in that most private place, a place that had been reserved for my husband's pleasure long before we were married. It was my husband's place, there under my dress, where Fred was touching me. This was, was wicked, bad, wrong!

And I was allowing him to do it: helping him, even. Somehow I moved, to give him even better access!

My eyes were closed, one of my arms was under him, centered on his back, the other on his hip as I let him do that, more than let him, encouraged him, because my own hips were moving in time with his fingers.

"Mary?" It was a whisper, but sounded like a command. I opened my eyes to see Fred staring at me. "Mary, unbuckle my belt. I want you to touch me, to feel my size. Do that now."

It was an easy belt to unbuckle, an easy button to release, and then I did what I was told to, I slipped my hand under his clothing until those garments onto his belly, and with a final push I was touching his cock. I had not touched a man like that since it seemed forever: he was hard, hot. I let my finger move across its tip, felt something damp there. He was ready. It was ready. That thing I was touching was going to be in me soon, it was going to fuck me soon! It wasn't right, but that what was going to happen. That thought somehow made me tighten my grip on him, made me start stroking him, masturbating him.

He lost some of his coolness and remoteness, his hips began moving too as I stoked him. Oh God, this was so trashy!

Almost no time went by before he stopped touching me, sat up, and pushed his pants and boxer shorts to his knees, then turned to me. "Lift up your hips," he said, and when I did he pushed my dress up around my waist. I couldn't have been exposed in a cheaper way. 

I like to be nude when I have sex, not looking like a teenager in the back seat of a car with a guy whose only mission was to get off. I was on my back, one foot on the floor, the other leg bent against the sofa's back, and Fred moved between my legs, his penis brushing against the pubic hair on my mons as he suspended himself there. "I like this part," he told me. "I like fucking a women when her husband is watching." Herb had come over; he was standing at beside the arm of the sofa, where our heads were. He could see down between us.

Fred felt he was very much in charge, and he wanted to humiliate Herb. "I'd kiss you now, Mary, but I don't want to spoil Herb's view. I want your husband to watch my cock go in you."

He looked up at Herb. "See that? See my cock against your wife's cunt?"

Then to me he said "Hold my cock, put it where it should go."

I wanted this to be over. I did that, I positioned him and he lowered himself so he was pressing against me. I let it go, put my own fingers down there, and spread myself for him.

I wanted this to be over. He began lowering himself. I could feel that pressure, and I moved under him, aligning that space in me with that erect cock. The pressing sensation turned into a spreading one. He was entering me, that cock was moving into me. I felt the heat, saw the intensity as his groin moved toward mine as he invaded that private place. 

We, all three, watched until our pelvises met – he was fully in. I was being fucked by someone who wasn't my husband. It was as erotic and perverted thing as I could imagine. I was moving too. I wasn't just being fucked, I was fucking, too.

Stories I've read, fantasies I read about, never have women having simple sex when they cuckold their husbands. There's always lots of oral sex, lots of other things. That's not what happened to me. This was straight sex, straight fucking – we were runting like animals.

Maybe this happened to you, too. As emotions got more intense, it was like there was two of me: one on the sofa with Fred between my legs fucking me, and another me not quite as wrapped up in the action. That me was the observer, observing the action, observing my husband being newly cuckolded, seeing him watching the action too. 

That all faded into the urgency I felt. I wanted this to be over. It was wrong, it was cheap, but animal instincts won out. I was close to an orgasm, not that Fred noticed. He was moving faster and harder, working only to satisfy himself until, finally, he accomplished his goal: he grunted as he pushed hard against me, ejaculated into me, pushing as deep as he could get.

It wasn't like when Herb and I share intercourse when our goal is to please the other, not to just cum.

And just like that he was done. 

Helen thought this man was good at sex? That poor woman. A man like Herb knew how to please a woman: Fred worried only about satisfying himself.

Oh, there was a kiss or two, and Fred asked Herb if he could spend the night with me. 

Fred didn't ask me, he asked Herb, but Herb had the right answer: it was no.

It took only a minute or two for Fred to pull up his pants and slip on his shoes, then he moved out of the door and out of our lives. 

My own husband took my hand and took me to our bedroom. I learned again why I loved him. He gently unzipped my dress and helped me take it off. He undressed himself too, then held and kissed away the tears I was somehow shedding. 

Before too long he was in the same position Fred was. Some would call that sloppy seconds but that's not what we felt. It was like what Fred did was foreplay, this connection between Herb and me was the only one that mattered. It was for sure the one that really satisfied.

Almost an hour later we were both done, both satisfied. My tears were gone, I was comforted and was well loved. We won't, we decided, ever invite someone else into our relationship again. Once was enough to make all of the memories we'd ever need.

Here's what really surprised me. All of that happened eight months ago, and since then Herb and I are closer and more in love than ever. Can you explain that? I can't, but I'm so glad it turned out that way. I guess sometimes even when we do awful things there can be happy endings.

That's our story. Now, if it inspired you to, please write about yours.

Love, Mary. 



Redemption



We were just married and in the car, on our way to the cabin where we would spend our honeymoon. I was nervous -- I felt like I was suddenly sitting next to a stranger and I couldn't think of anything to say. Perhaps Robert was nervous too, because he seemed to be going very fast. Much too fast. 

I didn't want to say anything and seem like I was wining. I didn't want to start off that way. Then, I got an idea. I kissed him on his cheek. On his chin. On his nose. Light, small kisses. At the stop light, I kissed him full on the mouth. "Bring it down a few notches and I promise not to stop," I whispered in his ear. His eyes didn't leave the road, but I saw a small grin playing at the corners of his mouth. And when we started moving again, we stayed well below the speed limit.

I kissed his eyes and his cheekbones and his neck and licked his ear. Then I noticed his hard on. That wasn't my intention. I only intended to think up a creative way to prevent us from being killed before we even had our honeymoon.

But since I was the cause of this discomfort, I thought I should really do something about it. It was only fair. I'd heard of people who gave head while driving. I'd never dreamed of doing such a thing, but I found myself reaching down to unzip his fly.

Suddenly his hand shot out grasped my arm so quickly I gasped in fright. He held me there in his unyielding grip until we pulled over into a nearby gas station. He stopped the car and turned to look straight into my eyes with a hard, steely gaze, still holding me tight. "I will never be the kind of guy who does that sort of thing." He let go of my arm and gripped the steering wheel with whitened knuckles and stared straight ahead, as if he couldn't even look at me anymore. "I didn't think you were like that either," he said, before slamming on the gas angrily and peeling out of the parking lot. 

I sank back into my seat, rubbing my arm. I didn't know what I could possibly say. I felt so awful that he felt betrayed, as if he was tricked into marrying one person and suddenly discovered he was now shackled to another. As if daddy's little girl had turned out to be a whore. It wasn't true -- I'm not really like that. One thing just led to another, I wasn't really thinking about it. I didn't plan it that way -- I didn't even really want to do it, I just thought maybe I owed it to him to do it. But I didn't know what to say, how to explain to him that I didn't mean it and that he hadn't been betrayed. I sat there miserably in my seat all the rest of the way to the cabin, too miserable even to care that we were racing there at breakneck speed.

He still didn't speak to me or even look at me as we arrived at the cabin and checked ourselves in. I had been nervous before about the "honeymoon" part. I mean, I had never made love before. I wasn't a virgin, but I'd never I'd never had sex by choice, either. Now, I wondered if we'd even sleep in the same bed, let along sleep together.

But when we got to the room, Robert lit the fire. He turned down the lights and began undressing. I put on the negligee I'd purchased just for tonight. Robert didn't put on anything. He came toward me in the half light and stroked my cheek with his thumb. He put his hand behind my head and leaned down to kiss me gently, then more deeply. I was relieved and threw myself into it, kissing him passionately and fervently. I still felt bad about what had happened and wanted to please him desperately. So I slowly bent down on my knees before him, intending to take him into my mouth.

I was surprised when he got to his knees too. He took my head in both hands and looked deeply into my eyes, concern etched in his features. Very softly and gently he asked me, "Why do you keep doing that?"

I looked down for a moment, confused. Then I looked up at him. "I just wanted to make you happy," I told him.

He dropped his hands to his knees and stayed like that, looking into the fire, silent for a long time. I hung my head, ashamed, although I wasn't quite sure why. I thought that's what all guys wanted and I just wanted to please him.

Finally he asked me in a very low voice, "Who abused you?" My mind reeled and I couldn't say anything for a long time. Why would he say that? How could he know that? He waited, patiently, for my answer. So I told him. 

I didn't go into details. I didn't tell him how my one time boyfriend had once taken me on a lovely picnic at the national park. I didn't tell him that we left at dusk and were the last car in the parking lot. I didn't tell him how that's when he unzipped his fly and forced my head down or how I was so terrified I did what he wanted because I was afraid of what he might do if I refused. All I could bring myself to say to him was, "I was date raped," with lowered eyes in a still, small voice, a half whisper.

He didn't say anything for a moment as he pulled the blanket off the bed and wrapped it around himself. Then, he pulled me into his lap and wrapped the blanket around me, holding me close and safe, like a little child. I buried my head in his shoulder and wrapped my arm around his neck. "I'm sorry," I whispered as I choked back a sob.

"You don't ever have to do that for me." He told me. "We don't even have to have sex until your ready." "But don't you want to?" I asked him. 

"I want to take your pain," he answered. "I wish I could take it all into myself. I love you so much, I'd take all of you into myself if I could, so you'd be with me always and so I could protect you and take care of you. I want to be one with you. When we're coupled in our love making, then it's like we are one body, one person, one soul for that moment in time. It's as close as I can get to being a part of you, and you being a part of me."

I cried and I kissed him, hard, and at that moment was more in love than I had ever been in my life. I just wanted to melt into him and be a part of him. We made love passionately, there on the floor, and it was the most visceral, spiritual, intense experience I'd ever had. 



Redemption



Copyright 2008 by madengineer3, All rights are reserved! This story is not to be copied or circulated except by madengineer3 or by means of the Literotica website, and under Literotica's rules. 

*

I lost my wife, of thirty-eight years, to cancer about five years ago. My life felt empty. We had a child, but several years back a drunk driver hit him head on. Our son had been on his motorcycle at the time. There was no question about his being dead, at the scene. This last month I took another hit. Our top management had made a couple of very risky investments in small start-up companies. The start-ups failed. They had to protect their exorbitant salaries so they laid off fifty seven of the people who were closest to retirement. Smart move, for them. The older employees had an excellent pension plan. New employees, as of four years ago, had a pension plan that wasn't worth the paper it was written on. Since I was "salaried", which means that they could get as much unpaid overtime from me as they wanted. After all I had no union to stand up for my rights. Since the company had good lawyers and didn't sell anything to the government they weren't overly worried about the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission). Well, I have a small side business and very good savings. Since I am over sixty years old I can access my retirement account without penalty. I'm going to make it. The company was being extra "smart". They know that the period between Thanksgiving and Christmas tends to have poor productivity. Therefore we were all laid off in mid November. That way we wouldn't have to be given holiday pay.

It has been two days since the layoff. It is Monday of the week before Thanksgiving. The one thing that is currently oppressing me is my large old house. There are three bedrooms, other than mine. Add on top of that the fact that I will again have a solitary Thanksgiving. It is lonely here. 

The phone's ringing broke my train of thought.

"Hello Bob, how are you doing?" It was my pastor.

"I'm doing o.k. Jim, what can I do for you?"

"Well, we have a major problem and I'm contacting people to see if we can solve it. As you know our fellowship hall is in the basement of the church. Yesterday, unknown to any of us, a break occurred in the water line just inside of the water meter. We have several feet of water in the basement. We can fix it, and our insurance will cover it; but, we have no place to prepare Thanksgiving meals for the homeless and poor. I've already got the Lowreys and the Bacons talked into doing up two birds in each of their ovens and having some people eat with them. I'm hoping that I can talk you into doing the same thing. You won't necessarily have to do the cooking itself. Oh, and by the way we have the turkeys and other food for the meals in the food pantry storage area. It hasn't been damaged. I'll personally deliver the needed food to you this afternoon if you'll agree to help. I'm sure we can get one of the women from the congregation to help you. What do you say?"

I thought for a moment or so. "O.k. Jim, but I like to cook I can do the cooking. However, how do I get the people here and home again?"

"We've put the word out to the social service agencies and they are telling the people to gather outside the door to the church's food pantry. We'll pick them up there and drop them off where they need to be dropped off. Is that o.k. with you?

"Yeah, it will work out fine. "

I spent the rest of the day organizing the food I had to cook, selecting the recipes, and starting to thaw the turkeys. Since I had purchased my wife a really nice Vulcan stove, with two ovens, I was all set for room. On Tuesday I decided to make pies. By Tuesday night I had four apple and four pumpkin pies. I also had good extra sharp cheddar cheese to go with the apple pie.

Thursday arrived and I drove to the food pantry. My run was scheduled to be the last one. The other families had already picked up their guests. When I arrived I saw that there were about six people left. I called the pastor to have him help me transport them, my car wasn't big enough. I was surprised to see that two of the homeless people appeared to be younger than my son would be, if he had lived.

When we got to my house everyone commented on how warm it was. Most of them had been sleeping wherever they could find a dry place, and most of those places were still outside. I showed everyone where the two bathrooms were, and told them that they could take showers if they wanted to. The looks of gratitude from those who lived on the street were heart warming and heart breaking at the same time.

The meal went very well. I had leftovers, but I also had heavy "Zip-Lock" bags. Every one of my guests was to get some of the food to take with them. The pastor showed up with a borrowed van and took four of the people back to where they needed to be dropped off. I had the two youngsters sitting at the table with me. I had learned that their names were Mary and Ruth. Both of them had been "throw away kids", i.e. kids who's parents just tossed them out of the house. They both lived on the street. They seldom had a roof over their heads except for certain cold days when they went to the rescue mission. As it turned out, neither of them did drugs but both had been forced to turn to prostitution to buy food.

"Would you girls like coffee and another piece of pie?

"That sounds good" was said almost in unison.. I got the coffee and pie. 

"If you girls had your wishes, what would you want to do with your lives?" It was an open ended question. They were quiet for a minute.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because, as a parent I'm concerned for your well being. You both seem to be relatively 'with it' and I care what happens to you. You appear to be a year or two younger than my son would be if he had lived." 

This seemed to shock them a bit. 

"How did he die?"

"A drunk driver hit his motorcycle. I should never have taught him to ride the bike and now I will never again hear his laughter."

Things were quiet for a minute. Then Mary spoke up: "I'd like to finish high school, and get into nursing as an LPN or RN. I'd like to help people who are sick."

Ruth sat there and thought for a few moments. "I'd like to find a good man and settle down in a real home. I've never been part of a real family. I'm not even sure what one is like. But, the chances of Mary getting a nursing license of me getting a good home are just about nil."

I started to speak without even thinking it through. "What would you say if I told you that what you are looking for is available, and without cost or obligation?"

"You've got to be kidding. Those kinds of things don't happen."

"What do you know about Christianity?"

"Oh, its just a bunch of hypocrites who say one thing and do another. We've both been cheated in "deals" with Christians.

"I'm afraid that you may have never met a real Christian. A person isn't a Christian because they do or don't do things. A person is a Christian when they have released themselves to God's mercy. You see, He loves you and was willing to die to allow you to be with Him without cost."

"Yeah, I'll think about that when I'm trying to get warm and stay dry tonight."

"I'm asking you, for real, would you like a chance to fulfill those dreams? I know it can happen."

"What would we have to do?"

"Well, of course you would need new clothes to wear to school. You would have to be willing to study, and you would need to spend time with a licensed psychologist to work through the rough time you have had. There will be no sleep-overs for guys, and you'd have to start attending church. For that you will have a warm and clean room to sleep in, three good meals a day, a place to study; Oh, and for your information your room will have a lock on the inside so that you will know you won't be disturbed at night......... What do you say?"

They looked at each other and sat there quietly for several moments. Ruth spoke up first, "Where would this be?"

"I'll show you." I led them upstairs to the two spare bedrooms that had been decorated with guests in mind. There was a double bed in each room. Each room had a dresser, desk, and a closet. They both looked at the locks inside the doors.

"Is this for real?" asked Mary. "What kinds of things do we have to do for this?"

"The only other things that I can think of include doing your laundry in the machines down stairs and being in well before midnight so that you can get a good sleep so as to be ready for school."

"We don't have to 'put-out' for you?"

"Absolutely not."

"We're in" they said in unison. Where do we go from here?"

"Well, in the morning I'll set up a doctor's appointment for both of you. If you haven't had all the inoculations you need they can take care of that. The doctor will also probably want to do some blood tests and a pelvic exam. When that is done we will go shopping for a wardrobe for each of you. It won't be super fancy, but it will be good clothing that will keep you warm and comfortable. Oh, I should have told you, my doctor is a black lady. She is very sharp and very gentle. I have a friend who teaches at the alternative high school. She lives just down the street from me and can take you to the school each day. She can also make sure that your background is not made public. Is that o.k.?"

"Yes, but it seems too good to be true. What do we do for clothes in the meantime?"

"Well, you are both about the same size my wife was. I couldn't bring myself to get rid of her clothes after she died. You'll find bathrobes, slippers, pajamas, dresses, skirts, and blouses in the closet in this room over here. You may keep the clothes you like. If you want to you can get cleaned up change into clean clothes and wash and dry your clothes downstairs. There are two bathrooms. One is attached to my bedroom and the other is between your two rooms. Now, pick the room you want. If you are hungry you can raid the refrigerator. As for me, I have to get to bed, I'm tired. I'll wake you up at about seven when I have breakfast just about ready. Good night." 

They both said "good night" and I went back to my bedroom, bolted the door on the inside, got out some porn and jerked off. I didn't want to be sexually frustrated with two young women around.

***** morning *****

I was in the process of making French toast when Ruth walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning, Ruth. Did you sleep all right?"

"Well, sort of. I laid awake for quite a while listening to see if you were going to try to get into one of our rooms. I seem to have misjudged you. You simply went to bed. I hope you don't take offense at that."

"No, I can understand you being uneasy. Like I said, I am not after anything but you two getting on your feet."

"Don't you get anything out of this?"

"Well, yes, I do. I get the pleasure of helping two kids who need it and I don't have to live in the old house with just memories of my wife and son. That means a lot to me."

"I've never met a man like you before. What makes you different?"

"I was changed by the forgiveness of my Lord Jesus. He changed me and put a soft heart in place of the stone that used to be there. Now would you like a cup of coffee or would you like to start off with juice?"

A bit later Mary came down to the kitchen. She was wearing almost nothing and the back lighting from the morning sun showed her outline perfectly. I quickly turned so that I wasn't looking at her and said: "Mary, please put some more clothes on. You could give an old guy like me a heart attack wearing what you are wearing right now." The last part of that was said with a chuckle so that she knew I wasn't mad. 

Behind me Mary responded: "You passed my test. If you had undressed me with your eyes I would have figured you out for a sort of 'dirty old man' in disguise. You seem to be real. I've never really run into that before."

Over the next few weeks things settled down into a good routine. By the end of the second month the girls were beginning to loosen up and act like girls as opposed to street smart prostitutes. We had some rough spots, for example when the neighbor "busy buddies" started to hint that there must be something immoral going on in my house. That particular neighbor went to my church. The next Sunday Ruth and Mary asked if they could make a statement. They pointedly indicated that certain women in our area had started a rumor campaign against me. They categorically denied that anything immoral was going on and asked the rhetorical question "How many of you have fed the hungry, helped the poor, or gone to visit the sick or those in prison? Bob is doing what his Lord told him to do. Are you going to blame him for being a decent man with a big heart?" Then they sat down. A it turned out the pastor Jim's sermon was on gossip. The rumor mill was effectively put out of business.

After two years of school both Ruth and Mary had earned their high school diplomas. Our church has a scholarship program, and I know the registrar at our local community college. She did some extra homework and came up with a scholarship and a job at the college so that Mary could earn an RN. 

Ruth and Mary still lived in my spare rooms. For graduation I purchased a decent heavy used car for each of the girls. I got them their own insurance so mine wouldn't take a big hit. 

Ruth had changed her mind about more schooling. She decided to take the "food sciences" course that would teach her nutritional material and how to cook and serve meals. Since she wanted to get married and had no experience in the kitchen she knew that to keep a husband happy she needed to be able to feed him well. I, again, talked to my friend at the college and she found a scholarship for the "food science" and a job with the schools cafeteria. 

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

Toward the end of the first semester the girls told me that they needed to talk to me about something serious. We sat down at the dinning room table with a cup of tea in front of each of us. Mary started the discussion. "We have a strange request to make. This will sound strange but you are the only real parent we have ever had. You have, without asking for anything, helped to turn our lives around. We would be proud and very grateful if you would adopt us so that we can have your name. I know that this is asking a lot, but would you consider it?"

By this time I had tears in my eyes. 

"We didn't mean to hurt you......."

"No, no, I'm not hurt. I am flattered and deeply touched that you would want to be my children. I would be honored to be able to adopt you but since you are both white aren't you uneasy about being adopted by a black man?"

"At one point we might have been, but we have seen that you are a good, honest, and gentle man who cares about people.. We would be honored to be able to share your name."

I put down my tea, walked around and hugged each of them in turn and said: "I always hoped my wife and I would have a daughter. Now I have two of them. Thank you."

Just before Christmas the girls became Mary and Ruth Rogers.. When I had my lawyer draw up the adoption papers I also had him change my will. As soon as the girls became 'my' girls I broke the news to them. "I changed my will a few weeks ago. Effective today you two are my heirs. When I go you will each get half of my assets and joint ownership of the house. You will not be without a home at that time."

This time it was the girls who had tears in their eyes. I was almost choked with hugs and smothered with kisses. They had had no inkling that I was going to do this.

It was just after the girls graduated that my health took a real nose dive. The doctor indicated that it would be best if I didn't do any strenuous work at all. He included doing dishes as being strenuous. He also said that I needed to have a nurse on hand at least an hour a day to monitor my vital signs and give me a shots of three medicines that he wanted me on. When I got home the girls saw that something was wrong. I told them that I wasn't sure what to do. My medical insurance wouldn't pay for a housekeeper or nurse and I didn't have funds enough to properly pay for them for any extended period of time. Without thinking Ruth said: "I can do the food shopping, cooking and some of the housework." Mary joined in, "I can do the nursing for you. It is the least I can do after the way you have helped us. I can also do some of the house work. We won't take no for an answer!"

It was my turn to cry and say "thank you". 

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

Bob remained as an invalid for less than four months before he died. 

It's been six years since Bob died. Mary and Ruth still live in his, now their, house. Each has married and the two couples are living happily. Mary and her husband, who is an EMT and Ruth's husband who is a teacher work outside the home. Ruth uses her skills so that the meals and all the numerous other tasks of daily life are taken care of. They have started their own families. Each of them has a child of their own, and each of them are in the process of adopting an unwanted child. 

Like Bob's faith, their faith helps bind them together and make them better parents. They all attend church and try to give to their adopted children the love and care that Bob showed them. Love is one of the most powerful things in existence.



Redemption



Zara sat silently on a bench in the hallway, leaning back into the shadows. She watched a trickle of counselors and dignitaries pass by, none noticing her as she sat, partially hidden by a side table and a dried flower arrangement. She was relieved that she did not have to speak to anyone. The afternoon's long meeting and treatise drafting session had left her with a headache. 

To her discomfort, she realized that her hands were shaking. It was not simply the lengthy proceedings that had her hiding away in the shadows. Since he had arrived, Zara had been disquieted whenever General Tarsus was nearby. She dreaded ending up in a personal, one-on-one conversation with him, although she knew it was only a matter of time. At the moment, she felt as if she might just run the other way if confronted with such a thing. 

Angry with herself, she clenched her fists against her knees, straightened her arms out, and forced her limbs to cease trembling. It was not that complicated. There was nothing between them, nor was there anything that either should be ashamed of. He had saved her from rape in the prison of Minostaur, by replacing her assailants with himself. She should be grateful for his aid, and nothing more. It had not been exactly intimate. 

Yet, when he sat across from her in the counsel rooms, she found herself constantly drawn to look at him—to study his eyes, the subtle expressions he made with his mouth, the way his ebony hair fell about his neck. A few times, he had caught her watching him, glancing in her direction and meeting her eyes for one terrible second. Whenever he did this, her thoughts on the treatise-making disintegrated and she had to look blindly away, shaken. 

She had to pull herself together. Zara berated herself; she had made little contribution to the discussions today. She was behaving like an idiot. Resolutely, she got to her feet and started for the stairs. The sun was already setting in a pale blush through the windows and the castle was silent, settling down for a quiet evening. She would go to sleep early, rise a few hours before talks resumed, and head out to the target range for some archery practice to clear her head. 

Heading for her rooms, Zara jumped as a voice broke through her thoughts. 

"Captain." 

She turned. A few paces down the dim-lit hall, Tarsus emerged from a doorway. No longer in full regalia, he wore only a linen shirt and trousers. She felt a blush rising in her cheeks as she noticed where his shirt hung open at the neck, revealing a "V" of his smooth, olive chest. Shaking herself, she greeted him with cold cordiality.

"Good evening, Lord. Have you found your quarters to your liking?"

"Captain Zara, I find them perfect. I was actually about to enquire if you would like to join me for a cup of tea?" Tarsus bowed his head slightly, his polite humility surprising Zara somewhat.

"That is a pleasant offer," she replied uncertainly, hesitating. "I would be glad to," she said at last. It would be rude to refuse him. She walked with him to his chambers, both silent. Inside, she saw that the water was already hot and two mugs were waiting on a table beneath the window. Accepting the mug that he poured for her, she seated herself in one of the wooden chairs. They regarded each other across the table without speaking.

"Zara, I do not know how to speak of this," Tarsus said at last, breaking the silence. "I know your loyalties will always lie with Aenia first and foremost, and with its King. Yet, I have watched you and think you beautiful beyond compare. I have listened to you and know that you are wise. I have witnessed your kindness, felt the light you bring to those around you." He paused and Zara shifted uncomfortably, unsure if she should speak, unnerved by his compliments. "Can you begrudge me wishing?" he whispered. "Can you fault me for wanting to be close to that?" Stuttering, she began to speak, but he interrupted her, suddenly climbing out of his chair to kneel at her feet. "Zara, I am falling in love with you," he told her, almost pleadingly. "I humbly ask if you would be my wife." Zara fell back in her chair, stunned. He remained where he was. Finally, she straightened. Tarsus's face fell when he saw the look of sorrow on her face. 

"My lord, I'm sorry," she whispered. She paused, unwilling to say the final, wounding words to this brilliant young man, who she admired and respected so much. "I can't." He looked away for a moment.

"Please," he said hoarsely, causing her heart to clench, "call me Tarsus." She almost cried, nodding softy. "I know that you can't," he continued. "I know that you won't." Abruptly, he lost his composure, dropping his head into her lap, sobbing. "Forgive me," he choked. "Forgive me!" Taken aback, Zara nonetheless reached out to him gently, pushing his head back to cradling his face in her palms. 

"What is it...Tarsus?" she asked.

"Please, please," he shuddered. "Tell me. Tell me if I have hurt you irrevocably. If I truly took you against your will. The thought that I may have ruined your happiness has haunted me..." Zara stared at him. "I did not know what else to do," he cried brokenly. "If only you had asked me to free you, I would have gladly died to set you free. I thought I was so smart," he hissed bitterly. "I thought I could save you from them without revealing myself. I should have known that one can't use people like chess pieces. I wish I could rewrite what happened," he told her. Racked by a new storm of sobs, he sank to the floor, curling up into a ball. Breath coming raggedly, he screamed without sound, clutching at the floorboards. Zara stirred. Getting to her feet, she pulled at his shoulders.

"Tarsus. Tarsus, get up," she told him. Unresponsive, he continued to shake violently. "Tarsus, get up!" This time, her voice was commanding, severe. He allowed her to help him up, still sobbing, but obedient. He stumbled, blinded by tears, but Zara simply scooped him up, carrying him over to his bed. She threw him onto the mattress, her roughness startling him, making him choke back his sobs to look at her. 

"Strip," she told him. Confused, he obeyed and lay back, watching her, wide-eyed. Once again, she gazed at his beautiful body, remembering. He waited apprehensively, submissive, but clearly awaiting some manner of painful punishment. Slowly, Zara slipped out of her own clothes, her skin gleaming in the lamplight. She stood before him for a moment, and Tarsus felt as if he were melting, turning into nothing but the tears he struggled to hold back. Her beauty tore at his heart. Their eyes met and he was startled by how gently she looked at him. He had expected to see hate, or rage, or even cruel satisfaction that she had him willingly helpless, laying here before her. 

Softly, she padded across the floor to him, watching him intently. Her fingers reached to touch his skin, and she froze, afraid of what she was about to do, afraid of what it might mean. She looked again at his tear-stained face, in one glance seeing the cherubic baby he had been, the inquisitive child, the gentle, awkward adolescent, and, finally, the courageous young man bent on finding the truth. What was done could not be undone, and for this moment, Zara would not have undone the past if she could have.

"Tarsus... Let us rewrite it, then," she whispered. Slowly, she crawled up onto the bed, straddling him on all fours. Her breasts brushed his chest, nipples hardening, her soft skin sliding lightly over his like the kiss of silken cloth. Chills pricked his body, making him tremble spasmodically. Tenderly, she bent to kiss the vulnerable hollow on the side of his neck. Tarsus closed his eyes and shivered, laying quietly, afraid to break the spell. Zara settled down onto his warm body gingerly. Placing her head against his chest she listened, barely breathing, to his heartbeat as it raced at the feel of her touch. Her own heart quickened its pace and she began to kiss her way down his chest to his navel, relishing the taste of his skin. Hesitating a moment, she continued downwards to carefully explore his nether regions, running her tongue along the insides of his legs, nuzzling her nose into soft hair. 

She watched his body's reactions with enjoyment, thrilling every time she heard him draw a hissing breath. Gently, her mouth wandered over soft, tender skin, nibbling at folds, licking curves. She worked her way down his legs to his ankles and lightly kissed the arch of his instep, nipped delicately at his toes, and smoothed the hollows of his ankles with her fingers. 

Moving back up, she looked down into his face and he slowly opened his eyes. She smiled at him encouragingly. Tentatively, he reached up and pulled her hair out of its soft bun, letting it fall in waves over her shoulders to pool on his chest, sliding across his flesh like the finest velvet. A few tears escaped the corners of his eyes, and he tilted his head back slightly, lashes veiling his eyes, his lips reaching every so slightly for hers. Zara gladly bent to meet them, kissing gently at first, the kiss deepening gradually, her tongue seeking lightly to flirt with his. They felt as if the kiss would never end, as if, perhaps, they would sink into each other irrevocably. 

Between her legs, Zara could feel a light tickle as his body reacted to hers. It brought a sweeping rush of heat over her body, concentrated deliriously at her core. She trembled, the muscles in her legs rippling. Her hips opened of their own accord, and she lowered herself down to press against his hardness. Gasping, Tarsus arched his back, hips rocking. He gave a strangled moan as his shaft slid along the plush slickness of her lips. Quickly, he looked to her face for reassurance. Her eyes were closed, head thrown back, her lips part in a serene smile. At last his body relaxed completely, joy spreading through his being. His movements became more sure now as he allowed desire to overtake him. 

"Zara..." he whispered, trembling as the burden of guilt lifted, leaving him awash with overwhelming bliss. She rolled her hips, gently massaging his cock with her smooth, wet inner lips. The head of his shaft caught for a split second, poised at her entrance, then slid away again.

"Oh, Zara!" he cried, jumping as a shockwave traveled down his body. Bending his head, he lightly sampled her nipples with his tongue, making her gasp. Enthralled with her body, Tarsus allowed his hands to skim over her bronzed flesh, feeling the giving softness of hidden places, the hardness of muscles, the arch and curve of bones. He buried his face in her breasts, suckling, tugging, gently licking. She shivered and whickered softly, passion making her limbs seize up, pull closer towards him. 

Every inch of her was exquisitely sensitive to his touch. She felt the muscles in her lower abdomen clench as his fingers gently sought out all of her secrets. The silken skin of his cock slid across her inner thighs and she kissed him fiercely as desire washed over her. The delicate mouth of her pussy tightened, then opened involuntarily, accommodating and waiting. Every fiber of her body was begging to be joined with his. At last they couldn't stand it any longer. Zara moaned, begging, and reached down between her legs to guide him into her. His heart nearly pounding out of his chest, Tarsus arched his back, and thrust up to meet her with a cry of desire. Their bodies collided with blinding heat, his thick cock pushing steadily into her-- slowly enough that she could feel every inch slipping through her folds as he buried himself in her. They pressed close for a moment, faces cradled against the other's neck, bellies sliding together with each uneven breath, her breasts firm against his skin. Slightly rocking his hips, he pushed into her further, making her gasp. 

Sitting up, she began to work her hips up and down, shivering with intense pleasure. Her hands cupped her breasts and massaged, her fingers playing over taut brown nipples. He was driving up into her, his thrusts harder and more desperate. Moaning, she collapsed on top of him, her legs trembling too much to hold her up. Rolling over she pulled him on top of her. "Oh, God," she whispered. "I want you so much...."

He shoved into her again, plunging his full length into her cunt, up to the very base. Shrieking softly, she pushed up to him, fingers raking down his back. He began to thrust faster now, pulling almost completely out each time before sinking his cock back down into her warm depths. 

"Harder!" she cried. "Please, fuck me hard! I want to feel all of you." 

Her back was lifted completely off the bed now, her hips pressing up to meet his every thrust. He hooked her legs over his shoulders and slammed into her, the feel of her hot wetness intoxicating, her muscles almost sending him over the edge as they clamped down around his cock. A wonderful heat filled her as his cock pumped within her, releasing into her excruciatingly sensitive passage. Groaning, she clutched him to her, tossing her head wildly as spasms overcame her body. His eyes locked to hers with dark intensity as they reached their climax simultaneously. 

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

"Zara?" Tarsus whispered from where he lay at her side. 

The pair lay tangled on his bed, legs entwined, his head resting in the hollow of her neck, mouth pressed against her skin. One of his hands was cupping her breast softly, uninhibited. 

"Mmmmm?" she sighed stirring as if from a deep and pleasant sleep.

"I love you." He put a finger to her lips. "You don't need to answer that; I'm not looking for a response. Just tell me one thing..." He flipped over onto his belly, propping himself up on his elbows. One of his legs nested between her own and she shimmied down against it without thinking, sighing.

"Will you think about my..." He blushed slightly. "My proposal? You can take all the time you like. I'm not really going to be going anywhere." He shifted, trying to see her face in the shadows. "Will you?" 

She looked up at him, words sticking in her throat. At last, she nodded. His face glowed with delight, and, slowly, she answered his smile. Gently, he ran his fingers down her chest and across her slim stomach to brush, feather-light, at the 'V' where her thighs met. He grinned wickedly at her little gasp. "Perhaps I might attempt to persuade you further?" he suggested mischievously. A luxurious "Mmmmm..." was all she could manage to say in reply.



Redemption Ch. 00-01



Well here we go again. Book six in the Alpha Angels series.

I'm not sure how this story will accepted. Many of you have stated your reservations about the threesome Lucien, Rayne and Bo Rayne will be forming. I just hope you give these characters a chance to show you that they all belong together. Once more, I must warn you how flawed Lucien is (if you haven't gotten that from the previous stories). I hope you don't hate him too much and give him the chance to grow and redeem himself. Poor baby's been through Hell and back-literally. As for Rayne, have a little patience with her too. Poor girl really doesn't know any better. Hopefully you'll also learn to love Boy Rayne who's kind of like a mix between Remi, Natanael, and the innocence of Abdiel all swirled together.

Please don't forget to vote andplease do let me know your thoughts, good or bad. As I've said before, this story is emotionally draining for me to write based on how much suffering each of the main characters go through. last time I wrote this story I went into depression for a few months. This is a rewrite from the original, so your words will definitely boost me up.

Thank you. LH

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

Prologue

The pain was excruciating.

"I told you. I told you not to throw project 30YR4YN in the arena yet."

Did he still have eyes? Had his opponent torn them out when it ripped the skin of his face off? He opened his mouth and touched his lips with his tongue. At least he still had a mouth. He might still be able to eat. Maybe.

"To Dimagrada with it," his Master hissed. I needed to regain the money employed in its creation.

"That gladiator is no good now," his partner raged.

"Oh, shut up and get a sample of its DNA to clone. No loss."

Project 30YR4YN felt someone grip his hand, the only one left. He screamed when he felt two of his fingers cut off, though no sound came from his throat. His voice box had been removed some time ago.

"Just toss him out back with the bodies waiting for incineration."

"Gee, boss. It's still alive."

"Wha-are you going soft on me now? You just snipped two of it's fingers off, Mongura brain."

"Yeah, but to burn it alive? That's harsh, dude."

His Master made a hissing sound.

He was lifted, tossed in a cart, and blacked out from the pain.

***** 

Singing awakened him. Awful singing. There was something covering his face. Slowly, Project 30YR4YN sat up. He was on a mat in a very large hangar. There were other creatures lounging about around him. Some looked at him curiously, others never acknowledge his existence.

In the center of the room was a Lizdrac. From the scents wafting from the enormous pot he was stirring, it looked as though he was preparing something to eat.

Panic welled inside Project 30YR4YN. Where was he? Was he still slated for incineration?

He felt his face and discovered a metal plate covering everything but his mouth. His hair was loose and hung down his back to the backs of his thighs. How long had he been unconscious for his hair to grow so long? Rising up on his haunches, he noticed his old gladiators suit was what had been rolled up as a pillow beneath his head. Gripping the tattered remains of his suit, he looked around for a way to escape. There were many metal catwalks above with open vents. He looked at his hands...hand. He frowned. One hand Three fingers. No tail. He wiggled his toes. At least he still had his legs and feet.

He moved. Slithering along the floor like water, he prowled closer to one of the columns. Project 30YR4YN had many mixes. His Master had told him he started life from a Merulian egg, but they had fertilized that egg with other types of DNA. He had Fae to enhance his beauty, Feline to enhance his fighting abilities, and Mer to heighten his aggressiveness.

Now, he used his feline capabilities and agility to leap from the ground halfway up the column. Being one-handed slowed the process of climbing, but he finally made it to the catwalks.

Looking down, the Lizdrac never noticed his escape. He handed bowls of the fragrant broth to those who approached him to feed.

The lizard man chuckled, pouring soup into a bowl with a large black ladle. He suddenly looked up and fixed Project 30YR4YN with a toothy grin.

"Aye, there you go. Here's your chow if you're hungry."

He then walked over to a far corner in the hangar and set the steaming bowl down by another column.

"I figured you were going to go up. Cats usually do when they're scared. No one will bother you up there, but you'll need to climb down to get your supper. I'm not climbing up there."

It was most likely a trap, so Project 30YR4YN crept quickly to one of the vents.

Music pounded down the end of the metal tunnel drawing his curiosity. He crawled across the vent's shaft noting how it opened up into little niches. He might be able to use one for sleeping later.

The end of the shaft opened up into another cavernous area. He blinked in astonishment at the colorful lights flashing everywhere. Mirrored columns held a vaulted ceiling reflecting the various stages filling a smoke covered dance floor. There were exotic dancers, aliens of every kind, some completely naked, some copulating.

Where had he awakened?

A female drew his attention. She was chained to a pole from a jeweled collar around her neck. She was tiny, like a child. Her hair was jet black and spilled down her back in thick lustrous waves.

As Project 30YR4YN jerked his gladiators suit back on he watched how she danced. She looked sad, but the males surrounding her watched with lustful eyes. One reached over and gripped her thigh. The fool had long sharp claws and drew blood making her yip in pain and stumble away. Her high-heeled shoes stepped on the hand of the Hazdrac on the other side of the small stage were she stood. He howled in pain and jumped upon the stage in a fit of rage.

Project 30YR4YN didn't think when he saw the Hazdrac lift his meaty fist. He was going to hit her...and most definitely kill her.

He soared through the air, landing in front of the tiny girl, gripped the pole and used it hold himself stead as he sent both his feet into the apeman's chest.

The Hazdrac went flying.

Biting back his absurd terror of the girl, he gripped her around the waist and leapt back up to nearest column to the catwalks above. She clung to him, her little body shivering, her breath panting against his neck.

Crawling through the vent again, he carried her to the large hangar where he'd awakened. He took straight to where the Lizdrac had left the bowl of stew for him and dropped her when he was sure he was close enough to the ground she wouldn't get hurt.

Big blue eyes stared up at him as he made his way back up the column.

When he was finally on the catwalks again, he looked down.

"Th-thank-you," she said her lower lip trembling.

"Hey," the Lizdrac called out as he came closer. "What gives? What's going on?" He looked up at Project 30YR4YN. "Are you stealing the strippers now?"

"He saved me, Master," the girl said drawing the Lizdrac's attention.

"Saved you? Weren't you supposed to be entertaining King Dred's men?" The Lizdrac moaned as he scratched his head with a claw. "Oh, this can't be good. Not good at all."

The lizard man did not seem to want to hurt the pretty little girl, so Project 30YR4YN slipped away to hide. He wasn't sure how he'd gotten here—where here may be—but he wasn't letting himself get caught again. He was free.

***** 

Chapter One 

The grass whispered against his legs. It was waist high, yellowed, and brittle from lack of moisture. The sun baked his head, and a little drop of sweat made its way down his back. Lucien listened closely to the silence of death all around him. The trees were black, knotted bare limbs twisting up to the cloudless sky. The hot breeze blew strands of his hair across his face as he blinked at the desolation around him.

Why am I here?—he thought to himself.

He turned slowly and headed for where the mansion stood.

Whispering under his breath, he removed the spell that kept the old house hidden from view.

Thick, thorny branches covered most of it. How much time had gone by? Was this a dream? Would he find the rotting corpse of his stepfather still inside?

Lucien looked down at himself and grimaced. A loose fitting white robe draped his body. Despite being naked underneath, he tore the offending garment off, and slammed it to the ground.

Ancient words spilled from his lips, words of hate and loathing. The white robe lifted up slowly, and burst into flames. The white-hot fire rendered the garment to dust.

Lucien watched the ashes float away as he panted from rage.

Clenching his jaw, he snapped his gaze back to the house and stalked toward it. It was once a regal monstrosity of deep red brick and black wrought iron. The brick was beginning to crumble with age and the iron had rusted into near nothingness.

Thorns crisscrossed the stone walkway, but with a wave of his hand, a path opened up for his bare feet. The sound of creaking, snapping, crackling branches preceded him until he stood before the large wooden double doors of Blackhorn Hall.

The wind moaned around him. He hoped it was Malvano's wretched soul screaming for release from Hell. The doors creaked open and the cold air from within the mansion brought with it the stench of death.

Tipping his nose higher, Lucien entered. Last time he'd stood in this foyer, he'd held Lucifer's sword in his left hand and a smaller dagger dripping with Malvano's blood in his right. The mosaic floor no longer shone like glass and the chandelier hanging overhead from the vaulted ceiling was swathed in dusty white cobwebs. The webbing also covered the grand staircase, dimly lit by light filtering through the vine-covered stained glass window on the second floor landing.

Narrowing his eyes, he turned left and entered the great room. The grand piano still stood in the corner, its once gleaming black surface now buried under layers of filth. The rich velvet couches were also covered in a thick layer of dust, making the rich burgundy material look faded and worn. What little sunlight managed to penetrate the grimy mildew covered windows made the floating dust sparkle like pixie dust. Regardless, Lucien knew very well he was in no enchanted castle, but rather a cursed one...one he'd cursed himself many years ago.

With determined steps, he veered right and walked into the study.

Everything was as he remembered. To his left was a large ornately carved desk with a cobweb covered leather chair behind it. A wall of shelves was the desk's backdrop, full of expensive tomes, some rare first editions...all in various states of rot. To his right was a glass wall that showed the gardens, fountains, and pool, devoid of water but full of debris.

None of that held his attention. His eyes were riveted to the enormous fireplace before him and the wingchair before it.

Slowly he approached, circling until he stood before the remains of his stepfather. There was nothing left, just tattered remains of his burgundy robe and slippers. The glass of cognac he'd been drinking still lay on its side on the dusty rug.

The memories were still clear as if it happened yesterday. It had been Lucien's eighteenth birthday. Malvano had celebrated it by whipping him to the brink of death and then having his cult friends form a line to sodomize him on Malvano's brand new spanking bench, to which Lucien had been tied.

That night a devil appeared to him and gave him the opportunity to show his stepfather his appreciation. He slit the bastard's throat.

A soft whining sound drew his attention.

Chewie?

His stepfather had killed the puppy when Lucien was a little boy.

He ran his fingers through his long hair with a frown and waited. When the soft whining came again he took a step forward and out through the broken glass doors to the gardens.

He breathed deeply through his lips as his bare feet stepped on sharp pebbles. Using his telekinetic abilities, he parted the swaying grass, scanning the ground for any signs of his long lost dog.

It's just a dream. Just another fucking dream. This isn't real. Not real. Not...

He frowned when his feet sank into something warm and wet. He stared at the blood welling up between his toes. The stench of iron it gave off nauseated him. There was so much...too much. A sob lodged in his throat. Memories of Chewie's tender throat being slit crowded his mind. He blinked back the tears that threatened to spill.

"It's just a fucking dream, moron," he told himself through clenched teeth.

The breeze blew his hair over his face again. Some of it got in his mouth when he took another bracing gulp of air. Raking trembling fingers through his blond hair, he strode forward. Blood squished beneath his steps. He stopped abruptly when he came upon a blood-soaked foot. It lay on its side, pale white streaked in red. It was large foot, though not as big as his, and finely boned. He couldn't decide if it belonged to a man or a woman. Moving the grass apart, he found that foot attached to a leg. There was another pair of legs twined around it, with smaller daintier feet.

Lucien frowned, and knelt to get a closer look. Two bodies, naked and wrapped around each other. They looked as if they had been trying to protect one another. One had long jet-black tresses, the other a mane of iridescent white hair. Two females? He couldn't tell. There was too much grass in the way.

Just as he reached for them, brutal fingers gripped his hair, yanking his head back painfully. The sun blinded him.

"Luke, my son," said a low rasping voice behind him.

The smell of rotted flesh had visions of squirmy little maggots filling Lucien's mind. It was his stepfather...back from Hell.

Lucien screamed and thrashed against the fist holding his hair tight. To his shock, he found his hands bound behind his back. Confused and terrified, he opened his mouth again only to have it filled with...a peanut butter, jelly, and banana sandwich. He couldn't breathe and tried to spit it out.

"You're supposed to feed him not kill him, asshole."

"He won't chew."

Lucien coughed, blinking tearing eyes at the two male reapers standing before him. Alpha 7's envirolevel came into sharp focus. He wasn't in the garden behind his stepfather's mansion back on Earth after all.

Another reaper stepped out from behind him, the one holding his hair.

The fucker snorted, yanked Lucien's head down, and then proceeded to smack his back hard enough to jostle his lungs.

The gob of peanut butter, jelly, and banana shot to the ground followed by a trail of spit and puke.

Lucien grimaced when his stupid hair slid forward into the mess.

The reaper let him go.

Still coughing, he lifted his head and fixed them with a murderous glare...until a girl reaper stepped forward.

"What are you doing?" she scolded the others. "I said I would feed him."

"I thought Ashriel banned you from coming near him?" A blond male grinned.

She sniffed disdainfully and snatched the sandwich from his hands. "Get out of my way, Abdiel."

Lucien watched her approach him. She was tall, athletic, beautiful. Her long golden brown hair was braided in a thick tail that fell to her waist. Since everyone went sky clad in the envirolevel, his eyes focused on the full mounds of tits swaying as she came closer. Her nipples were peaked tight and her pussy was tiny and hairless between her muscular thighs.

"Hey," she smiled kneeling before him.

"Amadashiel, don't get too close," a dark-haired reaper admonished.

She ignored him. "You look like you need a shave, gorgeous." Her fingernails scraped against the thick stubble on his jaw. He wasn't like his baby-faced brother, Devon, who had no facial hair. Lucien was more like his Edenian mother, Luciel. He grew hair everywhere...and it was all pale blond.

He swallowed hard when her fingers trailed down his throat and the middle of his chest...heading right for his cock,

"Amadashiel, don't touch him."

Lucien smirked at the angry-faced reaper with the black hair. When Amadashiel finally wrapped her soft hand around his shaft, he lifted his hips with a moan and pumped.

Fuck. That felt good.

"Ama," the reaper snarled, yanking her up roughly.

She tore her arm from his grip and glared. "Reiven, what is your problem?"

"You are," he spat, going nose to nose with her.

"Easy, ladies," Lucien drawled lazily. "There's plenty of cock to go round."

The male reaper rounded on him and he had to cringe when Reiven leaned down, sneering. "Really? Last I heard, you're terrified of men."

Lucien scoffed. "Not terrified, jackass. Hate." Just for shits and giggles, he spit the angry reaper in the face and laughed out loud at the death angel's shocked expression.

Reiven backhanded him, sending Lucien to the leaf covered ground with the taste of blood in his mouth.

"Stop."

Lucien blinked and shook his hair out of his face. Devon and Angel stood between him and the reapers.

"What the hell is going on? You're not supposed to mistreat him," Devon yelled.

Devon yelling?

It was almost laughable. His wimp of a brother was finally growing a pair of balls?

Meanwhile, Angel was untying his hands. Lucien shook them, opening and closing his fists as blood rushed back in.

Angel came around before him, brushing back his hair, looking into his face with concern. Her fingers touched the corner of his lip.

"You're bleeding."

Her voice was still soft, sweet, innocent. Her mane of white blond hair barely covered her breasts. They'd gotten bigger after having a baby, and her hips more rounded, but she still looked like the proverbially virgin from the Garden of Eden.

"Well, then you need to kiss it better," he whispered moving against her.

His hand cupped the back of her skull as he sealed his lips over hers. No hesitation at all, he plunged his tongue into her mouth, fucking that sweet little orifice thoroughly.

She pushed him away angrily and stood.

"You haven't changed," she sneered.

Lucien grinned up at them all. "Of course I have. Just look at me," he gritted the last through clenched teeth.

Eyes raked down a body he knew was littered with scars. The marks of his hellish existence in the bowels of Megdoluc.

He stood on shaky legs, scowling at all of them.

Devon sighed and stepped closer. He was such a pathetic bastard. He didn't even try to kick Lucien's ass after kissing his female the way he did. So much for growing a pair.

"When are you going to stop this nonsense?"

Lucien cocked a brow at him. "What nonsense?"

"You won't eat."

Lucien scowled. "When you let me out of here."

Devon's eyes narrowed. After a moment, he shook his head. "You're safer here for now."

Lucien scoffed and looked at the reapers. "Safe? Really?"

Devon scowled and looked back at the reapers. "They're under orders to protect you."

Lucien turned...and bumped into Remi, who was holding the mangled remains of the peanut butter, jelly and banana sandwich.

Remi was quick. You'd try to nail the son-of-a-bitch and you'd end up swiping the air, but Lucien hadn't been second in command for nothing. His visualization of the sandwich plastered all over the annoying red weredragon's face became reality when Lucien used his telekinetic powers to flick Remi's own hand up into his grinning face.

The reapers snickered as Rem wiped the gooey mess off his countenance.

"Lucky shot," he murmured with a scowl.

Lucien took the opportunity to teleport away...to the other side of the envirolevel.

Why couldn't they just leave him alone? He wanted left alone.

He sat at the edge of the lake, perched atop a boulder jutting over the placid surface. Just behind him was an enormous willow, its branches spread over him like a green umbrella. Most of the leaves trailed lazily within the glassy blue depths of the lake. If he sat closer to the edge, he'd be able to let his leg hang over and wet his toes, but the dark water still scared him. They could be lurking beneath...waiting to drag him back to Hell.




Redemption Ch. 00-01



A shudder went through him. It was stupid of him to think that way because Devon had the entire envirolevel telepathically sealed. Nothing could penetrate his demon brother's wall of power.

He needed to wash. His mouth tasted like puke and his hair was sticky with it too.

***** 

He was sitting by the edge of the lake. Rayne made her way carefully toward him. Excitement welled within her seeing him finally awake. For the past months he'd been catatonic, but a few days ago, Angel had told her that they'd managed to rouse him.

She stopped with a gasp when she saw a column of water rise from the lake to pour over him.

He held her transfixed as he seemed to bathe beneath the falling water. Long fingers raked through the long fall of blond hair that reached his ass. She knew when it was dry, the ends curled delicately and shimmered in a fascinating array of blond streaks, from the palest white to golden brown.

He turned to look at her over his shoulder. His eyes were ice blue, tilted up at the edges like a cat with long dark lashes framing them.

Rayne licked her lips, a habit she had when she was nervous. How could she not be nervous when the man before her called fiercely to her femininity. His nose was small, almost delicate, and pert. He parted his lips that were plump and pretty...almost too pretty for a man. His whole face was beautiful, almost feminine. Almost. Broad shoulders bracketed a thick throat, and though he looked very malnourished, his pectorals, arms, and abdominals bulged with muscles.

She frowned when he stood slowly, noting how pronounced his hipbones and ribs were.

Why was he starving himself?

He stood proud, water still sluicing down his body, his eyes riveted to hers.

Rayne gulped, averting her gaze to look down at her feet. It was instinct, a lesson beat into her from childhood.

Trembling, she approached him. Master Zak had forbidden her to kneel at any man's feet...but this was her real Master. The one who'd freed her from the glass coffin.

A riot of emotions filled her when she pressed her forehead to his feet. Joy, fear, comfort, desperation, loneliness, need—so much need—to be accepted once more by him.

She began kissing his feet, up his ankles, calves and thighs until she came to the hand that covered his sex.

Confused, she dared peer up at his countenance.

His eyes had darkened and his lips were parted.

He had such a beautiful mouth.

"What are you doing?" he asked, voice thick, raspy. It made her feel a strange tingling in her breasts and between her legs.

Ducking her head again, she answered shyly, "Master, this lowly slave shows Master how much she adores him, Master."

He was silent a moment and she held her breath.

"I have no slave," he growled out.

Rayne hunched her shoulders and resisted throwing her arms around his legs to cry and beg.

"Master, th-this one begs for Master's ownership. This one would do anything, Master."

"Anything?"

Hope soared through her. Clasping her hands together in supplication, she peered up at him again. "Yes Master, anything, Master," she declared unable to control the hitch in her voice.

He frowned. "Get up."

Rayne rose as gracefully as she could on shaking legs. She came up to the middle of his chest and swallowed hard when he continued to frown down at her.

"Damn. What are you? Like five-foot-five?"

She didn't understand what he was talking about. Bowing her head she blurted, "Master, this one can please Master anyway he wishes. This one has been trained, Master."

"You have?"

She looked back up, nibbling her lip. His eyes were looking her over slowly. Again, a strange flutter surged through her lower tummy to throb between her legs. "Yes, Master. This one can please you anyway you wish. With this mouth, hands, breasts, pussy, or ass, Master."

His eyes widened a bit before he cocked a brow. "And have you had allot of practice pleasing other masters that way?"

She felt her face heat up and twisted her fingers together. "N-no Master,-not really. This one was holo-trained, Master."

"This one." It wasn't a question. More of a statement said with a deepening frown. He looked displeased and to her horror, she felt her eyes begin to well up. He was going to reject and abandon her...again.

"What's your name?"

"Master, whatever you choose, Master."

His scowl deepened.

"What was the name given to you by your father?"

She blinked up at him, her memories going far back...to a very dark-dark place. Her shoulders hunched more. "Rayanalideepadoonamalakeinayane Nalapeedoo—"

"Stop," he snapped rubbing his temples. "Fuck."

Her heart raced and she dropped down, wincing when her tender bottom hit the ground. Obediently, she spread her legs and waited for him to mount her.

He opened his eyes and frowned in confusion before looking down at her again. His face screwed into a perplexed grimace. Was it the wrong position?

Oh-no. Why would she think her beautiful Master would want to mount her facing her? Why was she so stupid?

Quickly, she turned over on her knees, ass in the air and head pressed to the rocky ground...and waited.

"What are you doing?" he asked still sounding confused.

Rayne blinked, tensing up. "Does Master not favor this position either? How would Master prefer this one?"

"Would you stop referring to yourself in third person, and you're not my slave."

Rayne flopped back over to stare at him in horror.

"And don't give me water-works either. I don't do virgins, and I don't keep slaves or submissives."

He was rejecting her...because she wasn't broken in yet.

"Oh, please, Master—"

He closed his eyes, hands raking through his wet hair in agitation. "No begging either. I found you and freed you. End of story," he finished slashing one hand through the air dismissively.

Rayne shook her head. "I do not want freedom. I need to belong. How will I survive?"

"The way you've been surviving for the past months since I freed you." He reached down and hoisted her up, hands almost hurtful. "Look at you. You're just a tiny thing. And you want to be mine? Are you out of your ever-loving mind? You have no idea what I am."

"I can eat more and grow bigger," she said in a small voice. Though she'd never be as glorious as Anniel, the dark-skinned she wolf mated to the scary-looking death angel called Ashriel. "Please-please give me a chance," she wailed throwing her arms around his neck.

His gaze softened and he leaned down close, his mouth almost touching hers. Rayne held her breath. She'd seen the others mate with their mouths, lips rubbing, tongues dancing against each other sensuously. Was he going to kiss her? Oh, how she wished he'd wrap his arms around her. She would feel so safe, content. His ice-blue eyes bore into hers, and he opened his lips as if to say something.

And then his body stiffened.

His gaze flicked up to look behind her. Frowning, she turned her head to look, wondering what had drawn his attention.

Just through the fronds of greenery waving lazily a few paces away, Rayne saw a glimpse of Boy Rayne's iridescent white hair. The rays of the sun glinted off his silver mask. When he noticed them staring, he turned and disappeared from sight without making a sound.

Rayne sighed dejectedly. He was still terrified of her, even though she'd tried so hard to befriend him...or her. Rayne wasn't sure what the humanoid creature was. She'd just grown accustomed to thinking it was a he.

Master Lucien grasped her chin in his big hand and turned her to face him.

"Why does that thing wear a mask?"

Rayne swallowed. "Master, this one—" His scowl deepened and she immediately corrected herself. "I-I don't know, M—" He growled. "Sir," she finished with a pout."

"Why do you call it Boy Rayne?"

She blinked up at him. He was really curious about Boy. Was that why he was rejecting her? Did he want Boy Rayne instead? "H-he has it spelled out...on his clothing, Sir."

"So you can read?" His eyes narrowed.

"I can read five hundred different alien dialects, Sir. I can also sing, dance, and play the Harscheken."

For a brief moment, she thought she saw a flash of admiration in his lovely eyes, but then he grew aloof, taking a few steps back to the edge of the rock overlooking the lake.

"Stay away from me, Rayne. I just want to be left alone."

And then he vanished.

Teleportation. Most of them did it. Master Remi was trying to teach her, but she felt it wasn't proper for a slave-girl to know such things.

***** 

Lucien teleported himself on another rock he usually lounged on by a waterfall. No plants nearby so he didn't risk ending up with pieces of foliage traversing his body. That was always shitty. No sooner had he let out a pent up sigh, a hand gripped his hair again and sent sprawling back on his ass.

Lucien grunted when his backside hit the hard ground. A sword tip pricked his throat. He followed the blade up to the angry scowl of its owner.

"I guess it's my day to be popular."

Ashriel sneered. "You've convalesced enough, now you will answer my questions."

Lucien grinned. "Convalesced? Is that what I was doing?"

Lucien was sure the sword tip drew blood when it pressed against his Adam's apple a bit harder.

This time, not only did Devon appear, but the rest of the Alpha Angels—all six and Angel.

"I just love family reunions," Lucien said with a sarcastic smile.

"Ash," Anniel admonished, placing her hand at her lover's wrist.

If anything, his muscles bulged even more in rage, but he lowered his sword.

Slowly Lucien rose to his feet, surreptitiously rubbing his smarting ass. "So ask away. What the hell did you want to know?"

"The war. Why? Why and how did you manage to—"

"Whoa," Lucien scoffed, holding his hands up. "I didn't start that war."

"The Utuduodian Hunters. Why did you ask them to trap us?" Devon asked now.

Lucien looked at him from the corner of his eye before lower his gaze. It had all been so simple. Trap them all, let the demons take over and do whatever the hell it was they had wanted and he got to keep...

He looked back up at Anniel. Back then he'd been madly infatuated with her.

Ashriel snarled, stepped between him and Anniel, black wings spreading in warning.

"Answer him," Ashriel snapped.

"He doesn't have to," Devon said in a low voice.

His brother circled around until he stood face to face with Lucien.

"What was supposed to happen once the demons gave you Anniel?"

Lucien took a deep breath. "I was going to wipe her memories. Make her love me. They promised me our own world. I was going to take the others with me. Wipe their minds too."

He hadn't wanted to kill them.

"And me?" Devon prodded.

Lucien clenched his teeth and raised his gaze up slowly.

"You," he hissed, "were to be handed over to them."

Devon remained stony-face, the only evidence of his agitation his chest heaving up and down slowly.

"Why?" he finally gritted out. His luminous blue eyes brightened with tears despite his obvious anger.

Lucien snorted. "Why?" He laughed then, a humorous bark filled with hatred. Instead of telling his twin brother everything he'd gone through he showed him. His hands shot out and gripped handfuls of Devon's silky blue-black hair as he crashed their foreheads together and shoved every scream-filled second of horror he lived with Malavano Black.

He wanted to hurt Devon, wanted him to feel it all, especially what Lucien felt when the devil, Samael told him of Devon's love filled existence up on Alpha 7.

Devon, instead gripped him, held him hard against his chest and pushed his own images and sensations into him.

They were swathed in brilliant light. Love. Lucien was loved. His soul remembered what that had felt like. The love had come from...Devon, their mother, and later their father. Davariel sang to them, played with their limbs, kissed their toes. Mother had nursed them, but then the devils tried to take them away. Their parents were gone. They lived with the weredragons and the vampire Drakken in the city. They were being hunted and Drakken was arrested by Guardian soldiers. Devon and Lucien were taken to an orphanage.

"Sometime during our first night there, the Seraphian Master Guardians were supposed to take us away, but they sent just one Master Guardian to avoid rousing suspicion. Aria told me there was an awful storm so he could only carry one of us at a time. When he went back for you, you'd already been stolen out of the crib. They didn't leave you on purpose."

Lucien untangled himself from his brother. So many years of hurt and hatred couldn't be undone in just a few seconds.

"I don't intend for you to just flip a switch and pretend none of this happened, Luke," Devon coaxed in a gentle voice.

Lucien looked around at the faces of his Alpha Angel brothers and sisters; Seth, who he'd tried to offer up as a virginal sacrifice to anoint Lucifer's sword, Zak, who he'd flayed to unconsciousness on Arboria, and Remi. Remi He'd run through with Lucifer's sword. It was a lethal blow—one he never should have recuperated from, but the red weredragon had been saved by Dominatio's.

Rowie and Anniel, no matter how evil he might have been at one time, he never would have hurt either of them.

"Luke, help us get to the bottom of this. Help us clear our name," Zak said in his usual deep voice.

How could they forgive him so easily?

"We love you, Luke," Anniel sighed.

His heart constricted. He didn't deserve it—any of it.

"Help us find out who took advantage of your situation. They used you...your pain, Luke. Can't you see?"

He turned away feeling confused.

"Don't you know the Demon's need to destroy this realm to get back to Ainrodon?" Ashriel bit out.

Lucien scowled up at him. "They never told me that. They just promised me some revenge and that they wanted to take over because all of creation was too stupid. They said they could run things better."

Ashriel laughed bitterly. "And you believed them, you fool."

Lucien growled. "Beyond getting back at the people that fucked me over, truth be told, I really didn't give much of a fuck."

Ashriel's fist gripped Lucien's neck so tight his eyes bulged. Devon snarled a warning the reaper obviously choose to ignore. "You fucking, selfish, egotistical, bastard. The Demons destroying all of creation wouldn't really let you get your sick revenge on anyone because they'd all be dead...including you."

"Ashriel," Devon's inhuman voice snarled again. He was losing it.

Ashriel dropped him to the ground like so much feces.

Lucien coughed and gasped for breath. So much for the loving family reunion.

Devon's arms encircled him from behind and immediately the discomfort in his throat abated.

Let's hear it for a brother with super-human powers.

"I don't trust either of you," Ashriel snapped pointing an accusing finger at them both.

Anniel crouched down next to them, looking up at the angry reaper. "Ash, enough. This is uncalled for. Do you distrust me too?"

Ashriel's face changed in the blink of an eye. "Anniel. Never you. I—"

She wrapped her arms around both Devona dn Lucien. "Well stop with the rant already."

"We'll never get to the bottom of this if we're going to be at each other's throats," Seth said folding his arms over his chest.

Remi strode over and stood behind Lucien, Devon, and Anniel. "Right, Ash. If you don't trust the twins from Hell, then you can't trust me either."

Ashriel bared his teeth. "I don't—"

"Ash," Anniel admonished.

Lucien felt amusement fill him when the gargantuan reaper actually sulked. Wow. Mega Pussy-whipped.

An elbow to his ribs had him grunting and looking into Anniel's stern countenance. 

Right. He'd forgotten that they could hear most of his thoughts.

"Broadcasting," Seth coughed behind his hand.

"Right," Lucien said. "So what this big plan to uncover the Demon's plot?"

"We're going to Earth," Zak answered.

Lucien looked at Zak first and then the rest of them thinking they'd lost their minds.

"It's all still in the planning stages, but we need you for this. You're the one who had contact with the Demon's. You'd recognize their essence if you came across one."

"We think most, if not all government, including the LOS is being run by fallen angels," Devon said.

"They're tearing down civilization, getting species to war against one another. Once most of creation has killed itself off there won't be much for them to destroy."

"You do realize we're wanted criminals in the Edenian solar system," Lucien reminded.

"The bounty has been lifted off our heads, but we have a plan to get in," Zak said.

Lucien looked back up at him. "Enlighten me."

"No one knows we've rescued you yet," Zak began.

"Except the Demons," Seth interjected.

"Angel of Retribution and Draconius Imorteus are going to help us setting up a concert in the Edenian solar system, starting with Mars," Remi added.

Lucien felt more confused than ever. "A concert?"

"Concerts draw people," Rowie sauntered over and knelt in front of Lucien, "beings from all over the galaxy.

"You're just going to be another stage hand retiring from show business to settle on Earth with your new family," Anniel said with a smile.

Lucien pursed his lips, letting his gaze rove over her luscious curves despite the snarls of anger her man was giving him. "Family?"

"We're setting you up on Earth with Rayne as your mate," Devon said finally releasing him.

Lucien shot to his feet and rounded on them angrily. "No. Absolutely not. Are you out of your mind? Is that girl even old enough to marry?"

"Luke, baby, of course she is," Anniel blurted, gripping his arm.

Lucien shook his head adamantly. "It's too dangerous for her. No."

"Well then who?" Ashriel snapped. "If you think any of us are going to let you pretend one of our women belongs to you—"

"What about Amadashiel?" Seth interjected.

Lucien remembered the pretty girl reaper and began to laugh. "Do they even allow reapers to settle on Earth?"

"They do now," Remien answered. His arms were crossed over his chest and he was frowning. "Don't be an ass and take Rayne."

Lucien scowled at the red weredragon. "Why are you insistent on it being Rayne?"

"She likes you, man," Remi answered with a pout.

"Fuck off, Fyre. Don't start your match-making shit with me," Lucien spat.

Remi only snorted, his eyes narrowing.

Yeah. He so was going to start. Lucien was sure of it.

Unless...

His mind thought about how sad Rayne looked every time Boy Rayne scampered away from her. What if he hooked those two up together? That would fuck over Remi's plan to shackle that little slip of a girl to him.

Genius.



Redemption Ch. 01



Natalie slunk quietly into the tavern, hoping her presence was unnoticed. Her skirts seemed heavy-laden with some liquid of sorts, and her staff, gripped in one hand, glowed faintly, though not enough to attract attention. The usual abundance of ebony curls was tamed this evening, pulled back into a bun on the back of her head, though a few wayward tendrils had escaped to frame her pale face. Her eyes were dark, and the tip of her nose was pink, whether from the cold or from a good cry, it was hard to tell. She moved along the wall, an almost tangible cloud of paranoia surrounding her, then took a seat at the bar. Justin's presence registered in her mind and she looked over to him, first noticing his slightly disheveled appearance, then the fresh tear and wet-looking blood on his leg.

Justin nodded to Natalie, and gestured to the seat next to him, his eyes carefully and imperceptibly moving over her. He had so much practice with discreetly looking at people that she likely did not even notice him as he tried to figure out if she was all right or not. He made no attempt to hide his puzzlement at her wet clothing, before offering a warm smile, seemingly heedless of his wound as he sipped his water. "Evening, Natalie."

She rose gingerly, as though she bore an injury of sorts, though her movements were as such merely because she was sore. She sat herself next to Justin, taking her staff with her, now resting it in her lap, as though she did not want it to be too far away from her, lest she need it. Her eyes flickered with something akin to platonic affection for him, then the dullness returned, covering her expression with a mask of silence, through which her words sounded strange and foreign. "Merry meet," she replied, her fingers idly stroking the wood of her staff and her voice slightly stuffy. A tiny black spider crawled up the leg of the stool and onto her lap, resting near her fingers, but she made no move to shoo it away.

Realizing that it was likely a touchy subject, Justin had a feeling that his instincts were right on this. He felt a slight bubble of anger build up inside him, quickly suppressed and un-shown outwardly as he knew this had bothered her before. Attempting to think of something to say that wouldn't seem insinuating, he took another long sip of his water, feeling the coolness of the liquid put the final touches on quelling the almost burning rage. His lips curved up into a smile, unsure, but welcoming nonetheless as he hoped desperately that she did not get offended by his words. "How are you tonight?" he asked.

Somehow knowing the question was coming, she realized that he had taken special care in prepping his words so that they would not come across as upsetting or derogatory. Watching him as he sipped his water, she felt a sudden thirst and waved her free hand, a tall glass appearing on the bar top. It contained a strange bluish liquid and she seemed almost surprised at its contents, as though she had requested or expected something else. Taking the glass in her hand, she brought it to her slightly reddened nose and sniffed it experimentally, then took a small sip. She seemed to find it at least tolerable, if not tasty, and opted to answer Justin's question truthfully. 

"Wet," she answered dryly. As if to emphasize this, she set her glass down on the bar top, moved her other hand to entice the spider's exit, and picked up a fold of her skirt in one hand. She rested her staff against the edge of the bar and used her other hand to squeeze a bit of water from the fabric of her dress, the drops falling to the floor with a soft plopping sound that could not be heard over the din of chatter from the other inhabitants. Dropping the fold of her skirt, she rested her hands in her lap and met Justin's gaze, her face expressionless. The spider, now on the floor, scurried into a crack in the wall and disappeared out of sight, and the blue liquid in her glass changed to a faintly greenish color and acquired a somewhat heavy scent of poison or the like.

Justin blinked a few times at the chimerical drink, his nose catching the scent of the greenish colored drink and wrinkling slightly at it unconsciously. He looked to Natalie, and tilted his head at her, deciding to take the slight risk, knowing full well that if he was right, then he would feel terrible for saying anything, but it was better to get the discomfort out of the way. "So what happened to your clothes?"

She looked down at her hands, subconsciously twisting the silver Goddess ring on her left pinky finger, completely ignoring the liquid in the glass, somehow noting that it was changing colors and scents, but not having enough energy to perform a Inquiry spell. Trying to diffuse the awkwardness with a bit of humor, she tilted her head upwards to meet his eyes. "Would you believe me if I told you I went swimming?" she asked, managing a small but slightly genuine smile.

He smirked and gave a soft laugh and a nod. "Actually, I would," he replied, noting that she seemed tired, and making no attempt to hide his puzzlement at this simple fact. "So, what've you been up to today?" he inquired, mentally cursing himself for the potential offense that could be taken from that simple seemingly harmless comment, but again managing to not show it outwardly, giving a smile instead. Running a hand through his tousled brown locks, he sighed as an afterthought and waited for her response.

Choosing to answer his question, Natalie looked at the glass before speaking. "Playing Ophelia," she answered quietly, then took the glass in one hand and eyed it. The liquid was still a greenish color and she sniffed it cautiously, then took a few sips. Her nose began to tickle with the beginnings of a sneeze but she quickly suppressed the feeling and concentrated instead on the liquid on the glass. Smears of paint seemed to slur in her vision and she bit down hard on her lip to clear her thoughts. Replacing the glass on the bar top, she nodded, as if to agree with her previous statement.

Justin blinked at Natalie's response a few times before commenting. "I... see...." It became apparent that he had no idea what she meant, and the worry started to return, plain in his eyes. Natalie realized he was clueless, and pondered her options. She could explain herself and risk his wrath, she could say nothing and let him ask, or she could tell him it meant something else, which would be an apparent lie, and would only aggravate him more. Sighing softly, she tapped the rim of the glass and smiled a bit as the liquid changed to a deep, dark crimson color, and attained a heavy scent not unlike blood.

Raising his glass of water to his lips, he sipped silently, his chocolate-colored eyes scanning hers before setting his drink down and lowering his voice to a quiet, almost uncannily understanding whisper. "If you would rather not say, just tell me as much; I won't push you." Natalie shivered at the tone of his voice, reaching for the glass and taking a sip, not bothering to smell it. The bloodwyne slid down her throat reassuringly, though she half loved and half hated the particular taste. She pondered the intimacy in his voice and nodded slightly. "It is only an expression. Do you not know of Ophelia?" she asked questioningly, rather surprised. Using one slender hand to rub at her nose, she sniffled a few times, the sound rather wet and soft, as though a strong tickled plagued her nostrils.

Justin laughed slightly, worrying that he had completely misjudged the situation, having been worried that her former lover, Casen, had raped her again. After his suicide and subsequent return through the Dark Arts, he constantly stalked her, trying to use her body for his own pleasure as a punishment for withholding sex while they were together. Justin seemed to relax slightly as he released the embarrassing feeling of having been utterly paranoid and hopefully wrong and shook his head slightly. "No, no. I never have."

Natalie listened to his laugh and enjoyed the sound, feeling as though it had been too long since she had shared the company of one who laughed well and laughed often. Though he did not seem especially happy, and though the laugh seemed almost forced and rather mirthless, it was a laugh, and she felt slightly better upon hearing it. "Ophelia is a character in one of Shakespeare's plays. She slips into insanity after her former lover murders her father. She is locked up, but she steals the key and goes out to the lake, ostensibly to swim, but ends up drowning. It's not classified as suicide because she is a high borne lady, but...." Here she trailed off and let the sentence hang, then took another sip of her drink.

His eyes widened as he slowly realized just what was being insinuated, and he could not help but wonder just how much of that related to her own life, though he refused to ask, as he wouldn't want to seem as though he were prying. "I... see.... Can I ask why? I mean...." Justin sighed softly, then continued. "I don't want to seem like I'm being rude, but..." he trailed off, and though he was doing an admirable job of controlling his anger, a hint of understandable irritation showed through the confused tone of his voice. "I can't understand why anyone would want to drown themselves."

She laughed quietly but mirthlessly as well. "No, no. Not drowning myself. Swimming. I told you," she insisted, her voice almost sing-songy. "He saw me, and I thought I'd go for a swim in the river to escape him. Granted, the thought of staying in the river was very tempting, but it's not quite my style. I have not managed to escape the unjust wrath of the Hierarchy just to do their dirty work for them by ending my life. I have too much to live for," she admitted, her words a revelation even to herself. Drinking the last of her bloodwyne, she rubbed her nose and set her glass back on the bar top, sniffling a bit. A few quick breaths escaped her parted lips before she sneezed wetly into the crook of her arm. "Iiih-ishhoo!! Heh-tishho!!"

Justin smiled, an actual warm, pleasant, and truly heartfelt smile as she spoke. "You have no idea how relieved I am to hear that," he answered, walking around the bar to obtain a box of Kleenex and extending it to Natalie. He bit his lip slightly, his smile faltering for a moment before he lowered his voice again, almost ashamed at having the gall to ask the question which played on his lips. "Did... he get to you again? Or did you manage to escape?"

Blinking softly, she rubbed her nose once more before accepting the box of Kleenex, taking one and bringing it to her nose, wiping gently, then setting it in her lap. After a few wet-sounding sniffles, she shivered a bit, her dress still soaked and her skin almost clammy by this point. Realizing that he had asked her a question, she shook her head a bit to clear it, then decided this could be taken for an answer, and so gave him a verbal response. "Not in that way," she confided, her voice a whisper. "Casen slapped me around a bit, but I managed to escape to the riverside." The band that held her hair in place seemed to slip, and the darkness of her ebony tresses came tumbling down around her shoulders like a waterfall of onyx.

He nodded slightly, and put the two images together: a cold, and wet clothes. Mentally scolding himself for not paying attention, he let his attention be distracted for a moment by the falling hair, before turning his eyes back to meet Natalie's. "Well... do you not have something a little less wet to wear? Being sick can't be very fun for Goddesses. I know that I, as a human, don't enjoy being sick all that much." He gave a slight smirk at the last comment, as though it amused him for some unexplained reason.

She sniffled a bit, forgetting the nearby tissues and rubbing her nose with the back of her wrist. A tickle built, but she ignored it, concentrating on Justin's words. "I don't have a change of clothes with me. Maybe *sniff* there are clothes here, perhaps? I'm not very savvy in the ways of humans. And I've never had a cold before," she added, still sniffling intermittently. Her eyes closed ever so slightly and she took another few quick breaths, before turning to her side to sneeze, the sound wet and full. "Iiih, ihh... ihh-isshho!! Hekisshoo!! Ooh, *sniff* I'b sorry." She now sounded rather stuffy, and looked pitiful, her hair falling into her face from the force of the sneezes and her eyes red-rimmed.

Justin smiled softly. "Bless you, Natalie." He gave a light, half-felt laugh. "As for the clothes, that would be a problem. If there were clothes here, they'd be upstairs, in the rooms. And unfortunately I don't have a single coin of the local currency. The odds of me being able to book a room are rather poor." His thoughts wandered off, trying to think of some way to either obtain a change of clothes for Natalie, or obtain access to the rooms legally to try to find something suitable.

She tried to internalize this information through her head, which was becoming more and more heavy, almost in direct correlation to the increasing stuffiness of her nose. She slid a hand along her skirt until she found a small slit, then dipped her fingers into the pocket, pulling out a few gold coins. "Dee Hiarkey egwibbed be wid eduff buhdey do cubblede by bisshun here, beforr digs... wed wrog...." She hoped he understood the majority of her words, but realized that the coins would help to explain. There were more in that pocket, and several more in other various pockets as well. It would be enough to get a room, she knew that much. Feeling very dizzy, she reached out to hand him the coins, then turned to the side and coughed weakly, her head spinning.

He nodded, and surprisingly understood every word she said... surprisingly for her, at least, as he knew he could hear through just about any accent - including sniffle. He hesitated to take the coins, however, before realizing that this was for her benefit, not his own, and she looked like she'd need the bed anyway. He took the coins, and hurriedly obtained a set of room keys. She felt him take the coins from her hands and shivered as he disappeared. A series of coughs left her momentarily immobile, but she managed to recover just as he returned, thankful for the ability to breathe. A quick glance was all that was required to realize that she was obviously not going to be able to walk straight, if at all, and he made a quick, but hesitant decision. Throwing his gear onto his back again, he included the stick he always carried in the sheath of sorts on his back before standing and offering Natalie a hand. "Let's get you somewhere warmer, shall we?"

His words pierced through the foggy state of her mind and she tried to decipher them. Warmth. That sounded nice. She placed her hand in his, rising somewhat unsteadily and sniffling some, before pulling her hand away to rub her nose. A few short, wet sneezes overcame her and she tried as best as she could to stifle them against the fabric of her sleeve. "Iiihh... ihh-kisshh!! Heh-isshho!! Shoo!! Hup-tisshho!!" Almost losing her balance, she teetered there, reaching out for his hand but unable to find it once more.

Justin slipped the keys into his pocket as he took her hand, forcing his own to be steady despite the nervousness that he always felt when touching someone else. Carefully, he guided Natalie up the stairs, to room four as was labeled on the large tag hanging off the ring. He paused occasionally, when he thought that she was preparing to sneeze, taking extra care to ensure she didn't lose her balance. Entering the room, it appeared to be nothing particularly special: a large bed, with white sheets; a dresser; a bathroom. Comfortable, but not overly luxurious, fairly well chosen considering he had no idea how much money she had, and wouldn't want to waste it. "First things first," he murmured, leading her to the dresser, looking away once there but still supporting her. "Dry clothes."

She leaned against the dresser for support, realizing what it was after a few moments and blinking in a futile attempt to clear her head. Opening drawers randomly, she found a cotton nightshift and a few undergarments. Certain that he was too much of a gentleman to watch her, she began to undress, her fingers fumbling as she tried to reach behind her and undo the buttons that ran from the back of her neck all the way to her waist. The task seemed hopeless and she paused to sneeze, not bothering to cover her mouth. "Ihh-isshooo!! He-kisshh!! Esshh!!"

Looking away, Justin was close enough that his shoulder could be grabbed onto for support if she needed; he was feeling extremely uncomfortable but hiding it expertly. He cringed slightly at the sound of her sneezes, feeling sorry for her predicament. "You ok, Natalie? That sounds pretty bad." His voice didn't give away his discomfort, though if being close to anyone made him uncomfortable, the thought of being close to someone who was changing was... well, suffice it to say that it took all of his considerable willpower to not show how he was feeling.

Natalie shivered from the chill of being wet and from the effects of her burgeoning cold. She knew she looked and sounded pathetic, but she could not stop herself. "I cad ged da buddods ud-dud," she whined, her nose still incredibly stuffy. She punctuated this sentence with a few wet sniffles, then sneezed unexpectedly, the sound almost harsh, but still soft somehow. "Heh-kisshh!! Uh... ihhh... ishhsheeww!! Hup-tishhoo!!" Pausing to sniffle again, her eyes were now very watery from the continued sneezes, and the shapes in the room were a blur. She again realized how pitiful she sounded but was too exhausted to make an effort to control it.

Justin nodded slightly, still feeling sorry for her, and for a moment entertained thoughts of blow-drying her clothes in an attempt to avoid a situation that would make him uncomfortable, though he had no idea what exactly she wore, nor how many layers. And above that, he was painfully aware that the layer of clothes closest to the skin was the one that would chill her most - for her to be this bad, her clothing must be soaked through. His hands trembled slightly, though his back was to Natalie and between her sight and his hands, she didn't notice. His voice, however, audibly trembled. He thought he would sound like a complete macho man for offering, but he didn't care, not where a friend's health was concerned. "I could..." he began, suppressing a shudder that ran down his spine, "help, if you want."

She could not see his trembling but knew that he abhorred physical contact and already felt miserable for causing him to have to touch her by helping her up the stairs to the room. A rising guilty feeling crept over her and she hoped he was not too upset with her. The tone of his voice did nothing to allay her fears, as she realized he was most likely shuddering with disgust. However, she could not refuse his offer of help as she could barely see, let alone reach back and undo the twenty or thirty buttons that reached from the nape of her neck all the way down to her waist. Damn those stupid dresses, she thought to herself. Sniffling thickly, she managed a slight nod, then accompanies it by a plaintive request. "Blees?" Shivers wracked her body and she suppressed the urge to sneeze yet again, not wanting him to catch her cold. He had already mentioned how much he hated being sick, and she would never forgive herself if she brought him misery, though she supposed just touching her was making him miserable enough.

He gave a slight grin as he moved behind her, and a slight laugh to match it. Quickly, and with hands that were carefully controlled to minimize the shaking, he undid the first few buttons. As those were open, he used his left hand to keep the back of her dress closed, using his right to undo the buttons one-handedly... something that he did remarkably well, considering the slight shaking that was evident. "You must have as impressive an immune system as I do if this is your first time having a cold." The trembling nervousness in his voice was lessened, though not completely alleviated as he glanced down at the open-buttoned back of her clothing, though it was still held shut with one hand.




Redemption Ch. 01



****Author's Note*****

This is a continuation of the story "Falling Into Darkness." Therefore you might be lost if you read this without reading the other. You have been warned.

_________________________________

God, it's cold. 

It was dark; blacker than her powerful eyes could penetrate. She couldn't move, even though her heart raced in panic and her body clenched with fear. For a moment, she couldn't remember why she was so terrified. All she knew was the darkness, the cold, her racing heart and her trembling body.

"Mara, Mara," a wicked voice crooned. The sound slithered over her body like a slimy parasite as she lay helpless and bound. 

She remembered the reason for her fear. She knew why it was black. She recalled why she couldn't move.

Please. No. No more.

"Mara," it almost sang. The tones of the naturally musical voice were far from pleasing; they were sick, disturbing — insane. 

Like a prisoner chained to the walls, unable to move even as the rats fed upon her, she was trapped. But there were no physical chains. She felt trapped within her own body; a body that became an instrument of horror at his wicked touch.

"Come, Mara," his maniacal voice chanted eagerly. "It's almost time..."

No. 

Panic overwhelmed her and she panted like a cornered animal. When he came for her, there was no escape. All he had to do was touch her and she'd be lost, dominated, unable to resist, as he used her to feed his insane cruelty. She couldn't bear to have him touch her again! Her soul wailed in agony. She couldn't endure another night; the blood, the screams ...

NO! 

For the first time in two decades, her body wasn't frozen with terror. For the first time, she was able to fight. She struggled violently against the restraints. Was she really chained this time? Despite the will to escape, the strength to do it eluded her. After all this time, when she finally had the strength of mind to flee, she lacked the physical strength. She let out an animalistic cry that was a mixture between rage and despair. 

"Mara," the voice said again.

"No!" she whimpered. "No, no, no..."

She pulled with all her might, drawing her strength from her toes, the ground around her, even the cold.

"Mara, wake up!"

She shook her head.

"God damn it, Mara!" he shouted.

She screamed and released her energy in a final blast of strength. Without thinking, she rolled to her feet and scurried away, only to pelt herself against a wall, her eyes wide, panting in hysteria. 

"You bitch!" snarled an angry male voice.

Mara stared at the man before her in amazement and surprise. It wasn't Francisco. It was...

He lunged at her, blurring with speed, and suddenly reappeared in front of her faster than she could track with her eyes. In a matter of seconds, he had her arms twisted behind her body, and pulled hard enough to send her to her knees, wincing in pain.

"So," he growled dangerously in her ear. "Your gift is telekinetic. You're a fool, if you thought you'd be able to get away."

Mara tried to shake the panic from her nightmare away and make sense of her surroundings. Who was this vampire who could move faster than she could follow, and why was she asleep in some kind of tunnel with him? Slowly her mind pieced together the events from the previous evening. Francisco was dead; killed by Alexander LeGaulle himself. Mara couldn't recall seeing an attack so vicious, even after spending nearly fifteen years as Francisco's prisoner and Little One. Then the Ancient One took Angel away, and then she ran away from Lord Montasse, and then ...

"Come on, woman," Kieran growled, pulling her to her feet. "I'm sick of chasing you."

"You could just let me go," she snapped in return.

"Sorry," he said, though he obviously didn't mean it one bit. "Ancient One's orders; you're to come back to the mansion."

"You're hurting me," she snipped, yanking against his iron tight grip.

"Your wrists aren't the only things I'll hurt, if you keep this up," he retorted.

She looked at him angrily. His dark eyes were glowing and his well-groomed hair was slightly awry. There was a rabid look to this man; fierce, untamed and it made her shiver. She always seemed to fall in with dangerous, dark men.

He dragged her back down the tunnel towards the service door he'd broken last night. Mara wasn't sure whether she wanted to struggle or not, but she decided to bide her time. It was just sunset, the subway would be crowded. She could easily get away using the humans to her aid — after all, he was her kidnapper and she knew how to play up the weak woman thing.

"Don't even think about trying something just because we're in public," he whispered in her ear as though he'd read her thoughts. "I'm faster, older, and far more powerful than you. No matter how hard you try, you won't escape me, and I'll be sure to take the time I spend hunting you out of your hide."

"You're an arrogant prick," Mara snarled back.

He chuckled darkly and opened the door. 

Mara followed him obediently as he pulled her back up the stairs and out of the subway. The minute they were outside, he pulled out his cell phone and called for someone to pick them up. Then he dragged her down the street and into a local coffee shop. He ordered a black coffee for himself, but he didn't even bother to offer her anything. 

Yeah. He was a prick. 

He took his cup in hand and then sat her in a booth bench right next to the wall. He squished in beside her, keeping his hand firmly on her arm. It was obvious he wasn't going to put up with any more escape attempts. He sipped his coffee in silence, staring out the window and watching people walk by with those dark eyes.

Mara was more than just a little uncomfortable sitting so close to him. First, he was dangerous. Anyone could see that just by the way his eyes glittered. He'd hunted her with a lot of skill last night, and after running from Francisco, she knew how to elude her pursuers. He was dangerous and at least as crafty as she was; not a good combination at all. Other things about him that distracted her as well. He felt warm; almost like a furnace. Francisco had always felt cold, like his spirit was icy, but this man, he was fire and passion. He had a pleasant, spicy smell about him that seemed to match the feeling of his soul; strong, male and powerful. 

Despite his harsh language and quick temper, she could feel his goodness. He wasn't a bad man; short fused, impatient, egotistical, and stubborn, but not bad. It had been a long time since she'd been around a vampire that felt this good, even if he was an arrogant prick. 

He didn't talk to her, his hand didn't relax on her arm and he sipped his coffee staring out onto the street, his dark eyes glittering. She wondered what had pissed him off now.

Mara finally sighed and slouched in her seat. She obviously wasn't going anywhere with "Guido" sitting next to her. She watched the humans walk by in the darkness, their hurried pace making them feel important as they carried out their day-to-day tasks. She could sure use a dark alley and a donor right about now.

"Settle down," Kieran snarled under his breath. "I'll feed you when we get home."

"I'm not a Little One anymore," she snapped right back. "I can control myself."

He sniffed in amusement but didn't reply.

As she watched the people amble by, she found herself thinking about Angel. Had the Ancient One treated her well? Was she all right? Had she recovered from her wounds? She felt oddly bereft without her friend. In the months of mentoring and constant contact, Angel had become more than just a friend. They'd become sisters, and a bond like that wasn't so easily broken or tossed away.

A lovely young woman with auburn hair walked by the window as Mara stared. She was dressed in a stylish camel coat, and Mara found herself wishing for hair that color, instead of her brown mane. The woman stopped and glanced at the writing on the windows of the coffee shop, reading them, almost debating on whether or not to stop. Mara could tell she was beautiful. Wavy auburn hair, skin the color of cream, and gorgeous emerald eyes—she was one of those women that made heads turn. She was young, too. Maybe twenty-one or twenty-two, dressed in a skirt and heels; probably leaving work. The clothes weren't designer, but they were nice, middle-class clothes. Mara imagined this girl as a clerk or a secretary somewhere. It was funny how certain things stuck in her mind. For example, she'd just profiled a stranger simply because she found the auburn hair attractive. Or maybe she was just bored and antsy. 

As the woman turned to keep walking by, a car stopped along the sidewalk and two men got out. They moved with the grace of dancers; it was obvious they were vampires. Instantly, Mara felt nervous. These kinds of things didn't happen in public, and the poor girl was so young!

"What the hell are they doing?" Kieran growled quietly beside her.

"They're not going to take her right here on the sidewalk, are they?" Mara gasped.

"No." His voice was hard and disapproving.

Mara watched as they talked to the woman for a moment. She could feel the mental push. It was subtle and powerful. The woman complied with their request and got into the car without protest. The car drove away as though nothing had happened, but Mara knew differently.

"Isn't that against the laws?" she asked Kieran.

"They'll probably feed from her and then deposit her somewhere else after altering the memory. Not the best way to feed, but it works."

Mara stared at the empty space on the sidewalk where the unfortunate woman had been moments before. "If that's all they were doing," she whispered, "why do I get such a bad feeling from it?"

Kieran didn't answer, and she found herself turning to look at him curiously.

He wasn't that bad to look at, actually. His olive-toned skin was smooth and his face was almost boyish. He looked liked someone turned him into a vampire when he was barely a man. His thick, brown hair was wavy, but looked as soft as silk. He had a square jaw and dark, glittering eyes. She noticed that he had nice-looking lips.

Nice lips? She internally scolded herself. The last person you should be studying lips on is Kieran Montasse.

"What's bothering you, Mara?" he asked, his eyes still scanning the streets.

"Nothing," she muttered. Suddenly she missed Angel terribly. Her dark-haired friend would know at once if that girl was going to be all right and for some reason, Mara knew that woman was in trouble.

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

Anna snuggled against Cael's chest, drifting in that comfortable place where her body was relaxed, warm, and more than sated. She'd closed her eyes, though she was wide awake now, and slightly hungry. After last night, she was probably a little weak.

"What's wrong?" he whispered to her.

She smiled dreamily. "Am I still that transparent?"

He chuckled. "Yes."

"Damn. And here I thought becoming a vampire would give me a sporting chance against you."

"You've never had a chance against me, Angel."

She did her best not to roll her eyes at him. He was still as confident as ever, probably even more so, since he'd brought the American kingdom under his control so quickly.

She growled a little and nuzzled his chest, smiling with satisfaction as his breath caught a bit in his throat. Okay. That still worked.

"None of that, young lady," he chuckled. "You wanted something."

She sighed. "I should probably eat. I kind of pushed myself last night."

"Kind of?" he said as smirked.

"Okay," she admitted, "seriously pushed myself."

"I've got some blood in the refrigerator," he said. "I'll get us a few glasses."

Anna made a face. "Ew! Cold blood," she whined.

"One of the prices of royalty," he agreed. "Sorry, princess."

He climbed out of bed gracefully and stood stretching a little. Anna couldn't help herself: she at his naked ass as he walked across the room and threw on a robe that hung on the back of his door. He turned around and grinned at her suddenly. 

Damn. She was going to have to guard her thoughts a little better. 

"You can try, Anna," he chuckled.

How about you take that sexy ass and find me something to drink? she thought, smiling.

He chuckled and left to do just that.

She lounged for all of two seconds before she decided that she was quite done with being in bed. She hated lounging around for too long. She slid out of the luxurious sheets, went into Cael's closet and found one of his silky black T-shirts and some boxers to slip in. Granted, she had to roll the boxers a couple of times to keep them on her hips, and the shirt hung like a tent, but it was nice to be in clothes, especially clothes that smelled like him. She looked around for a moment to make sure he wasn't nearby to watch and then took a deep breath. God she loved his smell! 

She flounced into the living room to find him emptying the contents of a blood bag into a couple of glasses for them. Wrinkling her nose a little at the thought of drinking cold blood, she pointedly ignored him and explored his place. It was just as nice as the mansion in Minnesota ... or what she remembered of it. The flat-screen TV above the fireplace angled down for excellent viewing, the furniture upholstered in luxurious velvets and the cushions looked down-filled. A couple of oil paintings, nice rugs, yep, it was definitely Alexander-y. She flitted to a window and pulled aside the velvet curtains to stare out over some lovely gardens and fountains. The lighting accentuated the shapes of the plants, and there were twinkling gazeboes in various secluded groves.

"Those are my private gardens," he said to her. "There are others on the premises that are open to everyone."

He handed her a glass filled with blood and she took a sip, frowning only a little at the chilly temperature. The donor had been a healthy male; his blood filled with rich endorphins and nutrients. 

She arched her eyebrows at him as she took another sip.

"Yes, of course I have my own donors," he admitted. "There are humans in this operation. I think I told you before."

She sighed and looked out over the gardens. "I guess I'm not used to a vampire's life of luxury."

"Anna," he said and then paused. "I have ... responsibilities. It's not just like when you and I were fleeing across the country. I've got a job, obligations."

She sighed and put her fingers on his lips. It wasn't like she didn't realize that, though thinking about something and living it were two very different realities. She'd been living the life of a vagabond with Mara, and now she was suddenly going to be thrust into the role of ... well, she wasn't quite sure what she was expected to be.

"I want you to be happy," he continued, kissing her fingers. "I just need you to understand."

"I'll try my best," she said. "But you know me."

Suddenly he chuckled and put his arm about her. "Yes, I do. You always manage to make my life difficult."

"What's going to happen to Mara?"

"Kieran should have brought her back last night," he said. "I wanted to talk to her."

Anna felt her body tense and she turned around quickly to stare into Cael's fantastic jade eyes. "Remember, you promised not to hurt her."

"I'm not going to hurt her, Anna. I want to talk to her. She saw you right after the turn. She knows things about your transition that I'd like to know, since I wasn't there for you."

Anna relaxed. "Sorry," she replied. "I spent so long running from you because I didn't know who you were. And I'm kind of protective of Mara. She's had a tough time."

He nodded. "Drink your dinner," he said gently. 

She obediently took another sip, once again longing for a nice throat to bite. Blood tasted so much better that way. She wondered if one of Cael's human attendants might allow her to feed ... maybe a cute one in a suit ...

"Absolutely not," he snarled. 

"Oh, get over yourself. You've had a few thousand years to get the whole warm blood thing out of your system. I'm only going on a few months. And I wasn't thinking about doing anything with him, just drinking the blood."

"You're a terror, Anna," he said, shaking his head. 

She took another sip of her drink, then sighed miserably and downed the whole thing. It seemed to be better if she chugged it.

"So, Ancient One," she said as she rinsed out the glass in the sink. "What's on the agenda today?"

He looked her up and down suggestively. "I can think of a few things."

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

The asshole actually cuffed her! Son of a bitch! 

Mara glared at her captor as he talked business on his cell phone and ignored her completely. When his "attendants" had arrived, they'd handed him a set of handcuffs, and once Kieran had assisted her into the back seat with him, he'd tackled her and restrained her with her hands behind her back. Oh, she was going to kill him. Just wait until these things were off. Super strength and speed or no, that bastard was going down!

They drove for nearly an hour out of the city, Kieran talking on his cell phone the entire time. She listened carefully to his conversations, trying to learn as much about what he did, and what was going to happen to her as she could. However, his conversation was business talk, "buy this" and "sell this". He told people what to tell other people and made some international calls, inquired about a shipment of something. No discussion about the Ancient One and her fate. All Kieran told her was that the Ancient One wanted to talk to her. The Ancient One she'd run from and kept his Little One from. 

Yep. I'm officially screwed. 

The car finally pulled up to a, well, it was a mansion. It was like what you saw on TV from an aerial view, with an immense roof and looked like a complex more than just a house. It was huge, and judging by the large fountain in front, it was luxurious.

"Good evening, Lord Montasse," said a man who had been waiting for them even as he inclined his head respectfully.

"Evening, Marcus," said Kieran.

"I see you have Ms. Mara with you," he commented. "Shall I inform the Ancient One of your arrival?"

"Yes," Kieran replied. "And tell Darian, too."

"Of course," said the man bowing.

Mara stared at the guy as he sauntered off to follow Kieran's orders. People didn't really do that whole bowing shit, did they?

"Who was that?" she asked, unable to stop herself in her curiosity.

"That, was my personal assistant," Kieran grumbled to her irritably.

"Are you going to take these things off me now?" she said, pulling at the cuffs once again. "Obviously I'm not going anywhere."

He laughed darkly. "You're unreliable, Mara. Until Alexander is done with you, it's cuffs and prisons."

"You're a prick," she snarled in return. 

"I've been called worse," he agreed.

He literally dragged her through the main doors and into a grand hallway. Mara stared around in amazement. The foyer had marble tile, with a grand chandelier of crystal. The furniture was expensive, antique, and ornately carved, and art lined the wall that was obviously costly simply from the manner of display. There were two vampires standing just inside the door, dressed in suits, with earpieces with little wires hanging down. Mara couldn't tell if they carried weapons, but she guessed there were guns and knives hidden under those sport coats. Talk about secret service.

Montasse dragged her down a hallway that was just as lavish as the foyer and then through double doors leading down a stairway. They went down three flights of stairs, before he finally stopped and went into another hallway. This one wasn't lavishly decorated like the house above. In fact, it reminded her of the very hallway where she'd found Angel locked away in a cell, starving. It was clinical; white walls, white floors, and steel reinforced doors.




Redemption Ch. 01



Oh no. She really was going to jail; a vampire jail.

"Here we are, Mara," said Kieran, opening the door for her. "A nice little holding cell. Enjoy your stay." He shoved her with unnecessary roughness into the tiny cell, and then closed the door behind her.

Mara swore angrily. Not only was she locked in a prison cell, but he'd left her hands cuffed behind her back. She was definitely going to strangle the bastard when she got loose. 

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

Anna rolled her eyes at him as the seamstress pinned another evening gown so that it fit perfectly. It was obvious she didn't find being fitted for clothing to be her favorite pastime, but he had to admit he enjoyed it. His favorite part was when they brought in lingerie. Oh, the things they'd found! For example, right now, Anna was standing in high heels, a silver gown with a silver satin bustier beneath, and sexy silver panties. The seamstress explained to her that she had to try the entire ensemble with all the correct lingerie so that they could be sure there wouldn't be any trace of the undergarments outside the dress. His favorite part was coming. In a few seconds the seamstress was going to lift the dress off, to leave her standing in high heels and lingerie. It had taken massive amounts of self-control not to dismiss the seamstress the first time she'd lifted an evening gown off Angel's lingerie-clad body. He'd had an erection for at least two hours.

"There we are, Miss Angel," said the seamstress. "The last pin." She unbuttoned the dress and gently lifted it over Angel's head so as not to prick her with any pins. 

He sucked in his breath as her sexy body in that silver lingerie came into view. So far, the silver was his favorite. 

"Are there any more, Ancient One?" the woman asked politely.

Cael looked at Anna as she rolled her eyes and mentally begged him to say no. He smiled. "That's enough for now."

"We'll have these ready by tomorrow," she said.

"Thank you," he replied.

She bowed and left quietly.

Anna moaned and ran her fingers through her long hair with exasperation. "If you make me dress up in one more thing, so help me, Cael," she snapped.

"You looked beautiful in everything, Anna," he said in his most gentle voice. He smiled as she shivered a little at the sound and then her back went rigid and her lips pursed in irritation.

"If you wanted a doll so bad, I could have bought you a Barbie," she snipped.

He took a swig of his scotch. "I don't want a doll."

"Could have fooled me," she returned sullenly. 

"Quit whining and sit with me for a minute, Angel," he replied. 

She sniffed a little and then kicked off the silver high heels gracefully. Did she even realize how beautiful she was doing ordinary things? Then with a sigh, she flounced on the couch beside him. She took his snifter from his hand, sniffed the brandy and took a swig, then handed it back to him. He found himself wondering if she even knew how to appreciate brandy. Probably not. She was young, and he'd refined his tastes over centuries.

"I promise not to make you do a marathon fitting like this again," he said. "But, people are going to want to see you and soon, and as my Little One, you have an image to keep."

"I know," she replied, the wheedling tone in her voice softening just a little. "You bought me beautiful things. Like always. I cringe to think of this wardrobe bill."

"I have more money than I know what to do with. The least I can do is to spend some of it on you." 

She sighed and snuggled into his arms in that rather demanding way he always loved about her. She smelled good. Somehow, during the wardrobe fittings, one of the designers had managed to put some Chanel on her. God, he loved Chanel. He put his hand on her stomach and stroked her soft flesh tenderly, lightly teasing her belly button with his fingers.

She smiled at him. "I should probably take these off. I don't want to ruin them before I get the chance to actually wear them under that pretty dress." Her voice had turned a little flirtatious and her beautiful blue eyes danced. His cock reacted to that tone by stiffening even more. She reached behind her back to undo the hooks to the bustier, and in the process, her breasts jutted out a little further. Cael traced the top of her swells with his fingers smiling as she nimbly undid the fasteners on the complicated lingerie.

"You have experience at this," he teased.

She smiled at him seductively. 

Oh yes. She definitely had his attention.

Suddenly, she stood up and tossed the silver garment onto a pile that still lay out on the coffee table. Then she hooked her fingers through the straps of her underwear and shimmied out of those. His eyes followed those shimmering panties as they slipped down her long, silky legs. With another graceful move, she stepped out of them, and tossed them in the pile on the coffee table.

"There," she said, smiling. "Much better."

"Yes," he choked out. His eyes raked her naked frame possessively, memorizing every curve to that body. Perhaps he had centuries to learn all her secrets, but that didn't mean he should procrastinate getting started. She smiled at him knowingly again, and he found himself wondering if she could read his mind just a little. Her eyes glanced down to his crotch and the bulge straining against his trousers, and she arched her eyebrows.

"I think you need a little help," she said gently.

Yes, Anna. Help me. 

She smiled and suddenly crawled onto his lap, straddling his thighs. She took his glass in her hand again, took another sip, and then put it on the sofa table behind them. Then that little minx leaned over and kissed him for all he was worth.

Cael groaned as her lips caressed his and her tongue teased his lips for entry into his mouth. He kissed her back and mated his tongue fiercely with hers, tasting the alcohol on her lips and in her mouth. It tasted sweet on her tongue. She ground her crotch against his, ran her fingers through his hair, and stroked his chest through his shirt.

"Anna," he moaned as her lips caressed his face, his jaw, his neck. Feeling her mouth so near his throat made his entire body quiver with anticipation. How amazing it would be to feed from her, for her to feed from him. He groaned as she continued to kiss him, and he tried to remind himself that she was young and inexperienced at being a vampire. 

In time, perhaps.

"Tell me what you want, Cael," she whispered in his ear.

"You," he returned, as he reached out to run his fingers down her spine. She shivered slightly at his touch, and then moaned as he cupped her ass in his hand.

She kissed her way down his neck and then down his chest, unbuttoning his shirt and suckling at his nipples through his silken undershirt. He moaned and started unbuttoning his cuffs. He wanted her mouth on his skin. He stripped his top and she suckled and kissed at his flesh, her tongue tracing the ridges of his muscles, her fingers flicking his nipples. She worked her way down his stomach, and her hands nimbly undid the button on his slacks and the zipper followed soon after.

"Don't stop," he begged.

Her hands grasped the waistline of his clothes, and he lifted his hips off the couch so that she could free him completely. Somehow, she'd managed to make it to her knees before him as she finished taking off his shoes and slipping his clothes off his legs. She kissed her way back up his calves and then to his thighs, her fingers lightly brushing his flesh, repeating the strokes when he flinched and gasped in pleasure. God! She knew just how to build the anticipation. He was sweating and panting, her fingers sent little shivers of electricity up his legs right to his groin. 

She smiled wickedly and continued to kiss her way up his legs, until her mouth was inches away from where he wanted it. She put her tiny hand around him and his hips involuntarily thrust upward. Even her hands felt like velvet. She leaned over him and suckled the tip of him, the warm wetness of her mouth on his aching cock making him hiss with pleasure. He ran his fingers through her hair, pulling it aside so he could watch her. She took him as deep into her mouth as she could, swirling her hot tongue around his flesh, suckling hard as she stroked the base with her tiny hand. He rolled his eyes into the back of his head with pleasure.

Before he lost his mind, he grabbed her roughly and pulled her back into his lap, and caught her lips in a searing kiss. He could taste the slight musk of his arousal on her lips and he trembled in excitement.

Taking his aching cock in one hand and her hips in the other, he guided himself inside her. He smiled as she gasped, her blue eyes darkening with want as she grasped his shoulders suddenly with her hands for support. Slowly he guided her hips down, feeling every centimeter of her hot sheath caress him. Then he growled possessively and dominated her mouth with a hungry kiss. She groaned in supplication, clutching harder at his shoulders, her sheath tightening convulsively around him. 

He wrapped his hands around her waist and guided her up and down slowly, and then with more urgency, growling in pleasure. God, she was amazing! Her long hair tumbled about her shoulders and whipped in her face. Her full breasts bounced, her pouty lips were red and parted slightly as she gasped in pleasure. The fire in his groin grew hotter as she moved on him. After watching her dress and undress all evening, his restraint was gone. He wormed his fingers through her soaked folds and stroked her clit, begging her to come before he lost his mind. Her body tensed above him, her eyes grew dark, and her back arched suddenly.

She let out a gasp and a cry, and clung to him desperately. Cael thrust viciously inside of her, feeling her walls pulse spasmodically around him, and then groaned with release as the fire in his groin exploded, sending waves of pleasure through his body. 

"God, Anna!" he gasped, wrapping his arms about her tiny body and holding her to him as the last spasms wracked his body.

She clung to him, making slight little whimpering sounds she panted, and laid her head on his shoulder weakly.

Who needed heaven when there was this? 

He held her close, stroking her back until her pants and shivers finally subsided. Then he tucked her dark hair behind her ear, and pulled her slightly away from him so he could look into her face.

Her eyes were still smoky, and her lips swollen, and suddenly he had the urge to christen more than just the couch. He kissed her again and she chuckled a little in the back of her throat, as though she knew exactly what he was thinking. He thought of his dining room table. He'd been making promises to her about a table for a long time now. Granted it wasn't a formal state table with fifty chairs, but, he'd improvise. He wrapped his arms about her and made ready to carry her over when his phone interrupted him.

He turned his head and growled at the irritating piece of technology.

"Ignore it," Anna said in a breathy voice.

He shivered at that husky sound and captured her mouth with his once again, allowing the call to go to voicemail. He'd instructed them to leave him alone, anyway. Anna ran her fingers through his hair and stroked his arms with that hungry touch she got when she was turned on and he could hear the blood pound in his ears with excitement. He wrapped his arm around her waist...

"FUCK!" he roared at the phone. He grabbed the little piece of technology angrily, checked the number and growled again. "This better be good!" he snarled into the phone.

"Sorry, Ancient One," Kieran replied. "I got a call from an agent. There's a problem in the Middle East. You need to call T'hatset and the others. We should probably have a council."

"Is Darian with you?"

"He's the one who told me to interrupt you, Alexander."

Cael sighed. "Fine. I'll be there in a few moments." He hung up rather spitefully. Couldn't the vampire world get along without him for one damned day? What had they done for two months when he was missing?

"Anna," he began.

"I heard," she said. "You've got to go." She smiled a little and kissed his lips sweetly. "Good thing we have time on our side."

"I feel guilty leaving you."

"You weren't planning on locking me up in here, were you?" she said sounding appalled.

Cael wisely kept his mouth shut. Obviously, she didn't have any intention of hanging around in his bedroom to wait for him, but the idea of turning Anna loose on his mansion was a frightening thought. He'd have to assign her bodyguards, get her a cell phone...

"Come on!" she sighed, slithering off his lap. "We both need a shower, and you need to get going."

He followed her into the bathroom appreciating the shape of her rear and the sensual sway to her hips as she walked. She was going to wrap the vampire world around her little pinky with that unconscious sensuality of hers. 

She definitely needs a squad of bodyguards. 

He showered as quickly as he could, though he admittedly got distracted with the company a couple of times. Finally, she kicked him out of the shower and told him to run along and stop holding the world up for him. He was out the door quickly after that. As he marched to the 'war room' as he liked to call his favorite conference room, he quickly arranged things for "Anna containment." There was no way that little minx was getting out of his sight for a long time.

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

Anna dressed in a nice pair of charcoal wool pants and a lovely blue sweater that Cael had bought her earlier. It was nice having beautiful clothes to wear, though she'd been a little sad to learn there would be no jeans in her wardrobe as the Ancient One's Little One. She wondered if she could smuggle a pair or two in the mansion and hide them without him knowing. She dried her hair, put on a little makeup and, despite the lack of jeans, was pleased with her appearance, especially because Cael had been so generous about the shoes. He'd just smiled tolerantly, as she tried on pair after pair and chatted happily with the shoe representative as she modeled them in the mirror. 

She walked back into the living room to find a female vampire cleaning up the disarray from her dress fitting and...other activities. She blushed slightly, but then figured Cael's kingdom already knew exactly what was going on behind these doors.

"Ms. Angel," said the maid, inclining her head.

"Hi," Anna replied. "Are you the maid that always cleans things up?"

"Yes, miss," she replied. "I'm Sabrina."

"Nice to meet you," Anna replied. 

She noticed a man in a suit standing in the room supervising the maid as she cleaned things up. He reminded her of a secret service agent; tall, broad, clean-cut, and his blue eyes seemed to take everything in with a steady stare. Leave it to Cael to pick the most dangerous looking vampires he could find to keep an eye on her.

"Do you think Alexander would mind if I wandered about?" she asked him curiously. "I assume you're here for my ... um ... protection." She rolled her eyes. She'd been tempted to say 'babysitting' but she decided she'd be polite. It wasn't this guy's fault Cael was going to be paranoid for a while.

"He's already made arrangements for your escort, Miss," replied the guard. 

Angel smiled brightly at him, using her most charming smile, and though he restrained himself and didn't smile back, she thought his eyes softened just a little.

"So," she said to him as Sabrina continued to flit around and clean. "How do I find my friend, Mara?"

"I'm not familiar with the name," her bodyguard admitted.

"Well, I hear Kieran brought her home last night," she said helpfully.

"Mr. Montasse arrived earlier this evening," said the man. "I was unaware that he brought anyone with him."

Anna closed her eyes and reached out for Mara's presence. She knew she'd get just a hint of her presence if Kieran had managed to get her here. Suddenly she wondered if her friend had actually escaped the dangerous vampire. When she felt the tickle on the back of her mind, though, she knew.

"Well," she said. "Mara's here. Now all we have to do is find her."

"Of course, Miss."

She smiled charmingly at her bodyguard again. "So, how do we find out what Kieran did when he got home?"

"Mr. Montasse has a personal assistant," he said helpfully.

"Let's go!"

"Well, as the Ancient One's Little One, you could probably just send for him."

"Really?" She hadn't been expecting that. She got to send for people? "Well, how do I do that ... uh ... what's your name, anyway?"

"The name is Dorian, Miss Angel," he said, inclining his head. "And as for the assistant, I'll make a call if you wish."

"I do," she said. "And it's nice to meet you, Dorian."

"You too, Miss." Dorian spoke into his earpiece for a moment and then waited. "Marcus is on his way," he reported after a second.

"Good."

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

It took a while, but Mara finally managed to wriggle her body so her hands were in front of her instead of behind her back. Her little cell was bright and had a bed that was barely big enough for her. It was more of a cot. However, she had nothing to do, so she snuggled down on her back and stared up at the ceiling, listening to the slight buzzing the lights made. If she was being honest, she could probably get out of this cell; but she wasn't sure if she was brazen enough to try to escape. She'd already managed to piss the Ancient One off enough. Perhaps it was better to wait and see what would happen. If they were going to hurt her, she'd run like hell. Besides, Angel was here somewhere. She could feel that much. Angel wouldn't let them hurt her.

She found her thoughts wandering back to that auburn-haired woman at the coffee shop. Something about the situation didn't settle right. Maybe they were just feeding, but why on her, and why so publicly? There were plenty of humans to feed from, and taking someone like her so publicly was a terrible risk. Rule number 1: keep vampires a secret from humans. So, why?

It had been a long time since she'd forced herself to think her way through the details of a situation like that. She forced her mind to recall the details of the black sedan. It was a foreign car; she searched her mental picture, Japanese. She hadn't looked at the license plate. Interiors were tan, though. The vampires were wearing sunglasses, in the dark. It hid their features. There were two people including the driver; it was some kind of abduction. That was obvious. For dinner? Unlikely. For murder? Possibly. Then there were other, worse possibilities. 

Mara shook her head. The world was full of sick people.

There was a sound at her door and then a series of beeps on the keypad. Mara sat up, her heart pounding. Perhaps it was time for the Ancient One to question her? She jumped to her feet and backed into the corner of her cell, just to be safe. Was the Ancient One going to hurt her? She closed her eyes and said a silent prayer to whomever would listen: Please get me out of this.

The door opened and Mara gasped.

"Surprise!" Angel said, smiling as she hopped into the cell.

Mara felt her shoulder slump in relief; that was two worries out of the way. Angel was safe and the Ancient One wasn't going to beat the shit out of her... yet. 

Angel, as exuberant as always, threw her arms about her and hugged tight. Suddenly she stiffened and looked down at the handcuffs.

"They handcuffed you?" she said sounding appalled.

"Lord Montasse did," Mara admitted.

"You ran off, didn't you?" Angel said in a scolding tone, though she was still smiling.

Mara shrugged. "It was worth a shot."

Her dark-haired friend turned to a man who looked like another one of those secret service agents. He was big, broad and dangerous looking. Mara instantly approved. 




Redemption Ch. 01



"Could we get these off her?" she pleaded, batting her eyelashes at her escort.

Mara had to stifle a giggle. Leave it to Angel to work on charming her bodyguards.

"Sorry, Miss Angel," he said. "Lord Montasse must have the keys."

Her friend growled a little and muttered something about Kieran being an "arrogant ass." Mara smiled; it seemed they had the same impression of the dark-haired vampire. 

"Don't worry about it, kid," Mara said. "I'm sure things will get sorted out soon." She looked her up and down. It seemed that in the span of one evening, the Ancient One had managed to get her in an expensive wardrobe. Angel looked absolutely stunning; a perfect Little One for the Ancient One in America. "I like the shoes," she complimented her.

Angel grinned and modeled them. 

"So you're okay then?" Mara asked.

Angel nodded. "I guess I didn't get a chance to tell you that after the accident, I remembered the rest. I remembered what happened between Alexander and me, and..." She took a breath. "It's a long story."

Mara nodded. "It must be. Everyone knows the Ancient One has never shared his blood before. You're quite the anomaly."

Angel's eyes softened a little and then she smiled. "Yeah. So. Let's figure out how to get these off you, and then get you a little more comfortable."

"Are you sure you're allowed to bail me out?" Mara asked cautiously. She didn't want Angel to get herself in trouble. Fat chance of preventing it, but she could try.

"I'm sure Kieran was just pissed at you for running. You're not going to run anymore, so ..." Angel shrugged. She grabbed Mara by the arm and started escorting her out of the cell.

"Sorry, Miss Angel," said her bodyguard. "I'm not quite sure if the Ancient One would allow this. Technically you're going against a command by Lord Montasse. I'm pretty sure you can't just 'undo' one of his commands."

Angel swore, and Mara chuckled as the bodyguard arched his eyebrows in surprise.

"She needs a little refinement," Mara said in explanation. "She's still a baby."

He grinned at her.

Angel sighed, turned around and deposited herself rather unceremoniously on the cot. "Fine. I'm not going to leave until Mara does, then."

This time the bodyguard looked flabbergasted. Mara held back another chuckle.

"You can be a pain in the ass, Angel," she said as she sat down beside her.

"Well," her friend sniffed. "It's not every day your best friend is locked up." 

Suddenly Angel's body went stiff and her eyes widened.

"Angel?" Mara said in alarm.

"Miss Angel?" her bodyguard repeated sounding equally, if not more alarmed. 

He reached out to touch her, but Mara's protective instincts went into gear. She covered Angel's body with hers and snarled viciously. 

"Get back!" she commanded.

Suddenly Angel gasped and then she screamed.

"Get someone here now!" the guard called desperately on his headset.

"Angel!" Mara whispered as she stared at her stricken friend. "Angel!"

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

 Hey everyone! I know you've been begging for it, so... voilà! Continuation of your favorite vampires! It took me a while to figure out this storyline, and there are TONS of details I haven't quite worked out, but now that I know where I'm headed, I think I'm ready to begin posting the next book. 

Special thanks to MistressLynn and HaplessHedonist for looking this over. :)

As always; feedback and votes are appreciated.

-E 



Redemption Ch. 01



Please note: this is purely fictional, and I want to thank my wife for editing it for me and encouraging me to write again. 

***

I suppose, looking back on it now, I've only experienced two gut-wrenching shocks in my lifetime. I try to be grateful I haven't had more, but man, I'm not sure I could survive any more like the two I've already had.

The first is probably predictable, given the category you're reading, but I should probably preface that one by explaining the way I met my ex-wife, Paige. Or maybe it would be more important to go back to the very beginning of me for you to understand our story.

I was born to older parents who'd tried many fruitless years to have children until, surprise, surprise, I came along. My mother was thirty-eight and my father was forty-five at the time. My father was also a policeman in the heart of Wisconsin. Yeah, you guessed it. He caught two bullets in the back one night while responding to an armed robbery. I was only four at the time, so I can't say I have many memories of him, although sometimes I think I can actually remember pieces of his funeral and some of the unfamiliar faces that hugged and coddled me while my mother silently fell to pieces in another room.

Not only was I an only child, but so were each of my parents, meaning I had no cousins, no aunts or uncles and certainly no grandparents to dote on me growing up. You might think my mother turned all of her affection toward me following my father's untimely death, but she was so depressed and lost in her grief that I often got overlooked and, yes, neglected. She did finally move us to Texas to be close to one of her best friends, and it was Lettie that often made sure I was clothed and fed and sent to school on time. 

Lettie Jordan had her own husband and children to care for, but somehow she blended me into the fold. Her husband and children never took to me the way that she did though. When my mother passed away from a heart attack, I was 20 years old and barely shed a tear. When Lettie passed away, I was 31 and cried like a baby. I quickly lost all contact with her brood, who, in my opinion, had never appreciated the old gal the way I always had.

It was Lettie who had encouraged me to attend college. I can't say I had much interest in my studies growing up, and I always figured I'd spend my post-high school education selling cars or flipping burgers.

"No, Drew, you must pursue a career," Lettie had told me, and then handed me a check for $2,000 written out to the community college. "Take this and make something of yourself. You're made of better than you think."

I had no direction, hell, I had no interest in any specific career, but I took the money and enrolled anyway just to please Lettie. I was so eager to make that woman proud that I still have no idea how I ended up in Stanford's graduate program some years later. 

I met Paige while working a part-time job as I finished my degree in business. I washed dishes nights, waited tables some when someone else didn't show up like they were supposed to, and often watched the cute, auburn-haired waitress from afar as she shuffled around the dining room.

Maybe it was my upbringing or maybe it was just my nature that I always kept to myself and didn't talk much. I never had many friends simply because I never went out of my way to make any. I was fairly good-looking, so I'd dated some without having to put forth much effort. I'd had a scare once when I thought I might have made a girl pregnant in high school, but it had turned out to be a false alarm. That was around the time I'd gotten serious about college, too, so I'd never had a real girlfriend, and I'd felt like a fool for even considering asking Paige out then. She was sweet-natured, kind to everyone, and seemed to come from a good family. I mean, what would she see in me? As far as I could tell, she didn't even know I existed.

Or so I had thought.

One night I'd just finished closing up and was headed to my car when I almost literally bumped into Paige in the parking lot.

"Oh, geez, you scared the hell out of me," she'd said, and then cushioned the complaint with an apologetic smile. "Sorry, Drew, I didn't see you. Hey, are you the last one inside?"

"Uh, yeah," I'd responded like a fool, thinking, shit, she knows my name?

"Dammit!" She'd glanced around, looking troubled. With a hand on her forehead, she winced and sent me a sideways glance. I swear she even blushed. "Sorry. I don't usually cuss."

"Is there a problem?"

"Yeah, my car won't start. I know Frank used to be a mechanic, so I was hoping he was still here and could take a look at it." She glanced at me hopefully. "Hey, you don't know anything about cars, do you?"

I knew only enough to be dangerous, but I lied and told her I knew more. It was an excuse to give me time alone with her, to play the hero, and try to work up enough courage to ask her out. She chatted happily the whole time I was tinkering with her car, telling me all about herself. She was only a year younger than me and she was studying journalism, hoping to work in television news. 

"You're sure pretty enough," I said then, speaking my thoughts aloud. It was my turn to blush.

"You really think so?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it."

She blushed again. I always found her blushes endearing. She said nothing, just watched as I moved some cables and wires around under the hood. When she tried the engine, nothing happened as expected.

"Sorry," I told her. "Guess I don't know as much as I thought."

She chewed her bottom lip.

"Can I give you a ride, or would you prefer me to let you back inside to use the phone?" I'd asked then, thinking she was probably scared of being alone with me.

Her face lit up. "Um, yeah, a ride would be great."

And that was the beginning of my whirlwind romance with Paige Conerly. Paige had told me later that she'd been trying to get my attention for weeks and figured God must have finally intervened on her behalf that night and killed her car just to give her a chance with me. Apparently it's true that women are always attracted to the mysterious, silent types, and since I'd never said more than a few words to her in passing, she'd taken an interest. Thankfully I did something to hold it because she agreed to marry me almost two years later. She was radiant on our wedding day, a blushing almost-virgin since I'd had the privilege of deflowering her eight months after our first date.

We'd been married almost eighteen years when that first gut-wrenching shock I mentioned happened to me.

At some point early in our marriage, Paige had decided she was more interested in having a family than working, so she'd abandoned her career as a reporter for the local newspaper. She'd hated it anyway. When she never fell pregnant, she went back to work, but she never liked anything else either and was always changing jobs. She eventually she landed a part-time job at our affiliate TV news station as a producer. Finally, she'd found a job she loved, and we gave up consciously trying to have a family, figuring it would happen when it was meant to happen. We'd both been tested and both were told we were fertile. I guess God had a plan for us even then.

Looking back, I suppose my relationship with Paige fell into the same rut many marriages do. I was working so much that we didn't spend as much time together. She would sometimes get mad at me because she said I didn't open up enough to her. Certain times I would get tired of her criticizing and snap back at her. But I adored my wife, and I never doubted her love for me.

Well, not until about two years ago, that is.

I'd been putting in a lot of hours, trying to hold onto my job when I began to notice subtle changes in our relationship. One morning I found a pack of birth control pills hidden beneath some items in the bathroom. When had she gone back on birth control, and why had they been hidden?

When I asked her about it, she waved it off as nothing, saying, "I figured I might as well. You know I love my job and am not ready to give it up just yet."

Well, I figured our chances of having a kid at this point were pretty moot even without the birth control, but I tried to be understanding. I guess I was too preoccupied with the danger of losing my job to really think about it that morning. It triggered something in my subconscious though, because then I started noticing other things. When had she stopped dressing like the Paige I had married and more like the Paige I had dated? Then there were some days she came home late, supposedly from work. Not to mention, when was the last time we'd made love? A few weeks at least.

Holy hell. Was my wife cheating on me?

I watched Paige closely the next few days, watching for obvious slip-ups. I realized we hadn't been talking much lately. When had that happened? Sure, I wasn't much of a talker, but I usually enjoyed hearing about her day, enjoyed hearing her laugh whenever I had something funny to share.

She caught me looking at her one morning and she blushed self-consciously, so I walked over and put my arms around her from behind. 

"How about we make time for each other tonight? It's been too long since we've had a nice night away from the house together. What do you say?" I asked her.

She looked surprised, but then she smiled brightly. "That sounds wonderful."

I decided I'd take her to her favorite restaurant that night. It was a bit pricey and upscale, but I knew we needed it. Whether she was cheating or not, we both needed some time together.

When I picked Paige up, she looked stunning. I knew she'd been insecure since turning forty, but she looked better than a lot of women half her age, I thought. I made sure I told her multiple times how beautiful she looked. Each time, I swear she blushed. 

Was she cheating? Did I really want to know? 

As I held my wife in my arms on the dance floor that evening, I couldn't imagine her ever being unfaithful. Her heart had always seemed so ...pure. 

"I'm sorry I haven't given you much attention lately," I told her and meant it. "Work has been stressful. That's no excuse though."

She looked concerned and asked me why it was so stressful. When I told her about the impending layoffs, her face turned pale, as if something I had said had shocked her.

"I'm sorry," she said, looking at my chin. "I should have known that. You aren't the only one who hasn't been giving enough attention."

"I could have told you." I shrugged. She just shook her head, looking sad as she buried her face against my shoulder.

I think we both felt guilty and ashamed of ourselves that evening. When we made it home, she all but attacked me inside the doorway, ripping at my shirt and tie as she kissed me like she hadn't kissed me in years. I grabbed her hips and smashed my lips against hers hard. How we made it to the bedroom, I have no idea. 

As I peeled off her dress, I made sure to whisper how much I adored her against her ear. I felt her shudder when my fingers found her breasts and squeezed. A few minutes of playing with her nipples were usually all it took to send her out of her mind with lust. 

She moaned when my fingers found her drenched pussy. "I don't want your fingers, I want your cock," she whispered and pulled away. 

Her hands made quick work of getting me out of my pants, and I groaned when her own fingers found me, hard and waiting for her. She slipped to her knees and sucked me off for a long time, much longer than ordinary. I almost lost it, so I pulled her up and practically threw her onto the bed. A few minutes of licking her pussy was all it took to have her screaming out my name, begging for release, while I regained some of my control.

I slid inside her, and she gasped, breathing out, "God, I love you!" as I began to slowly slide in and out, leaning down often to kiss her as I thrust my hips. We made love a second time sometime during the night, and I was amazed I had been able to get it up. As I drifted off to sleep, secure again in my wife's love, I heard her whisper, "I love you so much." 

Maybe it was fate that I got laid off that day, almost three weeks later. 

It was while I was sitting at a red light between First and Third streets wondering how we'd pay our bills if I couldn't find something else soon that I spotted my wife coming out of a restaurant with a man I vaguely recognized as one of her co-workers. I probably wouldn't have thought twice about it if I hadn't seen her grab his hand, pull him into the alley beside the restaurant, glance around coyly and then reach up to kiss him on the lips. 

If someone had suddenly pulled out a gun and shot me in the chest at that moment, I think it would have been less shocking than seeing my supposedly faithful, loving wife kiss another man like that in public.

I followed them to a motel, waited outside long enough to decide murder wasn't a viable option for me, and then drove home. I had almost all of my bags packed when Paige came home an hour later — an hour earlier than usual herself.

"What are you doing home?" she asked, looking incredibly nervous. 

"What does it look like I'm doing?"

Paige wiped her palms down her pants-leg, something she always did when she was very, very nervous. "Are you being sent on a trip for work?"

I almost laughed. "Nope!"

"Then what--?"

I'd never had the urge to hit a woman, but when I stopped what I was doing and glared at her, I'm sure she must have read the desire in my eyes. "Think about, and I'm sure you'll figure it out."

I saw tears swell up in her eyes. She knew she'd been caught. At least she didn't try to pretend otherwise.

"How did you...?" A sob ripped through her. "Oh God!" she cried and fell against the wall for support.

I ignored her. Just finished my packing, grabbed my bags and left. She tried following me, screaming "Drew! Wait! Please!" as I tossed the cases into my car and drove off.

I drove like a madman, trying to put space between me and my slut wife. If I'd had a gun at that moment, I probably would have used it on no one but myself. 

Once again, I was alone in the world. No family to rely on. No wife. Abandoned, just like always.

I could bore you with the details of where I went and how I spent a pitiful week in a hotel two states away, trying to cope with the loss that had ripped a new hole in my chest. Paige tried calling me multiple times, but aside from once or twice when I was drunk out of my mind, I never answered. I finally realized I couldn't stay in the hotel forever and went back home. Hell, it was my house more than it was hers. 

She looked like hell, which made me feel slightly better. She was dressed in sweats, her eyes were red and puffy. She blinked in shock when I walked in, put my bags inside of the guest bedroom and sat down on the sofa across from her.

"I'm filing for divorce tomorrow," I told her. "Until we get things settled, I have no choice but to stay here." I waited a beat before saying, "I got laid off."

She nodded. "I know. Gavin told me."

Gavin was probably my only real friend in the world. His office had been right next to mine. He'd helped me pack up my desk.

Paige hadn't moved from her position across from me. It was as if she was frozen or something, maybe too afraid to move. I blew out a puff of air through my nose. A clear signal to her that I was still pissed.

"Just tell me why," I barked.

Paige didn't answer. She took a deep breath, wiped her eyes and shrugged. "It just happened. I don't know why." She swallowed, and then added, "I still love you very much."

"I'm sure," I grumbled. "And him? Do you love him too?"

She looked away, unable to meet my eyes, and I had my answer, even though she said, "It's different. We...I'm not sure what my feelings for him are. It's not what I feel for you."

I snorted. "You threw away an 18-year marriage. I sure hope the bastard loves you back." Well, that was a lie. I wished them both nothing but unhappiness. I leaned forward. My jaw clenched. It was one thing if it was only sex. Sex I might have been able to get past. An emotional involvement was much more wounding. "Just tell me one thing. How long has this been going on?"

She looked down again. "About six months."

Six months? How could I not have noticed? I suddenly felt exhausted. I placed my head in my hands and leaned over. This hurt too much. I just wanted to leave. I wanted this done so I could move on to the next chapter of my life. I just wanted the pain to stop.

I felt Paige's touch on my shoulder and realized she was kneeling beside me. She was crying again. "I'm so, so sorry, Drew. Please. Is there any way we could...?"

I jerked my shoulder away and stood up. Without a word, I retreated to the guest bedroom. 

To make a long story short, Paige didn't fight the divorce. I figured she'd decided it would hurt her relationship with her lover if she protested too much. Who knows? In the end we split things fifty-fifty, we sold the house, I found an apartment and was fortunate enough to find another job within a week of filing for divorce. Paige would call me every now and then, but she usually sounded like she'd been crying. Guilt, I'm sure. I was always short with her, but never too rude. I didn't want her to know how much I was still hurting, so I said very little when she asked how I was getting along. I was always tempted to ask how her lover was and if they were still together, but I wasn't sure that I could handle knowing the answer. I finally asked her to stop calling. I didn't think it was healthy for either of us. 

I'd thought Lettie's death had been devastating, but it was a walk in the park compared to the feelings caused by the divorce. Maybe it was just me. I knew plenty of divorced people who seemed to get along perfectly fine. Many were remarried. Had kids.

It never occurred to me that I should date someone else until about three months ago when Gavin visited my office and chastised me for always being so serious.

"There's a pretty hot number working out there, and I chatted her up for you. Guess what? She's single."

I frowned. "Who?"

"Said her name was Annie."

"Annie?" She seemed way too young for me. Besides, I didn't think our personalities meshed well. She seemed pretty straight-laced and was pretty devoted to her church. I hadn't set foot in a church since my wedding, and look how well that had turned out. "Stop joking around."

"Man, you've got get past this. Have you thought about therapy or...?"

"Gavin, I'm not amused."

"Fine." He threw his hands up. "You know, Paige has been in therapy since the divorce."

It was like he'd pointed out the pink elephant in the room. I knew his wife Karen was still friends with Paige, but he never mentioned her. Never. He knew how I felt.

I slammed shut the book I'd been writing in. "Good for her. I hope it helps."

"Do you mean that?"

"Hell no." I sort of smiled, and so did he. 

"Yeah, I don't blame you." He gestured toward the hallway. "Seriously, man, you need to consider your options. It's been almost two years since your divorce. She seemed like a nice girl. She could be good for you, and she's interested. She asked me if you were single too."

Aw, hell. "Gavin..."

He held his hands up. "Just consider it."

I did consider it, and the thought of Paige being happy motivated me to at least try to be the same. Annie turned out to be in her thirties and about the sweetest girl I'd ever met. Then again, I'd once felt the same about Paige...

Annie was a brunette, but her hair was shorter than Paige's had been. She was a tall woman who looked sophisticated even when she wasn't dressed for work. She also had a hearty laugh that always brought a smile to my face to hear. It was evident she loved life, although to hear her story, she hadn't had an easy one either.




Redemption Ch. 01



We dated casually at first. Annie seemed to understand I wasn't ready for anything serious, so we simply went to the movies, out to dinner and to a baseball game or two. We seemed to dance around each other when it came to sex. I wasn't sure I was ready for that either, and she didn't seem to be in much of a hurry to get naked.

She was a hell of a kisser though.

I had no idea how long a girl like Annie would be willing to wait for me to get my shit together, and I knew I wasn't being fair to her if my heart wasn't in it. 

But I just couldn't seem to let her go. 

I was sure that, given time, I would grow to love her, and my heart would have the hope of healing again.

Yeah, I should have known nothing could ever be that simple.



Redemption Ch. 01



She and I have been fighting all week. Everything from who fed the dog to who let the seat up on the shitter. Friday afternoon the shit really hits the fan.

"I am going to run up to the cabin this weekend my hockey team. I will be gone until Monday morning and I don't want to hear a single word from you the entire time I am gone" I inform her.

She's sitting out by our pool filing her "fuck me hard" nails and ignoring me as usual. I head out through the house, grab my bag and slam the door.

"Fucking bitch!" I think to myself as I peel down the street in my truck. "She thinks she's such hot shit. Someone needs to show her just how much her shit does stink!"

"Fucking jack-ass!" she yells. "I'm sick of always being left behind. He needs to be taken down a peg or two. Not to mention I need to share some information with him."

Dee is used to talking to herself. Not bothering to change or even cover up, she grabs her keys and slams out the door.

"Let his friends drool while I chew his ass" she thinks to herself.

Two hours later, heer BMW slides into the circle drive that overlooks the valley below. Marching to the door, she leans her ass against the door bell letting it constantly ring until someone answers.

"You can just fuck off if you think I am ok with you leaving me alone while you come up here with your immature little buddies" she screetches as I open the door.

Before the word "buddies" even finishes coming out of her mouth, I grab her by the neck and drag her self-centered ass in the house and down the hall to where all the guys have gathered in the game room around the pool table.

I slap her head down on the pool table, and bend her over the edge and announce to all my buddies,

"This is my cunt girlfriend that I was telling you guys about." She looks at me in shock as I say This is the cunt that doesn't think her shit stinks and we will show her that it does."

She can't believe what she's hearing come out of my mouth. While keeping one hand on the back of her neck, I reach down and slip her little bikini bottom to the side and stick my finger in her ass dry. She screams a little and I pull it out and stick in front of her nose.

"See, your shit does smell and you better get used to it cause for the next three days you will be smelling and tasting your ass on every guys cock in here!" I say.

I reach back down and insert my finger back in her ass and finger fuck her. She starts screaming again so I tell my buddy Allen to come over and pull his cock out. He does and start slapping it against her fucking nasty ass.

As soon as he gets hard he shoves it in as far as he can, showing no mercy no matter how loud she fucking screams. As he does this I reach under while lifting up on her head and I grab her top and yank it off.

"Look boys, these are the fucking tits I paid for so all of you gather around and grab them as they belong to me."

By now all of the guys have peeled off their shorts and are working their monster cocks with their hands just waiting to have their turn with her. I have one of my buddies grab her hair and hold it tight as I step out of the way to watch the madness that comes next.

There is now a line 6 guys deep behind her just smacking their cocks around waiting for Allen to get done dumping his cum in her ass. Up front there are another 3 guys pinching, slapping her tits around.....And 2 more guys are taking turns shoving their cock in her mouth. Count it, that's twelve guys there not counting me. That's right, a total of 13 guys there. 12 of them are going to pound all three holes for the entire weekend. See, they are going to take turns and fuck her in shifts, as six guys sleep, the others will be awake and doing whatever they want to her. I reach into the drawer in the kitchen and pull out a dog collar and a 10 foot leash. I strap the collar around her neck and tie the other end to the stairway banister. Now her fucking nasty cunt can't get away.

"Why is he doing this to me" Dee wonders. "The man of my dreams slowly turned into a monster to me. Things started so perfect. He saved me at one time. Well at least I thought he had saved me. I ran away from a violent marriage and found myself on the streets. I had no place to sleep, no money to buy food. After a somehow surviving almost a month by eating at soup kitchens a couple times a week and sleeping on park benches I decided turning into a prostitute would at least give me enough money for a bed and real food. He was the first guy I tried to 'pick up'. He was so gorgeous. I should have known not to trust him" Dee remiences.

Pain explodes all over her body as another cock enters her ass and someone else shoves a cock in her mouth. Choking on the cock and her tears she fights to endure the pain.

So there she is tied to the banister and having now been ass fucked, pussy fucked, throat fuck She is covered in all kinds of dried cum . Her hair is all tangled up. Its been 12 hours and I get up from sleeping all night. I come out of the bedroom and walk down the hall and untie her from the banister. She is having difficulty standing so I roughly carry her down the hall and plop her butt down in the tub and turn on the cold water. She sputters as I tell her to clean herself up as the next shift is getting ready to wake up and she better be as fresh as a daisy. She begs me to stop this torture. She even offers to suck my cock. 

As her huge emerald green eyes look up at me filled with tears, I feel myself start to weaken. I remember the beautiful innocent girl I met so long ago. As she reaches toward me, I remember the fighting and slap her hand away. I tell her she can cry all she wants. She'll never touch my cock again. I tell her she has ten minutes to get herself cleaned up. It takes all I have to turn and walk out of the bathroom.

"Why did I come up here?" Dee says. "I knew it was off limits."

The cold water refreshes her body. "Maybe now he'll let me go home." she thinks to herself. "Perhaps there is still a little kindness left inside him. Oh how kind he was to me in the beginning. He gave me everything, well almost everything. I obviously never truly had his heart. It took me quite a while to figure that out. When I did, something happened and I closed myself off. He wanted a showpiece not a partner. So I began acting the part. I asked if I could get my boobs done and he happily agreed to pay for it. He bought me all the spike heels, sexy clothes, manicures, pedicures....anything that made me look hot (and cheap)." she remembers.

His rough hands and voice break her reverie. "You have 10 minutes to get yourself cleaned up." Jay demands.

"Please Jay, don't do this. I will do anything you ask, just please don't make me go down there." Dee begs. She cowers as she watches his chocolate eyes turn dead black.

"Some hooker left this here last weekend, put it on and meet me back in the game room." I tell her. 

Dee pulls the outfit off the hanger and sees that its not much; just a purple lace bra with a purple garter belt and skimpy little panties. As she sits on the edge of the bed putting on the outfit, she wonders what's in store for her for the rest of the weekend. Things had gotten bad but she had no idea how much I despise her. Perhaps it is partly my fault. I did introduce her to so many different things...but no, she decided on her own to become self-absorbed. 

"Oh God, he is using prostitutes?" The fragile hold on Dee's mind breaks. "He never really loved me. He never promised me forever. I just never imagined it would end like this." she thinks as she gets dressed.

She comes down the hall and into the game room and sees everyone from the "second shift" is there and staring at her. I walk over and grab her arm and haul her over to the bar introducing her to the hired bartender. 

"This is Chuck and he's making the drinks today for my pool party and you are going to be the waitress, but first I need you to service Chuck" I instruct her. 

Chuck is hung at about 14inches limp and with a cock that size, he doesn't really get hard, and he cums a ton.

I force her to get down behind the bar and kneel down. Chuck slides it into her mouth and instructs her to relax and breathe through her nose. As he feeds this monster into her mouth she reach up to grab it and chuck slaps her hand away and says don't touch it cunt. He continues to feed his cock in and she tries to grab it again and he pulls it out and begins to slap it against her face and calls me over to tell me the bitch won't listen.

I whisper menacingly in her ear "You better do as you are told!"

She looks up and tells me that she will try harder and to give her another chance.

I motion to Chuck to try it again and so he comes over and holds it in front of her mouth. She open her mouth and he slides it in again. This time it's a bit faster and she chokes a little as he push's it a little deeper. He tells her to breathe through her nose and she won't choke. Finally he gets it in all the way and she can feel his monster cock all the way down her throat and she think it's going all the way into her lungs. Chuck now tells her to work her throat muscles and not to move any other part of her body. She does as she's told and Chuck begins to moan as she feels his cock grow a little fatter in her throat. She starts to feel Chucks shaved balls begin to swell and a very warm gush of cum down her throat. It takes what seems like minutes for him to cum and she swears she's going to drown in his cum, but she make sure not a drop comes out of her mouth.

After Chuck pulls his monster cock from her face, he rubs the wet end all over the cleavage of her tits, every once and awhile slapping his meat against the bra where her nipples are. Tears of shame stream down her face and again I almost break, but not quite. Why isn't she breaking down? Why isn't she fighting this? I wonder to myself. I convince myself she is secretly enjoying every single degrading action.

She stands up and grabs her drink tray and starts to walk the room. Guys start ordering drinks and her order book quickly fills up. When she gets to me, I decide to shame her a little more. I lean over and whisper in her ear. She continues on and taking everyone's orders and returns to the bar. Chuck starts to make the drinks but only puts one order on the tray. She grabs it and walks away.

"Where are you going bitch, I have 5 more to make!" Chuck shouts, but she keeps walking over and return to the first guy.

As she hands him his drink she tell him "my boss has demanded that I service every guy that orders a drink from me today, what would you like sir?"

He leans over and whispers in her ear and I see her nod her head and set the tray down on the table. She kneels down and unzips his shorts and they quickly drop to the floor. There in front of her face is a nice shaved, cut, twelve inch cock that's hanging limp. She grabs it with one hand and places it in her mouth and starts to suck it. She deep throats it and gags a little as she pulls it in and out of her mouth. He's now getting hard and its harder for her to take it all in. She gags a little more.

I stand up and walk over and whisper in her ear "There are five others guys built just like this so you better get used to it bitch."

She looks up at me and says, "yes master, I will try harder."

He is now totally hard and she working his meat like its that last cock she will ever get. He grabs her head and pulls it away from his cock and he erupts cum all over her face. She works to suck every last drop out of his cock before she stands up, grabs her tray and walks back to the bar.

Chuck places another drink on her tray and she heads over to the next guest.

"Sir, what would you like for me to do?"

"Turn around and bend over and touch your toes," he demands.

She notices that he has already dropped his shorts and has worked his cock fully hard. She turns around and bends over as instructed. She feels the guys fingers reach under her little thong and with one fast motion him pull up hard on them and rip it in half as he yanks it off. she almost loses her balance. He slides his hard cock into her wet pussy. He drives it all the way in on the first pump and he continues to pump for what seems likes hours.

The other guys have now gathered around to watch this masterful stud work her pussy. Every tenth or eleventh stroke, he pulls it out and makes her clean it off with her mouth and then returns to pounding her bald wet pussy. After about ten or fifteen minutes of him pumping her he pulls it out and lays on the floor under her. He reaches up and grabs and yanks her to the floor and makes her sit on his cock while she face away from him looking at his feet. He smacks her on the ass and tells her to lay down flat and wait for what comes next.

He motions to one of the other guys that has already worked their cock hard to come over. The horror on her face shows she's pretty sure what's coming next. The second guy kneels down and spreads her ass cheeks and pushes his hard mushroom head against her ass hole. By now there is so much pussy juice in her crack that his head seems to slide in with ease. He holds her shoulders and pulls back on her as he slides it in the rest of the way. The guy on the floor is holding still while this is going on. Once both of them are in her, they begin to work in harmony , one pushes in as the other one pulls back, back and forth they pump her.

She turns her head forward after watching the double penetration only to find there are two cocks in front of her face. The two guys are standing so close that their cocks are side by side.

"That's right bitch, take them both into your mouth," one of the guys demands.

She reaches up and grabs both cocks in her hands and slides her mouth over both of them.

"Think of the spring last year when Jay took you to Disney World and you got to be a kid again. Think of how good it felt to be carefree. Anything to get through this torture. You can do it," she thinks to herself. 

Four cocks pounding every hole. One by one each guy shoots his load either in or on her. After she has cleaned up every guys cock she gingerly stands up. The guys are all filing out the back patio door and headed for the pool. I walk over to her and tell her to go get cleaned up and put on a swimsuit and meet us by the pool.

Walking out to the pool, Dee can't imagine what he has planned. She knows I want to break her. She just doesn't understand why. I could throw her out with nothing. She stumbles a little and grabs her head. I realize she hasn't eaten in a good 24 hours. 

"Take a rest and soak up some sun," I say natural as can be. 

She sits gingerly. Her guard is still up So I walk away to chat with the guys. A few minutes later I glance over and she has fallen completely asleep.

Fucking bitch! Everything I put her through she just forgets and can just relax with all these men around her...well we will see about that, I think to myself. I stomp into the bedroom and grab my handcuffs and ankle restraints. The bitch is going to be ass fucked by every guy in this house within the next few hours!

I head back out to the pool deck. The cunt hasn't moved a muscle. I grab a bottle of oil and paste a smile on my lips.

"Hey honey, why don't you flip over and I'll put some oil on your back."

"Shit, I fell asleep. Oh god now what is going to happen. I don't trust the sweet low voice he is using. Its how he used to talk to me when well when I thought he cared for me," Dee jolts awake in a panic.

As she flips over I cuff her wrists to the lounge. She cries out in surprise. My cock twitches with excitement. She tries to fight as I use the ankle restraints to immobilize her completely. I have her ass in the air and she cannot move an inch. I rip the flimsy swimsuit off. The guys have formed a circle around us. 

"OK gentlemen. We are scheduled to go back home tomorrow morning. I figure this bitch deserves one last ass fuck. Who wants to be first? Don't worry about the pain, she loves it...don't you baby?" I sound like a carnival barker.

Her luscious ass in the air all she can do is stare wide-eyed at me. Bitch has it coming, I remind myself. One of the biggest men on my team grabs the oil from my hand pours it on her ass and in one swift move shoves his cock deep inside her ass. She cries once and then grits her teeth.

Dee fights for control of her body. Her mind wanders back to when she thought her "happily ever after" would come true. She remembers how she did everything he asked if it made him happy. He introduced her to threesomes, group sex and so many other sexual positions. He said it was all ok because they were together doing these things. He said he liked watching her with other girls and guys. He always asked her to watch him and she did even though it broke her heart. She was in love with him. She wanted him to love and cherish her. For a time she thought he might. Then she overheard him talking to his friends about how great of a trophy she would be. He didn't even say wife...just trophy. He was happy when she asked for a boob job. He made her go to DD when all she wanted was a nice C. Time to face the facts. She's been a prostitute for the past three years and didn't know it. She was his private whore....

1

"Oh God that hurts" her mind screams.

For 8 hours all the guys take turns fucking her ass. I sit back and enjoy the show. She's got to be in pain but the bitch just won't give in. I look in her eyes after every man and the defiance is still there.

The men and I go inside to play some pool and catch the Bruins game on television. Then I realize George never got his turn. He says he wanted to go last so he heads out to the pool. I follow. I can't wait to see her reaction to his 12" cock.

At first she looks up hopeful. As soon as she see's George, her head bows as she prepares for another session of abuse. He doesn't say a word to her. He just grabs her ass, and slams his hard cock into her ass. Her screams are deafening.

"Shut the fuck up and take it bitch!" I slap her. Her screams continue until I grab an oven mitt from the barbeque and shove it in her mouth. She looks up at me tears streaming dowsn her face. Then the moment I've been waiting for happens. Finally I see it, the moment her spirit breaks. The light and defiance blinks out of her eyes. Her eyes beg me to stop the torture. I turn my back on her and walk into the house.

Around midnight, I unhook her from the chair. She doesn't move. At first I think she might be dead, but then I see her chest rise and fall. Her face is a mess, I chuckle to myself. She won't be using her looks anytime soon to get what she wants. She seems to be completely out of it so I head back to my room. The cunt can sleep outside like a dog.

I no sooner get back to my room when I hear the car screetch down the driveway and jump out of bed. That bitch was faking. I fly down the stairs and grab my own keys. She doesn't know the shortcut so I should be able to beat her home and have enough time to set up the final, most degrading act of revenge.

Her car pulls into the drive. I meet her at the front door.

"I wasn't done with you yet, bitch!" I growl.

I see the fear flash in her eyes before her head drops. She mumbles an apology but I am pissed off and don't want to hear it. The satisfaction I thought I would feel seeing her broken has eluded me thus far. I figure I just need to take it out on her myself. Then I will feel satisfied. I grab her arm expecting resistance. Instead she meekly follows me to the playroom. Once we enter she tries to back away begging me to change my mind.

"Jay, no, please. Jay just let me go. I won't ever speak to anyone about this weekend. I'll never contact you, never ask for anything. Please don't do this." she starts begging as soon as she sees what I have waiting.




Redemption Ch. 01



The blindfold and whip are sitting on the table. I lead her to the restraints anchored into the ceiling and floor. She offers her wrists without a fight. I strap her into the restraints putting her in a standing spread eagle position. I wait until I pick up the whip before placing the blindfold over her eyes. I love seeing the fear in her eyes. 

The crack of the whip permeates the air. I see her body tense as she struggles not to cry out. This angers me more. I want to hear the cunt scream. My second strike is harder than the first. It bites into her soft flesh still she doesn't scream. My third draws blood and she can't fight it anymore. She screams yet I still keep going. Three more lashes, her back is a bloody mess and her screams have my dick hard. I let her loose from the restraints. She reaches out and I grab her hand. I lead her over to one of the mats.

"Get on your hands and knees slut," I demand as I kneel behind her. I grab my cock and ram it hard into her ass. She screams out again as I continue to fuck her. I cum quickly. She lays curled up in a ball sobbing.

I pull her to her feet walking her into the bathroom. I throw her rags at her. The same clothes I found her in that night. 

"Clean up, get dressed and then get the fuck out of my house. Don't touch a damn thing on your way out. All of this is mine. You will have the clothes you came with and that is all. You don't deserve anymore than that you filthy fucking bitch."

Twenty minutes later I see her creeping down the hall. I grab her arm, drag her to the door and throw her out. She starts to say something but I slam the door in her face. I accomplished my goal. She is out of my house and out of my life for good!

I grab a beer and relax in my recliner. With the bitch gone, I can go back to partying. It was fun to have a steady partner for a while, but she never fit in with that crowd. She was too straight-laced. She was the marrying-type, not the fuck-buddy type. There's no way I'll be settling down anytime soon, I think to myself. 

After a couple hours I head down the hall. The house is too quiet. I find myself missing her voice, how she always had music playing. In a fit of rage, I grab a garbage bag and throw all her clothes in it. I strip the sheets from the bed; they still carry her scent. Finally I go to the bathroom and throw all her bath shit in the trash. That's when I see the toilet paper. But it has writing on it. 

Dear Jay,

You were my savior at one time. When we met I thought all my dreams would come true. You used to be so loving and patient. I didn't care about the sex or the money. I only wanted you. I loved you. I thought we had a future together. The white picket fence kind of life. See, I am pregnant. 

I don't believe the things that happened to me this weekend hurt the baby any. I am only 3 months along. I was afraid to tell you before. I didn't want you to force me to get an abortion. I know you said you didn't want kids. It's ok. I'll be ok.....Oh I don't really think you are worried about my health or anything. I won't tell our child about this weekend. I will only tell him or her the good things, the good times we had together. 

I won't ask you for anything. I did take $3000 from your stash. Yes I've always known about it. I never touched it before now. I promise I will pay you back the cash as soon as I can. But I have to get somewhere and find a job. I can't do that here. I know you intended to throw me out with nothing. But I have a baby to care for now. Please Jay, I swear I'll pay you back, just please don't come after me.

I loved you so much. I was willing to do anything for you. I got the boob job for you. I did all those sex parties for you. I thought that was what you wanted. I only wanted to make you happy. I was happy before when it was just the two of us.

I will always love you, despite the things you've done to me. I love you because of the person I know you can be, the person you are deep down inside. I am begging you though, please don't come after me. If you ever cared for me, even just a little, let me just leave.

Love,

D

That fucking cunt! She will pay for this!



Redemption Ch. 01



For friends of Bill and Lois, with gratitude

© 2013

Please don't reproduce this original work without written permission from the author.

If you're looking for a lot of quick and dirty sex, this is probably not the story for you.

*

I looked at the clock when the phone woke me up. 2:30AM. Dread filled my chest as I answered.

"Hello?"

"I'm done."

"Kara, I can't...."

"I know, Jen. I just wanted to let you to know."

"Goodbye Kara."

I laid my head down and cried.

***

The phone rang in my office just as I was getting ready to leave for the day.

"Hello, darling. Want to meet Mark and me for dinner?"

"Hey Erik. A little late for a dinner invitation, isn't it? Anyway, I'm going running and then I want to paint the bathroom."

"Dull, girl."

"Says the accountant."

"That's why I have to make sure I have fun when I'm not at work!"

"I know. Some other night, k? And give me more notice. I'm a busy woman."

"Yes, I know. Just not busy with the right things. Speaking of which, you'll never guess who I ran into today."

"Adele?"

"I wish. No. Kara."

All of the air suddenly went out of my lungs and I sat down in my desk chair. Nine months had passed since that early morning phone call.

"Where?"

"At the pharmacy. She said she had a sinus infection and was picking up antibiotics."

"Likely story."

"She asked about you."

"What did you say?"

"I told her you were an old maid still pining for her."

"Erik!"

"I'm kidding. Give me some credit. I said you were fine and were fixing up a house."

"Why did you tell her that?"

"Uh, because it's true? Why not?"

"Because...she doesn't need to know anything about me anymore!"

"Whoa..."

"I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you. It doesn't matter. How did she look?"

"Good. Clean."

"Yeah, for now."

"Jen..."

"I know -- let it go. OK. Have fun tonight. Say hi to Mark."

"I love you."

"I know. I love you too."

Later that evening while I was painting my newly mudded bathroom, I found myself repeating a line from the old Bill Murray movie Meatballs: "It just doesn't matter. It just doesn't matter." I had recited it during finals weeks in college when I'd studied all I could and the results were out of my hands.

It was a lie now, of course, and I knew it. I hoped if I kept saying it, it would eventually become the truth.

I've always tried to escape from my feelings instead of dealing with them. When I was kid I would escape into books, or the fantasy world I created in my head. In that world, nobody screamed, or yelled, or drank. Now that I'm an adult I escape by running or working, and there are consequences if I do either of those things too much. I injure myself working out too hard, or I overwork and get sick. I'd started seeing a counselor a few months before Kara and I split up and I was still seeing her. She was helping me get a little more comfortable with my feelings. I was learning that feelings pass eventually, and I don't have to avoid them.

So I stopped painting a little earlier than I'd planned, made a cup of tea, and sat down to journal. I wrote about my sadness, anger, fear, and disappointment. I felt clearer. Not so stuck in the past. I slept well that night.

***

D.C. isn't a very big city; I knew it was only a matter of time before I ran into Kara. So I wasn't surprised when I sat down for brunch with Erik and Mark a couple weeks later and she walked up. Erik was sitting next to me; I reached for his hand under the table.

"Hi Jennifer."

Her dark copper hair was short and fashionably messy. Her gray eyes were clear and alert and she'd lost some weight. She looked good.

"Hi Kara. I heard you were back in town."

She smiled. "Yes, I figured Erik would tell you he and I ran into each other."

"He did. " I wanted desperately to ask how she was, but part of me felt too tired to even think about it. There was silence for a few moments. I struggled to keep my mouth shut, reminding myself it wasn't my job to make this less awkward. I'd taken care of Kara for too long.

"Jen, listen. I have some amends to make to you. Could we meet for coffee sometime?"

I felt Erik squeeze my hand. "I don't know Kara. I need some time to think about it." I expected her to argue with me, or try to convince me to meet her but she surprised me.

"Sure, whatever you need." She handed me a card. "You can call me whenever you feel ready. If you do."

When she left I let go of Erik's hand and looked at him.

"See?" he said. "Clean."

Mark looked at me, confused. He hadn't been dating Erik when Kara and I were together.

"It's a long story," I said to Mark. "She drank and used drugs while we were together. A lot of both. She almost died."

"Oh, Jen. I'm sorry," Mark said. "It must be hard to see her again."

I felt tears rising and I turned to Erik. "Did you have to get involved with a social worker? You couldn't fall in love with some gym rat with a case of testosterone poisoning?"

Erik laughed and Mark gave me that genuinely kind smile of his.

"I know. It's a pain in the ass when people are nice to us, isn't it?

I laughed. "Yes, damn it."

"What are you going to do?" Erik asked.

"I'll probably call her. Just not right now."

I sat down with my journal again when I got home after a run that afternoon. I found myself writing Kara a letter.

No one has ever seen me the way you did -- at least in the beginning, when you weren't blindingly drunk or stoned. You saw behind my masks. And I loved you for that. Oh god, I loved you. You had no idea how much, I think. You were too busy drinking and drugging. You weren't even in the relationship with me after the first six months.

I watched you slip away and thought my love would hold you. I thought I could help you heal. When I realized I was wrong, the pain was so intense. Beyond anything I could have imagined.

And now you're back. Stirring up my feelings again. I want to scream at you. I want to pound on your chest. I loved you...and you turned that love into some blackened, shriveled thing.

Whatever it is you want from me, I don't have it anymore. I have nothing left to give you.

I stopped writing, steadied myself and took some deep breaths.

In the end it was good for me, of course. Much as I would like to, I can't really blame you for the pain. Not all of it was about you, I get that now. And I don't know how long I would have gone without dealing with my family stuff if it hadn't been for you. So I guess I'm grateful.

But mostly I feel sad. It's all so sad.

That night I dreamed about Kara. She was sober and sucking on my nipples. I groaned and she moved slowly, gently, down my body, kissing the curve where my waist meets my hip. She dragged her tongue across my belly, tiny licks here and there randomly as she moved inexorably toward my center. She nuzzled in my patch of light brown hair, rubbing her cheeks on my mound. I could feel her breath on my clit and inhaled sharply. Using just the tip of her tongue, she touched my clit several times. "Oh god, Kara, yes......" She drew my clit into her mouth, wiping her tongue across it while she drove two fingers deeply into my wetness. I shook as I came, yelling her name....and woke myself up. My heart was pounding. I thought I'd finished crying over her, but that night I sobbed like it was a new wound.

A week later I dreamed about her again. She was alive in a newly dug, very deep grave. I was trying to pull her up but I lost hold of her hand and she fell down what had become a jagged cliff. I woke up yelling, "No!" with tears running down my face. I called my therapist and we talked about how I had wanted to rescue Kara, and about the grief. She suggested I work on trusting that the Universe -- or something -- would take care of Kara. It wasn't my job and never had been.

***

We met at a coffee shop on the Hill on a Saturday morning.

"I'd almost given up on you calling."

"It took me a few months to get here -- to be willing to talk to you."

"I'm grateful that you did."

"What do you want, Kara?"

"I want to apologize for...a lot of things."

"Like what?"

"For being dishonest. I wasn't being honest with myself, so I couldn't be honest with you. For being irresponsible, and for letting you down. For not being the partner you deserve. I was so wrapped up in myself and my addiction I couldn't be there for you."

"Oh." I was surprised. It was true, but I was surprised to hear her acknowledge it. Once Kara started using heavily, there wasn't much insight on her part. Or remorse.

"It wasn't you, you know."

"What do you mean? What wasn't me?"

"I mean there's nothing you could have done to make me stop. Except leave me, which you did. As painful as that was, it was the best thing you could have done. Losing you is what made me realize I needed help."

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Anything."

"Did you ever love me? Really love me? Or was I just a good fuck and a place to crash? Someone to clean up after you?"

I regretted it as soon as I said it. I was trying to get back at her for how hurt I was and apparently it worked. Kara looked like I'd hit her. But she didn't get defensive the way she would have in the past.

"OK, I deserve that. I deserve all your anger. I'm sorry, Jen. I'm truly sorry. But you have to know how much I loved you. That was real."

She hasn't changed, I thought. Kara always expected me to know how she felt without her saying it.

"I don't have to know anything. I don't know what was real. I still don't. I don't even know what happened. You just disappeared. Which shouldn't have surprised me. You were always good at disappearing, at least emotionally. But all of a sudden here you are again and I have no idea where you were...."

"I was in Minnesota. In treatment."

"For nine months?"

"For six months, yes. I had a lot of work to do. I still do. I learned a lot about myself. About my triggers. About what I was hiding from. And how to face myself."

"I'm glad, Kara. I really am. I just don't know what you want from me."

I watched as Kara's hand reached towards mine, and then stopped.

"I want to know what I can do to make it right."

I looked at her incredulously.

"Make it right? There's nothing you can do. I don't think you have any idea how much I loved you or how much you hurt me."

"No, I don't think I can ever know that. Isn't there anything I can do to make a tiny piece of it better?"

"I'm not going to make this easier for you. Not anymore. There are some things you can't make better."

"I know."

Then suddenly I didn't want to be angry at her any more.

"You can stay sober. Just...stay sober."

Kara's smile took my breath away - the way it always had.

"You have no reason to believe me, I know. But I'm doing what it takes to stay sober. I meant it that night when I said I was done."

"You remember that?"

"Clear as day. That was my last night using. I couldn't get drunk or high no matter what I tried. You'd made it clear we were done and I tried to blot it all out. I used every substance I could get my hands on and I should have been as high as a kite. But there I was stone cold sober.... Thank you, Jen."

"For what?"

"For loving me. And leaving me. Goddess knows why you didn't do it long before you did. You saved my life."

I felt like the Grand Canyon was opening up in my heart and I had to leave. When I stood up Kara spoke.

"I'm sorry for everything, Jen. I mean it. I wish you the best."

"OK. See you around."

***

I ran into her a few weeks later in the Dupont Circle CVS.

She was waiting for a prescription when I saw her, and I'll admit my eyes narrowed slightly.

"Jen...before you say anything...."

"It's ok. It's none of my business anyway." I said goodbye and left.

As I headed home, I noticed I felt lighter - like the baggage I'd been carrying was gone.

***

The French doors were open to the backyard at Erik and Mark's place in Old Town. I could hear laughter as I hugged Erik.

"You ready to be the guest of honor?"

"Thanks for this."

"It's our pleasure. Being a Deputy Director at DoJ is a big deal. I'm proud of you."

"Aww, you're going to make me cry."

"Please. Besides, you can't cry; Mark has someone he wants you to meet."

"Ohhh no...you're fixing me up? I just remembered I have to wash my socks tonight."

"You trust Mark, don't you?"

"Yeah, I guess."

"Pouting doesn't suit you, baby cakes. Come join the party."

We walked through the house, stopping in the kitchen to grab a glass of wine. People congratulated me as we went. When we reached the backyard, Erik asked for everyone's attention. He proposed a toast to me. As everyone was raising their glasses, I noticed a woman in an embroidered turquoise peasant blouse who I didn't know. She had wavy brown hair that reached her shoulders, and a dazzling smile. If that was my potential date, I was all for it.

To be continued.... 



Redemption Ch. 01



I am working on the continuing parts of Wolfblood but ideas and writing never quite go as one plans. Admittedly, it's taking longer than I expected but I am working on it. In the meantime, this is one of those ideas that occurred to me and I have decided to keep it here while I work out a few more chapters. It's darker than Wolfblood and won't be so fluffy but I like it and I hope you will too. Without further ado, I give you Redemption. 

***** 

The rain fell down in thin sheets of drizzle, giving the world a softer and more tranquil appearance as the bustling in the small town died down and the cars reduced on the roads. A calm fell over the streets and Jacob watched silently from his apartment high above, knowing that no matter the appearance of the world, it still lay rotten to the core. Long and hard years over the centuries had shown him that no matter how thickly society sugar-coated itself with the functions and charities, the decay still continued deep beneath the surface. The humans themselves had learned to ignore it and for a while, it seemed like they had evolved, becoming more keen with each passing year, forcing his kind to adapt and set up an assembly to enforce rules that ensured that they survived. Rules that didn't sit too well with many of their kind and had eventually led to a massacre of the opposers in the previous century. 

Jacob took one last look at the city and turned away from the small balcony he'd been standing on, moving quickly through the clean apartment to grab his jacket and car keys. There were few personal items in the rooms and that's how he liked it, for everything to remain pristine and impersonal; there really wasn't any place he belonged to. The parasitic life he'd been sired to almost half a millennium ago had made sure of that. On days like these, when the world did not seem so cruel and the pain he'd suffered at the hands of his own kind had diminished, he liked to remind himself that they had dragged him into this life and had promptly abandoned him thereafter. It would be a fatal mistake to start feeling hopeful about his species. In the slums of 16th century England, the family he'd so faithfully served had dumped him and left him to die of the Plague, thus leaving him to the mercy of the creatures that would later find him. Perhaps the plague would have been a better fate...no; no, death was never a better fate. 

He closed the door to his apartment and headed through the corridors to the elevator. It was a standard building and he'd been impressed when he'd moved in 3 years ago, having easily believed, like many others, that Africa had little to offer in the way of comfort. There he was however, in Burundi, a small country on the eastern side of the continent and enjoying himself. It was a far cry from the life he'd been living while still on The Council and that was the reason he'd decided to move there, for while they'd never think to look for him in Eastern Africa, he still had the very basics that made life interesting for him and he blended in with the locals. His dark skin and quick adaptation to the different cultures and accents of the world helped him stay unremarkable in the small country and thus safe. For all effective purposes, he was a normal looking guy, not too tall at exactly 6 feet, and having a lean frame that spoke of athleticism more than body-building, add to that his short black hair and bland brown eyes and no one could pick him out of a crowd. That's the way he liked it. The elevator came to a stop in the basement and he headed towards his car, eager to get away from the building. 

Vampires, the humans called them and while he found the term in use at the time he'd been sired to the cursed life, it was used more frequently with each passing decade. It probably had something to do with the portrayal of bloodsuckers that was becoming disgustingly popular in the media, but he preferred that to the demonic-looking illustrations artists had used in the past, striking dread in the hearts of the populace and so making quality blood, untainted by fear, that much harder to find. Then again, perhaps that had been a problem only he had encountered for no one had taught him how to seduce and lure humans telepathically. He'd had to teach himself that and had shattered quite a few minds before he'd found a way to drift along with the human mind's thoughts, placing his own suggestions there unnoticed. It was that very ability that had made him so coveted to The Council for not even their best could work a mind quite like he could. 

It was a short drive to his favorite café and he parked the car, eager to walk in and have the thick aroma of coffee override every other scent in the air, thus enabling him to suppress his craving for blood. His life had settled into quite a simple routine, have a blood meal once a day at 4am, before anyone in the apartment building was up to feel the spike in his aura, and suppress it until the very next meal. While Jacob needed blood to survive, he was not addicted to it for unlike food to humans, blood to vampires increased the hunger for it; one could never quite have enough. In the situations where the human scents became too much for his control, he'd head over to the café, have his fill of coffee and reestablish his equilibrium. Safe to say, he was at the café a lot but it wouldn't do to feed often for as a vampire feeds, everything it is becomes unveiled including its true nature, calling out to any other vampire within the area. Jacob couldn't afford to be found. 

He pushed open the café door and took a deep breath, smiling as the rich aromas of the various coffee beans mixed and wafted towards him. Coffee and alcohol were really the only two drinks he could stomach and even at that, there was a limit to what he could take before his body rejected the contents and expelled them. Jacob walked over to his usual secluded spot, vaguely noticing a few familiar faces scattered over the mostly empty café and he sat down, making eye contact with a waitress before glancing outside the window next to him to see that the drizzle was not letting up. He ordered his usual, a long black, plain and direct with no additives and no cookies along to sweeten it further. His order came back pretty quickly and he took a sip, reveling in the rich flavor, as he absentmindedly scanned the room. 

In the three years he'd spent in Burundi, he'd come across exactly five others of his kind that he could identify. They were making no effort to suppress their auras and he had sensed them from miles away before they ever crossed his path, though not intentionally. Jacob himself had sought them out, wanting to know if they were Council affiliated, as slim as the chances were and getting relieved every time he found they weren't. If he was discovered, he'd be sure that any vampire The Council sent to collect him would not be easily detected and that's why he stuck to specific rules. The idea that The Council would attempt to recover him even after he'd left, having served the time with them that he'd sworn he would, infuriated him. His skill was singular and thus valuable to them but it was his, nonetheless and the arrogant dogs had not taught him a single thing. No, instead, a lone vampire had played with and tortured him for days after he was left for dead by the family that had owned him...the only family he'd ever known. He'd finally been sired and abandoned, left alone to the agony that was his brain adapting to his heightened senses and the raging bloodlust that came with it. It had been months before he could finally venture out in public without worrying that he'd rip some unsuspecting human to shreds, his remorse powerful after every feeding, especially when it was a child. 

Jacob shifted uncomfortably, alarm rising sharply as he realized that the painful memories were affecting him as intensely as they always did, the deep anger making the control on his aura slip. His hold on the coffee cup tightened as he bowed his head in concentration, the control still slipping steadily as he fought to gain a handle on it, knowing that he couldn't risk his aura broadcasting in such an open space. He lost the fight and his aura was released, making him swear in frustration and as a result, drawing the attention of the few people in the café. He could see the surprise in their eyes and smell the acrid scent of their sudden fear as something in them overcame their logic, convincing them that despite what they were seeing, he was to be feared; a predator. The reaction was always the same and he'd grown tired of it; the confusion and fear mixing as the humans reacted instinctively to the vampire aura without understanding why. 

He sighed and breathed deeply, readying himself to reestablish control before anyone picked up on his true nature only to stop short, his breath coming out in a startled exhale. What the devil was that? 

"It can't be," he muttered, unaware that he'd said it out loud as his eyes scanned the room and landed on brown ones that were looking at him in curiosity, making his heart start pounding in his chest. 

Suppressing the urge to swear again, he efficiently grabbed tight control of his emotions and curbed the flow of his aura, noticing the sighs of relief echo around the room as it was cut off. But now that he had seen her, scented her, he couldn't get the image out of his head and her natural fragrance came to him, drowning out the smell of coffee and blood and filling him with its heady hues. Suddenly eager to get away from the café and from those expressive brown eyes set in a beautiful face with a slender nose and full lips, he stood up and began to walk towards the door before he remembered to go back and drop some money on the table. He wasn't waiting for change; he had to get away from there as fast as he could, his mind reasoned, but everything in him wanted to stay. His footsteps slowed slightly as he came towards her table, wanting to just move right past it and managing for a few steps before he came to a sudden stop, his heart hammering in his chest. 

It was madness, he reasoned, this was not real and must be some sort of trick set up by The Council or whatever dark magic had originally formed creatures like him. Vampires did not have souls; they did not and so couldn't have soul-mates. But there she was, seated at the table right behind him, her mere presence undoing every belief he'd ever had on the subject. Humans sometimes found people they belonged to and this was common too for supernatural creatures, but for more than 500 years, he'd thought the existence of mates a mere myth, tuning out any arguments his friends had put forward about their own but there he was, suddenly unable to move past the woman his very being recognized. He should stay away from her, move right along and forget she existed, but he knew he couldn't, would never forget her. He doubted he could even stay away from her, knowing that all it would take would be a single slip of his aura and his instincts would take over and hunt her down in near madness. Perhaps he could try and- 

"Uh...excuse me...are you alright?" 

The voice cut through his thoughts and a tingle went down his spine as the sound. Good God, he was acting like some lovesick teenager. It would be prudent to turn around, assure her that everything was quite alright indeed and move right along, but that would not do; he'd be quite impressed if he could voice anything with the way his heart seemed to be stuck in his throat. 

Clearing his throat however, Jacob went with his instincts and turned around, fighting the urge to just let go of his control and sink his teeth into her, to taste of her. 

"Yes, yes indeed," was what he said instead and gave a small smile, moving slowly towards her table. "I was just wondering if you would be open to me buying you a cup of coffee." 

"Oh," she responded, her lips forming a perfect circle and making him instantly think of them wrapped around his hardness. The thought surprised him and self a jolt straight through his lower regions. "You certainly seemed to consider that for quite a while." 

Jacob smiled in amusement at the cheeky response and found that he would actually like to stay very much and talk. Her local accent and clear voice were a pleasant blend, adding to the fact that her scent was quite tantalizing, he wanted to stay very much, indeed. 

"Any man would find himself momentarily speechless while considering what to say to a lady as exquisite as you are," he responded, trying to regulate his breathing, resisting the deep inhalations he was tempted to take as her scent danced around him. 

He reached for the single unoccupied chair opposite her at the small table and paused to look at her in question, waiting to see if she'd reject his offer. For her part, the dark skinned beauty looked him up and down in what he knew she thought to be a discreet assessment before she smiled slightly and nodded once, silently telling him that he could take the seat. 

Jacob felt his pulse quicken as a peculiar sensation settled in the pit of his stomach; he felt like a teenager once more, trying to learn how to speak to girls without biting his tongue. True to the sensation, his mouth had gone quite dry and he returned her smile before reaching for the hand nearest to him and leaning down to press a light kiss at the back of it. It was only proper to do so, he reasoned and he definitely wasn't doing it just because he couldn't think of anything charming to say to her. The gesture itself would be enough to indicate his enchantment with her, no matter how the current generation of humans considered it too sappy or too forward; their customs too, would fade with time. 

She had a dainty hand; slender fingers tipped with light pink nails and a delicate looking wrist that had a small gold bracelet adorning it. Never before had he been so entranced with the hands of a woman. Jacob felt he was losing his mind and fought mentally to stop whatever romanticisms were filling it so he could think clearly. The dainty hand in his stiffened slightly and he wondered if perhaps he'd let his thoughts wander too long and what was supposed to be a charming gesture had simply just become awkward. Moving quickly, he dipped his head to plant his lips on her hand and that's when he felt it. 

The unmistakable whisper of the air above him as something very thin and very sharp cut through it; something like a blade. 

Instantly, all his senses sharpened, time slowing down and the buzz in the café being phased out in his mind as the adrenaline rushed through his system, unlocking whatever control he had put in place before and unleashing his vampiric aura, letting his attacker know with certainty who and what he was dealing with. Moving faster than most human eyes could follow, he kicked his right leg sharply behind, aiming for his attacker's midriff and felt satisfaction flow through him as a faint grunt filled the air and a crash followed soon after. He quickly turned around to assess his opponent, placing himself between the woman he'd just met and the assailant. 

As if the entire café had come to life, the noise rushed back to him as the few customers and employees working that evening felt the menacing aura coming off of him, took in the man who'd been kicked into a table, and decided it was time to get out of the building as quickly as possible. The Council however, for he knew the moment he set eyes on the attacker dressed in black and wielding their trademarked swords that it was them, were frighteningly efficient at taking care of human witnesses. Just as he thought it, he caught sight of one of their mind-sages standing outside the glass door of the café, eyes closed in concentration. 

Jacob rushed towards him, the scream of 'no' not fully formed on his lips as every muscle in his powerful body strained with the speed he was pushing himself at so he could reach the sage before he shattered the minds of the innocent humans in the small shop. He was stopped before he could reach the door however, as a force slammed into him sending him falling towards the ground and the soft whisper flitted through the air again as a blade was adjusted and he saw the attacker aim it, ready to decapitate him. 

He had been distracted and for a second, his survival had meant less to him than that of the humans around him. It was all for naught however as he felt the energy fill the room, its hum in the air almost palpable, and all the humans collapsed to the floor as one, their minds instantly shattered. Indeed, for a second, he felt the will to fight leave him as he looked around the room and the significance of what had just happened hit him. It was his fault that these people were now mindless zombies, alive but only barely; if he had maintained proper control of his aura, if he hadn't chosen that particular café, if he hadn't delayed leaving it because he'd found his mate. 

His mate! 

Another wave of adrenaline washed through him and Jacob shifted quickly, managing to dodge the blade of the sword as it came down towards his throat. He looked up at his assailant, taking in the steel eyes of a killer set in a youthful face of a boy who had no doubt been sired before he even turned 18. It was the way of The Council, to get them while they were still young and train them to be assassins before they were disposed of themselves. This one must have survived for a long time though, Jacob noted, for even with the small scuffle they'd had, the boy still maintained good control of his aura. So good in fact, Jacob had not sensed him before his blade had come down. 

Jacob concentrated his energy in a single punch that he sent with high speed to the diaphragm of the assassin as his blade came down, managing to hear a crack as the impact dislodged the hold the boy had on him enough for Jacob to kick him off. Standing up, he did a quick scan on the room, relief filling him at first as his eyes met those brown ones that had captivated him earlier, before confusion took its place and then rage. 

He'd been played. 

Realization flowed through him with such speed, he felt the breath leave his lungs. As quickly as it had hit him, the attraction to the dark-skinned local girl left him, leaving wrath in its place as he recognized the woman for what she was: a sorceress. She had to be to have enchanted him the way she did and while all the humans were now mindless, there she stood, untouched by the crass telepathy the mind-sages practiced. How could he have been so gullible; he knew soul-mates did not exist and yet there he- 

A searing pain filled him suddenly, radiating through his body from his abdomen and making him cry out in agony as he looked down to find blood filling his shirt from the point at which a blade was sticking out of it. He leaned forward, sliding himself off the blade and collapsing to one of his knees, knowing the pain would take a while to subside as the wound healed, but that was quite enough of his carelessness. 

Mastering whatever strength he had, Jacob drew himself to his feet with a groan, even as the pain increased to inimitable levels, and turned around to see the assassin doing exactly the same, hand around his chest where he'd been punched earlier. They rushed at each other, Jacob ducking as the kid swung the sword at his throat and throwing out a fist that landed at the exact same spot he'd punched earlier. The assassin screamed out in pain and lifted his knee to catch Jacob in the face but his hands were there in time to block the blow. That knee came up again in quick succession, catching him unawares and sending pain radiating through his jaw as he reached for the sword, managing to grasp it at the hilt and twisting it sharply to try and get it out the grasp of the assassin. It came loose, surprisingly enough and Jacob managed to throw it away as the kid lunged at him. 




Redemption Ch. 01



The scuffle went on, seconds passing as they hit each other at high speed, bones breaking and flesh hitting flesh as Jacob began to wonder if perhaps the boy was less skilled than he'd originally thought. There was no doubt that the assassin had been sent by The Council but the boys they usually sent were trained for years to become perfect killing machines and yet there this one was, his masking ability almost greater than Jacob's own but his battle skills and reflexes falling far below expected. The fight quickly changed to Jacob's favor and with one quick movement, he punched the boy on the side of the face with such strength, the impact threw him several feet back and he landed in a heap on the floor. 

Jacob was definitely off his game that day for while he'd been caught unawares by a Council sent assassin, there he was thinking through the battle and wanting to find out why the boy didn't fight like an assassin instead of killing him off. Curiosity...what a detestable quality. 

It was curiosity though that drove him to the unconscious boy-vampire's side to delve into his mind and try to find out why he'd been sent. What he found was not what he'd been expecting however, as he felt along the taught chains holding in place free thought and the struggling of a dying consciousness; it was...despicable. Jacob's face twisted in anger and he tried to delve further into the mind of the assassin only to have the boy twist in pain at his efforts. The Council had clearly learned to used different methods of coercion since he left them; they'd bound the boy's mind, sloppily if he might add, and had fed him with a mission, not caring if his consciousness was killed by the sheer brutality of their mind manipulation, leaving him as empty as the humans whose minds they shattered so often. 

How long ago had the boy been sired to this life before he'd undergone such atrocities, Jacob could not tell. The consciousness strained against the chains and the boy started to get up, interrupting the investigation into his mind. Jacob hesitated for a second before he expertly severed the chains binding the boy, freeing his mind and consequently unleashing his consciousness which exploded, casting the older vampire out. It had to be done, come what may. 

"No, no! Are you insane? What have you done?" a voice rang out, making Jacob turn around, his eyes narrowing as he stared at the sorceress that had tried to ensnare him before. 

"You're still here," Jacob said, his voice almost a whisper as he looked around, finally finding what he was looking for and heading towards it. 

"That creature cannot be left unchecked, you have to kill it," she said, her voice getting louder as he felt panic fill her tone. 

Sorceresses were a secretive kind, often content with being left alone to practice whatever little magic they wielded. It was rare to find one out in the open who was stupid enough to place herself in such a volatile situation. Whatever magic they wielded could only be called forth after hours of preparation and they had the constitution of humans, so could be killed easily if the need arose. This one was either very new to the art or very, very stupid. 

Jacob bent down and picked up the sword he'd been heading towards, straightening to lift his hand and throw it towards the irritating woman. The weapon flew true, embedding itself into her head with a sickening sound as the momentum pushed her backwards and she fell dead to the floor. 

The day had not gone as he'd expected it to and now changes had to be made in his routine. Jacob looked around at the café, taking in the broken tables and the blood on the floor. Reluctantly, his gaze swept over the blank, glassy-eyed faces of the still breathing humans who'd no doubt have their blood sucked out of them and then disposed of when The Council sent his kind to clean the mess up. He'd seen that sort of clean-up numerous times while he was working with them but for some reason, the thought of this one sickened him. Perhaps it was because he felt responsible for them; faces he'd seen on a regular basis that had lives beyond the café...lives that deserved to end with dignity 

He stood still for a few seconds before he went to retrieve the sword from the Sorceress' skull, his mind made up. Moving quickly, Jacob stepped from one human body to the next, stabbing them silently and efficiently in the chest, puncturing their hearts and making sure they died before any more vampires could use them further. Whichever sage had shattered their minds had no doubt left the moment his work was done and Jacob moved to walk out of the café, not pausing to look back. 

What about the boy? 

The thought surprised him as a part of him held back from leaving. What about him? The boy wasn't his responsibility and had been trying to kill him no more than a few minutes ago; it wasn't his responsibility. But he couldn't leave him there to be enslaved again by the very Council he hated so much and the thought of killing him wasn't appealing; he'd been forced into it all. What about the boy, indeed. 

Well, he couldn't very well leave him there, could he? 

To be continued.



Redemption Ch. 01



Natalie sniffled and rubbed her nose with the back of her wrist, suddenly remembering the Kleenexes and wishing she had some with her. His touch was not trembling, and would actually be rather enjoyable if she did not know that the contact was making him absolutely miserable. Reaching one hand back to hold her the opening closed, she sniffled once more. "I dig ids begus I'b disdragded by so bady oder digs," she managed through the stuffiness, thinking about Casen and the Hierarchy and her own struggles against herself. Yes, she had been very distracted as of late, and had not spent the proper amount of time in meditation to prevent just this sort of occurrence. "Dag yu," she added.

Smiling warmly, he nodded his head, moving again to where he could be used to stabilize herself should she feel the need, but again had his back to her so as to be appropriate. His nervousness had indeed died down, suppressed enough now that he might even be able to bring it completely under control... maybe... soon. "Any time," he replied. His voice, almost completely free of shaking, carried the same warm tone, rich with truthfulness.

