5 comments/ 4416 views/ 20 favorites Time Heals No Wounds Ch. 01 By: Adalwolf CHAPTER 1: ANIMA UXORIS It's strange to be back in college again after two decades. As they say, however, the more things change the more they stay the same. After the first two weeks I find myself easily falling back into the same old habits that served me well the first time around. Classes...study...copious amounts of coffee...more classes...more study. I'm not sure exactly what prompted me to return to this environment. Maybe I simply needed a change after spinning my wheels in a pointless burnout for the last ten years. I look up from the textbook I'm reading and decide to take a short, mental break. All this endless, dry reading has my eyes starting to swim. I inhale deeply and issue a long, drawn out sigh as I rub my temples lightly. Leaning back in my chair I gaze around the library and note with a small sense of sadness how empty the place seems. With all the electronic means available now, very few of these kids want to crack open a real book. I can't help but feel old as I catch myself thinking this "back in my day" thought. Not that I appear anywhere close to my real age, mind you. I'm not talking about being in my forties but looking thirty-something, either. I flat out look exactly the same as I did when I was twenty years old, which was over twenty years ago. I'm a smidgen over six feet in height, possessing a lean but athletically built frame which I maintain with an hour of calisthenics and running every morning. I have short, black hair that hangs lightly against a face many a woman over the years has called "gorgeous", and my eyes are a liquid, emerald green that can be piercing or attention grabbing depending on my mood. It's all a mask, though. The proverbial "sheep's clothing" that this wolf hides within. I'm not exactly human. Eternal youth, if I play my cards right, is one of the side benefits of being what I am. Fravashi is what my people call themselves, though legends would call me an incubus. It's not as bad as it sounds. I'm no soul-stealing demon sent from the pits of hell to rape women in their sleep. I promise. Blah. My heart just isn't into my studies at the moment, and I can't help but feel like I'm grinding gears at this point. It's Friday afternoon, so I have all weekend to get around to this. I decide to head home and maybe relax for a while. I gather my things, leave the library, and walk toward the parking lot. As I near my vehicle I notice a woman parked a few spaces from mine. One of her back tires has gone flat, and she's in the trunk of her car, struggling a bit as she pulls at a full-sized spare tire within. The sound of her muttering mild curses under her breath comes to my ears. I can't help but regard the smooth slopes of her gentle, womanly curves. She's obviously in shape, probably a runner like me, but still has that soft, feminine aspect to her. Not bad at all. Very pleasing to the eyes from the back. Call me old-school, but I firmly believe a gentleman offers a lady help in situations like these. I clear my throat before asking, "Would you like help with that?" "I got this," she insists in an angry tone without turning to face me. She grunts and finally yanks the spare free. The tire swings out and around and bounces from the ground a few times, the woman leaning on it briefly and emitting a heavy huff of relief. She stands and turns to face me. Despite the look of irritation on her face, my breath is knocked from my lungs at her raw, natural beauty. Her raven-black hair is thick and wavy, cascading down to her shoulders like a waterfall of shimmering ink. There is a very light smattering of freckles over her cheekbones and across the bridge of her dainty nose, below which lies a pair of voluptuous, pouty lips. Long, lush lashes surround a pair of pale blue, ice-colored eyes. Those stunning, unique eyes grab hold of me, and my heart skips a beat or two as my mouth drops open a hair. Her eyes are like a deep winter well, and I want to throw myself into their cool depths. I haven't felt an attraction this strong since...let's just say for a very, very long time. She stares at me for a lengthy moment as I fight to regain my wits, an inscrutable look on her face. I'm guessing she's in her mid-twenties, probably an undergraduate senior or perhaps enrolled in this university's grad school program. "I'm sorry," she apologies for her brusqueness, her tone softening. "I don't mean to be rude, but I have this handled." I feel a profound disappointment at her refusal of assistance. It would have been nice to speak with her, however briefly, but I sense she's having one of those "life moments". Something has her angry and stressed, and nothing I do or say right now would earn me any of her time. "That's okay," I say, giving her the friendliest smile I can muster. "I can respect someone who isn't afraid to get their hands dirty. Have a nice day." I turn to leave with a heavy weight on my soul, and I can't help but curse my luck. It's as if poor timing on my part has ruined something that was otherwise destined to be. I could make her accept my help by reaching in her mind and gently pushing her toward accepting my will, but that isn't the sort of thing I do without a damn good reason. That would be worse than simply walking away. It's no way to start a relationship. Alternately, I could peer inside and read her mind, using anything I glean to strike up a conversation. I'm hardly what you'd call a master, but I'm pretty decent at reading surface thoughts. That would be just as bad, though. It's an invasion of privacy that, once again, I don't ever do without a damn good reason. I'm fully prepared to file this chance meeting into the "what could have been" cabinet when she speaks again, her sylph voice stopping me dead in my tracks. "I...I'm Phaedra," she gives her name with slight hesitation. I spin back around and gaze into those stirring eyes of hers again. Maybe all is not lost? A long forgotten feeling takes root in my somber heart, a feeling I never thought I'd experience again. Hope. "I'm Max," I return the introduction. She hesitates again, as if considering something, and then steps forward a pace. She sticks out a dirt and rubber smudged hand. I grasp it lightly, trying not to make my grip too firm or too sloppy as I give her a quick handshake. "Really, though...thank you for the offer, Max," she says as she releases my grip. "You're welcome," I nod. "Maybe...maybe I'll see you around," she says with that same hesitation in her voice. Is she feeling it too? Can she feel that same, inexorable pull toward me that I feel toward her? If it's destiny then I will see her again. "I hope so," I smile, feeling a touch awkward now. "That would be nice." I kick myself mentally. I'm usually much more suave than this, but she's making my mind feel like a quivering bowl of Jello. "Take care," she tells me. Phaedra starts to roll the spare tire into position. Although she turns to shoot me a brief, sidelong glance, I sense our short interaction has come to a close. "You too," is all I can manage. * * * * * * My head is still a-spin when I plop down on the poofy cushions of my living room couch. Using the clicker to flick on the TV, I mindlessly surf channels while only half watching. Nothing