When I awoke I knew immediately that something was wrong. Or, at least, I thought as I stretched, different… My sheets weren’t this soft… I opened my eyes and blinked muzzily up at the canopy of the bed. I was still in Algave’s pocket dimension, I realized.

I heard a soft noise beside me, and rolled over to look. Algave slept beside me. He looked peaceful.

Slowly, I slipped out of bed. My cell phone was exactly where I’d left it, halfway out of my discarded pants. I picked it up and checked the time. Five thirty six. If this was a normal day, I’d have just left work. I sighed, and wondered vaguely why Dr. Thompson hadn’t called.

I examined the room. It was ornate, with lots of purple and gold. A bit tacky, in this day and age, but 1000 years ago it would have seemed quite impressive. I rested my hand on a golden lion statue. Had Algave put this space together purely for his own enjoyment, or was he trying to impress me?

No doors, I noted. If this actually was a space outside the universe, as Algave had said, that made sense. I wasn’t going to be able to leave on my own. I sighed, and looked over at the sleeping djin. Waking him seemed like a bad idea.

When I attempted to access the internet, I realized why I hadn’t gotten a call from my boss. No bars. It seemed obvious when I thought about it.

“Space outside the universe means no cell towers,” I muttered. “No shit, Bekka.”

With nothing else to do, I looked around the room some more. It all seemed to have been generated when Algave put this place together; nothing seemed out of place. Except… I pulled the bottle I’d released Algave from out of a drawer. This did not match the decor. I wondered why Algave had kept it.

I heard a strangled noise from the bed, like someone trying, and failing, to scream. I looked over at Algave. He made another strangled noise, and his head tossed from side to side. A nightmare?

“Should I wake him?” I wondered aloud. It might not be safe. On the other hand, he looked so distressed. It pained me to leave him suffering like this.

Algave thrashed in the bed, and I gave in to my softer side. I slid into bed beside him and gripped his shoulder. “Algave! Wake up!”

Algave’s eyes jerked open, and he jerked out of my grip. “What?”

“You were having a nightmare,” I told him, gently tugging on his arm. “Calm down. It’s ok.”

Algave let me pull him into my lap. “It wasn’t,” he told me, “Just a nightmare.”

I began to stroke his hair. “It’s ok. You’re ok. Whatever you were remembering, it’s over now.”

Algave shuddered. “Over.”

We sat in silence for a moment, and then Algave jerked out of my hold. “What is that,” he demanded, “Doing on the table?” He pointed to the bottle.

I blinked. “I woke before you, and I was-“

He grabbed me and shook me. “Never, ever touch that again. Do you understand? Do you understand me?”

Frightened, I nodded.

Algave shoved me off the bed. “Put your clothes on. I’m taking you home.”

His intense, fiery gaze followed me as I gathered my things and put them on. “Good,” he said when I was dressed, and grabbed my arm. Suddenly, we were in my apartment. He shoved me away from him, and then he was gone.

I shivered, remembering the tightly coiled rage in his eyes. “Ok, no messing with the bottle,” I muttered. “Easy enough.”

*

The next day, I went to work as usual, butterflies in my stomach as I attempted to come up with an explanation for my disappearance. My mentor, however, just nodded when I came into her office, and gave me a sympathetic smile. “I’m glad you’re feeling better, Bekka,” she said. “Food poisoning sucks.”

Food poisoning? Then I remembered telling her my lunch disagreed with me. Apparently, when I’d vanished, she’d jumped to the obvious conclusion. “I’m definitely feeling better,” I told her. “What’s on the agenda today?”

Dr. Thompson smiled. “It’s attic day again.”

I winced. “Already? Don’t we still have stuff from last attic day?”

My mentor shook her head. “It’s all been taken care of. Even that pottery piece you were working on. I handed that off to Ricky, and he did an admirable job.” She smiled. “Not to say you wouldn’t have done an admirable job, but you got sick, and Ricky was looking for something to do. Care to join me in the attic, or should I get someone else?”

I began to fish around in my purse. “Give me a sec to find my allergy medication, and I’ll manage.”

Dr. Thompson nodded. “I knew I could count on you, Bekka.”

*

The attic was a mess. We’d sorted out most, if not all, of the stuff that needed preservation a long time ago. The rest just needed to be cataloged. Or, in some cases, thrown away.

I searched the cushions in a worn out couch, and came up with a handful of coins. “Might have found something.” Nickel, nickel, penny, quarter… pay dirt. “It’s an old coin,” I called to Dr. Thompson, who was in a different part of the attic. “Looks like it might be gold.” Few other metals would be this shiny after who knows tuzla escort how long in a couch.

“A good find,” Dr. Thompson called back.

We worked in silence for a few more minutes. Then I heard a gasp. “This is gorgeous! Bekka, come see!”

I picked up my lamp and headed for my mentor. “What did you find?”

“A bottle,” she said. “It feels like it has something inside.”

My heart stuttered. “Is it stoppered with lead?”

“Yes,” called Dr. Thompson. “I think I can get it-“

I rounded the corner just as Dr. Thompson popped the lead free. “Out,” she finished.

We both froze as fire swirled up from the bottle’s mouth. The only thing I could think was. “Oh, shit, not again, not again…”

The fire coalesced into a man right next to the professor. Dr. Thompson shook free of her shock. “Who-“

The man smiled, and a knife appeared in his hand. With it, he stabbed the professor. I stifled a scream. The doctor gripped the wound in her stomach, and slowly sank to the ground.

The djin met my gaze with an evil smile. “Try to run,” he suggested to me as he stepped out of the lamp’s area of light and faded into the darkness.

I hurried to the professor’s side. As she lost consciousness, I pressed my hand to the wound on her side. I could think of only one thing to do. “Algave!” I called. I had no idea if he could hear me, or, if he did, if he would come. “Algave, help me!”

Algave appeared in front of me. “What-” he began. Then he noticed the professor. He bent over her, and gently moved my hand aside. His hand brushed her side, and the wound was gone. Then he turned to me. “What hap-“

That was when the other djin attacked. He came at Algave from the darkness, laughing, bloody knife in hand. I screamed, but Algave raised his hand, and a glowing shield blocked the knife. With his other hand, he gestured, as if drawing a sword, and, suddenly, a sword appeared.

The fight was brutal. The evil djin attacked with berserker ferocity, but Algave cooly blocked his wild thrusts. One cut his arm. I gasped, but the wound was gone in a heartbeat.

Sparks flew around the two as they, presumably, contested each other magically. Half formed shapes appeared in the air around them. A fire. A knife. A dragon?

The other djin vanished, appearing directly behind Algave, but Algave seemed to be expecting this, and whirled to block. Then, for the first time, Algave made his own attack. It hit home. The other djin shrieked, and waved his hand over the wound. It vanished, but Algave was already thrusting once more.

Several neat slices and thrusts later, the other djin was covered in blood. Both djin were breathing heavily. The other djin had mostly abandoned defense, but some of his desperate attacks were getting through.

Algave vanished. The other djin whirled, expecting Algave to appear directly behind him, but Algave appeared at his side instead. One final thrust. The other djin vanished.

Algave sank to his knees, panting. His sword vanished. Then he collapsed on the dusty floor.

I ran to him. “Algave! Are you alright?”

He looked up at me blearily. “Why do you care?”

I knelt beside him. “Because you just saved my life, stupid.”

He shook his head. “I’ve been nothing but horrible to you.”

I sighed. “You could have done much worse. Can we discuss this later?”

Algave pulled away from me. “I… I hurt you.” His eyes filled. “Maybe I deserve to die.”

I huffed. “That’s just the exhaustion talking. You’re a good person. When you appeared just now, your first reaction was to heal the professor.”

“Who is very grateful for it,” put in the professor, blinking at the two of us. “What the hell is going on?”

Algave looked over at her. “You probably shouldn’t be standing,” he began as she rose to her feet.

She snorted. “I’m fine. You, on the other hand, look like shit. Who, and what, are you?”

“His name is Algave,” I put in helpfully. “He’s a djin.”

I turned to Algave. “Shouldn’t you be poofing off somewhere to rest?”

Algave huffed a laugh. “Can’t poof anywhere right now. Not enough magic.”

I nodded. “I’d better take you home, then.”

The professor snorted again. “I’ll help.” She gave Algave a pointed once over. “There is no way you can get him home via public transit.”

*

Once Algave was asleep in my bed, I made tea for myself and the professor. Heat the water. Pour the leaves into the tea ball. Put the tea ball in the boiling water. Stir three times. The ritual was soothing, and always had been. It helped me gather my thoughts.

The professor was sitting on my couch. As I poured the tea into two cups, one for me, one for her, she asked the obvious question. “What in the hell is going on?”

I shrugged, bringing one cup to her. “You know almost as much as I do. Algave hasn’t exactly been forthcoming. Milk or sugar?”

The professor waved off the milk, but added a bit of sugar to her cup. “Did he come out of a bottle pendik escort as well?”

I nodded as I squeezed a dollop of honey into my cup. Local honey, to help with my allergies. “I opened his the night before last.”

Dr. Thompson raised an eyebrow pointedly. “Where did you get it?”

“Not from the museum,” I said hurriedly. “My grandparents on my mother’s side liked to travel. I inherited most of their souvenirs.” I shrugged. “Most of them are cheap tourist junk, but I guess somehow they got their hands on a genuine artifact. I had to melt the lead to get it out.”

Dr. Thompson nodded slowly. “Did he attack you?”

“Well…” I blushed. “Not exactly? I don’t want to talk about it.”

The professor’s eyes were knowing, but she didn’t press. “What has he told you?”