She seeped up the warmth from his voice and knew that he was not merely saying it as others would, but that he truly meant it. She shivered again, not from the chill or from her head cold, but from the realization that he actually cared. Knowing he had turned around, even though her vision was still somewhat obscured by her watery eyes, she released the opening of her dress and slid it down her body, letting it fall to the floor in a wet pile of fabric. She did likewise with her underclothes, then quickly dressed herself in the warm things before the cold air of the room chilled her even more. Once she had done this, she bent down and gathered her wet things up in her arms, then stood there somewhat uncertainly, before a series of wet sneezes took her over. "Heh-isshhoo!! Hepchoo!! Hekisshh!! Ishhh!!"

Justin considered reaching over and grabbing the box of Kleenex off of the nightstand, and did, holding it down and behind himself as he was still not entirely sure what state of dress, or undress, as it may be, she was in, and cared not to find out in a potentially embarrassing manner. He managed to locate the general position of where her head was from the sound of the sneezes, even giving minor effort and trying to track the imagined arc of her body so as to ensure not to hit her with the tissues as he offered them. "You going to be ok?" 

She blinked back the wateriness and saw the faint outline of the tissue box, taking it from him. "Dag yu," she said through her sniffles, holding the box in one hand and taking several tissues from it with her other. "Ib clohd dow," she explained, letting him know that he could turn around without fear. Bringing the tissues to her nose, she rubbed fiercely and sniffled more, the wet clothes still draped over her arm. She spotted an empty chair and arranged the clothes on it, spreading them out so they would dry faster. Setting the box of Kleenex on the nearby dresser, she sighed almost imperceptibly and felt a wave of weakness wash over her before three wet sneezes escaped from her soft lips. "Ihhh… ihhtishhoo!! Huptishhh!! Heh… heh-issshhoo!!" she sneezed, too exhausted to bother covering her mouth though a part of her knew she was spraying her germs around.

Justin murmured a blessing to her, then gave a soft sigh, wrapping an arm easily around her waist and leading her to the bed, gently forcing her to sit to ensure that if all else failed, she would not fall to the floor if she blacked out. His arm supported Natalie just enough that if she wanted, she could lay down unhindered, but close so as to catch her should she fall. Surprisingly, any nervousness had either been consciously suppressed or was gone, but either way his manner showed none. With a warm smile, he used his other hand to pull back the sheets before gesturing. "It's warmer in the bed... better for colds."

Hearing his sigh, Natalie felt completely awful for inconveniencing him like that, knowing that he was probably very upset at having to touch her. On the verge of tears for causing him so much discomfort, she blinked and laid down, a chill creeping over her body as she sniffled repeatedly, finally causing her sinuses to un-stuff. "I'm sorry," she began, her voice quavering. "I didn't… I mean… I know you don't… It's just that…." She was unable to finish any of the sentences and could only lay there, feeling like a horrible person for doing this to him. The tickle continued to irritate her cute nose and she rubbed two fingers across the tip in a valiant attempt to quell the sneezy feeling.

He smiled softly and pulled surprisingly soft, but heavy (and therefore warm) covers over her. "It's alright, really. Don't worry about it." For once, despite the closeness, his voice actually had a confident tone to it, reassuring and pleasant. "You're right, I don't feel particularly comfortable being close to people, but that doesn't mean a thing. You're sick, and you need to lie down. That's all that matters. You don't honestly think that I could dislike someone for needing help, do you?" He tilted his head slightly, his eyes quietly questioning.

Natalie sighed and snuggled under the covers, allowing a single teardrop to slip from her eye. She noted the tone of his voice and took slight comfort in it, still not entirely sure that she had not just damaged him or upset him greatly. "I'm fine," she insisted. "You don't have to stay here and deal with me," she added, knowing that every fiber of her being wanted him to stay, but knowing he would want to leave, to get away from the germs, but especially to get away from the closeness. "I'm not that sick," she continued weakly, though she immediately contradicted herself by coughing a bit.

He raised an eyebrow and sat on the edge of the bed, his compassionate blue eyes meeting hers easily. "Of course you aren't. If you were, you wouldn't have made it up here, nor been able to stand long enough to change." He gave a soft laugh and shook his head. "On the other hand, you aren't exactly well. You might have made it up here, but you didn't look to be having an easy time of it. As for me staying here or not… well, that's entirely up to you. If you feel you need to sleep, I'll go. I wouldn't want to keep you up. But I wouldn't mind staying, if you prefer it."

Sighing, she looked up at him, almost losing herself in the warmth of his gaze. Her head still felt very foggy and achy, and her nose was red and now chapped for the use of the Kleenexes. "I'm not that sleepy, but you can go if you want. I wouldn't want you to stay around me very long; you might get sick, and then I'd feel even worse." Snuggling a bit more under the covers, she felt a few strands of hair fall across her cheek but was too weak to move a hand from the covers to tuck them back behind her ear. Her eyes searched his before she looked away, sniffling, then sighed again.

He laughed. "Don't worry about me getting sick. My immune system is almost impenetrable. I get sick maybe once every year, if that… usually once every two. And unlike you, I'm only human… sorta… kinda…." He trailed off, unsure of what he was, then shook his head to rid himself of stray thoughts. "At any rate, my well-being has little if anything to do with you being sick. If I were to get sick soon, it would be because I've been sleeping outside in the wilderness for the last two weeks with a hammock and a wool blanket."

She sniffled a bit more and nodded quietly. "Okay, then. You won't get sick. Still though, you shouldn't be sleeping outside with only a wool blanket." Biting her lip, she hoped she had not offended him, but also knew that it was not good for his health. Weakly dragging her hand out from under the covers, she tucked the strands of hair behind her ear and shivered a bit, then thought about his words and decided not to ask about the human issue, as it might be a touchy one, and was certainly not her favorite topic, either.

Justin shrugged and gave a confident smile. "I've made it this far without problem." He shifted his weight and felt the wound on his leg crack slightly as he winced in response. "Well, mostly. I've yet to find anything I couldn't handle. The cold really is the least of my problems right now. It's been over a month now, and I still haven't found any answers as to what in the blue hell is happening to me, or why, or who's behind it." He trailed off again as a sneezy look crossed her expression. Natalie brought both hands to her face and cupped them over her nose and mouth before sneezing wetly into them. "Ehh… ihh-tisshhh!! Heh, ehhh… ehhkisshhoo!! Shooo!! Ep-tishhh!!"

"Bless you, Natalie," Justin whispered, bending down to kiss her forehead with his warm lips. "I wish I could stay and take care of you, but unfortunately, I've got to leave. The wolves will be getting up and I'd rather not fight with them for territory." He smirked softly at his poor attempt at humor and ran his fingers through the mop of hair on his head.

Wincing at his comment about the wolves, Natalie sighed softly. "Alright, then. Justin. Please, take care." She immediately wished she could retract those words, not wanting to sound like a badgering mother or someone who was trying to be controlling. Hoping he took them for what they were, words of friendship because she cared, she slipped back under the covers and extended one hand to touch his, risking the physical contact because she wanted to show him that she did actually care. 

Justin smirked softly, and took her hand for a moment, meeting her eyes with his. "You too. I'll be back to check on you tomorrow… you'd better be better by then," he teased, then gave one last smile, before exiting the room quietly.





***





Justin entered the tavern slowly and awkwardly, his weight leaning heavily on the four-foot long stick he always held. The effort of carrying his rucksack and his bundle of sticks on his back showed quite plainly on his face as he moved over to the couch near the fireplace. He wasted no time in dropping his gear on the floor and collapsing loudly onto the cushions, his forehead gleaming with sweat and his cheeks flushed. He seemed to be breathing louder, with more difficulty, his eyes barely able to stay open as he lay on his back and attempted to make the room stop spinning.

Descending the stairway from the hallway that housed the rooms, Natalie rested her fingertips on the rail and sniffled wetly, still recovering from her cold though she had already checked out of the bedroom. Her normally uncontrollable mass of curls was now braided in a single plait down the center of her back, obscuring the two dozen buttons of her dress. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but they had a determined look in them, as though she was not a victim, but a survivor. The folds of her skirts swished almost noiselessly as she made her way further in, scanning the inhabitants for anyone she might know. Her eyes fell upon Justin and she bit down on her lower lip, a wave of concern washing over her. Afraid he had passed out or was in some sort of serious danger, she approached the couch and knelt on the floor beside him.

He breathed slowly, heavily, as he turned his head from his horizontal position to look at Natalie, though his eyes made it seem as though he was not really seeing anything, but simply staring off into the distance. His voice was slow, and sounded immensely controlled, the harsher tones being somewhat slurred. "Hey, Natalie," he whispered, managing a weak smile, though he obviously looked far from happy as he tried simply to keep conscious. "Told you I'd come see you today." Oddly enough, the way his carefully controlled words formed "m's" made them sound more like "b's," through his somewhat wet sounding breathing. This close, she could see that almost his entire face was flushed, particularly his nose. Raising himself slightly, he moved his head quickly to avoid hitting her with his loud, hacking cough.

Bending over his form, Natalie's face was etched with worry. Lowering her voice to just barely above a whisper, she placed one hand on his forehead to feel for his temperature, before speaking. "Justin," she murmured quietly, noticing that he was hot to the touch and his nose seemed rather irritated. Realizing instantly what had happened, she winced and shook her head softly, bringing a hand to rub at her tickly nose. "I'm so, so sorry. I thought you said…" she trailed off, deciding not to remind him of his insistence that he did not get sick. "How long have you been feeling badly?" she asked, her voice laced with genuine concern and her dark eyes flickering with a sort of motherly attention which she promptly tried to hide.

He shook his head, trying not to let Natalie feel his burning hot skin. "I'b ok," he began, giving up the attempt to control his voice, as it took enough effort to simply breathe. "I'b been worse. I'f known I bas gedding sick for a couble days now. You're right; it's doo cold oudside." Again, he gave that weak smile, before bursting into coughs that sounded like they were tearing flesh from his throat with each one, muffled by the arm of the same sweatshirt he was wearing the day before.

Natalie listened to him quietly and removed her hand from his burning forehead, knowing he abhorred her touch. Hearing the change in his voice from a controlled normalcy to a stuffy wet-sound, she felt another wave of guilt wash over her body. If only she had told him to go away, if only she had not gotten so near to him, not allowed him to help her. She mentally cursed her weakness and rubbed a hand across her nose, still feeling a bit ill, herself, though nothing like how he seemed. "No, you're not okay," she contradicted him, then paused. "Even if you… yuh…. Ehh…. Ehh-isshooo!! Hep-tisshhoo!! Ihh… ihhkisshh!!" she began, then interrupted herself with three soft but wet sneezes into the crook of her arm. "Even if you have been worse, you sound bad enough now, and I knew it was too cold there," she finished, her tone firm but gentle, as she listened to the wetness of his breathing with a sigh.

He blinked back the tears that came to his eyes from the loud, dry, hacking before closing them entirely. He was still overly irritated by the odd coldness in the room, despite the fact that he felt like (and was) sweating profusely. "Don'd feel bad; you didn'd do abything wrong," he insisted, shivering slightly, before leaning his weight onto one arm to try to rummage through his bag in search of his blanket, though his eyes were still mostly closed.

Somehow seeming to sense his intent, Natalie shook her head slightly. "I do feel bad," she insisted. "I never meant to get you sick." Her voice trembled a bit, but she willed herself to stay strong. Crying would not help anything, nor would it make him feel better. "You don't look good at all," she continued, knowing she was being less than tactful, but also knowing that he would most likely not care. Reaching into his bag and finding his blanket for him, she held it, pondering quietly. "You need to rest somewhere, and here is definitely not the place," she observed, using the tip of her index finger to massage her tickly nose.

Justin frowned slightly, his face wrinkling up for a moment as he held his breath, body quieting and keeping motionless for a few seconds as he seemed to suppress something. He then opened his eyes and took the blanket carefully, trying to wrap it tightly around him but barely managing to drape it over himself before collapsing again. "I'b ok. You didn'd get me sick, I bromise," he maintained, giving her a slight scowl, though, at the mention of going somewhere else. Again, he tried to rise and failed. "I'b ok here, really. I jusd need to lay dowb for a day or so."

She watched him silently for a moment, wondering if the suppression was a sneeze or perhaps another series of those awful-sounding coughs. Secretly hoping it was the former rather than the latter, Natalie bit down on her lip and forced herself to pay attention to the present. Feeling him take the blanket from her, she placed one hand on her hip and shook her head as he tried unsuccessfully to cover himself. "No." Her voice was ever firm, though still slightly stuffy, a testament to her lingering cold. "You are not okay. You are sick, and it is my fault. I already feel bad enough for exposing you to this dreadful cold," she began, pausing to sniffle discretely. "I would never forgive myself if I didn't help you the way you helped me," she continued, again placing a hand on his forehead in the hope that he had cooled down.

Shaking his head, Justin did not try to get up this time before speaking, his nasal voice sounding almost demanding, though it was out of habit and not for an actual reason. "Doh!! I'b… I'b ok, and you DID'T gib me dis cold, Dadalie. I habn't been eating broberly, I'b been sleebing outside for weeks, and I'b been fighting and gedding hurt lots," he explained, sniffling slightly, quietly, before rubbing a bit of runniness from his nose. He again went to work on draping the blanket, this time managing to get it over his body, though not as tightly as he would prefer.

She moved back just a fraction at the tone of his voice, though it was not quite so upsetting as it might be had the sniffles and stuffiness not softened the insistence. Doing a bit of sniffling herself, she decided he was probably right about the conditions leading to his cold. "You shouldn't have been sleeping outside like that," she began, then sighed and dropped it, knowing that it was too late now, and it was not her job to berate him. Not everyone had a place to sleep, she remembered guiltily, suddenly recalling her prep class before her mission here on earth as a Goddess, First Class. "Regardless," she continued, rubbing at her nose, "You need to rest, and here is not the place." She eyed the other inhabitants of the tavern somewhat uncertainly, then slipped a hand in her pocket to finger the abundance of gold coins that she had still not used for this mission.

Justin frowned again at the sound of coins being moved and shook his head vehemently. "No, you don'd hab to spend boney on me. I dold you, I'll be fine," he croaked, trying to laugh slightly, but failing. He shuddered and suppressed something again, more visibly this time. His nose twitched slightly though, and he closed his eyes, looking like he was drifting off to sleep, though it was more like blacking out than anything. 

Again shaking her head at his words, Natalie spoke softly but firmly. "You're not fine, and you won't be fine unless you get somewhere warmer and better for you," she asserted, eyeing him quietly as he shuddered slightly. She wondered if he was suppressing the harsh coughs that seemed to plague him earlier; they did sound rather painful. A voice in her head suggested that the shudders might be stifled sneezes and the thought was almost enough to elicit a moan, though she quickly brought her attention back to the present. Rather alarmed as Justin closed his eyes, she began to speak once more. "No, no. Don't slip away. I'm going to get a room." Walking towards the bar even as she finished her sentence, she conferred with the tender quietly and returned quickly with a room key. "Justin?" she asked almost rhetorically.

He sighed quietly, having temporarily fought off the void of his mind. "I told you, I'b fine here." While he continually tried to convince Natalie of this, it seemed more and more like he was trying to convince himself instead. His body took on an almost constant shiver, the sweat on his forehead forming into beads and sitting there, his hair damp and messy. "So cold. By do dey keep it so cold in here?" he murmured. Despite his obvious chill, he was still burning up, having not dropped a single degree from earlier.




Redemption Ch. 01



Natalie bit down on her lower lip, both to hold back a soft moan from the endearing tone and stuffiness of Justin's voice and from a strong concern for his well-being. Knowing she would regret it, she decided to be insistent. "No, you're not fine here," she contradicted him, easing one hand between the couch and his back and gently guiding him into a sitting position. "Justin, you need some care. You… yuh… ihh… ittishhooo!! Ehh… eh-kisshhh!! Eshhooo!! Huptcheeww!! You know you would do the same for me; in fact, you did the same for me yesterday," she reminded him, gathering up his bag and other various belongings. "You'll feel better, trust me," she stated, the tone of her voice revealing that the battle was over, and she had won. Taking his hand, she helped him to stand, catching his blanket before it fell. "Come," she instructed.

Sighing, Justin was as much forced as helped into a standing position, but didn't have the strength to both fight against it and stay conscious. He was still shaking, his clothes practically drenched with cold sweat, his eyes staring dead straight ahead. "I'b... I'b ok," he tried to tell her, his voice faltering. Again his entire face seemed to curl up upon itself as he stifled something again. Judging by the way he rubbed his nose with his sweater, it was most likely a sneeze.

Natalie did not even bother to contradict him again, knowing it would do no good. Instead, she concentrated on supporting him, wrapping an arm around his shoulders and holding his things in her free hand. Eyeing the nose-rubbing, she hoped the room would come with a few boxes of Kleenex, and opted to wait until later to give him her lecture on the evils of stifling. Her entire body shivered at the possibility of another sneeze from him, though he likely did not notice between his own shivering and his fevered state. She just shook her head and led him up the stairs and down the hall, pausing to check the room key for the number. 

Justin fell into a barely noticed silence, the trek to the room seeming to take forever to his barely-working muscles. The shaking of his body seemed more pronounced without the cover of the blanket and with the added exertion of walking. By the time he made it to the room, he had wiped sweat from his eyes several times, the droplets running down his face in little rivulets. Natalie inserted the key into the door marked with a large seven and heard a quiet click, then pushed the door open to reveal a small but rather quaint room containing a bed, a dresser, a nightstand, a chair, a closet, and a door that presumably led to a bathroom.

He noted the bed and all he seemed to think about at this point was dying for a few days or so as he dropped onto the covers face-first, softly enough not to hurt but heavily enough to show his extreme lack of energy. Natalie watched him fall onto the bed and suppressed the urge to sigh. She glanced around the room, then shut the door behind her, turning to rummage around in the dresser. "No," she admonished him, "You are soaked with sweat, and you need to get into dry clothes before I let you get under the covers." Her voice was calm but firm, leaving no room for disagreement or refusal. She walked to him and helped him turn so that his head was not buried in the blankets. Giving him a few minutes to rest and catch his breath, she then eased him back up into a sitting position, leaving him there just long enough to bring him some spare clothes from the dresser. She set them on his lap and went into the bathroom to fill a glass with water for him. A series of soft, half-muffled sneezes could be heard from beyond the bathroom door as Natalie still struggled with her own cold. "Ehh… eh-kisshh!! Hep-tchooo!! Huh… huh-eshhhoo!! Eh-kisshhoo!! Heptisshh!!"

He blinked slowly at the clothes, as though they were alien objects, as he resisted the urge to close his eyes and fall back again. The room seemed to spin around him as blood rushed to his head from the rapid change of altitude, which again he fought, swaying just a tiny bit. With his mind as distracted as it was, he found it difficult to suppress his sneezes, which escaped with a light, wet tone, into the air as he could not be bothered to cover his mouth. "Heh… hehCHOO!! Huh… heh-ISSHH!!" He made no motion to get changed, still eyeing the clothes on his lap questioningly, his eyes showing the weariness that he had brought upon himself during the last few weeks.

Natalie emerged from the bathroom carrying a glass full of water and balancing a small basin, also filled with water, against her hip. She set the glass of water on the nightstand, rested the water-filled basin on the floor at the foot of the chair, then looked over to Justin and paused, realizing he had not moved. She looked from his eyes to the clothes and then back to his eyes, seeing that he was too weak to dress himself. Approaching the bedside, she placed a hand on his forehead and found it hot to the touch, then rubbed his back lightly. "You need to get changed," she murmured, unsure if she would have to help or not.

Nodding slowly and grabbing his stick, Justin put the clothing over his shoulder. He used the stick as something of a crutch, making his way to the bathroom and taking a full five minutes to change, at least. When he opened the door and exited, he wore a pair of grayish flannel pants, baggy and comfortable-looking, and a white shirt that was just as baggy as the pants. Again, he moved to the bed, and sat on the edge of it with his eyes trying to close. His balance was obviously off; that much was plain to see as he was walking, though he then carelessly let the stick fall to the floor, forgotten.

Wincing as she watched him sit on the bed, she noticed just how dizzy he seemed. She placed a hand on his back and rubbed up and down his spine, her movements slow and deliberate. "Justin, how are you feeling?" she asked, her voice lined with worry and her eyes taking in his apparent weariness and lack of focus. She placed her free hand on his forehead once more, very thankful for her Goddess training in the care of humans. If only she could remember how fast their heartbeats were supposed to come. Her head hurt from trying to remember and she removed her hand, waiting for his answer.

Justin nodded slightly, his eyes closing fully. "Cold, I'b bery cold," he whispered in a scratchy voice. His temperature had yet to drop, though thankfully it had not gone up much from the effort of walking around. Somewhat surprised by the feel of Natalie's hands, but not pulling away, he gave a light sigh, followed by a barely muffled "Heh... hetCHOO!!" into his cupped hands. The sneeze was wet and harsh, almost as grating as the coughs had seemed, bringing tears to his eyes with the way it tried to rip through his nose.

She listened to his words, realizing that she needed to get him under the covers. Somewhat surprised that he did not pull away from her touch, she mainly attributed it to his state of ill health, deciding not to dwell on it too much. About to ask him to lie down, she halted her words at the sound of the sneeze, her entire body shivering. A flush crept over her face and she hoped he would not notice through the wateriness of his eyes. "Bless you," she whispered, her voice trembling a bit, but not too noticeably. Reaching over and grabbing a Kleenex from the box on the top of the dresser, she brought it to Justin's nose and wiped gently, then pulled the covers back and eased him into a horizontal position, allowing him to get comfortable before she drew the covers over him. 

He looked more motionless than comfortable, though either seemed to be acceptable at the moment. Sniffling a bit at the feel of the tissue at his nose, he again attempted to stop the sneeze that wanted to build, managing to do so before laying down. In a sudden surprise, the sneeze returned, forceful and wet, though it was channeled through his mouth and therefore less painful. "Heh… hehh… hehCHOO!!" After easing himself back down to the bed, he reached both hands behind his neck, trying to work the latch on the cord that held the dragon pendant. He failed to find the catch, which had made its way to the front, and was resting next to the circle holding the small pewter dragon to the cord.

Natalie trembled quietly and took a few deep breaths to control her voice before offering a soft, "Bless you." Reaching down to arrange the covers, she drew them up over his body, her fingers brushing up his legs and to his chest, where she stopped and tucked him in rather tightly, leaving it hard for him to move. She noticed what he was trying to do, and placed her hands atop his, guiding them to the clasp so he could undo it, helping him to make sure the pendant did not fall off as he unlatched it. Taking the necklace from his fingers, she set it on the nightstand next to the glass of water, then seated herself on the edge of the bed, her fingers tracing over his cheeks, measuring the heat of his skin, as her other hand rubbed inconspicuously at her slightly reddened nose.

His body continued to shake slightly as the sheets warmed from his body heat, dissipating the cold air that had been trapped underneath previously. The sweat still ran from his skin slightly, notably running off of his forehead and catching in his hair. Somewhere in the back of Justin's mind, beyond the Voices which still refused to go away, past the overwhelming sense of cold brought on by the initial shock of the sheets, he felt the necklace being removed from his neck and managed a subdued, "Thank you." His cheek pressed slightly against her fingers appreciatively, though his skin had yet to cool down in the least.

She felt something inside of her ache at the sight of him so helpless like that, so weak and unable to resist her touches. "You're welcome," she replied, rising slowly from the bed and disappearing into the bathroom, returning a moment later with several strips of fabric that appeared to be washcloths. She paused in the middle of the room and took a few shallow breaths, then turned to the side and sneezed freely, the spray visible in the dim light cast by the candles. "Ihh…. Ihhhh… ittchooo!! Hup-tissshhh!! Ishhhh!! Ishhhooo!!" With a few cursory rubs to her nose with her free hand, she sniffled and continued to the bed, a little embarrassed by her display. Moving the basin from the foot of the chair to the seat, she perched on the edge of the bed, sliding the chair closer and dipping a cloth into the water, then wringing it out. Placing the cloth on his forehead, she gently dabbed, her other hand stroking his neck, her touch cool and dry. 

Instead of his usual response of tensing up or pulling away, he actually seemed for once to be comforted by her touch, relaxing visibly. The shaking started to slowly fade as the sheets warmed, despite the fact that the shirt he had put on had managed to collect a rather large amount of sweat, though that seemed the farthest thing from his mind right then. He felt far more tired than he had in a long while as he fought off an oncoming sneeze by squinting and massaging the tip of his nose with the back of his wrist.

Natalie somehow sensed that he was not pulling away nor resenting her touch as she half-expected. Relieved that the shaking was reduced, she re-dipped the cloth into the water, again wringing it out, then bringing it back to his forehead and swabbing tenderly. Taken by his immense vulnerability, she leaned down and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, then straightened, running her fingertips over his features, tracing the warmth of his cheeks, the curve of his lips, and the bridge of his nose.

Opening his eyes again, he looked up towards her, his eyes showing confusion within their tired depths. She registered the confusion in his eyes and was immediately repentant for caressing him, thinking that perhaps he was still a bit leery of her touch. Unable to think of anything to talk about, Justin tried to say the first thing that came to mind. "I'b sorry. I shouldn'... shou…." Suddenly, a plethora of sneezes erupted from his flaring red nostrils. "HehCHOO!! Heh… ihhh… Heh-isshh!! Chhissshoo!!" he sneezed uncovered, up into the air, narrowly missing Natalie's fingers. Following this with a series of sniffles, he reached out for the Kleenex, but found himself unable to reach. "I'b sorry aboud dis."

Natalie's thoughts were interrupted by the profusion of sneezes he emitted. Trembling quietly and just barely, barely able to keep a moan from escaping her lips, she soundlessly reached for the tissue box and withdrew a few. Bringing them to his nose and wiping ever so gently, she tried to avoid any chaffing as she rubbed. Finally confident that she could speak without betraying herself, she swallowed hard. "Blessings, and you don't have to be sorry at all. You can't help it."

Shaking his head slowly, he tried to find a way to defend himself, out of instinct, and found that he had none. His eyes closed once again, and he was forced to breath through his mouth as his nose was too plugged to be of use. "Bud I don'd ged sick," he whined, plainly irritated at himself, despite the fact that he could understand why. "I shood be able to bead these things." He took a moment, catching his breath before continuing. "Id shouldn'd madder thad I'b gedding hurt so much, and thad I'b sleebing oudside. I can handle de cold, and I'b odly godden really hurd once."

She tried very hard not to laugh at the adorableness of his words, coupled with the sweet, stuffy way he was talking. She dabbed at his nose again with the Kleenex, then paused, setting the washcloth on the chair and using her now-free hand to stroke his hair tenderly. "Sweetheart," she began, then paused, feeling as though he might resent her use of the word, "I mean… well… it's understandable. You've been sleeping outside, you've been injured, and it's cold. Your mind has been concentrating on other things, and it's only natural that your health would take a backseat to more pressing matters." Her voice was soothing and she continued to stroke his hair lightly, loving the way it felt between her fingers.

Justin shuddered, more angry now than irritated, though it was directed inwardly. "Dose damned voices. I wish dey'd neber come to me. I wouldn'd hab to be sig." His breath stuttered lightly and he shook his head. "Dey aren'd eben leabing be alone dow, when I'b sig," he complained in that same stuffy voice, then frowned as the anger seemed to instantly drain from him, replaced by immense weariness. He showed it outwardly with one of the largest yawns in his life, accompanied with a loud, stuffy groan.

Natalie would ordinarily be afraid of his angry tone, but felt the anger diffuse a bit between his inability to speak clearly and the completely helpless position that he was now in. She touched her fingers to the side of his face as he spoke, her cool skin contrasting with the fieriness of his own. The yawn rather surprised her, but it was a pleasant surprise and she smiled to herself, her other hand resting on the covers atop his chest as she searched for words. "It's okay to be sick," she soothed, her voice gentle and relaxing, though still a bit stuffy. "The less you fight it, the sooner you can get well. Let it take you over, let it leave you weak and vulnerable, and soon it will pass," she advised, looking into his deep brown eyes, her own lit with care and kindness.

Blinking a few times, his eyes watered slightly. "Bud I don'd ged sick. I jusd... don'd," he tried again, sighing slightly, his form relaxing farther into the bed under the covers, trying to pull them around him more tightly. "Maybe you're righd, bud I don'd like feeling like this." He tried to scowl but didn't realize that he was managing just barely a slight pout. "Id's all their fault. Id's the voices thad did this do me." He nodded to this and attempted to laugh, but simply ended up coughing slightly, his head jerking forward a bit with each one.

Natalie shook her head slightly at his refusal to accept the situation, then watched as he seemed to slink lower beneath the bedcovers. She tucked them tightly around him, almost pinning him there, making movement nearly impossible. Wincing slightly at the rough sounds of his coughs, she rubbed his chest tenderly, as if to relax him and ease the pain. "Shh… don't try to talk, it will just make your throat hurt more," she advised, then remembered the water. "Would you like a drink?" she asked, not wanting to un-tuck him to get him into a sitting position, but knowing that his throat was probably very sore and also knowing that he needed lots of fluids.

Justin nodded slowly, and he realized that he felt terrible for putting her in a position like that, though honestly it was not as bad as he had imagined it would be, despite the being sick part. "Blease. Dose coughs really do hurd a lot more den I'd like dem to," he explained, sniffling a little and rubbing at his nose with the back of his wrist yet again. He gave a soft laugh at his own words, trying to find a way to take his mind off of the burning sensation the coughs left in his throat and the incessant tickling that plagued his nose.

She smiled at the cuteness of his words and carefully un-tucked him, placing one hand at his back and the other on his chest, gently easing him into a sitting position, re-arranging the pillows so that he would be more comfortable. Taking the glass of water from the nightstand, she gave it to him but kept one hand on it, just in case he could not quite hold it. She used her other hand to smooth the covers over his body, stroking his legs through the blankets, trying to be a reassuring presence. "Here, drink this. It will help your throat feel better, and might even stop the coughing," she instructed, her fingers still on the glass, for good measure. Using her other hand to softly rub at her nose, she tried valiantly to hold back the sneezes that threatened to overcome her small frame, as she did not want to upset the glass.

"Maybe," he replied dubiously, lifting the glass to his mouth and sipping at it slowly, taking deep breaths between each as his nose is all but useless. He tried desperately to hide the wince that contorted his face as she stroked his leg, her hand passing over spot on his leg that would have been beneath the rather obscene tear in the pants he had been wearing earlier. The contortion was quickly suppressed, however, and he resumed his drinking with a slight sniffle as he tried to free his nose from its self-imposed shackles.

Natalie was pleased with his drinking and hoped that the water was helping, though she realized it was rather slow going since he had to stop every few seconds to breathe through his mouth. Her own nose was only slightly stuffed, the sensation barely noticeable, and she was grateful that she was a quick healer, though a somewhat tickling feeling reminded her that she was not entirely well. Seeing the barely perceptible wince, she suddenly remembered the tears in his pants and knew there must be a wound (or several) beneath those tears. Quickly removing her hand from his legs, she shivered at the sound of his sniffle and apologized. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you," she mumbled, feeling as though he might rather just want her to go away at this point.

"Id's alright. Id was more surprise dan... den.…" he began, suddenly glad that she was holding the water, as he was forced forward violently, wracked with a loud, spraying sneeze. "AATCHUU!! den pain." He sniffled and rubbed his nose a bit embarrassedly, realizing that he almost sprayed her with the sneeze. "I'b sorry dat I'b making you do dis when yor nod beeling well, Dadalie. Bud I do abbreciate you being here." He gave as much of a warming smile as he could; though it was not as much as he would have liked, it was the best he could muster under the circumstances.




Redemption Ch. 02



He tried to raise himself up in the bed, the sheets falling down around his chest a bit. His nose was still a bright red, though at least the breathing through his nose was less pronounced, and the coughing had subsided. Blinking his bleary eyes, he looked around, as if trying to figure out where he was, before looking down and realizing he was not outside. "Ummb… Bhere ab I…?" He blinked a few more times as the previous night returned to him, and he gave a slight smile before wrinkling his stuffed up nose slightly.

Hearing something in a dream, something about a Bear Rabbi, Natalie's eyes fluttered open in confusion, and she realized it was Justin beside her. Wait. What? Oh. Yes, last night. The memory came rushing back and she bit her lip, noticing that her leg was twined around his. Carefully extracting herself from that position, she sat up and looked at him, almost apologetically. "Good morning," she offered, the stuffiness completely gone from her voice, which only served to emphasize the clogged sound of his. "How are you feeling?"

Not noticing her leg until she moved it, he found himself thankful that she had managed to avoid the sore spot that had originated… around three days ago, then? Had it been that long? "I'b feeding a bid bedder," he replied, giving her a soft smile, his nose still fighting an unseen assailant as he talked. She matched his smile with one of her own as she heard him try to answer her question, then focused on his breathing and halted speech as she saw that he was battling with a sneeze. "De cough's gone, ad leasd, but I sdill hab do snee… sneeze… HISSHUUU!!" He turned his face down a bit, and though it wasn't an overly powerful sneeze, it had still managed to rock his head slightly. For some reason, he almost seemed embarrassed by himself. "I'b sorry…."

A flush rose to her face and she braced herself, then shivered involuntarily at his release, her hand instinctively creeping up her thigh. "Ooh, bless you," she managed to choke out, feeling almost drowned by waves of passion. From the way he had tried to talk through it, to the particular sound of it, she felt almost paralyzed. "Don't be sorry, she insisted, her voice quavering.

"Bud I'b beed spending your boney… tagging ub your dime… I beel bad aboud id," he replied, scowling slightly at the sound of his own voice. "Dab dis stubby dose… habn'd beed like dis in dwo years." He sighed softly through his mouth, as his nasal passages were completely blocked. He then looked over to her and tilted his head slightly. "Dadalie, are you okay? You soud bedder bud you don'd loog so good."

She shook her head as he spoke, hearing his objections about putting her out, but finding it very hard not to take him into her arms at the adorable sound of his stuffy nose. "I'm fine, really," she said with a slight nod. It was the truth. She was fine. She was more than fine, between the sweet sniffly-ness and the delicious sneezes. Not to mention the idea of having him helpless. She dragged her thoughts out of the proverbial gutter and nodded again. "Really, don't worry about me. I'm more concerned about you. I know you sound a bit better, and the coughing seems to have tapered off a bit, but that sneeze… it sounded pretty intense. How is your nose feeling?" she asked, feeling a bit evil, but trying not to dwell on it.

"Nod a bid bedder," he answered, frowning lightly. "I think id's godden worse, id facg. I can'd eben breathe in de least through by dose... bud it hurds like crazy when I sneeze. I don'd know how I god dis bad, really. I jus… heh... HEHTCHOO! HISSHUUU!!" He shuddered, and was thrown forward by the force of his sneezes, his eyes watering badly. "Oww... dad really hurd.…" He leaned over and grabbed some Kleenexes off of the nightstand, blowing his nose loudly before tossing the now-soaked tissues into a wastebasket.

She trembled at the sound of his sneezes and moaned ever so softly, though the sound was all but obscured because of his nose blowing. Her hand crept a bit further up her thigh, still hidden by the bedcovers, and she mentally chastised herself for taking pleasure in his pain. She really couldn't help it, though. Swallowing hard, she brought her free hand to his back and rubbed gently. "Blessings, Justin. Those sounded really wet. At least maybe your nose won't be quite so clogged."

Shaking his head a bit in protest to her logic, he explained. "No... dese sneezes aren'd like dat. When I sneeze, by dose geds MORE plogged... sabe wid blowing by nose. Id doesn'd helb... or if id does, id only helbs for a minute before id gets plogged again." He sniffled slightly, as if proving his point, and rubbed his eyes with the back of one bare arm - and then realized that he wasn't wearing a shirt. An embarrassed grin crept over his face, contrasting with the tired look in his eyes, though he didn't bother trying to cover himself.

Listening to him try to describe the nature of the cold to her, she nodded quietly, as if to say she understood. The sniffle sent shivers down her spine and she felt the presence of goose bumps on her torso. Watching him rub his eyes, her mind again registered the fact that he was shirtless, before a rush of heat testified that her body had noticed, as well. "Maybe a hot shower would help?" she suggested, wondering if he could manage a trip to the bathroom without falling over, and, furthermore, if he could stand up long enough to shower. A thought passed through her head and she smiled slightly.

He blinked a few times at the idea of a hot shower - a novelty to him, really, considering. Though honestly, the idea of letting her see the wound on his leg didn't seem too great, as he felt he had already caused enough trouble. As such, he shook his head slowly, wiping his nose a bit more with the Kleenex. "No... Nod ride now, ad leasd. Bud I do abreciate the offer." He smiled slightly, though his nose seemed to be giving him not a single break, not even when he blew it.

Watching him consider her proposal, she then sighed imperceptibly at his refusal. His smile did comfort her a little bit, and she hoped he would keep the shower idea in mind. "There's always time for that later," she said with a nod, not knowing his reasons for refusing, but understanding he was still very weak, and probably shouldn't move around too much. Eyeing his use of the tissue, she took a fresh one and pressed it into his hand. "Is your nose still all stuffy?" she asked innocently, rubbing her index finger across the tip, as if that would tell her.

Justin pulled away slightly, not letting the tissue get soaked as it was likely to do at the moment. "Yeah, id's preddy bad," he explained, dabbing his own nose a bit, the reason that he didn't let her touch becoming obvious as the tissue was really wet. "I hade gedding sig. Id sucks." He pouted slightly, adorably, before laughing at his own expression. Natalie listened to his talking and shivered slightly at the cute stuffiness in his voice. Before she could say anything, he continued, and she bit down on her lip at the sound of his sniffle. "I'b sorry," he mumbled. The pout he gave was nothing short of adorable, and she smiled, then began to shake her head at yet another apology from him, though he continued to speak. "I jusd..." he began, then paused, sniffling slightly, his nose wrinkling. "Jusd…."

Sensing that he needed to sneeze, she inched a bit closer to him, placing a few fresh tissues in his hand, in case he needed them. Her fingers returned to her lap, beneath the covers and she tensed expectantly. His voice was considerably stuffed as he tried to finish his thought despite the blossoming sneeze. "I jusd hade being a both… HISSHUUUU!! Heh-ACHHOO! KISHUU!" He held the tissue to his nose as he sneezed, his eyes closing tight and watering, the tissue soaked through by the time he finished. She lightly stroked the inside of her thigh as she listened to your sneezes, her fingers cold against the fiery warmth of her legs. Half-closing her eyes in obvious pleasure, she opened them again almost immediately, reminding herself that it was not the time or the place. Or wasn't it? 

"I hade being a bother," he sighed, wiping the tears away with the back of his arm and scowling. "Dis is disgusding. I HADE BEING SIG!!!" He shook his head violently, as if trying to force the sickness out that way. "I hade nod being able do dalk ride, I hade nod being able to breade ride, and mosd of all I hade habbing beoble hab do dake care of be. I'b sure you'b god someding bedder to be doing dan watching be." Just the stuffiness of his voice sent shivers down her spine and her entire body was covered in goose bumps. Suddenly realizing just how thin the fabric of her nightgown was, she crossed one arm over her chest, her face flushing. "Bless you," she whispered after his brief tirade. "I want to be here, I want to be taking care of you," she insisted, gazing at him and willing the goose bumps to fade.

Justin sighed, his chin resting on his chest slightly. "Bud I don'd wand to be a burden. I'b subbosed to be a ban, able to dake care of byself... leasd, if you beliebe what beoble say." Here he gave a slight smirk. "Dough dey were wrong mosd de time. Don'd know why I beliebed dem. I jusd... I don'd know any bore. Dis cold is messing wid my mind, and dese damned VOICES aren'd helping ad all. Dey don'd eben helb be heal fasd enough do tag care of dis damned leg," he finished with a cough, he tone still adorably stuffy as he rubbed his fingers across his nose in an irresistible manner.

She slid her hand out from her lap and began to rub his back gently, hoping he would not shy away from her touch. "You're not a burden. I… I enjoy taking care of you. It makes me feel good." There she stopped and considered that, then realized that he would probably take it to mean that she derived emotional satisfaction from getting him well. Relieved, she continued. "You need to rest. You're sick, and you're weak, and you're virtually helpless. Don't try to fight it." Kissing his forehead lightly, to take his temperature, she pursed her lips, then shook her head. "Cooler, but not as good as I would like." Grabbing a few more tissues, she wiped his nose, as though he was a little kid, but her manner was not condescending. If anything, it looked as though she truly did enjoy doing this.

Frowning slightly, he felt oddly comforted, though at the mention of helpless, he froze for a moment, his breath catching, before he forced himself to relax. "I… Thanks, Dadalie. I appreciate it." He did not shy away from her touch at all, noting that his fever had indeed almost broken, letting himself be fretted over against his better judgment. "I don'd know what I'd be doing ride now if you hadn'd came and helbed me, though. I'd probably be downstairs, laying on de couch wid my bag stolen." He turned his head, his tired but appreciative eyes meeting hers for a moment. "I owe you one."

Natalie smiled and gently, carefully gave him a hug. "You're welcome, Justin. But you don't owe me anything. You helped me when I was sick, and couldn't move or take care of myself. It is my turn now, and I want to stay with you, to be here." Pulling out of the hug slightly, she studied his face, searching his eyes, then softly kissed his nose. She smiled and stroked his hair. "Maybe that will help it not be so stuffy," she commented, still smiling, her fingers running through his locks.

He gave a stuffy laugh. "I doubd it. Id's a nice thoughd, though. Ummmb," he started, blinking a couple times and considering the pros and cons of showing his leg to her. He moved his legs to the side of the bed, slipping them out from under the covers, then turning his body so that his legs lay the same way they did before. Pulling up the right pant leg to the knee, he revealed the wound from three days ago, a rather jagged wound, as though an animal had bitten him. Even then, it looked like it would be painful to walk, let alone when it had originally been made. "You wouldn'd habben to know how do deal wid dis, would you?" he asked, sniffling a little more and wriggling his nose.

Eyeing the wound, Natalie winced, trying to hide her reaction. It looked more painful than she could imagine, and she felt a fresh wave of guilt wash over her as she remembered how she'd rubbed his legs through the blanket the previous night. "How… what… Yes, actually. When I was looking in the bathroom cabinet, I found a first aid kit that might help, and… well… I am a Goddess, and I do have certain healing powers. I'm not sure if you'd let me use magick, but it is an option." There she paused and looked up at him, as if trying to decide what he would choose, if anything. She did have considerable skill with first aid, though she was trained to give it to other Goddesses, not necessarily humans. He did seem rather similar, in body tissues and such, so she was not too worried.

"Id's ub do you," he answered, giving her a slight smirk. "Thangfully, it was my other leg thad you were touching last nide; that could hab hurt. I'd be habby wid anyding ride now, though. Id's decided dat id wands to bodder me, id seems." He blinked a few times, as though realizing something. "Agtually, Id hasn't been cleaned in a few days. Dat could be pard of de problem," he reasoned, a slight, embarrassed smirk on his face at having overlooked such a simple necessity.

She shook her head slightly and refrained from lecturing him. She was surprised that it looked as good as it did, for not having been cleaned in a few days. Once having treated a very bad wound of a friend's that had not been cleaned in three days, she could hardly believe the reddish-purple tint to the skin and the white liquid gushing from the wound. The thought made her sick and she rose to get the first aid kit, trying to distract herself. "I'll try a simple healing procedure first," she called as she rummaged around in the cabinets, "and then, if there is a problem with that, or just for good measure, I'll try some old-fashioned healing methods." Returning with the first aid kit and her staff, she gave him an odd sort of smile.

Justin nodded slightly and sighed quietly. "I can'd BELIEVE I led someding lige dat go for so.. soo.... HAASSCHOOOO!!" he sneezed very wetly, cupping his hands over his mouth and nose to catch it, then wiping his hands on the bedcovers and sniffling. Natalie bit down hard on her lip and shivered a little at the sound of his delicious sneeze. Using every single ounce of her willpower, she kept herself from making a sound, and even managed to keep from closing her eyes with pleasure as she handed him a tissue. He blew his nose loudly and continued. "So long. I don'd thingk it helbed much wid dis cold, either. Maybe if I'd taggen care of myself bedder I wouldn'd hab to be boddering you lige dis. I'b subbosed to be a 'sabiour ob humanidy,' and I'm stug to bed wid a cold." Laughing slightly at this, he added, "And dey sdill wand be do by 'job'. Can you beliebe dat?"

"No, the cold and the injury are not the best combination," she agreed. "But once I clean and heal the wound, you will only have to worry about the cold. Now, this might hurt a bit, but you seem to have a high tolerance for pain," she remarked. Setting the first kit on the chair and climbing carefully onto the bed, she eyed him, then paused. "You know, this is going to hurt a lot, but you can't move while I'm doing this…. It might be good if…" she trailed off, not wanting to suggest restraints.

He raised an eyebrow slightly. "Id mide be good if what? I can probably hold byself still... I think. Though I'b neber had a wound like this." He looked at it for a moment, and winced, realizing for the first time that it was actually fairly bad. "You're ride, I hab a bery high tolerance, but I don'd know how buch dis will hurd. Whad were you going to suggest?" He seemed almost clueless as he spoke, truly unsure of what she was going to mention, though still somewhat comfortable despite everything.

She nodded quietly. "I know you have a high tolerance, but this is going to hurt. A lot… and… I can't afford to have you move. It might be a good idea if I tied you… to the bed." Her voice was somewhat uncertain, hoping he was not offended or upset at her suggestion, but knowing practicality was important. She waited for his reaction, a few random thoughts running through her head. Justin. Tied up. Justin, tied up. With the sniffles. Helpless. She could… Her thoughts paused and she shivered, realizing just how tempting it would be.

Justin gave a shiver of his own as he thought about being tied up by her. He seemed to consider for a moment, then nodded slowly, thankful that the voices had decided to take this time to shut up for a while - the more will he had to control his body at the moment, the better. "I subbose. I jusd hobe it doesn'd hurd dooo much," he smiled softly and continued, "Bud if id'll mage me heal fas… fas… heh… Heh… HEHSHHOOO!! Ehh-SHHOOO!!" He took a moment after the wet sneezes and wiped his nose with the back of his arm, not caring that he had no sleeve there. After recovering, his body having shot forward with the force, sending a fine mist spraying over the end of the bed, he spoke again, a slight scowl on his face. "Helb be heal fasder, I guess id's worth it."

Natalie felt her body flush at the sight of his sneeze, a torrent of pleasure and warmth seeming to drown her. Crossing one arm over her breasts to hide her nipples, which started to push through the thin fabric of her nightgown, she swallowed hard and nodded quietly, managing a soft whisper of "Blessings." Eyeing the four corners of the bed, she mentally calculated the distance and the length of his arms and legs, then opened the first aid kit, setting her staff against the dresser. She found four strips of cloth and pulled them each taught between her hands, as if testing their strength. Her courage faltered and she wondered if she would be able to hold back once she had him tied up, but she pushed the thought aside and motioned to him. "You'll need to take those pants off," she instructed, her cheeks flushing a bit.

Justin blinked a few times, shuddering slightly for a moment, but barely managed a slight nod. Carefully, and visibly much slower than necessary due to the extreme amount of mental effort being exerted to control his body, he did as asked, his face flushing a bright red as he was left in his boxers only. His own nipples stood out slightly, presumably at the cold against the skin of his legs. His body still shivered, again presumably at the cold as he laid down and closed his eyes, focusing his entire will on self-control.

Trying not to stare as he slid off his pants, she noticed the flush that crept to his face. She nodded as if to give her approval, then took the strips of fabric and climbed onto the bed, taking his right hand in her own. "This will only hurt a bit," she murmured, knowing it would hurt more than a bit, but hoping her words sounded genuine and calming as she secured his wrist to the bedpost using the strip of cloth. Doing the same with his left wrist, she paused. "Pull on it a bit; I need to see how well it will hold up," she instructed him, taking great care to control her breathing. She was half-leaning over him, her legs tucked under her and the braid of her hair having fallen over one shoulder.

He nodded and instead of simply pulling, he yanked hard on the cloth; it looked as though he was trying to pull with all of his might to get it off, though it was more an attempt to focus his attention on something else rather than controlling himself. His eyes followed her braid as it swung slightly, his nose wrinkling a bit as though in preparation for another sneeze.

Natalie smiled her satisfaction, her eyes taking in the pull of his muscles as he tried to resist against the cloth. Watching him lay there, helpless, she licked her lips and voiced her approval. "Good. That will work nicely. Now for your feet." Turning, she took the remaining two strips of cloth and bound both of his feet to the posts, respectively, then surveyed her handiwork. It looked as though he was quite immobile. "Pull a bit," she instructed again, "I need to know that you are indeed completely helpless." Wincing slightly at her choice of words, she wondered if he would notice and remark, but she did not bother to correct herself.




Redemption Ch. 02



As I sat waiting in the restaurant for my lunch date to arrive, I realized my knee was bouncing anxiously with every second of the clock. I glanced at my watch again. This is what I got for arriving too damn early. 

I hadn't been this nervous in ... hell, I couldn't remember.

I'd made a decision — one that was too important to deliver over the phone, of course, so here I sat, waiting for her to arrive. I pulled out my phone and didn't see any missed calls. I took a deep breath and considered calling her — calling Annie. Hearing her voice might calm me. She'd been my rock the past month. She meant more to me now than I'd ever hoped she'd mean, but how would she feel about the decision I'd made? I hadn't discussed it with her yet, but I thought — hoped — she'd like it.

I fingered the small object in my coat pocket and felt my nerves attack again.

"Drew?"

I glanced up and saw that my date had arrived. Paige stood staring at me, half smiling as if she weren't sure what to expect. I stood up and smiled, actually relieved to see my ex-wife. What a feeling. I thought I hated the woman for what she'd done to me — to us. I hadn't laid eyes on Paige for close to two years now. She looked good. Healthy. Beautiful as always.

"You're early," I said, glancing at the clock on the wall behind her. She was almost twenty minutes early. I had been thirty. "Please. Have a seat."

She avoided my eyes. "Well, I was anxious to see you. Um, you're early too." She was watching me again, seemingly intent on reading my every expression.

I laughed. Actually laughed. "Yeah, I guess I am." I took a deep breath. "You look wonderful. How have you been?"

Making small talk was surprisingly easier than I had expected it to be. By the time our entrees arrived, I knew that Paige had given up her job at the television station and was now working as a freelance writer from home. That home was a small one-bedroom apartment across town, not far from Annie's, actually.

It wasn't until she said, "I was really surprised to hear from you. Karen says you never ask about me and that you prefer it if my name is never mentioned," that I became uncomfortable. I recognized the pain in her eyes as she spoke, but she met my eyes, unflinching. I sensed she felt she deserved the pain and was forcing herself to endure it for whatever odd reason.

Oh boy. I took a deep breath, stuck my hand in my pocket and felt the glide of metal against my fingertips. The small talk appeared to be over. It was time to announce my real purpose for this meeting.

Remember when I said I'd only ever had two gut-wrenching shocks during my lifetime? The first was, of course, finding out that my wife had been cheating on me for six months while I remained oblivious to the fact. 

The second...

Well, the second had come only a couple of short months ago.

I was sitting in the doctor's office after battling a nasty case of the flu — a flu I couldn't seem to shake — when the grey-haired man who'd been treating me said, "Drew, I want to run some tests."

What fateful words, I remembered now. The tests had confirmed his fears. Cancer. Lung cancer, to be exact, and because I was at an advanced stage, my prognosis wasn't as positive as it could have been.

I remember feeling again as if I'd been punched in the gut, the shock was so great. I was only 43 years old. I'd never so much as smoked a cigarette in my life. How could I have cancer? I'd stumbled to my car, barely noticing a thing around me. Who would mourn me if I died? I had no family. Just a few friends. Gavin and his wife, Karen. And Annie. Paige's face briefly flashed into my mind, but I squashed all thoughts of her before they could pierce my heart again. For all I knew, she had remarried. Married her lover, Alan Mackerel, the man who'd stolen her heart and body away from me.

Oddly, the thought didn't disturb me the way it once had.

You see, the story you've been reading has never been about which woman I would choose to spend my life with -- sweet, beautiful Annie, or beautiful, flawed Paige. Hell, my life seemed to be over, so what did it matter? It's never been about whether I would turn out to be a wimp husband who forgave his whore of a wife, never knowing if she would cheat again. It's certainly not about the hot rebound sex I could have had with Annie if we'd both been willing. Don't you understand that those things are all trivial compared to my purpose for writing this story -- to purge my own soul, if you will, and to go back and look at my life with a fresh perspective. To gain redemption for myself, whatever that meant, for the remainder of years I had left in this world.

I'd shared the news of my cancer with Annie that evening when she brought me a meal as she'd been doing regularly since I'd fallen sick. I half expected her to politely excuse herself, to withdraw from me, but she hadn't. 

Did I ever mention the main reason Annie and I had never had sex? Annie had been raped by a complete stranger a few years before, and while she might have been interested in me, she'd made it clear from our first date that she wasn't ready for that type of intimacy yet. Like me, she was still healing from past emotions. She'd said she had a feeling I would be understanding about it -- unlike the few sexually-motivated chumps she'd attempted to date since her rape. She'd been right.

"I'm here for you," Annie had said simply after hearing my news, clasping my hand. And she had been. From my first chemotherapy treatment up until last night, when I'd realized I was starting to loose my hair, Annie had been there. My emotional rock. I was pretty sure I loved the woman for that.

"Drew?" Paige murmured now, looking at me, confused. 

Oh, right. I lifted my glass of water and swallowed to prolong the words I had to say. Paige sighed and said with a forced little smile, "Um, I hear you're finally dating someone. Is that what this is about?"

"You heard that?"

"Well, I asked Karen," she admitted. She glanced down at her hands. "I saw you coming out of the movie theater last month with a woman I didn't recognize. She was beautiful. You looked good together. You looked...happy."

She said the last almost as if she were asking for verification, so I nodded and forced a smile of my own. The irony of her statement wasn't lost on me. I'd found out about her lover by seeing them together from afar. How had it felt for her, seeing me with another woman? I was glad it had happened that way though, not that it mattered anymore. Neither of us had a claim on the other. I nodded. "Yes, her name is Annie. She's pretty terrific. Far too good for me, but she sticks around for some reason."

"No one is too good for you," Paige said, then quickly looked away as if she instantly regretted voicing that opinion.

I cleared my throat. This was suddenly very...awkward. "So, are you and Alan still together?" 

Her face turned pale. Her eyebrows furrowed, and she shook her head, her long, auburn hair brushing her shoulders as she met my eyes again. "I haven't seen him since before the divorce. Didn't you know?"

I shrugged. I'd had no idea. "Is there anyone else?"

"No," she said simply, firmly. 

If I died, I didn't want Paige to be alone, I realized. I actually wanted her to be happy.

"One of the reasons I asked you here today is because I wanted to give you something." I reached for the brown envelope sticking out of my briefcase. "I was going through some paperwork and I realized you were still the beneficiary on my life insurance policy."

Something died in her eyes, I thought. "Oh," she whispered. "Do you want me to sign something releasing myself from it?" Her voice had weakened with disappointment. I recognized the tone from our many years together. What could she possibly be disappointed about, I wondered. She stood to inherit close to a million dollars when I died.

I shook my head. "No, I want to make sure you still have a copy of the policy."

"Wha..what?"

I handed her the envelope and then reached for the key that had been burning a hole in my pocket all morning. "You know I don't have any family. You gave me 18 mostly happy years. You deserve something for that."

She looked dumbfounded. "But I don't understand." She barely glanced at the envelope she now held. "Don't you want to—" She stopped herself. "I mean, you could always remarry or have children, Drew. Surely you don't mean for me to remain your beneficiary."

Under normal circumstances, I probably wouldn't have, but the chances of me remarrying were pretty slim at this point. The doctors hadn't point-blank told me I was dying, but I doubted I had a snowball's chance in hell of living past two, maybe three years. Even if I was certain Annie wanted to marry me, I would never allow myself to make her a widow so quickly.

I held out my hand and said, "Actually, I'd like for you to have this, too."

She took the small key from my hand. "What is this?"

"It's an extra key to my safety deposit box." When I died, I wanted her to feel comfortable taking back some of the items I'd removed from our shared home. There were pictures she might like to keep. Other small keepsakes I hadn't been able to throw away or sell that had no value other than sentiment. I'd gathered them all and put them in a neutral place, the bank. I'd also kept my wedding ring in there. "I'd like for you to hang onto it, just in case. Gavin knows the full details. I just wanted you to have the key."

She frowned. "Drew, I really don't understand this. Is there something you're not telling me?"

I almost laughed. I felt like crying, too, which was a strange mix for me. I'd never been the emotional type. I'd planned to tell Paige about my diagnosis, but sitting across from her, looking into her soulful eyes, I found that I just couldn't.

I couldn't tell her, and I wasn't even sure why I couldn't.

"I, um, started going to church," I confided, truthfully, hoping to distract her from the topic. After my diagnosis, Annie had suggested I attend with her one Sunday to see if it helped lift my spirits. I suppose being faced with one's own mortality made a person do strange things. I agreed to go, and the experience had actually been life-changing. Her church wasn't bad at all. It was contemporary, casual dress, and her preacher had a sense of humor he used to engage the congregation's attention. The pastor's sermon that first day had also been about marriage and the reasons so many marriages failed. As I listened to the man speak, I'd realized I had to accept some of the blame for letting my marriage end. There was no excusing what Paige had done, but perhaps my failure to be what my wife needed had led her to fall to temptation. My refusal to attend counseling or give Paige a second chance after her affair had also weighed heavily on my heart that night, but what was done, was done. There was no going back.

Paige blinked and looked like she wanted to speak, but I continued, "The sermon last week was about the importance of forgiveness. I'm trying to be more open-minded these days. Like I said, you were a large part of my life for a long time. No matter what mistakes we've both made, I could never forget that."

My ex-wife's eyes filled with tears, which she quickly tried to wipe away. "Thank you for that. It's more than I deserve, I know." She sniffed then forced a smile. "It sounds like she's been good for you in more ways than one."

Annie? I couldn't disagree. 

"There was something else I wanted to ask you about," I said, changing the subject abruptly. 

"Oh?" Her body instantly tensed. Why? What was she expecting?

"I was talking to Gavin, and he told me that you've been in therapy," I said, choosing my words carefully. "Well, I just started therapy myself, and one thing my therapist has me do is write my thoughts and feelings down in a journal."

Her body relaxed. Paige nodded. "Yes, me too. It's actually pretty helpful."

"I also remembered that you kept a journal most of our marriage, off and on." She nodded, looking confused. How could I tell her why I wanted her journals without revealing I was probably dying? I cleared my throat. "I know I probably have no right to ask, but I was wondering if you would humor me with something. I was wondering if you would let me read your journals -- from just before you started your affair until now. I think it would be really helpful for me to understand why you did it, help me realize if I was to blame, and help me move past the anger and hurt I still have inside me over it."

If possible, her face turned even more pale. "Are you sure you want to--?"

"I'm certain, and I think I would prefer to read about it rather than ask you just to tell me." I wasn't sure I'd believe her voiced words as much as I would those she'd written down during the affair.

"Why?" she asked, and her voice was hoarse and full of emotion. "Why now? I don't want to dredge up old hurts again, Drew. I've been working past this. So have you."

"I know. Like I said, it's just a request, something I thought would be helpful to me in my own therapy." I know. I was a mean, deceitful bastard for manipulating her this way. 

Her chest moved as she took a deep breath and gathered her emotions. Finally, she asked quietly, "Would I be able to read your journal too?"

My own journal? That was too private. Too personal. I had to fight the urge to shake my head and turn defensive. I reminded myself that maybe it was only fair in the circumstances. And maybe, if Paige still loved me at all and grieved for me when I died, having my journal would be a comfort of sorts to her.

I unclenched my jaw and nodded, reluctantly.

She looked surprised. "You can read my journals, all of them. You don't have to give me yours. It's unfair of me to ask." Paige looked me in the eye and said, "Do you love her?"

"Yes." It wasn't the same love I had felt for Paige once upon a time, but I did love Annie.

Her eyes teared up. "Paige." I tried to comfort her."You're a beautiful woman. You have a good heart, I know that. I know there's someone out there for you, Paige. Someone who can make you happy. Someday you'll find him." It was a cliched speech, I know, but I wasn't feeling well enough to be more original at the moment.

Paige laughed in disdain through her tears, which she hadn't yet been able to stop. "I already did. Then I lost him because I was a selfish idiot."

I assumed she was referring to me. "Paige, don't," I warned.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, excuse me, please." She grabbed her purse and dashed away before I knew what her intent was. She hurried out of the restaurant as if the devil himself were on her heels. I started to follow, but truth was, I didn't feel well. I certainly didn't feel like giving foot chase to my ex-wife, even if she had left the envelope with my insurance policy on the table between us.

By the time I made it back to my office late that afternoon, Paige had already been by and left a package for me. There were three large, hand-written journals along with a note attached that read, "I'm sorry for running out during lunch. I hope these put your mind at ease. I'm sorry if any of it does the opposite. Please forgive me. Love always, Paige."

That night I told Annie what I'd done. She didn't seem disturbed by my decision at all. In fact, she seemed happy.

"I'm glad you're trying to make peace with her," she said, smiling. "I know what she did hurt you a lot and it couldn't have been easy, but you did the right thing."

Lovely Annie. My feelings for her were just as confusing as ever. Before I'd seen Paige and been reminded of so many memories, both good and bad, I'd had myself convinced I'd finally fallen hard for the tall brunette standing beside me. But I had to admit now that what I felt for Annie paled in comparison to what I had always felt for my wife. The truth was, Annie had become my best friend. Moreso than Gavin. Probably moreso than Paige had ever been. But there was just no mingling of passion or romantic love to be found in my heart. I think she knew it, too.

Annie, my best friend, began sleeping on my couch those nights when I had chemotherapy treatments. They were rough, but not as bad as I had always feared. Still, they were rough enough that I was pretty useless to everyone including myself. It pissed me off that I couldn't decline her help when she offered.

I waited until Annie was asleep to pull out Paige's first journal. She'd included several from early in our marriage, too, and I read those, fearful I would find news confirming that she'd been cheating the whole time we'd been together. I was somewhat surprised and moved to read how much she claimed to love me, how much she loved being married and having me for a husband. It saddened me to read of her disappointments all those times she'd gotten negative results on pregnancy tests. She claimed to have spent many many afternoons crying, wiping away the tears and putting on a happy façade before I came home from work to spare my feelings.

My eyes had devoured Paige's viewpoint on at least eight years of our marriage -- all of which she'd been faithful, as best I could tell -- by the time my eyelids drooped, demanding sleep. I decided to take a personal day or two to read the rest. I felt like a man possessed. I resented that I had to sleep because I wanted to read more.

The next morning I settled into my favorite chair with a cup of coffee and my ex-wife's journals. I could find no evidence that Paige had cheated on me with anyone prior to those six months before I'd discovered her affair. Some of her entries were very long. My wife had always been a little wordy when she wrote, but some were also very short. I'm noting the most interesting entries below, in Paige's own words, which seem to reveal how it began:

**

Drew and I had a fight again today. I'm not sure why I've been so impatient with him lately. I've come to the reality we will never have children. He doesn't seem the least bit interested in adopting when I mention it. Why? Why? Why? I wish I understood him better. Alan and I had lunch again, and I questioned him about his feelings on adoption. If he were married and couldn't have kids, would he consider adoption? He'd said he would, so why won't Drew? It's not like we can't afford it, and neither of us is getting any younger. Maybe I should ask Alan more directly for advice? He's been such a great listener lately. I'm glad we've been working on more commercials together. He's a good friend....

I'm feeling a little guilty at the moment. Alan accompanied me on another shoot today. It was hot outside. Miserable heat. At some point, Alan stripped out of his shirt to cool off, and wow, does that man have a nice chest! I found myself thinking all sorts of naughty things, things Drew definitely would not approve of. I'll make it up to him, though. I'm making Drew's favorite dinner and plan to seduce him for the dessert. Wow, it's been two weeks since my dh and I have even kissed. Must fix that soon.... 

I don't know what to do. Alan kissed me today. ANOTHER MAN KISSED ME! Worse, I allowed it. Why the hell am I writing this down where my husband could see? I have no idea. Maybe I want him to see it. I shouldn't have enjoyed kissing Alan as much as I did. I pushed him away, but I didn't want to. He's an incredible kisser. I'm not even sure how it happened. We were talking, joking around, and next thing I know he had his arms around me. His lips were so soft and hot against mine. I was so shocked, I just opened my mouth for him when I felt his tongue brush against my teeth. I kissed him back. He almost had my bra undone before I realized it and pushed him away. I don't know what to do. If I tell Drew, he'll lose his temper and demand that I quit my job. I love working at the station. I will tell Alan tomorrow that it's best if we don't work together again....




Redemption Ch. 02



Oh god, what have I done? I've been doing so good at staying away from Alan. I thought we would be OK working alone together, but I was wrong. God, I want to die. Drew is going to leave me. My life will be over. I love my husband. I swear I do. I should have never told Marilyn I would work late editing that piece. Alan must not have known I was in the editing room or surely he wouldn't have come in tonight. At first, we talked. I thought things would be fine. Then he asked me if I'd had a chance to talk to Drew about seeing a fertility specialist like he'd advised. I told him about the fight Drew and I had had over it. I started crying, and Alan tried to comfort me. It felt so good to be held in his arms. He made me feel protected. It was stupid of me to lift my head from his chest. Stupid of me to kiss him back when his lips met mine. STUPID OF ME to let him peel me out of my clothes or to reach into his pants and feel his cock. Oh god. When he turned me around against the console, I'd had time to stop him. I'd felt his large cock pressing between my legs, felt it glide against the folds of my pussy. Even as he'd pressed his cock inside of me, I had time to stop him. I can't believe I let another man fuck me. And at work?!? I hate myself. What have I done? Oh god. What if I get pregnant? What if it's not Drew's baby?...

Drew doesn't seem to suspect that I am a cheating, lying whore. I tried to tell him about Alan and couldn't. He seems preoccupied with something. I hope it's just work. He gets so involved in his work that he can go days without even speaking to me. I just have to prove to him that I still love him. What else can I do but try to make it up to him?...

Marilyn sent me on an assignment today with Alan. I think I may have to quit my job after all. I've been doing so good avoiding him! He seemed to accept that the other night was a mistake. Or so I thought until he pulled the van over and forced me to listen as he insisted he loved me and wanted me to leave Drew for him. I told him I couldn't leave Drew. I told him I loved Drew, but Alan argued I had to have feelings for him too if I'd allowed myself to sleep with him. Is it true? Do I have feelings for Alan? Would it make me feel better if I did rather than knowing I'm simply a lust-filled whore willing to sleep with any man? Oh god. What does this mean?...

I've accepted that I can't stay away from Alan any longer. I was able to resist an entire month, doesn't that count for something? I still love my husband, but I just can't seem to resist Alan either. He came in on me in the editing room again this evening. I didn't realize everyone else had left until I felt his hands slide around my waist from behind and saw that he'd shut and locked the door. I said nothing. 'I've been thinking about you a lot, baby,' Alan had whispered in my ear. After a moment of playing with my breasts through my clothing, he'd reached under my dress and just ripped down my panty hose. "You don't need these," he said and lifted me up onto the edge of a table, facing him. He pulled them completely off, pushed my dress up around my waist and yanked my dainty little panties down. I was a little shocked at the suddenness of his assault, but I didn't utter a sound. I simply let Alan do as he wished. An excitement began building inside me again, anticipating his large, unfamilar cock. I knew he was going to fuck me again but couldn't seem to stop him. Part of me was scared, but I also wanted to feel that big cock inside of me again. Drew hadn't touched me in days. Drew, my poor, loving husband. What would he do if he knew that Alan had stepped out of his pants and pushed down his own underwear as he stood between my thighs. I'd looked at his massive cock already hard and ready for me. He spread my legs as I sat there on the edge of the desk, placed his cock right on my entrance and shoved it up inside me. He began fucking me, burying his cock deep with each stroke. Sliding my arms around his middle, I closed my eyes and enjoyed the feeling of each thrust inside my body. I heard myself moan and whisper, "Oh, it's so good. It's so good." He went on for several minutes stuffing that hard cock into me as I moaned louder, 'Ohhhhhhhh, ohhhhhhhhhh, yeeeessss." I'm surprised no one caught us. I had lost all sense of reason as to what I was doing. At that moment, I didn't care that Alan could just be using me for a quick fuck. Drew could have walked in and I wouldn't have noticed. All that mattered was how good Alan's big cock felt sliding in and out of my hungry pussy. It didn't matter we were at work. I just sat with my legs spread letting this man who wasn't my husband push his cock inside me over and over again. It wasn't really that long before Alan buried himself deep inside me, held there, and started cumming. I swear I could feel his hard cock way up inside my body throbbing and throbbing as it spurted his seed in my womb. I'd always loved that feeling so deep inside me. My excitement set off my own orgasm and for the next couple of minutes I held Alan around the waist keeping him inside me. What if I got pregnant? I thought. Well, at least I would finally have the baby I'd always wanted. Drew wouldn't have to know it wasn't his. Right?...

**

I closed the journal, feeling anger stir my veins to a boil. That bitch. She'd planned to pass another man's kid off as mine? I sat for several seconds, trying to calm myself. Trying to remind myself I'd already divorced her. Reading her entries, which seem to grow in detail with each one, made me feel like everything was happening all over again. As if I'd caught Paige cheating only yesterday.

And I'd wanted this, why??

I forced several deep breaths, which erupted in a round of coughing that completely stole my energy. Oh right. I was looking for redemption here. Trying to use the truth to set both myself and Paige free. So, I reluctantly continued reading, skipping over a few more entries detailing their illicit fuck sessions after hours at the station, until I came to these.

**

I tried to end it with Alan today. It's wrong. I can't believe what I'm doing anymore. I love Drew, and I think a part of me loves Alan too, but I asked myself a very important question today. Which one could I live without? I absolutely could not live without Drew in my life. It would kill me. So I'm wondering if I love Alan at all, or just want to believe I do to explain my behavior? I've been on the pill, just in case, thank God I was smart enough for that. I'm not sure how Alan will react when I finally manage to end things, but I know it was stupid and wrong of me to even consider using him to have a child. I want any child I carry to be my husband's. I want it to be Drew's, or at least, with Drew's permission. And after the miserable way I gave in this afternoon after telling Alan I couldn't see him again, I know I must be safer about that. My God, what have I become? I let him fuck me in the car, where almost anyone could catch us. I'm wondering, though, if I can get pregnant? Lord knows between Drew and Alan, I've had plenty of chances. Alan was different today. More loving. He took his time, thrusting in and out of me slowly while looking deep into my eyes. I should have never allowed this to happen. I wish there was someone I could talk to about it. 

**

A few more similar to that, and then...

**

Drew and I had a wonderful night together. I feel horrible because I was completely unaware his job was on such shaky ground. I'm a poor excuse for a wife. He deserves better. We went to dinner and talked -- talked in a way we haven't in a very long time. Once or twice, I came very close to telling him about Alan, but I couldn't stand the thought of risking my marriage with the truth. God, please let me set things straight. Making love to Drew tonight was so much better than any sex I've ever had with Alan. So much better. I know where I belong now. I know I have to end it. Eventually, I'll tell Drew the truth, but I need to show him again how much I love him before I do, so that hopefully he will give me a second chance....

I ended it with Alan today. He tried to seduce me again, but I resisted. I actually resisted! He's not speaking to me, which I know is for the best. I'm looking at career ads to see where else I can apply. I love my job, but I love Drew more....

Alan cornered me today outside of the van and told me again that he loved me and that Drew was a bastard who didn't appreciate what he had. I got so angry. I was the one who hadn't appreciated what I had had in Drew. We started shouting at each other. Someone called the cops. I don't know who, but the whole thing scared me. ...

I don't know what to do about Alan. Today he tugged on my heartstrings by begging Marilyn to film a piece on a young cancer patient in desperate need of donations for her medical treatment. While filming, I noticed how calm and good he was with the little girl. Afterward, he asked me if I'd sleep with him one last time. He now knows I'm leaving the station. Marilyn told him I'd turned in my resignation letter. I told him no, but I can't stop thinking that I owe him one last time. He's not a bad guy. But I don't want to do anything else to hurt Drew. I hate being so torn. I'm trying to stay faithful to my marriage now, but I'm tempted.

**

That was the next to last entry indicating she'd slept with Alan. The last one, of course, was written on the day I'd caught her cheating. It was full of self remorse and pain over the hurt she'd seen in my eyes. She knew she'd lost me and even wrote that she wished she knew an easy way to kill herself. Guilt did funny things to a person, I supposed. Her reasoning for sleeping with him again was quite ridiculous, I thought. She said, "I looked into his eyes over lunch -- our farewell luncheon -- and felt such remorse for the way I'd used Alan that I decided I would give him one last afternoon. In my twisted mind, it was meant to be closure for both of us." Stupid woman. Couldn't she see that he'd been taking advantage of her, manipulating her, all along?

I closed the journal, saving the rest for later. I had read these entries looking for answers, and I had found plenty, but gained even more questions. I couldn't deny that if I'd been a better husband, Paige wouldn't have succumbed to Alan's advances. She carried most of the blame here, but not all of it.

I suddenly feel so confused. What am I supposed to do here? Forgive Paige for her sins and release myself of some at the same time, or politely give her back the journals and send her on her way again?

Is this story I'm telling really meant to be about finding my own redemption -- or is its purpose for me to help Paige find hers before I die?

I wish I knew. 



Redemption Ch. 02



 Redemption Ch. 02: There's a flipside to every coin.

"What the hell's happening?" 

Mara looked up from Angel's terrified face and growled at the frantic bodyguard angrily. "How the hell am I supposed to know? She's never done this before!"

Angel whimpered and shook violently, her eyes wide with horror, but they were obviously seeing something very different from the small cell. 

"Angel," Mara murmured soothingly. "Come on, kiddo. Snap out of it." 

"What should I do?" the guard demanded.

Mara smiled a little, he had good reason to be frantic. She wondered if Alexander would kill him if he allowed something to happen to Angel. 

Probably.

"I think maybe we should call the Ancient One," she said watching in fascination as her friend flinched and panted. "Angel has visions and she used to flinch a lot in the car when we were driving cross-country. She's never had one that made her act like this before, though."

His expression grew darker, if that was possible. "The Ancient One is in a meeting with the other vampire rulers. No one can interrupt him."

Damn. 

She stroked Angel's cheek as she tried to come up with something else. She hated feeling so...powerless. From the small blood connection they shared, Mara could sense her fear. Hell, she could smell the fear on her, even if she didn't feel her body shaking and couldn't see her horror-struck eyes. 

"I think we should get her out of here and comfortable," she said at last. "If she doesn't come out of it on her own, we might have to break up his meeting. She's his Little One, and he might understand her power better than you or I."

She reached out to take her friend in her arms and growled irritably as she struggled with the handcuffs again. Kieran Montasse was an arrogant bastard. 

"Look," she said to Angel's guard. "This is pissing me off. You got a pick set?"

He looked at her curiously.

"You know," she said holding her hands up in exasperation, "A lock pick set."

"Lord Kieran might not like..." the guard replied.

Angel gasped and writhed again. Tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes and down her temples. Mara growled impatiently.

"This is Alexander's Angel, and she's hurting. We need to do something, and I probably know her better anyone. So give me the damn pick set." 

Had the Ancient One really put Angel in the care of this moron?

He seemed to think about it for a moment more and then he nodded. "The name's Dorian." He reached into his coat and pulling out a small case.

She nodded curtly as she accepted the set. "These picks aren't very substantial," she commented as she deftly raked the lock with the tiny pick.

"I have an image to keep," he replied. "It does the job in a pinch, and it makes it through metal detectors."

Mara arched an eyebrow. Now that was handy. She might have to palm these suckers before she headed out of this place. With a couple of rakes and a slight twist of the lock, the cuffs slipped off her wrists.

"Nice job," he complimented her.

She didn't bother to smile. He was definitely a moron. "Let's get Angel back to her rooms."

"I'm brining her back to the Ancient One's chambers," he said into a microphone on lapel. He turned back to her. "We've got a couple of doctors on staff here, they might be able to help, too."

Mara nodded.

He bent over to lift the still whimpering and wide-eyed Angel gently in his arms.

"Be careful," Mara said looking at her friend with concern. 

"Don't worry, Mara," said Dorian. "I'd rather not be staked in the sun by an irritated Alexander LeGaulle."

"Staking in the sun will be the least of your concerns if you fuck up and I'm still around," Mara replied.

"Huh. I wonder why Kieran handcuffed you?" he mused eyeing her irritably. "I would have gagged you."

"Aren't you charming?" Mara grumbled. It seemed that most of Alexander's men were assholes. "Let's go."

Dorian led the way out of the prison cell and Mara walked along side him keeping her face glued on Angel's hoping to see some kind of change. The strange connection they shared let her feel the edges of her friend's emotions, and just that vague shadow was awful to endure. Whatever it was that Angel was going through was...horrible. That was probably why she didn't feel his presence until the last second and by then it was too late to make a run for it. 

"What the hell happened?" his dark voice demanded angrily.

Mara felt herself slink just a little. Something about his deep, dangerous voice always seemed to up her anticipation level. She wasn't sure whether it was fear, anger, or...whatever, he made her heart race with adrenaline. 

Kieran walked into the opulent hallway dressed in an expensive charcoal suit; a far cry from the street gear he'd been wearing the night before. He obviously had the chance to clean up from their stay in the subway last night, and if she wasn't so jealous, she would have thought the business attire made him look...edible. She sniffed in irritation. The bastard had the chance to luxuriate in a shower, while she slept in some cell on a tiny cot with her hands cuffed. Her fingers unconsciously went to her hair and raked through her tangles, then she froze and dropped her hand. 

Why the hell did she care?

Kieran looked right at her, his dark eyes glittering. All thoughts of her appearance melted away. Her heart pounded and her breath shortened. Suddenly she had the intense urge to make a mad dash out of the opulent mansion before he managed to lock her up again. He frowned slightly at her, and she felt her hands tremble. 

Damn it! How did he do that? 

"Sir," said Dorian nodding professionally. "She collapsed like this and hasn't come out of it."

"I always knew she was trouble," he muttered irritably to himself, but when he joined them he looked at Angel's face with concern.

Now that he was closer, she could smell the slight scent of cologne. It was spicy and exotic; almost contradictory to businessman image he sported. The smell made her think of the warrior who'd kicked her ass last night, and not some prissy executive. Somehow, with his predatory nature concealed, he seemed more dangerous to her. It was intoxicating, alluring, and as much as she loathed him, it called to her.

She frowned at herself. She had to get out this place. She was going nuts. She looked at Angel's wide eyes and sighed in resignation. She couldn't leave her best friend like this, no matter how much Kieran annoyed her.

He touched Angel's cheek with his fingertips, and Mara could feel a slight push with his mind as he tried to break the connection she had with the vision.

"Do you know what you're doing?" she demanded feeling suddenly protective of her friend. 

He looked up at her and seemed to rake her body with his stare in a way that just pissed her off. 

"How the hell did you get those cuffs off?" he demanded. He turned to the guard who still held Angel protectively. "If you don't want to lose your position, Dorian, you better explain why my prisoner is free and Angel is unconscious."

"Back off," Mara snapped indignantly. Not that she really cared much about the poor guard, but she hated seeing someone get in trouble for something out of their control. "Angel came to see me and she just started screaming."

"Do you always have the effect on people?"

"Are you always such a jackass?" she retorted before she could help herself. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Dorian's face drop with shock. She guessed that people didn't usually talk to "Lord Montasse" like that. Kieran seemed to bring out the worst in her temper. 

What was it about him that ignited her like that?

"Sorry," she said, as she took a deep breath to calm herself. "I think she's having a vision, but I've never seen one last this long."

"She's done something like this before?" 

Mara shook her head. "Not like this. Sometimes she'd see things and flinch from them, but this is different."

He looked at her thoughtfully, calculatingly, then. She wasn't quite sure if she liked that look.

"Let's get her back to Alexander's rooms," he said. "Then you're going to start telling me everything you've seen Angel do when she has visions."

She almost pointed out that they were on their way before he interrupted them, but decided against it. Let the arrogant prick think he was a genius.

Several more vampires dressed in the same black suits as Dorian stood before a doorway and looked at them expectantly. Mara noted that they all bowed low to Kieran and looked at her curiously as she followed him and Angel. She glanced around as she stepped inside the Ancient One's private rooms trying not to look like some ogling bumpkin, but, she was curious. 

Shit. 

Yeah, the Ancient One was beyond rich. Angel was one lucky kid.

She frowned and looked at her whimpering friend.

Then again, maybe she wasn't so lucky.

"Put her on the sofa," Kieran commanded as he disappeared into another room.

Dorian gently situated her on a couch, and Kieran returned with a pillow from what Mara assumed must have been the Ancient One's bedroom. He gently lifted Angel's head, put the pillow behind it, and smoothed her hair from her face. Something about the gesture made her arch her eyebrows in surprise. Kieran...gentle? 

"What?" he demanded sharply.

Damn. He didn't miss anything.

"It seems you have maybe one nice bone in your body," she answered.

His dark eyes glittered angrily. "I'm not going to explain myself to you." He stood abruptly and sat down in an armchair beside the sofa. 

Mara sighed and knelt beside her friend and took her hand comfortingly. 

"Tell me about her visions," Kieran demanded.

"She started having them when Francisco started chasing me," Mara answered. "She told me she'd see him like he was really in the room beside her. He'd talk to her, and sometimes he'd appear in the mirror behind her. It freaked her out."

Kieran's face darkened. "The visions interacted with her?"

Mara shook her head. "I'm not sure. She said that Paola called her my name all the time, so it was like she was me in her visions. She told me that when she saw him in a dream she seemed to be herself and not a part of the scenario, but if the visions came when she was awake...it was difficult on her."

"She's got to learn to control this," he mused.

"Yeah," Mara agreed rolling her eyes with irritation. "She's the Little One of the oldest vampire in the world. I'm sure she knows all about how to manage that kind of power."

"What I'd kill for the powers of a psychic. Then I could force you to shut your mouth."

"Well," she retorted, "sucks to be you, huh?"

Once again she felt the strange tension electrify the room. She wasn't sure whether Kieran was about to jump out of his chair and beat the shit out of her or...

Angel's eyes shot open.

"NO!" she screamed her arms and legs flailing violently.

"Angel!" Mara gasped as one of her arms smacked her hard on the side of the head. 

Angel screamed. "NO! NO! I won't let you! NO!"

"Shit," Mara swore ducking another flying limb. She tried to grab her friend to restrain her, but in her panic Angel was terribly strong. "Angel!" 

Her friend screamed and shook her head.

"Get out of the way!" Kieran snapped as he launched himself at her and tried to wrap his body about her to restrain her struggles.

"NO!" Angel screamed again fighting violently.

"Damn it, Angel," he snapped. "You were a handful before you became a vampire." He caught her in his arms and held her with his own body restraining her flailing arms and legs with his own. Still, Angel fought. Her head banged back against his chest, and she screamed and cried.

"Angel!" Mara cried feeling sick. She'd never seen her friend so desperate, so violent, so... terrified. She took her friend's face in her hands. 

"Angel!"

"No!" Angel wailed pulling her face from her and banging it against Kieran's collarbone. He grunted in pain.

Mara didn't know what came over her. It was like something snapped. She reached out and slapped her hard across the cheek. "Pull yourself together!" she snarled slapping her once again.

"What the hell are you doing?" Kieran shouted in horror even as he tried to shield Angel from any more of Mara's slaps.

"You got any better ideas?" 

"You don't slap Alexander's Little One. He probably felt it, you idiot! They're fucking connected. He's going to kill you!"

"If they're so damned connected, then where is he?" Mara demanded angrily. 

"You don't just run out on a meeting with the vampire kings of the world," Kieran retorted. 

"Not even when his Little One is suffering?"

"He has a responsibility!"

"That's fucked up! She's his responsibility, too."

Kieran glared at her angrily, his dark eyes literally glittering.

She stared right back at him her breast heaving with anger.

"Mara?" Angel whispered softly.

Mara froze and then stared intently at her friend's face. Angel was a mess; mascara trails down her cheeks, hair awry, cheeks flushed, and her eyes were...haunted, but she seemed like she was finally aware of her surroundings.

"Hey kiddo, you're back."

Angel nodded mutely and struggled a little again against Kieran's restraints. "Let me go Kieran," she said quietly. Her voice was hoarse. "Please," she added in a soft whimper.

Kieran slowly relaxed his grip on her and she instantly slid out of his embrace onto the floor. 

"You okay?" Mara asked cautiously.

Angel shook her head. "No." She wrapped her arms about her middle, and bowed her head breathing deeply.

Mara sat back down next to her feeling awkward, and a little guilty. First, she wasn't the best at giving comfort, and second, she'd just slapped her best friend across the face. When Angel's shoulders shook a little as she tried to get control of herself, though, an instinctive trait took over and Mara reached out and put her arm around her friend. It felt a little awkward. She wasn't used to affection yet, even though Angel was the closest thing to a daughter...maybe a sister...that she'd had in her entire existence.

Kieran stirred restlessly on the couch behind them. It occurred to Mara that perhaps she wasn't the only one uncomfortable with the more vulnerable of emotions. She wondered if the dark vampire had learned to regard such things as weaknesses, too. 

Angel leaned into the embrace and continued to breathe deeply for a long time.

"I had a vision," she finally managed to say quietly.

"Yeah, I kinda figured," Mara said. "It seemed pretty rough. You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

"No," Angel said looking up. She really looked like hell, but like always, her blue eyes glinted stubbornly. "I want to."

"Okay, kid," Mara replied. "We're listening."

Angel stared a nothing for a moment and then took a deep breath. "It started out and I was just walking down the street. I know it was a street here in New York, but I don't think I've ever been there. Anyway, I stopped in front of this café and read the menu." She paused for a moment. "It was weird, because I swear I saw both of you sitting together at a table, but I wasn't interested in you, so I didn't glance long. I heard a car behind me, and I felt the strange compulsion–you know; the one when we call to humans to get enough control to feed on them." She shivered. "I couldn't resist the compulsion. Even though I knew what it was, I couldn't ignore the calling. I turned around and there was a car..." she shivered. "There were two vampires standing on the street waiting for me. They commanded me to go with them, and I got in the car with them without fighting."

Mara lost track of the story for a moment as the beautiful woman with the auburn hair flashed before her eyes. She'd read the menu, glanced at them fleetingly, and then turned to get in the car with the two vampires. Could it have been...

Angel's shaking brought her back to the story. "They fed off of me, and it was... awful. Usually it's good for humans, you know? But these guys, they fed to frighten me, and bit at painful places. I was screaming inside, but their commands still kept me silent. I don't know...maybe one of them was a psychic, but I couldn't manage to do anything other than whimper and cry silently. We drove for a long time, and they didn't do anything for a while, except comment to each other about what a find I was. They pulled at my hair...it was red, so it obviously wasn't me."

Mara froze.

Oh GOD! They'd seen her. They'd just let those vampires abduct that poor young woman! By Angel's screams, her fate couldn't have been a good one.

"Then the vision flashed and I was locked in some kind of cell. I was naked. It was dark; dark for a human, but fine for a vampire. Then the door opened. A man came inside, but it was too dark for me to tell much about him. He..." Angel shuddered, "raped me, and then he bit me and fed from me. He used me for blood and for sex, and then he left. It was...awful. And, the scenario repeated. At first, I fought every one of them. I screamed, I begged I cried, but you know how weak humans are in comparison to us. I didn't have a chance. The vampires kept coming, using me for sex, feeding from me. Some of them were brutal, and some were just plain efficient. I, or whoever I was in the vision started to give up. She stopped fighting, and she grew weaker with each feed. As she stopped struggling, I realized that I was in a vision, and that these things weren't really happening to me. That's when I finally got out." 

Angel shuddered again and then sighed. "Thanks for listening to me," she said. "I'm going to clean up. I think Alexander's almost done with his meeting, and he's really upset."

Mara couldn't move. She knew she should be standing beside Angel and comforting her some more, but she couldn't make herself get up. That beautiful human. She'd just watched her as she was abducted into a fate of blood, sex and hell. After all the horrible things she'd witnessed, this one seemed to strike a chord more powerfully than any other. She'd seen Paola murder men, women, children, but somehow she'd always had the comfort that she didn't have any other options. She couldn't resist his power; she was as helpless against him as those poor humans. But this was different. She had simply sat and watched. She had the power to intervene. She had the ability to make a difference, but...she simply stood aside and stared.

She couldn't blink, she couldn't breathe. 

"Mara," his deep voice broke through her shock. "Breathe."

She took in a ragged breath. Her lungs seared and her eyes filled with tears.

A hand touched her shoulder. "You and I both know these kinds of things happen to humans."

She pulled away from him and stood with a snarl. "So that makes them okay? So I should just stand aside and let some poor girl suffer? We should let Angel relive it? You're as much as a monster as Francisco was!"

He rose so quickly his shape blurred and his hand grabbed her neck in anger. "Don't ever say something like that to me again," he snarled, truly furious. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

Whatever she'd been feeling up to that point was suddenly overwhelmed by the seething rage in Kieran's eyes. She stared at him in shock, and for the first time in absolute terror. Something she'd just said struck closer to home than she'd ever intended.

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

She didn't know what the hell she was talking about! He was nothing like Francisco! Did she even realize what he'd been doing the last four hours trying to locate that poor woman? He was going to throttle her! She was bossy, self-centered, and devious. He wouldn't tolerate such accusations, especially since she knew nothing about him, nothing of the journey he'd made. Nothing!




Redemption Ch. 02



He looked into her saucer-wide eyes angrily and prepared to lash out if not physically then definitely verbally, but found himself pausing. There was something about the color of those eyes; they were a brown that was soft like a doe's eyes. He noted his hand wrapped around her slender neck...actually, it was much more slender than he expected. Even though she hadn't had a chance to clean up, yet, her scent was still slightly floral and pleasant. Despite her rough demeanor, there was something about this woman that was absolutely tantalizing to him. Sometimes he wasn't sure if he wanted to kiss her or kill her.

"Easy, boy," called the irritating voice he knew all too well. "You know Alexander hates it when you kill people in his living room."

Kieran couldn't help but to chuckle darkly as Mara's eyes widened even more and she let out a frightened whimper. "This one definitely deserves it," he said, more to get a rise out of her.

Darian chuckled. 

"Where is Angel?" Alexander demanded. He didn't seem nearly as amused.

Kieran released Mara's neck with a growl, smiling as she cringed a little. "She's cleaning up. She had a pretty powerful vision and she just came out of it a few minutes ago."

Alexander nodded and rushed back into his bedroom to find her. Kieran shook his head. Alexander could surely feel from their connection that the girl was all right now. There was no need to rush. In some ways he couldn't understand how he'd become so gentle and concerned. It just wasn't like him to be so sensitive and caring. Most people thought Alexander was at least as much of an asshole as he was, but when it came to Angel, he somehow turned into Mr. Sensitive. It made Kieran want to hurl.

He's been waiting for her for almost three millennia, Darian interrupted his thoughts. Give him a break.

He's turned into a whelp, Kieran grumbled.

Oh, I long to see the woman who finally entrances you, mused his mentor. "Speaking of women," he said aloud, turning to Mara. "I'm Darian Moiree." He took hand and brought it to his lips kissing it in the most lingering and flirtatious Old World way.

Kieran had to restrain the rumble in his chest at that one. To his surprise and anger, Mara...blushed. Didn't she see it for the game it was? Was such a cheap move enough to fluster her?

"Mara Pao..." she paused. "I guess I don't really want to take ownership of that last name anymore," she whispered almost to herself. "I guess Mara will do for now."

"Enchantè," Darian said giving her his most charming smile.

Kieran wanted to growl as she blushed again. Darian was a snake.

"I see my son forgot his manners this morning," Darian continued as he looked her up and down. "We shall have to get you some accommodations that include a nice bath with rose oil and some fluffy towels, robe and slippers." He looked at her eyes a little more closely and then took both her hands and stepped back as though to survey her form. "And definitely some clothes."

Mara stared at Darian uncertainly and then looked back at Kieran hesitantly. That's right. She knew who was really in charge of her safe-keeping. He smiled a little smugly at his friend, but Darian winked at him outrageously. 

"Come on, you two," Darian continued. "We need to give Alexander and Angel some time. They're both pretty upset, and we're in the way."

Mara looked at the door to the bedroom and then nodded. "You're right. We need to get out of here."

"Of course, I'm right, dear Mara," said Darian in that annoyingly urbane tone he used when he was overly-pleased with himself. "Let's depart, shall we?"

He offered his arm to her in the most court-like fashion and once again, Mara blushed and then took it and allowed him to lead her out of Alexander's chambers.

Kieran wanted to snarl, but he decided that it would seem a little petulant in the presence of his maker. However, he didn't bother keeping the irritated sneer off his face as he followed them out of the Ancient One's rooms. Darian strolled down the hall with Mara on his arm chattering to her pleasantly, as though he was courting some girl in the Victorian age.

Mara stared at him with a slight blush on her fair cheeks and a slightly bewildered look in her eyes. Every once and a while she turned around and stared at him.

Kieran followed them like an angry storm cloud. These were the times when Darian really annoyed him. He finally managed to cow Mara into submission, and Darian had to waltz in and treat her like some lady! She wasn't a lady! Hell, she'd been an FBI agent! She could hold her own in hand-to-hand combat. She was a warrior! Yet there she was...blushing!

Kieran followed them as they turned down the hallway that led to...his apartments? What the hell was Darian thinking? 

"Ah," said Darian. "Here we are." He opened the door and guided Mara inside the sumptuous rooms.

"This is lovely," Mara commented as she stared at the masculine décor. "Whose rooms are these?"

"Mine," Kieran snarled.

She started at that. "Oh."

"Now," said Darian as though he completely missed the tension between them. "Let's get some servants working on that bath!" He picked up the phone on one of the end tables and started making orders for a bath and clothes.

Mara looked uncomfortably between Kieran and Darian for a moment. "Really, Mr. Moiree," she said when he hung up again. "I don't want to intrude on Kieran's space."

"Nonsense!" Darian exclaimed. "You get cleaned up and Kieran and I will wait for you and have a drink or two."

Mara looked at Kieran. He didn't bother to hide his displeasure towards her or Darian. She gulped a little.

Then someone rapped lightly on the door.

"Come in!" Darian called in that annoying, charming voice of his. 

Two maids entered with some baskets full of towels, and soaps and...ugh. Kieran didn't want to think about it. He just turned his back on the entire situation and Darian continued to give them instructions about Mara's bath and clothing. Then the ladies all went back through his bedroom and into his bathroom to get Mara 'situated.'

When the doors closed behind them he turned on Darian his eyes glittering with rage.

"What the hell are you doing? This is my space!"

"Oh quit being so possessive!" Darian chided. "You're worried that the girl is going to give you the slip, and quite frankly, so am I. This way is best. If you keep trying to intimidate her she really is going to run. Don't forget you're badgering a woman who's spent nearly her entire existence as a vampire living in absolute loathing and brutality. I remember a young boy who was the same way, and I'm still trying to break some of his more irritating habits."

Kieran snarled. "She's tougher than you think."

"I know she's tough," Darian agreed. "That's why I'm not pushing her. Think about it." He sighed and then plopped down on one of the dark leather couches. "Got anything to drink?"

Kieran shook his head and poured them both some well aged brandy.

"Alexander nearly fell apart in the council," Darian chuckled.

"I was worried he might."

"It was all I could do just to keep him there. Could you imagine what the other ancients would have thought if he just got up?"

"Do they know about Angel, yet? When Nikolas took a Little One, they gave him a break," Kieran said.

"Nikolas wasn't the great Alexander," Darian chuckled. "To his credit, he did manage to hold it together. He realized that she was having a vision, and I talked him through it a bit."

"When she's awake, she somehow becomes a participant in the vision, or so Mara says."

Darian frowned. "That's not good."

"No. That's what happened today. It seemed that abduction I told you about yesterday is going to have something to do with us at some point. Angel dreamed she was that girl."

"Just because she dreamed she was that woman doesn't mean that we'll have anything to do with it," Darian said. "I don't understand how her visions work, yet. She might be so completely out of control that everything is just random. Alexander's never shared his blood with anyone. I have no idea how that will affect her power, and I have no idea how the visions work in a woman's mind. I've never met another female dream walker."

"Why do you think that is?" Kieran mused as he peered at his brandy thoughtfully.

Darian's face grew dark. "Because I think most women are overwhelmed by the power. They think differently than we do, usually have a little more natural compassion and tenderness. Quite frankly, I think most women end up killing themselves."

Kieran stared at him for a moment at a loss for words. "Does Alexander know that?" he finally managed to ask.

"Yes."

"So what do we do?"

Darian sighed. "We wait. We watch. We make sure she's never alone. I'd personally like to be around her when she goes into a vision, and I know Alexander would like to be there as well. Especially these visions that come to her when she's awake; those seem to be the worst. If we can figure out what's happening to her, perhaps we can teach her to control them. Alexander seems to think she'll be a quick study. She's a smart thing, really."

Kieran shook his head sadly. "The kid never seems to get a break, does she?"

Darian shrugged. "I've known a few vampires who started out that way."

Kieran squirmed a little in his seat. His early years weren't the easiest. Sometimes he wondered what Darian had seen in him back then. He definitely wasn't like Angel. She was beautiful and clever and rather pleasant to be around. Plus, she smelled good and had a dazzling smile. As a young vampire, Kieran couldn't recall any redeeming qualities.

"You had a few," said Darian. "Sometimes it just takes patience and a little bit of gentleness to bring it out."

Kieran shook his head. "How is it possible that you can be such a devil and such a saint?"

Darian chuckled. "Practice, son."

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

Mara floated in the large soaking tub with her eyes closed inhaling the sweet rose-scented oils used to soften the water. She'd never taken a bath quite like this. It was heaven. She wasn't quite sure who Darian Moiree was, but she decided that he definitely knew how to please a woman. The maids had left her alone for a few moments, taking her clothes to find her a fresh set to change into when she got out of the water. The only thing that creeped her out just a little...this was Kieran's bathroom. She was languishing in the bathtub of the very vampire who made her blood boil in just about every way imaginable. 

She closed her eyes and imagined what she'd do if he came in and saw her lying in this tub with the rose petals floating on the water. Those dark eyes glittered, but not with rage or irritation; this time it was desire. She imagined his strong hands caressing her skin, massaging her legs that were slick with the oils in the water. His lips worshiping her exposed skin; her shoulders, her ears, her neck- right at the jugular. A slight shiver ran down her spine at the thought. 

She imagined his large body standing under the hot water in his glass shower. She could picture the suds of soap running down his muscled arms and legs and over his taught ass. Even though she was immersed in rose-scented water, the room smelled of him; his spicy cologne, his masculine soap, the smell of his flesh. 

Mara moaned. How could she be so attracted to such an asshole? How was it possible that she still wanted him, even when he had her throat in his hand? Sure. She could have kicked him in the balls right then and sent him to the ground. They could have wrestled it out for a while...wrestling. Now that was hot! She shook her head irritably. She had no good reason to be attracted to him. He was rude, arrogant, irritable, and deadly...quite a combination. Most women would take one look at that dangerous and rather unapproachable package, and turn away. Most women. Maybe Paola really had fucked her up. Maybe she actually liked a certain amount of pain. 

She reached between her thighs and moaned softly. This definitely wasn't pain though. She flicked her clit softly with her fingers and bit her lip to keep herself from whimpering. She imagined his dark head between her legs licking and sucking, his thick fingers questing in her depths in place of her own. Those glittering, dark eyes looked at her hungrily as he devoured her. Mara bit hard at her lip as her hips arched off the bottom of the tub. Little shockwaves of ecstasy radiated from her core, and she gasped as softly as she could as her body hummed in pleasure. 

She laid her head back against the marble and chuckled in amazement at herself. She'd just gotten off because she smelled Kieran's scent in his own bathroom. She had it bad. She was definitely getting out of this place as soon as possible, or rather; she was going to get as far away from Mr. Montasse as soon as possible. There were just some things that were not a good idea. Crushing on Kieran was probably somewhere on the top 10 list.

She closed her eyes. It was time to start plotting her long overdue escape.



Redemption Ch. 02



Six Months Later.... 

What a dump, I think to myself. The little bungalow house isn't much to look at from the outside. I quickly pick the lock and look inside. Her presence screams at me. The little homey touches she put into the place. She did the same thing with my house. It took me forever to erase every last trace of her existence from my home. It took just as long for the private detective to trace her to this little Midwestern town. I turn around and walk quickly out of the house. I jump into my Jag and head to the restaurant she works. A little greasy spoon place in the middle of town. I watch from the sidewalk to determine which section is hers. I see her face appear but the rest of her body is obscured by tables. The PI was able to track her down. I only asked for addresses I didn't ask for pregnancy confirmation. I go to sit and prepare myself for one last confrontation. It's bad enough the bitch stole my money. If she was lying about being pregnant.... 

I sit down and grab a menu as I see her turn my way. I hear a heavy sigh, them her sweet voice sweeps over my body. I slowly lower the menu and see her clearly for the first time in months. 

"Please don't cause a scene," she begs me. 

I stare at her expanded belly as her hand rubs across it. I shake my head then order lunch.

"Jay, please," she begins. 

"I will be back to pick you up when you are off work. We have some unfinished business," I growls back at her. 

The fucking cunt! I barely contain my anger. It's obvious she wasn't lying about being pregnant, but that doesn't mean it is mine. I need a plan. I quickly make a couple calls. I'll have to take the cunt back home with me. We will get a DNA test done quickly. I'll make the bitch pay no matter what. She was supposed to be on birth control. The fucking slut was going to try trapping me. 

The day crawled by. Finally the end of her shift came. I watched her walk out the door and look around hoping I wouldn't be there. Her shoulders slumped as soon as she spied me leaning against the Jag.

The Jag is pretty low slung so I had to help her into the passenger seat. A bolt of electricity shot up my arm as soon as I touched her hand. She looked up at me startled as I glared down at her. I jumped into the driver's seat and sped down the road.

We pulled up to her house. As much as I didn't want to touch her again, I had to help her out of the car. This time I was ready for the physical reaction of my body touching hers. I followed her to the door aware of her reluctance to allow me into the shabby dwelling.

"Would you like a drink," she whispered. 

"What I would like is all the money you stole from me," I growled. 

"Please Jay, I know you want to hurt me, but please don't hurt the baby. I have two thousand saved. I was saving it for when the baby comes. I won't be able to works for a little while. I swear I will pay you back after that," she begged. 

"You will give me the $2000 you saved and then you will return home with me. We will have a DNA test. If the baby is mine, you will stay with me until it is born. You will do anything and everything I request of you without question or complaint. After the birth, I will give you enough money to get you started somewhere far away from me. I do not want to ever hear from you or it again. I do not want my name on the birth certificate. You will tell it nothing of me so that it may hunt me down at a later date. If the baby is not mine, you will stay until you have worked off your debt and then walk away with nothing. Is that clear?" 

She sat cowering staring up at me with those big green eyes. There was no defiance, no fight in them like before the cabin incident. She silently shook her head and then stared at the floor. 

"When do we leave," she asked. 

I couldn't keep my hands off her any longer. I knew she was probably tired, but I didn't care. I scooped her up and carried her to the bedroom. 

"Jay what are you doing?" she asks. 

I cover her mouth with mine cutting off her question. It has been so long since I tasted her. At first her mouth is tight and uninviting but soon she softens against me. Her arms encircle my neck pulling me closer. Oh it would be so easy to take her right here and now, make her feel like the whore she is, but I have to control myself a little longer. 

I see the pain and shame in her eyes as I pull away. Why don't you just smack her around a little to add to her pain, the little voice snickers. It isn't about physical pain, I argue back with myself. It's about teaching her to keep to her place and not take others for a ride. Yeah right the little voice laughs. 

"Start packing" I growl. "We leave tomorrow. You and I will sleep here together. You go nowhere without me. You will not be out of my sight do you understand me? We will rent a truck in the morning. This will all be added to what you owe." 

"Yes I understand," she whispers. "Jay please, I am sorry. I," a slap across the face cuts off her apology. 

She silently walks to the closet and pulls out the shoe box of money and hand it to me. I grab it and start counting. I watch as she pulls out an old battered suitcase. She begins packing the few clothes she has as well as a few baby items.

"Jay, you don't need to hire a truck. The furniture can stay. I just have this suitcase." she says

I grab the battered suitcase. This was it? She was gone six months. She has a little over $2000 in the shoebox. Why did she not take some of it and buy some decent clothes for herself? She's rubbing the cheek I slapped. My hand burns from the contact. I just want to get the hell out of here find out if the bastard is mine and then walk the fuck away. I don't need to be reminded that I loved her at one time. I don't need to be reminded of what was lost. 

I throw the suitcase in the trunk. Out of habit, I open the passenger door and wait impatiently for her. She slowly walks out of the house still refusing to look up. I help her into the car, then sped down the road.

After a couple hours, I gave her a sideways glance. She is so beautiful. The sweet, peaceful look on her face as she sleeps brings back the early days. She was a whore on the streets. She told me she never did anything, that I was the first guy she ever tried to pick up and I actually believe her. There was still the sense of innocence about her. I was completely taken in by her. The first time I watched her with another woman should have given it away. As soon as their lips touched, their tongues intertwined, she melted. Her mouth went quickly to the other girl's ample tits. She licked, sucked and tugged on those hard nipples until I thought my cock would explode from watching. Dee looked up at me, seeing my hand wrapped around my cock, pumping gave her further encouragement. She dropped her head and began devouring the girl's pussy. 

I stomped on my mental brakes. My erection pushes uncomfortably against my jeans. Spying a hotel vacancy sign, I swing into the parking lot. Leaving Dee sleeping in the car, I quickly check into a room. After parking and checking out the room, I walk back out to the car. Intending to shake the bitch awake, I surprise myself by cradling her sleeping body in my arms and carry her I reach down and caress her tits. She moans as she arches her body to deepen the contact.

My self-control breaks. I hastily undress then grab her shabby shirt and with one hard tug, it rips away from her body. 

"What the..." Dee springs awake. "Jay, what are you doing?"

"Sssshhhh, don't say a word." I demand.

She has to be six months pregnant but is barely showing. My erection grows as I continue to stare down at her. My mouth covers one pert nipple. I hear her breath catch in her throat. Then I feel her hands in my hair.

"Jay, please!" Dee begs.

As much as I want to hold back I can't. I take my rock hard cock and slowly enter her hot pussy. She's wet and ready for me. Her hips raise to meet my every thrust. My mouth covers her. My tongue invades her mouth. Our coupling is fast and frantic. Too soon I feel my orgasm building. I look into her eyes as I spill my seed inside her. I ease myself off her, lay down next to her and gather her into my arms. We fall into a deep sleep both sated for the time being.

The sun breaks through the curtains. I look down at her am speechless. The sight of her nude body excites me still. My hand itches to rub her swollen belly, to connect with my child. She is frightened, and rightly so. I have been a complete beast to her. How do I make it up to her? 

"Are you hungry?" I ask. She doesn't answer right away. I can see it in her eyes. She weighs her answer, trying to chose the one she thinks will please me. She starts to shake her head no. "I know you must be starved, so don't lie to me." 

"OK, I am a little hungry. I have some tips from my shift. It will be enough to pay for us both," she babbles. 

I sigh deeply. The self-hatred grows stronger. Heer she stood 6 months pregnant, starving and she's worried about owing me more money. I have been an utter bastard. She turns to grab some clothes, the towel slips. I see her back and I swear violently. 

I see her flinch at my outburst. I want to kick myself. I also want to reach out and smooth away all the scars that whip left. And is that a bruise on her cheek? I am a complete and total asshole. Someone should just string me up, I think to myself. I know I don't deserve her and I know if I tried telling her now that I'll never hurt her again, she won't believe me. I need to start small and earn at least her trust again. 

"Don't worry about it. I have to eat too. Just keep your money," I reply gruffly. I watch as she shakily stuffs the money into her suitcase. She quickly dresses in a cute maternity dress that is threadbare. 

"Those clothes won't do. Before we leave today, we will buy more suitable outfits for you." 

I see her calculating the costs of new clothes along with what she took from me. Her head drops. 

Six hours later we pull into my drive. She hesitates before following me to the door. I can't blame her for not trusting me. I open the door and usher her in. She stands on the landing. She automatically heads toward my playroom. 

"Do not enter that room." I order her. "You are to sleep in my bed, next to me every single night."

"Are you going to tie me to your bed instead then? It will be a little more comfortable for me, thank you," she replies. 

She is so beautiful, I think to myself. Even with the wariness in her eyes, her beauty overwhelms me. I lead her into the en suite bathroom. I fill the tub with warm water, bath salts. 

"Just relax for a while," I tell her. 

I go into the bedroom and prepare the bed for her. She looks so tired. I know if I try to sleep in the same bed tonight she will be too tense to get any rest. I carry my things to the guest room next door. I call for Chinese food, ordering all her favorites before I head back to the bathroom.

"Come to me honey," I whisper holding out a towel for her. Her eyes fly open, fear emanating from them.

I dry her off gently then carry her off to bed. Sliding her beneath the sheets, I cover her, kiss her forehead and walk out of the room. When the Chinese food arrives, I carry a tray into her. She is sound asleep. I slip out of the room without waking her. I decide to hit the rack myself.

Hours later I am awakened by noise from my bedroom next door. Thinking Dee is awake, I go to see if I can get her anything. As I open the door however, I see Dee sucking George's cock as tears stream down her face.

"What the fuck is going on in here?" I scream. George turns to explain and I punch him in the mouth. He spits blood from his mouth as he stands.

"What the hell? I thought she was back to pay you back," George explains.

"Get the fuck out of here," I reply.

I look at Dee and she is curled up in a ball crying.

"I'm sorry," she says. 

I walk over to her, gather her in my arms. As I comfort her, I feel myself grow hard. She begins kissing my neck. "Please make love to me," she whispers in my ear.

I slowly kiss her, Her arms wrap around my neck pulling me down to her tits. God I missed her body. Pregnancy has made her tits fuller, heavier. She sucks in a breath as I capture one of her nipples. I raise up to look into her eyes. What I see stops me dead in my tracks. Naked fear, not passion is in her eyes. With a curse I stand up.

I stomp into the office and whip open my safe. After taking out $5000 I walk into the bedroom. She has gotten dressed in my absence. She quickly turns when she hears me walking in the room.

"I'm sorry, Jay," she says. "I thought you wanted to, um, well I mean I...Jay, what do you want me to do? When I saw George, I assumed you sent him in here as part of my payment to you. When you got mad, I thought maybe it was because you wanted me yourself."

"I want you to take this money and go," I say offering her the cash. "Just go."

"I don't understand," I whisper. "you said I had to pay you back, that I had to stay here. Don't you even want to know if she's yours?"



Redemption Ch. 02



"I'm telling you, you have to do something about this! Here we are, the whole pack in danger and you're going out with some bitch? Your father would be ashamed of you!" 

Brian let out a howl as he lunged for Jensen Hatcher, the man who had just insulted his mate. 

"Never again," he growled.

Jensen's gaze lowered slightly, "Yes, my Alpha." He nearly snarled the words, his disgust barely held in check.

"I am your Alpha. If you have a problem with that, you can challenge me anytime you wish. But do not ever speak of my mate in such a way. Ever." 

"Yes, Alpha. My apologies."

Brian knew that this wasn't completely over with Jensen, but still he wondered if he should postpone his date with Annabell just a few days more. His wolf growled at that. No, boy, I won't do that to you. It was just a thought. He chuckled softly, irritating his wolf. There was no way he was going to wait to see Annabelle any longer than he had to. He watched as Jensen left, wondering how long it would be before he caused trouble again. 

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

Annabelle stepped into the relaxed atmosphere of the restaurant, her eyes quickly finding Brian in a corner near a window. Slowly she made her way toward him, smiling when he realized she was there and turned away from the window. 

"A penny for your thoughts." 

"I was just thinking how lucky I am to be on a date with such a beautiful woman." He stood and pulled out her chair for her.

"Well since the 'beautiful woman' just arrived, I'd say your full of it. And does that line actually work?"

Brian chuckled. She was perfect. "I just had a rough day at work, and was still thinking over some problems that need to be worked out." With that, he turned his attention to making sure his mate had the perfect evening. 

After dessert, Annabelle had suggested that they take a walk, so they left the restaurant and began strolling through the town square. Brian felt a thrill run through him when Annabelle had not protested to him holding her hand. If he could end every day like this, life would be perfect. All too soon, though, the night came to an end. They made a lunch date for the next day as they made their way back to the parking lot. 

Annabelle sighed contentedly as she started her car and pulled into traffic. It had been the most wonderful night. Temporarily, she had been able to forget how weary she was. She had even pushed her assignment to the back of her mind for a few hours. 

She pulled into her driveway, then hurried up to her front door to tear open the note taped to it. Damn it! Can't they go one night without reminding her? She ripped the paper a couple times then let it flutter to the ground. Unlocking the door, she slammed it closed behind her. They just had to go and ruin her evening, didn't they? The first normal evening she'd had in almost two years and they had to ruin it. 

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

Brian watched as Annabelle sagged against her front door, then ripped the note to pieces. Okay, so maybe following her home after their date was sort of stalking, but he just needed to be sure she got their safely. Yeah right, he told himself. You just wanted to know where she lived. He made his way silently up to her porch and gathered the pieces of the note, slipping them into his pocket. 

Once home, he began piecing the note back together and froze when he read what it wrote. 'Remember your incentives. Do your job and everyone will be fine.' It seemed like a veiled threat, but what really shocked him was the symbol in the bottom right-hand corner of the paper. It was the Cimmerian royal seal. 

 Nothing sanctioned by Cimmerian royals should be taken lightly. Using any kind of magic was considered taboo, even in a Were community. Cimmerian magic was the darkest of all. Legends told of a time when weres, vampires, wizards, and witches had all co-existed together, until a royal family of witches separated themselves from their circle and started a war.

During that war, it had been discovered that ancient, dark magic could affect both werewolves and vampires, giving wizards and witches an advantage they'd never had before. It had been a bloodbath. Unknown prejudices were revealed as more and more leaders from each group fell, causing a loss of control on their people. And the original offending family, the Cimmerians, had begun to build what would one day be the largest witches coven in the world. If Annabelle was somehow mixed up with that, it could mean war all over again. 

But she couldn't be, could she? She was his mate. He needed to be able to look objectively at the situation, but couldn't bring himself to make the calls to the other members of the Alpha Directorate. They would most certainly put out the order for her to be brought in. Brian couldn't let that happen. Maybe he could unobtrusively gather a little more information while getting to know her. Then he could take it to the Directorate. It wasn't the best plan he'd ever made, but it had to work.

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

Annabelle woke to the ringing of her cell phone. She squinted at the clock. It was only ten.

"What?"

"Well, hello to you too, sleepyhead," Brian's smooth voice washed over her. "It's already ten o'clock. What are you still doing in bed?"

"It's Saturday, dammit! I LIKE to sleep in on Saturdays. Go to hell!" Annabelle threw the phone across the room. Every Saturday for the last three weeks, it had been the same conversation. At least he'd stopped calling before ten, she thought sleepily, her eyes drifting closed.

Brian smiled as he heard the phone crash against the wall before the line went dead. He thought it was cute that his mate was clearly not a morning person. He loved early mornings, the peace and beauty that crept over the earth as the sun rose. Right now, the sun was shining in a clear blue sky. Who could stay in bed on a beautiful morning like this?

Thinking of Annabelle lying in her bed caused his cock to harden. Three weeks of nothing but a few kisses and holding hands. He was trying to go slow, wanting to earn her trust before he told her what he was and mated with her, however he felt he was going to lose that battle very soon. Just being near her, her scent, the way she moved drove him wild with need. A need that was barely held in check these days. 

He began to gently rub the bulge in his pants, letting his fantasy woman take over his mind. Annabelle in the middle of his bed, legs spread wide begging him to take her, on her knees her beautiful ass in the air, her dripping slit inviting him to pound into her, her cries as he teased her breasts, nipping and twisting her nipples. He was just about to unbutton his pants to stroke himself properly when a knock sounded at the door. 

"Yes?" he growled in frustration.

"I know your jacking off in there instead of actually taking your mate, but if you could manage to keep your pants on, there are some things we need to deal with." 

"One of these days, I'm going to kick your ass until you submit properly, you know that? Just quit your damned teasing before you get seriously hurt!" Brian yelled back as he stalked to his bedroom door. He yanked it open, coming face to face with a smirking Justin. 

"And here I thought finding your mate would mellow you out a little. Guess I was wrong. You're getting grumpier." 

"Spit it out, Justin."

"Right." Justin shifted into full beta mode. "Well, Kendra is at the infirmary. She's pretty bad off, too. Might take a couple days to heal up."

"Kendra's hurt?" Brian grabbed his cell phone off the table, then hurried toward the door, Justin right behind him. 

"She's unconscious, Brian. She was found just outside the property line."

"Who found her?"

"I don't know. Megan called me, and I came here as soon as I got off the phone with her. She said it was a female werewolf, but she didn't recognise her." Justin hurried to keep up with Brian's long strides. 

The only doctor in the pack, Megan, greeted them as they entered the infirmary. She looked worried, which was unusual for her. 

"What's going on Megan?" Brian asked.

"Brian, she is pretty bad, but I think she'll pull through. She was beaten badly and..." Megan's eyes lowered slightly. "She was raped, Brian. Violently."

Brian's growl started deep in his chest, ending in a mournful howl as his wolf took control. Justin hurried to open the door to Kendra's room, moving back as the large brown wolf barged into the room. 

Brian ran to Kendra, inspecting her closely and licking the wounds he could reach. She was unrecognizable, both eyes swollen and purple, her right cheek twice its normal size, and her bottom lip was split open. Her clothes had been shredded, revealing multiple bruises and cuts.

Megan appeared the doorway. "She has some broken ribs and her collar bone is broken as well. She'll heal, but it will take some time."

Brian turned pain filled eyes on the woman. He'd allowed a member of his pack to be hurt. His sole purpose was to lead and protect his pack and he'd failed. How would any of them be able to place their trust in him after this? 

Justin saw the regret and pain in his Alpha's eyes. "Brian, you need to shift back. We have to find out who did this and talk to the girl who brought Kendra in. She might know something. Come on. We'll make whoever did this pay for it. We'll find them, I promise." Justin breathed a sigh of relief and held out some clothes when Brian slowly shifted. 

Brian pulled on the sweat pants and then headed back to the waiting room. Megan motioned to girl who could have been no more than seventeen, huddled in the corner. She looked scared, her large brown eyes darting wildly back and forth between the three werewolves. Her short blonde hair was matted with twigs and leaves, her clothes caked with dirt and grime. 

Brian sensed Justin tense beside him, but ignored it for the moment. He relaxed his stance to appear less threatening to the girl. 

"What's your name?"

"Elizabeth," the girl whispered. 

"Elizabeth, I'm Brian. I heard you are the one who brought Kendra in? Can you tell us how you found her?"

The girl whispered brokenly, "I was running in the woods and tripped over her. I didn't realize I was on a pack's territory. Please let me go now. I shouldn't be here."

"No one is going to hurt you here. We just need to find out as much as we can about who did this, okay?" 

"That's all I know. I can't be found here. I have to go. Please." Elizabeth started hedging away from them, glancing nervously at the door. Brian stepped toward her and reached out his hand. The girl flinched and crouched on the floor when his hand moved, and Justin immediately stepped between them and turned to face Brian.

"Why don't we let her get cleaned up, maybe eat something before we continue this." There was a silent plea in Justin's eyes. 

Brian nodded, disturbed by the odd tone of his voice and Justin's actions. He had practically challenged Brian, something that had never happened in all the years Justin had been part of his pack. Despite all his teasing and smart remarks, Justin had always taken his role as a beta seriously, and had always shown respect for Brian's position. He was acting strange and Brian wanted to know why.

"Alright. Elizabeth, would you like that?" Brian asked gently.

Justin saw her hesitation and knelt beside her. He slowly held out his hand to her. "You're safe here, I promise. Why don't you at least stay long enough to get something to eat, then decide if you still want to leave? We only want to help you." After a long moment, she placed her hand in his and let him lead her from the building.

Megan, who had been watching in silent shock glanced at her Alpha. "Is Justin okay? I've never seen him act like that." 

Brian frowned. "He's fine. Just do what you can for Kendra." With that, he turned and strode out the door, reaching for his cell phone. He dialed Annabelle's number. 

She answered on the third ring. "It's only been an hour! Let me sleep!"

"I need to see you. Please. Meet me for lunch at two o'clock?" 

Annabelle immediately sensed something was wrong and quickly tamped down her anger. "Two is fine. Is everything okay?"

"I just need to see you, is all. Can't a guy have the desire to see his girl?" Brian tried to lighten his tone so he wouldn't worry her.

"Alright then, big guy. I'll see you at two." Annabelle followed his lead and didn't mention how upset he sounded. "I've gotta go now, so I can get dressed and take care of some things. I'll see you later."



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

Brian pulled up in front of Annabelle's house, and quickly made his way to her front door, his thoughts still in turmoil from the events of the day. They hadn't been able to get anymore information from Elizabeth, and Justin had been just as tight-lipped about his own strange behaviour. Brian had allowed him to keep whatever he was hiding to himself for now, but had warned him that he was dangerously close to over-stepping his boundaries. He hated not knowing what was going on, but had enough trust in Justin to give him a little time.






Redemption Ch. 02



This chapter is not for the faint of heart. It really should go into the BDSM genre, but the truth is that its more sci-fi than BDSM. The revolves around an alternate universe, it just so happens that the main character has a dark kinky side. Just to give you a heads up if bisexuality icks you, there will be plenty of scenes of that too...especially this chapter which is almost entirely sexual (very). Please don't forget to comment and vote, it helps me decide what direction to go in sometimes-you know-maybe more of this, less of that...

Once I move past setting up their sort-of relationship, the chapters will come a bit slower because I need to design what Earth will be like 1500+ years from now. Any suggestions also greatly appreciated.

Happy reading-LH

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

He was eating now. Project 30YR4YN watched the beautiful blond man take a bite out of a deep red gold-flecked fruit. The sweet scent it gave off made its way beneath Project 30YR4YN's mask.

Reaching up, he touched the cool silver surface with the three fingers he had left on his right hand. Project 30YR4YN was so ugly now. He used to be beautiful...like the blond man.

The man stood, his body rippled with thick muscle, his hair slid over his shoulders, a curtain of multicolored blond silk.

He wondered if the man had Fae blood in him too because his ice-blue eyes were up-tilted. Or maybe he had feline.

Project 30YR4YN sniffed, but he didn't get the scent of feline or Fae. He smelled human and...Seraph.

The man had various names. The others sometimes called him Lucien or Luke. The females called him Baby, Honey, Sweetie, and Sexy. The red-haired one called him Mister-Blond-and-Beautiful, Jackass and other names Project 30YR4YN sometimes suspected weren't really names at all—at least not the good kind.

Lucien sauntered over to a flat-topped rock and put the fruit he'd taken a bite from on it.

Project 30YR4YN felt alarm shoot through him when his eyes rose and stared directly at him.

The man smiled. His lips were smooth, pink, and plump, shiny with the juices of the fruit. Project 30YR4YN licked his own lips, suddenly feeling curious about the flavor of all that juice on those lips.

Strange thought.

He began to back away.

"Boy," the man called.

And just like that, Project 30YR4YN froze. Boy? Was this his new name?

He frowned. He didn't like it. He didn't really want to be a boy...or a girl. It was confusing. He had both sexes, though his previous master had him forcibly altered to bring his masculinity out more.

Project 30YR4YN wondered if being used as a female might reverse what was done and turn him into a she.

"It's really good. Forbidden fruit. Try some," the man coaxed stepping back.

Lucien smiled at him. "Don't be shy, Boy Rayne."

Project 30YR4YN shook his head, balking at his new name.

"Come on. Look," the man sat down, resting his back on a tree. He stretched his long legs crossing his feet at the ankles and clasped his hands over his thighs. Beautiful thighs...beautiful legs. "I'll just stay here, okay? Try the fruit."

Boy didn't really want the fruit...well...maybe just a little. He was more curious about the man...Lucien.

Could he trust him? So far, no one had hurt him. No one paid him much attention, really, which was just fine with him. He'd roamed this paradise freely for months now. There was an abundance of natural food growing everywhere and sunshine and water. He'd even found a small cave with a thermal pool to sleep in when it rained. He was in heaven...and before him sat the most beautiful angel...coaxing him to taste forbidden fruit.

For-bid-den.

He knew this word. He frowned.

Why was it forbidden? And if it was forbidden, why did the—Lucien—why did Lucien want him to take a bite? Lucien ate from it so it couldn't be that forbidden.

Ice-blue eyes watched him curiously.

"You're over-thinking this, man." His eyes narrowed now. "Are you? A man that is?" He bit his lip and his eyes seemed to glow.

A warm tingling sensation, like hands, touched Boy's chest. It was so light and barely there, but Boy felt...something touching him beneath his tattered gladiator's suit.

The ghostly hands caressed his chest, making him shiver, traced down his arms.

"Fuck," Lucien murmured, "You're a mess."

His gaze shifted to the stump at the end of Boy's left arm. He'd allowed the tattered suit to sag at the end, hiding his missing hand, but Lucien somehow knew...somehow saw.

Boy hid the offending appendage behind his back self-consciously, feeling...ashamed and ugly.

The warm tingling spread to his hips, making Boy gasp. His hand automatically shifted to cover his groin, but there was nothing there to push away.

Strange emotions skittered through him as the ghostly fingers slid ever lower to the apex of his thighs. Boy wanted to run away, but the feel of those invisible hands stroking closer to his sexes had a delicious thrill of excitement skittering through him. He could feel himself growing erect. That was a first. He'd never felt arousal unless his old master had injected him with Liquid X.

The warmth engulfed his shaft, slid down to the root and underneath to the opening that also made him female. Boy's toes curled when he was touched there too.

"A true Merulian," Lucien whispered, startling Boy out of his delirious state of arousal.

He realized he wasn't sure about this...this invisible exploration of his body and bared his teeth at Lucien in warning.

"Easy, baby."

The endearment surprised Boy. Seemed to surprise Lucien too, who frowned and scratched his head.

"Yeah," he said, his voice deeper, "I don't know where the hell that came from either. Let's pretend it never happened." He began to rise to his feet, but kept his back pressed against the tree. "Let me see you. Why the mask? I can see you have pointed ears. Are you mixed with Fae?"

Boy panicked. Now would be a good time to bolt.

"No," Lucien blurted holding up a hand.

Boy felt himself enveloped in warmth. He couldn't move. It was as though the hands that had been exploring him had grown and were holding him, keeping him from escaping. He was trapped—a stupid doll in the grasp of an invisible giant.

The enormous ghostly hands traced back up his body, engulfed his throat.

"No wonder you can't talk. Fucking barbarians."

When those hands reached his face, Boy began to struggle. No. Not his face. Not his horrendously ravaged face.

"Son-of-a-bitch," Lucien snarled out.

He began to stomp closer, looking furious. All Boy could do was bare his teeth and hiss a warning. He wouldn't hurt Lucien, but he didn't want him coming any closer.

"Easy, baby. I'm not going to hurt you," he pleaded.

Baby again? He was no baby. He was fully adult.

Boy shook his head. He wanted to run away, but was being held in place...by something. What was this strange force wrapped around him?

Lucien came right up to him. His hand rose, eyes riveted to Boy's chest. He hesitated.

"I don't know if I can do this," Lucien whispered. His eyes rose to gaze into Boy's mask. He couldn't see Boy's eyes because the mask was sealed over them. It was the only way to protect eyes without eyelids.

"I have a problem. I can't willingly touch another man. Makes my skin crawl." He grimaced a second before obviously schooling his features to show no emotion.

Boy wanted to hunch into himself, and cursed the day his master had made him more male than female. He'd been a beautiful IT once, not he or she, but both. Maybe Lucien would have appreciated Boy that way better...wouldn't have named him Boy Rayne.

What was a Rayne? Wasn't that what they called that tiny girl who always tried to befriend him?

Lucien swallowed audibly. His hand hovered over Boy's chest. Slowly it descended until the warmth of it permeated the flesh right over Boy's two hearts.

Lucien's gaze snapped back up to Boy's face, almond-shaped eyes wide. His hand stayed on his chest and his breathing was a little agitated.

"There, you see that wasn't so bad."

Boy frowned. Was he saying that to himself?

The breeze blew some of his white hair forward, drawing Lucien's fascinated stare. He caught the strands and rubbed them between his fingers. The sunlight picked up the pinkish, lavender, and bluish hues within the white.

"We can fix you." He murmured, sliding his fingers down the lock of hair he held until he released it. Looking back into Boy's metal-covered face with a slight frown, he continued in his silky deep voice. "Remi's the best healer. What he can't fix, Doc Quinn can repair."

Fix. Boy was familiar with that word. It meant pain, like the time Master had FIXED his broken tail by chopping it off.

No.

Still unable to move, he just stared at Lucien's face, but bared his teeth again to show his displeasure. However, Lucien's gaze had already moved back down to his chest again. He studied Boy closely and Boy took the opportunity to study him too.

Lucien was tall. Boy only came up to his nose, which would put the man at almost seven feet. His skin was golden and he was muscular, but at the same time, his bones were very pronounced. He'd refused to nourish himself until recently. Scars covered his flesh almost everywhere. Had he also fought in arenas? Lucien looked more like he'd been used as a chew toy for a horde of rabid monguras. Pity, because despite being slightly emaciated, the man had the body of god.

Boy's musing's were brought to an abrupt halt when Lucien began undoing the closures to his gladiator's suit. He held still as the man opened the ruined armored suit. The breeze was warm, but his nipples pebbled anyway.

The suit fell away from his torso until it hung from his wrists and waist. Lucien's hand settled on his shoulder. Lucien watched, transfixed, as his hand slid slowly over a pectoral until it rested on his ribs.

His lips pulled into a slight grin but grew somber when they looked back at Boy's mask.

Boy knew he wanted to pull it off. That was not going to happen.

Boy hissed again.

Lucien grinned, showing his strangely flat teeth. He had fangs but the front four teeth on top and bottom were flat, not pointed like Boy's.

"I'm not big on physiology or anatomy, but..." He freed Boy's hand from the suit's sleeve and lifted it. Pressing his open palm against Boy's he said, "this seems simple enough."

******* 

Lucien let his power manifest, exploring what made up his own hand. He felt the flesh, bones, veins, blood, and tendons that made it up. He projected the power into Boy Rayne's hand. It traced every contour, every atom. Boy Rayne had scars between the fingers he had left. Webbing. He'd had webbing between his fingers like a Mer, a race of aquatic humanoids.

Lucien focused his power on their hands, keeping the image of how Boy Rayne's hand should look in his mind.

Narrowing his eyes, he allowed his other sight to manifest.

Boy Rayne's aura took his breath away. It flowed around him strong and bright. Colors swirled within it, showing he'd been used sexually many times, but Boy Rayne's color was bright, glowing, golden. The horrors he'd been through had not darkened his soul...the way Lucien's had been darkened.

Lucien felt many emotions fill him; awe, admiration, respect, but more than anything, he felt humbled by the battle pet standing before him.

I could have been this way—he thought in shame. Everything this creature has endured and he still fights for himself, still finds joy in the freedom he's been given.

Lucien pondered his own state of being. Only a few weeks ago he'd been purposefully starving himself because he wanted to die...like a fucking loser.

It had actually been Zak who'd come into the envirolevel and pretty much cussed him out. It had been a rant taking maybe twenty minutes or more. The golden weredragon had tossed every expletive and even made a few of his own. At the end, Goliath had simply broken down, hung his head in silence for a few seconds before saying, "I wish I could hate you, but I can't. I'll admire the man I once thought you were...not the sorry piece of shit you've become now."

Lucien stared at Boy Rayne. This was everything he should be...like this brave, noble battle pet snarling silently in front of him, holding his ground.

More than ever, Lucien felt determined to help Boy Rayne...and it would start with restoring him physically.

Light burst forth as the missing fingers began to form. He didn't know if he'd be able to reproduce the other missing hand, but two fingers seemed easy enough.

Boy Rayne gasped, soft lips opening in wonder. His teeth were very white and sharp looking. How sharp were they? Lucien was almost tempted to poke a finger into his mouth to find out.

His...her? Like Rayne, he tended to think of Boy Rayne as male. His upper body was lithe and sinewy. As a battle-pet, Boy Rayne was on the light side with a delicately muscled body. The flesh was pale. Most likely from being covered up by the gladiator's suit.

As Boy Rayne flexed his new fingers, mouth in a little O of shock, Lucien touched a strand of his iridescent hair again. Soft, silky, fucking gorgeous. He'd never known Merulian hair could be so pretty...never noticed before.

Boy Rayne's arms slipping around his neck caught him by surprise. The body that pressed against his did not stir up the familiar mind-numbing terror he always felt when male flesh came in contact with his body. Nor did the kiss that followed make him recoil instantaneously. It just shocked him.

Lucien gripped Boy Rayne's waist to push him away...and froze. Warmth spread down his groin, pleasure made his heart speed up. His tongue had a will of its own because it slid and twined around the uninvited intruder intent on seducing him. He was more than seduced. His cock began to harden.

Lucien's hand stole around the slim waist in his grasp to slip into the edges of the gladiator's suit. He gripped a tight pert ass, skin cool and supple. His cock grew harder. He turned his head to deepen the kiss, but his nose bumped the cold hard metal of the silver mask...and then he remembered.

"Shit-wait," he panted gripping Boy Rayne's arms. What the hell was he doing? Just because he was able to touch the Merulian mixed battle pet without breaking out in a cold sweat didn't mean he was going to fuck the little bastard. Great. He'd discovered he could touch Merulians without wanting run away screaming.

He'd set this Merulian and the cyborg girl up and go find himself a more girly one and fuck her silly—no strings attached of course. He couldn't afford complications like that right now, not knowing if he was really safe from being dragged back down to the anteroom to hell by demons and devils.

"Listen, buddy, you can thank me later." Lucien tried to ignore the sense of loss when he felt when he untangled Boy Rayne's arms from his neck. What the fuck was that about anyway?

Boy Rayne. He didn't like that name now. Maybe he should change it. White Rose sounded feminine enough.

The silver mask reflected his own face back at him making him scowl. Lucien's cheeks were flushed, lips reddened from the kiss, and his eyes...his pupils were dilated. He looked stupidly horny.

Good thing he'd blocked himself off from the others. He wasn't ready to admit he'd kissed a Merulian... and liked it.

"We need to get your face back, and your voice." He looked at Boy Rayne's left arm. "And your other hand. Are you going to be afraid of Remi? I know the conceited prick is loud and obnoxious, but he's the only one who can restore you."

Boy Rayne cocked his head to the side.

Lucien took a deep breath and let his eyes drift down to where the filthy gladiator's suit hung precariously off Boy Rayne's hips. "First things first. I don't want anything from your past on you, and it's going to start with this." He gestured to the suit. "Rule number one in the envirolevel; we go sky clad, so take this off."

He backed away a few steps, watching Boy Rayne for signs of imminent escape. He'd released him completely from his power hold and held his breath now. Having pretty much tasted the Merulian's essence, no matter where he took off to, Lucien would be able to find him.

As Boy Rayne slowly bent over to push the tattered remains of his suit off, Lucien wondered how he was going to feel when the little Merulian bared himself completely. He was more male than female. Lucien swallowed hard wondering if he'd puke his guts when he took a good look at Boy Rayne's boy parts, knowing that only moments before they'd practically had their tongues down each other's throats. Lucien was still half erect...surprisingly, and curious about the Merulian.

Boy Rayne straightened. Lucien's eyes remained focused at the apex of his milky thighs. The Merulian sported an impressive erection. No half-rager like Lucien. It should have revolted him, made him run fast and far, but he was...spellbound.

"Well, shit," he said in a rush of breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.

The cock wasn't very long or thick, not like Lucien's. He'd inherited his father's Seraphian traits in that department and usually scared off the less than brave females with his twelve inches. Hence why he drifted more toward females with penchants for pain in the lovely world of BDSM.

Yes. He was an all-around freak. He needed to remember that.

Blinking rapidly and snapping his gaze back to the Merulian's mask-clad face, he took a cleansing breath and pushed all thoughts of dicks and fucking right out of his mind. "Don't run."

REMI—he called out telepathically, opening up his mind to link to the red weredragon.

He appeared in a flash of red-gold fire sitting on the rock where Lucien had left the half-eaten forbidden fruit.

Long legs crossed Indian style, he lifted the fruit to his mouth and took an enormous bite, bright green eyes flashing momentarily. His blood-red hair stuck up around his head in all directions like the corona of a sun with the longer bulk streaming over his shoulders to his waist, thick and glossy.

"You called?" he asked chewing.

His lip piercings glinted in the sunlight, making Lucien hope he didn't scare Boy Rayne off with his ridiculous flamboyance.

Remi's nipples were pierced with little silver hoops, his bellybutton had five silver studs around it with a small chain woven into a five-peaked star. Around that was black ink depicting a sun. Tattoos covered his arms, as well as his back, chest, groin hips, legs and left foot. Hell, the asshole even had Rowie's Toy inked up the entire underside of his cock. Talk about being pathetically pussy whipped.

Remi scowled at that thought, throwing the forbidden fruit's gnawed core to the ground. "She's my mistress, jackass."

Ah. That's right. Remi was bottom in that relationship.

"Look, man," Remi huffed clasping his hands, elbows resting on his knees. "Did you call me here to ponder my sexual relationship with my girl?"

Lucien screwed his face in distaste. "Hardly." He turned to look at Boy Rayne. "Come with me."

Slowly, he made his way to where Remi sat. Boy Rayne followed, but reluctantly.

Lucien dipped his head to bring his eyes level with Boy Rayne's. The silver mask had two openings covered in opaque black glass. He figured they covered whatever remained of the Merulian's eyes. "He's going to help you. Do you understand?"

The Merulian was a battle pet. Hopefully, Lucien's stern Dom's voice would spur the little Merulian to obey.

Remi wiped his mouth with the back of his forearm and slowly slid his feet down to the ground in front of Boy Rayne.

Lucien winced when the sunlight made the red weredragon's Prince Albert glint. Boy Rayne must've seen it too because he began to back pedal away.

"Easy," Lucien said in his most gentle voice, one hand coming up to the dip just above Boy Rayne's backside.




Redemption Ch. 02



Boy Rayne stopped, but his breathing was agitated. Remi frowned slightly, his eyes locked on where Lucien touched the Merulian.

Lucien scowled, snatching his hand back. "What are you waiting for, Rem? Get on with it."

Remi's wide gaze flicked up to Lucien's face a second before he looked at Boy Rayne.

He began to glow, until one could see that blue-white fire lapped around his entire body.

"I promise, this won't hurt a bit, kiddo," Remi said in a soothing voice. His eyes roved the Merulian's body. "Where do I start? Don't want to scare him...er, it...whatever."

"The hand. He's missing his left hand," Lucien prodded.

******* 

Master Zak stood before her...frowning. Rayne wanted to hunch her shoulders protectively, but he didn't like that. Instead, she kept her back ramrod stiff, with her hands clasped together on her thighs. She sat in a chair in the living area of the quarters he shared with his submissive, Alluna.

The girl, at the moment, was in their sleeping area tending his daughters. They had three. All three girls had waving golden hair, a few shades blonder than their father.

Rayne kept her eyes on an imaginary spot between his chest and navel as he continued to scowl down at her.

He took a deep breath, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose. He was really mad. Letting her gaze flick over his impressive body, she shivered. He was huge; tall, with massive muscles softened only by the spill of dark gold hair that rippled in shimmering waves to his hips.

"What have I always told you?"

His deep voice made her wince.

"Sir, to never kneel before anyone, Sir."

Her cheeks heated and she could not help lowering her gaze to the floor.

"And what did I catch you doing?" He spoke slowly, softly. That was never good.

"I-I had knelt before a group of reapers."

She'd walked around the space station aimlessly and stumbled upon their eating lounge. Four reapers were sitting at one of the tables. They'd all gawked at her when she walked in. Nervous, she'd fallen to her knees in submission at their intense stares.

"And what else did you do?"

Rayne bit her lower lip as her cheeks heated even more. She'd felt their lusty stares like a weight on her. She couldn't breathe. Was suffocating...until she'd opened her dress, baring her breasts to their hungry gazes and spread her legs to expose her sex—just as she'd been taught to do.

Why couldn't Master Zak understand? She was a lowly slave, a receptacle for the pleasure of a male...or males.

The black-winged death angels had practically pounced.

"Reiven was rubbing his cock all over your face. They all would've fucked you and I don't think they would've taken turns. Is that what you wanted, Rayne?"

What she wanted?

Master Lucien's image burned through her mind, making her ache. She hadn't ached when the reapers were touching her. She'd felt empty.

"Answer me, Rayne," he said gently.

"Sir, I was trained to please, Sir."

His finger slid beneath her chin, tipping her head up so that she could not avoid the piercing intensity of his sapphire blue eyes. "Who do you want to please? Anyone? Everyone?"

Her mind thought of Master Lucien again.

"You want Luke and only Luke." His brows drew together, making her hold her breath.

"Sir, I'm a whore, meant to be used. What I want is irrelevant, Sir."

Master Zak huffed out a harsh breath, scowling now. "I wish I could have just a few minutes you're your father. How the fuck can any man let his own daughter be trained this way?"

Rayne ducked her head again. "Sir. It is our culture, Sir."

"It's wrong," he snapped making her jump.

"Master?" a soft feminine voice queried.

Rayne glanced up to see Master Zak's female looking up at him with a concerned pout. He wrapped his arms around her and took her mouth without preamble.

Alluna pushed up on her toes, her arms snaking around his thick neck as he practically bent her back to kiss her fervently, mouths sawing back and forth. One of Master Zak's hands cupped her ass, pulling her harder into his groin.

They were panting when their mouths separated. He continued to clutch her to him as he buried his face in the bend of her neck and shoulder. Alluna's luminous golden eyes settled on Rayne.

These were not the eyes of a slave. They had strength, determination...love? Yes. Alluna loved her Master, as much as he obviously loved her.

It was known to happen. Slaves fell in love with their Masters. Some were lucky enough to have their Masters love them back.

Pain gripped her hard. That would never happen for her. No one wanted her. She wasn't even fully human anymore.

Master Zak straightened, his eyes on her again. He shook his head, lips pressed into a thin line and turned. She heard his heavy steps lead to the entrance to the rooms, the soft hiss of the door opening and then closing.

Alluna's gaze went from following her master, back to Rayne again.

The girl clasped her hands nervously in front of her.

Rayne wanted desperately to ask her how she managed to make her Master fall in love with her...but that would be inappropriate. Slaves did not plot and plan to steal their Master's heart.

One of the baby girls called out and Alluna turned away. As she entered the sleeping quarters, Rayne heard Master Zak return. Someone else accompanied him.

It was the cyborg angel, Cyneolle.

"Can she be reprogrammed?" Master Zak asked the cyborg.

Cyneolle remained somber. "It would require an entire deletion of her memories. She would lose all humanity."

He looked at Master Zak as alarm raced through Rayne.

Erase her memories? Lose her humanity? That was like...dying. Dead slaves were put in little boxes and buried in the ground...forever.

In panic, she fell to her knees, clutching at Master Zak's linen drawstring pants. "Please," she wailed. "I'll do whatever you want. I don't want to go back into the glass box."

Eyes wide, he hauled her up from the floor. "Easy. No one's putting you in stasis."

"I don't want to die," she sobbed in terror, gripping his meaty arms.

He folded them around her, his hand cupping the entire back of her head as he pressed her face to his chest. "Calm down, little one," he crooned rocking her slowly now. "You're not going to die. What silly nonsense are you crying out about?"

"If I delete her memories, in a sense she will die," Cyneolle stated making Rayne's wails of desolation rise in pitch.

Master Zak growled. "Would you zip it already, Cyn?"

"You are the one who asked if the female's mind could be wiped. I was only—"

"Let's just drop it already. Not another word," he snapped.

Rayne trembled in Master Zak's arms. Her knees felt weak and her head spun as she clutched him hard enough to know she'd leave his flesh marked.

"Listen to me." He struggled to remove her clinging form from him. With a little shake he demanded, "Look at me."

Rayne raised her eyes to his face, doing her best to control her frantic panting.

"Breathe with me. In," he said slowly, taking a deep breath. Rayne struggled to obey. He nodded. "Out." Pursing her lips to mimic him, she let her breath out slowly. "In...out...that's right. Good girl. In...out..."

Her breathing slowed, but she still clutched him hard.

"No one," he began in a soft tone, "is going to hurt you. No one is going to kill you or put you in the glass box. Do you understand?"

"Sir, yes, Sir," she said in a whisper.

"Good," he replied, but he huffed out an exasperated breath letting her know that, no, it wasn't good.

She felt so lost, so confused. "Please," she pleaded, "please, Sir." Her body was still trembling.

Master Zak's eyes softened. "What, Rayne?"

She let her head drop so her chin touched her chest. She needed some order back in her life. Everything felt chaotic, out of control. It was horribly frightening. She was scared. So-so scared. She needed...she wanted...

Master Zak gripped her arm and began leading her out of his quarters. They left Alluna, the babies and Cyneolle behind as they made their way down the softly lit corridor.

Almost at the end of the corridor, he turned right and placed his hand on a glowing panel by one of the round doors.

Rayne gasped when he led her inside. It was a dungeon. The walls were deep dark red and the floor was made of cold stones instead of the glossy black the rest of the space station had. There was a wall filled with canes, another with floggers, crops, and paddles. She shuddered with pleasure when she saw an array of nipple clamps and other toys arranged on a wooden table beneath the wall of canes.

He stopped and looked at her, eyes gauging. Releasing her arm, he walked over to the table and grabbed a pair of clamps linked with a thin chain.

He strode back to her, eyes hard now. "Touch your breasts."

With a hard gulp, she obeyed, gripping her little breasts in her hands. Staring into his eyes, she squeezed hard.

"Your nipples. Pinch them. I want to see them tight and erect."

She began tweaking her nipples, pulling on them, pinching hard until they were dark pink and standing at attention. It felt nice, but not as satisfying as when it was done by a male.

Like Master Lucien—she thought secretly. She was instantly wet and felt guilty because she was not concentrating on the man standing before her. He was very beautiful too, though his size made her wary.

"Enough," he said.

She stood still as he clipped the clamps on her nipples and tightened them until she hissed.

He turned again and went to the table full of toys. This time he came back with cuffs and more chains.

He fastened thick leather cuffs around her wrists, connected a long chain to both, and then attached the chain on a hook from the ceiling.

Rayne was stretched up on her toes now and stared at him wide-eyed, wondering what he intended to do to her.

Fear and excitement curled through her. Now her back was to the table so she couldn't see what he was doing.

He covered her eyes with a black mask, making her gasp. Taking advantage of her open mouth, he strapped a ball gag across it.

Rayne panted around the ball, her hands curling into fists above her head. She couldn't see, she couldn't speak, and her hands were chained—pulled tight and high. She strained to hear what he was doing and gave a little squeak of surprise when he gripped her ankle. A thick cuff was strapped around it. He made her spread out her legs before strapping another cuff to the other ankle. A spreader bar. Her toes just barely touched the rough floor now, allowing her to feel the strain in her wrists.

An arm circled round her waist to caress her tummy gently.

"Too much?" his velvety deep voice crooned in her ear.

Rayne shook her head. He stepped away from her.

Heart racing, she wondered what he'd do to her now. Would he flog her? Use a whip or cane? Would he penetrate her? Use her ass or pussy? She'd never been used before, was still a virgin even though she'd been holografically trained to please a man every way possible. Her skin prickled with anticipation, finally feeling her prior panic dissipating. She wondered about her hair. It tumbled down her back and would surely be in the way.

As if in answer, fingers slipped within the heavy mass. She sighed in contentment when it was gripped tightly, bringing her head back slowly. A sharp tug on the chain connected to her nipples made her cry out in surprise again. She grew wetter. She only wished Master Zak hadn't covered her eyes. She felt so guilty trying to picture him, but kept seeing her beautiful Master Lucien instead.

The hand that had jerked the chain smoothed across her belly and ribs until she felt it release her body to stroke through her hair.

Her scalp tingled as she felt him braid her hair. When done, he gripped the long braid and hit her hip with it. Rayne contorted her body in a way she hoped pleased him. He was so quiet now.

Her braid was tugged, arching her neck as he stepped into her from behind. Rayne's throat was gripped hard, not enough to hurt her or keep her from being able to breathe, but hard enough to make her shiver and feel helpless.

Strong hips pushed against her ass, letting her feel an impressive erection. Even though she was blindfolded, she squeezed her eyes tight, thinking only of Master Lucien as she tried to tilt her ass into the cock pressing against the seam of her ass.

His breath was heavy near her ear as he continued to rub against her.

Rayne moaned around the ball in her mouth. He left her shaking and suddenly cold when he released her. She could hear him walking around to stand in front of her. He took the chain connected to her nipple clamps and she tensed when he tugged more gently on it this time. Hands cupped her hips and a hot, wet mouth engulfed one clamped nipple.

The chains rattled over her head as she whimpered and trembled while he devoured her nipple, clamp and all. He used his teeth and tongue to drive her wild. He gave the other one the same treatment. When done, he pulled on the chain, short little tugs that had her crying out in pleasure.

But it was Master Zak. He had his own slave, even though he called her his mate. Rayne wasn't sure what that meant, but it was clear she was the only female he wanted. She slept with him, ate, and bathed with him too.

She wasn't jealous of Alluna over Master Zak. She desperately wanted...Master Lucien.

The flogger's sharp sting made her scream in surprise.

A few seconds passed, the sound of her agitated breathing the only thing she could hear in the room.

Why was he so quiet now?

The second strike also caught her unprepared, but she didn't scream. He struck her again, first one buttock then the other.

She pushed out her ass, arching her back and relaxed her muscles, allowing her buttocks to absorb the blows. The flogging was gentle, really, only warming her flesh after the initial sting subsided. It was rhythmic, the sound loud, sharp. Slowly the intensity grew. The fiery sting became hot. She relaxed into it, let it roll through her body. He changed positions almost imperceptibly, the sharp strikes of the flogger going higher sometimes, other times lower, until her entire backside was hot and throbbing.

By now, each strike was delivered hard, making her pant and moan wildly around the ball gag.

He stopped.

Her heart pounded and she whimpered when she felt his hand caress her flaming backside. This time she only grunted when the flogger snapped against the top of her pussy. Warmth bloomed there. Her teeth clamped down hard on the rubber ball as she absorbed the sweet pain. Her clit became unbearably engorged.

He switched spots and hit her right breast, and then her left.

Right, right, right, left, left, left...on and on, until all she could feel was her ass, her pussy and her breasts blazing and throbbing. He hit her pussy again, switched to her hip...her other hip, her breasts again. Her head dropped back, her arms almost numb because she no longer held herself up on her toes. She just hung there while he played her body like an instrument. She felt like she was floating, hot wetness anointing her thighs.

He suddenly stopped, leaving her hanging there like a limp rag-doll. Rayne kept her eyes closed when he removed her blindfold and gag.

"Look at me," a deep voice rasped.

It took a superhuman effort to pry her eyes open, but when she did, her tears overflowed. It wasn't Master Zak standing before her. It was Master Lucien.

She tried to call him Master, but it came out a garbled mess.

When he shoved his hand between her legs, she cried out in bliss. Just one stroke of his demanding fingers against her throbbing clit had her coming apart in a soul shattering orgasm. Her entire body bowed and shook uncontrollably until she feared she would pass out.

"Shhh," he hushed, stroking her softer now.

Jolts of pleasure had her convulsing, the pleasure too much to take anymore.

"Master, please, Master," she wailed.

He pulled her against him, kissed her, and caressed one breast. Rayne hissed when he removed a clamp. Fire bloomed in her poor abused nipple. He stopped kissing her to take it into his mouth. Rayne wrapped her numb fingers around the chain, gritting her teeth as he licked and suckled it gently. She moaned sharply when he released the other nipple as well, treating it to the same soothing with his mouth.

Rayne closed her eyes again when he bent and removed the spreader bar. She couldn't help her whimpers when her legs closed, making her feel the throbbing of her clit more intensely. He wrapped one arm around her.

"I've got you."

It was the only warning she received before her arms dropped. She moaned at the ache in her shoulders. He swept her up into his arms. She curled her trembling spent form against him as he walked a few steps before sitting with her in his lap. She felt when an electric-like force emanated from him.

Subspace. She had to be in subspace because a warm, thick blanket materialized around her.

"You're safe, baby," he cooed pressing her tighter against his chest.

Safe. She had never felt so safe, so cherished. Her tears continued to flow unchecked now. She never wanted to leave this man's arms. He'd given her exactly what she needed...what she'd wanted.

Contentment filled her as he covered her face with soft, gentle kisses. Peace lulled her into sleep.

******* 

Thick, black lashes rested against damp, flushed cheeks. Her little mouth was plump, her nose delicate.

"She looks like a doll," Zak said in a low voice from where he sat across the room.

Lucien's throat still throbbed from having had the misfortune of running right into the arm Zak had thrown out to stop him in his tracks. Remi and he had been chasing down Boy Rayne in the envirolevel. They'd managed to restore him almost completely, but he'd bolted when Rem tried to take his mask off.

Stubborn battle pet.

Rayne made a little sound, like a tiny kitten, and burrowed closer. Her teeth were still chattering and she was trembling in convulsive little jolts now and then.

Fucking hell. The girl was the most perfect submissive he'd ever had the pleasure of flogging. She'd taken the flogger, writhing in orgasmic ecstasy, arching into each strike eagerly. When he'd struck her pussy, he'd actually wanted her to recoil. He wanted her to want to stop, but she only tilted her hips forward, silently begging for more. He'd been so hard. Watching her come all over his hand almost made him blow in his own pants.

She'd probably be a dream to fuck. He could almost imagine her creamy little pussy squeezing around his cock. Shit. She was so petite. Would she even be able to take him?

"So while you're doing the math on that one, what the fuck are you planning on doing about this situation?" Zak growled.

Lucien glared at him. "What situation? You interrupted what I was doing because you said she was craving punishment and you didn't have the balls to take care of it."

"Fuck you," Zak snapped jumping to his feet. "I have a woman. She wouldn't understand me relieving Rayne."

Lucien didn't really want him relieving her either, but didn't mention that troubling little thought out loud.

"You want to play Cupid and hook that battle pet and Rayne together. It's not going to work. He won't give her what you just did. She a natural submissive, Luke. Fuck the whole training thing and her fucked up culture. No training or brainwashing is going to make a woman react like she did," he stated vehemently. "She was not faking it, man."

Lucien risked a grin. "I'm just good at what I do, Zak-o."

Zak just scowled down at him, crossing his arms over his chest.

Lucien snorted. "Yeah. I taught you that hard stare. You still haven't quite mastered it."

"Eat me, asshole."

"Not particular to dragon meat, but thanks for the offer."




Redemption Ch. 02



Zak's eyes narrowed. Usually mentioning that he was a weredragon got him seething. Looks like that no longer pressed his pissed button.

Lucien sighed, suddenly missing the good-old days.

"I won't stay with her. I can't," he said all joking aside. "She's clingy. She wants a Master who will own her and you know I never do that."

Zak lowered his gaze and shook his head. "You're such a dirt bag." When the golden weredragon looked back up, his eyes blazed in anger. "You wanted Annie, tried to seduce Angel into being your woman, stole mine from me—"

"I tried to save her life, you ungrateful bastard," Lucien hissed.

Zak pressed his lips into a tight line, eyes still ablaze with fury.

Lucien took a few calming breaths. He didn't dare look down at the tiny beauty in his arms, fearing he'd lose this battle over what he should do and what he desired.

"Rayne is really pretty. Yeah, I'd love to fuck her, scene again with her, but I can't keep her. I'm not what she needs. She needs a Dom who can take care and protect her. I go to sleep terrified of being found, and dragged back down to Hell. Having her by my side will only amplify that terror, because I know they'd torture and probably kill her right before my eyes just for kicks." He hated to admit his fears to Zak, but felt he owed him. After all, back on Arboria Luke had made his girl, Alluna, jack him off once, and then proceeded to jizz all over her face and boobs. Some of it even got in her mouth.

Yeah. He was a dirt bag.

Zak would kill him if he knew.

"Why did you suddenly block off your thoughts?" Zak asked suspiciously.

"I can't keep her," Lucien said avoiding the question.

"Seth said you have the power of two Dominatio's surrounding you.

Anger burned inside Lucien. His eyes snapped back up to Zak's. "I am not becoming an archangel."

The golden weredragon shook his head in confusion. "Why not? That's a fucking honor."

Lucien sneered in disgust, remembering seeing the little cherubic fuckers around him as he was tortured. They never lifted a fucking finger to help him. "I think I hate those fuckers more than I hate Devon."

Zak's expression grew thunderous. "Why do you hate him so much, man? What happened to you wasn't his fault."

"Wasn't it?" Lucien snapped completely infuriated now. Rayne stirred in his arms and it was like throwing cold water over his face.

She was going to wake up any minute. As her temporary Dom, he needed to tend to her...and they needed to talk.

No longer feeling Devon's power blocking him from moving around outside the envirolevel, he concentrated on his old rooms and teleported there, ignoring Zak's expletive.

******* 

She awakened with a jolt. Her heart was racing, her head swimming as darkness threatened to pull her back down. She didn't want to die. They'd lock her back in the box and she'd never see the light of day again. It would be cold and she'd be alone...forever.

Arms tightened round her. "Easy, baby. It's okay. I have you," Master Lucien's voice drifted through the darkness.

Rayne blinked, focusing on the river of shimmering blond running between her cheek and the bulge of his pectoral. She rubbed her face against the silky hair before pressing her nose against his warm flesh to breathe him in. Her body shivered almost uncontrollably.

"Here. Drink this," he said.

He held a silver bottle close to her face. Opening her lips, she accepted the drink from Master Lucien. It was cool water. Rayne drank heavily, some of it running down her throat to her breasts and belly. He only chuckled, kissed her forehead and coaxed her to relax.

Once she'd had her fill of water, she clutched him again, covering his chest with little kisses. He just held her, one arm wrapped tight around her back, the other pressed up the middle of her back as his fingers massaged the back of her skull.

She laid her cheek in the middle of his chest and let out a sigh of contentment.

Her head continued to feel floaty, darkness tugging at the edges of her vision making her anxious. With a whimper of fear, she gripped handfuls of his hair and burrowed tighter against his chest.

"Easy. Let go. Let it take you." He rubbed her back in circles. "Just your endorphins kicking in. You'll be fine. You're safe. I'm here. Trust me, Rayne."

She couldn't help herself when the tears flowed. Her vision went black as she floated in a dark void with nothing but the feel of his hands and the sound of his voice to anchor her. She felt him rise and move her. Softness cushioned the entire front of her body. Something warm and liquid poured onto her back and upturned ass. She groaned in pleasure when strong hands began kneading and massaging her.

Light burst in warm colors in her mind. In the center of it all was a bright sun...no...it was an angel, light emanating from it like the rays of a blinding sun. It was Master Lucien, his eyes glowing like pale blue diamonds. He had wings of fire and behind his head, to either side of his shoulders, she saw the hilts of two gold-hilted swords, crossed at his back.

The colors swirled, blinding her momentarily as she felt herself turned over. After blinking a few times his beautiful face came into focus again.

Rayne groaned and pressed up into his hands when he caressed her breasts.

"Oh, yes, Master," she exclaimed arching her back. "You're so beautiful. I want you so, Master."

He smirked. "Easy there, little girl."

Frustration welled up inside her. She spread her legs in wonton display. "Please, Master. Just take me, please, Master."

With a grin, he moved up over her and took her mouth. Rayne opened her lips and welcomed him, stroking her tongue boldly against his. Her thighs clamped around his hips and bucked insistently against him.

He chuckled. "You're killing me, baby."

She clenched her teeth in desperation. "Fuck me," she panted.

His grin grew broader. "What? No more please Master?"

"Master, please," she said on a long whine when he began to nip her neck.

"No," he growled in her ear, making her pout. Her feelings of rejection were soon altered, however, when he slid his hand between her legs and began stroking her erect nub. She almost jumped out of her skin. "No cock for demanding little subs who forget to beg properly."

"Please, Master, please," she pleaded, her arousal skyrocketing at having to beg coupled with him spreading her wetness all over the lips of her sex.

When he pushed a finger into her, she stiffened with a sharp gasp. It was the first time something had invaded her pussy. She stared at him open-mouthed. Was she still a virgin? Had he taken her most precious gift? She wanted him to. She wanted Master Lucien to take her virginity, feel him break her maidenhead.

A shudder wracked her body and she rolled her hips, panting and sighing, hoping to entice him into sinking his cock into her.

He stared down at her intensely. "You're so sweet," he whispered, his face solemn now.

His finger continued to work its way in and out, making her toes curl. She really wanted to experience his cock.

She thrust her hips, making little mewling sounds of pleasure as he fingered her. Already she could smell the scent of her musk in the air, hear the sound of how wet she was when he quickened his thrusts.

He pushed in another finger, making her gasp at the stretching sensation she felt. Her fingers curled around his bulging biceps and she fought the instinct to stiffen against the unfamiliar intrusion.

His expression darkened, but his voice was gentle when he said, "that's just two fingers, Rayne. I'm at least four fingers thick and twice as long as you are deep."

She opened her mouth to implore him to take her anyway, but he kissed her again, hot, wet, demanding, almost angry. His fingers continued to stroke into her, faster now. She felt when he curled them, and instead of thrusting them in and out, he began to rub a spot deep within her that her arching into him desperately.

He stopped kissing her to nip her neck sharply.

"That's it, baby. Fuck yourself on my fingers."

She panted and moaned loudly, "Oh, Master."

"You like that-eh?"

Of course she did. She'd been trained to be the sublime slut. More than anything, she wanted to be only Master Lucien's personal slut.

"Fuck, you're so wet, baby. Here." His fingers popped out from her pussy and were shoved into her mouth. "Taste that. Taste that sweet virgin pussy."

Rayne licked and sucked hungrily at the fingers plunged deep into her mouth.

He pulled his fingers out with a growl and kissed her again, his tongue tasting and exploring everywhere as he plunged his fingers deep within her quivering slit again.

He rubbed her harder, rhythmically. Rayne's legs could not have been more spread, her body anymore tense. She had stopped breathing, feeling on the edge of some deep chasm that she knew would shatter her completely once she went over the edge.

"Come for me, Rayne," he growled in her ear.

She exploded, her rapture a fountain of release as her wail of completion echoed around them. Her entire body convulsed and shook, her energy completely obliterated. Master Lucien kissed her face, her neck, her breasts, speaking words of praise and encouragement. She held onto him, riding her free-fall into ecstasy while her body shuddered with the intense pleasure he gave her. Her beautiful Master.

Her body became hypersensitive, the roughness of his face in the bend of her neck and shoulder, his fingers petting her sex gently now, the strength of his sinewy thighs against the softer inner flesh of hers.

Rayne sighed, closing her eyes.

For the first time in her life, she felt cherished and completely safe.

******* 

As if he didn't already have enough problems, Remi came around knocking on the door to his rooms.

"What?" Lucien snapped after slapping his hand on the edge of the doorframe to keep him from walking in.

Remi frowned.

Lucien was appreciative of the fact he'd bothered to put on a pair of drawstring pants and didn't teleport right from the envirolevel butt-assed naked, the way he usually did.

Remi planted his hands on his hips and snorted. "What do you mean, what? Did you forget you left me running after Tarzan in the envirolevel?"

Right. Boy Rayne—damn.

Lucien ran his fingers through his hair. Remi's nostrils flared and the annoying bastard grinned from ear to ear.

Lucien realized belatedly Rayne's scent lingered all over him. He stabbed a finger into the grinning red weredragon's face. "It's not what you think."

Remi sniffed his finger. "Smells like pussy to me."

Lucien swung...at air. It pissed him off more when he realized the asshole had teleported behind him.

"Easy, man," Remi exclaimed raising both hands when Lucien swing around, fist ready again. "I didn't come here to discuss you boinking Rayne."

"I didn't boink Rayne," Lucien snapped.

"Right," Remi deadpanned.

"I didn't...I—" Lucien closed his eyes and counted to five. "Look, what the hell do you want?"

"Me? Not me." Remi shook his head and then pointed.

Lucien frowned and turned to where he pointed...and then froze.

Peering around the corner of the corridor was Boy Rayne. His hair covered his face, but Lucien could clearly see a pair of exotic violet eyes peering through the iridescent strands of white.

"He's a bit wild, but I finally convinced him to trust me, at least enough to follow me up here," Remi said behind Lucien. "I didn't want to freak him out by teleporting us up so we used the emergency stairs. It was good exercise. Gotta try it sometime." 

Lucien cleared his throat and called out, "Hey, kiddo. Are you just going to stay all the way over there?"

Boy Rayne drew back until only one eye peered from around the wall, making Lucien frown.

"He can talk now, but he won't," Remi stated.

"Why?" Lucien asked, unable to take his eyes off the intriguing creature at the end of the corridor. He was dying to see what he looked like, but was afraid of approaching him, fearing he'd bolt.

"You ask him. He only growls at me," Remi said behind him.

"Growls?"

"Yeah. Like Seth when I piss him off."

Lucien turned to look at Remi. The red weredragon rolled his eyes. "Watch." Stepping forward, he leaned down a bit, snapping his fingers repeatedly. "Here-kitty-kitty-kitty."

Deep snarling came from the end of the corridor. The fact that he was making sound at all, made Lucien grin.

"You're an asshole, Fyre," Seth said suddenly appearing next to them. He leaned against the doorframe, arms folded over his chest and ankles crossed casually. Stark white hair fell over into sky-blue eyes fringed with dark lashes. Seth had grown, filled out into a man, tall and sure of himself.

"Let's see you try to get him over here," Remi challenged the weretigri.

Seth took a deep breath and narrowed his eyes as he looked at Boy Rayne. "He only trusts Lucien for now." Seth turned his head to look at Lucien. "You're his new Master."

Lucien stood straighter and snorted. "I'm no one's Master...least of all a male—"

"But that battle pet isn't really—"

"I don't care," Lucien snapped. "He—she—Merulian. I don't keep slaves or submissives."

Remi and Seth just stared at him for a few seconds.

They were talking to each other, but had him blocked out. He could almost hear their telepathic murmuring.

Clenching his jaw, he took a deep breath, ready to tell them off when Remi suddenly straightened and declared, "well, my work is done here. See you later."

He was gone in a flash of red-gold fire.

"What-the fff—"

Seth disappeared in a shimmer of sparkling energy leaving Lucien mid-expletive. The fucker had grinned mischievously at Luke before teleporting out. Seth had grinned. Lucien stood rooted to the spot where he stood, mouth gaping. Seth rarely smiled, but Lucien was sure he'd seen the brief flash of feline fangs before he zapped out.

Things had certainly changed since he'd been gone, that's for sure.

Looking back down the corridor, Boy still remained peering around the wall. His hair was still in his face, but he'd stopped snarling.

Lucien frowned. "I'm going back inside. I'll leave the door open of you feel like coming in. I'm not about to stoop to coaxing you. Do whatever the hell you want."

With that, he spun on his heel and stalked to his circular seating area, snagging a bottle of Black Death whiskey from the top of his bar on the way. No need for a glass tonight. Lucien was chugging straight from the bottle.

Plopping himself down on the black couch, he tipped his head back, sealing his lips over the opening of the bottle, and gulped down three mouthfuls of whiskey. The burn made his eyes tear as the alcohol blazed a fiery path down to his belly. Lucien reclined farther into the plush cushions, bringing his arms up to rest on the back of the couch. Closing his eyes, he just waited, using his second sight to view everything around him.

Boy Rayne slithered into his chambers like a predatory animal. It seemed Remi had provided him with the comfortable drawstring pants they all favored when relaxing in their quarters. Boy's muscles rippled beautifully, skin toned and taut as he crawled stealthily along the floor, moving closer to Lucien.

He looked unsure, stopping just a few feet away to sniff the air like a cat.

Lucien wanted to see his face...with his own eyes, not the watery, blurry images his second sight afforded him.

He waited...waited until Boy was almost in front of him...waited until he warily climbed the couch and leaned over to sniff his hand and the bottle he held.

Lucien swallowed and opened his eyes. Slowly, so he didn't startle Boy Rayne, he turned his head.

The battle pet's hair was long and white, but the artificial light in his rooms still brought out the facets of pinkish-bluish-purplish streaks. His eyes weren't violet. They were lavender. Lucien had never seen lavender eyes—every color but that one, actually. Boy Rayne's pointy ears peeped out of his slightly wavy hair naughtily.

Lucien switched the bottle to his other hand and hesitated before reaching out to Boy again.

The battle pet flinched, making Lucien pause. After a second, when he didn't move away. Lucien carefully let his finger make contact with Boy Rayne's silky hair. With one finger, he drew back the wild tresses covering the Merulian-Fae-feline mixed creature.

Boy's face made Lucien freeze. Where girl Rayne's face was one of utter virginal innocence, more adorable and cute than beautiful, Boy Rayne's face was beautiful in an exotic other-worldly way. The bone structure was flawless, a perfect oval typical of Fae. His eyes were wide, fringed with long dark lashes and delicately arched brows. His nose was straight and narrow pointing to a lush, pink little mouth.

His hair was pretty much covering most of his chest, shoulders, and arms so only his back and the curve of his ass were visible. He had the delicate curves of a woman. Technically, a Merulian was a woman...and a man.

Lucien withdrew his hand and frowned. "I think I need to drink more," he said bringing the bottle of whiskey to his lips again.

After chugging down a few more gulps of liquid courage, his licked his lips and said, "You're pretty...like that naked girl I've got in my bed right now." He took another draw from the bottle and grimaced as he swallowed. Boy Rayne cocked his head curiously. Fuck. He was gorgeous.

Lucien scowled at his train of thought. He never thought of men as anything but revolting. Merulian or not, Boy Rayne had a dick. It didn't matter that beneath that dick there was also a pussy—of sorts—he had a dick. He was off limits. Lucien did not willing touch dicks or anything that had them. He also didn't have subs or slaves or girlfriends...ever. At one time he'd really wanted one, but not anymore. He was over it. Love was highly over-rated.

"I'm going to take a nap." He got up and sauntered over to his room again, swallowing as much alcohol as the bottle let out. Rayne lay sprawled on her back, just the way he'd left her. The scent of her arousal lingered in the air, and her wet folds still glistened from when he'd made her come.He took a deep breath and drank in the sight of her. She'd come hard. Hard enough to squirt his hand and belly. He'd sucked his fingers clean and would have eaten her sweet little cunt out if Remi hadn't come pounding on his door.

Putting the bottle on one of the end tables, he undid the ties to his pants and let them fall to the floor. He really wanted to sleep a while, feeling suddenly too tired. He always slept naked.

Crawling up the round bed to drape himself around Rayne's pliant nubile body, he looked over his shoulder. Boy Rayne stood at the entrance to the room, eyes wide as he realized girl Rayne was there too.

"You're welcome to sleep with us, if you want."

With that, he turned, snuggled tight against the girl and closed his eyes.

For the first time in a long time, Lucien fell into a deep relaxing sleep, warmed by a supple body next to him.

******* 

Boy looked at the sleeping couple. Lucien looked like a giant hugging a delicate doll. The room stank of aroused female.

Boy's eyes were helplessly drawn to the girl's sex. Her thighs were parted and her tiny pussy looked as though it had been spread and pleasured. She was still swollen with need and glistening with her juices. Boy's mouth watered, making him wince in surprise.

Had Lucien been fucking her before Remi led him here?

He frowned and looked at Lucien's cock...and gulped.

His mind blanked for a few seconds as he compared the man's enormous cock with the girl tiny and very tight looking slit. He'd tear her if he tried to fuck her. She wasn't bleeding so he still hadn't tried to penetrate her.

Boy looked at Lucien again. His blond hair splayed across the grey colored sheets. The girl's hair was a river of jet black. They looked beautiful together despite the immense size difference.




Redemption Ch. 02



Justin nodded again, and did as asked, still trying with everything he had to control his body. He did not, however, fail to notice the itch that built in his nose, his face scrunching up slightly and his lungs forced to take in a long, deep breath. He stuttered for a moment as he tried to control it, but with the effort of controlling the rest of his body, it was a complete failure. "Heh… heh… heeehh… HAH-TCHHOOOO!! Eh-KISHHH!!" His entire body leapt with the force of the sneezes, pulling tightly against the binds and finding them to hold as he was wracked with the most powerful of his sneezes yet, his eyes watering badly as his body relaxed back against the bed.

Natalie trembled as she was sprayed slightly, since he had no way to cover his mouth as his hands were bound. A soft moan escaped her lips and she closed her eyes for just a moment, one hand slipping between her legs, the other instinctively reaching for the tissues. Stroking lightly, she shuddered, on the brink, but pulled her hand away and bit down hard on her lower lip. Holding the tissues to his nose, she wiped it gently, then found a fresh part and pressed it against the runniness. "Bless you," she whispered, her voice faltering. "Now, blow," she commanded, her other hand slipping back to her thighs just in case the blowing triggered another sneeze.

He raised an eyebrow, blowing hard against the tissue and managing to both soak it and not affect the stuffiness in his nose at all. His eyes watered more with the roughness of the blowing, though there was little he could do about that. Unable to see her other hand past the tissue, he did notice her arm, gazing at it quizzically before turning his eyes wordlessly up to hers, showing clearly his confusion. Fortunately enough, the stuffiness had left his head slightly stuffed as well, and he could not hear the moan.

She felt the wetness soak through the tissues and drench her hand. Trying to control the happy shivers that ran down her spine, she tossed the tissue into the trash bin and grabbed a few fresh Kleenexes, using one to wipe off her hand and the other to get the last of the wetness from his nose, though she would rather lick it off. Hoping he did not hear the moan, she looked into his eyes, as if to ask, but she said nothing.

Raising an eyebrow, he gestured toward his leg with his head, fully aware that while his mind was focused on blowing his nose, he'd lost control of his body just long enough for a tent to rise in his boxers. He hoped that she wouldn't be offended. A slight nervous tremble threaded its way through his voice as he tried to speak, even through the stuffiness. "Ummb... what's next for by leg? I thingk if id's going do hurd, I'd lige to get id over wid as soon as possible." He tried to change the subject, fully aware that it was obvious that he was doing so, despite his uncertainty in regard to what she seemed to be suggesting. The thought that he wouldn't be able to stop her if she decided otherwise wasn't lost on his mind.

Looking down to his leg, she paused as she noticed the particular shape of his boxers. Blinking quietly but choosing to say nothing, she nodded in response to his question and climbed off of the bed, her fingers inadvertently sliding across his lower stomach. His stomach muscles contracted instinctively, not so much shying away as leaping in surprise at her touch. She took her staff in one hand and straightened up to her full height. "Don't move," she instructed, her staff beginning to glow as she inwardly cringed, knowing this would hurt him a lot, and that he would be powerless to stop it. Giving a slight nod to her words, he took a deep breath, his muscles tensing slightly as he steeled himself against whatever was likely to come. 

Waving her staff in a slow arc across his body, she prepped the spell, her voice barely a whisper as strange words formed on her mouth. Touching the tip of her staff to the wound, it was white-hot against his skin, the magickal energy flowing from her through the staff to his wound, searing his skin as though cauterizing it. His eyes followed the staff, at least until the moment it touched his skin; at that point, his head fell back to the bed, his eyes closed and a low hiss escaping his mouth. However, the tent in his boxers persisted, leaving question as to whether the hiss was one of simple endurance of the pain, or perhaps something more. The rest of his body remained perfectly still as ordered, not wanting to ruin her effort.

Natalie continued to murmur the spell, her eyes only focused on his wound as she watched the skin pull together and the tissues beneath regenerate and heal. Prolonging the effects, she added another, softer spell, for the continued healing after she removed her staff. The pain changed from that of a searing heat to that of a searing cold, like that of frostbite, as she continued, the words spilling from her mouth. Finally pausing, she looked over to his face, hoping she had not damaged him too badly. She was surprised to notice the stirring in his boxers and she almost dropped her staff, but caught herself just in time, pondering the implications of it. Pulling her staff away from his wound, she set it against the dresser and leaned over the bed, her hand drawn to his boxers, her fingers hovering just over it, her eyes wide.

Justin shivered slightly, his mind barely registering the removal of the staff from his leg as the sensation remained, echoing through his consciousness and driving the voices even farther away. Completely oblivious to her hand, his eyes remained closed, apparently savoring the myriad of feelings: complete helplessness, exquisite pain, and the mental silence caused by the retreat of the voices. A slight moan passed across his lips, though he seemed not to realize it, not responding to his own actions.

She took the moan as an invitation to touch, and so rested her hand at the base of the tent, feeling the warmth of his skin even through the fabric of his boxers, her eyes widening at the sensations going through her. Thinking quietly, she decided to take advantage of the situation, and climbed onto the bed, sitting on his thighs, her body not touching the wound, but facing him, her hand returning to stroke his lower stomach even as she reached up to the dresser and grabbed a few tissues. Taking the corner of one and rolling it into a fine point, she leaned across him, tickling the edge and sides of his nose with the point of the tissue, then traced it across his nostrils.

Trembling slightly at her touch, he was obviously surprised, his eyes widening slightly as she straddle his thighs. "Bu… bud… I'b tied… tied… HASHHOO!! Mmm-CHOOO!!" The tickling of the tissue forced twin sneezes from his sensitive nose, a light spray cast from his mouth against her arm. Natalie moaned softly at the sound of the sneezes, her panties growing damp as she shifted her position ever so slightly to avoid rubbing them against his thighs. The spray sent a tingling sensation all through her body and she slowly contracted her thigh muscles around his legs, though the movement was subconscious. After giving a few delicate sniffles, and moving his nose as much as possible to try to avoid being forced to sneeze again, his voice quieted and continued, though less urgent in its protests. "I'b tied ub." Again, the trembling returned, just slightly. "I can'd do anything… do stob you."

"I know you're tied up. There is absolutely nothing you can do to stop me." Her voice was a low purr and her hair had come loose from the braid, falling around her shoulders and accentuating the pink flush on her cheeks. "You are helpless; I control you." With this, she took the tissue and again traced his nose, knowing somewhere inside that it was wrong to dominate him like this, but also knowing that she wanted it badly.

He moved his head desperately, trying to avoid the tissue at all costs, though it still caught his nose occasionally. "I… I… Hih… hiSHOO!! Bud… bud I… KISHUU!!" he sneezed wetly and forcefully, spraying her hand and the tissue and sniffling lightly as he continuously tried to avoid her movements, his eyes watering badly from the sneezes. His complaints continued to weaken in force with every stuttered sentence between sneezes. "I jusd… HAHTSHOOO!!" His head snapped forward from the force of that last sneeze, his body leaping slightly and his eyes watering to the point where clear sight was impossible. 

She trembled with each sneeze that he gave, her body devouring the pleasure that he was unknowingly giving her. A series of soft but powerful moans escaped her lips and she began to rub her panties against his legs, the wetness trailing across his skin. "Mmmh, bless you," she breathed, her voice quavering and her eyes half-closing from the intense feelings. An idea caught her and she paused, leaning back to grab a few fresh tissues and rubbing his nose, wiping up the sneezes his gave. Leaning over to pull the chair closer, she rummaged around in the first aid kit until she found a pair of scissors, the little metal piece used to hold ace bandages together, and a pair of tweezers with sharp points on the end. Dabbing at his eyes with yet another tissue, she made sure his vision was clear enough to view the tools she had found.

Justin shuddered slightly as his vision cleared to reveal the various items, his gaze sitting on them the entire time before glancing up to her eyes, not particularly caring that she was bound to notice the mixture of fear and… pleasure? Intrigue? Perhaps both? that seemed to be shining from within his startling brown eyes. "Wha… whad are you doing?" he asked, giving a slight sniffle, though it sounded more like a snort through a nose that felt clogged but seemed to have nothing in it. "Whad are dose for?"

She felt terrible for controlling him, but also felt strangely excited, her mind racing as she considered her next step. Almost afraid to speak, she took a soft breath and scooted a bit farther up his body, the wetness of her panties seeping into his boxers. Setting the tools on his chest, she reached up and untied his left hand, holding his wrist firmly in her hands, so hard that it felt she might cut off his circulation, though that was not her purpose; she only wanted to ensure that he would not escape. She guided his hand beneath the hem of her nightgown, touching his fingers to the edge of her panties. "Rub me," she demanded, looking from his eyes to his chest, as if to remind him that terrible things awaited if he did not obey.

He gave a slight gasp, still unbelieving at what was happening, hesitating for a moment before doing as asked. His hand trembled as much as the rest of his body, sliding down her panties and rubbing her gently through them. With each forward movement of his hand, the pressure exerted increased, pressing firmly against her before sliding back slowly, delicately, though he was completely unsure of what to do. "I'b… I'b neber done dis before," he managed through the stuffiness, his voice audibly quivering, showing clearly his nervousness and lack of confidence.

Natalie closed her eyes and moaned softly, as much at the sexy sound of his stuffy voice as at his gentle touches. "You're doing wonderfully," she replied, then arched her back a bit. "More," she commanded, shivering, then reached for another tissue, rolling the corner into a point once more, opening her eyes, and bringing it to his nose to incite a tickle. Her other hand rested at the base of the tent in his boxers, then moved quietly to slip under the fabric, her fingers lightly resting against his skin as she used the tissue to tease his nose. Leaning over him, so that her face was near his own, she waited, wanting to feel his sneezes against her skin.

Justin nodded slightly at her command of "more," before the tissue was applied again. Slipping his hand inside her panties, he used the same motion, though firmer on both counts, still with the alternating pressure. His chest heaved slightly, though he was not bothering to control the sneezes any more, knowing it would do little good but prolong the tickling. Accompanying the eruption of sneezes, his head thrust forward, and his hand applied more pressure, each time returning to the previous before being forced forward again by the next sneeze. "Heh… Huh… huh… hah-HASHOOO! HISTCHOO!! KISSCHUU!!" His eyes filled with water again, each sneeze stinging his now blaring red nose.

She gasped at the feel of his hand against her warmth, without the fabric as a barrier. The sensations overtook her and she shivered, knowing she was near the edge, needing to be pushed over. "Bless you," she murmured breathlessly. Taking his hand out of her panties, she brought it to her mouth and sucked each one of his fingers, tasting her own juices and biting down hard on his skin, sending jolts of pain through him. Tying his hand back to the bedpost, she double-checked the knot, then inched further up his body, her warmth pressing against the tent in his boxers, then passing over it as she rested lightly on his stomach. She moved the tools to his side and regarded him quietly. "Lick me," she whispered authoritatively, moving up his chest and pausing just under his chin, a tissue still in one hand.

He took a moment to register that she had asked something, his head still ringing from the force of the sneezes, and the feeling of her mouth and teeth on his fingers. His breath came in short stutters, eyes rolled back behind a veil of moisture again caused by the sneezes. A low moan escaped him before he made the connection between where she was sitting and the words that he had half-heard. Furiously working his tongue and nose at the edge of her panties, never having actually removed them, he was unsure if she would be pleased or irritated at the feeling of his nose and tongue against her skin. Frustrated, he finally gave up and simply gripped the edge of her panties with his teeth, breathing through the sides of his mouth as he pulled until they ripped free, allowing him to tilt his head forward and reach his tongue - with an odd amount of skill, considering his lack of experience - toward her pussy, drawing over it with his tongue and lips as best as he could.

Natalie could barely breathe from the passion she felt, her eyes closed and her muscles contracting at each lick from his tongue. She scooted forward a bit to grant him better access, almost riding his face as she trembled and writhed with pleasure. Knowing she was only seconds away from fulfillment, she brought the tissue from her hand up to his nose, and rubbed it there, tickling and inserting the tip just inside his left nostril, and then his right. Wanting to give him pleasure, too, she listened to his ragged breathing as he prepared to sneeze, and then dug her fingernails into the side of his neck, scratching and scraping his skin, proving his helplessness as she waited expectantly for his sneezes, knowing they would push her into climax.

Tensing his neck against her fingernails, as though to force them away, he barely managed to suppress a shudder as he pressed his tongue inside of her, only for a moment as a sneeze built. Drawing in a sharp breath of air, his head thrust forward with his sneezes, pressing tightly against her. "Heh… hehTCHOO! HASCHOO!! HI-HI-HICHUUU!!" After the first, the sneezes came almost immediately, without time for a breath between them, nor time to shunt them to his mouth. Each intensified the burning, tearing sensation in his nose, his face pressed up against her pussy forcefully from the sneezes, his eyes again watered to sightlessness.

She moaned pleasurably, his licking and sneezing giving her a powerful orgasm as her juices flowed over his mouth and lips, dribbling down his skin. Trembling from the intensity of her feelings, she slid down to his chest, leaning over him and licking his face, lapping up her fluids from his skin. Her tongue slipped inside his mouth and she frenched him softly, tenderly, as if to thank him for being such a good little submissive. Still slightly weak from the passion of her orgasm, she shivered and slowly pulled away from his mouth, using a fresh tissue to wipe the wateriness from his eyes. "Bless you," she murmured, gazing at him with longing and appreciation. Her fingers again traced over his neck and she felt the scratch marks, thinking quietly about what he would want from her.

Justin still trembled lightly, not sure why, or how, and barely what just happened. His nose was still a bright red, and shining slightly as it was visibly wet. Swallowing any liquid that had made its way into his mouth, he let his eyes meet hers, shining with slight disbelief. "Ummmmb…" he began, blinking a few times as he forced his body to still, his mind finally forming some cohesive memory of what just happened. "Nadalie… I… I bean…" he tried to finish, giving a slight shake of his head and finding himself unable to choose words that would adequately express his confusion, before simply falling to silence.