grabs my attention, so I shut off the tube after a few minutes. Leaning back, I realize I can't get Phaedra out of my head. There is movement from the nearby hallway, and I see my roommate Charli walk into the living room. "Roommate" is a bit of an understatement, though. Like me she is Fravashi, but she's a succubus, the female counterpart to the male incubus. If not for Charli I'd probably be dead by now, having ended myself with a downward spiral of self-destruction. After my life-shattering loss those ten long years ago, she took me in and cared for me when she didn't have to...kept me sane...kept me alive. I'll always love her for that, but it's more like the love of family mixed with a romantic kind of feeling. I know from a human standpoint that sounds badly twisted, but I'm Fravashi...not human. Things like this aren't exactly the same for us. Though Charli and I aren't related by blood or spirit I've come to see her as a sort of surrogate sister. Only sort of... Charli is free of any clothing, her naked skin glistening slightly. She's using a bath towel to dry off her short, brunette hair after the shower she obviously just had. The sight of her trim frame and cute little jiggling boobies raises an instinctive stirring in me down below. My eyes travel lower down her slim body, and I notice that she shaved everything, too. My hot little firecracker of a roommate has that particular, adult beauty that comes to a woman as she nears thirty, though I know she just turned one-hundred this year. In another hundred years, fate willing, she'll still be just as alluring and youthful-looking. "What's up, Charli?" I ask, my eyes traveling back up. "Oh, hey Max," she greets, lowering the towel as she notices me for the first time. "When did you get home?" She ruffles her hair before folding the towel over one forearm. "A few minutes ago, I guess." Charli looks at me with her soft, brown eyes, and her face suddenly holds a thoughtful expression. She walks over to the couch, drops the damp towel on the carpet, and sits next to me. "You just missed saying 'hi' to Robert," Charli informs me. She leans back a bit and stretches leisurely. Her display is obviously for my benefit, so I don't feel bad at all as my eyes roam over the sweetness of her supple body. "Oh yeah? Been a while since I've seen Robert around. How's the big R doing?" "Vigorous as always," Charli smiles. "And you haven't seen him around because you've had your head buried in books for two weeks." "Well, duh," I say jokingly. "Ever heard of 'college'?" "Ever heard of 'the weekend'?" Charli winks at me. "We're going out tonight." "You and Robert?" "No...you and me, silly!" she giggles. "I've been missing you. I want some Max time." I feel a little dubious about the thought of a night on the town. Even with Charli sitting next to me, so close and naked as the day she was born, I still find myself thinking about Phaedra. I'm not sure I'd be very good company with my thoughts so occupied. "You met someone today, didn't you?" Charli asks, her eyes narrowing at me. "Hey, mind reading is my thing," I chuckle. "I don't need to be psychic to recognize that look, Max. I'm happy for you. It's another reason we have to go out tonight. How long has it been since you were on a real date? I'll be your girlfriend tonight. I'm gonna get you back into the swing of things!" "Okay, okay," I relent, knowing Charli won't let up until I do. "I'll take you out to Sullivan's tonight. Good enough?" "Great!" she says, giving me her huge, beaming grin. "But first..." Charli sits up before turning to straddle me so we're facing each other. I can't help but look down at her sexy lower lips as they spread slightly and come to rest over the iron-hard bulge beneath my jeans. She places her hands gently on my shoulders. I look up into her graceful, loving eyes as my hands come to rest on her petite hips. "It looks like I have some business to take care of," she says in a suddenly sultry voice as she shifts her valley slowly back and forth against my jeans. I sigh quietly at the sight, anticipation building within, and ask, "You didn't already get enough of this with Robert?" "I can never get enough of this," she giggles in that cute, girlish way of hers. "You know that." "I know." "And besides," Charli continues, leaning forward with a desirous gaze, "it isn't the same with a Paramour as it is with you." "I know." "Plus, you haven't put out in like two weeks. Not since you started college," she adds, leaning even closer. "You must be starving." I nod, realizing she's right. I've gotten pretty good over the years at controlling my urges, and sometimes I don't notice how low I've gotten on Potency, the sexual energies that are my peoples' life blood. "Yeah," I whisper. "I'm hungry." We kiss long and slow, our tongues sliding and playing together. I can feel the burn and know Charli is feeling it too. My hands rise from her hips to toy with her modest but firm breasts, and I can feel the hardened points of her excited nipples. I pinch and squeeze just the way I know she likes, my succubus lover moaning into my mouth. The little vixen extricates herself from our kiss and steps from the couch, kneeling on the floor directly in front of me. She removes my shoes and looks up at me with her eager eyes. Her fingers climb my jeans, and with a teasing slowness she undoes the button and lowers the zipper. I lift my hips from the couch cushion so she can strip me of my lower clothing. My stiffened tool is freed, and Charli moves upward to inhale deeply as she tosses my pants to the side. "I love that smell," she smiles, her tongue flashing quickly over inviting lips. She grabs me softly around the base and holds me so I'm angled toward her face. "Mmmm," she hums. Her tongue flicks out to lick the precum from my tip, the sensation sending a brief, sharp tingle through me. Charli tickles my head with her tongue. That small, pink, dexterous mouth muscle of hers swirls around the crown of my manly tower, and then it's gliding up and down, her saliva slicking my shaft. "You do that so well," I compliment softly. "I know," she smiles. Charli's lips part, and then my length is sliding into her warm and wet mouth with her unhurried but deliberate pace. I sigh again and can't suppress a shudder of delight as she moves me in and out in that slow way she knows I love. I'm only barely larger than average sized down there, so Charli has never had issues engulfing me completely. She pauses at one point, when her lips meet my neatly trimmed hair, and her tongue slips around me in slow waves. She starts making small humping motions with her face, the tip of me grinding in her throat. "Oh fuck!" I cry out. I guess it has been a while. I can feel a twitching crescendo build with a suddenness that takes me by surprise. That familiar, melting feeling begins at the base of my spine and spreads into my crotch and abdomen. A magical and intimate bridge spans the gap between our two Fravashi souls as I begin cumming. Charli's essence, her Potency, flows into me as my own pleasure flows back to her. My manhood pulsates with each spurt, and the darling little succubus gulps down my seed as she shudders, feeling precisely the same orgasmic bliss that I'm experiencing. After sucking the last drops from me Charli sits