I shrugged. “Not much. He said he’d been in there over 1000 years, and he said something about mermaids and dragons being real…” I trailed off, shrugging again.

“Fascinating,” murmured Dr. Thompson. “I did my dissertation on the depiction of dragons in historical art. It’s interesting how some of the similarities between cultural depictions predate when those cultures came into contact. I had wondered, when I was young…” She shook her head. “But were could a dragon hide, in this day and age?”

“Maybe they got wiped out?” I suggested. “Or perhaps they can use magic to hide themselves. Algave certainly can, when he wants to.”

Dr. Thompson frowned. “When you were acting oddly yesterday, was that because he was there?”

I blushed again. “Yes.”

Dr. Thompson finished her tea. “Well, I’ve got to get back to the museum. We’ve got a new undergrad coming in this afternoon.” Standing, she picked up her purse. “You’ve got today off, with full pay. Tomorrow, too.”

I blinked, surprised. Dr. Thompson was usually very tight with the Jensen foundation’s cash. “Thanks!”

Dr. Thompson nodded. “In return, I expect to be kept in the loop about how Algave is doing, and what he’s told you in regards to magic and his own history.” Her eyes lit up suddenly. “I feel like I’m in a fantasy novel. Magic! Djin! Dragons…” She shrugged, regaining her composure. “It is quite interesting, both from a personal and a professional perspective.”

“You’re not going to tell anyone, are you?” I asked anxiously.

Dr. Thompson shook her head. “Of course not. The resulting media blitz would not be conducive to proper study.” She looked at me pointedly. “And you?”

I shook my head vigorously, feeling very maternal. “I don’t want to put Algave through that. He’s been through enough.”

Dr. Thompson nodded once. “Of course. Now, I must be getting back.” She turned, and headed out the door. “Goodbye, Bekka. Take good care of him.” She looked over her shoulder, gaze gentle. “After all, he did save both our lives.”

*

Around noon Algave awoke. He stumbled out into the kitchen/living area, where I was busily making chicken soup. “This is almost ready,” I told him. “Then you can have something to eat.” I paused, a sudden thought occurring to me. “You do need to eat, right?”

Algave laughed. “Yes, djin need to eat just as much as humans do.” He sat gingerly on the couch. “Moreso when we need to recover magic.”

I nodded decisively. “It’s a good thing I made a lot, then.” And there was more broth frozen, so I could make even more if need be.

I carefully stirred the soup three times clockwise, then three times counterclockwise. Three times clockwise, three times counterclockwise. I wasn’t sure why, but I’d always stirred food like that, very slowly and deliberately, like I was taking part in some sort of magic ritual.

“Dr. Thompson went back to the museum,” I told him.

He nodded. “Is she alright?”

I nodded. “She’s fine. Thanks to you.”

The tea kettle began to boil. I hurriedly finished the last two counterclockwise circles before pulling the kettle off the stove. “Do you like tea?”

Algave shrugged. “No idea. But I’m willing to try.”

Silence hovered awkwardly between us as the tea steeped. I wanted to ask him about dragons, and mermaids, and other djin. About how he’d ended up in the bottle. About… Oh, there were all sorts of things I wanted to ask him, but I didn’t want to press until he felt better.

Algave broke the silence as I pulled the tea ball out of the pot. The second steeping was always the best. “It, umm, occurs to me that you might not realize that the other djin, the one that attacked you, probably isn’t dead.”

I poured the tea into two cups. “I wasn’t sure,” I admitted. “I mean, you stabbed him, and he vanished, and for all I know you lot vanish when you die.”

Algave shook his head. “Djin return to fire when they die, just as humans return to earth.” He smiled wryly. “Though the process is faster for us. If he’d died when I struck him, his corpse would have set the attic on fire. He vanished because he teleported.” Algave shrugged. “It’s possible he died after that. He was maltepe escort badly wounded, and I think he was low on magic.”

I frowned, setting a cup in front of Algave and returning to the stove. “That’s not good. He seemed a bit… Nuts.” Three clockwise, three counterclockwise. “What should we do? Do your people have anything like a police force?”

“We did,” Algave murmured, sounding lost.

I looked over at him sharply. “Did?”

Algave was crying. “My people. They’re gone.”

Carefully, I turned off the stove and moved the soup to a cool burner. Then I hurried over to Algave. Sitting beside him, I wrapped my arms around his shoulders as he cried. For a long time, neither of us said anything. Then, as he began to calm, I asked, “What happened?”

Algave shook his head. “I don’t know. The cities outside the universe are gone. The ones on earth are in ruins, or buried, or…” He trailed off, shaking his head. “They’re just gone.” He looked up at me. “I’ve been stuck in a bottle for over a thousand years. You’re more likely to know than me.”

I shook my head. “I know some old stories, but nothing to suggest why your people vanished.”

Algave sighed. “I thought not.”

We sat in silence for another moment. Then I stood. “I’ll get you some soup, ok? You’ll feel better once you’ve eaten.”

Algave nodded morosely. “Perhaps.”

I dished the soup into a large bowl, and carried it over to Algave. As I set it down before him, he blinked in surprise. “I thought you didn’t know anything about human magic.”

I frowned. “I don’t.”

Algave gestured to the soup. “Then what is this?”

“Chicken soup,” I said slowly. “Ordinary chicken soup. It’s homemade, and I think it’s delicious, but aside from that, it’s perfectly ordinary.”

Algave shook his head. “It’s infused with healing magic.” He squinted down at the bowl. “It’s weak, and I wouldn’t have noticed it if I wasn’t trained to recognize human magic, but it’s definitely there.” He looked up at me. “How did you prepare it?”

I frowned thoughtfully. “Well, I started with a whole chicken…” As I explained my process, Algave asked questions. I blushed a bit when I told him about my almost compulsive stirring process.

Algave nodded slowly as he took the last bite of soup. “I’ve seen healers making potions stir in exactly that same way. Back before I was in the bottle.” He looked up at me. “No one taught it to you? You just started doing it on your own?”

I shook my head. “I’ve never even told anyone about the habit.”

Algave frowned. “I’ve never heard of a human learning magic without either a teacher or a large library of spell books. But you,” he looked down at the empty soup bowl, “Obviously learned a spell. The soup was delicious, by the way. And it’s making me feel a lot better.”

I shrugged. “Ok, great. What do we do now?”

Algave grinned roguishly. “Well, we could see how much bouncing it takes to break your bed.”

I looked him firmly in the eye. “No.” I hoped he’d listen.

Algave sighed. “It was merely a suggestion.” He looked me over. “It’s hard not to make suggestions like that. Even remembering… What I did before. You are incredibly beautiful.” He shrugged. “And we are technically married.”

I glared at him. “About that-“

Before I could finish, Algave cut me off. “I can’t undo it.”

“Can’t?” I asked pointedly. “Or won’t?”

“Can’t. The rings you wear were made with help from a djin priest and a powerful human mage.” Algave sighed. “I can’t undo them alone.”

“Shouldn’t I have gotten a say in this?” I asked. “Human marriages involve the bride saying something along the line of ‘yes.'”

He shrugged. “The rings were made with the assumption that both parties agreed to the marriage.”

“You’re talking about before you ended up in a bottle, right?” I asked. “The rings were made then? Were you engaged?”

Algave frowned. “I really don’t want to talk about it.”

“But-” I began.

Algave stood in one rapid motion, knocking over the TV tray. “I said I don’t want to talk about it! What happened is none of your business!”

I was scared. Algave looked furious. But I stood my ground. “I’d say it is, since the result is me being married to you.”

Algave winced. “Look, we don’t have to treat it like a marriage. Not if you don’t want to. You can do whatever you want with other men. Or women, if it strikes your fancy. I’ll just,” he shrugged, “Not have anything to do with you unless you call me.” He smiled sheepishly. “There are benefits. You’re immune to age and disease. There’s a certain amount of protective magic in the rings, too, and if you call my name, I hear you, and I’m compelled to come.”

I blinked. “I won’t age?”

Algave shook his head. “No more than I do.”

“That’s… ummm…” I wasn’t sure how to feel about that. The idea of outliving the people important to me stung a bit.

Algave awkwardly retrieved the TV tray and the dishes. “I’m sorry about this,” he said. I wasn’t sure if he was apologizing about the mess, or the situation he’d gotten me into.

I sighed. “To a certain extent, it isn’t your fault. Being stuck in a bottle for that long would probably make me a bit crazy for a while.” I smiled wryly. “Probably more than a bit crazy. Frankly, if you were aware the entire time, I’m surprised you’re as sane as you are.”

Obtaining the horses was a lot more difficult than Vincent had anticipated. The man he saw was the only horse dealer in the entire city and the stock he had was sub-par to say the least. There was an old nag who would be better suited being in the knacker’s yard than for sale, two barely grown colts and a couple of thin creatures in dire need of a rest, not a trek across the wastes. The asking price for all of them was well beyond ridiculous. Vincent was leaning against the railing looking at the creatures when Talia returned with a bag full of supplies, “What’s the problem?” she said.

“Take a look.” Vincent said.

“What?”

“Talia, look at those animals and tell me why I might be waiting here.”

She turned her head this time and spent a moment judging the creatures in front of her. “They look as though they’ve not been kept very well.”

“And you don’t know what he wants to charge for them.”

“Can’t we just… you know?”

“Steal them?” Vincent said raising his eyebrow.

“What? You’ve never stolen before?”

“Do you know what they do to horse thieves around here?” she shook her head. “I don’t think there is enough unscarred skin on this body for the kind of treatment they give. No, we won’t steal them.”