She felt his trembling and stretched out beside him, still keeping him tied up. Wrapping her arms around his body, she thought about his words, then leaned up and kissed the tip of his nose, licking away the wetness. "You're rather helpless, Justin," she whispered into his ear. "I have you tied up, unable to resist me. I can have my way with you." Her voice subsided and she sat up, looking at him quietly, her eyes shimmering with anticipation. Reaching to his other side, she gathered up the tools and held them in her hand, letting him see them and alternately watching both his face and his boxers for his reaction.

Still not completely sure what to say, Justin realized that the tent in his boxers had yet to go down. Goosebumps rose slightly on his skin at the sight of the tools, and his eyes betrayed his curiosity at their use. Uselessly, he strained his limbs against their bonds, simply testing their strength to see if all of that had loosened them - apparently not. "I… I… I cadt boove, Nadalie," he pleaded, referring to the restraints, though no ill will was present in his voice.

Eyeing his boxers, she laughed quietly, then watched as he tested the restraints that were still in place. Nodding at his words, she pondered for a moment, trying to remember the first time she noticed the tent. It was right after she had tied him up, and she smirked a bit at him. "I'm really not inclined to let you go," she responded, her voice soft and sultry and her mouth leaning down to kiss his lips. 

He nodded slightly, as though accepting that fact, though it was not like he had a whole lot of choice in the matter. "Bud…" he began, then sighed slightly, his nose wrinkling up a little, though he attempted to refuse the sneeze that wanted to manifest itself. Consciously trying to will it away, he felt it die off with the touch of her lips, though he did not respond actively. His body shook quietly, though with fear, anticipation, or some mixture of the two it could not be told.

She sat up quietly and looked him over from head to toe, appreciatively. "There's not a whole lot you can do," she commented, running a hand up his leg to rest just under the edge of his boxers, sliding the soft fabric down to his thighs. She explored with her fingers, cupping his balls and squeezing them gently, her fingers cold against the warmth of his skin. "I could castrate you right now, and you'd be helpless to stop me," she idly observed, though her touch was still tender and soft. Pondering quietly, she took the tweezers in her free hand and lightly jabbed his right nipple, soft enough so that it did not break the skin, but hard enough to hurt.

Whimpering slightly at the mention of castration, the muscles in his abdomen visibly, instinctively contracted, obviously in fear, until the touch of the tweezers caused the muscles in his chest to twitch slightly, his back arching and a low gasp coming from his mouth. "Dabbit… Dadalie…" he hissed, his arms struggling again against their binds, still held tight, though really, it did not look like he was trying too hard to escape. "You're enjoying dis, aren'd you?"




Redemption Ch. 02



She smirked slightly at him, then placed the tweezers around his nipple and slowly squeezed inwards, the two strips of metal acting as a vice. "Mmmm," she replied. "I have you powerless." Her voice was soft, almost a purr, and she carefully tightened her grip on the tweezers, exerting a bit more pressure. Her other hand stroked up his cock, feeling the growing hardness that betrayed any denials he might give. Momentarily debating, she leaned in and bit his left nipple, her teeth surprisingly sharp, almost like a vampire's.

Justin moaned loudly, not just his dick betraying his denials, but his entire body, his skin coming alive with goose bumps. The moan escalated quickly into a light squeal, his voice going abnormally high, especially considering the cold that he was fighting. Not surprisingly, it chose the worst time to attempt to manifest itself, his chest heaving quickly as he attempted to hold back a sneeze, obviously powerful based on the movements of his body.

Natalie shivered at the sound of his moan and watched as his body broke out in goose bumps, then bit down hard at the sudden movement of his chest, realizing he was fighting back a sneeze. "Don't fight it," she hissed at him, tightening the tweezers' grip on his nipple. "Let it out," she instructed, licking the tip of his nose, the tone of her voice implying that she would hurt him badly if he continued to fight it. Her mouth rested on his left nipple, biting again, this time drawing a bit of blood as she felt his chest rise and fall beneath her.

He gave a small, meek nod, his chest rising high as he took in a deep breath, then expelled it with a wet "HISHUUU!!!" the sound of it ringing through his ears, his chest dropping suddenly, and his eyes closing tightly against the sensation in his nose. After a moment, as his senses re-gathered themselves, he managed to find the breath to murmur a few words - utterly useless, in the grand scheme of things. "Ow… dat REALLY hurds." His voice seemed to prove his pain, but he again seemed to have no objections to it in the least.

She moaned softly at the sound of the sneeze and shivered, her grip on the tweezers slightly loosening as she licked up the blood on his left nipple, her tongue lapping at his skin before she suckled his nipple, drawing it into her mouth and biting once more. Her teeth were rather sharp and they pierced his skin, causing more blood to flow. Licking it all up, she pulled away and surveyed his reaction, her hand still stroking up his dick, rubbing against his obvious hardness, the sneeze and the stuffiness in his voice fuelling her passion.

Whimpering loudly at the pain, it was not so much to deter as simply instinctive. From the surprised, yet pleased expression on his face, it was clear that he was at the very least enjoying this, despite any objections he might have, his body arching slightly toward the pain, and his limbs straining visibly in the process. The whimper slowly turned to a moan, his eyes closed now; his body slumped back down to the bed, and it almost seemed as though he had given over completely, not even bothering to make a show of fighting back, simply laying prone as she rubbed against him.

Natalie quickened her strokes on his dick, her fingers growing warm as they slid across his skin, her skill evident though not glaringly obvious, as she had only done this a few times before. She leaned down and licked at his nipple, her tongue tasting a lingering drop of blood from her previous biting. Setting down the tweezers, she picked up the thin strip of metal used to secure ace bandages, and slid the smooth side across his skin, the cold metal causing his nipple to stand up a bit more. Licking her lips, she stroked him faster, falling into a pleasurable rhythm, then turned the metal over and dragged the tiny prongs across his raised nipple, drawing two small scratches of blood.

His breath fell to short, ragged gasps, obvious as they had to be drawn in through his mouth. His hips squirmed slightly at the feel of someone else's hand on him, a feeling previously foreign, though blatantly and thoroughly enjoyed. At the touch of the prongs, the muscles in his chest tightened instinctively, before releasing with a shudder that ran through his entire body. Alternating between small moans and whimpers, his head was tilted back, obviously enjoying this, despite… or perhaps, because of… the questionable morals behind it.

She leaned down and licked up the blood almost tenderly, her tongue swirling around his nipple and her mouth warm and wet against the raised hardness there. Listening to his moaning and whimpering, she continued to stroke his cock, increasing the tempo ever so slightly, trying to judge his level of pleasure by the sounds he made. She suckled on his nipple, then took it into her teeth, nibbling and biting, hard enough to cause tremors of pain to rock his body. Part of her felt simply terrible for hurting him, but another part took in the pleasure he was getting and thought that perhaps her actions were justified.

Letting out a single low, drawn-out moan at the feeling of her mouth on his nipple, Justin then escalated the moan in volume and intensity as the pressure of teeth was added, nothing subtle about the fact that he was enjoying the pain. "Bore… Bore, Dadalie…" he begged, his voice escaping as a low whisper, as he was almost embarrassed at taking pleasure from pain, but not denying it; in fact, he urged her not to hold back, but to inflict whatever she wanted, though he could not stop her anyway. His hips started to rock gently against the bed, in time with her stroking, his head still tilted as far back as it would go against the pillow.

Natalie shivered at the sound of his moan, her conscience eased as she heard it. His plaintive request did not fall on deaf ears, and she switched to his other nipple, licking the tip ever so slightly, then placing her wet mouth on it to suck, first gently, then harder. Her hand was a blur as she stroked him, squeezing a bit harder with each rub, feeling the rhythm of his rocking and matching it with her strokes. Her free hand took the little strip of metal and brought it to the side of his neck, scraping deep enough to cause blood to rise, though she paid it no mind. Her mouth was busy at his nipple, her teeth gently biting, then harder, harder, as the pain came in jolts.

Seemingly unable to decide between moaning and gasping for air, he decided on a sort of hybrid, mixing the two and barely realizing that he was doing it. He couldn't help but shudder helplessly at the feeling of first the scratching at his neck, then the wonderful pain in his nipple, the moans escalating with the pressure, his hips bucking harder and faster as he approached his orgasm. "God, Dadalie… I'b… I'b going to… HAHSHOO!!" he sneezed fiercely and wetly, his body writhing with the force of the sneeze, pulling back and then arching again toward the pain, his eyes open wide but staring off into nothing in particular.

Trembling at his sneeze, she moaned softly, feeling the spray on her body and closing her eyes momentarily with pleasure, knowing a second orgasm would not be too far for her if he were pleasuring her. His words caused her to intensify her movements on his dick, her hand squeezing his hardness as she rubbed, paying attention to the head of his cock, too, brushing her thumb over it with each stroke. Biting down a bit more on his nipple, she finally released it, and broke contact for a few agonizing moments before her mouth was once again at his skin, though this time it was at his neck. She licked and sucked, her hand dropping the small metal piece in favor of squeezing his other nipple, her sharply pointed teeth slowly sinking into his skin, causing sharp pangs of agony.

Letting his moans drop again to light whimpers, he tilted his head away from her bites at his neck, letting her have better access even as he seemed to squirm his hips more, trying with action to describe what his words had failed to say, doubting it would be more than mere seconds before he lost it and was pushed over that edge, and trying to let her know beforehand, just in case. His breath and voice were equally ragged with her teeth at his neck, the muscles straining against them despite the immense pleasure he felt from it. "God… Dadalie… I… HISHUU!! Heh-ESHHH!! EHSHOOO!!" He tried again to warn her of his impending orgasm but felt himself again silenced by the force of the sneezes, which sprayed wetly over his chest and her face and shoulders. He took special care to control his head, not letting it whip forward, though his muscles tensed far more than previously against her teeth with each sneeze.

She moaned against his neck at the sound of his sneezes, coupled with his halted warning that he was close to cumming. His words sent shivers down her spine and she could not control the trembling of her body, even as her teeth sank further into the sensitive flesh of his neck, drawing more blood as she suckled hard, alternately biting and suckling. Her fingers switched to his other nipple and she squeezed tightly, the pain almost paralyzing coupled with her attentions at his neck. Through all this, she managed to continue her quick strokes on his cock, feeling his body tense up expectantly in preparation for orgasm.

Justin started to cry out with a moan as he came, unabashedly spraying his own body with his seed, the white strings of sticky cum landing on his chest and stomach atop the spray from his sneezes. The moan erupted into a loud "huuuuUUHCHUUU!!" as it combined strangely with a sneeze, further coating his torso with shimmering spray, the explosion accompanied by a flare of pain as his head jerked forward slightly, his vision blacking out for a moment with the sensory overload. It was only gone for a moment, though, and when it returned, his head had rested back onto the bed, not having moved far enough to dislodge her teeth, but just enough for the flicker of pain. Every muscle in his body seemed to relax simultaneously, slumping tiredly, submissively against the bed.

Squirming with pleasure as she experienced his orgasm, his cum drenched her fingers and her body shivered from his delicious sneeze. Flicking her tongue across the wound at his neck, she murmured something incomprehensible and it closed, leaving only a small remnant of pain. Her hand at his nipple relaxed, changing from a hard squeezing to a soft stroking as she brought her other hand away from his dick. She licked at her fingers, suckling and lapping up his cum, shivering slightly at the strange tangy taste. Once she had accomplished this, she reached up and untied his hands, then did the same for his feet, stretching out beside him and holding him in her arms, hoping he would reciprocate.

He sighed softly, slowly realizing what had just happened, rubbing gently at his wrists for a moment, red marks noting where they had been tied from the furious struggling that he had self-inflicted. After a moment, he did reciprocate, but he was unable to get rid of the persistent itch in his nose, wrinkling it slightly before turning his head away. "Hisshuuu! hahCHOO!" His sneezes were weaker that time, almost tired, though thankfully they did not hurt his nose anymore. After the tickling left for the moment, he turned back to her, his eyes closed softly, as he fell into a semi-comfortable silence.

Natalie shivered softly as he sneezed, her body aching for more of his touches, though wishing he would lavish her with sexual attentions of his own free will, apart from her rough commands. Her eyes opened slightly and she watched him, then leaned in and licked the tip of his nose thoughtfully, then kissed his lips. It was a full, rich kiss, and she hoped it would stir a bit of life back into his body, since he seemed as though he was nearly dead from exhaustion and passion combined.

He blinked a few times and returned the kiss slowly, letting his confusion show for a moment before one hand trailed slowly up her side, just barely touching her. Slowly making its way to the curve of her breast, he echoed its upward movement with a trail of kisses and nibbles down her neck, over her collarbone toward her breast, nibbling slightly along the way. His free hand instinctively reached out and obtained the scissors, moving slightly ahead of his mouth to cut through the material of the nightgown and allowing access. His sniffles, however, seemed to return, and he had no doubt that she could feel the way his nose twitched occasionally against her skin as he moved.

Loving the feel of his kisses and nibbles to her neck, her body shivered with passion and pleasure. Her nipples hardened instantly at his touch on her breast, and she gasped slightly as he cut away the fabric of her nightgown. She felt chilled and slightly vulnerable without the fabric, thin though it was, to shield her. His sniffles quietly reached her ears and she bit down hard on her lower lip, feeling the twitching of his nose and taking in all of the sensations with a hazy, pleasure-induced fog. Her eyes closed, savoring his touch as she focused on his breathing and hoped desperately that he would sneeze on her, perhaps even in her.

Smirking slightly, he continued to move downward, until he reached her nipple; his teeth bit softly, not enough to cause great amounts of pain, as he had no idea if she liked it or not. With his mouth occupied at her rounded breast, it was painfully obvious that his sniffles seemed to be getting worse, the snuffly sounds a bit louder as he breathed through his nose, or tried, at least. Both hands, the one having tossed aside the scissors, each cupped a breast, squeezing gently. Finally, his sniffles got the better of him, his head tilting back for a moment as he took a deep breath, before sneezing harshly, mere inches from her breast. "Huuuuh.... HUSSHHUUUU!! Heh-ISHHHOOO!! ISHHH!!" issued from his mouth; the fact that practically none of the spray landed on anything but her body barely registered, though if one thing had been noticed, it was her fondness for his sneezes. Giving another slight sniffle, he moved his mouth to her other breast, repeating the motions there.

Natalie moaned quietly at the feel of his hands on her breasts, and especially at his sneeze. Her eyes fluttered open a moment to look at him, watching him sniffle, then she closed them and shuddered quietly, one hand moving down to her thigh, resting on the top, rubbing slightly, as she pondered slipping it between her legs. Her breathing was coming more quickly and it sounded rather shallow. 

Justin gave another slight smirk and one last tug at her nipple before moving quietly down her body, his mouth trailing kisses, bites, and the occasional lick on its way. His right hand moved to her wrist, surprisingly strong as it drew her hand away from her thigh, accompanying the gesture with a quick "Hi- Hishuu!!" onto her stomach. His hand, once moving hers, replaced it, slipping farther between her legs but not touching her mound quite yet, his light touch almost teasing.

Feeling his little pathway down her skin, she shivered expectantly, then gasped in surprise as he pulled her hand away, her entire body quivering at the sound of his sneeze. She trembled and was tempted to pull his head between her legs, but paused, waiting to see what he would do. Arching her back lightly, she wished he would rub her. His touch was teasingly light and left her aching for more, so much more. Another shiver assailed her and she tilted her hips upward against his fingers, as if inviting him.

He decided to take the bait, and let his mouth stay along the lower curves of her stomach, covering it with slow kisses and light nibbles. His hand, however, slid slowly toward her pussy, cupping over it for a moment before rubbing, not particularly gently, though not harshly. His fingers splayed outward as they moved forward, the middle sliding between her lips, and into the wet area beyond, while the rest slowly caressed the outside of her mound, the same back and forth motion as before, but using his palm to put more pressure on each forward thrust now. His nose was running, badly, but he decided to let it, not sure of how she would respond, but risking it anyway.

She gasped softly at the rubs between her legs, the wetness increasing as she opened her eyes to find that his nose was running. Feeling waves of passion wash over her, she brought her hands down to stroke his hair while he rubbed, her eyes once again closing to concentrate on the immense pleasure he was bringing. Close to begging him to eat her, she waited, wondering if he would do so on his own accord, or if she really would have to resort to something akin to begging. Her body trembled with each stroke and her breathing quickened a bit as she lost herself in a fantasy involving his sneezing.

He wrinkled his nose, wiggling it back and forth quickly in a way that he knew firsthand would not help; in fact, he had found that it actually brought about sneezes in times like that, even though they weren't particularly powerful. Slowly, the kisses turned to the occasional sneeze, barely audible, only the spray being felt, and a light "Hsshhu" being heard, slowly tracing their way to meet with his hand between her legs before the sneezes stopped. His nose still wriggled purposefully, not particularly caring if she noticed that fact or not.

Natalie quivered at the continuing sound of his sneezes and knew that if he kept that up, she was likely to lose herself in another orgasm. Her body trembled yet again and her hips rocked slowly, imagining what his facial expressions were, wondering if he would sneeze again. So close to the edge, she shivered and arched her back, little drops of sweat glistening on her skin as she took a few shallow breaths. She tried to minimize her movements, however, so she could concentrate on listening to his breathing, to tell if he would sneeze again.

Considering the idea of taking great effort to control his breathing, knowing full well he could make it inaudible, to human ears, at least, he decided against it as his mouth had enough to do at the moment without worrying about being quiet. He made no effort to hide the hitching breaths, each one sounding like it wanted to be followed with a small sneeze, though each, for some reason, was held back. His breath continued to be pulled in with quick spurts, though it was released more slowly, a tickle building as his mouth made its way to where his palm began, kissing still, nibbling a bit more before he quickly moved his hand back a bit, his mouth replacing it at the front of her cleft while his fingers switched over, turning and bending at the knuckles to continue their motions.

She whimpered quietly, almost at the point of begging him to sneeze. So close to the edge that her orgasm mocked her tantalizingly, she breathed shakily, frustrated. Listening to his own breathing, she was teased mercilessly by what she felt were false starts, and wondered if he was doing it on purpose or if he really was on the verge of sneezing but just could not. Trembling almost constantly, she used her left hand to rub her hip, as she almost always did (depending on her position) when she was inches away from cumming.

Out of his peripheral vision he noted the hand on her hip, something not recognized, perhaps missed the first time, considering that he barely had but the slightest idea of what was happening at the time. His breathing had to be drawn in through the corners of his mouth, while his tongue and fingers worked on her continuously; occasionally, his fingers would add or remove pressure, or move a bit faster or slower, always changing the sensation even as his tongue nearly mercilessly assaulted her clit, circling it, pulling at it. All the while, the hitches grew longer, more pronounced and noticeable; obviously, this was not a false start, nor was it a ruse.




Redemption Ch. 03



Justin entered the tavern with little fanfare, carrying a four-foot long stick in one hand. Around his neck hung a small pewter pendant of a dragon coiled slighting into a somewhat triangular shape. He wore a dark blue cloak draped over his shoulders, mostly hiding his soft, cotton shirt, of the same color blue. His jeans were visible from the front and anywhere below the knees, and both those and his shirt were torn badly, but sewn back together to keep out the cold. Over his back, a rucksack was slung, and a bundle of sticks, all four feet long at least. He made his way to the bar, getting himself a glass of ice water before sitting down and giving his cloak a slight push, so as to make it fall behind the stool and almost to the floor.

Natalie slipped into the tavern semi-unnoticed, her luxurious ebony tresses tamed into a long, single braid that stretched down the center of her back. Her mauve dress swished slightly as she walked, and her steps were measured and careful, her dark eyes searching the room as if to seek out and avoid any danger. Her lips, usually full, were pressed into a thin line from weariness, and she clutched a long, ornately carved staff some six feet tall. Examining the occupants of the room, she chose a seat at the bar, close, but not too close, to Justin. A few wayward strands of her silken hair had worked themselves free, and she pushed them behind her slightly pointed ears with a slender hand. Idle chatter surrounded her and she felt almost cocooned in her own little world of thoughts and ponderings.

Nodding to Natalie, Justin raised an eyebrow at her slightly, taking a long sip of his water. "You seem tired," he offered, his own eyes sporting bags that looked almost as heavy as the rucksack slung over his shoulder, although this was commonplace. "Didn't sleep well last night?" he asked with concern, her nose still slightly pink, but all other traces of his cold now long gone, save the occasional sniffle.

With a glance over at Justin, Natalie made a slight humming noise, barely noticeable over all the din of the tavern. Taking the end of her braid in her hands, she idly played with it, pondering his observation. "Perhaps I am a bit tired," she conceded, her voice unmistakably strained and her eyes bright but slightly red-rimmed. "Last night…" she began, then trailed off. "No, I slept fine last night," she countered, though her voice was quiet and held no sharpness. She missed his company more than she wished to admit, and felt a sting of rejection after their last conversation in bed, only a few nights prior. "And yourself?" More than just courtesy, her question aimed to discover if he had again spent another night outside in the cold, especially after trying to recover from being sick.

He shrugged slightly and leaned back on his stool, setting the glass of water down and balancing the stick against the countertop. "Not bad. I've slept better, but I've slept worse." He smiled lightly, almost amused. "The wolves have backed off as of late. It's rather a nice change. This thing hasn't gotten a single tear in it." He idly played with the hem of the dark blue cloak that folded around his shoulders. A slight sniffle escaped his nose, but he paid it no mind.

Natalie looked at the cloak quietly, as if to verify that there were no tears in it. Her eyes took in his form, from the patched tears on his clothes to the dark circles under his eyes, and she sighed softly. "You really shouldn't be sleeping outside. You know…" here she stopped and shook her head, as if reconsidering what she was about to say. Conjuring a bloodwyne, she sipped on it and measured her words, then began to speak, her voice low and soft, almost soothing, as it were. "I know you are strong, but even you do not deny that you are mortal. Could you not give it a day or two before going back to that? Another night in a bed would do you good," she insisted. A silent whisper, "With me," added itself in her mind, but she brushed it away.

He shook his head slowly, giving the faintest of sighs. "I'm alright. I've been in worse situations. Actually, that's a lie. I haven't, really." He gave a soft, half-laugh. "But I'm getting used to it. Once it warms up, it will be nice. This cloak helps me more than I thought it would, actually. And with the wolves leaving me alone lately, I'm getting a better chance to heal. Now all I need is a job." He rolled his eyes and continued. "Not that I can do anything that's worth money in this realm."

Sighing quietly, she shook her head, then eyed the mends in his clothes. "Couldn't you find work as a tailor? I'm sure someone around here needs things mended," she suggested, not entirely certain what occupations humans had available. Abandoning the slight tug on her braid in favor of twisting the silver goddess ring on her pinky, she suppressed another sigh and pondered quietly. So much had changed, so much was strange and complicated. It seemed as though she was a stranger now, a stranger to him when she thought things would get closer, more familiar. Now, in the moment, when she needed his friendship the most, he seemed galaxies away. She blinked slowly and sipped more on her bloodwyne, the taste scalding her throat and bringing back memories from years and years ago.

Justin smiled slightly. "I'm not that good with the needle. Good enough to mend my clothes, but I can't compete with the people in these places that sling magic around like it were nothing; snap their fingers and clothes are fixed, good as new." He laughed slightly. "And most of them do it for free. I mean, look around." Here he paused and gestured to the tavern, though if he had looked over them, he had done it well enough that it went unnoticed. "None of them have tears in their clothing."

She heard his words and nodded quietly, realizing that he head a point. What did she know about the workings of humans? It was not her place, as a Goddess, to presuppose, and she hung her head slightly, feeling a light aching begin in her temples. The last bit of her cold lingered tenaciously, giving her the occasional migraine or soreness in her joints, though her stuffiness, coughing, and sneezing had abated. A sigh escaped her lips and she fell silent, not really knowing what to say to him. So much welled up in her, but then was not the time, nor the place, and she knew better, and so contented herself with sipping on her bloodwyne and avoiding eye contact.

Raising an eyebrow, he drank about a quarter of his glass of water before looking over to Natalie, noting her odd silence. "Natalie… is something bothering you? You're more… I don't know, withdrawn? …than usual. Or at least that's how it seems." His own posture, his manner, everything about him seemed to actually be relaxed for once, and not just the sort of relaxed state that he normally enforced upon himself, but a truthfully pleasant manner. His hand did occasionally wander to the hem of his cloak, or the pendant about his neck, but that was just a habit. Sniffling softly, but not bothering to rub his nose, he continued to look at Natalie with thinly veiled concern.

She watched Justin drink his water, her own bloodwyne mostly gone by that point. Reaching back, she grasped her braid and brought it around, undoing the clasp that held it together, then slowly unbraided it, shaking it free so that it fell around her shoulders and face like a waterfall of liquid onyx. "I am merely tired, that is all," she murmured, her voice just loud enough for him to hear, but low enough to remain unnoticed by the other inhabitants of the tavern. Fingering the silver goddess ring on her pinky, she did something rather uncharacteristic, and drew her knees to her chest, resting the arches of her feet on the stool so that she was in the fetal position.

He nodded slightly, somewhat suspicious that there was something more, but he said nothing in case he was wrong. "I see. Then perhaps you should get some sleep?" He gave a much longer than normal glance at the cascade of hair, followed with an undeniably warm smile and a soft sniffle. "You…" he began, then let his voice trail off, unable to hide his worry any more. "You honestly don't look like you're just tired, you know. You look like something's really bothering you."

Natalie looked up and caught the smile, feeling something inside her almost break at it. "I am truly just tired, truly," she insisted, biting down on her lower lip and nodding to that. "It is nothing," she lied, trying to hide the sheer exhaustion in her voice and demeanor. Unable to stop herself, she began to rock back and forth, almost like an autistic child, her eyes going opaque and her skin becoming covered in goose bumps. A slow trickle of blood oozed from a previously unseen cut just below her left ear, sliding down her skin and pooling in the small crevice of her collarbone.

He raised an eyebrow and stood, eyeing the stick that leaned against the bar, before putting it into the sheath with the rest of them. He knew full well that the stick could almost be seen as a symbol for his personal barriers, as he put them away; it was no small thing. He reached around behind the bar and grabbed a cloth, then walked to Natalie, wiping the bit of blood from her ear, neck, and collarbone. "Nothing's wrong, hmm? I see. I think we're close enough that I don't need to be hiding the fact that I don't believe you for a moment that you're only tired." His words, though seemingly harsh, were spoken in a tone that rang with nothing but worry and compassion.

Continuing to rock back and forth, she trembled a bit from some mysterious cause, her jaw slack and her eyes unfocussed, her pupils dilated. The voices in her head did not give up, not even for a moment as she twitched almost convulsively, fighting desperately against the inevitable. She had held out for so long, so, so long. Through Darren's death, Casen's death and subsequent re-birth, through the pain of losing all contact with Casen, and then his brutal rape of her already ravaged body. The legal entanglements with the Hierarchy, the further involvement of Cetric in the act of raping her, the loss of her only dear friend, and now the most recent scary experience with Justin, as she bonded with him in such a personal and sexual way… her mind reeled and she gasped like a fish, a cold sweat breaking out over her skin. Blinking quietly, her eyes cleared somewhat and she looked at him, not entirely registering his presence. Her brain was fried and she could barely function; it was the onset of an emotional breakdown. Justin frowned slightly, not knowing what was wrong as he wrapped his arms around Natalie tightly, his mouth close to her ear. "Natalie, whatever's going on, I'm here." He let the worry show in his voice, confused as to what to do, as he was fairly certain that whatever was happening was not physical, despite the worrying cut below her ear. He knew full well that it was possible (though hopefully not likely) that she did it herself. "Tell me what to do. I don't know…."

Blinking quietly, she felt a few salty tears slip down her cheeks, leaving a shimmering path on her pale skin. "Here…" she repeated uncertainly, her voice shaky and confused-sounding. "To do, I don't know… don't know…" she echoed, blinking quietly and leaning against him, her brain now much. Just barely remembering who she was, she could not recall why she was on earth, whose arms she was in, and why he was talking to her. Something about him seemed wrong, though, and she half-struggled to pull away, the cut below her ear re-opening and her hand reaching down to her thigh for the knife strapped under her soft skirts. "Just to cut away the fog," she murmured, "It is thick; I need to cut it." She slipped her hand under her skirt and unsheathed the dagger, bringing it up to her neck quietly, her hand shaking. "Thick, so thick. Must cut through it. It is thick. It is choking me." Her words were almost slurred, though they had a scarily clear quality to them, as well, as she parted her lips slightly and placed the blade against her soft flesh. "To do, I don't know… I don't know what to do. Tell me. Tell me what to do, I don't know… I'm here… Thick. Too thick… to do… tell me… I don't know…" she whispered.

His eyes opened wide at the sight of the dagger drawn to her neck, and his right hand circled around her shoulders to grab at her arm, anchoring it and the dagger away from her neck. His other hand gripped the blade of the knife tightly, trying to wrench it free without hurting her. "Natalie… you don't need to do this. We can get through this. Let go of the dagger, we can get rid of the fog together without it." He forced his voice to be steady, replacing worry with a soothing calm as he did so. "Let me help you."

She shuddered and clung to the dagger, her skin white with the force of keeping it in her hand, her eyes open wide and staring blankly. "Need to do this… help you…" she stuttered, shivering and inhaling the sharp scent of her own blood from the fresh wound below her ear. "Together… help… together… get through this… together," she whispered, her skin iced and her lips almost azure. "The fog… get rid of the fog," she insisted, though she was merely picking and choosing from his words, subconsciously. The hand holding the dagger strained against him, moving to place the blade back against her neck.

Justin let his grip on the dagger tighten, not caring even though it bit into the skin of his palm, as he let his own blood flow along it, ensuring that his hand was between the blade and her neck. "Natalie, please… think about what you're doing. Please." Again his voice faltered, showing a hurried, worried tone, letting a tear fall from his eye as he pressed his cheek to hers, mouth almost directly at her ear. "It'll be alright, I'm here."

Trembling at his words, her eyes closed as she fought the fog, desperately battling, trying so hard. "Please… please… here…" she muttered. Trying to tell him that she needed him, that she could not handle this, she could only parrot him at this point, struggling to pierce the dense fog that had settled in her mind. "Love," she whispered, almost triumphantly, having spoken a word all her own. "Love," she repeated, bringing his hand to her heart, the hand still clinging to the dagger, her own still gripping the blade. A smear of both his blood and hers spread on her dress, right above her left breast, right over her heart. "Love," she pleaded.

He nodded. "I do. I love you, Natalie. But please… don't give in to this! Let go of the dagger, we'll get you through this. There are other ways of fighting, if you'll only let me help you. And I will help you, because I do love you." This last sentence was strongly accentuated, showing the truthfulness and the emotion behind it. The tear reached the point where their cheeks touched, and he barely seemed to notice the dagger.

She slowly, reluctantly released her grip on the dagger, grabbing his hand instead, holding it to her heart, the blood filling the crevices between her fingers, staining the light fabric of her dress, though she did not notice. "I do. I love you… through this… I do love you…" she murmured repeatedly, rocking back and forth, her eyes slowly opening though she was still not much better. The cut below her ear had stopped bleeding again, and her expression was vacant and empty, her skin pale as the snow and her voice strained and fuzzed. "Love you… I do… I do love you…."

Justin could not help but wonder to himself within the logical part of his brain if she was simply parroting again, or if she actually felt that way, but in his heart, he knew full well that she did. He smiled slightly and seemed to consider a few things. "Come on, we should probably get you to a more comfortable place." He nodded to his own words and did not pull his hand away, having barely noticed the clatter of the dagger on the hardwood floor of the tavern.

She tried to cut through the fog, to tell him that she loved him, but she could not. Her eyes closed with the effort of concentrating, but she could not find her own words through the fog; they were lost, hidden, obscured. "Come… come…" she murmured. She had not stopped rocking back and forth, and her pale skin was still burning cold to the touch, her words choked but soft. Fluttering open, her eyes still retained a glazed look, unable to focus on anything as she did not even register the sound of the dagger as it hit the wooden floorboards.

"Come on, let's get you somewhere where you'll have a back to rock against." He gave a wry smile, having absolutely no idea what Goddesses weighed, though it didn't matter, as he knew full well that he could lift at least a hundred pounds, and when needed, more. Removing his hand from her chest, forcibly if needed, he gathered himself, drawing in a deep breath of preparation before placing one hand behind her shoulder blades. He slid the other under her knees and lifted with carefully measured strength, giving his muscles a moment to adjust properly to her weight before trying to move over to the chairs.

She allowed herself to be raised and held like that, her body hanging limp in his arms. Due to flying and the necessity of smoothness in the air, Goddesses have hollow bones, so her weight was little to nothing, even with her beautifully crafted wings. With the absence of his hand at her heart, she gripped the fabric there, as if trying to squeeze out the stain of blood, though she desperately needed to cling to something solid. Her other hand shook and twitched, needing something to hold onto, to stop the constant shivering, the inability to control her actions while she was in that state. A faint tickle began to build in her nose, the beginnings of a series of sneezes, quite possibly the return of the cold due to her weakened emotional state and lack of meditation as of late. The fog thickened and choked her, her eyes rolling back in her head as she gave up fighting it, saving her strength to hold on to consciousness, not vision, as she deemed it more important.

Justin was pleased to note the lightness, giving a quick mental thanks for small things as he carried Natalie to a couch, setting her down gently and taking her hand in his. "There, a bit safer here, at least," he began, nodding slightly to his own words. "Now come on. Natalie, I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong, or how to help. I'm just not a miracle worker, I'm afraid." He sighed softly, not quite sure what to say. "Please, you have to tell me." Closing his eyes lightly, he took a seat next to her, still holding her hand.

She shivered slightly, her eyes closed against the darkness, and against the tickle in her nose that threatened to build into those tickly sneezes. Knowing the sneezes would interrupt her train of thought as she searched for the words to say, she tried desperately to fight them off in the suffocating blanket of the fog. "Sa… ahh… aahhetchhhoo!! Ishh… ishhhooo!! Heh… hehkisshh! Ishh!!!" Sneezing very wetly and not even having the ability to cover her mouth, the resulting spray landed on Justin, coating him with the shimmering wetness. Not moving or making an attempt to wipe it away, he remained there and kept his silence, waiting for her to continue. "Safer here," she trieda gain, trying to tell him that she was scared. "What's wrong… I'm afraid… I'm afraid," she repeated his words, frustrated that she could not use her own. "Please, please," she whispered, trying to ask him for reassurance of how he felt. Channeling all of her energy into one word, she stopped concentrating on breathing, or on her heartbeat, and managed to murmur a single syllable. "Love," she begged, her hand going limp in his own, though she still retained consciousness.

He nodded. "I do, Natalie. I love you; you know that." Smiling softly, warmly, he continued. "I want to help, but I don't know what's happening. Are you sick?" He tilted his head slightly, still not realizing that she had only repeated words that he'd said. The blood still dripped from his hand slightly, unnoticed as he looked into Natalie's eyes, trying to see past the haze and hopefully find some sort of answer that didn't require words.




Redemption Ch. 03



One night, a few days after a treatment, I woke up around midnight in pretty bad shape.

After I'd coughed up an insane amount of blood and goo, Annie packed me into her car and drove me straight to the hospital. She called Gavin to let him know. Her voice was shaking with fear as she talked to him and fought not to speed through countless red lights.

It turned out I had a blood clot, which required my first hospital stay overnight. Once they had me in a room, I was so drugged I didn't know which way was up. That's probably why I thought I was dreaming when I first saw my ex-wife Paige crying beside me. She was holding my hand, grasping it tightly, and murmuring some kind of prayer over and over again. I tried to reassure her, to make sure she was OK, but I found myself drifting instead back into darkness.

I knew I wasn't dreaming the next time I saw her. A nurse was standing over me, fiddling with my IV, and I recognized instantly where I was. When I spotted Paige standing nearby, anxiously rubbing her arms with her hands, I took a deep, strained breath and croaked, "What are you doing here?"

She moved forward, cautiously, and said, "Gavin was scared, and he called me. How do you feel?"

I blinked, realized I felt pretty crappy, and said, "Well, I've had better days." I tried to smile to soften that truth.

She came closer and slid her hand into mine. I tried to squeeze back. Everything took so much effort though. "Why didn't you tell me, Drew? Why?" she whispered. Her eyes were hurting. "When we had lunch, you could have told me you had cancer."

"Don't know. Just couldn't bring myself to," I managed before sliding back into the darkness again.

The next time I awoke, Paige seemed to be asleep in the chair beside my bed. Surprisingly, I spotted Annie in another chair, reading a magazine. She came over when I stirred and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. "Guess I owe you one, kid," I told her.

"Nah. You owe me a million. Seriously, I've never been so scared in my life. Don't. Ever. Do. That. Again."

"Yeah, I'll make sure I don't." I smiled, and it was easier this time. I wasn't so groggy anymore. I felt a little stronger, too. "So am I going to live this time?"

"This time and a long time, pal. You're not getting rid of us that easy," she said and smiled.

"Us?" I questioned, confused. She nodded toward Paige.

"I like her. A lot." She raised her eyebrows, as if that surprised her a little. "She hasn't left your side since they moved you to the room. She's been pretty frantic with worry."

I glanced at Paige, watched her sleeping, curled uncomfortably in the chair, and nodded. I couldn't help but remember the things I'd read in her journal. Despite the fact she'd cheated on me, she'd also seemed to genuinely care for me. "She's got a good heart when it comes right down to it. Always has."

"She does," Annie agreed with a nod. "Good people make bad mistakes every day, Drew. Know what I mean? It's how they redeem themselves that matters in the end." 

Redeem themselves? My eyebrows furrowed at the remark. I'd never really thought about it that way. I hadn't exactly given Paige any chances to redeem herself after her affair, but hell, she could have forced the issue if she'd wanted. Maybe all of this was God's way of punishing me for that while giving Paige her chance to repent. I thought about some of the things I'd learned from reading Paige's journals. There were times I hadn't been understanding and possibly even harsh. Maybe God was punishing me for not being a better husband. Who knew? I sucked at all of this God stuff. I sighed and started coughing like crazy. It startled Paige out of her slumber. Annie quickly lifted a cloth to my mouth to catch the mucus I excreted.

"What's wrong?" Paige demanded, scrambling to my side. Her eyes searched Annie's then mine. "Drew?"

"He's fine. He'll be fine," Annie assured us both. She pressed the nurse's call button anyway.

I had a fitful night, unable to sleep until the doctor came in to check on me around five in the morning. He assured me I was responding well to medication and that no other blood clots were evident. I should be able to go home soon.

"You'll have someone staying with you, right?" the young doctor asked.

I looked at Annie, who was looking hard at Paige and vice versa. Annie uncrossed her arms and said, "He won't be alone. Don't worry."

When the doctor left, Annie asked Paige if she could have a private moment alone with me. I had the distinct impression they were planning something together.

"So, I've been offered a chance to travel to Birmingham to work on the Ryder account," Annie began, smiling wryly. "I need to leave tomorrow."

"That's great. That means you're in line for a promotion." I smiled, genuinely glad for her. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"I know."' She suddenly looked very serious. "Paige will be looking after you."

"Paige?" I frowned. 

"She offered -- actually, she demanded that she be able to help out," Annie said. "I think it's a great idea. I gave her my key to your apartment and she's going to be staying with you until I get back."

I frowned harder. "I'm so glad you are both making plans about me without my consent," I scoffed. "I'll be fine on my own."

"No, you won't," she insisted in a firm voice.

"Dammit," I swore. "This isn't fair."

"No, probably not, but it is what it is." She turned and went to open the door. "Someday you'll thank me."

Annie left town before I was released from the hospital, and I had to rely on my ex-wife to shuttle me home. I repeatedly told her I didn't need her help, but she seemed determined to offer it anyway.

Finally, I said, "Really, Paige, no one expects you to still take care of me."

She had just helped me get settled in my bed. Her eyes glared at me. "Just shut the hell up, Drew. Just shut up about it. I took a vow once for better or worse, in sickness and in health. This is where I belong, and this is where I'm staying."

Something inside me snapped. "You already broke those vows, Paige. A long time ago. Don't try to pretend they still mean something to you now."

Her jaw clenched, but she didn't say a word. I recognized the glint of pain in her eyes and wished I could take it back. Even if I did mean the words. She sighed and looked properly chastised. "It's time for your medicine. You need to get some rest. You're not back to full speed yet."

And that's how it went for the next few days. I was a miserable patient, but Paige proved to be a tolerant, patient nursemaid. No matter how often I snapped at her, she never snapped back again. She simply kept quiet and made sure I had my medicine, food and got plenty of rest.

I felt well enough to return to work almost a week after being released from the hospital. Annie was still out of town, and when she called each day, our conversations grew shorter and shorter. I could tell she was preoccupied with her work account, but I also wondered if she was distancing herself from me because of Paige. Stepping aside, if you will. I decided to discuss that theory with Paige to see if she'd done anything crazy ... like warn Annie away.

Paige had been working from my dining room, which is where I found her that morning, buried up to her eyeballs in research papers. She looked surprised to see me dressed for work.

"Are you sure you're ready for that?" she asked, frowning. 

I straightened my tie and nodded. "I have to pay the bills somehow. Besides, I'm feeling almost normal again." I cleared my throat and smiled. "You know I can't ever express how grateful I am for what you've done, and I apologize if I've treated you rudely. You know I've always made a terrible patient." She smiled wryly at this but said nothing. She seemed to be watching me warily, so I continued, "You can go home now, Paige. I'll be fine on my own, and I don't want to be an inconvenience you any longer. I'm sure you miss your bed, your apartment, your privacy. Besides, Annie will be back tomorrow if I need a babysitter."

Her eyes and her smile dimmed. She looked away, focused on her papers. "I'll try to be gone when you get home. Do you mind if I finish what I'm doing first?"

"Of course." Our discussion about Annie could wait. I grabbed my briefcase and headed out the door. "Stay as long as you need." I was halfway to my car when I realized I'd forgotten an important folder. I hurried back to my apartment, opened the door and froze.

Paige had her head buried between her arms that were folded on my table. Sobs wracked her body. Loud, gut-wrenching sobs. Why was she unhappy now? I wondered almost in irritation. She should have been glad to get rid of me. It had to be the guilt again, I decided. I was sure the guilt was her motivation for everything she'd done for me lately.

"Paige?" I asked softly. She jerked up, frantically wiping her eyes. "Is something wrong?" she demanded. "Don't you feel well after all?"

I gestured toward the table. "I forgot something." Instead of gathering the folder, I walked over and placed my hand on her shoulder. "Are you OK?"

She nodded, but I could tell it was just out of politeness. "Oh, you know. Just silly hormones."

I nodded. If that's what she wanted me to think... I began searching beneath her papers for my own. She jumped to her feet and helped me look, mumbling apologetically, "I'm sorry, I know I shouldn't have worked here, I just --"

"It's OK," I assured her. 

Paige suddenly burst out into sobs, and I didn't have a clue why or what to do to comfort her. Hell. I hated it when women cried. I did the only thing I could think of -- what I'd always done with Paige in the past -- and pulled her into a hug. She clung to me as if I was a life raft and she was lost at sea. I begged her to please tell me what was wrong until finally she mumbled, "I'm so afraid."

"Of what?" I asked.

"You're sending me away again," she said between sniffles. "Is this it? Is this the last time I'll see you?"

I froze. Paige was so upset because I told her she could leave? That didn't make any sense. I'd treated her horribly the past week. I found myself feeling a mixture of irritation and compassion for her. There was no denying the reality that I probably wasn't going to be alive much longer. We both knew that. Was it so important to her that she make up for what she'd done to me before I died? Was that it?

"Paige," I said and tried to pull away. She wouldn't let me get very far. "I'm really confused by your actions here. Maybe..." I hesitated. "Well, maybe we should sit down and have a real heart to heart later. Maybe it's time we did that."

"I'm sorry," she said. "I'd like to have a heart to heart with you. When?"

"Maybe we could have dinner tonight, my treat for all you've done this past week. Say, I can pick you up at your place around seven? While I'm still feeling up to it."

She smiled and nodded. She finally let me go, stepping back and hugging herself. "Do you know where I live?" she asked, and since I had no clue, scribbled down the address for me.

It was hard to get through work as I anticipated the evening ahead. A thought had formed in my mind, and I couldn't seem to shake it loose. I remembered how much Paige had wanted a child -- how she might end up alone when I died -- and wondered if there was some way I could help her remedy that situation, while I still could.

Sleeping with her wouldn't solve anything. We hadn't had a child when we were younger, and I knew the chemo had possibly made me sterile now. Adoption? I'd never wanted to consider it before, but Paige obviously had. Would they let a single woman adopt? Maybe I could help Paige find a new husband, a man to father her baby. I knew some decent guys I could probably set her up with.

I was surprised at how much that thought suddenly hurt me again. Paige with another man still wasn't something I could handle, so I shut down the idea before it could take hold and wound me further.

It didn't help my sanity that Paige looked incredibly beautiful when I picked her up. I didn't like the emotions she roused in me, nor the memories of times when we were happy together. I took her to a nice restaurant, and we made small talk for a while. Finally, I told her, "There's something I want to ask you, Paige."

She looked wary. "OK."

"Why didn't you stay with Alan after I filed for divorce?" I'd read her journals and knew she'd written that she regretted her affair and felt she'd never loved Alan the way she'd always loved me, but she obviously had felt some love for the other man. Her journals up until now claimed she hadn't dated at all since our divorce. Why?

She tensed, but didn't look away. "Because I still loved you."

I took a deep breath and nodded. "And you've been staying with me -- why? Because you feel guilty and want to make up for what happened? Is that it?"

Her eyebrows pulled together. She looked sort of irritated now. "That's ridiculous," she said. "I mean, of course I'll always feel guilty for what happened between us, but that's not why I've stayed with you." Paige reached for my hand across the table. "I stayed because you needed me, and I love you. I've always loved you, Drew, even when it might not have seemed like it. I suppose some foolish part of me hoped that I could prove to you how much I still cared and you'd give me a second chance. I know you have Annie now, but..." She looked away and let the sentence hang between us.

I accepted her hand, grateful she'd confirmed some of my suspicions, and asked, "Did you tell Annie that? Is that why she's been staying away?"

Paige looked offended. "Of course not. She ... well, as much as I wanted to hate her, she's pretty wonderful, and she really cares about you."

I considered my words carefully. "Paige, you know I might die from this. In fact, I'm pretty certain I will."

Her eyes teared up. "Why? Has the doctor told you that?"

"Not in so many words, but he's told me it's a possibility." I squeezed her hand. "That's why it's important to me to let you know that...well, I forgive you. For everything. And I want you to be happy. If you still have a chance, any chance at all with Alan, then I want you to know I give my blessing. When all is said and done, I just want you to be happy, and it's not like we're still married."

She looked grateful, then shocked, and then angry all at once. "Alan?" She shook her head and pulled her hand free from mine. "Why do you keep mentioning him? Drew, don't you think if I'd wanted to be with Alan instead of you, I could have been with him these past two years?"

I had to admit it was true. Maybe guilt wasn't her motivating factor in all of this. Maybe...maybe she did still love me after all.

"Then I'm afraid I don't understand, Paige. Are you saying you've been hoping all this time that I'd take you back?"

She still looked angry, but at least she seemed to appreciate that I was only trying to understand her feelings, not judge her for them. "I suppose ... yes, I have been praying you'd take me back someday. I only stayed away because, like you said, I only wanted you to be happy. I'd just hoped you'd realize you were happier with me than without me. But you never called. You never tracked me down. Stupid of me, huh?"

"No, not stupid," I told her. "Not stupid at all. In fact, the reality is, I was happier with you than without you, but how could I have known, after what you did, that the same was true for you?"

She raised her hand to her face. "Oh, I made such a mess of everything." Wiping away her tears, she told me, "I've been miserable without you, Drew. The happiest days of my life were when we were married. I'm sorry if you ever doubted that, but I can't blame you if you did. I've thought a lot about how I'd feel if you'd cheated on me, and I think I would have reacted the same. Well, I might have killed you, your slut and then myself, but I would have been absolutely devastated. That's why I never begged you to take me back, because I understood how you must have felt." She glanced at me now. "Is it too late, Drew? Is there really no hope left for us?"

I shook my head sadly. "I don't think there is, Paige. If I were to survive this cancer, maybe, but..." We both knew my chances of survival were slim to none. 

"Is that the only reason?" Her eyes begged for an affirmation. "Don't you realize I want to be with you, even if you're dying, which I refuse to accept, by the way. You're too strong to let this beat you, Drew."

I sighed. If only it were that simple. 

She reached for my hand again. "Drew, I want to stay with you. I suppose it doesn't have to be the way it once was -- I mean, as husband and wife -- but I'd really love it if you let me move back in with you. Then, when you beat this cancer, you can decide if .... Well, you know what I'd like to see happen."

Was I crazy for even considering letting her back into my life in that way? I squeezed her hand, and nodded. Yes, I was crazy. I accepted that now.

"OK, Paige, you can stay with me, but no promises for the future. Understand?"

She nodded, and I smiled. The only problem was, what the hell did I do about Annie?



Redemption Ch. 03



"So what else is going on in the world?" Kieran asked sipping his brandy.

"The Africans have decided to officially close their borders to the Arabs...again." Darian said with an irritated sigh. 

"Idiots," Kieran sneered. "They're crippling their own economies." He paused thoughtfully. Perhaps there would be a way to work the current dispute to his advantage. ALG Inc. had been hungering to invest in a couple of African companies...

Darian chuckled starting him from his reverie. "I wouldn't count on it," he commented.

Kieran sighed. Darian was just as good at reading thoughts as Alexander was, and even better when it came to him.

"The whole thing is a power ploy. T'hatset seems to think that by sealing his borders, the Arabs will be isolated and come begging for the resources his kingdom has to offer and they'll sign a few exclusive trade agreements." 

Kieran shook his head. "You'd think that after all these centuries, they'd finally learn how to just negotiate." 

T'hatset had been the vampire king in Egypt for eons; an ancient pharaoh. He was the oldest vampire alive; even older than Alexander. However, as Ancient Egypt's dominion faded, the vampire pharaoh's kingdom also diminished. He currently ruled the continent of Africa, though at one time his rule had run north past Mesopotamia, pushing the borders of Western Europe. Kieran always thought he was a trifle mad. Spending several centuries revered as a god did those kinds of things to a person's grip on reality. 

"The council wants someone to go over there and smooth things over," Darian said. "I get the feeling that 'someone' is going to be me."

"Alexander would be better," Kieran said. "Everyone's talking about him again. I guess people forgot how old and powerful he is." 

"Well," Darian chuckled, "Alexander's a little busy these days."

Kieran snorted at that. Busy was one way to put it.

"I suppose it's my turn anyway," his friend sighed.

"Yeah, except T'hatset hates you. It's the blond curls and silver eyes. He's still pissed because everyone bowed to you as some, what was it ... ah yes, 'God of the Moon' all those centuries ago. That's a tough blow to someone who wants to still be revered as a deity."

Darian chuckled and tossed his head a little. "I do look more the part don't I? Perhaps they'll remember how much they liked me when I return to negotiate. It might give me a bit of an edge."

"Are you so eager to leave then?" Kieran asked feeling a slight twist in his gut. Even though there were times Darian drove him crazy, he'd been a father and a friend for more than a millennia. It was never easy to see him leave. Alexander would miss him, too. 

Darian's eyes glittered slightly; a sign that he was using his abilities. "Actually no. I have a strong feeling that I still belong here."

Kieran arched a brow.

Darian growled and rose to pace. "Angel's power is..." he paused, gesturing with his hands for the right word, "alarming. She sees things with far more clarity than I do."

"Alexander will take care of her."

"It's not that," Darian said pacing with even more agitation. "It's a feeling. I'm still...needed." 

Kieran stared at his mentor as he walked back and forth his silver eyes glittering and staring at something that only his eyes could see. He was used to Darian's moods, and he recognized when he was struggling to reconcile his 'feelings' with a proper vision. Sometimes the ancient vampire would spend days irritable and frustrated as he felt a 'tingling in his spine' that said something was going to happen, and yet have no clear vision about what it was. Today seemed like it was another one of those days.

The door to his bedroom opened, and the maids who'd been drawing Mara's bath silently departed, remaining as unobtrusive as possible. While he didn't pay much attention to them, Kieran's hyper-sensitive senses had noted them all the same the entire time they'd been in the bathroom with Mara. He resisted the urge to growl in irritation again at Darian's presumptiveness. If Darian wanted that mouthy woman so comfortable, why didn't he put her up in his rooms?

Suddenly he froze. It was like being in a head-on collision with a semi-truck; absolute devastation. The scent of clean flesh wafting behind the maids made his powerful body lock down. He clutched his brandy glass as his body reeled. It was pleasant and warm; slightly floral but not overpowering. It stirred something deep inside him; a growl, a need, a longing...desire. 

Mara.

Even thinking her name sent a little shiver of anticipation down his spine. She was fiery, demanding, and mouthy. He imagined stopping one of her tart comments; closing his mouth over hers, feeling the softness of her plump lips. He imagined the sweet flavor of her mouth, inhaling the scent on that lovely skin up close, feeling her softness under his fingertips. 

She'd fight him at first, but it would only make her acquiescence that much sweeter in the end. He shifted slightly as his body throbbed at the thought. Mara was a mix of dichotomies; prickly on the outside but the sweet scent of her flesh wafting through the air was soft and warm. She moved with the caution and deadliness of a trained warrior, but her body was curved and sensual. Her large brown eyes were calculating and sharp, but their color was warm and soft like a doe's. 

He imagined those eyes darkened with passion, her lips red and swollen from his kisses, her cheeks flushed with arousal...

"What has you staring off into space?" Darian asked interrupting his thoughts.

He grunted in response as he floated back to reality. 

"It's the girl."

Kieran rolled his eyes. Why did he ask if he already knew? Probably one of those old habits left over from long ago. When he was just a Little One, Darian had patiently raised him, earned his trust. He spent countless hours teaching him to harness his intense physical power, and impressed upon him a moral code, which he still lived by (well, sort of). When he was young and foolish, Kieran thought that when Darian asked him questions, it was because he didn't know the answers. He'd been so ignorant about his mentor's powers back then.

Darian continued to at him thoughtfully, his silver eyes flashing with his power. Suddenly his eyes widened and then he smirked a little. Kieran wondered what he saw, but after enduring centuries of moments just like this one, he didn't bother to ask. Darian would tell him if he wanted to.

"It's still a couple hours before sunrise," the blond vampire commented, rising suddenly. "I should probably make sure things are running well back home."

Kieran eyed his friend carefully. That wicked smirk was on his face and he looked stupidly pleased with something. Friendship with Darian was a blessing and a curse; moments like these when he grinned with the knowledge of a secret was the curse. It drove Kieran absolutely crazy, which of course, Darian knew.

"It's probably a good idea," Kieran replied blandly. Let the old bastard figure he didn't give a shit, which he really didn't. He had other things on his mind. "I need to check up on an investigation anyway. Angel's vision was about the abduction I was telling you about last night."

Darian nodded thoughtfully. "It has something to do with us, then."

He shrugged. "Perhaps. I get the idea that Angel and Mara shared blood, so it could be her connection to Mara, too. Mara was upset when it happened. Something about the whole thing struck a chord with her."

"I imagine it would," Darian agreed. "She was abducted, and by a very powerful and wicked vampire. Paola wasn't the type to treat a woman well."

Kieran grunted at that. He didn't want to think about what Paola might have done with her.

"The three of us would do well to earn her trust," Darian continued. "I've got a feeling about her."

"Oh?"

Darian smiled again and stood. "Yes. I've got a definite feeling about her. Keep an eye on her. Try to be gentle with her, and don't let her escape. She's still thinking about it."

"Don't worry," said Kieran grinning a little wickedly, "I have no intention of letting her out of my sight."

Darian chuckled and his eyes flashed playfully. Once again, Kieran wondered what had amused the old bastard.

"Well," said Darian. "I'll leave you to entertain your houseguest, then."

Kieran stood and escorted him to the door. 

"Remember about what I said about being gentle," he added in parting.

He rolled his eyes. He wasn't a complete monster. He knew how to get what he wanted out of a woman. 

When he finally shoved Darian out of his rooms, his shoulders slumped just a little in relief. Having his maker around set his teeth on edge. Sometimes he felt like the young rascal the ancient vampire had pulled off the street; foolish, living by instinct alone, uneducated, unrefined. Sometimes Darian treated him that way, too.

He went to the bar, poured himself another drink. Moments later the maids returned and listened to them as they bustled about in his bedroom chattering softly about the clothing they'd brought and giggling. He rolled his eyes. Women. He could hear slight splashing in the bathroom as Mara luxuriated in the water and growled a little again. His place was going to smell like her now. 

Just great.

He paced and tried to focus on something, anything but the woman in his bathroom lying naked in his bathtub. Her caramel hair clinging to her face... 

He swore and poured himself more brandy downing it with a gulp, allowing the burn in his throat to distract him. The maids were talking to her again, their voices echoing in the bathroom, but it wasn't their voices he was listening for. He smiled as he heard Mara growl at their offer to help her 'wash.' For a moment he pictured her glorious, muscular body as the water ran down her curves tracing her sleek form. He wondered if she'd turn down his offer to 'wash' her. He downed his drink in two quick gulps. What the hell was wrong with him?

Irritably he pulled out his phone. 

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

Alexis awoke snuggled in soft sheets. Her thoughts were foggy and her body was slightly numb as though she'd emerged from a deep sleep. She tried to roll over and look at the clock to see what time it was. It seemed like she'd been sleeping for a long time. God. She hoped she wasn't late for work. This would be the third time this month and her boss had already had the 'talk' with her. Even thinking about him made her groan. Why were all office managers slimy little weasels?

"I like that sound," said a dark voice near the foot of her bed. 

Alexis froze. A man? In her bedroom?

"You'll make more music like that for me tonight, won't you pretty one?" the voice purred. For as much as that voice sent shivers of terror down her spine, it was beautiful. She couldn't remember hearing a more beautiful male voice.

She felt the mattress dip. Suddenly she panicked. Her bedroom wasn't nearly this dark normally. She reached out to grab the covers and pull them over her naked frame. Satin? She didn't have satin sheets.

Oh shit. Shit. 

The car. She remembered the car. She remembered getting into it even when her mind screamed that she didn't know either man. It was like she couldn't resist their command. She began to pant as she recalled the drive. They way they ripped her clothes away and surveyed her like some piece of meat; determining her value. She wanted to fight. She wanted to scream at them and struggle, but she'd just sat there. She just sat as one man twisted her nipples painfully and ran his fingers down her front right into her dry sex. He fished around in her folds tearing and bruising the tender flesh with his fingers, with a look on his face that seemed more intent on assessing her worth than the fact that his fingers were worming through her most private places.

Still she just sat. Her mind screamed at her. Move. Fight. Scream. But she didn't. She just sat. She sat as the other man chuckled and started fondling her. She allowed them to move her as they pleased, thrusting their fingers in every intimate place commenting on her size and tightness. When she saw the fangs she decided that she truly was in a nightmare; and she screamed as the man bit into her groaning and sucking her life away. But the scream was only in her head. She couldn't do anything. It was like watching her own rape from outside her body. 

"Come back, pretty one," called that dark voice. He was closer now. He'd crawled over her body. From the weight pressing around her, she could tell he wasn't small.

"No," she cried in fear, grateful for the use of her voice. Finally!

She felt his body rumble with a growl and even though it was pitch black she saw a flash of something. She froze in horror. That flash was a pair of glittering eyes.

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

Mara had never had "help" with a bath before. She growled at the maids as they tried to towel her off and took the towel and did it herself. What was it with these rich idiots? Couldn't they even bathe themselves? 

"Here miss," said one of the maids, staring at her warily.

"You got me a change of clothes?" Mara asked, staring at the pile of garments for a moment. 

The woman nodded mutely. 

Mara chuckled at her wide-eyed stare. She guessed that most women in this place were a little more mild-mannered than she was. She dropped her towel and donned the nice, lacy lingerie and then a pair of charcoal wool pants and a long-sleeve, cream cashmere sweater. For a brief moment, she longed for a pair of ratty, body-hugging jeans, but she decided that she just couldn't spend another night in those bloody clothes, and she wasn't sure what happened to all her other stuff. Maybe Kieran's people had managed to salvage her things from her SUV. She bit her lip, she wasn't too sure if she wanted to ask him for anything, though. Men like him always extracted a high price for their services. 

She stared at her reflection in the mirror and smiled just a little. She did look nice. 

"Would you like to try the shoes, miss?" asked the maid holding a pair of strappy heels out proudly. Mara guessed that they had been encouraged by her pleased smile when she looked in the mirror. Looking at the shoes, though, she shook her head.

"No way am I wearing those things. It's flats or boots, girls," she said in her 'don't argue with me' tone.

"Umm," said the maid uncomfortable once again. "We'll have to look for a different pair, then."

"You do that."

"Would you like me to dry your hair, miss?" the other tried eying her even more warily. It was pretty obvious that her prickly attitude made them uncomfortable.

Mara growled irritably. "Look. I know you're trying to be helpful and everything, but this whole pampering thing just isn't me. I'm sorry. I'm just an air-dry no makeup kind of girl." 

The maids nodded and left without another word leaving the strappy heels on the counter.

Mara ran her fingers through her tresses slightly scrunching the strands to bring her natural waves into play. She flipped it to one side, frowned and flipped it to the other. It didn't look right. She ran the brush through it, straightening it out, then scrunched it then smoothed it. Growling at herself she ran her fingers through it, teased it at the scalp and turned away. It annoyed her even more when she peeked at herself as she walked out and smoothed her hair down with her hands. 

What the hell was wrong with her?

Yeah. Who was she kidding? She was as nervous as hell to leave the relative security of the bathroom to face...oh shit. She'd masturbated in his bathtub! How in the world was she ever going to stare him straight in the eyes again? She peeked at her reflection in the mirror and sure enough, her face was beet red.

Growling at herself, she squared her shoulders. Since when did she get embarrassed? She'd been through hell and back. She'd face him like she had all the other shit life had thrown her way; head on. She stepped out of the bathroom and took a deep breath to calm herself. 

Bad move. 

Her entire body throbbed as she took in his scent. It was incredibly strong in his bedroom; the musk of his skin, the spice of his cologne...oh my. His smell alone overwhelmed her senses and made her hands shake. 

So much for 'head on.' 

Good God! Why did he affect her this way? 

Fear. That's it. Fear, she reasoned to herself. She felt this way because he frightened her. He could hurt her just like Paola, right? 

Yeah, right. 

If she was so damn afraid of him, why did she get off imagining his lips on hers? Why was her groin warm after just smelling him? 

She swore at herself silently. Crushing on Kieran; bad idea. Remember?

With the purpose of a soldier, she marched into his living room with her most serious 'I'm so not putting up with this shit' stare on her face.

And she stood...

And waited...

Kieran completely ignored her and talked on the phone, pacing. She wasn't stupid enough to assume that he was so focused he didn't know she had emerged. No. He was just ignoring her like the rude, good-smelling bastard that he was. She wondered what was so important and strained to hear the caller's words. 

"We've found the owner of the vehicle; human. Car reported stolen three days ago."

Kieran snarled at that angrily. "Surveillance video from the bank across the street?" 

"We're working on enhancing the images."

"What about the woman?"

"We have one woman reported missing today so far and she doesn't fit your description. However, it sometimes takes a few days to realize grown, single people are missing."

Kieran took a breath and nodded his agreement.

"Sir," said the voice. "Have you considered this wasn't a kidnapping at all? Perhaps she knew the vampires and she has already returned home and to her work."

He seemed to think about that.

Mara wanted to run over there and snatch the phone away from him. Angel dreamed about this woman! Angel saw the poor girl's abduction; no more than saw, lived through, and he was about to blow this off like it was nothing? Not only was that beautiful woman being tortured, but Angel was being tortured vicariously! 

"I have good information that leads me to believe this was a kidnapping, and that the woman is being tortured, maybe used for blood and sex," Kieran said. "Keep working on it."

"Yes sir," was the reply.

Kieran ended his call and for a moment he didn't move at all. His body was rigid, tense, almost like a spring ready to snap. Then he took a deep breath and turned around to look at her with that same superior and irritated expression he always had.

"No trace huh?" she said trying to keep her tone neutral.

"No."

"The café owner might know her," she suggested.

"My people are working on it." 

"Yeah. Your people seem so bent on finding her that they question if she's even been kidnapped," she snapped in return.

"I train them to question everything."

Mara growled.

His eyes flashed and he took another breath as if trying to calm himself.

"Are you hungry?" he asked. 

She wanted to deny it. She wanted to turn down the rest of his 'hospitality,' especially after the bath, but she couldn't resist. Even though the idea of getting sustenance from this arrogant prick irked her, it had been a few days since she fed. She was getting weak.

He didn't wait for her to respond. He took two glasses from the cupboard and opened the refrigerator; it was full of blood bags. It seemed the powerful vampires had their own personal donors; they didn't have to rob blood banks to get what they needed. Seeing all that blood neatly stored away made the vampire in her growl with hunger.

"How many humans do you guys keep here?" she asked trying to hide her desperation.





Redemption Ch. 03



"Quite a few," he admitted, "though not all of them are donors. We still need to keep things running during the day, and several of us have families who have served us for generations."

"Including you?"

"No. I have no problem functioning during the daylight hours," he admitted. "Most Old Ones like me don't need human servants; many have just grown accustomed to them."

"But you don't need anyone," she said guessing where this was going. 

He glared at her, his dark eyes flashing. "Exactly."

He handed her a glass of blood and gestured for her to sit on the couch. She did as he asked and took a dainty sip, though her body was screaming to just chug the whole glass. 

"You're hungry," he said quietly as he sipped his own glass.

She nodded, trying to maintain her manners and keep her hands from trembling with need.

There was a long pause as he seemed to struggle with something, almost like he was forcing himself to do something he didn't want to. 

"I'm sorry. I should have offered you something yesterday."

Mara froze mid sip. 

An apology? From him? 

She almost scoffed, but that small relaxation of her guard sent her body screaming in hunger. She couldn't help herself. She took a deep gulp from her glass, trying not to growl with animalistic desire, but she was just too hungry. She chugged the entire thing, swallowing desperately, whimpering in frustration at her body's weakness. It wasn't something she wanted to show, especially not to him. 

She pulled the glass from her lips and took a shuddering breath to gain control again. Staring at the glass she remembered her time with Francisco; he'd kept her on the verge of starvation all the time. It was one of the many ways he broke her resistance down; never knowing when her next meal would come made her desperate and careless. How he'd loved it when she got careless. She remembered looking into those shadowed eyes in despair as he held a tiny cup of blood for her, those evil eyes taunting her wickedly.

"I've been treated worse," she whispered shuddering.

"I know you have," he said just as softly. "Like I said before, I know all about you...Natalie."

Mara felt her body surge and her heart pound. It was a jolt of awareness and a connection to him; the power of knowing someone's real name. She hated that he had this power over her. She glared at him angrily. 

"Don't call me that," she snapped. "You don't have the right. Only my friends get to call me by my real name."

"You're a little limited in the 'friends' department," he replied his dark eyes regarding her thoughtfully. "Being the accomplice to a serial killer does that to you."

Her gut twisted in hurt and then anger. God she hated him. More than that, she hated that he was right. 

"Go to hell," she snarled standing angrily, her eyes blurring with tears of anger. 

"Sit down and settle down," he said his voice outwardly calm, but she could sense something more boiling just below that serene façade. This was a man driven by some internal flame; a beast that he kept carefully caged.

Mara stared at him warily. Just like a wild beast, he was unpredictable and untrustworthy. She sat back down eyeing him cautiously. 

"I didn't mean to upset you," he added. "I was just making an observation."

"Yeah, well maybe if you'd 'observed' half of what I have, you'd know to keep your mouth shut."

His dark eyes flashed for just a moment then he looked away. "How little you know about me," he mused swilling the blood in his glass thoughtfully. He looked at her empty glass and stood. Without a word, he refilled it and handed it back to her.

Mara couldn't resist the second glass, either.

"Better?" he asked when she finished.

She nodded mutely.

He stared at her with an inscrutable face, his dark eyes thoughtful and piercing at the same time. Mara felt urge to squirm like a kid in the principal's office under his gaze. She wished she knew him better. She hated not being able to anticipate what he was thinking or doing. Being a weaker vampire forced her to be observant and to anticipate her opponent's moves before he made them. Getting close enough to Kieran to anticipate his moves, though, might be very dangerous. 

"My people are working on tracking the girl, and I'd like to check on a few things. You seem to be interested. Would you like to come along?" he asked.

Mara stared at him for a moment in shock. Was he serious?

"If you'd like to stay close to Angel, you may, too," he said quickly, obviously misreading her stare.

"No," she said suddenly. "I want to go with you."

He gave her a strange look, and suddenly she felt like she needed to explain further. Her statement did sound a little odd if you considered it from the perspective that her body was responding most inappropriately to his. She guessed that he could smell her arousal with those incredible senses of his. 

"I sort-of feel like this is my fault, like I should have stopped it in the first place."

"If you remember, you were being held prisoner."

Technically, she was still a prisoner, wasn't she? That was beside the point. 

"Just because you would have tried to stop me doesn't mean I shouldn't have tried to intervene. I know exactly what a kidnapping victim goes through, and I didn't have the balls to stop one happening right in front of me." She stood angrily. "I shouldn't have given a shit about you and what you would have done, but I did. I have every intention of remedying my mistake as soon as possible."

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

Kieran couldn't help but smile as she stood angrily; a mix of dichotomies indeed. Her will was so strong, and her body was so weak. She hated that he had control over her just like Paola, but he could smell her desire. He hadn't been amused by a woman in a long time. This might just be an interesting night after all.

"As you wish," he said standing as well. "You might want to put some shoes on, though."

Her eyes flashed suddenly. "They were supposed to bring me a change of shoes."

"What was wrong with the ones they brought in the first place?"

"Heels," she replied. "I don't do heels."

He chuckled. "Well, you will tonight; that is if you still want to come along."

She growled softly and then turned and marched back through his bedroom. He chuckled as he heard the click of one shoe on the tiled floor of his bathroom and then another click. She marched back through his rooms with a determined face, her caramel hair waving wildly about her shoulders and back, and he resisted the urge to laugh in her face. She was the only woman he knew that could make walking in high heels look like she was in military boots.

He offered her his arm in a gentlemanly manner, but she stared right back at him stubbornly. Her face was flushed a little, and he guessed it was anger. Right. She wasn't the type to want to be taken care of. He shrugged and grabbed her arm, probably a little rougher than he should have, and dragged her down the hallway. If she wasn't going to be a lady, then he didn't have to be a gentleman. 

He pulled her along to an elevator and pressed the button that led them back downstairs to the area beneath the opulent mansion; the place where things got done. As they stepped out, people gave him a questioning look; until four hours ago, Mara had been a prisoner. He wasn't going to explain it to them and they knew better than to ask.

Mara seemed to notice the odd stares and looked up at him with a questioning gaze of her own. He stared right back at her with his most intimidating glares, smiling in satisfaction when her breath hitched just a bit. 

"This way," he said grabbing her arm again. He probably didn't need to be so harsh, but somehow she brought out that wild and predatory part of him that he had spent centuries trying to keep leashed. To her credit, she didn't miss a step, even in the high heels.

"Lord Montasse," said his surveillance specialist as he bowed. "I just got the video cleaned up, if you'd like to take a look."

Kieran nodded and with a firm hold on his 'prisoner' he watched the tape.

"That's from the bank across the street?" Mara asked quietly.

The vampire looked at Kieran for direction; he knew she was a prisoner, so he wasn't sure if he should answer her. He gave a slight nod. 

"Yeah," he explained. "The footage isn't great, though."

"It wouldn't reveal much anyway," she replied. "You've already found the vehicle was stolen."

The vampire arched his eyebrows at her.

They watched the video in silence. It showed the vehicle pull up and it gave a decent shot of the vampire who got out on the street side, but he was wearing sunglasses and it wasn't easy to identify any of his features. The only thing that was obvious was that the woman got in the vehicle without a struggle. Kieran sighed. He and Mara had seen more than the video had to offer.

"Are you checking all the surveillance videos down that street?" Mara asked again. "Maybe if we knew where she came from, and what direction the car came from we could learn more about the victim and her captors."

"You mean leap-frog her down the street?" asked the tech thoughtfully.

"I've never heard it called that before, but, the term makes sense," she replied. "Yeah. It might help us figure out where she came from, you know? Did she take a cab? Where from? Those kinds of questions. The more you know about the victim the better. Usually kidnapping victims aren't random. I'd be willing to wager that those guys had been watching her for a while. They seemed to be very comfortable with her evening routine."

Kieran looked at her thoughtfully. Even after being twenty-years removed from the FBI, she obviously still knew her stuff.

"Have you ever been part of a missing person's investigation before, Mara?" he asked.

"You have my file. Didn't you read it?" she asked.

He sniffed in amusement. She surely had a knack to annoy him, but for now, he found her prickly manner rather endearing. It was like seeing a little kitten who believed that it was a tiger. "Indulge me. I seemed to have glossed over a few sections."

"I did my internship with a guy in the Bureau who was a genius at finding missing people. It was helpful when I got assigned to hunt Francisco. Sometimes he'd kidnap his victims before he--"

"Francisco Paola?" interrupted the tech with huge eyes.

"Yeah."

"So that's how he caught you," he mused. "Paolo was one fucked up SOB." 

"Tell me about it," Mara agreed. Her face darkened somewhat and she shivered, as though mentioning his atrocities somehow brought her pain.

To his surprise, Kieran felt something in his chest twist as he watched her sink into awful memories. It enraged him, and suddenly he wanted to lash out with righteous fury and completely obliterate anyone who made the woman beside him hurt in any fashion. He had to take a deep breath and will his fangs back before he made a complete ass of himself in front of his own people. He wondered at his sudden protective instincts. Why the hell did he care?

"Anyway," Mara said, taking a deep breath to shake off the darkness of her memories. "I think you need to investigate your victim some more. I think your 'leap-frog' idea might give us more answers than this surveillance video."

The tech looked uneasy again and he glanced from her back to Kieran. It was obvious that she was making sense to him, but the vampire knew who was in charge. 

Kieran nodded at his unspoken question. "Do it."

"It might take a little bit," said the tech as he began to type furiously on one of the many computers that surrounded him. "I've got to make some calls and get access to the systems that aren't on a network."

"Whatever needs to be done," Kieran said. "Increase the scale of the investigation to manage it. I want answers by tomorrow night."

"Just out of curiosity," Mara interrupted again, "have there been other disappearances like this reported in the last several months?"

The tech looked at her thoughtfully. "That's not my job," he admitted. "I just get the videos and clean them up, but Remy might know. He could do a data search of the FBI and police reports, too."

"You can access the FBI files?" she asked in amazement.

Kieran chuckled. "There are some perks to being around for centuries, having the best technology happens to be one of them."

"Can we go see Remy?" she asked her beautiful brown eyes glittering with excitement. "I just want to make sure there isn't a pattern here that you've been missing."

"We haven't been missing anything, Mara," said Kieran. "Humans aren't our business. I'm mostly doing this because of Angel, and because I was curious."

The excitement in her face died. "So you really don't give a shit, do you?"

He stared at her for a moment. There was so much he wanted to admit to her; his reasons for initiating the investigation when they got to the mansion the night before, how he found her intriguing, that he was aching to crush those soft lips of hers with his...

And for those very reasons, he answered angrily. "No."

She started as though he'd slapped her. A multitude of emotions played across her expressive face; disbelief, confusion, hurt, and then finally anger. 

"You may not, but I do. Angel shouldn't have to see those kinds of horrors her visions. People, even humans, shouldn't have to suffer at our hands. Just because you're the heartless prick in charge doesn't mean I'm going to look the other way!"

Kieran glanced at the tech who was very studiously staring at the computer screens before him. Not that it mattered. Everyone in the room heard her. He'd beaten the shit out of people for this kind of disrespect; of course, lately no one in their right mind crossed him. He could feel the tension in the room. People expected him to put her in her place. They knew she was technically a prisoner, though her status as Angel's best friend muddied those waters a bit. 

"Since I am the heartless prick in charge," he said keeping his voice dangerously quiet, "I'm not going to let you bother Remy this close to sunrise." He glanced at the room of hard-working but definitely listening vampires. "Let's take a walk, Mara."

He grabbed her arm roughly again and dragged her out of the room and back into the elevator. This time she managed to stumble a little on the high heels, but it just made him angrier. 

"Let me go," she snarled when the doors closed, trying to pull her arm from his grasp. "You're hurting me!"

"Don't even play the delicate female, Mara," he retorted. With lightning speed, he grabbed her other arm just as tightly. "You have a nasty habit of playing with dangerous animals, woman." He couldn't stop himself this time as his fangs grew with his anger. "You think you can run that mouth of yours in front of my people? I do not tolerate insubordination, from anyone!" He shook her roughly to emphasize his point.

Her eyes widened a little in fear, but hardened in anger. "You are the most arrogant, self-centered bast-- " 

Kieran didn't wait for her to finish her sassy retort. Since he wouldn't beat her into submission, he settled for the next best thing; he closed his mouth over hers, swallowing her angry words. 

Mara froze in shock; her knees locked like a startled colt's, her breath caught in her throat. 

Those beautiful, startled eyes staring into his, made what he'd intended to be a kiss of dominance, change into something entirely different. It was like the chains he kept on his beast suddenly broke, and with a primal growl, he kissed her with forceful, passionate abandon. With the release of his beast, his super-developed senses overwhelmed him. Her plump lips were like warm, soft velvet against his. With each panting breath, he drowned in her sweet scent. His bared fangs sliced her lips, combining the sweet taste of her blood with the maelstrom of sensation that threatened to overwhelm him. 

In a haze of passion, he was vaguely aware that she whimpered against his mouth and struggled violently against him. She tried to knee him in the groin, to twist from his crushing grasp, but he wouldn't let her. In a blur of movement, he pushed her against the wall of the elevator and pressed his body firmly against hers feeling her feminine curves even through his suit. He slipped his hands down her arms, grasping her wrists and forced them over her head locking her wrists one hand, so the other was free to roam her body. 

She squealed again when his fingertips caressed the outside of her breast and struggled like a hellcat, unwittingly creating delicious friction between their bodies. Kieran groaned, but didn't release her. She was too sweet, too intoxicating. He'd never wanted a woman so much. 

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

She was drowning, drowning in his heat, his passion, his body. He filled her world up like some dark god, his wrath and his desire overwhelming her. His mouth tasted like him; spicy, musky and something so incredible she could only call it sin. She could feel his rigid cock against her stomach as he pressed into her, and it felt like a fiery brand between them. Her body responded to his in the most primal way, liquefying at the core and saturating the air about them with the scent of her arousal. 

His free hand wormed its way between their bodies and caressed her heated thighs, stroking over her sensitive flesh through her wool pants. His touch sent a jolt of sensation through her body, it was pure lust, pure need, and she pressed against his fingers, longing for more. 

She couldn't fight it anymore. Part of her wanted to be strong and stand up to this arrogant and powerful male, to make him see that she was a creature worthy of respect, but as his lips devoured hers, she found herself unable to resist. She whimpered in frustration. She hated being over-powered, yet despite herself, she moaned in supplication and relaxed her body against his, arching into his caresses. 

He returned her soft moan with a dark, sexy growl. Even in a daze of passion, she could appreciate the sound. That noise alone could melt a stronger woman than she. After eighteen years of torture, she knew how to be strong; she knew how to resist. But this was different; this was unfettered passion, desire, and lust, and to her it was absolutely irresistible.

The hand that restrained her wrists released them, and gently traced its way down her arm, her side, to her thigh and behind to grasp the flesh of her ass. She arched against him again and kissed him back for all she was worth, opening her mouth to mate her tongue with his. Yes, she was definitely drowning.

And then a strange noise pierced her fuzzy haze. It was the sound of doors sliding and then a tiny gasp.

Several things happened at once. Kieran's lips tore from hers and in a blur of movement, he quickly turned around and shielded her body with his. A dangerous growl erupted from his chest and his body tensed to spring.

"Lord Montasse!" gasped the intruder. "Forgive me!"

The interruption was enough. Mara's heart pounded, her breast heaved with her deep breaths, and body tingled in all the right and wrong places. She leaned her head back against the wall and shut her eyes.

She'd almost begged him to fuck her. Dear God! What had that man done to her? 

She was so consumed with her thoughts that she didn't realize that the intruder had quickly departed, and that Kieran had not turned around for several moments. When she finally got herself back into the picture, she found that Kieran was still standing in front of her, his body tense, though it was a completely different kind of tension.

"Mara," he began. His voice was deeper than usual. "Are you all right?"

She swallowed a couple of times before she could answer him. "Yeah."

There was another long pause.

"It's almost sunrise," he said at last, his voice calm and cool once again. "We need to get going."




Redemption Ch. 03



She didn't argue. She didn't have any fight left. She simply followed him back down the hallways towards his rooms. She wasn't stupid enough to believe that the passion they'd shared in the elevator was going to follow them. No. It was obvious that in centuries of life, Kieran had learned to reign in his passions very quickly. He was probably thinking the same thing she was; huge mistake. 

He opened the doors to his rooms, though this time she paused at the threshold. "Kieran," she began in quiet protest. This was not the best idea, especially not after their kiss in the elevator, but she didn't really want to fight with him again. The energy to do much of anything was draining. Sunrise was very close.

"Don't worry, Mara," he said in the same cold voice. "I'm not going to touch you."

"No," she tried to explain, "It's not..." she stumbled over her words. She squared her shoulders and tried to give it another go. "Look, I just don't think..." 

He turned around and stared at her, those dark eyes glittering like black fire.

"You're coming in," he said in a dark, deadly voice, "you're sharing my bed."

There was absolutely no room to argue with a statement like that, delivered like that. 

Without a word she walked inside.

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

Thank you SO much for being patient with me. Working has sucked the creativity out of my soul lately. However, I'm on vacation this week and the chapter sort of just popped out. I'm going to do my best to keep things going! Please don't forget to vote and send me feedback. I really do live for your comments!

-Elianna



Redemption Ch. 03



When the door opened, Brian stepped inside and immediately wrapped Annabelle in his arms. Seeing Kendra in such a state had incited a need to see Annabelle, to be sure she was safe. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing in her scent.

"Brian, what's wrong? Is everything okay?"

Brian leaned back to smile reassuringly at her, but when he looked into her eyes, he was lost. She was so beautiful, and he couldn't resist bending down and brushing his lips against hers. He felt his desire flare and deepened the kiss, his tongue delving gently into her mouth. 

Annabelle wrapped her arms around his neck as she felt his hands slide to her waist and pull her closer. She nibbled at his lower lip and that was his undoing. She found herself pressed against the door as he ripped her blouse open, felt his growing erection against her stomach. 

Running his hands over her breasts, he pulled his mouth from hers just long enough to whisper, "Can't wait anymore, baby. I need you. Now." With that, he yanked her jeans and panties down her legs. 

Brian dropped to his knees and pressed his mouth against her mound, savoring the moan that escaped her lips. He pushed her legs open, sliding his tongue between the folds of her wet cunt. Abruptly, he slid two fingers inside her dripping hole as he bit down gently on her clit. She came hard, her hoarse cry echoing throughout the house. 

Wanting more, Annabelle tugged at his hair, pulling him to his feet. She unbuttoned his pants and reached for his zipper, but he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. "Baby, are you sure?"

Annabelle gently pulled her hand from his, sliding it slowly down his chest. She pushed his pants and underwear down as she whispered, "fuck me" in his ear. Brian's control snapped completely and he grabbed her ass, lifting her up and thrusting inside her in one smooth motion. She moaned and dug her nails into his back as he ground his hips against hers.

Annabelle wrapped her legs around his waist and Brian knew he wouldn't be able to last very long. He began thrusting hard and deep, resisting the urge to bite and mate with her as she moaned. She felt his cock swell as he pressed his thumb against her clit, taking her over the edge with him. 

For a few moments, the only the sound that could be heard was their harsh breathing as they tried to regain composure. Slowly, Annabelle's legs slid down his thighs until she was once again standing. Brian pulled out of her, and leaned down to brush small kisses against her shoulder. 

"Sorry. I didn't exactly plan for that to happen. And certainly not like that for our first time." Brian was mentally kicking himself for not having better control of his desires. 

"So you've been planning on seducing me?" Annabelle smiled as she teased him. "Took you long enough."

He grinned at her. "From the first moment I saw you, Anna." 

"You have nothing to be sorry for. That was wonderful."

They began pulling their clothes back on and Annabelle held up her torn shirt. "You owe me a shirt, mister. If you wanted it off, all you had to do was ask." 

Brian rolled his eyes and pulled her back into his arms. "I'll buy you all the clothes you want, but I kind of like you like this." He smiled wickedly as he traced his fingertips over the soft mounds of her breasts. Annabelle arched into his hand, closing her eyes at the sensation. He teased her for a moment before pulling away. Her eyes popped open.

"Hey, I was enjoying that."

"I know. There will be plenty of time for that later though. Right now, I need to talk to you." She looked slightly concerned as she walked to her bedroom to grab another shirt. When she came back to the living room, he was sitting on the couch and she dropped down next to him.

"Okay, shoot. What's going on?" Annabelle decided he must be getting ready to tell her he was a werewolf. 

Brian shifted uncomfortably in his seat, trying to find the right words to begin. "Well, I guess there is no easy way to say this, so........" He turned to look into her eyes, wanting to see her reaction. "Anna, I'm a werewolf." 

He watched her closely as she sat there in silence for a moment. Her face showed surprise, but she didn't look scared. He felt like something was not quite right, but couldn't put his finger on it. Finally, she looked at him.

"Alright. What does that mean for us?" 

Brian frowned at her. "What? You don't think I'm crazy? You're not scared?" 

Annabelle sighed. As much as she wanted to tell him everything, she couldn't. However, she could tell him at least part of the truth. "I've known about werewolves my whole life. My parents were even friends with a few. I grew up around them."

"Have you known what I was this whole time?" he asked gently.

She nodded, biting her lip nervously.

His eyes narrowed, "So we could have done all this," he motioned toward the door he'd just taken her against, "a lot sooner?"

"You're not mad? And why are you telling me this now? Have you found your mate?" She stood and began pacing back at forth, trying to tamp down the surge of jealousy at the thought of him being with someone else. "Did you just fuck me after finding your mate? Why? Is that your way of saying goodbye? I know all about mating in the werewolf community! You used me!" She stopped and turned an accusing gaze on him. 

He leaned back against the couch, regarding her lazily. "Yes, I found my mate. If you think you could stop yelling at me, I'd be happy to tell you all about her."

"What make you think I want to hear about some other bitch? Are you crazy?"

Brian grabbed her arm and yanked her down on his lap, pinning her arms to her sides when she tried to hit him. "Anna, look at me, honey. Hey." He placed one hand under her chin, lifting it until her eyes met his. His heart broke when he saw tears in her eyes. "I don't ever want to hear you talk about yourself like that again. You got me?" 

Annabelle's eyes widened in shock as she realized his meaning. "You mean.....I'm your.....mate?"

Brian saw excitement in her eyes for a brief moment, then horror replace it. He was confused. She acted jealous when she thought he'd found someone else, then for a second had seemed happy that she was his mate. Now she was horrified? Repulsed? His wolf howled mournfully at the thought that their mate may not want them.

Annabelle leapt off his lap, realising that he would never mate with her once he found out the truth. She strode purposefully toward the door, determined not to let him see her cry. Opening the door, she turned toward him. 

"I'm very flattered, but I can't be your mate. Please leave now," she said in an even voice.

Brian was shocked. "What the hell is going on Anna?"

"Look, I have my own reasons. I can't mate with you. Ever. There are just some things you have no clue about. If you leave now, I might still have a chance. Please just go."

"A chance for what? Are you in some kind of trouble? Tell me what the fuck is happening here!" he demanded, coming to his feet. 

Annabelle just shook her head. She couldn't trust herself to speak. Brian saw fear in her eyes, but surely she wasn't afraid of him? He walked to the door, stopping brushing a red curl away from her face. Cupping her cheek, he bent and brushed his lips against hers. 

"I'm here when you're ready to talk. Just a phone call away. I'll leave you alone for now, give you time to adjust. But I'm not walking away for good. You're mine. Always will be." With that, he left, hurt and angry.

Annabelle closed the door, then leaned against it, tears rolling down her cheeks. She would have loved to spend the rest of her life with him, if it were possible, but it just wasn't. She had a job to do and she must complete the assignment no matter what. The phone rang and she took a deep breath before answering it.

"Hello?"

"You sound like you're crying my dear. The sex didn't look like it was that bad." The man on the other end of the line, chuckled, enjoying her obvious distress. "Just wanted to remind you, again. Make sure the job gets done." There was a click as the line went dead. She slumped in a chair and buried her face in her hands. No, there was no way she would ever be able to be with Brian. The thought hurt her to the very core.



Redemption Ch. 03



Boy Rayne's taste was still in her mouth, the thick... surprisingly sweet warmth sliding down her throat as she stared wide-eyed at Master Lucien. Boy Rayne had slipped from her grasp, dived to the floor, and had fled... again.

She had no time to feel disappointed at his continued fear of her. Master Lucien rolled over, his legs entangling within the satin sheets as he tried to leave the bed. He fell to the floor with a grunt.

Rayne watched, her mouth gaping, as he gripped a chest of drawers near the round bed and hauled himself up, a confused scowl firmly planted on his beautiful face.

Getting his feet beneath him, he rose like a lurid, sinful god. Temptation incarnate. Completely naked. His hair was a tangled mess over his face, multifaceted gold cascading over lean rippling muscles, the contrast beguiling. His chest heaved with every breath as he clumsily reached for a black bottle. Using a rough hand to push back his hair, he tipped his head back, wrapped his lush lips around the opening to the bottle, and began gulping deeply.

Rayne nibbled her lower lip, wondering what was in that ominous looking, black bottle. It had a grinning skull with cross bones emblazoned on it.

Master gave a little choked cough and grimaced, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. Licking his lips, he turned his head and pinned her in place with the weight of his ice-blue stare.

He looked different. His eyes had a slightly reddish tinge surrounding the pale-pale blue, and he wavered a bit on his feet.

"Fuck," he hissed looking back into the other room before frowning back at her.

He looked down at his glistening cock... still wet from her saliva... and some of Boy Rayne's cum.

His lips parted, eyes widening as he swiped at the pale pink fluid with one finger. He stared at it confused.

Rayne felt her face heat. What if Master Lucien did not want her to pleasure others. But she was a slave—an un-owned one. She had no collar of ownership.

"Master," she whispered, longing filling her. If only he would accept her as his personal slave. She wanted to belong to him... ever since he'd awakened her with a kiss on Arboria.

He was still rubbing Boy Rayne's cum between his fingers looking confused. Did he not know what it was?

He looked at her, his brows pinched over his nose just before his mouth and jaw popped open with a gasp.

Rayne gave a little yip of surprise when he practically flew across the wide round bed to grip her arms tight. He hauled her up against him with one arm as he swiped at the corner of her mouth with the fingers of his other hand. Apparently, she had a droplet of semen there too.

"What were you doing? Did you get sick, baby? Did... did Boy do something to you?" His eyes darkened momentarily and his lips pulled into a hardened line.

Rayne bit her lower lip. "Sir, no, sir. I..."

When she didn't say anything else, his scowl intensified. "You what?"

She felt her cheeks burn. "I just wanted to please you, Master... and Boy." His face became blank, though his eyes, the color of a winter storm, bore into hers. Rayne took a deep breath. "He was tasting me..." Master Lucien flinched. A ghost of emotion flickered in those mesmerizing eyes... but what? Pain? Arousal? Anger?

"Go on," he said, tone devoid of any feeling, as if he'd closed himself off.

Why?

"He... I think he liked how I tasted, and then he tasted you—"

Rayne's heart slammed into her throat. Master Lucien's face filled with rage. So much rage.

She curled into a ball, whimpering, when he let her go, fully expecting him to beat her into a bloody pulp.

She wasn't sure what she'd done wrong, but she would learn her lesson and never do it again.

A loud crash in the next room followed by a feral snarl had her snapping her head up again.

Oh-no. Master was going to punish Boy Rayne.

The Merulian had put its mouth on his cock. Lucien stormed into the living room, tossing aside a table and lamp before leaping over the rounded seating area.

So great was his rage, the thought that he'd been touched while unconscious by some-thing with a cock blinding him.

How many times... how many fucking times had he awakened to find his swollen shaft being devoured by Malvano or one of his disgusting friends, hands and feet tied. They'd taunt him, pump his cock before shoving their fingers up his ass and force him to... 

He was almost upon the battle pet, hands itching to wrap around its slender throat, when a flash of silken black knocked him to the ground.

Electric blue eyes registered before Lucien landed a punch to Devon's face. His fury ratcheted higher.

Devon did not remain docile this time, and answered Lucien's right hook with one of his own.

Luke felt the inside of his cheek split. He gripped his twin's throat, needing to throttle him as the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth. Devon broke Lucien's hold with his forearm, just before slamming his forehead into Lucien's nose.

Stars burst before his eyes as he heard the bone crunch and heat bathe his mouth and throat.

Reeling from pain, he opened his mouth... and sank his fangs into Devon's meaty forearm.

His brother howled, giving Luke intense satisfaction. Short-lived satisfaction, however, because he began to gag on the bitter taste of Devon's demon blood.

A swift knee to his balls had Lucien rolling over in agony, finally releasing Devon.

Damn. When had the stupid fuck learned to fight dirty?

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" his brother panted.

Lucien could only moan, curling into a tight ball waiting for the excruciating pain to subside. He was sure his balls were lodged up somewhere in his throat.

Someone was sobbing and clutching at him, covering his face with tears and kisses.

"Master," Rayne wailed. "Oh, my poor beautiful Master."

She was yanked away.

"Don't touch that sorry piece of shit," Devon snarled.

Lucien began to pant and looked to the side. The sight of Devon with his arms wrapped around his girl had him seeing red.

Fuck—my girl? He closed his eyes. He'd been hit in the head and his jewels had been kneed into his gut. He was temporarily insane. Yeah. That was it. Had to be.

He looked at Devon again, noting that one eye was swollen, the corner of his lip busted open, and a chunk of meat almost ripped off his forearm.

Lucien grinned up at him from the floor, almost laughed at the sight of the damage he'd done to that pretty face, but then sobered.

Boy.

Oh-god... Boy.

He'd wanted to hurt him. He'd really lost his mind. Not Boy's fault. The memories. Those horrid memories Lucien tried to keep locked in the darkest recesses of his mind. All those inner demons had sprung loose, blinded him, made him see black, made him crave to kill.

Lucien grimaced as he rolled over onto hands and knees, his gaze searching for the battle pet. He stopped cold when the sight of the open doorway to his quarters arrested his attention.

With a pained whimper, he closed his eyes, letting his power out.

Devon was trying to soothe Rayne's hysterical crying, but Lucien blocked them out of his thoughts.

Cold metal and humming wires filled with scorching power lashed through him. His power continued to flow out... searching. There were many scents and tastes, male, female. Lucien fought the urge to throw up with every feel of male essence he had to traverse in order to find... 

"Boy," he whispered when he finally tasted the slightly salty-sweet flavor of the battle pet's spirit.

Terror sent a spike of adrenaline through him, making Lucien's back arch as he gasped, pressing his bloodied face into the white carpet surrounding his seating area. The terror wasn't Lucien's. It belonged to the battle pet.

Terror, heartbreak... heartbreak?

Boy Rayne raced... raced down flights of stairs, sometimes tripping, falling. Pain shot up Lucien's legs, radiating from his knees as he felt everything Boy Rayne felt.

More than anything, he wanted to teleport to him and... what? What would he do? What could he do?

He'd terrified the poor battle pet enough. Appearing before him might do more damage than good.

He saw Boy slam against the door in the stairwell and burst down the corridor leading to the envirolevel. The end of the corridor was blocked by a trio of reapers. They'd been laughing and talking amongst themselves until Boy skittered around the bend and slid to a stop before them.

Boy curled his hands into claws, taking a deep breath and letting out a feral roar that would put Seth's to shame. Spit dripped from his bared fangs as his chest rumbled in a continuous savage growl.

Lucien gasped at the fierce fury mingled with abject fear coiling through Boy Rayne. He would kill. Yes. He would attempt to kill the reapers blocking his path... and they knew it too.

Fierce and beautiful as he was, the battle pet was no match for a death angel... much less three.

Silver eyes went black in a blink as three pairs of jet-black wings began to spread behind the reapers backs.

Lucien did not think of the consequences when he teleported right over the reapers, taking them by surprise when his body dropped on them from above.

The envirolevel doors slid open as Boy Rayne scampered over them and disappeared through the foliage.

Blades pierced Lucien, three, sinking deep into his body before Devon ripped him from the midst of enraged death angels.

Lucien's blood gushed, covering the gleaming black floor in a river of crimson.

"No," Devon roared, gathering him in a crushing embrace.

Lucien wanted to resist his brother, but shock rushed through him, the edges of his vision turning white. The pain. God-the pain, it was as though the fires of Hell consumed his flesh. He tried to gasp for breath and couldn't., tried to exhale and blood gurgled in his throat instead.

The realization struck along with an irresistible urge to laugh hysterically. He was going to die. No one recovered after being run through by a death angel's sword.

Well, fuckin hallelujah to that.

Devon continued to howl in misery even as Lucien grinned and tried to focus on the bewildered faces of the three reapers.

"He surprised us," one of them argued.

"We didn't mean to kill him, honest," another said, worry in his tone.

Summoning the last vestiges of his strength, Lucien raised both fists... and saluted the reapers with double fuck-you fingers.

Now if only he could knee Devon in the nuts, he'd breathe his last with a gleeful laugh.

Unfortunately, he hadn't any more strength. The awesome salute to the reapers dropped as he felt his eyes roll back in his skull. Even his head became too heavy to hold up. Lucien sagged in Devon's arms willing to embrace the increasing darkness.

All reality was fading, a peaceful fog of numbness permeating his very essence.

Yes—he sighed in ecstasy.

"This isn't over yet, Luke. I'm never letting you go. Not again"—Devon growled in his mind.

Heat engulfed him, anchoring him in his body. Not letting go. Another body pressed against him from behind.

The thought of the demons having found him again flitted through his mind, filling him with terror, but the scent of ocean storms and angels assured him his brother still held on tight.

"I've got you, little one"—Devon whispered.

The sound of a heart beat in his ears. Heat, almost burning him, suffused him. Darkness was banished by Devon's glowing eyes.

Lucien blinked as his brother's face came into focus, but then his vision swam when his head was jerked back courtesy of a fist pulling his hair. He opened his mouth to protest but fire poured down his throat.

Lucien jerked. The black spots dancing before his eyes began to dissipate and he found himself staring into Remi's dragon-green eyes.

What the fuck?

Panic had him flailing, managing to actually backhand Remien Fyre and whack Devon in his nose with his forehead.

Scrambling away, he slammed into one of the curved walls in the corridor. Desperately, wide-eyed and panting now, he grappled behind himself before realizing he could no longer summon Lucifer's sword, so he fisted his hands instead, ready to tear apart whoever approached.

How the hell had they brought him back from the brink of death?

"Why the fuck were you kissing me?" Lucien spat at Remi.

Remi flashed his fangs with a snarl. "As if, jackass."

"Luke, we were only trying to help you," Devon said.

A river of dark, almost black blood flowed down Devon's lips and chin. Good. His twin had a broken nose.

"They ran me through with their swords. How the hell am I still alive?" Lucien asked next.

The last time he'd been resurrected from death after being run through by Seth's divine sword, he'd awakened to find himself pinned face-down beneath a four-hundred pound, eight-foot, green demon, his poor ass cleaved in two by the grunting creature.

Lucien began to hyperventilate, blinking rapidly, almost expecting everything around him to burst into flame and everyone morph into laughing demons welcoming him back to Hell. They had a sick sense of humor like that.

Devon shook his head, eyes widening when he saw what Lucien was thinking. "No. I've forbidden the reapers to use their divine swords in Alpha 7. You're fine now, Luke."

"Why the hell did the dark prince attack us?" one of the reapers demanded. Their swords were still unsheathed but lowered.

Devon's subsequent snarl had Lucien startling.

"Don't ever call him that again," he said in a savagely inhuman voice. His eyes were blazing, face covered with black veins as his fangs elongated through equally jet-black lips.

Fuck. The son-of-a-bitch had finally lost it... just like that.

The sight of Angel teleporting in front of him had Lucien taking a step back. The tiny blonde female wrapped her arms round him, her body pressing against Devon as she tipped her head back.

"My love," she whispered, her hand cupping his jaw.

Devon's demonic eyes looked down at her, and the change was instantaneous. He blinked and became human again, the fire in his eyes all but disappearing.

Lucien's jaw dropped. His twin brother was definitely riding the edge of insanity... and his mate held the switch.

Interesting.

Lucien realized Zak, Seth, Rowie, Anniel, and Ashriel had also appeared in the corridor. Ashriel's eyes were mere slits, moving from Lucien to Devon, his entire seven-foot bulk coiled tight, ready to spill blood.

Anniel gripped his arm, giving him a quelling look.

Ashriel only growled, his blazing silver eyes returning to regard him and his brother with suspicion.

Lucien scowled. He didn't have time for this. Turning on his heel, he sprinted into the envirolevel. The rays of the setting sun blinded him, but it didn't matter. He could still feel Boy Rayne.

The beautiful man had wanted to kill him... and the pretty girl... what had she done to him?

Boy Rayne ran until he was waist-deep in the lake. Water sprayed all around and then he dove beneath the cool water. Using his new hands and feet, he swam, going farther and farther into the bejeweled depths of the lake. To his surprise, he discovered an underwater garden. Plants of every color and shape danced and waved lazily within the turquoise realm. It was all so pretty. Too bad it did nothing to assuage the horrible pain lancing his two hearts.

Boy stopped swimming and let himself sink to the bottom. The second his knees settled on the glittering pale pink sand, he let out a sob. It startled him, that not only could he breathe beneath water, but that... he was crying. He hadn't cried since he'd been smaller.

He settled down within the softly waving fronds of bright green, blue, purple and fuchsia, laying his cheek over his folded arms.

Why had Master Lucien wanted to kill him? Was it because of the girl?

He frowned and turned over, staring at his now deflated cock. Had she broken it? Why had he spewed that thick pink fluid? What was it? He had felt pleasure, like he'd never felt before—so intense. His entire body had seized, his balls had tightened and he'd felt... like he was about to die as his cock spewed copious amounts of fluid that seemed to come from the very depths of his entire being.

The whole time, she'd swallowed around his cock, swallowing him hungrily until his eyes had crossed, unable to breathe because... because Master Lucien had his mouth filled with his hot wet tongue.

Boy shuddered and watched warily as his cock began to fill and rise again.

Okay. So at least it wasn't broken, though, why that comforted him he wasn't sure. The girl. She'd tasted so... good. And Master Lucien... 

Boy stuck his newly grown index finger into his mouth, closing his eyes, reliving the moment he'd pressed his tongue against the thick shaft of flesh. He never realized human flesh could taste so... he had no words to describe the incredible flavor. His nipples had begun to tingle and his feminine opening ache as he took a second lick of Master's cock, but then his tongue had tangled with the girl's and his own cock had jerked hard. He'd wanted to snarl at her, flex his muscles to show her... what? What had he wanted to show her?

Why had he acted so strangely? Boy Rayne felt so confused.

Master Devon had teleported Rayne into the children's playroom, shouting at Alluna to stay with her.

Master Zak had zapped out of the playroom with Master Devon in a flash of golden fire, leaving the children and Alluna gaping.

Rayne just stood there, still sniffling, the sight of her bloodied Master Lucien still fresh in her mind. Both men had unleashed brute violence against each other. Why?

Alluna rushed over to her and hugged her tight. "What happened? Why are you crying?"

Rayne wiped at the corners of her eyes as Alluna leaned back to look into her face with concern.

"Master Devon and Master Lucien were fighting," Rayne answered in a low voice so the children wouldn't hear.

Jazriel, Devon and Angel's toddler ambled away from a little black-winged baby pumping her legs excitedly on a blanket. The baby girl rolled over and regarded Rayne with wide silver-grey eyes from beneath a mop of chocolate brown curls.

Alluna turned away from Rayne and tried to get the babies to resume playing, but all eyes were on Rayne. Two identical boys with blood-red tresses sniffed at her, their obsidian eyes blinking rapidly—Remi and Rowie's twins.

Jazriel continued his approach, electric-blue eyes glowing as his platinum curls bounced around his shoulders.

Alluna managed to convince her daughters to amble away toward a pool filled with multicolored orbs.

Rayne watched, feeling mesmerized as the inhumanly beautiful child, named Jazriel, came closer. He seemed to float, extending his hand out to her. He was going to touch her... reaching... for her face.

Alluna startled Rayne when she suddenly grabbed baby Jazriel.

"No-no, sweetie. Remember what momma and dadda said about doing that."

Jazriel pouted and gripped his pudgy hands together. He sent Rayne one last longing stare before going back to the cocoa-skinned baby flapping her fluffy wings. She let out a squeal of pure delight when he finally settled beside her.

"You two go on and play too," Alluna said a bit nervously, trying to shoo away the little red-haired boys.

One of them bared little fangs at Rayne.

"Ky," Alluna gasped in outrage.

His identical twin brother frowned and smacked the back of his brother's head.

"Kaden," Alluna scolded before admonishing both of them.

Ky surreptitiously rubbed the back of his head, big black eyes full of tears as he stared at his brother with a quivering lip. Kaden's scowl faded as he looked at his pouting twin. Both boys grabbed each other in a heartfelt hug.

Alluna stopped talking, seemingly captivated by the love the babies showed one another.

Both boys released each other at the same moment and turned to run into the pool of glowing multicolored balls along with the little golden-haired triplets. Squeals and laughter ensued.




Redemption Ch. 03



Alluna huffed a sigh of relief. "I hope no one else has babies for a while. These are a handful as it is."

Rayne blinked and looked at the babies playing and laughing.

"Are you okay?"

Alluna's question startled her. She dropped the hands she'd been smoothing over her flat belly unconsciously. Alluna looked at her questioningly. "Has Lucien..." she licked her lips, her caramel skin taking on a pinkish hue. "Has he bedded you?"

Rayne looked down, blinking rapidly. "He—" Images of Lucien pinning her with his body, his fingers shoved deep inside her. "I don't... I'm not certain."

Alluna looked confused. "Did he...?" The girl's face flushed deeper. "Did he put his man-part inside you?"

Rayne chewed the inside of her cheek and then shook her head. "No."

Alluna blinked her big golden eyes. "Oh."

Rayne looked back at the babies. Jazriel seemed to be the oldest. At least he was the tallest, followed by the red-haired twins, and then the golden-haired triplets. The little winged baby was the youngest, but grew in leaps and bounds every day. At the moment, Rayne observed how she was struggling to sit up. Jazriel helped her and she grinned wobbling a bit before toppling over with enormous surprised silver eyes. The baby pounded her fists on the red blanket, showing displeasure instead of crying.

The little one had her mother, Anniel's coloring, but was clearly a reaper like her father, Ashriel.

Rayne placed her hands over her belly. She'd seen how the father's of these children interacted with them, saw the way they kissed and looked upon the mothers with something akin to adoration.

Jazriel was like an angel, the twins were little dragon shifters as were the three baby girls Zak and Alluna had spawned.

"If I were to conceive from Master Lucien, what manner of child would I give birth to?"

When Alluna failed to answer, Rayne gave her a questioning look. The girl had gone pale, her slim hand at her throat.

"You want him to get you pregnant?"

Rayne couldn't help but pout. She wanted more than that. She wanted Master Lucien to claim her... want her. If she became pregnant, bore him children, he might.

"Yes," Rayne sighed full of longing.

Alluna gulped. "Well... have you told him that?"

Rayne's hopes diminished a bit. "Should I? Wouldn't it be better to surprise him?"

One of Alluna's dark brows rose. "Oh, I'm sure he'll be plenty surprised. But you should ask him first."

"Did you ask your Master?"

Alluna opened her mouth and looked away blinking. She frowned and began to nibble a nail on her index finger. "Uh, actually I don't think I ever did. It just kind of happened."

Rayne grinned. "Then, there you go. I'll just let it happen."

Alluna put her dainty fingers over her lips to hide a smile. "You need him to put his man-part inside you for that."

Rayne frowned. No one had ever explained to her exactly which of her holes would produce the much desired miracle. And then she gasped, remembering how she'd swallowed Boy Rayne's cum. What if she became pregnant by him?

He was sweet and very beautiful too, but she was more attracted to Master Lucien. Besides, Boy Rayne was terrified of her. She thought she'd managed to break through his terror, but he'd bolted from the bed seconds after unloading in her mouth.

"Are you okay?" Alluna asked touching her arm.

"I... I swallowed Boy Rayne's cum."

Alluna's eyes widened. "So the battle pet is male?" She snorted with a frown. "I just lost my bet with Master Zak."

"What?" Rayne asked in confusion.

Alluna shook her head. "Never mind that. Did you just say you swallowed his..." Alluna looked behind them and drew Rayne farther away from the babies. "Did you say you swallowed?"

Rayne nodded and replied, also whispering "his cum. It was pink and tasted sweet."

Alluna's jaw dropped. "Dragon cum is sweet too. Did his man-part get even bigger and... and pointy?"

Rayne frowned in confusion and was about to say no, but Master Zak's sudden appearance behind Alluna made both women jump. He wrapped his arms around his female and growled in her ear. "Man-part? Really, Alluna? I'm disappointed baby."

Alluna bit her lower lip, staring at Rayne wide-eyed.

"What is it called, baby?" Zak whispered huskily in her ear.

Alluna gulped, her face going scarlet, "B-but the children M—"

"Are not paying attention." He seemed to roll his hips against Alluna's ass. The girl let out a breathy moan. "What is it called?" he asked again.

Alluna sighed once more, "My big molecular vaporizing canon."

Zak began to chuckle, shoulders shaking with mirth. "You're such a dirty, naughty-naughty girl," he growled, wrapping an enormous arm around Alluna's waist. "As soon as the babies go to sleep you're getting a paddling on that gorgeous, round ass of yours for teasing me knowing I'd have to wait to take you."

Alluna's eyes widened and she cleared her throat before saying sheepishly, "But, Master, it's our turn to mind the babies while the other couples have some mommy-daddy-time."

For a moment, Zak frowned. "Remi won't be able to have mommy-daddy-time with Rowie tonight. They can babysit."

"What's wrong with Remi?" Alluna asked turning in his arms with a worried frown.

Zak grinned and began cracking his knuckles. "Nothing... yet." He grinned evilly.

Rayne felt perplexed with the whole conversation, especially when Alluna gasped and with a little stamp of her foot demanded, "Don't you dare. Zak. Don't hurt Remi. His mate will be furious with you and turn your entire wardrobe hot-pink again."

Her outburst shocked Rayne, and she cringed inwardly as her gaze swung to the giant golden weredragon.

Instead of unleashing his wrath upon his unruly demanding sub, Zak blushed deeply and rubbed the back of his neck. "Maybe I can ask Seth."

"Not if you want me to castrate you, Goliath."

Rayne turned to see the silver-haired weretigri walk into the playroom.

"We need to talk," he said to Zak. "Alone."

Two days. Two days had gone by and Boy Rayne avoided him like the plague.

Lucien let out a frustrated breath. He needed to leave already. Devon and Seth kept calling him to their strategy meetings. They needed to get the plan to sneak him to Earth ironed out. If only Lucien didn't feel this overwhelming sense of... guilt.

And Rayne. He'd almost passed out when Zak announced that she wanted Lucien to impregnate her.

He raked both hands through his hair, inadvertently pulling at it because he hadn't used his hygiene unit or bathed in the two days he'd been waiting for Boy to come out of the water.

He sniffed his underarms and grimaced. Human sweat. Years of using a hygiene unit were beginning to fade making him smell like a real man again. Real man smell sucked.

"Hey, sexy."

He turned with a frown. Amadashiel had the uncanny ability to sneak up on him repeatedly.

He narrowed his eyes as she sauntered over to him.

Most times he just teleported away. He knew she wanted him, could smell her aroused scent no matter where he vanished to. She certainly was persistent, he'd give her that, but Rayne's decision that he be the father of her future babies had weirded him out. Big time.

"Ooh, so serious," Amadashiel purred, settling her gloriously nude body next to him. She made sure to position her legs so that her plump, pink pussy was on display. She was wet and swollen for him. "You're so fucking hot, Luke, but then I'm sure you've heard that a million times, right?"

Lucien tore his eyes from the enticing sight of her cunt to look at her silver-grey eyes. Dark blond hair lifted with the breeze as she licked her lips, her eyes focused on his half-erect cock.

What the hell. He was a man after all, but even though his unruly dick had a mind of its own, it didn't dictate his life.

She grinned even though he kept his expression stony. Reaching up, she tucked one side of her hair behind her ear, retrieving a slender red object she had perched there.

Lucien tried to remain expressionless until with a flick of her finger she lit the cigarette and took a long drag.

Her eyes rolled back and she held her breath before letting it out in a rapturous sigh. "Damn, that's good shit," she whispered.

Lucien gaped. "Is that dragon weed?"

She smirked, her eyes already glassy, "Wanna hit, pretty-boy?"

Lucien blinked. It had been forever. "Fuck-yeah."

She put the glowing red dragon weed stick between her lips and pulled another long drag. This time, Lucien watched as she almost consumed half the stick.

He was about to protest her not leaving him barely anything when she sprang forward and sealed her mouth over his. Her breath shot into him and Lucien inhaled deeply, closing his eyes.

The fiery smoke lit him up from the inside. A wave of pleasure hit him hard, making him instantly erect. He inhaled deeper, harder and it hit his brain, lit his eyes, opened his senses.

Singing. He heard singing and opened his eyes to behold thousands of Dominatio flying, playing along the grass, swooping into the water. They seemed not to notice him or Amadashiel sitting there... well except three of them. Lucien immediately recognized the two cherubs that constantly harassed him about accepting a divine sword. They stared at him, looking sad. The one hovering near Amadashiel looked angry.

Lucien grinned at his two. "Why the fuck do you look so sad?" he laughed. "Does it bother you to see me happy?"

He tried to swat them away as though they were annoying flies, but Amadashiel caught his flailing fists.

"Hey," she laughed.

Lucien laughed too, his eyes going over her again. "Hey," he growled with a smile he hoped looked as perverted as he tried to sound. He licked his lips and lay back invitingly, spreading his thighs for her.

She dove for his dick in the blink of an eye. Lucien hissed in a deep breath before snatching the dragon weed stick she'd dropped.

The girl reaper rubbed her face all over his cock, breathing him in deep. "Oh-god—you smell so fucking good," she exclaimed with a moan of delight.

Should he tell her he hadn't seen to his personal hygiene in the last two days?

Amadashiel groaned and sniffed his balls before licking them reverently.

Nah—he thought taking another drag from the dragon stick.

The sun turned liquid, showering everything around them in golden molten light. Lucien laughed and stuck his tongue out to taste it. Light filled him making him gasp. Light. It poured from his eyes and pores. Lucien groaned when Amadashiel took him to the root. He was glowing, splendorous light radiating from his body. Looking down at the girl reaper, he could see his cock in her throat. It was glowing too, but she... the corona of fire around her was splotchy with dark shadows. He narrowed his eyes and looked at the shadows closer.

Horror gripped him, making him grab her by her hair and jerk her away.

"Ow. What gives?" she said rubbing where he'd pulled her hair. "I know you like it rough, but don't damage my pretty hair."

Lucien blinked. Had he actually seen—

He blinked repeatedly as she reached over and took the dragon weed stick from him.

Lucien—Seth snapped in his head.

:Gotta go, baby," he said standing slowly. The dark shadows buzzed around her like flies. One landed on her lip and she licked it into her mouth. "But I didn't finish my treat," she pouted.

The shadow buzzed out of her nose again making his stomach churn with nausea. Some of the flies were settling on her cunt that no longer looked pink, but grayish green and rotted.

Lucien stumbled back with a frown. That's when he noticed Boy Rayne standing at the bank of the lake. Golden fire glowed around him too, but behind his back, to Lucien's astonishment, were wings of fire. Some of the cherubs were gathering round him, smiling gently down upon him. One of them reached out to touch him, making Lucien take a step closer.

Boy Rayne turned away and dove back into the water.

He still looked angry and... hurt.

"I'm so sorry, baby," Lucien whispered.

"No problem, sexy. We can fuck later," Amadashiel said blowing out a plume of smoke.

He hadn't noticed before, but the smoke smelled like... cinnamon and fire.

Luke—Seth shouted into his mind.

Lucien teleported into the one-hundred-eleventh floor conference room. It was their favorite place to convene.

Everyone stared at him wide-eyed.

Ashriel snarled, banging a meaty fist against the matte black table. "Is it not enough I must endure your hedonistic tendencies in the envirolevel, must I also have to witness your depravity during our strategic meetings.

Lucien had no fucking idea what he was talking about, but was too busy staring at the amazing display of bright white fire glowing all around the enormous reaper.

"Wow," was all he could say stupidly.

Yeah. He should look away now, but it was hard. The fire was mesmerizing, and this time there were no dark shadows buzzing around.

"Pretty."

Oops. did he say that out loud?

Ashriel almost made it across the table before Devon stopped him.

Oh. Look. His brother was glowing even brighter than Ashriel. Just like Boy Rayne, he had wings of fire. Only Devon's took up almost all of the space in the room.

"Damn," Lucien huffed looking at the immense wings fanning behind his twin.

He strode up confidently to Devon until his face was mere inches away from his.

"You know... me and you look nothing alike. I'm blond," He plucked a ribbon of satiny hair from his brother's shoulder. "You're hair is blacker than Lucifer's asshole." He chuckled at his own joke. "Are you sure we're twins?"

Devon just stared at him, poleaxed.

After a heavy pause, Ashriel muttered, "He's lost his ever-loving mind."

Remi leaned in close, staring into Lucien's eyes.

The bright fire surrounding Remi fascinated Lucien too.

The red weredragon snorted, obviously fighting not to grin. "Did you smoke dragon weed?"

Lucien laughed, taking a step back. "Whoa."

Devon gripped Remi's upper arm, swinging him around to face him. "Damn-it, Rem. I told you not to do it."

Remi raised his hands and laughed. "They were harassing me. I had to do something to get them off my ass."

Behind them all, Zak began to guffaw.

Lucien, feeling better than he ever had, threw his arm around Remi's shoulders. The red weredragon stiffened and stared at him wide-eyed. "Leave him be, Dev. The man scored some really good shit. You should try it."

Devon looked horrified, maybe even a little disgusted. Meanwhile, Zak's howls of laughter reverberated throughout the room. Even Remi had doubled over, laughter overtaking him.

Lucien wasn't sure what was so funny, but the laughter was infectious. Soon tears were tracking down Lucien's face from how hard he laughed. It was only when Remi smacked Luke's ass did he realize he'd forgotten to put on clothes.

Well, damn. That made him laugh harder. He fell to his knees, bring Remi down with him. The asshole thumped his head on the floor and rolled around.Lucien had to look away or split his ribs wide open from laughter. Through the tears that leaked from his eyes, he noted the girls looking at him with worried frowns—Angel, Anniel and Rowie. Seth... well, when did Seth ever not frown.

Okay—he thought to himself— time to get serious here, Lukey-boy.

Even Remi was beginning to catch his breath and pull himself up from the floor.

Wiping his eyes, Lucien straightened and tried to get himself under control. He concentrated on his wardrobe and teleported one of his uniforms on. Shaking back his loose hair, he spun one of the chairs around and straddled it.

He took deep breaths with his eyes closed until the overwhelming urge to burst into giddy laughter subsided. He was lord and master of his body and emotions. He could do this.

Finally, he opened his eyes and looked around the table. "Okay. I'm here. Fill me in on what's going down."

The weredragons sat down, still chuckling. Ashriel stalked back to his seat next to Anniel and crossed his bulging arms over his chest with a glower. Anniel rubbed his thick biceps trying to soothe him.

Lucien's gaze locked on her hand and suddenly wished he had... Rayne? Yeah. Rayne. Rayne stroking her little hands over him. She was so damn sweet.

"Luke." It was Devon that snapped at him this time.

"He's so fucking high, his head isn't going to be in this," Seth snarled in disgust.

Lucien scowled at him. "I'm fine. I only had three pulls. Where's my girl?"

Zak coughed. "Excuse me?"

Remi jumped out of his seat as if he had a spring under his ass "I'll go get her," he blurted grinning in ecstatic delight.

Devon started to protest, but Remi had already zapped away is a spurt of red-gold fire.

Devon slammed his fist against the table hissing an expletive before sliding down in his seat, frowning darkly at Lucien.

"She not a fucking toy, Luke," Zak was growling even as Rowie was gripping Lucien's arm from across the table.

"Think about what you're doing..." she implored.

Seth was also talking, almost shouting, "You're in no condition..."

Angel's shout of anger overlapped Seth's outburst. "Why must you always use women. Do you even feel anything for..."

"Honey, please..." This from Anniel, with Ashriel snarling next to her, obviously ticked off because she'd called him honey.

Only Devon remained silent, his eyes slightly narrowed as he regarded Lucien.

The voices clanged loudly in Lucien's head until he wanted to scream at them all to shut up.

Remi appeared holding Rayne by one arm.

Lucien sat straighter in his chair. The girl looked so lost and miserable... until she saw him. Her eyes lit up and a sob escaped her lips as she ran and wedged herself between the back of the chair and Lucien's chest. Her tiny fists clutched his black shirt as she buried her face against his chest.

"Master."

Her voice. It washed over him, drowning out the noise of the others. Her scent invaded his nose inviting him to bury his face against her neck, nuzzle aside the curtain of ebony hair to reach the sweet source.

"Master, I missed you. I felt so lonely, Master," she told him with that gut-wrenching little girl's voice that sliced at his heart like razor blades. She left him open and bleeding.

He cupped her face, that adorable innocent doll-like face, and brushed the two tears that rolled down pink cheeks. Her lip quivered, devastating him anew.

"I know, sweetness. I was looking for our Boy."

"I'm sorry I made you angry, Master. Please punish me, not Boy Rayne, Master"

"No, baby. I wasn't angry at you... or Boy." Guilt over his horrible reaction to their sensual exploring haunted him. In his mind's eye, he still saw Boy's terrified and heartbroken expression, slicing open another wound in his heart.

Seeking surcease from the pain, he took her mouth, drank from her, filled, and gorged himself on her intoxicating flavor.

The silence around him was sublime, the feel of her in his arms like truly coming home... until he closed his eyes and once again saw Boy Rayne's pleasure flushed face inches from his own.

No. Not right.

He raised his head to frown down at her. Her lips were wet and swollen from his rough kiss, her eyes closed. Twin fans of the blackest, thickest lashes rested against very flushed cheeks. The thin white dress she wore failed to hide the stiff peaks of her nipples pushing against the delicate material. He remembered how tiny they were, how pink and cute. His mouth watered, but he pressed her face against his chest and cradled her in his arms, kissing the top of her head reverently.

After filling his nose once more with the scent of her, he looked up and froze.

Everyone stared at him now, silent. Remi was grinning like a maniac, Devon had a slight smile playing about his lips, and Anniel was dabbing a tear from the corner of her eye. The rest just gawked.




Redemption Ch. 03



Lucien cleared his throat, his fingers stroking slow circles on Rayne's back. "Right. So where did we leave off on the plan to infiltrate Earth?"

Seth was the first one to clear his throat. "Devon and I decided that we all need to get down there. You need backup as well as protection."

Lucien frowned and looked at his brother.

A pair of twins couldn't be any more dissimilar than Devon and he. Where Lucien was blond, Devon's hair was blacker than pitch. Devon was white as snow and Lucien sun-bronzed. Devon looked like Davariel and Lucien... Lucien was the male version of his mother, down to the almond-shaped ice blue eyes.

Lucien stared at his brother's eyes, eyes that glowed unnaturally, byproduct of the demon toxins coursing in his blood.

"We're all going down?" Lucien kept hold of Rayne with one arm while he rested the other across the back of the chair and looked at Seth, who obviously had clearly lost his mind. "We as in who exactly?"

"All of us," Rowie said drawing his gaze.

Lucien grinned at her. "What about the babies?" He looked around the table now, at Zak, Ashriel, Anniel, Devon, and Angel. "You hauling the kiddies along on this mission too?" If they said yes, he was going to bed to sleep off the effects of the dragon weed. It was making him hallucinate. He sure as hell knew they wouldn't be crazy enough to bring the babies into this.

"Alluna and Rayne are staying behind with the babies," Zak answered.

Lucien sighed in relief.

"We discarded the concert idea," Seth added. "Drako informed us that the Edenian government flat out refused to allow the show within the solar system."

"Okay? So what's the plan now?" Lucien prompted.

Devon brought up a holographic recreation of Earth over the table.

Lucien watched as his brother manipulated the image to zoom in on a city in the upper northeast hemisphere of what was once the United States.

"New York is still considered the melting pot. Only now, it's home to mixed Edenian and off world blood. It was, at one time, the site for government council headquarters."

"Zion," Lucien said, remembering the few times he'd gone there before being sent to Alpha 7 for the first time. It was where Samael had ordered him to go to obtain permission to become part of the Edenian Master Guardians.

Zion, the tallest edifice ever built, housed the highest ranking officials in the solar system.

"You mean those sons-of-bitches no longer sit within that massive dildo?" Lucien snorted.

Seth spoke up next. "We found out that during the war they transferred to an undetermined place. Zion is still used to conduct official business, but the ruling party is in a highly classified area unknown to just about everyone."

"Except themselves," Remi added.

"Rumor has it that they're hiding in plain sight," Zak interjected. He pointed to his wrist. "They have a mark and they communicate telepathically.

Lucien's eyes narrowed. "Telepathy? I thought that was taboo on Earth?"

"For regular citizens, yeah," Devon said, "but not for them."

"We want you to request permission to live on Earth," Seth told Lucien. "They're going to send you here." He pointed at the city. "It's where all newcomers with moderate wealth start off."

Lucien blinked at him. "Moderate wealth?"

Devon rested his elbows on the table and leaned forward. "We set up a fake identity for you. You're Luke Blaze, Demon hunter."

The overwhelming urge of giddy laughter hit him hard... too hard to suppress this time.

Rayne's sharp claws dug into his ribs as his belly laughs bounced off the walls of the conference room.

He was going to be a demon hunter. That was priceless.

Master was acting strange. After his meeting with the others, he led her into the dining hall and fed her. His eyes were glassy and he chuckled quietly as spooned a warm tasty broth into her mouth. Every time some of the succulent fluid escaped her lips, he'd lean down and lick her mouth from corner to corner.

She Ached for him. She'd never been truly penetrated, but her core throbbed, feeling hot, wet, empty. Rayne wanted to feel him filling her.

No matter how longingly she tried to look at him, she could tell his thoughts were far away.

Rayne was feeling too full, but he kept feeding her. He'd given her tasty cubes of varying colors, some sweet, others smooth and tangy. He gave her the broth and bread, sips of a fruity juice and then gooey filled pockets of some flakey pastry.

As he fed her, a tall female reaper entered the dining hall and sat to observe them. The girl's face was expressionless, but Rayne felt like prey every time those cold grey eyes flicked to her.

A whimper escaped Rayne when Master offered her a tiny round fruit he called grape to her mouth.

He blinked and lowered the grape with a frown, as if suddenly waking up and realizing Rayne's presence.

His hand slid to her tummy, caressing. "Are you full, baby?"

"Only if it pleases you, Master," Rayne whispered in utter adoration.

The girl reaper began to laugh. Lucien turned to regard her.

"Trying to get her fat?" She sauntered closer before dropping to her knees in front of Master. Her hands cupped his cock beneath the clingy fabric of his pants. "I'm hungry too, but for this."

Rayne felt a strange pang well inside her at the sight of the girl feeling the outline of her Master's erection.

Master covered her hand with his, stilling her caressing. "Not now Amadashiel."

Amadashiel rose and Rayne suddenly found her nose buried in silky black feathers. The reaper had stepped between her and Master.

The girl whined, "But I'm hungry too." Her arms went around his neck. "Hungry for the feel of your—"

"You're not being nice to Rayne," Master chided, gently moving the girl aside to look at Rayne once again.

It was like seeing the sun come out from behind black storm clouds.

Rayne arched toward him, a flower seeking the warmth that only he could provide.

Amadashiel pouted and looked at her also, but then a wicked gleam made her eyes sparkle.

"You want me to be nice to the little cyborg girl? Is she even programmed with feelings?"

Rayne stilled as the reaper sat on the table next to her. Amadashiel leaned down and tried to kiss Rayne, but she turned her face away. Rayne was not trained to please women. Her sole focus would always be upon a male Dom. She raised her eyes to her Master who watched the reaper with a frown.

"You wanna see a little girl on girl action, Lukey?" the reaper giggled.

Rayne chewed her lower lip as the reaper's hand smoothed up the inside of Rayne's thigh. Rayne gasped when the girl's fingers speared into her. It hurt.

"Stop it," Master finally snarled pushing Amadashiel's hand away. "She's a virgin."

Amadashiel's eyes went round and her head snapped to the side to look at Rayne.

Rayne paid her no mind, her eyes solely on her beautiful Master.

"You mean... surely you're joking," Amadashiel scoffed. "Surely one of the boys has plundered her already."

Master's gaze grew icy as he glared at the girl. "No one has defiled her. She's too small for any of the males aboard the space station."

Amadashiel gaped at Master and then began to laugh loudly. "But, Luke, she a whore."

"Shut up," he snapped angrily now. "Don't call her that. No one but me has ever touched her—"

"Delusional prick," Amadashiel spat back.

Master grew quiet.

Amadashiel laughed again, but this time scornfully. "She was King Dred's cum dump. He took her holographically until he finally took her for real. She was dead when Cyneolle pulled her rotting corpse from the palace..."

Rayne frowned, thought hard. Images came to her, distant, unfocused. Boy Rayne. They had him in a cage in the king's dungeon. He was feral, hissing at all who approached. They'd abandoned him there, deeming him too savage to deal with. He'd begun to starve and Rayne visited everyday to throw him food through the bars of the cage. She'd tried to befriend him, but he'd bare his fangs at her whenever she approached.

More images haunted her, of being taken by many different aliens, feeling frightened, and then that last day she was at the palace. Tentacles had slithered all around her, burning her with acidic slime. She couldn't breathe. It was down her throat, cleaving her between her legs, in her ass too, burning her alive from the inside out.

The agony hadn't lasted long, though. Bright light had engulfed her, giving her peace, but even that faded away. She was somewhere dark, surrounded by water, but was being lifted out, placed in a... metal cage.

No. Not a cage.

Rayne began to scream. Scream until her throat felt raw.

They'd put what was left of her inside a metal skeleton.

Master shook her. His eyes were wide.

"Look at me, baby," he commanded.

She couldn't stop screaming, the memory of feeling trapped inside that skeleton driving her mad with terror. They grew new organs inside, covered her with new skin.

Rayne shoved Lucien away. He wasn't her Master. He'd never claimed her. She was alone. No one wanted her anymore. Why should they? She was not human.

"Baby, calm down. It's alright," he pleaded.

She was a machine. Her brain trapped within a metal prison. She'd been free in death and they'd brought her back. Trapped her within this lab-grown vessel.

Rayne began to rip at her skin, The pain was horrendous, the sight of the metal beneath soft flesh and muscle nightmarish. Still, she wanted to free herself, needed release from this prison that was not really her body.

Lucien dove upon her, laying her flat on the metal table. Plates, bowls, and utensils flew in every direction. The reaper that had awakened her memories stumbled back, eyes and mouth gaping.

Rayne continue to scream, the sound raw, scraping. Her new vocal cords bled and burned. When Lucien refused to let her go, holding her hands above her head. When he didn't release her, she began to bang her skull against the unforgiving table, her legs thrashing to either side of his hips.

"Stop it. God-damn-it, stop," he yelled, "Remi."

Hands grabbed her head. Looking up, she saw the red-haired weredragon. Behind him, she caught a glimpse of Cyneolle preparing a shot.

"No-no-no," she tried to say, but her throat was ravaged, her voice all but unrecognizable.

The sharp sting of the shot pierced her neck and the nightmare of her life winked out.

Lucien stared down at his sleeping beauty.

"She hated this thing," he growled in anger.

Chameleon stood on the other side of the glass stasis unit. "I won't allow her to awaken inside it, but even if she did, she wouldn't remember ever having an aversion to it."

Lucien's gaze snapped to the flaxen haired reaper. At least it looked like a reaper. Chameleon's real name used to be Iophiel. That was before he was almost killed when the Edenian's destroyed Pluto. Cyborg's had found his damaged ship floating in space and had saved his life... sort of. The reaper once known as Iophiel was turned into an amorphous mass of liquid metal and nanotechnology. It was a wonder he was able to retain the essence of his life force, but Lucien could see it flaming around him like the corona of a sun.

"Tell me again what you're doing to her," Lucien needed to be sure.

Chameleon didn't even blink. "We're repairing her memories and feeding her mind with information. She will have understanding of how she functions as well as other knowledge she was deprived of as a sex slave."

"And that's going to keep her from hurting herself again?"

"If that's what she chooses, yes."

Lucien frowned. "That's not good enough."

"She didn't fully understand what she was. She thought she was less than human rather than just enhanced."

Lucien looked at Chameleon again. For a moment he thought he'd detected a note of pride in the borg's voice.

"I want her to have a normal life."

Chameleon grinned now. "Normal?" he leaned closer. "What is normal, Lucien, descendant of Angelos?"

Lucien winced. Only reapers were called Angelos. Another reminder that he was a wingless Seraph. Not normal at all.

"What about the battle pet hiding in the envirolevel?"

"Leave him alone," Lucien snapped.

"I was only inquiring," Chameleon deadpanned. "I assure you that I am not plotting on divesting him of his organs to turn him borg too."

Lucien narrowed his eyes at the cyborg. That was definitely sarcasm he heard there. Maybe Chameloen was more humanoid than machine.

In the blink of an eye, the reaper turned pure liquid silver, losing all humanity.

Lucien stepped away from the liquid silver shape as it slid over to the computer console and reformed into Chameleon.

The cyborg busied himself at the console, giving Lucien his back.

Lucien looked back down into the glass at Rayne.

He longed to give her one last kiss, but maybe it was better this way. He'd requested all memory of him erased from her mind. He wanted her free of the chains that had been imposed on her since infancy. She was to acknowledge she was part biological and mechanical, but like Chameleon, her birth would be from the moment she opened her eyes again. Her previous life nothing more than a bad dream to be forgotten.

"Just remember what I told you—"

"Yes, Lucien. She'll be reborn after you leave for your mission with the others."



Redemption Ch. 03



Natalie took a few soft breaths and rocked back and forth, trying to overcome the fog that had settled permanently in her head, clouding her thoughts and strangling her words. "What's happening…" she muttered. "Sick," she nodded, her hand squeezing his slightly, reassured by his love. "I love you… I do… know that…." The curtain of her silken hair had fallen into her face, and she slumped down a bit in the chair, the scent of blood causing her to open her eyes. Reaching for him, she took his hand and brought it to her heart once more. "Love. I love you," she breathed, then brought it to her mouth, licking away the blood, not because she was trying to feed, or because she wanted to taste it, but because she wanted to apologize for causing the wound, though she could not speak it.

He nodded again and smiled, though he eyed the licking slightly, realizing for the first time that he had been hurt. He didn't pull away, but simply eyed it questioningly. "It's alright, Natalie. I'll be fine, it's just a little wound. Right now, I need to try to find a way to help you, because this simply doesn't seem to be doing the trick. Is there anything here that could help?"

She was becoming increasingly frustrated with the fog that hid her words. Wanting to tell him that she needed to be held, that she needed him to tell her over and over again that he loved her, she could only settle for his words, picking and choosing between them to try to get her point across. "Just a little… help… help… right now…" she tried, not having any success at all. Returning to lick away the last of the blood, she withdrew her tongue from his skin and regarded him quietly, staring into his eyes, her own still glazed and vacant, though her nose still tickled intensely.

Justin had no idea what exactly was needed, and he started to realize that her word selection was limited, though it hadn't registered how yet. He closed his eyes, his manner showing the effort being put into trying to think of something that he'd seen or read before to try to draw on for experience, but failed. Instead, he simply drew her into his arms, quietly pondering. "I don't know anymore, Natalie. I love you, but I just don't know how to help."

Curling up in his arms, she brought her right hand to her face and slowly sucked on her thumb. It appeared that she had gone through something of an age regression, as she was now acting like a little child. Clinging to him quietly, she buried her head in his shoulder and shivered some, curled up into a little ball, almost, her skin still ice cold to the touch. "I love you," she repeated, her voice somewhat muffled by her thumb and the placement of her head, "I love you." Hoping he would keep holding her close and comforting her, she shuddered and continued to suck on her thumb, her ebony tresses falling into her face as a curtain, protecting her from the world at large.

He alternated between petting her hair and stroking her back soothingly, his voice quiet and reassuring. "Don't worry, I'm here. I love you, and I'm not going anywhere…. I want to make sure that you get better, whatever this is." He smiled slightly. "Because I love you, and… well… that's the only reasons I need, isn't it? Because I love you, you're my friend, and I always protect my friends."

Natalie sucked more on her thumb and gazed up at him, the blankness receding, replaced by her usual wide-awareness, her dark eyes open and alert. The fog was beginning to dissipate, but it still managed to choke her words for the most part. Selecting a few from his sentences, she removed her thumb from her mouth and blinked, her tone soft and even. "I'm here… I love you… don't worry…." Still only echoing him, she was at least making eye contact, her gaze piercing through the fog to settle on Justin, searching him to weigh the truth of his words.

He smiled slightly as he saw the fog lift from her eyes, knowing that his own eyes shone with nothing but the purest truth. Hoping that this meant that she was getting better, he tilted his head and eyed her. "You getting better now? Your eyes seem to be clearing, at least." He gazed deeply into her eyes, as though searching for something. "I hope so. I love you too much to let you go like this, without me being able to help you."

Trembling quietly, she slowly removed her fingernails from the soft flesh of her leg, where she had been surreptitiously scratching and piercing her skin while taking to him. The intense pain and scent of blood helped to clear the fog and she rocked back and forth, bringing her fingers to her lips to lick away the red smears on her flesh. "Better now," she nodded, blood trickling from the twenty-one wounds. "Better now…" she repeated, her voice soft and thin sounding.

Tears pooled in his eyes as she suckled on her fingertips, and he drew her into his arms, wrapping her in a tight embrace to reassure her and show her that his love is pure and true. His body was warm, more so than usual, and he wonder for the faintest of moments if he was coming down sick again, perhaps catching a different strain of the same cold. Pushing the thought away, he let go of Natalie just long enough to rub at his nose, staving off a tickle, before holding her tightly once more.

She sucked her thumb quietly, not being able to say anything, since he did not say anything that she could use with words. Just his touch was enough to help calm her, though, and she clung to him with her free arm, scared that he would disappear or be taken away from her. Her silken tresses stuck to her cheeks from the wetness of the tears and her dress was now badly stained from the blood, both hers and his. The twenty-one wounds on her leg stung and begged to be nursed, to be cleaned, to be cared for, but the words could not come to her mouth through the fog, and so she simply rested against him, sucking her thumb, and letting the blood flow freely down her leg and onto the floor, soft splashing sounds going unheard through the chatter of the tavern.

Justin frowned slightly at her leg, trying to decide what to do. He could either leave Natalie, just for a moment, to get the items to take care of it, or he could let it continue to bleed. "Natalie…" he began, and then sighed, not angry or upset with her, but instead worried beyond words. "You've hurt yourself; we should go take care of it. Do you want me to go and get the stuff, or would you rather it just bleed? Or… if you want, I could carry you to where we could take care of it?"

She shivered slightly and followed his gaze to her leg, then looked up at his face, trying to pick his words to tell him what she wanted. "Take care of it… carry… carry…" she begged, not wanting to be left alone, even for a moment. Though her words were slightly obscured by her thumb, which was still in her mouth, they were intelligible, and she hoped he understood that she was scared of being abandoned. "Carry, carry," she begged again, echoing him and holding him more tightly, to tell him not to let go.

Nodding slightly, he rather expected that response, but he didn't want to make pre-judgments. Standing, he kept himself close enough to still be held, as she again placed his arms under her knees, and behind her shoulder blades, this time prepared for the weight as he carried her toward the washroom. Once there, he set her down on a wooden chair in the corner before lighting a candle and rummaging through a chest set up on the wall for a medic kit. "Are you alright, Natalie? Still with me?"

Unable to find the words to tell him that she is okay, she shivered quietly, wanting to reassure him, though she was far from okay. Not knowing how to soothe him, she picked a few of his words to parrot, her head still immersed in thick fog. "Alright…" she repeated. "Alright." Shaking slightly and wanting to be held by him, she tried to wait patiently for him to find the materials in the medic kit, so he could tend to her wounds. She knew he would not have set her down if he wasn't looking for a way to heal the wounds that she herself had inflicted, but she could not help feeling abandoned without his touch. Shivering on the hard wooden chair, she slumped against the wall quietly, closing her eyes to concentrate on breathing.

He found what he was looking for: a well-stocked medic kit. Bringing it over to Natalie, he set it down on the floor and opened it, withdrawing a small vial of some strange looking liquid, eyeing it and then looking up to meet her eyes. "This is going to sting, but it's to clean the wound, and it doesn't sting all that much. It'll keep it from getting infected, so it's somewhat important." Slightly pleased with his little speech, but still somewhat disturbed by the fact that he has to hurt Natalie to clean the wound, he pushes aside the thoughts. Pouring a bit of the potion over the wounds, he dabbed it and any bubbles away with a soft cloth, continuing until all the bubbling stopped.

Natalie flinched at the singing, part of her enjoying the pain, especially because it was at his hands. Something in her twisted delightfully at the idea that she made him hurt her. Trying to shove those feelings away, she blinked at him, trembling quietly and concentrating on the sensation of the pain, hoping it would clear the fog that was still settled densely around her mind. She closed her eyes and rocked back and forth slowly, then opened them, looking down at the wounds and watching the frothing of the potion. "Dirty girl… I am a dirty girl." She nodded to this, then closed her eyes again, the blood rising up from the bubbles.

He shook his head vehemently. "No, you're not. You're beautiful, and I love you." He finished with potion and put it away. "Don't let anything else ever make you think otherwise, Natalie." While he spoke, he reached into the medic kit and took a few cloth strips, wrapping them around the series of wounds and tying them not so tightly as to cut off circulation, but not so loosely as to slip. He seemed to have found the problem behind her speech, in part, as evidenced by his next questions. "Better? Yes, no?"

Natalie relaxed under his touches and his words as they seeped into her heart, paired with his tender affections. Unused to such gentle care, she relished every moment, trying to make up for years and years of mistreatment and abuse. "Beautiful… I love you…" she echoed, trying to tell him how much she truly does love him. "Better… yes," she admitted, thankful that he had finally discovered something about the fog that she continued to battle. "Better," she repeated, nodding slightly and wrapping her arms around him, holding him close and shivering a bit. "Love… I love you…" she murmured against his neck, thankful to have such a wonderful friend who actually cared about her well-being and showed it with his actions.

Smiling lightly, he laid the soiled cloth near the wash bin. "I know you do, Natalie. Now, how should I try to help you get through whatever this is? Have you ever been through something like this? I mean… whatever it is that's playing with your mind, do you know how to fix it?" He raised an eyebrow, despite the fact that it wouldn't be seen. "Yes, no?"

She tried to decide how to answer his multiple questions, clinging to him quietly and wishing he would take her off of the painfully hard wooden chair, because she was tired and needed to be held in his arms. "Been through something like this… no…" she began, hoping he would understand. "Fix it… know how to fix it… yes…" she started, knowing that the only way to fix an emotional breakdown like this would be for her to feel loved and accepted and treasured by him, to know that he was not just using her that night, to know that he truly did care, and wanted to be her friend, at her side, to love her for always, forever.

He nodded a bit, trying to figure out how best to word his next question as he again gathered Natalie into his arms, extinguishing the candle and carrying her back to the couch. Sitting down, he lowered her onto his lap, smiling warmly, before he paused, a slightly panicked look on his face. The phantom tickle had returned in full, most likely due to the smoke from the candle, though he could not be sure that it was not a burgeoning cold. "The…. There. Your leg is cleaned up and wrapped, at lehh… ehhtCHOO!! Heh.. HETchhoo!! Eehh…. Eyhh… Iiixxshhh!!" He tried valiantly to stifle the series of wet, powerful sneezes, lest he spray Natalie, who was still perched in his lap, but he only managed to slightly close off the very last one. By then, it was too late, and the result of his tickle now covered Natalie's face and neck.

Her entire body shivered as he sneezed, her breathing quickening slightly and her panties instantly growing damp, much to her complete embarrassment, as they were still in the middle of the tavern. Unable to bless Justin, she settled for looking deeply into his eyes and then kissing him, softly, passionately, trying to show both her love and desire, and wishing he would take her away from all these people, all these prying eyes.

Trying to continue after the interruption of the sneezes, he searched for his train of thought. "Your leg is cleaned up and wrapped, at least. Now then… how best to take care of the other problem. I love you and all, but it's hard for me to tell what you need sometimes, you know?" He laughed just a little, not at her, but to diffuse his frustration at not being able to figure out how to fix her.

She curled up in his lap quietly, clinging to him and looking up into his eyes quietly, her own rather dark but soft, her gaze searching. The waterfall of her hair was out of her face for once, and though her leg was still stinging from the potion, she was warm and comfortable in his arms. "I love you… know, know…" she echoed, trying to tell him that she could not expect him to be telepathic. Reaching into the folds of her skirt, she handed him a few gold pieces, wondering how she could explain to him that she needed him to stay with her through the night, to hold her and comfort her. "There…" she repeated. "There… need… tell what… need…."

Justin raised an eyebrow, glancing at the gold for a moment unbelievingly. "But I don't need any payment. I love you, that's why I'm doing…" he begins, then lets his voice trail off slightly as another thought occurs to him, and he gives a slight nod. "Wait, you want me to get you a room? Probably the best choice of action right now." Sniffling softly, he waited for her answer, praying to the Powers that Be, hoping that his nose would not betray him with another set of spraying sneezes.

Beginning to shake her head as he started to speak of payment, she stopped as he mentioned the room. It was so frustrating to not be able to clear the dense fog in her head, to use her own words instead of merely echoing his. "A room," she nodded, hearing his idea, "Get… a room…" she asked, wanting to say please but not being able to, since he did not use to word himself. Clinging to him fiercely, she tried to show him by her actions that she did not want him to put her down or leave her alone, even if it was just a moment while he bought the room. Her grip on him tightened even more and she whispered, "I love you…" once again repeating his earlier words, hoping it would convey the message.

He smiled softly and picked her up, his arms getting slightly tired, though that was the farthest thing from his mind at the moment as he approached the bartender, dropping the coins into an outstretched hand, and picking up the keys. "I love you, too, Natalie, which is why I'm going to get you into a room, get a good night's sleep… though it might help if you weren't clinging so hard." Hoping that she knew he was only teasing, he paused and sniffed again, his nose beginning to seriously tickle. Pausing to brace himself against the wall at the foot of the stairs, his hands were full with Natalie in his arms, and he had no choice but to stifle the sneezes into her shoulder, though most fell on her ample bosom. "Natalie… I thih… think I'm … going to snee… ehhh… ethMMPHH!! Heh… hehISHHH!! ISSSHH!! Iiyehh…. Ehh-KMMMPHH!"

A soft shiver of ardent desire swept through Natalie's body, causing goose bumps to rise on her tender flesh. Her eyes fluttered open to see the messy spray that now coated her chest, turning the fabric of her dress to a dark mauve color. Unable to bless Justin, though she wished to with all of her heart, she could only settle for a physical response, and so leaned up and licked away the spray from his nose and mouth, her tongue so wet and soft. Keeping contact for a bit longer than was strictly necessary, she sniffled a little herself and tried to make sense of the tickle in her nose, wondering if it was indeed the return of the cold.

Unsure what to say or do at this point, especially since the entire tavern could see them (not that anyone was watching, though), Justin sniffled a little self-consciously and continued up the stairs with Natalie in his arms, too flustered to even utter an apology for sneezing on her, though he was rather certain from her response that she enjoyed it. He managed a light smile as he opened the door to their room, rather proud of himself for the ability to insert the key and unlock the door while still holding Natalie. Entering quietly, he smiled down at the goddess in his arms, using his nose to nuzzle her own. "Now, you can have some space to yourself, or I could join you in the bed."

Natalie smiled softly at his words and nodded, repeating the last part for emphasis. "Join… in the bed…" she begged, leaning up and kissing his cheek softly, eternally thankful to have him as a friend. Her dark eyes were shining and she blinked frequently, her arms around his neck, holding close to him for love and support, mentally pleading with him to leave her, not to abandon her. Tiredness overcame her and she stifled a yawn, not entirely sure if her understood what she was trying to say or communicate, but hoping that he realized she could not be left alone, not in this state of relative emotional distress. Unsure if she would "get better" any time soon, she merely clung to him, relaxing her hold just a bit at his words, desperately wanting him to be with her, to hold her all night long and never let her go.

Nodding, he used his foot to close the door softly, carrying Natalie to the bed and sitting on the edge, resting her weight on his legs. "Now… you want to get changed, or something, before bed? Get out of those dirty clothes, get something more comfortable on?" He raised an eyebrow, noting her shining eyes, before he smiled warmly, adding, "Yes, no?" as an afterthought, and sniffling rather discretely, the tickle returning in full to plague him. Suddenly realizing that they were in near-dark, with the exception of the moonlight coming through a very high window, he lit a few candles on the nightstand, being extra careful of her presence in his arms. The soft glow of the candle light illuminated their faces, hers still drawn and pale, though her eyes seemed a little less hollow; his etched with lines of worry, but smiling with warmth and affection for her.

She hugged him to her body tightly at the sight of his warm smile and the delicious sound of his sniffle, her eyes closing from the softness of his touch. Not knowing how to ask him for a shower, she simply settled for the next best option. "Yes," she repeated, pushing the waves of hair from her face, tucking a few strands behind her ears and gazing at him tenderly. Wanting to tell him that she loves him, she settled for a soft kiss to his cheek, trying to show him just how much she cares and appreciates him. "Yes," she said again, her eyes slowly opening as she pulled back a bit to look at him.

Justin gestured to the dresser – the same one from a few days ago, as the bartender gave them the same room, number seven. "I'm sure you can find something that you'll like in there," he said, smiling softly at the kiss. "I love you, too, Natalie. I get the distinct feeling that you don't want to let go of me, but you'll have to in order to get changed. I'll be right here, though."




Redemption Ch. 03



She smiled at his knowledge of what she wanted to say. "I love you…" she echoed, kissing his other cheek and hugging him closely. She pondered his last comment and slowly let go of his neck, slipping off of his lap and standing, though it hurt to put weight on her legs. "Don't… go…" she pleaded as she walked to the dresser, her eyes wide and begging, not entirely sure if he would abandon her now that she had let go. "Don't… go… right here…" she repeated softly, then opened the dresser and pawed through the clothes, finally finding a cotton nightgown not unlike the one Justin had ripped a few nights ago. Not caring if he watched, she fumbled with the buttons of her dress, the same one from before, then sighed with exasperation and turned to him quietly, her eyes big question-marks. 

He laughed and nodded, again standing and helping her with the two dozen buttons along the back of her clothing. "You know, I don't know how you deal with this in the morning." He didn't fumble in the least with them this time around, and was able to get them undone, not making an overly large point of looking away, but just simply not staring. "There you go, all taken care of for yuhh… yuhhh… eehh… ettCHOO!! Heh… hepTCHHOO!! ESHHoooo!!" The trio of sneezes interrupted his sentence and he sniffled urgently, thankful that he had at least turned to the side so as not to spray Natalie with the wetness.

Managing a small smile at his comment about mornings and his beautiful and sensual sneezes, she shook her head, wishing she could bless him, or even just pres to him and show him with her body what he was making her feel with each little explosion. She took his hand in hers and squeezed it softly, then let it go, slipping the heavy, bloodstained dress over her head, tossing it to the floor and shivering in her underclothes, the air of the room causing a pleasant chill to run down her spine, goose bumps breaking out all over her slender frame. She slid into the cotton nightgown and turned slightly, motioning to the half-dozen buttons on the back of it, then paused, deciding to leave them unbuttoned, and turned around again, smiling softly at him.

He returned the smile, and in the time that it had taken her to change into the nightgown, he had changed into a pair of pajama bottoms similar to the ones he wore last time; his shirt, cloak, and jeans all sat in a pile at his feet. Gesturing to the bed, he gave a short nod of his head and extended a hand to her. "I'm a firm believe in ladies first, where it should count," he commented with a grin, his voice sounding just a little stuffy, but not so much that it had started to affect his pronunciation.

Natalie laughed at his words and his quickness to change clothes, her eyes shimmering with mirth, the healing slowly beginning with each tender word he spoke. Taking his hand, she laced her fingers through his and gave it a soft squeeze, then pulled him close in a warm, gentle hug, wanting to tell him that she loves him, but not being able to find the words. Concentrating very carefully, she took a few slow breaths, then closed her eyes. "I… I love you," she breathed, surprising herself with the words, her eyes opening to gaze at him before she slipped under the covers, never letting go of his hand for a moment.

Joining her in the bed, Justin pulled the covers up to their chins and wrapped his arms around her securely, pressing his nose to her neck to ease the tickly itch. Almost as an afterthought, he turned ever so slightly and extinguished the candles with a single exhalation, before returning to his previous position. Snuggling tightly to Natalie, not letting go of her for a moment, he twined his now-healed leg around her, keeping her safe and warm, knowing that his friendly affection was fast becoming deeper than that. The worry on his face changed to a different kind as he tried to figure out how he had let himself begin to fall in love with a goddess. 



***



Justin woke quietly, his eyes focusing slowly to see Natalie, still wrapped up in his arms under the covers of the bed. Perplexed, he remained still, before the memories of the night before raced through his mind again and made everything clear. Smiling softly, he kissed the back of her head, assuming that she was still asleep as he attempted to think of ways that could possibly bring her back from wherever it was that she went to last night.

Snuggling closer to him in her sleep, Natalie then felt the kiss and slowly fluttered her eyes open to look up at him. A bit confused, she studied his expression, and then opened her mouth to speak, but could not, a flood of memories returning from the previous evening. Wanting to tell him good morning, wanting to tell him that she loves him, she could do neither, but could only wait, leaning up to kiss his cheek in an attempt to convey her emotions. She took a great amount of comfort in his embrace, and loved the feeling of waking up in his arms, and the security that he brings. 

He smiled softly, realizing that she was awake, and kissed her again before whispering gently, "Good morning, Natalie." He almost seemed to feel the comfort that she took, smiling a bit more, and resting his head against her. "Did you sleep well? I guess you haven't recovered yet. I'm sorry… I still haven't been able to think of a way to help. I wish I had."

Natalie savored the kiss and smiled back, nuzzling against him before trying to speak once more. "Good morning… sleep well…" she murmured, trying to tell him that she did indeed sleep well, since he was there to hold her close. "I'm sorry…" she began, thinking to apologize for being so much trouble for him. Her soft waves of hair had fallen partially into her face and she brushed them back with a pale, slender hand, exposing her dark eyes and loving expression. She leaned up and kissed his cheek again, hoping he would know just how much she cared, though she could not find the words. The fog had lessened now, and but it was still present, choking her efforts to think clearly, and giving her something of a headache.

He ran a hand through her hair softly, giving a light sigh. "Don't be sorry. You don't have anything to be sorry for. I just wouldn't let you be alone, not when you seemed to need someone there so badly. Besides, I love you, and would never want you to be sorry for anything. I'll always be here for you, Natalie, there's no need to worry about that." Offering a warm smile, he knew instinctively how much she cared, despite the lack of words.

Smiling back at him and loving the feel of his hand in her hair, she took immense comfort in his calming words. "Not… alone… Need… you… I love you… always…" she managed to whisper, leaning up and wrapping her arms around him, holding him close. She listened to the sound of his breathing and took a few breaths of her own, then matched the pace to his, breathing with him, breath for breath. After a few moments of this, she focused on his heartbeat, internalizing the particular rhythm, and matching that as well, until she was breathing with him, and her heartbeat was in the same cadence. Closing her eyes, she made a small noise, almost like humming, and then shuddered, the rest of the fog lifting, leaving her feeling weary but alive. "Justin," she murmured, "I love you so much."

Justin smiled slightly, noticing that he had not used his own name and that her voice hadn't seemed so strained when she used it, putting those things together and nodding. "I love you, too, Natalie. I'm glad that you're back. You had me worried for awhile there." His hand continued to stroke her hair, his subconscious picking up the fact that her breath had matched his, though he did not realize that their heartbeats were in rhythm as well.

Natalie leaned against him quietly, still keeping the rhythm with her body, a tenuous link to his soul as she tried to decide exactly what happened. Strain, stress, something of that sort. She'd heard of other goddesses having emotional breakdowns after particularly difficult missions, but the recovery was almost instantaneous, in most cases. Perhaps she was just a slow healer, or perhaps…. She sighed and tried to ignore the questions running through her head. It was enough that she was alive, right then, in that moment, in his arms, and for that she truly was grateful. Cuddling him, she planted a very small kiss on the side of his neck, nibbling just a bit before laying her head on his shoulder. 

He gave a very slight shiver at the nibbling, goose bumps rising over his skin and being forced away as quickly as they arouse. A happy sigh escaped his mouth, taking as much comfort in her return from… whatever that had been, as she was taking in his presence. "You are alright, aren't you? I mean… you're back, right?" His voice was a low whisper, almost afraid of breaking the moment, but it showed clearly his worry for her – even through the light stuffiness - and his hope that she was truly all right.

Smiling softly at his worry, she thought about how sweet he was to even care about her when she felt so neglected and used sometimes. "In a manner of speaking, yes," she noted, eyeing the goose bumps and pondering on the idea of trying to give him more. "I am doing much better, as you can tell," she amended, drawing him into her arms and softly nibbling on his ear, her mouth warm and wet. Still clad in the thin cotton nightgown, but no longer embarrassed by it, she pressed against him and smiled softly to herself, holding him close.

Feeling her on his body, nibbling on his ear, he had to force himself not to think back to a few nights ago, not wanting to start an embarrassing situation. While he had enjoyed it, they had agreed, hadn't they? Ignoring his inner voices, both natural and otherwise, he nodded, smiling warmly, while trying to fight a growing tickle in his nose. "Yes, I can tell. I'm very relieved. But Natalie… what brought it on? And what exactly happened?"

She didn't know quite what to say in response to his questions. Though she had an idea of what triggered it, she didn't want to tell him, for fear that he would leave or maybe never touch her again, especially when she wanted him so badly, in so many ways. "I'm not sure," she responded truthfully, her head swimming with thoughts and implications, her body shivering with needs and desires. She was torn between exploring his flesh, and just sitting in his arms, and she sighed softly, waiting to see what he would do.

"I see…" he began, nodding slightly, then sighing, somewhat worried that something might trigger it again, not knowing what did before, and hoping that if it ever happened again, that she could still recover. Pausing in his thoughts, he turned to the side, holding up a finger on the hand that was not wrapped around Natalie, as if to tell her to wait just a moment. Struggling for breath, he shivered involuntarily, then allowed the sneezes to come freely. "Ehh… etCHOO!! Heh… HETCHOO!! Iyehhh… ehhhh… Eshhoooo!! SSHHOOO!!" A nearby flame flickered nervously from the sudden gusts of air, its light serving to illuminate the fine spray aimed downwards at the hardwood floor.

A low moan threatened to escape Natalie's mouth, but she bit down forcefully on her lower lip, trapping the sound inside, where it only fueled her growing passion. Once she could be certain that opening her mouth would not betray her, she paused, took a few deep breaths, and then managed a slight smile. "Bless… bless you," she murmured, touching a hand to his cheek, her fingertips stroking over his skin with remarkable tenderness considering the waves of desire that coursed through her small frame. Shifting slightly in his lap so as not to reveal the dampness that laced her panties, she practiced her best angelic look.

Recovering from the force of the sneezes, Justin sniffled adorably, then tried to pick up his train of thought. Oh, yes… the fog. He decided, for the moment, to be thankful that it ended, regardless of what the future might bring, and he held her tightly, kissing her forehead. "I'b just worried for you, dat's all. I dod't like to see you like dat; it scares be. Bud do batter what, do batter what happeds to you, I'll be here. I'll neber abandod you whed you deed be, I probise. Because I love you."

Natalie sighed softly at his words and just curled up in his arms, not really knowing what to do. She wanted to be held by him, but she also felt that soft tingling in her body, both from being near him and from his delicious sneezes, and she could not help but want to give him pleasure. Trying to find the words to explain, she decided on a sigh and settled for something half-way informative, though she had no idea if he would understand what she meant. "I'm fine, really. Thank you," she added, almost as an afterthought, still amazed that he cared and would not leave her. "I love you, too," she whispered, pressing her cheek to his chest.

He smiled lightly, realizing that his chest was bare, as he figured that there was little need for a shirt. Currently in pajama bottoms and nothing else, he felt each little wiggle and twist of her body, his own struggling not to respond. "I'b glad, bud are you sure? I would'd wahd you do jusd say subding do dry do appease be, so dad I don'd ged hurd. I can hadle id if you wanded do say subding. I prefer do be dold a hurdful druf over finding oud dad I'f beed dold a pleasadt lie lader od." He knew he was rambling with his relief, and he tried to stop himself. "I guess… whad I'b gedding ad, is dad if you deed adyding else, dod'd be afraid do ask."

Hugging him gently, Natalie leaned up and kissed his cheek. "I am still very weak, and very, very fragile," she admitted, noting that this was emotionally the case, not physically. "It will take a bit for me to heal completely. Goddesses have undergone something like this before, or so I have heard, but never to this degree." A little perturbed at the unusualness of her case, she shook her head, then rubbed his back a little, her fingers warm against his bare skin and her body registering the pleasant sensations it gave. Gently kissing his lips, she then licked the side of his neck and nibbled softly, her teeth biting into his flesh and sending light pangs of pain through his body.

He gasped slightly at the feel of teeth on his neck, his chest expanding as it filled with air, before being let out slowly, with a smile. "God, Dadalie… I dod'd dow how do describe dat, excebd dat id hurds soooo good." Giving a low, soft laugh, almost embarrassed, he closed his eyes slightly, torn between the pleasurable sensations at his neck, and another rising tickle in his slightly reddened nose. Bringing his left hand to rub at his nose, he carefully massaged the tip, not wanting to sneeze at the particular moment and cause Natalie to stop her actions.

She smiled slightly at the sound of his gasp, eyeing his expression and gently kissing his lips. As he rubbed his nose, she placed one hand on his chest, rubbing a bit. "You like that?" she whispered softly, shifting positions in his lap so that she now had access to his waist and lower body, her free hand stroking his hair. Her eyes were dancing slightly, and she pressed her nose to yours, nuzzling a bit, hoping to encourage a tickle. Wondering exactly how much she could get away with, she then wondered if she should press those limits, whatever they were. The hand on his chest moved over until her fingers found his nipple, and she rolled it between her thumb and forefinger, pondering the idea of watching what he would do if she pinched it.

Still looking somewhat embarrassed as he nodded to her question, he felt almost as though it was wrong in some way to like what he did. Giving a strong sniff, he finally managed to clear his nose, though the tickle still teased him mercilessly. "I do… I'm sure you noticed a few nights ago, that I've got something of a thing for pain." Turning his head down slightly, he watched her hand at his nipple, another long sigh escaping him, but this one of pleasure. Moving his eyes up to meet hers, he paused, searching them for something.

She looked deeply into his eyes, as if answering a question. "I did notice that," she murmured, continuing to rub his nipple, her expression almost serious. Not entirely sure what he was searching for, she merely opened herself up to his perusal, almost inviting him in to probe her thoughts. Leaning in to like the side of his neck, she lapped quietly at his skin, lulling him into a rhythm of pleasure, then quickly pinching his nipple between her thumb and forefinger, the movement sudden and unexpected.

Justin seemed to find what he was looking for, though he was not exactly sure himself, sensing her near-invitation somewhere in the back of his mind. As her mouth neared his neck, he tilted his head away, giving her better access and letting just the tiniest mumbled sound escape his throat, unmistakably pleased. At the pinch, his back arched slightly, and the mumbled sound became a moan, still not overly loud, but a sign of his obvious enjoyment.

Shaking her head, she scratched down his back, her fingernails digging into his soft skin ever so slightly. "Justin… you're being very wiggly," she admonished, her tone soft and seductive. "If you can't hold still, I might have to tie you up," she threatened, shivering happily at the sound of his moan, her fingers relaxing on his nipple as she slid the tip of one finger under the waistline of his pajamas. "And you wouldn't want that, I'm sure," she added, pausing to bite the edge of his ear, the sharp points of her teeth just barely piercing his skin.

He shook quietly a bit at the mention of being tied up, for the second time in his life running the idea through his head – and, for the second time, finding the idea very attractive. Instinctively, he pulled his head gently away from her teeth as he gasped, a natural human instinct, and one quickly suppressed as the pleasure followed the shock. His voice was low, almost a whisper, but thick with emotion (and a bit of the sniffles), "I just want you to be happy, Natalie. I wouldn't object if you wanted to." He gave the faintest hint of a smile, his arms wrapping around her a bit, though not so tight as to restrict movement, momentarily ignoring the tickle in his nose.

Natalie loved the tenderness in his actions, wanting to give him pleasure and be everything that he desired, but also knowing her own limitations. Too weak and insecure to be able to come across as detached and cruel, she would not only need to lapse into gentleness every once and awhile, but she would also need periodic verification that he was truly enjoying himself, and that he loved her. Cuddling into his arms, she nipped a bit more at his ear and smiled to herself, licking the softness of her skin. She tugged gently at his pajama bottoms, her hands brushing up against him as she worked them down, pausing more than was strictly necessary between his legs.

He shivered a little more, moaning a bit louder at the nips, the muscles in his lower body shaking slightly with nervousness, despite the fact that they had already been together. Not sure what exactly she liked, with a single notable exception, he gently kissed her cheek, though somehow it seemed to be more than a kiss that just a friend would give. His eyes closed slowly, taking in everything she did and "seeing" with his skin, letting the sensations be amplified as much as possible. "I love you, Natalie." His voice was still that same whisper, directed softly toward her ear.

Natalie enjoyed the sound of his moan, thankful that she was giving him pleasure. Her hands worked his pajama bottoms all the way off of his legs and she tossed them on the chair, holding him very, very close and savoring his kiss. "And I love you, Justin," she murmured, stroking his hips through the fabric of his boxers, her fingers warm and her touch gentle. Cradling him in her arms, she smiled to herself, then pushed him down against the bed rather roughly, licking and biting his neck, her movements almost harsh but not malicious. She held him down with one hand and rummaged around underneath the bed, searching for the cloth bindings that she dropped from the last time they had this room. Finally finding them, she straightened and smirked, straddling him and looking into his eyes. "Mine," she whispered. "All mine. You're mine, and I'm going to have you now, just the way I like you."




Redemption Ch. 04



Anna groaned and rolled over feeling a little woozy. She'd been asleep, but according to her internal clock which was much more reliable now that she was a vampire, it was still in the middle of the night. She stretched on the bed smiling as she inhaled Cael's scent on the sheets. She liked his smell, and though she'd never admit it to his face, she liked it when she smelled like him, too. What she didn't like was that whenever any teensy thing went wrong, he flipped out. She'd only been in his mansion for one night and she'd managed to set him off and send Kieran and half the staff scurrying around in tizzy. 

"You're thinking very loudly, Angel," he called to her through the door. 

She swore.

He chuckled a little darkly and walked in the bedroom.

She glared at him irritably. While she lay in bed naked as the day she was born, he stood before her impeccably dressed and well-groomed. She vaguely remembered him carrying her to the bedroom after her disturbing vision. Stripping her down was part of that ordeal, and even then she remembered protesting to him that it was unnecessary. 

"I don't think having a vision is any reason to take my clothes off," she scolded.

He arched a brow and his jade eyes caressed her naked body as if memorizing every curve. There was a possessive glint to his eyes, and something else...

"I like you better without clothes," he replied simply.

"Oh yes. Splendid idea. Let me waltz around your mansion naked from now on. Your people would probably like the show and, hell, it should save you the hassle of stripping me every chance you get," she replied. 

She admitted to herself that she really wasn't that irritated with him, but she knew that even the idea of other people seeing her naked would irritate him. She kept her smile to herself, though as his lips hardened and the possessive stare grew even more intense.

"You're playing with fire, Angel," he growled.

"Jealous much?" she teased. 

He growled in response.

"Whatever," she scoffed at his jealous display. "You wouldn't want to mess up your suit."

His eyes grew heated. "No?" 

She could hear the menace, that sound in his voice that made him sound much more a predator than a man. It sent a shiver of anticipation down her spine. She paused on that thought. Cael had never been anything but gentle with her, but she could see the potential, the raw desire, the craving for control. She imagined that he could be extremely dominant in the bedroom; not just holding her hands above her head as he made love to her, but aggressively ...dominant. 

At that thought, she froze cold. She could sense it coming on this time, but she was still helpless to stop it. The image of a red-haired woman begging not to be dominated by a vampire in the bedroom penetrated through her thoughts. She could feel it; the fear, the terror, the pain of being invaded when you didn't want to. The feelings were still too close, too real for her. When the red-haired girl screamed in her visions, Anna screamed in her nightmares. James Bradford had her by the hair, her hands bound by duct tape...

She whimpered in distress.

"Anna," Cael whispered to her gently. 

His beautiful voice sliced through the vision like lightning, stopping the downward spiral into dark memories. She clung to that melodic, love-filled voice like a life preserver. When she felt control over the nightmare, she took a deep breath and bowed her head. She was sweating and panting and her hands were shaking.

"Anna," Cael whispered again. He took one of her hands in his and kissed her fingers. "You've got to learn control. Otherwise this gift is going to destroy you."

"It's just this one," she whispered. "I stared Paola in the face almost every time I looked in the mirror and I didn't go crazy like this. It's just this one vision," she repeated shaking her head over and over again, trying to fight the dark claws of her torturous memories that had somehow managed to mix themselves with the vision.

"Bradford is dead, Anna," he whispered.

"It wasn't really about Bradford," she said. "I can't explain it. It's like this girl is part of my soul. She's screaming my screams, begging with my words, pleading with my whimpers. Sometimes I'm not sure if I'm there or if she's there. It's like she can pull me with her, like her spirit is hanging onto mine." Her voice softened. "And if I let her go..." she swallowed, "it's like I'll be abandoning my own soul."

Cael sighed. "I'm sorry, Anna. I'm sorry this is the gift my blood gave you. All I've ever wanted to do was protect you from any more pain. From the moment I heard you cry in that vault, I swore to myself I'd protect you with all my power. I've only managed to break my promise over and over again."

"Have you ever thought that maybe there is a reason I've been given this gift?" she asked quietly. "Maybe it's because I'm supposed to do something about these things, and with you at my back I can chase them down."

"You are doing absolutely NO chasing," he said emphatically. "You are my Little One, and now you're a queen. You can't just go traipsing off into oblivion every time you get a vision. Anna, you've got responsibilities, just like me."

She stood up angrily and stared at him for a moment in defiance. Without a word she walked away, pulled the red satin robe off the hook in the bathroom, and wrapped it around her naked body. "It's my first night," she reminded him acidly. "Right now I'm just some girl you're fucking. No one gives a shit about who I am."

He growled at that. "You're going to have to work on your vocabulary. Where you learned to curse like that is beyond me."

"I worked for a shipping company, remember?" 

"I'm not letting you out to chase your nightmares, Anna," he said firmly.

She could feel it: that irrational little part of her that always managed to get her in trouble. Unlike that rational voice that seemed to take care of her, this little voice was all fiery devilishness. 

"You won't let me?" she snapped her voice rising. "How dare you! You can't just tell me what to do!"

"Actually I can. You're a vampire, I'm a king, and you're my Little One on top of it. I have every right to command you."

She glared at him. 

He stared back, his jade eyes glittered commandingly. It was definitely the stare of a man used to power and control; pure arrogance and self-assurance, and it infuriated her. 

"If that's how it's going to be between us, I don't want any of it," she snarled stubbornly. 

"Oh?" he retorted. "Then walk out the door, Anna. I believe we've played this game before. You can't leave me."

She bared her fangs at him and hissed irritably. Deep down she knew she was being difficult, but she hated that arrogant, commanding, possessive glint in his eyes. When she was weak and sickly and human, it was so much easier to stand, but now that she was strong...

To her surprise he chuckled softly. "Did you really just hiss at me, Anna?"

"Yeah," she retorted. "You're pissing me off."

"And you're irritating me."

"I have to help her, Cael. I have to." 

He sighed and pulled her in his embrace from behind. As much as she wanted to struggle and pull away to be stubborn, she didn't. The moment he touched her, the real reason she was furious came back into focus; she was frightened. 

Cael's presence banished the darkness. His arms steadied her when she was so afraid of being sucked away by her alarming powers. It reminded her of the time when she was a kid and her parents had taken the family to Niagara Falls. She took one look over the edge and felt a sucking feeling as though the water was pulling her down into the endless fog and foam towards death. Only her mother's sure embrace seemed to keep the roaring water and the misty chasm from reaching up and pulling her down. 

"Let's make a deal my angel," he whispered in her ear.

Anna moaned. That sexy voice turned her insides to mush; the tone was so melodious and yet so raw and hungry that she couldn't help herself. 

"I will promise to set up a group of people to investigate your visions for you. You get what you can from the visions, and they'll investigate based on the information you give them." He squeezed her even closer. "I won't lose you again, Anna. You must understand. I won't live through losing you again. If something happened to you I'd walk out into the sun and wait until it shreds my power away and kills me – it would probably only take a day. But one day of agony is bearable in comparison to the life I'd have to live without you."

She shivered. She couldn't imagine a world without him. A world without Cael. Even the thought brought tears to her eyes. He was right. She'd kill herself if she lost him.

"Okay," she finally admitted. "I get it. I do the dreaming, your people do the walking." 

He smiled, flashing the tips of his fangs. "Then it's a deal."

"Good," she said, trying to pull away from his possessive embrace.

He didn't let her move an inch. Instead, he leaned back down and kissed her by the ear.

"I want you," he whispered.

She froze. Again? While one part of her was definitely feeling stubborn still, another part of her purred in contentment. 

"Don't you still have things to do?" she asked pretending to be slightly exasperated. She was sure she didn't fool him at all. "You're all dressed up still." She turned around in his arms to look up at him and froze. 

GOD! His jade eyes were literally scorching.

"The good thing about suits," he replied, his voice deep and sexy, "is that they come off very easily."

"Well then, let me see if I know how to work these 'suit' thingies."

His eyes seared into her hungrily. Take off your robe, he demanded in her mind.

She stared up at him and grinned mischievously, pulling it about her frame tightly. He growled a little at that.

"I guess I start right here," she said slowly unbuttoning his suit jacket. She could feel his nod, though she didn't look at him. Her fingers were slightly nervous. He looked much more important to her today, not like her Cael that she'd known from their vault and the trip across country. Not the same Cael that had ravished her so fully just as the sun set. This was King Cael...

King Cael... well, that just sounded weird.

"One of the many reasons I go by Alexander," he chuckled. 

She smiled up at him. "It kinda sounded like King Kong... it had the alliteration thing going for it and all."

"Mmmm," he agreed. "Isn't that the story of the giant ape?"

She giggled. "Yeah."

"I remember it now. Classic film. Kieran and I went, when was it? In the thirties, I think. Those motion pictures were quite the rave back then." 

Anna caught the cockily arched brow only a second before he grabbed her. She squealed in surprise as he tossed her over his shoulder. Then he gave her rear a loud slap. She screeched and struggled, but Cael easily restrained her, chuckling.

"Yes," he laughed. "There's something about males being able to overpower their females that I rather like." 

He set her down on the bed gently, though and followed her down covering her with his god-like body. Even in a suit he was incredible, and his smell...

"You like this," he teased sniffing the slight musk of her arousal in the air.

Anna blushed and then stared him in the eyes defiantly. "Yeah, so do you," she said staring at the stiff bulge in his pants.

"Oh there's no doubt my Anna," he replied. He suckled on her ear, nipping at the flesh, while his hands nimbly untied the sash of the robe and pulled it apart baring her body to his hungry eyes. "Your body is goddess material," he whispered as he licked from her ear down her neck, "made to be worshipped."

Her heart pounded. His mouth was right there, oh GOD, he needed to bite her, now!

He chuckled at that. She wondered indignantly when she'd get good enough to pick his thoughts from his head. 

"When you're older," he said. "Right now, you're so young that all your thoughts are a scream in your head. There's still so much that's new and surprising to you." He growled a little and nuzzled her neck again. "Now," he chuckled huskily, "I believe I was about to make my damsel in distress do some screaming."

He didn't take his clothes off. He tortured her with his fingers, his tongue, rediscovering every little sensitive spot on her body and finding a few more. Anna was a whimpering mass of need, a slave to his talented hands and mouth. He drove her higher and higher, but never let that spring that coiled inside of her release. Finally, he pulled away and stood.

"Don't you dare leave me like this Cael," she snarled helplessly.

He chuckled wickedly. "You're beautiful like that. Your skin is flushed, your breasts are heaving – you really look wanton, darling."

"I'll show you fucking wanton," she cried.

He laughed, grabbed her again and threw her over his shoulder, leaving the red satin robe in the middle of the bed.

"Cael!" she screeched as he carried her out of his bedroom. "What are you doing?"

"We have a date with our dining room table, Elianna Kennan," he returned playfully. "You're on the menu."

She didn't find much time to protest after that. After all the times they'd made love, Cael had never really demonstrated his 'talents' for everything sexual. She came and came again, sobbing his name in ecstasy. She was sure the bodyguards outside his chambers could hear her, but she couldn't stop. Cael kept her rolling from climax to climax; leaning over her in his immaculate-looking suit, not a strand of his carefully styled hair was out of place. She knew she looked like a whore spread out on his table naked, sweaty, panting, and her thighs covered in her juices, but watching Cael lick his fingers made her quiver in her core once again.

"So tasty," he whispered in that sexy voice she couldn't resist. "This morning, Angel, we're going to do something you've never done." 

He started shedding his clothes at last. She'd been craving to see his glorious body, but one little attempt to unbutton his shirt rendered her hands attached to the table with his power. She hadn't been able to move her arms since. She moaned in agony, even the sight of his body sent her into another fit of longing. 

"We're going have sex..." he explained his voice coming in pants.

Despite herself, she rolled her eyes. Yeah. New.

"We're going to have sex the way vampire mates make love; joining bodies and blood," he ground out. His hands were shaking.

That might be interesting. She smiled at his trembling hands. At least she knew she was getting to him, too.

"Oh don't worry Little One," he growled. "I want you. I'm going to pound my cock in your tight body until you can't take me anymore."

Anna stared at his throbbing erection and licked her lips.

"Not while your fangs are so new, sweetheart," he chuckled. 

He grabbed her legs and pulled her until her rear almost hung off the table. Thank God it was a stable piece of furniture. He held himself there at her entrance and coated his purple-tipped cock in the juices that covered her slick entrance growling a little to voice how that moist heat pleased him. Then without warning he slammed home knocking the wind from her lungs.

She'd never mad love to Cael like this! 

He was completely unrestrained, he held her with a bruising grip, but she wanted him to hold her tighter. The sound of his skin slapping against her filled the room, and she wanted more...more! He stared at her with his fangs elongated, his jade eyes glittering with hunger and she obligingly bared her neck for him. He grabbed her tightly and suddenly slammed her back against the wall driving up into her harder. She wrapped her legs about his hips to hold on, though she knew he wouldn't drop her, and gasped as he slammed inside of her over and over again. 

Then, to her surprise, he bared his neck to her.

Instinctively, as she neared climax she drew closer to him and started lathing that spot with her tongue.

"Fuck yes, Anna," he groaned. 

His body shuddered in pleasure and still he drove into her until she couldn't take it, she was overwhelmed. She screamed in orgasm, her body exploding with pleasure. Instinctively she bit down on his neck and drank from him; the incredible taste of his powerful blood sent her body into absolute euphoria. She never knew true pleasure until that moment. Nothing! Nothing compared to this! Even though she drowned in blissful sensation, she was acutely aware when Cael exploded inside her and bit her neck. It sent her into another spiral of pleasure; consuming, euphoric, incredible.

They stood that way for a while; joined in body and in blood slowly feeding off one another. Cael finally mastered himself and pulled away from her neck, licking to seal the wounds. He stroked her hair and held her close, feeling the warmth from where their bodies joined her soft lips at his neck in contentment. Finally she seemed to calm, for she sipped only slightly. 

"That's probably enough for now, my love," he whispered tenderly in her ear. "My blood is strong. It might make you dizzy."

She made one of those soft, contented noises that he loved so much and obligingly licked the wound closed on his neck.

"You taste like heaven," she breathed nuzzling him dreamily.

"So do you," he replied smiling fondly.

He didn't have the heart to pull out of her. Instead he carried her through his rooms back to his bed and let her lay on top of him, nestled comfortably on his chest. Cael held her close, feeling that incredible contentment he'd only known since he met her. 

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

Mara stood in the doorway staring at the massive bed a little nervously. He was kidding about the sharing the bed thing? Right? Obviously anyone with even a smidge of common sense would know that sharing a bed after that kiss was a really bad idea. If she just wasn't so damn tired at sunrise she'd have a better argument, she was sure of it.

"You sleep in clothes?" he asked her.

She stared at him groggily.

He made a gesture to her ensemble in explanation.

"Of course I don't sleep in stuff like this," she snapped, irritable that he would think she was such an idiot. These clothes were worth more than her jeep, and would definitely be uncomfortable to sleep in.

"So do you sleep naked?" he asked arching a dark brow. Behind his teasing voice she could hear it; predatory hunger.

Oh yes, he was dark and dangerous and... What the hell was she thinking? There was NO way she was going to sleep naked with him. It was obvious where that would lead.

"Um, I think I'd prefer to sleep in something," she said as she tried to get her racing heart under control.

He chuckled. "Now you're worried about your honor. Have you even looked at yourself in the mirror, Mara? You're fading fast. I'm not about to strip you, so if you want to change, you better do it before the sun rises."

"I don't have anything to sleep in," she protested, knowing that it was a very weak excuse.

He opened an armoire and tossed her a black silk-blend cotton shirt. She felt the fabric in her fingers for a moment. Even their t-shirts were costly. She looked up to see him stripping out of his clothes, and she noticed that he was wearing one exactly like hers. 

Stripping out of his clothes? 

Her breath caught in her throat. He filled that tight undershirt with lean, hard muscle threatening to bulge through, and when he stripped it off...

Her heart started to pound again and her mouth went dry. Oh wow. He was amazing, tall dark and handsome amazing. His wavy black hair looked like midnight satin, he had full dark brows, exotic almond-shaped eyes that glittered like obsidian fire. Out of his business suit he looked like some pagan god, some ancient Olympian, some foreign gladiator that fought lions in the Coliseum. With those dark wicked eyes, he screamed cool, sexy danger.




Redemption Ch. 04



This is the moment many dreaded. If any of you are homophobic then this is not a story or chapter for you. From the beginning, I always said Lucien and his Raynes were going to form a triad, and there can be no going around it. I also knew from the get go that this story might not be particularly popular, but that's okay. I still have a few diehard fans that support my creative endeavors, which I greatly appreciate. Lucien has been through hell and back, literally. He is flawed and tarnished, but he will grow, eventually. Boy Rayne is finally opening up (no pun intended) and I wanted to show a little more about him in this chapter. Next chapter we'll be seeing a whole new side to girl Rayne, but for now, enjoy this chapter. Please leave comments. they're greatly appreciated, just don't flood me with negative comments concerning the man/man sex scene. I am a proud supporter of LGBT rights. I believe everyone has the right to love whomever they please!! Oh, yeah, and please remember Lucien is into BDSM. Cuffing and chaining his sexual playmates turns him on, but he doesn't ever force it on anyone as you'll soon see.

*****

He trained again. Trained until his body ached and muscles screamed from agony. Lucien worked through levels of demons and devils the holo-traing unit provided for him. He even trained with Devon and Ashriel, long bloody drawn out sessions that seemed to never end.

Seth watched over what he ate, and Zak gave him a grueling workout routine. So far Lucien had gained fifty much needed pounds of pure brawn.

Today he faced Natanael, Abdiel, and Eriel, who, he soon learned were probably the best swordsmen he'd ever fought, aside from his brother and Ashriel.

Abdiel wore the usual loose black pants most reapers wore for training.

Eriel, on the other hand, had a pair of pants that looked as though he'd been dipped from the hips down in a vat of latex. The effect left little to the imagination as it clung to every dip and curve of his body. He also had on a pair of thigh-high patent leather boots that drew more attention to his long-long legs and bulging manly package. He looked every bit the male whore fallen reapers were claimed to be.

Abdiel had plaited his hair into a thick braid that hung halfway down his back, but Eriel had left his glossy sable tresses free.

The dark-haired reaper held his blade at the ready, his eyes black with the promise of death.

Despite Eriel's indecent training attire, Natanael won the prize for most distracting and obscene. His long Mohawk was shocking pink and he'd added more tattoos to his body; a body that was all but bare.

Instead of pants, the reaper had wrapped a four-inch wide ribbon of black leather around his hips, between his legs and down each long muscular leg. His feet were bare and his fingernails and toes were painted a deep metallic blue. He kept his midnight colored wings spread and ruffled and he too circled Lucien with a grin of pure evil.

"Loser bottoms?" the pink-haired reaper teased, before growling through clenched teeth, "I hate bottoming."