back. "God I love that," she utters in a husky, lust-filled tone. "You cum better than any Fravashi I know." It's not the first time she's ever said that to me, but it's still an ego booster when she does. "Thanks," I smile. "And thanks for the Potency." Charli reaches up to grab my still solid erection and asks, "He's not done yet?" "You're kidding, right?" I chuckle. "When is he ever done? I'm Fravashi." "Good," she says before standing and turning around. "Time to give you one of mine." With her backside to me, Charli places a hand on each of her ass cheeks, parting them so I have a full view of her womanly spread and the pucker above it. I hold my cock forward as she slowly lowers herself downward. I penetrate smoothly into her drenched playground, eliciting grunting moans from both of us. My lover places her hands on her small breasts and begins massaging them, periodically pinching the nipples. Her ass rises and falls rapidly, the hot sheath of her passions stoking my fires once again. She rides me backward like this for an enjoyably long time, with her sultry sex slamming hard and repeatedly against my pelvis. I love watching her tight, toned little backside as she works that amazing physique of hers. "Ooooh...so...good!" Charli grunts huskily as her cheeks slam down one last time onto me. And then, I feel that bridge forming again as she starts to cum this time. Charli only lets a small trickle of my Potency to flow to her, but she allows the full force of her breath-taking orgasm to pound into me. Yes, I know what it feels like when a woman cums. A Fravashi woman, at any rate. It's surprisingly similar, yet at the same time so different from what a man feels. It knocks the air from me as my senses light on fire. Wave after wave of Charli's intensity flows into me. My little lover lifts herself from my shaft, and I'm left sitting on the couch with the shuddering aftershocks of her orgasm rippling through me. Charli turns to face me and utters in a sing-song voice, "Some-body liked that." "Hell yeah I did. I always do." Charli holds out a hand. I take it, and she lifts me into a standing position with a strength that belies her small frame. We embrace and French kiss again in the gentle afterglow of her shared orgasm. My Fravashi soul is filled with power once more, leaving me feeling light and airy. As we kiss I remark on what a wonderful friend Charli has been to me this past decade, and what an astounding lover she is. She has suckled me, allowing me to nurse from her in this manner without asking for anything in return except my companionship. She's cradled, nourished, and looked after me all this time. After what happened back then, those ten years ago, I couldn't bring myself to have another Paramour, another human lover. I still feel the pain of that loss, and probably always will, but Charli makes it bearable. Back then, I was ready to give up, ready to let myself whither and die, but she wouldn't let me. Something comes over me, and I lean back from our kiss to blurt out, "I love you, Charli." Her eyes widen, and her lips spread in a stunned smile. This is the first time in a decade I've said those words to anyone, the first time I've felt I could say them and mean it. "I love you too, Max!" she declares joyfully. She wraps her arms tightly around my middle, pressing the side of her head against my chest. My voice wavers with the strength of what I'm feeling for Charli as I reveal, "If...if I ever decide to have children I want you to be their mother." Charli leans back, her eyes wider than ever at my words and her mouth hanging open in complete and utter surprise. "I...that would...I'm..." Oh shit. I didn't push it too far, did I? I know she loves me and has for a long time, but maybe she doesn't love me quite like that? My heart pounds with a sudden fear of her rejecting this idea. "Is this real?" Charli asks, hugging me again with her head against my pounding heart. "Am I dreaming?" "What do you mean?" "I would be honored to be the mother of your children," Charli breathes softly. * * * * * * About a week ago I was driving around town and indulging in a bit of nostalgia, visiting all my old haunts from my first college days. I was a little amazed when I saw that Sullivan's still stood after two decades. I didn't go in then. Instead I parked across the street, stared at the building, and sat for a while fondly remembering those days long past. Tonight, though, I walk inside with Charli close by. I'm glad when I see Sullivan's is still a sports bar, but I'm a little surprised at how much it's changed since back then. It still seems popular with the younger college crowd, but the old-school charm is gone, having been replaced by a newer, flashier interior. "Wow," Charli remarks as she looks around. "This place is nice. I'm not under-dressed, am I?" I look again at her white, leather cowgirl boots, hip hugger jeans, dark blue blouse, and white, half-height leather jacket. No, if anything you're over-dressed I think. Time Heals No Wounds Ch. 01 "You look great," I reassure Charli. "Nah, you're just sayin' that so my feel bads don't get hurt," she smiles, punching me lightly on the arm. Yeah, I don't think so. "Eh...judging by how many guys are staring at you, I'm pretty sure you do look damn good." "How do you know they aren't staring at you?" she asks deviously. "Okay, then we both look great," I retort. "Oooh, pool tables!" Typical Dragon. So easily distracted. Charli skips through the crowded room toward the pool tables that sit in a shadowy alcove. "Let's play! Get us some beers and I'll rack 'em!" Charli has always been playfully competitive. I nod in reply and head toward the bar. A tall, blond bartender has her back to me, and she's shuffling something around inside a cabinet. I clear my throat. She turns around and asks, "What'll it be?" She's younger, probably in her late twenties or early thirties, and pretty. Something about her seems so familiar, but I can't place where I've seen her before. "Two Coronas please." "ID?" I fish out my wallet and show my driver's license to her. I grin at her as she examines it closely. If you only knew how old I really am... "Okay," she says before getting my order. "That's four dollars." I toss a five to her and say, "Keep the change. Say, does Butch still own the place?" "Naw. You're about ten years too late." "Oh. That's too bad," I tell her. I was hoping to say "hi" to the jovial bear of a man, even if he didn't remember me. "How would you know my dad?" she asks, obviously implying I would have been too young to come in here ten or more years ago. Oh damn. That's where I've seen her before! She was only about nine or ten years old back then. "Kylie?" I ask. "Do I know you?" she asks, her eyes scrutinizing me closely. "No," I catch myself, backpedaling mentally with a shake of my head. I realize I'm painting myself into a corner and would never be able to explain my way out. I doubt Kylie would be able to recognize me again after twenty years, but it'd be best to deflect that line of thought altogether. "My dad knew your dad back in the day. He went to college here and told me if I ever went into Sullivan's to say hello to Butch and Kylie for him." "Oh," Kylie nods, accepting my hastily crafted lie. "Well, dad's been gone ten years now. Passed