“But we’re guardians of the people. That’s got to get us somewhere right?” she said. Vincent sighed.

“We are, yes. It’s also illegal in most of the countries we guard to be one of these guardians, including this one. If we demand these beasts and leave the man alive, we’ll be followed across the wastes until we’re caught. If we kill him, the same will happen. No, we have to use words to get ourselves out of this one.” He said.

“How?”

“I’m trying to think of that now.”

Talia looked into the coin pouch and smiled. “Give me a moment and I’ll see if I can do anything.”

Vincent frowned. “If you think it will help.”

“What harm can it do?” she said before trotting off towards the office. Vincent turned his attention back to the horses and coughed, the air was dry and dusty even this short distance from the ocean. The sun was climbing to the pinnacle of the sky and the ground was heating up. Sweat trickled down his back making the rough cotton stick to his skin. It was beginning to itch. It was going to be a long few months. He looked up at the sky and watched a thin wisp of cloud crawl lazily across the great blue expanse. One of the horses trotted over and nudged his shoulder, a look of hope in its soft face. Vincent could see his ribs through his thin hide but there was still some fire in his clear eyes. He ran his hand along his nose and smiled when the horse snorted and nudged against his hand. The horse’s ears pricked up and Vincent looked around at the same time. Talia and the ostler were walking towards them. They were talking as they walked and there were smiles on both their faces. Vincent wondered what had changed; he’s been a sullen fellow when he’d spoke to him.

“Come on brother.” She said as they approached him. He nodded and fell in behind her, shouldering the bags and keeping at her heels.

“Excuse my brother sir, he is a proud man and not accustomed to such hardships.” She said to the ostler. Vincent heard him chuckling and was tempted to bury one of his knives in the back of his neck. Instead he followed on in silence. The horse followed alongside them too, occasionally stopping to crop grass along the way. They walked to the gate in the paddock and the ostler whistled. The other horse looked up from where he was cropping grass and trotted over.

“These two are sure footed and will lead you to your family.” He said.

Talia walked around the two beasts, inspecting their hocks as Vincent took in the faces of the beasts. Both were undernourished but looked like they’d pick up with regular exercise and feed. Talia spent longer than was strictly necessary running her hands over their coats and making sure they were able to carry them. After a full fifteen minutes, she turned back to the ostler. “They’ll do. Go and draw up the papers while I discuss something with my brother.” The ostler nodded before striding off.

“What did you tell him?” Vincent said as soon as he was out of earshot.

“We’re travelling to see our dying mother, you’re in denial and its making you short tempered and irritable, I’m handling most of the business. He said you were rude and condescending, I explained it as one of your flaws and after that he became quite pleasant. Just continue to act sulky until we’re out of here and we’ll be fine.”

“How much are you paying for those animals?”

“Does it matter? We’re getting out of here aren’t we?”

“Well-“

“Now give me your purse so I can complete the deal.” She said. Vincent snorted before handing it over.

“I want some left in that when you give it back.” She gave him one of the smiles that made his insides turn to mush before turning away. Vincent kicked the ground and cursed.

When she emerged from the office she threw the coin pouch back at him, he caught it with ease, it was surprisingly heavy. Maybe it wasn’t as bad maltepe escort as he thought. He tucked it back inside his duster jacket without looking at the contents; that was a surprise for later. “They’re going to saddle the horses for us now so can I have your saddle please?” Vincent gave it to her and she walked off.

Ten minutes later both horses were led round to the front of the office. Vincent took the reins of the hopeful creature that had nudged him earlier and patted its shoulder. Talia led the other and they walked away from the ostler. Vincent didn’t miss the smug expression on his face and he frowned back as they walked passed him. They didn’t mount the animals until they found the wide track through the rest of the tent city that led into the Tego Wastes.

They’d been travelling at a modest pace for a few hours when Vincent dismounted, encouraging Talia to do the same.

“Why’re we stopping?” she asked

“We’re not. These animals haven’t been ridden for some time by the look of them it would be unwise to tire them out on the first day.” He said.

“I see, where are we going?”

“The first town on the Wastes is Dillon; it should take a couple of days to get there if this map is anything to go by.” He said looking down at the map again.

“What’re we going to do when we get there?” she said

“Start what we came here to do.”

“How?”

“Talia, I don’t know yet. Give the questions a rest for a moment. I haven’t thought it all through yet,” he said. He ran his hand over his forehead, flicking the sweat onto the dusty ground.

“Sorry.” She said looking down at the floor. Vincent sighed.

“I don’t like to plan too much when I’m out on assignment. I’ve found that doing so means more can go wrong. Don’t plan too much and you’ll not go far wrong.” He said.

“I see.” She said before turning her attention to the changing landscape. The road remained dusty but gradually the sides began to change from sandy waste to grassy plane. Long brown grass clung to the ground in rough patches; it was bent low to the ground, flattened by the coarse winds that ripped across the landscape. There was no cloud in the sky as they walked along in silence, the sun offered no reprieve from the heat, it was relentless in its torture of the already ravaged ground. The ground slowly rose and on the horizon appeared the ghost of a large stack, the likes of which neither of them had seen before.

The sun began to sink slowly to the horizon and the wind began to die down, Vincent scanned the horizon before leading his horse off the road. Talia followed behind him. Vincent found a hollow in the landscape and dismounted, “Here’s a good a place as any, and I can’t ride any further without some sleep.” He said with a smile.

“You’re getting old!” Talia said, a good natured smile on her face. She dismounted and they both went about setting up the camp, “You know, I should have purchased clothing that would better suit a man than a woman.” She said as she gathered some wood.

“Oh?” Vincent said looking up from seeing to the horses.

“Have you ever tried riding all day in a corset?” she said, “These skirts are far too full for anything practical, how on earth am I going to do anything useful in it? Including sleep?”

“I can unlace the stays for you.” Vincent said with a shrug. Talia’s eyes widened and her face flushed a pretty red. “I didn’t mean that as it came out.” He said quickly. “I’ve undone stays before on numerous occasions and…”

“You’re not helping.”

“Name of the God’s Talia, I’ve been around in the world, I’ve seen enough stays in my time to know how they work.” He said.

“I haven’t.” she squeaked.

“Talia, I have no interest in taking advantage of you, or anything. The first reason being that you’re my student.” Vincent said. “I know full well what type of a reputation you guys have given me and some of it is even deserved but I would never harm any of our own.” He ran his hand through his dark hair and did his best to smile. “Nor take advantage either.”

Talia nodded. “It’s just, well, I don’t know, I’ve seen some of the older men look at me and I know what they’re looking at and it’s just a bit, I don’t know, weird.” She said rubbing her forearms with her hands.

“Of course they do Talia, you’re a pretty girl and it’s difficult not to notice but remember, so long as you’re travelling with me you’ll be safe. I certainly won’t do anything you don’t want me to. I was just trying to offer help where it’s needed.”

“I’ve been silly haven’t I?” she said, a shy smile creeping onto her face.

“Maybe a little but we’ve had a long day.”

Talia unrolled her bed before handing Vincent some of the hard biscuits she’d bought for food. He nibbled on one as he sorted out his own sleeping place. “We need to keep a watch tonight,” he said.

“Why?”

“I don’t know who or what is out there.” As he spoke, a creature let out a low whining in the distance, as if to punctuate his words, “And I for one don’t fancy meeting my end yet.”

“No. manavgat escort Wouldn’t that be a let-down?” Talia said. “After all this training to get eaten by some creature in the wilderness! Would you mind untying this?” she asked. He could hear the shy tone in her voice so smiled as best he could.

“Of course. I’ll take first watch, you get some sleep. I’ll wake you when it’s your turn.” He said as he loosened the tied laces of her corset. He could smell the faint perfume she used as he brushed her blonde curls aside to reach the laces. He swallowed hard and did his best to ignore it, it wasn’t easy. She nodded; He turned his back on her, allowing her some small privacy as she readied herself for bed. He was half tempted to turn and watch despite all he’d said but decided against it. It would be unfair after what he’d said. He turned his attention instead to the growing gloom. Not much was happening. Talia settled quickly. There was the occasional cry of an animal, the snort from one of the horses and even the odd snore from Talia.

The hours passed and even the sounds died, there was nothing but the darkness and the pin prick stars above, there wasn’t even a moon for company. Vincent yawned and stood up to stretch. The duster jacket he wore may be heavy but it kept out the night cold. The temperature had plummeted since the setting of the sun; now it was just above freezing. He shivered as he walked around the camp without making a sound. He gave a final scan around the landscape and was just about to wake Talia when he thought he heard a whisper in the grass. He nudged Talia with his foot and as her eyes flickered open he put a finger to his lips.

He returned to where he had been sitting and strained to hear in the darkness. There was nothing to be seen out there and he began to wonder whether he had really been hearing things. Vincent was just about to put it down to tiredness when there was a rustling from behind them. It sounded like the scrape of a boot on gravel. He turned, now convinced they were being watched. He glanced down at Talia, who had rolled on to her side, her eyes were shut but he knew she wasn’t sleeping. He bent down and loosened his boot knife. He listened again, nothing.

When it happened, it was so fast he acted more on instinct than anything else. There was a crack and a heavy weight collided with his midriff. Vincent coughed, sputtering as the air was forced out of him. Stars swam in front of his eyes as he groped for his boot knife. Meaty hands forced his shoulders to the ground, pinning him where he lay. “Talia!” he shouted as he heard a scuffle to his left. She yelled something and he brought his knee up sharply, aiming for his opponent’s crotch. He missed, instead catching his thigh. A breath of rancid air swamped him, making him choke. He strained against the hands but couldn’t break the hold. The sneer on his attackers face showed dirty broken teeth. Vincent hawked deep and spat into his eyes. The hold on him was broken as the attacker lurched backwards clearing the phlegm from his face. Vincent kicked him backwards until he was sprawling on the floor.