Lucien felt revulsion lance through him as well as rage. "I'll kill you first if you think you'll ever get me to bottom to you."

"That's the idea, kiddo," Eriel chuckled. "You try to kill us, we try to kill you."

Right.

Lucien knew he needed to get his anger under control. It was why he lost every battle against Devon. He hadn't been able to defeat Ashriel, but then Ashriel hadn't been able to kill him either, much to the reaper's dismay.

Devon had thought it a good idea to train with the reapers in case the Master Guardians hunting them found him. There was still a hefty bounty for the head of the former dark prince.

They came at him relentlessly, using their swords and wings in an attempt to bring him down. Natanael continued to taunt him, and Lucien did his best not to succumb to his revulsion and anger. As soon as they finished training though, he was kicking Natanael's ass out in the corridor.

Meanwhile, none of the reapers were giving him a chance to get near them. They knew better and kept him at swords length hoping to tire him into losing.

Lucien had blades strapped everywhere and was a master at using them. He was also good with the sword and knew how to push himself beyond exhaustion, so, it was going to be a long session for everyone involved.

Abdiel slashed at Lucien's belly and spun. His wing clipped Lucien behind his head, sending him to the mat. Feeling Eriel near, he rolled to avoid being gutted, and kicked out getting Natanael between his legs.

The pink-haired reaper went down with a howl of agony.

Served him right, as well as the sword he got sinking into the bare spot between his black wings.

"Game over for you, cocksucker," Lucien spat as he flipped over and onto his feet again.

His vision was spotty from the blow to his head. Had Abdiel gotten him a little lower it would've been game over for Lucien instead.

The holographic reproduction of Natanael fell face-first onto the mat, dead. Across the training hall, the real Nat glared at Luke, still rubbing his injured balls.

Lucien kept his eyes on Abdiel and Eriel. Eriel's wings were spread and lifted. Abdiel's wings were lifted away from his back and pressed tight together as if in prayer behind him. He was not smiling, just silent, face expressionless, eyes glossy black voids. If anything, Abdiel scared the shit out of Lucien more than Eriel's cocky attitude did.

Of course, Lucien knew that was another way they fought. They either tried to rile you or creep you out.

These two were special. They were the ones who'd fought by his father's side the night his parents were swept into the realm of shadows by a horde of devils.

The memory of his father, Davariel floated in the back of his mind, but he pushed it away. He needed to focus on the battle at hand, even if it was just mostly a holographic training session.

Concentrate, son—he could almost hear his father instruct him—you are reaper born, my child.

His vision grew strange. He could see little round things floating in the air around him. The reapers moved as if in slow motion and the sound became muted. Lucien became hyperaware of his opponents, could hear their heartbeat, every breath they took, every miniscule movement on their faces and bodies.

Abdiel's brows twitched a little closer together and the light fuzz on his left arm lifted. Eriel took in a slow, deep breath, his wings tensing. They were going to come at him simultaneously.

Lucien moved, swiping up Natanael's discarded sword. He flowed like water, hacking away at both death angels, double swords singing in the air.

Eriel got half a wing hacked off, Abdiel received a gash from throat to gut. Lucien spun, ducked, kicked out, and flipped back.

Eriel flew over him, jabbing down with his sword. It sank into his right lung. He had a few minutes to live now...but he wasn't dead yet. Lucien drop-rolled onto his own back, scissored his legs up, trapping Erie's sword and with a hard twist of his body brought the reaper crashing down to the mat. Lucien didn't hesitate maneuvering his sword back against his forearm before pushing it deep into Eriel's chest.

Two down.

With the second sword, Lucien jabbed forward, almost impaling Abdiel's oncoming rush, but the blond reaper halted just in time. Barely.

Abdiel frowned, the first show of emotion on his face as he continued to hover over Lucien.

Lucien grinned until he heard a low growl echoing in the large training chamber.

Abdiel turned his head and flinched.

On Lucien's training mat there was nothing, but when he looked over to where Abdiel really hovered in the air, his blood froze in his veins.

Boy Rayne approached, naked body still dripping with water, advancing like a predator upon Abdiel.

His fangs were bared and his claws extended, every muscle tense for attack.

Lucien, as well as Abdiel, knew from the dilated pupils that Boy was going to attack.

Lucien ripped the holographic neuro-halo from his head and rushed toward Abdiel's mat.

Boy obviously thought Abdiel was trying to kill him for real.

"No. Stop. Boy."

Abdiel's black wings thundered louder as he began to rise higher, but Boy sprung into action. Abdiel was about ten feet off the training mat and he zipped up maybe four feet more before Boy leapt and wrapped himself around the surprised reaper.

He was like a wild animal. Fangs sank into the reaper's shoulder, claws ripped his back and shredded feathers. Abdiel let out a howl of pain and crossed his arm over his throat to keep Boy from ripping it out as well. Blood sprayed everywhere as they crashed down.

Lucien reached the edge of the mat just as Boy rolled away from the bleeding death angel, but he looked ready to attack again, crouched down on all fours, body tense. He continued to snarl viciously at Abdiel.

Lucien intervened, putting himself directly between Abdiel and Boy Rayne. He knelt by Abdiel and put pressure on the reaper's shoulder wound.

"Fuck, Luke," Abdiel panted, his face twisted in pain.

Lucien looked over his shoulder. Boy Rayne had quieted. He stared, pupils still dilated in wide lavender-colored irises, as blood dripped from his lips and chin.

******* 

"It's not real," Lucien told him.

Boy Rayne switched his gaze briefly to the other reaper a few paces away before settling once more on the two men before him.

He'd been watching the battle from afar, his hearts nearly seizing in his chest. Three reapers fought against Lucien.

What had horrified Boy most was that the battle scene was quadrupled. It was confusing as well as terrifying.

Lucien had managed to disable two of the reapers, but not without getting seriously hurt himself. The last reaper left clearly had the advantage. Boy wanted to help the man he'd looked to as a potential master, so he'd attacked the black-winged reaper, hoping to even the battle once more.

Boy was familiar with unfair arena fights. He'd lost his last battle in such a fight. His master hadn't even waited for him to breathe his last and had his trainer toss him in the garbage bins behind the coliseum.

Instead of finishing the reaper off, Lucien had rushed to his aid.

"The fight wasn't real, Boy," Lucien was saying again. "It's a holographic projection."

Lucien stood carefully and lifted his right hand over his shoulder.

A clear ring flew into his grasp. Lucien placed it over his head and it disappeared. He lifted it off and it appeared in his hand again.

"It's a neuro-halo. It enhances the holo-training program. If Abdy were to holographically wound me, I'd feel the pain, but I wouldn't die."

Lucien offered the neuro-halo to Boy. "It's how we train to kill without actually killing each other."

Boy took a step back. Train to kill? As a battle pet, he was tossed into the arena and it was either kill or be killed, and it was for real. That was the extent of their training.

Lucien tossed the clear ring at him and Boy caught it. The warm ring vibrated in his hands.

Again, he looked at Lucien who was helping Abdiel up. He helped the reaper off to the side, talking in a low voice.

Boy slid the ring around his head and immediately found himself facing the other two reapers who'd been, until now, in the far corners of the vast room.

Boy stepped back when a sword materialized almost in front of his nose.

He was sure he'd seen Lucien disable the reapers, but there they stood, grinning at him.

Boy wrapped his fingers around the hilt of the sword and felt its slight weight.

The weapon felt good in his hand. The metal glinted in the light and it made Boy grin, feel powerful. He bared his fangs even more.

The death angels moved closer.

Before leaping into action, he wondered if they'd ever fought an animal.

******* 

Lucien tensed when he saw the reapers engage Boy Rayne.

The battle pet was pure, raw, savage, aggression, and though the reapers possessed lethal wings, it soon became clear to Lucien that they did not have any advantage over Boy. Boy had fangs, claws, and an ability to flow around them like water that left Lucien's mouth gaping. Where he learned to use a sword, Lucien did not know, but the Merulian used it as if it were an extension to his body.

Holographic cuts opened on both reapers and each winced and grunted with every cut. Boy Rayne only hissed and snarled whenever one of the reapers connected a blow, and they were far and few in between. Boy Rayne definitely was doing more damage to the reapers, to Lucien's shock. Reapers were supposed to be undefeatable by normal beings.

Again, Lucien used his second sight to gaze upon Boy Rayne's aura. It flamed around him bright and white, like the corona of a supernova. It was almost blinding, swirling with a few wisps of dark from others who'd tainted him, but pure nonetheless. Had Boy been a supernatural being, his aura would have blinded Lucien, the way Devon's usually did.

Boy Rayne's white hair was plastered against his body. He had two prominent scars along his back, as if at one time he might have had wings. There was another ugly one low on his back, right over the crack of his buttocks. Did Boy have a tail once? Lucien narrowed his eyes realizing that, yes, he'd had a tail, and it had obviously been chopped off.

God.

Something else pulled the air right from Lucien's chest. 

Boy Rayne's pectorals were swollen. He had very small breasts.

"What-the-fuck?" Lucien let out on a whoosh of breath.

"They go through cycles," Abdiel said next to him. "Looks like his feminine side is in heat. Explains why the little Merulian wants to take our heads."

Lucien frowned at Abdiel.

The reaper rolled his eyes and added, "the battle pet is infatuated with you, Luke. It was defending you."

Lucien turned to stare at Boy Rayne feeling as though a star freighter had just rolled over him.

"Holo-training over," he shouted.

The overhead floodlights brightened and the holographic projections ceased.

Boy hunched over, clearly confused.

Lucien approached him...or her.

The battle pet stared at him with wide frightened lavender eyes.

Lucien raised his hand. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you."

The battle pet stood straighter, which made the soft perky breasts jut out more.

Natanael approached from the other end of the training room. "Mmm, sexy," he purred.

Suddenly, Lucien wanted to kill the reaper for real.

Natanael stopped, eyes wide, as he regarded Lucien warily. "What?"

"Come here," he commanded Boy Rayne, internally wincing at how sharp his voice came out.

Great. Now they were all staring at him as if he'd lost his mind.

After a few seconds, the battle pet took the first tentative step.

As Boy Rayne approached, Lucien studied the body of the battle pet carefully.

His cock, now flaccid, was very small. So small, it could have passed for the enlarged clitoris of a woman. Softly curving hips sloped to muscular thighs and that delicate waist accentuated perky breasts big enough to cup.

Lucien's hands itched to touch, but he held himself back.

Boy's shoulders were wider than a woman's and his face still held a trace more maleness than delicate female.

When he stopped a few inches from Lucien, Lucien could not help breathe him in. Sugar and salt. That was Boy. Like oceans and wild flowers.

"What are you?" Lucien asked softly. "Are you more man or woman?"

Boy blinked, a little frown marring the smooth skin between his up-slanted pale brows. A soft flush made his cheeks glow and for a moment, Lucien thought female. Not masculine.

Boy Rayne frowned slightly then, and shook his head almost imperceptibly.

"Talk," Lucien ordered. "You have a voice. Remi repaired you."

Boy's lips pressed together and his eyes lit with defiance. Lucien balled his hands into fists. It was all he could do to resist the urge to grab the battle pet and kiss that defiant look right off...

"Fuck," Lucien hissed taking a step back.

He ran a hand through his sweaty locks and looked away.

"I'm..."

The sound of the battle pet's voice made him gasp. Lucien's eyes snapped back to that gut wrenching beautiful face. Boy was trembling now and that fucking name was totally wrong. All wrong.

"You're what?" Lucien whispered.

A little pink tongue swiped lush lips. "I'm...I'm a woman."

Lucien stumbled forward, wanting to embrace the battle pet.

Lavender eyes widened. "And I'm also a man," Boy spat.

Lucien recoiled and the look of hurt in Boy's eyes pierced him to his soul.

"I'm both," Boy whispered now, eyes welling up.

Again, Lucien's eyes dropped down to the soft swells of feminine flesh on Boy's chest. Taking a deep breath and swallowing hard he reached out and caressed Boy Rayne's cheek. "It's okay. I'm sorry I tried to hurt you a few weeks past."

Boy only nodded after a few moments. He seemed to swallow like Lucien. "I wasn't allowed to speak."

Lucien's eyes narrowed. "No one will hurt you here for speaking. You're free. Understand?"

Boy Rayne's eyes looked at the other reapers before going back to Lucien's face. "Will I still fight in the arenas?"

Lucien shook his head. "Not unless you want to." He dropped his hand, his fingers still tingling from the battle pet's heat. "You don't have to."

Boy Rayne frowned, looking at the reapers again. "Why were you fighting reapers?"

"We're training for a mission."

Boy's frown vanished. Lucien could see he was trying to understand. A Gorgundt cap would do him wonders and he actually debated as to whether or not he should give one to Boy Rayne.

Remi appeared as if on cue. Lucien gave him a dirty look, knowing he'd been eavesdropping into his thoughts yet again.

Boy jumped, startled at Remi's appearance, but miraculously did not snarl at him.

Lucien snatched the cap away before Remi placed it on Boy's head first. He wanted to be the one to place the cap on Boy's head...but not here, in front of the others.

"I'm taking you to my quarters, Boy."

******* 

"He's going to have a bit more personality when he wakes up, Luke," Remi said.

Lucien clenched his teeth in irritation. He'd been pacing furiously back and forth on the white rug in his seating area, a trench was beginning to form.

The annoying red weredragon had followed Lucien and Boy to Lucien's quarters. Lucien tried to ignore him, but that was nearly impossible because Remien Fyre did not know how to shut the fuck up. 

Lucien gave Boy one of his silky black robes to wear because the sight of his body was making Luke feel really edgy.

Remi was the one who'd told him to lie back on the couch. Lucien had to snarl at him to get him away from Boy so he could place the cap over Boy Rayne's gleaming white locks.

After a while, Boy's eyes had gone glassy and he looked almost as if he was asleep, but with his eyes open.

Different expressions flitted over his face. At times he would smile, other times he would gasp. Remi had to physically hold Lucien when Boy began to sniffle and cry, but soon his distress turned to snarling anger.

Lucien pushed Remi away in annoyance. "What the hell is that thing showing him anyway?"

Remi grinned, his snakebite piercings glinting. "I might have tweaked the info a bit—"

Lucien gripped the front of Remi's black uniform shirt hard.

"Easy," Zak blurted suddenly appearing next to them. His huge hands landed on Lucien's chest, trying to come between him and Rem.

"Explain tweak, Fyre," Lucien snarled.

Remi gulped loudly, the whites of his eyes showing.

"Let Luke kick his ass," Seth drawled from behind them. "Serves him right for being such a meddlesome pain-in-the-ass."

Lucien shook the red weredragon a bit. "What did you do to the Gorgundt cap?"

Remi's brows jerked together in a scowl. "I just added more stuff, like how to talk like a normal person, unlike Sethaliel, and some stuff about us."




Redemption Ch. 04



Remi gave him a sudden shove back, making Lucien stumble. When Lucien tried to rush him again, Zak was an immovable wall between them.

"Do not try to hit him because I always get nailed instead," Zak growled with a frown.

Behind him, Remi chuckled. "That's because you always stick your sorry ass in the way, dude."

Zak let him go and stepped back.

Lucien took a cleansing breath. He was just about to order everyone out when he noticed Boy Rayne reaching up to pull the cap off with a little groan.

They all rushed to his side and surrounded him.

Silence reined as Boy Rayne blinked slightly disorientated eyes up at them.

Lucien held his breath, wondering what he'd say. If he noticed the slightest thing off in the battle pet, he was personally going to rip Remi's heart out and eat it.

Boy Rayne's gaze grew sharper, his eyes going over everyone's face.

A slow blush crept up his neck and onto his adorable face.

Lucien felt as if someone had kicked him in the gut.

Boy Rayne hunched his shoulders and blurted, "Is this a fucking funeral? What are you all staring at me?"

Remi began to laugh, Zak snorted, Seth just shook his head, and Lucien had to close his mouth and pop his eyes back into their sockets.

Unable to help himself, he gripped Boy Rayne's shoulders and pulled him into a sitting position. The robe slid off one shoulder, exposing the top of one little enticing swell of flesh.

Lucien's tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth and he forcibly raised his gaze to Boy's face. "Are you Okay?"

Holy fuck. Why had his voice come out so damn raspy and deep?

"Would all of you get the hell out of here?" Lucien almost roared

Zak flashed away, but Remi stayed, staring expectantly at Lucien and Boy Rayne. Seth's eyes were on Remi. "Let's go, Fyre," Seth said.

Remi puffed out a frustrated breath. "Fine," he snapped before zapping out in a ball of red-gold fire.

Seth was also gone half a second later.

Lucien turned back to Boy Rayne. "I've got to change your name," he muttered more to himself than Boy.

Boy frowned. "Why?"

Before Lucien could utter a reply, Boy ripped open the black robe, exposing the white line of his body. Lucien's eyes fastened to the sight of the pretty little breasts decorating Boy, but the battle pet drew his attention away by sliding his hand down the middle of his torso to the rapidly swelling cock between his shapely thighs.

Lucien jerked upright to his feet.

Boy jumped up from the couch, brows pinched over his pert nose. "I attract and repel you."

It was a statement.

Lucien swallowed, and shook his head. "You don't understand. It's nothing to do with you personally."

Boy's face smoothed over, eyes wide. "I...I like you," he whispered.

Heat raced through his body. Lucien took another step back. "Don't say that," he hissed.

Boy frowned again. "Why?"

Lucien tried to distract himself with the vision of Rayne, so soft, nubile, and sweet. But I can never have her.

"Because you have no idea what I am," Lucien replied darkly.

Boy Rayne's eyes grew dark. He let the robe finally fall around his ankles. "I know exactly who and what you are, Lucien of Angelos...son of Davariel, the angel of destruction." He took a step forward, Lucien another back. "You were the dark prince, You betrayed your friends and bothers at arms and were cursed to the anteroom to hell after Seth killed you."

Lucien sucked in a breath, his heart about to pound through his chest. "Stop."

But Boy didn't stop. He came closer. "They enslaved you—"

Lucien lashed out telepathically, shoving the memory of his reign as dark prince into Boy's mind. He'd had to hide, fight when he was found. Lucien had to kill or be tortured. Do the demons bidding or be raped repeatedly. The things his stepfather had done to him paled with what the devils and demons forced him to endure.

Screams filled his mind, the screams of his past...the agony.

He pressed his fists to his eyes willing the images away. The wailing continued.

It wasn't until Remi slapped him hard enough to send him dazed to the floor did he realize the wailing came from Boy Rayne.

"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Remi seethed before rushing back to Boy's side.

Zak was already gathering him up, talking soothingly to him. Seth looked completely lost as what to do.

Lucien rubbed the side of his burning face, staring stupidly as the others tried to soothe Boy Rayne.

Suddenly, the battle pet shove away from them with a snarl and rushed to Lucien.

The nightmare of his memories still fresh in his mind, Lucien just closed his eyes and steeled himself, a whimper escaping his lips. He wouldn't be able to tolerate being touched. He just knew it. Felt faint with it.

His heart pounded in his ears and his skin crawled, anticipating Boy's touch. He would feel the press of his cock against his flesh and it would make him scream and scream and scream.

Moments passed and nothing happened. Lucien's breath hissed in and out through his clenched teeth. Slowly he pried his eyes opened.

The first thing he saw was Boy Rayne huddled in a tight ball a few inches from Lucien's booted feet. The other three Alpha Angles just stood near the couch, their faces etched with worry.

Lucien slowly drew his feet closer to his body...away from Boy Rayne.

The movement made Boy flinch and look up.

His face was ravaged, tearstained, eyes red and puffy, nose running and lips swollen. His once bright, lavender eyes were full of pain.

"My master did the same to me," was all he whispered on a broken sob.

Something within Lucien twisted, snapped, opened and flooded out. He found himself reaching for the battle pet, wrapping his hands around sinewy biceps and hauling him into his arms and lap.

There was no revulsion or disgust, only need. Need to soothe, need to bond. Boy had suffered the same nightmares as Lucien. He understood. It was all that mattered.

Lucien pressed his face into Boy's neck and inhaled. "They won't hurt us anymore."

"I'll protect you," Boy whispered, shocking Lucien. "Next time, I'll let them take me instead."

Lucien couldn't help the snarl that escaped his lips. He held Boy tighter, using his second sight to stare at the two Dominatio that always hovered near him. "Never. Over my fucking dead body."

*******

A gentle finger sliding back a strand of his hair awakened Boy Rayne.

"Why don't you go sleep in your own room?" Lucien said with his deep sexy voice.

Boy pushed up from the couch and yawned. "It stinks in there," he replied rubbing one eye.

He waited until Lucien stood and began walking away to be able to drink in the sight of him.

Beautiful as always, he sauntered away, gleaming, multifaceted blond hair swaying right above his tight ass. Too bad he'd taken to wearing loose white drawstring pants to sleep. At least they hung low enough on his hips to accentuate how his waist V'ed up to broad muscular shoulders. Lucien was a wet dream of a man, not even the many scars that marred his bronzed flesh deterred from his utter beauty.

Boy frowned when Luke bent over the bar in the corner and retrieved the familiar black bottle.

Lucien had said something and turned around to pin him with a questioning look.

"Well?" Lucien said in that growly voice that gave Boy flesh bumps.

Boy nibbled his lower lip. "Uh...no."

Lucien just stared at him, face blank. "You weren't listening to me were you?"

Boy felt his face flush and grinned sheepishly.

Lucien closed his eyes with a frustrated sigh, making Boy's hearts knock against each other unpleasantly.

Lucien brought the bottle up to his lips and took a deep pull.

Boy watched mesmerized as he swallowed, the lump at his throat bobbing up and down enticingly. Boy sometimes imagined pressing his teeth against that sexy lump.

Lucien coughed once and fixed Boy with a rather bleary stare.

"I asked you what the hell your room stank like. We've had it cleaned like a hundred times."

Boy wrinkled his nose. "It smells...sterile."

Lucien snorted. "I'll tell the reapers to hold one of their little orgies in there. That ought to take care of that."

"I'm not sure I'd like that stink either," Boy pouted, before grinning and bouncing up. "Why can't I just stay here with you?"

Lucien choked mid swallow. He wiped his mouth and looked at Boy again. "We talked about that, Rayne."

Boy frowned. He'd taken to calling him just Rayne. "I'm not her."

Lucien turned and slammed the bottle on the counter making Boy jump. "I know you're not her.," he said very softly after a long pause.

When he didn't turn back around, Boy asked, "Where is she?"

"She's..." He went silent again, bowed his head. The seconds dragged by, until finally he sighed, "She tried to hurt herself and we had to put her in stasis."

Boy jumped to his feet, shock streaking through him. "Why did she try to hurt herself?"

"It's complicated," Lucien answered without turning to face him.

Fear was the next emotion to slam into him. He'd spurned every attempt that tiny girl made to befriend him. Every time he saw her she'd been alone, shoulders hunched, looking lost and afraid. "Was it my fault?" he said choking back a sob. If she'd hurt herself because of him he'd never forgive himself.

Lucien turned with a confused frown. "Of course not."

Boy remembered how good she'd made him feel. The memory made him shudder. "She was pretty."

Her hair was a river of black down her spine and she was just so little and delicate and cute. Her mouth had been pure heaven. He sucked in a slow breath when he felt his cock begin to rise and looked up at Lucien with wide eyes.

Lucien had turned and was leaning against the bar, watching him with narrowed ice-blue eyes. "You like her?"

Boy felt his face go hot. Hell yes, he liked her. The girl had sucked his cock for the first time and blown his mind. He could almost imagine all three of them in bed together again. Boy wanted to be in the middle once more, having girl Rayne suck him off as Lucien kissed him cross-eyed.

"All three?" Lucien whispered.

Boy gave a startled lurch, his eyes widening. Had he blurted out his thoughts?

Lucien drank down more of the strange liquid from the bottle and then slammed it back on the counter.

Boy scrambled over the back of the couch when Lucien began to stalk toward him. It was no use, of course, because the man only teleported himself right in front of Boy, blocking his escape.

Boy grunted when he slammed against Lucien's hard muscled body. He leaned back, rubbing at his smarting girl boobs as Lucien caged him in against the back of the couch.

One of Lucien's hands snaked behind Boy's neck, dragging his face mere inches from Lucien's. All Boy could do was gape at him.

"Is that all you want from me, Boy Rayne? A kiss?"

Boy opened his mouth, unsure as to how to reply to that, but Lucien took the option to reply right out of his hands. His mouth slammed down onto Boy's and his tongue slid in hard, making Boy grip the back of the couch before he melted into the floor.

The kiss was hard and demanding, almost hurting Boy's tender lips. One of Lucien's hands gripped a breast through the thin white tank top Angel had given him. His hand squeezed his swollen breast as he growled into his mouth.

Boy arched his hips purposefully, to remind him of what he was, but Lucien broke the kiss to practically shove him around, facing away from him.

Boy gasped when metal cuffs just appeared around his wrists, a solid chain connected to each one. Each chain looked as if it were anchored to the floor in front of the couch. Boy couldn't tell. All he knew was that he couldn't pull free.

"Hey, I'm not one of your subs," he protested when Lucien pressed his cock against Boy's ass.

"Shhh," Lucien hushed as his hands peeled the front of the tank down to let Boy's girl boobs pop free. His hands again cupped them, massaging, pinching the nipples until all Boy could do was rise on tiptoes and hiss in pleasure. "Look at these pretty little titties. Fuck. I've always had a weakness for girls with little biteable tits."

The pleasurable fog that had Boy's loins aching ebbed. "Do you like Merulians with nice d—?"

A ball gag cut off the rest of his words.

Lucien rocked against his ass and pinched his nipples, but Boy Rayne no longer wanted to play. Not like this. He was not just a girl or boy, but both, and until he decided which way he wanted to go, he preferred if he was respected as both.

Stop—he projected into Lucien's mind.

Lucien froze and backed away. He was panting, but the cuffs and ball gag disappeared.

Boy spun around with a scowl, rubbing at his wrists.

Lucien wouldn't look him in the eye.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me," Lucien said running a hand through his blond hair.

He was so damn hot, for a moment, Boy was disappointed he'd stopped him.

Lucien backed away some more, looking at Boy with strangely cold eyes now. "Don't tell anyone what happened."

Boy blinked as Lucien turned away and grabbed that damned bottle again. "Why?"

Lucien had been on his way toward the door, but turned angrily. "Just don't," he snapped, his hand slicing through the air definitively. "And tonight sleep in your own fucking quarters."

He spun on his heel and stormed out.

Boy's eyes stung. He wondered if maybe he was pushing for too much too soon. Maybe he should become a full she. In order for that to happen, he needed to start dressing and acting more as a she...surround herself with males and allow herself to be used as a woman. It would take a few tries, but eventually her feminine side would become more pronounced. It might be the only way to finally win Lucien for keeps.

******* 

Access to Earth had been accepted. Seth had managed all the final details and they would be departing for the Edenian solar system on the morrow.

Lucien's whiskey addled brain had him feeling maudlin for a change. There were so many memories on Earth. Memories he would rather not recall. He'd shoved them deep into the farthest recesses of his mind and locked them behind a metal door. Sometimes he could hear the tap-tap-tapping of the ghosts of the past. They knocked and scratched at the mental blockade, seeking to slither out and torment him once more.

The Demons hadn't tried to snatch him back to hell, and he couldn't feel their presence any longer. That would change once he left the safety of Alpha 7, Even though Devon assured him he was keeping him protected. Lucien didn't feel anything different around him. No bite of power or sizzle of energy, but Devon assured him the demons could not take him anymore.

Lucien staggered down the corridor toward Doc's lab. Dev had given him an entire level to make his home. Lucien often wondered if the good old Doc was scoring any good ass since he'd come aboard the space station. The guy was about a hundred years old, but he was in good condition. He had to get lonely sometime.

Lucien frowned, wondering if leaving Rayne in his care was a good idea. The girl was fucking gorgeous, and fucking fuckable...

Lucien chuckled at his own crazy thoughts, before bursting through the steel doors of the med-unit.

A sterile white lounge greeted him. Soft lighting did nothing to warm the room. Lucien frowned at his reflection in the mirror in front of the double steel doors. He looked like a dark shadow amidst so much white with his black Alpha Angels uniform.

Turning to the right, he stumbled down another corridor, passing various doors until he reached the end of the hallway.

Chugging down the last mouthfuls of fiery Black Death whiskey, he wiped his mouth and went into Rayne's resting place.

It was dimly lit with soft

Wall sconces along one wall cast a soft golden glow in the room. There were brightly colored flowers in a crystal vase on a table in the corner.

Alluna must've brought them to her. She visited Rayne various times a day.

A soft beige couch was immediately to Lucien's right and a floor lamp shaped like a tall white cylinder stood in the corner, opposite the table. Directly in front was a holographic picture of a tropical beach. The moon cast a silver path upon the foaming water as the shadows of palms danced lazily in the warm breeze. Very pretty.

It looked all very homey, except for the glass stasis unit in the middle of the room.

Lucien dropped the bottled he'd carried all the way from his quarters. It hit the sand colored carpet with a dull thud as he staggered forward.

Looking at her was like a punch to his gut. He collapsed onto the top of the stasis unit and stared at her through the glass.

"My sleeping beauty," he crooned, hands caressing the cold glass.

How he wanted to open the damned glass coffin and yank her out. She'd hated this thing and he'd put her back in it.

"Please, forgive me, baby. You deserve so much better than me. I'm shit. Filthy, tainted, garbage." He blinked back the moisture in his eyes. "I can't have you in my life, sweetness. If they ever found me...they'd kill you."

Lucien traced the lines of her body along the glass, admiring how delicate she looked. Boy was taller, muscles more delineated, his face more exotic.

For a moment, he indulged in the fantasy of all three together, but unlike how boy had imagined it, he pictured them in a different embrace. He would take them both. Plunder Rayne's innocence and then have Boy diligently lick every last drop of her essence from his cock before taking him as well. He'd tie them down and have them both, have them beg and squirm.

He closed his eyes. "No. That's perverse. I won't taint you with my perversion."

Lucien straightened reluctantly, made his way out of the lab, and saw doc sitting in the lounge.

Doc stood and smiled at him. "Visiting?"

Lucien ran a hand through his messy blond locks. "Yeah. We leave tomorrow."

"I remember the plan. Chameleon and Cyneolle are to awaken her. She's doing good. Her vitals are strong and healthy. The borgs were able to restore the damage she'd inflicted on herself a few weeks ago."

"Do you feel desire for her?" Lucien couldn't help but ask, even as jealousy burned him from the inside out.

Doc Quinn looked surprised, but then chuckled. "She's a pretty little thing, but I like my gals a lot older."

Lucien continued to eye him suspiciously.

Doc's eyes narrowed. "Have you been drinking?" He wrinkled his nose when he sniffed.

Lucien snorted and turned, finally making his way out of the good doctor's home.

Once out in the corridor, he shuffled to the lift and rode up to his level. He could have teleported, but he had to admit he was too shit-faced to try.

Lucien chuckled to himself.

The reapers accompanying them on their mission had invited him to their little celebratory party in the playroom. He needed more alcohol in his blood so now would be a good time to make an appearance. Of course, if they started fucking, he was grabbing a few bottles of Black Death and ditching back to his quarters.

Boy was still sneaking into his rooms after he passed out inebriated at night. Lucien could smell his scent of wild flowers and oceans whenever he opened his eyes in the morning.

Boy had made himself scarce since that morning when Lucien almost fucked him against the couch. Every time he remembered, he got so hard he had to go and secretly jack himself off. Afterward, he needed to drink himself into a stupor to numb out the shame. 

Hence, why he was drunk now. He'd awakened that very morning spewing ropey lines of cum all over his belly after having had the most erotic wet dream with both his Raynes.

"My Raynes," he sighed, exiting the lift and starting toward the loud music at the end of the corridor.

Amadashiel was leaning against the wall in the corridor, playfully blowing smoke into the reaper, Reiven's face. Reiven leaned his arm on the wall to one side of her as the finger from his free hand circled her navel.




Redemption Ch. 04



Lucien strode right up to both reapers. Grinning, he pulled the red, dragon weed stick from Amadashiel's pouty lips and took a long, deep drag of smoke into his lungs.

Pleasure was a sledgehammer to the center of his forehead. Lucien closed his eyes, and tipped his head back, holding his breath in ecstasy.

Amadashiel giggled, her greedy hands trailing up the center of his chest.

In the psychedelic haze that blanketed his mind, he heard a laugh. It fired his blood, teased his cock, made him open his eyes and walk past Amadashiel's groping hands and straight into the playroom.

Reapers lounged about. In one corner, a red-haired reaper girl, named Amaranth sat with Abdiel. They seemed a little out of place since they were neither drinking or smoking and just observed the others.

Another female reaper he didn't recognize shared a hookah with Eriel.

In the center of the room was Natanael, black wings spread, acid-green Mohawk swaying against his tight ass. He was humping someone dancing with him to the hard thumping rock music blaring from the surround sound speakers.

Lucien couldn't see whom Nat was practically fucking, but whoever it was had mile high glass heels and gorgeously shaped long legs.

Eyes narrowed, Lucien made his way around the dancing couple and then stopped dead in his tracks.

She, because there was no fucking way he could call what he was staring at a he anymore, was a sight to behold.

The dress that draped that perfect body fell to just a breath past a pert ass. It looked as if all the stars in the universe had been collected and sprinkled on that silver dress. Her breasts were a little bigger now and no bra covered the tightly drawn nipples trying to pierce their way out of that indecently short dress.

Lucien swallowed a growl, schooled his features to show nothing, and took a seat to watch Boy Rayne. He didn't even move a finger when Eriel threw himself in the empty spot right next to him.

"Who would've thought, eh?" the reaper laughed, elbowing Lucien in the ribs. "That battle pet makes one hot fucking ladyboy. Oh-fuck," Eriel undid the closure to his pants. Amadashiel sauntered over and assisted him, pulling out his distended cock. "That's right, baby. In the mood for some pussy tonight, but your mouth will do just fine."

Lucien ignored Eriel thrusting his dick deeply into Amadashiel's throat. He just kept his eyes on Boy Rayne. Someone passed him another bottle of Black Death and he chugged deeply from it.

A growl finally did escape him when Boy turned, pressing her ass against Natanael's cock. Natanael gripped her hips and slid his hands up, dragging the dress to her waist. Boy had black panties that barely contained whatever the fuck was between those gorgeous thighs. It was smooth, no bump, no sign of a cock, completely female.

What. The. Fuck.

******* 

He almost cringed when Lucien rose from the couch. The look in his eyes was feral, pure undiluted lust. Even Natanael chuckled an "Oh, shit" behind him.

He looked enormous, muscles bulging everywhere, blond hair pouring around his shoulders down to his waist, a thousand shades of gold.

Lucien's upper lip was beaded in sweat, his face flushed, eyes a little red, and pupils dilated wide in those icy blue pools.

When he was just a few inches away, Natanael released Boy Rayne and moved back. Lucien did not budge or attempt to touch him. Just stood there after shaking his glorious tresses to one side, and stared down at boy with his head cocked at an angle.

Boy moved closer, like a moth to golden flame, unable to help himself. Boldly, he pressed his body against Lucien, danced so that the tips of his breasts rubbed on the magnificent sculpted chest before him.

He gave Lucien the hottest look he could muster, licking his full lower lip before biting it. He wanted to show his fangs, growl and hiss, but that was not how humans showed they were receptive to sharing sex. Lucien might think he was trying to be aggressive.

He held his breath when Lucien lifted the hand that held the bottle of Black Death whiskey and traced Boy's lips.

"Suck it," he demanded on a raspy breath.

Boy opened his mouth and allowed Lucien to slide his long, thick finger inside. Tilting his head at an angle, Boy imagined he was sucking him off, did his best to relay that image to Lucien with his eyes. Lucien's eyes darkened. Oh, yeah. He was imagining it too

Boy pushed his belly against Lucien and gasped when he felt how aroused the man was. His thick cock reached past Boy's bellybutton.

Wow.

Lucien grinned evilly and pushed his finger deeper, triggering Boy's gag reflex. Boy choked.

"Come-on baby," Lucien growled. "You can take more than that."

Two more fingers joined the first and Lucien teased the back of Boy's throat.

It was almost too much, and when Boy tried to rear back, Lucien caught the back of his head with his other hand, trapping him.

Lucien chuckled and slipped his fingers out, offering the bottle of whiskey instead.

He'd never had alcohol before, but opened his mouth to allow Lucien to pour it in. He understood what it meant. Lucien not only wanted Boy to suck him off, he wanted him to swallow down his cum as well.

Oh, fuck-yeah.

The cool liquid slid in, almost overflowing his lips, poured down his throat warmth blooming from his belly, until it began to burn.

Boy choked, his eyes became teary from the burn as alcohol flowed down his chest and belly, drenching the dress Rowie had loaned him.

As he sputtered and coughed, Lucien watched him closely.

Boy wiped at the tears flowing down his cheeks and stared up defiantly at Lucien.

"Too much, baby?" Lucien asked in a low growl.

Boy smirked. "Hardly." His voice had come out huskier than he'd wanted and vibrated with a purr.

******* 

Lucien saw red. Red with unbridled lust. He need inside this little fucker. Like now.

Gripping the back of Boy Rayne's neck, he practically dragged her out of the playroom to the sound of howls, whistles, and lots of lewd comments.

The battle pet stumbled a bit, probably unaccustomed to the obscenely high stilettos, but didn't resist Lucien manhandling her into is rooms.

He let her go abruptly as soon as the round door whooshed shut behind them.

Boy put her fingers to her temples as if trying to gather her wits. Lucien slipped his hands under the long cascade of silver iridescent hair and rent the little dress in two.

Boy gasped, and turned abruptly, just as the dress sailed over to the far end of the room. Her gorgeous lavender eyes were wide. "Fuck. That was a loaner."

"Too bad," Lucien snarled and stalked forward.

"Are you going to tie me up?"

Boy's tiny nipples tightened and her goose flesh became more pronounced. Lucien's eyes narrowed to slits. "Maybe."

He stalked her relentlessly to the couch. Boy gripped the back of the white leather couch the second her ass made contact with it as if her life depended on it.

Lucien let his gaze peruse the succulent beauty before him. She had the body of a warrior, like Anniel's. Small breasts sat high, tipped with rose-colored nipples. Her skin was pale, making the black g-string panties stand out more.

Lucien teleported his clothing off, and pressed against her, rubbing his cock on the gloriously smooth mound of flesh between her thighs. "I'm definitely going to fuck you," he growled nipping the point of one little ear. Those pointy ears were going to be the death of him, they were so cute.

She shuddered, and he knew she was about to say something, so Lucien slammed his mouth over hers and shoved his tongue in deep.

He fisted his hands in the silky fall of white blond hair and dry humped her as he ravaged her mouth. He felt the moment when her legs grew too weak to hold her up and swung her into his arms.

Staring straight ahead, he strode into his sleeping area, beyond the frosted glass partition.

"Low-low lights," he commanded.

The soft glow in the room dimmed even more, until only the lights under the pedestal of the bed shimmered, just barely. He wanted nothing to mar this joining. The less he saw the better he'd feel tomorrow.

He tossed her on the bed, "Turn over," he snarled.

"W-what? But I want to face you," was the shy reply in the dark.

Her glass heels glittered in the dark and her hair glowed with the faint lighting that lit the bottom of the round pedestal bed.

Lucien crawled up her body and offered his cock to suck. When she reached for him, he used his powers to bind and pull her arms high up over her head.

"No touching," he rasped. If she refused, he'd die, but he'd let her go.

When she remained silent, he leaned forward resting his weight on hands and knees, cock poised over her mouth. He spread his legs until he was low enough to slip past lush lips. She lifted her head and heat engulfed the tip of his shaft.

"Fuck," he got out through gritted teeth.

She began sucking him hungrily. At first, he tried to reign in the urge to thrust, knowing he was too big for most to handle, but she let him slip out and ran those wet lips down the length of him to his balls where she sucked each one reverently. Lucien swore roundly. His thighs were trembling now and his balls tightened up excruciatingly tight.

He was going to come...hard.

Oh, fuck-no.

He jerked his hips back when she nipped at him with those sharp little fangs of hers. Her mouth engulfed him. He couldn't help himself. With a groan, his hips surged forward and his cock slid farther back in her mouth. She took it, so he thrust again, and this time, he slid down her throat.

Heaven.

Hell.

He couldn't stop.

He fucked that hot mouth with long deep strokes, his pleasure peaking every time he heard her gag around his aching flesh.

No, most women couldn't handle his cock. He was too fucking big. They loved it, though. Loved the pain he brought when he cleaved them in two, loved the sensation of suffocating as he gagged them, pushed it down their throats until they could breathe.

He pulled back, swimming past the blinding urge to just keep slamming himself down that clenching throat to give Rayne a chance to breathe, but she reared up to take him deep again.

Lucien froze.

"Shit, I'm coming," he pushed past clenched teeth.

Rayne let him go quickly. "But you said you'd fuck me," she whined.

Lucien bit his lip until it bled, holding back his orgasm.

Rising up, he just sat on Rayne's chest, panting. She remained silent.

She.

What would Lucien find when he scooted down. Had her cock become engorged? She'd looked so damn pretty dressed like a girl, the triangle between her legs rounded and smooth.

If he felt a cock down there other than his, he'd be sick. He'd throw up. Just thinking about it had him sweating profusely and trembling.

At least his ardor had cooled. He didn't feel as if just the slightest breeze would have him spilling like an undisciplined idiot.

She arched beneath him and mewled. Fucking mewled like a sex-starved kitten. Holy. Fuck.

"Please, fuck me."

Demanding little vixen.

Lucien slid down off the bed, and griped slender ankles in his hands. Getting back into his bed, he pushed up those long legs until he leaned on top of them, bending Rayne in half.

He could feel her breath panting in his face. Angling his hips, he found the seam of her ass. She was soaked, slippery cream smeared all over her butt cheeks and crack. Lucien traced the deep grove to heaven with the tip of his dick. He felt the indentation of her ass and was tempted to just plunge in...but she had a pussy. All Merulians, male and female, had a pussy. He traced farther up and found his treasure.

"Did your master ever take you here?"

"S-sometimes. Once or twice. I don't remember," was the shaky reply.

Lucien closed his eyes and swore inwardly. He began pressing inward. Rayne gave a strangled little cry.

By all that was unholy, she was tight. Lucien bit his lip and for a moment wondered if he should continue. She bucked beneath him and he realized...she was desperate for penetration.

He released her legs, letting them fall to either side of him as he surged forward, the movement tearing a shout from both of them.

Rayne jerked on her restraints. Lucien gripped handfuls of the sheet and began to thrust wildly.

He was finally fucking...Rayne. He was fucking Rayne.

His mind blanked, focused on her throaty cries of passion. He heard, and felt her come once, twice, thrice...he lost count. He'd kiss her in between, letting her catch her breath. He hadn't come yet but he could feel so much hot fluid sliding down his tightly drawn nuts. He didn't want to think about what it could be or mean.

He began to thrust in her again, his breath hammering in and out of his lips raggedly. His mouth was salivating copiously, and the suddenly urge to bite struck him. He sank his fangs into her shoulder, felt her do the same to him and exploded.

He roared, slammed his pelvis into the cradle of her thighs, and sent another jet of hot semen into her clenching snatch. His balls contracted and for a minute, he thought he was going to die.

Rayne , fangs still buried deep in his shoulder, writhed beneath him. She undulated like a snake that had been speared. Oh, she'd been speared all right.

He jerked against her again, still spilling. His cock by now was bathed with so much hot fluid. he was sure they were swimming in it.

Chills ran up and down his spine as his dick jerked and convulsed inside her velvety, tight depths. At last he collapsed, his body sliding against bare flesh as sweaty as his. It was little revolting, but felt good; good after sex fluids, spent bodies sliding against each other, reveling in the afterglow.

Rayne licked at his shoulder, cleaning the blood off. Had he been in full Dom mode, he would've made her clean the cum off his cock and balls with her tongue. Right now, he was too sated and tired.

Reaching up, he tweaked one of her nipples hard enough to make her jolt and yip in surprise.

She'd better get used to it, because he loved pinching nipples until they turned deep cherry red. They'd be sore tomorrow, which also pleased him. She'd not be able to think of anything but him and the pounding he'd just given her.

A thought made him frown.

"Don't tell anyone about what we just did."

He felt her still beneath him.

After a moment, "Why?"

Lucien grimaced and hoped she couldn't see it. "We're going on a mission and Seth's going to bitch about us not having our minds on our job."

"Oh."

She didn't sound too convinced.

"He might separate us," Lucien added.

Her thighs clenched around his hips, making Lucien grin.

Possessive already.

His grin faded. He shouldn't like that so much. He usually got fucked over and wasn't willing to risk his heart anymore.

He slid to the side, released her arms and spooned her from behind.

Aren't we going to clean up?"

Lucien buried his nose in her silken hair and grunted. "No. In a few minutes I'm going to fuck you again. Just need a little power nap."

After a while, she whined, "But I gotta pee."

Lucien gave her a hard slap on her ass. "Hold it."

She gasped and wiggled against him. "You're so fucking mean."

Instead of flashing a ball gag over her mouth, he released her with a sigh. "Go ahead."

He felt her sit up. "It's dark."

Lucien buried his head beneath a pillow and said, "Lights medium."

He wasn't sure he wanted to look. He was terrified of what he'd see.

After he heard her run off into the hygiene room, he got up and stumbled into the lounge.

He needed to get a little more shit-faced for the rest of the night's activities. Hopefully, tomorrow he wouldn't remember any of it.



Redemption Ch. 04



"You like what you see, Mara?" he asked, his dark voice a blend of menace and sex that sent another shiver down her spine.

She blushed and looked away, embarrassed. She was surprised she hadn't drooled yet. Careful not to look at him again, she made her way back to the bathroom and stripped out of the fancy clothes, though she stayed in the lacy panties. She needed more protection between him and her womb than just a black t-shirt... a HUGE, black t-shirt that fell to her mid-thighs. Was Kieran's body really that bigger than hers? She looked at her figure literally drowning in his shirt and arched a brow at herself. She'd always prided herself on her sturdy, athletic frame, but in his shirt she felt relatively miniscule. 

"Did you fall in the bathtub?" he called from his bedroom, his voice teasing.

She flushed. Dear God. She looked at the bathtub in horror. He knew! 

Impossible. She took a deep breath to calm herself and waited until the blush left her face. She stared at herself sternly in the mirror. She could handle this. She was strong. She was going to walk out into Kieran-Sexy-as-Sin-Montasse's bedroom in nothing but a lace thong and a borrowed black undershirt... 

Yeah. She was screwed.

The moment she stepped back in the bedroom, his dark eyes met hers and then they dropped to rove her frame. She was quite sure he was mentally stripping the shirt from her body. 

"You look good in black," he commented.

"Look, Kieran," she tried again, trying to stifle the inopportune yawn. He was right. She was fading fast. "I don't think this is a good..."

"Don't worry, I'm not going to fuck you when you're about to fall over, Mara. I like my women willing," his black brows arched arrogantly, "and screaming my name like I'm their one and only god."

She glared at him. He was such an arrogant prick. Just because any woman who found him buried between her thighs would most likely scream his name like a religious fanatic, didn't mean he had to be such an ass about it. 

"Why are you doing this?" she asked as she pulled the covers down on the side nearest to her.

"Other side," he interrupted. 

She rolled her eyes and walked around, passing him at the foot of the bed. She didn't even see him move, but suddenly her wrist was caught in his hand. She could feel the heat of his body so close to hers and it did wicked things to her insides. He brought it up to his nose and inhaled slightly, his eyes glowing hungrily. 

Mara gulped.

"For a couple of reasons," he replied, his voice seeming even huskier than before. "First, it's getting to be sunrise, and you're going to fall over in a few more minutes." His lips brushed the inside of her wrist softly. Of course, like an idiot female, she trembled.

"Second, daytime or not, I'm not letting you out of my sight. I have a feeling that underestimating you is exactly how Paola lost track of you. He probably thought you were weaker than you really are during the day."

Mara froze and stared at him in surprise. That was exactly how she escaped Paola. She ran away from him during the daytime because she knew he didn't think she was strong enough. It was the hardest thing she'd ever done, and she had horrible sunburns for months for getting a little too close to the light. How did he know?

Suddenly she was mad. She pulled her wrist from his grasp angrily. Then she got even angrier because she knew he let her; no one could pull away from this vampire unless he allowed them. Kieran made her feel vulnerable and helpless and she didn't like it one bit. That was one thing she promised herself she would never be again; helpless.

"Ah," he said. "So I was right."

"You don't know anything," she snarled back.

"You want to be difficult? Fine with me." He grabbed her roughly, scooping her feet out from under her once again.

Mara let out a yelp of surprise but before she could struggle any further, found herself in the middle of Kieran's massive bed. Still frozen in shock, she felt his body press against hers from behind and an arm wrap about her waist.

"Kieran, let me go," she cried angrily as she struggled against him.

"You keep struggling like that and things will most definitely get worse," he cautioned.

Mara froze. She could feel his hardness against her rear. 

"Better," he chuckled in her ear. "Now, go to sleep."

She was uncomfortable, turned on, angry, and even a little scared, but Kieran was right. Dawn was coming and even though she could make herself wake in the daytime, she couldn't resist the power of the rising sun. She sighed miserably and let the exhaustion take her.

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

Angel knew it was a dream the moment her mind was alert. What surprised her was how dark this dream was. At one time, her human eyes would not have been able to penetrate this kind of blackness, but she could see clearly. What she saw made her stomach wrench.

A woman lay naked and sleeping on a bed. She was beautiful; gorgeous red hair, pleasing curves, the kind of woman that made heads turn when she walked. She looked exhausted, and Anna could smell sex in the air. None of these things would normally make her so upset, but what caused her gut to twist was that she knew her. This was the human that had been abducted. She had been used for blood and sex by vampires who didn't need to rape women, but did because they enjoyed being cruel. 

Angel's eyes filled with tears and she sniffed. She knew just how the girl felt.

The girl suddenly shrieked, making Angel jump, and then curled into a ball weeping. "Get away from me!" she cried. "Don't touch me!"

"It's okay," Angel said soothingly. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"You're going to rape me too?" the girl demanded brokenly. "You're one of them. I can tell by your voice."

"I'm not going to hurt you," Angel repeated. "You're right though, I am one of them."

"Then you're going to hurt me. All they do is rape me and suck my blood."

"I'm so sorry," Angel whispered, choking back her tears. "You have no idea how sorry I am."

The girl must have heard the sob in her voice, the emotion behind those words, because her eyes opened and she stared into the blackness that her human sight couldn't penetrate. 

"Help me!" she begged. "Please! Don't let them hurt me anymore."

Angel sat down on the bed. The woman whimpered, but she didn't pull away. Instead her beautiful green eyes grew hopeless. Slowly, Angel reached out and took the woman's hand comfortingly. She tried not to get angry at how cold her hands were; a sure sign of blood-loss. The tortured girl flinched at first but then she held on tightly.

"Please get me out of here," she whispered. "Take me away with you."

Angel sighed. "I wish I could."

"You can!" the girl cried. "You got in."

"If only it was that easy," Angel replied in frustration. "This is a dream; a special dream, but still just a dream."

"This is too real to be a dream," the girl wailed miserably. 

"I'm so sorry." 

Angel pursed her lips in thought. There had to be a way to help this woman. She needed to know where she was, she needed information. 

"Listen," she began again. "Even though this is a dream, I am a very real person, and I want to help you. I know you've been kidnapped, and I know you've been raped by vampires. I saw it in my dreams."

"You saw it?"

"Yes," Angel said in a whisper. "What's your name? Maybe if we know who you are we can find you."

"My name is Alexis Murray," the girl replied.

"Where do you live? Do you have family? Do you know where you are?" Angel pushed urgently. She could feel herself slipping from the dream, something in the real world was pulling her out.

"I live in an apartment in the Bronx," she admitted. "I don't have any family. The only thing I know for sure is that the place I'm in is a couple hours out of the city. They were hurting me as we were driving and I couldn't pay attention and it was dark."

"Who is your captor? Have you ever seen him?" Angel asked quickly. The pull to leave the dream was getting stronger. She couldn't fight it, and she was pretty sure she knew who was calling her out of it. She was going to kick his ass when she woke up. "I'm sorry Alexis; I'm getting pulled away from you. Please try to remember everything you can, and I'll try to come back. I am looking for you. Be strong..."

Anna's eyes popped open to see Cael leaning over her, his jade eyes full of concern. 

"I could feel your distress," he said softly to her. 

She was furious. The dream was important and the girl might have had more information to give her.

"Are you all right?" he asked. 

She was pretty sure he recognized that she was pissed, but his eyes remained gentle despite her angry glare. Finally she sighed. How could she be annoyed when he looked at her like that?

"Yeah, I'm fine," she admitted. "You pulled me out of a dream with the girl. Her name is Alexis, Alexis Murray and she's being held a couple of hours outside of the city."

"We'll get people to look for her when the sun sets, Anna. I promise." He brushed a strand of hair off her cheek. 

"Can't we call people now?" she begged. "They can run her name at least and have information when we wake."

He sighed and lay back down on the bed looking at the ceiling almost imploringly.

Impatiently she sat up and looked for his phone. He caught her arm as she reached over his body for it and pulled her back down into his embrace.

"Cael!" she snarled angrily. 

He stared at her for a moment more and sighed in resignation. Groaning, he reached out for his phone and pushed a speed dial number.

"Yes, Ancient One?" a voice on the other line answered.

"The girl from the abduction's name is Alexis Murray. Find out everything you can about her and have a file waiting for me at sundown," he commanded.

"Alexis Murray," the man repeated. "Yes, Ancient One. We'll have information for you by sunset."

Cael hung up his phone and arched a golden brow. "Are you happy?"

"No," she replied. "But better." She smiled just a little bit at him then. "You're crabby in the mornings."

He chuckled. "I wasn't sleeping well the last few weeks. Some beautiful woman kept invading my dreams."

She smiled and snuggled against him. "I do love you, Cael." 

"And I love you, my Anna – even when you're a pain at 10 in the morning."

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

Kieran awoke late in the afternoon. The sun was still up, but such things didn't bother him much anymore. Now the body that pressed against him with its delicate fragrance, especially her hair, and the smooth, supple muscles under his fingers – those were definitely a bother. He inhaled again and let her scent assault him; it was heaven and hell all wrapped into one. He closed his eyes and tried to will his body not to respond to her, but the ache in his groin didn't abate. 

Just like Mara was a mix of opposites, he felt the same mix within himself. Always the type of man to take what he wished from a woman – and he wanted to take what he wished from her – he felt reservations about going down that path. He knew he could make her crumble beneath him like every other woman he had, but he was conflicted. There was no doubt that he most definitely wanted to have sex with her. He wondered though, that if perhaps this once, he shouldn't. Despite her tough exterior, he sensed a certain emotional fragility in her. She was used to being cautious, not trusting anyone, and never relaxing her guard. And yet, her body reacted to his just as strongly as he did to her. 

That was the problem with Mara. He could smell that he aroused her; she had an incredible scent. Her mouth had tasted like honey to him, and her eyes had glowed with feminine appreciation when he'd stripped for bed. She wanted him, yet somehow he got the distinct feeling that she didn't want him...dichotomy indeed. 

He sighed and nuzzled miserably into her caramel hair. Why did she intrigue him so much? There were more beautiful women. He'd had more beautiful women. Why was the desire to possess Mara, Mara Paola, so strong? He pulled her close against his body, feeling the curvature of her rear press against his aching groin. His hand seemed to move on its own volition to cup her breast, and he fought down an angry growl at himself. He was just making things worse.

"Do you always molest women in their sleep?" Mara's voice said softly.

She had no idea how gorgeous her voice was with the slight huskiness from sleep. Kieran held back a groan.

"Most women don't call it molesting," he returned with a seductive purr.

Her body shivered against his, as though she had the same physical reaction to his voice as he did to hers. Interesting.

"What man wouldn't want to sample such a delectable treat?" he continued as he lightly caressed her t-shirt covered breast with his fingertips. When his questing fingers touched her nipple, he found it had stiffened into a tight little pebble. "And you like this," he whispered in her ear.

"This isn't a good idea," she said softly, even though she unwittingly pressed her breast into his hand.

"I think so," he replied taking the time to nip at her exposed flesh right beneath the ear he was whispering into.

Another shiver went through her body and he could hear her heartbeat accelerate. His sensitive nose could smell the sweet scent of her arousal as liquid heat pooled in her groin. 

"I knew this was going to happen," she said remorsefully. "I knew it."

"Why deny ourselves something we both want?" he replied. "That is if we both want it," he added seriously. 

As much as he could tell her physical responses to him, Kieran already knew Mara was strong willed. She had to be in order to endure all those years with Paola. The choice had to be hers. He begged whatever deity that might be listening, that she said yes.

She rolled over suddenly to stare into his face, her golden-brown eyes dark with desire. Instinctively he pulled her closer so he could feel the soft fullness of her breasts against his chest.

"You know I want this," she breathed. "I just shouldn't..."

He didn't wait for her to explain why neither of them should. He knew the reasons just as well as she did, and right now, they didn't matter. All that mattered was her warm, soft body pressed against his. He closed his mouth over hers, in a hard, passionate kiss. 

Her response was instantaneous. She whimpered slightly and then raked her fingers through his hair and pulled his face closer to hers. Their tongues danced madly their breaths coming in anxious pants through their noses.

He couldn't get enough of her mouth; he couldn't get enough of her soft body pressed against his. It was like he was desperate for something that only she had. Like a drug addict who had denied himself for far too long; it was pure unrestrained need. He rolled on top of her, pressing her body into the mattress, and grabbed a handful of that silky caramel hair in his fist. He fought for dominance, pulling on her hair to control their kiss, forcing her thighs apart so his aching cock could rest against her hot opening, but Mara was just as hot and hungry. Her fingers ran like claws down his muscled back, her legs wrapped around his to pull him closer. Her tongue mated with his in needful frenzy, her little moans echoed his hungry growls. 

She was everything he imagined she'd be; passionate, strong, demanding, sensual.

He reached up under her shirt to take her breast in his hand, feeling her softness in his palm, teasing the nipple with his thumb. She gasped into his mouth and arched into his touch, pressing her breast into his hand encouragingly. He growled and roughly grabbed the t-shirt that covered her, ripping it open down the front in impatience to see her flesh for the first time. 

Her chest heaved with her heavy pants, and for a moment, Kieran could only stare at her in admiration. Her smallish breasts were perfectly formed, the nipples tightened into firm pebbles with her desire. Her skin was the color of fresh cream and as he stroked her he couldn't help but appreciate the contrast between her light and his darker flesh. It was like outward symbolism; she was an angel to his demon. 

And his demon wanted her.

He licked his lips a little hungrily and then devoured her mouth once again with a ravenous kiss. She whimpered softly, and ran her hands back down his back again, raking him with her fingernails. The pain mixed with pleasure and he growled again. As much as he wanted to take his time, the woman beneath seemed as consumed with the insatiable hunger that he was and she unwittingly drove him on. 

"Kieran," she gasped when he released her mouth. 

"That's it," he whispered as he kissed his way down her throat. "I'll make you scream it, Mara."

His lips traced her collarbone, to her sternum and then he licked his way towards one of those tightly pebbled nipples, flicking it lightly with his tongue. Mara whimpered and latched her fingers in his hair, forcefully pulling him closer. He appeased her eagerly, licking her skin suckling hungrily, delighting in the texture, the scent, the taste of her soft flesh. 

His fingers slid down her firm stomach, tracing the muscles as they bunched and flexed as each flick of his tongue sent waves of pleasure racing through her body. He stroked lower, to where her leg attached to her hip and then traced the seam down towards her heat below. He felt her moisture with his fingers and his body tensed with anticipation and hunger. He left her delicious breasts to kiss his way to those moist thighs, almost tasting her from how she smelled. 

The black triangle of lace was dark with her wetness, and though the scrap of material turned him on, it made him even more impatient. Growling, he ripped the flimsy garment from her and stared at her slick flesh. He felt her stir beneath him and smiled as she arched up on her elbows to watch him. She had no idea how absolutely stunning she was. Her caramel hair tumbled about her shoulders in soft waves, her brown eyes had darkened and her lips had swollen from his hard kisses. She was beautiful, wanton, sexy and strong. The muscles in her arms flexed as she held herself up to stare at him, and he vowed she wouldn't be able to hold herself up for long.

His tongue snaked out to lick her lightly and he chuckled wickedly when she squirmed and whimpered a little in frustration. He licked again delighting in her involuntary little flinch, and then just like he possessed her mouth, he consumed her. Mara cried out with a shriek of surprise and then a moan of pleasure as he sucked licked and nipped – gently – at her most intimate and sensitive flesh. His fingers flicked about her soft folds in counterpart to his tongue and he chuckled in triumph when he felt her body fall back onto mattress as she groaned in pleasure.

She had no idea what she did to him. He could hear the blood pumping through the artery in her groin; and though he'd never tasted her essence, he could smell the sweetness. Her tangy juices were never more appreciated as they were on his sensitive tongue, the scent of her arousal would be emblazoned in his memory. As much as he thought a few tastes would satiate his lust, he found that she was like a drug; he wanted more. 

His body ached for her, to find completion inside this delectable creature that made every one of his senses sing in ecstasy. He thrust his fingers inside her and growled once again as he felt her muscles clamp down tightly – another exquisite benefit of her athletic body.

"Oh God!" she gasped as he worked his fingers and his mouth in torturous tandem; he could hear the blood pounding in her groin, he could smell it.

And then it was too much. He had to have her. NOW!

With a primal growl, he ripped the confining boxers off of his over-sensitized body and settled between her thighs. His entire being was throbbing, and her body was calling to him like a siren; her smell, her taste, her sexy moans. He couldn't wait; he coated his aching cock in her juices and pressed into her slowly. She was tight and he was large, and suddenly her eyes snapped open and she gasped in pain.




Redemption Ch. 04



He cursed every god he could think of in every language he knew. FUCK!

"I'll go slow," he growled to her wondering if he could keep the promise. His control was unraveling rapidly.

His body trembled and sweated as he forced himself to inch inside of her cursing all the while. He flicked at her clit and rubbed her sensitive folds expertly as he slowly worked himself inside. Mara gasped somewhere between pleasure and pain, and grabbed his shoulders tightly. As he penetrated deeper her eyes got even darker, and her fangs bit into her plump lower lip. 

Suddenly, he realized, she liked it. The pain was turning her on almost as much as the pleasure. That was his undoing. With a feral growl he thrust himself completely inside of her. Her shriek echoed in his sensitive ears, and her fingernails ripped the flesh on his shoulders harshly. The pain laced with pleasure drew his demon out, too, and he slowly pulled out of her only to slam home just as quickly and brutally as before.

"Oh GOD!" she cried out.

He chuckled darkly into her ear. "I told you I like women calling my name."

"You're an arrogant bastard," she replied gasping.

"And you like it," he returned. 

Making love to Mara was unlike anything he'd ever done before. Her muscular thighs wrapped around his middle drawing her deeper inside of her, fighting him for control. She clutched his shoulders and dug her fingernails into his flesh enflaming his passion and hunger. Her breasts bounced with each of his thrusts, her head thrashed back and forth on the mattress in a silent no as she whispered 'yes' over and over again. She was such a dichotomy; a beautiful woman, a dangerous woman, soft skin, hard muscles, and so tight... incredibly, impossibly tight. 

She came with a shriek and a gasp. Her body convulsed beneath him, her claws dug deep, and her inner muscles clamped down viciously, sending him over the edge, too. It wasn't an orgasm, it was an explosion; complete and blissful loss of control. His jerking thrusts were uncontrollable, his blood pounded like a drum in his head. He collapsed above her, barely able to keep his weight on his forearms so he didn't crush her beneath him. Gasping, he buried his head against her neck.

It was the wrong thing to do. His beast was unleashed, her blood was too close, and she smelled too incredible. He couldn't stop himself. He grabbed her hair in his fist, pulled her neck to the side and as he emptied himself inside of her, he bit down on her perfect neck and took her endorphin-filled blood into his body with a hungry, possessive growl.

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

Hey everyone! Thanks SO much for reading. Please don't forget to vote and send comments. I love to hear your feedback. 

There was a lot of sex in this chapter... sorry. *wink wink* 

-Elianna



Redemption Ch. 05



"Get off me." 

Even though her voice was level, he could sense the tension, the anger that was boiling below the surface. He was surprised she wasn't screaming yet. Drinking from her was probably not one of his best moves, but he couldn't change it now, and without taking the time to analyze it closer, he knew he would do it again. So he growled and pulled her closer, nuzzling against her neck possessively, delighting in the incredible sensation of her soft body beneath his.

"Kieran," she said again.

He could hear her heartbeat, feel her hands trembling, her body was hyped up, agitated, panicked. She had good reason. He fed from her. It was the simplest and yet most sacred of acts between vampires; a bonding, a claiming. He was linked to her. He would know exactly where she was, he'd smell her scent from miles away, and feel her presence. He should feel guilty. There was no remorse, only... immense satisfaction. His body was literally tingling with everything that was Mara, and it felt incredible. 

"Get off me, Kieran," she said her voice betraying her agitation this time.

"No," he growled back rubbing his lips on her neck right over spot he bit.

Mara's body tensed even more beneath him. 

Yeah. She was pissed.

"I said, get the FUCK off me!" she screeched. 

Her power followed quickly behind her words, sending his body flinging off hers by an invisible force. Kieran swore as he crashed to the floor. He'd forgotten she was developing her powers of telekinesis. He stood at once, but she'd managed to roll out of bed and was dashing towards the bathroom quickly.

He growled and dashed to block her way. "Mara stop."

"Get out of my way, you ass!" she cried. 

"No. You need to settle down." 

"Me? ME!" she screeched. "You fed from me. You fucking fed from me!"

"Yeah," he admitted. "I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not. Everything about you is incredible, including your taste."

She stared at him, her face flushed, her eyes literally burning with anger. 

Okay. So it wasn't the right thing to say, even if it was true. 

"You arrogant prick!" she snarled lunging for him.

He wasn't quite prepared for her violent reaction. In fact, it didn't seem he was prepared for anything when it came to this woman. She dashed forward seemingly as though she was going to claw his face like any distressed female might, but instead she dipped her shoulder, put her weight behind her arm, and punched him in the gut with enough force to send him to the floor seeing spots. He fell to his knees gasping and coughing. He was barely coherent enough to sense her walking around him to the bathroom door, closing it behind her and turning the lock with a flick.

Wow. She packed a hell of a punch.

He sat for a few moments, collecting his rather turbulent thoughts. Okay. So she wasn't happy. He'd half-way mated with her without her consent; of course she'd be a little pissed. In fact, if she'd done it to him, he'd be furious. So why wasn't it bothering him more? Why did the little demon inside of him feel strangely satisfied with itself? 

He grumbled to himself rubbing his gut a little as he stood.

"Mara," he called. "You're being ridiculous."

He heard her sniff in irritation.

"You're hiding from me in a bathroom!" Did she realize how childish that was? "The only reason I'm letting you is because I don't want to have to replace my door." No. He definitely didn't want to have to replace anything. He liked his apartment.

"Well I'm glad you think so highly of your door," she snarled back. 

He thought about that. She was insinuating something, he could hear it in the tones of her voice; a sarcastic inflection. Why were women so unreasonable? 

"Mara," he tried again. "You need to quit hiding in there and come out here!"

"Oh," she retorted. "Once you're done fucking me and drinking my blood, you're back to bossing me around like I'm one of your servants. Good one, Kieran. I bet that wins all the ladies."

Ripping the door off its hinges was starting to sound better and better.

"I just want to talk to you," he called.

"Talk?" she cried. "There's nothing to say. You fucked me. You bit me. You've got the control you wanted, now. Was that your plan all along? Seduce me so that I'd be distracted enough so you could get a good bite in? That way you wouldn't have to worry about me running?"

He froze. Where did she come up with that? Were all women crazy?

"Very clever, Kieran." She was on a roll now. "Use my blood as a means of control; just like Francisco. Except he was more of a gentleman, he never pretended he cared."

That was it. He grabbed the handle of the door and yanked hard. The cracking and splitting of the wooden frame as he literally ripped the door off was incredibly satisfying as was the surprised gasp of the annoying woman hiding in his bathroom. He charged through the splinters and grabbed her roughly.

"You have no idea what you're talking about." He wanted to shake her, to kiss her, to be inside her yet again. Somehow he had to show her... 

What? That he liked her? That she meant something to him already? Impossible. He barely knew her. Right?

She looked up at him with wide brown eyes. There was something almost cartoonish about her surprised expression. Like those big-eyed animals that always seemed to befriend fairytale princesses and melt peoples' hearts. Mara was just like that. Skittish, cautious, almost afraid of her own shadow. 

He was suddenly aware that his large hands were wrapped tightly about her arms. Even though her body was firm and athletic, he recognized the size difference between them. He was hurting her. He released her at once and stepped back.

She remained frozen, staring at him with those huge, shocked, beautiful doe-like eyes.

He took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his dark hair in irritation. What the hell was wrong with him? 

He stared at her in silence. For once, he couldn't think of anything to say. 

In the living room, his cell rang.

He stared at wide-eyed woman before him. He really couldn't form a coherent thought when it came to her.

The phone stopped. Then it began to ring again. 

Finally he closed his eyes and sighed. He turned, walked through the splintered doorway and into the living room and grabbed his phone.

"Montasse," he snarled angrily.

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

Nasir watched the red-haired human on video as she sobbed beneath the hungry and horny vampire who was simultaneously feeding from her and fucking her with gusto. He knew she'd be a great addition to his collection of human men and women that he whored out for the pleasure of other vampires. This one was more stubborn than some of the others. She still fought and screamed and cried when her customers visited her, almost as if she thought that one of them might take pity on her. 

It seemed her current customer actually enjoyed her broken little sobs. He was licking her tears. 

Yeah. Most of the vampires who paid Nasir for these services were sick fucks. That's what happened to those who never died; they developed interesting...idiosyncrasies. 

Nasir was eager to oblige them. He sought out the humans that would please his customers; men with beautiful, strong bodies that could tolerate a sadistic client who enjoyed the taste of human blood filled with adrenaline from pain. Women to fit every fantasy; bodies built for sex, blonde, brunette, light skin, dark skin. The new red-head was quite popular. They always liked the reds. He hoped this one lasted longer than the last girl. Her struggles weakened her faster, so he doubted she had more than a few weeks in her. He sighed and made a mental note to start seeking for another one.

He reached for his phone to make the call and start the search, but it rang in his hand before he could dial.

"What," he demanded flatly.

"It seems Montasse witnessed the abduction of your last girl. He's suspicious. I don't doubt he's initiated an investigation."

Nasir remained silent. 

"The three who captured her have been punished for their indiscretion."

"And Montasse?"

"We'll make sure none of the evidence leads him here."

"You're such a comfort to me, David," Nasir said, though his voice betrayed none of the emotions his words held.

"Yes, master."

Nasir ended the call and stared at the now unconscious redhead. Her customer was getting dressed without sparing her a second glance. What the hell had Kieran been doing in Manhattan on a week night? And why was he initiating a search over a stupid, worthless human? 

Kieran.

How could one ill-tempered street rat still be a thorn in his side after all these centuries? How many times had he chastised himself for letting that stupid boy live? With the ancient and powerful blood of Darian Moiree, the dream-walker, flowing through his veins he was a force to be reckoned with. Nasir hated him even more for that. Perhaps it was time to finally do something about that retched street rat from Damascus. Revenge could be very sweet.

A wicked smile cracked the usually impassive face of Nasir Ahmed. Once again he pulled his phone from his suit pocket.

"Yes, master?"

"On second thought, don't hide the traces of the abduction too much," Nasir said.

"You want Montasse to find you?" he asked almost incredulously.

Nasir's eyes narrowed slightly in irritation. "Yes, slave, that's exactly what I want."

"Of course," replied David, his voice low and humbled. "I'll leave just enough to make it appear as though they tried to cover their tracks and were slightly stupid about it."

"Good." 

Nasir looked back up to the many screens that monitored his clients as they satisfied their urges. This time his eyes zeroed in on a muscular young man whose wrists were manacled and chained to a beam in the ceiling. He watched as vampire circled him with a cruel looking whip in his hands. This wasn't a leather flogger, but a weapon with barbs on the end of each strand. Using weapons cost extra, of course. He stalked the dangling human in the dark room with cat-like grace and cruel menace. Nasir could almost smell the fear of the victim as he looked about wildly, trying to locate the hunter in the darkness with his inferior eyes. The show was intriguing. The tormentor was well-trained in the art of cruelty and anticipation. He could imagine the sound of the cruel whip as it whistled through the air and his eyes glinted with wicked delight as the human flinched and cried out when the barbs ripped through his skin. 

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

"Did they find anything?" Anna demanded when she emerged from the bathroom, her hair wet from her shower. 

Cael sighed and shook his head. His Little One had a one-track mind sometimes. "There's a folder on my desk, love."

She nodded mutely and went to fetch the file. He couldn't help himself as he stared at her rear as it brushed against the satin robe. Her body was still wet underneath so the garment clung to her enticingly. 

"You're such a pig sometimes," she teased without turning around.

He grinned, flashing his fangs.

She returned from his office with the folder in hand and sat on the couch staring at the documents intently as though she'd been doing this for years. Was it only her third day? Of course, Anna always surprised him. There was something a little different, maybe even a little odd about her. In the vault he'd gotten hints of it; her vivid imagination, her incredible will to live, her strange ability to form a mental connection between the beeps of a keypad code to the tones in a Chopin Nocturne.

It made sense. Cael believed that God, or whatever people wanted to call it, had a purpose. Anna had been destined to be his mate, and therefore their meeting was equally destined, as was everything else that had happened to her. Thinking of all the things that had happened to her made him furious once again; it wasn't the first time he had a problem with God's ways. It grated on him that this beautiful, tender-hearted woman, destined to be his, was also destined to suffer so much. Long life was bad enough without the extra pain.

As always, though, Anna's agony had been replaced with determination. Just like in the vault, when her impending death only strengthened her will to live, Anna channeled her suffering. The pain of the red-haired woman drove her to search even harder. 

He sighed and poured them each a glass of blood. He chuckled to himself as Anna wrinkled her nose a bit. She'd been feeding from warm, live victims, and the taste was quite different chilled and without the adrenaline from the hunt.

"You're sure you can't find a nice male who'd be willing to let me bite him?" she whined without looking up from her reading.

Cael growled a little. "The only male you'll be biting from is me, Little One."

Finally she looked up and grinned at him flashing her lovely fangs. "Are you offering?" 

He chuckled. "Drink your glass."

She sighed a little and reached for her glass, once again gluing her eyes to her file. She took a sip, wrinkling her nose. After a few sips, she drank steadily unable to keep her hunger from taking over. Young vampires found it more difficult to control themselves during a feed. She absently put the empty glass on the coffee table and turned another page in the file, reading quietly.

He decided to give her a few moments to absorb the information, and opened his own reading for the morning. His people always provided him with a daily report of how the country was running, the recent developments among the powerful vampires globally, and a run-down of how his conglomerate was faring. It was a comfortable feeling to be sitting in silence with the girl reading the "paper."

She finished first and put the file on the coffee table, stretching after sitting still for so long.

"You'll need to get dressed for court this morning," he called to her.

"Court?" she asked arching a brow curiously. "Like you on a throne hearing your vassals whine kind of court?"

He chuckled. "I am a king, love."

"Yeah, but..." she seemed at a loss for words once. 

"A dress would probably be appropriate," he added.

"What about Alexis?" she demanded, bristling for a fight.

"If you take too long getting ready, you probably won't have time to get your people on the ground searching for her," he answered.

Her beautiful blue eyes softened just a little. With a quick nod, she stood and hurried back to the bedroom.

Anna hurried to make herself presentable. She really didn't give a damn about going to court today, and it irked her that he expected her to take part in the royal charade. She dried her hair, put on makeup and slithered into a nice, dark blue sheath dress with matching heels. She whipped her hair back into a twist at the base of her neck and called herself good to go.

"Hmmm," Cael purred as he finished buttoning his jacket. "Not bad, Little One."

"How much time do I have?"

"About a half-hour."

She nodded. She already knew what she wanted to do.

"Do I really have investigators?"

Cael nodded. "I made you a promise."

She felt her heart melt just a little in her chest at that. She knew Cael didn't want her chasing her dreams, but he'd managed this compromise. Though she didn't admit it to him -- he probably already knew what she was thinking, anyway -- that one promise made her feel more loved than any of his other words and gestures. Maybe love wasn't the right word. The more she thought about it, she realized that she felt...respected. He respected his tiny, young, erratic and stupid Little One enough to do this for her.

He closed the distance between them and pulled her close. "Never stupid, Anna," he whispered kissing her lips softly. "Everything else is pretty close though."

Yup. He knew what she was thinking all right.

He kissed her once more on the lips and smiled. "Do I have lipstick on me now?" 

She laughed. "Kissable lip-wear," she answered running her fingers over her lower lip and showing him the make-up free skin as proof.

His eyes glinted a little deviously and he kissed her a little more seriously. 

Anna let out a little whimper of protest, and then pushed him away. "You'll muss me."

"I enjoy mussing you."

She rolled her eyes. "So..." she said changing the subject, which was difficult the way he held her close. He smelled absolutely incredible. She'd have to raid the medicine cabinet to find what cologne he wore. "What about my investigators?"

He chuckled and let her go. She was sure that the only reason he did it was because her heart was fluttering maniacally already and her rather shaky control was slipping. Being a vampire was difficult like that. She felt everything more intensely and it was hard to reign in her emotions and physical desires. Like everything else vampire, it seemed control got easier with age.

"You're doing a good job, Anna," Cael said gently. "You're far more restrained than I ever imagined you'd be."

She laughed at that. "You mean you thought I'd be absolutely rabid?"

He looked at her seriously. "Yes. You were temperamental even as a human."

Okay. So he was right. Everyone had their little flaws, didn't they?

"Here's your cell," he said. "I've called a few of the investigators already and they'll report to you. You can program in their numbers when you meet them. I'm sure you didn't take a look at your contacts list yesterday, but Kieran's and Darian's cells are in there as well as a few others. Kaira is my secretary, and you'll recognize Dorian's number, too. I've also programmed your other five bodyguards in there, who you'll probably meet over the next few days. Of course, I'm on speed dial."

She nodded and flipped through the contacts list quickly. 

"You've got about twenty minutes with your investigators. They're waiting in the living room for you."

Anna nodded and touched his cheek gently. "Thank you."

He kissed her fingers. "Hurry up. Let's not be late for your first public appearance."

She nodded.

Anna walked back in the living room to see three FBI-looking vampires sitting in the living room rather uncomfortably. She instantly guessed that they weren't used to associating with Alexander LeGaulle on such a personal level. She hoped they were good. The minute she walked in the room they stood and actually bowed. Did people really bow to her? Huh. That was weird.

"I'm not really comfortable with all of that yet," she admitted to them. "So let's just sit down and talk, okay?"

They looked uncertainly at her and then followed her instructions. Anna felt a little uncomfortable, too. She wasn't used to ordering people around. She as an accountant, after all.

"Well, I don't know what you were told, so, I'm going to tell you the truth. I don't think Alexander wants word of this getting out just yet, so I hope you'll keep this a secret."

They nodded.

"I guess I'm a dream-walker," she said shrugging. "But I don't have the 'control people's subconscious' ability as far as I know. Instead I have visions and the dreams. My visions are really...powerful. Actually," she shuddered a little, "they're awful. When I'm awake they're incredibly real and so far they've only been of disturbing things. Right now I'm having a vision about a human girl who was abducted. I believe that Kieran has initiated an investigation on this, too, since he witnessed the event."

"Yes, Miss," said a clean-cut blond man with chocolate eyes. "We were part of the investigation on his team when we were selected by the Ancient One to assist you."

Angel felt her heart flutter once again. Cael was very thorough. God she loved him!

"Perfect. Well, I spoke with her in a dream yesterday. Her name is Alexis Murray." She handed the file to the blond vampire. "She said that she's approximately two hours out of the city. She's being used for blood and for sex. In my dream, her fingers were already cold, so I think we're running out of time." She looked at them imploringly. "I'm doing my best to find her and if I have another vision during the night I'll call you at once. That's why you've been selected. You're going to help me chase down my visions, and right now, that means saving Alexis."




Redemption Ch. 05



I appreciate the votes and comments. Again, I understand that this story will not be overly popular due to its very unique theme. That's okay. Understand that in this life there are all types of people. In this universe I have created that is even more heightened. It takes place 1000 years from now so, really, the norms of society have changed considerably. Plus with the addition of alien races of all varied shapes and forms, life in this alternate universe is truly very different from our own here and now. Hopefully, those of you that read this can perhaps do so with an open mind and begin to understand that everyone is different. What works for you may not work for someone else, but we all should respect each other's preferences and try not to force others to live as we deem fit or right.

Hope you all enjoy the next chapter, LH.

*********

Lucien. Get up. Time to go—Seth growled in his mind.

His eyes flew open. It was still dark since he had his lights set to activate only on command. Hot breath fanned his chest and his legs were tangled with...

Oh, God.

He teleported himself in a surge of power into the hygiene room. His legs almost gave out beneath him making him need to clutch the entrance to the hygiene unit to steady himself. Everything around him seemed to swirl and distort. He closed his eyes with a groan and muttered a curse under his breath. Running a rough hand through his tangled locks, Lucien staggered into the glass cylindrical unit. He slapped a hand against the console to activate the cleansing rays.

Blue light engulfed him immediately, head to toe. His hair, now clean and tangle-free, slid forward as he stared at his feet.

The scent of sex no longer surrounded him.

He didn't want to think about last night. His head pounded with the familiar headache he usually experienced after getting shit faced.

He took a strand of his hair between two fingers and frowned. The ends were already curling softly. It was thick and heavy, the weight of it keeping everything but the last few inches almost straight. He hated it—made him look like a fucking Barbie doll from behind. He should cut it.

Women loved his hair, though.

The fuzzy memory of hands fisting in it as he ravished plump lips made him shake his head. He scrubbed his hands over his face, wiping the thoughts of the night before from his mind.

Looking into the mirrored control panel, he stared at his stubbly face. His beard was as pale as the hair on his head, its color making it barely noticeable. Huffing out an exasperated breath, he hit the correct symbols on the panel to rid himself of his facial and body hair. He felt cleaner that way.

Lucien decided to deal with his long hair later when he figured out what he wanted to do with it.

Teleporting one of his uniforms on, he concentrated on the hangar and willed himself there as well.

The hygiene room melted away until the familiar metal and rubber scent of the hangar surrounded him. It was a monstrosity of soaring ceilings webbed with metal, like being inside the belly of a mechanical beast. Beneath his booted feet, the soft rubbery texture of the flooring cushioned his steps as he walked forward within a lighted path.

There were hundreds of transports lined up in concentric circles almost as far as the eye could see.

From what Lucien knew, Alpha 7 had become home to thousands of fallen, homeless reapers. Every day there were more. He'd lost track of the many new faces and names.

There were two rules though. No one entered without Devon's permission, and no one revealed Alpha 7's position, so that meant no bringing booty calls to the station.

He walked past his old viper to where Seth, Devon, and Ashriel stood.

Devon smiled, Seth watched Lucien with a blank expression, and Ashriel, as usual, just frowned, his black wings ruffling.

Lucien smirked at Ash. He really didn't like the reaper. He was a stuck-up, goody-two-shoes, who acted like he was better than everybody else.

As he drew closer, however, his attention was arrested by two rusted heaps of metal behind the trio.

He narrowed his eyes, his brain recognizing the contours of two space transports. Better yet, a pair of death traps, not even safe enough to take a piss on.

"What the fuck is that?" he finally asked standing next to his brother.

"Our rides," Devon answered.

Lucien looked at Devon. His un-identical twin looked dead serious. His bewildered gaze went back to the pile of garbage. "Do those things even fly?" Lucien snorted.

Seth scowled. "Of course. Natanael and I flew them personally all the way here."

Lucien strode past Ashriel to inspect the crafts. They were too big to be personal transports, but not large enough to be starcruisers.

Stopping in front of a boxy one, he let out a snort of amusement. He turned back to Devon, Seth, and Ashriel.

"This piece of shit looks like an Earth camper with wings," Lucien laughed with a jerk of his thumb over one shoulder, indicating the decrepit transport.

"That piece of shit is yours," Ashriel grinned with smug superiority, as he folded his beefy arms over a ridiculously massive chest.

Lucien's laughter stopped abruptly as he turned with a scowl to look at the battered hunk of junk again. He planted his fists on his hips and walked around it one more time.

At some point, the thing must've been a shiny silver. Now, it was dull grey, scored over with dents and scratches. It had rear rocket cones that were black, burnt to a crisp.

Lucien snorted. "Shit. What the fuck does this thing run on? Fuel?"

"You guessed it," Devon replied.

"Are you fucking kidding?" Lucien laughed again.

Seth rolled his eyes and huffed, "Look, it's a hybrid, and the guy that sold it to me told me he only fills the tank like once an Earth year."

"It runs on what kind of fuel?" Lucien demanded.

"Fossil," Ashriel informed with a little grimace. "Damned thing stinks like Lucifer's testicles."

Lucien rubbed his jaw. Maybe he could use his power to lift the rust off and restore the metal back to its original luster.

Remi suddenly appeared before him, holding his twins, one in each arm. "Say hello to Uncle Luke, boys."

The twins looked mostly like Rowie, down to the gleaming, bottomless black eyes. Their hair, on the other hand, was as deep blood-red as their father's—hair that stuck out of their heads like the corona of a sun.

"Well, if it isn't thing one and two," Lucien smirked.

One of them smiled at Lucien, the other sniffed at him and blurted, "hungry."

That made Lucien frown in confusion.

"Uncle Lucien isn't on the menu, Ky."

Lucien felt his eyebrows shoot to his hairline. "Menu?"

Remi grinned. "Row and I are weaning them off the vein juice."

As in blood—Lucien thought internally, staring warily at the little crimson-haired boy.

The child gave him a wolfish grin.

Well, hell. Two could play at that game.

Lucien bared his own fangs at the little brat and gave a low growl.

Ky's eyes went round as he threw his arms around his daddy's neck. The other twin scowled at Lucien and gave a little growl of his own.

Interesting.

"Simmer down," Remi ordered them.

Natanael, Abdiel, and Eriel arrived, talking and laughing boisterously.

Today Natanael's hair was deep purple at the roots and the rest red-orange.

All three reapers had the same black pants, knee-high boots and vest Ashriel wore. There were openings in the back for their wings.

Lucien turned away to investigate what would soon be his new home for the next day or so.

As far as he could tell, there were three hatches to gain entrance inside. Three ways in and out. Three hatches to guard if they needed to land in hostile territory.

He approached the hatch door on the right side of the craft and frowned at it, wondering how it activated.

Seth stepped up next to him with a pad small enough to fit in the palm of his hand.

"You can open it with this. It's like a master key." Seth stroked a finger over the blank screen and it lit up blue. Lucien recognized Gruesh symbols. Good thing he knew Gruesh.

Seth tapped the pad a few times, entering a series of directives. "Here," he said holding the pad out for Lucien. "Take it."

Lucien took the pad, looking down at the screen that was pulsing red now. A beam of light flashed from the screen, even as it vibrated in his palm. "What the hell is it do—fuck," Lucien yelped when he felt something jab him between his thumb and forefinger.

He dropped the pad and stared at his bloodied hand. "What the fuck, Seth. That thing cut me."

Seth bent to retrieve the pad. "It was just registering you as a new user."

"How about giving me a heads up next time," he snapped.

"To get it to open you have to address it by its name." Seth's lips twitched, as if trying not to smile. "It's name is Sugar."

Lucien snorted, shaking his head. "Open up for your new daddy, Sugar."

Seth's eyes widened as the hatch slid open with a hiss.

"You shouldn't have identified yourself as daddy," he said as Lucien stepped inside the dimly lit craft.

About to ask why, his answer came in the form of a seductive feminine voice. "Welcome, daddy."

Lucien began to chuckle.

Lights came on, not very bright, but soft, homey. The air inside was cool, but not cold, and everything smelled clean. At least the interior was better than the exterior.

The inside was in tones of grey, from the very pale to almost black. Just like an Earth camper, it had a lounge area with charcoal-colored plush seats.

"These recline," Seth said sitting in one of them to demonstrate. The seat moved around him, fitting itself to his body. "Back, Sugar."

"Yes, Sethaliel," the disembodied female voice purred sexily.

Lucien smirked and watched the seat lower Seth back until he told it to stop. After a few more directives his feet went up and then down until he was finally sitting upright again.

Each seat had interface ability with the craft and other passengers. It even had a hood that gave any passenger the holographic experience of his or her choice.

Lucien tried a few out. He set himself at a beach, complete with a setting sun and tropical palms swaying in the warm breeze off a foaming ocean. He joined Seth in a verdant forest, where they both ran naked, laughing, until they took a plunge off a high cliff into a river of foaming jade. It was exhilarating.

Lucien stood, his heart still beating from the holographic experience.

"I'm beginning to like this bucket of bolts," He admitted with a grin aimed at Seth.

The weretigri nodded. They both strode toward the back. Seth pointed out the eating area.

"Each seat in the lounge has a compartment that reproduces a wide variety of foods, but if anyone wants to share a meal with someone else, at least three people can eat from a table and chairs that comes out in this spot.

Lucien nodded and turned to walk through a narrow hallway with four metal doors, two to each side. Opening one, he saw it was a hygiene unit, and an old fashioned metal commode. Seth explained that any bodily waste was analyzed to monitor the crew's health status, and was also a source of fuel for the craft.

Lucien wrinkled his nose at that bit of information. No wonder Ashriel found the exhaust from the craft offensive.

At the end of the short corridor were two narrow doors. Opening one of them, he found a tiny cabin with a bed just barely big enough for two.

"Down below us is a storage area that almost runs the entire length of the ship and there's a decompression airlock chamber in case we need to go outside the craft during space navigation."

Lucien nodded. "Okay. Now...how fast can this thing go?"

"It should take us just two days to get to Earth, and that includes a stop for replenishing supplies. We're going to use our combined powers at least until we get to Crimbregeere Six. We'll spend the night there. Afterwards, we'll head out to the Edenian Solar system and Earth."

Lucien nodded. "And how will we avoid being recognized?"

Seth stuck his hands in the pockets of his black Alpha Angels uniform. "I accessed, with the help of a few good contacts, the universal data base and..." he grinned then, "I kind-of tweaked our images. By the time anyone figures it out, we should have found out what we need to know." His smile vanished, his gaze became intense as he just looked into Lucien's eyes.

Earth. It'd been like forever...and everything that had happened since.

Lucien remembered standing on the surface of Megdoluc...standing before Angel. He'd just run Devon through with Lucifer's sword. He'd thought he would enjoy finally slaying his brother, but it felt as though he pushed the sword through his own gut. His twin had fallen to the ground, black demon's blood spewing from him as he tumbled down in a lifeless heap. Lucien had been so crazed. He'd wanted Angel, his brother's woman, for himself and would have taken her, forcefully even, if it hadn't been for Seth.

Seth had given him a rude awakening.

"I had to do it," Seth said, his face a cold emotionless mask. His eyes, though...the pale blue eyes held a wealth of torment.

Lucien turned away, not wanting to relive the horror of the days that followed. He'd been gone only a few years, but it had seemed like an eternity. Every time he escaped, the Demons would find him and take him back to the anteroom to Hell. They seeped out of dark corners, dark reflective surfaces. They were the monsters beneath beds at night, or in closets, those shadows that slithered around in the darkest recesses.

He pushed past Seth and walked through the craft to the front, into the navigational cabin. The seats there were similar to the ones in the lounge. There was a pilot's chair, a navigators chair and two other chairs he guessed belong to gunmen's positions from the amount of symbols depicting the different array of laser cannons and pulsers.

The entire front of the navigational cabin was glass instead of a screen to look out. He noted that there were retracted shields to cover the glass, he guessed, in the case they encountered space debris. He shook his head, thinking how archaic.

Soft footfalls stopped behind him.

"It needs allot of work, but I guess it'll do," he sighed turning to look at Seth.

It wasn't Seth. It was Ky.

"What are you doing in here?" he asked the toddler.

The kid pouted and whined, "hungry."

Lucien frowned. "Didn't your mama give you anything to eat?"

The baby boy wrinkled his nose. "I don't like prinut."

"You don't?" Lucien asked, brows raised. He had to grudgingly admit the little bastard was adorable as fuck.

"It tastes like shit," the kid grumbled causing a snort of laughter to burst from Lucien.

"Do your parents know you talk like that?"

Ky didn't answer, but stared at Lucien with those huge obsidian eyes through the strands of thick crimson hair that fell over his cherubic face. His lower lip jutted out and trembled, completely melting Lucien's heart.

Lucien sighed, rubbing the side of his neck. "If you promise not to kill me, I'll let you open a vein."

The baby boy gasped and rushed to hug Lucien's legs. Huge black eyes stared up at him in gratitude. The baby grinned, sharp little fangs gleaming in the dim light of the pilot's cabin. "I wuv you, Uncle Luke."

"Yeah-yeah. I'm only letting you do this once," he told the child as he hefted him up into his arms. He shook his blond hair back and tipped his neck. "Your mama and pops want you to be a big boy now and start eating real food."

Lucien shivered as the baby petted the side of his neck. He wasn't even sure the kid heard a word he said. Ky was staring at his pulsing jugular with something akin to ecstasy.

His black eyes looked at Lucien's briefly and he smiled, little dimples bracketing the sweet rosebud mouth. Lucien felt his whole body go lax.

He was experienced enough to know the kid was using power to lull him. Being just a baby, the realization surprised Lucien.

As Ky kissed his cheek and sniffed along his neck, Lucien wondered what other abilities the little weredragon twins had.

Teeth sank into his flesh and the sensation of bliss took him by surprise. It felt so good, he could just sit and let the baby drink his fill.

"Stop trying to roll my mind, Ky," Lucien demanded. The little fucker was sneaky, but Lucien was over three hundred years old, had already been around the block a few times. He knew when a vampyric creature was trying to fuck him over.

Lucien grinned when the bite took on a more piercing sting. Patting the toddler indulgently on his back, Lucien decided he kind of liked Remi's kids.

A little gasp snapped Lucien's attention to the entrance to the cabin.

Kaden stood there, eyes and mouth gaping.

"Hungwee too," the other twin blurted.

In a blink, the second baby weredragon was feeding at Lucien's neck. Lucien hadn't even seen him move. Kaden wrapped his arms around Lucien's neck, overlapping his brother and sank his fangs deep. Lucien immediately felt the pull. His knees gave out beneath him and he fell into one of the seats behind him.

"Wait-no," he commanded, his voice, surprisingly already sounding weak, "Not at the same time. F-fffu—"

******* 

"I think he's starting to wake up," a woman's voice informed.

Rowie?

"Oh, wait, I missed a spot."

That had definitely been Remi.

Warmth suffused Lucien and a hot wet tongue laved at his neck, giving him goose bumps.

Lucien cracked his eyes open a sliver to see himself engulfed in Remi's healing fire...and the bastard was licking his neck.

Lucien acted without thinking, kneeing Remi in the balls and shoving him back with a disgusted snarl.

Remi went down moaning, curling into a ball of misery as he cupped his bruised nuts.

"Baby," Rowie wailed rushing to her lover. "God-damn-it, Luke. He was only trying to help you."

"I thought the asshole liked pain. I was showing him my gratitude," Lucien spat, rubbing his neck. He was a little surprised he hadn't broken out in a cold sweat upon awakening to a male plastered against him, licking his neck.

Amadashiel and Natanael were standing in the doorway to the pilot's cabin chuckling.

"Is everybody ready?" Seth called out from behind them. "Time to haul out."

The reapers moved away from the doorway and Seth stepped in. "Luke, time to change the uniform." He walked in and set down a bundle of clothing in Lucien's lap. "Use these for now and send your uniform back to your quarters. There can't be anything that identifies us as Alpha Angels onboard."

The memory of Rayne up in her glass stasis unit filtered through his mind. She wouldn't remember him when she was awakened. He'd be a total stranger to her.

Unable to help himself, he teleported into her room.

Cyneolle and Chameleon stood to either side of the glass unit.

"She's not awake yet, is she?" he asked even though he knew they'd wait until he was no longer aboard Alpha 7.

"No," Cyneolle replied.

"Could I have a few seconds with her...alone?"

The cyborgs turned on their heel and walked out without questioning his motives.

When the door to the small room closed, Lucien turned back to the glass stasis unit.

They had opened the top cover, but Rayne still slumbered peacefully.

"My sleeping beauty," he whispered.

He traced the soft curve of her cheek with his finger, the delicate bow of her lips. She sighed and her sweet lips twitched as if she wanted to smile.

She was so tiny, so delicate, and sweet.

"My angel," he groaned, dipping down to kiss her one last time. She moaned, giving him access to the hot moistness of her mouth. He devoured her, savoring the sweet innocence of her.

When her arms reached for him, he teleported out, back to the awaiting transport, the taste of her still in his mouth.

Seth was scowling when he flashed his clothing off and began pulling on his new flight suit.




Redemption Ch. 05



"About fucking time," the weretigri snarled.

"Just needed to take care of one last thing," Lucien sighed yanking his flight suit up his torso.

"But we'll be back. You'll see Rayne again when we get back," Remi said from his position in the navigator's chair.

Lucien closed his suit and sat in one of the gunman's chairs to pull on his boots. The new uniform was navy blue.

"Aren't you at least going to ask about Boy?" Remi continued.

Lucien strapped himself in as Seth began to lift the craft to hover over the exit chute.

His heart lurched strangely at the mention of Boy. "Where is he?" Lucien got out through clenched teeth.

"She" Remi said stressing the word, "is onboard. She's going to be part of our crew.

She?

Was Boy still dressing as a female?

Remi clutched his arm as they hurtled through the different airlocks out of Alpha 7. "Technically, the battle pet is a true hermaphrodite, neither male nor female, but both."

Lucien jerked his arm away. "I know that. So, technically you should call the battle pet an it then."

Remi grinned molar to molar. "She wants to be a girl now. If you nail her enough, she'll revert to full female." Remi chuckled. "Gotta love Merulians, eh?"

Lucien turned away from the grinning red weredragon. "Fuck you, Fyre."

"You'll have two lovers, Lukey-boy. Think your dick can handle that many holes, man?'

"All of you better start using some form of birth control," Seth grumbled. "Babies keep popping out the way they are, we'll be able to populate our own planet."

Lucien remained quiet, his heart hurting. It would have been beautiful...having both Raynes. He could almost see himself draped with one black, one white mane as they both sought to pleasure him.

It could never be though. Even now, Master Guardians hunted for him as well as demons. He should never have a true mate much less two...and definitely no children—ever. God only knew what he'd spawn. As the son of Davariel, his blood was cursed.

******* 

Rayne reached for the warmth that had awakened her. His taste was intoxicating, drugging...and she wanted more.

The passionate kiss ended just as she lifted her arms to hold him close, whoever he was.

Empty air greeted her searching hands for a moment before her left hand brushed soft feathers.

Frowning she opened her eyes at the same time she sat up. To one side of her stood Chameleon, to her left stood Cyneolle. It was Cyn's feathered wing she clutched.

"Happy birthday," he said his face devoid of emotion.

Rayne smiled. She knew what birthday was. Rising to her knees, she wrapped her arms around Cyneolle's neck and slid her mouth over his. He flinched, but otherwise did not move.

Rayne drew her tongue across his mouth, trying to kiss him, but it was like licking a lifeless doll.

This wasn't the person who'd kissed her.

Turning to Chameleon, she released Cyn to kiss Chameleon instead. Chameleon responded, kissing her back, but it still wasn't the same. She released the second cyborg.

"That was interesting," the silver-haired cyborg commented touching his lips. He looked at Cyneolle. "Did you feel anything?"

Cyneolle's green-flecked golden eyes shifted to Chameleon's. "I felt her tongue make unusual contact across my oral opening."

Rayne hunched her shoulders as she let out a sad sigh. She must've been dreaming. The sun had been shining and a golden-haired angel hovered over her...or maybe he'd been a prince. He'd kissed her, warmed her from the inside out.

"Actually," Chameleon continued, "It made me feel strange."

"You also thought she'd make a meal of you?" Cyn asked, tipping his head to the side.

"No. I felt..." His brows drew together before his face went blank again. "It doesn't matter. Perhaps I need to run a few diagnostic tests on myself. It has been a while."

A pretty girl with raven tresses, much like Rayne's, and glowing golden eyes, rushed into the room. "Am I too late? Is she...? Oh, Rayne," she squealed with delight before practically toppling Rayne over in an enthusiastic hug.

Alluna hugged her tight. "Oh, I wanted to be here when you opened your eyes." She released her to lean back, grinning into Rayne's face. "Happy birthday."

"It's my birthday? Really?"

Alluna nodded. "The children and I prepared a picnic out by the lake in the envirolevel, but we gotta hurry. I left Jazz minding the babies, but I don't like leaving them alone for too long. You'll never know what they'll get up to."

Alluna helped Rayne out of the stasis unit. They hurried out of the lab, waving to Dr Quinn on the way out.

Moments later, they were stripping at the entrance to the envirolevel, and then running down to the lake.

The babies were all there. Jazriel was helping little Ashniel stand, Kaden and Ky were chasing Ishana, Ivana and Iliana around. The triplets were squealing and giggling in delight, their curly blonde hair bouncing in the sunlight.

Rayne pressed her hands to her belly. A memory came to her. She wanted a baby too. She'd been in a bed with two males, both blond. One she remembered clearly. He'd been shy and sweet as she sucked his cock, his face showing her the devastation she was wreaking upon him.

The other male...his scent was familiar, his body glorious and hair...a thousand shades of gold.

Her heart soon began to ache, and she felt her eyes fill. She loved him, wanted him...but she couldn't remember his face or name.

Why? How could she love someone who's face or name she did not know.

She sat on the big pink blanket spread near the bank of the crystalline lake and remembered cuddling up next to him, only he'd been so thin, starving. She'd tried to entice him to eat, but he only turned his head away, silent. Boy had been there too, but Boy was afraid of her. Again, she didn't know why.

"Where are the others?" Rayne asked Alluna.

The girl turned to look at Rayne with her bright golden eyes rimmed in the deepest, longest black lashes. "They've gone on a mission."

Rayne could see and sense the sadness in Alluna. She blinked back tears before wiping them away to look back out toward the children.

Jazriel ambled over to Alluna and sat on her lap, a pout making his lower lip stick out adorably as he cupped her cheeks.

"It's oaky, Jazzy," she laughed with a little sniffle. "Momma and dada will be home soon, you'll see."

"Why were we left behind?" Rayne asked confused.

Alluna blinked at her. "Well, the babies couldn't be left alone, for one. It was too risky taking them along."

"There are thousands of reapers, both male and female aboard Alpha 7. You miss your mate, and I would have liked to join the mission."

Alluna's eyes widened. "Zak would never allow me to be in a situation where there might be danger. Besides, neither of us know how to fight."

Rayne frowned, her mind going over all the information it contained. She had access to over a thousand different ways to battle an opponent, with or without a weapon."

"I can fight," she informed Alluna.

The girl's eyes widened. "You can? But I thought..."

Though her skin was the color of deep golden caramel, Rayne saw how Alluna's cheeks grew ruddier.

"What did you think?" Rayne asked, intrigued.

"Well." Alluna began after nibbling her lower lip.

She opened her mouth to continue, but the sound of the girls squealing louder drew her attention.

Alluna screamed, jumping to her feet.

Rayne jolted up also, just in time to see two little dragons making off into the air with the triplets, one of whom was holding onto one of the baby dragon's tail.

Next to them, baby Ashniel laughed and clapped her hands, her jet-black wings fluttering excitedly behind her back as Jazriel whooped with laughter.

******* 

One moment she'd been using Lucien's bulging pectoral as a pillow, the next he'd just vanished, jolting Boy Rayne out of her slumber.

She'd sat up in the dark, rubbing scratchy eyes, wondering where he'd gone.

Lucien cursed softly in the hygiene room drawing her attention, his voice a dark whisper within the gloom.

Boy's hearts pounded at the sound.

And then, the hygiene unit activated, lighting him in a ray of soft blue light like a heaven sent angel.

He was glorious. Beautiful. Just looking at him, made Boy Rayne's hearts ache. The frosted partition couldn't disguise the fall of long blond hair sliding off bulky shoulders, or the perfectly sculpted body standing within the glass hygiene cylinder.

A fallen angel, that's what he was—temptation incarnate.

She looked down at her body. Her breasts were still there, high and round, nipples two little points of need. Leaning back, she inspected the area between her legs. Her cock was erect making her gasp and slam her thighs shut.

Horrified, she stared in the direction of the hygiene room, desperately trying to tuck it back inside herself like last night, but she was still so full of Lucien's cum, her cock kept springing back out.

And was it her imagination, or was her cock actually growing? It looked longer and thicker.

It throbbed like a sore tooth. It wouldn't bend or give, making it impossible to stuff back inside her pussy. If Lucien saw her cock...he hated men. He'd hate her too.

A sob bubbled up her throat.

Oh-no-oh-no-oh-no-she thought desperately.

"Is it safe to come in?" a feminine voice called from the lounge area making Boy gasp.

Boy grabbed the rumpled black sheets and scrambled off the bed. There was nowhere to hide, and the females, because he could scent more than one, were coming closer.

Terror had her racing into the hygiene room...and tripping over the long sheet.

She crashed down into the glossy black floor, pain shooting bolts of fire into her belly.

When she lifted tear-filled eyes to Lucien, she discovered he was gone...again.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" a tentative voice asked.

Trembling started in Boy Rayne's body, and she couldn't help the snarl that erupted from her lips.

She clutched the sheet against her breasts tighter as she peered over her shoulder to bare fangs at the three women that stood there.

"It's okay, sweetheart," the dark skinned woman named Anniel cooed. "We're not going to hurt you."

Rowie and Angel stood to either side of Anniel, Staring at Boy Rayne as if she'd lost her mind.

Boy Rayne stopped snarling. These women would never harm her. It was just instinct, the terror, the memories any and all women triggered within her.

They helped her up, helped her use the hygiene unit, and then helped her dress.

Clad in a form-fitting, dark blue flight suit, and shiny, black, knee-high boots, she allowed them to teleport her to the transport hangar.

When the time came to board one of the transports, Remi took her hand, Rowie the other.

"Come-on, sweetness. You're coming with us," Remi said with a big grin.

Seth suddenly dashed out of one of the transports, his eyes wide. "Fyre. You're kids are killing Lucien."

Rowie cried out, and both her and her crimson-haired mate rushed within the decrepit looking craft Seth had dashed back into.

Killing Lucien?

The words finally registered in Boy Rayne's mind, and she ran for the craft as well.

A pair of reapers blocked her way, a male, and a female.

Boy Rayne almost collided with their jet black wings as they entered the transport ahead of her. She recoiled, terrified of the female death angel.

Thankfully, neither paid her any mind.

Still, Boy lingered behind them as them pretty much blocked the entire doorway where he could hear shouting and babies crying. The craft wasn't very big and the reapers and their wings took up most of the space in the interior.

Enormous hands on her shoulders, had Boy Rayne jumping like a nervous cat.

"Easy, sweetness," Zak grumbled easing past Boy with an apologetic half grin.

Zak wedged his six and half foot, muscular bulk between the reapers, excusing himself again. He went into the front compartment of the craft and then reappeared carrying a red-haired toddler in each arm.

The little boys had blood smeared on their lips and were sniffling, looking very repentant.

"You two are lucky you aren't my boys. I may take a switch to your behinds yet," Zak growled as he exited the transport again.

There was allot of commotion within what Boy suspected was the cockpit of the transport. She heard Remi cry out in pain, and Lucien and Rowie's voice afterwards.

The girl reaper turned, both her and the male chuckling. Her gaze roved Boy Rayne head to toe.

Boy backed away, but she stalked Boy until the back of Boy's knees connected with the edge of a seat.

When Boy tripped back, falling into the seat that molded itself around her, she let out a warning snarl for the female reaper.

"Leave it alone," Natanael said pulling Amadashiel away by one arm. "Go on and strap yourself in. We're leaving," he told the girl reaper with a frown. Turning back to Boy, he smiled and leaned down, his lips brushing over Boys in a soft kiss. "Hey, sexy. Let's get you strapped in. You okay? You look a little green around the gills."

Boy nodded. Truth be told, she felt a little queasy, but that was most likely due to all the stress she'd encountered since becoming conscious that waking cycle.

"Why so quiet? Did Lucien eat your tongue last night?" Natanael smirked wickedly. "Aside from other things?"

Boy felt her face heat.

Don't tell anyone about what we just did-she recalled him telling her the night before.

"No," Boy croaked out.

Natanael chuckled and gave her a light slap on the thigh before rising to his full seven-foot stature. "Right, pumpkin. He didn't eat your tongue or anything else. He devoured it."

Still chuckling, Natanael moved away and strapped himself into the seat across Boy Rayne.

From the cockpit, Boy Rayne could hear Seth yelling again and Remi laughing. Rowie's voice threaded through the chaos.

"Where the hell did he pop off to?" Seth ranted. "I swear—"

Boy didn't hear the rest because the female reaper swiveled her seat around to regard Boy with the eyes of a predator.

"So you're a girl and a boy?"

Boy didn't answer. Her eyes drifted down Boy's body. The reaper's jutting nipples were about ready to poke through her skimpy attire.

She rested her elbow on the armrest of her seat and cocked her head to the side to nibble on a nail, still regarding Boy with hungry silver eyes.

"I'd love to fuck with you. You're really pretty, you know that? I don't think I've ever been with a Merulian before."

Boy gulped.

When she didn't say anything, Amadashiel frowned.

"Come-on, Dashy. Leave it alone," Natanael admonished.

Amadashiel pouted at him. "You just want the battle pet for yourself."

Natanael laughed softly. "I believe Boy's ass has been claimed, sister." He smirked at the girl reaper. "I'll fuck you though, if you're so desperate."

Amadashiel huffed out a sigh and spun back around.

Boy looked back at Natanael who was silently mouthing at her—"stay away from her," as he made a spinning motion with his finger near his temple.

"And stop telling it I'm crazy," the girl reaper snapped still looking forward.

Natanael only chuckled.

The craft began to move. Boy dug her claws into the seat's armrests and looked out through the tiny porthole opening by her seat.

The craft slowly turned and moved forward toward the enormous pulsing funnel-like tunnel in the center of the hangar. Moving over the funnel, it just hovered there a few minutes.

Something soft brushed against Boy's knuckles. Looking down, she realized Natanael had spread a wing across the aisle toward her.

"Don't be scared. If you want, hold my wing." He grinned then. "Just don't pull the feathers. That hurts."

"You can pull my feathers," the girl reaper said with a grin over her shoulder.

Boy stiffened when the sound of the engines revved louder. The transport tipped, nose pointing down into the center of the funnel. Boy began to pant and then grew dizzy when she felt gravity shift. Closing her eyes, she clung to the soft feel of Natanael's primary flight feathers. A jolt and then something akin to weightlessness. Boy's stomach twisted, sweat beaded her forehead.

"Baby, you oaky?" Natanael asked.

Her stomach heaved and she gagged, but since she hadn't eaten anything that morning, nothing came out, only drool that slid down her chin to soil her pants.

Natanael unstrapped himself and knelt before her. Rummaging through a compartment just below the porthole window, he retrieved a dark grey cloth he used to wipe Boy's face.

"Hey, newbie. You okay?"

Boy just groaned. She felt sick.

"Not used to launching?"

She shook her head.

"Talk to me, baby. Come-on. Tell me what you're feeling."

Boy eyes went to the closed door of the cockpit. So far, Lucien hadn't said a word to her, hadn't even acknowledged her existence after literally fucking her unconscious the night before.

Boy felt...hollow...empty...abandoned.

Natanael caressed the side of her face, understanding lighting his beautiful silver and black-flecked eyes. "I know how it feels, cutie pie. Been there, walked the walk."

The girl reaper leaned forward, having turned her seat again. "The trick is making it not matter. Just fuck someone else...and then another and another until the faces are all just a blur in your mind." Her eyes glazed over, lost in her own thoughts. "Always works for me," she said softly. "I never let myself love anyone. No one will ever love me anyway, right? Fuck 'em all."

Natanael frowned at her, but Amadashiel just turned her seat around again with a sigh.

After staring at the back of the girl reaper's seat for a few second, Natanael gave a little shake of his head and regarded Boy Rayne.

"Don't listen to that. Everybody deserves love in their life. Sometimes it just takes longer for some people to find it." He grinned. "I haven't lost hope, and I've been looking for one hundred and fifty years. I was defiled when I was only sixty years old, so I'm still just a kid practically." Natanael's gaze searched Boy's. "You feeling any better?"

"A little," she answered.

"They're speeding us along, at least until we're far enough from Alpha 7 to keep it from being detected. Once we're far enough away, they'll actually pilot this thing for real until we reach our destination. Ever been to Crimbregeere Six?"

Boy knew where the planet was. It was part of the information the Gorgundt cap had stuffed into his head. "I don't know if I've ever been there. When I was an arena fighter, we were transported in crates. I only ever saw the back rooms were the cages were kept and the arenas."

The unbidden memories of those horrific days replayed in his mind, the struggle to remain alive.

Natanael kissing the knuckles of her right hand brought her out of that dark place.

"Want to play a game?"

"Game?" boy repeated.

Natanael grinned. Standing back up he flipped a metallic-like hood over Amadashiel's head.

"Hey," she exclaimed in protest.

The hood was centered over each seat. Natanael pulled one over Boy Rayne's head as well.

"All three of us can play," he said laughing.

Boy just stared at the sight of space stretching out everywhere around her. The inside of the bubble-shaped hood projected an extremely realistic holographic reproduction of the immensity of space. The image shifted and suddenly Boy found herself sitting at the helm of a transport with both reapers. Natanael sat between her and Amadashiel.

"So what are we playing?" Amadashiel asked.

Natanael gestured to the front view screen.

Before them, a glowing red cloud of hundreds of other transports approached.

Wait. Not transports, but armed Vipers.

"We're going to play a little game of war," Natanael growled with a diabolical chuckle.

******* 

They'd played for what seemed like hours. After running the Vipers space war scenario three times, Natanael switched to a post apocalyptic city scene and they battled legions of demons and devils.




Redemption Ch. 05



At first, boy kept getting killed, but by the third run of the game, she was leaving both Natanael and Amadashiel stunned with how well she fought the different levels of demons and devils.

Boy had been designed to learn to fight quickly, study his opponent, and learn their weaknesses.

Afterwards, all three had worked up an appetite, and they'd moved a little farther back within the transport and shared a meal.

Boy wolfed down three twelve inch subs, stuffed with various meats, cheeses and veggies. Natanael introduced him to the wonders of carbonated drinks, and ice cream.

Stuffed like never before, Boy had practically crawled back to her seat and nodded off the minute the chair fitted itself around her new feminine curves.

Dreams formed, a new world, new sensations.

He was still hungry.

He?

Boy drew in a deep breath as he strode along a metal walkway that spiraled up the inside of a large building. The building was cylindrical, hollowed out to reveal a concrete inner court visible over the metal railing and the darkening sky above. The sky was overcast with roiling black clouds.

He wore supple, soft, and decidedly very worn blue pants tucked into sturdy black boots that strapped around the entire lower half of his legs. A long coat draped over the rest of him, black, with weapons tucked inside. An array of tiny throwing blades gleamed from where they were tucked into two criss-crossing straps x-ed over his chest...his bare chest, he realized when he stepped into an open doorway. Looking at himself in a dirty full length mirror situated before the door, he let the coat slid from his shoulders. Muscle knotted his body. He was bigger, taller, his white hair plaited into a thick braid that hung down to his ass.

Boy stared wide-eyed at the picture he presented, lavender eyes lined with kohl liner. He even had tribal tattoos around his biceps, around his belly button and a pair of black wings with double A's around his left nipple. Gone were the breasts and feminine curves.

"I've been waiting for you," a sweet feminine voice called.

He turned to his left. There was a tiny eating area tucked into that corner and to the right was a narrow bed with a metal-barred window. The cold, rain-scented breeze blew a tattered red curtain that billowed and beckoned him closer.

Splayed out on the bed, lying on grey and black striped sheets was Rayne. She pinched her nipples and splayed her thighs. Her sex looked like an exotic flower, pink and dewy.

"I'm so hungry for you, Master. Please."

Boy jolted awake, feeling confused.

Girl Rayne. She'd stayed behind...and Boy suddenly felt the need to hold her.

Hours later, Seth came out an sauntered toward the back. Natanael stood and went into the cockpit.

Boy felt tempted to follow but was terrified of the welcome Lucien would give her. Why had he come out or tried to communicate telepathically like he always did?

Boy huffed out a sigh. They were all linked. Lucien didn't want anyone to know about him and Boy.

That was still confusing as well. Why did he want to keep their coupling secret?

Was he ashamed?

The thought settled an uneasy feeling in to pit of Boy's stomach, her eyes flicking to Amadashiel's dark blonde head.

The girl reaper hummed quietly to herself as she flicked through different scenes on a small electronic pad she held.

After a while, Remi and Rowie came out of the cockpit as well. Rowie was smirking, trying to get Remi's roving hands off her breasts.

"We are going to sleep, you horn-ball," she said trying to sound stern. Failing miserably.

Remi gave a little growl as he nipped at her neck. "Sure thing, babe, Right after I fuck you cross-eyed."

Rowie gave a little squeal of surprise when he cupped her between the legs and pinched her. "Remi," she cried out trying to swat his rump behind her.

The ambled down the transport toward the back.

Boy sighed dejectedly, just before Amadashiel got up and walked into the cockpit as well.

The girl reaper didn't seem to care about possibly being rejected.

Boy wished she could be just as brave. She had no reason to go in there except seek Lucien's company...and she was sure he wouldn't like that. Not if they were keeping their whatever it was they had secret.

All the food she'd eaten was making her belly ache so she stood and headed back into one of the narrow hygiene booths.

The pants portion of her flight suit had a strip of material that detached, exposing her genitals. Boy relieved herself and activated the cleansing rays of the unit to refresh her body. The rays freshened up the appearance of the flight suit as well as reach through the cloth to invigorate her body.

She decided to loosen her hair from the braid Angel had plaited it into and shook it free. It fell into a shimmering white blond cascade around her shoulders, covering her pointed ears.

Staring at her reflection a bit longer, she wondered if Lucien found her pretty. The room had been so dark last night. In a way, it was probably better that way. Had he noticed boy's cock when he'd slid his inside her.

A little tremor made her shudder and her flaccid cock twitch deep inside her pussy.

She bit her lips, pushing the memories away lest her dick grow hard again and spring out of her. It would be hard to conceal with the form-fitting flight suit.

With another dejected sigh, boy palmed open the door to the tiny booth.

She'd barely lifted her foot to step out when a hard solid body slammed into her.

Boy was pressed back into the hygiene booth, her back meeting the wall hard enough to make her vision swim as two hundred plus pounds of aroused male pinned her there. The door to the hygiene booth slammed shut.

Lucien's mouth covered hers, his tongue thrusting in, plundering, conquering, dominating. Boy was left a quivering mass of heightened nerves. Inside her pussy, her own cock throbbed and twitched, but thankfully didn't pop out. It had grown so long, Boy was sure it would never come out unless it deflated...and that wasn't happening anytime soon.

"Nat told me you'd gotten sick," Lucien murmured against her lips before leaning back to study her face. His fingers deftly opened the top of her flight suit until her breasts spilled out. He massaged her aching mounds, pinching the nipples gently. "Can you get pregnant?"

Boy felt the color leave her face. She wasn't sure. "I've been bred countless times and it's never happened."

Lucien dipped his head and suckled her breasts, making boy jolt and wince every time he used his teeth to nip.

"Maybe we can get you on something just in case. I usually take a shot, but it's been years."

Lucien nipped back up Boy's neck before hauling her up in his arms. "I need to fuck you now though." He pressed between Boy's legs, letting her feel the hard ridge of flesh bulging there.

Had he not held Boy up off the floor, she would have fallen to a heap on the floor.

Lucien kneaded boy's buttocks, staring at her lips. "I want your ass."

Boy froze. That was his male opening. Fucking him there would bring out his male traits again. His? No-no, not his. Boy was a she now. A she for her Lucien.

******* 

He felt her stiffen in his arms. When Natanael had told him she'd dry heaved after takeoff and had remained pale and drawn hours afterward, Lucien had worried. When Remi had laughed and said that Lucien had probably scored a hit, a-k-a, next in line for daddy-hood, Lucien had almost puked himself.

Boy Rayne's breasts still looked the same. Anniel's nipples had darkened when she'd gotten pregnant from Garethiel. Boy's were still pale-pale pink.

Lucien wasn't even remotely drunk, but his body craved Boy's with a fervor that shamed him.

"You've been taken anally before, baby. Didn't you like it?"

Boy turned her head.

Disappointment zinged through Lucien. He wanted inside the battle pet so bad, but at the same time felt terror at possibly unintentionally getting her pregnant. Especially after Rowie told him of her only encounter with a Merulian male she'd once dated way before Remi joined Alpha 7. Only male Merulians got pregnant, especially interacting with Edenians. They usually needed a female of their own species, but their biology allowed them to also reproduce quite spectacularly with Edenian humans, male or female.

Boy had been more male than female before. Why he'd suddenly changed into a she, Lucien was not sure, but Natanael assured him that if she was continually used as a she, she would retain her female traits, although Boy would always be hermaphrodite.

Lucien was only happy to help Boy stay a girl. Still, he didn't want to take the risk of getting her pregnant so soon after switching to female. Some of her male characteristics might still be viable and the threat of pregnancy very real.

She hadn't given him permission to take her anally, and his cock was about ready to explode in his pants at the sight of her flaxen tresses streaming down in pretty waves around her high, pink-tipped tits.

"I can suck you," she whispered shyly.

Lucien's toes curled within his boots as he bit his lips. Her voice was sexy as fuck. A little deep and husky. Had it been that way last night?

"You won't come that way. I want to hear you come," he rasped against her ear as he licked the points. She shivered and moaned.

Good enough.

He let her down and spun her around. As he ripped open the flap between her legs, she grappled against the wall.

"Wait." He heard the panic in her voice.

"Easy, baby," he crooned in her ear as he freed himself. "You don't want me to take your ass. I understand. I won't, but someday you're going to let me."

He found her female opening and thrust inside.

Slick wet heat engulfed him, tighter than before, he was sure. He had to stop and take a few deep breaths to get his bearings.

"Fuck, baby. Shit. It's like this is the first time anyone's ever stretched this hole." He palmed her breasts. "Does it hurt, sweetheart? I'll pull out if it does. Is it my fault? Did I use you so hard last night-?"

"Please," Boy cried out, making him wince. "Just fuck me already."

Demanding battle pet.

Lucien didn't hesitate. His groin slapped against Boy's ass, their panting filling the enclosed hygiene booth. The space was cramped, barely enough room to move, but he fucked her ruthlessly. Poor Boy's face was mashed against the wall, her ass tilted back for Lucien. He felt her squeeze, shudder, and cry out as she reached her first peak surprisingly fast.

Lucien gripped her breasts hard, the taut mounds filling his hands nicely. He pounded her harder, his vision already clouding with his impending release. Yeah. That soon. It stunned him

Boy cried out again, making him wonder how sound proof the hygiene booths were.

"Let me cum in your ass, baby. I'll make it feel so good," he growled.

Boy groaned, muttered something between clenched teeth.

"Say yes, baby," he begged.

'Lucien," boy let out on a sob.

Good enough.

Lucien slid out and rimmed her back opening with the tip of his cock, preparing her. He was close to the edge, too close. So close that the minute he began sliding into that tight hot hole he began to come. "Fuck, oh-fuck, baby. So fucking good," he shouted.

Boy was crying out too, her hand buried between her legs, pumping. The thought that maybe she was stroking her own cock had Lucien spurting harder.

He would analyze that reaction later when he wasn't balls deep in the ass of a Merulian.

Delicious tingles ran up and down his body. He continued to massage Boy's breasts, panting near her ear. When he tried to kiss her cheek, she turned her face away.

Reluctantly, he pulled his still hard cock from the tight clasp of her ass. "You okay, Rayne?"

She nodded, irking him. "Talk," he snapped.

"Yes," she retorted back.

Had he detected a bit of belligerence in her tone?

Unsure of what to say to her, he adjusted his clothing. He didn't know what to say, but he just didn't want to walk out and leave her there without saying something.

"Rayne—"

"I just need a moment to clean myself up, okay?' she said, her shoulders hunched, head bowed.

He brushed a kiss against her sweaty neck and shot out of the booth...headlong into Remien Fyre.

"Fuck. What the hell are you doing out here?"

"I was on my way to get something to drink." Remi deadpanned.

Bullshit. Lucien knew the meddlesome weredragon had heard the whole scene inside the hygiene booth.

Scowling at him, Lucien turned on his heel and headed back into one of the sleeping cabins.

"Hey, that one is where Row and I are sleeping. Go crash with Seth next door."

"Not on your life, asshole, You go sleep with him." he tossed over his shoulder. To a surprised Rowie he said, "Move over, sweetheart. I'm bushed. Nice whip by the way. Your man comes near me while we all sleep, I'll choke him with it."



Redemption Ch. 05



They nodded. 

"Jack Mason," said the blond vampire who seemed in charge as he extended his hand to her. "I was a little irritated that I was going to be serving the whims of the young princess," he admitted. "But, I think I'm going to be glad I was given this assignment."

"I'll try not to disappoint you, Mr. Mason," she said. 

She programmed the numbers of her team into her phone. Jack was obviously the team leader, and his companions Shawn Teagh and Adam Kingsford were accomplished investigators. Anna found herself wondering if Kieran was going to be pissed at her for this. Granted, Alexander had chosen them, but she knew the grumpy vampire well enough to assume that he'd hold it against her. 

"Are you ready to go, Angel?" said Cael as he entered the living room.

Her investigators once again stood and bowed.

She smiled at him. I love you.

Good thing to know, he replied.

"I'm ready," she answered out loud. "Let's get this over with."

She stood and took his proffered hand. Maybe she wasn't quite princess material, but for Cael, she'd be willing to give just about anything a shot.

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

Mara sat on the bed in silence after Kieran left. He hadn't spoken another word to her since his earlier phone call. It was beyond awkward. He dressed in silence, downed a glass of blood and then stormed out of his apartment. He had no reason to be pissed. He wasn't the one who'd just been bitten.

She couldn't believe herself. She knew. She knew the moment she slipped into bed with him that they'd end up having sex. What incredible sex it had been, too. It would have been perfect if he hadn't actually been using her. The sex was just another way to gain control, to manipulate her. Now that he had her blood, she couldn't run. From now on, he'd be able to find her anywhere. They were connected by blood.

She buried her face in her hands. Francisco had done this to her and she never cared, or at least she never felt heartache before. With Francisco, the boundaries had been clear; drinking her blood was a method of control. Her emotions had never gotten involved. The only thing she ever felt towards her last master had been hatred.

So why did she feel the twisting in her gut this time? Why was Kieran's act of control and dominance so different?

She knew exactly why; because she wanted it to mean something more than just control. She was inexplicably drawn to him. It was like there was a constant tugging on her heart to be near him. It was the best sex of her life; hot, passionate, consuming -- and it was all a ruse. More than any of the times Francisco had controlled her, Mara felt utterly used.

She sighed. No matter how often she tried to make things better for herself, something in life always stopped her. It had started with her desire to be in the FBI. As a foster kid in the California system, she was bounced from home to home so often, she never knew what stability meant. She did well enough in school for a kid in her condition, but she learned early on not to fall in love. Instead she forced herself to be strong, emotionally and physically. By the time she reached high school, rumor on the street was that you didn't mess with Natalie Latham. She may have been a white girl, but she was an athlete and she packed a hell of a punch. 

In high school, her athleticism brought her recognition, and she saw it as her way out of the system and into a better life. She went to college on a soccer scholarship, majored in criminal justice and, being that she was still a delinquent, raised hell. People laughed at her when she applied for the FBI. Women weren't usually agents back then. She had the right mind for it, though. She stood out from the other applicants and quickly became a competent field agent. It was then that they learned about her ability to decode security systems. Somehow they "spoke" to her. She knew by some strange sense how to disarm them, where the sensors were, what was waiting. It was like she could feel security systems vibrating in the air.

When she got assigned to the Paola case, she was utterly floored. A young agent, thrown onto a serial killer case; it was her break! She worked hard with her team sifting through murder scenes, trying to determine points of entry, reconstructing crimes. They tracked Paola for months. The night of their raid was the biggest night of her life. They had him! They'd seen him stalking the family for a few nights. This place was exactly what he went for. Carefully they set up to catch him in the act. They were going to put the sick SOB behind bars for the rest of his life!

Natalie waited in position on the south end of the house, dressed in black, her caramel hair pulled in a tight twist at the nape of her neck. In the days of puffy, permed hair, the look was severe and manly. It was what she affectionately referred to as her "battle habit." Her gun was out and she listened to the talk in her earpiece as her other team members got into position. 

That was when things started to get weird. 

They waited, but Paola was absent. Around two in the morning, people started to grumble. They were going to miss him. Someone had blown it. He wasn't going to show. Natalie was disappointed. She'd been instrumental in leading them to this place. It was her evidence that had made them get set the trap. Suddenly there was a gasp into one of the earpieces and a strangled gurgle as Jose cried out in throaty agony. 

Fuck!

"Man down! Man down!"

It was bedlam.

Natalie held her position. Something was incredibly wrong. The missing pieces in the puzzle suddenly seemed to fall into place for her. Paola was too good. He was too strong to manage those killings, too powerful to have made it up into that second story window. Men couldn't fly. And then there were the murders. It was believed that many of the victims had been murdered by their own beloved family members. No one would do that no matter what they were threatened with. Everything about the murders was impossible unless... Paola was something seriously fucked up.

"Good evening, Ms. Latham," said a wickedly beautiful voice from right behind her as his fingers stroked her cheek. Her skin tingled even though her face was cold and slightly numb in the winter air. s How the hell had he gotten behind her? No one could move so silently. Surely she should have heard something.

Don't move, something whispered in her mind.

She wanted to scream, to move to turn around and shoot, but she couldn't do...anything.

"So very clever, my girl," the voice purred. "So clever."

Natalie couldn't believe the sensual music of his voice, even if it seemed to have a twinge of something else, something...insane. It was him. Francisco Paola. He was standing right behind her and she couldn't move a finger to fight him.

She had a gun in her hands, he was inches behind her. Her mind screamed at her. Move! Shoot him! Kill him! 

She couldn't do anything.

You're going to hunt them down, the voice in her head purred. One by one you will find them and kill them. 

"No," she whispered. "I won't."

The voice cackled in her head. Oh. Don't worry. You will.

She stalked through the night like a cat, her mind screaming in horror. Her eyes blurred with tears, but she couldn't wipe them away. She moved inexorably towards her objectives. The first was Tom Baker. She slit his throat, her soul screaming in agony, the wicked voice of Francisco Paola laughing maniacally in her head. One by one, she unwillingly murdered them all until the last; Alex Gutierrez. He was her friend, her mentor, her lover. This one she didn't kill. Instead, Francisco lunged from the darkness and latched himself onto the burly agent with inescapable strength. Mara stared in horror as the monster was finally revealed. 

Francisco Paola was a vampire...

"Miss?" called a gentle, melodious voice. "Miss Mara?"

Mara started in surprise. How long had she been sitting in despair absolutely naked on Kieran's bed?

"Just a minute!" she called as she dashed into Kieran's closet and fumbled through his clothes to find a shirt to cover her.

She emerged from the closet just as the maid from yesterday walked in the bedroom. The woman stared at the door dangling from its hinges with wide eyes. Her jaw literally dropped when she saw her standing in one of Lord Montasse's shirts.

"Yeah," Mara said glancing at the door. "It's as bad as it seems."

"I-I brought you some clothes?" the maid said in horror, holding out a fresh pile of garments.

Mara looked at the pile a little dismally. "Thanks."

The maid put her pile on the bed and went to look at the broken door. She pulled out a cell phone and pushed a button.

"You're not going to believe this," she said quietly, "but I need a contractor in Lord Montasse's room with a new bathroom door."

Mara found herself chuckling at that. It seemed that Kieran wasn't one to abuse his furniture after all. 

"Can they come after I take a shower and change?" she asked.

The maid looked at her with wide eyes. "Y-yes."

"Good. I'll probably only need 20 minutes."

"He won't be here for an hour," the maid replied.

Mara nodded and grabbed her pile to carry into the bathroom to get started.

"Miss Mara?" the maid called after her.

She stopped in her tracks and turned back around.

"Who did it; you or Lord Montasse?"

Mara grinned a little wickedly. "Kieran."

The maid grinned in return. "You must have really pissed him off."

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

Kieran sat on Alexander's left a little peevishly. Granted, he'd always sat at his left, but what irritated him was the dainty black-haired woman sitting closely to his best friend's right. Alexander had officially introduced her to the members of his court and then sat her right next to him, as though to insinuate that she was his queen, not a young, irritating Little One. Angel didn't have the slightest clue how to rule the American Kingdom, and with that one simple gesture, Alexander had demonstrated to his court that she was on equal footing with their king. Not that he was planning to let anything to happen to his best friend, but there was NO WAY he would defer to tiny, whiney Anna if Alexander ever disappeared again. 

For her part, the girl was demure and well behaved. It seemed that she could actually restrain herself when she tried. Kieran was sure Alexander was mentally coaching her through the process, and he held her hand through most of the evening. That probably kept the erratic woman under control, too.

He tried not to look at the girl as much as possible. Every time he did, he was reminded of the broken door and the bitter accusations Mara had flung at him. 

Mara. Mara. Mara. 

He couldn't get her out of his head. He could feel the pull of her essence in his blood, and worse, he felt a stirring in his groin when he thought of her incredible body. Mara had to be some kind of witch. He'd never felt such an incredible desire to be around a woman before. He wanted to fuck her all night, feed from her once again, and then start over. She was like some kind of drug, and like an addict, he was aching for his next hit. 

What's got you in a snit? Alexander asked him while one of his courtiers pled a case that he'd been pleading for the last three years again.

I slept with Mara.

The pause made Kieran smirk just a little. He liked it when he could actually manage to surprise Alexander, though this time there wasn't really anything to laugh about.

How was that? He could hear the surprise in his tone. 

Incredible.

And...

How well Alexander knew him.

And then I fed from her.

This time the silence was even longer. Kieran didn't dare turn to look at his friend's face.

Are you crazy? Angel's going to kill you!

Not if Mara gets to me first.

There wasn't even a pause this time. Alexander flung his thoughts to him with all the force and menace of a shout. You fed from her unwillingly!

Kieran felt like he was a little boy being scolded again. Usually he only felt it when he was around Darian, but Alexander had his moments, too. It was probably because the ancient vampire was older than dirt, and he'd always been a bit of a father figure in his life, but Kieran felt the horns of rebellion grow.

Yep.

The mental silence was incredibly satisfying. 

"Ancient One?" the speaker asked.

Kieran tried not to give them away, but he found it incredibly amusing that he'd surprised Alexander enough to distract him. He didn't look, but he could feel the angry glare Alexander gave him right before he turned back to address the annoying courtier. 

"Tell me, Leland," Alexander purred. "How is this proposal different from the one you've given me every three months for the last two years?"

"Well, I'm conceding to accept two percent less than the original offer..."

"Which I believe I told you last time that I couldn't accept even if you conceded to take fifty percent less, correct?"

"Yes, but..."

"But nothing," Alexander interrupted with his arrogant flair. Kieran grinned a little wickedly this time. People told him he was an arrogant ass, but he knew he couldn't hold a candle to Alexander's pomposity. "Don't come to me again with this, Leland. You're wasting my time." He glanced sidelong at Angel, who was doing her best to behave, but Kieran could tell was getting to the end of her patience. "And I have many better things to do these days."

At that the girl's face flushed and she swallowed a laugh though her beautiful face literally glowed in amusement and embarrassment. 

The remainder of the courtiers did their best to hide their own amusement, too.

"Does anyone else have anything important to offer us today?" Alexander asked.

No one had enough balls to suggest to Alexander that he should postpone fucking his Little One for their business. Wise of them. 

Alexander grinned knowingly. "In that case, I think we'll call it a day today. See you next Thursday. Except, of course, you," he said nodding to Leland. 

To his credit, the irritating courtier simply nodded.

Alexander rose and then helped Anna to her feet. Kieran was already standing and walked out with them.

You want me to send Angel off so we can talk? Alexander asked.

I don't want to keep you from your "better things to do," Kieran teased.

"I got a text from the team while we were at court," Angel said. "I'm going to go check it out."

"Call Dorian," said Alexander.

She made a face and then nodded. She pulled out her phone. "Can you meet me by..." she turned to them, "where are we?"

"The Grand Hall," Alexander supplied.

"Got that?" she asked. "Cool." Angel closed the phone and then turned to Kieran. "Where's Mara?"

Suddenly Alexander let out a laugh.

"I have no idea, Angel," he snarled in reply.

Alexander chuckled even louder.

Angel looked between them and wrinkled her brow in thought for a moment. "Well," she finally said, "can you get her to meet me here, too?"

Kieran sighed pulled out his phone. "Hey, is Mara with you?"

"Yes, sir," his maid replied. Kieran frowned. Her voice was rather...frigid.

"Well, tell her that Angel would like to see her. She's waiting for her in the Grand Hall."

"Yes, Lord Montasse," replied Lilly frostily.

Kieran closed his phone and groaned. The world was turning against him. 

*

 Okay, sorry about the delay. Weird stuff has happened to me lately and I've been working too hard. As always, your comments and critiques are appreciated as are your votes. I've learned to be a better writer from your words, so keep them coming. However, if you post a long diatribe and it's anonymous, I really can't explain things to you, can I? Keep it in mind. If you're just venting, I completely understand that, too.

-E 



Redemption Ch. 06



aDavid took a shivering breath of excitement as he opened the door to the girl's apartment and stepped inside. He didn't bother to flick on the lights, he could see perfectly without them, closed the door behind him. He scanned the area with his dark eyes, a specter in the blackness, surveying the small space with a clinical eye for detail. The girl was a relatively neat creature, though her studio apartment was the size of a shoebox, so she probably didn't have much choice. He inhaled deeply, savoring her smell; it was somewhat sweet – like roses – and it wafted pleasantly about her tiny domain. Beneath that heady scent, was another much more powerful aroma; her flesh and her blood. It still lingered in her bed, though she hadn't inhabited it for three days now. It was obvious she hadn't entertained a lover, either. The only scent in the place was hers. He smiled a little wickedly about that and went to her bed, breathing the scent of her sheets deeply. Even the lingering scent of her sweet body made him hungry; she must taste delicious. 

Part of him wanted to wallow in her sheets for a few moments, saturating his body in her intoxicating mixture of blood, flesh and roses. How incredible it would be to cover that scent with his own, to leave his mark of possession and dominance splattered on her sheets. A shiver ran down his spine at the thought and the tightening in his groin made him let out a trembling breath of need. Yes. He was definitely hungry – hungry for so many different things. 

If only... 

He caught himself in the thought and let out a sigh of annoyance at his weakness. Shifting once again to ease the burn of the seam of his slacks pressing against his swollen member, he put his briefcase down on her small kitchen counter. The locks clicked noisily and the lid creaked as he opened it to remove a bottle of bleach and a rag. The scent of the bleach seared his nose as he twisted open the lid and poured a generous amount onto cloth, but he liked the burn. He stood once again, centering himself, mentally tabulating every surface that he should clean, and then starting at one end of the tiny room, he commenced to wipe her house down carefully and methodically. 

His attention to detail was flawless, as always. His were the crimes never solved; no scene David cleaned ever produced an ounce of evidence he didn't want them to. In this case, he wanted the FBI to believe that the crime had happened in the girl's tiny apartment. Foul play, obviously. For what other reason would someone work so hard to destroy evidence? Why would someone wipe down her house and use bleach unless they wished to remove all traces of fluids? It was the perfect crime that wasn't. Alexis Murray would be presumed dead; murder. The cover-up all but screamed of homicide. He hummed to himself as he worked; vacuuming, dusting wiping fingerprints, his voice tunelessly filling the darkness.

This was only one act of the play he wrote for his foolish human puppets. Over the years, he'd grown to call the human FBI his puppets, for he was the one who played them. This time, he created the all so common, always tragic story of a good girl getting involved with a bad guy. A concerned co-worker would notice her absence and make a call to the police. The police would follow up and find the strangely spotless, bleach-smelling apartment. Since they were just cops, it might take a while for the warning bells to go off. Upon investigation, they would find it was thoroughly cleaned and wiped of prints; nothing, nothing to give any evidence of where the girl might be, if she was even alive. They'd follow up at her work, where another co-worker would remember the girl gushing about some hot guy she'd met dancing, (it was amazing what a good psychic could do to weak human minds). They'd follow up on her phone records, go to the club she supposedly met the man, and would find nothing; dead end, investigation over. It would fall into an unsolved cases file with all the other disappearances he'd covered for. 

The second lie was for Lord Montasse's and his investigators. When they searched the apartment, they would find it saturated with the unique scent of a vampire; his scent. The connection between him and the culprits who actually abducted the girl would be easy to make; he must be one of the vampires who'd taken her. He was very careful not to reveal his face in the security cameras, but he made sure they could recognize his natural grace. Unlike the humans, they would know it as a sign of their kind and it would peak their interest. Upon further investigation, they'd find that one of the cameras had been able to get a clear shot of his license plate as he drove up, too. It would take some time for them to make the connection, but anything too obvious would make them suspicious.

He looked around the clean apartment in satisfaction. This game excited him. He'd been growing bored with simple cover-ups for the humans. Even with their technology, they were frightfully stupid and their investigations were ridiculously underfunded. They didn't have the time, money or man-power to find the men and women his master abducted for his business. But vampires, Kieran Montasse no less; at last a true challenge. He couldn't wait for the moment when the hunter realized that he was the hunted! He imagined the look of horror, hate, and defeat in the old warrior's eyes when he realized that the game was over.

He had to be good. He had to keep them from being suspicious. He had to pretend that he didn't know they were on his tail and make it look like he was doing his job like he always did. Fool the FBI, entice the vampires...how exciting!

He waited until an hour before sunrise before he left the complex. He changed clothes and carried his briefcase back out with him. To the human FBI he looked like the typical resident who worked long hours. His entrance and exit seemed absolutely ordinary; the footage would give them no reason to question. Kieran's men would know differently almost immediately. He could imagine their glee as they 'caught' his mistake. 

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

"Hey kiddo," said Mara. "As always, you look fabulous."

"This whole 'royalty' thing is ridiculous," Angel fumed as she gave Dorian a hard look.

"Don't even start whining, Angel," Mara said shaking her head in annoyance.

Angel stared at her friend in surprise. Something was wrong. The muscles around her eyes were tight, her lips were pursed stubbornly, and her beautiful brown eyes were hard. Instantly, she felt terrible. While she was with Cael and living the life of a spoiled princess for the last three nights, Mara had been left to fend for herself. Her first two nights she'd managed to spend in prison, and then last night she'd gone off with Kieran and Darian. It seemed her best friend never caught a break and it was obviously wearing on her.

"What's wrong?" she demanded.

"Don't worry about it," Mara replied.

"Not on your life. Tell me."

"There's nothing you can do about it now," Mara retorted, her brown eyes flashing angrily.

She was probably trying to sound pissed, but tone in her voice was bordering hysterical. Angel knew that inflection by now. Was it only a few nights ago that they were fleeing Paola? Mara had been a mess. At times, she seemed like trapped animal; whimpering with little panicked sobs in the back of her throat, pushing on through fear and pain to flee from danger. Staring at the woman now, Angel could see the panicked look was back in her eyes.

"So what? I can still listen," Angel replied.

Mara's eyes fluttered to Dorian and then back to her. Angel understood at once. This wasn't something for her bodyguard to hear. 

Can you hear me like this?

Mara's eyes widened. 

Try to think something at me. At least that's how I communicate with Alexander this way. We did it once before, remember?

Mara closed her eyes as though she was concentrating. Angel?

Yes! I can hear you!

Mara opened her eyes in surprise. "When that happened last time, I thought it was a fluke. We were both so scared. I wonder why I can hear you in my head like that. You're not my Little One."

"Usually it happens when vampires share blood with each other," Dorian said to them. 

Angel looked at her bodyguard curiously. By the light in his eyes and the slight curve to his lips, it looked like he was amused. She wondered how old he was. Cael wouldn't have placed her in the care of some weakling, so he was probably pretty powerful.  

Mara thought about that. "I guess that's the only explanation. I've never had the desire or opportunity to share blood with another vampire before."

"We only shared a little bit, though," Angel said. "We didn't...feed or anything."

"It only takes a drop," Dorian said. "Vampire blood is sacred because of its power." He looked at her seriously. "You have to understand that, Angel. Vampires do not share their blood with others often, especially those of their own kind. It connects them to each other for life."

She got the feeling that Dorian was trying to tell her something a little more serious with his words. It almost reminded her of someone scolding a little child for taking something for granted. Like most people when they first met her, Dorian saw her willfulness and playfulness and figured she wasn't observant or particularly smart. Angel was used to it by now, though she did roll her eyes. If he thought that she didn't understand the importance of her bond with Cael and what it meant to him, her, and his kingdom, he was grossly mistaken. Dorian would figure her out eventually, but in the mean time she'd let him think she was the brainless bimbo. She'd learned long ago how to capitalize on people who underestimated her.

She turned to Mara and arched her brows playfully. "Well, I guess you're stuck with me forever now."

"It's not you I'm worried about," Mara replied, her brown eyes appearing even more panicked than before.

What happened? Angel demanded.

I had sex with Kieran.

Angel froze. Surprised wasn't even the word. She stared at her friend looking like a fish out of water; eyes round as saucers, jaw moving but no sound coming out. She felt a little like that fish, too; she couldn't manage to make her lungs work.

Breathe, Angel, Mara reminded her.

Kieran? Kieran Montasse? The arrogant, rude, chauvinistic, hot-tempered, dangerous in an 'I'll rip your throat out' kind of way, Kieran? Wow. 

How was that? she managed to ask. It was probably not the best thing to say, but she couldn't really think of anything else. 

Incredible, Mara replied.

Angel arched a brow. Yeah...probably. Granted she was biased about Cael, but Kieran was pretty hot and she imagined he'd be right up Mara's alley. She tried to picture the two of them together and instantly felt her face flush. Nope. She wasn't going there. 

So why are you all pissed and panicked? she asked instead.

Because he bit me.

"What!" she gasped out loud. 

After everything Dorian just told her, it made a hell of a lot more sense. Kieran had just formed an eternal connection to Mara. Fuck. No wonder why she was pissed off.

He didn't even ask! Mara fumed mentally. He just...did it. And now we're connected. I knew he was afraid of me running off, but...she clenched her fist, this is...Even mentally she was out of words. 

I'll tell him to stay away from you. That arrogant bastard! Oh, I'm SO going to kill him! Angel raged.

That's not going to change anything. He's fed from me. He'll always know where I am, always sense my emotions and if Dorian's right, he'll always be able to talk to me like this, too. Paola used the bond between us to control me and now Kieran's doing the same thing!

Suddenly Angel understood the panic she noticed in Mara's eyes earlier. How long had she been living like a street rat? Homeless, poor, always running, Mara had been a tortured creature when they met. All because of the power of Francisco Paola and the unbreakable bond he formed with her. Once again, Mara was trapped by a much more powerful vampire – a vampire with the power to control her. Kieran had taken what he wanted from her in every possible way. 

She closed her eyes and thought loudly at Cael. I'm going to fucking KILL him! I swear to God, I don't care how strong he is, I'm going to rip his throat out!

Easy, my Angel, Cael replied. He wisely kept his thoughts and emotions guarded from her, though that pissed her off, too. Comfort your friend and we'll discuss it later. What's done is done and you have other responsibilities and commitments now. He paused mentally as though considering something. Don't forget about Alexis, he finally added.

It was a dirty trick trying to distract her from trying to rip Kieran's throat out, but damn him, he was right. Mara was in a crisis, but she wasn't going to die. She needed to get her priorities straight. 

Find Alexis first. Kill Kieran later. 

She took a deep breath to calm herself and willed her hands to stop trembling with anger. After a moment, she glanced at Mara who was patiently waiting for her to settle down. Between her flaring temper and Mara's panic attacks, they were a mess. 

"Better?" Mara asked.

She nodded. "You?"

"Good enough. So what's up?"

Angel smiled. That was something she really appreciated; Mara could pull herself together and take charge in an instant. Maybe it came from being an FBI agent, or maybe it came from being used to horror, but it was damn impressive. 

"Alexander gave me a team of investigators to help me chase down my visions."

Mara arched a brow. 

"So, they've been working on finding the girl. Her name's Alexis."

"Alexis?"

Angel felt a shiver run down her spine. Suddenly she just knew. "I think we're going to get her, Mara. I think she's going to be okay."

Mara shook her head a little. "You're a weird one, kid. You still freak me out. But I'm glad that this time we're going to be the hunters and not the prey."

Angel grinned. "Ditto."

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

"You're playing with fire, Alexander," Kieran said as he took a sip of his scotch. 

"You don't understand her, Kieran," he explained. "You don't know what Angel's capable of when she sets her mind to something. If I just let her have those visions without helping her chase them down, she'd be gone. No matter how much she loves me, she's not the type of woman to stand aside and let people suffer."

"Letting her get involved in investigations like this isn't safe," Kieran argued. "She's a dream-walker, not a warrior. She doesn't even seem to have the power to control others with her gift. That makes your mate extremely vulnerable and defenseless."

Alexander sighed. "I've put Dorian James as her head bodyguard. What more can I do? She's not going to be content just sitting around playing princess when she's having visions. I unfortunately had to rule out the thought of tying her to a chair," he added.

Kieran chuckled at that. He could imagine Angel coloring the world with curses as she sat tied down to a chair. They could always gag her.

"You're an evil man, Kieran," Alexander mused chuckling. 

"I know," he replied. 

At that thought, his shoulders slumped. He was wicked. What he'd done to Mara was beyond evil. It was selfish, possessive and he didn't even feel guilty about it. In fact, he was strangely satisfied with the whole thing. It was like some little part of him was actually purring in contentment as her emotions and presence danced on the fringes of his thoughts.

His bond with Darian had been much the same; forced and unwilling. At the time, Kieran had no love for the White Man he called 'master.' He'd only been associating with the strange man and guarding his home during the day for the generous pay. Since he was a boy, Kieran had always been bigger, stronger and faster than his companions. Orphaned so young that he couldn't remember his mother's face, he grew up on the streets. At first, he was an urchin begging for food, but later he learned to fight. By the time he was in his late teens Kieran was a menace, and by his twenties he was outright feared. His name was whispered on the tongues of others with distaste, and when he walked through the streets, people closed their doors. He did anything people paid him to do, and by nature of his skill, his strong body, and his apparent lack of morals, they always paid him to do wicked things.

When he met the White Man, as the locals in Damascus called him, he was as suspicious and intrigued as everyone else in the city. A man with pale skin, hair, and strange silver eyes was even more of an anomaly in the East than he was in Europe. The man came seeking the knowledge of ancient times and he quickly learned to read and write their language. He spent most of his time researching their sacred manuscripts, though how he gained access to them was a mystery to everyone. It seemed that the strange man was able to influence the rich and powerful of the city.

Like most people, Kieran didn't trust him, but when he was offered a large sum to guard the White Man's house during the day, he didn't refuse. He'd grown tired of kidnapping and murdering people anyway. The White Man never came out during the daytime. People said it was because of his pale skin – he was too sensitive to the sun. So he spent his days in front of the White Man's house, making a generous wage for standing around with his scimitar and looking dangerous. 

Several weeks into his new occupation as a guard, the White Man approached him when he emerged after sunset. He remembered the encounter as if it was only a few days ago, not over a thousand years ago.

"Tell me, lad," said the White Man. "Are you skilled with that sword?"

Kieran couldn't help but wince at his strange accent, nor did it pass his notice that his silver eyes glinted strangely. Everything about the strange man made him uneasy. It was as if there was some hidden danger that he could sense but was unable to see. As an assassin, Kieran had always relied on his senses, and tonight they screamed in warning.

"Yes, master," he replied resenting the fact that he was even calling the man 'master.' The things one did for a few silver coins. He wondered if he was better off just killing the bastard and robbing him than enduring the humiliation of calling the swine a master.

"I suppose that's what I pay you for, isn't it?" The White Man chuckled a little, as though he was privy to Kieran's dark thoughts. 

Kieran bowed his head. The mocking chuckle was more than he could bear, but as the idea of murder and money formed in his mind, the demon inside him quieted his temper. Instead, he felt a wicked purr as he slowly formulated his course of action.

"So," said the strange foreigner brightly, "do you wish to show me some of your skill this evening? I'll even pay you for your time."

Once again he bowed his head, though this time it was in false subservience. His mind was set. Tonight was just a move in a game that would result in the death of the rich White Man. Jealousy, revenge, and money; those were all good enough reasons for murder in Kieran's book.

"You and I shall battle," said the man pompously. "I'm actually quite a warrior among my people, though I'm unfamiliar with the tactics of your folk. Let's try a match of my style against yours; my sword against your scimitar." 

It was then that Kieran noticed a long, straight weapon at the man's side. He cursed himself for his inattention. In any other situation, he would never have failed to notice it; foreign weapon or no. The man drew the long weapon from its sheath, and it rang in the night air of metal against metal. It was a fantastic blade; the metal highly polished, the hilt ornamented with gold and jewels. He almost salivated as he thought about the riches this haughty White Man had at his disposal.




Redemption Ch. 06



Alluna refused to accompany her to Earth, claiming her master, Zak, would be very angry for real—whatever that meant.

Rayne roamed aimlessly through the space station and discovered a level guarded by four reapers. They wouldn't let her explore it and refused to tell her why no one was allowed on level 523.

Frustrated, she went back to her quarters and tried to tap into Alpha 7's mainframe. In a matter of minutes, information filled her mind, as well as images. 

Alpha 7 had been home to thousands of Master Guardians appointed by the League of Stars; Lizdracs, Hazdracs, Crystalians, Edenians, Griegoes, and Seraphs.

The last Master Guardians to protect the Edenian solar system had been Devon of Angelos, Anniel Lyken, Lucien Blackthorn, Raguel Enoray, Zachariel Wilder, Sethaliel Whyte, and Remien Fyre.

They'd disappeared over three hundred years ago and the Edenian government tried to destroy the space station. Alpha 7's automatic defenses protected it from obliteration and it was left abandoned until the Master Guardians reappeared almost five years ago.

Rayne leaned farther back in the chair and studied each one leisurely.

Devon. Hair so black and straight it looked like liquid satin flowing over his shoulders. His face was...perfect, eyes a bright blue that glowed, fringed by long thick lashes. He was tall, six-foot-ten, with a finely sculpted build and pale-pale skin.

Anniel was practically raised on Alpha 7. The Seraphian Master Guardian, Aria, gave Anniel and her mother refuge during the years Davariel's followers were being hunted down.

She was a tall, muscular girl, half human, half Lycan, with the ability to shift into a black wolf. Her skin was dark, her eyes golden-green. Devon helped her develop her innate powers, but of all the Alpha Angels, she manifested the least. Still, she was a fearsome warrior with the sword.

Raguel, or as they all called her, Rowie, was rescued from Earth. She already manifested much power, was a natural born fighter and half vampire. Her father was a Master Guardian and had been one of Davariel's apostles.

Her lover, Remien, was a red weredragon, also rescued from Earth as well as Zachariel, a golden weredragon.

The youngest, brought aboard and abandoned by his mother, was Sethaliel, the white weretigri, or weretiger. Seth was anointed an archangel at the tender age of nine. Given a divine sword by a Dominatio, just like Devon.

Lucien. He held Rayne's attention the most. He'd come aboard Alpha 7 when he was eighteen. Just showed up one day while Devon and Anniel sparred in the training room.

He was beautiful beyond words. His hair was blond and his eyes a pale crystalline blue, big and almond-shaped like a Fae.

Lucien was no Fae, though. His name went from Blackthorn to Angelos, and he was Devon's long lost twin, son of Davariel, otherwise known as the terrible angel of destruction throughout the universe.

What puzzled her was that she had memories, though vague of the other Alpha Angels, but none of Lucien.

The more she pondered the situation the more confused and anxious she became, until she searched out Cyneolle to help her understand why there seemed to be holes in her memories.

She found him in his own quarters, logged into the mainframe too.

"I need to speak to you," she said uncaring if he was busy.

Sitting at a large console with his eyes closed, he never acknowledged her presence.

Cyn was massive, a quarter of his face missing a section of skin to reveal the metal skull beneath. The right orb of his eye was shuttered over with metal. The lashes on his left eye were dark blond, the same shade of dirty blond as his hair, which hung in thick dreads to his waist. Cyn's lips were full, just like his mother, Anniel's. His skin was a few shades lighter than his mother, but he had the height and build of a Seraphian.

Rayne reached out and gripped a meaty forearm. His eyes opened, one mechanical, the other biological. The mechanical one held his natural iris within a titanium orb, both irises swirling blue, green and gold.

"What do you wish to speak to me about?" he asked, his voice ultra deep.

"Some of my memories have been erased."

Cyn blinked once. "How would you know that?"

Rayne frowned. "I know all the Alpha Angels, but there is no recognition or recollection of the Alpha Angel called Lucien of Angelos."

Cyn just stared at her blankly, making Rayne scowl. "Well?"

"Why don't you tell her?"

Rayne turned to look at Chameleon who was leaning against the doorframe to Cyn's quarters, arms folded over his chest.

"Perhaps we are not supposed to tell her," Cyn replied.

Rayne's eyes widened. "Tell me what?"

Both cyborgs just stared at each other, obviously communicating internally with one another.

Rayne felt...irritation.

"What are you hiding from me? I demand to know," she demanded.

"He wanted all memory of himself removed from your mind," Chameleon told her.

"Who? Lucien?" She scrunched up her face, her gaze darting between the two borgs. "Why?"

Chameleon looked at Cyn, who folded his bulky arms over his chest, like Chameleon, and frowned deeply. "I was not authorized to give any information."

Chameleon rolled his eyes. "Lucien did not want you to become attached to him for fear of the demons that hunt him."

Rayne's eyes widened. "Demons?"

"Yes. Lucien was—"

"The dark prince. Yes I know that, but why would I become attached to him?" aside from the fact that the man was extremely attractive.

Chameleon's face became blank. "That I do not know." He looked at Cyn. "Do you?"

Cyn remained silent, his frown growing more pronounced until his brows almost touched over the bridge of his nose.

"Why were we not included in the mission they are running now?" she prodded.

"We were not asked," Cyn said now.

Rayne pressed her lips together. "Well, I want to join."

"That is not advisable," Cyn said.

"Why not?" she insisted.

"The mission was strategically planned by Devon, Sethaliel, and Ashriel. We were not part of that plan. To interfere in their mission now might jeopardize it."

"Well, what if they run into trouble? We could help?" Rayne argued.

Cyn folded his big arms over an equally large chest. "They are very capable of resolving their own problems."

"Aren't you worried about your mother? You could make sure she's safe."

Cyn remained silent, his face falling. She could see he had not thought of that.

Chameleon chuckled. "Smart. Pulling out the mother card."

Cyn's eyes narrowed at the other borg.

"I cannot go the Earth," he finally said, "and neither can any of you."

"Nonsense," Rayne scoffed.

Cyn looked her straight in the eyes. "Earth is against our kind. There is a growing movement for biological purity. The majority of the inhabitants of the planet want to do away with any and all cyborgs. They are also revolting against humanoids with exotic mixes. They want Earth to remain for humans only."

Rayne blinked in confusion. "But none of them are fully human, except Devon's mate, Angel."

"They are human enough to be acceptable on Earth," Cyneolle assured.

"Except for the battle pet," Chameleon grimaced. "It has a few feline mixes in it that are not supposed to be mixed with humanoid."

"It? Why are you calling Boy Rayne it?"

Both cyborgs looked at her now.

"Boy Rayne is mostly Merulian, Rayne. It's male and female," Cyn answered.

"Well, when he got here he was more he than she," Chameleon added clasping his hands behind his back as he rocked back on his heels. His black wings spread a little behind his back to help him keep his balance. "Of course when Boy left, Boy was a more a she than a he. Reapers are claiming that Lucien—"

"Iophiel, enough," Cyn snapped angrily.

Rayne looked at both of them. What were they hiding now?

******* 

All was quiet in the transport. Boy lounged in one of the seats, her hunger growing by leaps and bounds.

Only moments before, the reapers had obviously engaged in sexual sport within the cockpit, moans and shouts of ecstasy emerging from behind the closed door until Seth stormed in there admonished them.

The reapers took their sexual escapade into one of the back rooms while Remi and Rowie took over monitoring the cockpit.

Seth had sunk into the lounge next to Boy and had promptly fallen asleep.

There was no sign of Lucien to be had.

Finally dredging up the nerve to be bold, Boy rose from her seat and stalked to where she'd shared a meal with the reapers earlier.

She studied the food replicator unit, remembering how Natanael had made it function.

Tapping in a few directives, she managed to make a bag of cookies appear.

Grabbing the bag, she sank to the floor and reached inside.

Chocolate chip.

Boy sank her sharp teeth into the gooey treat, crossing her legs. Her tummy rumbled and she stuffed the rest into her mouth without swallowing the first bite. It was not polite, but since there was no one around to witness her gluttonous display, she figured she could indulge.

Halfway through the bag, Remi sauntered out of the cockpit adjusting the pants to his flight suit. He was missing the top portion and his chest gleamed with a fine sheen of sweat even though the transport's interior was cool.

One whiff of the attractive red weredragon assured Boy Rayne Remi and Rowie had done a more quiet version of the reapers play in there.

Remi dropped down on his haunches with a grin.

"Whatcha doin', Ray-ray?"

Boy Rayne's mouth was full of cookies, so she just looked at Remi's face, wide-eyed at the sound of yet another name. The lit was long and it was getting confusing.

Remi chuckled and then stood. He looked back at Seth. The white weretigri was still asleep, but every once in a while he would let out a soft growl, as if having a bad dream.

Remi turned back to Boy, his grin even wider than before.

Something inside Boy told her whatever was going through the weredragon's head was not good.

"Shhh," Remi hushed, one finger pressed over his lips.

Boy watched as Remi used the food replicator. A small bowl of creamy white froth appeared.

Remi scooped up the bowl in one hand, biting his lips to stifle his snorts of laughter, and then tiptoed to Seth.

Boy swallowed her mouthful of cookies and held her breath as Remi lowered the bowl just in front of Seth's face. Remi leaned down, grinning mouth close to Seth's ear, silver lip piercings glinting from the overhead lighting.

"Remien Fyre, don't you dare," Rowie said softly in the doorway to the cockpit. Her eyes were wide and her lips pressed tight in an angry frown.

It all happened in the blink of an eye. Remi turned his head to pout at his lover for spoiling his fun, one long, silky strand of crimson hair floated down to tickle Seth's pert nose, and Seth reacted by unconsciously reaching up to scratch the spot.

The white weretigri's hand connected with the bowl, sending it up onto his face with a splat.

Remi threw his head back in laughter as the bowl clanged to the floor at their feet. Seth blinked surprised eyes, now fully awake. His entire countenance was covered in cream, except his gaping eyes and mouth. Some of it plopped from his chin upon his pristine dark blue flight suit. Meanwhile, Remi had long since doubled over, laughing so hard, tears leaked from his eyes.

With an enraged snarl, Seth launched himself at Remi. They fell to the floor in a ball of flying punches, snarls, and ribald laughter from Remi.

"Stop-stop," Rowie screeched hopping from foot to foot and waving her hands.

"What the fuck is going on?" Lucien roared.

He stalked down the corridor, past Boy in nothing but his flight suit pants. He moved his arms in the air, hands clawed as if separating something. Remi and Seth sprung apart, feet up in the air and heads hanging down. Seth continued to strike out, trying to continue hitting Remi, but he was too far away now. Remi was still laughing, his face, hair, and torso full of cream.

Boy realized Lucien had used his power to separate the two.

"It's still my turn to sleep and now you two clowns have awakened me," he shouted.

Seth finally gave up trying to nail Remi and clenched his fists at his sides, still hanging upside-down in the air. "That son-of-a-whore—"

"Hey, you don't have to bring my dead mom into this," Remi snapped with a frown.

Seth hissed.

Lucien ran his hands roughly through his blond locks, "This is like a fucking frat house."

Both men suddenly crashed to the floor with a grunt.

Seth rose to his feet, muttering curses beneath his breath as he turned and stalked into one of the hygiene booths.

Rowie reached up and gripped Remi by one ear.

"Ow," he laughed as she dragged him toward the back rooms. "Fuck, baby. Are you going to beat my sexy ass for being a bad boy?"

"Yes," she snapped, "and then I'm tying you up and leaving you ball-gagged until our turn to monitor the navigation room is over."

"Oh," Remi replied with less enthusiasm as they went down the corridor. "Are we fucking again afterwards?"

"No," Rowie answered closing the door to one of the rooms.

Boy blinked at the closed door. Was she really going to beat his ass?

"He likes getting his ass beat, Rayne. Don't worry about him," Lucien sighed sinking into one of the chairs in the lounge. "I knew Seth and Remi shouldn't have been on the same transport together," he murmured in a lower voice to himself.

He commanded the seat to recline, threw one arm over his eyes, and promptly fell asleep again.

It was eerily quiet now and Boy winced when she closed her bag of cookies. The crinkling bag seemed to make too much noise in all the quiet that followed the spectacle the weredragon and weretigri had made before. She walked carefully back to the seat she'd occupied since take-off.

Lucien's pants were open, revealing inches of smooth golden skin beneath his belly button.

Boy frowned. Where had his pale treasure trail gone? There was no soft downy hair on his chest or under his arms either. His body was still beautiful though, and Boy stared at it until both her pussy and cock throbbed with want.

How she longed to put her lips around one of those light brown nipples to suck and tease, hear him moan like before when they'd fucked in the hygiene booth.

She'd offered to suck him off, and though she'd desired the feel of his man-flesh sliding into her hungry mouth, filling it with more of his strangely bitter-salty seed. What he'd done instead had been just as good.

There was something about the rough way he'd gone at her, his possessive kiss, fingers pinching her nipples, sending little jolts of pleasure-pain straight between her legs. Boy had been so aroused already, thoughts of him making her delirious with desire. His barging into the hygiene booth and mauling her had been...pure ecstasy.

Rowie emerging from the back room jolted, Boy from her sexual ruminations.

The girl walked down the aisle of the transport, her jet-black curls bouncing over a tight round ass clad in a flight suit. She was pure beauty, her skin almost as pale as Devon's, making her ruby-red lips and obsidian eyes stand out.

She turned as she closed the hatch to the cockpit, giving Boy a conspiratorial wink.

Boy blinked, wondering what that was all about. Her pussy twitched around her cock, hard and erect and still pressed deep inside herself.

Unable to stand the ache any longer, she stood and scampered into one of the hygiene booths.

Her body felt hot and achy. After she closed the door to the booth, she lowered the lid to the toilet and sat on it. Her reflection looked back at her from every angle inside the mirrored booth.

Last night, Anniel had thought cutting Boy's bangs into a V shape would bring out her Fae eyes more. She applied what she called shadow to Boy's lids in a pearlescent pink, lined her eyes in black kohl and coated her lashes in black mascara.

Today, the hygiene unit in Lucien's quarters had removed all traces of makeup from Boy's long white lashes, and though her lips were a pretty shade of pink, they were no longer shiny and wet looking from the gloss Annie had applied.

She opened her flight suit down to her belly button to bare her breasts. Her nipples looked reddened from his earlier attentions, but were tightened into little points of need right now. She spread her long hair around herself as she leaned back.

Loosening the flap of material between her legs, she bared her genitals.

Boy ran her hand down the center of her chest, watching as her the pupils in her eyes dilated. Her face was flushed and her lips soft from biting and licking at them. Was this how he saw her? Is this what she looked like when he touched her? Was she pretty to him?

Looking at her reflection in the mirror in front of her, she focused her gaze on the area between her legs and spread them wider. Her black boots gleamed in the bright white light within the hygiene booth, and the dark blue material of her flight suit was a stark contrast to her pale skin and wet, pink girl slit. Boy's fingers traced the deep blue vein that ran along the top of her cock before it disappeared inside her. Biting her lower lip, she gripped the root of her cock and wiggled it, startling a gasp from herself at the deep pleasure she felt.

Her cock twitched and slipped out a little. Boy groaned and used two fingers to press back it farther in, feeling the head of her cock slide deeper into her clenching hole.

Oh, it felt so good. Her toes curled within her boots and she spread her thighs until she felt the strain on her muscles.

Thighs trembling, she tipped her head back and began to fuck herself slowly with her own cock, imagining it was Lucien. Her hips began to buck to her thrusts, but the feel of her flesh, tight as a glove, squeezing wetly around her hardened dick had her snarling with unbridled lust. Fucking felt good, the feel of pussy around her cock delicious, and just like that her thoughts turned to the raven haired nymph left behind on Alpha 7.

What would fucking her have felt like? Her mouth had felt so good. How would it feel to have Rayne's mouth sliding down her dick...or Lucien's.

Boy's hearts pounded so hard, her breasts bounced to the rhythm, or maybe it was from how hard she thrust her hips with every shove of her prick into her quivering little pussy.

She was panting, imagining Lucien looking up at her as his pouting lips engulfed her cock. If ever there was a mouth designed for cock sucking, it had to be Lucien's, she realized. They were lush, pretty, and oh-so erotic. She could imagine him taking a lick up her twitching length before closing his eyes and taking her deep. Maybe Rayne could join in too. They'd both lick and suck her until she was weeping from ecstasy. Maybe Lucien would use his fingers to pump up her ass or use his own tongue to fuck her ass while Rayne devoured Boy's aching cock.

Boy was coming...crying out and coming deep inside herself, her hips arched to take every last drop of cum as it spurted from her cock. She could feel it in a flood of heat deep inside. Her cunt clenched and absorbed every last drop.

Boy's body shuddered with rapture, and she opened her eyes to see Natanael standing at the door, eyes wide with shock and lust.

Boy let her legs hang open, uncaring that he was there, too tired to move.

The reaper approached slowly, his eyes now completely black on the inside. "That was so fucking...hot," he let out on a groan. "You're so damn pretty and-and perfect."

Boy's cock began to soften in the aftermath of her self-inflicted double orgasm. It slipped out of her cum-drenched pussy. She felt weak as a newborn, but when the reaper fell to his knees and bent his head to the apex of her thighs, Boy planted her boot in the middle of his broad chest to hold him back.




Redemption Ch. 06



"Don't touch me," she hissed through clenched teeth, a shudder wracking her sweat-soaked body.

Natanael pouted. "Okay. I get a little sensitive too when I come really hard." He lickd his lips, making her realize his tongue was pierced with a silver stud, just like Remi. "God. Did you know your cum is pink?" Natanael bit his lower lip. "Like strawberry milkshake pink." He groaned. "I love Strawberry milkshakes."

The door opened suddenly, hitting Natanael on his wings. Lucien stuck his head in and scowled.

Boy gasped and slammed her hands over her deflated cock. Fortunately, Lucien was not looking at her. His pale-blue eyes were riveted to Natanael.

"Get out," he snarled at the reaper.

Natanael stood, barely able to turn in the tight confines of the hygiene booth, especially since his wings were now ruffled out in agitation. He stepped out into the corridor and Boy watched as the two men squared off. They were almost pressed together, nose to nose, glaring at each other. Boy could almost taste the testosterone in the air that circulated through the vents.

She swallowed as the seconds ticked by.

"You should be sleeping," Lucien said, his voice so deep it was almost a growl.

A nerve jumped in Natanael's cheek. "So should you," the reaper replied smoothly, eyes still black.

Lucien's fists clenched, every delicious muscle on his body taut with rage. "Her boot was in the middle of your chest. She obviously didn't desire your presence. Why the fuck were you in there, Nat?" he asked in a deceptively low voice.

Natanael smirked. "I had to take a wiz and didn't know this booth was occupado, man. Chill, okay?"

Lucien did not chill. He leaned sideways and sent his long sinewy leg through the door to the booth in front of the one Boy occupied. Metal clanged and ripped off its track, falling into the other booth with a loud crash.

"This one isn't occupado, buddy. I suggest you wiz in there," his voice snarled between clenched teeth.

"Holy shit, Lucien," Seth snapped. "What the fuck is going on?"

"Lucien forgot the doors to the booths open out not in," Natanael chuckled.

******* 

Rayne entertained herself with crystal-vid recordings of the Alpha Angels. There were numerous and spanned many years.

After a while, she began singling out the ones that showed Lucien.

He was an enigma. Always very quiet and reserved, he tended to stay away from the males. He seemed to flirt occasionally with Rowie, but came on strongly to Anniel, who laughed at his advances playfully.

He was sexually dominant, and liked to play a little rough. The fact evident enough in a scene played out between him and the golden weredragon with a Gruesh female.

The girl's bright blue skin gleamed with sweat, and nipple clamps had been attached to her four breasts. Both Lucien and Zak, Alluna's Zak, though a much younger version of him, took turns sucking at the girl's big breasts while the other flogged her from behind.

The female's hands were cuffed and chained over her head and her legs spread-eagled. Her juices dripped to the floor showing how aroused she was. How could she not be with two gorgeous blond males working her body to a feverish pitch.

Lucien tapped her engorged clit with one finger and she jerked her hips toward him, begging to be fucked.

Rayne watched in shocked fascination as the two men unhooked her cuffs and proceeded to chain her to a spanking bench. Zak sank his cock into her mouth while Lucien took her from behind.

They looked beautiful. Zak's hand fisted the girl's dark blue hair, her lips straining around his girth and Lucien gripped her rounded ass cheeks as he snapped his hips, fucking her roughly.

The girl's body was convulsing between them.

"Fuck, she's coming," Lucien growled.

Zak cursed and stiffened.

Lucien snickered, saying, "wimp."

Zak growled and flashed his middle finger at him, grinding his pelvis against the girl's nose.

"Fuck, let her breathe. Her pussy's about to pulverize my dick," Lucien laughed.

Zak stumbled back. He walked to the couch before the bench and sank into it to watch Lucien finish.

Lucien fisted her hair, tipping her head back and began to pound harder. The girl's shouts of ecstasy bounced off the walls.

Rayne was panting, the area between her legs throbbing. She slid her hands between her legs to ease the ache and bit her lips as she watched Lucien's fine ass move back and forth. His beautiful blond hair was plastered against his broad back. His muscles were straining, his long bare legs braced powerfully.

Suddenly, Rayne felt jealous. She wanted to be that girl. She wanted Lucien, but he'd forbidden her from accompanying the Alpha Angels and the Dark Angels on their mission.

Her body was tensing and it was no wonder. She was rubbing herself between her legs and it felt...

Lucien began to come, his head tipping back so that his hair flowed over his lovely ass. Rayne cried out, accompanying him. Hot wetness flooded her panties as she bucked against her hand.

"Oh," she moaned in wonder.

Lucien began to caress the girl and Rayne slapped the crystal vid orb off the holographic replicator. She didn't want to see him being tender with someone else.

She didn't understand her fascination with him much less than his obvious rejection of her. He was gorgeous, maybe too much for any man, but that couldn't—shouldn't be why she felt like she was in a thrall every time she looked at him. Had something happened between them and he erased all memory of it from her mind? Why and how dare he?

Rayne jolted from her seat furious. She stormed down the corridor into her quarters again. The computer system refused to show her any type of interaction she may have had with Lucien. It told her that information was restricted. When she demanded to know who'd restricted it, it repeated that that information was classified.

Stamping her foot in frustration, she thought a moment.

"What are my origins?"

Maybe that wasn't classified, and it might give her a little insight as to why she was aboard Alpha 7. Information began to roll in, filling the six by ten-foot screen in front of her with text and pictures.

Rayne stood and poured over the information. After a while, her vision grew blurry from tears.

"I was a slave?"" she whispered.

"A princess."

Rayne turned when she heard Chameleon's voice.

"Your people, your planet was a male dominated planet. You were trained accordingly."

Rayne turned to read the statistics of her home planet. The women weren't even referred to as women. The words she read were so ugly and demeaning, she had to turn her head away in horrified shame.

"No one wanted you to continue to view yourself the way you'd been trained. That's why we wiped your memories of that time and filled your mind with information and new memories."

Rayne cupped her throat. Who was she? She had no proper personality. She was a cyberneticaly enhanced organism programmed to obey.

"I-I'm a slave?" she whispered. She hadn't thought about what she was, her significance, or place in this universe until now.

"No. You're not. You have free will, Rayne."

Rayne snapped her gaze back to Chameleon. "Do I?"

"Of course you do."

She blinked twice and then wiped her tears away angrily. "I do. I do have free will. I am not a fuck hole, nor a cum dump. I'm a woman. I'm alive," she was shouting now.

Chameleon just stared at her. "Yes. You are."

Rayne turned away and paced back and forth. "Yes. I am. I'm alive."

She hugged herself, her nipples still erect from watching Lucien and Zak.

"What are you going to do?" Chameleon asked.

"I want to go to Earth."

"Well, Cyn is still working on a safe way to get us there. I think he's gotten in contact with Drakken, Zakreel and Remuel."

"Who?" Rayne asked frowning.

Chameleon smiled. "Old friends. We need a plan—a strategy to get into the solar system and allowed on Earth."

Rayne stared at him. "I want to help plan that...strategy," she blurted feeling excitement fill her.

Chameleon grinned. "Well, officially you're the leader of this mission, so you're entitled."

Rayne's mouth dropped open. "The leader?"

"Of course. We wouldn't be planning this if you hadn't insisted on going after the Alphas and Darks. Cyn and I can't let you go by yourself."

Rayne looked down, digging the tip of her boot into the soft carpet under the chair in front of her com-unit system. "Thank you," she said.

Chameleon tipped her chin up with one finger. He smiled. "You're welcome."

Cyneolle walked in then.

"And?" Chameleon asked.

He looked momentarily from chameleon to Rayne. "They are on their way to Rhydiam Nine. We are to rendezvous with them there."

Rayne clapped her hands once and rushed into her sleeping quarters before she remembered she had no clothing. She looked down at herself and frowned at the black uniform she wore with a metallic insignia of silver wings glinting over her left breast. An Alpha Angels uniform.

"I'll research and purchase the proper attire once we're on Rydiam Nine. In the meanwhile you may need to borrow one of Angel's dresses," Chameleon said coming up behind her.

Rayne shook her head. "No. I don't want to put on a dress." She lifted a strand of her long-long black hair. "I want pants. Something that'll allow me free movement were we to get into trouble."

"Something you can conceal weapons in?"

Rayne smiled. "Yes. That would be fantastic."

She headed into the hygiene room and began flicking through the various haircuts she could get. How short should she go? She paused the screen on a bald look. Perhaps that was too radical. She didn't want to gross Lucien out.

Lucien?

Scowling, she continued to flick through the images, angry at herself for even bothering to worry about that. She was a free woman. She didn't need to please any man. She would please herself only. To the devil with men. Who needed them anyhow. Besides, Lucien had wiped her memory, or at least ordered them wiped of him. Fine. She would not bother to dredge up whatever they were. He could just go fuck himself as far as she was concerned. But he wasn't going to prohibit her from joining in on their mission. Besides, Boy Rayne had been taken. He was shy and sweet and she was sure she liked him. Why else had she been sucking his cock? He'd been afraid of her, but she remembered his face as she suckled his sweet prick into her mouth. His belly had quivered and his mouth had dropped open with a gasp...until someone had rolled over and kissed him.

Lucien? Had the other person been Lucien? She couldn't remember, but something inside her said yes. It had been him. They'd shred a bed. All three of them.

Had they all had sex? Together?

It was sad that she didn't even know if she'd ever had sex. She knew what it entailed, but could not recall ever being penetrated. Had she ever been penetrated? Was she a virgin?

She couldn't be. She was sure Lucien had had his perverted way with her and then went his merry way. He was a virgin defiler. Yes. That's what he was.

"What did you say?"

Rayne turned to spot Chameleon standing in the doorway to her hygiene room.

Had she spoken aloud?

"Lucien had sex with me, didn't he?" she demanded.

Chameleon's eyes went round. "As far as I know, you've never been bred."

"Bred?"

"You're still a virgin. No one has breached your hymen."

Disappointment filled her. "Lucien's never touched me?"

Chameleon cleared his throat and looked away. "Well, I wouldn't say that exactly."

"Then what would you say exactly," she asked already feeling annoyed with his hedging.

"I've heard he flogged you and then made you come with his mouth."

Rayne just stood there, her mouth and eyes gaping. "W-why did he not want me to remember that?"

Chameleon looked sad. "Cyn already told you. He fears you'll be hurt by the demons that hunt him. You begged him to be your master."

It was as if a bucket of cold water had fallen over her. "Master?" she shook her head defiantly. "No. I don't want a Master. You said I was free. Free women don't have masters and I refuse to become what my people tried to force upon me."

"Well then, Lucien got what he wanted. For you to become free."

Rayne sobered. "What?"

"Lucien wanted you to live free. He always said that to you, but you'd...cling."

Shame heated her cheeks. No wonder the man had erased her memories of him. She'd been a clinger.

If she were smart, she'd forget about joining their mission...but she really didn't want to. She felt she needed to go. Something was urging her forward.

"Well," she sighed, straightening her spine. "I certainly won't ever cling to him again, if that's what I'd done. I'm a different woman now."

Chameleon didn't look convinced, but she'd show him. She'd show them all.



Redemption Ch. 06



"Draw your scimitar, boy. Show me how your people fight."

Kieran drew his own weapon with a wicked grin. Though not as opulent as the foreigner's, the blade was finely forged and was perfectly balanced. It, too, was a rich man's blade. He'd come upon it after finishing an assassination for a local slave trader; a client who'd failed to remit payment. Of all the prizes he'd kept in his career, the blade was his most cherished. He stared at the rich man with undisguised malice. He wanted nothing more than to kill the arrogant fool who stood before him bedecked in jewels and finery. However, his demon (the little voice of cunning and dark wisdom that had guided him through his hard life) bade him to wait. Instead he drew his weapon and made ready to attack the man as commanded. 

It was a ruse. Kieran worked to make it seem that he was the inferior swordsman. His movements were jerky, and he seemed to barely keep up with the arrogant ass. He danced and fought like those idiotic fools who also called themselves cutthroats and assassins; those same incompetents who cowered when he walked by. Even though he appeared weak and cumbersome to his opponent, he was observant during their battle, and what he saw alarmed him. The White Man never seemed to break a sweat; even in the heat and in the stifling night. The sword in his hand seemed lighter that it should have been, as though the white man was immensely stronger than his tall, athletic frame suggested. Kieran was a few inches taller and much broader, and yet the force that met his blade matched his easily. In the end, Kieran faked a wide swing and let the Westerner win.

"You fight better than I expected."

Kieran bowed his head in silence once again.

"I learned much from you this evening, boy," he added. "Here." He handed him and extra silver coin for his troubles.

Kieran took the money and with another silent bow, left. Clutching the silver coin in his hand, he stalked through the streets of his city, formulating his plan. 

It was obvious that the westerner slept during the day, otherwise he wouldn't hire protection. It was also obvious that he expected his money to be enough to keep his protector from turning on him. After last evening, with a play of false ineptitude, the Westerner would feel more secure about his ability to defend himself, too. Kieran wasn't fooled, though. The White Man had been holding back, too. Perhaps it was possible that he didn't sweat, but the way he wielded his strange sword as if it was as light as a feather alluded to almost impossible strength. For all his money, the foreigner was strange; a witch perhaps. It had been ages since Kieran had felt anything other than calm detachment when he killed, but this time, planning the murder of the strange Western Witch, he felt a strange sense of justification. Never one to bother with morality, he found himself strongly believing that this course of action was the "right" thing to do. That, and he was sure the man had several chests of money.

He returned to his post before dawn the next morning, just like he did every day. He stood menacingly before the door with his arms crossed across his chest, glaring at those who passed by. Few passed by. They sensed it, too; the wrongness of the strange man. 

It was far too easy to abandon his post and sneak inside the large home. Despite his bulk, Kieran moved silently; stalking like a tiger through the stone halls – a black menace. He knew where he was going; all those minute details he'd registered as a guard before the home gave him a clear picture of his destination. He found the White Man's room easily. The fool didn't even bother to close his door.

With a curved blade in hand, Kieran stalked to the bed. The foreigner rested peacefully, his face relaxed and untroubled. It was always easier to slaughter people in their sleep; they didn't have as much time to scream. He reached to at once cover his victim's mouth with his hand and slit his throat simultaneously when his silver eyes shot open.

What happened next, he couldn't recall clearly. He remembered tumbling to the ground with the lithe foreigner's body amazingly overpowering his. He remembered pain at his neck and blackness. The very last echo in his head was the foreigner's voice.

"Drink."

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

"That's him?" Angel asked staring at the video footage curiously.

"Yes, Miss," said the blonde man. Angel introduced him as Mason.

"Huh. He's not quite what I expected," she said. "For some reason I figured he'd be... bigger and more dangerous-looking."

Mara sniffed in amusement at her friend's comment. Looking at the rather small man who was obviously a vampire, she didn't make a judgment about those kinds of things. Instead she noted the immaculate way his clothing was pressed, the way he held his head. She wished she could see a more detailed shot. Just by the way the vampire carried himself she could tell he was detailed-oriented, particular, perhaps even a little prissy. She expected well-manicured hands, not a hair out of place, his shoes shined to perfection; all indications of a person whose compulsions could be taken to the extremes. She'd studied many case files of criminal masterminds that had an almost compulsive obsession with details. More than studied, she'd lived with one. For Francisco, it went beyond obsession; he saw it as a game. 