on." "I'm sorry to hear that," I tell her sincerely. Kylie shrugs, saying, "It happens." I remember Butch and Kylie together back then. He was the consummate doting father, and she the adoring daughter. Maybe things changed later in her life, but I doubt it. Butch was a truly good guy, a real family man. I find it funny that after ten years Kylie got over her loss, but in the same span of time I haven't gotten over mine. I suppose in some ways humans are more resilient than we Fravashi. "What's your dad's name?" Kylie asks. "Paul Redman," I lie, making up the first name on the spot. "Sorry," Kylie shakes her head lightly. "I don't remember him, but I would've been a little kid back then." I shrug, saying, "That's okay. It was a long time ago." I almost say "it was good to see you again", but I catch myself in time. "Thanks for the Coronas," I tell Kylie instead. "Sure thing, kid." I almost laugh at the irony of someone more than a decade younger than me calling me "kid". Rather, I walk over to where Charli waits impatiently with two pool sticks in her hand. The pool balls are all arranged in a neat triangle, and she trades me a stick for her beer. Charli takes a long pull before telling me, "You break." I nod and sip my beer before setting it down on a nearby stool. I line up my stick with the cue ball, smack it, and watch as all the pool balls go careening around the table. One of them sinks into a pocket. "I got solids," I say rather pointlessly. Charli can be ditzy, absent-minded, painfully frivolous, and on rare occasion a little bitchy, but one thing she isn't is unobservant. I line up another shot and miss. "Didn't you tell me once you were good at this?" she chuckles lightly before swigging her beer again. "Yeah. I said I was good back during my first college run," I defend myself. "I haven't played in probably fifteen years." "You just stick to that excuse when you get spanked by a woman," she grins evilly. Charli lines up her first shot and sinks a stripe with a solid authority. She's already walking around the table, the cue ball rolling after her like an obedient puppy following it's master. Charli stops and is lining up her pool stick for the next shot before the cue ball even ceases moving. It rolls to a halt in front of the stick's tip. Show off. "You Dragons are such cheaters," I heckle her in a good-natured way. "I am not..." Smack! Plunk... "...a cheater," she finishes, moving to her next shot. "It's not like I use my telekinesis to sink the balls or anything," I tease. "How is using your gifts not cheating?" Charli frowns, saying, "It's not something I can turn on and off. It's just a part of me." I can sense she's getting a touch butt-hurt at my good-natured ribbing, but she seems to be taking me serious for some reason. I didn't mean to hurt her feelings. "I'm sorry, Charli. I was only teasing, really. I fully expect you to kick my ass at something like this." "Apology..." Smack! Plunk...plunk...plunk! "...accepted." "Dafuq was that?!?" I stare in disbelief. "Natural talent," Charli giggles. Charli ends up winning the game, of course. She did give me a chance, however, purposely tanking a shot to let me have another turn. I manage to carefully sink three more balls, but I choke in the end. Then Charli mercilessly wipes the table clean. "Play another?" she asks with a smile that tells me I better say "yes". "Sure," I nod. " 'Nuther beer?" "You know it!" " 'Kay." I'm headed back with our second round, Charli waiting impatiently once more. I hand over her next beer, and she chugs a good portion of it right off the bat again. That girl loves her beer. "Break," she tells me. I nod. Normally it's customary for the winner of the last game to break, but I know if I don't then I might not even get a turn to play. I'm lining up my shot when I see the front door swing open and someone enters, grabbing my attention. Oh my god...it's her! My green eyes widen in surprise as I stand back up. Phaedra doesn't seem to notice me standing here in the shadows surrounding the pool tables. The object of my attention is wearing an emerald green dress that offsets the icy-blue of her eyes. Two others are with her. One is a young woman, about Phaedra's age, with a white and red emo haircut that hangs over half her face. The other is a tall, handsome, and dark-haired man wearing jeans and a t-shirt. He looks to be a few years younger than the women. Is that Phaedra's boyfriend or the other girl's? The raven-haired beauty touches the man's arm lightly, leading me to believe he's her boyfriend. She says something, he says something, then she laughs. My heart falls. Was my hope and longing for this woman all for nothing? "That dark-haired girl. That's her, isn't it?" Charli asks, leaning closer. "The one you met today?" Like I said...observant. "Yeah," I say before swallowing hard. "Then go talk to her." Easy for her to say. I'm paralyzed with the fear of fucking it up. For one, Phaedra already appears to have a boyfriend. Secondly, I'm not even sure what I'd say. The thought of talking to Phaedra this very second makes my throat suddenly go dry, and I swallow roughly again. I begin to doubt I'm ready for this. "Why are you being a chicken-shit all of a sudden, Max?" Charli asks, giving me a light push on the shoulder. "Go talk to her." Out of the corner of my eye I see Charli lean over to look at me closely, but I'm still staring at Phaedra. I'm unable to tear my eyes from her ebon hair and stirring, ice-blue eyes. "Is she...? She is! She's one of your Anima Uxoris, isn't she?!?" Charli exclaims in a low whisper. I think she is an Anima Uxoris to me. Seeing Phaedra again, I can feel that inescapable pull toward her. She is one of my soul mates. I'm sure of it now. "You lucky bastard," Charli whispers with a twinge of jealousy in her voice. "In a hundred years I've yet to meet one of mine, and you've met two already." Yeah, and I lost the first one. No, that isn't right. Let's be truthful...I got the first one killed. Do I deserve another? "Go talk to her," Charli prods again, in a sense both figurative and literal this time as she pokes me in the ribs with a finger. I barely jump. "Max?" I don't respond to Charli, only staring at Phaedra and pondering whether or not I have the guts. Do I have the courage to do this? Is it worth risking the unsurpassed torment of losing a love as powerful as this one could be? I'm able to say from experience that such a loss is like having your heart torn out. There's only one thing you want when something like that is ripped from you...you want to die. My cowardice wins out, and I decide it isn't worth it. Not even Charli can save me if I lose another Animus Uxoris. Nor will it be fair to Phaedra. Being part of a Fravashi's life can be blissfully wonderful, but it can also be harrowing and deadly. Without even knowing her I can tell she's a very special woman. She deserves better than I can offer. I'm a hair away from telling Charli that it's time for us to go, but fate digs it's meddlesome fingers into my life again. He walks in. A sort of dangerous edge hovers around the twenty-something man, drawing my attention. He seems so god damned agitated, and he's making a bee-line for Phaedra and the two others with her. I don't like the way he has one hand in the pocket of his