“Talia?” it was a question. A noise was made as he drew the knife from his boot. He regretted not strapping his swords onto his belt as he walked over to the attacker, who was now getting to his feet. Vincent strode over to him and kicked him in the ribs, sending him back to the ground again, “Now then.” He said smiling down at the prone man. He flashed him the dagger to show what sort of business he meant. The attacker grunted and drew his own knife. “Are you sure you want to do that?”

“Not be much left of us if I don’t.” he said with a grunt, he was surprisingly well spoken for a thug. Vincent shrugged. He threw his knife at his attacker, throwing him off guard for a moment but missing, “Hmph, and now you have no weapon.” Vincent took a couple of steps back and reached for his blanket, all the time watching what his would be attacker was doing. Vincent drew on of his twin swords and strode forward. He heard the clang of metal against metal as his sword struck the knife. He drove his opponent back with a blow that should have sliced a large chunk of forearm away.

“You’re from that horse seller aren’t you?” Vincent said. The slight widening of his eyes told him everything. He fended off a clumsy blow with ease, forcing him back further. They reached the point where his knife had landed and he stooped to pick it up. As he did so, a cloud of dust collided with his face. He coughed, retching up dust and stone, he managed to stumble to the side as his attacker charged forward. Vincent, anticipating the blow, brought his sword up. He felt the blade enter the soft belly of his opponent; there was a gasp of surprise and warmth flooded over his hand. He drew the blade back with a quick thrust and backed away from the dying man. He rubbed dirt from his face.

“Talia?”

He turned to see the young woman was holding herself well against a single attacker. She had a nick on her left arm that bled freely şişli escort but from the look of it, it wasn’t deep. Vincent also noticed that the man had more cuts than she did. He padded around the back of the fight while they exchanged blows. He kept a close watch on the fight, ready to step in when he needed to. He didn’t. Talia made the best of a misstep from her attacker and thrust the sword into his chest. Vincent stepped forward as the now dead man hit the floor. Talia let go of the sword and stepped backwards, her hands held frozen in front of her mouth as if to capture the gasp she’s uttered. Vincent pulled the sword from the chest of the dead man and held it out to Talia. She looked at it for a moment before recoiling away.

“It’s your task to clean the blood of the fallen from your blade.” He said, holding it out to her. “Do it while you put your thoughts in order.” She took the blade from him then and sat down on her bedroll. Vincent did the same and began cleaning the blood from his own weapon. He kept an eye on Talia as she starred at the weapon on her lap. He re-sheathed his sword when it was done and pulled one of the blankets around his shoulders. The temperature had dropped further in the hour before dawn and he shivered. He watched as Talia began the task of cleaning her blade. The concentration that went into the task was palpable. She made no other noise as she stroked the weapon over and over. She continued long after every trace of blood had been wiped from the metal. Vincent let his eyes drift shut; he lingered on the borders of sleep. He awoke with a start when a presence sat close by.

“Who were they?” Talia said her voice low and shaky.

“They’d come to steal the horses back.” Vincent said sitting up.

“Why?”

“I don’t know.”

She remained silent for a while, sitting and starring at the sword she’d left on her bedroll. She was shivering but seemed unaware of it. Vincent put his blanket over her shoulders and she pulled it around her. “Is it always like this?” she said.

“I’d like to say it gets easier but it doesn’t.”

“I don’t see you moping about it!”

“No, coping with it gets easier, doing the act and the consequences don’t, ever. I regret having to take lives needlessly, it’s just less of a shock for me now.” He said. She nodded as he spoke. “This is what we get for choosing the life we live.” He added.

“Should we bury them?”

“Would they offer you the same kindness? If not for a stroke of luck that would be you lying there on the ground instead of them.” Vincent said. She shook her head. He noticed her bleeding arm again and touched it with his fingertips, they came away sticky. “I’ll have to dress this.” He said. He pulled his bag over and dragged out what passed for a first aid kit. He wiped the blood from her arm and wrapped a fresh bandage around her slender arm. “This is the only one?” he asked. She nodded, “It was a clean fight for a first time, you did well.”

“I could’ve died.” She said. Vincent nodded, it seemed obvious to him but then again, he’d been killing for a living for a long time. He put his arm around her slim shoulder and gave her a squeeze, “I could’ve died without experiencing anything. I’ve been in the compound since I was ten years old and I know nothing.” He could feel her trembling next to him and he pulled the blanket around them both. It was a cold night.

“What do you mean? I know life in the compound can be dull but there’s plenty to do.” He said.

“Vin. I’ve lived behind walls for eight years.” She said, relaxing into his arm and against his body. “I know nothing of life.” He looked down into her blue eyes and knew her meaning. He swallowed hard.

“What about your training partners? Phillip and James? I was infatuated with one of mine when I was still training. Alicia.” He said. He could feel warmth flushing into his cheeks and couldn’t help feel a bit giddy.

“You mean we’re allowed to, well…”

“Of course, Mathias once said to me that we’re assassins, not saints, so long as we’re discreet in our affairs then it isn’t a problem.” She wound her arm around his slender waist and sighed. Vincent pushed a curl out of her face and held her for a moment, “I said earlier I wouldn’t-“

“I don’t care. I don’t want to die not knowing…” Vincent nodded as she spoke and ran his finger down her soft cheek. He was surprised to see it was damp, he’d not noticed her tears. He let his thumb rest under her chin and placed his mouth on hers. He breathed in her scent, the subtle floral perfume, the salt of her tears. His eyes drifted closed and he pushed his hand through her curls, letting it rest at the back of her neck. He held her close as her lips parted, inviting him to deepen the kiss. Her tongue nudged his mouth, urging him to let her in. His lips opened and she collided into his mouth, exploring with all the fresh inexperience she had.

Her hand tugged at his shirt and she thrust it up against his skin. The sensation of her bare hand against his chest sent a tingling straight to his crotch. He relaxed back onto the blankets beneath them and she followed, not breaking contact with his mouth. He enfolded her in an embrace, revelling in the feel of her alongside him. He slid is tongue over hers, relishing the taste of her, sweet and fiery at the same time. He pushed her tongue back and broke the kiss. The question on her face was one of innocent confusion, “Did I do something wrong?”

3

I was alone in bed when I finally awakened, and my eyelids were so heavy I felt like I’d just been roused from a ten-year magical slumber. It certainly would have explained a lot about the past few days. Kaseya still made far more sense as a figment of my imagination than an actual woman in the real world.

I was a few seconds away from accepting my newest fantasy-makes-more-sense-than-reality hypothesis when I heard a squeak and a soft grunt from the other side of the room. I turned over—a longer, more laborious process than I wanted to admit—and spotted Kaseya hanging upside down from a wooden pole suspended over the bathing pool. Her legs were curled backwards over the beam to hold herself in place, and she leaned up and touched her knees with her elbows over and over again. I had seen plenty of soldier training regimens over the years, but nothing like this.

After completing a dozen repetitions, she took a ten second break before doing a dozen more. Just watching her was exhausting…or would have been, if not for the fact she was also stark naked.

I swung my own legs out of bed, keenly aware of the stiffness in my weary cock. I reflexively tried to cover myself, only to belatedly remember that Kaseya would already know exactly what I was feeling regardless. Hiding normal secrets from her was going to be difficult enough, but hiding my mood was already proving completely impossible.

“You slept soundly?” she asked, still facing the other direction.

“Uh…yeah,” I managed. “What time is it?”

“Two hours after sunrise. A servant came by and offered us food, but I turned him away until you were ready.”

Kaseya stretched up to her knees again, but this time she grabbed onto the beam with her hands and let her legs fall free until she was right-side up again. She paused for a moment, then gently dropped into the water and dunked her head beneath the surface. Her lustrous mane of red hair was still untied from last night.

“Where did you get that wooden beam, anyway?” I asked.

“I inquired with the servants downstairs,” she said, grabbing a dry cloth and running it over her body. “They did not seem to understand my request at first, but they became far more amenable once I threatened violence.”

“Wait, you did what?”

“Do not worry—they are unharmed,” Kaseya soothed. She finished drying herself off, then slowly sauntered back towards me. Once she was standing in front of me, her eyes drifted down to my swollen cock. “I suspected that you might require additional relief in the morning.”

I grunted. “Look, you really don’t need to do anything. I’m a man—I get hard all the time for basically no reason. You can’t be expected to—”

“You are my Maskari,” she interrupted. “You should have stayed on the bed.”

I frowned. “Why? What are you—oof!”

I let out a loud and thoroughly emasculating yelp when she slammed her palms into my chest and shoved me back onto the bed. I barely had time to lean up on my elbows before she swung her leg over my waist and straddled me.

“A frustrated sorcerer is a danger to himself and everyone around him,” Kaseya said, gently easing my swollen cockhead into her waiting folds. “Your mind needs to be clear.”

I yelped again when my cock slid into her, though this time it sounded a lot manlier. My hands clamped around her thighs as she began to rhythmically swirl her hips, and I could feel the walls of her quim milking me with every thrust. She leaned down over her, her long wet hair spilling across my face and chest, and offered me one of her perfect breasts.