"He's not the one who abducted her," Mara said quietly. 

Mason turned to her and arched a golden brow. "He fits the description of one of the men you and Lord Montasse saw. Are you sure you're not mistaken?"

Mara shook her head. "No. I'm not mistaken. This isn't the same guy."

Angel sighed and shook her head in frustration. "I wish I could direct this power. I wish I could force myself to see who did this."

"Miss Angel," said Mason. "This man is obviously part of whatever happened to Alexis Murray. If you hadn't been able to produce her name, we wouldn't have found this footage for a few more days. We're closer than you think."

"You got the license plate off that car?" Mara said watching the man pull out of the lot across the street."

"Yes," he said. "We're running it right now."

She nodded. Something didn't feel right about the whole thing. This little man seemed too detailed to show a license plate and walk in front of surveillance cameras. Maybe she was reading too much into what she saw, but a detail person wouldn't miss those kinds of details.

"Mara, what's wrong?" Angel asked.

She smiled at her black-haired friend. It was so easy to underestimate Angel's perceptiveness sometimes; probably because she talked so much. 

"Something seems off," she admitted.

"Like what?"

"Well, this guy..." she paused and looked back at the footage that was playing over and over. "He seems too particular to make a mistake like this. Look at him. He's too perfect."

"The humans would never recognize him as kin," said Mason. "It's a perfect cover-up for the human world. He doesn't expect us to be following him. We normally wouldn't bother investigating a human abduction if Lord Montasse hadn't witnessed it," he glanced sidelong at his new boss, "and Miss Angel hadn't started getting involved."

Mara eyed her friend cautiously, waiting for the burst of outrage. Angel wouldn't like that idea at all. She was still close to the human world. New vampires always seemed to have more compassion for humankind than the older ones. They were still close to people, knew their loved ones could be counted among those harmed, and felt an emotional connection and obligation to a human race they had only recently abandoned.

Those first few years under Francisco, Mara's soul had screamed in utter agony. With each murder, she saw the faces of her friends, her co-workers and their families. She saw the loving bonds, bonds that she had once formed as a human, too, destroyed in the most horrible and atrocious ways. Even though she knew she was helpless to resist, she saw the faces of everyone she loved in the blood on her hands and felt crushing guilt. 

With the passage of time, Angel's connection to the human world would fade and her visions would probably re-direct themselves as new, more eternal bonds were formed. Mara frowned. Of course, even after all the horrible things Francisco made her see and do, Alexis' abduction disturbed her, too. Perhaps vampires only deluded themselves into believing they were unconcerned with the humans who lived blithely ignorant of them. Perhaps deep down, most of their kind felt an affinity to the weaker race; a tribute to what they all once were.

Surprisingly Angel simply shrugged his callous comment away. "Well, if this guy's easy to follow then we should follow him. I promised Alexis I'd help her."

Mara bit back a smile of amusement. She remembered an equally heart-felt promise made in her jeep only a few nights ago. If there was one thing you could always count on, it was Angel's passion for helping others. She sighed and bit her lip once again. Something just didn't seem right about all this, though.

"You've got a team on their way to the apartment?" Not that she expected them to find anything other than the fact that a vampire had been there. 

"Teagh and Kingsford are on their way as we speak," he replied.

She nodded again and stared at the film. It looked too carefully random, too easy. But why would this vampire want to reveal himself to Kieran's investigators? What kind of idiot would play a game with the most powerful vampire in America? 

What kind of idiot fucks the most powerful vampire in America? Oh. That would be you, a little voice in her head scolded once again. Mara shook her head in irritation. 

"If you wish, Ms. Angel," said Mason to his young boss, "I'll call you when we have anything new."

Angel bit her lip and then nodded. "I'd appreciate that."

"If it's okay with you, Angel," Mara said, "I'd like to help him. I've got a vested interest in this, too."

Her friend looked thoughtful and then nodded. "I'll see you later?"

"Sure," she replied. "Let me know."

"Okay."

Mara watched her friend get back into the elevator with Dorian lurking behind her like a shadow and sighed. She wondered how long Angel would last with the private escort before she blew up in the Ancient One's face.

When she turned back around, Mason was looking at her curiously.

"What?" she demanded.

"Honestly, Mara," he replied. "I don't know. Yesterday I thought you were Lord Montasse's prisoner, and today you're Angel's friend."

"We'll if you're having any trouble figuring out whose side I'm on let me explain things to you. If Kieran shows his face down here today, I'll gladly cut off his balls. If you even think about hurting Angel, I'll cut yours off, too."

He smiled a little warmly. "It seems we're of the same opinion about Lord Montasse and Angel, then."

Mara grinned. 

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

Alexis moaned and rolled over. Every part of her body ached, and it wasn't the good kind of ache. She let out a soft whimper as she thought about that. How was it that some aches were good and some were bad? She remembered reading books where women considered the muscle stiffness and pain after lots of sex to be a 'delicious ache.' There was nothing delicious about it for her. Maybe it was because she didn't want any of it to begin with. It was hard to call the throbbing 'delicious' when what caused it was nothing but awful in the first place. She probably wouldn't hurt so much if she wasn't so damn cold, too. She reached out to pull the silky sheets about her, but shuddered as she encountered a couple of places where the sheets had stiffened with... she refused to dwell on that. 

Instead, she focused on the impossibility, the absolute disbelief of her situation; vampires were real. They were wicked, sadistic creatures who fucked her senseless and drank her blood like vicious, mindless beasts. How many had come to her? Five? Six? They all wanted the same thing, though some were more disgusting about it than others. The last guy had been the worst so far. He hadn't been satisfied with just sex and blood; he tortured her until she screamed and then licked her tears and swallowed her screeches with his mouth. 

She forced herself not to cry yet again. It was amazing how the human spirit found strength in the most horrifying situations and she might have marveled at herself as she fought down her tears and her wails of despair, but she didn't. The truth was that she was out of tears; they all took energy she didn't have anymore. Her emotions had been seared away with the pain several vampires ago. After all, the sobbing didn't get her anywhere – it certainly didn't earn her compassion.

She started violently when the door opened casting a bright ray of light across her bed. As much as she thirsted for it, she loathed the light. Because with the light, came another vampire, bent on torturing her and sucking the life from her body.

"Good evening, Little One," said an almost feminine-sounding male voice. From his shadow, she could tell that he wasn't as large and imposing as her last several torturers had been.

She wished she had the strength to sit up and huddle away from him, but she was just too tired.

"Yes," he agreed with her unspoken thoughts. "It's been a long couple of days, hasn't it? You're quite popular. They seem to want you more than the other girls; they're definitely paying more for you."

Other girls? Dear God! They were torturing other women just like her?

"Don't worry, pet," he crooned, "We're going to let you rest for the rest of the night and day, now. And look! I've brought you some more food. The previously dark room seemed to lighten ever so slightly as if it was set on a dimmer. It was the first time she'd been allowed to actually look at her surroundings. The last few days, she'd been left to stumble around in the dark. It had taken her a while to find the toilet and the faucet to drink.

It was an elegantly simple room. She already knew she slept on satin sheets, though now they were crusted with semen, but the silk upholstered headboard and velvet padded walls were...nice. She frowned and looked around with a critical eye. She couldn't hurt herself in this room. There was nothing sharp, no glass-covered pictures, no implements for suicide. She didn't doubt that the small bathroom had no mirror. Her eyes widened as that thought occurred to her. Other women, padded rooms, opulent luxury, paying customers; this was a whorehouse for vampires! 

"Now," said the feminine sounding man, "let's get you cleaned up and your bed changed so you're good to go tomorrow night."

Alexis stared at him with hatred. She could tell by his voice that he was one of them; a vampire. More than anything she wanted to kill him and the torture he facilitated. 

"Ah," he chuckled. "Now I see why they like you." 

He put a tray down on the foot of the bed. She looked at it hungrily. There was bread and cubed meat – red meat, sliced fruit, a glass of what looked like fruit juice and some pills. It was the first time they'd provided her with anything more than bread and water since she came. She found herself salivating despite the horror and depravity of the situation. 

"Eat up," he commanded. 

She shook her head angrily. She wasn't going to be kept like an animal! She'd starve first.

"Yes," he commented as if to himself, "so much fire in you. Fighting will get you nowhere, Little One." He reached out and touched her cheek. 

Eat.

Alexis bit her lip and shook her head. She wouldn't. She wanted to die. She didn't want to be food herself.

Eat, Little One.

Even though a part of her was screaming in horror, she reached out and picked up the cubed meat with her fingers and put it between her lips. Mechanically she chewed, breaking the flesh with her teeth, registering the juices, texture, and taste with horror. She hadn't eaten meat since she was a teenager, but now she was literally suckling the blood of the dead animal off her fingers. The tears she'd been fighting filled her eyes and ran down her cheeks, but still she ate. 

When she was finished, his fingers once again brushed her cheek and at his command, she ambled into the shower of her tiny bathroom. Absently, her mind registered that she'd been right; no mirror. No shower curtain, either. Death by asphyxiation was out, then. The warm water felt good against her abused body, though he only gave her enough soap to use this once. He probably didn't want her to eat it and make herself sick. They seemed quite good at anticipating the methods of suicide a captive might choose. She wondered how many lucky ones had managed to end it before they got so careful. She dried herself off with a towel and came back to see her silken bed changed with fresh sheets. It was a simple pleasure she really shouldn't appreciate, but she found that she was like an abused dog; grateful for the tiniest morsel of kindness. 

The vampire took her towel away and then looked around the room once again. Then he turned to leave.

"Wait," Alexis heard herself say. She hated herself for it, but she was past the point of pride. It was time to beg. "Please! Please don't do this to me. I want to go home."

He didn't say a word and closed the door. With his exit, the lights shut off and she was drowned once again in blackness.

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

Kieran ran his fingers through his dark hair in irritation as he stared unseeing at the stack of papers before him. Had he just read an entire report without absorbing anything? He fought the urge to rumple the packet and throw it across the room. He was getting absolutely nowhere. He had a multi-national corporation to run and the only thing he could think about was the look in those soft, brown eyes as they glowed with ecstasy. He could still smell the sweet citrus scent of her flesh, and feel the supple muscles of her thighs as he ran his hands over them. Had any woman's breasts felt that amazing in his palms, had he ever tasted a mouth as sweet and sinful as hers? Then there was the blessed tightness of her body gripping him spasmodically with each thrust, and her blood...

Fuck!

What the hell was wrong with him? 

Even now he could feel her emotions in a corner of his brain. They seemed to get stronger the more he thought about her, too. The more he tried not to think about her, the more everything about her invaded his thoughts. It wasn't supposed to be like this. He couldn't keep her emotions on the fringes of his mind like he could with Darian's and Alexander's. As much as Mara feared that his consumption of her blood would give him even more control over her, Kieran was enraged to find the exact opposite. He couldn't think of anything else. He couldn't do anything else. She was controlling him.

Every emotion she felt completely distracted him, but when he blocked her presence in an attempt to re-focus, his own mind betrayed him. It was like his subconscious brain had gained power and was actually forcing him to actively recall how she felt, what she sounded like and tasted like. A few moments of those kinds of thoughts brought him a different kind of distraction; he was painfully aroused. So he dropped the block. Within a few moments, that pissed him off, too. He couldn't understand her. Sometimes it felt like she was furious, but sometimes he thought she might be frightened, and even sometimes he was sure that she was horribly...hurt. That made him furious! 

FUCK!

He grabbed the report, threw it to the floor and stood abruptly, sending his chair crashing into the wall as it rolled behind him. He paced in frustration, irritably running his fingers through his dark hair and pulling at it hard enough to hurt. 

Want to talk about it? Darian's voice echoed in his head.




Redemption Ch. 06



NO! he snarled back.

Well, it sucks to be you, then, because Angel's about to barge into your office and scream at you like a banshee. The amusement in his mentor's thoughts was obvious. 

As if on cue, he heard a commotion in the other room.

"Is he in there?" 

"Lord Montasse is working," his assistant, Marcus replied. "Perhaps you could return to visit him another...Miss Angel!"

The door to his office flew open, and Angel marched in, her fantastic eyes glittering in wrath. Kieran glanced over the girl's shoulder to see Marcus staring at her in open-mouthed astonishment, and Dorian James following close behind them both looking dangerous and somewhat amused. He refocused his attention to the furious female marching towards him and bit the inside of his cheek to control his temper.

"Good afternoon, Angel," he said with his coldest, most intimidating voice.

"You are a sick, womanizing, self-serving worm, Kieran!" she snarled without even acknowledging the greeting.

"It's nice to see you, too," he replied acidly, as he walked back behind his desk to put the piece of furniture between them. It was a precaution. He wasn't in the best of moods today, and Angel didn't seem much better. Plus, he really didn't want to pick a fight with Dorian today, and the way the vampire was hovering behind the girl like an angel of death said he was siding with his charge on this one.

"So," she fumed, "you fuck my best friend for the sole purpose of getting a better shot at her neck?"

"It's really none of your business," he replied.

"Like hell it isn't! Do you have any clue what you did?"

"I have a far better idea about what sharing blood involves than you do, Angel."

"I'm not talking about a blood bond, you blockheaded idiot," she snarled. "I'm talking about what you did to her. You seduced her. You used her. You hurt her! All to get your fucking dick wet!"

Kieran felt his fangs elongate angrily. "Very well, now I know. Can I assume that you're finished with your temper tantrum, little girl, so the grown-ups can get back to work?"

"No," she retorted, "I'm not finished."

"Of course you're not," he replied sourly.

"I always knew you were an unmitigated asshole, but you've managed to cross into the world of just plain psychopathic cruelty. Mara spent the last two years living like an animal to escape the chains of her bond with Paola, and THREE fucking nights later you put those chains right back on her. You're despicable! How the hell can Alexander care for and trust a piece of shit like you?"

"Maybe it's the same character flaw that makes him infatuated with a childish, little twit like you!" he snarled in return. 

"You need to make this right, Kieran!" she literally shouted.

"You don't get to order me around, you little snot!"

"Enough children!" Darian's voice snapped.

Kieran straightened slightly, but didn't remove his gaze from the fuming woman before him. There was no way he was backing down from the little bitch.

"Angel," Darian commanded in an icy voice, "we're leaving, now."

She turned to look at the ancient vampire and suddenly her eyes filled with tears. Kieran wondered if Darian would buy it. Judging by the old vampire's stern face and glinting silver eyes, he bet not. Her shoulders slumped slightly, though it was obvious that she wasn't conceding defeat entirely.

Then she turned back and stared at him with those blue eyes shimmering with tears. "Make this right, Kieran," she said quietly. "Can't you feel it? She's hurting." Her voice broke suddenly over the last word and a tear tumbled down her cheek.

"Now, Angel," Darian commanded. 

Her chin lifted stubbornly, but she followed behind the European king obediently if somewhat petulantly. 

Kieran didn't realize his hands were trembling in rage until after the door closed behind them. He was used to being furious – it went with his temperament – but this time he wasn't quite so sure who he was angrier with; Angel or himself.

Her words echoed in his mind like a wicked taunt. "You hurt her."

But Mara wasn't injured. He checked carefully before he left because he was concerned that he'd handled her too roughly. No. She had the toned body of an athlete; there wasn't much harm even he could do unless he literally tried to beat the shit out of her. So. She was fine. There was nothing to worry about...except he felt the "hurt" through the bond, too. 

He began pacing once again.

So what? He hurt her. He used her for sex and blood. It wasn't the first time. Game over. Move on.

You hurt her.

It really shouldn't matter. Mara was a strong woman. She would learn soon enough that the blood-drinking was just a momentary lapse of control on his part and he had no intention of using the bond to harm her. He had better things to do with his time.

He glanced at the packet of papers he'd thrown to the floor earlier. Yeah. Better things. Like dreaming about her silky thighs when he was supposed to be making business decisions that could make or lose millions of dollars. 

Silky, muscular thighs and between them...

FUCK!

Maybe he was going crazy. He shouldn't want a woman like he wanted her. He shouldn't fantasize. He shouldn't even think about her. Except he did. Constantly. For some reason he couldn't explain to even himself, he ached in unfamiliar ways because he knew as well as Angel did that Mara was, in fact, hurting. More than that, he knew that he was the cause. 

He pulled on his hair again. 

Go to her, Kieran, Darian's voice interrupted his thoughts.

And say what? he demanded furiously.

You'll figure it out.

He was right, as always. How could such an irritating bastard like Darian Moiree be so wise all the time? Without thinking more about it, Kieran left his office and followed the pull in the back of his mind towards Mara Paola. For the first time all night, he actually allowed himself to focus on her thoughts and emotions. He could feel the underlying hurt, but he also sensed that she was intently focused on something and she was somewhat uneasy. The uneasiness she felt spurred him to move faster. Was she all right? Was someone bothering her? The idea of someone harming her in any way made his blood boil. He hurried down the stairs into the subterranean offices and laboratories below the mansion. 

He found Mara sitting in front of a computer with Jack Mason hovering behind her leaning over her back as they poured over a computer database. He felt his rage boil anew as he saw the two of them so close. Mason was definitely far too friendly with her already.

"Mason," he demanded icily, "give me the status of your investigation."

The blond investigator straightened at once and inclined his head respectfully to the older vampire.

"Miss Angel was able to provide us with the woman's name and we sent a team to her apartment," he supplied at once. "We have a suspect and a license plate. He obviously didn't think he had to make a cover for the vampire world. Right now we're trying to track the owner of the car and..."

Kieran listened only partially as he stared at the woman who was still resolutely staring at the computer screen and scanning data as though he wasn't standing right behind her. Being in the same room with her did strange things to his body. She smelled incredible; that citrus scent of her flesh was completely addicting, even if it was slightly masked by the masculine smelling soaps she'd used in his shower. He felt the urge to touch her, to kiss her, to pull that exquisite body against his and feel the press of her breasts against his chest. He wanted to taste her mouth, to suckle on that fat lower lip, to run his fingers through her silken hair. It was pathetic. He had a thing for Mara Paola.

Of course, she was pointedly ignoring him; the minute she heard his voice her heartbeat had accelerated and her back had gone rigid, but she didn't bother with turning around and acknowledging his presence. Instead, she continued to filter through data and pull up the personal information on the owner of the vehicle with the license plate in question. He should probably make her stand and bow to him, after all, he was one of the most powerful vampires in America, but he'd promised himself that he was going to try to be reasonable this time. 

"...smells of bleach and has been thoroughly cleaned," Mason was rattling off.

Kieran forced himself to focus on the report.

"It looks like he was creating a cover for the girl's disappearance so the police will eventually rule it a homicide."

"Something's not right about this," Mara finally said turning around in her chair. 

Kieran smiled at her stubborn refusal to stand in his presence. He always liked a willful woman.

"This guy's too good for the camera and the license plate mistake," she continued. "Especially considering how meticulously the place had been bleached. I don't like it."

"The only one he's covering for is the human police, Mara," Mason argued. "He knows we don't usually involve ourselves with this kind of thing."

"Francisco always knew he had to hide his tracks from two sets of investigators. This guy is good enough to figure it out, too. This isn't sitting right with me. It's too easy." 

"We've got to follow every lead we get," Mason said calmly. "This happens to be the only one we have, and if it's that easy, then perfect." 

"I agree," Mara conceded, "but I'm just saying. This guy's too good for that mistake." 

"We're only six hours behind him. Easy or not, that's a good time window." 

"Sunup is only two hours away," Mara reminded him. "If he's clever and old he'll be able to move around during the day."

Mason nodded in agreement. "We'll have a team ready before sunset."

Kieran nodded. "Good. Let's get this issue resolved so the Ancient One doesn't have to wake up with Angel as she screams in nightmares all day."

"Yeah," Mara's voice dripped with sarcasm, "poor Alexander LeGaulle."

Mason looked at Mara and then at Kieran speculatively. Without a word he inclined his head to Kieran and left the small cubicle.

"Now what do you want?" Mara said when he was gone.

"This isn't something to discuss in public," Kieran replied calmly.

"I feel a hell of a lot safer here than I do with you in private," she retorted. She still hadn't bothered to stand. By the slight look of apprehension on her face, he guessed that she felt rather intimidated in that position with him towering over her, but she had the guts to remain seated stubbornly. He liked that about her. 

"You're coming with me," he replied. "If you want to fight me, I'll simply grab you and throw you over my shoulder in front of everyone. It's up to you, Mara."

Her eyes flashed angrily. "You're an arrogant prick, Kieran."

Yes.

He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to her feet, reminding himself to be gentle. She didn't struggle, though he heard her heart pound even faster than before and noticed the slight tightening of her muscles that came with the rush of adrenaline. Wordlessly he pulled her through the offices and back into the stairwell. After yesterday, he decided being in an elevator with her wasn't a good idea.

The minute the door closed behind them, she used her self defense skills to wrench her wrist from his grasp. The force of her struggle sent her crashing back into the wall where she stood clutching her wrist with her other arm and staring up at him defiantly. 

"Why can't you just leave me alone!" she demanded her voice echoing loudly in the stairwell.

Honestly, he didn't know. 

"How could you do this to me?"

He didn't really have an answer for that one, either. Seeing her backed against the wall looking rather delicate and vulnerable even as she verbally lashed out at him, sent all kinds of emotions raging out of control like a tempest inside of him. 

"What do you want from me?" she cried, her voice breaking. 

He had no idea. 

"Damn it, Kieran!" Her beautiful brown eyes started to glimmer with tears. "Stop staring at me! Answer me!"

Standing so close to her, he could literally feel the tumult of her emotions. They were as conflicted as his, but the overwhelming pain of them left him breathless. Angel was right. She was really, really hurting. Suddenly he wanted to say something that would assuage that pain, something comforting, something...

"Fuck you!" she cried suddenly pushing away from the wall to rush past him. 

He couldn't let her go.

He caught her and crushed her body against his like he'd wanted to since the moment he laid eyes on her and crushed his mouth to hers. She squealed in anger against his mouth, but he didn't let her go. He thrust his tongue into her mouth and tasted her desperately. The tears that had welled in her eyes ran down her cheeks, and he groaned at his weakness.

"I don't know," he gasped pulling his mouth away from hers. "Damn it, Mara, I don't know." He crushed his mouth to hers again as his soul literally screamed in rage at her pain. He'd never felt so helpless. "I want you," he panted, "and I can't let you go." He kissed her again. "I can't stop it."

She was softening in his embrace. Her body pressed against his, her breast heaved as she panted, too. Once again he was on fire. His hands roamed her body with frenzied need, touching every delicious part of her they could reach. His passion boiled over and he kissed her like a desperate man panting and groaning. 

Mara responded. Suddenly, she was kissing him back with equal passion and the hands that were pushing him away were pawing at him with the same frantic hunger. He pushed her up against the wall desperate to feel more of her softness against him. She whimpered and moved seductively, her tongue danced with his. 

He wanted to rip her clothes off and take her right there. He wanted those muscular legs to wrap around his waist and to pound into her tight heat. He wanted to hear her screams as they echoed in the stairwell...

A fucking stairwell! What the hell was wrong with him?

With a growl of absolute agony he pushed himself away from her, stumbling back until he leaned against the opposite wall panting. She stared at him with her brown eyes almost black from passion. Her full lips were swollen and incredibly red. He could smell her arousal and it made his aching cock pulse with primal hunger. He ran his fingers through his hair again.

"Get out of here," he snarled.

She stared at him in confusion.

"Before we do something we both regret."

This time it was she who couldn't respond. He could sense the reluctance, the yearning of her body, the desire to stay despite her conflicted emotions. If she didn't leave now, he really would take her in the stairwell.

"NOW!" he roared.

Her eyes widened and without a word, she darted up the stairwell with all the speed her wobbling legs would lend her. 

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

Hey everyone! As promised, I'm trying to do better about posting consistently. This chapter turned out especially long, but I'm trying to give you a little more insight into the lives and personalities of the characters. Tell me what you think. As always I appreciate your votes and feedback. Thank you so much to those of you who take the time to do so. Your comments really help me improve my writing. 

- Elianna



Redemption Ch. 07



Unfortunately, there isn't a whole lot of sex in this chapter. Sorry, folks. Everything can't always be about sex. This is a story first and foremost. It contains a threesome relationship between a man, a woman, and a hermaphrodite alien. There will be BDSM because my main character Lucien is into that (big time) and there will be eventual scenes of tri-love (one of the Rayne's getting banged in all their holes). Anyway, we're getting closer to Earth in this chapter. You'll see it peppered with some unusual creatures and lots of deep conversations between the leading characters with the others. Hope to hear more comments, good or bad, just please don't insult me or each other. Rude demeaning comments will be deleted. Votes are also appreciated. If you're voting less than 4, don't be a coward and not leave a comment, seriously. If you think the story sucks, (this far out into the story), just let me know. Say "Levana, I hate homosexuals, or bisexuals" or whatever made you feel that I deserved less than a 5 or 4. Even 4's bring down my score. Tell me what you suggest to garner a 5 from you. I can't promise to switch the story drastically (like for instance, I am NOT going to kill Boy off, or cast him aside like garbage), but at least I'll see how well accepted this theme is. If it's a dud, then I'll just get through Redemption and possibly never make a threesome story again (which is highly likely because its hard as hell to write). Thank you for your time, votes, and comments. LH

*****

He'd lost his ever-loving mind. Lucien knew it, but the rage firing his blood wouldn't let him back down. His skin prickled with barely repressed energy, every hair on his body standing on end.

He stared into Natanael's gleaming black eyes—the eyes of an angel of death, not a hint of white showing. Every feather on the reaper's black wings lifted, every muscle in that seven-foot pierced and tatted body was taut and ready.

Still, Lucien wasn't afraid. He could take on the reaper, had already beaten his ass couple of times in the training hall.

They both stepped closer, so close they were almost kissing.

"Lucien," Seth snapped behind him. "Come on. Calm the fuck down, man. What-the-hell. You're acting like Remi."

Yeah. Fighting within a tiny transport while they were on their way to a highly sensitive and extremely important mission wasn't exactly the smartest thing to do. Besides, when it came to sexual partners, Lucien knew better than to put himself out there. Where had it gotten him with Anniel? Where had it gotten him with Angel? He was more than stupid to go for the third strike.

But he couldn't move, could not bring himself to back down. He could feel Natanael's breath fanning softly against his lips. The fucker was a few inches taller than him, lean body carved and honed. Maybe not as ripped as Lucien, but definitely powerful enough to leave Lucien in a world of hurt were they to lift their fists against each other.

Natanael finally blinked, his eyes going back to their normal color of ice grey. He smirked as he took a tentative step away. The seven-foot death angel retreated, wings still ruffled and turned to plop himself in the very seat Lucien had vacated only moments before.

He'd awakened, drenched in sweat from a very vivid erotic dream he'd had with both Raynes. Lucien's cock had been hurting and he was second guessing himself as to whether having wiped Girl's memory of him had been the best thing to do. She truly wanted him, and Devon had assured that they were all safe aboard Alpha 7.

Noticing Boy gone, he'd stumbled his way to the back and heard Natanael talking. It wasn't until he'd heard Boy's demand not to be touched that Lucien had decided he needed to see what the fuck was going on inside the hygiene booth

Big mistake.

Lucien huffed out an agitated breath as he turned to lean against the opening to the hygiene room he'd pretty much destroyed by smashing the door in.

Seth continued to stare at him as if he'd lost his mind, and that's when he noticed Remi and Amaranth peering at him from inside their perspective sleeping cabins. Even Boy was still sitting on the toilet top, pretty tits bare and hand clamped between her legs hiding her...whatever she had down there. Her eyes were like saucers.

Yeah, Lukey-boy. You are a first class ass—he berated himself internally.

Lucien turned away, beyond disgusted with himself, and stalked toward an exit hatch.

"Sugar, take me down," he ordered.

"Yes, Daddy," the transport's disembodied voice replied.

Just in front of the exit hatches were chutes that led down into the belly of the transport.

The lighting system activated, showing him a small storage area. Three tiny surface transports and an aircycle were to his left. A decompression chamber that led to the exterior hatch was to his immediate right. Beyond that was a short corridor into another storage area.

Lucien strode down the corridor and stopped when he heard vicious growling.

He stared at two Moordian Devils lying comfortably inside a large kennel to his right. One had deep purple fur, the other blue. They both had three little red horns on their heads, and stared at him with the four eyes on their faces. They opened canine-like maws full of jagged teeth.

Briefly, he wondered whose bright idea had been to bring the beasties along, though they were notorious for sniffing out devils and such.

Ignoring the growling animals, he scanned around until he saw a crate to the left of the kennel.

Lucien walked toward it, looking for any indication as to where or how it might open.

It had a lid, and only using his fingers, he was able to loosen and open the metal box.

It was full of packaged food...and liquor.

Grinning, he pulled out a bottle of Black Death.

"God-yes," he almost sobbed, barely able to keep himself from kissing the bottle.

His hands shook as he broke the seal and unscrewed the top. Wrapping his lips around the opening, he tipped his head back and chugged.

Fire coursed down his throat. It hurt, made his eyes tear, choked him for a second. He coughed, swallowed, and wiped his lips as he allowed the fire to turn into a glowing warmth in his belly. The warmth spread, caressing down his arms and legs like a sweet lover.

Yes.

He turned, leaning against the wall, and slid down to sit on the floor in front of the crate.

Lovers. He'd had many. So many faces and pussies. They meant nothing to him. He meant nothing to them...though...deep inside his heart...he'd wanted to matter to someone.

Lucien drew from the bottle again. Liquid strength.

He coughed again, the sting in his throat still barely tolerable, but the bliss it brought afterwards, the freedom of shit-faced drunkenness, was well worth it. He didn't need to be sober anyway until much later. Besides, most Demon hunters were fucked up losers anyway. You had to be, to be stupid enough to hunt demons and devils. Most died, that was why there was always a need for new Demon hunters. It was a great career...if you survived it.

They didn't know how lucky they were that the worst they got was being torn limb from limb by one of those unholy creatures. It was better than being dragged down into a darkened pit, the stench of feces rife in the air. Claws would slide over his body, sometimes playing nice, sometimes drawing blood. Tongues would follow, it would burn the cuts they'd ripped into him and then they'd bite, sharp teeth tearing into flesh. He'd try to run, but they always found him, overpowered him, held him down...

Lucien began to shudder, curling into a protective ball on the floor against the crate, remembering each agonizing bite, the way they'd plunged claws, tongues, spiked tails, and snake-like cocks into him. He'd scream, if he was able—most times he wasn't—and they'd laugh.

He cupped his throat, swallowing hard as he clenched his ass cheeks with a shudder of revulsion.

"No," Lucien panted, pushing the horrific images away.

He drank more, nursing at the bottle like a babe. Closing his eyes and leaning his head against the crate, he wrapped his arms around himself and rocked back and forth softly, somehow the movement soothing to him.

It was okay. He wasn't there anymore. He was safe...for now.

"Enjoy the reprieve. No telling how long it'll last," he whispered to himself.

The scent of flowers had him opening his eyes again.

His Dominatio hovered close, but they knew better than to get too close.

Lucien curled into a tighter ball, peering at them through the strands of hair that had fallen into his face.

"Why did you let them hurt me?" he whispered. "I was just a kid. Why did God let that happen to me?"

Even God hated him it seemed—hated him from birth, before Lucien ever had a chance to fuck up. Everything had been against him from his very conception. His father was the fucking angel of destruction. His parents were supposed to kill each other, but his father captured her...fucked her instead. His virginal mother had spread her legs for a fucker that used to bathe in the blood of his victims. How sick was that?

The two cherubs just looked at him sadly. They didn't even offer him a sword anymore. Was he no longer worthy? Had he ever been worthy?

He laughed then, tears already coursing down his cheeks.

Worthy? What was he? His daddy's mistake? A spurt of demon jizz inside a willing cunt, unplanned, unwanted? Devon was the starchild of that mistake. Lucien was just the left over genetic material.

Oh, yeah...he was supposed to have been the virginal sacrifice.

Laughter started deep in his belly until it erupted into maniacal guffaws and finally subsided into uncontrollable sobs.

Malvano Blackthorn had royally fucked up keeping him a virgin. Lucien remembered still having the majority of his baby teeth when that son-of-a-mongura stuck his cock into Lucien's mouth the first time. Demon-kind hadn't taken kindly to that mistake, so they had Lucien slit his throat.

The memory of how the bastard had choked on his own blood, staring at Lucien in shock soothed Lucien somewhat.

He wiped at the tears and snot on his face with a cloth from a stack near the kennel, before tossing it away from him.

He was done feeling sorry for himself. He was done hurting. Fuck everyone. Fuck everything. He shouldn't have been born. That was the problem. He accepted it and wouldn't fight against it anymore.

Having made peace with his fate, he sighed and drew deeply from the bottle again. The burn was less intense and his limbs felt relaxed.

He looked at the Moordian Devils. They both sat just inches from him. No longer growling, they stared at him through the mesh wire of the kennel, sniffing in his direction.

About to offer the canine-like beasts a bit of his liquid-strength, he felt someone coming closer and used his power to slam the metal door to the back storage room closed with a derisive snort.

He wasn't in the mood for a pep talk. A man with no hope hadn't any need for it.

After a few more swallows of whiskey with his eyes blissfully shut, the scent of cinnamon teased his nose.

Fuck.

He rubbed the bottle against his face, breathing in the rich scent of the expensive whiskey. "Got any weed on you?" Lucien said with a tired sigh.

Remi snorted. "Hell no."

Lucien opened his eyes. Remi sat against the door Lucien had sealed to avoid having to talk to anyone. Like that was going to stop Remien Fyre.

He heard the metal crate behind him open and another bottle of Black Death floated out and into Remi's outstretched hand.

"You bring along the private stash?" Lucien asked gesturing behind him with the open end of his bottle.

"Always," Remi replied.

Devon and Seth weren't going to be happy with that. Lucien grinned. "Good job."

Remi grinned back, unscrewing the top to his bottle. "You're welcome."

Remi put the bottle to his lips and drank deeply. Lucien watched him, his deep red hair, thick and poufy around his head and spilling over his broad shoulders, the bright green eyes, piercings, and tattoos everywhere.

Remi was a pretty man. Not handsome like Ashriel and Zak, or beautiful like Devon. His face wasn't rugged, but soft. It would have made him almost effeminate except that the fucker was ripped and toned. Sometimes Lucien suspected the reason why Rem had so much metal and ink decorating his body was to give him a more masculine edge. Without it, he'd just be another pretty boy...albeit a very exotic pretty one. If Lucien had been a girl, he might even go so far as saying Red was downright sexy.

"I've got a mate, man," Remi chuckled, "and Row and I aren't looking for a third."

Rather than become defensive, Lucien grinned back at him. "I wouldn't tap that skinny ass even if you didn't have a mate."

Remi frowned. "Hey, my ass ain't skinny. It's round and pert and perfect like the rest of me."

Lucien began to laugh. He was right. The guy had..."Fuck you, Fyre," he chuckled when he realized he'd been suckered into thinking about the damned weredragon's rump.

Remi snickered and saluted him with his bottle.

"You know," Lucien began, already feeling good. "I used to despise you. I always viewed you as a conceited, hard-headed, nonsensical, stupid, piece of shit."

Remi nodded, his lips pursed in consideration. "All that-huh?"

Lucien swallowed another mouthful of alcohol. "Yeah, man. I don't think you're really that stupid anymore."

Remi's lips twitched until he couldn't help grinning. "Well, I still think you're a pathetic bastard. So, you can add consistency to your little list of my attributes."

Lucien raised his bottle. "I'll drink to that."

They leaned toward each other and clinked their bottles together before throwing back their heads and chugging down more Black Death.

Remi didn't even grimace. Why would he? The fucker breathed fire. He was a dragon shifter and endowed with pyrokinetic abilities.

Lucien could summon fire, but Remi was its master.

Rowie and Seth appeared, making Lucien frown. "What is this? A fucking intervention?" he snorted in exasperation.

His eyes widened when Rowie reached over and fisted his hair, dragging him close. Typical dominatrix, but when she snuggled him to her bosom, it felt good, so he just shut up. Dominant that he was, he turned his head to nip at her breast, let her know she was playing with fire, but she grabbed his hair—harder. "Not if you want your face to meet my knee, Blondie."

Lucien snickered and settled his head in her lap. One look at Remi showed him tense and glowering at Lucien.

Lucien chuckled again. Interesting. Red was the jealous type. Good to know.

Seth took the bottle of Black Death Remi offered him and took a swig.

Amazing. Lucien still needed to get used to seeing Seth so grown and headed down the road to manly perdition. One peek at his aura told Lucien the kid had turned into an impressive man-whore, though Lucien had yet to see him with any females.

He'd grown tall. Lucien figured him at six-foot-seven. His shoulders were impressive as well as his arms and chest. The kid had never let his hair grow long like the rest of them since after he'd lost a bet with Remi and had to shave it bald. He wore his platinum blond locks in layered wisps that draped his neck and the tops of his shoulders. Most of it fell into his eyes—pale blue eyes rimmed with black lashes.

"Might as well discuss the mission seeing as we won't be able to get any sleep with all the crap going on," Seth grumbled casting Remi a meaningful glare.

Remi snickered evilly.

Seth ignored him and stared at Lucien as he took another mouthful of whiskey. After flashing his fangs in a grimace, a low growl purring in his chest, Seth asked, "Tell me again about how you were first contacted."

Lucien tipped his bottle back and frowned when he realized it was empty.

Rowie took it from him to set down next to her, and began combing her fingers through his hair.

He sighed, comforted by her gentle petting.

"My eighteenth birthday. I'd killed my stepfather and had just walked off the property. There was a limo waiting outside for me."

"And you didn't see who was driving," Remi added.

Lucien was sure no one drove that black transport. It was completely black—glass, wheels, interiors, everything. The night he'd killed his stepfather, there had been a big beautiful silver moon in the sky. Once the door to the transport closed, the moon looked blood red through the glass. Everything looked bathed in blood, like him, covered in the blood of Malvoro Blackthorn.

"The car went all the way to Zion, parked inside. Two women escorted me to an elevator. I think they were AI." He remembered the inside of their eyes were silver and they seemed to have a permanent smile on their faces. Like if he stabbed one, she'd fall to the ground with a smile on her face. "The lift went up for a really long time to the top floor." Everything up there was bare, dark, cold. The floor was glossy black, like in Alpha 7. There were mirrored columns, lots of glass, plenty of dark corners. "The smell. It was...strange. Like nothing alive had ever been there...and it was so fucking cold.

"I could see the city through the windows. Again, everything looked red. Like the damn windows had red tint on them. They led me to a conference room. It was dark. There was a long table with seven beings sitting there. They looked like different species of aliens...but they weren't alive. I know they fucking weren't."

He'd been in a funeral once and had caught a whiff of the chemicals used to preserve a corpse.

"I swear that's what they smelled like."

"So that means they're possessing bodies. Anyone can be one of those things," Rowie said.

"It's been over three hundred years and no one has been able to completely eliminate the demon and devil infestation completely," Seth observed.

Remi snorted. "That would be stupid for the ones making a business off this."

"And that's how we're going to draw the fallen angels' attention to ourselves," Seth added. "When we start killing devils and lesser demons on a grand scale, they won't be able to ignore it."

"I think they know we're on our way," Lucien said quietly, his eyes drifting closed, lulled by Rowie's fingers..

He knew disappointment when her hand stilled.

"Why do you think that, Luke?" Seth asked.

"They know things. They see almost everything. Just thinking about them, Seth, it's like being trapped on a web. Any movement toward them alerts them."

After a while, Seth cursed. "Why the fuck didn't you say this before?"

Lucien thought. He was tired of running, tired of hiding. Rayne trying to latch onto him with her promise of love and sweetness made him realize...he needed to end this.

"If they know we're on our way, what's the point? We're walking into a trap," Seth snapped.

Lucien grinned. "When we land on Crimbregeere, I'd like to challenge all of you to a game. Sugar provides realistic holographic images. It'll be fun."

There was silence for a few heartbeats as Rowie began stroking his hair again.

She sighed, "Seth, he's wasted. Let him sleep."

"No—wait," Remi began. "He's right. A little game on the holo-replicator might be fun. Like for instance, we can play we're actually on Earth and just imagine if the twins from Hell were to fall again. What would we do then? Imagine that?"

Lucien's grin widened. Yes. Remi definitely wasn't as stupid as he thought.

******* 

Rayne fingered her short hair, watching as supplies were loaded onto a small transport. She wasn't really sure she'd ever grow accustomed to her new look. Now she looked like a young boy, but perhaps it was better that way. Drakken had tried to talk her out of going to Earth, claiming the journey would be dangerous for a young girl like her.

Maybe it wasn't so dangerous for a young boy accompanying a pair of weredragons, a vampire, and two cyborgs.




Redemption Ch. 07



"The best way to get in is claiming to be Demon hunters it seems," Chameleon said, striding up to stand next to her. "Cyn contacted a few friends we have on Earth and arranged for us to be hired by their agency."

Rayne nodded. Her palms were beginning to sweat so she rubbed them together.

Chameleon frowned and took one of her hands. "I need to regulate a few of your body functions."

Rayne snatched her hand back. "No. I don't want to lose what's left of my humanity. Bad enough I don't have real blood flowing through me."

"Yes," Drakken said making Rayne jump with a start. He seemed to just have appeared right next to her. Gleaming black eyes stared down at Rayne from a pale face framed by a riot of jet-black corkscrew curls. "That is quite a shame. I was looking forward to indulging in a little fresh blood. The dragons won't allow me to sip from them anymore."

"You've got your little meat sippy critters. Sip from them," Remuel grumbled as he passed by pushing another crate on wheels. "At least they won't get unwanted hard-ons."

Cool fingers caressed the exposed nape of her neck making her start again.

"Was this supposed to make you undesirable to the masculine eye?" Drakken asked.

Rayne frowned, rubbing the spot he'd caressed. "No. I just wanted to look different. I don't care whether or not I'm desirable to men."

Drakken smiled, and it was such a seductive grin, she had to look away, feeling uncomfortable.

"It draws the eye to the delicate line of your fragile neck," he said in his low velvety voice. "All the soft white flesh just beckoning to be nipped and kissed."

Rayne strode forward, leaving the chuckling vampire behind. The dragons didn't tease her, nor did the cyborgs. She wished Cyneolle had never called for Drakken's assistance, but unfortunately, unless she wanted to travel for a month before reaching Crimbregeere, they'd need him to speed their transport along.

When Drakken's cold hand gripped her arm, she pulled out a small dagger and aimed for his heart.

He was quick, his other hand gripping her wrist painfully. His fangs were bared and he hissed at her.

"Listen to me, child. You think you're grown up enough to embark on this mission and at the first hint of male aggression, you lose control."

Her knife flew out of her hand and the vampire spun her around until his arms were banded around her middle and his cold breath fanned against her neck. "I could tear out your throat right now and there isn't a thing you could do about it."

"Please," Rayne whispered, bewildered as to why no one was helping her.

"Please? You need to learn to use your feminine wiles to take advantage before it's too late, my dear. Remember that."

He let her go and walked past her into the transport.

"You didn't need to be so rough on her, Drakk," Zakreel murmured with a scowl.

"Fuck off, Blondie," the vampire threw over his shoulder as he strode up the ramp onto the transport.

"He wants to help," Chameleon said coming up next to her again.

Rayne glared at him as she rubbed her bruised wrists. "Help? By molesting me?"

"When we arrive at Crimbregeere Nine you may be embarked upon by more than just Drakken."

Rayne shuddered. What kind of horrible world was she walking into? She had no recollection of ever having been...free.

"You mean just because I'm female, I've got a target on me?"

Chameleon shook his head. "Not because you're female, but because you're small and look defenseless."

She looked down at herself. Every time she had to speak to anyone, she had to look up. There wasn't much she could do about her petite size. As far as she knew, she was fully adult and wouldn't grow anymore.

"It's all about attitude, Rayne. In order to stop being treated like prey you must act like the predator," Chameleon told her.

Aboard the transport, after they'd launched from Alpha 7, she logged into the computer's files and began to download schematics to the cities they'd visit and the possible life forms they'd come across. In the back of her mind, though were Drakken's words. He was right. She needed to stop behaving like a scared mouse.

Crossing her left boot over her right knee, she nibbled on her index fingernail. Her skeleton was fibrous metal alloy. Cyneolle assured her it would pass through any scanner like normal bone, except it was stronger than natural bone. Her nanoblood could enable her to achieve superhuman strength if she became agitated enough. It was like a natural defense system.

She really had nothing to be afraid of. She might be little but she could certainly kick ass.

All was quiet for the first twenty-four hours of the trip. Outside the portholes of the transport, the stars looked like a swirling soup of color. How fast were they going for everything to look like that? Drakken was a Master Guardian, a being who'd developed his telekinetic powers to their maximum. According to Seth, all sentient creation had the ability. Only a handful ever developed them fully.

She'd like to learn. Maybe when they returned from their mission she'd ask Seth or Remi to help her...or maybe one of the girls.

Grinning, she closed her eyes and dozed off. Her brain still needed time to rest like a normal humanoid and she'd been awake for over twenty hours.

She dreamt that she lay upon a soft bed, looking out a very large round window. There was a city beyond the window. She could see flickering light in the windows of the buildings around her. Across the street there was a blinking sign that read HOTEL ROHELLO in dull red letters, except the first two and last letters of ROHELLO weren't lit.

HOTEL HELL.

The bed creaked and dipped making her turn her head.

Boy crawled into the bed over her. He was naked and a little damp. She could smell that he'd just bathed, the scent of sweet and salty reminding her of an ocean breeze.

Tribals decorated his biceps, but she couldn't see his face in the dark, just the faint glow of his long, wet, white hair. Rayne smiled as he rolled over to the other side next to the wall and lay on his back.

She could see he had another tattoo around his belly button. It was a sun, etched in sharp black lines. He had more muscle, his arms, chest and thighs packed with lean power. So delicate and beautiful.

Giggling, she snuggled into him as he scrambled to pull on a pair of shorts. When he tried to make sense of a rumpled tunic, she pulled it away from him making him pout in dismay.

Boy reached for it, but she kept it out of his reach, which brought him over her.

His big lavender eyes widened when he realized they were chest to chest. Rayne felt his cock harden against her belly and arched against him. Tentatively he rocked against her, a soft purr emanating from him.

The sound seemed to startle him, making his body stiffen, aside from the cock pressed against her. He gulped loudly.

He was just so sweet and beautiful. His huge violet eyes were lined in black. She suspected permanent ink and his once almost silver lashes were now black, and thick, and long. They almost looked fake, but this close to him, just a hairsbreadth from his lips, she knew they weren't. She stroked away the droplets of water on his cheeks before running the tip of her finger along the point of one of his ears.

His cock twitched and his pupils grew even wider, just leaving a hint of violet around them.

"Um," he began, "I need my t-shirt."

Rayne sighed, "But you look just fine without it."

Movement behind him drew her eye. Boy turned as well.

Lucien was down on his haunches within a sectioned off part of the small room they were in. The floor beneath his feet was tile that was cracked and wet. She watched in fascination as he dipped a white cloth in a round, metal washtub full of soapy water. Raising the cloth, he squeezed it over his head, letting the foamy suds ride down his hair, face, neck, and sinews of his body.

Her mouth went dry as other regions of her anatomy drooled.

He lathered his hair, rubbed his face and neck and every exposed part of him. Rising to his full stature, he soaped his arms and chest.

Rayne's eyes grew round when he caressed his buttocks before going around to grip and wash his cock.

He wasn't being blatant about it. Wasn't remotely acting as if he knew he had an audience and was doing his best to entice. No. He was just simply soaping up that outrageously ripped and toned body. His fingers stroked his cock once, twice, a third time before dipping below to lather his heavy balls, his thighs spreading minutely.

"He's beautiful, isn't he?"

Rayne gulped and turned to look at Boy Rayne. He looked just as entranced as she felt.

As if sensing her stare, he looked back at her.

"This whole living just as buddies is getting really..."

"Hard?" she finished for Boy.

Boy blinked, licked his lips as his gaze dropped to her lips. "Yeah."

She felt him move his hips again, just slightly, as if afraid to let go. She wanted to kiss him so badly. She wanted to kiss Lucien. She wanted them both.

Boy must've seen something in her expression, because he let out a little snarl, and she was sure she saw a flash of sharp teeth before his mouth took hers.

His tongue plunged in and he rolled, taking her with him.

Rayne found herself straddling Boy Rayne and unable to resist, she plunged her fiingers into his hair and kissed him hard.

Boy's cock pressed so firmly between her legs, the shaft wedged itself between the lips of her sex.

She rode the ridge of his shaft, already panting. Moisture flooded her tiny panties. She'd need another bath, but she was going to come...she was so close.

The feel of wet heat engulfing her back made her freeze. Another hard ridge invaded the crack of her ass.

"Isn't this against the rules?" Lucien growled.

No one moved. Rayne just stared at Boy.

"Well," Boy began, "it's not our fault you were there giving us a fucking peep show."

Rayne's eyes bulged. Did Boy just say what she thought she heard?

"Peep show?" Lucien asked with a hint of amusement.

She tried to turn to look at him, but his hands suddenly gripped her wrists tight, trapping her against Boy Rayne.

A shiver of excitement raced up her spine, and her heart began to pound harder. Lucien pressed harder against her making her gasp.

Boy gulped, but forged on, one brow raised, his eyes glinting defiantly. ""Yeah, you were polishing that pole so long for a minute there I thought you were going to start spouting poetry to it."

Rayne resisted the urge to laugh hysterically, but her eyes were still wide as saucers and her heart was galloping furiously at the feel of one cock wedged against her pussy and another in the crack of her rump.

Lucien stifled a chuckle. "And that turned you both on?"

He pressed against her, pushing her farther into Boy.

Boy Rayne whimpered, arched and rolled his hips too.

"Did daddy get his two brats horny?"Lucien growled in his deep sexy voice.

Rayne swallowed and blinked, rewinding what he'd just said in her mind. Daddy?

They see-sawed against her and she arched and writhed against them, wondering if what they were doing was...right. It felt right. She tried to move her hands, but Lucien held her tight, the heavy weight of his body pinning her against Boy. She was trapped in this erotic sandwich, a mere toy between two aroused males, her legs spread, her body more than ready and willing to be fucked.

Rayne sucked in a harsh breath and let a moan escape.

Boy leaned forward to nip and lick at her neck, at the same time, Lucien dipped his head and stuck his tongue in her ear.

Rayne whimpered, closing her eyes tight until she saw stars.

She would have moaned, probably begged them to rip her tiny panties off and plunge into her, but Lucien slid his hand over her mouth and nose, effectively sealing both off. She felt the strength in his body, in the fingers that gripped the lower half of her face almost brutally. Her lungs burned for air. Her lust ratcheted higher.

"Don't scream," he whispered in her ear.

Confused, she blinked in the dark. That was when she noticed what was peering in through the window. A four-horned devil with a grinning mouth full of needle-like blackened teeth.

Rayne awakened with a startled whoop, her eyes automatically going to the tiny porthole to the left of her seat.

The stars were no longer swimming and smearing in streaks. Glittering points of light filled the black void visible through the glass.

Her heart was still pounding as she looked around the darkened interior of the transport.

The weredragons were asleep in the seats across from her, but Cyneolle was fully awake in the seat right in front of her. His head was cocked to the side, peering curiously at her.

"You were having a nightmare," he stated.

"I was," she admitted.

Cyneolle remained silent a while, watching her. "Do you think it may have been a warning vibration from the future?"

Rayne blinked. "A vision?" She frowned. Could such a thing be possible? There were so many theories; alternate realities, parallel universes, multiple dimensions, and such. For all any of them new, they could very well be the figment of some bored housewife's imagination. Nothing more than words on a page. "I don't know, Cyn." The more she thought about her dream the fuzzier the details became. "I was in a very small room, lying on a bed."

"Describe the room to me."

Rayne thought hard. "It was dark, but I know it was small."

"A bedroom?"

Rayne shook her head. "Not really. I think I saw a food prep station a few feet away. The bed was low to the floor, against a wall and there was another wall at the end of it that sectioned off a bathing area."

"What else do you remember?"

"The window. It was very big and round. Outside there was a city, very tall buildings, but it was dark. Like instead of lighting similar to what we have here, every window was lit with candles."

"Or glow stones."

"Glow stones?"

Cyn nodded. "Some civilizations use glow stones to economize their use of energy. The stones are charged with sunlight. They can glow for up to five hours."

"I recall Boy Rayne and Lucien in the room with me."

Her face grew hot when she remembered what they'd been doing in bed. "Crimbregeere has glow stones?"

"No. Earth does and only in its poorest sectors."

"That might explain the size of the dwelling." She bit her lip, deep in thought and suddenly gasped. "Hotel Hell. There was a hotel almost in front of the building we were in."

Cyn frowned. "I can feed the name into our data base to see if there is such a hotel on Earth."

"Wait. The name was actually Ro..." Rayne stopped and drew her fingers through her short hair. "Hotel Rohello?" she groaned. "Now I'm not sure."

"It doesn't matter. I will search for any hotel with names that include the letters H-E-L-L."

He was about to turn away, but she gripped his forearm.

"Cyn?" She wasn't sure she knew how to ask him this, but she felt very confused.

"Do you have another detail from your dream?"

"Well, actually, there was a devil looking in through the window, but..."

She stalled and huffed in frustration.

"But?" Cyn prodded, his blue-green eyes almost glowing in the dim light of the transport.

"Lucien. In the dream he held me down. Held my wrists hard and at one point he covered my mouth and nose with his hand. I couldn't speak or breathe." Her face flamed hotter and the pounding in her heart echoed between her legs.

"It aroused you," Cyn finished for her.

Rayne swallowed, looking away as she ran her hands through her short dark locks. "It's absurd. I don't know how feeling restrained like that...why I should feel...it's just wrong."

"Why?"

Rayne's gaze flew back to his. Cyn was known to feel no lust whatsoever. His question surprised her.

"Why what?"

Cyn's head tipped to the side. "Why is your arousal at being restrained wrong?"

"I..." Rayne floundered. "Well..." She huffed out a harsh breath and pouted at him. "Because it just is."

He looked at her, eyes assessing. "You are small. As a female, it should come as a natural instinct to find a mate that can protect you as well as sire stronger specimens for your species. A male that shows you his strength as well as his virility would cause your body to react. I see nothing wrong in that as long as you are not harmed and are of a like mind to his display of masculine prowess."

Rayne clenched her fists. "I'm not looking for mate."

He straightened, thick shoulders back, face blank. "Perhaps. I suggest you turn off your body's reproductive instincts as I have. Then you will feel nothing."

Rayne gaped at him. "You turned off...why?"

Cyn remained silent. Something moved behind his eyes. A brief flash of emotion, but it was gone in the blink of an eye. "I am cyborg," he stated flatly, "I have no need to reproduce what I am." He turned, effectively ending the conversation.

She frowned at the back of his head and was about to continue questioning him when Drakken emerged from the pilot's cabin.

"Cyn, take over. Rhydiam Nine has a sun similar to Earth's. I want to be fully asleep when we get there. I hate being conscious when my body reacts to the radiation blast of a yellow star."

Drakken strode off to the back of the transport without so much as glancing her way. Cyn rose from his seat.

"How does his body react to yellow stars?" Rayne asked.

Cyn paused just inside the doorway to the piloting cabin and turned to her again. "He dies," was his succinct reply just before closing the door between the pilot's cabin and the lounge area.

******* 

Boy Rayne remained aboard the transport with the reapers, Natanael, Amadashiel, Abdiel, and Eriel. Ashriel and the other Alpha Angels convened aboard the second transport along with Ashriel. She'd been asleep when they arrived on Crimbregeere. It was Eriel who'd awakened her when he slipped completely naked into bed with her to nap. He was nonchalant about it, didn't try to touch her or anything. The reaper just bounced into the bed, turned to his side, spreading his wings behind him with a sigh, and closed his eyes.

After Lucien's violent reaction the day-cycle before, she was reluctant to incite his wrath again.

Natanael told her Lucien had spent the night down in the transport's cargo hold—shit-faced drunk.

She still had no clue as to what she'd say to him when she saw him again.

Boy felt shy about facing him, but she needn't have worried because he'd already left their transport the second they landed in Crimbregeere's spaceport.

Boy peered out the porthole of the transport and was amazed at the number of strange alien beings walking about. She hadn't seen this many species wandering about together since her arena fighting days.

There were many Lizdracs and Gruesh. She even saw a Nepturian with his aquatic ring nestled around its neck. This species still breathed under water and needed the water ring around their gills to survive.

The sense of warmth at her back made her turn.

Abdiel peered over her shoulder at the conglomeration of creatures outside.

The reaper's hair reached a little past his shoulders, soft, loose, spiral curls of bright gold making a striking contrast against his blue-black wings.

"Ash said for us to remain here until they come for us," Abdiel informed her. He didn't look too happy.

"Is it dangerous for us out there?" Boy asked.

Abdiel shrugged. "For some of us. I know I'm wanted."

Boy frowned. "Why?"

Abdiel's light grey eyes locked with Boy's. His lips kicked up to one side. "I left Seraphia over a year ago. I'm not supposed to stay away for so long without permission."

Boy blinked at him. "Well, do you want to go back?"

Abdiel sighed. "No. I want to stay with Devon and the others aboard Alpha 7."





Redemption Ch. 07



Boy chewed the corner of her lip. "What would happen if you get caught?"

"One of the high priests will probably take a lash to his back," Amadashiel chimed in before Abdiel could answer.

"Or they'll make him strip down, bend over, and take a belt to his ass," Natanael sighed. "I got those allot for accepting candy from the visitors."

"We weren't supposed to take candy from the visitors?" Amadashiel gasped.

"Of course not," Abdiel said with a frown. "That's how you can get drugged and abducted and violated."

"I know," Natanael sighed with a pout. "That's how I fell from grace. They stuck something in my drink, though. Not candy."

Boy watched in fascination as Natanael stroked a wand through his thick Mohawk, turning the stark white strands a startling shade of green. Every day-cycle he had something different.

Abdiel walked to the back of the transport, to the dining area and fiddled with the food replicator.

"Hey," he called out, "no fair. You guys have actual food coming out here. Back on my transport all we have is Prinut." He finished with a grimace and a little shudder.

Natanael grinned at Amadashiel and Boy as he reclined his seat and crossed his booted feet at the ankles. "Well, thank all that's holy we didn't have Ash stock up our transport."

"Zak and Anniel were livid," Abdiel said around a mouthful of food.

Boy plopped down into a seat to watch the parade of alien creatures stroll by.

Boy jumped in alarm when Amadashiel gripped her hair from behind.

"Let me braid your hair, Boyra. Relax," she said.

Boy Rayne tried, but having a female near always put her on edge. "B-Boyra?" she stuttered, eyes wide as the girl reaper ran her long fingers through Boy's long locks.

"You look like a girl. It's weird calling you Boy."

"I say we give her a whole new name," Natanael suggested, rubbing his jaw with one finger. "Let's see...how about Sex Kitten?" he snickered

Amadashiel giggled behind Boy. "Or Sweet Baby?"

When the girl reaper's hands slid down Boy's chest to grip her breasts tightly, Boy shot out of the chair with a snarl. "I'm not a fucking baby, or a kitten."

To her horror, she felt her eyes well with tears. Angry and ashamed, she ran back into the only empty cabin, slamming the door behind her.

The room was so tiny, she couldn't pace. With a furious snarl, she pounced on the bed and unsheathed her claws. The pillows took the brunt of her rage, foamy stuffing floating in the air by the time she'd stopped. Her breath hammered in and out of her open lips as she finally settled herself on her haunches in the middle of the bed.

"Boy?"

She turned to look at Abdiel peering in through the open door.

"You okay?"

Her lip trembled, but she refused to give in to tears. She turned away instead and hung her head, feeing anger and confusion.

The bed dipped. Abdiel cleared his throat. "Don't pay attention to those two idiots. I think you should choose the name you like...and be whoever you want to be."

Boy wrapped her arms around herself. Who did she want to be? Her eyes dropped down to her breasts. "I don't know who I want to be..." or what. Was she really comfortable as a female? She was attracted to males, but terrified of females. Wouldn't it make sense to let her feminine side manifest. She looked at Abdiel—so sweet and cute.

"Do you prefer girls or boys, Abdiel?"

The blond reaper's cheeks went pink and he looked down with a shy grin. "Um. I'm undecided."

Boy pouted. "But do you prefer fucking or being fucked?"

Abdiel's clear grey eyes rose to gaze into boy's. "I've never done either. I'm still a virgin."

Boy felt shocked. "A virgin?"

Abdiel chuckled and nodded. "I want my first time to be special. I don't know. Maybe I want to be in love before I give my first time to someone, like Ashriel. He was in love with Anniel for more than three hundred siglons."

The concept baffled Boy. She'd never had a choice in the matter. Her first master had strapped her down on all fours and took his time plundering her female opening and her male opening. It had been awful, but the worst nightmare had been when master had pumped her full of Liquid X and had seven females mount her as a male. The delicate skin covering her cockhead had torn and it had taken days for the bloodied swollen tip to heal.

Abdiel leaning over and kissing her softly brought Boy Rayne out of her dark memories.

"Why did you kiss me?" she asked touching her lips.

"You just looked so sad," he replied in a soft tone. "Don't stay in here. Come on out again. I'll braid your hair, okay? Like Zak's. How about it?"

His smile was infectious, and she found herself accepting his proffered hand with a shy smile of her own.

Out in the lounge, Natanael turned when they approached. His eyes searched Boy's face, a little frown of concern wrinkling the area between his finely arched brows. "Hey...I'm sorry for being such an ass. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he pleaded.

Boy looked down at her boots, digging the tip of one into the plush carpeting of the transport. "It's okay. I guess I over-reacted too."

Amadashiel snorted derisively. Boy just ignored her.

Abdiel patted a seat and began weaving her hair into a long braid down her back as they continued to wait in silence.

The hours ticked away slowly before Devon suddenly appeared at the entrance to the transport.

"Time to go," he said hurrying in. He kept looking over his shoulder out the exit hatch.

Boy felt a shiver of excitement and apprehension. Where was Lucien?

The second transport was parked so close to their transport, it blocked the view out.

Eriel stumbled down the corridor from the sleeping area, yawning. He'd pulled on a pair of pants and boots at least, though his pants were open and his dick was hanging out.

Amadashiel giggled and scampered over to him. Falling to her knees, she latched onto his cock and started sucking him off, her fingers gripping his thighs as she moaned and slurped happily.

Eriel hissed and buried his fingers in her hair with a throaty moan, "Ah, fuck. Why weren't we on the same transport? I haven't cum in more than twenty-four hours."

Devon cleared his throat and continued, "They'll try to separate us. I'm not sure we'll end up living in the same building once we're on Earth, but it doesn't matter. We'll convene in two day-cycles at our demon hunting headquarters. Seth gave all of you your new identities, right?"

Everyone mumbled affirmatively, except Amadashiel, who had her mouth full of angel cock.

"I don't have one," Boy said uncertainly.

Devon smiled at her, his eyes lit in blue fire as usual. "Don't worry, Boy. As far as we know, you're not a wanted criminal or anything we need to worry about."

In the blink of an eye, Devon began to change. His hair became white, like Boy's and his blue eyes turned grey, the glowing fire in them dimming. He peeled his blue flight suit shirt off and flexed his broad shoulders. Black wings emerged from his back. Boy could see the bones in his face move, his entire countenance changing. When done, Boy stood in front of a stranger.

She blinked over and over, but the white-haired reaper was still there were Devon had once stood. Sniffing deeply, Boy Rayne still picked up Devon's scent.

"Don't worry, Boy," he said with a grin, "it's still me."

He turned his head, his eyes twitching a bit. "Ashriel," the reaper called out with Devon's voice.

Eriel was groaning in completion when Ashriel's bulky form filled the doorway. He scowled at the spectacle Eriel and Amadashiel were making of themselves near the dining galley, but Boy barely registered the reapers sexual play. Her bewildered eyes looked down to Ashriel's right and a warning snarl erupted from her lips as she jumped up to crouch on her seat defensively.

Next to Ashriel was an enormous black wolf with luminous golden eyes. The beast bared white fangs at Boy in a parody of a smile, which only made Boy growl louder and climb warily onto the seat behind her.

"Easy," Devon said holding out a hand to Boy, even as his eyes grew smoldering blue again. "It's just Anniel. She shifted into her wolf form."

Anniel sat on her haunches, staring at Boy with those hypnotic eyes. A pink tongue lolled out to lick her chops as she gave a little sneeze, her tail thumping on the metal ramp leading out of the transport.

Boy wasn't convinced.

Outside, beyond where Ashriel, Anniel, and Devon stood, Boy saw Seth step up to the bottom of the ram. Seth peered up into the transport before turning his head to call to Lucien.

"Let's get moving," Ashriel said backing up a bit.

The black wolf remained sitting where she was. Devon's eyes dimmed and paled to grey again. Sliding dark glasses over his face, he reached out and gripped a handle attached to a harness on the wolf.

Finally, the black she-wolf rose and turned, leading Devon, the reaper, out of the transport.

Lucien darted into the transport just before the other reapers filed out.

Boy gaped when she realized Lucien also had wings, only his were snowy white.

Lucien hesitated a moment, flaring his new wings a bit. He had no shirt, just the typical three-point vest the reapers wore to accommodate their wings. His hair flowed, a thousand shades of gold, over his shoulders, down his chest, almost to his waist...heavenly beauty incarnate.

"We need to look different to keep from drawing attention," he explained. "Devon and I have Seraphian blood, so the wings were a necessity." He cocked his head to the side. "I know it's allot to take in. Are you going to be okay?"

Boy didn't know what to say. She'd watched the meandering aliens through the porthole and it hadn't occurred to her what her reaction would be the moment she had to walk out amongst the throngs of aliens. All her arena training came to the fore, making her feel edgy.

"I can tell Abdiel to take you back to Alpha—"

"No," Boy snapped. She didn't want to go back...not without him. "I-I'll be fine."

Lucien's ice-blue eyes bore into her a few heartbeats before his hand rose toward Boy.

Boy gulped, staring at those beautiful fingers. Even his hands were lovely, unlike Boy's, who had to remember to retract her claws before putting her hand into his.

He helped her down from the seat she'd jumped on, but the world swayed and dimmed making her knees buckle.

"Fuck, Rayne," Lucien hissed pulling her against his hard body. "What's wrong with you?"

Boy struggled to get her knees braced under her. She leaned her forehead against Lucien a few seconds before stepping away from him. He didn't let her go, though. His hands gripped her upper arms tightly, his eyes searching her face with a concerned frown.

"Rayne," he said again.

Boy frowned up at him. Rayne? A borrowed name from another.

She shook his hands off abruptly, not sure where the surge of hurt, anger, and jealousy sprouted from. She'd never felt these emotions...well maybe the anger.

"I'm fine," she mumbled looking down at her boots. "It was just..."

What? What could she say? She wasn't sure why she'd almost just swooned like an idiot.

"Lucien," Seth barked from outside the transport.

Lucien ignored him, his eyes staring intently at Boy. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Boy stood straighter and nodded. "I'm fine."

She moved to brush past him, but he snaked an arm around her waist and hauled her against him.

"Tonight we'll be sleeping all together, but tomorrow night..." Lucien swallowed. His hand suddenly gripped the back of her neck and jerked her face to his.

His mouth took hers, hot, hard, demanding, owning. He ground his hips against her, letting her feel his arousal. Feathers rustled and Boy opened her eyes to see his glorious white wings spread out behind him. Had he not held her tight against him, she would have fallen, a boneless heap to the floor.

Lucien didn't need to say anything more. His intention was clear. Tomorrow night she would share his bed...and most likely her body.

A shudder of anticipation shot through Boy. She couldn't help the possessive snarl that erupted from her throat. Lucien's grip tightened and he growled back, surprising her, making her cock throb heavy inside her clenching depths.

By the time he lifted his mouth, Boy was panting, her claws making dents in his vest.

"We need to leave now before Seth has an aneurysm," Lucien said huskily.

Boy just nodded stupidly.

******* 

He shouldn't have kissed her. Lucien cursed inwardly. He shouldn't have made her think there would be more between them once they arrived on Earth. There shouldn't be.

He was being selfish and he knew it. Lucien couldn't offer Boy Rayne any type of security anymore than he could offer Girl. The sight of seeing her so terrified, unsure, and confused had aroused every protective instinct Lucien possessed. When she'd almost fainted, it was all he could do not to strap her into one of the seats and take off back to Alpha 7—to hell with the mission.

"Lucien," Seth said with an animalistic snarl this time.

"Come on," He said gesturing for her to go first.

He needed to keep an eye on her. Boy Rayne was an exotic beauty and anyone could try to abduct her. Abductions and slavery ran rampant in that sector of the galaxy.

She'd braided her iridescent white hair into a rope that fell to her ass...an ass that swayed seductively in her snug navy-blue flight suit.

His cock jumped in his own leather pants as they descended the ramp. Her steps hesitated before reaching the bottom where Seth stood.

Seth was half shifted, his skin furred over white with black tiger's stripes. His face still held some of its familiarity, but his nose had flattened a bit into its feline shape and his lush lips were curled back to reveal his fangs.

Boy stopped and growled at him viciously.

Lucien gripped her arm and turned her back to face him.

"Damn-it, Rayne. It's just Seth. Are you going to go feral on us?"

Her eyes were wide, and she was trembling.

"Breathe," he ordered, his thumbs stroking her upper arms.

She closed her eyes and took deep breaths trying to get herself under control.

Seth stepped up next to them, clearly agitated.

"This isn't going to work, Luke," Seth hissed.

Lucien kept his eyes on Boy Rayne. She bared her fangs, but didn't growl this time. He wasn't sure if that was still a good thing.

"Rayne, not only is everyone going to look a little different, but we're going to be surrounded by other creatures as well. Tell me now if you think that'll be too much for you, and we'll go back aboard the transport until you either think you can handle it or we go back home."

Her head snapped back up, the tips of her pointed ears and cheeks blushing. He could tell she didn't want to back down, and he admired her for trying, but too much was at risk. They couldn't draw attention to themselves. They needed to blend in unassumingly with the rest of the aliens around them. No one suspected the Alpha Angels were going to try to go back to Earth, but they were renowned throughout the galaxy, Devon, Ashriel, Zak, Remi, and Rowie being the most recognizable.

"You already saw Devon's change. Remi and Zak are in a half shift as well, their dragon forms. Rowie has blue eyes and deep red hair now. If you feel like it's too much for you, we can—"

"I'll be fine," she said on a gulping breath, her eyes darting to Seth's face and then back to his. "I promise I'll behave. I-I don't know what came over me, that's all."

She stepped away from him and looked up at Seth through her lashes.

Lucien's jaw dropped when she suddenly wrapped her arms around Seth's neck with a purr and hugged him. Seth looked shocked too. The expression was exceptionally comical on his furred kitty-cat face.

They joined the others near the processing area. Long disorganized lines piled up before the various counters processing immigrants heading off to various other worlds were admission was a little more restricted than usual.

Lucien flared his wings slightly to cocoon Boy as he crowded her from behind. His hands eventually found their way to her hips and he encouraged her to get closer into the circle of their reapers. Devon and Anniel were in their midst. They had to shield him despite his transformation because his cambion essence drew certain species of humanoid aliens—a little gift from their daddy. Lucien had it too, but more diluted than Devon.

Drawing his attention away from Boy, he looked around to verify that—yes—he was indeed garnering much attention.

A group of Gruesh gawked at him. One of the females grinned and parted her tunic to show him her four pierced breasts.

In front of him, Rayne snarled.

"Easy, baby," he murmured, wrapping an arm around her waist.

On cue, Zak and Remi stepped up behind him, their dragon wings covering him from view.

The reapers were attended in a group. The Ratitien official asked them if they were armed, where they were going and why.

A Hyganthian officer gestured Lucien forward. The Gyant was about ten feet tall, with arms like tree trunks and the body of an Edenian terra-tank. Ugly didn't begin to describe the male creature. He was bald, cross-eyed and had enormous square teeth that didn't fit completely inside his mouth.

Lucien cringed as he stepped around the big man, his sour smell burning the hairs in Lucien's nostrils. Even Boy rubbed at her nose in disgust.

Arm still around Boy, he moved forward to the counter next to the rat-like Ratitien. The Gyant from Hygantha crowded him from behind, his fetid breath fanning over Lucien's pseudo wings and head. The officer sitting at the counter, a Dreetle, waved his antennae at them.

At least the fucker wouldn't react to Lucien's cambion essence. He highly doubted a creature that looked like an overgrown roach would feel sexual attraction to him. At least he hoped it wouldn't.

A shudder ran through Lucien's body as he swallowed hard.

"What species are you?" the insect-like alien questioned.

Lucien stared into his fuzzy bulbous, black eyes, amazed that an actual voice emerged from the things pincer-like mouth, though it was extremely high pitched, like the buzz of a mosquito.

"I'm part Seraph, part Edenian."

The creature's antennae wiggled around some more and his little pincers twitched.

"Open your wings," the creature demanded.

Lucien's hold on Boy Rayne tightened. Slowly, he flared his wings. The weight was excruciating. Thank fuck he'd worked out with Zak.

The Dreetle made loud clicking sounds, ratcheting Lucien's nerves higher.

Boy began to growl low in her throat.

Lucien heard a laser gun activate behind him. Pressing his lips together in tight line, Lucien jerked his arm harder across Boy Rayne's abdomen. Her growling stopped with a grunt.

She glowered over her shoulder at him. He just raised one brow at her. Had the situation not been so dangerous, he might have found the whole thing hilarious.

"What is this thing in front of you?"

Lucien's gaze swung back to the Dreetle. Had the ugly fuck just referred to Boy as a thing?

"We travel together. Rayne is mine," he replied.

Rayne shuddered, and grew stiff in his embrace.

The Dreetle's antennae went wild and his clicking grew in intensity.

"What are you, creature?" it finally hissed.

Lucien heard Boy gulp.

"Rayne has many mixes, but she's mainly Merulian," Lucien blurted out.

"Merulian?" Loud clicking ensued. The bug rose from it's seat. "I smell more than Merulian. Kreeg, bring this thing to the examining room."

The Gyant seized Boy by an arm and tried to drag her away from Lucien.

The others, realizing what was happening, rushed over. More guards came running and in the blink of an eye, armed guards pointing laser rifles and plasma guns surrounded them.

Lucien froze. The Gyant had his gun pointed in Boys face.




Redemption Ch. 08



Okay. Sorry it took so long to post, but I needed to do some research and draw up notes and such. Our crew is finally getting closer to Earth. From here on out it gets pretty dark. We'll get glimpses into Lucien's past (and it's not pretty). Again the male on hermaphrodite scenes are going to get racier and maybe in the next chapter is when girl Rayne finally catches up to them. For now I just needed to form the base of the relationship between Luke and Boy. Please don't forget to vote. If you've skipped voting in other chapters, because the numbers are not even, try to go back and vote. Also, I thrive on comments. I need to hear your feedback o know if the story is understandable to you. There's a bunch of stuff going on, lots of characters. Is it getting confusing? Did I forget to tag dialog and you have no freakin' idea who is talking? Let me know. A head's up: Lucien is into Domination. He likes kink. He resorts to spanking when he's up against a brat. I will say no more. Enjoy this next chapter (hopefully)...

*******

The weredragons, Remuel and Zakreel handled landing on Rhydiam Nine. Rayne gathered her things in preparation for the screening process prior to receiving her permit to proceed to the Edenian solar system.

Cyneolle already warned her the Edenains wouldn't allow Chameleon or him anywhere near Earth. Drakken was a wanted escaped criminal from the galactic penitentiary on Mercury as well, but the dragons said they had a plan.

That plan came in the shape of two Seraphs, a pretty, red-haired reaper named Amaranth and Ashriel's twin, Garethiel.

Rayne was shocked at the enraged reaction Cyn had when he saw the white-winged male Seraph standing on the tarmac in the spaceport when they landed.

He grabbed Remuel by the throat and slammed him against the door to the piloting cabin.

"What is the meaning of this?" he snarled in his scary demonic voice.

Rayne rushed over to them and tried to pry his fingers away from the blue-faced red weredragon.

"Cyn, please. Control yourself," she demanded, unable to get him to let poor Remu go.

Her eyes went round when all of his body weapons activated, armbands and shoulder mini-canons glowing green.

"Cyn," she shouted angrily.

The weredragon bared his fangs and fire began creeping out of his skin, even as he struggled to breathe with Cyn's huge fist wrapped around his throat.

"I demand to know why that bastard is here waiting for us." Cyn snarled, his voice so thick it was barely understandable.

With his lips pulled back into a snarl, Rayne was shocked to see that from his canines back, Cyn's teeth were sharp and jagged, almost like a dog's...or wolf. As if to underscore that observation, Cyn's throat and chest rumbled with a vicious animalistic growl.

Remu just made a gurgling sound.

"How do you expect him to answer if you're gripping him tight enough to snap his neck?" Rayne yelled smacking Cyn's arm. It was all she could do since his fingers formed a steel vise around Remu's neck.

Cyn just growled, the green glow of his weapons heightening. The enraged cyborg was going to vaproze the weredragon any second, and she had no inkling as to how to stop him.

"Cyn," she exclaimed again, this time pulling on his dark blond dread locks.

"They're supposed to help us get to Earth," Zakreel blurted behind them. "Garethiel has a few living quarters round the solar system, specifically one in New York. It's the only way we're going to be able to get you and Chameleon on the planet."

"What does that son-of-a-mongura's ownership of living dwellings have to do with my being accepted on Earth?" Cyn grated cocking his head to one side as his eyes narrowed on Remuel's ever-growing blue face.

Zakreel gulped. When Remu rolled his eyes, beginning to go limp, Rayne shouted, "answer him, damn it."

"Cyn is going as Garethiel's personal guard," Zakreel replied.

Rayne jumped into Zakreel's arms, shielding him from the Cyn's wrath when the cyborg dropped Remu's listless body to the ground and turned on the golden weredragon instead with a deafening roar.

"Stop it," she ordered, her arms hugging Zakreel's thick neck so Cyn wouldn't choke him too. Even her legs were locked around the weredragon's waist in an attempt to shield him from the cyborg's weapons. "What is wrong with you? Why are you so outraged?"

Cyn's massive chest heaved with his rage, his fists clenched at his sides. "I want nothing to do with that fff—"

The hatch opened and Amaranth strolled in with Garethiel behind her. Cyn's lush lips tightened into a hard line, and his bulging eyes looked wild.

Amaranth's amicable smile froze and she pushed out her arms to keep Garethiel from going any further into the transport.

"Uh—are we interrupting something?"she asked tentatively with Garethiel looking over her shoulder wide-eyed.

Cyn turned his head. Rayne could not miss when his eyes locked with Garethiel's.

The cyborg turned fully toward the two newcomers, his weapons still activated and glowing.

Amaranth unsheathed her divine sword, the light almost blinding as she pulled it out of a pocket of air at her side.

Rqyne gasped, releasing Zakreel as she darted to Cyneolle now.

"Easy there, big guy," Amaranth said softly as Rayne grabbed Cyneolle's stiff arms.

Rayne swung herself around him, putting herself between him and the Seraphs.

"Cyn, what is your problem? Calm down. I've never seen you like this," Rayne exclaimed.

Garethiel cleared his throat. "I'm..." he began, "I'm—"

"You are nothing," Cyneolle roared.

Zakreel was trying to rouse Remuel. Rayne's fingers dug deeper into Cyneolle's upper arms as she turned her head to the side to look at the male Seraph.

His face was pale, his blue eyes wide and suspiciously glittery. He swallowed hard, lips thinning to a hard line. He took a deep breath and frowned, anger sparking in his eyes now. "No one told me," he got out through clenched teeth. One tear rolled down his cheek. "I didn't know—I swear."

Cyn roared, hands fisted at his sides, head thrown back.

Rayne's ears hurt, and she released him to cover them with a growl. This whole mission was going to shit.

"You fucked her and just left her," Cyn raved.

Rayne gripped his arms again, but this time because she could suddenly feel a wave of pain rolling from the enormous cyborg. She wasn't sure how she could feel it, but it vibrated through her like a thousand cries of agony.

"I was just a stupid, arrogant child," Garethiel shot back.

"What are you both going on about?" she screamed, desperation filling her. At this rate, she'd never find Lucien or Boy Rayne.

Cyn remained quiet this time, as well as Garethiel.

Remuel was getting to his feet with the help of Zakreel.

Rayne looked from Garethiel to Cyneolle, but neither uttered another word. They just stared at each other.

This time it was her turn to make an enraged sound. She released Cyn and stormed out of the transport.

Her boots ate up the ground as she weaved between the thousands of aliens heading to and fro in the spaceport. She could feel the long overcoat she'd thrown on billowing behind her.

Before long, she realized the girl reaper was striding alongside her.

Rayne stopped abruptly and glared up at her.

The girl was tall. So tall, Rayne barely reached the two mounds of flesh on her chest barely covered with a pair of black straps. Pretty grey eyes fringed with dark red lashes peered down at Rayne. Amaranth's pert nose was peppered with a light smattering of freckles. Her plump lips curved up in a shy smile. "Guys, huh? They're little more than walking gonads and testosterone."

Rayne sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Cyn is a cyborg."

Amaranth shrugged, her black wings flaring just a bit as she shoved her hands into the pockets of her skin-tight vinyl pants. "Hey, he's got a dick and a pair of balls. That alone impairs their judgment sometimes."

Rayne bit the insides of her cheeks to keep from smirking.

Amaranth rocked back on her heels and grinned. "Where were you headed to?"

Rayne looked around. Thousands of aliens milled about. It might be the first time she saw so many since her days at...

"Heavens Pearly Gates," she gasped remembering the Lizdrac that had found her ambling aimlessly through the streets after...after she'd been pushed her out of a cold and dreadful place. She wracked her memory to see if anything else surfaced but the vision was gone.

Amaranth wrinkled her nose. "You really want to go there? It's like three days flight away even with Gar using his magic—that is unless Cyn hasn't killed him by now."

Rayne snapped her eyes back to Amaranth, remembering her mission once more. "Why were they so angry? What were they talking about?"

Amaranth huffed out a sigh as she smoothed one finger over a perfectly arched brow. "Garethiel is Cyn's father."

Rayne gaped at the girl, struck mute for a few seconds. "But...Anniel." She covered her mouth with a gasp. "Ashriel."

Amaranth nodded. "Yeah, I know. Gar and Ash are identical twins...well sort-of identical. Garethiel is always smiling and bubbly and blond, and Ash is...well Ash is Ash." The girl reaper rolled her eyes.

Rayne closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Maybe we need to go back."

Amaranth's eyes grew round before she frowned. "Why would you want to go back to Alpha 7? I say it's about time Cyn and Garethiel face each other."

"No. Not back to Alpha 7. I meant back to the transport."

Amaranth gave her a sheepish smile, "Oh-okay. Good idea."

When they entered the transport again, Garethiel still stood at the entrance, leaning against the open hatch at the top of the ramp. His wings touched the steep grate of the ramp and his hands were shoved deep in the pockets of his glossy black pants.

There was no hint of Cyneolle anywhere.

Amaranth touched his shoulder after Rayne walked inside and stood next to Zakreel who was still attending Remuel.

"He said he was staying here," Garethiel said staring at his boots.

Now Rayne could see how much he looked like Ashriel, except for the blond hair, blue eyes, and stark white wings. She could also see the facial features Cyneolle had acquired from the twins; the strong jaw, nose, and the shape of his eyes. Cyneolle's mouth was more lush like his mother's though, and his eyes were a mixture of gold, green, and blue from both parents.

"Well, someone does need to keep watch over Drakken's body," Zakreel added.

"We'll all stay," Rayne commanded. She was anxious to get under way and didn't want any more setbacks.

"Well, It'll be a tight squeeze, but I guess we can deal," Amaranth agreed. "We still need to go though the screening and get our transport and gear inspected."

"What about Drakken? He's wanted in the Edenian solar system." Rayne looked around wondering who she could spare to perhaps accompany the vampire back to wherever he came from.

"He wanted to come along," Remuel said, his voice raspy because of his bruised throat. He sat in one of the lounge chairs clasping a metal cup Zakreel had given him. Smoke billowed from the top of the metal container making Rayne wonder what he was drinking.

"Fine," Rayne said with a nod.

"Drakken will be no problem. Iophiel is aboard, right?" Garethiel asked.

Rayne blinked, as she reminded herself Chameleon's real name was Iophiel. "I need Chameleon for this mission—" she began.

Garethiel nodded. "I know. I was going to suggest he liquefy and surround Drakken to make him look like a sculpture. I like collecting works of art. We can say it's just another addition to my collection in New York."

Rayne nodded. "Good. That's a great idea." Looking at the anxious faces around her before focusing back on Garethiel, she added, "What about the rest of us?"

"Well, I was going to suggest we take my cruiser. I can say you're my wait staff. My cruiser is already authorized to fly into whatever territory I wish, at my own risk, of course. You just need to pass the screening process. I'm sure there'll be no problem. Most people don't like to displease a Seraphian Master Guardian."

******* 

Lucien stared into the cage, anxiety riding him hard.

"Say something to me."

Boy continued huddled in the corner facing away from him. She'd pulled her wings back into their slits, leaving no hint of the sparkling splendor they'd all been witness to. She was still naked, and messy wisps of hair had escaped the thick white braid lying against her curved spine.

"Rayne."

Her pointed ears flattened slightly and a low growl emanated from her. At least that was better than nothing.

The temperature in the kennel area of Crimbregeere's main spaceport was almost freezing. Even with the massive white wings he now sported on his back, he still felt the biting cold.

Rows of cages lined either side of the narrow corridor and the dim overhead lighting flickered annoyingly. To either side of Boy Rayne were Fluffy and Frisky, Remi's Moordian Devils. Boy's cage was only big enough for her to crouch in. He'd wanted to go in and stay with her, but, apparently, humanoids weren't allowed to sleep in the kennel area.

A few feet away, Lucien saw Devon, Ashriel, and Anniel—still in wolf form—approaching. Lucien rose from his stooped position.

"Anything?" he asked when they stopped in front of him and the cage.

Devon handed him a folded blanket he carried under one arm. He'd allowed the bioluminescence of his eyes to shine unrestrained. The animals within the kennels around them stirred uneasily.

His bother shook his head. "But if it'll make you feel better, I volunteered to put my service pet in the kennels along with yours."

Next to Devon, Ashriel growled. "I don't like this," he hissed.

Anniel also made a little growling noise and nipped at Ashriel hand.

Ashriel dropped down to stroke his hands through her silky black fur.

Lucien felt the whispers of their telepathic communication float through his mind.

"It's just for one night. Tomorrow we'll be on our way," Devon said to Ashriel.

Lucien crouched by the cage again. "Rayne. Annie's staying with you. Look. Even she has to wear a muzzle."

Boy Rayne growled louder.

Ashriel scowled. "If he's—"

"She," Lucien snapped with a little more force than necessary.

Ashriel glared at Lucien. "If that Merulian-Fae-Cat keeps growling, I'm going to refuse to allow my Anniel in there."

Anniel gave a little snort and walked to the door of the cage, pawing at it.

Ashriel rose from his crouched position, and Devon pulled back the glow from his eyes, going blind again. A second later, a Gruesh guard came strutting around the corner.

"So, are you caging the black bitch too?"

Ashriel almost pounced upon the guard if Lucien and Devon hadn't grabbed him.

"Level down the aggression, fly-boy," Lucien growled in his ear. "She's in wolf form. That's what a she-wolf is referred to."

Ashriel shook them off, still glowering at the Gruesh guard that had stopped far from them with wide frightened eyes.

"Hey," he said frowning now, "I don't want any trouble from you people. I ought to report this to my supervisors." He began tapping directives into his wrist communicator.

Lucien held up his hand. "No. It's okay. We've just had a long trip and are tired. We didn't think our friend here," he gestured toward Boy Rayne, "would be forced to spend the night in the kennels." Lucien frowned. "She's not an animal."

The Gruesh lowered his wrist communicator and approached tentatively until he stood near the cage. His eyes went over Boy Rayne's form appreciatively. All that was visible was the long delicate curve of her back and the curve of her ass cheeks resting on her feet as she huddled in the corner of the cage.

Lucien felt his jealousy stir as the male continued to look at her ass with a leering smirk.

"So she's you're little fuck toy?" the blue-hued Gruesh chuckled, bright white teeth showing through his parted deep-blue lips.

Lucien bit the inside of his cheek and had to clench his fists to rein in the urge to punch the male's blue-skinned face. He had nothing against Gruesh females, but the males, he couldn't stand. Maybe it was the fact that they had two cocks that made them doubly revolting for Lucien.

"She's our companion," Devon said.

He'd been standing almost behind Ashriel, practically invisible behind the reaper's wings. Ashriel rested his wings against his back and the Gruesh male's eyes went round when he finally saw Devon clearly

Dev was still disguised as a flaxen-haired reaper, his face completely different from its usual perfect proportions. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to curb the effects of his cambion nature.

Both Ash and Lucien realized at the same time the male had fallen under Devon's enchantment.

"Uh-oh," Lucien mumbled.

Devon arched a brow at both of them until the Gruesh male took a step toward him, licking his deep blue lips like he was about to chow down on the best meal he'd had ever. Dev's eyes went wide now as he took a step back.

Yeah. He'd figured it out too.

Ashriel looked at Lucien. "Quick. Get him to put Anniel in the kennel and let's get out of here."

Lucien stepped up to the man, his skin already prickling with fear. What if the man tried to touch him to get to his stupid brother?

The man's blue eyes rose to Lucien's in a drunken stupor. Lucien could already tell he was about to protest having the view to Devon blocked.

Lucien let a bit of his own power out. "Let's put the pretty wolf in the kennel, shall we?"

The Gruesh's eyes went glassy. "Of course."

The male moved mechanically toward the gate to the cage and slid his hand over the security panel. The locking mechanism pinged and a little light near the panel went from red to blue.

The cage door swung open. Lucien rushed inside and gripped Boy, turning her to face him.

A metal mask covered the lower half of her face with a small slit over her mouth. Her cheeks were tearstained, but she glared at Lucien and tried to struggle out of his hold.

"Baby," Lucien sighed hauling her up into his arms.

"Shit, Lucien," Ashriel hissed behind them.

He ignored the reaper and the noises outside the cage.

Boy wrenched herself from his hold and crossed her arms over her breasts. "I'm not your fucking baby."

Lucien sighed and ran an agitated hand through his hair. "Rayne—"

"I'm not Rayne either," she roared...except for a moment she sounded very much...like an enraged male. Her voice had deepened, her muscles had tensed, becoming more pronounced. Lucien stood his ground, staring at her as she fought past her anger, her breasts heaving now that she lowered her arms to clench her fists at her sides.

His eyes jerked away from looking at her groin and he replaced the image of a small soft cock with the sight of her breasts and pretty face.

"Then tell me what to call you," Lucien said in a low tone, his face smoothed out to show no motion, though inside, he felt his soul was being torn to shreds bit by painful bit. What the fuck was he feeling for this Merulian? 

Boy bit her lips, her eyes dropping before she stared defiantly at him again. She let out a humorless laugh. "You know. It really doesn't matter, does it, Master?" she finally spat.

Lucien flinched. 

Anniel nudged Boy's belly with her head and looked up at her with a little whine. Boy bit her trembling lip and sank her hand into Annie's fur.

"Lucien," Ashriel called out again.

At his panicked yell, Lucien turned his head to see the Gruesh guard crying and blubbering all over Devon, doing his utmost best to kiss his brother on the mouth. Both Ashriel and Devon tried to dissuade him physically.

Lucien grimaced and uttered a curse under his breath. He pushed the blanket he had into Boy's hands and rushed out of the cage.




Redemption Ch. 08



Devon and Ashriel struggled with the male. He had Dev against a cage, his tongue laving every inch of exposed flesh, hands fisting in Dev's phony white-blond hair. Ashriel tried to pry the man off, but he was wrapped around Devon like a nine limbed Truvidian Squibliee monkey.

Lucien was not going anywhere near that crazed alien.

"What the hell do you want me to do?" Lucien blurted.

The whites of Ashriel's eyes showed when he turned his head to look at Lucien. "Do something. Use your power."

Devon began laughing, "Fuck-fuck-that tickles—god-damn-it."

They weren't supposed to use their powers—any of them. The energy spike would be felt by the Master Guardians trying to hunt them down.

"Shit," Lucien huffed. Taking a deep breath, he concentrated. His mind touched the frenzied thoughts of the Gruesh male. Riigoube. That was his name. Using the power of his voice, Lucien called him sternly.

The Gruesh guard stiffened and turned to Lucien with fevered eyes.

"Let him go," Lucien commanded.

Riigoube slowly released his twin brother, tears streaming down his face—because the guy really didn't want to.

"I-I want him," the guard choked out as he stood trembling, but he remained standing in place, staring directly at Lucien. "Gods, but you're beautiful too." The man's eyes grew dreamy and he moaned, his erection clearly delineated in his dark blue coveralls.

Well—hell. His cambion traits still worked too. Lucien took a step back.

"Lucien," Ashriel hissed. "Concentrate.

Devon opened his lips to say something too, but Ashriel clamped a hand over his mouth. "Don't. The sound of your voice will only make it worse. Let Lucien handle this."

Devon nodded.

Lucien swallowed hard and frowned at the blue-skinned Gruesh male. "Whenever you look at me or my brother I want you to see your mother."

The man flinched and made a moue of disgust.

Lucien grinned, seeing the three-hundred pound, orange-skinned Chid female in the man's thoughts. She was mixed with a bit of Gorgundt too, so she looked more Ogre than Chid.

"That's right. We look like Hoogara, prickly lip hairs and all."

The Gruesh male began to wail, cupping his hands over his bulging erection.

Geez, Luke—Devon sent telepathically. That's fucking harsh.

"Shut up or I'll let him fuck you," Lucien answered keeping his eyes warily on the Gruesh.

Devon snorted.

Lucien cleared his throat and ordered the Gruesh, "I want you to make it warmer in here and make sure no one hurts our animals. You make sure they're well taken care of."

Riigoube nodded, but he looked distressed.

Lucien growled, knowing they were running out of time. He had to tone down his use of power. "What is it?"

"Th-the reason we keep it cold in here is to keep the animals subdued. They get sleepy and don't become agitated from being all together."

Lucien turned to look at Boy Rayne again. She'd slumped back down to the bottom of the cage. Anniel laid almost over her, covering her nudity. She'd keep her warm and safe.

"Fine," Lucien sighed. "Boy."

Boy's pout grew, but she looked up at him from beneath silvery lashes.

"I'll stay with you if you want me to. To hell with the rules."

Her only reply was to hug Anniel closer and turn her face into the she-wolf's black fur.

Lucien clenched his teeth. So be it.

"Let's go," he growled at Ashriel and Devon.

******* 

The transports were inspected and docked within the immense starfreighter. They'd departed the Crimbregeere spaceport hours ago and were now scheduled to enter the Edenian solar system the next day cycle. They were given Gorgundt caps to have their minds reprogrammed for life on Earth.

Things had changed...allot.

They weren't allowed to bring any food with them and had the food replicators on their transports updated to include the specifications of the Edenian government.

Lucien knew the food they were ingesting now was spiked with some sort of psychological altering substance. They all had micro-chips inserted at the base of their skulls and were then sent out into the starfreighter. It looked more like a luxury cruise liner.

Lucien sat at a pub along with the others, mouth almost gaping at the amount of propaganda being streamed all around them.

The holoscreens above their heads showed a paradise-like planet with luxurious homes, and beautiful, smiling people. Everyone was happy, healthy, and prospering.

The trend on Earth was still on being thin. There were only two classes—very rich, or very poor. Luxury homes were mere frames of steel with glass walls and floors made from recycled materials. Nature was on display everywhere. The cities where the wealthy lived were architectural displays of light and art.

Lucien knew they were not headed to either of those scenarios. They were headed to the places the holoscreens would not show—the bowels of the city.

It was a one-world-order. Religions had been banished as well as currency. To have children, a person needed to procure a license after meeting the strict requirements of the government, part of which required the person take and pass a five-year-long course. Cybernetic enhancements were frowned upon, but genetic alteration was allowed and encouraged for all. Crimes were very low and those caught infringing it were reprogrammed.

Lucien grimaced when he took a sip of his beer. It wasn't really beer, just a poor substitute.

He pushed the mug away with a frustrated huff and watched with dulled eyes as the table absorbed the spilled liquid, like magic.

"She'll be fine," Devon sighed across from him.

Lucien bristled. "Easy for you to say. You've got your female right next to you," he spat.

Angel frowned at him. Devon was sitting in the darkened corner of the booth they all occupied. Leaning forward, so that the overhead lamp highlighted only his face, he stared at Lucien. He folded his arms on the metallic table, electric-blue eyes backlit in flame. "You know what? I don't know what else to fucking say to you, man."

"Good. Maybe now you'll just shut the fuck up," Lucien snarled.

Devon's eyes narrowed and a little growl rumbled in his chest.

When no one else said anything, Remi raised his wine glass and said, "here's to brotherly love," with a snicker before downing his pseudo drink. He grimaced and sputtered. "What the fuck. What the hell is this shit?"

Zak sniffed at his mug.

Lucien closed his eyes and leaned his head back on his seat.

"You know what I don't get?" Remi continued. "Why they locked Boy up, but let Seth walk free."

Seth was sitting next to Lucien, so he felt when the kid flicked his tail back and forth in agitation. The appendage smacked the back of Lucien's legs under the bench. The kid didn't say a word, just glared at Remi with a hint of fang. Lucien still fought to get used to seeing him in his half shift for such a long period of time.

"Well, we'll get her and my Anniel back tomorrow after we acquire our new dwellings," Ashriel said, folding his bulky arms over his stupidly massive chest.

He was the only one who hadn't eaten or drunk anything. Said he was fasting for a few days to garner spiritual strength.

Lucien just thought he was an idiot on steroids.

"In a few hours, the com-units in our quarters will come online and we'll be able to see what's for lease in the city," Natanael chirped. "I want a penthouse near Central Park."

Remi scoffed. "Central park was nuked during the war, dude. There's a nice big hole there now."

Natanael pouted. "Well that sucks. Is it a nice hole at least?"

Ashriel scowled. "It's off limits, and under water. The whole of Manhattan is under sea level now. They built the new city on a floating platform. Yuriel used to guard the portal there, but there's a new guardian now."

"Portal?" Rowie asked.

"One of the portals to Hell," Ashriel answered.

Lucien stood and climbed out of the booth.

"Where are you going?" Devon asked.

"A walk," Lucien snapped.

"Stay within this block," Ashriel warned.

Lucien kept walking. He knew he needed to remain in the sector they'd been assigned to. They were with the exotics—Vildminorian mixes, Fae, Were, and Seraph. They were considered high risk immigrants and needed observation.

Outside the pub, tucked into a curve in one of the massive tunnels within the starfreighter, the air was cold and smelled like metal and...roses. There were many vampires on this starfreighter. Lucien couldn't imagine why they would want to go to Earth. The sun wreaked havoc with their bodies, making them shut down in a death-like state until dusk. Rowie kept her virus' symptoms under control by drinking Remi's blood. The weredragon swore she was cured of the virus that had transformed her fully into a vampire, but she sipped from him time after time, especially now that they were coming back to Earth.

The sight of a pair of Merulians kissing a few paces away made him slow down.

They both wore their traditional silvery robes with matching leggings beneath. Both Merulians had the same slight build Boy had, arms toned and muscled, chests almost flat so it was hard to tell if they were more female than male. Their hair was pure white, opalescent. Even in the dim lighting of the massive corridor, Lucien could see the faint glimmer of pinkish-bluish streaks within the glossy white.

Lucien frowned when he noticed they had horizontal ridges on the bridge of their nose, two of them just between the eyes.

A pair of violet eyes narrowed at him. They parted and looked at him, one looking a bit annoyed, the other curious.

The annoyed one spoke to him in Cherubic tongue.

In shock, Lucien realized that the Merulian that spoke had a more feminine quality to her voice than Boy.

"I'm sorry," Lucien answered in his stilted Cherubic. "I have a friend who is mixed with Merulian. I didn't mean to stare."

The curious one, who was a bit taller than the other, smiled. "Quite alright. Irlanna didn't mean to be snippy." He, because it was obviously a he, grinned indulgently at his mate. "We just found out we're going to be parents, and she's just being possessive."

Lucien smiled at them. "Congratulations." Out of curiosity, he asked, "How did you find out?"

The female Merulian rolled her eyes. "Well it was obvious. He was just growly and erratic..." she grinned now, looking at her mate flirtatiously, "had the most beautiful set of titties imaginable when he went into heat."

The male flushed scarlet although he grinned evilly, "I'd never been hornier."

Lucien locked onto one word. "Did you say titties?"

Two sets of violet eyes locked on him.

"Yes," the more female Merulian replied. "When Dinileen went into heat, he grew breasts. It's how Merulians entice each other to mate and reproduce."

Lucien swallowed hard. "So only males grow breasts?"

They both chuckled. "We all grow breasts when we go into heat," Irlanna added.

Lucien tried to keep his unease tamped down. "Right. Because you really aren't just one gender."

"It's amazing when we both go into heat together, but that doesn't happen often," Dinileen sighed.

Lucien looked at Irlanna. "So how did you realize..." his stopped cold, remembering that Merlulians with more masculine traits were the ones who carried. His eyes went to Dinileen. "how did you realize you were carrying?"

Dinileen's eyes shown with a bit of masculine pride. His hands reached up and parted his long flowing tunic. The Merulian's chest was much like he remembered Boy's when he'd first touched him in the envirolevel, except that this Merulian's nipples were a darker shade of pink than Boy's, and his chest and abdominal muscles more delineated. In fact, the Merulian was downright beautiful. His mate caressed up his torso possessively, making his muscles jump. This male was pregnant.

They seemed to forget Lucien's presence when they began to kiss again. Lucien hurried past them, heading straight toward the kennels again.

He needed to see Boy.

"Shit," he cursed under his breath. "Fuck."

Feeling heat near his pseudo wings, he turned his head to see Zak and Remi following close behind.

"Where we headed?" Remi asked as both weredragons fell in step beside him.

Lucien ground to a halt and scowled at them. "I need privacy."

"The deal was no one wanders alone," Zak deadpanned, crossing his huge arms over his chest.

Lucien clenched his teeth looking from Zak's stony expression to Remi's grinning one. "Fine," he spat. "Just stay at the end of the corridor in the kennels."

Remi shrugged as Zak uncrossed his arms from over his chest and allowed Lucien to take the lead.

When they reached the entrance to the kennels, a vampiress stood guard. From the unfriendly look on her face, Lucien doubted she'd fall for his diluted cambion charm.

Her scowl grew as they approached.

"No one is allowed in the kennels after night cycle," she sneered, flashing her fangs.

Lucien felt the feathers on his implanted wings ruffle in agitation.

Before he could say anything, Remi stepped forward. The scent of fiery cinnamon became sharper. The female vampire's nose twitched and her mouth opened on a hiss. A little drool slipped out of the corner of her mouth.

"Hi." Remi smiled as he stepped up to her.

Lucien arched a brow when he realized Red looked like he was flirting.

The girl vampire sniffed deeply and hissed again. "Royal Red."

Remi chuckled seductively. "That's right, gorgeous. Dragon," he growled the latter in his beast's voice.

When the crazy red weredragon parted his tunic to bare his chest daring her to take a nip, Zak cleared his throat and blurted, "not a good idea, Red."

Remi's tunic fell off one shoulder and he cocked his head to the side, letting a curtain of deep hair slide over the other shoulder so that his neck was bare. The vamp just stared at the feast of exposed flesh hungrily. His nipple piercing glinted in the dim lighting and the dragon tattoo on his back seemed to move as if alive. The girl moved forward, one long-nailed finger tracing the black tribal scrollwork on his left bicep.

"You smell so delicious," she sighed coming closer, her eyes glowing in feverish blood-lust.

"Rowie is going to kick your scrawny ass, but thank you," Lucien huffed before making his way through the double metal doors into the kennels.

It was dark, just subdued red lighting at the end of each corridor. Lucien zigzagged through the maze until he came upon the cage where he'd left Boy. The blue Gruesh guard was slumped against the bars, snoring, and inside the cage, Anniel lay curled up asleep as well. Boy was nowhere to be seen.

Terror slammed into Lucien, and without thinking twice, he released his power to locate Boy's essence.

The sound of running feet brought him face to face with Zak and Remi.

"What are you doing?" Zak hissed.

"We felt that from all the way out there," Remi added with a frown.

Lucien found him, as well as other pulses of power nearby. Electric-like fingers of current tried to lock onto him, but he pulled his power back and ran in the direction he felt Boy's essence.

As they headed in the opposite direction of the way they'd come in, Lucien realized that all the animals in the kennels did not stir at their presence. They were in a deep sleep.

What. The. Hell.

His legs moved faster, wings folding back so that they wouldn't slow him down.

There was another set of doors about one hundred paces away.

"Luke, wait," Zak called.

Lucien ignored him and burst through the double metal doors.

They were in another segment of the starfreighter.

Insect-like aliens surrounded them. Many tuned to gape as Lucien raced by with the two weredragons following close behind.

Lucien headed down a few winding corridors until he came upon an arena.

"Hey, we don't have this in our area," Remi pointed out behind Lucien.

Insect-like creatures filled the bowl-shaped arena to the brim. The high-pitched chittering and clicking was deafening. In the center ring of the arena was a Minino female fighting with a strange creature. It looked like a mix of different species of tree people with gargoyle.

Lucien let his power out again, uncaring of the consequences.

He felt Boy.

Locking on her, he ran to the bottom of the arena, close to the ring.

His heart almost stopped when he found Boy lying on the ground, chunks of flesh missing, ears cut off...and in the throes of death.

Next to her was a group of Dreetles and a Gorgundt. Their backs were turned to him and they seemed to be struggling with another creature.

Lucien knelt by Boy, shocked, unable to react. He needed to see her eyes. Her body was different, her breasts had shrunken down and one torn up leg lay bent covering her groin.

"Baby," Lucien said with a choked sob, cupping her cheek.

Silvery lashes fluttered open. The pupils were wide, but her eyes were...green.

A single tear rolled down a pale cheek before her eyes rolled back and she breathed her last.

No.

A cry of anguish drew Lucien's enraged attention.

He stood. Without even thinking, he reached up, wrapping his fingers around the hilts of the swords his Dominatio always offered him. Power infused his entire being as he stared at the multitude of Dreetles before him. They moved back, clearly terrified of his presence and the flaming divine swords in his hands.

He would have massacred them all, but the sight of Boy—his Boy—bound and gagged on the ground between their midst had him freezing.

Boy stared at him with her wide violet eyes, terror clearly in them...as well as recognition.

"An intruder," one of the Dreetles hissed. "Call security."

Lucien snarled at the Dreetle. "What are you doing with Boy Rayne? She belongs to me."

A hush fell all around them.

"Project 30YR4YN is mine," the dreetle hissed, his antennae waving about wildly. "I created it along with my colleges, Tidikitidle and Groarg."

Boy shook his head, looking beseechingly at Lucien.

Lucien turned to look briefly at what he first thought was Boy. A clone. He felt bile rise up his throat. Poor baby.

He scowled at the group of Dreetles before him and marched forward, swords still drawn. They shrank back. Before he could even blink, Zak and Remi set to freeing Boy from her bonds.

The Dreetle's antennae wiggled wildly. "W-what are you doing?"

"She's mine," Lucien snarled.

"She? That's a Merulian mixed male in heat, you stupid fool," the same Dreetle hissed.

Boy began to snarl viciously once the weredragons had her loose, but they kept a tight hold on her.

"Easy kiddo," Remi told her.

"Luke, let's get out of here," Zak urged.

Lucien looked around, the sight of so many creatures, both humanoid and not, waiting their turn to be forced into combat...and die.

"What the fuck is this? As far as I know, these fights aren't legal on Earth," Lucien snarled.

Snickers and murmurs went around him.

"No. It isn't," said the hateful Dreetle. "Who are you going to complain to?"

Lucien let his power flow again. This time he used it to undo the mechanical cuffs restraining all the gladiators in the arena as well as disable their trainers' weapons.

"You're free," Lucien called out loudly. "Free."

The female Minino inside the ring roared like a tigress before pouncing on a fat maggot-like alien near the edge of the ring. Between her and her opponent, they turned the disgusting alien into a greenish-white mush.

All hell broke loose then.

Lucien turned and hacked his way out of the arena. Remi, Zak, and Boy fought their way out as well. The stench of bug guts was revolting, and once out in the corridor, Lucien bent over and retched.

Wrinkling his nose, he straightened. Gripping Boy's arm, they ran down the corridor and made their way past the bewildered stares of the more exotic aliens aboard the starfreighter.




Redemption Ch. 08



"Shit. Couldn't we just have grabbed Boy and left?" Zak huffed next to Lucien.

"No," Lucien snapped. At least he'd given those gladiators a chance at freedom. The vision of Boy's clone was etched in his mind and heart.

The second they made it out of the maze of the kennels and into their own sector, he slammed her against a wall and took her mouth with a hunger that surprised even himself.

"I'm getting Annie out of there," Zak said.

"I'll help you," Remi blurted.

Lucien ate at Boy's mouth. She was still naked and trembling, the stench of bug guts all over the both of them, before he remembered he'd puked only moments before.

Reluctantly, he pulled away, but held her face close to his. She was alive. She was unharmed. "What the fuck happened?"

Boy splayed her webbed fingers on his chest, her breath hammering in and out of her sweet pink mouth.

"I don't know. I fell asleep. When I woke up, they were..." Her hands went up to a thin silver ring around her throat. "Fuck. Get this off me," she cried out.

Lucien moved her hands away and looked at the ring, turning it round and round, searching for a way to open it.

"Get it off," she repeated in rising hysteria.

"Calm down. It's okay. No one's going to hurt you."

Boy tugged at the ring, blocking Lucien's search for a way to open it.

"Stop," he finally said gripping her hands and tugging them behind her back.

Boy stared up at him with wide lavender eyes.

Lucien could feel the soft pressure of her small breasts...as well as the undeniable imprint of her cock pressed against his.

He felt the need to recoil and press closer warring within him. The nightmare of his past made him break out in a cold sweat, the memory of watching Boy's clone die had a lump forming in his throat. His clone must have never known kindness or love...except for the brief moment of tenderness Lucien showed him seconds before taking his last breath.

"Was that one of your former masters?"

Boy nodded. "My creator."

Lucien scowled, rage making his skin twitch. "How many more like you are there?" Fuck. He'd save them all if he had to—to hell with the mission.

"Before they decided to dispose of me, they removed three of my fingers. I always overheard them claim they only had enough credits to make one more." Boy gulped. "I didn't win many fights."

Lucien closed his eyes and pressed his lips to Boy's forehead.

"I don't give a shit what they say. You're sleeping with us in our dorm."

Just then, Zak and Remi walked out of the kennels. Zak carried a still unconscious Anniel in his arms.

"Ashriel's gonna have a coronary when he sees her like this," Remi huffed, running a hand through her dark fur.

"The good news is, none of those aliens followed his back here. There was a deadbolt on their side of the doors so we just locked it," Zak added.

Lucien looked at the double doors and saw the vampire girl that had been guarding it slumped on the floor.

"What happened to her?" he asked.

Remi smirked and bared his neck to show two healing pink spots. "She gorged on my dragons' blood. When she wakes up from her little nap she's in for a big surprise."

Lucien was sure he didn't want to know what the surprise was. "Let's get out of here. In a few hours we'll be close enough to the Edenian solar system to sort out our living arrangements and finish becoming Edenian citizens again."

******* 

They huddled around her. Lucien made her walk behind him, using his massive white wings to keep her from the view of prying eyes.

Boy tugged at the collar at her throat. Her old master had used it to shock her into obedience. Feeling it around her neck again made her fearful. Any minute the searing pain would come and she'd be taken away from Lucien and the Alpha Angels.

Remi placed a hand on her shoulder, peering at her face with a gentle smile. "Hey...it's going to be all right. We won't let anything happen to you, oaky?"

Boy just nibbled her lip. Voices up ahead drew her attention.

A trio of Chidadents approached. They stared at Lucien before widening their eyes when they realized Zak carried an unconscious black wolf in his arms.

Lucien kept Boy's nudity hidden with his wings, but he stopped as they drew near.

The Chid males looked at him questioningly as they came closer.

It was subtle, but Boy realized their gazes became glassy when they paused before him.

"You," Lucien said softly, pointing at the shortest of the males, "let me have your clothes."

The orange-skinned male with the mop of deep red-orange hair complied immediately.

Boy stared in stunned amazement as the male removed his tunic and pants and handed them over to Lucien.

"Thank you," Lucien said taking the items. The males just stared at him, blinking stupidly. "You need to go back to your dorms now and go to sleep. You won't remember any of this tomorrow."

They nodded and walked away.

Lucien turned and handed Boy the clothes. "Here. Put these on."

"How did you do that?" Boy asked bewildered.

Lucien looked around before frowning down at her. "I'm very persuasive. Put these on, Hurry."

Boy took a step back, a sliver of fear running up her spine. Lucien could control others with his mind?

"No," she snapped, glaring at him, daring him to do the same to her.

Lucien's eyes widened and even Remi's brow arched. Zak just huffed out an exasperated breath.

"You'd rather parade yourself around naked?" Lucien gritted out through clenched teeth.

Boy stared defiantly up at him. "Why don't you make me do it like you did that Chid?"

Lucien's blue eyes went more silvery than usual. He clenched his jaw as he stepped up almost nose to nose with Boy. His ice-blue eyes blazed with fury. Strangely, it turned Boy on big time. "What is your problem?"

Boy curled his lips back with a snarl. "I'm an animal. Animals don't get clothes."

Lucien slammed the bundle of clothes against Remi's chest, never breaking his icy stare from Boy's face. "You know what you are?" he asked softly...to calmly.

Boy gasped when he gripped her arm tight and dragged her over to a bench by the corridor wall. He sat and yanked her face-down over his lap. Before Boy could utter a protest, Lucien's open palm came down repeatedly over her bare ass. Her hearts were in her throat in shock as the man spanked her hard and ruthlessly.

"A spoiled fucking brat," Lucien seethed.

When he stood yanking her back up, her vision swam. To her horror, it was because her eyes were full of tears.

He yanked her back to Remi and Zak. Taking the clothing from Remi's hands, he pushed them against her chest. "Now...put the clothes on."

Her ass was aflame as well as her cheeks. Lucien's eyes were stern, cold even. Gone was the man who'd nearly devoured her against the wall back by the kennels.

"We need to move before we're seen," Zak gritted out.

Lucien's eyes narrowed.

Boy dropped the clothes and pulled on the pants first. After she'd yanked on the tunic she pouted up at him.

Lucien's gaze raked up her form before settling on her face with just a hint of amusement. "Like I said...I'm very persuasive."

He turned on his heel and began walking forward.

Boy reluctantly followed, mimicking a gesture he'd seen Natanael and Remi do behind Seth's back. Remi began to chuckle.

"I know you're giving me the finger," Lucien deadpanned.

******* 

It seemed like forever, but finally Lucien's boots touched Earth.

A shudder of terror assailed him, so strong that Devon gripped his arm and Lucien allowed it.

They'd gotten rid of their pseudo wings the moment they cleared customs in the spaceport. The reapers kept close to Devon, doing their best to keep him hidden with their wings. Boy Rayne stood with her back to Lucien, just behind Ashriel and Abdiel. Eriel and Amadashiel flanked either side of them and Natanael brought up the rear along with the rest of the entourage.

"They can't touch you," Devon murmured near his ear.

No. Lucien, in his despair, thinking Boy had died, had taken his divine swords...had accepted the path of light. He was now officially an archangel...with double swords no less.

Funny thing, he still felt as decrepit and shady as ever.

His eyes landed on Boy Rayne's thick white braid. Redemption had come to him in the shape of a beautiful little hermaphrodite.

He'd kissed her all night long. The only thing that had kept him from fucking her had been the fact that they were in a large dorm sleeping with fifty other people.

He'd barely slept. Every time he dosed off, he kept seeing that damned clone bleeding out onto the floor, half a cheek missing and chunks of flesh ripped open with his guts sliding out.

His arms ached to pull Boy Rayne against him again, but they were out in the open, surrounded by the others.

An earth transport waited for them, ready to take them to their destination.

Talking quietly amongst themselves, they boarded the big bulky transport. It had wheels, much to Lucien's amusement. He wouldn't be surprised if it ran on fuel too.

The first glimpse of Earth was of a night sky since they landed on the dark side. The city was aglow and sparkled beautifully.

Lucien snorted. It was all a mirage.

They traveled a wide twenty-lane road, and through the glass roof of their transport, he could see other transports zipping to and fro overhead. Already the class distinction could be seen.

The wide road soon became cluttered with traffic as it flowed closer to the soaring steel and glass buildings of the city.

In the back, he could hear Amadashiel gush over the beauty of a neon lit bridge that arched over the seething ocean toward the new, floating city of New York.

Arches of glowing blue ringed the bridge. Far below, Lucien could make out the white caps in the turbulent Atlantic. Other transports flanked them to either side, the automatic piloting systems keeping each transport at safe distances.

After a while, they finally made it off the bridge and onto the streets of New York. It was almost as bright as daylight and full of bustling activity.

"It's still early," Ashriel observed.

"We're supposed to get settled in before curfew starts," Seth said.

Lucien pressed his lips into a hard line. Supposedly, after midnight, paranormal activity escalated and it was deemed detrimental to citizens' security to remain out and about, especially in the outskirts of the city where the working class lived—the poor class. You stayed out of your dwelling at your own risk. Most of the buildings had an automatic shut down system in place to keep the things that went bump in the night out. Most times that system worked. Other times, those things were already festering inside the building, waiting to feed.

"When do we get our equipment?" Natanael asked.

Lucien could hear the excitement in his voice. The reaper was literally bouncing in his seat, eager to start demon hunting.

"You're not allowed to carry weapons," Remi drawled.

"Technicality," Natanael snorted.

After a moment of silence, Seth said, "Seriously. You can't have any of the weapons. It's against galactic law for any reaper to carry anything more than their divine swords."

"And even that has to remain concealed unless you're up against an evil entity." Rowie added.

"Whatever," Natanael scoffed.

The fancy glass and steel, brightly-lit skyscrapers gave way to brick and mortar, and that gave way to dimly lit concrete blocks. The streets they traveled now were quite dark with very few beings walking around.

"Wow. The rats have gotten bigger than I remembered," Remi mused aloud as they drove past a gigantic rat-faced man.

"That's a Rhodentron, idiot" Seth snorted.

Boy Rayne looked around. Lucien could tell she felt apprehensive. He yearned to touch her hand and reassure her, but was afraid. The whole conversation with the Merulian couple the night before replayed in his head. He'd gotten himself dosed to prevent accidentally impregnating anyone when they chipped the back of his skull, but...he'd taken Boy a number of times before that on Alpha 7 and once on the trip to Crimbregeere. Maybe nothing had happened. No one had told them anything. If Boy was carrying, that fucking Dreetle would have mentioned it. Wouldn't he?

Lucien closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

He saw himself as a child again. The only clothing he'd been allowed to wear were dirty old rags. His nanny would make him robes and care for him. She never spoke to him, but he'd loved her. Malvoro sometimes mistreated her so Lucien made sure not to show her too much affection, though it made no difference. When he started growing into manhood, Malvoro had dragged him into his bedroom one evening where he'd tied his nanny up, naked and spread-eagled. The woman had been whipped and she cried silently. Malvoro had wanted him to fuck her, to prove his manhood. Lucien, of course had refused, even though his stepfather had flayed his flesh off his back and threatened to cut off his useless cock and balls. Lucien refused all through the torture.

Malvoro still raped the poor bound woman and finished off his grand production by bending Lucien over the end of the bed and ripping his virgin asshole to shreds.

Lucien jerked awake with a gasp.

The transport was just stopping in front of a strangely shaped building. It looked as if it had been put together by a child using concrete Legos; just a bunch of cubes piled on top of each other forming a circle three stories high

"You okay?" Zak asked him.

Lucien nodded.

The door to the transport slid open and a small stout dwarf waited on the curb for them. The small man had beady eyes under thick shaggy brows, a bulbous nose with a hairy wart on the end, fat, frowning lips, big ears, a bush of grey-streaked brown hair and an enormous belly hanging over his stubby legs.

The section of the city they were in catered to exotic species, so Devon was relatively safe going out without fear of being mauled by angel-struck people...or dwarves.

"Well, come-on," the dwarf groused. "Let's get a move on before the haunting hour."

"But it's still early yet," Angel said with a frown.

The dwarf scowled. "I want to get you all settled in so I can go back in my own home and eat my dinner in peace before all that howling starts."

"Howling?" Lucien asked.

"Aye," the dwarf snorted. "Howling, screaming, screeching, moaning, banging on the windows and doors..."

Lucien gaped at the short man, but he just turned and led them past a pair of metal doors.

They stepped over the metal tracks where the doors obviously slid together. Two red lights blinked to either side of the doors on the inside. The corridor was arched and Lucien felt the cold wet breeze blow through his hair.

They emerged into an inner wide, circular, courtyard. Over their heads, millions of stars winked in a clear sky and yet, Lucien could smell rain in the air as well as feel the stirrings of an electrical storm.

"It's so dark," Rowie observed as they began to ascend a spiral metal stairwell.

"Glow stones are too expensive to have out here. You each have one in each of the apartments. Just make sure to charge it once the sun comes up."

"What's your name?" Abdiel asked.

"Too complicated for you to pronounce."

"Then what should we call you?" Eriel piped up from the rear of the line.

"Don't" the dwarf grunted. He stopped on the second landing. "The lights to your respective apartments will light up green when you step in front of the door. Just palm it open and don't forget to put the metal beam in place behind the doors once you're inside. The window shutter has already been rolled shut for you. If you choose to open it in the morning, don't forget to shut it in the evenings. The faster the better. If you're stupid enough to let one of those get in, don't expect anyone running in to help you out. You're on your own till sun-up. You winged ones are on the third floor. Now, good evening to you."

With that, he turned on his heel and started back down the stairs, disappearing into the gloomy darkness below.

"Weird little fucker," Natanael snorted.

Ashriel sighed and turned, slipping his arm around Anniel's waist. He'd barely let her go after she shifted back into human. "I think it's best if we settle ourselves in for the night. Tomorrow, we'll probably need to go out in search for supplies for our new living quarters."

The reapers turned and went up the next flight of stairs. Seth and Zak began walking around the second floor corridor, looking up at the lights above the doors. Lucien followed with Boy, Remi, Rowie, Devon and Angel closely behind.

Devon and Angel found their apartments quickly, followed by Remi and Rowie. Farther down, Lucien's apartment light glowed green for him and Boy. He waited for Zak and Seth to locate their new living quarters, that were right next to theirs.

Zak grinned at Lucien just before they each palmed the lock screens next to the doors.

The double doors were made of thick metal, about three inches thick. A sharp clang was heard before the doors groaned open.

Now that they were alone, Lucien slid his hand up Boy's back. They stopped in the entrance to the apartment so that Lucien could close the doors again. Just as the dwarf had lectured, Lucien found a heavy metal beam, which he placed in galvanized brackets behind the door.

There was a wall directly in front of the doors so they had to turn left and walked into an eating area.

Lucien frowned at how dismal everything looked. The floor was nothing more than polished concrete. The eating area had a small counter hugging the corner opposite the entrance. There was a small space for storage, and a counter leading to the wall at the end of the tiny one-roomed apartment. The far wall of the room had an enormous round window, blocked now by a metal shutter. In front of the window was a rectangular bed, half the size of the round one he had in Alpha 7. It was pushed up against the other wall in the room with what looked like more storage space overhead. At the foot of the bed, sectioned off by tiled walls, was a bathing area. At least that's what Lucien supposed it was. There was a hole in the cracked, tiled floor in one end and a smaller grated one in the other with a faucet and waterspout above it. That was it. The wall that had the faucets and waterspout was the wall that was directly in front of the double doors where he and Boy now stood. Lucien was sure the apartment was maybe twelve paces long by eight wide, if an inch more. The walls were bare concrete and the metal beams of the ceiling were exposed.

A lone glowstone sat in the corner of the storage closet, its light already growing dim. The mattress on the bed was bare and there seemed to be stains on it as well.

"Fuck, baby. I'm sorry. This place is a dump."

"It's better than that cage I had yesterday," She murmured rubbing her arms as if recalling the bone-chilling cold.

Lucien looked at her neck. Devon had managed to get the damned metal collar off her.

"Are you tired?"

She looked up at Lucien from beneath silvery lashes. "A little."

He'd gone on about how he'd take her once they were alone. Now Lucien found he couldn't. Not yet. He felt he'd failed her. She'd almost gotten killed, She'd been treated little better than an animal aboard the starfreighter...and now this.

Lucien spotted a bug skulking around the edge of one of the counters. A fucking roach. Great.

The sound of the wind outside picked up and thunder rumbled in the distance.

"Well, let's settle down for the night. There's nothing else to do. It's just about curfew hour anyway."

"What exactly happens just after midnight?" Boy asked, eyes widening now.

Lucien ran his finger down the curve of her cheek. He didn't want to scare her but he wouldn't lie either. "All hell breaks loose outside, baby. We'll be up to our ass in demons and devils." Boy's eyes remained wide, absorbing everything he'd said. Lucien cupped her cheek. "I swear. I'll keep you safe."



Redemption Ch. 09



So I had a three day weekend and was able to work on chapter nine. Warning on this chapter: Remember how I said writing Redemption was emotionally draining? Well, the story now starts to drift fully into this really dark area. I won't go into too much detail but Lucien had an especially horrific childhood. Again, Throughout the other stories we get that he has a serious issued with being casually touched by males and he seems to have a special hatred for most men in general. Women, on the other hand, fascinate him, but he's been a tad unlucky in love, especially since he likes the rougher side of sex. But enough about Lucien. I'm sure you're eager to get to this chapter, so enough. Last reminder though: This story is about a TRIAD relationship (AS IN THREESOME!!), mostly MFM, but there will be moments of MM, where Boy is more boy than girl (because he's a hermaphrodite alien and has both sexes), and that begins HERE! IN THIS VERY CHAPTER!! (yes, Kyriae, FIALLY what you've been waiting for!) So if you have a problem with bisexuality and one man sucking another man's cock, then wait for the last chapter and read the ending because there will be lots of that from now on. Lucien is in love to his eyeballs, and he will show that love. Now enjoy:

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

She knelt in darkness, her eyes cast down, watching his big booted feet circle her-slowly, each step measured. His scent, heady, masculine, filled her lungs. She couldn't describe it. How could one describe the wild, the sun, golden light?

Rayne was completely bare for his pleasure, except for the thick bindings holding her wrists behind her back. Her thighs were spread and she could feel the cold air in the room caressing her wet, overheated pussy. Her nipples were pinched into two little points, and she shivered before him, wondering if he found her desirable, if having cut away her long dark locks displeased him. A lump formed in her throat as her eyes stung with unshed tears. She wanted to cry, fall forward and kiss his boots, beg for forgiveness.

Fingers brushed at the nape of her neck, her short hair exposing that area to his touch...

Who stood before her? Was it Lucien? Was it Boy Rayne? She doubted it was Boy. He was just so shy.

Heat engulfed her back and a river of blond spilled over her shoulder, silky strands, a thousand shades of gold.

"Rayne," he whispered huskily in her ear.

She shivered, a flood of arousal instantly filling her, feeding the ache between her legs.

"Master," she moaned and heard him chuckle behind her.

Rayne closed her eyes, tears finally falling but in relief. He wasn't displeased. He still—

Strong fingers gripped her shoulder and shook her. "Come-on, sleepy head. Wake up."

Rayne blinked her eyes open with a start.

Amaranth crossed over in front of her. "You sleep weird."

Rayne groaned when she untangled her hands from the sheet she gripped behind her back. Wincing as she straightened her bent legs, she asked, "Where are we?"

"We're getting closer to Earth now. Thought you'd like to see when we descend."

At her words, Rayne stumbled out of the bed and cried out at the cramp in her legs.

Amaranth grabbed her before Rayne kissed the floor. "Do you always sleep kneeling like that?"

Rayne felt her face heat. "No. I must've been having a bad dream."

Amaranth's brows arched, and a little bulge showed her poking her tongue against the inside of her cheek. "Didn't sound like a bad dream to me. Sounded like you were having a kinky dream...with Lucien maybe?"

The girl smirked and Rayne's face heated further. Lucien. She had no recollection of him and she knew she should. He'd had her memories erased of him...and that stung.

Rayne shook herself free, her nanobot blood already restoring proper circulation to her extremities. "I don't remember now. Why didn't you wake me sooner? I wanted to see the planet from afar."

Amaranth shrugged as they both headed out from the luxurious sleeping cabin within Garethiel's starcruiser. Plush carpeting cushioned their steps as they headed up the central lift in the middle of the starcruiser, up to the piloting cabin.

The panoramic screens were down, all except for the forward facing three.

Rayne froze in her tracks.

Blue and white. The globe slowly rotating before them was a massive blue beauty swathed in swirls of white clouds. There were verdant patches of green, but the sparkling blue took her breath away.

It had taken them two days to get here. Somewhere down there were the Alpha Angels...and Lucien.

Movement snagged her attention. Garethiel sat sprawled in the captain's chair, his white wings draped around him. He'd pulled his blond hair into a high ponytail and had his leg crossed, ankle over knee, as he stared at Earth solemnly and slowly ran an index finger over his lush lower lip.

Rayne finally rushed forward and sat next to him in the copilot's chair. He flinched, as if drawn from some memory before smiling at her.

Ignoring the fact that his smile did not reach his eyes, she asked, "When do we land?"

Garethiel took a deep breath, his blue eyes going back to the rotating planet looming closer every second. "In a few minutes, I guess. Just waiting for the rest of the crew to get up here."

"And we go to where they are?"

Garethiel's soft smile wilted around the edges. "That's not the plan. We're supposed to keep a low profile first and then I alert their Demon-hunting company I'm in need of their services."

Rayne frowned. "But I want to see them now."

Garethiel frowned also. "We go charging right to them we'll draw suspicion and quite possibly ruin their mission."

Amaranth sat opposite Rayne and turned her seat to look at both of them.

"Um...Remuel and Zakreel told us you needed help getting back to them. Why exactly did you get left behind on this mission, if you don't mind my asking?"

Rayne frowned. She didn't want to blurt out that she wanted to slap Lucien. Slap him hard for fucking with her mind and running off on her.

She straightened in her seat and gave them the blank cyborg face. "I want to join the mission. I was out of commission when they left, but I'm better now and feel my services can be useful to them."

Amaranth blinked and her brows went up a bit.

"Sounds reasonable to me," Garethiel sighed next to her.

Sounds behind her let her know the weredragons had come up as well.

Garethiel turned to them. "Where are the others?"

Remuel grinned. "Cyn refuses to come up here, so Chameleon is acting as his security blanket."

"And Drakken is dead in his coffin," Zakreel added as they both sat and strapped themselves in.

Excitement zinged through Rayne as she watched Amaranth begin to pull her harness on too.

Garethiel sighed and pulled himself up straight. He looked at Rayne, "buckle up. Here we go then."

******* 

Lucien could barely see straight. He sat at the darkest corner of the local tittie bar and downed glass after glass of Jack. Another favorite of his. He could feel Zak, Remi and Seth surrounding him.

"We're all supposed to meet at our demon hunting headquarters, Luke," Seth growled behind him.

Most of the strippers had conglomerated on the stage near him, pissing off the other patrons. The females vied for his attention. He ignored them all.

The memory of the first night on Earth replayed in his mind.

"I swear. I'll keep you safe," he'd said to Boy.

Huge lavender eyes stared up at him as she came closer, pressing her little breasts against his chest. He could feel her cock against his since they were almost nose to nose.

Lucien frowned, not recalling her being so tall, but then his mind had shut down when Boy pressed her open mouth against his, her tongue dancing out, caressing, searching, stroking, until Lucien's cock was nothing but a hot lead poker between his legs.

Lucien's head spun and he gripped her ass, bringing her closer, rubbing his aching arousal against her. A sexy growl purred in Boy's throat.

Lucien felt the ridge of flesh that also marked her as male, the sinful feel of it hiking his excitement to fevered pitch.

Sliding his hand up the middle of her back, he gripped her braid, wrapping it around his fist as he walked her back against the edge of the low counter opposite the bed.

The kiss changed. Lucien pulled on the braid, yanking her head back and arching over her so that she was almost bent back under him, totally dominated by him. He kicked her feet apart, gripped one thigh to wrap around his waist, and opened her legs over his jutting erection. They fucked with clothes on.

The sudden dark urge to touch her between her legs took hold of him.

Breaking the kiss and releasing her, he slid his hand to the closure of her pants.

When she realized his intention, she gasped and moved to grab at his hands.

No.

His power surged, locked on her wrists, and twisted her arms behind her back. Her little grunt of pain drove his arousal higher.

He stared down at her wide eyes. "Just say no and I stop," he ground out, unable to help the gruffness of his voice. "If you don't want me touching you, just say so. I'll respect your decision even if it kills me, baby."

She tried to move her hands, but he increased the pressure of his power, effectively holding her submissive before him, the excitement of it roaring through his veins.

When she remained silent, just gaping up at him, he began to undo her pants again, slowly.

Lucien just stared at her beautiful face as he pulled down the zipper and then hooked his thumbs in the waistband of her pants.

Saliva flowed which he had to swallow. Closing his eyes, he pulled her pants and undergarment down around her ankles, going down on his haunches. Her sweet scent filled his nose, and he opened his eyes again.

Using his power, which he wasn't supposed to be doing, he made her tunic disappear and unraveled her hair from its braid, pulling it forward to spill around her in a glorious veil of white silk.

She looked like a lurid goddess, pale-pale flesh, small breasts jutting out enticingly as well as a long slender cock rising up against her muscled belly. The wet folds beneath her cock were dark pink and puffy and she exuded a sweet and salty scent that made his mouth water.

Entranced, Lucien reached up and gripped her cock, wrenching a surprised cry from her.

She was biting her lip, eyes closed tight when he looked up to her face from his squatting position. "Does this hurt?"

"No," she croaked.

He watched her closely as his hand slid down her delicate cock with practiced perfection. "Look at me."

Her eyes blinked open and she released her now swollen lower lip, moist and red from her biting on it. She whimpered.

Lucien leaned closer and kissed one thigh, and then the other. Boy shivered.

He pulled up on the six-inch cock and pressed his face into her pussy, burying his tongue deep. Above him, Boy cried out, her legs almost giving out on her.

Griping her right thigh, he had her straddle his face. A flood of sweetness filled his mouth as he fucked her with his tongue. She was built like a woman, except that where her clit should be...

Lucien stroked the cock some more, feeling how her legs trembled. It was like a giant clit. If he thought of it that way...maybe...

His heart pounded, like a beast demanding release. He watched in awed wonder as Boy's abdominals clenched when he slid his hungry tongue up the thickening shaft in his hand. Boy's hips thrust forward, silently begging.

Lucien began to tremble. Shadows flickered around the edges of his mind, threatening to ruin this beautiful moment.

But the shadows would not be denied: "Come-on, boy," Malvoro chuckled. "Open that pretty mouth. You know you love it."

A sob lodged in Lucien's throat as he closed his eyes and drew Boy's cock into his mouth, doing his best to ignore the painful ghosts of his past. Sweet. Boy tasted sweet here too.

Lucien palmed himself, his own dick hurting from how engorged it was.

Hungry for more of Boy's taste, Lucien gripped slender hips and sucked, his heart racing, the feel of the cock in his mouth driving him wild. Boy's hips thrust, pushing the cock down farther Lucien's throat. When Lucien's swallowing reflex triggered tight pulls on Boy's cock, she screamed, warning him he was going to make her come. He stifled his own cry of agonized pleasure by pressing his entire face to her groin, suffocating himself with her lady-dick. Lucien erupted in a hot flow inside his pants. Boy was thrusting, shoving that cock deeper and deeper down Lucien's throat, and Lucien was allowing it like...

"Yes,boy. I knew you loved being my little pussy-boy," Malvoro cackled, "Suck that dick like the miserable little whore you are."

The realization shocked and shamed him. He could hear Malvoro laughing in his head even as his cum slid down the inside of his thighs.

With a cry of anguish, Lucien sprang away. Boy crumpled to the floor, hunched over a cock streaming pink semen everywhere. Some of it had gotten in his mouth before he pulled away.

Vomit rushed up his throat and he scrambled into the partitioned area to puke into the hole in the corner. The smell of urine and feces hit his nose and he coughed and spit into the hole obviously made for relieving oneself. The sound of the metal barrier scraping over the door had him snapping to attention. He could hear Boy sobbing, the door-locks disengaging, and...

"No," Lucien roared.

Heart in his throat, he fled around the wall to see the doors to the apartment gaping. An air-raid siren was already blaring in the distance—the sound raising every hair on his body in terror as he raced after her.

He was halfway down the spiral stairway before he finally caught her, his hand tangling in the glowing white mass of her hair.

Boy Rayne screamed in fury as he pulled her back against him. The wind howled cold, lightning cracked across the sky. The siren continued to wail.

Boy scratched his face, leaving fire in the wake of her claws, still he fought to enfold her in his arms.

"Let me go, you bastard. I disgust you," she yelled in her deep husky voice.

"We can't be out here," Lucien yelled back, trying to subdue her thrashing naked form.

"What the fuck do you care? Let me go."

"Rayne—"

"I'm not Rayne. Why did you bring me and leave her behind? She's the one you really want. She doesn't have a disgusting boy cock like me."

The fight finally went out of her as she slumped against his chest sobbing.

Lucien sank down on the step, cradling her against him on his lap. Her pants were still tangled around one of her legs. Her distress cleaved his heart deep. He didn't want her to suffer because he was fucked up in the head.

Everything grew dimmer, and he blinked thinking there was something wrong with his eyesight. That was when he realized the siren had gone silent.

The wind whipped his hair around and the stench of rotting flesh and feces grew in the charged air.

"Baby, we gotta go," he said jumping up with her clutched in his arms. "Fuck."

She must've realized the danger also, because thankfully she didn't resist.

Flapping sounds echoed over their heads as they raced back up the steps. It was so dark, Lucien could barely see. The thickening shadows were almost palpable. A long furious screech sounded down below just as they rushed past the doors to their apartment again. Lucien could hear the clattering of hooves racing up the stairs they'd just been sitting on.

Boy grabbed one of the doors as Lucien grabbed the other to shove it closed. He could see something big rushing for them just as they pushed the heavy doors shut. The second he palmed the screen to activate the locks, whatever had hurtled toward them slammed against the door almost opening it again. They threw their weight against the doors trying to get the locks to engage as the door was bashed repeatedly.

The locks had bent. It wasn't working.

Boy and Lucien grappled with the metal beam, trying to position it in the brackets made for it. Another hard thrash against the door kept them from fully seating the beam into place. The locks had bent before fully inserting themselves into place, so the metal beam barely fit in the bent and distorted door brackets.

A loud howl sounded on the other side of the door.

Desperate, Lucien pulled out one of his divine swords and used the hilt to smash the beam down into place.

The clang of metal was deafening, but the beam finally fell into place. They both stood staring at the doors in silence, Lucien's Divine sword glowing brightly in the tiny space behind the double doors.

After a few seconds, another loud roar made them both jump. Whatever was outside was furious. Claws raked down the metal doors, setting Lucien's teeth on edge. Switching his sword to his left hand, he put his right arm out to push Boy behind him and farther into the room.

They backed up to the bed and waited.

After a few unsuccessful attempts by the creature to rip the door off its hinges, silence reigned.

He turned to look at Boy Rayne. She was still naked, except for the tangled pants around her left leg. She stared over his shoulder at the entrance, eyes wide, fangs exposed and claws out.

He threw the sword down, the overwhelming urge to hold her consuming him, but she sprang away with a hiss and a growl.

"Don't," she said moving slowly into the corner of the bed.

They'd barely slept that night. Next morning when they'd all gone out to stock up on necessities, she decided to go off with the reapers, leaving Lucien a seething jealous mess. Fuck. He'd had her cock in his mouth. He felt confused. He wanted to explain to her why he'd reacted the way he did, privately, but the words wouldn't come. Having to dredge up all those horrid memories, the whippings, the tortures, the rapes, and humiliations heaped on him since he could remember.

She'd come back later in the day when they all met up at a restaurant to get a bite to eat. The restaurant was run by Fae and catered mostly to exotic alien species who wanted to try real Earth food without other patrons gawking at them. At least here Devon's cambion nature wouldn't get them mobbed.

Lucien watched Boy and the reapers approach the glass doors to the restaurant.

She'd gotten ink. Her eyes were lined darkly, making the lavender color more hypnotic. Some scrollwork in a light shade of grey started just inside the corner of her right eye around the bottom before dipping into an exotic design down her cheek. She'd added a long black trench coat over her black tee and grey cargo pants and had left her hair loose.

Her shoulders looked wider. He didn't know if it was the illusion the coat gave or if it was her filling out. Her face was still soft and oval though, skin milky white like most Merulians and Fae. She could easily pass for just Fae with her pointed ears peeping out through her opalescent hair.

Lucien sat next to Devon and stared at Boy as she entered the restaurant with reapers to either side of her. Patrons moved out of their way, gaping at the black-winged Seraphs.

Boy looked nervous.

Abdiel leaned over to whisper something in her ear that made her cast her eyes down and blush with a shy smile.

Lucien wanted to rip the Abdiel's wings off and beat him with them—insipid little virgin fuck that he was.

"Geez, calm down," Devon muttered next to him.

Lucien blinked and turned his head to regard his brother with an arched brow.

Devon, who'd gone back to looking like his old self, frowned at him. "Man—I can feel your evil vibes flaring all over me."

Lucien looked down, pulling his fucking evil vibes back in. Life sucked.

Boy chose to sit right across from him instead of next to him. He was flanked by Natanael and Abdy. Great. They both wanted a piece of Boy's ass.




Redemption Ch. 09



Rowie ran a hand through his hair before kissing his cheek and settling herself to his other side with Remi.

"Smile, baby. You look like you want to kill someone," she muttered.

"He does," Remi snickered. "A couple of reapers."

Natanael, who'd colored his hair a glowing sky-blue, grinned at Lucien. Lucien grinned back, scratching the corner of his eye with his middle finger.

They all began to talk, discussing the day's finds and purchases.

Earlier, Lucien had gone back to the apartment with Zak and Seth. They'd tossed out the filthy mattresses, replacing them with new ones. Seth had bought paint and they'd all chipped in doing first one apartment then the other in a shade of light grey, reminiscent of Alpha 7.

After that, Lucien had busied himself thoroughly cleaning the tiny space until it gleamed.

Instead of dark bedding, Anniel had convinced him to buy white cotton sheets and a plump comforter to match. She had suggested tossing in a few bright pillows so he let her pick them out too. He would have rather Boy chose them, but his roommate apparently preferred the company of the damned reapers instead of staying and helping Lucien fix up their place.

Their place.

His eyes drifted back to Boy who sat up straighter in his chair. Big lavender eyes riveted to Lucien's. 

Amidst the chatter, Boy cleared her throat and suddenly announced, "I've decided I'm going to be celibate."

Lucien was struck mute. Devon dropped his fork noisily on his plate. Next to Rowie, Remi choked on his Coke. Zak paused his twenty- inch sub halfway to his open mouth and gaped. As a matter of fact, all conversation ceased.

"Well, congratulations, Boy," Ashriel finally said breaking the charged silence. Lucien clenched his fists, but kept his face blank. "That's an admirable decision."

Lucien's eyes narrowed, his gaze going to Abdiel's guarded face.

The little shit. This was all his doing.

Lucien looked back at Boy and smiled. Well, he tried to smile, but judging from the way the two reapers to either side of Boy gulped loudly and leaned back in their chairs, he figured he didn't quite manage it properly.

Fuck it.

"And what, may I ask, prompted you to make such a big decision?" Lucien worded carefully.

Boy's face went scarlet, and she seemed to swallow first before answering, eyes still on Lucien's face. "I don't want to be used anymore. I want to wait and give myself to someone who cares for me."

Lucien was gutted. He wanted to jump across the table, grab her, shake her, and shout that he cared. God, he cared too much...but everyone was staring at him, and the words lodged in his throat.

Boy's eyes shimmered a bit before she blinked away the shine just as one of the waitresses handed her a menu.

She wanted to wait until someone cared about her.

He watched as she slipped back into conversation with the others—laughing at some stupid joke Abdiel said and rolling her eyes in amusement when Natanael said he was thinking of going celibate too. She didn't look at him anymore after that. He wondered if she'd even go back to the apartment with him.

Maybe he should also announce he was going celibate. Wait for someone to care about him.

His skin prickled with dejection. Like someone would.

Girl? She cared about him, didn't she?

He looked at Boy again, feeling a little twinge of hurt when she pecked Natanael on his cheek.

Girl deserved better, just like Boy. Whom was he kidding? Wasn't that why he'd decided to leave her on Alpha 7? So she'd be safe—from him?

And Boy? He really hadn't counted on this whatever-it-was that had suddenly developed between Boy and him. Yeah, he'd been attracted to the little Merulian mixed battle pet, but Boy's personality had suckered him in—totally knocked him on his stupid, half-Seraph ass.

Rowie smoothed her hand up his back gently, trying to reassure him. He didn't look at her, or anyone else for that matter. He stared down at his food, his appetite suddenly deserting him.

Getting up with the excuse to go to the restroom, he walked out of the restaurant through a back door, and headed toward a bar down the street.

That's where Zak, Remi, and Seth found him three hours later.

"Lucien," Seth snapped, pulling him out of his reverie.

"Lighten up, Seth," Remi hissed.

Zak nudged Lucien. "Hey. You want me to take you back to the apartment?"

Lucien lifted his head and gazed back at all three of them. "Nah. I'm good. Let's go to this new headquarters of ours."

*******

Rayne couldn't wait anymore. Garethiel had hired help to remove their equipment and belongings from the starcruiser to transport to his home in upstate New York. She waited for everyone to be distracted before she slipped away from them and darted out of the VIP section of the spaceport.

She knew where they were. The Alpha Angels. The new city of New York had been built on a platform over the old city now submerged under seawater. The new city was round, concentric circles leading into the most important structure ever built...Zion. Headquarters of the One World Order.

The outer rings of the city, especially the side that faced the open ocean, was where the working class lived, but the demon-hunting headquarters, Where the Alpha Angels had gone, was located near Zion, in the commercial zone.

Rayne made her way through throngs of people, both Edenian and alien. The spaceport was gigantic—soaring beams of metal and glass allowing the golden Edenian sun to spill inside the glossy white corridors. The air was cool and everywhere she looked there were plants and fountains of foaming water. Shuttles moved groups of people to and fro, others had singular transports and traveled alone. There were cafes and kiosks selling object from all over the galaxy. There were glowing orbs announcing all the wonders of the planet and things you could experience and buy. It all made her eyes feel like they were about to fall out of their sockets from staring in awe.

Rayne felt excited and fearful at the same time. She'd never done anything on her own, and going off without anyone to find the Alpha Angels was probably the riskiest thing she'd ever done in her life. She felt compelled, drawn. Was it Lucien? Was it him her entire being needed to run to?

The thought only made her angrier. She needed to see this man, this mortal angel that had ripped his memory from her mind. Why? How dare he.

Realizing she'd just stopped to gawk at everything, she forced her mind to get back on track, effectively shutting down her emotions just as Cyneolle had told her to do

She needed to get outside and into one of those automatic taxi transports. The sooner she got away from the others, the faster she could reach the Alpha Angels.

She doubted her sole presence would jeopardize their precious mission...whatever it was.

Why were they here? What was so important they'd risk execution by returning to a solar system where they were outlaws—hated by all?

Rayne made it out to the transport carrousel. There was a crowd of people waiting their turn for a transport. Pulling her dark glasses over her eyes and yanking her long coat closed, she approached the front of the mob.

A blue-skinned girl was scanning people's palms.

Rayne's eyes widened. Why were they scanning palms?

She continued to watch and noticed that the children weren't scanned, only the adults.

She cursed under her breath and continued to watch, hanging back until someone knocked into her.

"Hay, watch where—oops." The orange-faced Chidadent alien gaped at her. He began looking around wild-eyed. "Look kid, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bump into you. Please don't start screaming." The Chid looked down at her again, beginning to sweat profusely as he tugged at the high collar of his silver trench coat. "I've got a little half-human boy that looks just like you."

Rayne narrowed her eyes though he couldn't see them behind her big dark sun-blocking glasses. "That's a lie. Your genes are predominant. Any child you sire would definitely not look like me," she spat.

The Chid began to hyperventilate. "I'm half human too. My boy came out more human than Chid. Only his eyes are like mine. Please. Please don't report me. I'm not a child molester. Where's your mom and dad? I'll talk to them."

Rayne wasn't sure she understood what he was talking about, but she saw an opportunity to board one of those transports without having her palm scanned.

"Tell you what...you give me a lift on your transport to where I'm going and I won't shout my head off right now."

The Chid's eyes went round. "A-a lift?"

"That's right," Rayne answered with a nod, crossing her arms over her chest.

The Chid frowned, and looked at her strangely. "Uh...sure." He gave her a lop-sided grin then, and somehow Rayne got the feeling asking him for a ride might not have been the best idea. "A ride. No problem. Where are you headed to?"

"The commercial sector. I'm looking for a demon-hunting agency."

His brows arched. "Demon hunting?"

Rayne tipped her nose up. "That's right. My daddy is a demon hunter."

The Chid nodded. "Okay. Let's be on our way then."

Rayne stayed close to him as they approached the front again. One of the Gruesh attendants asked for his palm for scanning.

The Chid smiled and held out his hand. "Nice day isn't it?"

The Gruesh female smiled at him, and looked at Rayne as she moved a black disc over his palm.

"My son and I are going sightseeing before we stop at his momma's grave site.

The Gruesh woman looked politely concerned. "Oh, I am so sorry, but I hope you have a pleasant and peaceful stay in the city. Please remember to check into your sleeping tanks before curfew.

Sleeping tanks?

The Chid thanked the woman and gestured for Rayne to go into the waiting transport.

She climbed in and settled herself at the far end of the transport.

The Chid male slid in front of her.

The sounds of the busy spaceport were muted once the door closed with a soft hiss.

"Destination please?" a friendly disembodied voice asked.

The Chid nodded at her to proceed first.

Rayne recited the coordinates of her destination, uncaring that the Chid heard. Just let him try something. She was sure she could handle him.

"Uh, I have a second destination, please," he said once she'd finished."

"Please specify second destination," the disembodied voice asked pleasantly

The Chid stated his own point of destination.

Rayne frowned. She'd memorized the map of New York City, and he'd just told the taxi to take him to the outskirts of the most crime-infested part of the city. Although crimes were rarely committed on Earth anymore, Sector Eighteen of the Triad quadrant was practically no man's land, overrun by vigilante demon hunters and bounty hunters.

Using the wireless capacitor Cyneolle had implanted in her brain, Rayne connected with the taxi and realized that the transport would most likely drop him off first and then cut across the city to take her to her destination not that far away.

The Chid smiled at her.

"What was your name again?" he asked with a grin when the transport began moving.

Rayne leaned back further in her seat. "I never told you my name."

"No, you didn't," he said showing his straight white teeth now. "My name is Bumaan. I'm a scientist."

Rayne arched a brow. "Really. What kind of science?"

Bumaan's grin grew. "Many kinds, but my specialty is cloning."

Rayne blinked. He chuckled throatily. "I'd explain, but such a young boy like you wouldn't understand such things."

Rayne shrugged and his eyes narrowed. She didn't know the first thing about how young boys were supposed to act, so she just remained silent and stared out the window.

She watched from the corner of her eye when he stuck his hand in the pocket of his sleek silver coat and pulled out a small box. Opening it, he took out a shiny little pink ball and popped it into his mouth. "Would you like some gum?"

First thing Cyneolle had drilled into her was not to accept anything from strangers.

"No, thank you, sir," she replied primly.

Bumaan grinned wider and shrugged. He chewed his gum for a while just staring at her. She was really beginning to grow annoyed with his constant, almost unblinking stare.

Bumaan crossed his left foot over his right knee and fiddled with the heel. Leaning back to rest his arms on the back of the seat to either side of him, his gaze grew serious and intense.

Rayne tapped her boot impatiently on the carpeted interior of the transport before frowning at him.

He gave her a half grin before stroking his upper lip, his eyes still watching her...waiting almost.

"Why are you staring at me so much? It's really creepy," she snapped finally unable to contain her irritation.

Bumaan frowned, and checked the heel of his left shoe again. "Oh," he began nervously now, "It's just that you have such delicate bone structure. You're probably not a boy at all. Where are you from? Certainly not from Earth. No child would board a transport with a complete stranger in this solar system." His expression changed as his eyes narrowed. "Why won't you tell me your name?"

Rayne thought deeply. Her real name. "I'm..." she began, "I'm Rayanalideepadoonamalakeinayane Nalapeedoona."

Bumaan's mouth dropped open. "Really? You're a long lost Princess of a planet that no longer exists?"

Rayne stared at him in surprise. "You know of me?"

Bumaan just looked at her, and then his lips pulled into a tight line. "You know what I really think? I think that you're part machine, because no living organism can inhale Gruesh Binroz essence without its antidote" he shook the little gum ball tin at her "and stay conscious."

Rayne's face fell. She swallowed hard, her body tensing..

His eyes traveled over her before he smiled. "You're a woman obviously, trying to pass for a young boy, though looking at you closely, you're too pretty for that disguise to work for long. By the same token, even if you had been a boy, you're still too pretty to be overlooked. Have you any idea what happens to pretty little things like you?"

Panic made her pulse race. She was sure she could overtake him if he tried to attack her—if he attacked her. He was such a small thin male. Would he risk engaging her physically?

Bumaan licked his lips, leering at her now. It made Rayne's skin crawl. No. This Chid would definitely stoop to underhanded methods at trapping her.

Using her wireless again, she activated the crystal-vid recorder in the transporter so that it could record and later replay everything that was about to happen within the transporter. She preset it to replay the holographic image when it reached her destination as soon as the door opened. Just in case, she also activated the alarm system so that the Angels would come out to investigate.

"I'd heard rumors that the Alpha Angels had kidnapped you and turned you into some sort of sex-bot."

Rayne stared at him in shock. "What?"

He leaned forward, hands on his knees as his dark orange eyes bore into hers. "Is it true? Do they all fuck you in their orgies? The demon, the dragons, the vampire and the she-wolf?" Bumaan was literally drooling. "They're all so beautiful. Sinfully beautiful. Is it true they've sacrificed their babies to Lucifer and ate their flesh?"

Rayne's jaw dropped. "No. That's disgusting. And I'm not their sex-bot, you perv."

Bumaan laughed. "Relax. I never believe what the media says. Everything is always twisted." His eyes narrowed again. "But those fuckers do have something that belongs to me. Quinn fucked me over when he took over caring for the demon, Devon. Of course, at the time I didn't care. I was in possession of two of his father's primal feathers. I was using them to clone Davariel."

Rayne's eyes grew wider. She'd heard of the angel of destruction. "Why do you want to clone him?"

The temperature in the cabin of the transporter dropped, making her shiver.

Bumaan gulped, his eyes darting about the interior of the dimly lit transport. "It is being demanded of me."

Rayne swallowed. "By whom?"

Bumaan scowled at her now. "That, little girl, is none of your business. Besides, I assure you, it is something you would rather not want to know anything about. That type of knowledge could get you killed in the most horrific way."

"Arriving at destination in...three minutes," the transporters interactive computer chirped.

Bumaan lifted his arm to check his time device, tapping the crystal three times before grinning at her again.

That was the last she knew.

******* 

Lucien stood with Zak, Remi, Seth, and Rowie in front of the building that would be their headquarters for Demon hunting. It was run and owned by one of Seth's acquaintances, whom Lucien still hadn't met yet. The others had already gone inside, unwilling to let passersby see Devon.

The building looked like an old warehouse. Its weather-worn exterior might have been painted green at some point during its existence, but time had not been kind to the building and, at most, the green had faded to expose the grey concrete underneath. Along the bottom of the two-story building was colorful graffiti all around what Lucien could see of the structure. The buildings in that sector of the city were all in a similar state of neglect.

Heavy, metal screens covered the dusty windows, streaked with grime and the titanium doors leading into the building looked as if they had been used for target practice by a horde of rabid dragons. It was all dented, scratched, and burned black.

Lucien's eyes narrowed as he recognized the same signs of abuse the narrow double doors to his apartment had suffered the night before.

A cold breeze blew strands of his hair across his face as they began walking to the entrance of the building. It was mostly a deserted area, the closest building being half a block away. Between that and this building was a patch of blackened ruins, remnants of something that had been burned down, and left behind like a bare-boned carcass. Across the street was an open field before another warehouse could be seen on the other side of that street. Tall yellowed weeds grew there and a few straggly trees.

As they approached the entrance, a transport pulled up and remained idling at the curb. Lucien turned to look over his shoulder and was about to continue toward the building when the transport began blaring its horn and blinking its lights, its alarm noisily activated.

The others frowned and stopped, turning around too.

"What the hell," Rowie murmured.

Remi began striding purposefully toward the transport, with Zak and Rowie following.

Seth and Lucien looked at each other before they jogged to catch up to them. He reached the spaceport transport just as Remi palmed open the door. Remi and Zak peered inside, with Rowie trying to look over their shoulders.

Lucien just waited, ready for anything despite having a buzz.

Lucien could hear voices when suddenly the weredragons began to curse.

Both Zak and Remi yanked him forward, practically throwing him head-first into the transport.

About to ream them out, Lucien choked on his own words as he witnessed the scene unfolding before him.

The Chid that accompanied Girl Rayne released some sort of electrical current from the device on his wrist. A bubble of blue energy crackled across the entire cabin and his sweet girl tumbled forward, unconscious.

"No. Oh-god-no," he whispered, before throwing his head back and roaring, "No." His fist made a dent in the side of the transport, before he scrambled inside. He had to find out where she was.

Zak, Remi, Rowie, and Seth piled in after him.

Outside he could see the reapers, Boy, Devon , and Angel rushing up to the transport.

"What the hell is going on?" Ashriel demanded in the doorway.




Redemption Ch. 09



Devon didn't ask, he just shimmied past the huge reaper followed by Angel who yanked Boy in after her.

Lucien ignored them all, just began to yell at the transport to take him back to its prior destination.

"Some creep kidnapped Rayne," Remi snarled as Lucien continued to bellow at the transport to lock in the prior coordinates.

"Comply, damn-it," he snapped.

There was too much ruckus and the computer was getting confused.

"But Boy is right here," he heard Natanael say.

"Not that Rayne, Girl Rayne," Rowie blurted, her eyes wide.

"Be quiet," Lucien yelled at everyone. Thankfully they all complied.

The transport apologized for the confusion, making Lucien want to beat something. "Not you, you stupid machine—"

"Luke," Zak said putting a hand on his arm, "let me. You're too riled right now."

Lucien panted in fury. Zak was right. They were wasting time. He nodded, because he was unable to form any sentences without spilling a flood of expletives along with it.

The reapers piled in until they were like sardines in a can.

The transport declared they'd surpassed its weight capacity.

One glare from Lucien had all the reapers pouring back out of the transport, even Ashriel, who scowled as the others pouted.

"We'll fly," he barked slamming the door to the transport closed.

Finally, the transport began to move.

******* 

He looked like a madman. Boy watched Lucien warily. His almond-shaped eyes practically bulged, and he kept raking his fingers through his hair, until it was an unruly mess around his shoulders.

"Luke, How did Rayne get on Earth? How did she find us?"

Lucien blew out a harsh breath. "I don't fucking know. But she's here."

"What if it's a trap?" Seth suggested.

Lucien shook his head. "Just look at the vid again. You tell me."

Boy jump when an orange-skinned man appeared.

"That's Bumaan," Angel exclaimed. "That son-of-a-mongura."

Girl Rayne appeared at the other end of the transport, her image translucent like a specter.

Boy's eye went round. She'd shorn her hair. It was high around the back of her neck, the edge of the cut following her delicate jaw so that the jet-black strands around her face were long enough to tuck behind her cute, little, round ears.

Boy touched his self-consciously. Another difference between them.

His?

Boy blinked back tears, pulling his new trench coat more firmly over his chest. Yes. His. His breasts were gone. He'd awakened to find his feminine swelling shrunken down to two meaty masculine pecs. Lucien didn't know yet.

Would he hate Boy? Now that Rayne was back, he probably would. Lucien hated males, and Boy was finally very-undeniably male again.

Taking a bracing gulp of air, Boy looked at her again—her big, wide blue eyes, soft rosebud mouth. Even disguised in unfeminine clothing, she looked like a doll...so sweet.

The memory of what she'd done to him made him blush. It was very similar to what Lucien had done. They'd sucked his cock, made him come undone.

A violent shiver went through Boy's body. When he looked up, Lucien's ice-blue gaze was on him. Girl's image had vanished.

The transport stopped. Lucien was the first one out.

"Wait," Devon called grabbing his arm.

Lucien whirled, baring his teeth at his brother. Devon let him go long enough to pull out a gun from inside his coat. "Here. No telling what we're up against."

Lucien accepted the weapon, tucking it inside his own coat.

The wind was sharp, cold, cutting through the layers of clothing Boy Rayne wore.

They were in front of a factory that looked abandoned, but Boy knew looks could be deceiving. He'd fought in many buildings similar to this one back when he was a battle pet.

Lucien took off at a run behind the building with Seth trailing behind him. Remi ripped off his coat, enormous red wings sprouting from hi back and flew to the roof, carrying Rowie in one of his arms. Above, he could see the reapers already circling for landing. Boy Turned and followed Anniel and Zak...until Girl Rayne's scent caught his attention. Both he and Anniel screeched to a halt.

They looked at each other and before turning around again and following the scent.

"Where are you going?" Zak whisper-shouted as he ran back to them.

He was the only one of the Angels who didn't wear a coat. He was so massive he probably didn't need one.

Trails of waving golden hair spilled thickly over his bulging shoulders as he peered down at them.

Boy and Anniel had knelt down close to the ground. The weeds around the factory were tall and overgrown, but they found a pair of metal doors in the ground.

Boy reached to open it, but a big tanned hand beat him to it.

Boy turned to gape at Lucien as he touched the handles on the doors. His eyes glowed brighter, and Boy could feel him release a surge of telekinetic power.

"Luke," Zak began in a warning tone.

"Shut up," Lucien snapped as he carefully opened one of the doors.

Anniel gave Zak a little shake of the head. Zak just huffed in resignation.

They went down a narrow stairwell that ended at a pair of double doors. Beyond that was another corridor with many doors. It was actually like a labyrinth.

Boy followed his nose though, as well as Anniel and Seth. They moved ahead of Lucien.

The overhead lighting flickered a few times, shedding light on the bland grayish-blue corridors. It was deathly cold. The doors to either side of them had little square windows, all unlit, dark inside so that they had no idea what lay beyond.

******* 

Rayne awakened to the sensation of a sting in her arm. It was so cold and there was a bright light shining directly into her eyes. Her entire body prickled as her artificial nerves came back online, feeding information to her brain.

When she was sure her bodily functions were completely under control of her nanos, she opened her eyes.

There was a large round light right over her, shining into her face. Metal pipes ran along the high ceiling as well as air ducts.

From the cold air brushing against her body, she surmised her clothing had been removed.

A sigh of disappointment drew her gaze.

"Not real blood. What a shame," Bumaan drawled. "I was so looking forward to giving my masters some fresh young virgin meat." He shrugged, placing the tube of nano-blood he removed from her on a metal table behind him.

Rayne eyes widened when he began undoing the closures to his pants.

"Oh, well. I guess you won't be needing your virginity for anything important."

Rayne jerked her hands, finding them restrained, as well as her legs.

She pulled hard, trying to engage her nanos to react and give her the boost of power needed to break her restraints.

Bumaan laughed. "Those are cyborg proof, my pretty."

Rayne screamed when he shoved a finger into her roughly. Her body arched, trying to get his disgusting finger out of her. One of her restraints snapped and she used her hand to fist his throat. Bumaan's eyes bulged in shock as she squeezed hard.

Movement caught her attention, though, and she gasped when she realized the room was filled... with demons snickering at the proceedings. Their faces were hideous, more like skeletal masks with horns and needle-sharp teeth.

The door to the room burst open. Boy was the first person she saw. He stared at her just like she remembered in her dream—his lavender eyes lined, beautiful exotic face framed by a fall of stark white hair that shimmered with pastel highlights, but then Lucien roared and pulled two flaming swords from thin air before rushing into the room, followed by the other Alpha Angels.

All hell broke loose.

One of the demons snatched Bumaan from her and disappeared into the shadows. Another flew and broke the overhead lamp, but the room didn't sink into darkness.

Most of the Angels had unsheathed their swords and the blazing light of divine weapons almost blinded her.

The room was larger than she realized, spanning about a hundred paces behind her. There were cages, tables and glass cylinders with things moving about within.

Rayne tugged at her remaining restraints, frustrated that they wouldn't break like the one that had held her left arm.

The head of a demon landed between her thighs and the hideous thing, still alive bit her, fangs sinking deep around the meat of her inner left thigh.

Rayne screamed again, not from pain, but from disgust and fear. Boy jumped up on the table with her and batted the disgusting thing away.

Rayne couldn't help the sob of joy she felt at seeing him there.

"Boy," she cried.

His pupils were dilated wide, making him look feral. He blinked twice before unsheathing his claws and striking at the metal cuff that still held her right hand prisoner.

She saw when he winced and noticed that his claws began to bleed.

"No-sweetie-no. Don't hurt yourself," she begged.

His eyes stared into hers sadly.

About to give him a peck on his lips, she gasped when he shoved her down roughly. Her head hit the metal table again and she saw when he pulled out a pulse gun and fired repeatedly. A heavy thud sounded in the direction he'd shot.

Rayne saw Seth split a short stocky demon in two. Lucien swung his swords left to right, mowing down the evil creatures like a machine.

His blond hair flowed gloriously, his muscles rippled.

Her right hand was suddenly unbound. She looked up in time to see Devon using his divine sword to break open the cuffs on her ankles as well just as Lucien killed the last four demons.

They were all drenched in black blood, and the smell was horrible.

Boy jumped off to the side of the table just as Lucien ran to her.

"Are you okay?" several of the Angels asked at once. Remi was already glowing with fire as he looked at the wound by her knee.

Rayne kept her eyes on Lucien though. He just looked at her without saying a word, drawing closer.

Her heart clenched at the wealth of emotion in those beautiful ice-blue eyes.

Everyone remained silent now, watching them.

He shut down then, all emotion snapped off. He might as well have been Cyneolle. With his cold emotionless mask in place, he asked "Why are you here?"

Rayne blinked. She wanted to shut down her own emotions, feel nothing before this beautiful stranger...but whereas Lucien had stolen her memories of his presence in her life, he'd forgotten also to banish this feeling, this yearning she felt for him also.

"Answer me," he snapped.

Rayne finally delivered the message she'd wanted to give him almost since waking back in Alpha 7.

Lifting her hand, she struck him hard across the face. "You fucking bastard."

He never answered her. His gorgeous hair had flown across his face, hiding his reaction to her slap, and he stayed turned away, head bowed. You could hear a pin drop.

Boy shoved his arms under her and drew her to him.

The fact that he was no longer terrified of her shocked Rayne.

Boy lifted her gently against his chest and began striding out of the room, the others following.

Rayne wrapped her arms around his neck and closed her eyes, inhaling his comforting scent.

"Where are we going?" she whispered.

She felt him tip his chin down to look at her. "Home."

Rayne looked back up at him, her eyes beginning to fill. "Where is home, Boy?"

He blinked back the shine in his too, and stared directly into her eyes. "With Lucien. That's home, Girl Rayne."



Redemption Ch. 10



Forewarning for this chapter: Again, remember Lucien is into BDSM. If arrogant male Doms piss off your self righteous feminine sensibilities, then this is not the story for you. Lucien never had a normal life. He was abused, he is flawed, he is Dominant (most times) and he's confused. He wants to do what's right, but he needs to learn what that is. He tries.

For those of you crushing on Seth (lol) you get a little taste of him and Ama here. Not sure at what point I'll be overlapping his story with this one, but that point is getting close. I always overlap my stories.

Anyhow, please don't forget to vote, but most of all, please don't forget to comment. I usually check comments before I check scores and barely any comments depresses me, which in turn makes me wonder why I bother to post.

*******

Lucien tore off his shirt and intercepted Boy in the corridor. She released Girl to stand on her own and Lucien made quick work on pulling his shirt over her head. Her arms were next. He slipped them through the sleeves. His snug t-shirt looked baggy on Girl Rayne and fell almost to her knees.

Frowning he smoothed a few stray strands of dark hair from her face. Her eyes remained riveted to the center of his chest. Girl Rayne looked dazed and he took advantage to swing her up into his arms. Boy's eyes went round and his sweet Merulian looked like she was about to protest, but Lucien turned away.

"Come-on, baby," he said over his shoulder to her as he kept walking.

Girl's eyes finally rose to his.

"Who are you?"

His heart clenched. Her eyes swam with tears as she stared deeply into his.

"I'm Lucien, the man you just slapped moments ago," he answered flatly.

Her eyes roved his face, his hair. He could feel her fingers press against the muscles on his shoulders, feeling him. Bright blue eyes slid to his chest. Her cheeks pinkened as she licked her lips. He wondered if his cambion traits still affected her despite the terrible changes she'd gone through.

Why had she struck him?

He didn't need to wait long for the answer.

"Why did you erase my memories of you?"

There it was. Lucien tightened his lips into a hard line. Instead of answering her, he said, "I don't know how you got here, but you're going back."

She thrashed in his hold, taking him by surprise. In an instant, she was on her feet. They were at the foot of the stairs leading back up to the surface. The others formed a wall around them, for which Lucien was thankful lest the hysterical female try to run from them. He glared at her. She glared back.

"I'm not going back," she snapped.

Lucien let his eyes go cold as they traveled down, and then up her mere five-foot-three inches. She barely came up to his breastbone.

"No one invited you on this mission," he answered.

Her brief look of hurt sliced at him, but then she tipped her cute little nose up defiantly and added, "I volunteer."

Lucien looked at Seth, but the bastard only lifted his hands and blurted, "I'm not getting involved in this."

"Jackass," Lucien mumbled before staring down at Girl Rayne.

She scowled at him, clenching tiny fists at her sides. "You didn't answer me. Why did you erase my memories of you?"

Fuck. She was so cute.

Again, he evaded her questioning. "You're not trained for combat."

She came at him then, murder in her eyes. He knew she wasn't really going to hurt him, but she needed to learn how far out of her league she was, cybernetics and all.

He unleashed his power, not allot, but enough to engulf her tiny feminine body.

Girl Rayne fell to her knees before him, eyes wide in shock. He shoved her arms behind her back and power bound them there. He forced her to lean forward and rub her face all over his groin...all over the thickened length of his cock straining beneath the zipper to his black cargo pants.

Boy growled and reached out to grab her, but Lucien tangled her in his seductive web too. Now he had them both on their knees before him. The sight of them there was heady and he threaded his fingers in their hair as he moved his hips forward, trembling when Boy stuck his tongue out to lick the length of him.

"Lucien," Devon snapped.

Boy and Girl fell back when he released them. Everyone stared at him as if he'd lost his mind. Maybe he had.

Wide-eyed, he stared at Boy and girl at his feet. Boy eyed him warily as she helped Girl stand.

He hadn't meant to hurt them. What had he been thinking? Why had he forced them to kneel before him? It was unforgivable. Wasn't having two fucking divine swords supposed to curb his tendency toward evil?

Without waiting any longer, Lucien whirled around and stalked up the steps.

He needed to get far away for a while and get his head together.

******* 

Rayne followed Boy up the spiral metal stairway to the second floor of the building where they were to live until the mission was over. She could hear a loud clanging, metal upon metal, and the scent of heated titanium tickled her nose.

As they strode down the open corridor a group of dwarves approached.

The tallest of them stopped before Devon, who was just in front of Boy.

"Where's the blond male?" The Dwarf growled.

Remien snorted, "which one? There are five in our group."

The dwarf scowled and put his fingers to the corner of his eyes to stretch them out to the sides. "The one with the eyes like this."

Devon nodded with a grin. "That would be my brother. What do you want with him?"

The dwarf's eyes narrowed suspiciously, as he scratched his scraggly beard and looked at Devon. "Tell him next time not to lure one of those things down here. He gets one more door damaged, it's going to stay that way."

Rayne looked at Boy questioningly. His face turned red, but he looked away instead of explaining what the Dwarf meant by what he'd said.

The others headed off to their respective living quarters, but Devon, Remi and Rowie walked Boy and her to theirs.

Devon placed his palm on the small square glass by the shiny metal doors and the locks disengaged.

Boy pushed open the doors with a shy smile directed at her as he led the way inside.

She followed him, but then almost ran into his back when he skidded to a halt just after clearing a wall a few paces in.

Rayne peered around his shoulder and her eyes widened.

The tiny dwelling smelled citrusy and every surface gleamed.

"Hey, there's a traffic jam back here, guys," Remi called out behind them.

Boy startled, and walked further into the apartment.

It was very small, but already Rayne loved it. To her left was an L-shaped counter with storage cabinets underneath and shelves over it. The shelves were stocked with plates, cups and glasses, as well as cooking utensils and pots. The floor beneath her feet gleamed even though she could see it was cracked here and there. To her right, just behind the wall in front of the door, was a sectioned off tiled area. A cream-colored curtain hung off a wire that ran across the front of this tiny section, but it was open enough for her to see faucets low to the floor. A gleaming silver round washtub hung off a peg high on the wall and underneath it was a shelf unit made of metal, matching the wash tub, packed with towels, soaps and bottles of various bright colors.

Her eyes drifted further into the room. Boy was sliding open an enormous round window that led out to a balcony, but her gaze was arrested by a large bed to the right of the room, almost underneath the round window.

White bedding decorated the comfortable bed, as well as brightly colored throw pillows. Chains held the bed suspended from the wall. She suspected that the bed could be folded up and taken out of the way if they wanted.

Boy leaped onto the low shelf that ran behind the bed and under the window, and stepped out. She followed him.

Outside, the cool morning breeze ruffled her short hair as she took in a lungful of fresh air. Silver railing followed the edge of the balcony and to either side of them jutted two walls giving their little balcony privacy. A couple of low chairs and a tiny table was in front of the window. In the left corner of the balcony hung a cascade of rope holding glass jars with strange white stones inside and little green plants. Another large plant sat in the right corner where she saw Boy turn the corner. Curious, she also went around the bend in the balcony and stopped, eyes wide.

There was a wooden platform with another bed and a riot of plants on the wall just behind it. It looked beautiful and inviting. The entire dwelling looked cozy.

Boy turned to her and grinned. "Home, Rayne."

Rayne smiled back, until she remembered Lucien wasn't with them.

Devon stepped up next to her. "Remi has some stuff for you. Come back in so we can show you."

Both Boy and her followed him back inside. There was an enormous box they hadn't seen before wide open in the eating area. Remi and Rowie were taking stuff out and placing them within the cabinets under the counter.

Rayne watched Remi open a long door that ran alongside a storage area and felt a blast of cold air hit her bare legs.

She crossed her arms over her breasts, remembering she was naked under Lucien's shirt. Everyone around her was fully dressed.

"I have food for you guys. This should last about a week or so. Luke can let me know when you guys need more," Remi was saying.

Rowie turned and grinned at Rayne's stunned expression. "We packed food from Alpha 7 and then shrank it so we'd be able to pass it through galactic customs unnoticed.

Rayne swallowed with a nod before she said, "Where is Lucien?"

Everyone looked at Devon just as Angel walked in.

"He should be here soon. I doubt he'll be gone long," he answered turning to look at his mate, adoration clearly in his gaze.

"Remi," Angel said, "your pets have arrived."

"What?" he frowned. "I told those idiots to deliver those Moordian Devils at the headquarters."

He stormed out, cursing under his breath angrily.

Devon grinned and followed him out.

Angel approached Rayne and handed her a bundle of clothing. "Here, you can borrow these until Lucien gets you new stuff."

"Thank you," Rayne replied shyly.

"Well, I better go check on Rem," Rowie sighed with a grin. "That boy has no brain to mouth filter. You guys need anything else?"

Rayne looked at Boy. He was a little behind her, looking at all of them warily.

He shook his head with a gulp. He was afraid of females. Rayne could see it in his eyes and stance, leaning against the frame of the window with his hands shoved deep in his pockets. The breeze blew strands of his glossy white hair around his neck, but his eyes were riveted on all of them.

"Okay," Angel sighed. She must've noticed his tension because she backed away with Rowie. "I guess we'll be leaving then. Remember to engage the locks after we leave. There are allot of weirdoes in this part of the city."

They walked out into the bright sunshine and Boy moved to gently close the double metal doors behind them. After palming the inner lock screen, Rayne heard the locks engaged again and watched him turn slowly.

He watched her silently.

Rayne blinked. "Why did he erase my memories, Boy?"

His eyes ran the length of her. Did she see his gaze heat?

"I don't know," he replied.

She continued to look at him. "Boy, I wouldn't hurt you. Why are you scared of me?"

He leaned against the doors. "It's just..." He looked away then. "I was force-bred. I can't help it. I'm trying though."

Rayne looked at the wash area longingly. She longed to get the feel of Bumaan's hands off her body. He'd fingered her, touched her.

I'm not sure how that works," Boy said.

She looked at him with a smile. "Well, lucky for us I am familiar with how it functions."

His beautiful lavender eyes settled on her face. "You're different."

Rayne grew serious. "How?"

He took a hesitant step toward her. "Before...you were very...submissive."

Rayne remembered what she'd learned about herself. "I was born into a culture where women are without worth. I was a slave."

Boy's head tipped to one side. "I was a slave too."

Rayne frowned. "But you're a man."

Boy's eyes widened. Slowly, ever so slowly, he shook his head, completely confusing Rayne. "I'm male and female, Girl."

She didn't know what to say. She had information in her brain about various androgynous and hermaphrodite species, but had no visual reference to help her understand.

"But I call you he. I'm sorry if I've mislabeled you...um—"

He grinned at her confusion making her feel less awkward. "You can still call me Boy. And I don't mind if you refer to me as he. I feel more male than female actually." His grin faded a bit around the edges, shadows of sadness clouding his pretty eyes.

Wanting to change the subject and hopefully erase the sad look from his eyes, Rayne walked into the washing area and tugged off the shirt Lucien had placed on her. His scent was embedded in the soft material and she closed her eyes to breathe it in deeply before yanking it fully off.

"I need to wash. How about you?"

She pulled the silver washtub off the peg on the wall and settled it beneath the faucet. Left was hot and right was cold. She turned the handles and soon steamy water was pouring into the washtub.

She knelt next to the washtub after grabbing a washcloth and cake of soap. Looking over her shoulder, she was pleased to see Boy removing his clothes as well, although slowly and with wide eyes.

Rayne smiled. "Grab that green pitcher up there and come over."

Boy pulled his boots off and turned to let his pants fall to his ankles, revealing taut white cheeks with cute dimples at the small of his back. Her smile vanished though, when she noticed he had two long scars on his back.

Rayne looked away when he grabbed the pitcher she'd asked for and turned toward her again. Though she was curious to see what a person with both sexes looked like, she didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable by gawking.

She splashed water on her face and thanked him when he handed her the pitcher.

Boy went down to his knees on the other side of the washtub.

Rayne used the pitcher to pour water over herself. She dipped the pitcher back into the tub and then offered it to him with a smile. He smiled back and mimicked her actions.

"Pass me that bright pink bottle behind you," she asked.

Boy reached over his shoulder and handed the bottle labeled shampoo to her.

"Give me your hand," she instructed.

The shampoo smelled like strawberries when she poured out a little into his palm. He stared at it completely lost.

"It's to wash your hair, see?"

She poured some for herself and proceeded to lather her clipped locks.

Before long, they were laughing and lathering up. Boy washed her back and she proceeded to return the favor.

Facing his scarred back, she slowly, gently, smoothed the soapy washcloth over his skin.

"Boy?"

"Hmm?"

She bit her lip. "What happened to you here? Who hurt you?"

He peered at her over his shoulder. "Those aren't scars, Girl."

She blinked at him and then looked at the long deep gashes a few inches apart alongside his spine.

"I'll show you after we dry off."

She stared at his face again and nodded. "Okay."

When done, he wanted to pour water over her to rinse her off and she returned the favor.

She watched the suds flow down his body. Unlike Lucien, Boy was delicate, his muscles less pronounced, but utterly beautiful. She like how pale his skin was, his nipples a dark rose. He'd gotten ink. Aside from the beautiful design on the left side of his face and lined eyes, he had Tribals around his biceps, black wings with double A's around his left nipple and a sun inked in black around his belly button.

Rayne's eyes were drawn to his stiff cock. He was aroused and it surprised her. It also surprised her that she could see no visible evidence of testes under his cock. Where his balls should have been, were a pair of very swollen dark pink lips.

His hand slipping behind her head and dragging her forward had her gasping.

Boy kissed her, his tongue spearing past her lips and eliciting a groan from her.

Rayne had no choice but to climb his lap when his other hand pulled her forward some more by her waist.

His cock was now trapped between their bellies.

She speared her fingers through his wet hair as the kiss grew deeper. He arched against her and she spread her legs wider, rubbing her cunt along his hard erection.

"Beautiful," a deep voice rasped behind them.

Rayne and Boy sprung apart like guilty children.

Lucien leaned against the wall that blocked the door. "Unfortunately for Boy, that's also against the rules."

Rayne frowned in confusion, her eyes darting to a red-faced Boy. He was covering his chest, his shoulders hunched over protectively. Rayne's brows pinched in a scowl wondering why Boy was cowering again.

Lucien also frowned. "What's the matter, baby?"

Baby?

Rayne's eyes flew to Lucien's face, etched in concern now. He'd called Boy baby. What was going on here?

Boy stood abruptly, his eyes closed and his face twisted in pain. Rayne also jumped to her feet, fear slamming into her for Boy.

Boy spun around to face Lucien, letting his arms fall limply to his sides.

Lucien's eyes went round, his jaw dropped when he looked at Boy's chest.

Was he shocked about the tattoos? Why would he be? Unless he'd enslaved Boy and Boy hadn't gotten permission from him to mark himself.

Every protective instinct within Rayne came to the fore.

But no one moved. Lucien's eyes became suspiciously glittery.

"I disgust you, don't I," Boy snarled through gritted teeth.

Not exactly the words Rayne had expected to hear him say. Now she was really confused. What was going on between them?

Lucien's ice-blue eyes snapped back to his face. For a minute he looked furious. Rayne was about to back away but Lucien snagged her around the back of the neck and next thing she knew, Lucien had her and Boy pinned against the wall.

Rayne splayed her hands against Lucien's chest, half of her back was plastered against Boy's chest and he wrapped a protective arm around her waist.

Rayne was shorter than both of them, so she had to crane her neck to look up into their faces.

"Don't ever say that again," Lucien growled, inches from Boy's lips.

Boy gulped, staring into his eyes.

"Why wouldn't I say that? It's the truth isn't it?" Boy retorted.

A strange awareness began to fill Rayne as she stared at her two males. Her own thought had her startling in surprise. Her males?

Lucien's gaze flicked to her before settling on Boy's face again.

His arm engulfing her around the waist made her squeak in shock. Lucien hauled her up so that her face was level with theirs, and then she was witness to the most possessive rough male on male kiss she'd ever witnessed. As a matter of fact, it was the first time she'd seen two males kissing in front of her. It was a sin punishable by death in her culture, but the beauty of it took her breath away.

Did they have a relationship she was unaware of? Lucien had found her lip-locked with Boy. Was he angry?

Confusion clouded her thoughts and she began to struggle to back away from them, pushing on Lucien's chest.

Their lips separated with a wet pop and a pair of ice-blue eyes settled on her face. Boy was just staring at Lucien in befuddled arousal.

"Get in here," Lucien growled.

Rayne's brow furrowed as her confusion grew.

"Kiss us too, Girl," Lucien demanded.

When she would have shaken her head in denial, he swooped in and took her mouth.

Electric heat simmered through her at his taste, but then after a few seconds, she turned her face away.

"No. Stop," she demanded. "Let me down."

Lucien released her and stepped back.




Redemption Ch. 10



Rayne rushed out of the washing area, shivering since she still hadn't dried herself. She'd been foolish enough to forget to grab a towel.

Hugging herself, she kept her back to them both, just standing next to the bed, her gaze on the scene outside the window.

A large towel wrapped around her shoulders.. Turning, she saw it was Boy. His lips were soft, reddened, and swollen. Hers tingled, but she doubted they were as passion-roughened as Boy's. His eyes were still dilated, and she could see his erection tenting the towel he'd wrapped around his entire torso and hips.

"I'm going to make us something to eat," Lucien said from the eating area.

Rayne turned wide-eyed to see him pulling boxes and containers from the cabinets.

He was going to prepare them a meal?

Boy unraveled himself from his towel and finished drying off. She just tugged her towel around herself tighter, suddenly feeling shy about being naked in front of both males.

Boy pulled on a t-shirt and some shorts, and went outside again.

Rayne debated as to follow Boy or stay and confront Lucien. He still hadn't given her a reason as to why he'd robbed her of her memories. Just thinking about it brought a fresh wave of anger.

Mind made up, she stalked into the eating area. It only took four steps from the bed.

Arms folded tight over her chest, she faced him, but he gave her his back as he moved around grabbing things for their meal.