jacket. He pulls a gun and points it toward Phaedra's group, the shiny silver metal of the small revolver glinting in the bright light. In an instant my mind reaches out, and I can sense his intentions. He's going to pull the trigger and shoot the emo-haired girl in the chest. Then he's going to kill Phaedra before turning the gun on himself. You can't pull the trigger My fingers brush his mind, the man's finger suddenly unable to move. He seems surprised at his own inability to do something he was so set on only a moment ago. I'm already walking quickly toward the scene. "I FUCKING LOVED YOU KELLY!" the gun-wielding man bellows furiously. People turn to look at the unexpected anger in the man's voice. A girl in the crowd screams "gun". Some freeze in fear at the sight of the weapon while others make haste for the exit. A nearby woman screams loudly, drawing even more attention. "Jake?!?" the emo-haired girl, Kelly, squeaks in sudden fear as she cowers against the bar. "What are you doing with that gun?!?" "Get out of here you jackass!" Phaedra screams at the man, stepping a pace toward him and pointing a finger at the exit. "If you loved her so much you wouldn't have been hitting her!" Damn that girl's got some big, brass clankers polished to the Nth degree. Most people piss themselves if a gun is pointed anywhere near them. Kind of like Phaedra's boyfriend is doing right now. Not literally pissing himself, but he is standing there in shock, unable to move or say anything. "YOU BITCH!" he screams back, turning his raw ire on Phaedra now. "ALWAYS STICKING YOUR FUCKING NOSE IN ME AND KELLY'S BUSINESS! I SHOULD FUCKING KILL YOU!" He points the gun at her, his renewed and insane rage almost breaking my mental leash. I tighten my grip, like an iron vice cranking down on his mind with my will. You will not kill her "I'LL FUCKING SHOOT BOTH YOU FUCKING BITCHES!" Jake screams impotently, spittle flying from his mouth. He would do it, too, were my fingers not inside his mind preventing him from becoming a murderer. I step in front of the gun. "WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU?" he yells, sticking the gun in my face. "MOVE OR I SWEAR TO GOD I'LL BLOW YOUR FUCKING HEAD OFF!" "I don't know what's going on here," I begin, "but you haven't done anything you can't walk away from. No one's been hurt yet. Please, think about what you're doing." "FUUUUUUCK!" Jake bellows, clutching the side of his head with one hand. Dammit! He's about to snap and go full, bat-shit crazy. I have to do something fast, or even my mental control won't be able to stop him. ...and if he shoots me... Things will get really ugly if that happens. Charli will break this man in half, and that isn't a metaphor. We'll have a giant mess to explain to the Inquisitors at that point. I need to get this under control. "Jake, right?" I ask, speaking quickly. "I'm Max. I know right now this seems like the only way, but it isn't. You don't have to do this." I dig down below Jake's turbulent surface thoughts as I speak, going deeper to look for something he cares about. So much selfishness and greed...it's hard to find anything...but there it is! His little sister. I lean in closer and whisper low so only Jake can hear, "Think about your family. Think about your sister. What will this do to her? You're her hero, Jake. What will she think if you do this? Put the gun down and just...walk away for your sister's sake." Good. He's thinking about his sister now. It's calming his roiling anger and making his murderous resolve falter. Lower the gun He lowers the gun, offering little resistance as I reassert my control. "Give me the gun, Jake." Give me the gun Jake hesitates briefly but gives up struggling against me. He hands me the gun. "What do I do now?" he asks, tears suddenly forming in his eyes. "I can't believe I was gonna..." He suddenly turns and vomits all over the floor. * * * * * * The police arrive. After they begin to get the story they haul off Jake in cuffs to a waiting cruiser, it's red and blues flashing through the front window. The would be murderer is compliant, looking ashamed and defeated as he's taken away. I remark to myself how I can count Jake's life as one of the ones I saved tonight. Perhaps he'll use this experience to change his life for the better. It's another twenty or thirty minutes as officers take people's statements. I notice all the while Phaedra is throwing me covert, cryptic glances. When the cops ask for my account of events I leave out the part where I mentally manipulated Jake into handing over the gun. Things seem to be wrapping themselves up, the police slowly filtering out as they finish up with their rounds of questioning. Phaedra, her boyfriend, and a very shaken Kelly look as if they're getting ready to leave. A policewoman is still talking with Kelly, however. Probably getting some last details or double-checking something, no doubt. The dark-haired man Phaedra walked into Sullivan's with turns to her and speaks. "Hey, sis," her boyfriend brother begins, "Let's take cuz home, get her outta here." He's Phaedra's brother? And Kelly is their cousin? They're both her family, not my romantic rivals. It seems destiny is pushing me toward the dark-haired girl once more. "Go ahead without me, okay Daniel," Phaedra nods. "You stay with Kelly tonight you hear me? She doesn't need to be alone." "You're not coming with?" he asks. Phaedra's brother, Daniel, follows his sister's gaze to where she's looking at me, and comprehension dawns on his face. "You don't take your eyes off her tonight, Dan. She needs a friend right now, and you know her a lot better than I do." "I know," he responds. "You gonna catch a cab to your place then?" "Yeah," Phaedra nods. "Something like that." "Okay," he nods, giving his sister a quick hug. Phaedra gives her cousin, Kelly, a hug as well and speaks a few soft words to her, but I can't make out what she says. Daniel leads the shaken, emo-haired girl from Sullivan's and off into the night. Phaedra approaches Charli and I. Charli smiles at her in a silent greeting before turning to me. "Uh, I feel bad for the place losing business," Charli says to me with a lopsided smile, "but I'm still gonna go see if I can get the bartender to cough up a few free beers. Being as I'm the sister of tonight's hero and all." Ah, thank you Charli. You are so awesome. Not only is she giving Phaedra and I some space, but now Phaedra will believe Charli is my sister. We both watch Charli walk away toward the bar. Phaedra turns back to me with that cryptic look again before saying, "That was really stupid of you." I wasn't quite expecting that. I should say something suave, or pithy, or witty...or something, but my mind feels like a quivering bowl of Jello again as I stand this close to her. I shrug, saying simply, "I guess." It's not like I was in any danger. Jake could have emptied that gun into me, and I would've survived. It would hurt like hell and piss me off something fierce, but it takes more than six bullets from a pea-shooter to kill a Fravashi. "Stupid boy...thank you," she smiles, looking to the ground with a shyness I didn't expect from her. The dozen or so responses that flash through my head all sound egotistical or self-serving, so I settle on a sincere, "You're welcome." Phaedra