A soft moan escaped her lips when I gently sucked her nipple into my mouth, and for the first time I wondered if she was finally doing something she wanted rather than something the magical collar was telling her I’d enjoy. With that thought in mind, I did my best to return a tiny fraction of the pleasure she had brought me. My tongue lashed across her breasts one after the other, and the sweet sound of her mewling whimpers was enough to bring me over the edge.

I spilled deep inside her, and for a moment I actually feared I might black out when she cried into my ear from her own climax. I was so drained that I slumped back on the pillows, half-dead and ready to sleep the afternoon away.

I shook my head and placed my hands back on her hips. “Gods, I don’t even know what to say at this point.”

“If you are satisfied, then I have fulfilled my duty,” Kaseya said.

I shook my head as she leaned up. My shriveling cock remained inside her, and she made no move to slide off or dismount.

“Look, I understand this pledge is important to you, but it’s not fair for everything to be about me all the time.”

“Then you do not understand my pledge,” Kaseya countered. “You are the Maskari. Your will and desires are absolute.”

I sighed. “Can you at least tell me that you enjoyed yourself?”

“Of course I did. The collar ensures that şişli escort I experience your pleasure as if it were my own.”

I arched an eyebrow at her. “Wait, so if I finish…you feel it too?”

“I did not at first, but our bond is already strengthening,” Kaseya said. “I suspect that I will soon share your arousal and desire mutual release.”

“Wow,” I breathed. “Whatever sorcerer invented these devices in your culture…I can’t decide if he was a genius or a real creep.”

She frowned. “I do not understand.”

“Never mind,” I muttered, leaning up and gently helping her off of me. I didn’t think I’d had anything left to give her after spilling inside her four separate times last night, but then I saw how much of my seed was trickling down her legs.

We returned to the pool, and I heated the water with sorcery again before I finally dunked my own head. As the minutes ticked by, I became more and more aware of how much I needed to enjoy this luxury while it lasted. I didn’t even have enough coin left for a second night, which meant I really needed to tell her the truth about why I had fled to Highwind…

“Your mood darkens,” Kaseya commented.

I grunted. If this bond really is strengthening, then there’s no way you’ll be able to hide much of anything from her for long. You might as well just come clean now.

“Last night I told you that I decided to finally flee Vorsalos because I didn’t have any powerful friends left to protect me,” I said, bracing myself. “That’s not the whole truth.”

Kaseya nodded. “I know.”

“You’re probably wondering why I didn’t tell you the rest.”

“As the Maskari, you are under no obligation to tell me anything,” she replied mildly.

I closed my eyes and pinched my nose. Every time I thought I’d shaken my guilt about treating her like a slave, she went and said something like that.

“For one, you should probably start calling me Jorem. For two, you deserve the truth,” I said. “You are not my slave. I don’t own you.”

To my surprise, she didn’t immediately correct me. She just stared at me quizzically while she brushed her hair.

“These women that are chasing me, the Senosi…I used to help them out from time to time,” I said.

“I do not understand. You said they were trained to hunt and kill sorcerers.”

“They are. But sometimes they needed help, and on occasion I was willing to provide it in exchange for coin.” I bit my tongue, realizing just how awful this sounded when I actually spoke the words aloud. “Anyway the point is that I had a…well, I had a relationship with one of them. She paid me and helped protect me from others. In exchange, I would occasionally help her track down and capture particularly dangerous sorcerers—the ones who were legitimately a threat to everyone else.”

“But then something changed,” Kaseya reasoned.

“Yeah,” I murmured. “When the Inquisitrix discovered that we were working together, my friend disappeared. I never saw her again after that, and I suddenly had half the city looking for me. I needed to get out of there.”

Kaseya swam across the water and placed her hands on my shoulders. “You do not have to worry now. I will protect you.”

“I know,” I said, smiling. Her relentless attachment to this pledge of hers rotated between creepy and downright disturbing, but she had a genuine innocence about her that I couldn’t help but admire. “But the Senosi aren’t the only problem. Like I said, I also needed their coin. It’s hard to sell your services as a sorcerer with the Inquisitrix breathing down your neck.”

“Your culture values coin too highly.”

“Yeah, well, one problem at a time,” I muttered. “The point is that half the reason I came here is to try and find some work. After last night…well, let’s just say we won’t be staying in a nice room like this much longer.”

Kaseya shrugged. “I do not mind sleeping beneath the stars. And I am more than capable of hunting enough game to provide for us.”

“I’m sure you are,” I said. “And you wouldn’t even complain about it for a second, would you?”

“No. Why would I?”

“Let’s just say that in my experience, gorgeous women aren’t usually interested in hanging around with men who can’t afford to put food on the table or a roof over their heads.”

“Then you have met some very foolish gorgeous women,” Kaseya said.

I grinned and ran my fingers through her hair. It seemed impossible, but I could feel my cock stirring beneath the waterline yet again. “Compared to you, every woman I’ve ever met seems foolish.”

She smiled and leaned in close enough that her nipples touched my chest, and I felt her hand brush against my cock and guide it back to the smoldering entrance of her quim.

“Would you like to fornicate again before we leave?”

“Yes,” I said, grabbing her by the waist. “Yes, I would.”

***

Two hours and another mind-blowing-but-belatedly-guilt-inducing tuzla escort copulation later, Kaseya and I were out on the bustling streets of Highwind. No one tried to kill us when we left the inn, either, which I always considered a promising sign for the day ahead.

“So many people,” Kaseya murmured next to me. “Even more than Vorsalos.”

“Almost twice as many, as hard as that is to believe,” I said. “Highwind is pretty much the only mainland gateway to the Shattered Coast.”

“Nol Krovos feels empty compared to this.”

I turned and studied her profile. I had only known her for a day and a half, but I already considered her one of the most unflappable people I’d ever met. The crowd was clearly making her anxious, however, so I gently took her arm and nudged her off the main street. We gradually maneuvered our way back to the edge of the district where we had been ambushed last night, and just like I expected there were plenty of guardsmen stationed around the area.

“All right, I’m going to have a chat with one of these guys and see if I can learn anything,” I said, leading Kaseya into a nearby alleyway. “You should stay here. You’re a lot more…memorable. I don’t want one of the locals to point us out to the guards.”

She eyed me warily. “I will do as you wish, of course, but I cannot defend you unless you are nearby.”

“I’ll be fine,” I assured her. “What’s the range on this collar of yours, anyway? Will you still be able to sense my mood?”

“The bond endures across great distances.”

“I figured as much. If things go badly, you’ll still know when I’m in trouble.”

Kaseya nodded. “Yes.”

“Then just hold tight. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Taking a deep breath, I slipped back around the corner and approached the nearest guard. The scene of the battle had long since been cleared, naturally, but with luck one of these grunts would still have something useful to tell me about the identity of our attackers.

“Lots of folks seem to be steering clear of this place today,” I commented from just behind the guard’s shoulder. “Something happen last night?”

The man turned and scowled at me with his ugly, pock-marked face. “Mind your business. Move along.”

I grunted and crossed my arms. “Sorry to bother you. I just wondered what was going on. I own a shop near the canal and I was hoping to—”

“I said mind your business,” he growled. “If you don’t live here, then get the hell out.”

I bit down on my lip and glanced around to see if anyone else nearby was paying attention to us. Fortunately the guards were fairly spread out, and the bustle of the nearby streets drowned out casual conversation quite easily.

All of which meant I had another option to get the answers I wanted.

“I just need to you ask you a few questions, friend,” I said, reaching out to the Aether and using its power to plumb the guard’s mind. “I promise it won’t take long.”

The guard pivoted all the way around, still scowling, until my eyes met his and my magic took hold. I hadn’t figured out how to manipulate the minds of more than one person at a time yet, unfortunately, but I had learned how to control one reasonably well. Manipulating idiots was an essential skill for anyone who wanted to survive on the fringes of society.

“Sure, no problem,” he said, smiling helpfully. Somehow it made him look even uglier. “What can I do for you, friend?”

“I heard there was a fight here last night,” I said, gesturing back to the street. “Do you know who was responsible?”

The man sighed and shrugged. “Just the usual. These guild wars are getting worse and worse every week.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “‘Guild wars?'”

“That’s what the boss is calling it. Ever since the Black Mistress took the reins of the Undercity, the old guilds have been struggling to unseat her. I think they were trying to waylay one of her shipments last night, but a couple of travelers stumbled into it by accident and fucked the whole thing up. Kind of funny, actually.”

I nodded idly as I tried to pull the pieces together. They weren’t fitting particularly well just yet. “I heard there was a woman alongside these thugs. Lots of leather, a red scarf…do you know anything about her?”

The guard snickered. “You sure you aren’t thinking about the brothel? Sounds like costume night.”

I smiled back. “Maybe the one who mentioned her to me was just hallucinating.”

“Probably, though the thugs here were working for someone, a foreigner I’d bet. The captain thinks that some of the other city-states are trying to take advantage of the chaos.”

“I wouldn’t put it past them,” I murmured, my mind still racing through the possibilities. “What about this ‘Black Mistress?’ Anything you can tell me about her?”

“Not really,” the guard said. “No one knows her name or background, but she practically transformed the Undercity pendik escort overnight. She’s obsessed with magic—she’s been recruiting Academy drop-outs and Mage Guild exiles for months.”

I felt both my eyebrows perk up. “Is that so?”

“She and her cronies have been selling their illegally enchanted goods all over the city. The Archmage is livid, of course.”

“Of course.”

“A lot of folks think she’s running some kind of slavery ring, too, but who knows?”

I pursed my lips. The longer I maintained the charm spell, the more likely someone would notice—and the more potential damage I could cause to the victim’s mind. I didn’t have much more time. “Do you have any idea how to get in contact with the Black Mistress?”