"Why?" she demanded.

Briefly, he gave her a glance over his shoulder. "Why what?"

Rayne finished approaching and leaned against the counter to look at his face. His utter beauty took her breath away. She was mute for a few awkward seconds until he turned to look at her fully. One brow arched.

Rayne took a deep breath, blinking rapidly as she gathered her silly scattered thoughts back on track. "You took away my memories of you," she accused hotly.

Long, gold-tipped lashes swept over chiseled cheeks, before he fixed her with his mesmerizing stare. "Yes."

Rayne just gaped at him. Silence stretched on with nothing but birds twittering outside and traffic humming by.

"Yes? That's it? That's all you have to say?" she exclaimed indignantly.

He shook his hair back and her focus fell on his cheek. The long multifaceted gold strands of his hair had hidden deep scratches on his cheek and a forming blue bruise. She'd hit him, but she hadn't realized...she was sure she hadn't scratched him. Still, the sight of the damage to his face made her heart twist in agony.

"I had to do it, Girl."

"Why do you keep calling me Girl?"

"So that we don't get confused with you and Boy. She refuses to take a name—"

"She?"

Lucien ran an agitated hand through his hair, turning away. "Boy had morphed into a girl until this morning, I guess. I'm used to referring to her as she."

Rayne frowned, "but he told me he preferred to be a he."

Lucien's eyes snapped back to her. "Really?"

"Yes," Rayne whispered. He loved Boy. She could see it in his eyes. Was that why he'd erased her memories? So that he wouldn't have to deal with her?

Her heart clenched painfully in her chest.

"Did you...? Did we become intimate?"

Lucien looked at her again. "Yes, we did."

Heat engulfed her. How intimate had they gotten? She knew she was still a virgin. Her hymen was intact. "I wouldn't have interfered between you and Boy. Is that...?"

"Don't," he snapped, his eyes growing hard. "It's not like that. I didn't fuck you and toss you aside for Boy."

"Did you fuck me?" Her face went hot. Had he and then had her hymen repaired? The thought horrified her.

"No," Lucien hissed coming closer. His hands gripped her arms. "Rayne, you wanted to hurt yourself. You had a breakdown and we thought it better to..." his head dipped, chin touching his chest as he huffed a frustrated breath.

"Better to what?" she insisted, wanting to know all the terrible truth. She didn't remember trying to hurt herself.

"We all wanted what was best for you, so I had the cyborgs reprogram your mind to be more accepting of what they did to save you."

She blinked at him stunned by what he was saying.

"If we'd have found you before them, Rem could've saved you, but the cyborgs say you were unresponsive. They had seconds to save you...the only way they know how."

They turned her into a cybernetic organism. She looked up into his face, wondering if it was because she wasn't fully human—

"No. I put distance between us to keep you safe, but you've followed me yet again, little one."

All she could do was stare up at him, want him, long to recover those memories between them that were lost to her, because he thought he needed to keep her safe. From what?

He reached out to her with one finger, tracing the curve of her cheek. "What am I to do with you?"

His lips drew nearer and Rayne melted, her gaze dropping to his lush mouth as her lips parted to accept his kiss. Just a hairsbreadth away, pounding on the metal door startled them both apart.

Lucien moved her aside and stalked to the door. He palmed it open and was immediately slammed against the wall by Amaranth.

"Oh, thank-god I've—" Her eyes found Rayne and she released Lucien to run and hug her. "Rayne. You scared the living daylights out of us." Releasing her to hold her at arm's length, she frowned down at Rayne. "Why did you take off? Have you any idea how dangerous it is for someone as little as you to be roaming this planet unescorted?"

"She knows now," Lucien snorted behind them before Rayne could say a word.

Amaranth turned to look at him over her shoulder before looking back at Rayne with a frown. "What happened?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle," Rayne answered. 

Lucien scoffed and strode forward. "She was kidnapped and almost raped by a crazy geneticist."

Amaranth's jaw dropped.

"I would've gotten free if you hadn't shown up," Rayne argued hotly.

Lucien ignored her and narrowed his eyes on Amaranth. "Why did you bring her here?"

Amaranth frowned. "She said she got left behind and needed to find you guys."

Lucien's almond-shaped eyes narrowed to slits. "If we'd wanted her along we wouldn't have left her behind.'

Amaranth flushed scarlet, and her hands dropped from Rayne's arms. 

At that moment, Seth stepped in and froze when he saw the pretty, red-haired reaper.

"What are you doing here?" he said with a frown once his apparent shock wore off.

"She's the one who brought Rayne here," Lucien growled through clenched teeth.

Rayne pushed past Amaranth, and scowled at both Alpha Angels. "I asked her to help me get to Earth. It was my choice, not hers, to be here."

Lucien's eyes became icier than usual. He just stood there before her, bare-chested and beautiful, blond hair spilling about his spectacular broad shoulders.

"Seth, Grab your girlfriend and leave...now," he said in an eerily calm voice.

Rayne swallowed hard, and watched as Seth made a sweeping gesture to Amaranth.

The girl reaper snorted. "Fine. But I'm not his girlfriend."

Seth smirked, his pale-blue eyes smoldering as she sashayed by him. A little growl purred in his chest as he flashed his fangs. "Yeah, but you know you want to be."

Amaranth's only reply was to smack him with her wings.

Seth smirk turned wolfish. "I'll have you know, Eriel already told me you do that because you're fucking hot for my ass."

Amaranth's squeal of anger was all Rayne heard before Lucien closed the doors on the other couple. He slapped his hand against the locking mechanism before turning toward her.

Something in his eyes had her backing away when he began to stalk her.

"You've changed," he growled.

She stumbled over the uneven floor between the eating and sleeping area, her towel slipping a bit.

Lucien gripped the front of the towel and ripped it off her body.

Rayne covered her breasts and groin with her hands, and glared at him.

"You had me reprogrammed, remember?"

His eyes drew down to where she covered herself in disapproval.

"Then I guess we're going to need a new program."

He gripped her arm and hauled her over to the bed.

Rayne gasped when he sat and yanked her facedown over his lap.

"Let's see..." he murmured, smoothing his big palm over her ass cheeks. "Lesson number one. This is my domain, inside these four walls I am Lord and Master. Do you understand that?"

Rayne sputtered her indignation, "No. I—"

He yanked her up and stood. Next thing she knew he'd shoved her out the window.

Rayne stumbled onto the porch, eyes wide as the sunlight struck her skin in all her naked glory. There were people on the street below them strolling by. Most stopped to gawk at her. Some laughed and pointed. Others whistled and began recording with their com-units.

Rayne spun, doing her best to cover her exposed ass.

"Let me in," she exclaimed.

"Who am I?" Lucien asked, eyes narrowed and hands braced against the window's frame, blocking her path to propriety.

"An asshole," Rayne spat.

Lucien grinned. "Wrong answer, sweetheart—and, Boy, if you cover her, you'll be next in line for punishment."

Rayne turned to gape at Boy as he shyly backed away. "Boy?" she whispered.

He just shrugged and rubbed his backside. "He's got a heavy hand."

She turned back to glare at Lucien. "You spanked Boy?"

Lucien just shrugged, his eyes sparkling devilishly, and damn the breeze for blowing through his golden locks and taking her breath away even more.

Rayne stomped her foot. "You are not my Lord or my Master."

"And that's why you're standing out there," he replied. "I can have one of the reapers come down and take you back to the spaceport, and escort you back to Alpha 7. You're not staying here and defying the chain of command."

Rayne clenched her teeth, wanting to hate him for being so infuriatingly bossy. "Fine," she snapped. "You're Lord and Master," she tipped her nose up and stared down at him, "within those four walls."

Lucien's eyes narrowed and her head spun when he yanked her back inside. Again, she was draped over his thighs, head down, ass up in the air, his hand holding her down.

A flutter of excitement raced through her as she gripped his boot with one hand to steady herself.

"Let's hear that again, but this time with more respect. Who am I?" he growled through clenched teeth.

"The asshole Lord and Master of these four walls."

He walloped her ass twice. Tears sprang to her eyes and a sob lodged in her throat.

"Let's try that again," he said softly. His hand smoothed over her stinging cheeks lovingly now, making the burning in her eyes and nose more pronounced.

"Y-you're Lord and Master." She replied tightly.

"And whose domain is this?"

"Yours," she managed to get out over the ever-growing lump in her throat.

"Mine," he repeated softly, his hand rubbing soft soothing circles over her ass.

Boy's words echoed in her mind. Home is with Lucien.

She had no home. She did not have Lucien. He belonged to Boy. She was not welcome here...nor wanted. Why had she insisted on coming?

Her arms were wrenched behind her back, making her gasp and stiffen. He'd used his power again to bind her wrists behind her back. She just hung limply, draped over his strong thighs. She would take his thrashing and then tell Amaranth to take her back to Alpha 7.

"As Lord and Master of this domain, my word is law, not to be disobeyed, or punishment will ensue. Do you understand that?"

"Yes, Sir," she replied.

"Good girl," he answered, his hand sliding up the center of her back. Lesson number two. You are never again to put your life in danger for me. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir."

"You're seeking me out and coming here has put your life in danger, and I will punish you for that...right now. Do you understand that, Girl?"

"Yes, sir," she choked out.

"No, Rayne. You don't understand, but you will soon."

He moved her to sit astride him, her bare ass resting on the rough material of his pants, her feet dangling off the floor from how long his legs were. He pulled her tight against him and cupped her face so she stared deep into his eyes.

Rayne felt herself being drawn into the ice-blue depths, deeper and deeper, until she felt she was drowning.

Fear gripped her hard when darkness swallowed her, a void so black and cold it threatened to smother her. She wasn't sure how, but she was inside his mind, feeling his emotions, reliving a moment of his past.

He ran, sharp stones cutting into the soles of his feet. They were after him. He'd managed to get away after they dragged him out of the sorceress' dungeon on Arboria, but they were close behind.

He headed toward a faint glowing ahead when he heard a whimper behind him and froze in his tracks.

Another bleat of terror had him backtracking. It could be a trick, but god-damn-it, what if they'd pulled one of the girls down here as well? Anniel barely had any power. They'd shred her to pieces and leave them behind just to mind fuck him.

Lucien ran back, but what he saw when he finally raced back into the cavern he'd just escaped from had his eyes going round. It was worse than Anniel. It was that sweet girl he'd found in the tower room.

The devils circled her, snickering and laughing amongst themselves. The girl huddled in their midst, terror flaring in her big doll-like blue eyes.

Possessiveness bloomed in Lucien's heart as he opened his tattered wings and swooped down to grab her.

Tails whipped his body, struck the girl who wrapped herself around him and cried out in agony. Lucien flew across the cavern toward another opening. She was slowing him down, but if he released her, they'd kill her.

He spiraled down a deep crevice and squeezed into a narrow niche where he huddled around the shivering girl. Pressing her face against his chest, he held his breath. She couldn't breathe, but at least that way she wouldn't make noise.

The horde of devils fluttered past, thankfully never noticing their hiding place.

The girl stiffened in his tight embrace, but didn't fight him. He released her once all the devils had flown past.

She gasped, panted against his chest, her little feminine body limp and pliant against him. God—how long had it been since he felt a naked female pliant against him. She began kissing his chest, making his eyes tear. Her soft hands stroked him and he longed to just enjoy the loving attention. Attention he usually never received, not unless it was coerced or demanded. This felt nice, but it was the wrong moment...and clearly, she was confused. No one could ever love him or feel affection for him. He was the dark prince.

"Stop," he demanded. Holding her close, he fluttered down to the ground near a pool of dark water.

He uttered the incantation necessary to open a portal back to Arboria. He could feel the devils locking in on him. Lucien hauled the sweet girl into his arms and kissed her deeply. It was selfish of him, but he needed it. He needed to feel of her soft mouth against his. Just one more taste of sweetness before the bitter again. "If you know what's good for you, you will never seek me out. Do you understand?"

He never let her answer. Just pushed her into the deep pool and closed the portal before the devils found her.

It was too late to escape, but he fought. He fought them with everything he had.

With Lucifer's blade, he hacked about twenty of the disgusting creatures before it flew from his hand and he was pinned facedown on the dirt.

His legs were yanked open, making him cringe. "Oh, please, no. Not again"—he cried within his tortured mind.

Terror had bile rising up his throat as he watched a delicate pair of feet approaching.

The fallen angel made a disapproving sound. "Lucien-Lucien-Lucien, why do you hack away at my children?"

"Fuck-you," Lucien spat.

The angel snickered before leaning down to look at him in the eyes.

Red-blond curls framed a devastatingly beautiful androgynous face with bright blue-green eyes. "Wrong, Lucien. It is me who will fuck you. And then I'll leave you to my children, who like to fuck you too."

The angel spread Lucien's ass cheeks and spit on his rosette.

Lucien cringed when he felt the Angel's cock pierce him. The fucker was thick, and it burned. Lucien wanted to vomit.

"You feel so fucking good. Almost as tight as your daddy's ass."

Lucien cried out when the fallen angel slammed his hips against his ass, feeling the sharp pain deep in his gut.

Rayne was slammed against the bed when Lucien stood abruptly, terminating the vision he was projecting into her head.

She wanted to go to him, but he kept her power-bound on the bad as he took a few steps away from her, giving her his back.

He was shuddering and panting.

She remembered. She remembered he'd pushed her out of that hellish place...and then he'd been raped afterward, trying to protect her.

Her tears flowed now.

"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry."

He stood still a few seconds, back still turned to her, before walking back into the eating area.

"I don't ever want to have to relive that again, Rayne," he said resuming his work at the counter.

****** 

Girl sat with him just outside the window. They ate the food Lucien had prepared silently. She looked pale and her eyes were rimmed in red. What had Lucien done to her? He'd seen Him spank her, but just twice. Her cute little ass had squirmed on his lap and Boy had found himself growing aroused at the sight of her tiny pussy growing pink and wet. Getting spanked obviously turned her on. Boy just wanted to lick her, remembering how sweet she tasted.

However, he'd, been pulled from his erotic musing when Lucien yanked her to straddle his lap, and then they'd had a staring contest.

It was all very strange. Boy moved slowly to sit on the edge of the window, watching them. Lucien's hands slid down her arms and a look of pain and terror flashed across his countenance. Rayne's eyes grew wide as she stared into Lucien's.

Boy frowned when Rayne made a frightened sound. He was about to get up and ask them what kind of game they were playing when tears began streaming down Lucien's cheeks. Boy gaped, unsure of what to do.

With a cry of pain, Lucien pushed Girl onto the bed and sprang to his feet, shuddering and panting.

About to go to him, he stopped in his tracks when he heard Girl sobbing and begging for forgiveness.

Lucien walked away, never turning back to her. His steps were stiff, robotic, until he reached the counter and grabbed a knife to continue to cut a white round vegetable. "I don't ever want to have to relive that again, Rayne."

Rayne's hands were still power bound behind her back, and she curled into a fetal position, her sobs wracking her little body.

Boy crawled into bed and curled around her back.

"It's okay. Please don't cry," he begged.

She only shook her head. "It's my fault. They hurt him because of me."

Boy didn't understand, but just held her, every once in a while shooting a glance Lucien's way.

After a long while, her sobs subsided and she drifted off to sleep. The warm breeze and the sounds coming from the eating area lulled him into sleep as well.

When they'd awakened, Lucien had set up their food outside at the small table on the porch.

They crawled out of the bed and onto the porch to eat.

Lucien stood at the end of the porch, dragonweed stick billowing smoke from between his fingers as he tipped his head back to drink heavily from another bottle of Black Death.

Boy frowned, realizing this was Lucien's way of escaping things he did not want to face.

"Aren't you going to eat?" Boy asked.

"Later," Lucien answered, not even looking at him.

Boy rose from his seat and sauntered over to him, holding one of the little pastries Lucien had confectioned for them.

He leaned on the railing and carefully took the bottle from Lucien's hand. Surprisingly, Lucien let him, leveling Boy with his pretty feline-like eyes.




Redemption Ch. 10



Lucien frowned slightly, his eyes lowering to Boy's abdomen. His hand rose and slid beneath, caressing his abs.

"I need for Dev to check you."

Boy frowned at him now. "Why?"

Lucien's eyes rose back to his again. "Baby, I think you're..."

He remained silent.

"What?" Boy prodded.

Lucien took a deep breath. "Pregnant."

Boy dropped the pastry he was going to offer Lucien.

He stared, dumbfound at the man for about five seconds before he began to laugh, and laugh, and laugh, until the laughter turned to sobs.

"I can't get pregnant," Boy choked out.

Lucien gripped him behind his neck and hauled him close, using his other hand to wipe at his tears. "Easy, baby. It's okay."

Girl Rayne snuggled up to both of them, her eyes staring up at Boy in worry.

Boy shook his head. "I'd gotten pregnant once, but the baby died inside me and my old master used forceps to yank it from inside m—"

"Stop," Lucien snapped, pulling Boy against his chest so that his lips were mashed against his thick pectoral.

Boy felt when the man shuddered in revulsion, but was it because of the picture Boy had painted of the horrible abortion that had ripped his feminine reproductive organs from inside him, or was it because he was more male once again and that disgusted Lucien?

"Remi healed you, baby. He made you whole again."

Boy frowned. Not whole. His furry cat's tail hadn't been restored to him...but his womb? Had Remien given him back his womb?

Boy struggled to move away from Lucien, staring at him wide-eyed.

"He restored you," Lucien repeated.

Boy blinked. "Why do you think I-I'm pregnant?"

Lucien caressed his face. "You show some of the signs. The high-strung emotions, your nipples... Baby, you're pregnant. You went into heat on Alpha 7."

Boy shook his head, unable to believe what he was hearing. Not wanting to believe it.

"Look, Devon can clear this up. I've tried seeing into the future, but I suck at it."

Boy struggled out of his embrace. "No. That's possible. I can't get pregnant again."

"Devon will know for sure."

Boy scowled. "He would've said something by now if I were."

"It's early still, Boy. He can't feel the new life unless he's looking for it at this stage."

Boy didn't want to know. What would happen to him if he were? He stared at Lucien in fear, backing away some more. Lucien frowned now.

"Boy?"

Would Lucien have the baby removed from inside him as well? He always told Boy not to tell anyone of what they did together. If Boy was pregnant, everyone would know—not that they didn't already—but, Lucien would feel ashamed.

Tingling in his head had his hands going up to his hair as Lucien's eyes narrowed.

"Fuck, Boy. I can't fucking believe you'd think I'm capable of...' Lucien whirled and threw the dragonweed stick to the street below, before running agitated fingers through is hair.

Boy didn't know what to think. He barely knew the man. He barely knew any of them.

Lucien pushed away from the railing and stomped away.

Boy stared at Girl and jumped when he heard the front doors to the apartment slam hard.

Girl rushed inside also, but Boy looked down to see Lucien a few seconds later stalking down the street, still shirtless. People gawked at him, some began to follow him, and Boy felt a flash of jealousy burn a hole in his gut.

"He's gone," Girl called from the window.

Eriel, Natanael, and Abdiel swooped down from the upstairs balcony. Their wings sounded like thunder as they hovered right off the edge of the railing, staring at Boy wide-eyed.

"You're pregnant?" Natanael blurted.

Abdiel struck him with a wing, sending Nat spiraling toward the street.

Both Eriel and Abdiel landed on the balcony in front of Boy.

"You okay, kiddo?" Eriel asked.

People were coming out of their apartments to gawk at the reapers as Natanael swooped back up and landed between Erie and Abdy with a scowl.

"Why'd you smack me down?"

Abdy rolled his eyes. "For your lack of tact."

"My lack of tact? You were the one who came running in to tell us that Luke popped a bun in Boy's baby replicator."

Abdiel's face went scarlet.

Boy scrunched his face in confusion, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Eriel looped his arm through Boy's and steered him into the apartment. "You shouldn't be on your feet, sweetheart."

"Why not?" Boy asked as he was unnecessarily helped down off the window's ledge.

The reapers followed in after him. The apartment was suddenly too crowded with their wings and bulk.

"You might get a dizzy spell and faint and fall and hurt yourself.

Boy just stared at them as they moved about the tiny apartment.

"Want some water?" Nat asked already pouring a glass from their precious water ration.

"Uh...not really," Boy replied frowning when Eriel came at him with a plate piled high with the rest of the food Lucien had made. It was probably Lucien's ration and he had no intention of leaving the man without food. "Hey, that's Lucien's."

Eriel frowned. "Well, that's too bad for your baby-daddy. You're eating for two."

"That's ridiculous. Lucien is not my baby-daddy."

All three reapers gasped and looked at Girl Rayne.

"Then it's hers?" Abdy squeaked.

Girl, who was listening to the whole conversation open-mouthed, lost what little color she had and plopped down on the bed—eyes and mouth round in shock.

Boy rushed over and sat next to her, pulling her into his arms and rubbing her arms. "Stop it. You're upsetting her. I am not pregnant. No one here is, okay?"

Girl surprised him by climbing into his lap and hugging him.

"Girl? Are you okay?"

"I...I can't have babies," she whispered.

Boy held her tight. "Neither can I."

She leaned back and studied him. "Maybe you can, Boy. Remi fixed you. He didn't fix me. He can't now. It's too late for me, but if you have a baby, we can play with it and love it." She smiled shyly, her eyes glowing with unshed tears. "We can be like a real family."

Boy's hearts pounded. "But, what if Lucien doesn't want to be part of our family?"

"Speak of the devil—where did he go?" Abdiel asked.

Eriel snorted. "Knowing him, off to get shit-faced."

Boy turned to look out the window. It was still early. Hopefully, Lucien would return before it grew dark.



Redemption Ch. 11



I'm not going to bore you with a big intro, just a friendly reminder that comments and suggestions are greatly appreciated and encouraged.

*****

The chairs to either side of him moved. Lucien kept his eyes firmly on his drink as Devon and Remi flanked him. Zak sat on Remi's right and Seth to Devon's left.

"We'll have whatever he's having," Remi told the Gruesh bartender.

Lucien sighed. He should have known they'd follow him. Still keeping his eyes on his drink, he asked, "Where are the girls?"

"They're sitting this one out," Devon answered.

That made Lucien look at his brother with a raised brow. "This one?"

Ashriel stood behind Devon, black wings slightly spread to shield him from view.

Devon's inky hair covered half his face—like that would do anything. Lucien turned to look at the bartender who was still standing in front of them, eyes glassy and jaw slack...just staring at Devon.

Angel-struck idiot.

Lucien leaned forward, getting in the man's line of view and snarled, "snap out of it."

The Gruesh male winced, his blue eyes going to Lucien's face. He gulped and turned to prepare the drinks.

"Are you crazy, walking into a place like this?" Lucien told his brother.

Devon turned in his seat to face him fully. "You have the same effect I do on these people."

Lucien was about to laugh in his face until he saw the crowd that stood around them. Most hadn't noticed Devon yet, with Ashriel standing just mere inches from him and keeping him out of sight with his wings. They were focused only on Lucien.

Lucien scowled and turned away. A male vampire had taken over for the Gruesh attending them.

Ignoring everyone again, Lucien tossed back the contents of his glass and motioned for a refill.

"We're staying out tonight to play," Remi began. "You sure you can handle it with all the alcohol you're ingesting?"

"What are you, my fucking mother now?" Lucien snorted.

"I don't spawn ugly children, fuck-face," Remi said with a smirk.

Lucien raised an amused brow at him. "Says the man who nick-named me Mr. Blond and Beautiful."

Remi's grin widened. "It's called sarcasm."

"Enough already," Devon deadpanned.

Remi trapped the silver stud on his tongue between his teeth as he chuckled, a flame of red flickering in the pupils within the blazing green of his eyes.

Lucien wanted to slap the hell out of him, but the fucker was too quick. Somehow Zak always got every blow directed Remi's way.

Lucien raised his glass and saluted Zak , who was next to Rem. Zak just gave him a baffled looked. He had no idea.

Lucien snickered before downing his drink. "Another one here."

"I still think he shouldn't stay out here with us," Seth grumbled.

Lucien ignored him and reached for his sixth drink...or was it his sixteenth?

Remi watched him with narrowed eyes and asked the bartender for a whole bottle. Competition time—yay.

"I'll have one too," Lucien seconded, "to hell with it."

"He's anointed now," Devon told the weretigri, frowning as Remi and Lucien clinked bottles and began chugging them down. "They can't touch him..." Devon's glowing blue eyes narrowed even more when Zak did the same, "unless he allows it." He watched them tip their heads back, bottles pressed against their lips.

Lucien felt Ashriel's glower, rather than saw it. He knew the reaper still itched to run him through with his divine sword. He was just still pissed Lucien had been Anniel's lover back in the day. He wondered if the big reaper knew Devon had also enjoyed the same privilege and that Zak had been all but drooling for the chance to bed the dark-skinned beauty while she suffered from her heat cycle during her pregnancy with Gareth.

Lucien slid his narrowed gaze over his shoulder to the scowling reaper and then to his too beautiful brother. Unable to keep a smug smile from crossing over his face, he said, "You think I still might turn again?"

Devon's hand twitched and Lucien felt ready to recoil. He knew Dev wanted to touch him. Instead though, Devon smiled, eyes full of love that made Lucien want to vomit. "I know you won't, baby brother."

Lucien snorted. "Fuck you. You're only a few minutes older according to Remuel and Zakreel."

"You're all crazy if you're planning on staying out past curfew," the male vampire serving their drinks said.

He was dark, like Anniel, also with piercing golden eyes and long nails painted black.

The man wore the usual black uniform the other bartenders wore, but he had a silver pin of a dragon with a lance through it over his pectoral.

Lucien sipped his drink and stared at the pin, wondering about its meaning.

"We're demon hunters, "Seth told him.

The vamp smiled broadly, showing his inch-long sharp fangs as his eyes fell to Remi and Zak. "Big deal. I'm a dragon hunter."

Lucien's arm shot out at the same time Zak clamped a hand on Remi's shoulder when the red weredragon almost shot over the bar. An animalistic snarl erupted from Rem's throat.

"Simmer down, hot-head. He's just yanking your chain," Lucien snapped, before realizing his hand was right on Remi's chest. The heat of the red weredragon filled his hand, making him desperately want to snatch it away. Unfortunately keeping Rem on their side of the bar would mean Lucien could keep drinking a bit longer. He was still too sober to suit himself. Everything around him was not really wavering all that much.

Thankfully, Remi settled back in his chair but glared at the bartender.

The gutsy vampire just snickered as he polished a glass with a white hand cloth. "Only idiots stay out after curfew, Demon hunter or not."

"You can't hunt demons if you don't look for them," Devon said.

The vampire narrowed his eyes on him and then looked at Lucien. "Neither of you are vampires. What the hell are you?"

Lucien laughed softly and Devon grinned. What were they, indeed—the spawn of the fallen angel, Davariel. It was his brother who answered. "We're demons."

The vampire's eyes widened before he frowned and moved away.

"I want to leave," Ashriel stated behind them. "People are stroking my feathers and I don't like it."

Lucien laughed as Remi stood up off his chair.

"No worries, Ash," Remi said pulling his shirt off. Lucien watched the red weredragon's back muscles contort before his skin stretched and ripped, freeing enormous opalescent red dragon's wings. "I'll distract them with my magnificence," he finished, his voice now deep and bestial.

A horde of women flocked over to him and stroked everything from his wings to his chest to his hair. Remi just folded his arms over his chest and grinned back at Ashriel smugly.

"Remien Fyre, what the hell are you doing?" Rowie called out from the entrance to the bar.

Lucien grinned and leaned back with his bottle of Black Death, ready to enjoy the upcoming show as the crowd parted to let her through. Her usually jet black eyes were ringed in red and her fangs were bared as she rushed toward Remi.

"B-baby, it's not what you think," Remi stammered comically, desperately trying to disengage himself from the adoring females clinging to him.

Rowie finally reached her mate and hissed at the females pawing her man. Once they released Remi, she shoved him against the edge of the bar and sank her fangs into his throat.

The sound of sharp teeth breaking skin had Lucien's stomach roiling. Crimson ribbons flowed down Remi's bare chest. He closed his eyes and groaned in ecstasy as the bloody rivulets coursed over the ever-growing bulge in his leather pants.

"Seriously?" Seth snorted. "Are these amorous displays really necessary?"

Devon and Zak chuckled.

Lucien just turned his face away, doing his best to keep the memories of how he'd been bitten and mauled while in hell at bay.

Angel and Anniel came in after Rowie. So much for them sitting this one out.

"And the reapers?" Lucien asked.

"All but Abdiel will be joining us after sundown," Devon informed.

Lucien frowned. "Why not Abdiel?"

"He's staying behind to guard where we live just in case. Boy Rayne and Girl Rayne are still there," Ashriel replied.

Boy and Girl, his naughty charges. Lucien closed his eyes and raked fingers through his hair. He could feel Devon's eyes on him now.

"They both feel for you, Lucien. You don't have to pick one," Devon began.

"Will there be children?" Lucien interrupted, eyes still closed.

The answer terrified him. Children. What would they be like? Would his father's tainted blood produce another demon hybrid? Jazriel had come out with Devon's tainted blood. So far, he hadn't manifested anything negative, but would the same hold true for Lucien's future offspring? Would they suffer they way he'd suffered? The thought had sweat beading on his forehead and moistening his back with dread.

Lucien turned his head to stare at Devon. Angel stood next to him.

"I feel something, but..."Devon began.

When he didn't say anything further, Lucien clenched his fists and hissed, "but what?"

Angel placed her hand on Devon's arm. Lucien noticed her faraway look, signaling she was having a vision.

Devon gripped Lucien's arm before he could move away and the scene hit his mind like a slap.

He was engulfed in strong arms, his fingers buried in a mass of blond curls...a thousand shades of gold. Enormous wings, covered in blue-black down spread to either side before him. Lucien's fingers trailed down a strong neck to rippled shoulders and biceps. He didn't hold a child. It was...

"Ozzy," Remi gasped, startling Lucien from the trance.

Remi was leaning against Lucien's back, eyes glassy, still caught up in the shared vision.

Suddenly, Lucien didn't care that Devon still held his forearm, and Remi had his chest plastered to his back.

Lucien turned to grip Rem's biceps and shake him a little.

"Who the fuck is Ozzy?" Lucien demanded staring into Remi's befuddled green eyes.

Another vision assailed him, but this time Lucien saw the face of the young reaper he'd held.

With a cry of outrage, he shoved Remi away.

"That's my father," he grated, immediately garnering Ashriel's undivided attention.

The reaper's eyes went black and he shoved his way over to them, forgetting to cover Devon.

Ashriel's fists gripped Lucien's shirt, hauling him up into his face.

"What did you just see?" Ash asked deadly calm. Meanwhile Anniel gripped his arm and demanded he leave Lucien alone—if anything those meaty fists of his gripped Lucien's shirt tighter. The sound of material ripping incensed Lucien further.

"Get your fucking hands off me," Lucien demanded between tightly clenched teeth.

Remi shook his head, slipping out of his stupor and put his fingers around Ashriel's wrist. "Let him be, Ash."

"Look," the male vampire began, "You people need to get out of here. Now."

"Ashriel," Anniel said, panic clearly in her voice.

He shoved Lucien back down into his seat and took a step back.

Seth pushed Devon closer to Ashriel, his eyes flicking back and forth in the room beyond them. "That's good advice. Damn-it, Ashriel."

Lucien frowned and that's when he noticed almost every patron in the bar had their eyes on Devon.

There were about fifty people in the bar, some alien, but most Edenian. Still something wasn't right.

Lucien was accustomed to the enchantment Devon inadvertently caused most humanoid beings, but this was different.

Lucien turned to the vamp and discovered him gone, as well as the Gruesh and Lizdrac that had been standing there only moments before.

Growling made him direct his attention back to the bar room. Some of the men and women present rushed out in terror. Those remaining held Lucien's attention completely.

Eyes that had once looked normal were now ringed in red and teeth were bared, showing yellowed fangs.

"Master," a few of them hissed.

"Possessed," Ashriel said in a low voice as he slowly unsheathed his divine sword.

Devon gripped his arm. "We're only allowed to kill Demons, not possessed."

Lucien grabbed his bottle of Black Death and gulped it down quickly, his eyes never leaving the mob of growling, snarling creatures before them.

This was going to get fun.

"If we don't kill them, how are we supposed to leave here?" Ashriel rasped.

From the corner of his eye, Lucien saw Remi move. "Like this," Remi snickered.

Lucien laughed when the crazy red weredragon let out an ear-piercing roar and threw himself headlong into the seething mob before them.

Yeah, that Fyre hadn't changed one damn bit, pussy-whipped or not. Zak, Rowie, and Seth jumped in after him.

Lucien just rolled his shoulders and head, taking a deep breath before joining in as well.

It was too crowded for anything fancy, no kicking out or back flips, just an out and out fistfight. He ducked a few chairs and spun out of the way when a crazed female came at him with a metal spike. Anniel gripped the woman by an arm, slammed her down, and knocked her out with one hook to her chin. A burly man with a green Mohawk gripped Lucien around the throat. He did his best to nail the five hundred pound bruiser in the face, but the crazed man only laughed hysterically. He lifted Lucien by the throat with one meaty fist and slammed him on a table.

"What a pretty boy-what a pretty boy," the man cackled in hysteria.

Wood splintered beneath his back and spots danced before his eyes as he continued to pummel the man in the face. Blood gushed from his nose when it crunched under Lucien's fist, skin cracked open over a shattered cheekbone, and a few teeth flew out from between split lips, his aggressor's face was turning to mush, but the fucker would not stop choking Lucien.

He couldn't breathe and knew he had seconds to get the stupid bastard off before he passed out from asphyxiation.

A white, muscled arm wrapped around the bruiser's neck and his face turned purple beneath the streams of gushing blood. Lucien closed his eyes, and when he opened them, it was to see the man's head flying off to the left. The pressure on his neck stopped and he coughed as Devon pushed the dead body off him. His brother helped him sit up on the decimated table.

"I thought we weren't supposed to kill them?" Lucien croaked between gulps of breath.

Devon frowned. "I wasn't going to let him kill you."

A lump formed in Lucien's throat, nothing to do with the bruising the demonically possessed man's choking had caused. There was no time to speak however, because Remi landed next to them with two screeching females intent on ripping him to shreds.

Devon slammed into one, rolling away into the melee with her as Lucien gripped the second one. The female was foaming at the mouth, her eyes blood-red. She looked like a fifty year-old woman with short salt and pepper hair and heavy-set. Lucien probably outweighed her by a hundred or so pounds with his height and muscle mass, but the female wrapped around him like a snake and sank her teeth into his shoulder.

Terror slammed into him at the feel of her bite. Another possessed gripped his legs and bit him on his thigh. It was Hell all over again and he found himself reaching for his swords.

Concealed in a pocket of glamour just behind both his shoulders, they flared to life as he touched the hilts.

Both the rabid female and the young male gnawing his leg screamed in terror when he unsheathed his swords. Everything slowed down, sound distorted in his ears. Amongst the crazed people, Lucien saw them. They crawled on the living like roaches, little devils with smoky gray bodies, pointed little horns and needle sharp teeth. They stared at Lucien with button black eyes. Only Ashriel moved faster than the rest, his head turning to regard Lucien with a frown.

Lucien could feel electric-like power surrounding his body, coiled back. Lucien released the flow of power and watched, fascinated, as the tiny devils screeched before turning paper white and then disintegrating into fine grayish-white ash.

He saw more power ripple out from Ashriel, like rings upon the surface of water. Everywhere the rings touched, devils turned to ash. Ashriel just stared at Lucien as every devil around them dissolved.

The pulsing flow of power coiled back around him and he felt when time snapped back into place, making Lucien feel disorientated. The bodies of the possessed dropped into lifeless heaps on the floor of the bar. There were still people there, screaming, and trying to run for cover.

Ashriel stomped over to Lucien and hauled him up.

"What the fuck, man," Lucien snarled trying to yank his arms free.

Ashriel pulled him close, bottomless black eyes boring into Lucien's.

"How is it possible?" Ashriel said, incredulity coloring his words. "You have the powers of a reaper."

Lucien tried to shove him away. "Fuck you. Like hell I do."

Devon gripped Ashriel's hands, but his eyes were wide, staring at Lucien in shock.

Ashriel finally let him go as the others gathered around.

"Lucien," Devon said, blinking. "Your eyes..."

He was still seeing kind of strange and his hearing was off too. Must've been from almost being choked to death, plus the alcohol.

"Baby," Anniel said caressing his cheek, "Your eyes are completely black like Ashriel's."

******* 

Girl Rayne wrung her fingers as she paced back and forth inside the tiny dwelling. The sun had long since gone down and Boy stood on the balcony looking down. He'd rolled a metal shutter attached outside the wall so that it covered half the round window. In the corner of the eating area he'd placed a glowstone that had been absorbing energy from the sun moments before sundown on their porch. It lit the tiny dwelling with a soft golden glow. Lucien still hadn't returned and the reapers had taken off from the balcony just as the sun dipped below the horizon behind the tall buildings around them. Across the street, the red lettering of the Hotel Rohello cast an eerie glow on everything outside.

"Boy, where could he have gone? Is he angry with us?" she called out. 

When he didn't answer, she leaned her head out the window. Boy stood at the railing with his back to her. His long white hair danced in the breeze, bathed by the red light from the building cross the way. He wore a pair of soft drawstring pants.

She began to climb out, but he swung around and snapped, "go back in. It's dangerous out here."

Girl flinched. He'd never spoken to her so brusquely before. "Then why are you out there?" she asked without heat for once in her words.

He turned without answering her, his hands gripping the railing again.

Was he angry with her too? Everyone thought she wasn't strong enough to defend herself...even Boy. They'd all left, she didn't know where. Lucien had brought Boy along. Maybe Boy was angry he'd been left behind to babysit her.

Anger and hurt stirred within her. Feelings of insecurity assailed her. Lucien loved Boy. Boy would give him a baby—something she was incapable of. They didn't need her, did they?

She suddenly couldn't breathe. Turning on her heel, she darted to the door and began to manually disengage the locking mechanisms.

When she tried to haul the metal bar off the holding brackets, Boy's hands clamped on the metal beam, holding it in place.

Girl hadn't realized she was panting, but her breath hammered in and out of her open mouth as Boy's warmth pressed her against the door.

"What are you doing?" he asked softly near her ear.

Rayne blinked, her face pressed against the cool metal double doors. If only she could make Boy want her, maybe Lucien would consider keeping her with them. He wouldn't send her away.

Closing her eyes she thrust her hips back into Boy's groin. He stiffened. Slowly she felt him begin to grow in his pants as she rubbed her ass against him.

She heard him swallow hard and a soft purring began rumbling in his chest.




Redemption Ch. 11



Girl carefully pulled open her robe and let it fall. Completely naked now, she turned between his arms and leaned back staring up at him.

Boy's pupils were dilated wide and his muscles bulged. He was far from Lucien's magnificence, but delicately beautiful as well. Soft pink nipples stood in perfect little points just inches from her mouth. Whereas Lucien she couldn't kiss even if she stood on tip-toe, she could reach Boy's chin if she leaned up far enough. He was also tall and she came up to his chin. His lip lifted and a little snarl rumbled forth reminding her of the days when she'd sneak off in King Dred's castle to smuggle Boy some food.

A sheet of silvery hair cascaded forward when Boy leaned closer and sniffed her neck.

Girl's nipples pinched tight with arousal and she felt herself clench low below her belly.

She closed her eyes and let out a breathy whimper when he pressed sharp teeth against her neck.

Girl's entire body went pliant when he snarled again. She was throbbing now, authentically craving he take her. Arching her neck for his bite and thrusting her breasts toward him in submission, she moaned again.

Boy's hands moved. One cupped her ass and drew her tight into his groin. Since he was still way taller than her, his engorged cock pushed into her belly until he bent his knees gripped her leg and pulled her pussy directly onto his cock. His teeth dug deeper into her flesh, but didn't break skin as he used his other hand to fist her short hair.

Girl gasped in pleasure when he rocked against her. Since he held her leg, opening her sensitive lips over his silky drawstring pants, she could feel exactly how hard and thick he was.

Lucien hadn't wanted to take her because she was a virgin and was afraid to hurt her. She had to get Boy to breach her if she was ever to entice Lucien into fucking her. She was sure once he fucked her he would be more likely to keep her.

"Please," she begged Boy.

He stopped, dropped her leg, and leaned back enough to poke his finger into her mouth.

Girl Rayne drew on it hungrily, staring deep into his eyes.

Boy licked his lips, desire etched on every inch of his face as he plunged his finger in and out of her lips. The hand holding her hair tightened and suddenly he was lowering her to kneel before him.

He began to fumble with the ties to his pants. Rayne let him undo his pants until they slid past his lean hips. His pale cock bobbed in front of her face. Rayne licked her lips knowing what he wanted, but remaining passive in his hold.

Excitement made her nanoblood feel like fire in her veins and she felt herself grow very wet between her thighs. Boy fisted his cock and ran the tip around her open lips. gripping her hair tighter, he yanked her head back and carefully slid the tip of his cock inside.

Girl Rayne moaned and closed her eyes as she let her tongue dart out and lick the underside of his glans. Boy's growl startled her, and she looked up into his face. His teeth were on full display now and he looked quite feral.

Girl Rayne kept her lips open for him and clasped her hands behind her back, showing him complete submission.

Slowly, Boy pressed inside. He used his hand to guide her head and fucked her mouth carefully at first, as if afraid she'd bite him.

Girl Rayne let her lips seal around his girth and she sucked on him, humming in pleasure at seeing his glazed eyes widen in awe.

"That feels so good," he panted, thrusting his hips faster.

She tightened her suction on him and watched as he slowly unraveled. Unlike a Dom, Boy immersed himself in the pleasure of using her mouth, fucking her deep. She controlled her gag reflex and let him plunge into her throat, until she was sure he was about to come.

Letting go of her hands, she pushed against his hips. Thankfully, he released her and stumbled back.

"Why'd you stop? Was I hurting you?" He panted.

His concern for her comfort took her by surprise and touched her. "Uh...no. I just wondered if you wanted to mount me?"

His eyes widened and he just stared at her a few seconds before opening his mouth to reply.

"I'm sure he'd love to, but Boy decided to go celibate. Didn't you, Boy?"

They both jumped at the sound of Lucien's voice.

Boy grabbed the pants that were still around his ankles and yanked them up his legs, his cheeks pink with guilt.

Girl Rayne scrambled to her feet and launched herself at Lucien, throwing her arms around his waist.

The scent of smoke and alcohol wafted off him as well as other scents she couldn't identify.

His arms came around her but loosely. She longed for him to pick her up and hold her tight.

"What happened to you?" she heard Boy behind her. "You've been hurt."

Girl Rayne winced and looked up at Lucien. Dismay filled her at the sight of his torn shirt and bleeding cuts. His throat was horribly bruised as well as areas on his face.

Reaching up, she touched his black and blue cheek. "Please," she choked on a sob. "Let me tend to you."

His lips hardened for a moment and she thought he would deny her the pleasure to see to him, but he back away a step and gestured to the bathing alcove. "Lead the way, then, Little Madam."

Rayne gripped his hand and pulled him after her, leaving Boy behind, forgotten.

She deftly undid his belt, but he stopped her when she tried to unzip his pants.

Lucien grinned down at her. "Allow me some pride and let me take my shirt off first."

Since she really didn't reach high enough while he towered over her to help him with his tattered shirt, she had to let him take that off first. Of course, she'd wanted to take his pants off first and then have him sit to unveil his torso, but, she guessed there was some unwritten rule about Doms undressing from top to bottom first and not the other way around.

He ripped off the remains of his shirt, leaving her breathless for a few seconds until he snapped his fingers in front of her entranced face.

Tearing her gaze away from the sight of that chiseled torso and golden hair cascading over bulky shoulders, Girl reached for his pants again and swallowed hard. He was sculpted perfection, and a light trail of blond hair made its way from his belly button to the low-slung black jeans he wore. Undoing the button and zipper to the pants, she followed the golden trail to the treasure beneath. His hard, thick cock popped out from its denim-clad prison. He was commando beneath the black rough material and had a halo of sparse curls around his shaft.

Girl Rayne's fingers trembled as she tugged the pants down his hips and muscular long legs. When she reached his knees, she realized her mistake in forgetting to remove his boots.

He chuckled above her, drawing her gaze to his beautiful face. With a wave of his hands, both boots and pants just disappeared.

Her perusal of his elongated cock screeched to a halt at the sight of an ugly bite mark on his thigh. Blood oozed down the length of leg now that the material of his pants no longer soaked up the flow. It seemed the blood had started to clot, but when he teleported the pants away it reopened the wound. From there her eyes got a good look at the sight of faint scars marring his flesh—he'd been torn into by claws and teeth, and it made her eyes tear at the amount of pain he must've endured.

She jumped, startled, when he stalked past her and tossed his discarded shirt over the glowstone immersing the tiny apartment into darkness.

"It's late. Both of you go to bed, I'll be there in a while."

******* 

Boy stared at him from near the front doors. It was completely dark and Girl looked disorientated for a moment. He could see well in the dark and knew Boy could too.

Boy only hesitated a second before shuffling forward to help Girl stand. She blinked a few times as she stood and he realized the exact moment her vision adjusted to the darkness. Her luminous blue eyes turned to stare at him. They still glittered with her tears. Tears that had welled in pity upon seeing his scars. They covered parts of his chest, arms, hips legs and groin—especially his groin. Thank fuck she hadn't taken a good look at his ass.

His face flamed with shame. Maybe he should've let Devon erase the evidence of his time as Dark Prince, but he'd been too proud at the time to accept Devon's gesture. Besides, getting naked before his brother wasn't something he'd really wanted to do.

Girl yanked her arm from Boy's grip and stalked to the bed with a pout.

Lucien didn't miss the hurt look Boy tried to hide by ducking his head behind the curtain of his hair. The front of his pants were tented, making Lucien wonder what he'd interrupted. When Natanael had dropped him off on the balcony he'd slipped in through the open window and heard Girl inviting Boy to mount her. What had they been up to before that? How had Boy felt when Girl had simply abandoned his side to tend to Lucien? How would Lucien have felt if it had been the other way around?

Like shit, that's how.

Lucien raked his hands through his hair. Everything was such a mess. He had no clue how to go about fixing it.

Taking a deep breath, he walked back into the bathing area and turned the water on. Wetting a washcloth with cold water, he flicked off the tap and grabbed a cake of soap. The fresh bites stung horribly when he lathered them, but he just held his tongue stoically and soaped his entire body. His dick hurt the most because of the attention it never received. Had Girl not looked upon him with pity, he might have been thrusting in and out of her pretty mouth by now. And Boy?

The memory of sucking off Boy's cock almost had him groaning. His dick hardened even more to his shock, and he had to lean his forehead against the broken tiles of the wall before him to keep himself under control.

"Are you okay?"

The sound of Boy's voice startled him. Lucien blinked his eyes open, but didn't dare look back. If Boy touched him, he would not be able to keep his hands off the sweet Merulian battle pet. Boy or girl, it just didn't matter anymore. Lucien wanted Boy. The realization shocked him. It was more than just sex now, or had it always been just more. Boy had always intrigued Lucien, from the very beginning.

You can have them both—he remembered Devon saying. They both feel for you, Lucien. You don't need to pick just one.

He turned to see Boy walking back to the bed. Girl sat in the middle as Boy climbed to the far wall, clearly leaving Lucien to sleep near the edge of the bed with Girl between them. Lucien's heart pounded in protest. He wanted the middle, with both of them draped to either side of him. His arms suddenly ached to hold them both.

Clearing his throat, and reigning in his rampant arousal, he dropped down to his haunches and flicked open the tap again. Using a bright green pitcher that had been set in a corner, he proceeded to fill it and pour water over himself. Using his hand, he slid it over his chest and thighs to remove any lingering traces of soap. He filled the pitcher three times, pouring cold water over himself which unfortunately did nothing to douse his hard-on.

When done, he rose and turned to grab a towel to dry himself. Both Girl and Boy stared at him in abject adoration. They'd watched him bathing the whole time, and by the flushed look on their faces, were extremely turned on.

Lucien had to bite his cheeks on the inside to keep from grinning at them. An idea struck.

"You know," he began, "since Boy has decided to become celibate, like Abdiel, I think it's only fair if we do the same. How about it, Girl? I don't want to weaken Boy's resolve at living a life of abstinence."

Lucien approached the bed, slowly wiping at the moisture on his skin.

Girl's mouth dropped open in disappointment, but she cast Boy a little pout over her shoulder before batting her long lashes at Lucien. 'But I'm still a virgin," she said in a little voice that made Lucien's balls tighten painfully.

"Well then I guess it should be easier for you," he said sitting at the edge of the bed to towel down his legs.

The sound of a siren had him turning to pull the window shield closed over the glass. The sound of the siren meant that Demons had been spotted flying over the city. They came out in dense hoards. What would ever happen if they just decided to come in stealthily?

It was a good thing the others had decided to call it a night after what happened in the bar. Lucien was in no mood to leave Boy and Girl tonight.

Now the apartment was pitch black. Lucien used his other sight to view them and marveled at the glow of their auras. Girl's blazed pure and almost untainted. Boy's, despite it swirling with a myriad of color, flickered brightly, glowing an almost pure intense gold. Lucien held out his hands and frowned at the dark blues, reds and purples in his own aura. Just a few wisps of white-gold flickered in and out of the dark ghostly cones of fire billowing around him.

The sight of Girl holding her arms out to him had him sinking down into the mattress. She was tiny, so he pulled her against him and yanked Boy closer as well. Lucien grinned in satisfaction when he was able to get his arm around both of them easily. Their legs tangled together as he slid his hand down Boy's hip. The feel of the drawstring pants irritated Lucien, so he willed them away.

A loud screech at the window made them all stiffen.

Belatedly, Lucien realized he shouldn't have used the small spurt of power.

Another indignant screech sounded right outside the metal barrier sealed over the large round window.

Lucien turned his head to look right above his head at the dark six-foot circle behind the bed.

Claws scraped slowly over it, making the hairs behind Lucien's neck stand on end. Girl tightened her hold around his waist, burrowing closer.

"It's okay," he whispered. "We're safe. It's locked and they can't get in."

Girl nodded slowly as Boy's eyes remained locked on the window.

"It'sssssaaafe," a deep voice hissed on the other side of the barrier. Looooooocked and caaaaan't get iiiiinnnnnn Masteeeeeeerrrrr," it finally let out a long horrible roar, banging repeatedly on the metal shield.

The barrier rattled and shook, but held. More shrieking ensued around them outside and banging started at the front doors too.

They wouldn't be able to get in, but for now he needed to distract his Boy and Girl.

Lucien leaned over and kissed Girl first and then Boy, pulling them tighter and tighter to him until he had girl on his chest. Boy was half on top of him as well, while both sets of lips melded with his. They relaxed slowly, enjoying the hot licks and playful nips. Lucien squeezed Girl's uplifted ass before rimming her rosette with a finger. She wiggled against his teasing making him decide he needed to get her an ass training kit—varying sizes of butt plugs to stretch her before he attempted to finally take her. For now, he'd take her anally until he was sure he could breach her maidenhead without causing her damage. The males of her species were even smaller than Boy.

Of course, he could always let Boy take her first. Boy's cock was only eight inches versus Lucien's Seraphian twelve.

Either way it didn't matter. Lucien had never really enjoyed deflowering. He enjoyed a seasoned, experienced female who knew what she wanted to a shy, frightened little newbie, and he'd had plenty of both.

His eyes drifted closed for a moment and then he was suddenly shaken awake.

Sunlight poured in from the double doors to his apartment, highlight Remi's mop of red hair from behind.

"Hey, wake-up, sleepy head. Do you know what time it is?"

"Time to kick your ass?" Lucien growled squinting in the bright light.

Remi snorted. "As if. Get up. It's time to head out to headquarters. Seth wants Boy and Girl there as well."

Lucien sat up rubbing his eyes.

"I don't have any clothes," Rayne said sitting up.

Her breasts were bare and she did not shield herself from Remi's view.

Lucien conceded that in her favor. He never liked females who felt the need to cover their beauty from everyone.

Remi's eyes weren't on her though. He strode to the window and whistled. "Damn. This took a beating. The landlord is gonna be pissed about this and the door, man."

Lucien slid out of bed and pulled on a pair of pants and a shirt. Boy was already using his electronic toothbrush. White light filled his mouth as he swished the wand around his teeth and tongue.

Lucien grimaced at the bathing area, wishing he had his hygiene unit. All this washing with water made him feel wasteful and dirty.

"Amaranth said she would bring your things today." He turned back to Girl and frowned at her. "And don't think I've forgotten you disobeyed me by coming here. I should make you march out of here without a stitch of clothing as punishment."

Girl's eyes widened, but not in fear. He could tell his words shocked, but excited her.

A true submissive. The urge to find her boundaries compelled him, but now was not the time for D/s play.

Maybe.

******* 

Girl Rayne sat ramrod straight at the back of the transport. Lucien sat to one side of her and he'd made Boy sit at her other side. She was being punished until he felt she'd learned her lesson. What exactly that was eluded Boy, but he wished he could receive some of that punishment as well. Lucien had torn open the inside seam of her pants and had her wear only a long jacket with no bra or shirt underneath. Once they'd settled at the back of the transport, he'd ordered her to open her jacket, which he'd then proceeded to pull down her arms so that her breasts were on full display.

At the front of the transport, the others conversed and carried on, unaware of what was occurring behind them.

Boy, unfortunately had a front row seat to the entire spectacle. He watched as Lucien caressed her little breasts, feeling dejection at no longer having his. He'd then gaped as Lucien slid his hand over her mouth and whispered in her ear to spread her legs.

Boy blinked, mouth forming a little O of shock as Lucien slid his hand between her legs and began to slowly finger her. He could smell her arousal and saw how wet she was from the amount of glistening honey on Lucien's finger.

Boy felt Lucien's eyes on him and dragged his bewildered gaze to the other man's.

"Want to pet her too, baby?" he whispered. Girl's moan was muffled beneath Lucien's palm held tightly over her mouth, but boy didn't miss how she widened her legs and thrust her hips forward, as if begging for Boy's touch too.

Boy licked his lips and inched his hand closer, slowly.

Her slick heat filled his hand and he couldn't help but shudder. He looked at Lucien as their fingers mingled in her fluids. Girl bucked and whimpered, thrusting her little breasts up. Lucien shushed her before dipping his head to nip at a puckered nipple.

Boy wanted to taste her too, but Lucien's head was in the way. As if sensing his hunger, Lucien lifted his glistening fingers to Boy's lips. Boy stared at Lucien for a few seconds before opening his mouth to suck at the proffered fingers. Her taste was just as delicious as he remembered.

Unable to help the growling purr that rumbled from his throat, boy slid from his seat to the carpeted floor between Girl's open legs.

The scent of her pussy beckoned and Boy took a deep breath of her spicy aroma before pressing his mouth to her swollen cunt. Lucien had slid his fingers there again, and Boy laved at them too, watching as the bulge in Lucien's pants grew exponentially.

Boy gripped Girl's thighs, making sure his claws remained sheathed, and licked and sucked ravenously. By now, he'd grown so painfully hard he couldn't help but rub himself through his pants.

Lucien, as if nothing bothered him, joined in on the conversation the others had, but every once in a while, he'd shift his hips uncomfortably. Boy couldn't resist palming Lucien's bulge. At first the man froze, but as Boy lapped diligently at his fingers inside Girl's clenching pussy and rubbed his stiff own rod through his pants, Lucien slowly began rocking against his ministrations.




Redemption Ch. 11



His fingers continued to stroke between Girl's legs and she thrashed insistently against the torture they both bestowed upon her quivering pink folds.

At one point, Lucien pinched her clit between two fingers and Boy sucked hard on the pink nub. The girl gave a muffled squeal and began to thrust her hips rhythmically as her orgasm drew closer.

Boy had to bite back a snarl when Lucien gripped his hair none too gently and yanked him away from Girl's thrashing cunt.

"She's being punished, not rewarded," he whisper-shouted to Boy.

Giving her a gentle shove toward the floor alongside Boy, Lucien undid the closure to his pants and released his cock. He then crooked a finger at Boy, patting the seat beside him. Boy climbed back up and watched in shock as Lucien proceeded to undo his pants too. He didn't stop until Boy's cock had sprung out of his pants, pointing straight up at the roof of the transport.

Boy's hips shot up from the seat when Lucien stroked him from root to tip. He tilted his hips closer until their cocks touched and stroked against each other. Boy shuddered with pleasure, wanting more than anything to shed his clothing and let the man fuck him anyway he pleased. Lucien had other intentions though. After gesturing to Girl that she should suckle them both, he hauled Boy against him and kissed him deeply. Girl's tongue and lips set to work devouring their shafts.

Boy felt his head spin, the pleasure too intense. His back arched and Lucien swallowed his cry of release when he erupted into Girl's mouth. She licked and sucked every drop that jetted from his tip until tears streamed from his eyes. Lucien chuckled into his mouth before pulling away slightly.

"Baby, you're a light weight.'

Boy then watched as Lucien hauled Girl up to kiss her, licking the last drops of cum from her chin and lips before depositing her back on the seat next to them.

Cradling Boy against his body, he told girl to put her jacket back on. Boy looked at him in shock. Neither of them had found release. When Boy tried to reach out and stroke Lucien, the man stopped his attempt by gripping his wrist and shaking his head.

"No," Lucien said.

"Aren't you guys breaking your chastity vow?" Eriel said, waggling his brows at them from the seat just in front of them.

Lucien blinked innocent eyes at the reaper. "Oh. I didn't know oral counted."

Eriel snickered as well as Amadashiel and Natanael. The other two turned in their seats as well to smirk at them.

Boy fumbled to close his pants again. Lucien just sat there, unconcerned about his twelve inch cock poking out gloriously from his leather pants.

"Don't give me that crap, Luke," Natanael laughed. "You so know it does. Abdy's never had his pole sucked, much less stroked."

Amadashiel snorted. "That silly boy hasn't so much as had his virgin ass licked or touched. Though I did get to suck his nipples once."

Eriel and Natanael stared in shock at the girl reaper.

"You sucked Abdy's nipples?"

Amadashiel grinned. "He was asleep."

One row farther up, Boy heard Anniel snort derisively. "Of course he was asleep."

"Which is why we keep him in our quarters," Ashriel grumbled.

"Uh...would you all stop talking about me as if I weren't here," Abdiel called back from the front of the transport.

Boy Rayne stiffened and cast Lucien a sideways glance. It seemed they all knew exactly what had just taken place in the back of the transport. Did Lucien no longer care that they knew he had full on sex with Boy? If so, what did it mean? What was Boy to Lucien? What was Girl?

He looked at Lucien's distended cock and whispered. "Let me help you come."

Lucien slid his head slowly from side to side. "No."

Boy frowned and looked up at him, hoping he saw the disappointment and confusion in his eyes.

Lucien's chest expanded as he took a deep breath. "I won't take relief for myself if I deny Girl. I'm trying to teach her about self control and discipline. How can I do that if I don't set an example for her?"

Boy turned to look at Girl. She sat with her head bowed, biting her lower lip, looking very contrite. She had to be uncomfortably aroused.

"She just wanted to be close to you," Boy added.

Girl big blue eyes darted to his before lowering again.

Lucien remained quiet until Boy looked at him again.

"I know," was all Lucien said.

******* 

Seth was a harsh taskmaster. He put her through her paces and had her prove to him she could handle a demon attack on her own in a holo-training room in the demon hunting headquarters.

Even though she came out victorious in every training exercise, Seth would find fault within what she'd done.

"You expose yourself to unnecessary risks."

"But I wasn't hurt much. Besides..."

"You're like a loose cannon, and we have enough of that bullshit from Fyre without adding one more careless member to our team," Seth snarled.

"Geez, calm down, asshole," Remi drawled crossing his boots at the ankle as he lounged on a couch at the far end of the observation room they now occupied.

"Stay out of this, Fyre," Seth snapped and turned back to Girl.

Remi grinned and put up two middle fingers behind Seth's back.

"Sometimes the best defense is to lay low and not expose oneself," Seth barked. "You continuously stuck out your neck to attack instead of waiting to see if your enemy moved on."

"I defeated them each time—"

"And ended up destroying everything around you, getting your team mates hurt and yourself too."

"But we're supposed to make our presence known on this mission, dick wad," Remi taunted again, spreading his arms out to rest on the back of the couch. Lucien walked in then and sat on the couch opposite Remi.

Girl eyed him earnestly. Where had he been? Why was he not in charge of overseeing her progress instead of the overbearing weretigri.

Seth stepped up into her face. "You're not paying attention."

"I'm sorry," she replied. Staring at his bright, pale-blue eyes.

"Remi," Seth snapped, "Get in there."

Remi's eyes widened before he grinned, popping up from the couch. "Don't worry, Girl, I'll show you how it's done."

Just as he was about to walk into the holo-training room, Zak skidded in through the door leading out to the corridor.

"We received a call. Seems someone's discovered a nest of devils in one of the abandoned subway tunnels."

Girl stood straighter, her eyes darting to Lucien's. He observed her, one finger rubbing across his lips. "you can come, but you stick with and obey Seth."

Girl Rayne's face fell. Seth? Why couldn't she go with Lucien?

Before she could voice her protest, he stood and darted out the door, Seth following close behind tossing a brusque "get moving" to her.

******* 

Lucien followed Devon down the darkened tunnel.

Both Girl and Boy were safe at least. Seth was keeping her out of trouble and Anniel and Angel were watching over Boy.

Devon made sure his mate and Anniel were sent to secure the tunnels that were still in use by the citizens. Abdiel was also with them in case they encountered possessed.

Now he could concentrate on the task at hand. They bypassed the tunnel where the infestation was reported and explored the ancient tunnels beyond it.

His brother and he knew that those smaller devils guarded something much bigger.

The scent salty sea air tickled Lucien's nose, and it wasn't his brother's peculiar aroma.. They crept silently forward, toward the source of the cool breeze wafting around them.

They encountered more nests of devils, larger ones...similar to the brightly hued kind on Megdoluc.

Lucien began to get the feeling they were approaching another secret portal to one of the gates of Hell. There were three on Earth, but only high priest reapers knew their exact locations. Ashriel, having been a high priest before becoming fallen had to now, but he was farther back with the other reapers, preparing to decimate the unsuspecting nest of devils they had been called in to exterminate.

Devon kept close to the shadowed crumbling ruins near the old train tracks until they neared an abandoned platform.

Up ahead, Lucien heard humming. Devon froze and slid his hand back to press against Luke's belly.

Light chuckling ensued. "You might as well come out. I know you're there," a very familiar voice called out.

Devon hesitated as Lucien peered over his shoulder into the bleak darkness ahead.

"Come-out-come-out-wherever-you-are," the creature chanted in a singsong voice.

Lucien, again, followed Devon closer to the platform. The sound of waves rushing and crashing sounded echoing down the blackened tunnel after the platform.

Lucien could barely make anything out except crumbling tiles and concrete. Rotted remains of benches and torn posters as well as rusted light fixture and turnstiles sat upon the long station platform. Hundred of years ago it might have been a busy stop in the New York Metro system, but it had been built upon, buried, forgotten.

Samael sat on one of the turnstiles, his black wings spread and pointed tail swishing playfully. He still looked the same from the last time Lucien had seen him, like some fifteen-year-old boy with corkscrew curls and a cherubic face. Two tiny horns poked out from just beneath his hairline and his eyes were bright yellow with a slit pupil. Sammy, like Lucien liked to call the son-of-a-bitch, grinned, showing his stark with jagged teeth as they approached. His skin was like black satin, glossy and sleek, not a mark on him. The other Demons seemed to favor him immensely. Lucien always wondered why.

"Well-well, if it isn't Dava's boys. What have you two been up to?"

"We should ask you the same thing," Devon replied.

Sammy let out a dramatic sigh, rolling his eyes and batting his long lashes with a pout. "I've been quite bored as of late actually. This is a waiting period, you know."

Lucien's eyes narrowed. "Waiting? Waiting for what?"

Sammy grinned evilly and launched himself at Lucien with a hiss.

Automatically, Lucien withdrew his swords. Devon did the same, but Samael skirted them to perch atop the rim of and arch over their heads. His claws held the crumbling brickwork making him look like a spider.

"Ahhh-so it is true. You have ascended, Light Without End."

Lucien blinked in confusion, and let out a baffled laugh. "What the hell did you just call me?"

Sammy grinned and cackled secretively, but didn't answer.

"So you're waiting for Lucien and me to turn so that we can both open that old portal on Megdoluc that still cracked open?" Devon goaded.

Sammy clicked his tongue in disapproval. "You're both history. We no longer need you. We have the seventh angel."

Lucien froze and noticed his brother's face lace over like when he was close to flipping out.

"Dev," Lucien called out, "What the hell is he talking about?"

Devon remained immobile for a long time before saying, "There were seven of us. The original cherub, the mother of all Seraphs, the succubus that spawned our father, our father, me and now my son. There's one more...missing."

Sammy snickered. "Not anymore."

"You're lying," Devon snarled.

Sammy pouted. "I don't always lie. Telling the truth is way more fun."

Devon snarled and levitated toward the little devil.

Sammy's wings came to life, flapping wildly as he skittered away from Devon. Lucien watched carefully, waiting for his chance to skewer the bastard.

"Hey, don't kill me. I've never done anything to either of you."

"Where is the seventh angel?" Devon demanded.

"How should I know. They know better than to tell me—I swear," Sammy argued.

"You swear? What the hell would you swear upon, you filthy—"

"Hey," the devil snapped, "Enough with the name calling. I think I've been nice enough to you both and your father even after he killed my dear sweet sister." Sammy's expression turned wistful. "I was just a wee child when he did it...right before my very eyes. The bastard showed her his cock and told her to come closer. I warned her not to trust him, but she couldn't resist. Insensitive prick turned her to ash while she gave him head."

Lucien wanted to laugh. "What the fuck is he going on about, Dev?"

Sammy scowled down at them. "My-my, but aren't you two getting along just fine now."

Lucien pressed his lips together, unwilling to say anything. Devon's eyes narrowed.

"You wanted us to be at each others throats."

Sammy gave him innocent eyes. "I only told Lucien the truth. The Seraphs just rescued you because you were the only threat to all creation because of your tainted blood."

"I was never a threat," Devon snarled.

Sammy waved his hand. "It doesn't matter. The new angel will can accomplish everything you and your father could not."

Lucien snorted. "Seriously? You're all still waiting for some reaper born Seraph to kill a virgin just to let Lucifer out from the abyss?"

Samael grew quiet, observing Lucien with luminous yellow eyes. "Maybe."

Lucien frowned and looked at Devon, who's eyes and sword glowed in the darkened tunnel.

Devon slowly lowered back down to the ground. "Why maybe?"

Samael pursed his lips, before looking at his claws with feigned interest. "Well, maybe it's because the higher ups seem to like dominating this realm. If we let Light and Fire out, he'll just sweep this realm away with a flick of his fingers and head back to that place I shan't even mention." Sammy gave a shudder of revulsion.

"What's in all this for you, Samael?" Devon asked.

Sammy grinned, wrapping his tail around his body. "Time."

Lucien frowned, not comprehending the little devil's meaning. Why did Sammy need time? Time for what?

A loud explosion rocked the ground beneath them, sending a cascade of pebbles onto their heads.

Sammy giggled. "I so love your red dragon. Too bad there are those that seek his head as a trophy."

Devon broke into a run and Lucien followed. After a few minutes they found the tunnel through which they had traversed had collapsed.

Devon snarled several choice expletives beneath his breath.

He began to chant ancient words to open a portal. Gripping Lucien's hand, he hurtled them both through a swirling vortex of inky black. The absolute biting cold gripped Lucien, making him gasp and he could see seething movement all around him. Terror choked the air from his lungs, but Devon held his hand tight.

"Luuuuucieeeeen-my-sssssssssoooonnnn."

Cold rotted flesh wrapped around Lucien's wrist. It was just a touch, but oh-so-familiar. Another stroke across his chest had him flinching back, but Devon jerked his arm hard enough to almost pull it from his socket. Lucien fell face first onto the dirt floor of another tunnel.

Screeching filled his ears and heat scorched his skin. For a minute, he thought Devon had made a wrong turn somewhere and he'd teleported him into the bowels of Megdoluc again, until a rain of ash descended from above and a pair of black boots landed before him.

Natanael hauled him up, his pale pink hair full of ash and soot.

"Remi just turned into a dragon," Natanael informed him, his whole body trembling and his expression pinched in pain.

"Fuck," Lucien snapped.

Looking around he saw that they were indeed in an inferno. Every time Remi shifted fully, he combusted everything around him, like a nuclear explosion. By now, the entire city had to know of their presence underground. They'd be kicked off the planet for sure now.

"Why?" he asked knowing fully well Remi's volatile temper didn't need a reason to flip.

Natanael wrapped his arms around his middle obviously trying to stop his trembling. He was panting hard, but answered Lucien. "The devils had a child with them. One of us. A little reaper."

Lucien's eyes gaped. Wasn't that what Samael had been telling them? The seventh angel?

The memory of the vision he'd gleaned from Remi, Angel, and Devon replayed in his mind. He'd held a younger version of his father. Devon looked just like his father and Jazriel was exactly the same. Maybe all those angels looked identical.

"Shit," Lucien hissed. "Where's the kid?"

Natanael shook his head, closing his eyes as he swallowed convulsively. "They took off with him when Remi went ballistic. We lost them in all the confusion, but..."

Lucien hated when someone was about to tell them something important and then hesitated. It only meant that some serious shit had just happened that they were trying to keep from him...most likely it would involve either Boy or Girl, or worse, both.

Lucien unsheathed his swords, uncaring that Nat's eyes automatically went black into reaper kill mode. "Say it," Lucien demanded.

"Boy took off after them. I tried to follow but Remi's fire...I couldn't fly."

To Lucien's shock, the reaper fell to his knees. Natanael opened his wings and Lucien saw that his feathers had been all but burned away. A tear rolled down Nat's cheek. "I can't fly now."

And he was in excruciating pain. Lucien could see it in his face.

Reaching out, he placed his hand on Nat's head and searched his memories. Thankfully, Nat opened his mind to him and allowed him to see moments before Remi shifted. The child was crying. It was very small, like a one-year-old. The cries were from pain, not hunger, and it tugged at Lucien's heart to think they might have been torturing the baby. No wonder Remi exploded. Not that it did any good.

He saw when the red weredragon lost control of himself and when the devils took off in a cloud of flapping wings and screeches, taking the baby with them. Boy scampered after the fleeing devils down a crack in one of the walls.

Lucien began to run.

******* 

It was a doll. Boy gathered the limp baby reaper doll in his arms and frowned. The life-like doll cried until he tapped its chest a few times to cease its wailing.

He'd followed the screeching devils through cracks and crevices until they disappeared down another small opening in the ground. A Strong breeze blew through the hole smelling of salt, and rot. Boy wrinkled his nose and worried his lip. He needed to get back to the surface. No telling if those creatures came back and fond him alone. He hadn't thought to wait for the others to follow. He'd been as shocked and upset as the others thinking the horrid creatures hanging from the vaulted ceiling of the subway tunnel had a helpless infant. He'd just reacted and ran after them when they scrambled away after Remien Fyre shifted. Remi had immediately gotten himself stuck in the tunnel and could nothing but bellow his rage. Angel, Anniel, Rowie and Zak had been caught behind him. Boy and the reapers had been lucky enough to have been in front of Remi when he'd shifted. He couldn't say the same for Natanael who'd been walking along side the red weredragon. He was sure poor Nat had gotten himself singed badly.

Scuffling caught his attention and Boy immediately retraced his steps back the way he'd come, tucking the doll under his arm.

How long had he run after the devils? He swueezed through tight cracks wondering how the creatures had managed to scramble through there. Of course they were small and batlike, but still.

Just as he emerged through a crumbling tunnel, he was seized and wrapped up in strong arms.

"Baby-oh-god-baby," Lucien cried almost crushing him.

The doll began to cry again when it fell from Boy's hold.

Lucien stiffened and released him to gape at the doll.

"It's not real, see?" Boy said making the doll cease its crying again.

Behind him he heard noises.

"Fuck," Lucien whispered. "We need to get out of here."

Boy followed him closely. They entered another abandoned tunnel and scrambled closer to the hole that would bring them closer to where they had been before Remi shifted. Behind them the sound of wings flapped closer.

Lucien stopped and looked up. "They're onto us. We need to hide for a bit. Once they go past we'll back track and find another way out." He pointed to a ledge over their heads. "Up there."




Redemption Ch. 12



For those of you new to Redemption, here is the following quick info to help situate you: Redemption is part of a series, Alpha Angels Series, that started out in Scifi/fantasy. It is the 6th book in this series: 1) AOD 2) Dark Prince 3) Angel of Retribution 4) The Witch and the Dragon 5) Dark Angel and 6) Redemption.

Redemption was scifi until chapter eleven when I chose to remove it from that genre. The last chapter fit very well within group sex because this story is about a triad relationship between a closet bisexual, a woman, and an alien hermaphrodite. Kinda complicated-eh? Yup. This chapter, due to the amount of outright gore and fighting with devils and zombies and things that go bump in the night is definitely a good candidate for erotic horror. For those of you returning to Redemption, there are allot of things happening in this chapter you are definitely NOT going to like. I apologize before hand, but please realize that this story writes itself. There are things that are going to happen that you won't understand or like, but there is a reason for everything. Please bear with these characters as they find their way around very difficult situations. Since this intro is getting way too long, I leave you with chapter twelve. Please don't forget to vote, please don't forget to comment and please leave your light on as you read this. Whatever you do...don't look under your bed if you hear anything weird. It might be Sammy...lol!

*******

Devon had opened a portal to his brother. Rayne saw the area just before him swirl like water, reality distorting into a deep dark vortex. She didn't know exactly where he was headed but she followed, locking all of her sensory input on him.

The second she traversed the cold black portal, Devon's entire image changed. He turned into a beacon of light, wings of flame almost blinding her. Devon turned his head, blazing blue eyes focusing on her. It was then that she realized the moving shapes around them. The temptation to look almost overwhelmed her, but Devon's hand seized hers and she was propelled forward...into a cavern filled with devils and the sight of Boy leaping from the top of a tall archway.

Zak rushed past her. She hadn't realized the others also followed, but when Seth's tiger-striped form flew past in a blur, she propelled herself into action too.

Angel had given her weapons. Rayne drew a heavy, salt canon strapped to her back and stood, legs spread and braced. Her pupils dilated and the chips in her brain took over. The enemy turned red in her vision, her allies green.

Her knees bent, and her finger hit the trigger. Screeches of agony filled the air as she sprayed rock salt at the devils. One hand remained holding the weapon and the trigger pulled, the other pushed fresh cartridges into the open loading chamber until she ran out of amo.

A huge devil ran at her when her gun stopped firing. She swung her cannon last minute and knocked him or her to the ground. She couldn't tell what gender it was, nor did she care at the moment.

The hideous creature roared in fury and snapped back up, gigantic grey wings spreading out about fifteen feet from tip to tip.

Rayne grabbed the short swords at her hips and hacked them off. Black blood sprayed everywhere. She barely felt it. She really didn't feel anything.

The creature was so stunned by her actions, it stupidly stood there as she beheaded it as well.

More were coming for her.

Rayne just moved, whirling and hacking away at anything coming close enough to dismember; tails, wings, claws, heads, and legs. A mountain of carcasses was building around her.

Rayne leapt, using Seth's back as a trampoline to propel herself closer to where she sensed Lucien and Boy were. She doubted Seth would mind her stepping on him since he was currently a twenty-foot-long white tiger ripping devils to shreds with claws and fangs.

She landed smack in the middle of a horde of devils. One devil's tail wrapped around one of her arms. Her nanos reacted by imbuing her with more strength. Dropping one sword, she wrapped her fingers around that tail and swung the devil. He wasn't very big, but was quite useful in clearing the immediate area around her. Rayne jumped and twirled in the air, releasing the devil and cutting it in half as she spun.

She landed on her feet and immediately severed the tail of another devil creature that tried to bind her legs.

Teeth gripped her left forearm and the damage registered. Rayne kicked the creature off but it tore off part of the skin on her arm, revealing synthetic muscles and glowing wires. Current sparked and nanoblood leaked from where pseudo-arteries had severed.

Reaching into her boot, she pulled out a pulse pistol and fired. It would stun the creatures, not kill them, but it might give her time to reach a third sword she had strapped to the middle of her back.

Maybe.

Devils swarmed around her, rushing in with teeth and claws bared.

"Rayne."

She heard Lucien shout at her and turned just as he tossed her one of his divine blades.

The sword arched, spinning in a glowing circle of blue fire as it sailed closer to her. The devils rushing toward her ducked and screeched in protest at its presence. Just as Rayne reached out to grasp the beautiful flaming weapon, a black-haired angel appeared and snatched the blade, its glowing blue eyes narrowing at her before turning and laying waste to the horde of devils closing in on her.

Lucien and Boy fought back to back, but soon the cavern was empty, except for the Alpha Angels and a river of devil carcasses.

The angel that stood before her, disappeared in a flash of glowing sparkles along with Lucien's sword.

Rayne stared, befuddled before looking down at her damaged arm. She grimaced. It looked hideous.

Yelling caught her attention then.

"What the fuck were you thinking?"

Lucien's enraged bellow echoed through the abandoned subway tunnel.

She stiffened, her legs beginning to shake at his tone, her defense mode suddenly abandoning her. Looking up, she was relieved to find that his rage was not directed at her this time. It seemed like Boy was about to get his ass paddled for once instead of her.

Boy flashed fangs at him, but at the same time tears leaked down his face. "I was trying to help you escape," he growled back.

"Escape?" Lucien gripped his own hair, his eyes bulging. The others stood close, looking unsure as what to do. "You actually thought I'd run my ass to safety and leave you behind?" Lucien dropped his hands and clenched his fists, stepping right up to Boy's face, "Do you think I'm a fucking coward, Boy? Do you?" he snarled, giving Boy a shove.

Devon gripped Lucien's arm and Lucien turned and shoved him away as well. "Don't fucking touch me."

"Calm down then," Devon snapped.

"I want them off this mission," Lucien continued to shout. His pale eyes darted to her and then to Boy before looking at the rest of them. "I don't give a fuck who escorts them back, but I want them gone."

Angel turned and stalked toward her. Rayne scowled at the girl, but she still gripped her good arm and began leading her away from the others.

"Let's just give him some time to blow off steam."

Slowly Rayne's emotions surfaced. She'd fought, defended herself, and had received minimal damage. Looking at Angel, she saw the girl had cuts on her thighs and arms and four deep scratches on her left cheek.

Anger surged.

"Will I be sent away?"

Angel's big blue eyes settled on her face. "I don't know. Luke's pretty pissed right now."

Rayne halted their progress down the tunnel. "I've proven I can fight and won't be a burden on this mission."

Angel smirked and looked at her from head to toe. "I was impressed." She touched her cheek, her fingers smearing the blood that dripped there. "I got these because it was hard to keep my eyes off you." Angel shook her head slowly from side to side. "You were fucking amazing, Rayne. Where did you learn how to fight like that?"

Rayne blinked. It was just information she'd downloaded and stored away.

Movement caught her attention and she turned to see Zak approaching. He slid the sword he'd been holding into the sheath strapped to his left hip. The darkness cloaking them all couldn't hide the shimmer of his golden waves. He towered over both women when he finally stopped next to them.

"Devon just wanted to make sure you were alright."

Angel nodded. "Just wanted to diffuse Luke's rage a bit." She nodded toward Rayne before crossing her arms over her breasts and tipped her nose up at Zak. "Is he still unreasonable?"

Zak frowned down at her, his eyes darting briefly to Rayne. "I think he has a bit of reason in his argument. These types of missions aren't for..."

He tapered off and just scowled at the both of them.

Angel had become rigid. "Aren't for what?"

Rayne could hear him grinding his teeth.

Angel snorted, planting her fists on her slender hips. "Zachariel thinks all women were made for males to protect. That we're too weak to defend ourselves."

Zak's eyes just narrowed and he squared his broad shoulders a bit more.

"If I didn't love Alluna so much, I'd whack you over the head and drop you off on Utudou for a spell. Let you see what real women are like."

His eyes narrowed to slits now. "I was already there for three hundred years."

Angel grunted. "Yes, but you were frozen inside a suspended animation orb."

Rayne wasn't the least bit interested in their heated bickering, and stalked away a few paces. Pausing around a bend, she leaned against the filthy, crumbling wall and hung her head in frustration.

Boy had leapt from the high arch, using himself as a distraction so Lucien could get away. It seemed good in theory, but had backfired terribly for him. Lucien would never have run away and left him there. Even if it had been his brother, Rayne was sure Lucien would have jumped into the fray as well.

It wasn't fair he wanted to send her away as well for Boy's stupid mistake. She had proven herself.

Her mind replayed the battle waged against probably thousands of devils. The odds had not been in their favor but they'd managed to slay a good number of them, causing the others to scatter and flee when they realized they were not dealing with ordinary demon hunters.

"Poor girl," a soft voice sighed.

Rayne reached for the third short sword she had strapped to her back and held it at the ready toward a shadowed figure across the tunnel. Squinting, she made out the form of a young boy, no bigger than herself. He slid from the ledge where he perched and slinked farther along the wall, keeping his distance from her.

"I'm not here to hurt you, Girl Rayne."

"Who are you? What are you?"

How did he know her name?

Her eyes grew accustomed to the gloom and she saw him better.

His face was still slightly rounded with youth, but his body already showed the signs of advancing manhood. Sleek muscles lined his arms, chest, and belly. Well formed thighs cradled a cock that could already do damage to any maiden. He grinned, soft plump lips stretching to reveal tiny dimples in his cheeks beneath an arrow straight nose. His golden cat-like eyes blinked, showing how long his jet lashes were, lashes that matched the color of his satiny skin and riot of glossy corkscrew curls bouncing just above his shoulders. Furled against his back were large wings boned in red and a long tail with a red point swished behind him. He licked his lips with a tongue as black as the rest of him and ran his claws across the cracked tiles of the wall behind him grinning flirtatiously.

"You shouldn't let him run you off like that."

Rayne frowned. "You haven't answered me. Who are you?"

His grin grew wider, sharp teeth glowing white in the darkness as he leaned against the wall and crossed his ankles. "I am Samael. I can't tell you what I am though. If I did, I'd have to kill you."

Rayne sneered at him. "You're nothing more than a devil."

Samael grew somber. "Do I look like the creatures you just battled?"

Rayne blinked, remembering the human-like creatures she'd battled. Their faces had been twisted into evil visages, their mouths frothing and eyes blazing red and gold. None had hair and their skin was scaly or leathery.

Samael resembled the angel that had materialized in front of her when Lucien tossed her one of his divine swords.

She frowned, wondering why it had intercepted her catching the sword, but pushed away the troubling thought for later dissection. She focused on Samael.

"What do you want? Why are you here talking to me?" she spat.

Samael pouted. "I just have a soft spot for Lucien. I think he'd be happier with you than he would be with the hermaphrodite."

Rayne blinked in confusion. "What?"

Samael chuckled. "You haven't gotten a good look at him?" Fangs flashed in a razor sharp smile. "It has male and female genitals. If you're not careful, Boy Rayne may become the center of Lucien's entire existence." The little devil shook his head. "He'd never be fully happy, though. Lucien wants to deny he's bisexual. He'll push Boy into becoming more female and Boy will eventually resent that."

Rayne scowled. "I know Boy has male and female anatomy, but..."

"Rayne?"

She jumped and turned to look behind her. Angel approached slowly, a concerned frown pulling her perfectly arched brows together.

"Who are you talking to?" Angel said looking around.

Rayne turned back to look at the devil, but he was gone. Her eyes scanned the entire area before her, but he'd vanished.

Angel's hand on her arm made her jump. The pretty girl gave her a sympathetic smile. "It's been a long morning, but it's time to go. Seth wants to keep working on your training."

Rayne felt pleasantly shocked. "I'm not being sent away?"

Angel smiled and shook her head as she led her back the way they'd come. "No."

"And Boy?"

"Has been soundly rebuked for his selfless act." Angel's expression turned sad a moment. "He's just in love with Lucien. We all can see it. He only wanted to save Lucien, which is so sweet of him, but it was dumb. Had he waited a second more, we would have handled the situation."

Boy was in love with Lucien?

Rayne gulped. Had she lost the battle for Lucien's heart already?

She wanted to cry out her frustration. As she approached the group of Alpha Angels left in the tunnel where they had fought, she saw Devon off to the side speaking with Lucien. The raven-haired brother had his hands shoved in his pockets and his head cocked to the side as he tried to look into Lucien's face. Lucien leaned one arm against the wall in the tunnel, his tousled blond hair creating a curtain over his face with his head bowed as it was. His other hand was resting on the gun strapped against his left hip.

Boy was sitting up on the ledge that ran the length of the tunnel, pale blond head in his hands as he rested his elbows on his knees. He seemed very upset still and Anniel looked like she was doing her best to soothe him.

They approached Seth who stood between the two separate groups just observing, arms crossed over his chest. His tiger's stripes had disappeared, but he leveled wild pale blue eyes on Rayne's face as she approached with Angel and Zak.

His eyes snapped to Zak's face and he snarled, showing sharps fangs. "This is all Fyre's fault. I think we should kick his hot-headed ass off this team."

******* 

Lucien's back was killing him. He'd slept on the floor of the apartment for two days straight. Boy and Girl were very quiet around him. He was still seething at Boy's stupidity. He couldn't believe he'd think Lucien would just run away to save his own ass and leave him behind.

That morning, two days ago in that god-forsaken tunnel, Lucien had been opening his mind fully to Devon. His twin had been locking onto him to teleport into the tunnel and help with the horde of devils swarming below him and Boy. The walls had shaken with Devon's use of powers and the sound of the portal opening had made the hairs at the back of Lucien's neck stand on end.

Worried about Boy, he'd peered over the lip of the ledge he was curved around to see Boy's pale head rising from his own hiding spot. Lucien's blood had frozen in his veins when their eyes locked together. He could see nothing but desolation in Boy's beautiful violet eyes. Lucien wanted desperately to communicate to him that Devon was coming with the others, to not fear. Lucien would never allow anything to happen to him, but Boy's upswept brows had drawn together over eyes filled with determination. Lucien immediately knew he wanted to cause a distraction...that he was going to throw himself down into the middle of that roiling horde of devils below them. He'd never survive. They'd eat the flesh right off his bones before he touched the ground.

Lucien soundlessly mouthed "don't you dare", but Boy had moved and then gasped, clutching his stomach. The sound had caused a pause in the commotion below, or maybe it had been the portal finally opening that made them sit up and take notice.

None of that mattered, because Boy whispered "Forgive me," and flung himself over the edge.

Lucien followed without blinking and was momentarily blinded by Boy Rayne's wings popping out of his back in a burst of sparkling glitter.

Lucien landed on his back, swords withdrawn, Boy had a gun in each hand already firing. He was pure beauty in motion. The minute his feet touched the ground below, Lucien hopped off him and began hacking away at the devils that tried to tear them asunder. To his horror, he saw Girl twenty paces away, a whirlwind of death, firing a salt canon in an arc at the wave of devils trying to get at her. The chunks of anointed salt blasted the devils into a black bloody pulp, leaving them writhing and screeching in pain or just dead.

Lucien had to admit, he'd been impressed underneath the horror he felt seeing her there. She still managed to get hurt during the scuffle.

Remi had patched up her arm after Cyn had fixed the severed mess left of her cybernetics.

Lucien tried to force her to go back to Garethiel's condo, but she'd refused. To his utter annoyance, the others had backed her up. Boy and Girl were deemed worthy to stay on in the mission.

That's why he slept on the floor, because he was outnumbered and pissed off. No one cared that he wanted them safe. Only Zak was lucky enough to have a mate that respected him.

The siren, signaling the approach of devils during the night hadn't sounded and Boy was standing out on the balcony even though he knew Lucien wanted the window shut and shuttered after dark. They were openly defying him at every turn.

Lucien sat on his pallet on the floor, pretending interest in the holographic monitor showing images of the day's news.

Rumors about a spike in telekinetic activity had the citizens of Earth demanding their council look into the possibility of a hostile alien take over.

Lucien snorted and shook his head. They worried more about aliens than the infestation of devils that still plagued Earth from his father's days as dark prince.

Rayne knelt next to her tub of hot water, her lithe little body completely bare.

Unwilling, he surrendered his attention to her. Her newly shorn hair exposed the graceful slope of her neck as she leaned forward and dipped a washcloth into the steamy water. She began to wash, slowly, her sweet lips in a little pout. The suds cascaded past her perky breasts with their pale pink nipples pinched tight. He could almost imagine them pierced, with little silver hoops decorating them...maybe with cute little bells that would jingle when he fucked her, or a chain hanging from each hoop making it easier to pull her closer to him.

She was still a virgin, little unused pussy tight and cherry flavored.

His cock began to throb.




Redemption Ch. 12



Boy jumping down from the window ledge startled him.

Boy stripped down and joined Girl in the tiny bathing area.

Girl just stared at him a moment before letting her gaze dart to Lucien.

Lucien crossed his arms over his chest and glared back. She wanted to seduce him, but he wasn't going to make it easy for her. He wasn't easy.

Boy splashed himself and scrubbed his skin with soap. Slowly, Girl resumed washing herself as well, but she did so more slowly and decidedly provocatively.

Boy's cock began to stiffen as he noticed. Lucien bit the insides of his cheeks to keep from grinning at the spectacle they presented.

They looked fuckably hot, and he was in pain south of his belly button.

Lucien began to sweat. He desperately wanted to strip and join them, pull their soapy bodies against his...make them stand facing the wall as he took a flogger to their squirming bottoms. That's what those two little brats deserved.

Girl Rayne dipped her naughty fingers between her spread thighs and rubbed. The idea was she was supposedly washing her sweet little cunt, but in reality, she was blatantly masturbating, rolling her hips as she pressed her digits between her soapy folds. Lucien had to admit, it was hot as fuck.

Boy dipped the green pitcher they used to rinse and doused girl.

"I think you're done," he announced.

Lucien had to bite his lips now to contain his laughter. Boy would make a great switch.

She sputtered and frowned and looked like she was about to argue, but just huffed and stood.

Lucien turned away when she approached him, blue eyes hopeful.

He stood and flicked off the holographic replicator when she grabbed her towel and began to roughly dry herself.

She was mad. Good. He was mad too. They were driving him crazy putting themselves in danger every day they went out looking for new nests of devils to eradicate.

Lucien stood and began to strip. From the corner of his eye, he saw girl gape. He strode forward and covered the glowstone that lit the apartment. Now the only light that illuminated their tiny home was the flickering red light of the hotel across their street.

Boy began to douse himself, signaling he was finishing up. He rose from his crouched position by the small round tub. The soapy suds at his feet coasted slowly toward the drain in the corner as Lucien padded closer. He kicked off his pants as he walked up beside Boy. Boy's eyes slid helplessly down the length of his body, making Lucien's cock rise higher. He still hadn't had sex with Boy since they'd stepped on Earth and Lucien was aching every second of the time apart.

Lucien's eyes also took in Boy's form, water running in rivulets down his delicate sinews. Lucien wanted to take him against the wall and press into him, but the memory of his declared celibacy held him at bay.

As if sensing the direction of his thoughts, Boy gulped and took a step back. Grabbing a towel, he retreated toward the bed.

Lucien turned and bent, filling the tub some more for his own bath. Dousing himself with water first, he began to slowly soap up his body. If they wanted to tease him, he could do the same.

He doused himself again, wetting his hair and began to scrub his locks. He spread the suds to his face and chest before rinsing. Standing up straight now, he soaped his legs and calves before honing in on his buttocks and stiff dick. He closed his eyes so they wouldn't see him roll them back in ecstasy when he gripped his shaft with soapy hands. His hips jerked as he ran his fist from root to tip and back down. He bit his lip and smoothed both hands over his tight balls. He looked down at himself and continued to lather that area well, feeling their hungry stares on him. Biting the insides of his cheeks to keep from grinning, he knelt again and began to rinse.

After about three pitchers of water he stood, wringing out the excess moisture from his waist-length hair. Amadashiel had helped him trim it a bit the night before when he was looking for an excuse to stall coming back to the apartment. She'd also offered to let him fuck her but he'd declined, much to her annoyance.

Grabbing a towel, he started drying his body before bending over to rub at his hair. He longed to crawl into bed and join his Raynes. It had been a long and lonely two nights. His body had grown accustomed to their warmth in his arms.

He could hear them talking to each other in low tones. Lucien closed his eyes as he towel dried his hair. He wanted them. He loved Boy and felt fiercely protective of Girl ever since he'd kissed her awake in that tower room on Arboria. She'd been his since then.

Hooking his towel on the peg to his right, he walked back into the sleeping area on the other side of the three-foot-wide wall sectioning off the bathing area from the foot of the bed. He froze when he saw Girl straddling Boy. They were kissing quite breathlessly, humping each other like Tibits in heat.

Boy was arching his hips, his engorged cock notched between Girl's spread legs. Had they not been wearing clothes they would have been fucking. As it was, they were dry humping each other to the brink of orgasm.

Lucien couldn't resist. His Seraphian genes would see him fuck Girl unconscious before taking every one of Boy's holes as well. His mouth watered as he approached them. Not wanting to startle them apart, Lucien levitated over them and then let himself drape Girl's back.

They both froze.

Lucien rolled his hips, his engorged cock invading the sweet crack of Girl's ass. "Isn't this against the rules?" he growled.

No one moved.

"Well," Boy began, "it's not our fault you were there giving us a fucking peep show."

Beneath him, he felt Girl stiffen. She hadn't realized Boy had some pep to him once in a while. It always kept Lucien on his toes, probably why Lucien felt so smitten with the bratty battle pet.

"Peep show?" Lucien asked in amusement.

So, his little display in the bathing area hadn't gone unnoticed.

He felt Girl twitch, like she was preparing to get out of the sensual sandwich Boy and he had her trapped in. Lucien gripped her wrists tighter, letting her know who was in command now by pressing his cock tighter against her ass. He didn't miss the shiver that coursed through her or the way passion flared in Boy's eyes as her pussy rubbed harder against him because of Lucien.

Boy gulped, but forged on, one brow raised, his eyes glinting defiantly. ""Yeah, you were polishing that pole so long for a minute there I thought you were going to start spouting poetry to it."

Lucien stifled a chuckle. "And that turned you both on?"

Of course it did. He pressed against Girl, pushing her farther into Boy.

Boy Rayne whimpered, arched, and rolled his hips too.

"Did daddy get his two brats horny?" Lucien growled.

He rolled his hips, felt Boy do the same. Lucien's fingers gripped Girl harder and he felt when she widened her legs. The thought to just teleport her tiny pajama bottoms off took root in his mind. He wanted to fuck her. Maybe he could use a bit of his power to dull the ache when he took her. She was so small though. He was terrified of tearing her. He'd never fucked such a tiny female. She was just a mere five-foot-five, maybe, to his six-foot-ten.

Rayne sucked in a harsh breath and moaned, lighting his blood on fire. He had to have her...and Boy.

Boy leaned forward to nip and lick at her neck, at the same time Lucien dipped his head and stuck his tongue in her ear.

Rayne whimpered and Lucien decided it was time. If he didn't take both of them now, he'd implode.

Concentrating briefly on the scant clothing she wore to teleport them off, he slid his hand across her mouth and nose instead, his eyes fixed on the window just behind the bed.

Damn him for not securing it after Boy had come in. It was closed, but the metal shutter that protected it at night had not been engaged.

"Don't scream," he whispered in her ear, his eyes on the four-horned devil with a grinning mouth full of needle-like blackened teeth.

It peered at them through the glass. The siren had never gone off, but it was too late to wonder why.

Devon—Lucien called out telepathically.

The devil hissed, its foul breath fogging up the glass.

Lucien concentrated his power, feeling Devon's crackle as well and teleported himself out on the balcony.

He and his bother flanked the devil. It screeched in outrage when Devon and he withdrew their swords.

The creature swooped up with a single flap of its wings and darted toward the hotel across the street.

"Fuck," Lucien snarled when it disappeared within a broken window on one of the top floors.

Two of the letters on the hotel's neon sign had been shattered, leaving the sign to read HOTEL HELL. When had that happened? He'd been so distracted lately, he hadn't noticed.

The entire building across the street was dark, not a single shutter closed, nor flicker of a glowstone within.

"Devon," Lucien began.

"Let's go see if anyone has survived," Devon said dismally.

Lucien turned and closed the metal shutter over the window. Whispering ancient words, he spelled the front doors and window locked. If anything were to happen to him, both Seth and Amaranth would be able to reverse what he'd done and set his brats free.

"It's time," Devon sighed.

Lucien looked at his brother and nodded. They'd agreed to this before landing on Earth. The others were already prepared as well.

Lucien let his fangs lengthen and approached Devon. His brother extended his forearm and Lucien hesitated.

"Don't think about it. Just do it," Devon snapped.

Lucien gripped his brother's arm and sank his teeth deep. Bitter blood filled his mouth and he swallowed, gulped it down, and felt the change begin.

******* 

Devon's face laced over as he allowed his darker side to manifest.

Lucien's fingernails lengthened and he glanced up to see the horrified stares of their Dominatio's. The little Cherubs shook their heads in dismay.

"We need to do this," Devon explained. "We need to deceive them."

Lucien's Dominatio's never spoke, but Devon's nodded and said, "So be it. But we cannot protect you very well this way."

Devon nodded. "I know. We'll be careful."

They stood on the railing of the balcony, looking across the street at the darkened hotel before them.

Lucien lifted his arms at the same time Devon did. They both sprang off the railing and levitated over to the building, landing on the windowsill the devil had scrambled into.

The stench of rotted flesh made Lucien want to gag.

Devon stepped into the room first with Lucien close behind. He could feel his brother's power rippling out. His own power was leashed tight, ready for release should problems arise.

His eyes grew accustomed to the darkness and he immediately saw when something moved to his left.

Both he and Devon turned to see the shambling zombies struggle to rise from the king-sized bed against the far wall.

They might have been a young man and woman at some point, but now they were nothing more than a putrid collection of rotting body parts, hissing and growling at the snack Devon and he presented.

The man's head was cocked to the side, hanging by a thread, or rather an artery. His eyes were a milky mess and his tongue kept wiggling out of his mouth as if scenting Devon and him like a snake. He reached for them with the only arm he had left. The girl's breasts had been eaten right off and maggots spilled from the rotted black holes on her chest. The lower half of her jaw was also gone as well as the lower half of her belly, her entrails hanging to the floor, tripping her feet. She fell face first, most of her body bursting in a spray of blackened coagulated blood and maggots.

Lucien snarled in disgust and raised his hand. Fire streamed from his clawed fingertips lighting the couple into a screeching, writhing ball on the floor. The fire began eating away at the rug beneath them.

Devon walked over to the two screaming corpses and lifted one boot. He squashed the head of the girl first, putting her out of her misery. The male gripped his boot, screaming in fury and latching on to Devon's ankle with his teeth.

Devon glanced at the corpse with bored indifference and raised his hand. He slowly closed his fingers into a fist. At his feet, the male corpse's head imploded, fried brain matter spattering everywhere.

Lucien pursed his lips and blew softly. The flames died down.

Devon's glowing blue eyes met Lucien's.

They strode out into the corridor. More shambling corpses waited. Some of the Devils were torturing a few of them. They hissed when they saw Devon and Lucien.

Lucien stood by his brother. At the end of the hall was a large ornate mirror reflecting his and Devon's image back at them. Lucien's eyes glowed as bright as Devon's. The white surrounding the blue irises had turned as black as the veins marking every inch of exposed skin. Their demon blood was at full power.

Now they truly were the twins from Hell.

Lucien curled his lips back from his sharpened teeth and roared.

Some of the devils leapt forward to attack. As if they'd practiced a million times, both brothers released their powers at the same moment. The wave rippled out from them, washing over the advancing devils who stopped in their tracks instantaneously. Flesh turned chalky white, like grotesque statues from some Satanic temple. Devon hissed as Lucien laughed softly. The creatures before them crumbled to the ground, nothing more than ash.

Lucien was aware of more power stirring around them. Like a telekinetic web, they'd just tripped a mega alarm to every Master Guardian in the vicinity of the solar system. The countdown had begun.

The few devils left bowed down in terror. Lucien wasn't fool though. They'd look for any opportunity to try to kill either of them. That's the way it was with these creatures. They were evil incarnate.

The mirror at the end of the hall wavered, the surface rippling. A red-haired angel emerged, snowy white wings spreading to caress the blood-spattered walls of the hallway as he or she approached Devon and Lucien.

"We've had just about enough of you," the angel spat. "What do you want? Why are you back? We have no need for either of you anymore."

Lucien felt shock zip through him.

"We've come to take our rightful place," Devon hissed. "It's our right as Davariel's successors."

The angel scoffed. "Really? And you families?"

"Are not to be touched. They are ours and will serve us."

One tawny brow rose as the angel observed them with bored indifference. "Well, that sounds very nice, but we don't need you."

"Why?" Lucien snapped.

The angel grinned and turned to the side to point to the mirror.

Devon and Lucien drew closer, mindful of the treacherous devils around them.

The mirror rippled again. Lucien's eyes widened when he saw his father lying on his back in a cell. His black wings were spread beneath his back and his golden hair splayed around his head and body like the rays of the sun.

Lucien sucked in a breath, but Devon gripped his wrist and muttered, "that's not our father."

Lucien narrowed his eyes. The reaper's limbs were thin, no muscle tone in them at all. He rolled his head to the side and opened his eyes. It was just a boy, a child maybe twelve years old. His body suddenly contorted and limbs stretched. The reaper arched his neck and opened his mouth on a pained wail. As he screamed in agony, his voice deepened. The sound of bones crunching and skin pulling made Lucien's stomach roil.

Both Devon and he rushed the mirror, but it was too late. The image faded and the angel standing before withdrew a sword and faced them with an enraged hiss.

"You won't ever get your hands on Ozzy. He was made for us and is being bred to take Davariel's place."

*******

Boy had never known such impotent rage and frustration. His ardor had taken a rude dousing when Lucien had disappeared from over them and onto the balcony beside a hideous devil.

His first thought had been to protect Girl. Using his superior strength, he'd flipped her over and restrained her hands.

"We have to help him," she'd pleaded.

"Stay here," he tried to say in a normal voice, but it had come out in a savage snarl.

Her brows had pinched tight over her pert nose and she bared her pearly white teeth at him. "Fuck you. I want to save him."

She'd bucked, trying to get him off her. He was at a loss as to what to do. The sound of the metal shutter slamming and locking over the window spurred him to release her at last.

Somehow, Girl beat him to the window. She grappled with the lock as Boy grabbed some weapons from under the bed.

He rushed to the front doors instead and palmed the pad next to the doors. Nothing happened. Boy frowned, his hearts racing in terror over what Lucien could be facing all by himself outside.

When hitting the pad next to the door did nothing, he began to manually open the locking mechanisms. The metal bar sealing the doors would not budge though.

Backing up, he flicked the control lever on his pulse rifle and aimed, ready to fire through the metal doors.

Pain gripped his insides, making him cry out and double over. Whatever was inside him twisted and lashed out at his guts.

Boy screamed, clutching his belly and collapsing into a tight ball.

Girl was there holding him, crying and asking him what was wrong.

Boy panted, sweat beading on his forehead as he wondered why his baby was attacking him, because without a doubt, that was what it had done. He felt sick and struggled to stand again. Lucien needed their help and he intended to give it no matter what.

Another twist to his guts had him collapsing again with a horse shriek. The world winked away in a haze of black agony.

******* 

Rayne clutched Boy to her. His face was devoid of color and his lips had turned grey. He looked dead, his lavender eyes staring unseeing.

This couldn't be happening. Lucien outside, probably being dismembered by a horde of devils and Boy...What was the matter with Boy?

"Boy, please," she begged shaking him in her arms. "Don't do this. Not now. Please," she wailed.

Light emanated inside the room and Rayne gasped, looking over her shoulder.

Samael sat hunched over the glowstone. He'd removed the shirt Lucien had draped over it.

The devil lifted the shirt to his nose and took a deep breath, his eyes rolling shut in pleasure.

"Lucien," he hissed and Rayne stared horrified as the creature's cock began to lift.

Rayne released Boy and lifted the pulse rifle he'd dropped.

Aiming it at the disgusting devil, she squeezed the trigger and watch the blue fire engulf Samael.

Instead of incinerating him, it made him glow blue and his eyes white.

Samael began to laugh, his voice growing deeper and his body growing larger.

Horrified at what she'd done, Rayne ceased fire, but it was too late.

Samael looked like an adult male now. Muscles rippled on his body that had grown at least seven feet tall. He slipped from his perch on the shelf, and Rayne gaped at the size of his balls, hanging heavy between his legs. His cock had also lengthened as well as the horns buried within the riot of curls that now reached his waist.

"Thank you," he hissed with narrowed eyes. "Too bad you stopped, but it doesn't matter now."

"Where's Lucien?" she demanded. "What have you done with him?"

Samael grinned. "I haven't done a thing. He and Devon are trying to play hero of the universe."

Boy groaned and Rayne dropped the weapon again to gather him close. "Boy is sick," she choked on a sob.

Samael sighed, shaking his head. "He's not sick. He's possessed."

That had Rayne turning to gape at Samael.

The devil pointed an elongated claw at Boy. "Look at his tummy."

Rayne loosened her hold on Boy to look at his abdomen. Just below his bellybutton, she could see a snake-like black shadow slithering beneath his skin. The sight of it horrified her.




Redemption Ch. 12



"Get it out. Take that out of him," she screamed.

Samael began to laugh. "That silly boy thinks he's pregnant." Samael cleared his throat and rolled his golden eyes. "Well, he kind of was, but that little critter was hungry and...oh well," he finished with a shrug.

The implications of what he'd just said horrified her. That hideous thing slithering inside Boy had killed their baby.

"And it's going to kill him too. You'll have Lucien all to yourself," Samael snickered.

"Get. It. Out," Rayne shrieked in rage.

Samael stopped his chuckling and glared at her. "No. You do it."

Rayne's eyes searched frantically around the room until she spotted one of the butcher knives Lucien used to prepare their meals.

"Ah-ah-ah," Samael said shaking his head with a grin. "You try cutting it out with that, it'll eat right through him."

"Then you take it out, or I swear, I'll kill you."

Samael snorted. "As if. Besides, even if I'd wanted to take out that pesky parasite from him, one touch with my claws in his innards and he'd be poisoned." Samael's grin widened. "He'd become one of my kind at best. At worst, he'd become a flesh-eating Zombie." Samael snapped his sharp teeth at her to underline his point.

Rayne felt horrified. "How do I save him then?"

Samael laughed. "It's your lucky day. I'm feeling quite generous to you and know just how you can help that wretched Boy."

"Tell me," she demanded.

Samael's eyes narrowed. "Nothing is for free, little Girl Rayne. I'll trade you."

She bit her lip, wondering what she could offer him, "but I have nothing to offer you...except...except my soul," she finished with a small voice.

Samael threw his head back and laughed. "What the fuck would I want with your soul? Please. I'm not like my stupid father—"

His eyes widened as he stopped speaking abruptly. Rayne frowned, wondering who his father was.

Samael shrugged, his smile crawling over his face again. "Oh, what the hell. My father is Lucifer. I'm his only son and successor to his throne here in this realm. Unfortunately my sister was killed by Davariel and now I have no one to procreate with. I need a child of my own. One who I can train to kill my father."

Rayne's jaw dropped. "W-why don't you kill him yourself?"

Samael snorted and examined his claws. "I would never endanger my beauty to smite that fool. My offspring can do it. He'll be the true dark prince, but I..."Samael approached her a few steps, his wings flaring behind him, "I will be the god of darkness."

Rayne gulped, her heart racing. She didn't understand what any of that had to do with her.

Samael circled closer, making her cringe. "You're special. It took millennia of breeding to make you. The power is almost diluted, but it's still there. The perfect combination of all the fallen angels of love mixed in your blood. All of them Except Davariel's blood line. You must promise me your first born, sired from Lucien..." Samael shrugged and snickered evilly, "or Devon if you can seduce him to spill inside you. But it must be one or maybe both of Dava's spawns. Only that child will be strong enough to do away with the last angel, and my father once and for all."

Rayne felt confused. "But I'm barren. I can't conceive."

Samael crept closer and looked down at her tenderly now. "Rayne, my girl, I can open your artificial womb and fill you with living eggs. This is nothing complicated for me, but you will promise your first born to me. Afterwards, you can breed more whelps for Lucien. He won't ever want to let you go if you can give him children. It's what he's always craved." Samael's eyes lowered to Boy in her arms. "You can even breed with this wretched Boy. Imagine that, Rayne, they'd both crave you, desire to fill you with their seed and children. You would be so loved. Isn't that what you want? A home? A family? Love and security?"

Tears rolled down her cheeks. "But what about my first baby?"

Samael leaned down and cupped her cheek now. "He'd be a prince, Rayne. Your first born and Lucien's would be a warrior prince feared by all demon and devil kind. Neither he nor I would ever let anything happen to you or our little family. You see...I have no desire to destroy this realm to go back to Heaven. I've no desire to wage war there. That's my daddy. He's stupid and wants to reclaim his throne on high as the Divine One's prince. The one and only prince. He never did share very well. That's why I've been hiding. If he knew of my existence, he'd send more of his fallen angels through the crack Davariel made in one of the gates of hell to kill me. Some of the Demons are no longer interested in releasing him, but a handful. That's why we still need Devon and Lucien to capture and destroy the last angel. Davariel's clone right now is the only one strong enough to break the gates of Hell and release my father."

Rayne blinked back her tears. "Lucien is okay then?"

Samael nodded and straightened. "Do we have a deal then?'

Rayne thought hard. He would fix her so she could finally have children with Lucien. Boy moaned in her arms and she cupped his pale cheek. The baby Lucien had planted within him was gone now, but she could replace it and win Lucien's heart as well. He wouldn't turn his back on her were she to swell with his seed. She would do everything in her power to get pregnant with Lucien's child. Besides, she needed to save Boy's life. Were he to die, Lucien might become so distraught, she was sure he'd push her away too. No. That could never happen.

"Yes," Rayne choked out on a sob. "I'll do as you say. Help me save Boy."

Samael crossed his arms over his sculpted chest and nodded. "Very well. Just remember, it must be Lucien's child that fills your womb for the first time, otherwise I'll gut Boy myself and his bastard child growing within you to end our deal."

Rayne gaped up at him in terror and was about to rescind her agreement to their deal, but a gut wrenching pain had her screaming in agony. She fell back, knocking her head on the polished cement floor.

Everything spun before her eyes. She felt her clothes ripped away from her body. Samael hovered over her and snickered as he gripped her thighs.

Rayne protested weakly when he opened her legs.

"Hush now, my sweet. It'll only hurt for a second and then it'll feel so good. I promise."

"No," she whimpered, but couldn't summon the strength to fight him off.

Samael licked his lips, his obsidian tongue dripping spit down his chest as his eyes locked on the spot between her spread thighs.

She arched her back and thrashed her head when he dipped his head toward her.

His tongue felt like fire between her legs. She tried to scream, but it came out as a weak moan. Where was her strength? What was happening to her?

He licked her pussy as his acidic saliva dripped down the cleft of her ass. She could feel him lapping her clit and, to her shame, felt herself clench with the rise of arousal. His claws pressed against the flesh of her buttocks. Vaguely she remembered him saying that if his claws pierced skin...the poison would turn her into a devil or zombie.

"Please, no," she tried to beg.

He growled between her legs and sharp teeth scraped over her flesh as his tongue poked at her hole. Rayne gasped and bucked. Just the tip of his tongue entered her, fucking her rapidly. Her hips rolled and she felt close to climax. She didn't want to come. She didn't want this horrid devil taking her virginity—it was a gift she'd wanted to give Lucien.

Stabbing pain made her shriek loud this time as Samael's tongue thrust in deep. He stilled and she felt something filling her, a heat that made her insides feel as if they were on fire and then she convulsed. The pleasure shook her to her core, tears of shame dripped down her face as she writhed in wonton abandon upon that tongue buried deep inside her. Samael wiggled his wicked tongue heightening her pleasure.

"Lucien," she cried out.

The devil withdrew his tongue and with it the please ceased.

He glared down at Rayne as she panted and shuddered on the floor. Shakily, she sat up and touched herself between her legs. Her fingers came away with blood.

"No," she sobbed weakly.

"Oh-come-on," Samael chuckled. "It's not that bad. Everyone knows oral doesn't count."

Rayne snapped her horrified gaze to his, her sobs choking her. Still she managed to say, "You broke my hymen."

"It's done. Stop your blubbering. You should thank me. Lucien didn't want to touch you because you were a virgin. At least now he might succumb to giving you a poke or two."

Rayne swallowed back her anger at his callous words. What did she expect from a devil anyway?

"Now," Samael began, "for my side of the bargain. It's quite easy. You need Lucifer's dagger. The one I gave Lucien so he could slit his stepfather's throat. If you use that to dig out that parasite before it eats its way into Boy's brain, you can kill it. Just remember to sever its head from its body and crush it. Once the head is crushed, it won't revive."

"How..." Rayne began, her voice a mere croak, "how do I get this dagger?"

"It's somewhere in Blackthorn Mansion."

Samael turned and waved his hand in a circular motion toward one of the darkened corners in the apartment.

Cold, fetid air blasted from the pitch-black darkness. He'd opened a portal.

"Just remember not to look to the sides as you traverse the portal. Not even I can save you from the things that lurk in the realm of shadows."

With that, he disappeared.

Boy moaned and began to stir. Rayne climbed unsteadily to her feet and winced at the painful pinch between her legs. She felt dirty and ashamed, but there was no time for introspection. Boy's life hung on the line as well as her last chance at happiness with Lucien. Stumbling into the bathing area, she grabbed another pair of shorts she had stashed in a basket there and pulled them on. As she tossed on Lucien's discarded shirt, his sweet scent assailed her nose and new tears sprung into her eyes.

"Girl?"

Boy had awakened and stood wavering on his feet.

"What happened?" he asked, his speech slurred.

"There's no time to explain," she got out stumbling toward him.

Gripping his hand, she pulled him behind her toward the portal. She had no idea how long it would remain open, but wasn't about to test the time limit.

"Boy, whatever you do, don't look to the sides. Promise me."

"Where are we going?" He asked.

He sounded so sweet, it made her heart clench in fear for his life. Samael said Boy thought he was pregnant. Would he let her cut that creature inside him out if he knew what she was up to?

"We're going to save Lucien, Boy."

"Lucien?" He pulled back on her hand and she turned to look at him. He blinked, realization hitting him from his expression. His features were still too pale, his lips grey making him look like the zombies Samael said he'd turn into. "The devil outside..."

"Yes, Boy. We need to get out of here to save Lucien. He locked us in, but I found a way out. We need to find a special dagger that can kill that devil outside."

He blinked in confusion but did not resist her pulling him closer to the portal.

"Trust me, Boy, please," she begged. "Just close your eyes and follow me. I'll lead you to safety, and then you can help me find that dagger so we can save Lucien. The devils have taken him again and he needs us."

Boy's eyes widened and to Rayne's horror, blood well within, spilling down his cheeks in bloody trails. He had no idea he was crying blood. The sight of it was terrifying. "No. We must save Lucien. I...I love him."

Rayne swallowed hard, her heart twisting as a little bit of jealousy left a bitter taste in her mouth. "I love him too, Boy."

He yanked her to him and gripped the back of her head. His lips descended on hers and his tongue slid into her mouth.

Rayne opened for him and sighed. His kiss was as sweet as she remembered, but if they didn't hurry, he would die...and then she would never have either of them.

"Let's go save Lucien," he rasped against her lips.

"Close your eyes first. I can't risk you accidentally looking to the sides as we go through the portal."

"What?" he frowned in confusion.

"Just do as I say, or I'll go by myself and leave you behind," she threatened sternly.

Her heart clenched when he pouted, but obeyed her, closing his pretty lavender eyes.

Rayne looked straight ahead and yanked him close behind her. She entered the darkness and gasped at the biting cold that surrounded them.

"Rayne," he whispered, his voice distorting and echoing all around them.

The darkness roiled and slithered everywhere, but Rayne kept her eyes forward.

Terror gripped her as she saw nothing but bleak black before her. Beneath her bare feet, the ground she stepped on slithered as though millions worms carpeted the path. She wasn't even sure where she was headed.

"Rayne?" Boy said more frightened this time, his hand gripping hers tighter.

"Hush. Keep your eyes closed and trust me, baby," she sobbed.

"Run. Rayne, run," he screamed pushing her now. "They're touching me, Rayne. Just run."

Her feet slipped on the goo beneath her toes and she could not contain the scream of terror that bubbled from her throat.

The goo beneath her feet changed. It grew hard and cold and she suddenly slipped and fell, her head smacking the ground hard as Boy's weight crushed her.

Rayne groaned as pain exploded in her skull. Boy panted in her ear and used his arms and legs to relieve the pressure of his weight on her.

Rayne clutched him, afraid of opening her eyes.

Had they traversed the portal? Where were they?

Slowly she cracked open one eye. She saw a lone flickering candle on a table in the center of the hall where she and Boy lay.

It was still cold, but not like before. Boy shifted, opening his eyes to look into hers. He helped her up when she wiggled beneath him. They looked around, but it was so dark.

Rayne and Boy approached the flickering candle, their bare feet moving soundlessly in the gloom. When she raised the candle to peer around, she noticed the floor was made of marble, coated with a thick layer of dust. The muted colors of the mosaic flooring stretched as far as the eye could see.

Squinting, she made out what seemed to be an enormous foyer. There were wide double doors with stained glass windows to her left. No light shone through. Archways surrounded the circular foyer that was at least forty feet wide. Cobwebs hung like thick lace curtains giving a brief glimpse of the glossy black doors beneath the archways. To her right was a wide red-carpeted stairway. The wrought iron railings were blanketed with more webs and led up to another landing. From there, the stairs parted into two separate branches that led to an upper balcony. At the top of the first landing was an enormous arched stained glass window.

The only reason she guessed it was stained glass was because of all the bits and pieces like a puzzle depicting a rose. No light shone through it either, as if the entire house were buried within the Earth.

The sound of a yapping puppy caught their attention.

Boy gripped her hand, taking the candle from her and led her to the left, beyond the stairs.

Beneath the stairwell was another archway that led into a large ballroom.

The sound of a child laughing made them pause.

Glass French doors lined one entire side of the ballroom. Beyond the doors, the sound of a puppy whining drew them closer.

As they neared the glass doors, Rayne grimaced when her foot encountered water. Boy lowered the candle to see and Rayne gasped when she saw the muddy water beneath their feet. As Boy lifted the candle again, she saw that the water seemed to be seeping from beneath the glass doors. Nothing showed through the glass. Mud coated every pane.

Scratching and whimpered sounded at one of the doors directly in front of them. Boy moved as if to open the door, but Rayne gripped his arm.

"Wait," she pleaded. "It could be a trap."

Boy frowned and they both looked at the door when the scratching came again. The pitiful yips of the puppy tugged at her heart, but she was terrified of what they might find on the other side of those doors.

More mud seeped through and the scratching and howls grew desperate.

"I can't take it," Boy rasped. "It sounds like it's hurt. It might need our help."

"We don't have any weapons, Boy."

He shook his head. "It's just a poor whelp of mongura, Rayne. What can it do?"

Rayne took the candle he gave her and held her breath when he began turning the handle on the door. After giving her one last look of reassurance over his broad shoulder, Boy cracked the door open.

A river of mud and muck began pouring in. Rayne stared in horror as writhing worms and rotted skeletons of humans and animals slid in along with the wave of mud. They were underground. Most likely in a swamp judging from the amount of ceaseless water pouring in.

Boy struggled to close the door gain on the tide of muddy water pouring in.

Rayne threw herself against the door, helping him close it and staunch the flow before it drowned them.

The candle light wavered precariously. Rayne stared at it in horror, her eyes encompassing the sea of death floating around her ankles now.

Thankfully, nothing moved. Every skeleton remained still within the murky water.

Boy panted next to her. "I'm sorry."

Rayne swallowed.

"We have to get out of here, Rayne."

Almost on cue, he doubled over and vomited.

"Boy," she cried out in alarm.

He continued to wretch until he only dry-heaved.

"Boy," she said again, trying to smooth his white tresses back from his face. She hooked his pretty hair behind his pointed ears and stroked his cheek when he straightened, breathing heavily through his open mouth.

"I'm okay," he whispered, but when he opened his eyes, the lavender of his eyes was ringed in red and he was shivering.

She frowned, biting back her urge to break down in helpless tears. "We must find that dagger, Boy."

He nodded.

They stepped carefully through the ankle deep water and headed back toward the stairs. The sound of cascading water drew them closer to the back portion of the stairs. There were wide double doors and it looked as if the water was seeping beneath them.

Rayne reached out carefully and twisted a knob. She saw when Boy unsheathed his claws and stood ready.

Carefully, Rayne opened the door.

Stairs spiraled down and there were sconces lighting the way. It wasn't much light, but it beat the flickering candle.

Rayne placed the candle in a niche to her right and descended the spiral stairway with Boy.

At the bottom, they encountered a large wooden door that looked straight out of a medieval castle.

"It's a dungeon," Rayne rasped.

"Let's go back," Boy said. "I don't like dungeons." 

He tried to yank her back up the steps, but Rayne resisted. "No. The dagger could be in there. It couldn't help to look."

Boy pouted, but relented trying to haul her back up the stairs.

Reaching up he took one of the glowstones set within the sconces and nodded for her to go ahead and open the dungeon door.

Rayne pulled back the deadbolt and wrapped her fingers around the tarnished round handle.

The door's hinges groaned in protest as the door was pulled open. Another blast of cold air gave Rayne flesh bumps. The floor here was made of carved stones. More webbing draped everything, making her fear getting one of the ginormous spiders she spied resting amongst the thick white webs in her hair.

They moved a bit down a corridor, lined with many doors, but the sound of a child crying ahead had them continuing in that direction.

The pitiful wailing grew louder as they approached the end of the corridor.

Rayne stopped and frowned, looking at a door to her left. The crying was coming from in there.




Redemption Ch. 13



This took me a while to write due to circumstances beyond my control. I finally finished Sunday or rather Monday morning at about 1 in the morning. I apologize beforehand for not going back and editing. Sorry about that, but I promised the story by Tuesday and the only way for that to happen was to upload what I had as it was Sunday night. Thank you for understanding (hopefully). 

*******

Boy clenched his teeth as Girl Rayne helped him move forward. The corridor stretched before them, darkness yawning almost without end. The filth on the stony ground clung to his already muck covered feet. He wondered what had happened to all the water streaming down the stairs. Strangely, it had all disappeared.

The pain in his gut had alleviated, but he felt sore, his muscles ached and a deep sadness filled him. He didn't know why, but he just wanted to curl up and cry.

Lucien. His very essence called out for him. Where was he? Had the devil hurt him? Was he still back at their home, outside on the balcony?

Lucien was an excellent fighter. Boy was beginning to regret coming to this place Girl had brought him.

She aims to kill you—a dark voice whispered in his head. Boy cast a quick glance her way from the corner of his eye.

She was just a tiny thing, but he remembered how she'd fought in the tunnel earlier that week. Right now, she struggled with his weight and Boy paused to straighten up and stand fully on his own legs. She looked questioningly at him, but he nodded, letting her know he was fine now.

He wondered about what the voice in his head said. Why would girl mean him harm? That was ridiculous. Where had that thought even come from?

They made their way further down the corridor.

Fear began to eat away at Boy, crawling up his legs and spine until he was panting. Up ahead was glowing light and he could hear chanting.

About to stop in his tracks, a firm hand gripped his arm.

Boy looked at the owner of that hand.

The silver-haired male grinned, pale green eyes glinting. "Just a few more steps, child. Come now, surely you must be accustomed to this."

Boy tried to speak, but, to his surprise, found his mouth gagged. Bewildered, he looked down at himself to discover he was clothed with a thin white robe, tied at the waist with a silky sash.

Another hand gripped his right arm. Boy turned wild eyes to a second man. This one had silver hair and piercing blue eyes. His face was cold, evil, and made Boy want to shrink away from him.

The man lifted the corner of his lip and lifted his other hand to show Boy the thick black whip coiled there. "Keep moving if you don't want it worse."

They shoved him forward, roughly. Boy stumbled and looked around wildly for Girl. Where was she? What happened to her?

At the end of the corridor was a large ornate door, halfway open. Boy's eyes widened when the men hauled him inside.

The room was large and the blood-red floor polished to a glossy sheen. Cloaked, hooded figures stood in a semi-circle around a raised area at the far end of the room. This was the source of the melodic chanting, deep voices reverberating around the cavernous room, uttering words unfamiliar to Boy.

Flaming torches rested within metal holders anchored along the black walls and columns that arched up to high ceilings. Boy's eyes grew rounder when he took in the large gold pentacle hanging on the wall behind a large obsidian statue of a male with the head of a goat.

His hearts jostled in his chest as he got a good look at the statue. The man-creature had wings, much like Remi and Zak when they began to shift into their dragon forms. Long horns curved from a head full of spiral curls that fell around broad shoulders. The malevolent parody of a grin twisted the creature's face, fangs bared, and glowing red eyes boring down on Boy.

The men practically dragged Boy forward, wrenching his arms behind his back, and binding his wrists together.

Boy was now inches from the hideous statue. It was a little taller than Ashriel, maybe seven and a half feet. They removed the thick cloth tied over his mouth,, and shoved Boy to his knees. This put the statue's genitals right in front of Boy's face. The obsidian cock was long and tipped with the head of a serpent.

"Worship your god, you worthless little man-whore," one of the men behind him ordered.

Boy blinked. They wanted him to fellate the statue's grotesque cock.

Where was Girl?

He turned his head to look around behind him, but he couldn't see her, only the dark shapes of the hooded people assembled behind him. The chanting grew louder and the man standing to his right reached out and slapped Boy hard.

He toppled over, smashing his face onto the hard floor. Blood filled his mouth and his vision swam. Cruel fingers twisted into his long hair to yank him back up.

"Worship your god, you filthy cum dump. You will do it with either your mouth or your ass. I've allowed you to chose because it's your birthday. Do not make me regret gifting you this."

Horror filled Boy as he tried to focus on the stone appendage before his spinning vision. The snake-like penis was long, curved, and the serpent's mouth open with sharp looking fangs exposed. If they forced him to back up onto that, it might rip him up inside. Putting his mouth on the thing was probably less painful.

The man began to chortle when Boy wrapped his lips around the stone cock.

He rocked his head stiffly back and forth, hoping that would please the sadistic bastard next to him.

"With more devotion, boy. My mother sucked my dick with more enthusiasm than that," the man snapped.

Hands yanked at his white robe, pulling it down his shoulders. Boy froze, but another hand gripped his hair and shoved him forward. Pain exploded in his throat and he gagged as the black phallus pushed against the back of his tongue.

Fluid seeped from the mouth of the serpent, burning. Boy choked and tried to resist, but got a lash to the center of his back as a reward. His body contorted in pain. More liquid spilled into his belly. Boy could feel himself about to retch, but he was pulled back and forced to his feet again.

A fit of coughing assailed him and tears ran down his face as he tried to breathe. They were moving him again, his robe dangling from his arms now. Fire filled his veins, stemming from his belly. His cock began to grow hard and they laughed at him as they shoved him back against a leather covered spanking bench.

The black cloaked figures assembled before him stopped their chanting and approached.

A line of men formed before him. The man that had frightened him the most settled the handle of the whip beneath his chin, tipping his face to his.

He sneered, "This is a token of my love for you, Lucien. We're going to treat you like a man for once, but if you come before the last man sucks you off, you will be severely punished...one hundred lashes and then sodomized by each and every one of us. Do you understand, boy?"

Boy blinked. Lucien? Why did the man call him Lucien? "Y-yes sir," he answered regardless.

The man smiled and stepped aside. Two other men, including the other one that had forced him here, placed a spreader bar between his ankles and cuffed him tightly to the bar.

His hands were released from the rope that bound them. They were also cuffed to manacles at each end of the bench. Only the soft leather at his back kept him propped up since the way they'd stretched out his arms made him bow back.

Boy trembled as the first man approached him. The fire roared in his body and he felt the fear began to morph into rage.

The man removed the hood that covered his head, revealing a short reddish hair He smiled at Boy and caressed his chest until he reached Boy's straining erection.

Heat engulfed his cheeks and he held his breath as the man knelt. The minute the stranger's lips wrapped around his shaft, he lifted onto his toes and closed his eyes. Lust and shame assailed him, fighting for dominance.

The man sucked his cock hungrily, laved and nipped at his balls. Another stepped up and kissed Boy fully on his mouth, his tongue almost choking him. When Boy turned his face, the second man switched to tormenting his nipples.

They converged on him, taking turns to torment his flesh with pleasure. Someone slid a spit-slicked finger up his ass and stroked.

Boy cried out as he felt something strange tighten between his legs. He shook his head and froze when he realized his once opalescent white tresses were now streaked with shades of gold. It was Lucien's hair. He was reliving a part of Lucien's past as Lucien himself.

******* 

Lucien could barely contain himself. The feeling of unease filled him. He couldn't shake his mind from thinking about Boy and Girl.

Devon turned to him and touched his arm.

"They'll be fine. The others protect them. Concentrate on what we need to do."

His brother's face was different. Once he allowed his darker nature to manifest, his face laced over with dark veins, and his lips turned black. Sharp fangs protruded from those lips, stark white in comparison. Claws hooked the ends of their fingers and their voices were guttural and deep, distorted.

They looked like demons, yet their thoughts remained intact. Lucien still felt concern eat away at his mind over his...his two loves.

He shuddered and stumbled to a halt, closing his eyes as sweat broke out over his body.

Sounds echoed nearby, making Lucien snap them back open. Devon turned his head toward the deserted street before them.

We need to move, little brother—he whispered into Lucien's mind.

Lucien wanted to reach out and link to Boy and Girl.

"You'll lead them back to them. Don't" Devon warned.

He gripped Lucien's face and stared deep into his eyes. "This is for them, Luke. We're doing this for them. We need to make things safe for all of them."

Lucien nodded, but still couldn't shake the feeling of unease that kept clenching his heart.

Devon lifted his arm. "Do you need to feed more?"

Lucien wrinkled his nose, remembering the bitter taste of Devon's rich blood. His whole body tingled with power still rushing about within, barely contained.

"No. As it is, I don't think the effects from what I managed to swallow down will fade for a long time." He wondered what Boy and Girl would think if they saw him, transformed into the creature he was now.

Devon grinned. "They would love you regardless... the way Angel and Jaz love me."

A heavy craft rolled over, metal screeching and glass shattering in a loud wave that had Lucien and Devon crouching, ready to do battle.

Nothing else moved, but the echo of the jarring noise flowed around them. The salt drenched breeze lifted Lucien's hair from his sweaty neck, and brought the scent of rot with it. Lucien frowned

"Come," Devon said gesturing with his hand as he began moving forward again.

Lucien followed, his eyes searching the darkness for any signs of movement.

He was glad they'd teleported their Black uniforms on, though they'd removed the winged insignia of the Alpha Angels from their shirts. Lucien and Devon's boots crunched over gravel, dirt, and glass. Soon, though, the ground before them became littered with a layer of molding bones that cracked and snapped beneath their footfalls.

Lucien took in the sight of shattered glass tubes where the monorails had once glided. As his eyes grew accustomed to the bleak darkness around them, he noticed that every building was blackened and charred, windows smashed, and exteriors crumbling. No wonder it was decided to just make a platform over the entire ruins and just build over it. The thick columns of steel were as big as buildings themselves, maybe thicker.

Lucien looked up to view the underside of the platform and almost gasped. Hundreds of thousands of devils hung upside-down from the webbing of metal beams, golden eyes riveted to him and his brother as they made their way deeper into the city.

About to warn his brother, Devon sighed, "I know," before he could utter a word.

Debris choked the path before them and they were forced to stop. Lucien's eyes rose up the mountain of garbage with a frown. Trying to climb would be dangerous as well as time consuming.

When his brother did nothing, Lucien lifted his hands. Blue light engulfed his clawed fingers as he prepared to clear the path with a blast of power.

Devon gripped his arm to halt him and shook his head. "Too noisy. We need to fly."

Lucien almost smirked. Devon hated levitating, and levitating plus moving forward, in other words, flying, he hated even more. Lucien was used to it. It had been his most used form of escape in the bowels of Megdoluc. Of course, he'd had wings then and hadn't needed to rely on his own powers to fly.

Devon floated up.

Lucien watched and let his own power surge. He made his body rise, his boots lifting from the carpet of bones and debris beneath him. What had once been West Street grew smaller beneath them. He drifted to where he could see Devon's eyes glowing above him.

"I can't see shit," Lucien confessed looking ahead. "I don't want to crash face first into a building, column, or worse, a horde of devils."

"Link to me more fully."

Lucien twisted his lips into a frown. Devon was already too buried inside his psyche. Seeing he had no choice, he let more of his inner walls down and winced when he felt Devon deeper within him, but by the same token, Lucien was also deeper within Devon. 

Blinking, and trying hard not to peek into the man's mind, they drifted forward. Now Lucien could make out the shapes around him. Everything glowed like neon. It was amazing...and terrifying at the same time.

There were more devils than he thought, as well as flesh eaters below. The zombies crawled weakly on their bellies like maggots over the ruins choking the street. They drifted closer to the colossal ruins of what had once been the Freedom Tower. Just before they reached it, Lucien could make out the wide empty squares where the twin towers had once stood as well.

Devon and he began to descend.

They landed softly between the two empty fountains stretching wide to either side of them. Devon tipped his head back a bit, staring up at something. Lucien looked also and saw a dark figure above a charred building rise.

Thunder rolled and Lucien took an instinctive step back as the reaper drew closer, sword drawn.

The female reaper stared at them with blackened eyes, her pale skin almost glowing. Her dark brown hair fluttered behind her as she finally settled on the ground.

"We come in peace," Devon said.

She frowned at him and then her head shifted to Lucien. Her nostrils flared a bit.

"I smell Seraph from the house of Angelos." Her hand gripped her sword tighter, her delicate brows pinching together. "Who are you?"

"We are brethren."

"You have no wings."

"We were born without," Lucien said, drawing her attention to him.

"What do you want?" she snapped in irritation.

"Are you the only one guarding this portal?"

The reaper drew her sword higher. "What portal?"

Devon grinned. "The one you're obviously guarding. What else would a lone female reaper be doing down here with this horde of devils?"

Her obsidian eyes narrowed, but she didn't say another word.

Devon attempted another question. "The council members. Do they convene here?"

Again, she remained silent.

Lucien clenched his teeth, his anger getting the better of him. "Listen here, girl, we've come a long way and have put our loved ones in peril. Do the Edenian council members convene here or not?"

Her lips thinned and the black that covered her eyes faded to reveal shimmering stormy grey eyes. Tipping her chin toward the ruins of the Freedom Tower, she answered, "that is their resting place."

"Resting?" Devon repeated, sounding just as confused as Lucien felt.

The reaper grinned, finally lowering her blade. "They are not of this realm. They constantly invade bodies, using them for whatever deeds they perform in the upper world," she pointed her blade to the belly of the platform, before continuing. "When that body starts to rot, they leave it and rest a while before finding another victim." She wrinkled her nose. "I've seen them return, their stench preceding them. The carcass crawls toward the building before vomiting its host. Sometimes, the body is so putrid it just disintegrates in a writhing blob of maggots. The stench is horrific."

"And the host?" Devon asked.

Lucien just held his tongue and prayed he wouldn't puke with the girl's vivid description.

"Like I said before. They crawl in there to garner their strength again, before picking another victim."

"Let's go, Luke."

Lucien turned to head toward the broken down tower.

"Wait," the reaper gasped.

They turned toward her.

"You're mad. You can't mean to go in there?"

Lucien took in her wide eyes and heaving breasts, barely contained with twin straps crossed across her chest and between her wings.

"We do mean to go in there," Devon replied nonplussed.

Her mouth worked, shock evident on her countenance.

"Luke," Devon repeated, his boots scuffling across the ground.

"But they might infect you too," she insisted.

That got Lucien's attention. "What do you mean, infect?"

The female reaper frowned and huffed. "They burrow between the walls, make you crawl on your belly." She gestured to her own exposed bellybutton. "They get in through any opening you might have, or just make their own by burrowing into your skin. You become possessed."

Lucien felt the cold hands of terror grip him again. Hadn't Boy crawled around inside that tunnel, trying to go after those devils carrying a baby doll?

"I need to go back," Lucien choked.

"What?" Devon scoffed. "Lucien, no. We need to go through with this." Devon gripped Lucien's arms and stepped closer. "Look at me. Nothing will happen to us. They can't touch us when we're like this. They can't possess what's already—"

"You don't understand," Lucien snapped, wrenching his arm from Devon's grasp and taking a step back. He ignored when the reaper lifting her sword again. "Boy crawled around inside that tunnel when we found that nest of devils Thursday."

The reaper said something but all Lucien heard was Devon saying, "Boy is fine. There's nothing wrong with him or Girl. Stop worrying about them. If it's too much for you to handle, I'll let Seth know that they are off the mission then."

Lucien snarled. They should've been off the mission when he'd demanded it in the tunnel, not now because the great Devon of Angelos deemed it should be so.

Rage filled Lucien. He wanted to strike out at Dev.

"Stay away from the fountain," the girl reaper hissed.

Devon stepped closer and gripped her arm before she slashed out at Lucien.

The divine sword arched toward him and Lucien jumped back as Devon wrestled with her. Lucien lost his footing and stumbled. The sound of an approaching wave sounded and Lucien looked just in time to catch a horde of devils swooping toward him.

He only had time to raise the sword he'd taken from the fallen angel they'd killed in the Hotel Rohello.

They swarmed him, hard rough bodies pushing him back. He heard Devon and the girl yell. Lucien reacted by unleashing his power to destroy the horde of devils swarming him, but by then he was flailing, falling back, being swallowed by darkness.

Liquid filled his lungs, he choked and thrashed, losing his sense of direction. Something tugged at his arms and legs. He wasn't sure if he was being tugged deeper into the abyss or up to the surface.

Dim light began to shine and he fought whatever pulled on him. Finally breaking free, Lucien swam toward the light and finally broke surface.

He coughed and sputtered, trying to get air into his waterlogged lungs as he desperately treaded water.




Redemption Ch. 13



Sensations assailed his shivering body. The stench of stagnant water fouled his sense of smell. His eyes stung and the sounds of cicadas, crickets, and frogs chirping away made him realize he'd fallen through a hidden portal.

Wiping the muck out of his eyes, he looked around, sunlight immediately blinding him. He coughed again and reached out to touch the slimy side of the well he was in.

Shaking the water out of his face, he concentrated on lifting himself out from within the well. The burst of energy emanating from him peeled the water from his body as he lifted toward the heat of the sun.

A field of thick, yellowed grass greeted his ascent out of the narrow well. A waft of hot air played in his tangled locks as he took in his surroundings.

Lucien's eyes narrowed as he finally allowed his feet to touch the ground.

There was an old gate in front of him, just a few paces away visible through the trees. They were wide, rusted, and ornately decorated with the letters B and M wrought into each side. B...M

Blackthorn Mansion or Malvano Black.

A shudder rolled through him.

The feel of brittle grass on the soles of his feet had him looking down. His eyes snagged on what he wore instead. A threadbare, white gown hung almost in shreds off his broad shoulders. His feet were bare, and claws no longer decorated his fingertips.

The grass whispered against his legs. It was waist high, yellowed, and brittle from lack of moisture. The sun baked his head, and a little drop of sweat made its way down his back. Lucien listened closely to the silence of death all around him. The trees were black, knotted bare limbs twisting up to the cloudless sky. The hot breeze blew strands of his hair across his face as he blinked at the desolation around him.

Why am I here?—he thought to himself.

He turned slowly and looked over to where the mansion should have been standing.

To the normal observer, this was just an empty lot with an enormous sinkhole.

Whispering under his breath, he removed the spell that kept the old house hidden from view.

The sinkhole churned as the house rose from its bowels. Thick, thorny branches covered most of it. How much time had gone by? Was this a dream? Would he find the rotting corpse of his stepfather still inside?

Lucien looked down at himself and grimaced at the garment barely covering him. Despite being naked underneath, he tore the offending thing off, and slammed it to the ground.

Ancient words spilled from his lips, words of hate and loathing. The white robe lifted up slowly, and burst into flames. The white-hot fire rendered the garment to dust.

Lucien watched the ashes float away as he panted from rage.

Clenching his jaw, he snapped his gaze back to the house and stalked toward it. It was once a regal monstrosity of deep red brick and black wrought iron. The brick was beginning to crumble with age and the iron had rusted into near nothingness.

Thorns crisscrossed the stone walkway, but with a wave of his hand, a path opened up for his bare feet. The sound of creaking, snapping, crackling branches preceded him until he stood before the large, double doors of Blackhorn.

The wind moaned around him. He hoped it was Malvano's wretched soul screaming for release from Hell. The doors creaked open and the cold air from within the mansion brought with it the stench of death.

Tipping his nose higher, Lucien entered. Last time he'd stood in this foyer, he'd held Lucifer's sword in his left hand and a smaller dagger dripping with Malvano's blood in his right. The mosaic floor no longer shone like glass and the chandelier hanging overhead from the vaulted ceiling was swathed in dusty white cobwebs. The webbing also covered the grand staircase, dimly lit by light filtering through the vine-covered stained glass window on the second floor landing.

Narrowing his eyes, he turned left and entered the great room, cobwebs blasting away to nothingness as he approached, and the heavy black doors swinging open for him. The grand piano still stood in the corner, its once gleaming black surface now buried under layers of filth. The rich velvet couches were also covered in a thick layer of dust, making the rich burgundy material look faded and worn. What little sunlight managed to penetrate the grimy mildew covered windows made the floating dust sparkle like pixie dust. Regardless, Lucien knew very well he was in no enchanted castle, but rather a cursed one...one he'd cursed himself many years ago.

With determined steps, he veered right and walked into the study.

Everything was as he remembered. To his left was a large ornately carved desk with a cobweb covered leather chair behind it. A wall of shelves was the desk's backdrop, full of expensive tomes, some rare first editions...all in various states of rot. To his right was a glass wall that showed the gardens, fountains, and pool, devoid of water but full of debris.

None of that held his attention. His eyes were riveted to the enormous fireplace before him and the wingchair before it.

Slowly he approached, circling until he stood before the remains of his stepfather. There was nothing left, just tattered remains of his burgundy robe and slippers. The glass of cognac he'd been drinking still lay on its side on the dusty rug.

The memories were still clear as if it happened yesterday. It had been Lucien's eighteenth birthday. Malvano had celebrated it by whipping him to the brink of death and then having his cult friends form a line to sodomize him on Malvano's brand new spanking bench, to which Lucien had been tied.

That night a devil appeared to him and gave him the opportunity to show his stepfather his appreciation. He slit the bastard's throat.

A soft whining sound drew his attention.

Chewie?

His stepfather had killed the puppy when Lucien was a little boy.

He ran his fingers through his long hair with a frown and waited. When the soft whining came again he took a step forward and out through the broken glass doors to the gardens.

He breathed deeply through his lips as his bare feet stepped on sharp pebbles. Using his telekinetic abilities, he parted the swaying grass, scanning the ground for any signs of his long lost dog.

It's just a dream. Just another fucking dream. This isn't real. Not real. Not...

He frowned when his feet sank into something warm and wet. He stared at the blood welling up between his toes. The stench of iron it gave off nauseated him. There was so much...too much. A sob lodged in his throat. Memories of Chewie's tender throat being slit crowded his mind. He blinked back the tears that threatened to spill.

"It's just a fucking dream, moron," he told himself through clenched teeth.

The breeze blew his hair over his face again. Some of it got in his mouth when he took another bracing gulp of air. Raking trembling fingers through his blond hair, he strode forward. Blood squished beneath his steps. He stopped abruptly when he came upon a blood-soaked foot. It lay on its side, pale white streaked in red. It was large foot, though not as big as his, and finely boned. Moving the grass apart, he found that foot attached to a leg. There was another pair of legs twined around it, with smaller daintier feet.

Lucien frowned, and knelt to get a closer look. Two bodies, naked and wrapped around each other. They looked as if they had been trying to protect one another.

His mind didn't want to believe what he was seeing. He'd left them behind...safe...locked in their apartment. Devon had said that the others would protect them.

He reached for them, the tips of his fingers barely within reach of what looked like Boy's bent leg. Just as the vision he'd once had came crashing into his mind, brutal fingers gripped his hair, yanking his head back painfully. The sun blinded him.

"Luke, my son," said a low rasping voice behind him.

******* 

His swords were in his hands without thinking about it. As he pulled them from the pockets of glamour behind him, he scissored them up, severing the hand that gripped his hair.

The unholy roar that followed rang out as Lucien spun. His footing slipped but he was already levitating, rising a few feet above the horrendous sight of his stepfather's rotting body.

The stench was almost overpowering. Lucien wasn't sure how Malvano stood when he was nothing more that paper thin, grayish green skin over ash colored bones. His eye sockets held what once might have been eyeballs, but were shriveled black prunes. The stump where his hand once was attached oozed black liquids and maggots.

Lucien sneered down at him, his eyes taking in the long white hair, dried and brittle. Patches of skin were missing showing his mummified innards. Pleasure filled Lucien upon seeing that the man's dick had rotted away and all he had left as an outward sign of once having been a man was one shriveled nut.

Malvano inhaled air through the tattered wound at his neck.

"Vile bastard," he rasped.

Lucien raised his hand, hellfire already glowing in his palm. With every ounce of hatred he felt inside, he hurled the fireball at the walking corpse.

Malvano shrieked as the flames consumed him.

To Lucien's horror the grass caught flame as well.

He zipped down to Boy and Girl, even as Malvano began to laugh.

"You can't kill me. I've been cursed, and you can't save them both." The burning corpse shambled closer, clawed hand reaching out. "I'll devour them, eat their tender flesh off their lovely bodies, dine on their innards."

Lucien gripped Girl, cursing as she slipped from his grasp. They were both covered in blood, but as far as he could tell, they were alive, just unconscious.

Devon appeared, swooping down from the sky, the female reaper close behind him.

Lucien gathered Girl in his arms as Devon sent a blast of power into the advancing corpse. The fire extinguished from the blast before Devon's booted feet touched the ground. Malvano's body flew through the air, crashing through the stained glass window that was over the main stairwell in the entry.

Girl stirred, her eyes blinking open.

"Baby, what happened?" Lucien asked smoothing a few strands of her dark hair from her cheek.

Her face was devoid of color, her lips almost white. She stared at him blankly for a few seconds before moving with a swiftness that surprised Lucien.

Girl was on her knees over Boy just as Devon was rousing him also. She held a knife in her hand. The same knife he'd used to slit Malvano's throat.

Lucien screamed in stunned horror when she sank it into Boy's gut, ripping him open from pubic bone to bellybutton.

*******

She wanted to kill him. He didn't know why, but she did.

Boy managed to survive the nightmare of Lucien's eighteenth birthday experience, had felt the rage and hatred the man had felt when he'd discovered the truth of his origins, the sense of empowerment he'd felt wrapping his fingers around the hilt of Lucifer's sword. Boy had traversed the mirror Samael had shown him and was about to accept the bejeweled knife he held out to slit Malvano's throat. The man had tortured and brutalized Lucien. For that he deserved to die.

But it had been Girl's dainty hand snatching the knife away.

Her eyes looked fevered. "It's for your own good, Boy. I need to do this," she whispered. "I'm sorry."

The walls began to bleed, screams shook the house. Girl lunged at him and he tried to fight her off. Boy didn't want to hurt her, but she was so strong. Shock ripped through him when she hit him, trying to knock him to the ground. Boy had kicked out at her and took the opportunity to run when she fell back. He crashed through the glass French doors of the study they were in. The floor was bathed in blood and the ground outside the house was soaked in it.

The sky outside grew dark and the sound of Girl screaming in panic had him hesitating.

He turned to see her being attacked by large birds...no...not birds.

Devils. They were not very big, but there were thousands of them. The grabbed at her hair and lashed her with tails, and claws.

Despite her attempt to hurt him, he turned and ran to her aid. The creatures attacked him too. Trying to shield her with his body as the creatures whipped, and scratched them, he lost his footing and fell back. His head hitting something hard was the last thing he remembered until now.

Pain seared his gut, and he shrieked again as Girl ran the sharp blade up his stomach. Something wriggled inside him and he reacted by gripping Girl's throat.

Lucien was there, trying to yank her away, but Boy's fingers tightened around that frail throat until he was sure she couldn't breathe.

"He's possessed," a feminine voice said somewhere behind him.

Devon gripped his wrist. He finally released Girl when whatever was inside him felt as if it were trying to burrow up higher inside him.

Boy screamed, his hands going to the gapping slit on his belly. To his horror, he felt his intestines.

Devon gripped his hands and began speaking in a language he did not understand. His voice was thick and garbled, his eyes burning like hellfire.

Boy shrieked as pain became his world. His body bowed and his eyes sought out and implored Lucien.

Lucien was already there, sinking his hands inside him, pulling at the horrible pain, ripping it from inside him until Boy had no more energy, but to whimper as something was extracted from deep within him.

He watched in a daze as Lucien's ice-blue eyes darkened to pure black. His entire being crackled with power as he held a wriggling wormlike creature in his hands. It was about as big around as Boy's arm and about a foot long. The thing screeched, gnashing needle-like bloodied teeth.

It turned white in Lucien hands, its movements stopping just before Lucien crushed it into dust.

Boy closed his eyes and let oblivion claim him.

******* 

Lucien felt cold inside, numb, as he watched Devon seal Boys gapping abdomen shut. Nothing but the bare hint of a pink line remained and the pool of blood they all sat in.

"You all have to leave here," the female reaper was saying, her voice tinged with anger.

Lucien pulled Boy into his embrace and stood. Looking back toward the mansion, he could see a shadow ambling closer to the broken doors of the study. Malvano.

He'd said he was cursed. Pure hatred filled Lucien's heart.

Clutching Boy's body to his chest, he spat the curse that once more had the ground trembling. The soil beneath Lucien's feet liquefied, swirling, pooling thick blood. From the corner of his eye, he saw Devon grip Girl and rise in the air.

From within the mansion, Malvano's tormented cry rasped out. He cursed Lucien, Lucifer, and the Divine One before the rasping noise was cut off as the large house sank back into the bowels of the Earth.

Devon opened another portal back to the courtyard of the building they lived at.

Guardian soldiers surrounded them. Thankfully, Lucien's clothes had been restored to him when they traversed the portal. Still, they were all covered in blood.

The guardian soldiers aimed pulse rifles at them.

"You're all under arrest," one of them called out. "Put the stolen battle pet down and step away."

Stolen?

Lucien stiffened and the soldiers pointed their rifles at his head.

"Lucien, do as they say," Devon said softly.

"Get us out of here," Lucien replied tersely.

"They'll shoot to kill if I try. And they've got the others."

I'm not letting them take Boy—Lucien projected into Devon's mind.

We can't afford to manifest anymore power before them. As it stands, I'm going to have a hell of a time explaining how we stepped through a portal.

This gig is over—Lucien growled into his mind again.

"Put the battle pet down and step away," the guardian soldier shouted again.

"Luke," Devon prompted.

Lucien looked around. They had Angel, Anniel, and the reapers handcuffed. The weredragons, Seth, Ashriel, and Rowie were not amongst them.

Lucien knew how to open portals, but Devon was right. By the time the portal shimmered open, the guardian soldiers would fire on them. They could incapacitate the weapons, but not many Master Guardians could do that. Their covers would be blown. Not that he cared, but, fuck, they were so close to blowing this whole thing open wide.

Reluctantly, and with utter care, Lucien bent slowly to release Boy on the chaise lounge to his left.

"I'll find you, baby," he whispered, watching as Boy's lashes twitched.

******* 

Girl watched horrified as the guardian soldiers fired upon Devon and Lucien. From the second floor balcony, Angel screamed and tried to lunge forward, but she was held in place by one of the guardian soldiers.

Both Devon and Lucien fell to the ground, their bodies lit with blue power, twitching until they no longer moved.

The soldiers seized Girl, wrenching her arms behind her back.

Even as they cuffed her wrists, she kept trying to turn to look at the downed men. Neither moved.

Girl Rayne kept telling herself they couldn't be dead, but she, along with the others were hauled away to waiting transports. Devon and Lucien remained behind Angel continued to shriek and toss curses at them. Anniel sobbed, head down and the reapers filled out behind them, faces grim.

They were shoved roughly into separate transports and whisked away.

Girl felt panic rise. What happened to Lucien and Devon? What was going to happen to Boy? Where were they taking her?

The transport moved through the city flying in a vein of traffic that took them high above the skyscrapers. The cleared the edge of the city's metal platform and flew over the churning ocean.

Rayne closed her eyes and clamed herself. Lucien and Devon couldn't be dead. That was impossible with the amount of power she'd seen them both manifest.

Blinking her eyes back open, she saw the transport approach an enormous fort-like building sitting out in the middle of the violent sea.

Pulse canons, similar to the ones on Rhylos, were mounted all around the top of the towering monstrocity.

The transport dipped and approached one of the many vents in the lower part of the tower.

The landed within a vast hangar. The doors to the transport opened and two guards stood with weapons pointed at her. They wore the usual black flight suits with full headgear and black glass shield covering their faces.

"Get out," the one to her right ordered. A female.

Rayne was still in her sleep shirt from the night before and covered in muck and dried blood. Carefully, she stepped out of the transport. The female guard gestured for her to walk.

They escorted her out of the large hangar. Girl Rayne kept trying to see if she could see any of the others, but the two guards flanking her blocked her view. They walked a few steps and then boarded a smaller transport. Girl Rayne's cuffs jerked back, sticking to the thick metal pole in the middle of the transport.

Her two guards raised their face shields. A Gruesh female and a Minino male faced her with stern frowns. Neither uttered a word as the transport slid silently through tube-like corridors.

Girl Rayne looked from the bright blue face of the Gruesh to the furred feline face of the Minino. His golden eyes narrowed and he growled within his chest.

Rayne dropped her eyes to gaze at her bare feet.

"What are you, female?" the Gruesh question with a derisive sneer to her voice.

When Rayne remained silent, the girl snickered. "She's probably their little fuck toy. They sure like to play messy."

The girl reached out and lifted the edge of her sleep shirt, baring Rayne's pussy.

The guards snorted in laughter before the female guard stepped back, letting Rayne's dirty sleep shirt fall back into place.

They entered a brightly lit chamber where Girl was once more pushed out and made to stand in the center of a glowing circle. She was being scanned.




Redemption Ch. 13



The entire room was white and had nothing but the glowing circle upon which she stood. It was a large room with a mirroredge edge running around the upper half of its walls. They were being observed.

The Gruesh female scowled. "Borg," she spat.

"Wait," the Minino male growled when the female raised her weapon as if to strike Rayne. "It's still downloading data on her."

They were looking at the tiny view screens that came out of their headgear over their right eye. Rayne wondered if she could remotely access that information they were receiving on her, but knew it would be virtually impossible. The cold circle beneath her feet pulsed cold and she began to shiver. The second she tried to attempt to access their mainframe, they would most likely fry her on the spot. She eyed the mini pulse canons trained on her, their homing beacons blinking red.

The Minino male began to laugh, flashing his feline fangs. "Nice. She should fetch a pretty neat reward, right, Princess?"

Rayne blinked at both of them. As far as she knew, her entire family was dead and her people scattered after the decimation of her home planet.

A door to her far right hissed open and two more guards entered.

They stood near the Gruesh and Minino.

"You're being relived. We are taking over."

"What?" the Gruesh guard scoffed in outrage.

"You heard," the second guard barked. "This is a Galactic matter now. We're taking the princess into custody. Now stand down."

The Gruesh guards turned to look questioningly at the mirrored wall behind them.

Meanwhile one of the new guards gripped Rayne's arm roughly and propelled her toward the door through which they'd entered.

She taken out of the scanning chamber and pushed into another chamber.

Where was she being taken now? Panic overwhelmed her making her internal mechanisms threaten to shut down in order to protect her reeling mind. She fought against the sucking darkness lurking at the edges of her vision.

Again, they zipped through solid looking metal tubes, turning this way and that through a myriad of tunnels. The feeling of being lost and closed in made Rayne hyperventilate. She looked at her guards, but they remained silent and looking forward.

Rayne narrowed her eyes as she glimpsed a pinprick of light that grew larger. Were they heading back out of the tower.

The back door to the glass bubble that was the transport opened and Rayne gaped at one of the guards as he positioned himself behind her and the second guard.

"Don't worry," he said through his solid black mask. "I've got you."

His arms circled her and the second guard just as they hit the outside. The difference in pressure from outside the tower to the exterior sucked them right out of the transport.

Rayne gasped as fire engulfed her. It should have burned her, completely destroyed her, but it didn't. Out of the deafening explosion of yellow gold fire, appeared an opalescent red talon gripping her.

Rayne gripped the enormous talons tight as the heat laden wind beat at her face, making it hard to breathe.

Streams of pulse fire made the sky glow brighter. A mighty roar made her ears ring.

She looked up just as the red-scaled dragon let out a stream of fire that turned more than half the tower behind them black. Sirens wailed and she could see more transport leaving the building. Another roar drew her attention forward again. Just a few feet before them was another dragon, the sunlight glinting off his body that gleamed like molten gold. They were surrounded by reapers that scattered. The red dragon flapped his wings furiously, the sound deafening.

Rayne had to close her eyes against the wind and tuck her head to be able to breathe.

They flew for about half an hour before Remi finally settled in a wooded area. Rayne fell head over feet as he dropped them first a few feet off the ground.

She finally stopped tumbling when her body hit the side of a tree, making her grunt in pain.

After a few minutes of agony, Seth appeared over her.

"Are you okay?'

Girl just moaned, trying to catch her breath. Remi stumbled into view, completely naked, since he'd obviously just morphed from his dragon form back into human.

"She's still kind of loopy. You shouldn't have dropped her at twenty feet, asshole."

Remi scowled at the weretigri. "Well, excuse me if I was trying not to get torn up with the fucking trees, dickhead."

Rayne sat up and Remi hunched down next to her, concern etched on his face.

"I can patch you up if you're hurt," he offered.

She shook her head and accepted their offer to help her stand.

Rowie came running out of the foliage toward them, a bundle of clothing in her arms.

"Oh, God, you took forever," she blurted throwing her arms around Remi, and kissing him.

Seth growled. "No time for this face sucking shit."

Remi pulled away scowling at Seth as he jerked the clothing Rowie brought on.

"Are you okay?" Rowie asked her.

A lump formed in Rayne's throat as she nodded. "I saw...I saw the guardian soldiers fire their weapons at Devon and Lucien."

She looked at them all in the face, trying to gauge their response. "They weren't moving when they took me and the others away. They also took Boy."

Rowie nodded. " We need to move before nightfall."

No one said a thing about Devon and Lucien. She resisted when Seth gripped her arm to help her forward. He paused and looked at her questioningly even as Remi threw an arm around his lover's shoulders and began heading in the direction she come from.

"What's going to happen to them?" she asked.

"They're going to finish this mission. We all are," he answered.

Rayne still didn't understand, but at least his words proved that Lucien and Devon were still alive.

They walked a few feet into the dense forest until they came upon two transports waiting on a narrow dirt road.

She saw Ashriel first, holding Anniel, and not much farther away was Zak conversing with the reapers, including Amaranth.

"Okay," Remi called out, "let's move out."

Rayne barely took two more steps before she was tackled to the ground.

Boy snarled above her, eyes feral, fangs bared and one clawed hand raised, poised to strike and rip her throat out.

"Boy," Remi gasped, " what the fuck is going on?"

Boy snarled viciously, spit already drooling from his exposed sharp teeth. "She killed mine and Lucien's baby."

Silence, heavy, and oppressive surrounded her.

Rayne breathed past the lump in her throat, her eyes welled. "I didn't kill your baby. You had devil growing inside you."

Boy snarled louder, his hand rising higher, claws growing sharper.

"Boy, wait," Seth ordered. "Don't hurt her. Rayne would never knowingly do anything to hurt you or Lucien. Let her go."

"Not true," he growled, his voice animalistic. "She wants Lucien for herself." He choked then, his face contorting in pain as tears tracked down his face. "She doesn't love me, only Lucien." He swallowed and snarled again. "All you had to do was ask. I would've gone away and you could've kept him. He'd be happier with a full woman anyway." Boy's fierce expression fell again as he sobbed. "You didn't have to kill my baby. It would've all I had left."

"Please," she pleaded, guilt eating away at her at seeing his distress. "You were possessed. There was something other than the baby growing inside you. It killed the baby and was going to kill you too. That's why—"

"You should have let it," Boy shouted striking the ground by her head with his fist.

Remi crouched by them, his hand gripping Boy's shoulder. "Hey...enough of that kind of talk, kiddo," he said softly. Running his hand down Boy's arm, he leaned down to look more fully into Boy's face. "Come on. Let her up."

Seth crouched down near them too and helped Remi lift Boy to his feet.

Rayne closed her eyes as she took in a gulp of air. When she opened them again, Seth stood over her, hand extended.

******* 

Boy had never felt so unsure about his situation. When he was a battle pet, his life had order. He trained, he fought, he fed and slept, and he was used for sex. Always the same. Then, he was taken to Dred's fortress castle and caged as an exotic pet. When the Alpha Angels had showed up after the planetary revolution, his life had been thrown into a loop. For a while he'd been content to run free and uninhibited in Alpha 7's envirolevel. He'd been blissfully ignorant then...until that thing they's put on his head that made him aware...of everything. Now he couldn't undo the knowledge he had inside his head, nor could he undo the love he felt for Lucien nor the attraction he felt for Girl. She'd sucked his cock, made him feel for the first time in his life. Now he feared her, but still...something inside him wanted her despite that fear. He knew Lucien was attracted to her too. She'd make him happier, of that Boy was sure. He still did not openly touch Boy like he did with Girl, though everyone knew Lucien was using him for sex.

Boy touched his empty belly.

"I'm sorry."

The softly uttered words started him, and he bit back the little snarl that threatened to escape.

She'd just bathed, her sweet scent tickling his nose. Wearing a pair of black shorts and a white tank top, she stood barefoot before him in the back of one of the transports. The front of the vehicle had two rows of seats, but the back had four bunks and a booth for bathing.

Boy sat in one of the bunks as Girl padded closer.

Stopping just in front of him, she held out her hands.

******* 

A peace offering. That's what she hoped he'd see it as. Girl held out the ropes and swallowed hard when his violet colored eyes rose to hers. They narrowed in suspicion and she actually felt her heart clench.

Girl Rayne looked down, her hands holding the ropes to steadily.

"What do you want?" he asked softly, no emotion in his tone.

She licked her lips and peeked back up at him. "Take me," she breathed.

His eyes widened before roving over her. "Why?'

She swallowed again. "Because I want you to."

His eyes narrowed again. "And what are the ropes for?"

"Because I know you don't trust me now."

When his hands reached slowly to take the ropes, she noticed his fingernails were extending into claws. "And you trust me?" he asked, his voice deepening.

"I'm ready to take whatever you feel I deserve."

He remained silent for a very long time. Girl Rayne kept her eyes on the patch of flooring between them, an ash grey carpet that matched the rest of the padded grey interior of the large transport. Beneath her feet, she could feel the deep hum of the vehicle they traveled in. They'd been moving for over five hours. Everyone had conveniently left her and Boy alone in the back.

"Turn around," he said startling her back to the moment at hand.

Girl Rayne obeyed, obliging even more by crossing her wrists at the small of her back. A shiver ran through her body when he began tying her wrists together.

She'd be totally vulnerable to him. She also knew that the others were monitoring the back, in case things got...bloody.

The heat of Boy's body engulfed her back and he placed a single hand around the front of her throat. She could feel the pricks of his claws against her skin and his hot breath against her ear.

"I could tear your throat out right now if I wanted to," he rasped in a low voice.

Rayne nipple pearled tight and a slow throbbing began between her legs.

Boys claws slowly moved down. He molded one hand over one of her breast and pinched her erect nub. She hissed in pleasure at the slight stab of pain.

Boy's left hand came around to lay against her belly. She watched, fascinated as he raised his right hand and extended his claws further. Rayne grew wetter. She wondered how it would feel to have him stroke those lethally clawed fingers between her folds. She held her breath as he hooked the sharp claws on her tank top and ripped. The folds of stretchy white fabric fell open exposing her to him and whoever was watching them on the monitors.

Her excitement grew.

He hesitated. "Are you afraid?"

Rayne swallowed. She'd be lying if she said she was. "No. I want you to take me, Boy."

He shuddered behind her, his clawed right hand sliding down the middle of her torso until it dipped inside her shorts. Rayne gasped and widened her stance for him as he made her prior fantasy come true. Sharp claws scrapped dangerously over her skin as the pads of his fingers swam through the wetness between her legs.

"Girl," he breathed on a rapturous sigh.

He spun them until the backs of her legs hit the edge of the lower bunk. Her back hit the bed with a soft bounce as Boy yanked her shorts off. Her legs were spread and she gasped when he buried his face at their juncture.

Having listened to Amaranth, she'd divested herself of her body hair and the feel of Boys lips, fangs and tongue on the sensitive bare flesh of her pussy drove her wild.

Spreading her thighs wider, Girl let him feast on her, his lovely white hair sliding in a silken caress over her left thigh. She gasped and moaned, writing upon the bed as he tongue fucked her. Her eyes sought out and found the tiny camera aimed at the bunk. She wondered how many of the reapers watched at this moment.

The thought excited her even more.

"You're so wet and luscious," Boy rasped between licks. His sharp teeth nipped her making her squeak in delight.

"I've never willingly fucked anyone before," he panted. "I want to fuck you. Oh, please, say yes," he begged, kissing her thighs in reverence.

Girl Rayne bucked her hips imploringly. "Yes, Boy. Please. Yes."

Her vision spun momentarily when he flipped her over to position her with her face in the mattress and her ass in the air.

A tentative finger slid into her. " I don't want to hurt you."

The shyness in his voice just about undid her. Inside she clenched deliciously, anticipating her first taste of cock sliding into her untried hole. Samael had broken her hymen, but no one had ever truly fucked her.

The reminder of Samael jolted her out of her lust induced state, just as Boy pushed all the way inside her.

She gasped, bowed her back at the pinch of pain being possessed by Boy caused. His hand slid between her legs, and he began to pump furiously.

Girl tried to talk, but all that spilled from her mouth were moans. The pleasure was indescribable, but she had to keep him from coming inside her, least he impregnate her, and then Samael would kill him.

"Boy, let me suck you," she implored. "I don't deserve to come after what I did. Please. I want to be punished."

He hesitated, panting above her. "B—but I don't want to punish you, Girl."

"Please, Boy. I need it," she begged, tears springing to her eyes for having struck that bargain with the devil.

Boy pulled from inside her and turned her over her. He suddenly looked as though he didn't know what to do.

In all regards, Boy was akin to a virgin as far as his masculinity was concerned.

"Let me kneel in front of you, Boy. On the floor."

He looked nurse, but nodded.

After a bit of maneuvering, Girl knelt before him, his hand tangled in her short hair as he guided his erection into her mouth.

He was so much easier to take than Lucien.

Lucien.

Girl Rayne closed her eyes to hide her tears. Where was her beautiful Master? Master. Yes.

"I know you love him," Boy rasped, "as much as I do."

He was spilling in her mouth, his taste as sweet as she remembered.

Opening her eyes, she saw as he shuddered in completion, one tear tracking down his flushed cheek, all the while, all she could think of was how beautiful Boy looked that very moment and how much it pained her to see him hurting so.



Redemption Ch. 14



Devon's power surrounded him. Above them twisted what literally looked like a black hole within a tunnel of light. The swirling funnel mesmerized Lucien. He wanted to touch it. What would be on the other side?

Don't—Devon's voice, accompanied by a thousand others whispered in his mind.

He looked at his brother, a being of pure light, the only slightly distinguishable feature being the glowing blue of his eyes in a face made of white fire. Lucien had no idea how he was able to stand the brightness of the light. It should have blinded him.

Fuck—Lucien uttered. Are we dead?

A soul is incapable of death—Devon answered.

Again, Lucien looked at the dark opening above them.

What is that?

Devon kept his gaze on Lucien. A portal.

Lucien felt confused, his gaze shifting back to his brother. A portal back home? His confusion intensified. Where was home? What was home? He wanted to think of Boy and Girl's face, but the images would not come. Fear hit hard and fast.

I won't let you go, Lucien.

Why?—He questioned. After everything he'd done, tried to kill him, hated him...why?

Because I love you—his brother answered.

Lucien wanted to embrace him, but...he was a mass of flowing energy. The only thing holding him together and keeping him from being drawn into the swirling vortex above them was Devon.

Voices drew Lucien's attention. Looking down he saw another opening below them.

His body was laid out on a metal table, wrists and ankles restrained with cuffs and chains,but it wasn't dead. The body writhed and thrashed, completely possessed.

What. The. Fuck.

Devon lay on another gurney next to him, eyes also open, except those soulless black orbs just remained unblinking up at them.

They drew closer. More of the room became clear. Thousands of vid-orbs circled them, as well as a dozen Master Guardians Lucien didn't recognize. Their power flared around them as they formed a ring around Devon and his body, swords drawn.

Lucien studied the swords more closely. These were not divine swords. They all carried Lucifer's seal.

Someone was talking.

"The others escaped, and we recruited the help of Master Guardians from allied planetary systems to help in hunting them down. Among their crimes, aside from starting the interplanetary apocalypse a little over three hundred years ago, is the kidnapping and enslavement of the long lost Truidian Princess, and a very dangerous hybrid battle pet belonging to the ambassador of Vrongodia."

The Cyclopean reporter spoke with the congregated Master Guardians, but not a single council member was present.

What was worse, Lucien saw how little devils circled the Master Guardians, laughing and giggling.

They've given themselves over to evil?—Lucien asked Devon.

They cannot see what we see, Lucien. They think those creatures are Dominatio.

Lucien looked around and caught sight of their own Dominatios floating in a far corner of the large room.

When the interview was over, the reporters and master Guardians filed out. As they left, the vid recording orbs following them, Devon reached out and caught an orb.

The glowing ball's light winked out and sank to the floor.

What is that for?—Lucien questioned.

Evidence.

Lucien was about to look up again, wondering if that dark void was still hovering over their heads, but Devon stood in front of him, commanding his attention.

Time to go back—he said, his tone sad.

Lucien looked back at the writhing body. It was spewing up black ooze from its mouth.

Devon lured him closer and when he was hovering just over it, it split down the middle, and opened, exposing a sea of worms and maggots. Screams could be heard, emanating from the hideous sight.

No—Lucien cried out. He didn't want to go back inside there, back to the horrid memories he knew awaited him.

The body laughed, wiggling its tongue out.

Lucien. You must—Devon pleaded.

Lucien backed away, floating higher, away from the writhing mass of maggots, worms and screams that was the nightmare of his body. A bloodied hand shot out and gripped his aura before he could move farther. From the mass of bloody innards exposed to him emerged the face of a child.

"Don't leave me here alone," the child begged.

Lucien stared at himself as a child and wept. The moment sorrow engulfed him, he fell, he screamed. The beatings were real again, the torture, being locked inside the metal box for days, no food or water, forced to soil himself, feeling his mind splintering. The body laughed...no...it wasn't his body laughing. It was the evil part of himself. He was the child, shivering, terrified, not understanding why all this was happening to him.

Cruel hands gripped his arms and lifted him out of the box, shook him.

"It's all Devon's fault, and the Seraphian Master Guardians. They did this to you. They left you. They knew there were two babies and never bothered to look for you. They left you because you were garbage."

Lucien sobbed. "No."

"While you were raped and tortured, Devon knew nothing but love and adoration. No one gave a fuck about you."

Lucien shrieked. He wanted to die. He didn't want to stay within this carcass of horrors.

"That's right," his evil self hissed. "Die, because not even I love myself. I hate everything. Everything. I tried to kill Devon, I tried to seduce his woman...tried to seduce any woman, but they would never have me, only the pleasure I could give them. I hate myself—I hate myself—I hate myself—"

"Lucien," Devon shook him. "Snap out of it."

Lucien opened his eyes the screams of his past still ringing in his ears. "Fuck you," he yelled in his brother's face, enraged he'd made him return when he'd been so close...so close.

"I want to die—" Lucien let out a wail of despair.

Again, Devon shook him. "Stop it. Think of Boy Rayne and Girl Rayne."

"I'm cursed. Can't you understand? Cursed—"

Pain bloomed in his face and he sucked in a shocked breath, staring up at Devon's enraged face.

"D-did you just slap me?" Lucien whispered.

"Have you pulled your shit together now, or do I need to do it again?" Devon snarled.

Lucien closed his gaping mouth and swallowed. His heart was pounding in his chest and the table beneath his chilled ass was hard.

Looking down at himself, he saw he was still in one piece. Over their heads was a metal ceiling with subdued lighting. Smoke filtered from his lips as he exhaled from the cold. His teeth began to chatter.

Devon broke the chains from his wrists as if they were made of paper. The cuffs followed soon after.

As he watched his brother work in stunned silence, Devon's black Alpha Angel's uniform materialized over his pale body. By the time Lucien's feet touched the cold silver floor of the obvious morgue they were in, he was also encased in his own uniform.

Lucien's hands were still trembling as he remembered...not even I love myself.

Devon, cupping his face and forcing him to look into his eyes startled him.

"I won't ever let you go,"

Lucien swallowed, struggling against the silly urge to embrace him.

Devon smiled, released his face, and bent to pick up the darkened vid-orb.

Next thing Lucien knew, his brother was gripping him around the waist and Teleporting them back to the base of the Freedom Tower, beneath the city platform.

They floated slowly back down until their feet touched the dirty ground.

"Again?"

Both brothers turned to look at the girl reaper as she flew down from her perch atop an abandoned building.

"We're not here to traverse the portal," Devon assured.

Her eyes narrowed at them. "I only have one more year to go before my hundred year service is up, and I'm not going to let anything happen on my watch to ruin my chances at an honorable discharge."

"What's your name?"

The girl blinked, her cheeks going a little pink. She licked her lips, her gaze darting between him and Devon. "Kokobiel."

Devon smiled. "What are your plans when you're done?"

She tipped her head higher. "I'm going back to Seraphia to join Amaranth's army."

Lucien felt his brows shoot up to his hairline. "Ama has an army?"

Kokobiel snorted at them. "Of course. It is her sworn task to bring down any who would dare open the gates of Hell. Now that she is free of the bonds of priestesshood, she can come and go as she pleases. It is so much simpler to complete one's life task." 

Lucien was sure he looked as bewildered as Devon. Amaranth had been keeping Seth at arm's length since forever...but she didn't have to.

Devon was the first to react.

"Right. Luke, let's get moving."

"I'd help," the girl blurted when they turned to leave again, "But I can't leave...well, you know." She jerked her thumb over her shoulder in direction of the fountains.

Devon nodded. "We understand."

As they headed toward the front entrance of the Freedom Tower, Lucien's mind drifted to his loves, mainly Boy, who last he remembered being ordered to set down. His steps faltered. Boy.

"He's already with the others. Ashriel rescued him. They were about to give him back to his creator."

They watched her. Rayne lay on her back in the center of the throne room. All the male inhabitants of the court surrounded her, sitting at their tables, fed by the females. She was the entertainment.

Not desiring to shame her father, the king, Rayne spread her legs, letting all see how swollen and wet she was. She tweaked her nipples and moaned.

A lone man rose from his floor cushion and approached her. Rayne watched him through her lashes. The glowstones lighting the throne room kept the male in shadow. He gripped her legs and parted them more fully.

Rayne could feel herself clench, her arousal making her throb. She like being stared at while she lay bare for all to see. She also loved the feel of the flogger marking her, of being tied down and at the mercy of...

"Master," she whimpered.

Her fingers rode down the center of her body, and she touched her clit, flattened her feet close to her buttocks, and lifted her hips in supplication.

"Fuck me," she rasped, the mere thought of being ravished by a stranger making her blood boil.

Nearby, she heard the king laugh. "Ah, the body and face of an angel...the soul of a true whore."

Rayne bit her lip, her eyes welling. It was what she'd been trained to be...a whore, not an angel.

Master...he was the angel.

Pain choked her, made her heart ache. Where was her beautiful master?

The stranger dipped his head, a rough tongue licked her weeping cunt. Why was her father permitting this? She was supposed to be untouched until her wedding night. They were going to sell her to...someone else. Another king in a far off solar system. She'd been shown his holographic replication. The male looked like a frog, warts and all, but her father, the king, needed the alliance of his kingdom. She would be forced to crave his warty tongue and phallus invading every orifice of her body.

The stranger's tongue shoved deep into her, fucking her steadily. He growled like an animal, purred. Rayne gasped, her eyes focusing on...Boy.

His silver hair stroked the sides of her legs before sliding up her body as he rose to spear her on the full length of his cock.

She cried out, blinking the rest of her sleep from her eyes.

Boy gripped her wrists, yanking her arms over her head. The blades of his lean hips pushed roughly against the cradle of her thighs. He fucked her savagely, forcing an orgasm from her. Her scream was muffled when he took her mouth as well.

Rayne thrashed beneath him, her eyes going to the camera just above the bunk. Were they watching? She wanted to be seen. The thought sent her over the edge again.

"Oh, yes, Master—fuck me," she howled. "Use me."

Boy's movement stuttered. His wide eyes stared at her and then he snarled, his hips slamming brutally into her. The end f his cock kissed her womb repeatedly. He was going to come inside her.

Oh-no.

Samael would kill him.

She couldn't get loose. He held her down, forced her to take him. She was helpless to stop him.

"No," she cried. "No, please."

Boy released her, to her shock, and sprang away. He looked feral, his hair wild and tangled, his chest sweating and heaving. Rayne stared at his bared claws and fangs and jumped when he threw his head back and roared.

Seth barreled through the doorway that separated the front of the transport from the sleeping section.

Boy attacked, much to Girl Rayne and Seth surprise. He was out of control.

The transport shuddered to a halt. Amaranth and Remi barreled through the door and jumped on the rolling, snarling pair on the floor.

Girl closed her legs over her throbbing core and begged Boy to stop fighting.

Remi yanked his hair, pulling Boy's head back and yelled, "sleep."

Just like that, Boy went limp.

Rowie rushed to Girl's side. "What the hell happened?"

Girl felt her face flush with shame. "Boy. Is He hurt?"

Remi was hauling him up, placing his limp form on the bunk opposite Girl's.

Rowie shook her, her eyes two angry pools of black. "What the hell happened? Answer me."

Amaranth was helping a cursing Seth to his feet. He had a nasty gash on his face and bloody teeth marks on his shoulder.

"I-I was having a bad dream," Rayne stuttered.

"You two were outright fucking," Remi accused, tawny brows pinched over dragon green eyes. "Did Boy force you?"

Rayne shook her head, not sure what to say.

"Wait a minute," Natanael interrupted from the doorway. "You were asleep when Boy mounted you?"

She looked at all the disapproving faces around her. She didn't want them to think Boy a monster. She was half asleep, yes, but she'd welcomed his touch.

"I was dreaming of Master," she choked out. "Of Master Lucien and Boy. I just want my Master too. Please don't be angry with Boy. I welcomed him into my body. I guess I just panicked."

Her sobbed declaration was met by silence. What were they thinking? Remi frowned, turned and ran a gentle hand in Boy's mussed hair. Yanking the sheet off the top bunk, he then proceeded to cover Boy.

"Where is our Master?" Rayne whispered, looking at each of them beseechingly.

Rowie continued to frown in confusion. "You're calling him Master again."

Rayne gulped, remembering...everything. She'd been her own person for a while...but it wasn't what she wanted. She wanted Lucien...her Master. She needed him...loved him.

"What's going on in there?" Ashriel's voice called from outside.

Rowie and Remi rose, following Natanael out.

Seth sieved a hand through his shaggy white hair.

"Change of plans, Ama."

The girl reaper blinked at him. Rayne sniffled and stared at Boy, sound asleep on the other bunk. She suddenly had the urge to burrow against him.

"You're taking them back to Garethiel's place on Rhydiam Nine," Seth was instructing Amaranth.

The reaper's eyes narrowed. "Why me?"

Seth scowled. "Why does everything have to be a battle with you?"

Amaranth crossed her arms over her chest. "Maybe because I know what you're up to."

Seth's face went blank. "I'm not up to anything."

Amaranth scoffed. "Really? So, let's just say I take these two back to Gar's place, what will you be doing?"

Seth's eyes narrowed, a sly grin kicking up one side of his lip. "Why do you want to know, baby?"

Rayne blinked when Seth stepped up against Amaranth. The girl did not back away, but every feather on her black wings stood ruffled.

"Do you want me to...come with you," Seth purred suggestively.

Amaranth grinned, her arms dropping to grip his hips and rub against him. Seth snarled in arousal. "You always did love coming with me," Amaranth replied throatily.

Seth slammed her back against the door to the hygiene booth, their lips fusing together.

Rayne watched, eyes wide, mouth gaping as the pair devoured each other. Amaranth curled her leg around Seth's hips and rode the erection he most likely had pressed against her.

Deep throaty purrs poured from Seth. Rayne had never heard the man purr before. Stripes appeared on his straining biceps before he shoved away from the female reaper.

They were both panting. Rayne was panting. The sexual pheromones in the tiny sleeping cabin could be tasted and felt.

They just stared at each other, panting, until Amaranth began to chuckle.

Seth scowled. "You just love teasing me don't you?"

Amaranth bit her lip, her eyes going cold, almost angry now.

Seth suddenly looked lost. He took a deep breath, opened his mouth again, his hand lifting almost in supplication. Not a single word came from his kiss reddened lips.

If anything, what little remained of Amaranth's smile vanished, her eyes burning with disdain now.

Seth's outstretched hand clenched into a fist, dropping back to his side. His lip curled, exposing sharp fangs as a low growl rumbled in his chest, sky-blue eyes flashing. "I'm done begging you," he spat.

"Good," Amaranth snapped, her eyes glittering suspiciously.

Seth turned away from her, as if the sight of her was too much to take. "If you don't want to take them, I'll send for Garethiel, somehow—"

"I'll take them," she interrupted. "Don't worry about it."

Seth stared at her over his shoulder a moment longer. The longing in his eyes was plain even for Rayne to see. What happened between them? They were obviously attracted to one another. What had Seth done to garner Amaranth's anger toward him?

Lucien and Devon entered the empty building. There was so much garbage and debri, it was hard to tell they were actually inside a building. They made their way carefully around the piles of broken concrete, metal, old furniture, and bones until they came upon...Sammy sitting on a mountain of the stuff.

"You're wasting your time. They're going to take the clone away."

Lucien frowned, but it was Devon who spoke. "If you're so worried about that clone, why the hell don't you whisk him away yourself?"

Samael snorted. "And give myself away? Don't be stupid."

Wait. "What the fuck do you mean by give yourself away?" Lucien asked confused.

Sammy only rolled his eyes and rocked forward on his haunches. "No one knows my intentions, you fool."

Both Devon and he were mute. Not by what Samael had said, but by how he looked. Samael was fully adult now.

"Have you been taking steroids?" Devon asked stupidly.

Samael's face turned seductive. "Like what you see?"

"What the hell happened to you?" Lucien asked just as stupidly.

Samael crouched a little closer, muscles rippling, mane of corkscrew curls cascading over ropey shoulders. "I'm magnificent, aren't I." his black tongue licked lush lips, eyes narrowing before he snarled, "Enough. You're wasting time. The clone—"

"Can wait," Devon snapped. He removed the vid-orb from his pocket and let it float up near his head. It began to glow again, signaling that it was transmitting. "A trade. Take us to the Edenian council members' chambers and we'll find this clone for you." 

Sammy's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Why are the council members so important?"

"Because we want to clear our name," Lucien snapped.

Samael snickered, looking at Lucien incredulously. "We? Really?"

Devon took a menacing step forward. "You tricked Lucien into trying to kill me."

Samael spat a curse. "No trick. I told him the truth. Garethiel was sent to bring back Davariel's demon spawn. Lucien was left behind. They didn't think he would pose any danger."

"Garethiel didn't forget Lucien. He was too young and there'd been a bad storm that night, but Malvano Black knew where we were. He came after Garethiel took me from the orphanage. He obviously hadn't been told there were two babies. When Garethiel came back for Luke, Black had already stolen him away."

Samael looked at his claws, seeming to find them of great interest. "Hmmm-yes...there is that."




Redemption Ch. 14



Lucien snarled and made to leap forward to strangle the bastard.

Devon gripped his arm, holding him back. "Who tipped Black off?"

Samael rolled his eyes. "Well that should be obvious. The council members, of course. You were a risk to them." Samael frowned. "You need to understand, they just want to rule this little section of the universe. They, like me, have no desire to release Lucifer, but I was not in cahoots with them..." Samael drew and X over his bulging chest with one claw and smiled, "I swear."

"Like we'd believe your lying ass," Lucien snarled. Devon squeezed his arm in warning.

"Easy," he said softly, trying to soothe Lucien's escalating temperament.

Samael scowled. "I really don't give a fuck whether or not you believe me. I grow weary of this game. Are you going to retrieve the clone or not? I can always have him slaughtered. I thought I'd be nice enough to let you have the stupid fuck, but if you don't want him—"

"We'll get him for you, just after you take us to the council," Devon insisted.

Samael's eyes narrowed to slits. He began to chant in a low guttural tone. The foundation of the building shook, making a stream of dust and debris fall all around them. The devil pointed to his right and Lucien and Devon looked in that direction. In the darkest corner of the ruined lobby, cold air wafted toward them. A portal.