looks back up at me, a silence falling over the air between us. It doesn't feel awkward, though. It's more like the quite calm of lying in cool grass on a summer day with the warmth of the sun bathing me in it's glowing rays. Those ice-blue eyes of hers hold me in thrall once more, stirring up an ache of longing in my soul. "Hey," I finally force myself to say, "can I buy you a cup of coffee? Or something to eat?" "Yeah," Phaedra nods with the hint of a smile dawning on her lips. "That would be nice." * * * * * * The two of us are sitting in a booth at one of those greasy-spoon, all-night diners. It's clean and nice, however, and in a decent part of the city. We both have a cup of coffee in front of us, and we're waiting for our food. Phaedra is tapping one foot nervously, the only sign she shows as the shock of what happened at Sullivan's hits her. I should say something to take her mind from it. "So what's your major?" I ask. "My...major?" she replies, tilting her head to the side and looking momentarily confused. "Oh, no no. I'm not a college student. I'm a teacher." "Really?" I'm a little stunned someone so young could be a college professor. Is that even possible? Phaedra must see the surprise written on my face, so she explains, "No, I'm not a professor at the college. I'm an elementary school teacher." "Oh, I see," I nod. That makes a lot more sense. She looks just barely old enough to have gotten a teaching degree. I'm curious as to why she was at the college earlier today, but I think of a better question to ask. A flirty smile crosses my lips, and I ask meaningfully, "So you're used to stupid boys having a crush on you?" Phaedra's foot tapping stops, and she looks up from her coffee to stare at me for a moment. "I, uh," she stammers as she catches the nuance of my implication. "Yeah, I guess so." My heart melts as I see her give me an honest smile for the first time. God I want so badly to reach out and brush my fingers gently against her cheek. "What about you?" Phaedra asks. "What are you going to school for?" "Psychology." "No kidding?" she asks, her look turning serious and thoughtful. "Eh, well, I'm just a freshman, but yeah. That's what I'm planning to get into after I slog through all the general courses." "Kind of old to be a freshman, aren't you?" she jokes, smiling again before sipping her coffee. Time Heals No Wounds Ch. 01 You have no idea. "I'm not that old," I lie with a chuckle, thinking about how I'm almost old enough to be her father. That gentle, comfortable silence falls between us again as we both sip our coffee. Simply sitting here basking in the glory of her attention is enough to make me happy, though I'm also enjoying the sound of her pretty voice. I'm glad when she speaks again. "So your sister seems nice," Phaedra comments to keep our conversation going. "Charli?" I say. One of my most genuine smiles is reserved for when I think about Charli, and it spreads over my lips now as I gush, "Charli is great. She's the most terrific person I know. She's my best friend. I love her a lot." "That's so cool," Phaedra says wistfully. "I love my brother, too, but sometimes I wish I had a sister." I feel a touch of remorse as I allow Phaedra to continue believing Charli is my sister. This is one of the dark sides to being Fravashi. We have to lie to people all the time. Even if I eventually tell the truth, these little lies I spit out still make me feel dirty. "Is Daniel younger or older than you?" I ask. "Younger. He's my little brother." "When you two were kids did you ever dress him up like a girl?" I chuckle. Phaedra laughs, admitting, "Yeah, I did. My mom took pictures and everything. He was so cute!" "Hah! I knew it!" I grin. "Charli never did anything like that to me, thank god." So far I've been purposefully ignoring the elephant in the room. I figure if Phaedra wants to talk about what happened at Sullivan's then she'll bring it up herself. She doesn't, though, as our conversation continues. Our food arrives, and we keep talking as we slowly eat. Phaedra points her fork at me and says, "Most embarrassing moment. Go." Oh jeez. I've had so many, but the most embarrassing? I hesitate to tell this story, but what the hell? "I guess I was twelve when this happened. It was summer break, and me and the family were out camping. Our last night there it was after sunset when I had to...attend to some business in the bushes." "Number one or number two?" Phaedra asks with a mild giggle. "Number two. Anyway, I lost my balance and fell on some plants after I'd already dropped trou, only what I landed on wasn't exactly some random foliage. It was poison ivy." "Oh no," she giggles harder. "Yeah, right? I got it all over the worst possible part of my lower anatomy." "Ouch!" Phaedra grimaces. "Needless to say I was pretty miserable all night. My mom gave me some anti-itch cream, but it barely put a dent in the itching and burning. The ride home the next day was horrid." "I can only imagine," she says. Phaedra shakes her head in sympathy at my plight from ages past. "It gets worse. We get home, and the next day is Sunday. My parents are church goers, and of course they didn't give me a pass. Not even in my condition. So we're sitting there in church, listening to the pastor, and I'm fighting so hard against the urge to just scratch. Eventually I can't take it anymore, and I get up and go to the bathroom. "The itching is so bad by the time I get into the toilet stall that I don't even bother unbuttoning. I whip my zipper down, pull my underware to the side, and scratch and scratch and scratch. I'm practically numb down there by the time I stop, but it was such a relief. "I felt a lot better, so I walk back out to sit down with my family. I remember Cindy Jasper was the first one to notice. She was about my age, and I had a giant crush on her. Cindy looks over at me as I leave the bathroom, and her eyes get real big as she sees it. She starts laughing hard. "The pastor notices next. He asks me, 'Max, son...did you forget something?'." "Oh, you didn't," Phaedra grins hugely, her eyes widening with mirth. "As soon as the pastor says something everyone in the church turns to see me standing there with my wang hanging out, all red and puffy." "Oh my god, that's terrible!" Phaedra laughs uproariously. I can't help but chuckle, too. Phaedra is giggling so hard she snorts a little, which makes me chuckle even more. "Yup. I forgot to put the tools back in the shed, but wait...it gets worse," I laugh. Phaedra is practically rolling by now, her eyes tearing up from laughter. "How could it get any worse?" she asks. "I'm so embarrassed I just reach down to zip up without thinking. Remember that first scene from 'Something About Mary'?" "Oh god...no!" she can barely mutter, in full-force guffaw territory by now. "Oh, yeah. That was me," I say with a lopsided grin, hitching a thumb at my chest. "Caught my junk in the zipper. So, I'm lying there all bleeding from my testicles, with my wang hanging out and the entire congregation watching. My folks had to take me to the ER and everything. Most. Embarrassing. Day. Ever." Phaedra can't even talk right now from how hard she's giggling. I'm so enraptured by the beauty of her laugh that I just sit and smile, laughing with her for a bit. I feel so stupidly happy