“No one does, as far as I can tell,” the guard. “The Undercity is a damn maze these days. Her people have thrown up illusions everywhere. The Knights of the Silver Fist sent a patrol down there last week, and even they couldn’t purge the spells fast enough to figure out where they were going. It’s going to take a lot more coin and effort than the Council is willing to invest right now.”

“I see,” I said. “Well, thanks for help. I’m sure I’ll be seeing you around.”

“No problem.” The man smiled again and clapped me on the arm. “We should get drinks sometime!”

I grinned back. “I’d like that.”

I rendezvoused with Kaseya a few minutes later, and I led her further down the street on the off chance the guard actually remembered our meeting and tried to do something about it. A true enchanter could probably prevent that particular side effect, but sorcery was inherently unpredictable.

“You seem…conflicted,” she said once we reached a reasonably private corner a few blocks away. “What did you learn?”

“Apparently the reason that Senosi Huntress didn’t engage is because she wasn’t actually there for us,” I said. “She hired those thugs to ambush a shipment of illegal enchanted goods.”

Kaseya’s face didn’t light up with surprise like I expected. She looked more relieved than anything, which I found odd…

“A strange but fortuitous coincidence, then,” she said.

“In a way,” I said. “From the sound of it, there’s an ongoing power struggle between several different factions of the underworld right now. The strongest one is led by a woman they call the ‘Black Mistress,’ whose major crime seems to be harboring uncertified spellcasters and circulating illegal magical items.”

“She sounds like a potential ally,” Kaseya said.

“Maybe,” I said, furtively glancing about in search of eavesdroppers. “I don’t know for certain, but I bet that Huntress was sent here by the Inquisitrix to try and help overthrow the Black Mistress. Not because she cares about Highwind, of course—she just knows that destabilizing the city is in Vorsalos’s best interests.”

Kaseya nodded absently. I still thought her reaction was a little strange, and I made mental note to ask her about it later.

“The important thing is that apparently this Huntress isn’t after us,” I went on. “We may have smacked down her thugs, but it sounds like she has more important things on her plate right now. All in all, I’d say we’re reasonably safe for the moment.”

“What about this Black Mistress? Do you wish to try and contact her?”

“I don’t know how—yet.” I paused and considered our options. “Well, we still need coin regardless, and I suspect our best bet is probably some good, old-fashioned mercenary work. Assuming you’re up for it.”

“You know I am, Maskari,” Kaseya said.

I sighed. “We talked about this. You can just call me Jorem.”

“As you wish,” she said, smiling faintly. “Jorem.”

“Better,” I said, grinning. “Before I left, a friend of mine recommended I check the official bounty boards maintained by the Highwind Guard. Most of the guilds won’t bother will small-time contracts, but it’s a decent way to make connections and prove your worth.”

“To whom?” Kaseya asked.

It was a good question, probably even better than she realized. I had fled Vorsalos out of desperation, not because I’d concocted a grand scheme to acquire riches. I would have loved to study magic here, but from what I’d heard the Highwind Academy didn’t accept sorcerers. Apparently their current Headmistress—a haughty high elf, if my information was correct—was also a tremendous bitch.

I couldn’t hire myself out as a mercenary spellcaster for the same reason: every reputable business and guild in town required an Academy certificate up front. The only ones left were the “disreputable” businesses and guilds, which, to be fair, were the people I had the most experience dealing with anyway.

“I’m sure there are plenty of folks in this city willing to pay good coin for a competent sorcerer,” I said. “Especially one with an even more competent bodyguard.”

I asked for directions from the nearest shopkeeper, and they directed me to the board near the district’s exit. The postings were even more numerous than I had expected. Some paid almost nothing, and plenty of others struck me as downright fraudulent. But perhaps that was just my Vorsalosian cynicism talking.

“If you cannot choose, perhaps you should consult the Aether for guidance,” Kaseya suggested.

I turned and frowned. “How so?”

Chapter 43

Edited by Steve

Tim woke up at his normal time, 4:00 a.m., and he felt an arm on his chest and traced it back to Deniece. He raised her arm, slipped underneath, and carefully lowered it back on the bed.

He slipped to the foot of the bed so he wouldn’t disturb the other three sleeping beauties. He pulled on his sweatpants and shirt and headed to fitness room 512. As he entered the room, he noticed two females on the treadmills; this was the first time someone else was in there this early.

As he drew nearer, he recognized them. The first was Ralim, and the second was Otiro. They were females to whom he was supposed to have mated after the fight with the Dalugoth, where he gained Tabitha, Tammy, and the others as his mates. He received all of Dalugoth’s property by winning the fight, including his six mates.

Tim brought them aboard to free them from their world’s laws and allow them to choose another mate. “Hello, ladies!”

They turned their heads and returned Tim’s, “Hello.”

Tim took a seat on the rowing machine and started to exercise. While doing this, Ralim came over to him and asked, “Tim, are we allowed back to our home world?”

Tim stopped and looked at her, “What do you mean, allowed? You were never banned from there.”

“When you won the fight, we had a choice. Come along with you or go to the outer planets. On the outer planets, there are no returns.”

“Are you planning to leave the ship for good?”

“Oh, no, some of us would like to visit some old friends and maybe find a new one.”

“And just how long would this visit be?” Tim smiled. He thought, ‘I know there aren’t enough Feline males on board to take care of every feline woman.’

“Tim, you could set the time limit for our visit. That way, everyone will think we are still your mates.”

“And what would a new friend think about me allowing you to flirt with another?”

“I have no clue! Some of us could use a companion. By the time he gets here, he’s going to know the rules.”

“Well, what would you say to a week? Do you feel you might be able to make a new friend by that time?”

Ralim bent over, kissed Tim on the cheek, and said, “Yes! Thank you.” She turned and ran over to Otiro with her tail sticking up.

Tim yelled, “Put that tail down; I know what it means.”

Ralim blushed a little, lowered her tail, saying, “Sorry.”

The two females chatted for ten minutes more, showered, dressed, and left, waving to Tim and thanking him for their visiting time.

Tim smiled and thought, ‘There go two horny females, and each will have a companion to help with that in a week. Just hope the males know what they’re getting into.’

Tim started back rowing, finished the fitness room workout, exited room 512, and started his morning run. He met up with the Commander and her soldiers for their five-mile run.

Back in Tim’s Quarters:

Deniece woke, looked around, saw the other females, and knew Tim would be back soon. Rolling over to Miss C she lowered the covers, exposing Miss C’s breast and pinched a nipple, saying, “It’s time to get up and start the breakfast. Tim will be back soon.”

Miss C grabbed Deniece’s hand, held it to her breasts, and said, “If you keep doing things like that, I’ll be getting you ready for Tim and the shower, not breakfast.”

Tammy rose from behind Miss C and said, “Miss C, you get breakfast ready, and I’ll get Deniece ready for Tim.” Tammy crawled over Miss C, to Tim’s place, and kissed Deniece.

Miss C moved to the edge of the bed and looked at the two of them, “Remember, just warm her up for Tim.” She then got out of bed and dressed, heading for the kitchen.

Tammy and Deniece kissed and played with each other’s breasts.

Tabitha woke to the movement in the bed and asked, “What’s going on?”

Tammy looked over Deniece’s shoulder and replied, “I’m warming her up for Tim.”

“Do you need help?” Tabitha raised and moved a hand between Deniece’s legs. “Well, you are doing a good job; she’s soaked down there.”

Tim returns:

Tim finished his run with the Commander and her soldiers and headed back to his quarters. He walked into the quarters and saw Miss C fixing breakfast. Moving up behind her and kissing her neck, “Good morning, beautiful!”

She turned, placed her hands behind his neck, and gave him a good morning passionate kiss, “The girls are waiting for you in the shower.”

Tim hugged her and patted her ass cheeks, “Ok, I’ll wake the kids on the way.” Tim turned and headed to David’s room.

Miss C returned to finishing breakfast.

Tim entered David’s room, “David, it’s time to get up.”

“Oh, I need to stay home today. I’m not feeling good.” David said while covering his head with the blanket.

Tim moved to the side of the bed and sat, “And why are you feeling sick? Should I call Doctor Madlyn?”

“NO! … I mean, I don’t need to see her!”

“Well, if you don’t need to see the Doctor. Then why are you sick?” Tim asked zonguldak escort as he removed the blanket from David’s head.

“I don’t want to go to school.” He was trying to pull the blanket back over his head.

“Well, if you don’t want to see Doctor Madlyn and don’t want to go to school, what’s your problem?” Tim asked while pulling the blanket back off David’s head.

David sat up and asked, “How come girls always say they like you?”

Tim smiled; he now knew what the problem was. “Which girl likes you, and I’ll have her thrown off the ship?”

“You would do that for me?” David sat there, smiling at the thought of having this girl thrown off the ship.

“Yes, you are my son now, I will have The Commander and ten of her soldiers meet you at the school, and you point her out to them. They’ll take her and march her down the hallway so everyone can see what happened to a girl that likes you. They’ll go straight to the MTS and send her to the prison planet.”

“But, Mom said no one is allowed to return from there.” David had a worried look.

“That’s right. But that way, all the girls will be afraid to like you.” Tim sat there trying not to laugh.

“But, she won’t get to see her parents, and she’ll be alone there.” David was fidgeting, having a hard time sitting still.

“Well, that’s what she gets for liking you. You have to put a stop to girls liking you.”

David thought about having the girl sent to the prisoner planet. “Dad, I don’t think she should go to the prisoner planet. So, I’ll just let her like me. Is that Ok?”