Following closely on Devon's heels, they walked through the darkened tunnel. As always, it was like traversing thick goo. It was a little hard to breathe and shapes slithered everywhere around them. Lucien kept his eyes on Dev's back as they emerged on the other side. The sight of red glossy floors made him frown. Lifting his head, he grinned.

"Well-well. So they're still inside Zion after all."

Lucien took the lead, knowing exactly where to go.

The y smell hit him as soon as he opened the doors. Rot, death, evil. The windows were still tinged red, but this time the noon sun was pouring in through the floor to ceiling glass.

A long table stretched wide before them, the rays of the sun framing the silhouettes of the still council members in crimson.

What kind of fallen angels were these, that they needed to possess bodies this way? The fallen angels Lucien was accustomed to seeing were glorious beings, tall, strong, with androgynous faces and enormous wings.

"In another realm, little brother," Devon said as if reading Lucien's mind. He most likely was.

Bone crackled and one of the members of the council let his head drop down to regard Devon and Lucien with dead eyes. Lucien wrinkled his nose in disgust when the creature mouth opened slowly. The scent of rot made him want to heave.

"To what do we owe the honor, sons of Angelos?"

Lucien let his eyes rove each and every one of them. None were the ones he'd spoken to that fateful night he'd been brought here.

"Doesn't matter, Lucien. They're still the same abomination on the inside," Devon spat. "Why have you chosen to live this way? You're divine angels?"

Silence.

"Why did you send me out to kill my brother?" Lucien demanded now.

This drew a reaction from them. They began to laugh. "You thirsted for his blood. We merely gave you the means to achieve your goals. You are both a threat to this solar system as well as the entire galaxy."

"Neither of us had any desire to release Lucifer and yet you arranged to have us trapped and destroyed while you and your cohorts turned the entire galaxy in on itself."

"All of creation is tainted. It is their destiny to destroy themselves. We merely trying to keep things under control," the same male answered.

He might have been once a Chid, but his flesh was so rotted he looked more like a brown leather sack. Only his overly bright orange hair and dead eyes the same color gave away his origins. Next to him a graying Crystalian female spoke up. "We merely diffuse the animosity and keep a little population control."

"So you admit to having sparked the war three hundred years ago? Is that why you got rid of us?"

"We admit nothing?" another council member replied.

Lucien winced when the Lizdracs eyes fell out on the table like a shriveled grape.

"Look at you all," Devon sneered in disgust. "You're all falling apart. No wonder you never allow yourselves to be seen once you're voted into office. Everyone would see you for who you are."

"The people don't care who rules them. As long as they have their comfortable shelters and food. They only want contentment. They care not about the governing council. We make sure everyone has everything the need."

"Like cows," Lucien spat.

The dead Chidadent grinned. "Earth people no longer eat animal meat. It is cruel to kill animals for consumption. We feed them their own dead as well as grow brainless humans in vats on a massive level on Venus to export as a source of protein."

Lucien felt sick to his stomach. He was glad Remi had thought enough to bring their own food for their consumption.

"As for killing us," the Crytalian female said, "there are thousands more of use waiting. We are a legion. You cannot destroy us. Nor can you get rid of us. We have infested almost every government on a galactic level. We do not aim to destroy this realm, but live amongst you. There are others, though that want to destroy you all. That is your enemy. Not us."

Lucien felt Devon's power lash out, tripping his own into action.

The corpses before them shook, eyeballs either sinking into emaciated skulls or popping out of their sockets in a going ooze. One council member fell to the floor and literally exploded into mush. The air boiled with power, waves washing over the macabre congregation before them. Skin split, innards rushed out. The rue forms of the fallen angels crawled out of the hosts, protesting the eviction. They were like fetuses but with wings and horns, crawling about the floor, snapping sharp teeth at Devon and Lucien.

"They are lesser angels," Devon said to Lucien. "Probably one of the first ones to escape when our father cracked open the portal on Megdoluc."

Then they were the ones who came out, blood thirsty, killing and destroying everything around them.

"Until they realized how much fun it was to be out from under Lucifer's thumb."

Lucien breathed in, the scent of decay filling his lungs. Time seemed to stand still as wave after wave of power flowed out from his brother and him. The fallen angels shrieked, a minute wail of despair just before their putrid flesh frosted over. They froze like horrid little statuettes, caught in a moment of agony. Devon shot his hand out, another wave of power shooting out and they all crumpled, turning to dust on the glossy red floor.

The glowing orb circled around in front of Devon and Lucien.

"We are innocent," Devon declared. "We have no need to clear our names, but we want the truth to be known. You are all under an evil influence. Your own Master Guardians could be in league with these fallen angels. Beware."

Devon's hand gripped the orb and he flung it to the ground, shattering it.

He turned to Lucien, "Let's go home."

Lucien frowned. "What about the clone?"

Devon shook his head. "In order to keep him safe, they can't know we have him. Seth is working on that."

Lucien nodded. "Dev, who exactly saw that transmission?"

"Everybody."

"Everybody?"

Devon leveled his glowing blue eyes on him and said more slowly, "Everybody. The entire galaxy, from the most civilized to the most primitive untouched regions. I reached into every mind, Lucien."

Lucien swallowed. What Devon said, if true, and he was sure it was, bespoke of a power so vast...it made Lucien unable to look at his twin with nothing but awe.

"You pretty much could've killed me with just a thought, couldn't you?"

Devon cupped Lucien's cheek. "Never."

Boy shivered. No matter how much Girl tried to reassure him that they were only headed back home, he felt terrified. He couldn't believe he'd attacked Seth. His animalistic side had come roaring out. He'd been about to reach climax...for the first time embedded deep within Girl's tight sheath. Oh, the agony of pleasure had made him lose his mind. It wasn't until he realized she was pounding on his shoulders, crying, begging for him to release her...the horror that he might have harmed her clawed at his insides. He'd hated himself for harming her. Wanted to lash out and destroy something. Seth had simply run in at the wrong moment.

He needed to leave, needed to let Girl Rayne and Lucien attain the happiness they deserved. He didn't know where he'd go, but it didn't matter. Only Rayne and Lucien mattered.

Seth escorted them to Garethiel's transport. The other Seraphian male was already waiting inside.

"Where are Cyn and the others?" Amaranth asked upon entering the craft.

"They disappeared," Garethiel answered looking annoyed. "My posh penthouse was raided a few moments ago after Devon and Lucien's dramatic transmission."

Boy perked his ears up at the Mention of Lucien.

"Transmission?" Amaranth was asking.

Garethiel rolled his eyes. "Woman, where have you been? Dev and Luce were standing inside Zion before the council, or at least what was left of them," Garethiel grimaced. "To think, I actually voted for Bubtaka." He trailed off, deep in thought.

Amaranth let out a frustrated little growl and shook his shoulder. 'What happened?"

Garethiel scowled. "I'll tell you what happened. Everyone just disappeared, that's what. They left me alone with that horde of angry malicious guardian soldiers. They trashed my place and then told me I was being evicted from the entire Edinian solar system because I was a part of Devon's revolutionary army. They gave me twenty four hours to disappear or they kill me one sight, no questions asked. Me. The one who protected this run-down vile solar system for two hundred of my best years."

Amaranth rolled her eyes now. "Oh, stuff it and let's get out of here before the shit hits the fan then."

Boy settled back in his seat, strapping himself in. he looked over at Girl and tried to give her a little smile. She just bit her lip, her blue eyes wide and concerned.

Boy leaned his head back and closed his eyes. He was so weary, he must have dozed off because he awakened to a blaring alarm and a red light flickering within the cabin he and Girl occupied.

Up front, Garethiel and Amaranth cursed.

"Shit. I can't break the tractor beam," Garethiel yelled.

"The Master Guardians. They were following us. I just know it," Amaranth yelled over the blaring alarm.

Garethiel barked out a humorless laugh. "If you think those sons-a-bitches are going to help us, you got another thing coming, sister."

Boy unstrapped himself and rushed forward. "What's going on?" he asked as Girl skidded to a halt right next to him.

"Grei slavers. They've got us in a tractor beam. We're being hauled in."

"Wait," girl said pushing forward. "Maybe I can link remotely to their computer systems and disengage the beam."

Boy gaped at her, but she shuffled forward to an unoccupied chair at the helm and sat. her fingers began flying over the control panel. After a moment she stuck the tip of her finger into a charging portal and her eyes began to glow.

It seemed as if they all held their breath, but the transport hovered ever closer to the hulking ship before them.

Boy gulped, his eyes gaping at the sight of the Grei hunter ship. It was deep dark grey, almost black and webbed over in metal. Tiny dark blue lights wined over its entire hull and even as he stared, a small opening beneath the main helm opened up like a red mouth, ready to devour them.

Gries. The females that had forced him to become more male had been Grei battle pets. Terror froze him.

"It's not working," girl whimpered in frustration.

Amaranth pulled out her sword. Garethiel did the same when the ship finally entered the hangar in the Grei hunter ship.

Turning to Boy and Girl, Amaranth said, "You two stay back."

Girl shook her head. "No. I want to fight. I belong to no one but Master," she turned to look at Boy and smiled gently, "and Boy. I'd rather die fighting than to allow another Master to own me."

Her words were lick cold water over Boy. He sprung to his feet, claws and fangs bared "I'm fighting too."

Amaranth and Garethiel nodded grimly. "Grab some weapons then."

A few minutes later, they were prowling a virtually empty ship. The helm was unmanned, but the coordinates had been plotted and the ship zoomed ahead, destination unknown.

"What the fuck?" Garethiel blurted looking around the helm when he discovered the control panel would not respond to any type of command, either manual or verbal.

"Aren't you supposed to have like this awesome power?" Amaranth yelled at Garethiel.

The male Seraph yanked his blond hair. That's my uncle. I left Seraphia because I was sick and tired of hearing about my reaper brother, the great Ashriel."

Amaranth cursed.

"Maybe we can be of some assistance?"

Boy froze. Everyone turned at the same time.

Devon and Lucien stood at the entrance to the helm grinning.

Girl was the first to react.

"Master," she cried before taking a running leap into Lucien's arms. He caught her with a grunt and crashed against the wall behind him. He laughed as he sank to the floor with her in his lap. She straddled him and began kissing his face all over, tearing her clothes off as she progressed.

Devon cleared his throat and signaled to Garethiel and Amaranth to follow him out. To Boy, he tossed a wink.

Lucien reveled in Girl's attentions. He thought, for a moment there, he'd never see either of them again. Girl fumbled with his shirt, desperately looking for a way to open it. He helped her by just flashing all his garments off. They'd be more comfortable in a bed, but Boy was too far away to teleport them all in the sleeping cabins at the back of the ship.

"Boy," Lucien called to him.

He stood near the front view screens, the sot blue lights glinting off his fall of white hair. Lucien smiled at the sight of his pointed ears peeping out from within the glossy strands.

"Come here, baby. Join us," he called out.

Boy lowered his gaze and remained aloof.

Worry made Lucien's belly clench. Was the little battle pet jealous? Did seeing Girl writing naked on him upset Boy?

"Boy, please," Lucien coaxed, gripping Girl's hands to make her stop for a moment.

Girl looked up at his face and then turned. She looked from Lucien to Boy until she finally turned and held her hand out to him. "Boy," she called out in the sweetest voice she had.

Boy's violet eyes finally focused on them.

Lucien gripped Girl and rose from the floor. Holding out his hand he just remained looking at Boy, willing him to come to them.

The moment Boy had placed his hand within Master's, Master had whisked them to a lavish bedroom. The bed was wide and round, like the one they'd shared on Alpha 7. Boy seemed reluctant to join them at first, but, to Girl's pleasure, Master began to kiss him. The sight had her belly quivering and her loins aching. Boy looked very much like a male now and the sight of the two of them devouring each other's mouths was heady.

Rayne began to touch herself.

"None of that," Lucien admonished, looking at her. "Kneel at our feet."

Rayne obeyed eagerly. Lucien gripped Boy's cock and fed it to her mouth. His cry of pleasure was swallowed by Lucien's kiss.

Rayne took pleasure sucking first Boy's, and then Lucien's flesh. She had to strain her mouth to get completely around Lucien's girth, but she managed.

Rayne throbbed and ached, rubbed both beautiful cocks against her face until she felt faint with desire.

"Lie on your back, on the bad," Lucien instructed her now.

Rayne scrambled to comply. She reclined and opened her legs, reaching out to him. "Please, Master. I want you to take me. Boy's already had me. Now its your turn."

Lucien's eyes widened and he looked at Boy questioningly.

Boy looked away guiltily.

Looking back at Rayne, he asked softly, "when?"

Rayne gulped. "Yesterday," she whispered.

Lcuein bent to her, his hands cupping her knees gently. He settled himself between her legs and parted them wider.

Ice blue eyes stared down at her a moment before he reached out and touched her.

Rayne moaned and arched toward him. Lucien's eyes rose to hers as he slid a finger inside her. "Did you like it?"

"Yes," she moaned.

He grinned and looked at Boy before looking back at her and inserting another finger.

Rayne gasped and thrust her hips in tandem with his fingering.

"Please take me," she begged.

Lucien's smile faded and he thrust a third finger into her.

Rayne gasped at the pinch, but relaxed her muscles and spread her legs wider in invitation.

Lucien worked his three fingers in and out of her, the sound of sex swallowing him wetly loud in the quiet room. Her panting moans also added to the ambiance. Boy fisted himself, biting his lips hard as he watched Lucien finger her.

When Lucien fed her a fourth finger, she stiffened for a second but made herself relax. Her body shivered from the tight feel of his hand almost going in and out of her.

"You're trying," he announced, his voice thick with arousal, but you're too tight to take me, Rayne."

"No," she cried out. "I can take you. I took Boy," she pleaded.

Lucien shook his head. "Let Boy take you again, sweetness. We'll work you up slowly to me."

Rayne wanted to cry out in frustration. Boy just looked at Lucien.

"But what about your pleasure?" he asked.

Lucien's look was smoldering when he gazed up at Boy. "Tell me you're not still celibate."

Boy's gulp was audible. "No," he croaked.

Lucien stood and dragged him close. "Then you shall see to my pleasure until Girl can accommodated me. Do you mind, baby?"

Rayne held her breath, waiting for Boy's reply.

"And once Rayne can accommodate you, what happens to me?' Boy continued.

Lucien stroked his cheek, gently, lovingly, "then we'll all take turns...who'll be in the middle. Right now," Lucien smile faded again, a look of desperation glowing from his ice-blue eyes, "right now I need you both...now...please."

Girl gripped his arm and brought him down. Boy followed. They tangled their bodies in a pile of arms and legs.

Rayne, insistent on getting Lucien inside her straddled him again. She rubbed her softness over his hard length. He bucked beneath her, moaning. Boy knelt over his chest and gripped her hair, lowering her face to his stiff cock.

Rayne obliged, and took him inside her mouth. Her blood roared in her ears. Maybe if she could turn off her pain sensors, she'd force Lucien's cock inside her. Even if her flesh tore, her nanobots would repair the damage before he realized it.

Rayne began to push down onto him. Lucien thrust upward, thrilling her. She bore down some more and gasped when she felt the tip of him begin to breach her. Her tiny opening protested when she wiggled harder on him. When pain began to over whelm her she willed her sensors to shut down. Another wiggle had her biting back a cry. Lucien gripped her hips and flipped her over, almost tossing By off the bed.

"You're a very disobedient little girl," he said calmly. "No you will lay there and suck Boy to completion while I fuck him."

She pouted up at him, but didn't say a word. Soon...soon she would have his life giving seed inside her. She had to do it, otherwise Samael would kill Boy.

Boy rose over her, his eyes smoldering as she opened her mouth to take him. Lucien nudged him to his hands and knees as he slid within her mouth. Behind Boy, Lucien also crawled. Girl thought he would just take Boy, instead, he buried his face between Boy's cheeks, making Boy's cock jerk in her mouth.

Boy cried out, his claws ripping the sheets on the bed. His hips pumped and Girl hollowed out her cheeks, suckling his long prick even as Lucien apparently tongue fucked him from behind.




Redemption Ch. 14



"Oh, fuck," Boy exclaimed.

Lucien reared up and clasped him around the waist. Instead of taking his ass, Rayne saw when Lucien slid into Boy's female opening. Boy's thick lips swallowed that massive hard-on in one quick thrust. Rayne gripped Boy's cock, pulled up and flattened her tongue so that every time Lucien pulled out, she'd lick the copious amounts of sexual fluids dripping from their copulation. By now her empty pussy throbbed painfully. No one filled her. She remained empty as the two men in her life enjoyed each other over her. Well, her man and her sheman.

Lucien gripped Boy around the waist with one hand and his cock with the other.

"Rayne," he barked tersely.

Obediently she opened her mouth as he slid Boy's cock back in her mouth. Lucien fucked him harder, making his cock pound into Girl's open lips. The end of Boy's cock began invading her throat, making her choke and gag. Her fingers flew to his hips, her nails digging into his soft flesh. It seemed like it was all he needed to flip him over the deep end. Boy screamed...literally screamed as his sweet cream flowed down her convulsing throat. When he would have collapsed on top of her, probably smothering her, Lucien gently helped him roll onto his side. Boy rolled away, panting, completely spent.

"Light weight," Lucien teased with a grin before turning his smoldering gaze to girl.

She was panting too, because for a moment there she hadn't been able to breathe.

With a trembling hand, she reached up to wipe a bit of Boy's pretty pink candy-flavored cum from her lips. Lucien gripped her finger and sucked them into his mouth. Rayne gulped. Feeling herself clench inside. He was so beautiful. His up-slanted ice-blue eyes sparkled. Streams of blond hair stuck to his sweaty neck and his chiseled chest gleamed with a fine sheen. Rayne's eyes stared hungrily at his shaft. By now her mouth was sore from taking Boy. Her eyes welled up anyway knowing he'd deny his own pleasure because he was going to deny her hers.

Lucien leaned down and surprised her by licking her. She gasped and arched to him. He growled and fisted himself. The sight of him pleasuring himself ratcheted up her arousal until she was sure she was going to combust.

His tongue shot into her making her scream. Just when she thought she'd shatter, he rose over her and began rubbing his cock between the spread folds of her pussy.

"Show me how much you want me, baby," he rasped.

Rayne began to arch against him, rubbing herself all over that thick erection. It felt hot and hard and the friction was delicious.

"Wrap your pretty little legs around my waist," he hissed, moving harder.

Rayne locked her thighs around him, her fingers clawing at his back and shoulders, fisting his soft hair. Feeling the muscles ripple all over her. He was so hard, so big, all hers.

Her back finally bowed and she rode out the most massive orgasm she'd ever had.

Lucien cried out and lifted, fisting his erection so that the head was almost buried inside her.

"This is what you wanted, isn't it? My cum inside you." He hissed.

She could feel it, filling her, warming her womb even as the last of her spasms made her twitch.

Rayne panted, completely boneless as Lucien lowered himself gently over her. Their sweaty bodies slicked and slipped against one another.

Lucien kissed her, possessively, biting at her lips before gentling to nuzzle her nose.

"Why won't you let Boy cum inside you too?'

The question took her by surprise.

She didn't want to lie to him, but she couldn't tell him all the truth either. Terrified Samael might do something to either of them.

She bit her lips and stared up at him from beneath sooty lashes. "I want to have a baby with you like the other women. All the other couples have babies."

Lucien stiffened and his eyes became shuttered. He kissed the tip of her nose and rolled over to lie between her and Boy.

"Lights," he said and the lights dimmed. "Rest now, sweetness."

Rayne could hear Boy snoring softly. "Master? Do you love me as much as you love Boy?"

His arm came around her, locking her to him, his heat engulfed her as he leaned over again and took her lips in the sweetest kiss. It reminded her of the first time he'd ever kissed her on the planet of Arboria. Her sweet Prince Charming.

"Sweetness, you and Boy are the most precious thing that has ever happened to me. I love you both. I don't know what would have happened to me if I didn't have either of you."

"You saved me," she said on a choked sob.

"And you saved me," Boy suddenly said from Lucien's other side.

She felt Lucien shift and a moment later, Boy's arms was sliding over her too.

"Seems like we saved each other," Lucien said pulling them tighter against his body.

Girl threw her leg over his hips and squeaked in surprise when her knee hit the rigid length of him.

"A-again? So soon?"

Lucien chuckled. "Seraphian genetics."

 

Epilogue

"They're getting ready to shoot him down."

Amaranth wanted to not give a damn, but that was the third time one of the fledgling reapers had come to tell her that an Alpha Angel's Viper had been spotted orbiting Seraphia. Their Master Guardians were under strict orders to vaporize any of them were they to come near their planet. It didn't matter that now there was plenty of doubt as to whether or not they'd been involved in the war. They were still considered a threat to all creation.

Pain made her chest ache. She hadn't believed any of it, searched desperately to prove all the rumors false, but...

Taking a deep breath, she stomped out of her rooms in the reapers fortress and headed to where her Fire chariot was stationed.

In mere minutes she was appraoaching the black Viper floating out in space near one of Seraphia's moons.

There were no marking, identifying the occupant, but she knew who was inside.

Alright, Romeo, what gives? This is extreme even for you—she projected her thoughts.

Only silence greeted her.

Giving a disdainful snort, she used her tracking beam and began hauling the viper along with her.

The high priests and priestesses were going to be livid with her but at this point she was beyond caring. She wasn't leaving Seth out here to be shot down...Not that she thought they'd actually be able to land a shot.

He was so quiet, though. Her fear began to rise as she lowered her craft on the dark side of the planet, near her childhood home.

The stars above glittered as she exited her transport and headed toward Seth's.

Using a bit of her magic, knowing that he'd never blocked her access to him, she made the top of the Viper open for her.

Her breath caught in her throat.

He lay on his back, eyes closed...asleep.

His uniform hugged his lean muscled body like a glove. Everything within the craft was black, making the shock of white hair all the more noticeable.

Unable to help herself, she reached out and stroked his silky hair. Unlike the other male Alpha Angles, Seth preferred to wear his locks short. It was cut in long layers, though, that fell into his eyes and draped his neck. Only once had she seen him with it waist length. The first time she'd seen him, it was cropped so short, it was almost non-existent.

He'd been so different then, so shy, so sweet...so innocent. A virgin.

Memories of seeing him tied to a stone alter, a vampires riding his loins, taking from Amaranth the privilege of being his first lover.

It hadn't been his fault, of course. He was about to be sacrificed as a virginal offering and the vampire had decided to ruin the plan for the fallen angels in charge of opening Hell's gate.

She'd been ready to forgive him after thinking about it for some time. When she'd finally been able to approach Seth, to talk and apologize for calling him a two bit man whore, his aura...his once pristine aura had been smeared and dirty with even more lovers taint. When she looked upon him in horror, he'd sneered at her, opening his arms and...

Seth gripped her hand and rolled her beneath him. Amaranth already held a dagger at the ready at his throat.

"Now is that any way to greet the man of your life?" he purred.

That sound. She hated it. It made her belly quiver and her toes curl. "Don't you wish you were," she scoffed and then wrinkled her nose. "Ew. Get off. You smell of liquor."

He ignored the knife poised at his jugular and nuzzled her neck, his purrs growing louder—God.

"I thought you liked it when I drank myself stupid for you."

Amaranth tossed her knife away and pushed at his thick shoulders. The brute was hard as steel. "You don't need to drink to be stupid."

Seth chuckled and snuggled closer.

Amaranth squealed in indignation. "Gah—get that thing off me."

He pressed the thing she was talking about harder into her hip before releasing her.

Amaranth scrambled out of his Viper, glaring at him as he sat up grinning at her.

He was grinning. Seth rarely ever smiled. But even as she gaped at the rare sight, it frayed around the edges before he finally sighed and raked a hand through that baby-fine hair. His eyes looked haunted.

"Reject me now, Ama. One day, you'll regret it. One day you might find yourself wishing I'd kissed you one last time."

She snorted. "Seth, you're drunk. Go home. Do you want me to let Rem or Zak know?"

"Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"Fuck no. What is with you?"

He pursed his lips. "Come-on, Ama. Just sleep. Or are you afraid of what you might do to me?"

"Ha," she laughed humorlessly. "As if I'd actually want to jump your bones." Yes she did. Very much, but she wasn't about to volunteer that info.

"I promise not to do anything other than sleep with you."

Amaranth scratched her chin. If he sent him away, she wouldn't be able to rest, wondering if he got back to A7 okay. "Fine, but no funny stuff, and as soon as the sun comes up, you're out of here before we both get arrested and executed."

"Promise," he answered another hint of a smile playing at his kissable lips.

"Come on," she said turning to head toward the house.

"No. Right here," he told her, making her turn again. "Under the stars."

"Why are you acting so weird?"

He shrugged, hopping out of his Viper.

He crouched down in the soft grass and patted the spot next to him.

The moonlight made his hair glow and turned his eyes silver. He looked so angelic. Hard to believe he was such a man-whore...but he was.

Amaranth stretched out, careful to arrange her wings just right so that the feathers wouldn't tangle. Seth immediately folded his hands behind his head and stared up at the night sky. "Pretty, isn't it?"

Amaranth looked up also. "Yes." 

There were so many things she wanted to ask him. Why did he go crazy after leaving Vildminoria a few years ago. He'd been so pure before and then...

"Don't think so much," he murmured.

She stiffened and checked her mental shields, lest the bastard hear her thoughts. Everything was locked down tight. She slid him a suspicious glance, but he'd closed his eyes. Unlike the hair on is head, Seth lashes and brows had grown dark. When he was younger they were as white as the rest of his hair, but now they were dark. It made him even more beautiful.

The ache in her chest began again. She'd once thought him incapable of being evil, but...

Her memory returned to the sight of him speaking with Grei aliens a few weeks back in Haddasha, and, to make matters worse, she saw him dancing with Glory, the heiress to the throne on Utudou. They were the ones responsible for their three hundred year captivity in suspended animation orbs. How could Seth fraternize with their sworn enemies? What was going on?

Unable to stand holding in her doubts, she turned, ready to drill him with her questions...to find him snoring softly next to her.

He looked so peaceful--damn him.

Amaranth just stared at his profile, her entire being burning to touch him again, kiss him, beg him to reassure her that it was all a mistake, that he wanted no one but her.

As her tears dripped down her cheeks she berated herself for her foolishness. Seth was young and virile. He would want to taste everything he'd never sampled before, just like any other man...everyone she'd ever met...like Dava, her first crush, her first heartbreak.

Her eyes fluttered closed wearily, memories of Davariel's blood bath coloring her dreams into nightmares. Even fallen, he'd shed light, like some out of control sun burning her lids, her face, her lips.

"Ama, You're just a child," he'd said the day she tried to kiss him.

Amaranth turned her face from the bright light before sitting up abruptly.

It was morning. Seth was gone.

As she began to get up something shiny caught her eye. Reaching out, she picked up the shiny silver wings. Seth insignia from his uniform. He must've dropped it.

Grinning to herself she marched to her craft and took off. Having an excuse to see him again was always welcome. Besides, she was definitely going to corner him into answering all of her questions.

Alpha 7 loomed into view, but all was quite when she landed in their hangar.

Stepping out of her Fire Chariot, she spotted Amadashiel, Reiven, and Abdiel standing near one of the exits.

They eyed her grimly as she approached.

"What's going on?" Amaranth asked trying to tame her wild hair. Belatedly, she realized she should have taken a little time to shower and do something with her mop.

"You don't know?" Amadashiel said.

Amaranth raised a brow at her, "Uh, no, but I got a feeling you're about to tell me."

Amadashiel looked at the other reapers before turning to tell her, "Seth. We think he was abducted. He never came home last night."

Amaranth's heart clenched. She shook her head. "No. He spent the night with me."

At Reiven snort of disbelief, she snapped, "we slept together, nothing more, but he said he would come home after sleep cycle. Maybe he detoured somewhere else. Where is Devon?"

"They're one. They're all gone. We think they're out looking for him."

Amaranth shook her head, unable to believe what she was hearing.

Seth's words came back to haunt her, you're going to wish you'd kissed me one last time.

She turned and stomped back to her transport.

"Where are you going?" Abdiel called out.

"To find him," Amaranth answered. "I'm going to find him, and when I do, I'm going to kick his tiger-striped ass for scaring the shit out of me."



Redemption Day



It was Friday again. 

'What am I going to do?' Paul thought. 'My friends are still at school and they won't be home until tomorrow.' 

School just ended for Paul and he was ready to party. Paul's parents went to Florida for two weeks and he wanted to take advantage of the situation. The only ones around were his two older sisters April who is 23 and Anne who is 21. He is the only boy and with two sisters around it can be trying at times especially with April. Paul had to admit his sisters were hot and because of this his friends always wanted to party at his house. April is 5'7" 120 lbs. She has long brown hair with 34c tits she is very thin but her best feature is her ass. Perfectly rounded from her years of running and she always buys clothes to show it off. She is one of those 'extremely good looking and I know it' kind of women. 

Anne is quite the opposite in many ways. She is more laid back with more of the soft look. Anne is 5'5" 115 lbs. And is more gifted with large full breasts. She has very curly blonde hair, green eyes, and full lips. Paul and Anne have always gotten along great but April has always been a problem. 

April has quite an ego and when she is with her friends she is just a bitch to Paul. Her best friend Malissa is kind of a mix of April and Anne. She is not as laid back as Anne or the bitch that April is although she does tend to follow April's ways when they are together. Malissa is a real beauty as well at 5'8", 130 and shoulder length brown hair. She has a great body... not a flaw and Paul sees her in a bathing suit all summer long and always ends up with a hard on. He has spent many nights fantasizing about her and wished he could get his hands on her. April and Malissa are aware of his attraction to Malissa and tease him constantly about it. 

The girls were staying at the house to party and Paul decided to go see his friend Jon at work. He is a bartender at a bar they frequent and he just wanted to tip a few beers and not have to deal with the girls. Paul spent about an hour catching up with some friends when he noticed a familiar face across the bar. It was Tara Hill one of Aprils old friends. Paul has not seen her in over two years. He worked his way over to her and she noticed him right away.

"Hey Paul!" Tara screamed and gave him a hug.

"Hey yourself. What's up? I haven't seen you in ages." 

"I know. Not much. I'm just back from school. I was able to take my last final early so I came right home."

"Well it is good to see you." Paul always liked Tara. There was something about her that got to him and he always liked her best of all of April's friends. Tara was like all of April's friends, hot. She was 5'3" 110 lbs. with long sandy blonde hair and pale blue eyes. She is perfectly proportioned at 35-23-36 but it was her eyes that Paul loved. He always wondered what happened to her but he could never ask April or he would just give her something to ride him about. 

They started into a conversation that lasted most of the night and found they had a lot in common. Paul also found his attraction for her had not died. 

"What ever happened to you and April? She never said but I figured something had to happen because you just stopped coming around." Paul finally asked.

"Well she and I had a falling out." Tara said.

"April has a way of pissing people off. What did she do?" Paul immediately made the assumption April was to blame.

"Well it really wasn't her fault. I did something that made her mad and that was it." Tara answered.

"Really. It couldn't have been that bad? April gets mad pretty easy?" 

"Well maybe I'll tell you someday." Tara said. "Cmon lets dance." She grabbed his hand and dragged him to the dance floor before he could protest. Soon they were back at the table drinking and talking. Both were feeling no pain and Paul decided to push his luck. 

"Tara." Paul leaned in to her. "I would really like to see you again."

Tara met his gaze and smiled. "Ok. I would like that." Tara wrote her number down for Paul and said. "Are you going to tell April you saw me?"

"No. Why?"

"Well if we go out I want you to know why she is so mad at me." Tara said. 

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." Paul assured her.

"No it's alright. I never told anybody but you are her brother and I don't want 'her' to decide if we should date. That decision should be ours and I know how she can be." Tara reasoned. Paul nodded in agreement. "One night when she came to see me at school we went out and got pretty drunk. We started talking and sharing secrets and I told her I had a fantasy about kissing her."

"Wow. You told her that?" Paul said.

"Yeah. She really didn't say anything probably because of the beer. So I leaned in and kissed her." Tara said.

"Wow." Paul said again. "What did she do?"

"Nothing at first. In fact she didn't do anything until the next day. She got up early and left saying she didn't want a lesbian friend." Tara said. "I know I am not a lesbian Paul. I wanted to experiment with my best friend and she is a very beautiful woman. There is something about her I found attractive so I decided to approach her about it. It was hard when she left like that."

"Ill bet." Paul said. He knew a lot of people experimented with sex and Paul didn't think it was fair to judge someone because of their sexual preference. Besides, two women together was just plain hot. "Well it still sounds to me like April is the problem."

Tara is very confident about herself and Paul could tell she was over the situation. 

Paul found himself getting even more attracted to Tara. She was open-minded and knew who she was and what she wanted. The night was getting on though and Tara had to leave. Her friends were all going and she had to tag along.

"Paul." Tara said. "I have to go. It was great to see you and I hope to see you again." She turned to leave but Paul stopped her. 

"Wait. You... " He stopped. Looked at her and leaned in and softly kissed her on the lips. 

Tara got instantly wet. 'Damn is he hot!' she thought. "Call me... bye" she waved and was off.

Paul came home about 1:00 am and April and Malissa were still drinking. Anne was already in bed and quite drunk he later found out. 

"Hey perv!" April wasted no time starting in on him.

"April just stop it." Paul responded. "What is with you? You have been on me for weeks and I don't even know why!"

"Come on Paul. You stare at me all the time what do you expect?" said Malissa. "You may as well give it up because I am not going to date you." 

"Yeah. You haven't had a date in what... 2 months?" laughed April. 

"Except your hand." Added a laughing Malissa.

'What an ego' Paul thought. "Have I ever asked you out?" Not waiting for an answer. "Damn Malissa! You're so full of yourself. You're as bad as her." Pointing to April. 

"Look." Started April. "You may as well go to bed with your date and get some sleep you are just too crabby." 

"You are such a Bitch!" Paul growled. "I... " he started but couldn't think of a really good comeback... it just pissed him off all the more and, of course, made them laugh all the more. Paul turned to leave.

"Wait Paul... here!" said Malissa tossing him a beer. "Buy your date a beer." That did it. Now they were having a ball. It was at that point that Paul decided he had to deal with April. She needed to come down a notch or two and she had pushed him to that point. 

Paul left them laughing and went upstairs. He lay in bed and tried to think of how to deal with April. He knew if he got to April then Malissa would follow suit. April is always getting away with behavior like this and not just with him. She has treated a lot of people like that and she has it coming to her. 

The next week flew by and Paul and Tara went out almost every day. They hit it off great. Paul planned a special night on Friday for the two of them. He made reservations at a nice Italian restaurant and got her some flowers. He picked her up at 6:00PM and had a great time. The food was great as was the conversation. Tara looked very sexy. She had on a snug miniskirt and a black low-cut blouse that showed her great tits. Paul had a tremendous hard on all through dinner. When they finished dinner they walked to the car hand-in-hand. When Paul opened the door for her he pulled her close and pressed his lips to hers. She melted in his arms and kissed him hard. She slowly probed his mouth with her tongue and pressed into his erection. They kissed for a few minutes and reluctantly broke the kiss so they could go too more secluded location. In the car Tara moved next to Paul and stated kissing his neck while she rubbed his chest and legs with her hands. Paul couldn't think straight but decided to head home because he knew that his sisters would be out. Tara ran her hands up his legs and finally stopped on his cock.

"What's this baby?" Tara smiled. "You seem to have a problem." Tara started to rub his cock through his pants. "You know I think you deserve to be rewarded for such a great dinner." Tara started to unbuckle his pants and fish out his cock. "Wow. You have a beautiful cock." Tara said as she caught her first glimpse of his manhood. She started to stroke his dick and leaned in to lick his ear. "I am going to give you the best blowjob you have ever had."

"Mmmmm... " Paul moaned. Tara moved down his body until she was face to face with his hard cock. She continued to stroke his cock and finally took the head into her mouth.

"Ohhhh. Godddd Tara." 

Tara slowly sucked in his head and used her hand to cup his balls. Tara then sucked his cock completely down her throat and slowly out again. She was horny before but she was extremely wet now. She loved oral sex. She licked up and down the side of his cock then drew it down her throat again. She held him there and used her tongue and throat to massage his penis. 

"Ohhh Tara. Damn that feels good. Too good. You are going to make me cum already. It has been so long." Paul moaned again.

"Mmmmm." was all Tara said. She continued her assault on his cock. She loved his smell and his taste. Tara made sure that his cock was coated with saliva and she continued to pump him as she licked his purple head. Paul was in heaven. He could hardly concentrate on the driving as Tara made love to his cock.

Tara's expert cocksucking skills were too much for the undersexed Paul. She felt him begin to tense up and she said. "I want to swallow your cum baby. Please let me have it." She then engulfed his whole cock and he exploded.

"Ohhhh Taraaa... Ohhhhh Immmmm cummminnggggggg... Aahhhhhhhhh" Paul groaned and unleashed 5 hard shots into her hungry mouth. Tara moaned as she swallowed his cum. Tara didn't let up as she cleaned his cock off and Paul only softened a little. Tara continued her manipulations on his cock and soon he was as hard as before. 

It was at that time that they finally arrived at Paul's house and raced up the stairs to his room. Paul and Tara ripped off their clothes and jumped under the covers. It was Paul's turn to return the excellent head she had just given him. He quickly dove into her sweet cunt. Tara had her hair trimmed short and Paul preferred this to the long hair some of his past lovers kept. He licked up the center of her cunt and hungrily sucked the folds into his mouth. Tara was so wet her juices were running on to the sheets. Paul sucked her clit into his mouth and lightly hummed to create vibration. Tara was so horny from the blowjob that it only took a few minutes for Paul to bring her over the edge. As he slowly licked up her pussy and again sucked her clit into his mouth she came.

"AHHHH hhhhh Paullllllllll... Ohhhhh... mmmmmm... Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.." Tara screamed into her hands. Paul felt the flood of her juice on his chin and licked up every drop he could. Paul didn't let her come down. He rolled on top of her and she opened to accept him. Paul slowly slid his hard cock into Tara until he sank all seven inches into her wet cunt. 

"Ohhhh... Damn... baby... " Paul said. "You are so wet."

"MMmmmmmmm." Tara moaned. Her eyes were only half open she as she enjoyed the feel of his hard cock filling her. Paul started to slowly move in and out of Tara. He drew her tongue into his mouth and teased her nipple with his hand. Tara reached around and grabbed his ass to pull him into her with each thrust. The two started to fuck each determined to bring the other off first. This went on for nearly a half-hour when Paul started to get very close to cumming. 

"Tara." He groaned. "I can't last much longer. You feel too good."

"I know baby I am almost there too." Tara smiled up at him. 

"I want you to cum with me." He said.

"I will. Use your finger and stick it up my ass." Tara said.

"MMmm... " Paul said. "I would love too." Paul has never tried that but always wanted to. He stuck his finger into her mouth and she wet it good and Paul reached around and started to work it into her anus. Tara immediately started to buck. "Oh my god. Ohhh... baby... I'm going to cum."

Paul was surprised how easily it went in and he started to move it around and quickly learned what she liked.

"Ohhh baby here I cum... " Tara moaned. Paul had quickly realized she was closer then he and picked up his pace. Paul suddenly felt Tara slip a finger into his ass and he rocketed to orgasm.

"Ohhhh shit Tara... Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... " Paul experienced the most powerful orgasm of his life. Tara knew this and timed it with her orgasm.

"Paulllllllllllllllll... Iimmmm cummmingggggggggg... Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.." She screamed in unison. It was also the most powerful orgasm she has ever had. Paul stayed on top of Tara until they both came down and he rolled off her and on to his back.

"Wow Tara. That was incredible. You are a fantastic lover." Paul said. "You are too baby." She responded. They slowly came back down and realized they were both very tired. Tara moved next to Paul and they quickly passed out and didn't wake till early morning.

In the morning Tara went home and they made plans for later that day to get together. When Paul went to shower he saw something that changed him forever. As he walked to the shower he noticed April's door was cracked and she never leaves it open. Paul very quietly approached the very small opening and looked in and there lay a sleeping April. Not just sleeping but nearly naked sleeping. April was wearing a half shirt with no bra and the shirt was nearly above her right breast. Her panties were barely visible because the covers were up just high enough to tease him but not show him the whole prize. 'What a body!' he thought. 'God she has great tits.' Paul looked over every inch of her body and developed a tremendous hard on. 'What am I doing? This is my sister. The bitchy one.' Paul forced himself to continue on to the shower and get ready to go. Just before he walked out the door April came into the kitchen.

"Hey April." Paul said.

"Hey." She responded. "Where are you going?"

"Out to see a friend."

"The one that stayed the night? I just figured it was a hooker." April shot back.

"No." he laughed. "Not at all. A girl I've been seeing for a while."

"Is she blind?" She laughed.

"Such a bitch so early in the morning. No April actually she is extremely hot. In fact you even know her." Paul couldn't resist. She would eventually find out.

"Really!" She returned in her snotty nature.

"Yes. Really." He mimicked. He knew she wanted to know but he was going to make the bitch ask. She did pause a little but the curiosity got the better of her.

"Well who is she?" April finally said. Paul walked over to her as she leaned against the counter. 

"Tara Hill." Paul said.

"Tara Hill!" She repeated. "That bitch." April was clearly shocked.

"What do you mean bitch?" He said. "She was your best friend for years." 

"Yeah! And she did some things that cost us the friendship." She was shaken. April was caught off balance for the first time Paul can ever remember. He decided to run with it.

"You mean kiss you?" He said with a smile.

"WHAT!? She told you that?" April shrieked. She started to say something but stopped.

"Yeah. She said you liked it." Paul lied. April was definitely shaken and he was going to play it for all it was worth.

"Wha... I did not." She denied.

"Yeah and she said you were good." Paul shrugged as if in disbelief. "Then you got mad and left. Why kiss her back if your just going to get mad and leave?"

"I left because she TRIED to kiss me!" April demanded.

"Cmon April. You didn't leave until the next day. You may as well admit you liked it." Paul said.

"I DID NOT!" She demanded. "Fuck you Paul and your little lesbian whore." Then she ran upstairs. 

Paul finally got the best of her but it was just the beginning. He drove over to Tara's house grinning from ear to ear. He could not get the picture of his sleeping sister out of his mind though. He told Tara of the conversation and she just laughed. 


"It was a good time to use it." She said. "April would have used it to her advantage if she found out before we told her. You know it is too bad we were good friends."

"Yeah. Well that was her decision." Paul said. Tara just nodded. 

They spent the better part of the day fucking at her place but Paul finally had to go because Tara had a early evening commitment. 

When Paul got home April had a few friends over and they were already on the way to a good buzz. Of course Steve, Aprils boyfriend, was there and if there is a bigger prick on the planet Paul hasn't met him yet. When Paul saw April she just smiled her little 'Fuck you' smile and looked away. Paul got an instant erection. 

'Why is she making me so horny?' He was mad at himself. 'I shouldn't have looked in on her this morning.' He just ignored them and went to his room to get ready to go out. When he entered his room it looked like a bomb went off. 

"What the?" Paul was shocked.

"What's wrong bro?" April was standing behind him. "Ohhh... Sorry about that. Amanda and Rick used your room while Steve and I used ours. Hope you don't mind. You'll probably have to change the sheets." She smiled and walked off.

That was the last straw. It was time that April was taught a lesson. She needed to understand she can't just do what ever she wants to who ever she wants. Paul was just furious. She needed a good spanking. 

"That's it!" He said aloud. 'That's just what that spoiled, self-centered little brat deserves!' He thought.

Paul quickly cleaned his room and went down to have a few beers. Anne and some of her friends were there so he knew he would have fun with them. After a few hours the party broke up and everybody went home including April's asshole boyfriend Steve. Anne had left with her friends and decided to stay at her best friend Amy's house. 

Paul knew now was a great time to issue April her punishment but he knew she wouldn't go easily. He finally decided a silk tie would be good to bind her hands and he waited about an hour for her to fall in to a deep sleep. Paul then crept through the quiet house and when he reached her door he quietly opened it and peered in. It was dark but he could see that April was on her side facing the door and like last night had on a half shirt, no bra, and covered to her waist. Paul wasted no time. He didn't turn on any lights and walked to her bedside. Paul quickly tied one wrist with the tie. April started to wake so he quickly grabbed her other hand and fastened the two together.

"What the hell?!" A groggy April said. Of course she was alarmed so Paul wanted her to know it was him.

"Its me big sister."

"Paul. What are you doing? Hey untie my hands." April quickly got her bearings.

"I don't think so." He was very calm.

"Paul. What the hells gotten into you? Untie me or Ill scream." She threatened.




Redemption Day



"Go ahead. Nobody is here." He reasoned.

"Untie me you jerk." She ordered.

"Now. Now. I don't think you are in any position to demand anything." 

"What are you doing?" She knew he was right.

"I have taken enough of your shit and it is time somebody taught you a lesson." He said. 

"What exactly does that mean?" She sarcastically asked.

"I think that if you are going to act like a little brat then you should be treated like one. It is time for a good old fashioned spanking." Paul reasoned. It was dark in the room and he was just starting to make out her features when she kicked her foot out from under the covers and nailed Paul right in the nuts. 

"Oh shit April!" He groaned. It was not a good shot but she got him. She leapt from bed and tried to run but Paul grabbed her foot and pulled her back to the floor. She continued to kick at him but he was able to roll his weight on her and she finally stopped struggling. 

"LET GO!" She screamed.

"No way!" Now he was mad. "This is exactly why you deserve a pink ass." April is light enough but with all her struggling it was all he could do to get her on his lap. April's shirt had now ridden up to her neck and Paul couldn't see her tits but her fine ass was now staring him in the face. 'God what a great ass.' He thought. "STOP!" Paul firmly said. "It will go a lot easier on you if you just accept your punishment."

"NO WAY!" She snapped.

Paul wasted no time. Whap! April couldn't defend herself because her hands were in tied in front of her. She did try and pull herself free but Paul was holding on tight and she couldn't get anywhere.

"OUCH!" She cried. Whap! Whap! Whap! "STOP!" She cried again. But Paul had come this far and he knew if he backed down now he was in deep shit. Whap! Whap! Whap! Paul smacked her ass until his hand started to sting and finally he stopped. He heard her crying now. 

"Those are for the last few months and these are for messing with my room." He said. Whap! Whap! Whap! Paul started spanking her again and counted off 25 more. Some where near the end of all this he realized that something wasn't right. Paul thought April was actually pushing her ass to meet his hand. 'Is she enjoying this?' He asked himself. He knew there were people who were into such things but could April be one? 

It all made sense. If anyone would be into this it would probably be someone who is so dominant under normal circumstances. Whap! Whap! Whap! 

He started to spank her again and sure enough her hips were moving to meet his hand. Paul also realized he should have worn something more then just boxers because he had an instant erection. The power he felt. 

Whap! Whap! Whap! 

He could not see her face and her hands were now above her head. Paul was sure she was starting to grind her mound into his leg. Again he was not sure so he continued to spank her and soon her hips were definitely moving. 'Is she is going to cum?' Paul was more turned on then he could ever remember. Paul stopped.

"You've been such a little bitch April. Are you sorry?" Paul said. There was no response from April but her breathing was heavy. 

Whap! Whap! Whap! 

"Yes." She finally said. Whap! Whap! Whap!

"Answer me faster next time." Whap! Whap! Whap! 

"Yes." She quickly responded.

"Are you going to be good?" He asked

"Yes." Whap! Whap! Whap! April's ass was on fire and the heat from the spankings was going right to her cunt. She was now grinding herself into Paul's leg and he could feel her wetness on his hand as he spanked her, her panties were soaked. April's head was spinning and her body was on fire but despite her attempts to gain control her body responded to the pleasure she was deriving from the pain. 

Oh my God! What is happening to me? I am so... turned on." April searched for answers. 'If he doesn't stop I'm going to cum. My own brother... Oh God and he's hard too.' 

"Are you going to treat me like a brother now?" Whap! Whap! Whap! He spanked harder. At first Paul hoped she couldn't feel his erection but now he didn't care. "Yess." April was fighting her arousal but this new experience was making her so horny she couldn't think straight. 

Paul was actually getting close to cumming just from his hot sister's ass play. He stopped spanking her. "You like this don't you? You little slut you like getting spanked don't you?" Paul was now totally into his control over her.

April paused. She fought for her sanity. 'How can this be happening to me? I can't let him control me.' WHAP! WHAP! WHAP!

"Answer me." He said. Whap! Whap! Whap!

She fought with her arousal. 'Oh my God he's turned on by all this. Damn it! What am I doing?' Paul paused and then hit her once very hard. WHAP! 'Oh no I'm going to cum. This can't be happening.'

"Answer me now!" He said.

"Yes." She cried. "Yes I like it." She relented. 'Oh God I need to cum. I need his hand. Oh please don't stop.' April had never been so turned on in her life and her brother was responsible for it. Paul grabbed her panties and pulled them off her legs and stared openly at her beautiful round ass.

"You want me to stop April?" he said.

"No... God no... please." April pleaded. She had lost the battle with her desire. She needed to cum and Paul was in control.

"Ask me April." Paul was groping her ass now daring her to question him. She could feel his erection against her side and this just turned her on more. 

"Spank me Paul... please spank me." She pleaded. Whap! Whap! Whap! 

"Ahhhh... " 

"Your going to cum aren't you April? Paul said. 

"Yes. Oh God yes... I'm so close." April admitted.

"You don't cum until I say so April." Paul demanded. "You understand?" Whap! Whap! Whap!

"Ohhh please... God I need to cum." She pleaded. Whap! Whap! Whap! Whap! Whap! "Ohhhh pleassssss... " She begged. Whap! Whap! Whap! Paul spanked her hard pushing her to the limit.

"OK April." Paul increased his tempo. "You can cum now." He used his other hand to grab her by the hair and pull her head back. He wanted to see her face when she came. WHAP! WHAP! WHAP!

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... Oooooooohhhhhhhhhhhh... Goddd... ohhhhhh... " April screamed. Even though it was dark in the room Paul' eyes had adjusted and he could make out the expression on her face and he nearly came all over her side. Paul stopped spanking her and quickly inserted his finger into her cunt and she immediately came again, even more intense. 

"OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh... My GGOODDDDDDDDD... OHHHHHHHHH Paullllllllll... Noooottt agaaaiiinnnn.. ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh... " She bucked back against his hand and Paul felt her sweet cum flowing past his hand onto his leg. Paul realized that this spanking went too far but he was now too horny to care. As April was still coming down he spoke.

"You are not done yet." Paul moved her off his lap and onto the bed. 

"Wha... What?" April was lying on her back and still clearly out of it. Paul stood and took off his shirt and boxers and turned to face his sister naked. 

"Paul I... " April started to say something but Paul cut her off.

"April." He said firmly. "You kicked me in the balls and now you pay." He gently grabbed her hair and moved her off the bed and into a kneeling position. His cock stood only inches from her face. "I don't want to hear a word out of you." 

April found herself obeying everything Paul said. 'What am I doing? I can't even stop him. His cock, he wants me to suck him off. My own brother.' 

"You know what to do." Paul said. April found herself opening her mouth and taking him in. As soon as Paul entered her mouth he came.

"AHHHHHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... Ohhhhhh... Gggoooooddddddd.. " Paul held her head and shot four large spurts into her mouth and she swallowed ever drop. "Keep sucking slut." Paul said. 

April tried to stop herself but couldn't do it. Paul still had her hair in his hand and her submissive posture had both of them beyond any stopping point. 

'God what a great cock.' April had no intention of stopping in fact she wanted very much to please him. Paul didn't even go soft. He watched as April cleaned off his cock and continued to take him deep into her throat. Her hands were still tied but she managed to cup his balls and stroke his cock while she sucked him. April's ass was burning from her spanking and she found herself at the mercy of her own desires. 

"You like sucking me don't you April?" Paul pulled her head off his cock. He was making it clear to her who was in charge. 

"Yes." She quickly answered wanting him to replace his cock in her wet mouth. 'My God I am actually sucking my brother's cock.'

Paul held her there and she did not fight him. She looked up at him and Paul could see cum on her chin. "That's a good little slut. You want to please me don't you April? "

"Yes." She anxiously said.

"You will do what ever I say? Won't you April?

"Yes." She was now pleading.

"Say it." He demanded.

"I will do what ever you say." April has never been dominated like this and her body was on fire.

Paul released his grip of her hair and she quickly sucked his cock back into her mouth. She was now obsessed with his cock and her desire to please him. 

Paul enjoyed her ministrations for a while but reluctantly pulled his cock free and moved to the bed. He lay on his back and instructed April to join him on the bed and she quickly obeyed. 

"April sit on my cock." Paul told her. April again was surprised at how quickly she reacted to his demands. She swung her leg over him and slowly lowered herself onto his stiff cock. 

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... godddd... " She moaned. She was so wet that he easily slid all the way in. "Oh... my... God... Paul... " 

"Ohhhhhhhhhh April... You feel soooo good." Paul moaned. "You have a lot to make up to me sister."

April understood his command and slowly started to fuck him. "Ohhh Godddd... " April leaned down and kissed him. 'I can't believe I am fucking my brother.' April's head was spinning. She explored his mouth with her soft tongue and moaned her desire for him. She covered his mouth with hers and sucked his tongue like a cock. Paul was now the one under a spell. She managed to tug his nipples with her bound hands and still continued to ride up and down his hard cock. April knew she was now in command and they both rapidly approached orgasms. 

"You like being fucked by your sister Paul? The feel of my wet cunt swallowing your hard cock?" April picked up the pace but she knew not to cum until he did. She sucked hard on his neck and moaned how close she was to cumming. "I need your hot cum in my cunt lover. Please fill me." April felt Paul's cock expand and knew he was close but she couldn't hold back. "Ooooooooohhhhhhhhhh Pppppppppaulllllllllllllllllll... Iiimmmm cummmiingggg. Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... " April screamed.

This sent Paul over the edge. "AAAAAAAAHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Aprillllllll oooooooooo... " Paul came harder then before and shot five times deep in her cunt. 

Paul and April were no longer drunk but they were so tired from their lovemaking that they passed out with April still on top and Paul was still inside her.

The next day Paul woke in his own bed. He got up in the middle of the night and went to his bed incase someone came home. He went down to the kitchen and April was making breakfast. She was wearing sweats and a loose shirt.

"Hey sis." Paul said. 

"Hi." April answered. Paul noticed she seemed a little shy. 

"What's wrong April?" 

"Ummm... Nothing." She said. She definitely had a different attitude and she seemed happy to see him but something was on her mind. 

April felt him walk up behind her and stop just short of touching her. She was feeling guilty about the previous night and didn't think it was a good idea to do it again but Paul was standing behind her and throwing her off balance. She spun around. 

"Paul. I don't think last night was a good idea. I know I have been a bitch to you well actually a bitch to a lot of people and I will change that but last night can't happen again." She looked up at him. He stepped closer. "Paul... no... please... " She said softly. He leaned down to kiss her and she turned her head but Paul softly turned it back. He was now so close to her she could feel his breath. "Paul... I.. can't do this... " She said even softer. Her body was starting to betray her again and she fought with her new submissive posture. She put her hand on Paul's chest to stop his approach but he realized she wasn't backing away. 

"April we talked about this last night." Paul said. "Are you telling me I have to take you over my knee again?" 

"No." She quickly said. April could still feel the pain of her punishment. She was desperately trying to regain her independence. 

"You remember how hard you came April." Paul slowly said. "You remember how I forced my cock between you lips and how anxious you were to swallow my cum?" Paul ran his hand across her breast and her hard nipples gave away her excitement. April's eyes were starting to get glossy and Paul grabbed her hand and lowered it to his rapidly growing cock. "You remember how good it felt when we fucked April?" 

She knew what he was doing. "Paul this is wrong." She weakly protested. When her hand touched his manhood she moaned and closed her hand around it. Her head was spinning again. 

Paul moved his hand down her flat stomach and into her sweats. He wasn't surprised to find she had no panties on and slowly ran his finger across her soaking cunt. 

"Ohhhh... God Paul... " April groaned. Her hand dug into his chest and she knew she had lost. She slowly smiled admitting her defeat and kissed him passionately. Paul dropped to his knees and pulled her sweats down to the floor. He looked up at her with love and lust in his eyes and pressed his mouth to her cunt.

"Ahhhhhhhhhh... " She breathed in sharply and as if by some reflex her hands closed around his head. April was extremely wet in anticipation of his advances. He licked up the center of her cunt and was rewarded by a flood of her juices. 

"MMmmmmm... April. You taste so good." Paul moaned. He sucked her clit into his mouth and slid a finger up her juicy cunt.

"Ahhhhh Oooooooooo... hhhh God Paul. What you do to me." She gasped. She felt him lightly licking and sucking her clit as his finger went deep and forward searching for her G- spot. April leaned against the counter as he inserted a second finger and licked every fold of her wet cunt. He worked both fingers into her cunt and when they were covered with her juice he raised them to her mouth and she licked them clean. He repeated this a few times while he continued to lick and suck her wet cunt.

"Paul I am close already." she groaned. Paul removed a wet finger from her cunt and started to ease it into her tight little ass and she came instantly.

"Aahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... Oh oh ohhhhhhh... mmm godddd... " 

Paul eagerly swallowed all the precious cum he could get from her sweet cunt. April managed to keep her balance but went down to one knee after she came. Staring Paul in the eyes she kissed him again and she could taste her own cum on his mouth. Paul helped her to her feet and instructed her to run a shower, shave her pussy and he would join her in a few minutes. April quickly left to do as he asked. A few minutes later Paul joined her in the shower where he got his first clear look at her body. "Damn April. You are beautiful." He said. 

"Thanks bro." April pressed against him and passionately kissed him. Paul already had a hard on and April was wet again even though she just came. She has never had such a sexual appetite and Paul brought that out in her. There were no limits between brother and sister anymore. They eagerly felt and touched every part of each other's bodies. April knew Paul had not cum yet and knew it was her duty to keep him satisfied. She sank to her knees and sucked his hard cock into her mouth. April licked up and down the length of his manhood and never stopped watching his face. She wanted to know everything that pleased him. She licked down the underside of his cock and tongued his heavy balls. She loved the way he tasted and wanted a mouth full of cum. She again took all 7 inches into her throat and held his ass with her small hands. Paul finally decided to take April. He told her to stand and turn around. April leaned against the cold ceramic and submissively offered her ass to him. Paul pressed his cock to her hairless cunt and entered her. 

"Ohhh... " April nearly came as she felt his wonderful cock fill her. Paul grabbed her hips and started to slowly fuck his sister. 

"You know you are mine April." Paul said. 

"Yes. God yes. Please fuck me Paul." She was pleading. Paul fucked her slowly for several minutes and April suddenly started to buck. "Please faster... Fuck me faster."

Paul started slamming into her cunt. He loved the way her ass slapped against his stomach. The lovers rocketed to orgasm and came simultaneously. 

"AAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh... " April screamed into the wall.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Baby... " Paul immediately followed. It felt like he emptied a quart of cum into her cunt. Paul continued to pump slowly into April as their spasms slowed and finally stopped. 

After their shower April and Paul knew they had to keep their secret and went about their day as if nothing happened. They made a vow not to do anything when anybody else was around. 

April and Paul spent the majority of the day cleaning up from the big party and when Anne returned home she immediately noticed the change in April. She just figured she was in a good mood (which was true) and left it at that. Anne helped finish the chores and when evening was approaching the three were trying to decide what was going on.

"Amy is having a party tonight if you two want to come?" Anne asked. 

"No thanks Anne. I am meeting Tara tonight." Paul said.

"Yeah... thanks anyway I am going out with Steve." April added. 

'Oki." Anne said and left to shower and get ready for the evening. 

When Paul knew Anne was in the shower he approached April. "April. Are you going to see Steve tonight?"

"Yeah. I was going too." Her smile faded. Paul reached around her waist and pulled her to him. April was instantly wet. "No you're not. I have set something up tonight and you WILL be there." He kissed her hard. "Ok sister?" Paul smiled.

Aprils smile returned. "Yeah brother."

Paul ran his hand along her pussy. 

"Ohh... " April's eyes snapped shut. "Damn... " April was horny again. Paul knew just what he was doing. "April. After I leave there will be instructions for you on the counter. Follow them to the letter." Paul had been working on a plan all day and he finally figured out how to make it happen. 

"Yes Paul." She groaned.

"Wear something hot. I want you to accent your body." He instructed.

"What do you have planned?" She was willing to do what ever he asked. 

"You are going to kiss Tara tonight." Paul said as he continued to work on her pussy.

"What. Paul no... please? I can't." She pleaded.

"Yes you can and yes you will." He said firmly. "You hurt her badly and you are going to fix this one." Paul could feel her cunt was getting wet from his ministrations. "One more thing. Wear that 'fuck me red' lipstick you have."

April was so close to cumming now and she was not sure if it was from his hand or what he was about to make her do. 

"April you will do this for me won't you?" Paul slid his hand down her pants and plunged a finger in her cunt. 

"Ohhhhhh... don't stop... " April rocketed towards orgasm.

"April tell me or I'll stop." Paul warned.

"Ohhhhhhh... No... please... Yes I will kiss her.." April said this and came. 

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh... ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... " She screamed into his shoulder and came all over Paul's hand. Paul pulled his finger out and made April lick it clean and she did without an argument. 




Redemption Day



He left her in an aroused state on purpose and quickly got ready for the night. He waited for Anne to leave, left the instructions on the counter and left.

Paul ran some errands and picked up Tara about 7:00PM. She wore a long dress (with nothing on under it), high heals, and her hair down about her shoulders. He was happy to see her and showed it with a long passionate kiss. She returned the affection and gave him a playful squeeze on his cock. 

"I can't wait to get my hands on you." He said. "Can you stay at my house tonight? "

"You bet babe." Tara quickly said. Paul had picked up some alcohol but they stopped and grabbed dinner before heading home.

"Tara tell me something?" Paul asked. "When you were at school did you ever have a fling with a woman?"

She laughed because she knows what every mans fantasy is. "No. I did kiss a few but never had the chance to sleep with one."

"So when you kissed April it was just an experiment?"

"Well yes. I was curious. April was very special to me and I was quite attracted to her. It was a phase that I had." She reasoned.

"So if I ever wanted... "

"Yeah. I would love to have a threesome some day." She knew where he was going. "It would have to be with someone special. I have some friends now that I would like to try it with."

"I think I would be happy just to watch." Paul said.

"Well I'll remember that." She smiled.

When they arrived home they got comfortable and headed to the kitchen to make some drinks. When they went into the kitchen there stood April.

"Hi Paul. Hi Tara." April smiled.

"Hi sis." Paul said.

"H.. Hi April." Answered a surprised Tara.

"Paul told me you two would be coming back so I made some snacks and mixed up some margaritas." April said. Paul was impressed with what a great job April did. "Sit down and relax." April placed a drink down for each of them and joined them at the table. At first Tara was very uncomfortable but April was not a bitch at all. In fact she was like she used to be when they first met. As April blossomed into a beautiful, intelligent woman she just got caught up in herself. Tara and her had a falling out and that was it. 

Tara actually found herself having a good time with April again. She didn't know what came over her but she began to see the 'old' April and suddenly the old attraction she had for her resurfaced. Two hours and two pictures of margaritas later they were all laughing like old friends. Finally Tara got up to go to the bathroom.

"April." Paul smiled. "You did great. Everything as I requested and you look absolutely beautiful." She even dressed as he asked. She had on black cotton pants that hugged her perfect ass, a tight purple sweater and she was made up like she was going out but changed her mind. 

"Thanks bro." She smiled. "I'm having fun." Paul was feeling the effects of the alcohol so he knew that the girls had to be feeling real good. It was evident by the atmosphere.

"Good." Paul walked up to her and kissed her passionately. She moaned as his tongue probed her mouth. "You remember April you do as I ask when I ask?" Paul firmly whispered as he ran his hands over her ass and pulled her into his erection.

"Yes." April answered. She was so horny. 

"What are you to do tonight?" He asked.

She looked down and said. "I am to kiss Tara." 

"That's my good little slut. Now put on new lipstick and on my command you kiss her. April it better be a good kiss. You kiss her like you just kissed me." Paul instructed as he wiped off the red lipstick all over his mouth.

When Tara returned she leaned against the counter and April poured another round of drinks. 

Paul watched as April brought him another drink and noticed Tara looking at her ass. 'I knew she still found her attractive.' Paul thought. Paul had been touching Tara all night and he knew she was all worked up. 

"Tara." Paul said. "April has something to say to you." Tara looked at April.

"Yes." April blushed. "I am sorry about the kiss thing back at school. I over reacted."

"Ohh April." Tara smiled in relief. "Its all my fault. I am sorry." The girls hugged like old friends. "I should not have pushed it."

"There's more." April said. 

"What?" Tara was standing right next to April.

"I... um." She paused. 

"What is it April? You can tell me I promise I won't over react." Tara was very happy at the mending of their relationship.

"I would like to try again." She looked at Paul and then back to Tara. "I would like to kiss you." April had practiced what to say a hundred times and now that she had said it she just had to kiss her and get it over with. April didn't delay for fear that she would chicken out and then she would have to deal with Paul. 

It was Tara's turn to be surprised. She was shocked that April of all people would be saying this to her. Her mouth opened to say something but nothing came out and April closed the distance between them. 

The first thing Tara felt were Aprils hard nipples press to hers. It was like slow motion as April pressed her lips to Tara's and slid her hand around her waist to pull her close. Tara moaned and felt her nipples respond to the firm tits pressing against her. Tara was taken back with how soft she was, how sexy this girl was. She then felt April's tongue run along her lips and then slip into her mouth. 

"Mmmmmmmm." Tara moaned.

April again fell prey to her body. The soft kiss of Tara was nothing like she expected. The way her soft mouth responded to Tara and the way she used her tongue to softly caress hers. The feel of her tits and the way her nipples stabbed at her was extremely erotic. Then Tara slid a hand down and lightly caressed April's ass and it was now April's turn to moan. April gave herself completely to Tara during their kiss. She softly bit each lip and sucked Tara's tongue deep into her mouth. Tara was now under the power of April's excellent mouth. She did her best to return the erotic kiss but found herself at the mercy of April's oral skill. 

After a few minutes Paul walked up behind Tara and pressed his body against her back. Tara felt his erection but was consumed by April and didn't even feel Paul untie the spaghetti straps on her dress. When the girls reluctantly ended the kiss Paul let her top fall and reached around to grab both tits in his hands. 

Tara moaned and leaned back into him. Her hands reached behind and grabbed his cock and her eyes closed. 

April hadn't moved yet because she was still reeling from the kiss. She couldn't deny that this new experience was more incredible then she could have ever imagined. She also couldn't deny that the anticipation was the reason she was wet all evening. Paul was forcing her into new experiences that made her crave sex like never before. 

Tara stood topless before her with her dress folded at her waste and Paul was fondling her large tits. Paul reached up with one hand and pulled Aprils hot mouth to Tara's erect nipple. April didn't even fight him. She willingly closed her mouth around the nipple and softly moaned as Tara shuttered at her touch. For the first time April's hands started to explore another woman's breasts. Her tiny hands felt-up the large tits and April was getting more and more turned on by another woman's body. She eagerly sucked and licked at the large tits but what really turned her on were her nipples. April was drawn to her nipples and how they felt. 

Tara was so wet her juice was running down her leg. The soft face pressed against her chest and the hard cock pressed against her ass were actually sending her to orgasm. She still had Paul's hard cock in her hands but was too lost in what April was doing to her to concentrate on it. 

"April." Paul said. "Get on your knees." April looked at Paul and obediently kneeled she knew what she was about to do. Paul lifted up the bottom of Tara's dress. "Eat her cunt April and you better make her cum." Paul ordered. 

Another first for April but she knew better then to argue with Paul. April's tongue slowly reached out and she tasted her first pussy. It was good. Tara grabbed her head and forced her cunt into April's face. April had no choice but to service the wet cunt on her face but she, again, was finding this new experience exciting. April explored her folds with her eager tongue and finally plunged her tongue deep into Tara's hot cunt. 

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh... " Tara moaned. "God April... Mmmmm you feel so good... "

April parted her soft lips and ran her tongue up to her clit and sucked it into her mouth and this sent Tara over the edge.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... I'm cummmmmmmmmminngggggg... Aaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... " Tara screamed and pulled April against her cunt. April felt Tara's cunt spasm and she tasted her first cum. She swallowed her prize and continued to lick Tara's pussy until she settled down. 

April stood back up and leaned over Tara's shoulder and kissed Paul hard to shared her prize. Tara was shaking and through glazed eyes she watched brother and sister kiss. Tara was surprised yet this incestuous act didn't seem to bother her at all in fact it turned her on. 

She watched the two kiss deeply and finally leaned in to share a three-way kiss. It took a few minutes for Tara to come down but when she did she knew it was time to return the favor to her new lover. Tara had never made love to another woman and she was anxious to taste her first pussy. 

"Let's go to my room." Paul said and led them to his bed. Once inside the bedroom Paul turned to Tara. "Did you like your surprise?"

"You mean April? Yes. I loved it." Tara smiled.

"Well April and I had a little talk. I managed to convince her that she has been a little bitch and she needed to change her attitude. The other night April pushed me too far and so I decided a good old-fashioned spanking is what she needed. I didn't know at the time it would turn her on so much she came all over my leg." Paul smiled at April.

She smiled. "Tara it was so hot. I couldn't help it. My ass was on fire and it went straight to my pussy. I fought the desire building in me but I lost. I ended up having a huge orgasm." April had now accepted her fate and knew that she was Paul's little slut. 

"Really!" Tara was surprised. "I have heard of that but never tried it."

"It still hurts a little but it was worth it. I think you will have to try it."

"Ok. I'm open to try about anything. You two want to tell me about that kiss?" Tara asked.

Paul and April looked at each other. 

"I'm not mad. I thought it was hot watching you two kiss."

"If you must know." Paul said. "I got so horny spanking April I forced her to suck my cock."

"Mmmm... " Tara smiled. "I bet that was a hot moment?"

"Yeah." Paul said. "She needed to be brought down a notch and as you can see she does what ever I say."

"So that explains why she kissed me. Damn that is hot." Tara leaned in and kissed April again. "Do you like women now April?"

"Yes." She moaned. "I never thought I would say it but I loved going down on you but now I think it is time you tasted me." April said while getting undressed. The others joined her and Tara smiled as she laid down between April's legs.

"Oh my baby. You are shaved. Paul I'll bet you have tasted this?" Tara said.

"Yes. A few times. It is very sweet." Paul envied her. Paul knelt at April's head and offered his erection and she happily sucked him in.

Tara moaned as April swallowed his cock and lowered her head to taste her first pussy. "Mmmmmm... God April you taste so good." Tara said. "I can't believe how hot it is to watch you suck your brothers cock."

April didn't say a word. She sucked him in and reached up to cup his balls in her hand and softly rubbed them. April tried to take him down her throat but the angle wouldn't allow it so she licked up and down the sides of his cock while the soft face between her legs worked on her cunt. 

"Oh my God Tara." She moaned. "You are a natural. Mmmm... your tongue... Ohhhhhhhhhh... "

Tara loved the taste of April: she knew she would. Tara had a hand on her tits and one on her cunt. She spread her lips and slowly sucked each lip into her mouth and savored the taste of April. Tara softly ran her tongue up her pussy and sucked her clit into her mouth next. 

"Ohhhhhhhhhhh... Tara... " April moaned around Paul's cock. Tara used one hand to slowly work a finger up her cunt and started pulling hard on April's sensitive nipples. 

"Mmmmm... God baby... that feels so good." April was so wet now. Tara continued to work a finger into April and lick her cunt just the way she knows feels good to her. April was already so horny and the talented tongue of Tara was sending her quickly to orgasm. 

"Ohhhhh Tara... I'm going to cum... don't stop." April brought a hand down onto her head and ground her hips into Tara's mouth. Tara could feel April's cunt tightening around her finger and continued to suck. The feel of her shaved pussy was more erotic for both girls and Tara couldn't get enough of her smooth cunt. Tara felt April start to buck and quickly worked a second finger up her soaked cunt and April came.

"TARA! Ohhh ohhhh ohhhh ohhhhhhhhhhhh Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Oh my god... suck me... Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... " April screamed. 

Tara felt the cum running onto her hand and she licked up every drop. Tara continued to clean April's entire cunt and finally move up to help her suck off Paul. 

April knew Paul was close as she closed her mouth around his cock. Tara joined her and she ran her tongue along the shaft as Paul watched two hot women sucking his hard cock. Paul felt Tara run her finger along his ass and knew that he wouldn't last.

"Ahhh yesss Tara. Stick a finger in my ass... Mmmm... " Paul groaned. Tara was now swallowing Paul's cock as April was licking his balls. April watched Tara work a slick finger up Paul's ass and she felt his balls pull up and he came. 

"AHHHHHhhhhhh... Suck me... mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm... " Paul yelled.

Tara swallowed the first two shots and tried to pass his cock to April but Paul shot her once in the face and April twice before April closed her mouth around the erupting cock. 

April pulled Tara's face down and started to share Paul's spunk. The girls licked off each other and continued to make out for several minutes. The rest of the night was spent the same way and all three slept in Paul's bed that night. 

The next day Tara had to spend the day at the grand parent's house and Paul went with her to meet more of the family. April was told by Paul to not see Steve anymore because he was not good to her and deep down she knew that it was true. So she ended up dumping him and spent the day with Anne and Malissa. They shopped and partied all afternoon and in the evening Malissa went home to see her boyfriend so that left the sisters alone.

April was a changed person and starting to look at women differently. She was actually checking out women were ever they were and looking at them as sex objects. She never thought she would want to make love to a woman but now she was consumed by that very thought.

April thought that Malissa was an obvious choice. She and Anne continued to party and since Anne had no plans and Paul would be late so they ordered dinner and decided to stay in. April knew Anne was much more sexual than she used to be. Anne was quite popular and she was like Paul, she liked sex. Surly she would know how to seduce someone.

"Anne." April said. "If you wanted to seduce someone how would you do it?' "What!" Anne laughed. "What do you mean?" "If you liked someone and you wanted to get laid. How would you go about it?" April tried to explain.

"You mean just sex?" April nodded. "Wow sis. You have changed." Anne laughed. "Well I suppose you could just ask. Most guys would jump anything. You have a great body and I know your leaving boners in your wake." Anne laughed again. 

"Well suppose this person... " April was searching for the words.

"Not aware of your interest." Anne finished.

"Yes. Exactly." April said.

"Well." Anne was thinking. "I am usually strait forward and make my intentions clear. Wear something sexy and try to formulate a plan. Sometimes the situations call for improvising."

April laughed. "I actually just got a plan."

"What is it?" Anne asked.

"Force." April laughed again. "If I can get the person tied up I am sure I can change their mind."

"April!" Anne laughed. "I suppose that is true. I usually get my way when there is a cock in my mouth. How on earth will you set that up?"

"I have a plan for that part but I need to set up the bed. Cmon sis I could use your help." April can easily get Malissa into bed but tying her up is another issue. The girls grabbed another beer and found some rope in the garage. They headed to April's room to set it up.

"I have to admit April." Anne laughed. "I like the change in you." 

"I know." April was having fun thinking this may actually work. "If we tie the rope to the four corners of the bed I can attach it from there."

"How? Oh forget it." Anne said. "You seem to have a plan. The rope will have to be the right length and it will have to be hidden." 

"Yes. Here." April patted the bed. "Sit." Anne did so and they worked on a knot that wouldn't hurt. The girls were clueless but after several tries they found a slipknot worked great. "OK. We have to set the length. Lay down." April pointed to the center of the bed. Anne moved to the center of the bed and April affixed a rope on each wrist and ankle. One by one she pulled each limb to a corner and fastened it easily to the bed. April actually tied it to the feet so that when they were off she could hide it under her bed. "OK. How's that?"

Anne gave a few tugs and found she had very limited movement. "Good." Anne was laughing. "Now what?" "You want to know how I'm going to do it don't you?" April said. "OK. Play along for a sec and I'll show you."

"OK." Anne was still laughing as the beer slowly took effect. The girls had actually been drinking all day and they both had a buzz going. April playfully hoped on the bed and laid down next to Anne.

"Hey baby." She said in a sexy voice. "Now that you are at my mercy I am going to do things to you that nobody has ever done before." April started rubbing her body. Anne was now laughing harder. 

"Stop... I'm ticklish." She cried. April would have none of it. She and Anne had not gotten along this well in five years. 

"Never. You are at my mercy." April mocked and started kissing her neck and grabbing her tits. "My my little lady. What a great tits you have." 

"April." Anne was quite ticklish and fought with her restraints. "OK OK.. you win. Now let me up." April suddenly realized that the sight of Anne tied down was turning her on. The way Anne struggled made her tits move and it was very inviting. April realized how hard it was for men to resist such a beautiful woman. April continued to rub her body and kiss her neck and Anne continue to fight her. "April stop." Anne started to plead. "I understand."

"No I don't think so." April said. "I think I am going to take advantage of this beautiful body." April was trying to play like it was still part of the act and straddled her waist. April ran her hands up Anne's shirt and started to kneed Anne's bra-less tits. She ran her hand over the tops and dragged her hardening nipples through her fingers. 

"April! Stop." Anne said. "You're going too far. I know you will get what you want but let me up."

April was now kissing her bare stomach. She continued to play with Anne's tits and tease her nipples. Anne started to fight a little harder but April ignored her protests and started to kiss her was down her stomach. 

"April. NO. Stop I am you sister." Anne said. April grabbed her sweats and yanked them down. This was a problem because they would only come down to her knees and they were pulling Anne's legs together. April grabbed the scissors they used to cut the rope and cut one leg of her sweats away.




Redemption Falls



Here we are again, I'm posting one of my little stories. In this one I wanted to deal with actions and consequences. Please remember this is a copyrighted work and all disclaimers apply. The story in its entirety; comes from no other place than my fertile imagination.

I need to thank Wolf-vixen, EKMathean, Raney and the brokenhearted111 for all their assistance in editing and help with the story.

I hope you enjoy it.

* * * * *

It was late, or early depending on your view of things. For Amber, it was late and she was tired. She trudged up her stairs to her shared apartment. She hoped Heather, her roommate, didn't wait up for her again. She was a big girl now, living in the big city. She didn't need a nursemaid.

She fumbled with her keys until she found the right one to open the door. After unlocking the three locks, she pushed her way in and dropped her big shoulder bag on the floor next to the door as it swung closed. She put her coat on the hook and sighed. She needed a shower then some sleep. She was sore, but she thought it was in a good way. She knew she wouldn't start craving sex again for at least a week.

"Look what the cat dragged in." A sleepy eyed and rumpled Heather said as she stepped out into the hall in her night clothes.

"Oh, Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you. You should've been there... it was great." Amber said as she passed to go into the bathroom, starting to remove her top. 

"If you are going to take one of your marathon soaks, let me go pee first.... Besides, I like my sexual partners one at a time, thanks. Not in groups. I don't know how you do it. I want privacy when I'm getting laid." Heather said as she left the door open so they could talk while she took care of her business. 

"It's all good for me. Once I get started, I don't care who sees or plays.... You'll never guess who I did last night." Amber started stripping off her tight jeans, getting ready for her shower. 

"Who...?' The slim Heather flushed and stood out of the way so her roomy could get to the shower. "Who the fuck scratched up your back...?" She exclaimed as Amber stepped into the shower.

"Tara Pulaski, and I took her where no man has taken her before." Amber laughed as she turned on the shower and waited for it to get warm.

"I thought you hated that cunt?" Heather ran her long fingers through her tangled chestnut hair, sitting on the edge of the sink. She didn't want to get her favorite pink bunny slippers wet from Amber's overspray.

"Yeah well, the thought of her coming over here and begging me to fuck her again, has a certain appeal...."She smiled and then flinched. "Man my ass is sore." She rubbed her soap squishy over her pussy and butt crack. "Some dipshit didn't know what it means to use lube before shoving it in. Not that I cared at the time. I was too busy making that cunt mine." She smiled at the memory as the water washed the smell of raunchy sex off her body.

"You're such a fucking slut... what would they say back in Throwback Falls if they knew their precious girl and preacher's daughter, was the favorite fuck toy of the local swingers club?" Heather had become used to these little talks over the last two years, since she moved in.

"That's Stillwater.... And just like the name implies, they haven't moved out of the stone ages yet. Hopefully I'll never have to go back to that hell hole. Daddy, the preacher, died years ago and Trace can take care of my mom. He's the favorite anyway. I'm the proverbial unwanted mistake and useless girl, they should've never had."

"So, who was fucking your ass while you were muff-diving Tara?" Heather shook her head. It wasn't that she was opposed to some good girl on girl sex, but she preferred something resembling monogamy. She at least wanted to know the person she was having sex with for more than five minutes before they were diving into her shaved pussy. And her ass, that was an exit only. 

"I don't know... some black dude. We weren't formally introduced." She shrugged. "He had about nine inches of fat cock that he didn't know how to use. He popped his cork in about fifteen strokes. Didn't even get a chance to relax and enjoy it. I guess my skinny white ass was too much for him."

"That's what I mean... I could never let someone fuck me unless I knew who they were." Heather said, trying to get her roommate to see her point of view.

"It's all just sex to me.... You should have seen it, the real funny shit happened while I was making Tara cum. She's a screamer...." Amber opened her favorite Lavender shampoo and started lathering her long dirty blond hair. "Some dude thought it would be a good idea to feed her his six inch pecker to shut her up." Amber tilted her head under the spray to rinse her hair, letting the scented soap sluice down her D cup tits and sore body.

"And...?" Heather took stock of her roommate and wondered what these people saw in her. She looked average. She was five seven on a good day. Sure she had big tits, but other than that, her ass was flat with the beginning of thunder thighs. She had a plain face, even with all the makeup she put on. Her nose is too big and her eyes too close together for beauty. Amber would never win any beauty contests, but she never lacked in either pussy or dick to help cure her insatiable craving for sex.

"What...?" Amber looked at her roommate's frank appraisal. "Oh, yeah I was saying.... I had my brass beads up her ass, and licking her slit like there's no tomorrow. She came and started screamin. Dude put his dick in her mouth, not that it stopped her screaming.... Just at her peak, I yanked out my beads and sent her into a full body climax... didn't make her squirt though... I was trying.... Anyway, she just about bit off dude's little pee-pee, and things went to shit after that for awhile. Dude's wife is pissed at me, like I did it on purpose. It's not like she wasn't getting pounded by a couple of other guys earlier. The last I saw her, she was seeing how many holes she could get filled with big black cocks since hubby is going to be out of commission for awhile." Amber turned off the shower and reached for the oversized bath towel.

"How many couples were there this time?" Heather shook her head at the description. Who needed porn with Amber in the house?

"About twenty I think... I made sure I got mine before I went after Tara. I've had this itch deep in my pussy for about a week, that's why I went tonight. I found this new guy who had a ten incher and a cock ring. I rode him for like an hour...."

"So, does this guy have a name?" Heather asked and laughed at Amber's shrug.

"I suppose.... Anyway, I waited until they had her strapped into the swing. She was getting fucked by her husband's brother until his wife came in and pulled him out. I was on that quim in seconds flat. Teach that bitch to fuck with me... I made her cum like five times before I let her climax. I can't wait until work Monday. See if she's got the stones to look down on me now. Just think of what the boss would say if he knew... He's such a 'holier than thou' piece of shit. Treats her like some virgin goddess and there she was, fucking her brother as her husband looked on." 

"I knew it was a bad idea to let my ex Tom, talk us into going that first time. I didn't mind the skinny dipping, but I'd at least like to know the guys name before he tries to fuck me. Then to find out it was a set up and Tom was trying to pimp me out..."

"Yeah well, the host tossed him out on his ass. I was there, so I tried it, and found that I like it. I don't push it on you... I wouldn't mind if you wanted to play, but you've made your position clear... To each their own."

"I know... but still, you went from like this innocent virgin to a total slut in one weekend. I'm surprised you haven't caught the crud yet." Heather knew she could never do what her roomy did. As a matter of fact, she'd thought many times, of asking Amber to find another roommate. Someone, who could deal with her lifestyle better.

"Yeah, well that's why I like that group. They all have to have tests and stuff before they join. At two hundred a head a year, plus fifty at the door..."

"What happens when you find Mr. or Mrs. Right? How do plan on explaining this to him... or her, if you fall for a woman? I never thought a preacher's daughter could be so open minded." 

"Why explain anything? I love sex... all kinds of sex. As long as no one is getting hurt, I don't see a problem. If they're right for me, then there should be no explanations. I'm tired... we can talk more after I get some sleep." Amber walked past Heather nude, heading for her room. With her hair still damp, she slipped into the grove of her pillow, when the phone rang.

***

When Amber opened her eyes, she realized she was at the hospital. She smelled the astringent order of fungicide and Pine-Sol. She wondered why she was there. 

"You scared the shit out of me." Heather said from her bed side, still dressed in her night clothes, wrapped in Amber's big coat.

"What the fuck happened?" Amber asked tasting the ammonia in the back of her throat.

"You tell me... I was going back to bed and the phone rang. A few seconds later, I heard you fall, breaking one of my glass figurines. You wouldn't wake up so I called..."

"Oh shit! That wasn't a dream?" Amber tried to sit up.

"No... who was it?" Heather wanted to know as one of the nurses came in.

"She's awake? The doctor will be back in a little bit." The nurse squeaked back down the hall, with her shoes as Amber tried to fit all the pieces together.

"So, who was on the phone, and why were they calling so early" Heather asked again. She was grumpy and tired and needed sleep. Not having to stay awake at the hospital because her roommate passed out after a night of fucking around.

"It was one of my mom's best friends.... She said mom's had a stroke and Trace isn't taking care of things. She still in the hospital and Susan said a lot of stuff is missing from mom's house. She said my mom might die...."

"Oh fuck... No wonder you flaked. I'm sorry... What are you going to do?" Heather was instantly by Amber's side, offering her friendship and support.

"I don't know... It depends on what they say here. But, I guess I'm going to see what the fuck's going on." She wanted to say more, but the doctor came in.

"Miss Mouser... Um, I need to talk to you in private please. Your friend can wait out in the reception area... It might be a good idea if she could bring you some clothes... I will be releasing you shortly."

"I brought some in my bag... What's going on? Is she alright?" Heather asked instantly. 

"Good, good... but unless you're her spouse... I need to talk privately to her." The doctor looked down at his chart. He made that mistake once and didn't want to again.

"No, she's my roommate. I'll be right here...." She told Amber as she left the room. 

"Okay... So, what's wrong with me doc?" Amber tried to sit up straight in the 

uncomfortable bed as soon as Heather flounced out of the room in a huff.

"Um, I need to ask if you are a working girl?" He stammered

"What do you mean... are you asking if I'm a prostitute?" Amber looked shocked and embarrassed. "Why would you need to know that?"

"I have to notify the local CDC... The types of infections you have..."

"No... I'm a bank clerk... I work at First Federal... Why?"

"Well Ms. Mouser... you have several sexually transmitted infections and they try and track them."

"What...!" Amber screamed. "I don't even have a boyfriend! How could I...?"

"That's why I'm asking... according to your tests results; you have Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, the start of Pelvic Inflammatory Disease complicated by E coli bacteria tainted Vaginitis... and a yeast infection. So far, we haven't found anything that can't be cured, but you'll need to take tests for a year or more to make sure. HIV and Herpes and Hepatitis, can't be cured. They can be controlled now, with the advances in treatment, but never cured! Depending on how many schedules of antibiotics you need to clear these up.... Well you've put your ability to get pregnant and give birth at risk. If you were a working girl... there are some programs I could sign you up for."

"You're kidding... I've been careful with who I have sex with... I can't have all those...."

"No ma'am... I'm sorry, but...." The doctor looked at her with something close to disgust. "The only time I've see STI's this bad before, is in working girls. Even with what protection they use. Well anyway... the playground is closed for at least two months if not longer. I'll give you the starting dose of medicine, and then you can pick up the rest at the pharmacy."

"I have to take a trip... My mom...."

"I'd use the hospital pharmacy... they won't ask the questions...." The doctor ignored her protests.

"I can't believe it..." Amber's head spun. She thought that....

"I have a form that you have to fill out, and then the nurse will come in and give you the shots. The only caution is that you make sure what pills you are taking. Some of them are for insertion only... those are basically a poison if taken orally. It's the best way to clean things out down there and try and get you healthy again. Are you sure you don't want me to put you in the working girls program? The medicines are going to cost over a thousand dollars if not more."

"You're kidding... I can't afford that!" Amber didn't know how she was going to afford the ER bill let alone the plane ticket home. 

"Okay... Just fill this out and give it to the nurse before they release you." The doctor gave her a packet of paperwork and made notes on the chart before exiting quickly. 

Amber wanted to cry. She thought she had been so carful. She thought that the club would keep on top of things like this. She knew she was going to send them a nasty-gram. She didn't even know what half of the things, the doctor said she had, were. Having to put poison up her twat to clean it out... That's just gross. But having all those sexually transmitted diseases....

She looked down at the forms she had to fill out. She had to give the name of every person she had sex within the last six months and keep her address on file for the next year so they could track the spread of the disease, or notify her, if one of her sexual partners showed a more serious infection or disease.

Amber couldn't figure out when her life lost control. She blankly stared at the forms as Heather came in. "So are you going to live? What did the doctor say?" Heather asked seeing the look on her roommates face.

"Yeah... I have an infection...." She almost said more, but pulled back at the last second. Heather had told her time and again about catching something like this. "They'll let me out once I get a shot. I have to find a way to get home... Maybe work can give me an advance..." Amber looked off in space.

"That bad huh.... Well here are your clothes... I'll wait out there. At least they have a TV. Come get me and I'll drive you home... well to the apartment that is." 

"Okay... At least we didn't miss work...." Amber commented absently.

"Yeah, but you're buying dinner tonight." Heather flipped her long hair back and walked out. 

Amber knew she had sex with a lot more people than she had on her list. But she didn't know their names. It was easier that way. She didn't want to know. She wanted the sex, not the complications of a relationship. She put the name and address of the club on the bottom of the list, to make sure the host would receive notice. She wondered if she could sue. 

When she signed up for the club, they boasted about how clean and careful they were. It pissed her off that they lied to her. Her only bit of satisfaction, was putting the last name on the list. Let Princesses Tara explain why she got a CDC notice at the bank. She hated herself for being so shallow.

"Well, I know you girls have to make a living..." A big black nurse came in unannounced. "But you need to be more careful. If you have to do this, you need to find a good escort service. Trust me I know." She put two big syringes full of medicine on the counter. "You're lucky I'm here. The rest of these prissy bitches wouldn't touch you. I've been there. I'll tell you right now it isn't worth it... Turnover and let me see if you have enough meat on your ass." Amber was mortified as the nurse didn't draw the curtain. 

"Ouch...!" She yelped as the first needle jabbed her in the hip.

"If this is the only pain you get from living this lifestyle... Girl, you're lucky! I'd find me a real respectable job. Now the other cheek.... This one's going to burn going in. Don't flinch; it will only bruise your ass. I know you'll make less money but... you'll live longer" She jabbed the needle in and slowly pushed the thick fluid in. "Okay as soon as you're done filling out the CDC forms, drop it off to me at the station and I'll give you the scrips. The pharmacy knows you're on the program and will bill you." She left just as abruptly as she came, still not closing the curtain. 

Amber face burned with embarrassment, knowing that everyone at the hospital thought she was some kind of hooker. She got dressed, as the old man in the bed across the way ogled her tits before she could pull her top over them. She felt relieved that Heather hadn't come with her to get her meds, as the pharmacist told her.

"Please leave a good address. If you girls don't pay some of this, then others can't get the help they need. Think about that while you're healing up and before you let some stranger poke at you. If a pimp made you do this, remember he has to sleep some time to. No one should have to live through this... Just think of the ones who die because of turning tricks." 

Amber mumbled something noncommittal and made a hasty retreat. She was quiet all the way back to the apartment, as Heather tried to get her to talk. Once she got home, she gathered up all her sex toys and put them into a black garbage bag and tossed them into the big dumpster, making sure no one saw her and that they couldn't be traced back to her. 

"You just threw close to a thousand dollars worth of stuff in the trash!" Heather exclaimed astonished as Amber walked back in.

"I'm not going to need them, and you don't want them, so... Let's get some sleep." Amber took her big bag of drugs to her room before Heather could look and see what they were for. 

***

Amber shivered and sighed, five days later, as she stepped off the bus in the main square of her home town. She looked up and saw the freshly painted water tower that looked over the small town of Stillwater. Not much had changed in the past five years since she ran away. She left a week after her father's funeral and never looked back. 

Deep down, she hoped her mother was still alive. Not being able to call from the road for the last three days as the bus stopped in every little town on this side of the country, left her back sore and she felt grimy. The bus driver tossed her bags at her feet and turned away without a word.

Amber picked up her bags and dreaded the five mile trek to her mother's house. She wasn't paying attention as she shrugged her bags up and started walking. She knew the route so well, she just started walking. She got three blocks before she heard a familiar voice.

"Amber...? Amber Mouser... is that you?" A woman called out pushing a baby in a carriage. "It's me... Sherry Tyner... well Martin now. I never thought I see you here again. How is your mother? We heard she's in the hospital." The name and babbling speech pattern jogged Amber's memory.

"Hi Sherry, it's been a long time. Yeah, that's why I'm here. I got a call... I had to take the bus. I'm headed out to mom's house now." Amber told her once best friend. 

"Oh... well put that stuff down, and we can go get my car. No sense carrying it any farther then you have too. Where's Trace? I'd expect him to be here to pick you up. Although, since Mary tossed him out, he's changed a lot." The round faced woman prattled, unconsciously giving Amber more information than she intended. Amber dropped her bags and looked astonished at Sherry.




Redemption Falls: Stillwater Rises



Redemption Falls was supposed to be a standalone story. If you haven't read it, I suggest you do. You will need the background to truly understand this section of the story. If you read the comments from Redemption Falls, you'd know that I forgot to completely finish it before posting it. Making that mistake has allowed me to go over the story again and close off some of the other character's storylines while I was at it. Yes, this section will deal with straight and lesbian relationships, but overall, it still mainly deals with open lesbianism in a small town. I hope you enjoy it!

Stillwater Rises

"Come in Mary... what happened to you?" Amber asked her crying sister.

"He hit me... I can't believe he hit me!" Mary sobbed, as the women surrounded her and walked her into the kitchen.

"Here, let me take Louse." Sherry offered, as she took the baby from Mary's arms, so she could sit down. "She can go lay down with AJ in the kids room." She rested the drowsy baby on her pregnant belly as she waddled up the stairs to the nursery.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude." Mary apologized. "I just didn't want to go to Momma and Daddy's house. I have no other place to go." She sobbed, mortified. She felt like a complete failure.

Amber was surprised by Mary's condition. It was the first time since she had known her, that she wasn't perfectly put together. She wasn't this much of a mess even after delivering Louse. Mary's shorter swing style hair was unruly and her clothes looked like she slept in them. It was also the first time her perfectly proportioned face didn't have the cosmetically correct amount of make-up on it. Shaking herself out of her surprised stupor, she told Mary. 

"It's fine... we're just going over the renovations. Trust me, it can wait. What happened?" Amber asked again.

"Are you okay?" Tara asked as they sat her down at the table.

"I don't know really." She answered hesitantly, not knowing how much of her problems to reveal. "I mean, Trace has been so angry lately and he's gotten so controlling." She took the tall glass of water Tara handed her. "We were arguing about your mother's will, the attorney, and how Trace wants everything now. He wants to go down and buy an expensive truck. I told him it would be better to put it in the bank."

"Let me look at that.... Louse is sleeping and I've got the baby monitor." Sherry said coming back in. "Why is it they always go for the eyes?" She asked rhetorically. "You're going to be bruised. It's going to be one beauty of a shiner." She softly touched the large red welt.

"I can't go back... I won't be anyone's punching bag." Mary said as she flinched away from Sherry's soft probing fingers.

"What are you going to do?" Amber asked as she reached over and held her sister's hand.

"I'm going to divorce him." She shook her head at Amber's protest. "If he hit me once, he'll do it again. Especially over something stupid as money...!" She shook her head in bafflement and anger. 

"Why is he worried about money? He's getting over sixty thousand from mom's estate." Amber asked as she gathered up the paperwork and plans from the table.

"He wants it to pay an attorney to sue you and Mr. Welsh." She said, looking at the other women who were sitting around the table looking at her. "He wants the house so he can sell it. Then he wants me to sue you for control of Louse's trust fund." She wiped the tears from her eyes. "I just can't take it anymore. He's not the man I married. I don't know what's happened to him. He's changed so much." She sighed in defeat.

"Are you sure you want a divorce... maybe marriage counseling?" Tara asked, as Sherry got up and puttered around the kitchen, making a snack for everyone.

"NO...!" Mary insisted. "I'm sorry, but no. This is a deal breaker." She calmed herself. "Especially with everything else that's happened." Mary said sadly. She hated thinking that her marriage had failed. 

"What else happened...? I thought things were better for you guys once he started sobering up?" Amber asked confused. She remembered when they first started dating; Trace's feet didn't hit the ground for weeks. He had worshiped her since they were in elementary school together. She had always thought Mary was way out of his league. 

"I thought so too, for about a month. Then the small changes started coming. Little things at first.... Then orders started being issued. He acted like I was some kind of a child that couldn't think for myself. Then the demands he stared making. He slapped me when I told him no. I refused his stupid demands about suing you." She stood up and started pacing. 

"I... I don't know what to say." Amber looked down and realized just how stupid her argument with Tara and Sherry was, over the changes in the renovations.

"Just say I can stay here until I figure things out... please?" Mary begged. It was the first time she had to beg for anything. 

"Sure..." She said looking at Tara and Sherry who were nodding yes at the same time.

"We'll have to rearrange some things, but Louse can sleep in the room with AJ; and we can get one of the small beds out for you. You can share a room with me." Sherry said instantly. 

"Yeah, we'll make room. I'm so sorry. I know what it's like to have your marriage implode." She rubbed Mary's arms offering her support and comfort. She smiled a little and told Amber. "See, I told you we'd need the extra bathroom." 

"Yeah, yeah, yeah... and the insulation for our room. You get to pay for the new set of plans though." She leaned into her lover and asked Mary, "Are you okay with us?" refusing to hide her relationship with Tara. 

"I guess..." She shook her head. "I never really thought about it. But I can see you two love each other." She shrugged, "It's more than I've got right now."

"Food's ready... can you girls move all that stuff off the table so I can serve?" Sherry interrupted before Mary could become overwhelmed again.

As they sat down, Mary asked Sherry. "So why was Allen looking mad enough to kill, as I walked up...?"

***

That night as everyone settled in, Tara pulled the plug on the phone before it could start ringing again. "What an ass." She said to Amber, as she stuffed the phone into a drawer.

"Yeah, who would have thought that he wouldn't get the hint after the first fifteen times of telling him that Mary doesn't want to talk to him? I mean while we were growing up he could be a brat, but I don't know what his problem is anymore. He was always the golden child and got everything he wanted." She shrugged and got into her nightgown.

"Well let's forget about him tonight. We've got to get up early and go to work." She snuggled against Amber and started kissing her neck and cupped her breasts, cuddling.

"No hanky-panky tonight." She shivered and sighed. "I think it would be too much for her to take in. Let's let her get settled, and give Sherry a chance to calm her down. Sherry is good at that." She hugged her lover, wanting nothing more than to make love and cuddle. 

"Damn, I wanted to bring out the whips and chains tonight." She kissed Amber. "I love you; but sometimes, you state the obvious. Let's get some sleep. I have a feeling Trace is going to keep our lives interesting." She didn't know how true her words were. 

They all found out at two am, when they were jolted awake by the pounding at the front door. Amber and Tara both approached as Sherry and Mary held their kids and looked from the stairway.

"Who do you think it is?" Tara asked sleepy eyed as she pulled on her silk robe.

"Who else would you think?" Amber said, and called out. "Who is it?"

"Goddamn it Amber, open the fucking door right now!" Trace's angry voice came through the solid wood. "I want to get my wife and baby. She's coming home with me!" Trace shouted and pounded. "You better change back the lock. You can't lock me out of my own house. I'm warning you, don't fuck with me Amber!" They could hear the hate in his voice.

"Trace, go home, Mary and the baby are trying to sleep." Amber tried to get her idiot brother to leave.

"I said, open the fucking door! I want in. I know she's there and awake. She's my wife and I'm taking her home where she belongs." They could see his face as it pressed against the glass next to the door. "Open up or I'll just bust it down. You can't lock me out!" He threatened again.

"Trace, leave now or I'm calling the police. Mary isn't going with you tonight and I need sleep." She made the dialing motion to Sherry, who nodded yes.

Mary came down and stood next to Amber and whispered. "I'll handle this." She walked up behind the door and set the dead bolt. "Trace, I'm not coming back. Not tonight, not ever! Get used to it. I won't be your personal punching bag. You brought this on yourself."

"I didn't punch you and you know it!" Trace yelled. "If you'd just listened to me and do what I say, it would've never happened! You just need to learn your place." He stated flatly.

"Trace... we're calling the police and don't forget who my father is. Feel lucky I came here instead of going to Momma's house. If I did that, Daddy would be looking for you with his army rifle. Go home and leave me alone, it's over... we are finished!" She shook her head and rolled her eyes at Amber over the antics of her husband. 

"I'm not having my wife and child holed up with my lezzy sister and the sluts she keeps as friends." He screamed. "Mary Mouser...! You need to come home where you belong, right now!" He ordered again. 

"Oh my god... Trace, grow up! Just leave, you'll be hearing from my lawyer. We're done." Mary said exasperated.

"We're not done unless I say so... I'm the man and the boss. I get to say if and when we're done." He might have gone on, but they saw the flash of red and blue lights and heard the heavy footsteps.

"What's going on here?" the deep baritone voice asked.

"I'm trying to get my wife out of this place and take her home where she belongs." Trace said belligerently.

After a soft knock, "Ma'am, could you please open the door?" The voice said.

"As long as you keep him out of my house...! We don't want him here." Amber said. She unlocked the door and started to open it. Trace tried to push his way in and Amber and Mary put their shoulder to it, stopping him. "I said we don't want him in here!" She scolded the tall cop standing there.

"Sir, you need to go out to the yard." The cop pulled on Trace's arm.

"Like hell...! That's my wife and they are keeping my child away from me. I'm going to get them!" He continued trying to force his way in. 

"I said..." the cop grabbed Trace's arm harder, "you need to go to the yard, or I could take you to the station; Mr. Mouser." He pulled Trace back and nodded to his partner. "Keith, keep an eye on Mr. Mouser here, while I talk to the ladies." 

"Yes sir." The young cop said and pulled Trace off the steps. "I need to get some information for my report.... Do you have your identification on you, sir?" He asked, as he pulled Trace back off the porch. 

"Alright: Now can I please come in?" the cop looked at Mary and saw her bruised eye.

Amber moved back and opened the door enough to let the officer in. "Just keep him outside!" She demanded crossing her arms over her robe, keeping the gap closed, since she was almost nude under it. 

"Fine, um, which Ms. Mouser am I talking too?" He asked looking at all the women in a glance. "We got a call saying there was a domestic disturbance."

"I'm Mary Mouser, soon to be Bailey again." Mary said, standing in front of the cop.

"I'm Amber Mouser, the owner of this house!" She refused to back off. "The other ladies are Tara Barns and Sherry Martin, soon to be Tyner, my house mates. We don't appreciate being woken up at two in the morning by my idiot brother, who has been told repeatedly, not to come over and bother us."

"I see... did he give you that shiner Mrs. Mouser?" He pointed at Mary's bruised eye. "We can pull him in on domestic abuse charges." He offered.

"No, I'm divorcing him." She covered her eye. "That'll cost him more than enough. I just want to be free from him, not to destroy him. He's already on probation at work. I don't want him to lose his job." Mary said after some thought. "Can you just make him go home and leave us alone, so we can go back to sleep?"

"Yes Ma'am.... I'd suggest you see a lawyer as fast as you can. Just to get the restraining orders and such. Even if you decide to reconcile, it will make it better to keep him away from you, until the judge can see to it." He handed Mary his card. "The incident number is on the back. It will help with the filing. Give it to your lawyer. He'll know what to do with it. Have a good night..." He tipped his head to all the women and quietly exited the house. 

"I'm sorry Amber..." Mary tried to apologize, as she locked the door again, as the cops walked Trace back to his car. 

"Don't..." Amber stopped her, "it's not your fault my brother's an ass. I don't know how you put up with him as long as you have. Let's get some sleep." She put her arm around Tara. "I'd keep your robes handy girls. I doubt this is the last late night visit we'll get before it's all said and done." She pulled her lover back into their room.

"Mary, calm down sweetie, don't let little Louse feel how upset you are. She's fussy and needs fed." Sherry said holding both kids and rocking them.

***

"Are you sure?" Mary asked, as Amber walked her into Mr. Welsh's office two days later.

"Yeah, it accomplishes several things at once. Mr. Welch knows you and Trace. He knows about Louse's trust fund and it will piss Trace off no end to have Mr. Welsh as your attorney. Come on, I only have an hour before I have to be back at the bank." Amber hooked her arm in Mary's as they walked with her.

"Thanks for taking time out of your busy day. I don't know what I'd do without you. I have to call Momma and Daddy tonight and tell them." She blew her bangs out of her face and straightened her spine as they entered the little office.

"Don't worry about it. Just because you're divorcing my idiot brother, doesn't stop you from being my sister, nor Louse being my niece. It's his loss." She waved at the receptionist. "Trish, can you tell Mr. Welsh we're here?" She sat next to Mary and waited.

Thirty minutes later, "Let me see if I got this straight." The balding attorney asked as he scratched his chin. "Irreconcilable Differences; standard stay away orders, and full custody of the minor child. You're okay with him having reasonable visitation, as awarded by the court. You want the standard division of the joint properties acquired during the marriage. What about the extra money he's getting from the estate?" He looked at Mary.

"Well, all I really want is to have him keep what's his and I keep what's mine. I have a trust fund, he knows nothing about, and I don't want him to touch it. It won't pay out for another year or so."

"Hmmm, I see. And why did you keep this from him? If it is accountable, I have to post it on the forms." He said, warning her.

"The trust isn't in my name, but I'm the beneficiary, so it's really not mine yet. I'd hoped to surprise him, but now...." She shrugged. "It's a family thing. Daddy believes until you've made it for over five years, you are a spouse, but not really family." She explained.

"Ah, I see. So, it's possible future earnings..., it's not yours yet. I think I know a way to deal with that. You're family is smart and careful. If the account was in your name, he could make a claim against it." He looked at Amber. "And you refuse to share receivership of the trust fund in Louse's name." He asked, knowing the answer.

"Yes sir.... We know he's going to try and go for control of that. Plus we need to stop him from spending all of Momma's money until the judge can order the split. I hope this doesn't cause a conflict." Amber said, not wanting to find another attorney.

"No... no conflict," He reassured Amber. "I can bifurcate these matters, since all I'm doing, is ensuring the money and estate is all accounted for and distributed. I don't have authority over the trust. I'll ask the court for an impartial auditor and that solves any complaint Trace or his attorney might bring up. When do you want me to get started on this?" 

"Right away...!" Mary said. "I can leave you an open check with a five thousand dollar limit, for your retainer. I want this done as soon as possible. I'm not going back to him and he won't lay a hand on my daughter either." She stated venomously. 

"Okay then, I'll have the paperwork ready for your review by next week. Make sure you return that property and earnings form to Trish as soon as you can and we will have this filed by the end of next week. Is there a reason for an exparte hearing for the stay away and custody orders?"

"Yeah, we had to call the cops the other night, when he came banging down our door at two in the morning." Amber said, and pulled out the card. "The cop put the report number on the back. Mary and Louse will be staying at my place until this is all settled and she can find a place of her own." Amber told Mr. Welsh. 

"Okay, that's fine... it might mean that he gets to keep the house as the primary resident. We'll ask for a civil standby so you can get the rest of your and the baby's stuff. If you get those expense forms back to me today or tomorrow, we can have this done by mid week. Go ahead and fill out that check, so I can put a hold on the money before he thinks to drain the accounts. I'll return any moneys not used, or bill you for any extra." 

"That's fine... I'll make sure you have my cell phone number. If you need anything, let me know. I've told my work that I'm taking an extended leave of absence, so I'll be available any time, until this gets settled." She filled out the check and handed it to him.

"Okay... that's fine." He stood up and reached over to Mary. "I'll see you soon. Oh, Amber, the deed will be processed by end of week. I know you need it for the renovation loan you're applying for. A word to the wise, I'd have a good electrician look at it. I know when we did ours; it caused a big problem right in the middle of things. We had to bring the whole house up to code." 

"Gee, thanks... I feel like I'm bleeding money already, with the new bathroom we've decided on." Amber sighed. 

"At least there isn't a current mortgage you have to worry about. Try having to buy a house in this market. You're a step ahead of the game. And the extra ten grand now will save fifty later." He smiled at the look on her face and waved goodbye.

As they walked Mary back to her car, Amber asked. "Why is every conversation about the house involve, if you spend massive amounts of money now, it will save more money later?" She huffed. "I was thinking maybe five to ten thousand; fix a few things convert the attic for the kids... now we're talking over fifty, if he's right about the wiring." She shook her head. "I'll see you at home tonight." She waved and headed back to work.

She let her mind wander as she walked the three blocks to the bank. She absently waved to passersby's as she thought about everything and nothing. As she was ready to open the door, she saw Sherry's van in front of the diner. If she could believe her eyes, the very pregnant woman was flirting with Brad the firefighter. Giggling a little bit, she went back into the bank.

As soon as the door closed behind her, her boss Mr. James motioned her into his office. "Yes Sir?" she asked as she took a seat.

"Ms. Mouser, I hear that you are single-handily ensuring Mrs. Welsh is going to have a great retirement." He smiled. "I never knew so much about my clients in any of the other banks I've worked at."He shrugged and smoothed down his tie. 

"Welcome to small town personified." Amber said sarcastically. "That's part of the reason I got out when I did. I hate knowing that the butcher, baker and banker; knows every time I flush my toilet. Speaking of that, did you review my loan application? I might have to revise it again." She sighed. 




Redemption Falls: Stillwater Rises



"Nope, I figured as much. I've done some home renovations before. You don't have an electrician listed." He waved her off. "We can discuss that later. The reason I called you in is because corporate office wants you to be there for the next quarterly meetings. We'll pay travel and hotel. You pay food and amenities. That gives you three months to get things settled and prepared."

"Why me...?" Amber asked. 

"Every member of management has to go to these things every now and again. They'll want to do some overlap training. That way if I'm sick, things can get shuffled and everything stays covered." He smiled again. "If it was me, I schedule the bulk of the repairs on that week. It's better than trying to sleep in a construction zone." 

***

In the brightly lit diner, Sherry blushed at the comments the tall sexy Brad was tossing her way. She knew she wasn't pretty like her house mates. Compared to them, she felt like the troll under the bridge. 

She also knew she wasn't the brightest crayon in the box, and she knew she must look like a beached whale. Sherry was feeling good because Allen finally signed the divorce papers and in a couple of weeks she would be finally free of him.

"I'm serious; all the guys are talking about all the pretty girls in that house. I mean I couldn't date Amber anymore because of her brother, even the captain warned me off. But... you're not even related..." He leaned in as close as he thought was acceptable. 

"Oh, please. I'm the black sheep of that bunch. I'm as big as a house. I'm also not completely divorced yet either." She blushed a deeper red. "Besides, someone young and attractive, like you, wouldn't want to be tied down to a readymade family." She rubbed her tummy as the baby kicked and AJ scattered his cereal all over the highchair. She loved the attention, but knew he had to be only funning with her.

"Why not, I've always wanted a big family. I've also always liked women who didn't think they had to be twig thin to look good..." He left the sentence dangle as his eyes wandered to the deep cleavage of her blouse. 

"Brad, you quit hitting on Miss Sherry and get over here." One of the guys in the corner booth yelled.

"I'll see you later. Do you think Amber would mind if I come over to see you?" He asked hesitantly. 

"I, umm, yeah... I mean no, I don't think she'd mind. She has someone and they're happy." Sherry stammered.

"Okay, maybe next Saturday then. I have it off and maybe we could go out and do something." He smiled making her feel warm to her toes and walked back to his friends.

"Well what do you think about that?" Mrs. Sheila asked as she handed AJ back to Sherry. "He's one handsome son of a trucker, I'll give him that. And if he's lookin for a good wife, he'd find none better." She laughed at the look on Sherry's face.

"Oh stop... Like he's really interested in someone like me, I'm sure he was just funning me." Sherry took her son and started putting him into his stroller. 

"I wouldn't look a gift horse, sugar. You never know, some of them fellers are smart like that. They knows a good thing when they sees it. I'd take him up on that date if I was you. It could end up being the best thing since sliced bread." She nodded in agreement with herself. 

"You're just as bad as him, teasing a big, fat, and pregnant woman; like that. I'm sure certain he has a lot better things to do, than lavish attention on me. I'm sure there's some pretty little thing that will catch his eye." She got up and tossed a couple of ones on the counter. 

"Looks to me like there is one... It looks to me like he's still lookin at you, sugar britches." She laughed again at Sherry's blush. "Don't you go being a stranger again. I'm sure Miss Amber won't mind you coming over at least once a week, so us old biddies can spoil that AJ of yours, rotten. Give him some sweetening, likes his father never had, we will." She crossed her skinny arms and nodded again.

"Yes Ma'am. It's been a pure pleasure to be able to come and go as I please. You still have to give me your meatloaf recipe." She pushed AJ's stroller in front of her. "We'll see you later." She lugged her stuff, the diaper bag, and pushed AJ toward the door.

"See you... and no one gets my secret for meatloaf. Bye-bye, sugar; take good care of them babies. Tell Miss Mary I said hey." She turned and went back to serving her customers. 

"Bye, bye now..." She headed to her van tell the gurgling AJ. "Don't forget to remind me, we need to stop at the store to get some greens for dinner. We got to keep Miss Mary healthy. Little Louse needs her vitamins."

"Gla..." AJ said and burped, making Sherry laugh as she ignored the twinge in her back. She's been ignoring them all day. 

That night over dinner, she told them about her trip into town and asked about all their day. They all chatted happily, as everyone was brought up to date on what was going on and what was decided about the renovations. As dinner was winding down, Sherry asked about Brad, asking if he'd be accepted, if he came calling on Sherry. Amber looked at Tara and told Sherry. 

"I don't care. We only went out on a couple of dates. As long as he doesn't cause a fuss about who lives in my house. If you want to date him, that's your business." She smiled wickedly. 

"I'd wait until after you deliver and heal up, before you go out dating again. But if you did happen to go into labor, it couldn't hurt to have a big strong fireman handy." Tara said in a teasing voice.

"Tara, that's mean. Not everyone can be so happy; sunshine's beaming out their ass." Mary said, bouncing Louse on her lap. 

"What...? I'm serious. She's due like any second now. I wouldn't know what to do when the balloon pops. You might; Miss, I've got the cutest baby girl on the planet, but I'm new to all this baby stuff." She smiled sweetly at Mary. "Between the two of you, I might never get a good night sleep again."

"Oh, just wait until they decide to get frisky. We'll have Mrs. Johnson running over again to see whose getting killed. That's always fun." Sherry teased back. 

"What do you mean?" Mary asked as Louse burped and wanted the nipple again. 

"They get a bit loud..." Sherry started to say.

"How do you keep that child fed? I mean, you're not flat by any means, but not as full as Miss Gallons of milk over there either." Tara interrupted, red faced. "We're fixing that." She scolded Sherry, who laughed and fed AJ some more Cheerio's. 

"We get by. I've ballooned up to a C cup and she seems to know when I'm getting full and wants a refill. God, that first day was murder. I never thought she'd empty me enough to make them stop hurting." She shivered at the memory.

"Darn it... don't talk like that... you're making me leak and I didn't bring any pads down." Sherry said exasperated. 

"Sorry..." She smiled at Tara and Amber. "Just wait until you two have kids. They joy of being a milk station for a nonstop appetite." She buttoned her blouse and rubbed a sleepy Louse until she belched and fell asleep.

"How are the plans going?" Sherry asked, trying to ignore the throbbing of her full breasts. She knew it would be days before her new child needed the milk. She also knew she was getting close. 

"We need to get an electrician to do an inspection and we can finalize everything. Oh Sherry, just use the pump. AJ is falling asleep at the table and you're making a mess." Amber said as the wet spots grew on her friend's blouse. 

"I'm not supposed to... Ohh...." She paused and blushed. "Ummm, about making a mess... um, I need a towel."

"Why..." Mary looked down and saw the puddle on the floor. "Oh goodness... I'm sorry sweetie. Why didn't you tell us you've been having pains?" Mary said as soon as she figured out what the problem was.

"I thought they were just cramps. I did that a lot the last month with AJ." She blushed again. She felt like she had peed her pants. 

"What's going on?" Amber asked catching the vibe between the two mothers.

"Tara, take Louse and put her in her crib. Amber you take AJ and lay him down. I'll get the towel. Whose car is parked closest to the street? Sherry's water just broke." Mary said, as she directed traffic. 

"I'll call Mrs. Johnson; she's good with the kids. Do you have enough milk pumped in case it takes a while?" Amber jumped up and quickly took the sleepy AJ out of his highchair.

"Who... what... huh?" Tara said confused.

"Sweetheart, get a move on." Amber bumped her lover. "Sherry is going to have her baby on the floor if we don't get her to the hospital." She headed up the stairs with her arms full of a sleeping AJ.

"Oh, Shit...! Really...? I was... I was joking!" Tara jumped up almost tipping her chair over.

"Don't wake the baby, or you'll have to rock her back to sleep and drive yourself." Mary said, cautioning the woman as she handed her the sleeping Louse. 

"You'll be hearing a lot of that..." Sherry huffed. "It's one of the most important rules. Never wake the baby. If they're asleep, you sleep, or you'll never get any sleep." Sherry said and groaned. "Oh, that was a good one... I think it's time to go." She puffed and leaned against the thinner Mary. 

"I got the bag, and Mrs. Johnson is on her way over." Amber came running down the stairs. "Tara, remember to bring your keys. We might need to take both cars. Where is the new car-seat?" Amber asked and looked around excited.

"Calm down Amber... It will be okay. We don't need it yet." Mary smiled and then told Sherry. "Don't forget your breathing. Just relax and breathe." She looked at Tara and Amber as Tara came back down. "One of you will have to drive her. She isn't going to wait. The other can take me after Mrs. Johnson gets here. She's progressing pretty fast."

"I'm here... I'm here." Mrs. Johnson bound in the front door. "I know where everything's at, and Poppa can get me anything I might need." She said, closing her long house coat over her nightgown. "We were getting ready for bed... you girls get going. I've opened the door to the van, now scoot!" 

***

Amber shuffled into work late. Tara had to leave early, so she had to wait until Mary was free to take her to work. She waved at her tellers and walked past Mr. James's open door heading to her office.

"What happened this time?" He asked as she passed. 

"Sherry had her baby last night and I was coach." She yawned and took a big sip of her coffee.

"Never a dull moment at the Mouser house." He shook his head. "I need the preliminary reports by eleven and you need to get with the other departments to get their stuff to coordinate for your meeting next quarter. Have Rebecca go out and buy a new coffee pot. You're going to need it." He smiled and waved her off. "Oh, and don't forget to post all the particulars in the break room. It will be better than having to tell everyone one at a time."

"I will..." Amber grunted and shuffled into her office and supported her chin in her hands as she willed the caffeine into her system. 

***

Mary was rocking Louse and feeding her as she was telling the bright eyed Mrs. Johnson. "Yes, a little girl this time. Six pounds eight ounces... eighteen inches long. It will give Louse someone to play with. Sherry's doing great. She got more sleep that the rest of us. Why is it that babies wait until the ungodly hours of the morning to be born? I don't envy Amber or Tara's work day. They were both beat." 

"So has she named the little tyke yet?" Mrs. Johnson asked the nodding off mother.

"What... oh, not yet. She had boy names picked out. She never expected a girl. We've given her some suggestions but it will be up to her." She looked down at her own daughter and felt the love swelling. She'd love to have a little brother or sister for Louse, but not with the impending divorce.

"Well you know my number if you girls need anything." Susan Johnson said, interrupting her private thoughts. "I know things are going to get busy real soon, with the renovations and two little babies in the house. I have to take Poppa to the doctor more often now, he is having problems with his breathing, but I still get by." 

"We can't thank you enough. How were they last night?" She wanted nothing more than to put Louse down for a nap and take one herself. But she knew AJ would be awake soon and asking for his mother. By processes of elimination, she caught the day shift. 

"A couple of little angels... AJ is starting to say a few words I could actually make out. Trace came by and demanded to see you. I told him to call back today. He had a bunch of questions, but he'll get no answers from me and he knows it." She nodded her head and humphed.

"I expect it to get worse before it gets better. He'll be served with divorce papers next week." She said sadly. 

"Divorce...?" She asked shocked. "You're not going to even try and work it out?" The older woman wondered why these young people were so quick to call it quits. 

"I'm sorry, but he's lied to me, sold my jewelry, became the town drunk, refused to be honest and trust me, and when I told him no; he hit me. If there was a marriage there to save, I might try, but there isn't." She said firmly. "You've seen how he was at the wake... he's only gotten worse. It's like something has snapped and broke inside of him and it's changed him into a different person." Mary explained sadly. 

"How have your parents taken the news?" 

"As well as can be expected. I got the 'I told you so's' from my father, and my mother, like you, thinks we need to go through couples therapy." She shrugged.

"Have they seen your face?" She pointed to the fading black eye.

"NO.... I mean... sorry, but no. I don't want them to see me like this. Daddy would kill Trace. All I want is to be free of it. Hopefully one day he will see the error of his ways and be a good father to Louse, but I can't wait that long. I can't put Louse at risk of his temper. If he hurt my daughter, I'd have to kill him. Trust me, it is better this way. I didn't make this decision lightly. I never wanted my marriage to end, but he killed it." Mary said sadly. 

"When will men ever learn? I guess I see what you mean. Most mommas' are like grizzly bears when it comes to their cubs. There isn't anything on the face of this earth to back them down if their cubs are at risk. Well, if you ever need anything, just holler. I've got to get going. Poppa needs to go and get a breathing treatment." She stood up and kissed Mary on the head. "You take care now."

"I will... thanks again." Mary said and continued to rock her baby, lost in thought.

Sherry:

At the hospital, in the maternity ward, Sherry was looking down into the clear blue eyes of her daughter. The nurse was there, making sure she knew how to breast feed, as the little girl noisily rooted around until her mouth was full of momma's nipple and she got her first drink. 

"Well, it looks like you two know what you're doing." The nurse beamed at the new mother and child.

"Yes, I've done this before. She has a big brother." She touched the fine hair on her daughter's head as she suckled. 

"Um, can I come in?" A voice asked from the doorway.

"Allen, what are you doing here?" Sherry asked shocked, as she covered herself and the baby in a protective move.

"I ah... I just wanted to see the baby." He stammered. Sherry almost didn't recognize her ex-husband. He was clean shaven and in nice, clean clothes. His hands were scrubbed clean and didn't have the usual grease and dirt covering them. 

"I'll just leave you alone." The nurse said as she didn't want to intrude on the family. She knew if this was the father, he'd need some bonding time with their new daughter. 

"No, please stay.... We're divorced and..." Sherry said, not wanting to be alone with Allen.

"Oh, Okay..." The nurse looked shocked. 

"It's alright. I won't stay long. I heard that you had the baby and I just wanted to... I wanted to see the baby." He said quietly. "I won't cause no problems, I promise." He added shuffling his feet. 

Sherry pulled up her top to cover her breast as she pulled her daughter out from under the blanket. She didn't know how to act. Allen had changed so much. She had seen him just a couple of weeks before, but still, the change startled her. She had never seen him like this since their wedding day.

"It's a girl this time." She said timidly. "I haven't named her yet. I was expecting another boy." She motioned him closer so he could see his daughter.

"She looks just like her mother... I'm sorry.... I um, was hoping that when you get out of the hospital, we could sit down and maybe talk. I know you gots reason to be mad at me and all... but I just want to explain some things." He refused to look her in the eye. He had reasons for the way he acted, but didn't know if Sherry would ever understand them. 

"I don't know..." She sighed. If he acted like this sooner, their divorce might have gone smoother. She knew no matter what, after what she saw, she would have still divorced him, but still she hated all the yelling and fights as Allen fought against the inevitable.

"We could meet some place public, but private enough for me to have my say in peace. I promise I won't hurt you. Least ways, not hit you again. I just wanted to clear the air and maybe be able to see my kids from time to time without a big fuss." He reached out to touch the little baby, but stopped, not sure if he should. 

"Here, do you want to hold your daughter?" the nurse came over and took the baby from Sherry and handed her to the father. "You can't take her out of this room, but you can hold her for a bit." She looked at Sherry to make sure she hadn't overstepped her bounds. All she saw was relief on the new mother's face. 

"She sure is little. Allen Junior was never this tiny.... How's he doing?" He asked looking down at the little girl in awe.

"AJ is fine. Mrs. Johnson is watching him." She wanted to say more, but didn't know what to say.

"Momma Martin wanted me to ask if sometime she could see the babies." Allen asked and saw the look on Sherry's face and had one of his answers. "Yeah... um okay, I understand. That's like one of the things I need to explain. I wondered about that when you yelled at me." He stopped talking at the query on the face of the nurse. "I better go now... I'll talk to you later." Allen handed the baby back to the nurse and quietly left the room.

"What was that all about?" the nurse asked as she placed the infant into her bassinette.

"I really don't know. That was the most civil he has been to me since I got pregnant." Sherry said confused and tired.

"Well you should get some rest while the baby is sleeping. The doctor will be in to look at the baby in the morning." The nurse said putting the baby in the clear bassinette. "If you decide on a name, let us know and we can finish filling out the paperwork." She patted Sherry's arm and turned off the bright overhead light, as she closed the door, pushing the baby in front of her. 

The next day, Savanna Rhea Tyner-Martin was put in her new car seat and strapped into her mother's van. "Remember if you or the baby has any problems, call us right away." The nurse told Sherry as she was helped out of the wheelchair.

"Yes Ma'am, I will." Sherry said as they closed her car door.

As Mary pulled away from the hospital, she told Sherry. "We got the cradle next to your bed, and AJ will sleep in the other room with Louse. You need to take it easy for the next couple of days, until the doctor checks you out. Don't worry about the chores or anything. We've got a schedule set up."

"I'll be okay... I'm just a bit tired, is all." Sherry said as she looked back at her new baby. "I don't know what we'll do while the house is being worked on. Did they ever finish the plans?" 

"There's an electrician poking around today, so Amber and Tara should make up their minds soon." She looked at Sherry. "We sure make a house full, don't we?" She asked wondering how they were all going to live together until the additions were finished. Maybe she should just go to her parent house after all.




Redemption Falls: Stillwater Rises



***

The next couple of weeks were very hectic for the women, but they kept it together. It didn't help that Trace would come over or call, at all hours of the day or night, to demand to talk to Mary. He didn't take the service of Divorce papers at work too well and refused to obey the restraining orders. They often wondered just where Trace learned the stupid things that came out of his mouth.

Amber and Tara were about ready to explode. It seemed like every time they could get some alone time, something would interrupt them. Tara was ready to yank out the phone just to keep it quiet. If it wasn't Trace, it would be Allen. The only pleasant surprise was the flowers Brad would bring by every Sunday for Sherry and the kids on his way to church. 

Looking over the final plans, the women debated paint colors and the small details that were needed before the contractor could give them the final bid to complete the work. Sherry wanted neutral colors, Mary wanted Bright floral colors and Tara wanted muted earth tones.

"Look, I don't care. I don't have to look at them, well except for the nursery... but still, my and Tara's room is all I'll worried about. You guys pick the rest." She waved off everyone before they could interrupt her again. "It's paint Sherry. Even if you move out I can always repaint, so get what you like. You're the one who has to live with it."

"Yeah but... what about the babies? What are we going to do with them as all these men are making all their noise and mess?" She looked worried. She knew she couldn't do this alone. She was the only one who didn't have a real job.

"We told you we would pay for a hotel room or something while the work is going on. It's only your stubborn pride, that won't let us pay you for all the work you do around here." Tara said exasperated. 

"I'm going to spend the week at my parent's house. They said you can come and visit too." Mary said, trying to sooth the ruffled feathers. 

"I've told all you a thousand times... I don't want to be a burden. I want to make my own way." She huffed in exasperation.

"Sweetie... trust me, you do. We'd have had to pay top dollar for a house cleaner and cook as good as you. I've told you to bill me and I'd pay you. That way you will have your own money. You're not a burden... you've been a life saver. The only time you didn't keep the house spotless was when you had Savanna... and I think we can all understand that." Amber said with some heat. 

"Look, we don't have to decide today. We just need to tell the contractor before he buys the paint. Amber and I will both be out of town that week. We both have things to do." Tara added, trying to reassure Sherry. "Amber will be at her work meetings and I'll be finalizing my divorce. So we won't be under foot. We would like one, if not both of you to make sure the men don't break or take anything from the house while they are working on it." Tara added, wanting this resolved. 

"We all agree; we need the extra room..." Mary said rocking Louse. "Besides, it will give you the alone time with Brad that he's been wanting." Mary smiled. "I'll even watch AJ and Savanna one day. I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind. They always said they wanted a truck load of grandbabies running around the old homestead. This will be their test." She smiled and stroked Sherry's arm. 

"Okay, that's settled then." Tara finished the conversation. "Sherry, just make the arrangements and Amber or I will make sure your hotel is paid for. We'll make sure you've got some spending money too. We knew this was coming, so let's get it done. We'll all be happier once we settle back in." She hated sounding like a shrew, but she needed her privacy back.

Sherry wanted to be depressed, but there were too many reasons not to be. She doted on her two kids and really appreciated the help from the other girls. She kept her days full with cleaning the house, getting dinner ready for everyone when they got home from work or whatever errands they had. 

What more could she ask for? She sighed as she looked out the window as the rain fell. The grey sky looked as gloomy as she felt. She knew Mrs. Johnson would be over soon to watch her precious babies, while she had the talk she promised their father. She felt like she owed him that much. 

Not that she would ever take him back. Having an affair was one thing, but to be caught rutting with his own mother. She only thought things like that happened in Alabama or New York, where they didn't know any better. She still cringed as the visual of walking up on them and realizing what they were doing. 

She jumped as there was a knock at the door. "Just a minute..." She called out. She still felt weird answering Amber's door like she had the right. "Hi, Mrs. Johnson... Thanks for watching the babies."

"Oh, it's not a problem, makes an old gal feel useful again. How long do you think you're going to be?" She asked taking off her rain slicker and folding her umbrella.

"Hopefully not that long. I promised Allen to let him have his say after Savanna was born. It can't hurt." She tried to convince herself.

"Oh, darn... I was hoping that cute fireman was taking you out for lunch." She looked in the kitchen and smelled the beginnings of a warming stew on the stove top. "Do I need to do anything to the pot you've got simmering?"

"No... well at three I have to add in the fresh vegetables, but other than that just make sure it don't dry out. I'll send some over for you and yours." She pulled on her rain coat.

"That'd be nice. I have to take Poppa for another breathing treatment this afternoon. The doctor keeps hinting at moving him to a warmer climate. Doesn't he realize it isn't that easy to pull up roots and move like that?"

"Yeah, they're full of advice that no one could ever do. I'll call if I'm going to be longer than three." She took out her keys and softly closed the door behind her.

She didn't know what to expect as she drove to the roadside restaurant they had agreed on. They'd picked one that wasn't in town. Neither one of them wanted everyone to know what was said, minutes after they said it. She loved Mrs. Sheila like a second mother, but she also knew the diner owner was one of the biggest gossips this side of the Mississippi River.

Pulling in front of the Waffle Shack, she saw Allen's tow truck and sighed. She didn't want to do this, but knew that sooner or later, she would have to face her ex-husband, if she ever wanted to move on with her life. Plucking up her courage, she got out of the car and entered the empty place, walking to the back corner.

"Hi Sherry, you're looking good today." Allen stammered and he half stood up as Sherry sat down.

"Hi Allen... thanks I guess." She didn't want to give him a false impression, but didn't want another fight either. "I'll have some ice tea please." She told the waitresses.

"Just coffee for me... I'll get a ham sandwich later." Allen added waving off the menu the young woman tried to hand him. An uncomfortable silence fell between them as they waited for their drinks to be served.

Once the waitresses left to stack silverware, Sherry told Allen. "I hate to be rude, but I can only be here for a little while. Mrs. Johnson is watching the babies and I have supper on the stove."

"How are the children?" Allen asked absently. 

"Fine... They get loved to pieces and Savanna and Louse love playing together in the playpen. Even if all they can do is lay there and giggle at each other" Sherry smiled unconsciously.

"That's nice..." He hesitated and then blurted. "I never meant to hurt you, you know... I'm sorry!" Then stop just as suddenly as he started. 

"You could have fooled me. For awhile there I thought all you wanted to do is destroy everything I've ever worked for." She leaned back. "And when I saw what I saw... I knew I could never..." She shivered at the thought.

"I'm sorry about that too. Momma Martin and I never thought you'd find out..." He shrugged. 

"How could you? And with your own mother to boot!" Sherry asked repulsed. "Then to be hitting on me. What were you thinking?" Deep down she wanted to understand why her life had crumbled. 

"Momma Martin isn't blood kin...." He looked up surprised. "I thought you knew that! I'd never... I thought you was angry because you caught me in adultery... that be incest! I'm not one of them dirty perverts!" He said shocked and appalled. 

"I saw you rutting with your mother!" She hissed, not wanting to announce it too loud. "I saw you, and she was egging you on... in her.... In her back side." She blushed.

"Oh, wow... I didn't know what you saw... Um, I... um." He shook his head to clear it. "First off, if you've never realized, I always called her Momma Martin. She's not my real mother. She's my pop's sister. She married my uncle and then he went out and died on her. I thought everyone knew all this?"

"No... I thought, well, we all thought... and you called her momma." Sherry stammered confused. 

"Yeah... I can see where you could... My parents ran off on each other. Momma Martin took me in when I was like five, after her husband died. She had me call her Momma Martin since. She never wanted me to get confused as to who my real mother was, even though we all had the last name of Martin." He tried to make sense of something he never could figure out. 

"I... I didn't know." Sherry stammered.

"No wonder you was so mad at me. I thought everyone knew. It weren't no secret. We didn't advertise it or anything, but still...." He raised his hands in a shrug. 

"When did you start having relations with her?" Sherry asked before he could go on a tangent. 

"When I was old enough... I was getting into a lot of trouble back then... Momma Martin said it was because of all my raging hornymones... or somethin. I was just plumb mad at the word. Getting busted by Officer Wilkins almost weekly, didn't help much either." He shrugged again, and took a sip of his coffee. "She took away my bike and sat me down. At the time all I could do was look down her blouse. She weren't wearing no bra... anyways, one thing led to another and she started teaching me how to control myself around others. That's when I got myself into a trade school."

"Then why did you start dating me?" She asked, trying to put all the pieces together. 

"That was Momma Martin's idea. She wanted babies and even after all the time we did things... um, she never got pregnant. I know this is a lot, but..." Allen tried to sooth the frightened look off Sherry's face. 

"Did you ever love me?" Sherry asked with tears in her voice.

"I could lie to you, I suppose.... But, that's what got me in trouble in the first place. I cared for you, after a fashion. But since the first time with... every time I was with you, I wanted to be with her. I mean at first it was exciting. I mean you're only my second woman, and we did have some fun when we started. Then you got pregnant. Momma Martin said it was only the right thing... to do... to marry you, so I did." He explained. "I never meant any harm by it."

"How many others were there?" She asked, not wanting to think about what she was learning.

"Just one... After little Allen was born I went out and... well anyways I went out with some of the guys and they started ribbing me about things. Momma Martin was so mad. That's when I started getting confused and taking it out on you. It weren't your fault, but you was there." He looked off in the distance and tried to put it all in words.

"Momma made me pay, and gave me what for, when Mrs. Amber broke my nose. She said I was acting like I did when I was a no account teenager. She made me go down to the clinic to make sure I didn't bring anything home. That's when we started up again. She said if I had to sow my oats.... Things got better for awhile and then all of a sudden like, you left and filed for a divorce. Then you yelled at me and I figured it was... well it was all your fault."

"Then why did you fight the divorce?" With every word, he was confusing her more. 

"I wanted my cake and to eat it too, I recon. I thought I was man enough to keep both of you happy, or at least keep what I was doing quiet. I weren't thinking right." He admitted ruefully

"What do you want from me?" Her head spun.

"I want to be able to have the kids every now and again. Momma Martin wants to be able to play with them. I don't want you to think too badly of me..." He looked down in shame. 

"Like I'd expose my children to that! Even if she isn't blood kin... You still call her Momma. What would the kids think if they ever found out what you two are doing? I can't even... It gives me the willies just to think about what I saw. I only saw it that one time and took me five seconds to realize what you was doing." She said venting some of her worry and anger.

"They're my children too. We'd never do anything to hurt them. We love them to pieces. He insisted, and then asked. "I want you to think on something. Is this because who I committed adultery with? Or would it be the same with any woman I was with? I admit I wronged you. I signed the divorce didn't I? I even stopped complaining who you be living with! I just want the same thing!" He insisted. 

"I can't... this is too much... I can't." She stammered overwhelmed.

"Just think on it. I'll tell you, like I told her. I made my mistakes. I can't change that. But, I'm not going to lie to anyone anymore about it. If it wasn't her I fell in love with, it would be someone else. I hurt you, living a lie. I refused to do it again. We have kids together. I don't think it is fair to lose them because we both made mistakes. Just think on it, and let me know. Fair's fair. I'm only askin for what's fair." He said, sounding reasonable. 

"I can't... not right now. It's too much. I can't answer you right now!" Sherry's mind tumbled with everything she heard and what he asked of her.

"Just think on it and let me know as soon as you can. I won't bother you for a bit... I promise. But I'm still going to want to see my kids. I don't see the need to get all them lawyers and judges involved. I'll call you in a couple of weeks if you don't call me first with an answer."

"Fine... I've got to go. I have to..." Sherry got up. "I'll try... but still.... I'll try." She said as she tossed a couple of singles down on the table. She was running and she knew it. It was too much for her overburdened brain to handle. She tossed her rain coat over her arm and walked as fast as she could to the exit. 

She wasn't looking and as she flung open the door to escape, she bumped hard into something solid. "I'm sorry..." She said in reflex. 

"You okay Sherry?" A familiar voice said. "You look like the hounds of hell are chasing you." Brad put his arms around her.

"Oh, Brad... I didn't... I was." She stuttered, not moving. 

"I saw your car and thought we could have lunch together. I was just passing by. I had to get something from Milltown." He explained, wanting to hug the shaking woman closer. Looking down, he realized that if she put her arms around him, they would be a perfect fit to snuggle together. He had almost the irresistible urge to bend and kiss the top of her head. 

Sherry felt hot and then cold. Her mind spun and she needed to escape. "Not today... I have to get home... I have to. Maybe later..." She said then jerked back from the warmth of his embrace.

"Okay, drive carefully. I'll follow you to make sure you make it okay." He told her and he saw her shaking hands.

"Fine, whatever, I have to get home." She refused to look up as she went around him and dashed to her car. Brad watched as Sherry started the car and slammed it into gear, leaving a trail of dust in her wake.

"If you hurt her, I'll kill you!" Allen said from behind him.

"What...? Isn't it a bit two faced of you...? The wife abuser threatening the new guy." Brad asked sizing up the other man.

"I paid for my mistakes... still payin. But, she don't deserve to be hurt again. Just so's you know." Allen shrugged. "I'll take that ham sandwich now." He told the waitress at the counter and left Brad standing there.

Sherry drove by instinct as her mind tried to understand what her ex had told her. She couldn't wrap her head around the fact that Allen and Momma Martin were lovers. He basically admitted it to her. She didn't know what to do. What to say or who to tell. 

Then to end up in Brad's arms, of all places. She had never been so confused, sickened or needy in her life. What was she going to do? How could she live with the burden? She pounded her steering wheel in anger and frustration. 

"Damn, damn, damn it, SHIT...!" She yelled. "That no good, cheating, piece of backwoods garbage! How dare he put me in this position? What did I ever do to deserve this bullshit?" She asked herself as she drove home on auto pilot. 

She slammed out of her car and back into the house, startling Mary and Mrs. Johnson. "What's wrong dear?" The older woman asked as Sherry stormed up to her room.

"That FUCKING JERK...!" She screamed in frustration.

The two women looked at each other in amazed shock. Both of them knew for a fact that Sherry never used such vulgar language. "I'll ask later to know what Allen did this time. You have to get going or you'll be late." Mary escorted the older woman to the door. 

"You better settle her down before she wakes up them babies. My word, I never thought she, of all people, could cuss like that. It must be really bad." She shook her head and walked out the front door. "Tell her I tended her stew and the babies were as good as gold." As she reached to open the door, she was surprised by the tall young fireman standing there ready to knock.

"Did she make it home okay?" Brad asked concerned.

"Yes, she upstairs venting now.... Do you know what happened?" Mary asked as Mrs. Johnson fanned herself.

"No, I bumped into her at the Waffle Shack. She about ran me over trying to get out to her car. I followed her to make sure she got home okay." He thought for a second before adding. "Allen threatened me after she left. He said if I hurt her, he'll kill me."

"Did you call the police? He's still on probation." Mrs. Johnson asked taking a deep breath.

"Naw, I think he finally realized what he's lost. He actually admitted he made mistakes.... Anyway I have to get to the shop. Tell her I'll call later." He bobbed his head and headed out to his truck. 

"Very interesting... I'd love to stay, but..." Susan Johnson said intrigued. 

"I'll let you know anything I learn. Tell your husband I hope he gets to feeling better soon." Mary closed the door behind their neighbor and looked up the stairs. "It sure isn't dull living here." She told the sleeping Louse. 

***

Sherry decided not to tell anyone what Allen had said. She didn't know how to respond to all the questions. She mopped around the house, avoiding everyone but her children. She seriously wanted to run away and hide, but refused too. She knew Amber would have never done it. She also refused to apologize for being bitchy. Not that any of the girls asked her too.

Two weeks later, she chewed her lip in frustration as she looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't know how she let herself be talked into going out. Tara even volunteered to watch Savanna, so she could go out on the date. 

Looking at the woman in the mirror, she didn't know why someone so handsome would ever see in the frump staring back at her. It was pure impulse to take Tara up on her offer. She knew in a couple of weeks everyone had to scatter to make room for the work that was planned on the house. She sighed.

"I'm so pathetic." She told the woman in the looking glass.

"No you're not. You one of the best people I know." Amber said behind her. "Sherry honey, you need this. Go out and have a good time. Blow some steam off. You haven't been this... um, irritable since the first time you got your monthly. Your daddy thought a demon came in the middle of the night as replaced his sweet daughter with a hell cat. If Brad likes you and you like Brad, don't let anything get in the way. You deserve to be happy." Amber softly stroked her friend's hair. 




Redemption Falls



"When did that happen...? I haven't talked to Trace in over a year." No one had answered her mom's phone, when she tried to call, and she only got Mary's answering machine and couldn't leave a number. Amber figured it was because they were at the hospital. She wondered why it was Susan Johnson who called her.

"Oh, that was over six months ago. She caught him at a hotel with some floozy, spending their anniversary money on cheap hotel rooms. Some people say he's hooked up in them drugs too. He was so handsome in school. He could have had anyone... He's gained a lot of weight and his hair is greasy. Mary is still living in the house and refuses to even talk to him until he cleans up and get his head on straight. The baby is due any time now." Sherry filled in the details.

"Sherry, um I hate to be rude, but I'm exhausted... Um... how far is your car. I've been on a bus for the last three days." 

"Oh, I'm so sorry... you know me... I'd babble the day away. You wait here, I'll be right back." Amber watched her old friend walk away, thinking that she looked a bit rounder, but basically like what she was, a happy mother with her child. She had always been envious of Sherry's curves and rounded ass.

She'd never thought Sherry, of all people, would fall for the town's resident troublemaker, Allen Martin. Most people expected him to be in prison by now. Amber wondered if he still had the supped-up motorcycle that he tried to out run the local police on, to no avail. It wasn't like they didn't know where he lived. 

Sherry pulled up in her battered mom bomb and opened the big sliding door. "It isn't much, but it's paid for. I can get from point A to point B most days without breaking down. It helps that Allen runs the town wrecker service." Sherry said with a strange look on her face.

Amber would have noticed more, but she had no energy. She listened as the bubbly Sherry prattled on about all their old friends in common and the town gossip. These were the things Amber had run from. She hated thinking that everyone in the county knew everything about everyone else. 

She was shocked as they pulled up in front of her childhood home and the front door was wide open. A rusted out old Chevy was in the drive. "That's the car Trace drives... I'd better get going.... I hope everything works out alright." Sherry said with a hint of fear in her voice. 

"Thanks for the lift... Maybe we can catch up some time." Amber said as Sherry waved and pulled back out of the drive and left quickly. Amber was thankful for the lift, but surprised on how fast Sherry left, once she knew her brother was at home. She remembered when Sherry would moon for hours over her brother. Shaking her head, she hefted her bags up and walked into the house. When she dropped her bags, she startled her brother, who was taking their mom's silver service out of the hutch. 

"Trace, what are you doing...? How's mom. I'd thought...." She tried to take in the changes, looking at the stranger who was once her brother. 

"Well, look what the cat dragged in. If it isn't little Miss Prissy, from the big fucking city. You come back to gloat over us simple folks?" The once tall straight boy now stood stooped over his prize with long greasy hair falling in his face.

"What are you doing with Mamma's silver?" Amber ignored the drunken slur from her brother.

"Mom won't miss it... she don't even remember her own name anymore. Support's a bitch and I need the money. Not that it's any of your fucking business. What the fuck are you doing here Amber?" He tried to stand up to his sister, but couldn't look her in the eye. 

"Mrs. Johnson called me... I had to take the bus or I'd been here quicker. You put that back, you are not pawning great-gram's silver to get a bottle of booze. Get yourself cleaned up and I'll fix some food." She watched as her brother thought over his options.

"Fuck you and the horse you rode in on.... It's mine I'll fucking take it if I want too. What the fuck you gonna do about it bitch?" Trace stalked up to his sister with his hand raised to strike and walk past her. 

Amber knew it was the booze talking, as she did what she had to do. Just as he stepped, she lifted her foot and connected with his nuts. She grabbed the box of silver as he fell so it wouldn't break. 

"You're a mess. Go sober up and come back when you are able to act like a man. What the hell happened to you?" Amber looked with revulsion at the once favored child. 

"Fuck you... and that bitch I married... I'm a man, and I'll do what the fuck I want." He groaned, trying to fill his lungs with air. 

Amber never thought she'd have to toss her brother out of the house, but that's exactly what she did. She grabbed his long slimy hair and added another foot to the gut, as she pulled him out the front door and tossed him down the front steps. 

"Sober and clean up before you come back. I could always kick your ass. Don't think for a second, that's changed. I can guarantee the locks will be changed before you're sober. God, what a disgusting pig, what the hell happened to you?" Trace tried to grab her leg as she turned, but Amber just pushed him back down into the dirt of the walkway. 

She ignored the yelling as she slammed the door and set the deadbolt. She listened to the car start and rattle down the street with a belch of black smoke and miss of a bad cylinder. "From town hero, to zero, in less than a year." She said, as she took stock of the mess of her mother's house. She smelled the urine and noticed the spreading patch where her brother laid on the expensive hand loomed rug. Amber jumped when the phone rang. 

***

Amber looked down at her mother, looking lifeless in the hospital bed. She had tubes in her to collect her urine and feces, along with those that kept fluid and medicine in her arms. She looked like a shell of her former robust self. She was always a tall woman, who carried herself with pride. 

She ran the women's committees with an iron fist. She had the Mayor's number memorized and never hesitated to call if one of her flock were in trouble. She ran the county kitchen and kept the donations coming in all year around. Her father might have been the moral conscious of the community, but her mother was the power behind the throne. To see her mother so reduced pierced Amber's heart. She listened as Mrs. Johnson informed her of what happened after she had left.

"Your mother was never the same after your father died. Oh, she tired, but anyway, after the new Pastor came and his wife took over.... She perked up after Trace was accepted on the fire department, but when he was suspended for showing up at work drunk, it was more than she could bear. The doctor said if she doesn't find a reason to fight, she'll be dead in less than a month."

"What happened to my brother?" Amber asked, stroking her mother's face.

"From what I understand, Trace is on a non-paid leave of absence. If he can pull it back together before the year is up, he can have his job back. If she finds out he's been stealing, drunk and on drugs... well it would be the end of her." The dumpy woman who had been friends with her mother ever since she could remember, told her sadly.

Amber stood up when she saw her mom's eyes flutter. "Hi mom... I'm here." Her mom tried to speak, but only half of her mouth worked.

"Don't try and talk mom. The doctor said it might be awhile before you can talk again. I'll take care of you as soon as you can come home." She promised, not knowing how she was going to achieve that. She had less than a month before she was supposed to be back at work or she'd be fired for job abandonment. 

"The good thing is Mildred, that it only affects your left side." Susan told her friend. "So, once you get a bit stronger, we can give you a pad or blackboard to write on. I'll be helping Amber with the daily chores. You just need to get better. You still owe me ten dollars in Canasta." She smiled warmly at her best friend. 

The tears started falling when Mildred Mouser grabbed her daughter's hand and refused to let go. Amber stayed as long as they'd let her, but was worried about if Trace would show back up at the house. When she told Mrs. Johnson this, she was reassured.

"Mark will watch the house. Now that we have your permission, Trace will not get back in unless you or Mildred says so. I hope that young man finds his way soon or I don't know what will happen."

"Has anyone suggested rehab? He was drunk as a skunk, when I saw him earlier." Amber asked more out of politeness than any feeling she had for her brother. That had been killed a long time ago. He was always the golden son, while Amber was the second child born with the wrong parts. Her father wanted boys to carry on his legacy and didn't know how to deal with his strongly opinionated daughter. So, more often than not, she was left out, unless they needed a spare hand in the nursery, or on the food line.

"You might want to talk to his wife about that. I know the department has a program... but Trace refuses to admit he's got a problem. He's convinced himself that he has everything under control." The older woman shrugged at the obvious error in his thinking.

"Mom... mom, I have to go. I'll be back tomorrow, but I have to clean the house." Amber tried to pull away from her mother who didn't want her to go. 

"Mildred, I'll drive her back tomorrow." Mrs. Johnson reassured her helpless friend. "While you are in therapy, we can go get your car out of the garage." The older woman told her mother as they walked out of her room.

"What a fucking mess!" Amber said, not thinking. Ever since she gained her freedom, she refused to alter her language. 

"Do you eat out of that mouth, young lady?" Mrs. Johnson asked peeved. "I know you've been long in the city, but I also know for a fact your mother raised you better that that. Yes it is a mess, but no need for such profanities!" She huffed as they walked.

"Sorry, I'm tired, I had to kick my brother out of mom's house and clean up where he pissed all over her best rug. I've had a day! I need some food and sleep." Amber stated, without a trace of remorse.

***

Over the next week, Amber cleaned her mother's house and started taking an inventory of the things that were missing. She was in the middle of her mom's jewelry box, when there was a knock at the door. Answering it, she saw her sister Mary standing there very pregnant.

"Hi, um... come in. What's up?" Amber asked as she let Mary enter.

"I was going to wait until you contacted me, but I've heard through the grapevine, you're so busy taking care of the house and your mom..." The very pregnant woman sat down at the table, noticing the list. "Most of that's at Hal's pawn. He promised me he'd hold it as long as he could." She added perturbed.

"What the hell happened? Why didn't anyone let me know what's going on?" Amber asked irritated. She knew the pills she had to still take made her short tempered, but that was another set of problems.

"I don't know all of it. The guys only tell me what they think they have to.... The wives club isn't much better now that Trace has been suspended. Brotherhood of fire, and all that crap." Mary sighed. "Sometime before our wedding, Trace supposedly ended up with this chick. No one will tell me what exactly happened, but about six months ago she shows up here and insists on meeting Trace. We were planning a trip for our anniversary, but I ended up pregnant. So, anyway, I started using the money we saved, to fix up a nursery for the baby. I found some of the money missing.... I followed him one day and caught him going into a room where that chick was."

"He cheated on you? I don't believe it. I mean Trace and I have our problems. But he worshiped the air you breathed." Amber said shocked. 

"They were talking... clothes on and everything, when I barged in. So I don't know if he's cheated... I was so mad I gave him an ultimatum. Her or me... and kicked him out until he figured what was important to him. He's gone downhill from there. Less than a month later, the captain had to suspend him for driving the rig drunk. The damage wasn't that bad, but he came up hot of the mandatory drug and alcohol test. I've been on the out list since then."

"I know he was three sheets when I had to kick him out. He was taking Mamma's silver." Amber told Mary. 

"Yeah, I had to pay to get my ring and some other things back. I don't know what he's doing with the money. He can't drink that much and Billy is letting him stay at his place for free for saving his folk when their house caught fire. If I ask, all I get is that it's his business, and I need to stay out of it. I'm about ready to divorce him, but I still love him and there is the baby to think of." She said with tears falling. "If he gets fired, I'll lose the insurance and I can't afford... I have to stop working in a week or so and... I know there is some good left in him. At least I hope there is." Mary cried.

***

Amber knew she was in it deep. She had finished her pills and knew she had to go and take tests to see if she was finally clean. She had a reputation in this town, and so far it had worked to her advantage. If they ever found out the truth. She also had to call her work and tell them that she'd be longer than she thought, and hope they didn't fire her. There was no helping it, her mom had started improving, but still needed around the clock care.

She had changed the locks, and every conversation she tried to have with her brother ended up in a fight. The only concession she made for him, was to let him use the washer and shower. She didn't want to smell him or the booze, while they fought. He was sticking to his 'I'm the man and will handle this on my own', line of bullshit. 

They brought her mother home and settled her in. Between Mrs. Johnson and Amber, they set up a schedule so Amber could do the shopping and other errands during the day and keep watch over the nights. Mark even offered to take a few watches, so Amber could have some personal time. 

Amber was coming out of the grocery store, when she saw her brother drive behind the store. When she looked, she saw him talking to some ragged looking woman. She realized they weren't paying attention as she set her bags down and walked to the corner so she could listen in. Maybe now she could get some answers. 

"This isn't enough money asshole." The woman spit, flinging her stringy black hair over her shoulder.

"It's all I got; my sister took over the house. I can't get anymore until later."Trace told her with defiance. 

"I don't fucking care. Remember I have you by the balls. How do you think that innocent cunt you're married to, would like it when I accuse the town hero of rape. I've got the evidence locked up in a safe place. You'll pay me or I'll ruin you." She spat while she spoke. 

"I never touched you, and you know it!" He hissed, trying to stand up for himself. 

"I got a condom full of your sperm that says different. That and if I decide to release all those pretty pictures, you're toast. I own you mother fucker... and I'm going to make you pay." The look in her eyes could only be described as demented. "Remember it's a thousand for each negative, five hundred for every print and ten G's for the condom... I'm not staying around this one horse town for long. So fucking do what you have to do or I'll just go to the papers and the cops.... How's it going to look? The hero firefighter, accused of raping someone he was supposed to be saving. I've got you by the balls and don't you forget it." 

"You have to give me time... I'll come up with the money!" Trace pleaded, making the woman laugh.

"You men are pathetic. You got a week and I'm out of here. I'm not coming back this time! I don't care what you have to steal or who you have to kill... get me my money or your pathetic life is over." She laughed at my brother and walked away.

Trace pulled out a small bottle of booze and emptied it without stopping. Once empty, he threw it full force at the wall shattering it. 

"Well that explains a lot." Amber muttered to herself. "Can't that idiot tell she's playing him? She's going to do whatever she wants, no matter how much he pays. What a fucking patsy." Amber shook her head at her brother's stupidly and picked up her bags and headed home before her brother could do something even more stupid. 

When she got home, she called the firehouse. "I need some of you guys to come out here and get Trace. I know he's drunk and on his way here to... anyway, if you don't want him to go to jail..."

"Okay, we'll come this last time.... After this, he's on his own. We've covered for him enough!" John, Trace's long time best friend, told her, ending the call. 

"Some brotherhood of fire...! My skinny ass!" She slammed down the phone. She hoped they made it soon, she could hear the rattle trap of a car her brother drove, coming up the hill to the house. Squaring her shoulders, she got ready to face her idiot brother, for his own good. He parked his junk car on the hill and staggered toward their mom's car, fumbling with his keys. 

"What do you think you're doing Trace?" She called out, stopping him for a second. 

"I need to use mom's car to go into the next town. Mine won't make it." He slurred.

"You're crazy, if you think for a second, that I'll let you drive mom's car drunk. Go home and sleep it off. We'll talk when you're sober. I'll help you, once your head is on straight."

"Oh well, look at Miss Priss now. Giving me orders. Like you have a right to say what the fuck I do. Fuck off Amber... I'm a man and I'm doing what's necessary. Mind you own fucking business." He swayed, trying to focus on which key he needed. 

Amber walked between him and the car. "Don't make me put you on your ass again Trace. I don't want to, but I will. Go sleep it off and we'll talk later. You aint going to pawn mom's car to pay some bitch who's blackmailing you."

"What the fuck do you know? Fuck you. Like you care.... Go back to the city and get the fuck out of my way." He looked shocked for a second, before putting his hands up like he was going to box her. 

It might have gotten physical, but men from the fire company got there. Amber waited as they wrestled Trace down before telling them. "Take him to the firehouse and lock him in a room until he sobers up. I'll be down in awhile to talk to you guys. I want the captain there too." She gave them the evil eye as they pushed Trace into the back of John's lifted four wheel drive truck and drove off. 

Amber went into the house and had to tell her mother what was going on. She didn't like it, but it had to be done. As she explained what happened, the phone rang. When she answered it, the fire captain was on the other end.

"The guys said you needed to talk to me?" His booming voice echoed through the receiver. 

"I need to talk to all of you about what's been going on with my brother. Do you know what's happened?" She asked, trying to figure out what she needed to do.

"I know the guys went to a big fire out of state and things went downhill from there. You know that I can't know everything or I'll have to..."

"Okay, well I'll see you in a few minutes." Amber hung up pissed. "What a bunch of losers." She drove down to the firehouse and as she got out, she could hear her brother screaming.

"Let me the fuck out of here; I'll kick all your asses." 

"Shut the fuck up Trace. Don't make me come in there and knock you out." John called back. Amber walked in and told Martin, the dispatcher. 

"No calls unless it's a real emergency. I have some butts to barbeque."

"Okay Sugar, I'll do my best." The old man said, as she past. Once she closed the door into the recreation area, she opened up with both barrels.

"What the fuck is your problem? Why is my brother being blackmailed by some skanky bitch? Why are you guys... this 'Brotherhood of Fire' allowing my brother to fuck up his life and marriage? Did he rape some chick? Someone is going to tell me what the fuck is going on...!" 




Redemption Falls



The guys just looked embarrassed at each other, with no one brave enough to answer Amber's questions. "Well...! John, what happened or do I have to get the wives club involved?"

"No...! No, he didn't tell us he was being... How do you know all this?" Marty said quickly. His wife was the leader of the wives club and she'd never forgive him if she found out they went to a strip club while out of town.

I overheard this cunt demanding money... She said she has evidence. Did my brother rape this bitch...?"Amber knew most of these guys from school and they knew she threw a mean right cross.

"No, he passed out after the last shooter. We all laughed because he was in the middle. Of a lap..."

"Shut the fuck up Jimmy!" John yelled.

"So, you big bad firemen are going to let your brother.... No strike that; MY brother, take the heat for something he didn't do? Why...? Just so your wives don't find out you went to a titty bar without their permission...? What a joke. You'd let his wife divorce him and let her think that.... You make me sick! There isn't a real man among you!"

"Miss. Mouser... I'll take it from here." the Captain walked in, all three hundred and fifty pounds of him. "We will fix this, I promise." He tried to reassure the irate woman. 

"Are you going to get him into rehab? If not...!" Amber turned and confronted the big man.

"Yes, tell your mom and Mary not to worry, Trace will be taken care of. When he comes out, he'll have to prove himself again, but then so will this lot. I foresee a few transfers. He'll be only one step above a probie, but at least he'll have his job. He should have come to me with this...." The big man patted Amber and scooted her out the door, giving his men a meaningful look. 

"What are we going to do about that woman who's blackmailing my brother?" She asked the Captain, looking around at the rest of the losers her brother called friends, as they shuffled their feet. 

"I'll take care of that too. Can I trust you to keep this on the down low? If this comes out... well...." He tried to get her out of there before one of the big mouth probie's heard and fucked it all up. 

"Yeah well, just get that bitch off my brother, or I will." Amber told him as he walked her to her mom's car.

"Have Mary get us some of Trace's clothes. He'll need them. He will be in rehab for six weeks at least. I'll let her know more later." The Captain closed her door and waited until she pulled out before letting his rage vent as he walked back into the firehouse. "All of you... on the line; like right fucking now!" He bellowed, calling his men to order, ready to take huge hunks out of their asses.

Amber knew the small town messenger service worked fast, but laughed when the wives club and Sherry were waiting for her after she dropped of Trace's clothes and watched as they dragged her brother to rehab. Even Mary made it. John's wife, Peggy, told everyone that this would be the last official meeting, because three of the husbands were most likely being transferred to other houses. They knew they all were still in the regional wives club, but the closer knit local club had to be ready to accept the new wives coming in over the next month or so. 

Amber refused to tell them what happened. She just told Mary that there was a reason, no matter how stupid, that her husband went over the edge. She also told her that Trace hadn't cheated on her, but there might be some stuff that could come out, that might make her think that way. They were pressuring Amber, when the Captain's wife came in. For someone so small, she carried a lot of weight.

"Alright ladies... There are reasons Amber can't talk... Jimbo's orders for one! You'll just have to be thankful she pulled your husband's asses out of the fire. I think we should adopt her as a sister in waiting. You never know, with her stones, she'd make a killer fireman's wife... hell, she'd make a good fireman!" She let the women stew over that before proclaiming. 

"Now, next on the agenda, when and where are we going to hold Mary's shower? It should have been done months ago!" The topic changed, and everyone left in a better mood than when they came. The only one who stayed was Sherry. 

She stayed to help clean up and take the night watch so Amber could get some rest. It seemed odd to Amber, that Sherry looked relieved when she said it was okay for her and Allen Jr. to stay. She saw the plump little woman jump when her cell phone went off in the diaper bag. Sherry plastered a smile on her face and tried to sound cheerful as she answered.

"Hi, what's up honey?" She walked out of the same room as Amber. "Yes I'm at the Mouser's... Allen junior and I are going to take the night watch." Amber heard the angry voice over the other end even if she couldn't make out the words. "I made you some fried chicken... It's in the fridge... I love you, bye." Amber wondered if Sherry said that for Allen's or her benefit. 

"Is everything okay?" Amber asked.

"Oh, yeah... he's just use to me spoiling him." She looked hesitant, but then turned off the phone and put it away. "I love him if for no other reason than Allen junior.... He just sounds like a grouchy old bear." 

"How did you end up with him in the first place?" Amber asked. "I'd never thought you'd fall for the likes of him. He was such a bad boy." 

"I was surprised when he asked me out. It's not like I had the choices you did, I'm not pretty like you are." She started.

"You're a little over weight, but you've always looked nice." Amber interrupted, as they sat down in the porch swing. 

"Well let me tell you, they weren't busting down my door. Allen can be nice when he set's his mind to it. Oh, I know he's a bit country, but still... he is funny too. Most people have started calling him Mater after that funny character on the cartoon. I really shouldn't have worn white to my wedding, but I wasn't showing yet."

"Oh, um..." Amber didn't know what to say 

"I know it was quite a disappointment to my mom too. But things happen for a reason and I do have a lovely baby out of the deal." Sherry smiled down at her son. 

Amber didn't know what to say. She thought back to the last year and a half and thought of all she did, and wondered how Sherry would take it. For some unknown reason, Amber kept her mouth shut. She didn't want to admit it, but she missed the quiet nights and talking to her friend. They stayed up until almost daylight, chatting and getting to know each other again.

***

Amber was walking downtown, getting the mail and a few other things done, when she saw the 'Help Wanted' sign on the bank door. She knew she had the experience, but did she really want to start setting down roots? Taking a deep breath, she opened the door and looked for Mr. Kleptch, the Manager of the bank. She waved to the grey haired old man as he came up.

"Well hello Amber... how is your mother doing?" He asked kindly. 

"Better, they're optimistic that she'll be able to start talking again soon. Her exercises are going faster than expected." 

"Good... good, how can I help you today? Your mom signed the Power of Attorney..." He steered her toward one of the empty desks. 

"I wanted to talk to you about the sign in the window... Do you still need help?"

"Oh yes, that..., Mrs. Stevenson... well I had to retire her. Do you know anyone with some experience?" He asked politely.

"Yes, I do... I've worked at a bank for over four years. I was up for a head teller position, before my mother's stroke...." She knew it wasn't too big a lie, she was on the list. True she was the last name on the list, but her name was there.

"Really, why don't we go in and give you the test and have you fill out an application." His smile got really big. He rather see the opening go to someone local, than have to take the transfer that corporate office was trying to foist off on him. "I know we don't have to worry about references with you, but I do need to know if you have any training on the new online banking systems. We are implementing them at the end of the month."

"Yes, most of our transactions were done online. Both customer and bank transfers. Which system are you installing?" She chatted with the old man knowing he didn't understand the first thing about computers. She saw his old style leather ledger on his desk. 

An hour later, she left feeling better. She knew there were the mandatory background checks and her fingerprints were still on file. So, if everything went well, she should be able to go to work the next Monday. She saw Sherry and waved. She called her over and invited her for a quick soda at the diner. 

"Whatcha doin...?" Sherry asked. "You sure look better than that first day. I'm glad you're looking happier."

"Yeah well, I think I just got a job at the bank. It will take the burden off my mom's meager retirement account. Not that I'd ever thought I'd settle down in this town." Amber smiled. "When you coming over again? I enjoyed our last night together. It's been awhile since I could just talk." She surprised herself. She never thought that she would look back the day she hitched a ride to the closest airport, ready to buy a ticket to anywhere far, far away. 

"Oh, I don't know... I don't want to impose. Besides, Allen doesn't like me to be anywhere other than home after dark." Sherry smiled at the invitation.

"Sweetie, he's your husband, not your father." Amber saw Allen pull his dilapidated tow truck up next to Sherry's van and get out. "Speak of the devil... He just pulled up." She was surprised by the naked fear in Sherry's eyes and Allen pushed the door open. 

"Sherry, you get yourself home right now. My momma can't watch Little Allen anymore." He didn't wait for Sherry to get up and he grabbed her arm. "What you doin here anyways... we aint got no money to be wasting on these girly drinks. I need more beer, stop and get some on the way home. I got to go out on a call, now get amovin." He pulled her behind him.

"Allen, I paid for her drink." Amber tried to defuse some of Sherry's husband's anger. Allen just nodded and pulled his wife behind him out of the diner and down the walkway. Amber heard him berate her all the way to her car.

"What the hell you doin sneekin around with that citified bitch again for? I told you never to talk to her unless I say so. Don't you think you gonna get no fancy air and graces from that coon smellin cunt. Like her shit don't stink or somthin. Comes back here all high and mighty, like she's the queen bee. You aint nothing but a dumb, fat, county wife, and not too good at that. Don't burn my dinner and I might stick it to you tonight. Ifin you ever want a little brother for Junior; you better mind me!" 

Amber looked around at everyone, who looked everywhere else, but at the abuse Sherry was getting from her husband. They knew not to interfere. Allen had the best and only open auto shop in town, and if they ever needed their car fixed.... She saw the new shop going up at the old 76 station, and wished the new guy luck. Sighing, she got up and headed home. It was times like these, when she remembered why she left in the first place.

*** 

Amber started her new job, and even broke down and made an appointment at the clinic to make sure everything had healed and she was over her bout of STI's. She played it off as an annual employment check, so none of the busybodies at the clinic would know about her issues. 

She hoped that old Doc Willard had retired, but didn't hold her breath. She was pleasantly surprised as a younger woman came in. "Hello Ms. Mouser... I'm Doctor Letty. I'm new here, so we've never met." She was all business as she scooted Amber down into the stirrups.

"Um, yeah well, I've just come back to help my mother." Amber said trying to relax.

"Yes, that's what I've been told. Also some mysterious whispers about a big to do at the fire department...." She looked under the paper sheet, spread the speculum and said. "Well there is some minor scaring, but other than that, you look clean and clear. I'll need to do a smear just to be sure. You might not want to be quite so vigorous when you have sex for the next few months. Your cervix is healing, but..."

"It's okay doc... um I'm like on the none plan for the foreseeable future. I've just starting at the bank... um can I get a full check up and tested for like AIDS, Hepatitis and whatnot? Just to be sure... you know." 

"Sure, you can never be too careful." She said as she pulled off her gloves. "Of course the best way to stay clean and STI free, is abstinence, but you're an adult." She pulled her chart over and made some notes. "Nurse Parker will come in and draw the blood. They'll contact you if there is a result you need to know about. Have a good day." She breezed out just as quickly as she came in, leaving Amber to get dressed and try to wipe whatever goop they used, out of her with the flimsy paper cover. 

When she came out, she saw Sherry coming in. She also saw the black eye under the big sun glasses. "What happened to you?" She asked as she held the door open for the stroller. 

"Oh, clumsy me, I walked right into the door. You know how I'm always rushing around..." She tried to smile, but the pain stopped her. Amber took a good look and whispered.

"Honey, doors don't wear rings. If you ever need any help... let me know." Amber let her walk past, knowing if she stopped to talk, Allen would hear about it.

"Thanks, but I'll be alright... He didn't mean it. He just kicked the stroller... I left it out and well...." She muttered as she pushed Allen Jr. to the counter for his check up. Amber shook her head and walked out. If Allen had been there, she'd introduce him to his own nuts, even if she had to cut them off to do it. She hated abusive men.

It saddened her, that the first conversation she was able to have with her mother ended up being a lecture about butting in where things might have worked out by themselves. She hated thinking that her mother was privy to these kinds of things, but never did anything about them while she was the pastor's wife. If Amber saw a wrong, her first instinct was to right it.

It took her first three paychecks to buy back most of her mother's stuff. She knew that she missed some of the more expensive items, because the pawn ticket had expired and Hal needed to make money to stay in business. She also knew there were a lot of the ladies in town who envied her mother's collectibles from all over the world. 

In some ways, it was like Amber had never left. She was well known in town and most people would say hi as they passed. Spring flowers were fading with the onset of the summer heat, as Amber walked into the bank. As soon as she started to get to work, the manager and the new assistant, who everyone knew was going take over when the old man retired, called Amber into the office.

"Hi Amber, I'm Mr. James... I know I haven't been able to get to know everyone yet, but with the new banking procedures I've been busy. Anyway, the reason we called you in, is because looking over your qualifications, and after talking to the manager at the bank you used to work at. We've decided to make you the new lead teller. You will be working less on the front counter, and more in training the other tellers on the online banking options to sell to our customers." He would have said more, but Regina, the manager's secretary, poked her head in.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but there is a call for Ms. Mouser... It's the hospital. Her sister has gone into labor." The dowdy older woman said with a big smile. As in all small towns, babies were a big thing in Stillwater.

"Oh well, yes... Um, we can deal with this later." Mr. James said uncomfortable. "When you can, come see me and we can go over your responsibilities and whatnot."

"Thank you sir... I'm sorry; I'll be back as soon as I can." Amber responded stunned. Her head spun as she went and picked up her mom. As they headed to the clinic, her mom surprised her more.

"Congratulations." She said clearly for the first time.

"Wow mom, that's great... almost no slurring at all." Amber looked over at her mom with a smile.

"Yes... I heard promotion." Her words were clearer, but she still couldn't say a full sentence. There was still a lot of therapy before she could speak normally again, if ever. 

"Yeah, you probably knew before I did. I was in a meeting when they called. Do you think they will let Trace out to see his child born?"

"Hope so." Mildred put her hand on Ambers and looked forward. 

When they got there, Mildred went to see Mary as Amber waited out in the hallway. She didn't want intrude where she didn't know if she was welcome. While standing there, her brother, escorted by an older man, came in. 

"Hey, Trace... how's rehab going?" Amber asked pleased that her brother looked better. His hair was cut and the slump in his shoulders wasn't as pronounced.

"Amber... what are you doing here?" Trace asked curtly. 

"I drove mom over... she's in with Mary now. I'm waiting out here until Mary says if I can go in or not."

"Well don't stay on my account..." He bit off looking at the older man.

"Who's that...?" Amber asked wondering at the man who watched every move her brother made.

"My sponsor... he's here to make sure I don't drink while I'm out of rehab. Not even some Champaign for the birth of my son."

"Oh, Mary is having a boy?" Amber hadn't heard of this.

"She better... boy first as is right... Look Amber, why don't you just butt out? You're not wanted here. Just go back to the city you're so fond of and quit interfering with my life. I had everything under control." He would have said more, but their mother stepped in between them and shocked Amber.

She reached back and slapped Trace across the face. "Shut up! You have wife and job only of Amber!" She wanted to say more but she got to excited. As a nurse and Trace's chaperone helped her to a seat. Trace spat out.

"Now look what you've done. Go away... this is just as much my child, and I don't want you here. Go away!" He stopped when his mother slapped him again, this time with as much force as she could muster, leaving a welt of her hand across his face.

"I said shut up...! If you ever take from my house again... I call Dan Burns myself." She hissed the Police Chief's name. "You need thank Amber... She saves almost all. She saves you marriage.... You are Spoiled Brat!" She poked him in his chest with her fist to make her points.

"Mom... calm down... you can't get too excited or you could have another stroke." Amber pleaded, not wanting to go through that again.

Mildred nodded once. "Go see wife... come out better at...atti..."

"Attitude...!" the sponsor said, giving Trace a look that said more than words. 

When Trace entered the room, Amber's mother put her hand on Amber's face. "You good girl... sometime do thing wrong, but do right thing. I proud of you."

"Oh, mom... I love you too..." Amber cried as she hugged her mom. She never knew how much she needed to hear that from her parent. When she found out that Mary wanted to see her, she wiped her eyes and walked in as Trace walked out, not looking at her.

"Hi, Amber...." She groaned through another contraction. "Thanks for bringing mom... I just talked to Trace and he's not too happy." She panted as the pain eased. "I've got hours to go... so, um, as long as you and Trace aren't in here at the same time... If it's a girl I'm naming her after you." 

"Why... don't! Trace will have a fit." Amber protested.

"It's not his choice right now. He's still got a long way to go before he's back in my good graces. I love him, but I've had my eyes opened." She sat up straighter. "I cornered the Captain's wife and made her spill the beans after my shower... thanks for the bunting.... She told me the truth. If he didn't trust me enough to tell me... well, he has a lot to learn. If I never see the rest of them again, it will be too soon. Nothing but a bunch of babies."




Redemption of a Sex Offender



August

When he walked into the faculty lounge, everybody froze. He was obviously trouble, from the leather vest that passed for a shirt all they way down the tight button-fly 501s to the black motorcycle boots. And the long, tawny hair that drifted over his shoulders and down his back, held out of his face by a small braid to one side tipped with a leather thong covered in glass beads and feathers. Erica could almost smell the testosterone.

Helen Crawford, head of the English department, found her tongue first. “Maintenance is in the basement,” she said, although the breathy quality of her voice – normally you could cut glass with Helen’s voice – took a lot of the sting out of the insult.

His mouth twitched at the corners and he unslung the garment sleeve he’d been carrying over his shoulder. “I’ll keep that in mind. Where’s the cafeteria? I can probably find my homeroom on my own.” And without any more warning, he ripped open the vest, popping all the snaps, and shrugged it off to the accompaniment of a soft chorus of female gasps. Then he unzipped the garment sleeve and pulled out a pale blue dress shirt.

Everybody else was watching him dress, so Erica felt only a little guilt about ogling the rippling, naked torso of the strange, very male, man, who was obviously some kind of teacher. And he turned into a teacher as he shrugged on the shirt and buttoned it, knotted a conservative tie and buttoned down the collar. 

He turned his back on his drooling female audience – there were men in the faculty lounge, but they weren’t drooling – to pull off the boots and unbutton the jeans far enough to tuck in the shirt-tails. When he turned back to pull a pair of shoes out of the garment sleeve, she was almost disappointed. He looked like a tall teacher with broad shoulders and an outrageous haircut . . . or lack of haircut. The women began filtering out to get ready for the first day of class.

“Excuse me,” Erica began tentatively when almost everyone was gone, “but who are you?” He looked up from tying the shoes.

“Edward Hilliard,” he said. “New history teacher. I just got into town last night, so I missed all the orientations.” He finished tying his shoes and stood to slide on a dark blue blazer. “Who might you be?” he asked, using grammar as impeccable as his chest. Erica stood, too, and suddenly realized that he was huge, six-three at least. She felt like she was standing in a hole.

“Erica Johnson,” she said faintly. “English. Are you a coach of some kind as well?” He walked over and stuck out his hand. Automatically, Erica shook it and something that felt like electricity shot up her arm. The feeling of standing in a hole intensified; she revised her height estimate up a couple of inches, which made him taller than Randy. His handshake was firm but not crushing, although she got the distinct impression of power held under firm control.

“Nice to meet you, Johnson,” he said affably. “I have coached, but they didn’t say anything about it in the interview.”

“Clark Potter was in a car accident a few days ago,” she said. “He’s been the JV football coach for eight years, and it looks like he’s going to be in the hospital for at least two more days. You might want to speak to the principal about it, if you’re interested.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, then went back to the garment sleeve and shoved the other clothing into it.

“What brings you to Idaho, Mr. Hilliard?” she asked, wanting to keep him talking.

“It’s about as far from Ohio as I could get without hitting a major population center,” he replied. He zipped the garment sleeve back up and slung it over his shoulder again.

“Why not a population center?” she questioned before she could stop herself as he turned and went back to the hallway door.

“They make me tense,” he said, leaning bonelessly against the doorframe for a couple of seconds. “I don’t like tense.” For the first time, his ice-blue gaze flicked down her body and back up, taking all of her in, then his mouth quirked in a half smile that was directed strictly inward. “See you later,” he said, and left.

Erica let out the breath she hadn’t been aware of holding and looked at her right hand. It was still tingling. She thought about the man who had walked into the room, all leather and tight denim, a rebel of some kind who knew himself thoroughly and was comfortable with what he was, and felt the skin tighten over her cheekbones. 

Maybe this year would be interesting after all, especially since he’d gotten that hair past an interview. What else was he going to get away with?

October

She came around the corner at a trot and literally ran into him. Erica Johnson, who had featured prominently in a couple of fantasies that were extremely personal and as pleasurable as they were forbidden, grabbed his arm and almost wrapped her other arm around him to keep from falling over, and scared the hell out of him.

“Johnson,” he said warningly as he pulled her away from his chest. “What the hell is going on here? Why are you running down the hall?” Her body had felt really, really good pressed up against him, soft, warm, and curvy. Round, like Lila had been round, only better. Sexy, in ways that Lila had never been sexy. 

Lila? Jesus. He hadn’t thought about Lila in years. Why was he thinking about her now? And what did that have to do with Erica?

“Mitchell Tanner,” she said breathlessly, yanking Eddie’s mind back from the mystery. Mitchell Tanner was a twitchy transfer from a bad part of LA County, eighteen, cocky as hell, and thought he was dangerous. Eddie had to stop himself from laughing in the kid’s face on a near-daily basis. “I think he’s following me,” she explained. “He didn’t like the grade on his last paper.”

Really. Tanner was bugging Erica, the hottest teacher in school, according to his confiscated roster from third-hour American History? 

“Maybe he should try one of the pay sites next time,” Eddie heard himself sneer. “The free ones only stock crap papers.” Footsteps echoed in the hallway and Tanner rounded the corner, then stopped. Ed hitched his backpack a little higher on his shoulder.

“Coach Hilliard.” The kid sounded wary. Well, Eddie reflected, he should if he was up to what it looked like he was up to.

“Tanner. Practice was over half an hour ago. Why are you still here?” Unobtrusively, he pushed Johnson behind him. If Tanner wanted to make something out of that, so be it.

“I could ask you the same thing, coach.” Tanner looked past him at Johnson and grinned, cocky again. He’d almost gotten used to the kids calling him coach, but it irritated him coming from Tanner in every sentence. 

He was a teacher, damn it, only working with the JV football team until Potter’s cast came off. Of course, it had been a bad break, cracking in a spiral up the tibia, so that would be a while, but it was still temporary.

“I had to pick up some papers that need to be graded by tomorrow, Tanner. Not that my work schedule is your business. Did you get lost on the way to your locker?” He slid a glance over his shoulder to check on Johnson. She looked a little tense. “I was just walking Ms. Johnson out to her car. You’d better get out of here, too, before you get locked in.”

“Sure, coach. I’ll come with you.” It was a direct challenge to his authority from a snot-nosed teenager. Eddie felt his lips try to spread into an amused smile in spite of being called coach again, and he suppressed it. 

Tanner only lacked a couple of inches on him, but he was wiry, hadn’t yet come into the full musculature of an adult male. Hadn’t had to look himself in the mirror and come to terms with exactly how tough he was, exactly how stupid he was, and where his limits were. In short, Eddie could have taken him with one arm broken and a bad case of the flu. 

Instead of smiling, he reached back for Johnson, effortlessly sliding his arm around her shoulders without ever taking his eyes off Tanner, riffling his fingers through her silky hair in the process. It was an accident, but damn if her hair didn’t feel even better than it did in the fantasies. And so did her shoulders, broad for a woman, and just the right height, a perfect fit to his body.

“Let’s go,” he said softly, casually, daring the kid to challenge him further for Johnson’s possession. Mitch looked angry, but he didn’t say anything. Eddie practically heard the kid’s teeth grind when they arrived at Johnson’s Subaru. 

She used the remote to unlock the driver’s door and he stayed between her and Tanner as he handed her into the seat, then leaned in after her to murmur in her ear. 

“I think you’re right about Tanner, except he’s more interested in your body than your gradebook.”

“What?” she asked almost involuntarily as she stared up at him, obviously shocked.

“Did you see the way he glared at me when I touched you?” he asked, deliberately reaching out to put his hand on her shoulder. “I’ll stop by your classroom after practice for the rest of the season. Just in case, okay?” 

Her lips parted softly as she absorbed the statement and he found himself staring at her mouth, fascinated by how full and soft it looked.

“Okay,” she said quietly, barely louder than a whisper. His eyes flashed back to hers, and he noticed they looked darker than normal. Bigger. It must be the odd half-light of the sunset doing it. He locked her door and then stepped back to close it.

* * *

Erica started her car and backed out of the parking space, acutely aware of the two men watching her, the younger one hungrily, the older one protectively. She didn’t know why the Tanner kid was after her – she was almost old enough to be his mother. And Hilliard, someone who obviously didn’t want to be involved, had come to her rescue like no man had ever done before. He was an enigma wrapped in a mystery.

When she remembered the feel of his muscular arm across her shoulders, the way he’d run his fingers through her hair and pulled her closer to him, she shivered a little. He’d made her feel . . . wanted. Connected. Like she belonged with him. And he – one of the most detached people she’d ever met – was a convicted stalker, by his own admission. Weren’t stalkers supposed to be people who invented connections where none existed?

If the rumors were to be believed, he was doing incredible things with the JV football team, too, like teaching them mathematical game theory, anatomy, and kinesiology, and requiring them to write papers on how football concepts related to the real world. 

The kids were getting a crash-course MBA program and, united in their dislike of the coach, winning every game, it seemed like. Clark Potter avoided Hilliard whenever possible, and even Hank Franklin, the head coach, seemed impressed. Rumor also had it Franklin had asked one of the kids for a copy of Hilliard’s playbook.

One of her AP classes had a couple of JV players in it, and Justin Ponder had asked her for a recommendation of a 19th century diary for a paper on the Westward movement for his American History class. 

It seemed Hilliard was making it come alive by telling the kids to put themselves in the places of the people who had lived through it, mixing current events in with the historical ones to make it real for them. He’d made them all write essays about the day the World Trade Center was destroyed, Ponder had said, and reminded them that someday high school kids would be memorizing that particular date right along with the date of the Boston Tea Party. 

November

Eddie had just finished his 200th lateral crunch when the doorbell rang. Irritated with the interruption, he made a mental note of where he’d been and got up to answer it. Erica Johnson was standing on the small landing outside the door of his third-floor apartment breathing unevenly like she’d run up the two flights of stairs.

“Can I come in?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder. He was suddenly acutely aware that he was sweaty and didn’t have a shirt on, but he stepped back anyway and let her into the space that no woman had entered since he’d moved in. She passed closer to him than she had to and he caught a whiff of something besides his own sweat. It made his skin tighten and his pulse speed up a little.

“How did you find out where I live?” he asked quietly. He would have preferred to leave the door open, but it was cold outside, so he shut and leaned against it instead. Really, there was no point in trying to heat all of Meridian.

“Information,” she said, folding her arms in an odd, protective way. “Tanner’s following me again.” She turned away from the door and surveyed the living room. 

Eddie looked at it too, trying to see it through her eyes. It looked a little stark and a lot Southwest, definitely a masculine place with few soft touches to the edges. Well, that was okay, since that was how he was, now.

“Most of it’s rented,” he said. She turned back to look at him inquiringly. “The furniture. The artwork was done by . . . friends.” He moved into the kitchen. “Would you like some tea or something?”

“Actually, I could use a stiff drink,” she responded. “This is starting to get . . . weird.”