right now. "I'm glad you find my suffering so funny," I finally manage to say with a smile once I catch my breath. "You have to admit that's funny," Phaedra says once her own laughter dies down. "Now it is," I acknowledge, my smile continuing. "Back then, not so much. Alright, your turn." "Okay," she giggles. "Let's see..." Phaedra gets a thoughtful expression for a few moments before telling me, "I'm not sure I can top yours, but here's my most embarrassing moment..." "I was sixteen, and it was my sophomore year in high school. For some reason I thought it would be a good idea to take weight training for my PE requirement. Our PE classes were co-ed, so I guess I just wanted to ogle all the buff boys." "Understandable," I comment. "As it turned out, a senior boy I had a serious crush on was in the same hour as me, which made this all the worse. One night my mom made chili for dinner. My mom makes really good chili, so I ate way too much of it. The next day I had some really, really bad gas. I had to hold it in during class all morning. My guts were rumbling pretty badly by the end of the morning classes." "I think I see where this is going," I grin. "As soon as lunch rolled around I went to the bathroom and squeezed out as much as I could. I thought I was okay. I had PE right after, so there I am doing bench presses with my girlfriend spotting me. I didn't mean to, but I let out a little squeaker. Everyone started chuckling and looking around to see where it came from." "Oh boy," I snicker. "I couldn't help it. I started to laugh in embarrassment right in the middle of pushing the bar back up. It's hard to do bench presses if you're laughing. So, the bar comes crashing down on my chest a little hard, pushing out another fart, but this one is louder." "Oh, damn," I chuckle harder. "This time, everyone knows it's me. The bar on my chest is starting to hurt my boobs, but I can't stop laughing...and farting. Other kids are seriously laughing at me at this point. My poor girlfriend looked petrified. I think she was torn between helping me and pretending she didn't know me. "Eventually, she tried to lift the bar off me, but she's not strong enough to do it at the angle she's standing. She ends up having to step forward, and she's making these sounds trying to lift the weights off me. "So there I am laughing and farting loudly. My girlfriend is standing with her crotch right over my face, and with the noises she's making it sounds like she's having an orgasm." "Oh god," I mutter, laughing hard at this point as I picture the scene. Phaedra giggles as she says, "It took me a while to live down the nickname 'lesbian ass eruption'." "Oh Jesus!" I blurt out, laughing so hard there are tears rolling down my face. "You win! That's way worse than mine!" It takes me a minute to recover, and I wipe my eyes dry with a napkin. "Kind of funny both of our most embarrassing moments involved our crushes at the time," I observe. "Yeah," Phaedra nods, a wistful look of remembrance coming over her. "So, do you have a crush on anyone now?" I ask innocently. Her eyes widen, and she looks down at her food. It's a long, agonizing moment as I wait for Phaedra to speak again. The dark-haired beauty peeks her gorgeous eyes up at me briefly, revealing, "I'm starting to." We both eat some more of our meals, a pleasant and eager tension hanging in the air between us before I break the silence. "How long have you been teaching?" Phaedra looks back up at me, and I can tell I hit on a topic she's extremely enthusiastic about. "I just started my fourth year," she smiles fondly. "You really like it, don't you?" "Yeah, I love it. I decided on elementary school because I feel like if I reach kids early enough I can give them a desire to learn. It's like I can..." Phaedra pauses, trying to quantify her feelings on the subject. I think I understand, because I felt the same way at one point in my life. "It's like you can change the world for the better, even if only a little bit at a time?" I speak my hunch. "Exactly!" she nods, a look of wonder crossing her eyes. "That's it exactly!" I'm starting to feel like maybe such a thing isn't as impossible as I've believed these last ten, long years. It's as if I'm finally coming out of a long, dark tunnel and seeing the sunlight again for the first time in ages. We eat in silence for a bit longer, each engulfed in our own thoughts. I already know I've fallen for this woman, but how does she really feel about me? It takes a herculean effort of will on my part not to merely delve into her thoughts and find out for sure. That would be too easy, and if there's one thing I've learned over the years it's that real love isn't easy. It can be a struggle, but that only makes it all the more worth it, all the sweeter in the end. I'm certain Phaedra feels grateful for what I did at Sullivan's, and she probably holds some small affection for me, at the least. There's quite a leap from affection to love, though. I decide to simply take things as they roll and do my best. "I'm not keeping you from anything, am I?" Phaedra asks. "Not at all," I shake my head. "I can't think of a single place I'd rather be right now." "Wow. You really like this diner, don't you?" she jokes. I chuckle. I know Phaedra knows what I meant, but she's deflecting her own nervousness with humor. The fact that I make her nervous in that way is a promising sign. "Well, the coffee is pretty good," I smile. "Nice and strong." "Speaking of the coffee, I think I need to go visit the ladies' room," Phaedra excuses herself. I nod and give her a smile as she gets up and sachets to the bathroom. My eyes caress Phaedra's backside with a decidedly intense interest as she goes, the sight of her curvesome bottom giving me a stirring tingle. She turns a bit and looks at me looking at her. The smile on her face broadens as she enters the ladies' room. I sigh, a buoyant and happy feeling filling me. I haven't felt this good in ages. I finish what little remains of my dinner. The waitress drops off the bill. It looks like Phaedra is more or less finished with her dinner as well, the remnants on her plate not worth bothering to box up for later. I leave a tip on the table before getting up to go pay. Phaedra exits the restroom just as I'm being handed my receipt. "Oh, are you ready to leave?" she asks as she steps near. "Eh, I suppose, unless you want to finish that," I reply, pointing to her plate on our table. "Or want some desert." "Oh no," she shakes her head, patting her belly. "Me fat happy." I laugh. I've never heard someone put it quite that way. "Can...can you take me home?" Phaedra asks hesitantly. I'm a bit disappointed she wants to end our evening so soon, the time only being about 10:30 PM, but I nod. It's understandable after what took place earlier tonight. "Sure thing." * * * * * * Phaedra and I are in front of her multistory, brownstone apartment building. We're both standing there gazing at each other in that comfortable silence again. I didn't want our time together to end. Though I know it's inevitable I can't bring myself to say "goodbye". "Was this a date?" she asks with a timid smile. "Yeah, I think it was," I say, giving her a shy smile of my own. That serene silence falls around us again. "So?" Phaedra asks, finally breaking it. "Yes?" "Stupid