With a stern look, Tim said, “If that is what my son wants, Ok. Now get up!” Tim left the room smiling and thought, ‘If all problems were that simple to fix.’

Tim walked into Wendy’s room, “Get up, sleepy head.” He walked over and sat shaking her gently.

Wendy opens her eyes, “Morning already?” She now sat up and stretched her arms.

“Yes, sweetie. Now get up and get dressed. See you at the breakfast table.”

Tim got up and headed to their bedroom and, hopefully, a shower full of lovely women. He opened the bedroom door and heard the giggling coming from the bathroom. Undressing, he opened the shower door, and asked, “Are you ready for me?”

The three women turned and showed him their soap-covered hands. Tabitha reached Deniece, turned her around, bent her over, and pointed to her rear. “Yes, she is ready for you.”

Tim started toward Deniece, the other two washed and exited the shower to allow Tim and Denice their time together. He took his time and ensured that Deniece had at least two orgasms before exiting the shower.

The Kitchen:

Miss C had everything on the table when the kids, Tim, and the girls showed up. Tim sat while Deniece got his morning java and placed it in front of him. Then fixed the kid’s plates.

Everyone ate and talked about what had happened yesterday and what they would do today.

Tim asked Miss C if she could come to his office around ten. He wanted to know more about the credit system she had started.

“Would you like to see the books, or do you want the information?”

“Just the information, in case someone asks me about it. That’s all I need to know for now.”

“Ok, I’ll be there;” She got up and said, “If everyone is done, I’ll start cleaning up.”

Deniece stood, picked up Tim’s plate, kissed him, and whispered, “I enjoyed my shower.”

Tim smiled back, looked at Miss C, and said, “Breakfast was great, thank you.”

Tabitha and Tammy helped clean the kitchen and gather the items needed for the day’s work.

Deniece gathered the kids and told Miss C she would be back. As she and the kids walked out the door, Wendy turned to Tim and said, “Daddy, I’ll see you after school.”

“Bye sweetheart. Deniece, are you coming back?”

“If you like, I can come back; otherwise, I’ll go to the marketplace and our office. Why?”

“We need to talk.”

“Then, I’ll be right back. Have another cup of java or Miss C.”

“I like that idea,” replied Miss C, smiling at Tim with a sparkle in her eyes.

Tim looked at Deniece and said, “It’s important.”

“I’ll be right back!”

Miss C turned and said, “I’ll do the kitchen. Tim, do I need to stay?”

Tim got another cup of java, sat at the table, and said, “Yes, this concerns you, too.”

Tim went into the kitchen and helped Miss C with cleaning. They heard Deniece return.

Tim asked Miss C and Deniece to sit at the table. Tim looked at them and said, “I need to tell you what happened on the visit to the planet yesterday.”

Deniece looked at him and said, “Why did something bad happen?”

“Are you alright? Did they do something to you?” Miss C asked.

“No, I’m alright, and no, they didn’t do a thing to me.” Tim sat there and recounted the whole story in detail.

“So, did you hurt the young girl?” asked Deniece.

“No, Egel, made sure that she was ok.”

“So, now you are showing new worlds how to fuck in new ways. And why didn’t you bursa escort tell us of your sexual escapades last night when we could have tried that?” Deniece sat there fanning her face.

Miss C turned to Deniece, “Tim is teasing us. Now we’ll have to wait until tonight to try it.”

“No, I just wanted you both to know what happened.”

“Tim, we trust you, and remember, we know you sometimes; you may have to solve your problem when you see certain female body parts,” Deniece said as she patted his hand.

Miss C smiled and spoke quietly, “Next time, tell the juicy details while we’re in bed. If you have a problem, we can help relieve it.”

Tim shook his head, rose, and said, “I’m going to the bridge and my office. See you later.”

Deniece looked at Miss C and said, “Like a man, he sets us on fire and leaves.”

On the Bridge:

Tim walked onto the bridge and saw Mayio in the pilot’s seat. “Morning, Mayio,”

“Good morning, Captain,” she said in return.

“Sarha, morning reports, please.” He sat in his seat and pulled the viewscreen around in front of him. The department heads started to give their reports. Once all reports were provided, everyone signed off. Tawni then asked for a minute of Tim’s time.

“Yes, go ahead.”

“Sometime today, I need to show you something.”

“Well, I have Miss C coming at ten to talk about her credit system, and that should take about an hour. So, how about eleven thirty?”

“I’ll be there, thanks.”

Tim moved to his office and studied some of the reports that Sarha had provided on how much fuel was being used and how long their supplies would last. She also indicated where they could secure the new fuel supplies they would need.

Tim was still reading Sarha’s reports when Miss C knocked on his door. He called out, “Enter.”

Miss C walked to Tim’s desk and asked, “Do I get to sit in your lap with that large item sticking me in my ass, which is so enjoyable, or do I have to sit in his hard chair?”

Tim smiled and said, “It would be easier to talk to you over there in that so-called hard chair.”

With a pout, Miss C sat in the chair and asked, “Ok, what information would you like regarding the credit system?”

“Let’s start by you telling me how it was set up.”

“Well, it originally started when I was the middle person for the first trade between a soldier and a young boy. The soldier saw the bracelet the boy had made for himself, offered to buy it, and then resold it after she returned to her world.

Upon coming back, she asked the boy to make more. The boy didn’t know what to charge, and I offered to help. Within a few weeks, other sellers wanted the same service. The builders would make an item and tell me the total cost, and I would let the buyer know the price.”

“What did you get from the deal?”

“The boy’s father gave me two meals and one credit for a while. Since then, I have only received one percent of the price sold for each item. I didn’t need much, so it worked well for everyone.”

“How do you keep track of all the items and who did what and where did it go?”

“Well, I used the computer in Deniece’s unit and built a database. It keeps all the information and prints out an invoice for each transaction. That way, there is a paper trail if any questions arise.”

“Who gets the money or credits?”

“The builder gives me an invoice for their goods, and I pay it. When the goods are ready, I invoice the buyer, and he pays the invoice, and I release the goods.”

“So, you are the middle person and the banker?”

“Yes, I guess. But Tim, this is only for the people on this ship.”

“Who handles all the rest?”

“I believe you gave that job to Tammy.”

“How many companies are you working with?”

“Right now, about twenty-five. Why?”

“Just wondering.”

“Do you need any more information?”

“No, now that I see how busy you and Deniece are. I’ll stop by and see you if I have more questions.”

Miss C got up, walked around the desk, sat in Tim’s lap, and moved her ass around to see if she could cause his dick to harden. “I am glad it still gets hard, and I was so worried about you having me sit in that hard chair. I thought you didn’t love me.”

Tim wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss. “I still love you. Now I have Tawni coming in to talk to me. So I’ll see you later.”

“O, I thought maybe you could bend me over the desk here and have your way with me.” Miss C got up, kissed Tim, and turned to walk out the door. She said, “So I guess you could have your way later.”

Tim waved her out the door just as Tawni was about to knock on the door.

Miss C turned to Tawni and said, “Next, he’s all yours.” She smiled and walked away.

Tawni gave Miss C a strange look and smiled, not knowing what to say.

“Come on in and have a seat. Please don’t pay attention to her; she is in a joking mood.”

Tawni sat, looked at Tim, and said, “I believe malatya escort we have made a mistake with the sister ships.”

Tim looked at her with a questioning expression, “What do you mean?”

“I have reviewed Alice’s and Harris’s ship’s files; they are from two different ships.”

“Have you told Sarha?”

“Yes, she knows, and she was the one who found out. We didn’t realize it at first.”

“Ok, bring me up to date.” Tim sat back in his seat and paid close attention to this story.

“Ok, Alice said; her mother and father dropped her off on that planet. When we uploaded the ship’s files, they didn’t have the whole ship’s name because they were built in different places and decades apart. Their designation was only Special Guardian – Star Gladiator. I asked Sarha where she got the number one from.

She said the first Captain gave it to her, and she said that was because she was the first and only four were to be built.”

“Did you look at the flight logs?”

“Yes, but we just started to go through them. When we tried to match the logs, each ship’s logs start ten years apart, including Sarha’s.”

“Sarha,” Tim called.

“Yes, Tim.” She said as she appeared next to Tawni.

“How are you feeling about this new information?”

“I understand, and I should have found this information earlier. So, I have two sister ships as of now. What are we to do?”

Tim sat there, looked at Sarha, and said, “We will find them. It may take a while, but we’ll find them.”

Tim looked back to Tawni, “Do we know who we should start with, Alice’s or Harris’s ship?”

“Tim, could you give us a day to try and find out the answer to that question?” Tawni asked.

“Sure, just keep me in the loop.”

“Tim, is it ok if I give Alice’s ship the number 2 and Harris’s ship number 3? That way we can keep the information separate.”

Tim leaned forward, sitting up straight, “Yes, you are the one in charge so do it your way. Is there anything else we need to discuss?”

“No, that’s all I have. Is there anything you need from my department?”

“No, thank you for updating me about the two ships.”

Tawni got up and turned and walked out of Tim’s office. Sarha asked, “Tim, do you need me?”

“No, we’re going to find the two vessels and reunite the three of you,” Tim said with a strong feeling in his voice.

There was a knock on the door. Tim was surprised because he didn’t expect anyone. “Enter.”

Deniece walked in with a tray of food. Setting it down on Tim’s desk, she said, “My husband, here is your lunch, as you call a meal at this time of the day.”

Sarha disappeared without saying a word.

Tim looked at the tray and asked, “Where is your meal?”