“It’s been weird for a while,” he responded. He pulled out a glass and dumped a couple of ice cubes in it, then rooted for the bottle Old Nathan Winddancer had sent him for Christmas from Albequerque, a month early. Nathan was into single malts with unpronounceable Scottish names and seemed to think Eddie should be, too, so he kept giving him bottles of the stuff. 

He poured a couple of fingers of it into the small juice glass and handed it to her. “It’s nice to see you’ve finally noticed.”

“Scotch?” she asked, looking at the bottle. “Interesting. I thought you’d be into bourbon, coming from Ohio.”

“Christmas present,” he said by way of explanation. “I don’t drink much anymore. What did Mitch do this time?”

“There’s an old white Celica that keeps turning up in my rear-view mirror,” she said after she had taken a sip of the scotch. “It was parked next to my car when I came out of Albertsons last night, and if you look out the window, you’ll probably see it in the parking lot, since it turned in after me.”

He turned off the light in the living room and pulled open a gap in the miniblinds over the window. Sure enough, there was an old white Celica parked next to Johnson’s car with a good view of the window and door to his apartment. And someone tall was sitting in the driver’s seat, watching the building. 

Erica had a big problem. He let the blinds fall closed and thought about what he’d done, following Lila around and watching her. Trying to get the dog destroyed. Sabotaging her house. Attacking her, slamming her up against the wall of the school, ripping her shirt off when she tried to run. Throwing the terrier-sized mutt onto a concrete sidewalk. He winced at the memories and heard Johnson move up behind him.

“Is it out there?” she asked.

“Yes, parked right next to your car,” he responded, glancing over at her in the dim light coming out of the kitchen. “And there’s somebody behind the wheel, watching the building.” She started to shiver. He pulled the glass away from her before she could drop it, and set it on the end table.

When he straightened again, she wrapped her arms around him, warm, soft, so much better than Lila. Lila again. Jesus, he had to get Lila out of his head. He focused on Erica, wholly and completely, pushing the memory of Lila out of his mind. Erica. Damn, she felt good. 

Those bulky sweaters she’d been wearing since the weather had turned cold were covering up a lot of curves, soft, warm, decadently female curves. He wondered what kind of underwear Erica had on under her clothes, irrationally certain it wasn’t white cotton and pleased by the idea that her prim outfits were covering up something a little wild. That body should be wearing something a little wild. He didn’t know why he’d always wanted to see Lila in white cotton.

“I feel safe with you,” she said. Safe? He was a convicted stalker, for God’s sake. “Can I stay here for a while?” No. Not touching him like this. Not wrapped around him in the dark. It wasn’t safe. 

He was starting to want something, and he wasn’t going to examine it to figure out what it was with her there. She burrowed her face into his skin, pressing closer. “Please, Hilliard,” she breathed. 

“You can have anything you want,” he heard himself say. He hadn’t meant to say that. And his arms were sliding around her, cradling that warm softness against his chest, his abdomen, his suddenly throbbing groin. 

Uh-oh. That meant he wanted her body, as much as he was trying to resist thinking about it. Erica Johnson’s body, warm and lush, spread under him, soft but tightening from the pleasure he was pumping into her, bucking and shuddering as she came in mindless ecstasy. Oh God, yes, that was what he wanted. 

No. She was a teacher, a colleague. He wasn’t going to . . . do that . . . to a colleague, especially not one that was this vulnerable right now.

“I need to take a shower,” he muttered, dropping his arms. “Hang out as long as you like.” She held on to him harder, and he had to pull her away from him – again, just like in the hall at school. Something wrong there, he shouldn’t have to keep peeling her off of him like that, but he wasn’t going there. Never again. “Johnson, let go,” he said gruffly. 

Finally, she did, sighing and looking up at him with disappointment in her eyes. Big, liquid eyes. Hurt. Don’t look at me like that. He turned to the bathroom, scooping up the t-shirt on the way, carefully locking the door behind him. He leaned his back against it and took a few deep, slow breaths. 

Calm down, he told himself. She wasn’t coming on to you. She’s not that kind of woman. It was Johnson, not Trixie, the faceless hooker he normally sated his needs with. Trixie had a thousand different faces, but they were all Trixie, and they all did just fine for the human touch and physical release he needed on occasion. 

He turned on the water and stripped out of his sweats, catching a faint whiff of Johnson’s scent clinging to his skin as he moved. She didn’t even smell like a Trixie. Or like Lila. And he was going to wash that smell off.

But the hot water made the intoxicating scent stronger, and that brought back the erection. 

He found himself stroking the engorged organ with his eyes closed, picturing Erica’s curves under his hands, her hair fanned out on the pillow, her body sheathing him tightly, her lips trying to scream his name as he kissed her hard and pounded into her. It was a lot darker and more primal than he’d thought of her before. 

His entire body jerked as he came in the shower. It only helped a little, because the fantasy was disturbing. There hadn’t been any whispered endearments in it, no cuddling in afterglow, no happily ever after – just sex, and not gentle sex, either, but hot, hard, caveman sex, bordering on sexual violence. Was that what he was really like? Shit, yes, he had the prison record to prove it. 

But not anymore.

She was still there when he came out of the bathroom. He’d suspected she would be, so he was completely dressed, even if the clothes felt a little clammy from him sweating in them. He normally wandered into the bedroom nude or in just a towel to change or go to bed, but that wasn’t an option with Erica Johnson waiting on the other side of that door for him to reappear.

She was curled up on the Craftsman sofa with Junia’s handwoven throw over her lap, looking like she belonged there. Add some stucco on the walls, a kiva built into the corner with a fire going, and the glow of kerosene lanterns, and she could have been sitting in the room in the pueblo that he’d called home for a year and a half, looking like she belonged there. It was just as unnerving as the fantasy. And arousing, damn it, and he had come not ten minutes ago.




Redemption of a Sex Offender



“I thought you said you were from Ohio,” she said.

“I did. I am from Ohio,” he responded, moving to the window to check the parking lot again. The white Celica was gone.

“All the art is Southwestern,” she commented.

“When I got out of prison, I moved to New Mexico,” he said. “I studied with one of the Shamans at the Pueblo del Orinico.”

“That would explain it,” she said. “How long were you there?”

“Nineteen months. They kicked me out in May, just in time to start looking for a job.” He sat down in the chair, as far away from her as possible.

“Kicked you out?” she echoed.

“Nathan said he’d taught me everything he could and it was time to continue my journey,” he responded simply, just the facts. “He said I could go back when the time was right.”

“And how will you know when the time is right?” she asked.

“Probably when I feel like I don’t need to go back,” he responded. “A lot of the Pueblo belief structure is like Zen Buddhism.”

“Why did you go to New Mexico?” He looked at her in the dim light and saw fascination, curiosity. Erica Johnson was actually interested in him.

“It was a long way from Ohio.” He leaned forward and put his elbows on his thighs. “I’d never seen a real Indian before, and I needed to start over, so it seemed appropriate. Jesus went into the desert to find himself, too, when he figured out he wasn’t who he thought he was. I liked the precedent. The Celica’s gone.” 

With that almost-auburn hair and her height, she would stick out like a sore thumb in the pueblo. Like he had. He wondered what name they would give her, since his had translated to Big Yellow Hair Guy. He’d been grateful at the time that they’d left out White.

“You want me,” she said, sounding breathless. “Don’t even try to deny it.”

“Yes, I want you,” he agreed equably. He looked up and she was right there. “But I don’t . . . date . . . my colleagues. Period.” 

Her eyes were so big, so dark and blue. He could drown in them, stare into them while he moved between her thighs and pushed into that tight, wet, heat, watch them squeeze closed when he pushed her over that invisible border between reality and orgasm. No, dammit.

She had her back against the sofa – he could turn her around and bend her over it, cupping those generous breasts and biting into that incredible curve at the base of her neck as he fucked her from behind. Slowly at first, soft, gentle thrusts to find the center of pleasure inside before he moved one hand as she began to arch her back and found that pouting bud of exterior pleasure. 

NO! Stop it, Hilliard. 

Sure, he could screw her into next week. And then what? Start planning futures? Start leaving stuff at her house until he was moved in? You’ve been down this road before, asshole, and there’s an insanity plea at the end of it.

“Why not?” she asked, all innocence and sensuality, all warm curves and big eyes and that mouth. 

Don’t do this to me. 

“Because it’s insane,” he replied savagely. “And I’m not insane. Not anymore.” He stood, grabbed her by the elbow – elbows were safe – and steered her to the door before the fantasies could get any more out of control. “Go home, Johnson. You’re a nice woman. Not my type at all.”

She dug in her heels when they got to the four-foot square of tile that marked the entry. “I’m tired of being nice,” she snapped.

“I’m sure you are,” he responded evenly. “It can be very draining. But you’re not going to be wicked with me. Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to call Trixie.”

She frowned. “Who’s Trixie?”

“Just a cheap hooker I know. She lets me fuck her in the ass for no extra charge.” There, he’d said it, the big word, the one that the old Hilliard would never have used in front of a lady. 

He leaned down menacingly and looked her in those enormous – now frightened – blue eyes. “And she swallows,” he added for good measure. “As much as she can, anyway.” 

He watched Johnson swallow, probably trying to get rid of the lump of fear in her throat. She flicked out the tip of her tongue to moisten her lips and it was all he could do to keep himself from lunging for her. “Go get Tanner out of your head and then read a Jane Austen or something,” he snarled, opening the door and pointing to the stairs.

She stared at him for at least a full minute before she turned to the door with her shoulders slumped in defeat. She was breathing strangely, too, like she would start crying in a minute. Because of him. God, he was even slimy when he was desperately trying to do the right thing. What the hell did she see in him anyway?

He slammed the door when she was safely in her car with the engine started and stalked back to the second bedroom he used as an office. He put on a Staind CD and tried to grade history papers, but his mind wouldn’t stay focused. He needed to get Johnson off of his case, and telling her wasn’t working. 

She wasn’t listening, just like Lila hadn’t listened – only the exact opposite, so it must have been more like the way he hadn’t listened. Shit. Maybe he could show her something. Like his arrest record. Like his sentencing. Like his therapy notes. Except he didn’t have any of that, just the release paperwork and the sexual offender registration card.

On Saturday morning, he realized he needed to talk to Nick. He couldn’t call Nick Truman, Christ, that was the last person in the world he could call. 

No, he needed to talk to Nick. With shaking hands, he dialed the telephone number of the Truman Brothers’ garage. Mike answered the phone and he asked for Nick using the fewest possible words. 

“Nick there?” A minute later, he heard the familiar, kind of irritated voice.

“Eddie Hilliard,” he said. “You got any pictures of Lila’s injuries?” He heard the hesitation, could almost feel Nick’s muscles tensing to slam down the receiver.

“Why?” came the terse response, full of suspicion.

“I need to show them to somebody. Erica Johnson. English teacher I work with. She’s been coming on to me, even though I told them all I have a screw loose the first day I showed up here.” Eddie swallowed. “She’s not listening, and it’s making me nervous. I need to know I’m not losing it again. I thought maybe if she could see what I’d done, it would scare her off.”

“You think I would keep that kind of thing?” Nick demanded.

“What about Atchison? I didn’t have his phone number,” Eddie said. Fred Atchison had arrested him, would have the case file. “Were there any photographs taken?” He took a deep breath and let it out. “I don’t want to hurt anybody else, Nick. I’ve got enough on my conscience as it is.”

“Oh, Hell.” Nick made an angry sound. “I’ll ask him. What’s your phone number?” Eddie rattled off his home number. “Where the hell is 208?” Nick asked.

“Idaho,” Eddie responded. “I work at Ahsahta High School.”

“They’re letting you teach?” Nick sounded outraged.

“I’m a stalker, not a pedophile,” Eddie spat back as the Staind CD ended and Incubus started up. The opening riff was always soothing, and he felt some of the tension ease out of his neck. “And I’ve tried pretty goddamned hard to get beyond that.”

“What the hell is that noise in the background?”

“Music. I’ll send you a copy. Christmas present,” Eddie said. He knew Nick was into oldies like Fleetwood Mac; maybe a little alternative would broaden his horizons.

“Don’t bother. I’ll see what I can come up with.”

“Thanks. I mean that.” Eddie paused for a second. “How’s Katie?”

“What?” Nick sounded genuinely shocked.

“How’s Katie?” Eddie repeated. “Little rat on stilts? Kind of cute in a too-much-espresso way?”

“Who the Hell are you and how did you get Eddie Hilliard’s voice?” Nick demanded.

Eddie had to laugh. “I’ll never tell,” he responded, “but you’d have to check most of the Southwest for pods, Nick. Let me know if you get evidence I can show Johnson.” He hung up feeling a lot better about life. He was going to teach history, he was going to teach football, and he wasn’t going to get involved with a woman, ever again, because he was dangerous.

No matter how soft she was. Damn straight.

Or how well she fit in his arms. Right.

Or how good she smelled, or how big her eyes were, or how luscious her mouth looked when she parted her lips and stared up at him. 

Oh, shit.

“Honor your feelings. What you feel is real and has great merit to your soul,” he quoted Nathan Winddancer. So what did he feel? Right now, it seemed to be equal parts of lust, concern, fear, and . . . lust. That wasn’t good.

Add to that the fact that she was in trouble and he wanted to protect her from what was coming with Tanner, and it really wasn’t good. He couldn’t get involved with her without facing a lot of things he didn’t think he was ready for, and he really couldn’t just sit back and ignore it. It was no longer part of his nature to ignore something unpleasant – what part of that his shrinks hadn’t seen to, Nathan had.

She was waiting for him in the athletic office off of the boys’ locker room on Monday morning, the blinds delicately closed so she couldn’t see the kids suiting up for first period PE. 

“What are you doing here?” he asked calmly. “Home room is in about ten minutes and I have to change.”

“I need to talk to you,” she said. She sounded scared and her face was too white. “I found this on my windshield this morning.” She offered him a greeting card envelope with shaking fingers. 

He didn’t want to touch it, but he took it from her and slid out the card – it was a picture from the Kama Sutra, showing two elegant Indian people having sex in an unlikely position. He didn’t even know where someone could get a card like that. 

He opened it and there was a message scrawled inside in Mitchell Tanner’s sloppy hand: “This could be us, baby.” It wasn’t signed.

“I didn’t leave this on your car,” he said, quickly sliding it back into the envelope and handing it back to her. Great. Now it had his fingerprints on it.

“I know you didn’t leave it, Hilliard,” she said in a tone of exasperation. “The Tanner kid left it – it’s the same handwriting as his exams.”

“Take it to the police,” he said. “Stalking is illegal in Idaho, isn’t it?”

“Of course it is.” She bit her lip. “I don’t want to go to the police. I mean, he’s only 18, he probably thinks this is just provocative. Or sexy, or something.”

Maybe, if he hadn’t chosen a drawing that looked actively painful for the woman involved. Eddie rubbed the back of his suddenly tight neck. 

“What do you want from me?” he asked.

“How do I make him stop?” she asked back.

“My ex-girlfriend beat the shit out of me with a two-by-four,” he said. “Of course, I’d just broken into her house and tried to kill her dog the day after I’d attacked her in a parking lot after dark, so she had a reason.”

Johnson’s face got a lot whiter, something he hadn’t thought was possible. “You attacked her in a parking lot?”

“Oh, yeah,” he said carelessly. “Had to. She was sleeping with the guy she was going to marry, and she wouldn’t listen when I told her she belonged to me, just kept saying she was in love with somebody else and I should leave her alone.” 

She backed up a step. “I mean, what are you supposed to do with a woman who won’t listen when you tell her exactly how she’s going to spend the rest of her life?” he continued with a casual gesture. “You have to make her listen, even if you have to hurt her to do it. Or hurt her dog. You have a dog, Johnson?” 

She took another step back and he folded his arms over his chest to keep from reaching for her. 

“I have a cat,” she all but whispered.

“That’s what you’re dealing with,” he told her softly, seriously, trying to make her understand. “I don’t know how to make him stop stalking you. He may not even understand that he is stalking you. I didn’t.”

“That’s . . . that’s . . .” she couldn’t seem to get any more words out.

“Really crazy,” he finished for her. “And really scary. Something for the police, not for the JV coach to pull the kid aside and chat with him about. He wouldn’t get it, anyway, if he’s that far gone. I suppose I could beat the shit out of him, but he wouldn’t get that, either, and I’d be assaulting a student for no good reason.”

“No, you couldn’t do that,” she agreed quietly. “I’ll take it to the police.”

“Great. Make sure you tell them you showed it to me first.”

“Why?”

“My fingerprints are on it. I’m a registered sex offender with a history of stalking. Why do you think?”

She looked at the card, safely concealed in its plain pale-blue envelope. “Oh,” was all she said.

“Now get out of here, so I can change,” he said, pulling open the hallway door. “I have a class on the third floor I have to get to.”

December

It was the last day of classes before Christmas break when she worked up the nerve to go looking for him. She found him in his classroom, loading books into the leather backpack, his braided hair throwing off golden glints in the winter sunlight. 

He’d started to dress more casually for classes when he took over the junior football team, and he was wearing a dark blue rugby shirt with the sleeves pushed up almost to his elbows. Erica cleared her throat and he looked up, his eyes warming when he saw her.

“I brought you a Christmas present,” she said diffidently, holding out the small package in front of her as an offering. He went still, and his expression changed.

“You didn’t need to do that,” he said softly, not moving any closer. “I don’t have a present for you.”

“That’s the beauty of Christmas,” she said, shutting the door behind her and walking into the room. His eyes flicked to the closed door and back to her. The closer she got to him, the more alarmed he looked. “I can give whatever I want to – to whoever I want to.” 

“Shouldn’t that be whomever?” he asked, carefully backing around the desk to keep it between them and covering the action by picking up another book.

“Not in current usage,” she replied. “Are you going home for the holidays?”

He looked startled. “No, my parents are visiting my little sister in Florida this year.” He looked at the book. “Actually, I haven’t been back to Ohio since they let me leave.” He turned the backpack and shoved the book in with a little more force than was necessary, somehow communicating that he didn’t want to go back there ever again.

“Okay,” she said. “Here. Open your present.”

Hesitantly, he took the package from her and stared at it for a moment before gently removing the wrapping paper, careful not to tear it. Then he carefully opened the box and pulled it out. 

“A rock,” he said without expression.

“Turn it over,” she responded.

“Kokopelli?” He looked up from the rock into her eyes. “Do you know any of the lore about this particular figure?”

“From what I’ve read, he’s a cross between Johnny Appleseed, Coyote, and Don Juan,” she said. “And he plays the flute, too.”

February

A woman’s scream split the night air, coming from the parking lot. Eddie dropped his saddlebags and slammed the door shut to make sure it locked, then sprinted for the area where Johnson normally parked, icewater in his veins. 

Valentine’s Day. He got around the corner of the building just in time to see Mitch push up the full wool skirt and rip off Erica Johnson’s underwear exactly the way he’d fantasized about doing himself. Except that, in his fantasy, she wasn’t trying to do grievous bodily harm and being effectively held in place against the hood of her car. 

Tanner had one hand on her wrists, holding her down, while he was opening up his jeans with the other hand and keeping her hips pressed down against the car at the same time. To her credit, Erica was giving him a lot of trouble.

Rage made Eddie’s ears ring with a peculiar silence, and time seemed to slow down the way it did when he meditated. He knew Tanner was telling her to shut up, just relax and enjoy it, Erica was screaming again, Tanner was pulling his genitals out of his pants in preparation to rape her, but he couldn’t hear it, not really. 

Then he was at the car and Tanner was flying through the air to land with a solid thud on his shoulders. A small, evil part of Eddie’s mind was almost sorry the little shit hadn’t broken his neck. 

He tossed his cell to Erica before he turned his back on the half-naked woman on the car and told her to call 911, watching for Tanner to get up. The kid lay stunned for maybe 15 seconds, then shook his head and scrambled up off of the ground.

“Don’t take another step toward her, Tanner,” he growled.

“Why, coach? Is that pussy yours?” Mitch sneered. “Little wholesome for a guy like you.” 

Eddie couldn’t hit him; it would be too much like what he’d done to a little man once before. Except that other guy hadn’t been about to ram his meat into an unwilling woman.

“You’ve got a lot to learn about life, Tanner,” he said. “And you’re about to get a very hard lesson. You’ve got a nice tight ass. I give you 24 hours before somebody named Killer comes in it.”

Tanner tried to look tough, but his eyes were scared in the parking lot light. “Like you’d know a lot about it,” he said with bravado.

“I’ve done time,” Eddie informed him, grim. “And I’ve seen snot-noses like you taken to medical bleeding out the butt from the receiving end of exactly what you just tried to do to Ms. Johnson.”

“Oh yeah? Where did you do time?” He was still trying to sound tough, but he looked even more scared.

“Ohio State Correctional Facility, two to five.” Eddie advanced on the younger man slowly, and Tanner backed up. “I’m a registered sex offender, Mitch, just like you’re going to be. Only I’m big and mean, pretty boy.”

Mitch tried to run and Eddie caught him easily, grabbing the back of his neck and hauling his right arm up behind him. 

“You’re slow, kid,” he hissed at Tanner’s back. “You think it’s fun to rape a teacher?” He could hear a siren in the distance, getting closer. They’d be there in a minute or two, and he could turn the kid over to them.

“The bitch wanted me!” Tanner yelled. “She’s been coming on to me since school started!”

“Nice try,” he hissed, “but I know about the notes you’ve been sending her. I know about how you’ve been following her around. And so do the cops.” 

He turned the kid around and frog-marched him back to the car where Erica was huddled inside with her arms wrapped around herself, shaking. At least her skirt was back down where it belonged, although her underwear was now a purple satin rag in the parking lot. 

Purple. He’d known she wasn’t a white-cotton kind of woman. When he got closer, he saw her eyes widen and glanced down at the kid, surprised to see that his fly was still open and his penis hanging out. 

“Jesus, Tanner, put your dick back in your pants.” The kid fumbled awkwardly with his left hand, but got himself covered just as the patrol car pulled up beside Erica Johnson’s Outback.

“Coach Hilliard?” the officer questioned when he got out of the car, “What’s going on here?” Great, the police knew him by sight. Just what he needed.

“I interrupted this slime as he was about to rape Ms. Johnson,” Eddie explained as tersely as possible. “I’ll be in to make a statement as soon as I make sure she’s okay.” The cop looked at where Erica was still holding herself and shaking, locked in her car, then back at Eddie.

“Okay. She’ll need to press charges, though,” he said in an even voice. “Was there penetration?”

“I don’t think so, but if I’d been a few seconds slower, there would have been,” Eddie said. “Cuff the little shit.” He shoved Tanner at the cop, who smoothly pulled the kid around and applied handcuffs, then patted him down for weapons and took possession of a Leatherman. 

Eddie turned his back on them and went over to the driver’s side door. Erica unlocked the door and opened it, but didn’t get out.

“Thank you,” she said, and her voice was shaking, too.




Redemption of a Sex Offender



“You have to file charges,” he said, squatting in the open door so he wouldn’t loom menacingly. “Think you’re okay to do that tonight? I understand it gets worse if you wait.” He watched her swallow convulsively.

“I – I guess so.” She looked at the ground. “Will you come with me?” she asked in a small voice, a lost-little-girl voice. “I’ve never had to do anything like this before.”

“Whatever you want, Erica,” he reassured her, using her first name for the first time out loud. He wanted to wrap his arms around her and hold her until she stopped shaking, but that was the last thing she needed.

Suddenly she looked up at him, her eyes dark and fierce in the weird light from the sodium lamps. “I don’t care what you think, you’re nothing like he is. Nothing. I could tell that you wanted to kill him, and you didn’t even rough him up.”

“He hurt you,” Eddie said for an explanation. “He needs to learn that it’s wrong. A little jail time will teach him that far more effectively than anything I could do.” He closed his eyes. “And he’s a student. I can’t assault a student.” He’s also smaller than I am, weaker than I am, and dumber than I am, and it wouldn’t be a fair fight.

“I can’t stop shaking,” she said about the time he opened his eyes again, her voice so matter-of-fact it had to be covering up something approaching hysteria. “I don’t think I can drive safely.” And all he had was the Harley.

“Get in the passenger seat, and I’ll drive you,” he suggested. Her grateful look was all the reply he needed.

Fifteen minutes later, he was describing what he had seen and done in the parking lot to a guy in a cheap suit with the beginnings of a beer gut who didn’t seem to be impressed by his appearance. What was it with school parking lots and violence against women that seemed to mix the two in his karma?

“You’re a teacher?” the detective said again, as if he couldn’t quite picture a high school teacher with long hair and leathers.

“Yeah,” Eddie confirmed, “American history and junior varsity football.” He leaned forward and glared at the guy. “I ride a Harley. I have a prison record. I also have a master’s degree in secondary education from Ohio State. Get over it.”

“Prison record? What were you in for?” The detective’s eyes narrowed.

“Stalking. Breaking and entering. Assault.” Eddie folded his arms. “That’s why Johnson came to me when the student started to bother her. She thought I might know what would make him stop. I told her to call the cops. Hell of a job you guys are doing.”

“You registered?” The look of suspicion was deepening on the detective’s face.

“Of course.” Eddie paused significantly before continuing. “Do I need a lawyer, or are you going to take my statement?”

“You got something going with this woman?”

“No, I don’t. I told you, she came to me when the Tanner kid started on her.”

“Right. She goes to a convicted stalker for help when she’s being stalked.”

“Maybe she thought I was an expert on the subject.” Eddie shook his head. “I don’t know what she was thinking. I told her to go to the police. Period.”

“And you just happened to be at school at 6 p.m. on a Friday night.”

What a schmuck. “I’m always at school late. I live for my job. It’s not like I’ve got a great life to go home to.” Although it wasn’t bad, it was peaceful and uncomplicated – or it had been before she had shown up at his door one night.

“Right. I’ll get this typed up and compare it with Ms. Johnson’s statement,” the detective said, finally letting it drop. Eddie sat back in the uncomfortable chair, stared out the window, and wished he were someplace else. 

Someplace hot and dry, with no people around that needed to be taken care of, someplace with no Erica Johnson to distract him. Someplace he could find the still center of and draw it back into himself, to find the calm again. He couldn’t leave again until the end of the school year. And he still had to take her home tonight.

Finally, it was over. The police had wanted to take her to the Emergency Room for a rape examination and she had gently protested, reminding them that the attack hadn’t gotten that far, thanks to one Edward Hilliard. He could feel himself going a little red from the looks of speculation several of the cops threw at him after that statement. 

Jesus, what was he supposed to have done, ignored her screaming? Eddie stared at the floor until they weren’t looking anymore, but this time when she wrapped her arms around him and held on, he let her – she needed the comfort after what she’d been through. He was very, very careful, though, not to touch her back in any way.

When he pulled up in front of her tidy little house, she looked at him in the darkness. “How are you going to get back to the school?” she asked softly. He shrugged. “It’s cold,” she said in a practical voice. “You want a cup of coffee before you go?”


Coffee wouldn’t hurt anything. Coffee was safe, and she probably wanted someone else around for a while. 

“Sure,” he responded. He got out of the car and handed her the keys. “You shouldn’t be alone tonight,” he suggested. “Is there anybody you can call to come and stay with you?” She didn’t say anything, but walked up the driveway to unlock the front door. Eddie felt himself frowning as he followed her. It was too much like the house he had envisioned himself living in someday.

When they got inside, she threw her coat on a chair, dropped her purse on the little table next to the door and planted her hands on his chest. He closed his eyes to steel himself against the touch.

“Kiss me,” she whispered imperiously. “Now.” He opened his eyes and met her gaze, falling into their blue depths so full of female heat, full of desire – for him. He put his hands on her shoulders, gently, delicately – don’t hurt her, Hilliard, she’s so vulnerable.

“Johnson,” he tried gently, “this isn’t a good idea.” Her hands came up to his face, yanked his head down with amazing strength and her mouth was against his, hot and sweet. It was so much better than the fantasies he’d been trying to ignore that his mind went blank and instincts took over. His hands moved down her arms and slid around her waist to pull her closer and he licked into the soft heat. 

She made a noise deep in her throat and sort of melted, fitting herself against him like she’d been born to be exactly here, right now. Her arms wound around his neck as he deepened his penetration of her mouth, kissing her the way he’d wanted to for a long, long time. 

It was so good, but he needed so much more. He licked his way down her throat and bit softly into that perfect curve at the base of her neck, making her knees buckle. Instinct said to get her horizontal, now, so he picked her up and carried her to her bedroom, still nibbling the sensitive neck and throat, feeling his way.

He laid her on her bed and stretched out beside her, then pulled her into his arms and kissed her again, this time gentle and slow. She sighed and softened more against him, moving one hand to his bicep and curling the fingers of the other into the fabric of his t-shirt. His skin tingled and burned from every place she was touching him, even through the clothing. The heat washed through his body and made him want to push up that sensible skirt and take her exactly the way Tanner had tried to. He pulled away, fear tightening his gut, and she tried to follow him.

“Eri – Johnson, no!” he said roughly. “I wanted to hurt you. You’re not safe with me.”

“What did you want to do to me?” she asked breathlessly. God, she even sounded hot.

He closed his eyes. He couldn’t look at her and confess. “I wanted to . . . pull up your skirt and fuck you,” he whispered, agony in every word. “Hard. Just pound into you until – until . . .”

“Until what?” she asked, still breathless, still excited. Good question. He tried to think, to remember, to feel the heat and the want – until she came. Yes, God yes. Bucking and shuddering under him, contracted tight around him, gasping for air or screaming, it didn’t matter, but he wanted to feel her body spasm in ultimate pleasure, knowing he was the cause.

“Until what?” she repeated, her voice thick with frustration.

Something snapped and he pulled her back against him, curling his fingers into that glorious mane and pulling her head back. 

“Until you come, screaming ‘yes,’” he growled as he took her mouth, kissing her hard and deep and endlessly, not stopping to think, not stopping to breathe, not stopping for anything. He got the rest of her clothes off without ripping anything, but it was a struggle, although not as much of a struggle as it was to remain passive while she stripped off his shirt and clawed open his jeans so he could kick them off and feel her naked skin against his. 

He buried his face in her perfect, incredible breasts and sucked until she was crazy, writhing against him. She wriggled harder when he kissed down her body to lick into the soft, soft folds and wet, slick warmth between her legs, struggling as he held her down and forced pleasure on her until her entire body went rigid, then relaxed bonelessly back into the mattress.

He was halfway inside her when the sensation of flesh against flesh cut through the fog in his blood-deprived brain and made him realize there wasn’t a condom in between them. He stopped and felt her tense under him, even heard her make a small noise of protest while he fought to think. Did he even have one with him?

“Don’t stop,” she said, somewhere between a gasp and a moan. For punctuation she wrapped her legs around him to prevent him from pulling away from her.

“I’m not –” he tried, fighting for language against every instinct.

“Yes you are,” she hissed back, arching to rub softness against him. His hands tightened convulsively on her hips as he fought for control. “Don’t you dare do this to me again.”

“Condom,” he forced out in a whisper between numb lips, and Erica stilled beneath him. Then she pushed him off of her and twisted over on her side to reach for the nightstand. He almost didn’t get the whimper of disappointment and loss bitten back and swallowed, but she came back to him in seconds, opening the package and rolling the latex onto him. She took her time doing it, too, kissing and nibbling and – oh God – sucking as she smoothed it into place.

“Now,” she said as she wrapped her legs around him again and pulled him on top of her, “can I have you?”

“You can have whatever you want,” he whispered – it was turning into a refrain with her – just before he gave up on language altogether in order to concentrate on the miracle of being with her, moving inside her. It seemed like only a matter of seconds before she was gasping and moaning underneath him, her body tightening into the rictus of release; time did strange things during altered states of consciousness. 

He tried to slow down to prolong the sensations, but it wasn’t much use because it was all so excruciatingly good. Finally, he couldn’t haul himself back from the brink anymore and plunged over, burying his cock in her body, every muscle locked and corded. 

Something raked down his back at the peak of it and made it all even more intense, like dying and being reborn, merging souls with this woman, the one woman he would never be able to get out of his system: Erica.

When his brain came back to life, the first thing he noticed was the burning sensation going down his back. The second thing he became aware of was Erica, still twitching underneath him, her labored breathing pressing her breasts even more tightly against his chest. 

He had to get off of her before he smothered her. Get rid of the condom. Get dressed. Get out of here before she asked him to spend the night because she didn’t want to be alone. It was a great scenario, except that he didn’t want to move; he wanted to keep Erica wrapped around him like that for the rest of his life. 

He buried his face in her neck, drinking in the smell of Erica and sex. It had never been like that before. He felt like someone who had been living in a sea of beige and had suddenly come across crimson for the first time. It hadn’t been gentle, or restrained like he’d always been in the past, either. Erica brought out the animal he’d only recently come to accept in himself and responded to him with an equal ferocity – and it was the most intense thing he’d ever experienced. Even the afterglow was more intense. 

After a small eternity, he gathered the strength to roll to one side, but she didn’t let him go willingly, tightening her arms and turning with him, both hands splayed over his back until he pulled far enough away to deal with the condom.

“Oh, no,” she said faintly, staring at her hand. He glanced down at it and noticed the red streaks on her fingers.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, worried that she’d been hurt. Except – suddenly the burning sensation made sense, like sweat would feel in scratches deep enough to bleed. Erica scrambled to her knees and pushed him onto his face.

“Oh, my god,” she breathed. “I don’t even remember doing that.” Then she was sliding off of the bed, telling him, “Don’t move, Edward. I’ll be right back.”

He couldn’t help it; he started to laugh, because it was too ironic for words. He’d finally given in to all of his basest, most primitive needs and ended up maimed for it. Well, not maimed, exactly, but he was the one bleeding. He was still chuckling into the pillow when he felt the warm, wet cloth on his back. 

“It’s not funny,” Erica said, her voice a little rougher than normal. It could have been from the screaming, or she might be upset. “What if it gets infected?”

“I’ll live,” he said into the pillow. He’d lived through worse. In fact, he realized as she continued gently washing his back, what she was doing felt really good. She was gentle, the warm water was soothing, and the burning was subsiding as she cleaned off the sweat.

“I’ve never done anything like that before,” she confessed as she moved the cloth over the injured skin. “I’m so sorry.”

“Next time I guess I’ll have to hold you down when you start thrashing,” he commented with deep sarcasm as she smoothed something cold on his skin, like maybe an antibiotic ointment. It was an oddly tender moment. He could picture her leaning over his back with that long, silky hair drifting forward over her shoulders, chewing her lip in concentration with each gentle dab, trying to fix what she’d broken. It made him want to reach behind him and pull her down to kiss her, cuddle her close and wrap himself around her warm, curved body.

“There,” she said when she had finally covered his back with the cold stuff. “Now for the bandaging.”

“Erica, you don’t have to –” he began, trying to get up, and she pushed him back down.

“Let me at least cover up the scratches that are bleeding,” was how she cut him off.

“Okay,” he subsided, then sighed. He tried to make it sound resigned, but it came out sounding more . . . contented, like a big, lazy lion letting his lioness bring him a fresh kill. 

When she came back, he heard the soft thrum of stuff being dropped on the bed next to him. He looked over his shoulder and saw her pick up a roll of gauze. She was still naked, and he felt his pulse speed up. Just like that. He wasn’t a twice-a-night kind of guy, but he wanted her again. He put his head back on the pillow and closed his eyes, wondering what it meant. 

He hadn’t reacted to a woman like this since he’d been a teenager and everything was a cause for a hard-on. And he couldn’t fuck her again; this had to be a once-only, heat-of-the-moment encounter, or he’d lied to the police.

In the meantime, Erica was cutting the gauze to length and taping it onto his back, and talking. “We can go back to school and get your stuff in the morning,” she said decisively. “You’re not going out in the cold like this. You don’t even have a decent coat.”

“And how do you expect me to get home without the bike?” he asked, sounding as languid as he felt. The touch of her hands as she smoothed down the gauze and pressed the medical tape to his skin was starting to get hypnotic. She was so gentle. He felt like his body had been submerged in a tub of warm gelatin, everything supporting, soft, infinitely comfortable. He could drift off to sleep with no effort at all.

“You’re not going home. You’re staying here tonight,” she said, and the sensation vanished. Stay here? Was she nuts?

“I can’t stay here,” he said when she finished and picked up the first aid supplies. He pushed himself up to sit and turned to look at her in the bathroom, putting it all away. She didn’t say anything until she came back to the doorway and planted her fists on her hips, so beautiful, gloriously female and clad in nothing but that long, disheveled hair.

“You said I could have anything I wanted,” she reminded him. “You’ve said that several times, as I recall. And every time I tell you what I want, you refuse. Well, not this time, mister.” She pointed a finger at him. “You’re sleeping right there, Edward Hilliard, if I have to tie you down to do it.”

Well, Hell. She wasn’t listening. How could he explain it so that she would understand why it was so important for him to sleep in his own bed, alone, tonight? The truth was a start. 

“Erica, I told the cops we’re not . . . romantically involved,” he said carefully. “If I sleep here, they’ll think I lied, and then my entire statement becomes suspect. If that gets thrown out, it’s just your word against Tanner’s about what happened, and he probably walks.” He spread his hands helplessly. “I can’t stay here tonight.” No matter how much he wanted to.

He watched the uncertainty play over her expression as she thought it through. Then she shook her head. “I don’t care,” she decided out loud. “You didn’t lie to them, and you’re not leaving.”

“And just how do you intend to keep me here?” he asked. He stood up and advanced on her, trying to look big and menacing; she didn’t look intimidated, though.

“Easy,” she said with a mischievous glint in her eyes as she looked up at him. “I took your clothes. You can have them back tomorrow.” The middle of February was still winter in Idaho; well, it was still winter in the northern hemisphere, but Meredith was a mountain town, much colder than New Mexico or southern Ohio. It would probably get down to the teens before dawn. And he couldn’t go hiking around a small town naked, anyway. 

Checkmate; he’d lost. Except – this wasn’t a zero-sum game, he realized. In getting what she wanted, Erica had ensured that he got what he wanted – her. And then there was the whole mess with Tanner and the police.

“I bet I could find them,” he said softly. “Your house isn’t that big, Johnson.” He glanced around. “And you haven’t been out of this room since I took them off.”

“Maybe I threw them out of the bathroom window,” she challenged back, just as softly. She reached up and spread her hands on his chest. That felt good, too. “Are you hungry?”

“What?” He blinked at the change of subject.

“Are you hungry? I didn’t get any supper, and I’ll bet you didn’t either.” She darted away to the bathroom, pulled something off of the back of the door and threw it at him as she continued. “The least I can do is feed you.” 

He caught it by reflex. Terrycloth. It was a big, black terrycloth bathrobe. He glanced up and she was pulling something beige and shapeless out of a dresser drawer. She pulled it on over her head and it resolved into a long-sleeved tunic that went down to her knees. 

“I have a couple of steaks in the refrigerator,” she was continuing, “and I think there’s a bottle of wine in the cupboard.” 

She opened the door and a large, fluffy black cat meowed up at her, then sauntered into the bedroom and wound around his legs as Erica left. Eddie looked at the bathrobe again, then at the cat, and thought what the hell. 




Redemption Pt. 01



The graduation party was at Paul Ford's. There were three things you could count on at Paul's parties- loud music, warm beer and a bonfire. Yep, even in the summer. Bonfire's were Paul's specialty.

This party was no different. The temperature hovered around a hundred by the fire but most were too drunk to care. The guys had shed their shirts long ago, even the ones that shouldn't have. The girls were barely dressed to begin with but soon that might go further too. That's what happens when you mix heat and alcohol. 

The entire senior class had shown up- as was expected. Half the junior class and a smattering of sophomores had crashed earlier but Paul had run most of them off. No point giving parents a reason to stop the fun. 

It was tradition to party all night after getting your diploma. One last big blow out before college, jobs, and adult responsibilities. Parents, and the local cops, overlooked the excess for this one night. Barely.

Paul's place was perfect. It was so far out in the country that no one could hear the loud music or the buzz of hundreds of voices. Paul's parents had agreed to take everyone's keys to ensure no one drove home drunk. It was an arrangement that had pleased most everyone. If nothing else it gave people the impression that it was a chaperoned party.

Like most teenage parties, high school hierarchy still applied. The cheerleaders were being overly excited and hanging out with the loud, obnoxious jocks. The nerds and such were huddled together around one beer, making faces and watching the cheerleaders with looks of longing. The wannabe Goth's were over by themselves, rolling their heavily lined eyes and sipping from a bottle of red wine. Everyone who's ever been a teenager understands- like with like. No one crosses the lines. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule.

Brenna McLeod and her friends, Nicola Warren and Jackson Brandt were those exceptions. Brenna's Dad owned his own company and that made her rich in most people's eyes, instant inclusion to any group. Nicola and Jackson were her best friend's since kindergarten and so they were also automatically included. They mostly stayed together, but always got invited to all the parties and functions any group came up with.

Jackson and Nicola were a couple. They'd been dating off and on, mostly on, since eighth grade. The dynamic confused most of the other teenagers, but it made perfect sense to the threesome. They were all friends before any romantic notions had come along. 

Still, the arrangement had its ups and downs. Brenna often felt like a third wheel on their dates, and she hated having to go back and forth with her friends when they were on an off cycle. Making it all worse was the fact that Brenna had been in love with Jackson since kindergarten. It had strained their relationship when Jackson had first started dating Nicola but she thought she had done a pretty good job of hiding her feelings. Only her Dad was clued in as far as she knew. 

Tonight was one of those nights when Brenna was tuning them out. They weren't fighting, there was just a lot of silence and tension in the air that Brenna did not want to be part of.

Never one to be a big partier, Brenna was going for broke tonight. Her life had been more than stressful the past year since her Mom had gotten sick and she just wanted one night where she could be a typical teenager.

She'd let Nicola dress her in what she considered skank wear, super short mini skirt, tank top and cowboy boots. She had on very little makeup, her skin much too sensitive for the stuff. She'd also had three beers already and was feeling it down to her toes.

Oblivious, Brenna let her body sway to the music, unaware that she was getting some pretty serious attention from boys that had never seen her looking like that. Even Jackson couldn't look away.

Nicola noticed however, and took her chance to make things right. She loved Jackson, but not the way that most people thought she did. Actually, she'd been dating Ryan Murphy on the sly since the beginning of their senior year. Jackson knew and had agreed to keep it secret from their far too sensitive friend Brenna. Now was the time to change all that though. Pulling on Jackson's arm to get his attention, Nic motioned him away from the crowd where they could talk privately.

"She looks good tonight doesn't she?" Nic asked quietly.

Jackson startled, looking away and down at his former girlfriend and shaking his head. "She needs to put some clothes on," he grumbled, unable to stop himself from looking back over to where she was dancing.

"Don't be stupid Jackson. She looks good and you know it." Nic crossed her arms and gave him the eyebrow. "How long are you going to act like you two don't belong together? That you're 'just friends'?"

That shocked him. His mouth dropped open and he immediately began to shake his head no. "It isn't like that Nic and you know it. We're friends. Best friends. Her parents took me in when I needed a place and helped me find a real home. I love her, but not the way you're thinking."

"You know something that I've learned being around you for so long? You're cheek twitches when you're lying. And right now you're cheek is doing some serious dancing."

"Knock it off Nic, really. It isn't like that-" Nicola cut his words off with a harsh laugh that doubled her over. "What's so funny?"

"The two of you. Really. It's hilarious. You've been in love with Brenna forever and she's been in love with you since forever and both of you claim that the other doesn't feel the same way. It's really quite tragic."

"Are you drunk too?" Jackson asked caustically. "You've lost your mind, Brenna loves me as a friend, a brother even, but nothing more."

"You're both as blind as you are stubborn. Hell, even Brenna's Dad knows. So, why don't you take a chance and see if I'm right. If worse comes to worse you can pretend to be drunk and say it was all a mistake. No harm, no foul."

"Brenna's drunk. I won't take advantage of her while she's blitzed out of her normal straight-laced gourd."

"Excuses, excuses, excuses. Brenna's buzzed but far from drunk. She's had three beers in two hours." With a huff, Nic shook her head, getting frustrated with all the hard-headed people in her life. "Look, honestly, I'm getting real tired of playing pretend with you Jackson. I love you, but not like that. I want Ryan and tonight is my big night. I don't want to have to sneak around anymore. And I don't want Brenna to get her panties in a twist thinking she has to defend you to me. I want our breakup to be out in the open so I can make out with Ryan. 'K?"

"That doesn't mean I have to make a play for Brenna. Look, I'll break the news to her. You go on and be with Ryan. Just be careful. Promise?"

"Cross my heart and hope to die," she said, making the motions. "And Jackson? Just give it a shot. Just one. That's all I'm asking." She said the words over her shoulder, skipping happily away to where Ryan waited for her.

"Yeah, right." Jackson muttered. "Make a total fool out of myself. No problem." Sighing, he moved quickly across the field and looked towards his very sexy best friend dancing alone in the crowd.

Why couldn't she have worn one of her big t-shirts and jeans tonight? She looked too good for words. He hadn't seen her legs in years, since they used to go swimming at his old house. Back then they hadn't looked quite so long or so perfect. Her skin had always amazed him. So perfectly milk pale and soft. Tonight there was far too much of it on display. In fact, her entire body was far too much on display for his taste. Not that his body was complaining, just making his jeans feel tight in a certain spot. Still, he had to get this over with.

More than a little tipsy, Brenna jerked and almost fell when Jackson tapped her on the shoulder. She grabbed hold of him to keep from falling, her body pressing back into his for a long moment before she righted herself and moved away. She heard Jackson groan and automatically assumed she'd hurt him. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry Jackson!"

Jackson shook his head, "Stop apologizing, you didn't hurt me. I need to talk to you for a minute. Can we go somewhere quieter?"

Brenna knew that tone. Something had obviously happened between Jackson and Nicola- again. So much for her night of stress-free fun. "Sure. Uh, we could go sit over by the pond."

Nodding his head, Jackson waited while she pulled on her boots. As they walked he pondered the best way to break the news to her without upsetting her too much. She was so sensitive, too caring. It would probably break her heart to find out that they had been lying to her for so long. Oh, well, he could take the brunt of that. It was something he could do for Nic.

"So, what did she do this time?" Brenna asked as they neared the trees. She couldn't quite hide the frustrated tone of her voice, but she hoped he wouldn't notice.

"Nothing. I just need to tell you some stuff and well, maybe you should sit down."

"I don't want to sit down Jackson. Just tell me what's going on. You're starting to worry me."

Jackson watched her shove her hands into her pockets, swallowing hard at the way it pulled the skirt down enough for him to see the smooth skin of her belly. And the glint of something sparkly- a belly ring? No way, Brenna was too straight-laced for body piercing. Right? "Uh, I don't mean to worry you but I don't want you to get upset either." He shoved his hands down into his pockets too, subconsciously mirroring her movements. "Nic and I broke up at the beginning of the school year," he finally blurted out.

Brenna felt her head spin once, then twice. It wasn't a pleasant feeling. "What? What did you just say?"

"I'm sorry Brenna. Nic wanted to tell you but I convinced her that we shouldn't. I didn't want you to spend your senior year worried that you'd have to choose between us."

"Why would I have to choose between you? Are you two mad at each other? How the hell have you hidden this for so long? Why the hell did you hide this for so long?" She was yelling but it didn't matter. She was so mad she could spit bullets.

Jackson had never in his life heard Brenna curse. Hell was a pretty tame curse word but still, it was a first. He was so shocked that he didn't say anything for a long moment. "Nic and I were pretty sure that we weren't right for each other last year but we didn't know what to do about it. Then she met Ryan and we talked about how we felt and realized that we were more friends than a couple."

"So you two decided you weren't going to keep dating and then came to the harebrained idea to hide that from me? Why?" Brenna was so mad that she began to pace back and forth, long legs making angry jerky steps.

Ouch, that stung. "Look, Brenna, every time that Nic and I have had a fight or broken up or had issues, you've had to hear about it, try to smooth things over and make it right. We didn't want you to have to go through that this time. She was happy with Ryan and I didn't want to ruin that for her either."

"So the two of you thought that I wouldn't be able to handle it. And that I'd give Nic flak about being with Ryan. I see. You two really gave me a lot of credit there. I'm not as fragile and unstable as the two of you try to make me out to be." Mad, Brenna stopped pacing and started walking away. When she reached the edge of the pond she picked up several heavy stones and began tossing them into the still water. She was so busy being pissed that she didn't hear Jackson move up behind her.

"Bren, it wasn't like that. You've had so much to deal with this year already that we didn't want to add to that stress. We were trying to protect you. Really. We knew that your Mom being sick and you having to help out in your Dad's business was a lot already. I'm sorry if we were wrong. I truly am."

Brenna's numb fingers let the last rock hit the ground with a thud. She'd overreacted. She could see now that they had tried to help. If only they'd just been honest with her. She could have handled it. How tiresome it was to be coddled all the time. Her Dad, her Mom, now her friends too. Why couldn't anyone just tell her the truth?

"Bren, really, I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking straight I guess. If you want to hit me-" he let the sentence hang, waiting to see what she'd do.

Brenna huffed, thinking it over. It would be nice to knock some sense into him, but it went against everything in her to hurt someone. Still, he did deserve it. They both did.

Turning quickly before she could change her mind, Brenna balled up her fist and slugged Jackson right in the middle of his gut. Hard.

Damn, she was stronger than he'd given her credit for. For a moment he couldn't make his lungs pull any air in. He stood there, mouth open, eyes wide with shock and tried to remember who the stranger in front of him was.

"I would say I'm sorry, but I just can't. That felt pretty damn good." Brenna crossed her arms and smiled innocently.

"I just don't know you anymore," Jackson wheezed out, rubbing his stomach where she'd nearly gutted him. "The Brenna I know doesn't hit or cuss. What's gotten into you?'

What had gotten into her? Honestly, it felt good to let go a little bit. She was always so controlled, always trying to keep things together and be the perfect daughter, the perfect friend. Why? Would they love her any less if she wasn't perfect? She didn't know. It just seemed like ever since her eighteenth birthday six weeks ago her feelings had changed when it came to other people's opinions of her. "I guess I'm just tired of everyone thinking I'm so fragile and backwards. I'm not, you know. I don't want to be protected anymore. I want people to tell me the truth, not hide things from me. Everyone does it. Even my Mom. She used to always tell me everything. Now she lies to me every time I'm around her. I just hate it so much!"

Seeing her like this was more hurtful than a punch to the gut. This hit somewhere around the heart. He owed her so much and he'd lied to her like everyone else in her life. He didn't know how to fix it. The least he could do was be honest with her. Well, mostly. "I promise you that I will never lie to you again. In fact I'll swear it. Spill my blood if I have to. I promise to be honest no matter what you ask from now on." He crossed is heart and made the boy scout sign for good measure.

Brenna laughed to hide the sudden tears that stung her eyes. She was going to miss him so much when he was gone. How was she going to get through the next four years without him? "I'll take that seriously Brandt. I expect full disclosure from now on. Deal?" She stuck out her hand, waiting for him to accept it.

"Deal." Jackson said seriously, taking her hand in his and squeezing it gently. He tried to ignore how good it felt to have her skin touching his. Even if it was just her hand. "Ready to go back to the party?"

She thought about that for a moment. She wasn't sure that she wanted to go back now. "You know what? I don't think that I honestly want to go back. I think I want to cool off and get away from all this." She motioned towards the roar of the party and all the heat radiating off the fire. "Take me for a ride Jackson. I want some time to think, away from all this. Will you?"

He would have shoved glass under his fingernails if she'd asked at that point. Something in her eyes was different. He couldn't quite place what it was. "Of course we can get out of here. Come on."

On their way back from the pond they passed Nic and Ryan dancing so close that it should be illegal. Nic glanced up and smiled hesitantly at Brenna. Brenna gave her a quick thumbs up and turned to keep following Jackson into the house.

Nic grabbed her arm just as she was about to head up the steps and pulled her away from everyone and into a dark part of the yard. "Jackson told you?"

"Yeah, and before you ask, I'm not mad. Not really. Well, okay I am a little bit. About the lying part anyway. Please, don't lie to me anymore Nic. I'm tired of people lying to me 'for my own good'."

"I can do that. It wasn't my idea, just so you know. At the time I agreed because you were going through so much. What's going on with Jackson? Is he leaving?"

"We both are. I don't feel much like partying anymore. We're going road tripping. I need to think about some stuff right now. You going to be okay here or do you want to come along?"

Nicola looked at her friend for a long moment, making Brenna wonder what was going on in her head. "No, I'm staying here with Ryan. I'm not drinking so I'm good to drive home. You two go." She turned to go then paused, turning back around. "Hey Bren? Be careful okay?"

Confused, Brenna smiled and nodded her head. "I will. We will. You be careful too."

Smiling broadly, Nicola waved and practically skipped back to Ryan, throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him loudly on the lips. They both laughed and something that felt a little like jealousy stabbed at Brenna's chest painfully.

"I guess you two are okay?" Jackson asked from behind her, his body relaxed as he leaned on the porch railing.

"Yeah, of course. I can't be mad at her when she looks so happy."

Jackson narrowed his eyes and studied his friend a little more closely. She didn't look happy. She looked like something hurt inside. Maybe it would do her some good to get out of here for awhile. "You ready to go?"

"Absolutely."

"Well then, let's roll." 

Brenna laughed, the sound throaty, lush. "You're so corny."

"Like you'd have me any other way," he teased, flicking his finger gently over the tip of her nose.

No, Brenna thought to herself, I wouldn't want you any other way.

It took both of them nearly ten minutes to get the top and doors off the Jeep, wanting it open to get as much air as possible, then another ten to get out of the maze of cars and trucks and onto the road. The minute they hit pavement, Jackson opened it up and they roared off onto the back roads, no place in particular in mind at the moment.

They rode in silence for awhile, both lost in their own thoughts. Brenna's were starting to get depressing so she decided that it was time to find something good to listen to. Taking off her seat belt, she rose up and leaned over her seat to search the backseat for Jackson's CD case. She didn't notice how high her skirt rode up when she did that. Jackson did though. He forced himself to look away before she caught him looking.

"Jackson, I can't find the CD case. I want to listen to the Fabulous Thunderbirds."

Jackson groaned. "I hid it. You're driving me nuts with that crap."

"You bought it for me!"

"I didn't think you were going to fall in love and marry the darn thing!"

Brenna turned back around and flounced down into her seat, crossing her arms and pouting prettily. "Please?"

His sigh was long suffering and loud. "Fine. It's under my seat. I'll pull over and get it-" His words were cut off on a strangled moan as Brenna reached down between his legs, her head lying on his right thigh and reached for the case. It took her too long to get it and before she was done, he'd had to swallow hard several times and think of every football player he'd ever known to keep from embarrassing them both.

"Got it!" she called out triumphantly, opening it as she settled back down into her seat and buckling her seat belt back in place. She took the silver disk out, loaded it into the CD player and turned it up. She ignored Jackson's sigh and the rolling of his eyes.

She listened to her favorites then turned the volume back down to let the others play in the background. She knew that Jackson really didn't hate the CD, it was just another thing he liked to tease her about. He called it stripper music. She was going to miss him so much. Things wouldn't be the same when he was gone. She wouldn't be the same when he was gone.




Redemption Pt. 01



Part 1

Chapter 1 The Trouble with Mathew

As Mrs. Charlotte Ainsworth sat in her solicitor's office she thought how in the past this room with its shelves of law books, its few pieces of tasteful art and overstuffed furniture had been so comforting. She had spent many hours here getting her husbands affair in order after he died fighting the Germans in France. Although her husband, Major James Ainsworth, was a heroic soldier he was somewhat of a disaster when it came to money and record keeping. The only son of a respectable family whose fortune was not what it was once, he chose to spend time with his fellow officers and not too much with bankers. The lawyer, Mr. Roger McLean, had sorted the whole thing out and between what he salvaged from her husband's estate, her own family's money and various insurance policies he managed to put together a tidy sum that allowed her to stay in their small but comfortable townhouse, employ a full time housekeeper and travel within the better circles of London society, even if just on the periphery. Things could be worse she had thought at the time and now they seem to be.

Mrs. Ainsworth did not like the twentieth century. First there was that horrible war, and that horrid day when she was informed of James's death; and now this. Major and Mrs. Ainsworth were blessed with two children Constance, now 20 years old and her brother Mathew, 18. Maybe things would have been different if James had been there but maybe not. If he had survived the war he would have most likely stayed in the army and not been the strong presence in his children's life that was needed. Constance, whose friends called Connie to Mrs. Ainsworth annoyance, had embraced the 1920's totally. Although she didn't flaunt it in front of her mother she had become quite a good time girl. She was out most nights smoking cigarettes, drinking and dancing with her friends. They were certainly different from her generation. However she realized that these young people grew up in a scary world, losing loved ones and not knowing what new horror each day would bring so she said little and waited for this phase to pass. Her real problem was Mathew. And Mathew's problem was the reason they all sat there today.

This was not Mathew's first trouble with the law. She can't remember when he wasn't in trouble. He was a bully and a thief. Not that he was big, maybe even a little below average in height and weight, but he was mean. When he was 12 he took a heavy piece of wood and beat two young boys who he thought insulted him. Fortunately there were no permanent injuries and with Mr. McLean acting as a go between, money was exchanged and the whole things went away. Another incident involved a young woman who said he assaulted her and made lewd remarks. Mathew of course denied it and after Mr. Mclean got involved this problem also went away. 

But today's problem was much worse. Although she could barely even think it, she knew Mathew had raped a young woman. Her name was Kate she was 18 years old and had worked from time to time in their home. One day last month Mrs. Ainsworth, Constance and Mrs. White, the house keeper, went to the market to pick out some special items for a dinner party they would host the following weekend. Kate had been hired to help Mrs. White get the house ready. Mathew was upstairs in his room asleep and Kate did not know. While dusting outside his room she drop a broom and it made a load noise which caused Mathew to awaken. Angrily he threw open his door and began to berate the girl. Grabbing the girl he was about to strike her when, according to Kate, the look on his face changed. At this point he stopped yelling and pulled her into his room where he raped and sodomized her.

When it was over he tried to give her some money (a trifling amount at that) and threatened her with disgrace and violence if she told anyone. But she didn't take the money and went to the police. Fortunately for Mrs. Ainsworth the head constable had been in the army with her husband, he had brought the matter to another member of the old regiment, a member of local government who met with the girl to try to resolve the matter. She would not take money, she wanted Mathew in jail. She would not be deterred. This evening, while Mrs. Ainsworth, Constance and Mathew waited in Mr. McLean's office there was one last meeting. It was between Kate, McLean and a third unnamed person. 

They didn't speak. Both the women were disgusted with the youngest family member. He sat and stared ahead trying to look unconcerned but inside he was in great turmoil. The prospects of prison scared him greatly. He would not be treated differently then anyone else. Probably because of his status he would be treated even worse. Each of them was lost in his or her thoughts when the old lawyer came in. 

"Well we have an agreement." He said. His voice seemed a bit strained. In all the time she had known him she had never seen him as anything but the soul of calmness, "I have just meet with the young lady in question and Dr. Amanda Blackmoore."

"Who is that?" Mathew blurted out, unable to restrain himself anymore.

"She is a psychologist. She studies and tries to adjust human behavior. I have checked her references and they are quite impressive."

"Is she going to treat Mathew's depravity?" Constance said. This was the first time she spoke. As she did she looked at him with contempt. Although she was his older sibling he has been had been the dominant one since she was 16 and he 14. She did not believe all the times he walked in on her while bathing or dressing were accidents. He was one of the reasons she spent so much time away from home. Her main reason for being here today, besides giving her mother strength, was to see that he got what he deserved.

Mathew shot to his feet. Clinching his teeth as his face turned red said "There is nothing wrong with me. I do not have a problem. I was still drunk from the night before. The girl deliberately came on to me. Just give her enough money and let's be done with this. I will go away for awhile. Travel the continent or maybe go to America."

They had heard the rant before, and didn't wish to hear it again.

"Stop Mathew. No one believes that story. It is always someone else's fault or bad luck or a misunderstanding with you. I've always blamed myself because I felt I failed in parenting you. I see other women who lost their husbands in the war whose children did not turn out like you. Women with fewer resources. You are a disgrace to our family's name and your father's memory. And now as a reward for raping this girl you think I will fund a trip abroad. No Mathew that would be my ultimate failure. If Mr. McLean says this is your only alternative to dragging us through the mud with your imprisonment than so be it. If you do not do this you will go to prison and when you get out you will be penniless and have no friends or family to help you." She stopped and stared at her stunned son. Then she said very softly and slowly "Do you understand?" This was the first time she ever said rape out loud. 

The look on Mathews face said it all. He acquiesced by dropping his head and sitting down again.

Looking back to the lawyer she said "What else can you tell us about this Dr. Blackmoore."

"Not all that much. She is a woman in her later 40's. I did a little research on her. Her father was English. A physician. Her mother was German and a writer. She was educated in Switzerland and Vienna. She originally catered to women who had...well issues with delicate matters but eventually she evolved into what she does now."

"Which is what? Reform rapist?" Charlotte said. She stared at her son, the rapist, as she said this. She was becoming more comfortable and angrier each time she said the word.

"In this case I guess that is the goal."

"And how does she do this? What are her methods?"

"I don't know. I know she has a sanitarium a little north of Leicester. I understand it is a very nice setting. It is somewhat isolated, untouched by the war."

"Leicester? You might as well send me to Dakota with the red Indians. What will I do in Leicester?"

"Be quiet. What you will do in Leicester is hopefully become a man. Is there anything else?"

"Yes. There is the matter of her fee. Tuition she calls it." They looked at him and then he told them the amount.

"Mother that's outrageous! You can't be expected to pay that much." said Mathew.

"I won't be paying anything. The money will come from the sum put aside for you from your father. All your expenses will come from that.

"B b but tht's almost half."

"Be quiet and consider prison life." She said. Then to Mr. McLean "What is our next step?"

"I will notify the doctor. She will be in touch."

She look at him and her eyes said "Am I doing the right thing?" She chose to believe his eyes said "Yes."

Chapter 2

Mathew Arrives at Dr. Blackmoore's Sanitarium 

Three week later Mathew found himself sitting on a train heading to Leicester. His mother made sure he followed the instructions they had received in the post. He sat in a third class seat among people he rarely associated with. He carried a single bag with just some toiletries. He had been assured that everything he needed would be provided. The letter also said not to bring money. This he secretly disobeyed hiding three twenty pound notes on his person. 

The train ride was hell. It was a local with many stops. It arrived at his destination in the early evening. Getting off the train he looked around for his driver. He saw no one. He had expected to be met on the platform but this didn't happen so he headed into the main concourse of the station. It was mostly deserted except for one man. He was leaning against a wall smoking. He looked at Mathew then nodded his head one time. Mathew went to him.

"Are you from Dr. Blackmoore"

"Yeah. You Ainsworth?" said the man barely turning his head to look at Mathew. 

"Yes. I am Mathew Ainsworth." 

He started to hand his bag to the driver but the man turned away and started heading out of the station. A bit put-off by the abruptness of the man Mathew followed having to exert himself to keep up. When they got out to the street Mathew expected to find a car waiting. Considering the cost Mathew had assumed that this would be a first class establishment. But when he saw his mode of transportation he started to have his doubts. It was some sort of pre-war lorry. Something you would see on a farm hauling bales of hay or such. The back was a flat bed would wood slat sides. The cab was open, no doors, with a canvas thrown over the top to keep rain out. He was about to complain but then remembered his plan. Mathew had come up with the idea to be agreeable. The very soul of reasonableness. He had read a bit about Freud and the others who profess a belief in their abilities to talk about people problems and somehow magically cure them. What bullshit. He would just go along with it all and get it over with as quickly as possible. Then he was out of that house and away from his mother and bitch of a sister. So he rode in silence in the uncomfortable truck for it seemingly unending ride to Dr. Blackmoore's institute. 

Eventually they arrived at a gate. It was full dark now. Through the bars Mathew saw a well lit house. He was grateful they had electricity. Many places in the country still didn't. The house was not to old, mid Victorian. Large but not very. Three stories brick covered in ivy. 

The driver turned to Mathew and said "Get out and open the gate. When I drive through, close it behind me," He handed a large old key to Mathew. Mathew did as he was told and returned to the cab for the ride to the main house.

Chapter 3Meeting Dr. Blackmoore

They went around to the rear of the building. The driver parked next to the building. 

"Get out, take your bag and wait by that door." He said indicting a door with a small window. A light shined through it. As the car drove away the light coming through the door was the only illumination. As Mathew waited he got more and more apprehensive. After a 10 minute wait the door opened and the driver nodded his head for Mathew to follow him. The door opened into a service corridor passage to the back stairs, kitchen, wash rooms and pantries. As they walked down the hall they saw no one. They passed through a door into the formal section of the house. Mathew did not get to see much before they stopped outside of a door. The driver knocked once then opened it.

Inside was the doctor's study. Two walls were lined with books. The doctor sat in a chair in front of curtained windows. She was a handsome woman in her 40's. She had black hair with a few streaks of gray pulled back into a bun. Her lips were painted blood red. She wore a white shirt and with a black cravat. The jewelry she wore, earrings and a bracelet were silver. On her desk was a open file folder, several pens and an ashtray with several cigarette butts the ends of which a covered in red lipstick.

Sitting next to her on a small sofa sat another woman. She had short dark hair and olive skin. She was dressed in tan trousers tucked into a pair of highly polished riding boots and a burgundy blouse. She smoked a small dark cigar which permeated the room with its smell.

'Mathew Ainsworth." The doctor said reading from an open file folder on her desk. "You are 18 years old. The son of the late Captain John and Charlotte Ainsworth."

"Yes that is all correct. Dr. Blackmoore I assume?" He smiled and held out his hand.

She ignored it and said "You are also a rapist."

He dropped his hand as a chill went through him. He looked down and said "Yes Dr. I am. And I look forward to your treatment to cure me. I think I already made some headway on my own."

"Have you now?" she looked over to the woman on the sofa. "Stella. He thinks he has made some headway already."

"Bueno. Muy bueno. There will be less work for us to do". Her English had a strong Spanish accent. 

"From this point forward you will be none as Patient 7. We do this so are patient can remain anonymous. Most people on staff will only know you by that name."

"That seems reasonable. I am Patient 7." He said in his most agreeable manner.

"All right then. Mr. Cooper will show you to your quarters and give you a chance to settle in." The driver, Mr. Cooper, came over to him and took his arm and turned him towards the door. Mathew was just about to ask about something to eat when the doctor said. "There is one more thing."

With that the grip on his arm grew much tighter and Coopers other hand grabbed the hair on top of Mathews head, spun him back around to face the doctor and pushed his face down onto the hard wood of Dr. Blackmoore's desk.

"What are you doing. Unhand me." Mathew cried. But he just held him tighter.

"Shut up you little shit." He said in response.

"You did say you look forward to my treatment. The sooner we start the sooner you will be cured." She said this in such a cold voice Mathew was scared into silence.

"This by the way is my associate Mrs. Vazquez. She does not have the formal training I have but you will see she is very proficient in her therapies. Stella if you would."

Mrs. Vazquez came up beside him where he could see her. She brandished a long knife in front of his eyes before moving behind him. She ran the hand with the knife up under his jacket and shirt. About three quarters of the way to his shoulders she stopped and pushed the razor sharp knife through the fabric and then pulled it downward butter flying the garments. Next she used the blade to saw through his belt and then she cut down the back of his pants and underpants exposing his posterior to all. Another quick slice and his underpants were completely off. These she handed to Cooper who shoved them into Mathew's mouth.

"You will see" said the doctor "that I have a unique method of curing people such as yourself. This is not punishment young man. This is my own form of psychology. You may begin Stella."

The Spanish woman had put down the knife and had picked up a leather strap. It was 18 inches long, 2 inches wide and a quarter inch thick. One end of the strap was embedded in a wooden handle. Without preamble she brought the strap down on the boys naked bottom. He never felt anything like this before. It was every type of pain he could imagine. It was fire and sting and impact all at once. He tried to scream but was it was muffled by the cloth in his mouth. Again and again the strap came down on his soon blistered skin. At one point he looked up to the doctors face who was still sitting calmly at his desk. He noticed what look to him as a look of satisfaction.

"How many strokes is that?" she asked.

"Twenty two."

"Three more."

After the last blow hit, his bottom burned as if he had sat on hot coals. He finally had time for his mind to catch up with what was going on and he started to cry.

Chapter 4

A night in a cell.

Cooper pulled him up to his feet, spinning him around to face the ladies. His tattered clothes hanging off him. His naked maleness exposed to the doctor and her associate. 

"We are finished for now. Cooper if you would please show Patient 7 to his quarters. I think the last room would be best." 

"Very good Ma'am."

Cooper stood behind Mathew with his hand gripping his arm tightly. Mathew did not have any fight left in him but when Cooper started to push him out of the room he was still too stunned over what happened in the last few minutes that he didn't react. Cooper reached down with his right hand and grabbed Mathew's testicle tightly and pulled upwards almost lifting him off the floor.

"Awww stop. Please stop. You are crushing them!"

Cooper loosened his grip but still held the sack in his big hand. He didn't say anything but pushed the boy out of the room and back down the hall the way they came. When they reached the back stairs he directed him to go down to the cellar. 

If Mathew has the wherewithal to be paying attention to his surroundings he would have seen the first room they went into had what looked to be horse stalls. There were four on each side of a central hallway. The walls of the stalls were made of wood slat walls about 5 feet high. But instead of piles of hay each had a cot, blanket and a chamber pot. Several had clothes hanging on pegs on the wall. 

They then passed through a second room. This room had several tables with rings attached to various parts. There was a pillory and several places on the wall with rings attached to it. But it to went unnoticed.

But it was the third room Cooper pushed Mathew to. It was behind a heavy wood door with just a 6"x6" bared opening. Inside the room the walls were stone like the other rooms. Four small cells were along the wall. Each had a bared door. Three of them had thin mattresses and covered pails. The fourth was devoid of the mattress, it was the smallest and furthest away from the bare bulb hanging just inside the door. Cooper swung open the door and pushed the stunned boy in before locking the door noisily behind.

"Enjoy your stay Mr. Ainsworth, I mean Patient 7." Cooper said mockingly as he went left the room.

Mathew was scared, exhausted and in pain. The only two objects in his cell was a pail of eater that he believed had been sitting there for a couple of days and another covered pail. Upon uncovering it he saw this was to be his toilet. It wasn't empty. He quickly covered and retreated to the furthest corner of the cell with his ruined clothes wrap around as best he could. From time to time he though he heard voices but too indistinct to know what they were saying. He eventually fell asleep.

He was awoken with the sound of a woman's voice berating someone. He could not tell exactly what was being said but he recognized the tone. The voice grew silent then he heard the sound of leather on skin, followed by a grunt. Then again. And again. He realized that he was not the only "patient", but that didn't help his fears. The beating went on for what seemed like a very long time. After some time it stopped.




Redemption Pt. 01



It was quiet for a long time and he thought it was over but then he heard the door open. Footsteps were slowly walking down the hallway towards his cell. The sound of each step echoing against the stone walls. Soon a figure appeared on the other side of the bars. A chill went through Mathew.

It was a Negro woman. Mathew had seen blacks before, there where some who worked around the shipyards and he had seen some performing in the music halls but they were not like her. She was taller than Mathew by several inches. Her skin as dark as any he had ever seen. She wore black riding pants and with red high heeled shoes and a thick black leather belt. She was naked above the waist. Her stomach was flat, her arms long and well muscled. Her breast were large and firm with rock hard black nipples pointing straight out. Her hair formed a sphere on top of her head. She wore a silver chain around her neck and silver earrings. Her body had a coating of perspiration from her exertions.

""You are Patient 7. I do not like rapist. You are all cowards and shits. Get on your knees." 

She spoke with a strange accent unfamiliar to Mathew. He did what she said. 

"I am Miss Josephine. I come from the island of Jamaica. The white men there treated me like I was just an animal. For a while I thought they were right. The doctor found me and taught me a better way to live. I will come and get you one night soon and we will see who is the animal." 

As she slowly walked away he said to himself "Oh God. Where am I?"

Chapter 5 Meeting His Keeper

Mathew was awaken by the sound of the door opening at the end of the hall. Foot steps approached his cell. He was a little groggy and his eye blurry from sleep but he knew without a doubt who stood in the hall outside his cell.

"Kate! What are you doing here?"

He stood up. He held his pants up with one hand as he approached the bars.

"You have to help me. I have to get out of here. I can pay you. These people are insane. Do you know what they did to me last night. Look at my clothes. You must contact my mother and tell her I need her help immediately. Tell her to contact the lawyer and the police. I am being held against my will."

"The last time I saw you, you were offering me 10 quid not to tell anyone you fucked me." She used the word deliberately. "10 quid. After you slapped me and raped me and put your disgusting thing in my cunny and bottom and mouth. You were as cruel as you could be to me and then thought I would just take, what a 10th of you weekly allowance to keep quiet."

She did not scream this or show any undue anger. Instead she said it softly and controlled. Her face was emotionless. She had been holding a bowl in her hand which she put down against the opposite wall.

"Patient 7. I am Miss Kate. You will refer to me by that or just simply "Miss." I am your keeper. When you are not in session with the doctor or undergoing various therapies by other staff I will be responsible for you. You will do what I tell you instantly. Also whenever a member of staff is in this room you will get down on your knees."

She stopped and stared at him. After a moment he got it and got down. She stuck her foot through the bars in the door.

She was wearing a dark blue dress that ended just above the ankle. It had a high neckline and long sleeves. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail. The shoes were black with low heels and buttons. They were new but needing a cleaning.

"I want you to crawl over to me and lick that shoe."

"What? he erupted "I'll do no such thing. This is ridiculous. How is some maid going to treat my problems. And if you think I am going to abase myself to a gutter whore like you. I demand you tell my mother.." He stopped not knowing what else to say.

"I will tell you two things. One. Your mother is fully aware of the methods Dr. Blackmoore uses. She had a visit from an associate before you left. I believe she was even more anxious for you to come after the meeting."

Mathew wasn't sure if he believed this or not but he thought there was a good chance it could be true. "What is the other thing you wanted to tell me?"

"Two. As your keeper I am responsible for among other things, as to what and when you are fed." With that she pushed the bowl further from him. "I will see you at lunch time," She turned and walked out.

"Wait. Wait! Kate. Miss Kate. Please come back I am starving. Please."

She closed the door behind her.

 Chapter 6 Hard work

True to her words she did not return for 4 hours. Not that Mathew was aware of how much time passes. He was without a watch nor could he see outside. So he was at a lost for time. When the door opened he was sitting on the floor in the back of his small cell, he had given it a lot of thought between crying jags and knew what he had to do. By the time she stood in front of his cell Mathew had fallen on his knees.

She observed her charge for a full minute before she slid her foot between the bars. Her eyes bored into him as he first just sat there and then started to crawl to her. When he reached her foot he lowered his head and then kissed her foot. 

"Again." She said. He did this and kept his lips on the dusty toe. "Now lick."

He took a deep breath and did. It was a truly unpleasant experience. His face burned with the humiliation. He could feel and taste the gritty dirt in his mouth. She showed no mercy. She made him lick the entire shoe even the bottom. And when he was done she made him do the other.

"Stand up." She said. He did. "Take off your clothes and put them through the bars." In a moment he stood naked in front of Kate. She pointed down and he got back on his knees. She picked up the bowl and looked into it. 

"This was much more appetizing this morning. But I brought you some bread to go with it." With that she held up a piece of bread, brought it to her mouth and then bit off a piece, chewed it and bent down and spit it into his bowl. She did it again and again until the whole piece was in his bowl.

"Stand up, turn around and put your back against the bars."

When he did she slipped a leather collar through the bars and locked it in the back. She then pulled his wrist together and put a pair of police handcuffs on him.

"Take two steps forward, turn around and get back on your knees,"

He almost fell over getting down but finally managed. She opened a small door on the bottom of the cell door and slid the bowl through.

"Eat." Once again with his face burning with the humiliation he lowered his face into the bowl. It was cold oatmeal and yogurt along with the chewed bread. It was disgusting but he was so hungry that he ate every bit. When he was done he raised his head. She reached in and took the bowl and left his view for a few minutes. He heard out in the hall but couldn't tell what she was about.

When she returned she had him stand. She removed a cuff from one hand, had him turn and reattached the cuff in the front of him. She told him to step away from the bars and opened the door.

The doors are all locked. I do not have a key. You can't escape. Follow me." She took him through the doorway and back to the room with stalls. At the end was a bucket of water a bar of soap and a brush.

Next to the bucket was a long springy rod, 3 feet long, with a leather grip. She picked it up but did not say anything about it. Its use purpose was clear.

"Before you start scrubbing the floor I want you to take each one of those and take them into that room and empty and clean them." She used her rod to point at first to a row of 4 chamber pots and two covered buckets like he had in his cell and then she pointed to a door.

As soon as he got down on all four the rod came down across his bottom. This made him scurry over to the chamber pots, pick up one and quickly crawl to the door. Inside was a rudimentary water closet with a toilet and faucet over a drain. He dumped the vile content into the toilet then ran water into it. He then brought the pot back out and repeated the process for the other pots and the pails. He noticed his was not amongst them.

When he has completed his task she had him kneel before her (liberally using her stick to control his movements.) Then she told him;

"Your job each day will be to scrub this floor. You will start out here and work your way back to your cell. You will do a very thorough job. It generally takes 2 to 3hours depending how much time we have to spend giving you extra..." she paused for a few seconds before completing her sentence. "...therapy." He could tell she enjoyed saying that word. 

"I will generally be the one keeping you on task but unlike you I do get some time off so others will fill in. I believe you already met Mrs. Vasquez and Miss Josephine. Those days won't be good days for you. You may start"

Mathew picked up the brush and dipped it into the water and began scrubbing. The floor was stone and hard on his knees. He tried to shift the weight from one knee to the other or onto his hands. When he tried to lift his knees off the ground and tried to get into a squatting position the stick came down on his back and bottom.

At one point she asked him if he was sure he was doing a good job.

"Yes Miss Kate."

"Then lick that spot," she said pointing at an area he had just cleaned.

He went over to it and lowered his head, stuck out his tongue and licked. It was still a little wet and tasted of the soap he had used on it. He kept doing it until the stick poked him on the side and he went back to his task. Kate often made him redo an some areas The whole job took nearly three hours.

When she was satisfied Kate put Mathew back in his cell and said to him "Tomorrow you will start your day with an hour of exercise with Miss Josephine. After which you will have a therapy session with Dr. Blackmoore followed by a repeat of today's floor cleaning. I will bring you your supper in a few hours." 

Saying that she walked out of his view. When he was sure he was alone Mathew wept.



Redemption Pt. 01



"Are you scared Jackson?"

Startled, Jackson looked at Brenna. "Scared of what?"

"Going away."

He thought about it for a second, but no longer. "No, not really. I worry more about not making it through boot camp than anything else."

"I'll be scared for you then." She had to look away as she said it, tears welling up in her eyes yet again.

"Don't be Bren. I'll be fine. Really." He reached over and made the mistake of trying to comfort her by patting her knee. Her very bare knee. He jerked his hand back quickly but not before getting a feel of her smooth skin.

She didn't say anything for quite some time and he hated that his choice to join the military was hurting her. Hated that it made her worry about him.

"Let's go to our secret place. Can we?"

"We've got all night, so why not. Off to the Super-Secret-Hidey-Hole it is."

Brenna had too much going on in her head and the swirling feeling from the beer wasn't helping. She wondered how much longer it would be before it wore off and she felt more like herself again. She toed off her cowboy boots and settled her feet on the dash so they could cool off too. It wouldn't take long to get to the Hole so she leaned her head back against the headrest and let her eyes close.

He knew she was asleep before she probably did. She'd gotten too still and her breathing was even, steady. Unfortunately, her sleeping gave him plenty of time to watch her, look at her with new eyes. She really was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Always had been. Of course, now he was just seeing a little more of her than usual.

Brenna wasn't really backwards like she thought. Just conservative. Or so he'd thought. Now he wasn't sure if Brenna was truly conservative or if she did it to make her parents more comfortable. Either way, this scantily dressed Brenna was really working him over. She looked so good that it hurt. Even her toes were sexy with their deep red color that looked so very dark against her pale skin.

Lately, her eyes had been the thing that were turning him on more than anything. Even when he was five her eyes had been the prettiest things he'd ever seen. He'd never seen another person with eyes so brilliant a green that they almost seemed to glow. Especially at night. Tonight the light from the fire had made them seem almost otherworldly. She used those eyes to make you do things. Every time she'd really wanted something from someone all she had to do was turn those eyes on you and let them fill up with tears and BOOM! Whatever she wanted, she got. Immediately.

Amazingly, Brenna was the furthest thing from spoiled that a person could get. She was more caring, more loving than anyone else he knew. So tenderhearted that sometimes he worried about her, about people taking advantage of her and using her, hurting her. He would do anything to protect her. He wouldn't be the person he was today if it wasn't for her caring for him.

She shifted in her seat and turned towards him, her face so serene in sleep that he couldn't resist touching her smooth cheek. She stirred lightly, waking slowly without realizing that he'd been the one to disturb her.

"We there yet?" she asked, her voice husky with the sleep still on it.

"Just around this corner. You sure you want to come out here? We can go home. It won't hurt my feelings if you need some rest, Bren." He didn't like the faint shadows he'd been seeing under her eyes lately.

"I need this Jackson. More than I can tell you." Her voice was low but he heard the near desperation in her tone.

"Okay, get your boots on. We'll have to leave the Jeep here and hike in. Grab a couple of flashlights from the glove box too." Jackson pulled the Jeep into a little bare spot next to the path they'd hacked out two years ago and pulled their bag out of the storage space. He came out every few days in the summer to keep the path clear in case either of them needed some time away from - well, anything. No one else knew about this place. At least, none that he'd ever encountered.

Brenna handed him one flashlight and turned the one she carried on, sweeping the entrance of the path to check for spider webs. She really didn't like spiders, at all. It was all clear so they took off down the path, occasionally knocking a bug away or smacking at a stray branch. It took a little more than five minutes to hike in to their little slice of paradise.

"It doesn't matter how many times I see this place it always takes my breath away," Brenna whispered, awe in her tone.

"Yeah. I'm definitely going to miss this." Jackson replied. He moved with sure steps to the table they'd set up and pulled out his book of matches to light the lanterns they'd gotten from Brenna's Grandfather. They'd set the area up to be like a little house. A cozy living room made up of some wicker tables, some chairs and a fluffy chaise lounger built for two. On the right side of the living room was the bedroom, a huge hammock strung up between two oaks.

It was the most beautiful place that either of them could ever remember. Directly in front of their living room, less than twenty feet away, was a perfect spring fed pool that always had clean, clear water in it. The water was never too hot or too cold, at least during the summer. It was only deep enough to hit him at lower chest level but that wasn't a bad thing. Large oak trees surrounded the place and hid it from view. They'd happened upon it by chance one day when they'd gotten lost exploring and claimed it as their own.

It had taken weeks to drag all their furniture out to the hidey-hole but it had been worth it. It was the only place in the world that felt like their own. It was where they had done some pretty serious thinking over the past two years. And where they'd escaped to when things got tough or too stressful.

Obviously, this was one of those times for Brenna. She went and stood by the pond while he lit the lanterns, found a station on the battery powered radio and set out the pillows for the hammock and chaise. They rarely used the chairs. It just made it seem more like a living room to have chairs. Or so Brenna had insisted.

He watched her stand there for a long time, waiting for her to come to whatever conclusion it was that she needed and come back to him. He wasn't sure how he was going to handle sitting so close to her dressed the way she was but he wasn't going to deny her if she needed comforting. He hoped it wasn't more bad news about her Mom. 

Brenna was lost in thought alright but it had nothing to do with her Mom this time. No, her thoughts were all centered on Jackson. By the time she'd decided what to do the moon was high in the sky. She turned and went to the hammock, knowing that it wouldn't take long for Jackson to join her there. He waited just long enough for her to get settled and for the hammock to stop swinging before he came over.

"Knock, knock. Can I come in?" he asked, being silly, trying to make her smile. It worked but it was a very tiny smile.

"You promise not to tip me out?" She asked, reminding him of the first time they'd tried to share the hammock. She reminded him of it each and every time. It still made him chuckle. He'd never seen a person fly so far so fast.

"I promise, now scoot," he said, shooing her with his hands. He settled his long frame into the ropes and sighed as it seemed to hug him. Nothing was better than a good hammock.

His side was plastered against Brenna's but he didn't feel nervous like he'd thought he would. It was nice. Easy. He put his arms behind his head looked up at what stars were visible through the heavy clouds.

"It's so quiet here. So peaceful. Sometimes I wish I could actually live right here. Of course, I don't know what I'd eat, but I'd find something eventually." Brenna sighed and shifted, bringing her body closer to his. He went still for just a second then relaxed again.

"I don't think that whoever owns this land would appreciate you squatting on their property. I mean, more than we do right now."

"I wouldn't care. Possession is nine-tenths of the law you know."

"Argue that one in court, Bren. I'm not going to tell you that you have to go. I love this place too. It's special. Something about it makes all your troubles and fears feel like they aren't so bad."

"Don't go Jackson. Please."

She'd said it so quietly that he'd almost missed it. She had tried to talk him out of going several times but she'd never come right out and asked him not to go. He knew that telling her no was going to hurt her so much, but he also knew he would have to. "I have to go Bren. It's going to be my career."

Hot tears were rolling down her face. "I don't know what I'm going to do without you. I won't see you for years at a time. Never knowing what might have happened to you, always worrying that you're hurt - or worse. I can't stand the thought of it."

Her words, the tears in them and on her face almost made him wish he could tell her he'd stay. He'd already signed up and would be leaving in three short weeks. His heart ached at the thought of leaving her but telling her that would only make things worse. Saying anything more at all would just make it that much harder for her to let go. "Bren, I wish this didn't hurt you so much. I wish that you could be okay with my choice. I know you never will be and that makes it hard on me. I worry that you're going to hate me for what I want to do."

Her gasp was loud in the silence. "I could never hate you, no matter what choices you make. I don't want you to go. I don't. If it were my decision I would force you to stay, but it isn't my choice. And I would never want you to be miserable because you were somewhere you don't want to be." She took his hand in hers and squeezed it tightly. This time she didn't let go.

Neither of them spoke for some time. They lay there, listening to the soft music in the background and holding hands as if letting go would make one of them disappear.

They dozed off and on, waking when someone shifted or the stingy breeze cooled their flesh. It was only midnight when Brenna made the choice that would change their lives and their friendship forever.

It wasn't exactly the way she'd dreamed it would happen, but those things were for fairy tales and this was reality. Moving slowly, as if sleeping, Brenna turned on her side and wrapped her free arm around Jackson's stomach, her head fitting easily onto his shoulder. She feigned surprise, as if just realizing what she'd done when Jackson's arm pulled her back against him, leaving that arm around her body. She settled back in and sighed contentedly. It was nice to know he wasn't averse to the thought of touching her.

Jackson's head was reeling. The smell of her hair and her skin was making it hard for him to breathe. She had snuggled right into his body as if she'd always belonged there. And that is exactly how it had felt for him, as if he'd finally found that perfect place. He didn't want to lose the peace he was feeling so he stayed still and didn't push for all the things he wanted at that very moment. He settled for letting his fingertips brush lightly over her arm, up and down, rhythmically, slowly. He was leaving gooseflesh in his wake and that was something thrilling for him. To know he was doing something that felt good to her was more than he could ever have asked for.

It progressed so slowly that neither of them realized where it was going at first. It seemed so innocent, so calm. Perfect. It started with a touch. The hand that had been lying lazily across his stomach began to move up and over his chest, then back down over his stomach and up again making his breath catch. The fingers that had been lightly stroking her arm moved down to stroke her side just as lightly, touching bare flesh where her tank had pulled up.

Long moments passed like that before hands got bolder. Her hand wandered up under his shirt to stroke the warm flesh she'd barely been able to feel before. She explored him as if trying to commit every inch to memory. Despite the fact that it was killing him, he let her take her time, let her set the pace. He could feel her warm breath on his face and turned his head to find her lips easily, softly. Their first kiss was perfect, breathtaking. They seemed to know what to expect, what the other was thinking. They turned towards each other, his hands burrowing into her wild mass of hair, hers wrapping him tightly to explore the expanse of his back. Still they took it slow, easy. Here in their secret place, time didn't exist.

Everything was pure instinct. Neither of them had expected to get so close but it was a lovely dream come true. At some point, Brenna managed to work Jackson's shirt from his body, exposing him to her eyes and hands. Jackson worked the straps on her tank top down and his lips worked to cover every inch of milky pale flesh that he exposed. Both were breathing hard, bodies clamoring for more but unwilling to give up what they were already getting.

Every slide of his hands on Brenna's body was as arousing for her as it was for him. Eventually though, the hammock became a hindrance. It had been fine for the lazy touches but both needed more than that now. As if sensing her frustration, Jackson hopped off the hammock and pulled her up, carrying her to the chaise, settling her there comfortably before continuing to explore what flesh he had access to. It wasn't enough.

Clothes began to magically fall to the ground and each new discovery was thoroughly explored and breaths were harsh with need. Jackson's thoroughness sent Brenna over the edge twice, her voice calling out for him over and over. It was close to being too much.

Finally it was time. Jackson was carefully poised, eyes locked on Brenna's as he eased himself inside her body until he couldn't go further. He hated that he was about to cause her pain, had promised her that he would try to never, ever hurt her, but this was unavoidable. Taking her hands in his tightly, holding them close to his heart so she'd know how much it hurt him to hurt her, Jackson broke through her barrier and held his breath when she cried out. He didn't move, waiting patiently for her pain to ease.

The sting wasn't so bad, more shocking than painful. Still, Brenna took a moment to let her body relax again, to get used to the feeling of being so connected to another person. It only took seconds for the needs of her body to overwhelm her. It was such a greedy feeling, to need more of another person so much that you are hungry with it. Cautiously she moved her hips and let him slide deeper inside, pain gone, replaced with urgency.

Jackson set the pace, slow and easy at first, reveling in each little gasp and moan. As long as he lived he would never forget the way she looked, flushed with need, the sound of her voice as she moaned his name. He would take it to his grave with him. The feel of her body moving under his was more erotic than anything he could ever imagine.

It came closer and closer, racing over them unchecked. Brenna's back arched, her hands grasping for Jackson's blindly. He took them, holding them tightly as she blew apart for the final time, taking him with her into the freefall. Once again, they held their breath.

The very moment he could, Jackson pulled her up against his chest, turning her and cradling her gently. Her body was fluid and seemed to flow into his without any restraint. Her breath and his were still ragged, her eyes locked onto his as if she were afraid to look away and discover it had all been a dream. There was only one little thing that both held back as they held each other. Words.

It was a shock to both of them to discover that it was only three a.m. They had hours left to spend before Brenna needed to get home. They didn't bother dressing. Both had taken a dip in the pond to rinse off and cool off but came right back to each other on the chaise.

Jackson worried over her, upset that he'd had to hurt her but she just laughed happily, assuring him that she was truly okay. They shared a soda, talking quietly, stroking each other gently. Still, no one said the important words. It was too new, too delicate to ruin with awkward confessions.

They made love again as the sun began to rise, taking their time, watching each others faces and clinging tightly. It was just as sweet the second time. They rose slowly, rinsing off in the pond again and getting dressed. They gathered their things quickly and repacked the Jeep. Jackson held her hand the entire way back to town, bringing it up occasionally to brush his lips over her fingers and knuckles.

The trip to her house went much too quickly. She was reluctant to get out of the Jeep and leave Jackson. Her body was tired and sore but her mind raced. There were so many words she wanted to say but she couldn't do anything but look into his eyes. Finally, she nodded and Jackson came around to open her door. He didn't walk her up to the door, watching her from the spot where he leaned on the Jeep's fender. As her foot hit the first step, she heard Jackson call out her name and she turned towards the sound of his voice.

"Hey Bren?!"

So familiar, so wonderful. "Yeah?"

"I'll love you forever."

Her breath caught, held, sobbed out quietly. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"Sure about that?"

"Absofreakinlutely."

"Good, because I'll love you one year longer."

His happy laughter filled her ears as she unlocked the door and closed it quietly behind her before sliding down it to sob uncontrollably.

During the next three weeks Brenna and Jackson spent every possible moment together. Of course, they were never really alone like they had been at the Hole but it was enough. They even went on a double date with Nic and Ryan.

There was only one problem during those idyllic days. It was all laced with the sad knowledge that Jackson would be leaving far too soon. There were promises of course. He'd call and write whenever he could, which would be often. Would come home every chance he got.

The day dawned overcast and so hot that the air seemed to want to choke you. He picked her up in his Jeep and they drove to the bus station. She would drive it back to his parents for him later. After he was gone.

Other people showed up to say their goodbyes but he held onto Brenna with one arm the entire time, keeping her close to his side no matter what. Eventually there was no one left but them and Nic. It took everything in her but she managed not to sob hysterically while he was telling her all his promises again. Something inside was tearing apart as he held her close and kissed her over and over. Her heart seemed to sink lower and lower. By the time he stepped onto the bus she wondered if she was even still alive.

He waved as the bus pulled away, his shoulders slumped with his own grief. She stood there, tears silently rolling down her face. By the time she was able to move the bus was probably in the next town. Nicola led her away, taking Jackson's keys and driving them to his home. His adoptive parents took the keys from Nicola, tried to assure Brenna that he would be okay, but she was too far gone for words now.

She waited every day for a phone call, a letter. Nothing came. Four weeks after he left her entire world fell apart. Without him she had no one to turn to for comfort, for peace.

That weekend she went to the Super-Secret-Hidey-Hole and burned all the furniture. 

*

*Thank you for reading and I am working on Part Two- thanks for your patience!*



Redemption's Kiss



I could see myself reflected in the golden elevator doors and I smirked at myself. Behind me, I could see the expensive marble floor, the impressive (if a little gauche) Corinthian columns, and the gilded trim that was stretched around the perimeter of the lobby. Everything, including me, had a slightly gold-metallic tinge from the reflection, giving everything the impression of being made of money. I really couldn't help but sneer at myself; I looked so perfect from that perspective; like I belonged.

What I mean by that is that I looked like money, like self-consciously ostentatious cash. I looked like the sort of vulgar power, elegance, and sophistication that this place was trying to cultivate. That the men who lived here wanted to associate themselves with. I was wearing my most expensive pair of black, five-inch stiletto heels that ran a couple of inches up my calves. Those calves were quite shapely (a favorite feature) and, while they looked bronze in the reflection of the elevator, were actually the sort of sophisticated pale white that I cultivated all over my body. Tans are nice for some people, I guess. But tans turns to wrinkles and can be uneven. Soft, creamy white skin lasts longer and has a timeless appeal. And it fit perfectly now, in the dead of a New York winter.

Above calves were several inches of exposed skin. Despite the cold, I was wearing a rather short (but by no means slutty) dress that fell a few inches above my thin knees. The dress itself was a simple, dark blue affair that hugged my figure like a second skin. To that end, it tapered out as it ran up my thighs and then flared widely at my hips. I could not see it, but I knew that my most commented-upon feature, my large, round, but toned, ass was rising like a helium balloon behind my back. From my hips, the dress narrowed down to my narrow waist. I spent a good deal of time keeping this particular feature fit and trim, making sure that the sudden contraction from my hips to my waist was particularly dramatic. From the narrowest part of my waist, the dress tapered back up to my chest. 

This dress was selected, in part, because of the way in which it accentuated my breasts. It fit so tightly and held me up firmly. Further it had a low, swooping round neck. A couple of inches of cleavage were exposed from my C-cup breasts and the full round shape of them was clearly visible. Between my breasts was the large pendant of a gold necklace, some sort of precious stone polished to a perfect shine. My breasts were not quite as wide as my hips, giving me a slightly off-balanced hourglass look. My shoulders were covered by my coat (a thick, fur item that fit the false-elegant theme), but it was possible to see the short sleeves of the dress. I knew that deep in the sleeves of my coat were my narrow, delicate arms and long, thin fingers. There were expensive bracelets and rings and on my hand (not too many, just the right amount to be a little trashy). 

Regardless, growing up out of the top of the dress was my long, elegant throat. My oval face was rested above that perch. I had a strong, but feminine chin sitting below thick, deep red lips. I knew that beneath those wide lips were perfectly straight, white teeth, but they weren't visible through my smirk. I had a small, slightly upturned pixie nose and wide, desperately gray eyes. My ears were quite small and large earrings hung from them. I knew that my face had a somewhat severe, icy beauty that made me look intelligent and intimidating. My hair was silky, full and impossibly black. It hung down loose halfway across my back and laid slightly across my eyes, giving me a mischievous air. The whole package was around 5'3 tall (not counting the heels) and a little over a hundred pounds (I'll never tell exactly how little).

I suppose that the only thing that threw off the vision was that, over my right shoulder and in the distance, I could see the doorman behind his small desk. He was looking at me, ill-concealed disgust on his face. It was roughly the same look that the driver who had picked me up and was waiting outside for me had provided when he opened the door and let me in. I guess they knew why I was there.

My beautifully maintained body split in half and I looked into the elevator. I looked briefly over my shoulder at the doorman. I slipped my long red tongue out from between my lips. I ran it along the thick length of my lips and winked at the doorman. He looked slightly flustered and turned away. But I didn't pay attention to what he did next. I turned back to the elevator and stepped inside.

Well, fuck the doorman. But he was right. He knew what I was doing here (had seen me here many times, in fact) and apparently didn't approve of it. That was fine by me. A callgirl can't afford thin skin. And at the age of 25, I was more than a veteran at this and barely even thought of the moral aspects of my work anymore.

Hell, I guess I've never really thought about the moral aspect of my work. I started this when I was 18 years old, fresh out of high school. I had absolutely no interest in college or the military or a job of any kind. My family never really gave two shits what I did. They had important lives (or so they thought) and didn't really have any time for me when I was growing up. They'd pissed away the money they'd inherited from my grandmother and weren't really interested in bankrolling me while I lived the same kind of pointless lives that they lived. But I knew I liked nice things, I wanted money, I was sexy and I liked fucking. Day after graduation, I put up an ad on Craiglist and the rest was history.

Some girls like to mythologize their first time, to build it up into some sort of terrible, horrible, wonderful event. I can remember talking to some of them. They'd cry. They'd describe every little detail. They would talk about the way it made them feel. It was like a made-for-TV movie. Lifetime: I was a Craigslist call girl. That wasn't my style. I had fucked before my first time getting paid. There were only two differences between normal sex and callgirl sex: I had to pretend it was good even when it was shit and I got paid. A little acting was well worth the paycheck. Guys would pay a premium for a young girl, right out of high school. I'd wear my brother's letter jacket when I gave a blowjob. Johns got a real kick out of it.

I didn't stay on Craiglist long. That was only a half-step up from being a junkie on the street in my opinion. I guess it was other girls who helped me out. You get numbers and contact information from a girl you got to know (in one way or another) when she couldn't work. You call or text a guy and say, "I am Mary's friend, she said we'd get along. How'd you like to go on a date?" He'd know what that meant and set something up. Eventually, I got together what I called my "stable." A collection of stalwart regulars who always paid, didn't hit, and I knew were clean (both in terms of disease and legal trouble). Sometimes a new guy would slip in for a date, but I relied on my regulars.

And date is the correct term, I truly believe that. I was young, I was good looking, and I created the illusion of class that sophisticated Johns wanted. Glamor, I guess would be the most accurate word. And the guys expected it to kind of be like a date. It wasn't like Craiglist stuff and it wasn't like what I heard about street girls. This wasn't some 15-minute thing where I didn't have to pretend that I cared, just let a guy lay into me. They paid enough to deserve my interest and my charm. I dressed up nice, I smiled broadly, I laughed at the jokes. For a lot of guys, this was the major appeal. Most of them weren't exactly good-looking guys (not that I cared, do you care if your boss is good-looking?) and they wanted people to look at me fawning over him and think "what is that guys deal? He must be rich or interesting or something." The fact that he got to fuck me, for some guys, was secondary. Though, I think they all liked that they could fuck me whenever they wanted to. The sureness of the sure thing with a hot young girl was more important than the thing, if you catch my meaning.

So it was a little bit of acting on my part, pretending like I was truly enamored with whatever guy I was with that night (or that part of the night, I sometimes had two or even three dates in a night). But the payoff was great. I don't just mean the money (though that was excellent). I got more out of it than that. No, not fulfillment, don't think that I am getting sentimental about this. I got gifts (Johns loved to give an expensive gift in public. More Johns thought they were Richard Gere than hookers thought they were Julia Roberts), I went to all of the best restaurants, the most exclusive clubs, I had the best drugs.

Although, on that last point, I always tried to be careful. Look, anyone who doesn't get out of the business eventually ends up a streetwalker. That is the nature of the business. If you suck dick until you're 50, no one wants to pay real money for you and if you want to keep doing it, you have to do it on the streets. Unless you got some gimmick. I understood that, I knew I couldn't do it forever. But I also knew that the fastest way to the bottom of the rung was drugs. Heroin was especially bad in the circles I ran in, but I knew from stories about girls with meth or crack problems too. 

Certain girls aren't cut out for this business. They need to make themselves numb to do what they need to do. I get it. I needed to be numb too, but I was able to do it organically. To divorce myself from my feelings internally. Some girls needed heroin. I guess that meth made some girls super horny, into any kind of thing the John got into. That made it possible for them to keep working. I stayed away from that stuff, I knew that if you start doing drugs just so you can do your job, pretty soon you are doing your job just so you can get the drugs. So I never got too hard into anything. A little coke every once in a while, pills other times. Never enough to really form a habit. Though I admit, by 25 sometimes I need a little bump before I hit the circuit for the night. When I was walking into the elevator, I still had a little bit of a buzz going.

I guess I had been a little tired that night, before I had gotten myself all coifed and ready. I wasn't really thinking about it consciously, but I guess I knew I was getting a little long in the tooth for this life. At 25, most of the girls I came up with were out of the life, strung out, in jail, or dead. Not many girls kept their looks and their interest as long as I did. 

Some of it, I guess, was that I didn't mind the job that much. I mean my 18-year-old thought that I liked fucking, so why not get paid for it had long since faded. I didn't really know if I liked fucking anymore. I didn't hate it for sure. But it was just a job. I didn't get involved in the whole morality thing. I never really gave a shit about whether I was doing something fulfilling. Most jobs aren't. But most jobs also pay shit. And I guess that was the real reason I was still doing this. The reason that I spent a lot of hours (and a lot of money) every week at gyms and salons and boutiques was because it was an investment in the business of my body. And that business was still paying out handsomely. I was a skilled worker, I demanded top-flight payment. 

More for some Johns that for others. That was why, despite my fatigue, I had agreed to come here to this swanky apartment at the last minute. This was one of my regulars and he happened to pay exceptionally well. Mostly because, unlike most of the Johns who just thought they were into weird stuff ("can I get...a footjob") this guy really was into some freaky shit. 

Despite that, I had almost been hoping he would call. I needed the money. I had been putting some cash aside since I first started and I had a pretty good war chest now. I lived frugally and I got men to buy my meals. But lately, I don't know, I had been spending a little more money than I intended on coke. On pills. I didn't really know why. I wasn't really thinking about it. Just one of those things, I guess. I hadn't dipped into the savings but I wasn't putting anything away. Tonight was a chance to ensure the coffers remained filled.

The elevator opened near the top floor (not the penthouse, my John wasn't that successful. Yet). As I stepped through the door in the short, overly-sumptuous hallway, I felt my head sort slip into the right place. It wasn't even a conscious thing anymore, I wasn't acting. I was just entering into the role. My shoes clicked a little more forcefully on the floor, my legs extended a little more suggestively, my hips swung like a pendulm side-to side as I walked. I arched my back slightly to push my breasts out high and thrust my ass back. My lips curled back slightly into a seductive hint of a smile as my shadowed eye-lids drooped slightly, giving me a bed-time look. I could hear my voice, but I could hear my throat relaxing, knew that my voice would come out in a rich, honeyed tone. I was the dream now, and I was ready to give my John what he wanted.

I made my way to his door. I reached up to knock and, as it always did, the door opened up before my knuckles could touch the white-painted wood. The door swung wide and the light from the apartment filtered out over me. I could feel his apartment, a few degrees warmer than hallway and almost hot by comparison to the frigid temperatures outside. I stepped inside like I owned the place.

"Good evening Skye," the familiar voice of my John said as I entered his home. I didn't even look at him, I knew right where he was standing and, with eyes closed, I turned and kissed his cheek. Then I spun around in front of him, throwing my arms backwards. I felt his hands reach up and grab my gaudy fur coat and slip it from my bare arms.

"Daniel, I am so happy you called. I was waiting at home, wondering if you would," I said, not exactly lying. Once my coat was off and hung on the peg behind the door, I turned and looked at my John.

Daniel was a middle-aged man with a wife and children out in the suburbs. He was balding, had a fleshy face with small eyes, a bit of a paunch, but somehow no ass. He was quite wealthy (though not as fabulously wealthy as he wished he was. Trust me, I hear about a lot of people's shattered dreams) and he owned an apartment in the city for nights when he had to "work late." I don't know if his wife bought that line or if she was just happy he was out of her hair and not clawing at her for a night. Anyone who saw him knew that he wasn't much to look at. Anyone who fucked him knew he was worthless in bed. But he always got the money into my coat pocket before I left. I never even bothered to check until I got home, I knew he would pay. And well.

"I am sure you were," he said, both pretending not to believe my line but also obviously tickled by it. I smiled at him and he reached up and handed me a glass of white wine. I hadn't even noticed he was carrying it. I giggled like a younger girl and took it.

"Oh! What a nice little surprise," I said, taking a deep sip, "Are you trying to get me drunk before we even go out?" I asked, "Daniel, are you trying to take advantage of me?" I asked. He laughed at my little joke and began to walk down the hallway toward his living room. 

"Nothing of the sort Skye, I know the kind of girl you are," he said, "I was just thinking that a change of pace might be nice for tonight." As I started to follow Daniel down the hallway I noticed for the first time that Daniel was by no means dressed to go out. He was wearing a robe and nothing more, from what I could tell. I was quite surprised.

My regulars (and there were a considerable number of them at that time) were my regulars, in part, because they had routines. I knew what they all liked. Some guys wanted me to come in and beg them to fuck me, only to have them take me out all night and "tease" me before taking me home. Some guys wanted me to play hard to get...Every. Single. Time. So that they could enjoy the conquest. One guy like to run me a bath and wash my hair while another liked to shave my pussy (he was quite good at it, saved me a good deal of money on grooming). 

Daniel was very simple. He liked, what I called (to myself if no one else) the "Dream Date" package where we went out for a nice dinner, chatted in a witty sort of way, started up in the cab on the way home, and had sex on the floor of his apartment. This is what he had always done, since my first time with him five years earlier. The actual sex would be different (whatever kink he had on his mind that night) but the dance to get there was always the same. 

"Did you want to stay in tonight baby?" I asked, making sure my voice sounded like I was totally up for whatever he wanted. I never tried to make a John feel like I was judging him about anything. First of all, it was bad for business. Second of all, how could I?

"In a manner of speaking," he said cryptically. He made his way through the small hallway near the door and then turned left at the end, entering the open floor-plan kitchen that overlooked the living room and dining room area. I quickly followed after him, wondering what he was thinking. It always made me nervous when a John acted "different." Sometimes it meant things would get violent. My mace was in my coat pocket, I trusted Daniel so I had left it by the door.

"Just tell me what you want honey. I am open to whatever you wa..." I said, but the 'pliable partner' routine that Daniel loved so much died on my lips as I stepped into the kitchen. Standing on the expensive tile floor, bent over against the counter with elbows on the table and ass sticking out, was a third party unknown to me. And not just any third party. It was a hooker.

As should be clear, I am not a hooker. I don't walk the streets and I don't give blowjobs in alleys (for less than $500.00). But I was in the same business generally and I could smell a streetwalker a mile away. This girl (and she was definitely 18-years old) was a streetwalker.

That is not to say that she looked burnt out or high or battered or anything else. I mean, those were common streetwalker afflictions, but she didn't have that problem. In fact, she looked remarkably fresh-faced. But I could tell anyway. Part of it, of course, was the uniform. The girl was around 5'1 and probably 105 pounds. She was wearing knee-high, red patent leather boots that clung tightly to her taut thighs. The heels of the boots were so high and her feet so small that porn star platforms were required. Her thighs were thin and toned, I was sure she had that thigh gap everyone was raving about for a while. Her skin was about as pale as mine, but it was hard to see her because of her black fishnet stockings running down into her boots. Her ass was, as I said, sticking back out away from the kitchen counter. It was squeezed into an exceptionally tight red skirt. It looked almost as full and round as mine. There was a gap in her clothing above her wide hips and I could see the way her body narrowed down to her waist. She had a flat stomach with a sparkly bellybutton ring. She was wearing a black halter top that looked more like a bandana wrapped around her large, incredibly perky breasts. Perhaps she had not warmed up from being outside, because her hardened nipples were easily visible through the flimsy material. She had long, thin arms and small hands. She had a very delicate neck and narrow shoulders. 

Her face...was shockingly beautiful for a street walker. She had a small, but well-proportioned chin, a plump (but somewhat narrow) mouth painted a deep pink color. She had a narrow, somewhat long nose with a small cubic zirconia stud in it. Most strikingly she had massive blue eyes that screamed innocence and allure at the same time. Perfect hooker eyes. Her hair was a somewhat messy tumble of long blonde locks. The messy look worked for her though, making her looking seductive rather than disheveled. 




Redemption's Kiss



So she was, by far, the best looking streetwalker I had ever seen. But she was still a streetwalker. And she was in my John's kitchen. For all intents and purposes, this was my kitchen while I was with Daniel. I turned towards him now and, for the first time ever during our relationship; I couldn't manage to speak to him in the seductive purr that he preferred.

"Who is she and what is she doing here?" I said flatly, crossing my arms in front of my breasts. Trying to feel less exposed. The girl stood up and turned towards me (I am not sure if she had even really noticed me before). Whether she noticed the look of proprietary anger in my eyes and ignored it or was simply oblivious, I will never know. But when she took note of me, she smiled easily extended her hand.

"Beth," she said, clearly using her actual name (something I had never been naïve enough to do, I was always 'Skye'), "A pleasure to meet you." Her voice was high and sweet. I didn't take her hand. I didn't look at her. I was looking at Daniel, trying to contain myself. Daniel looked like the cat who swallowed the canary. He definitely didn't notice my anger or inflection. He was just so excited that he had set up this meeting for some reason.

"Who is Beth and what is she doing here?" I asked again, sounding more annoyed (somehow) than before. Daniel's shit-eating grin faltered briefly. He wasn't used to this non-pliable attitude from me. Maybe he hadn't realized before that it was an act. But I was in no mood to be the good girl right now. I did not like this surprise and I didn't like that I had no idea what it meant.

"It's Beth..." Daniel said nervously. I raised my eyebrows and put my hands up in a sort 'so what?' manner. Daniel cleared his throat, "She is a friend of mine," he said finally, "I thought you two would get along."

"How long has Beth been your 'friend'" I asked, putting on hand on my hip and sipping my wine coolly. Daniel laughed a bit nervously, looked over at the girl, and then back to me.

"We just met," Beth offered innocently. She picked up her own wine glass from the counter and took a drink as well. Her face looked open and without artifice. She hadn't been trying to get smart with me; she was just answering my question. I fought the urge to roll my eyes. She was an idiot.

"Beth is a hooker," I said, keeping my eyes on Daniel. Beth just kept smiling at me, an unintentional admission of the obvious truth. Daniel shrugged nervously and his voice came out in a sort of bumbling stammer.

"Well...yes but so are..." he said and then stopped. I opened my eyes wide and stared him down. We both knew that the only word left for him to say was 'you.' I was also a prostitute. The only problem was that while that fact didn't bother me, it would crush him to have to say it aloud. It would ruin the fantasy that he was a virile catch and I was his trophy girlfriend. 

"Yes?" I asked putting the screws to him. I saw sweat beading on fleshy face. I didn't really care. He needed to know that his behavior in bringing someone else into this without my permission was not going to fly. I was a professional and I had the right to demand appropriate treatment. He seemed to sense that now and he changed tactics.

"Look babe," he said, speaking like we were actually dating, "I know how...adventurous you like to get in the bedroom. I do too. I guess I shouldn't have...sprung this on you all the sudden like this, but I thought you'd like this. I mean she is young and pretty," I looked at him sharply at that, "Not as pretty as you..." he looked at Beth, but she didn't seem to notice. She was watching me intently, a look of pure curiosity on her face, "so I thought it might be fun." He let out a sigh as he finished speaking.

"We had a date tonight Daniel. This isn't what I expected," I found my sultry voice slip back in slightly. I had given him the stick, now it was time for the carrot. I reached forward and sensuously grabbed his wrist. He jumped slightly and I tapped the face of his watch, "we are going to run out of time."

"Danny told me about your 'date,'" Beth said, not reading the moment and speaking in sort of cheerful voice, "He said he was thinking about just staying in with you tonight. Like a date night in. He said I could join." She spoke very simply and directly, it was clear she was totally innocent. I'd never met a hooker like her before. I turned for the first time and looked at her.

"Where did 'Danny' find you?" I spat out his new nickname like it was cobra poison. Daniel looked as though he wanted to stop my questions, but backed down.

"Oh I don't stay in any one place. I move around on the streets to avoid cops and find Johns," she said, smiling broadly and coquettishly, as though she was discussing her daily commute to the office. She seemed to have no sense that what she was discussing was not only illegal, but also incredibly dangerous. Far more dangerous than what I did, I can assure you that.

"How long have you been doing this?" I asked her. It couldn't have been long. She looked too fresh and happy to be a streetwalker. Hell, her color was so good and her hair so clean I was pretty sure that she wasn't even on anything. She lifted her finger to her lips, taping it slightly. She looked off into the distance. One hip rose slightly as she thought and her large breasts bounced perkily on her chest. The seductive energy was pouring out of her, but it seemed like it was completely natural. She wasn't even trying. Or she was an even better actor than me and went with a sort of "bubbly, cheerleader, innocent sexpot" theme.

"About two months I guess. Ever since I graduated high school. Well, not graduated but, you know, I'm done," she explained nonchalantly. She seemed totally without guile. She took another sip of her wine. 

"Do you have a pimp," I said. I had always done a good job of staying out of the gravitational pull of leeches. If this girl was even somewhat tainted by a pimp (which seemed likely), I wanted to get the hell away from her. No need to get caught in that bullshit now.

"No," she said sweetly and shrugged her shoulders. There was no chance she was lying, I could see right through her. So at least that was good. In fact, it was hard to have any real feelings about anything Beth said. She seemed almost completely devoid of substance, just an incredibly attractive body that didn't realize what it was doing. Whatever anger I'd had at her when I first walked in dissipated. No. That isn't right. It turned on Daniel. And I turned with it.

"So what is your plan here Daniel?" I asked, "I come in and see her and say, 'whatever you want big boy'?"

"You were just about to say almost that exact same thing before you saw her," he said, but he looked at his feet as he spoke. He was, of course, right. But only because I thought I knew everything that Daniel could possibly want. Thinking of his desires, I decided to change tacks.

"Regardless," I said, "How do you see this going down? The three of us are going to climb into your bed and you are going to play puppet master?" Beth looked over at Daniel as well, as though she were also curious about what happened next.

"I..." Daniel started.

"Who are you going to fuck first?" I asked, but I made it clear in my voice what I was really saying. I knew, and Danny knew, that he was not one for stamina. Usually, when it came to sex, he would ask me to do something kinky and he would cum before I was halfway finished. Once he came, all he wanted was to go to sleep. If he fucked Beth first, I wouldn't get fucked and vice versa. Not that I cared about his pathetic attempts at fucking. But I knew how Johns thought. Did he think he wasn't going to pay me if we didn't fuck? That just watching didn't count or counted for less? If that was the plan, he was sorely mistaken.

"Well, you know..." Daniel said, the sweat pouring from him now, "That...uh... that was not, exactly, you know, what I was thinking. Not like that." As he spoke, he rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"You only have one dick Daniel, you can't fuck us both first," I said hotly, "And I will tell you this. Even if you manage to fuck both of us, I am not climbing on your dick after her. You pulled her off the street, who knows what she has!"

"I don't have anything," Beth said simply.

"No, not that," he said, more nervously than before, "I mean I wasn't going to...I thought that maybe you...and her. You know, that you would... I wouldn't..." Daniel said, clearly struggling for the words. Now it became apparent what Daniel had been planning.

"You want me to have sex with her while you watch?" I asked flatly. Daniel nodded vigorously, clearly relieved that I had tapped the issue on the nose. Beth turned and looked at me and gave me a little smile. She shrugged her shoulders and bit her lower lip. Well she was game.

"I am here for a date Daniel. That's what we do, we go one dates," I said brusquely, "I don't do live sex shows and I am not a stripper. I am not entertainment." And there it was, a statement of my professional ethics. I did certain things, I didn't do other things. I decided what went in column A and what went in column B and I made that decision before I arrived at a job.

"Yes but..."

"And even if I did, I would not have sex with a streetwalker, Daniel. Good god, I thought you understood that I have class. That is why you date me," I pointed to Beth, "She does not have class. She has chlamydia."

"I don't have anything," Beth repeated.

"Oh come on, she has only been at it a couple of months, she looks completely healthy. More than healthy," Daniel responded, acting a little bolder because he was defending his lady. I saw his eyes roam over her. I felt a stab of jealousy. Not for Daniel's 'affection,' but for the right to his attention and his money. I decided that this was definitely not a healthy way for me to feel. I was tired of Daniel's shit and I didn't even really want to be out that night.

"I don't care," I said finally, "I am leaving Daniel. Call me if, and only if, you are ready to treat our dates with the proper respect." And with that I turned quickly and started heading towards the door. My shoes clicked heavily on the expensive floor and I felt the righteous anger in me build with each loud step. It felt good almost, like I was standing up for myself and the dignity of what I did. I was a callgirl. I was not a hooker or a streetwalker. There were certain things that I got by virtue of my sophisticated and professionalism and I was not going to let Daniel or Beth steal that from me.

"Three times!" I heard a voice call loudly from the kitchen. The voice was Daniel's, it sounded desperate. I had no idea what he was talking about. I stopped in the hallway leading towards the front door and turned my head over my shoulder. I saw Daniel, poking his head around the corner, I felt his eyes slide over my round ass.

"What?" I asked, my annoyance really shining through.

"Three times," he said, more quietly now.

"What does that mean?" I asked. He looked down at the floor nervously and then shrugged. Finally, he let out a low sigh and rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. 

"Three times your...normal allowance in your coat pocket if you stay," he said finally, keeping things just barely in our "dating" routine. His eyes darted up at me briefly, and then fell back down on the floor. My eyes widened; $1,800.00 an hour.

"Where do you want to do this? The clock started running already" I asked, even before I had thought through exactly what he'd said. So much for dignity and professionalism, I guess.

* * * * *

Around 15 minutes later, the three of us were in the living room. Daniel had a massive sectional couch that sort of boxed in the living room area on three sides. On the fourth side was a massive wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the city. The lights were off in the room, it was dark outside, and the patch of hardwood floor on which I stood was illuminated mostly by the sparkling lights of the buildings surrounding us outside. In the corner of the room, sitting out a bit from the wall and the window, was a small fireplace (a gas fireplace, no wood), that sent a few orange shafts of light onto the floor and warmed the room, making it feel cozy. The light from the window and the flames cast a somewhat golden glow upon us, I admit, could have had a sensual or romantic in certain situations. Though not really this one.

That was because Daniel, in his attempts to create a "natural" situation in which I would fuck Beth had sort of sucked anything that remotely approached spontaneity out of the moment. And, as a very good call girl, I knew that impulse was the heart of romance. Daniel knew that too but he didn't know how to allow it to happen. He had instructed us that we should "do what feels right," and that he would just sit quietly on the couch and watch. We were to pretend that he wasn't even there. He reiterated that point at least a dozen times. He wanted us to start clothed, to kiss (which was against my rules as a callgirl save for cheek kisses, but I waived here for the sake of the 'show'), and to disrobe one another. Then, once we were in a natural state, we were supposed to do "what felt right." But, in doing what felt right, Daniel wanted us to feel free to "do something nasty" or to "really explore" our "wildest fantasies, kinks, and desires." So, in short I was playing to role of some sort of kinky lesbian slut with this woman who I barely knew. 

Beth and I were standing on either side of the room, both of us now barefoot but otherwise clothed. Daniel was sitting on the couch, naked now with his hand around his cock, staring at us but trying to be silent. My back was to the fireplace and my ass felt uncomfortably warm. I was looking across the room at Beth, trying to cover up my anxiety. I had agreed to this now, so I wanted to behave professionally. But I was still not sold on doing anything with this girl. Street girls were dangerous (regardless of the money). Without her massive boots on she was slightly shorter than me and this, for some reason, was less daunting. But I also saw now that she was standing the almost otherworldly proportions of her body. The smallness of her feet, the slenderness of her legs, the width of her hips, the narrowness of her waist, the massive roundness of her breasts, the beauty of her face, and the silkiness of her hair. Her sexual allure was downright intimidating. She had an almost blank, but not unintelligent, look on her face that I couldn't place. I guess it was that look that held me back. I guess I didn't even really know how to start.

Luckily, Beth's lack of self-awareness and her extreme naïveté carried the day and she was the one who got things going. She looked over briefly at Daniel and nodded her head once, a bit like a figure skater checking with the judges before starting her routine. Daniel nodded up and down rapidly but made no noise. That, I guess, was enough of a signal. Beth started to walk the distance separating us. For a moment I stood and simply watched her moving towards me, the swaying of her hips and the gentle bouncing of her breasts. Her lips curled up, showing animal desire so pure it could hardly have been an act.

I guess that is what got me moving as well. She looked like she was going to pounce on me and knock me over into the fireplace. I took a few steps towards her now as well. It felt a little silly and unnatural, like one of those old movies where two people who are in love rush towards one another and then crash together in an embrace. But once we started moving towards one another, there was really no other option available.

After just a moment of movement, Beth and I sort of ran into one another. Both because of the roles we were playing and for the shear need to hold onto something to avoid falling over, we wrapped our arms around one another desperately. I felt my breasts press into Beth's massive orbs and I could feel the heat of her skin through my sheer dress. Her face was close to mine and her hot breath smelled like peppermint. 

Before I even had a chance to deal with the concussive force of our collision, I felt Beth's left had slip up my back and rest gently against the back of my neck. Her right hand dropped down and I felt her warm palm pressing against my tight ass. She squeezed it gently and I jumped a little. I heard Beth coo at my jump. When we had grabbed one another, both of Beth's arms had gone low, while mine had gone high. Both of my hands were wrapped around Beth's neck, almost to the elbows. I kept them there, thinking it looked somewhat natural, but loosened my grip slightly as I was sure I had kept my feet. My face was close to Beth's but I hadn't been looking directly at her. In fact, I didn't really register how close she was until I felt her head tilt slightly to the side and press upwards, her lips coming into contact with my own.

That kiss.

Even now, it feels almost impossible to describe what it felt like. In all honesty, I had kissed very few people in my life. Especially after high school. My sexual encounters once I became a callgirl were almost exclusively for pay and therefore I did not kiss. Even on those rare occasions when I had sex for the fun of it (like an accountant doing taxes just for the thrill, I guess), I did not kiss much, it had come to feel unnatural and wrong. But I had kissed a few people over the years. Nothing ever felt quite like this.

Even from a purely physical standpoint, this was completely different. Beth's lips were so unbelievably soft and full that my own lips just sort of melted into them. They were so pillowy and just the slightest bit damp that they seemed to envelop me. But it was more than just the raw physical feeling. There seemed to be a sort of sizzling sensation between our lips that vibrated down throughout my entire body. My eyes closed automatically as the feeling spread and I sensed a sort of warmth emanating out from my lips.

And that was even before I felt Beth's lips slip open slightly and felt her breath against my mouth. Instinctively, my own lips parted slightly. I could feel Beth's tongue skitter across my lips leaving a thin, warm trail of saliva. I should have recoiled at this thought (knowing where a streetwalker's mouth had likely been), but it felt so soft, warm, and rough against my lips that all I could do was open my mouth a little wider to moan. The moan came out sounding almost wanton and it sounded like it was coming from someone else. Like it was coming from a whore.

I didn't have time to consider this fact, or the fact that it was likely the first time I had ever made that noise without intending to impress a John. That was because Beth had sensed the opening of my mouth and she moved to exploit it. Once more she slipped her tongue across my lips, this time my upper lip. But as she did so, she slipped her tongue in deeper. My mouth, already opening to moan, gave way further, inviting her in. I felt her warm tongue press against my teeth and then pour past them. Her wet, warm tongue splashed against my own, seeming to fill my entire mouth with a crackling, velvety smoothness. I pushed back at her with my own tongue, feeling them roll together. I heard her moan now and her tongue began to move more quickly inside of my mouth. Beth's tongue dipped into my mouth more forcefully and it seemed to be everywhere at once, running over my teeth and my gums, my cheeks, and pushing back towards the back of my throat. I kept my tongue moving around inside of my mouth, trying to taste every inch of her and sucking down her peppermint-flavored saliva. The warm, sizzling sensation in my mouth only grew more intense.

But, while that strange feeling was centered in my mouth as Beth kissed me with wanton abandon, it was not limited there. I could feel the power of Beth's kiss all over my body. And I guess it was not just her kiss. I breathed in deeply from my nose and I could smell her scent, a rosy aroma with a hint of animal lust directly underneath. I could feel her hand on the back of my neck, squeezing just the right amount of pressure, her soft skin feeling silky against my own. Her other hand was gripping my ass tightly, I could feel her small fingers sinking in my toned flesh. 




Redemption's Kiss



In fact, our tongues together in my mouth seemed to be just the most obvious place where our bodies had fused together. But in nearly every way we were connected. I could feel my toes pressing against hers, our thighs rubbed together and our hips were locked as one. I could feel her bellybutton ring pressing into my stomach. Our breasts were pushed tightly together and I could my nipples, growing hard from the intensity of the sensation, rubbing against hers. The sensation from that grew more and more intense the longer that we kissed. 

For a long while, I was simply too overcome by the force, the enormity, of what I was feeling to do anything but simply fall into it and accept it. I felt my body tightening against Beth's, making every gap between our bodies shrink as my arms wrapped more tightly around her neck and her arms pulled me tighter. I felt my breasts ache and my body tremble as I felt the friction of Beth's hard nipples against my own. The smell of Beth's body and the taste of her saliva overwhelmed my senses. And upholding the whole edifice of my pleasure was Beth's lovely, warm tongue as it continued to gently, but forcefully, lap inside of my mouth, tasting me and sometimes nearly lovingly choking me with its insistence. Our heads rocked side to side, both of us trying to gain a better angle so that we could feel more of the incredible sensation. The room was filled with the slurping sounds of our tongues and the high pitched gasps of our moans.

I could have stayed that way forever. I would have happily wasted away from thirst or hunger to simply continue feeling the beauty of that kiss. In many ways it was like my first kiss, that electrical feeling that people remember wistfully for the rest of their lives. I had no experience within which to compare it. But, as suddenly as she had started, I suddenly felt Beth's tongue slip from my mouth, pulling between my teeth and lips. I felt her face pull away from mine and my eyes fluttered open. I could see Beth's beautiful face smiling beatifically at me. Her lips, like mine, glistened with saliva. I felt her begin to pull back slightly. For a moment, I tried to hold her close to me, to feel her heart beat against my chest for a moment longer.  

But then, as her body began to move away from mine and the taste of tongue began to cool in my mouth, it felt a little bit like a spell had been broken. Not entirely, of course, I was still feeling the after-effects of Beth's overwhelming sexual energy. My knees felt weak and I was nearly panting, like I had not breathed in a long while. My nipples were straining against my dress and I could tell there was a certain slickness between my legs that was impossible to fake. I looked at her a bit in wonder as she pulled away from me. But the sensation was already fading and the question foremost in my mind was not "what did she do to me," but instead? "how did she do it?"

I dropped my hands (which were still sort of up in the air awkwardly) down to my sides. As they fell against my hips, I felt the short sleeves of my dress slip down slightly on my shoulders. I looked down at my dress and saw that it looked baggy and strange. It was only then that I realized that, while we had kissed, Beth had used her hands to unzip me. The long zipper was undone, all the way down to the top of my ass. I had been completely absorbed by the feel of Beth's body, but apparently she had the wherewithal to keep up with the act. 

For a moment, I shook my head a bit, trying to control myself. The sensation of Beth's kiss faded deeper into the past and I remembered who I was and what I was doing. I decided to get back to business and earn my money. I looked back at Beth in her streetwalker clothes and I regretted not untying the knot that held her halter-top together in the back. There was no time to worry about that now. I reached my right hand up to my left shoulder and seductively rolled my sleeve down below my elbow, slipping my hand out of it. Without skipping a beat that freed left hand reached to my right should and I repeated my action. The top of my dress now flopped forward off of me, exposing my breasts to the warm air of the living room.

I never, ever wore a bra when I was on a job. I considered it a point of pride that my breasts, despite their above-average size and my advancing age (for a callgirl), sat up high on my chest. They were two of my favorite features, the kind of thing that kept customers coming back. I looked down at them now and saw the milky white, sloping curved tops ramping up to my large, pink areola and long nipples. I knew that the underside of my breast was a perfectly round shape and that each breast had a perfect teardrop silhouette. Women paid a lot of money to get fake breasts that looked exactly like mine.

The dress was so loose now from being unzipped that it sort of slipped off my wide hips and down around my knees. I took a step and just walked right out of the dress. Now I was wearing nothing but my panties. I had worn ones that Daniel had once bought me as a gift, a pair of tight black bikini cuts with frilly white lace (I knew he liked them). Beth looked at me hungrily and bit her lower lip. She reached out her index finger and hooked it towards her in the universal symbol of "get over here now." 

I had sufficiently mastered my emotions that I knew what I was doing again, and what I was trying to do. I started to strut across the room towards Beth. I pretended like I wasn't' thinking of Daniel (though I really hadn't been while we were kissing). I essentially marched, my feet landing forcefully on the floor, causing my breasts to jiggle proudly when I walked. Beth kept her eyes on me as I moved closer to her. I could see the glistening skin on her lips now and I felt my heart ratchet up a few beats per minute. I knew that if I kissed her again, I might slip back into whatever trance I had been in, so I resolved not to do that. I needed to keep the show going.

I marched the remaining distance between us, stopping when I was just three feet or so from Beth. Her hands were on her hips and her head was tilted to the side. Her long, messy blonde hair hung down over her shoulder and covered the top of one of her breasts. I admitted to myself then that there were definitely worse people that I could have been forced to do this with. She might have seemed like a non-entity at first, but she was beautiful and she clearly had some sort of sexual gift. This kiss alone had shown that.

Beth closed her eyes and it was clear she believed I was going in for another kiss. I desperately wanted to do something, anything else. I let my eyes wander over Beth's body, taking in her curves and the smooth softness of her skin. After a brief moment I smiled to myself and realized I knew exactly what I wanted to do. 

I took another half step forward and started to bend forward. If Beth's eyes had been open she definitely would have believed I was going in for a kiss. But, at the last moment, I dropped my head farther, tilting it towards the side. I had notice, in allowing my eyes to flit over Beth's taut breasts, that her shirt (if it could really be called that) was incredibly short and incredibly tight. I could still see her nipples poking through the sheer fabric and it was clear that she wasn't wearing a bra. Like me (and most 18-year-olds I suppose), Beth's tits defied gravity. They sat up high and perky on her chest, her nipples pointing slightly upward and slightly outward. I knew that they were holding her shirt up. I also knew that the shirt was far too short to actually wrap all the way under her breasts (she'd been out in the cold in this?). As I dropped my head down, I saw exactly what I had expected to see; the soft round curves of the undersides of Beth's breasts. Her shirt just sort of wrapped around the front of her breasts, the underside was exposed.

Now that my guess was confirmed, I jumped into action. I leaned forward slightly, opened my mouth, and raised my head. My left hand quickly found its way around Beth's back, my fingers tickling at her bare spine below the bottom hem of her shirt. At the same instant, my open mouth pressed firmly against the delicious curve on the underside of Beth's right breast. I felt heat of her body and could once again smell her alluring fragrance. My nose sank into her soft flesh and her breast sort of dropped into my mouth. My tongue moved around the bare flesh and I could feel the velvety sensation of her skin and taste her salty-sweet flavor. At that same instant, my right hand had raised up and come down gently onto Beth's left breast. My hand wrapped around the fabric of her thin shirt but I could feel the satisfying, surprising weight of her natural breasts against my fingers and I could feel her hardened nipple pressing into my palm.

Beth let out a surprised groan and I looked up, trying to see around Beth's ample breasts. I felt her body bend slightly and knew she was looking down at me. I smiled at the fact that I had apparently gotten the jump on her and I decided to keep going. I began to suck in gently, pulling more and more of Beth's breast into my mouth. Her skin felt hot and I could feel the blood pumping rapidly beneath it. She felt so smooth under my tongue. I began to move my lips around on the underside of her breast, trying to taste more and more of her salty skin. Meanwhile, my right hand stayed close on Beth's breast and I began to knead it just slightly, letting my fingers dance across her. At the same time, I rotated my palm ever so slightly, not applying too much pressure. The very tip of Beth's nipple circled on my palm, giving her just the barest hint of contact. I could feel Beth's body squirming slightly and she let out a slight moan.

If there was any doubt about Beth's enjoyment of my actions, she quickly dispelled them. I still had my eyes open and I could see and feel Beth's hands begin to move. I kept my mouth and my hands on Beth's body and I continued to breathe in her delectable smell, but I paid attention to what she was doing. Beth reached behind her back and briefly fiddled with something a little below her shoulder blades. She sighed slightly both in pleasure and frustration and fiddled a little longer. Finally she moaned slightly in satisfaction. I felt the fabric of her shirt (really just a long strip of material) fall loosely against my face and hand. Beth didn't hesitate for a moment. Soon her hands were back out in front of her body and she pulled on the fabric. I felt it slide across my face and out from under my hand. I could feel it rubbing against Beth's left nipple as pulled it away. Finally, she tossed it to the side on the floor. Beth was now topless.

Beth's breasts were exquisite. There is really no other word to describe them. As I said, I am very proud of my breasts and more than a little vain about them. But Beth's were another half-notch above mine. I can't really say why. They were the same teardrop shaped as my breasts and they were only a small bit larger than mine. It was something else. Maybe it was her nipples. Like mine, they were pink. Hers were slightly smaller and a little brighter in color. They were a little shorter as well. They were so perfectly symmetrical. Her breasts in general were symmetrical. They just sat so perfectly on her chest. I should know, I was right there. I knew Daniel was looking at them too, I could sense his eyes on her. But he was starting to fade into the background. It was hard to explain.

As I said, I was particularly enamored with her nipples, the perfection of them. I decided to focus there. I kept my right hand against Beth's breast, now feeling the actual skin against my fingers and the hard, warm nub of her bare nipple against my palm. I kept my lips pressed hard against Beth's breast, maintaining the vacuum. But I kept moving my lips, sliding them up from the underside of Beth's breast. After a moment, I felt the slight change in texture as my lips passed over the edge of Beth's areola. I could feel the hard nub of her breast as it began to press against my top lip. I kept sucking and pulling, feeling the tension rise in Beth's skin. Suddenly, Beth's nipple popped into my mouth, essentially all in one motion. I moved my neck slightly so I was facing directly towards Beth's chest with my head up. Her nipple remained in my mouth.

I groaned as I came to terms with the fact that I was sucking on Beth's nipple. I couldn't believe how lovely it felt. I had just known that it would look good, going after her body in this way, and it would keep me from kissing her. But as I felt the hard nub of flesh slip between my teeth, any thoughts of Daniel were extremely distant. I moved my tongue up to the front of my mouth and slipped it across the inside of my teeth. As my tongue moved across the center of my mouth it flittered across Beth's hard nipple. It tasted sweeter than the rest of her breasts and the firm texture was particularly pleasant. I sucked harder, pulling more of Beth's nipple into my mouth. Now it was resting on my tongue, the skin stretching taut. I flicked my tongue against it, feeling it bounce and vibrate. Beth moaned and her back arched. This caused her breasts to thrust harder into me. I welcomed it, taking still more of Beth's tit into my mouth. At the same time, her breast pressed hard against the flat of my palm, the nipple feeling like a hard bullet in the center. I squeezed her breast more forcefully now, luxuriating in the feeling of her flesh as I explored its seemingly limitless depths.

We likely stayed in that position for quite a long time, it was hard to reckon. I just kept sucking and flicking at her nipple and kneading and massaging her breast. She moaned and her body shook against me. But despite the pleasure I felt and the distance I seemed to have from the task at hand, I guess a part of me, a deep professional part of me, knew that there was still more to do. My mind and my body was focused on the smell of Beth's body, the feel of her breast, the taste of her nipple, and the sound of her moans, but an unconscious part of me was focus somewhere else. 

This part of me controlled my left hand, which was still wrapped around Beth's back. It snaked down slightly, finding the waistline of her skirt. After a moment it reached the small of Beth's back. It tickled her momentarily and then dropped down, finding the zipper on the skirt. In a moment, my hand began to zip down. The skirt was made of a gaudy latex material and the zipper went all the way to the bottom. In one quick motion, I had the zipper all the way down and unlatched. Like her shirt before it, Beth's skirt had become a ribbon of fabric. As I let go of the zipper there was nothing holding the skirt in place and it crashed down into a heap on the floor. Beth cooed in surprise and I could see her hands rise above her head to play seductively in her hair.

I could have stayed sucking and playing with Beth's nipples for a good while longer. But I knew that I had keep the show going. Plus, if I am being honest now, I wanted to see what Beth's body looked like without her skirt on. Slowly (and reluctantly) I moved my hand from Beth's breast. At the same time, my mouth slipped off of Beth's nipple, making a loud popping sound as the suction broke. I looked at Beth's perfect pink nipple and smiled as I saw the reddened skin and glistening saliva. 

I stood up straight now and took a step or so backwards. Beth was still standing with her hands at her sides, her back arched slightly. Her breasts were pointing out proudly and her stomach looked flat and toned. But my eyes were now drawn to a different location. Now with the skirt gone, Beth was essentially naked. Her fishnet stockings were thigh-highs and the tops of them had just barely been tucked under the hemline of her tiny skirt. They stopped several inches below her waist. Beth did not wear a stitch of clothing above those stockings. Despite the cold, she had not been wearing any panties.

Beth's legs were spread apart slightly and, at my close distance, her pussy was easily seen. It was a very pretty little pussy, maybe the most perfect I had ever seen. Beth was shaved completely bare (as was the style at the time for all working girls). The skin around her pussy perfectly matched the creamy white color of the rest of her skin. She seemed to be completely without blemishes of any kind. The outer lips of her pussy were quite puffy and her inner lips were a tight line of pink flesh the same color as her nipples. I could see her hard clit sitting up high on the top of her pussy and I could see all of her skin glistening with excitement. Beth was a perfect vision of feminine charm and desire.

Now that there was some distance between us (physically at least), I tried to gain my bearings. I thought (briefly) about Daniel and what he would like to see from here. But I spent a little more time talking myself into believing that I was not really feeling the things I was feeling as I looked at Beth's nude body. I wasn't really filled with desire and I didn't find her body beautiful in anything but a strictly professional sense. I told myself that nothing had been scrambled in my brain by Beth's transcendent kiss. I told myself that I was simply doing a marvelous job of acting, earning my money. I chose consciously to believe it. But part of me knew that something was rumbling under the surface, something I did not understand.

Regardless, I couldn't simply stand there staring at Beth's cute pussy all night. Whatever the real reason, I needed to keep going. But Beth evidentially felt the same way and, once again, she made the first move. She took a step towards me and the distance between us shrank. Our nipples were only a few inches apart and she was looking directly into my eyes. For a brief moment, Beth paused.

Then, in an incredibly quick and dexterous movement, she sort of pounced at me. But it wasn't some wild jump. Every action she took had a precise purpose and desired effect. I, of course, couldn't tell that at the time, but I felt all of the pieces fall into place. First she draped her right arm loosely over my shoulder while her left arm snaked between my arm and the side of my body. I felt her forearm just barely brush against the side of my breast as both of her hands emerged on the backside of my body. Her arms locked together loosely, holding me in a tight hug. I prepared for another staggering kiss, but Beth had another idea. She nuzzled her nose in against the right side of my chin. Instinctively, I titled my head to the side to make room, leaning it against Beth's thin forearm draped over my shoulder. This exposed my neck and Beth turned her head quickly, finding it. I could feel Beth's warm mouth press against the sensitive flesh of my neck. I could feel her kissing it gently, moving up and down the length of it. Sometimes, she would open her mouth, letting he tongue dart out slightly, tasting my salty skin and giving me chills. I moaned slightly at that sensation. Though it could have been other sensations as well, Beth was not solely focused on my neck.

I felt our bodies press together once again. But this time, there was no fabric to block the connection, save for my panties and Beth's stockings. I felt our breasts pressed together and I could feel my hard nipples sink into Beth's hot flesh. At the same time, I could feel her nipples against me, warm and hard, almost seeming to penetrate me. I could feel the soft skin of her belly against mine, the ring digging into my soft skin. More importantly, I could feel Beth's warm, soft pussy rubbing against my thigh. Beth's pussy lips were ever so slightly damp and the velvety, wet kiss of her puffy lips on my thigh made my leg tingle all over. For a moment, I was too overwhelmed by the feeling of Beth's pussy on me to wonder how it had gotten there. Then I felt a strange sensation. I felt a cool, smooth muscle run down the back of my right thigh and calf. I knew what it was, Beth's leg, snaking around the back of my own. I felt her foot land on the floor behind my own. She was essentially wrapped around my leg.




Redemption's Kiss



Her weight was mostly on me now and I felt a little trouble staying on my feet. I guess that is what Beth had in mind. While still sucking gently on my neck and while our bodies were laced tightly together, Beth took a deep step between my legs with her free, right leg. The action caused her to crouch slightly and I felt her nipples slip down my breasts. I also felt her weight start to pull me down. With her leg wrapped around my own, I couldn't take a step back to catch my balance. Instead, my moan turned into a surprised yelp and I began to trip backwards. 

I felt Beth's right hand slip up my shoulder and gently cradle my neck. Her left hand wrapped around my waist and she held me close. I still fell backwards, but I could feel Beth's small arms holding me up. I bent my knees slightly as I started to fall, allowing Beth to catch me. I arched my back slightly and then sat gently on my butt. I could feel Beth's leg unlace from mine. In a few moments (and without much of an impact) we ended up on the floor. I was lying on my back. Beth was still on top of me, our breasts now pressed together by the weight of her body on top of me. I could still feel her pussy kissing my leg, more forcefully than before. Her lips were still on my neck and I was moaning softly. Her arms were no longer behind my back. Her right arm was resting against my shoulder, her left hand was planted on the floor next to my breast and I could feel her forearm rubbing against it.

We lay together in that way for a few moments and I could feel my body reacting to Beth's embrace. I felt my cheeks flush and my back go limp as Beth's lips and tongue moved up and down my neck. I felt my nipples growing harder as the pressure of Beth's warm, soft body on top of me increased. My leg tingled as Beth's puffy pussy lips kissed me without ceasing. I could feel my own pussy, though the fabric of my panties, pressing deliciously against Beth's thigh. Our legs were entwined together and I could feel her silky skin against mine.

I am not sure how long I simply allowed Beth to keep kissing my neck. When she started doing something different, it was so deliciously subtle that I didn't even notice right away. I was simply enjoying the sensation of being touched. And that is no lie. I was really enjoying the feeling. I didn't even bother to tell myself that I was just putting on an act at that point. I wasn't even really thinking about that. I guess I was just existing in that moment and enjoying the girl's expert attention. Why I was doing it or whether anyone else was in the room really didn't matter. I had not expected that reaction when I got started and I lacked the wherewithal to understand the implications of it now.

Eventually, I did recognize that Beth was doing something slightly different. I am not sure what I noticed first, the slight movement of her arm against the aching side of my breast, the feeling of her hard nipples slowly trailing down the underside of my breasts, or the feeling of her lips moving lower and lower down my neck until they were gently sucking on my clavicle. Whatever it was, I began to realize that Beth had begun kissing her way down my body. I moaned more loudly when I thought about it and I felt Beth begin to move a little more quickly.

I felt Beth's soft, supple lips kiss my clavicle, the top of my breast, and my breastbone as she slowly began to move her lips down my body. As she pulled herself back, I felt her long, sweet-smelling hair drape over my shoulders and tickle the skin of my breasts. Beth's breasts continued to slide down my own, increasing the friction on my aching nipples. Eventually, her breasts slipped off of mine and I could feel her warm, soft globes against my belly. At the same time, I could feel Beth's warm, puffy pussy slipping down my thigh. I gasped as her thigh moved out from between my legs and the beautiful friction on my pussy dissipated. 

But soon my attention returned to Beth's lips. She was moving slightly faster now and I could feel her face moving down, down, between my breasts. I could feel her smooth cheeks as they actually brushed the sides of my breasts. When her lips sat on a line directly between my nipples, she suddenly stopped kissing her way down my body. Instead, she started to kiss (and lick) gently to one side, to the right side of my body. I felt her long hair trail teasingly over my skin as I felt her lips begin to kiss along the gentle slope of my breast. She pressed deeply, letting her face and her tongue sink into my flesh with each passionate kiss. After a short time and a number of soft kisses, I felt her cheek brush against my hardened nipple. I moaned and rolled my head on the floor. 

Beth's mouth opened wider and her tongue splayed out wet and thick on my breast. She moved her head that last inch over and I felt her rough, soft tongue splay across my desperate nipple. I sucked in air quickly and I felt all of my muscles tighten. I couldn't believe how much sensation her lick shot through my body. My toes tingled and the hair on the top of my head stood on end. Beth's tongue swirled around my nipple a few more times and then her mouth closed around it. I gasped as I felt Beth begin to suck gently on my nipple, pulling it deep into her mouth and flicking it with her tongue.

There is really no way for me to know if Beth was simply trying to distract me by sucking on my nipple, but that was the result. I didn't realize that her fingers hand slipped into my panties, that my ass had risen up off the floor, and that Beth was carefully sliding my panties down my legs until they were well below my knees. In another brief second the wet clothing was slipped off of my toe and tossed onto the floor. My legs spread a little farther apart and I felt a desperate need someone or something to touch my exposed pussy.

Almost as soon as Beth had gotten the panties off of my body, she gave one last quick flick with her tongue and I felt the vacuum break on my nipple. I sighed and my body rocked involuntarily. But Beth was already on the move. She kissed my nipple once more, making me shudder. Then she once again began to trail her lips down my body. She left an unbroken chain of kisses down along the underside of my breast, across my stomach to my bellybutton and then down, slowly, between my legs.

I am not sure how long it took for her to make this journey, but it felt like hours. Every place her lips touched felt like fire after she left. Her long hair trailed across my skin, tickling me gently and soothing the flame of her kisses. Her pussy kept rubbing down my leg and I felt her tremble as it brushed across my knee. I felt her arms slide along my hips and I could feel her breasts on the top of my thigh.

But the sensations against my skin were no longer what held my attention. I was leaning forward slightly, looking down between my breasts. My eyes were wide and I was staring intently at the top of Beth's head. I could see the gentle curves of her body, the swell of her ass, her lithe legs. But I was focused on her head. My heart was thrumming in my chest, my palms felt damp, and my muscles were tight. I could not think of anything else except for staying focused on Beth's body. I knew that it was about to happen soon but the anticipation was too great. If her mere kiss had taken my breath away, what would happen now?

Now, I suppose, would be the time to note that this was not, despite my protests to Daniel, the first time I had been asked to perform a live lesbian show for a John. I had done it twice before with a callgirl I knew back when I first got started. She had kind of showed me the ropes so I had felt obligated to help. So whatever pull that Beth had went beyond the fact that she was a woman. I was not experiencing a woman's sexuality for the first time, it was something more than that. Despite my history and Beth's physical appeal, I was a bit nervous as I watched her moving now. It was an unwritten rule amongst callgirls that if a John demanded a lesbian show, that you simply fake it. You go into a dark room, you put your head between a girl's legs and everyone pretends. It was a way of putting one over on a dumb John, money for nothing. For a while I had been afraid that Beth wasn't aware of that fact. But sometime during the festivities my mind slowly began to change on that subject. Now, I was afraid she would fake it. I didn't even realize the change had occurred until I could feel my body begging for more.

I felt her lips press against the skin a few inches directly below my bellybutton. Like Beth, my pussy was shaved completely bare and I knew her mouth was on the smooth skin just above my aching clit. I told myself that I hoped she just pretended, but I knew that I didn't. I could feel Beth's hot breath against me. I groaned as the warm air buffeted my sensitive skin. The wave of that breath seemed to wash up over my skin and between my breasts. In a moment, I could smell her peppermint aroma mixed with the familiar scent of my own pussy, musky and earthy. The combination of scents worked surprisingly well together and I groaned as my nipples, impossibly, grew harder at the sensation.

But there was barely time to savor the sensation. I saw Beth's head move side to side briefly and I saw her shoulder drop slightly. Without further warning I felt it. Beth's pouty, wet lips had come in contact with my pussy. My muscles tightened further and I heard myself groan. She had placed just the gentlest contact on the dripping center of my slit, her nose just fractions of an inch from my clit. Her lips sunk into my softly and I could feel them, pillowy and sweet, caressing my over-stimulated skin. She kept the kiss there for a moment, then briefly moved her lips away from me. I sighed in disappointment. But before I could even absorb the desperate need for more, I felt her lips once again press into my lips, a little farther down this time. 

Beth continued in this manner patiently, slowly dropping kisses down the length of my pussy, never pressing hard. Her lips were now very damp with my arousal and they lubricated her kisses, making them feel more forceful even when they were not. The smell of Beth's peppermint breath faded and was soon overwhelmed by the scent of my pussy which seemed to fill the entire room, wrapping us together in a sensual embrace. Eventually, she reached the bottom of my pussy. 

To my joy and frustration, Beth began the slow ascent back up my pussy lips. But as she moved now, she was slightly more forceful, letting her lips sink more deeply into me. Occasionally, her tongue would dart out of her mouth, giving just the slightly penetration to her kiss. Despite the increased intensity, she didn't move any faster. She eked her way up my pussy, causing my body to shake and my breath to stop. When she reached the mid-point of my aching slit, she kept moving, bringing her lips closer and closer to my desperate clit.

With the top of her lip just barely avoiding contact with my clit, Beth suddenly stopped. She kept her lips planted against my slit. I saw her eyes flash open and they actually looked up at me from between my legs. Beth's eyes glittered and I could not tell if they looked aroused or feverish. Maybe both. We locked eyes for a long time, my body trembling, my muscles taut under Beth's body. Finally, she seemed satisfied that I was absolutely desperate. She moved her lips back away from my body and started to move her head forward again as though she was going to plant another delicate kiss, only this time on my clit. But just before her lips touched me, they split open. Her warm, writhing tongue dropped heavily out of her mouth and splashed with full force against my clit. Her tongue wrapped over my clit instantly in a thick, soft mass and drenched it in her peppermint saliva. 

I gasped, but my body was too overwhelmed by the sudden sensation to fully understand it. I knew that the tension had suddenly ratcheted up a couple of hundred percent and I knew that I needed something to release the pressure. I began to move one of my hands up to my aching breasts, hoping to pull and pinch at my nipples. But Beth seemed to understand what I needed even before I could think of it. Before my hand had a chance to land down on top of my breast, I felt Beth's fingers slip underneath of mine. I felt her soft, delicate palm glide across my breast and I felt her fingers wrap around me, digging into my throbbing flesh. In moments, she was undulating her hand expertly, kneading the relieved flesh of my breast with her fingers and gently teasing my tight nipple with her palm. 

There was no time to savor this feeling because, at nearly the same moment, the full effect of Beth's tongue on my clit came into focus. This was no act, she was really doing it. Her tongue swirled around on me loosely and it made my toes curl and my eyes slam shut. Strings of sensation burst out from my clit and spread all over my body. It was not, yet, an orgasm, but it was a kind of nervous release I had very rarely experienced. I sighed deeply as my fingers tingled and my bones turned to jelly.

My eyes opened after I came to terms with what I was feelings. I looked down and saw Beth's hand grasping my breasts, somehow firm and gentle at the same time. I watched her fingers roll and I could feel my nipple being lightly teased. My eyes followed the length of her arm down to her shoulder. I could see her long blond hair draped over them. Then I noticed Beth's eyes, looking directly up at me from between my legs. My little red slit was spread open and Beth's warm, fat tongue was splashed across it. I could see my hard clit resting on Beth's tongue like a pink pearl. She rotated her tongue slightly, sending shooting sensations throughout my body. Her lips closed around my clit and I felt it bathed her tongue and her spit. I could feel my pussy wet and aching as it vibrated to her moans.

We stayed there in that position on the floor for some time. Beth kept kneading my breast and licking at my clit with concentrated attention. I don't know how she did it, but she managed to push me further and further into delirium, my pussy essentially dripping onto her chin, but she always managed to back off before I could manage to cum. The sensation was simultaneous invigorating and maddening. My body flailed wildly on the floor and I could hear my voice moaning but it didn't even really sound like me.

After some interminable but ephemeral time, I could feel Beth start to change her position. I didn't mind because she kept her lips pressed between my legs, her tongue continued to swirl around on my pussy, languidly stroking me. But her hands and her body were moving. First I felt her free hand move down towards my thigh, her fingers sinking into my flesh. At the same time, I felt her body shuffle off of my other leg, her pussy slipping off of my shin, leaving a wet warmth behind her that I desperately missed. She put her knees together and between my legs, spreading my legs farther apart. Finally, her hand began to slip from my breasts. She kept her finger pressed tightly against my nipple as she slowly dragged her palm down my body. Finally, the last bit of tension holding my nipple under her fingertip snapped and my nipple jerked free, aching as it bounced on my chest. Beth's fingers were still pressing into the underside of my breast, but her hand was moving faster now. Soon her palm was gliding along my stomach and my hip. Finally, it found a spot that mirrored her hand the other side of my body.

Beth was still sucking on my clit, her tongue occasionally slipping out to run along, or even plunge briefly into, my desperate slit. She was sort of humming while she worked, the vibrations rocketing around my body as she did so. But her body was not staying still. Even as she was pleasuring my clit, she was pushing back with her hands, sinking her fingers into my thighs. 

At first, she just spread my legs wider and wider. The wood floor had a good deal of friction and the skin of my back didn't slide. Instead, I stayed in place as my legs moved farther and farther back. I spent hours every week in yoga (like I said, I am a professional, I knew some guys would want a limber girl). Eventually, my legs were in a wide split and they wouldn't go back any further. But Beth kept the pressure on. A felt a slight pinch from her efforts and I tried to lift my ass slightly up off of the floor. Beth kept pushing and now my hips sort of rolled back, my split loosened slightly. Now, Beth lifted slightly on my thighs. To release the pressure on my legs, I let her roll me back slightly. My knees pushed up and back against my chest and my ass sort of rolled up, so that it was off the floor. My legs bent slightly now. I felt Beth's hands suddenly reaching up and grabbing my arms. She pulled my hands down and set my elbows back behind my knees, pushing my feet down towards the ground (like I said, very limber). Sensing what she wanted, I wrapped my arms back around my legs. Now I was sort of locked in with my back arched, my legs locked back, and my head looking down at my pussy and my ass sticking up in the air. I was a human pretzel.

The whole time she was pushing and maneuvering my legs, Beth had kept her tongue on my pussy. But now, that my legs were folded back and held in place by my arms, she started to change what she was doing. Not all at once mind you, but slowly and carefully. She sucked once more on my clit and then slowly started to trail her tongue down the length of my pussy. She made her tongue rigid and let it sink as deep as it would into my slit. I groaned and writhed on the floor. Eventually, Beth's tongue reached the bottom of my pussy and it slipped easily out of my slit. 

I don't know what I was expecting next, but I know I didn't anticipate what happened. Rather than stop, Beth continued to lick her way down my body. I felt the warm, tickling feeling of the hard tip of tongue as it slinked slowly along the small patch of flesh that separated my pussy from my asshole. The smell of my pussy, now slightly closer to my face, was overwhelming now. I took a deep breath, not really believing she was going to do what it looked like she was going to do.

"Oh yeah!" I heard a voice from my side say. I kept my eyes locked on Beth's eyes as she continued to lick so very slowly down, wiggling her tongue suggestively. While I was focused on her, I was trying to figure out where the male voice had come from. It was only then I remembered that Daniel was watching this. That the point of this little endeavor was to earn my money from him. I knew (and Beth seemed to know or intuit at least) that Daniel was very interested in ass play. Hell, half the reason he hired me was because I allowed him (with proper lubrication, protection, and a good deal of extra cash) to do "that thing I like," on occasion. I usually didn't really care for anything like that, but I would do what he paid for. And Beth was apparently giving him his money's worth now. But, somehow, it felt different to me. I don't know if I would say I wanted it or I was waiting for it. But now that Beth was teasing that area of my body and I could feel all of the tightened nerves that were located right there firing, I felt that I needed relief. I'd never felt that before. But I rocked on my back, pushing my pussy and my asshole up into the air. 

Beth was not one to be rushed. She kept moving at her own pace. Luckily, there was very little distance between the bottom of my pussy and the top of my crinkled, pink asshole. I finally let out the breath I had been holding in as Beth's pretty, pink tongue slipped across it. I felt my right nipple press more firmly into the side of my right arm and I knew that my body was reacting to Beth's tongue on my asshole. She made her tongue thick and soft and lapped at the ridged skin. The warm, caressing feeling spread to ever muscles in my body, my brain melting at the feeling.




Redemption's Kiss



But Beth didn't waste a lot of time now. She knew what she wanted and she pulled her tongue back into her mouth. Before I had time to protest, she pressed her lips in a tight ring around my asshole, actually sucking in a little and made a vacuum. I could feel the pressure as it pulled up on my anus. Once she'd secured the little ring, I felt her tongue makes it's way back out of her mouth, pressing into the sensitive skin of my asshole. I felt her tongue probing and lapping around the ridges of my asshole. Sometimes, I felt her tongue grow rigid and actually push, almost an inch, into my asshole. She twisted her tongue inside of me, the walls of my insides vibrating with pleasure as she hummed. 

It was only after several minutes of lovingly sucking on my asshole that Beth added the final dimension to my pleasure. With my elbows locked in behind my knees, Beth didn't need to hold me in place. In fact, her hands were resting gently on my ass cheeks, her warm palms kneading my skin. But now she moved her right hand up, slipping it up against the bottom of my left thigh. Finally, she dropped her hand down. My eyes followed her fingers as they dropped down onto my aching, erect clit. I groaned loudly and my whole body turned to jelly. Either the movement of Beth's tongue or her gentle fingers carefully massaging my clit would have been enough alone to drive me crazy, but the two together made my mind go totally blank. I just heard squeals coming from my throat and felt my body trembling as she moved.

Sometime, several minutes into the combined feeling of Beth's tongue poking into my asshole and her fingers swirling on my clit, I took a gasping breath and, without intending to say anything, moaned out, "Oh shit, I'm going to fucking cum!" I rarely talked during sex and never with a John unless he asked. It was not something I was very good at faking. But this had come naturally, I had wanted to say it. I hadn't been lying either. I could feel an orgasm building. It was just seconds away.

Unfortunately, it seemed that my words had acted as some sort of signal to Beth. As soon as the last word dribbled from my lips, I felt a suddenly release of pressure. But not the release I wanted. The tension was still inside of me, but the action pushing me towards the edge had relented. I was just left with frustration. I looked down between my legs. I saw that Beth's fingers had slipped from my pussy. Her mouth had detached from my asshole, her cheeks glistening with my pussy and her own saliva. She was smiling devilishly, but she wasn't even touching me anymore. She sat up quickly on her knees (her breasts bouncing as she rose), she brushed her beautiful hair out of her eyes, and then giggled. 

Then she spun around quickly, dropped down on her hands and knees, and crawled two feet away from me. Her large round ass was in the air, pointing back at me and I could see the pink lips of her pussy and the little red nub of her asshole. I could see her large breasts hanging down under her body, her nipples pointing down but away from me toward her head. Beth turned and looked over her shoulder, her hair once again draping over her eyes.

"My turn," was all she said. I was still gasping for breath from the sensation of Beth playing with my body. It took me a moment to figure out what happened and what she was asking for. I felt the orgasm that had been so close to the surface that it was about to crest start to recede slightly below the surface. I was, in all honesty, a little bit annoyed by this sudden turn of events. But I was still unbearably horny and Beth's body looked particularly enticing just a few feet away. I shook off my frustration, unlocked my body from the pretzel shape I was still curled into, and then rolled up onto my knees towards Beth. 

It was difficult to maintain my composure, I essentially wanted scramble over towards her as fast as possible, but I managed to make my crawl look sexy. Eventually, I made it over towards Beth. I saw that she was still looking at me and her eyes looked particularly enticing. Now that I was closer, I could see the puffy lips of her pussy glistening from her wetness and I saw goosebumps all over her skin. As I drew up on my knees between her calves, I could smell her pussy. It was a thicker scent than my own, I could almost taste it on my tongue as I breathed. It was a delicious smell and a powerful taste and I felt my mouth watering.

But, as I looked down at Beth's body, I realized that I needed to taste something else. I leaned forward slightly, placing my hands on Beth's firm ass. I pressed down slightly and I watched as her ass cheeks split easily apart. Her little red anus looked up at me alluringly. I heard Beth giggle and I looked up at her again. She ran her tongue along her lips and lifted her left hand up to her breast, squeezing at her own nipple devilishly. It was an unmistakable signal that she knew what I was thinking about and that I should go on. I didn't wait any longer, I plunged my head downward.

As I leaned forward I put even more pressure onto Beth's asscheeks, spreading them farther apart. I heard her squeal as it put a bit of pressure on her tight little asshole and I smiled. In a few moments, my face had closed the distance between our bodies. The smell of Beth's pussy was so much more intense now and it made my nipples ache and my head grow weak. 

The first thing I felt was the skin of Beth's asscheeks press against my face. They felt so unbelievably smooth and warm, a silky, summery feeling. In a moment more, I felt my lips press directly into Beth's crinkled anus. I felt her whole body tremble and I heard her coo as the sensation grabbed her. I felt a chill run down my spine as well. I could feel the dense skin of her anus pressing gently against my lips and I could smell the clean scent of her skin and pussy. It was an incredible feeling.

I can honestly say that as a call-girl, it was very rare for me to find something that I had never done before. I have sucked on everything there is to suck and put just about everything you could possible think of inside of me. But, for the first time in ages, I was doing something I had never tried before. As my mouth split open and my tongue slowly slipped between my lips, I was licking someone's asshole for the first time. Personally, the issue had never even come up. Professionally, only two Johns had ever even suggested such a thing. I had a rule that I never say "no" to anything on the job. If there is something I don't want to do I just quote a price so high (and must be paid in advance) that I figure the person will either give it up or I will receive a worthwhile payday for doing it. Neither of the two Johns had been willing to pay $12,000.00 for me to lick their assholes, so I'd never done it. But now I was here with Beth, doing it for no additional charge. I didn't even think about it, it didn't register as something I was doing. I certainly wasn't thinking about the show I was performing. I was moving as though compelled.

The instant my tongue brushed ever so gently against the dense skin of Beth's anus, I dove in full force. My tongue dropped instantly from my mouth in a big, wet slab. I could feel Beth's anus in the middle of my wet tongue and I could taste her smooth, salty skin around the sides. I lapped my tongue up and down Beth's anus, coating it with my thick saliva. I could hear her moan loudly and I could see her body trembling. I moaned as well, sending shivers through Beth's anus and through all the nerves surrounding it. I couldn't believe how much I enjoyed the feeling of her dirty little spot in my mouth.

I breathed in deeply and I could smell the Beth was growing more and more aroused. I kept my tongue soft and fat for one last long, slow lap up the length of her anus. Beth's body shivered, but I felt her muscles loosen and her tension release as she soaked in the feeling. As soon as I felt that change, I made my tongue rigid in my mouth and pushed hard into Beth's body. I heard her groan loudly and her hips felt weak under my hands. She stayed upright and I continue to push my tongue. I felt the dense flesh of her anus split apart and I felt my tongue plunge into the tight, copper-tasting insides of her body. Her asshole seemed to suck me up and I felt my tongue sink deeper and deeper into her. She writhed on the floor under me. I could see her looking back over her shoulder at me and I could tell that she liked the feeling. I slipped my tongue in and out of her several times, keeping my tongue hard and coating her insides with my saliva. Her asshole got more and more relaxed the longer I fucked it.

I don't know if I had been planning something or if the urge suddenly just struck me, but after several minutes of tongue-fucking Beth's willing asshole, I came to a decision. With little in the way of warning and moving with all possible speed, I quickly pulled my head back, letting my wet tongue pull quickly out of Beth's anus. I heard her gasp at the sudden change, but I was already moving. I moved back a step or so from Beth's hips, turned around quickly, and then landed down on my back. I felt my arms rub against Beth's calves as I lay down between Beth's legs. I had perfectly judged the distance and as my head hit the floor I looked up and saw Beth's wet pussy directly above my head. I reached my hands up, finding Beth's ass and pulling her down sharply. In a moment, her legs spread wide from the force, her back arched, and her pussy dropped down. I felt the hot wetness of it pressing against my face.

Beth gasped at the sudden change in position and the feeling of her clitoris rubbing against my nose. I giggled and breathed in deeply. Then I moaned as the full effect of Beth's wonderful scent seemed to overwhelm my nose. I could feel my own clit aching between my legs and I desperately wanted someone, anyone, to bite gently on my nipples. Instead, I opened my mouth once again and I felt Beth's silky, puffy pussy lips against my rough tongue. I heard Beth moaning as I started to slide my tongue up and down her dripping slit. 

Beth's taste was unbelievable. Her juices were very thick, almost like syrup. It was salty and sweet with a slight tangy undercurrent that I couldn't place. It took all of the essences of her delicious scent and then concentrated them in a viscous liquid that dribbled onto my tongue as I continued to lick on Beth's cunt. I made my tongue rigid and, just as I had done in Beth's ass, I pushed my tongue inside of her. Beth screamed loudly and then giggled. I felt her rocking her hips, driving her pussy down hard on my face and pushing my tongue further into her body.

After several minutes of licking on Beth's delicious little slit, I tilted my head back slightly. I felt my head move and soon my lips were wrapped around Beth's hard clit. Beth's muscles went tense as I kissed her sensitive little bead of nerves, letting my tongue skitter out of my mouth and lick at it. After a moment, I sucked in slightly, pulling Beth's clit between my lips and into my mouth. I started to flick it gently with my tongue, rubbing my taste buds all around her smooth, dense flesh. Beth's entire body reacted to every movement of my tongue.

While Beth was distracted by my swirling tongue, I carefully raised my right hand up towards my breasts. I let my palm run across my nipple, making me shiver. But I was not trying to grab my breast, I had bigger things in mind. I slipped my hand up towards my chin. Soon, my fingers were just a few inches from my lips. Beth's pussy was so incredibly wet at this point from my saliva and from her own arousal that I didn't even need to stick my fingers inside of her to get them wet. Instead, I moved my index finger and my middle finger around in the wet opening of Beth's slit, coating it mostly in her juices.

My tongue was still wildly swirling on Beth's clit as I pulled my dripping fingers back away from her pussy. I moved my hand quickly around the swell of Beth's ass and sliding it between her cheeks. I used my thumb and my pinky finger to gently spread her cheeks apart, once again exposing her asshole to the cool room air. I dropped my index finger down between Beth's cheeks. I could feel the dense wetness of Beth's anus against the pad of my damp finger. Beth was still very wet and stretched from my tongue, just as I had hoped (had I hoped? I don't know, it felt after the fact like I'd hoped. But I was totally within the power of my arousal now, acting on instinct rather than thought). 

I pressed the pad of my index finger against Beth's slippery anus and I heard her groan knowingly. I felt her anus relax under my pressure and suddenly the tip of my finger disappeared into the woman's asshole. She gasped, but I kept up the force. I felt more and more of my slick finger pushing into Beth's anus. Both her asshole and my finger were so well-lubricated that there was no friction at all, I just slipped deeper and deeper into her asshole. Her insides were unbelievable tight and seemed squeeze tightly on my finger, even as her insides gave way. When the second knuckle on my index finger slipped inside of her, I moved my middle finger towards her anus too. She was stretched out now and my lubricated middle finger popped easily into Beth's asshole right next to my index finger. Soon, it had got up and I twisted my two fingers together, pressing more deeply inside of her. In just a few minutes, my fingers had slipped all the way inside of Beth's tight, wet asshole and her pillowy insides were massaging my digits.

We stayed in that position for some time. I lay on my back with my head between Beth's outstretched legs. My lips were wrapped tightly around Beth's clit, my tongue flicking it mercilessly. At the same time, my arm was wrapped around Beth's ass and my hand was spreading her cheeks apart. Two of my fingers were pressed deeply into Beth's anus, stretching it farther and farther. I was pushing down hard with my fingers, driving them more deeply into Beth's asshole and, incidentally, pushing her pussy deeper into my mouth. Beth was trembling on her hands and knees, or I suppose hand and knees. Her left hand was still up grasping at her breast, I could see it from where I was laying on the floor, her nipple poking out between her fingers. She was moaning loudly and rocking her hips. Each second, her body became more and more tense and her voice became louder and louder. I knew that in a matter of moments, she was going to cum.

"Oh fuck me...stop!" Beth suddenly yelled as her body began to shake more wildly. I wasn't sure if she had actually meant it, how could she want me to stop now? I slowed my movements, but I kept my tongue and my fingers working, "No stop Skye, I want us to cum together!" Beth panted, clearly holding off an orgasm for all she was worth. When Beth said she wanted me to cum, my desperate body was willing to do whatever she said. My clit ached so badly that I wanted to pinch it tight, to just get some relief. My body complied without second thought. My head dropped back and Beth's delicious little clit slipped from between my lips. At the same time, I carefully slipped my fingers out of Beth's tight asshole. I felt the cool air on my skin as the blood began to return to my squeezed fingers. I heard Beth sigh wistfully as my fingertips slipped out of her.

But, if Beth was a bit disappointed by how close she had gotten without actually cumming, she was dead set on remedying the situation quickly. As soon as I was no longer sucking her clit and fucking her asshole, Beth was up like a shot. In the amount of time it took me to prop myself up in a half-sitting position on my elbows, Beth had jumped up to her feet, run around my body and seated herself on her ass in front of me on the floor. I could see her now, her cheeks flushed her and her breasts rising and falling rapidly on her chest as she gasped for air. I couldn't believe how beautiful she looked. I almost came just from the wonder of the sight.

"Come on," she said as she started to scoot her ass towards me on the floor, "I want to look in your eyes when you cum." She said. As she scooted, her right leg lifted and started to slide up and over my left thigh. At the same time, her left foot started to burrow underneath of my right knee. I knew exactly what she wanted to do and I instantly wanted the exact same thing. I lifted my right leg up, sliding it along Beth's thigh as I started to scoot towards her as well.

We both moved rapidly, our breasts bouncing lewdly as we moved closer and closer together. Our legs were locked in an overlapping pattern and our wet pussies were on a collision course. We were both looking into each other's eyes as we closed the distance. In almost no time I felt the puffy wetness of Beth's pussy as her lips kissed gently into mine. Our hips were almost on top of one another, there was no even a breath of air between our desperate bodies. We both had large breasts and we were leaning forward as we scooted. When our pussies kissed, our nipples did the same. I felt the hot smoothness of her breasts brushing against my own and felt her nipples digging into my flesh. We were close enough to kiss as our bodies locked together, but we didn't. We maintained a little distance, looking deeply into one another's eyes.

After a moment, Beth began to grind her pussy against mine. Our clits were both unbearably hard and I could feel the hard little nub of flesh as it pressed into my lips and into my own clit. I moaned at the beauty of the sensation and began to grind my hips as well. Our clits rubbed together delightfully, our hard little nubs sliding against one another. Beth's juices mixed with my own between us, lubricating our clits and sending a wonderful mixed scent up in the air between us. As the aroma hit our noses, I felt my muscles tighten and I could feel Beth tense as well. We began to grind faster and hard in towards one another.

We were both way, way too far gone to maintain any level of control or decorum in our actions. Beth's hips rotated lasciviously against me, her clit grinding hard into my own. This caused hot tendrils of sensation to rocket all throughout my body, pushing me to move my hips hard, grind more forcefully and move faster. This pushed Beth in the same way, creating a virtuous cycle that kept pushing us higher and harder into one another. Our breath came in ragged pants, our breasts jiggled wildly on our chests, our long hair flowed loose over our shoulders and across our eyes. The room was filled our scent and the fevered sounds of our moans and groans. Our arms linked together, holding one another close so that the force of our wild fucking wouldn't throw us apart.

Professionally, I prided myself on being able to get off (or not get off) on command as required by the situation. But this was no longer anything even approaching a professional situation. We had only been together for a few minutes at most when I could feel the orgasm that had just been lurking under the surface for such a long time finally burst through, no longer contained.

Beth thrust her hips hard against me, grinding in a particularly forceful and unmerciful manner. I was surprised by a sudden jolt of pleasure shaking me off balance. It was like a small tremor before an earthquake. My mouth dropped open and a small croaking noise came out of me. My eyes stayed open, staring intently into Beth's gorgeous blue orbs. Everything seemed to hold completely still for a moment. All of the muscles in my body tightened up to the highest possible degree, my breath caught in my throat. I could see Beth's face tighten, I could feel her muscles tense against me. I knew that she was feeling what I was feeling. That realization sent me careening over the edge.

A pulsating blast of cool-warm sensation suddenly burst out of my clit. It was like a bomb had gone off. A massive mushroom cloud of pure sensation burst up through my stomach and ballooned at my chest. It spread down my arms and overwhelmed my senses. At the same time, it drifted down my legs, sinking into my toes and causing them to curl in pure pleasure. Everything in the world receded in the pleasure, the absolute total physical release of climax. The only thing in the world was the sensation tearing through my body and Beth's beautiful blue eyes staring directly into mine. It felt almost like the continued pleasure I was feeling was pouring out of her eyes and coating me in its warmth. She had given me the pleasure of her body, let it soak over me, cover all of my holes and imperfections, filling me and making me feel the perfect, innocent joy of physical love. Her beautiful eyes pushed the orgasm longer, farther than I had ever experienced before. As the haze began lifted slightly, I could feel Beth's body quaking. I knew she was cumming too, that we were sharing this real connection and that it felt like...something.




Redemption's Kiss



Suddenly, my vision blurred. I could no longer see Beth's beautiful eyes clearly. I could still see the low lights in the room, but Beth's face had become a strange translucent blur. I moaned from the pleasure I was feeling but also from longing, I missed the feeling of seeing Beth in front of me. I blinked a few times, but this just seemed to make the blurring worse. My eyes burned slightly now and the orgasm began to fade faster. I became aware of my body and, more importantly, of my surroundings.

Then I realized what had caused my sudden, partial blinding and the fading afterglow of my orgasm dissipated entirely. Coating my hair, my eyes, my nose, and dribbling into my mouth, was a large, sticky load of Daniel's cum. I felt like ice water had been poured down my back. I could barely feel Beth's quaking body against me. For reasons I couldn't explain, I shuddered when I understood what it was. I had to master myself to prevent myself from getting angry or from rapidly cleaning it off. I suddenly remembered where I was, what I did for a living, and why I had just had that incredibly profound experience.

"Thanks Skye. That was great," Daniel said yawning, his now-limp cock already stuffed back into his pants, "Go ahead and let yourself out." And with that, he started walking to his bedroom, stopping only once to walk down by the door to put money in my pocket.

* * * * *

Less than ten minutes later I was standing in the elevator with Beth next to me, feeling entirely numb. I had cleaned the cum off my face in Daniel's kitchen and then Beth and I had dressed silently. I couldn't understand the feelings that were running through my mind as I did this. I felt butterflies in my stomach but I couldn't tell what caused them. I didn't know if I was feeling something strange for Beth or if I was disgusted somehow by my actions. There weren't any words for what I felt about either of those scenarios and I just felt completely unsettled and confused in a way I had never felt. Not even as my first time. I felt like I couldn't make eye contact with Beth.

"That was a lot of fun," Beth said finally when we stepped onto the elevator together afterwards. I finally managed to look up at her. Her brow was completely un-creased, her smile easy, her manner light. Whatever I was feeling was entirely one sided, it seemed.

"Yes, you're very professional," I said, not sure of what else to say. Usually that would be a major compliment from me, but now it felt hollow and empty.

"It was my first time with a girl, so I was just doing what came natural," she said nonchalantly. I raised my eyebrows.

"First time professionally?" I asked.

"First time ever," she said. I almost believed she was lying, she had moved so smoothly. But something about her manner seemed to indicate that she was unable to lie. Her preternatural innocence was absolutely genuine. I felt a sudden stab of something clawing at my stomach as that thought came to mind.

"Where are you going now?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

"Back out on the street. I can break my record tonight!" she said, lifting up the wad of cash (fall smaller than my wad, but still sizeable) that Daniel had given her.

"It's cold out there," I said, looking at her clothes.

"I don't mind," she said. I knew I wasn't reaching the source of my concern. Suddenly the correct words rose to my mind.

"It is dangerous out there," I said. Beth was a streetwalker. That was a dangerous profession. I knew that when I first met her. It was why I didn't want anything to do with her. But I was feeling something different now. Something... different. Instinctively, I reached out and pulled the 'emergency stop' button on the elevator. The elevator lurched to a stop and Beth looked at me, concerned.

"What are you doing?" she asked, her mouth opening playfully. My heart was hammering in my chest like a virgin on prom night. My hands were sweaty and my mouth was painfully dry.

"Come with me," I said suddenly, the words coming out honest and scared.

"What?" she asked confused, tilting her head slightly to the side.

"Don't go back out into the cold and the streets. Just come with me. Come to my place. Even if just for the night," I said desperately. Beth laughed slightly.

"Are you paying?" she asked jokingly. I shook my head vehemently.

"No...Not like that," I said, chasing the right words and not sure I was finding them. I didn't even really understand what I was saying. I had this compulsion to speak, this need to get Beth to come with me. I don't even know what I wanted with her. I just wanted to protect her. It felt almost like...I loved her. But that wasn't possible. It was a totally alien emotion. Beth laughed it off.

"First you don't want anything to do with me, then we fuck for Danny, and now you want me to give you freebies. I like you Skye, but you are a crazy chick," she said. She started to reach to push the emergency stop back in. I reached forwards and grabbed her hand, feeling the warmth of her skin underneath of me once again.

"I...you are in the wrong line of work Beth. This is too dangerous for you. You don't even understand the risks you're taking. Let me take care of you. Come home with me," I said, approaching whatever it was that was holding me back. Beth's shoulders fell and she smiled sweetly.

"Oh Skye," she said, nodding, "You are so sweet! But I am fine. I like this job. I am good at it. I don't need you to protect me."

"Please..." I started.

"No Skye, but seriously, thank you," she said. Once again her absolute genuineness shone through in her words. I could tell now that there was nothing I could do or say. She was going back out on the streets, with all her innocence and naïvete. I couldn't stop her. I wasn't even really sure why I wanted to. We stood in silence for a long time. I had no options. There was nothing I could do. Without thought, my hand suddenly reached into my purse. I found what I wasn't even looking for and thrust it quickly out towards Beth.

"Here," I said certainly, "Take my book. Take my clients. Get off the streets. Make more money," I said, saying what I thought it would take to get her to accept my list of Johns. She reached out slowly and grabbed the book, looking at it intently. As the weight of the book passed from my hands, I felt the butterflies in my stomach stifle. I felt my muscles relax. I felt only the slow ache that I had not achieved my goal. I had not saved Beth, I had just increased the odds of her survival. I also felt a certain freedom for myself. Something I had not expected to feel, or even realized I could feel. I didn't even know I wasn't free.

I did not think then, and I still don't think now, that there was anything inherently degrading about what I did. I performed a service professionally. Sex is as natural as a thousand other things that we sell without second thought and, in the right context, it can probably be a positive experience to sell oneself. Helping someone who is lonely or desperate. At the very least it can be morally neutral. But I realized in that second that that wasn't the situation I was in. That wasn't the way the system I existed in and worked in was set up to function. Prostitution wasn't inherently degrading, but the people I worked for wanted it that way. Most of them didn't want sex or companionship or someone to talk to. Maybe there are Johns like that. But the ones I worked for didn't really get off on those things. They got off on taking something beautiful and dragging it down into the dirt. They wanted to see me wallow in filth because it turned them on that they had the power to do it to me. I had told myself that that wasn't the case, I had convinced myself that I had not allowed myself to be tarnished because I was paid well, I behaved professionally, and I hadn't (really) gotten hooked on anything. But just below the surface, the job had been eating away at me for some time. It had made me tired, jaded, and unhappy. It had, somehow, stolen sex from me. It had converted the magic of sex into a job. Worse, a job I didn't love.

But that night in Daniel's room, I had experienced something. I hadn't expected it. In fact, I had assumed that I was going to be degraded when I first saw Beth. But there was something in her kiss. Something in her open innocence...I can't explain it. She did not realize that Daniel was trying to smear us with his own filth. She liked sex and liked to do it well. She gave me something of herself...for real. It was not an Act. Something inside of me...something that I hadn't even known I had shut off, had instinctively opened to that. My body...my sexuality opened to her even before my mind managed to catch up. And when I saw the good and pure thing that was there, when I felt the actual power of sex, I was able to look at my life in a new way. In the reflection of Beth's innocence (which I had seen so incredibly well when our eyes and pussies locked together), I could see my own degradation. Something had shattered I couldn't do it anymore. If I kept going now...I would be on the street in weeks. That was why I had felt this overwhelming desire to save Beth. I had seen the true nature of our lives and the way her innocence would be broken. I wanted to prevent that from happening. To save her. Now I was only able to save myself.

"Hey thanks!" she said, like a child who had been given a Christmas present, "This will be so much easier!" Then here brow furrowed and she bit her lip, "But...won't you need it?"

"No," I said with a certainty I was surprised I felt, "I'm done." I started the elevator again. I told her how to do what I did. When we got out of the elevator, she was a callgirl and I was out of the life.

* * * * *

I had saved some money and when I decided to quit, I had quit entirely. I had no idea what I was going to do with my life, but I suddenly felt lighter, more innocent. Eventually I got my life in order. I went back to school. I became a freelance writer and eventually a (somewhat) compensated sex writer for an online publication. I went over a year without sex right after I quit, but eventually I was able to return to it. Or maybe I was able to have real sex for the first time in my life. Beth had opened something up, sex had become natural and good in a way I hadn't understood before. Eventually I met a girl and we decided to get married (I'd had enough dicks for one lifetime). My wife knew about my past, but the authorities didn't so there was no problem when I adopted my wife's young son who I loved as my own. I had a family, a job, just a short time after I'd quit my old life.

When I first quit, I thought about Beth every day. I relived every second we had spent together and all the feelings I had felt. For a long while, I believed that I was in love with Beth. That we would be married one day. That faded eventually. I came to realize that I didn't even really know Beth. That whatever connection we had felt was different than love. Maybe more powerful. Or, at least equally powerful. But even as that slow reassessment happened, I thought about her constantly.

At one point I even told my wife about that night. The night I decided I had to stop. I told her about Beth, about the connection we felt. I told her all the things I felt and saw. My wife said I was crazy. Not that I had quit or the things inside that I felt, but she said that I was running on assumptions. She pointed out that I'd barely talked to Beth. I couldn't really say for sure what made her seem so innocent or pure in my eyes. I just knew it. Further, nothing she had actually done had exposed my degradation. As my wife put it, "you got fucked really, really well and it messed with your head. In a good way. But it was all you." I guess that sort of makes sense. I don't know. I can't say for sure now what I felt or why it happened. Maybe it was just seeing Beth's innocence and feeling the way that innocence affected sex that had cut me loose. I know that it felt real, so I guess it doesn't really matter. 

Sometimes, late at night, I still think about Beth. I can still see her clearly, even though I had only known her for a couple of hours at most. I can replay every minute of that experience. I know I love my wife and would never leave her for anyone or anything, but a part of my heart will always belong to Beth. I gave her something and she gave me something. I gave her the life and she gave me freedom. I stole a little bit of her light so that I could see. I gave her my book in exchange. And every person in my book would have taken a little of her light afterwards, just to watch it be extinguished. To get a sexual thrill from watching it die. She took my degradation and went back for more and more and more. And so forever there is a nagging feeling in the back of my mind, the small black spot on my soul that is the penance I pay for my former life. I will never get over the guilt I feel for Beth, for my failure to save her. In fact, I know that in saving myself, I made it impossible to save her. I traded the world for innocence, and she had done the opposite. Only one of us, the harder one of us, could walk away from the trade. I have done the best that I can with it. I just hope that someday, somehow, someone will succeed where I had to fail. I hope that before the weight of her degradation breaks her, that someone innocent can set her free. 

The End

*****

Note: I honestly write so that I can hear the comments you all give. So please just tell me what you think. Even if it is just a sentence or two (though I always prefer more). Consider that your payment for a free story. And if you like this, I beg you to read my other stories and comment on them too. I know who my loyal readers are and I really appreciate you. Thanks!

YKN

P.S. I do one edit of my work and I try to be thorough. But I figure when it comes to handing out free erotica, you all would be better served getting it fast (if a little rough), than waiting for me to polish it like I was getting paid for my work. Especially on a massive project like this, it took a year to write and could take longer to edit. So, in short, I know there are some errors and I don't really care that much. Don't complain about the soundtrack in your porno, don't sweat the typos in your erotica. Thanks.

YKN