boy...aren't you going to kiss me?" I'm a little surprised at her request, my heart drumming quicker at her words. "Would you like me to kiss you?" I ask, taking a step forward. "Yes...please..." I move even closer, wrap my arms around Phaedra's soft, warm body, and bring her close. She presses herself against me, her arms circling my waist. We gaze into each other's eyes, my own yearning reflected within the vivid sparkling of her cool blues. The world around me falls away as I lean down and kiss Phaedra for the first time. We close our eyes as our lips press together gently, the silky feel of her sending an electric, tingling essence of Potency trickling into me. Now I'm certain she is my Anima Uxoris. Only a soul mate can empower a Fravashi's spirit like this with a mere kiss. I know Phaedra will be feeling something totally out of the ordinary right now, too. Her soft, almost imperceptible moan tells me I'm right. We all have those perfect moments in our lives, a small slice of time we know we'll never forget. Phaedra leans back to gaze up at me, and I smile a silly and happy grin, knowing I just had one. I wonder if she did too. She speaks. "Would you..." Phaedra trails off, leaning her forehead against my chest. "Would I?" I ask when she doesn't finish her thought. "I'm afraid," she whispers so softly I'm not sure I heard her correctly. "What are you afraid of?" I wonder aloud. Phaedra is silent so long I start to think maybe I did hear her wrong. "I'm afraid of you," she reveals. What? I'm a little baffled at her admission, and the way her embrace tightens around me confuses me even further. "How can I feel this way about someone I just met?" the dark-haired beauty asks. "I feel it too," I assure. "I felt it the first time I saw you. I felt it again when I saw you walk into Sullivan's. It's real, Phaedra. Our feelings are real." "Max...? Why did you do it?" she asks, her head still leaning against me. "Do what?" "Step in front of that gun." "How could I not? I'd die for you." "Stupid boy," she whispers affectionately, clutching me even tighter. Phaedra holds me a while longer in lingering silence before releasing her clasp around me and stepping back. She takes my hand. "I don't want you to go. Come with me? Upstairs?" she requests with the flame of desire lighting her eyes. "Stay with me tonight?" This is more than I could have hoped for. I nod once, my emerald eyes broadcasting my own need for her. Phaedra, still clinging to my hand with her own, climbs up the the front steps with me in tow. She gets her keys from her purse and lets us inside. I see the elevator has a very noticeable "out of order" sign taped to it, so I'm not surprised when Phaedra leads us into the stairwell. She's practically running up the stairs, still holding my hand and looking back occasionally with a giant grin pasted to her lovely lips. I can't help but laugh with a soft joy at her eagerness to get me into her apartment. And then we are there, Phaedra pushing her front door shut with one foot as she steps toward me, grabs my shirt, and pulls me in close. We're kissing again with closed eyes, and I feel like a blind man who's somehow seeing a sunrise for the first time. The pure passion of Phaedra's lips against mine is the blazing glory of this first sunrise, filling me with life. Kissing and caressing, feeling and touching, we make our way to her bedroom. Most of our clothes end up in a pile on the floor. Then, I'm on my back on Phaedra's bed with her lying atop me, both of us still in our underwear. She's kissing me, our bodies pressed together. She breaks the contact of our lips and pushes herself up ever-so-slightly. "Max?" she whispers. "Yes?" "I need you..." "I need you too..." "Max...I need you to show me something beautiful tonight. Can you do that?" "Yes," I reply breathlessly. "I need you to prove to me how you feel. Can you do that?" "Of course," I whisper truthfully. Our lips meet anew, Phaedra's soft hands against my face with mine roaming her back and hips. "Undo my bra," she whispers huskily. My fingers deftly separate the clasps at her back, and she shrugs out of it. Her lips find mine once more. I delight in the way her breasts press against my chest muscles and in the erotic contact of our lower halves. I can sense a nervousness in her as she rolls from me to lie on her back. She peels her underware downward with a bashful look, and I gaze in rapt desire upon her fully nude loveliness. Phaedra discards the last vestiges of her clothing. "So sexy," I sigh. I start to roll away toward the edge of the bed, but Phaedra catches me, stopping me with a hand on the shoulder. "Where are you going?" "To get a..." "No," she interrupts, "No condom. I want you inside me, not some piece of rubber." My eyes widen in surprise as I turn back to face her. "What?" she smiles shyly. "I know you'll never hurt me." My eyes roam her luscious landscape once more as I quickly remove my white briefs. I drop them behind me off the edge of the mattress. Lying on her side, Phaedra stares at the swell of my excitement. She reaches out with a slow hand to gently caress it's length. Her careful fingers sends a tingling thrill dancing over my skin. "The skin is so soft, like velvet," she utters quietly. As I extend my own hand downward, that apprehensive vibe I'm getting from Phaedra returns, but she angles one leg upward to allow my fingers access below. I run my digits cautiously over her entrance, drawing a sigh as she closes her eyes. She's more than excited. I slick my fingers with the succulent juices of her passion before rubbing her womanly nub in slow, gentle circles. I'm a little surprised at how responsive Phaedra is to this simple touch, how sensitive she seems to be. This was meant to be foreplay, but her hips start shaking lightly. Her hand moves from my shaft to grip my side almost painfully tight. Her breathing intensifies, and I can tell she's quickly climbing that mountaintop. I can feel the intensity of the Potency generating from her building orgasm. I'm stunned at how powerful it is, like a tsunami getting ready to slam into me. Phaedra clutches at my hand below as she cums. Her eyes squeeze shut tightly, and she utters a squealing, almost hysterical giggle. My Potency is already near-full from my earlier encounter with Charli, so the flood of it fills me to the brim and beyond. The excess essence bursts in my vision like buckets of different colored paints being splashed randomly about. A funny, astounding thing happens to Fravashi who are handed more Potency than they can possibly hold, and it's something that only happens when we're with humans. A really good human lover, one you truly care for, will overfill you this strongly and send you to a place beyond. It's the best drug in the world, putting any man made, chemically crafted concoction to shame. My mind expands as my senses stretch past anything normal. Part of me stays in the here and now, but another part of me feels as if I'm becoming one with the universe. I'm buoyed up on a current of pure, white light, my every nerve lighting with a bliss that's indescribable. I can't believe I put this feeling aside for ten whole years. Though I remember this amazing state of being, it's been so long it's like I'm experiencing it again for the first time.