“I have to get back to work, but Miss C and I figured you might need to keep up your energy.” She came around the desk, sat on his lap, raised her shirt and bra, and pressed her braless breasts against his chest as they kissed.

Tim sat there kissing her, pulled back, and asked, “Is this going to be an everyday thing?”

“Are you talking about the food?” She smiled at him as she rearranged the bra and pulled down the shirt.

“Yes, the food.”

“Yes and no, if you are in your office and no one else is here, and either Miss C or I have the time to bring you a nourishing meal. Then, yes. Otherwise, Millie will be waiting for your beckoning call.”

Deniece rose from his lap and said, “Now, my husband, eat, and we’ll see you later.” She turned and walked to the door, waved, and exited.

Tim looked at the tray and saw some real food, and he wondered where all this food was coming from. But that information would have to wait. It looked too good to ignore.

While he was eating, a call came through, “Tim, Queen Purrless, and Tammy wish to see you.”

Tim finished his meal quickly, moved the tray off to the side, and said, “Send them in.” He stood to meet them at the door.

Queen Purrless entered first with Tammy right afterward. Tim directed them to the couch and waited for them to sit. He then pulled a chair over to sit in front of them. “Queen Purrless, how may I help you?”

“Tim, I understand this ship, and you have all the rights to the MTS machines. But I would ask for an MTS machine to be placed on one of our space stations.”

“Yes, the ship has the rights, and I only represent the ship.” May I ask, “Why the space station?”

“Tammy has been coordinating trades between the four planets and your ship, which became valuable for all the parties. But if you install an MTS on our Space Station, there will be more trading.”

“If we allow that, then would you allow people to travel to and from the station as we do between planets?”

“Yes, if that is what you wish us to do?”

Tim looked at Tammy, “And why have you been so quiet?”

“I have been using soldiers from each planet to guard the MTS machines. Suppose we allow this to happen. I will need more help, both for the guards and bookkeeping.” Tammy sat back knowing this would be added work for her and wasn’t sure if it was worth it.

The Queen looked at Tammy and said, “Dear, we will supply the guards, and you will not have to worry about that. As for the bookkeeper, we have lots of them in the castle.”

“I know, but I’m having trouble keeping books for four planets and the ship, in four different languages.”

To Tara the Jell-O shooters didn’t taste like they had any booze in them. And because she’d put faith in her host—and therefore hadn’t brought any wine coolers along—she had no other way to get fucked up. This was a problem. She needed to get through this party.

Sasha’d gotten the shivers, for one thing, which was happening to a lot of girls these days. She’d shrunk into the corner in the kitchen, howling loud enough to crack the walls. This kind of shit happened when something went wrong with your Riff and it was cranked; her temple’d bruised up, showing her ware had picked up a glitch. Tara’d talked her down in the corner of the kitchen, as her burning chip put a smell of hot rubber in the air.

And they wondered why Tara didn’t trust all these new gadgets.

Sasha was the girl Tara had come to the party to talk to, since she was the last person Desiree’d been placed with before she vanished. But it seemed like a good idea to let Sasha figure out what was going on with her own greyware before Tara tried to pick her brain the old-fashioned way. So she’d let Sasha take her smoking chip out to the docking station in her car and had gone to the back porch in the meantime to think things over.

As Tara waited she looked out past the deck into the suburban night and sighed. If only there were boys. She wasn’t sure what the point of a party was if there weren’t any boys.

All she could do was flit like a firefly around the older men who were left. That’s why, in addition to getting Sasha’s story, she’d seen this slumber party as a chance to talk to Mr. Morris, otherwise known as John, her favorite teacher. He was far over her age, obvious!, but he was more interesting conversation than the gaggle of dizzy twentyish chicky-doodles at a typical party, at least. Too bad he’d been busy hosting earlier, when they’d first arrived, and had gone upstairs way before bedtime.

There was a bang against the railing. Tara started, turned, and saw Debbie and Else coming up onto the porch from the back yard, team-lifting a huge picnic cooler.

“Hey, everyone,” Else crowd-whispered; she and Debbie’d already gotten everyone’s attention anyway. “Try and keep it under your skirt but we decided to go on a beer run.” They took the cooler to the near corner of the porch and popped it open to bare a wide array of bottled beers: cheap domestics, fancy imports, microbrews. There were even juice mixers to go with the clusters of one-shot sample whisky bottles. Else’s dad had made a mint working in RFIDs, so she could afford to be generous. Her credit had virtually no bottom.

Ah, thought Tara. Now maybe we can get going a bit. She kicked off the porch railing, stepping up into the instantly gathering bahçelievler escort line. She got a little something to settle her thinking cap and five minutes later, Sasha came back out, having put her head together just in time to start taking it apart again.

A few hours on they’d all loosened up. The party’d thinned out—it was past midnight—and Tara and Sasha’d managed to poach seats at the porch umbrella-table. Tara’d noticed that Sasha was flush from a parade of one-hit whisky samples, chased with premium beer, and had undone too many buttons on her cotton pajama blouse, letting in the warm summer night. Her bursting lapel was drawn back from the inboard of her bosom, exposing the uppermost of her cleavage down to the summit of her breasts. Sasha didn’t seem to care much, and anyway, since Tara hadn’t yet been re-drugged, once she saw it, her chip kicked in and blurred it out of her vision.

Sexual censorship. That was a feature in the chip that you couldn’t opt out of.

This reminded her. “Hey, Sash, what went on with your Riff before?”

Sasha blearily studied her forehead.

“Um, the RFID? When I burned out in the kitchen? There was a ‘plank in the densing mechanism,’ or something. I’ve got my docking station back at the car so I did a diagnostic, but I can never grok the report it prints out.” She started to fuss through her purse. “I’ve got it right here.”

“No, that’s fine.” Tara waved her hand. “I can’t ever get anything out of those either.”

“Ok.” Remissioning without looking up, Sasha instead took a pack of Marlboros from her purse. She tapped out a cigarette and lit it. People these days didn’t seem too worried about making it to old age. “You never have any problems with your chip?”

“Not really, not nearly as much. They make you get it but they still let you turn the power on it down, thank God, so I do, as much as I can.”

“Yeah, I’ve got mine at seven. Which is pretty high. Thing is, you get some nice stuff, lots of access, but it snags up all the time, because it’s cooking so hot.”

Sasha sipped delicately from the Seagrams snorter she’d gotten from the cooler, the latest of her growing litter. She gave the tiny bottle a wiggle. “Chip’s probably frying my brain but not as bad as this. Least, that’s what they tell me.” She took another sip. “You know, these are better warm.”

They looked out at the night. Tara thought she’d let Sasha unspool a bit.

“So,” Sasha unspooled, falling over the word as it left her, “you’re almost twenty-two, right?”

“Yep.”

“And you haven’t gotten coded.”

“Nope.”

Sasha motorboated her lips, settling in her seat. “Why bağcılar escort wouldn’t someone get skincoded? That’s kinda weird.”

“‘Cause I don’t wanna blackjack.”

“Well, you gotta blackjack. Doesn’t everybody blackjack?”

“I dunno, maybe they’ll make me. But for now they’re not, and I’m not gonna do it if I don’t have to.”

“Wow. That’s really interesting.” Sasha sat up and gestured at her drink as though it were a scholarly study. “From what I’ve heard, twenty-oneing’s a letdown unless you get a custom invite. Doing it standard is like getting your license. You take a boring class, and then you sit in a room and they read your legal stuff. I dunno, though, I really wanna do it, but only if I get a custom invite.”

“Well, I know you’ve turned twenty-one, too,” Tara told Sasha. “But you haven’t twenty-oned.”

“I’ve been big on getting an invite. I wanna know what all the talk’s about. And that’s the thing. It’s like finding a rave. All you can do is just keep bringing it up and maybe you’ll happen on the right person to get on the inside.”

She studied Tara. She plainly had something she was trying to decide whether or not she should tell her.

She decided.

“Okay. There was these two twin-looking chicks you talked to there, at the Papayas, model-skinny, got long black hair. I forget their names. Those were the ones I talked to.” She shook her head, blowing smoke, continuing to unspool. “Just talked to them, asked if the rumors were true. They weren’t real definite but they didn’t outright say no, so. It seemed funny this Papayas, this regular old store in the mall, would be the place to get a custom invite. I mean, you wouldn’t think. But that one Papp’s got bought by somebody, I got told, and they’re trying to go more upscale.”

“And when you talked to them, these girls in the Papayas? What happened? Did they have invites?”

“They didn’t tell me anything.”

“Interesting,” said Tara. “My sister Desiree’s been pretty big on blackjacking too.”

“Desiree? Oh yeah, I talked to her about it. Part of the reason I thought it would be a good idea if Desiree went is, honestly, she’s prettier than me, and pretty girls get more invites.”

“Well,” Tara shoegazed, “that’s what I wanted to ask you about.” She didn’t want to make eye contact with Sasha when she asked the big question. She wanted Sasha to feel comfortable, and to think. “You set Desiree up to go to this place?”

“Not exactly. After they dodged me, I told her about it, but it was her idea to go.”

She turned to Tara in a way that made Tara look. Sasha’s drunkenness kept her from hiding the desire in her narrow glass ümraniye escort eyes.

“I shoulda sent you. I know you don’t care about getting coded, but you could’ve got Desiree and me in. You’re prettier than the two of us put together.”

Tara’d gotten what she needed to know. She disengaged. “Aw, thanks,” said she, a little too sweetly.

Sasha shrugged. The corners of her mouth lost altitude. “Yeah, Tara could be up for Prom Queen. Perfect specimen. But you know, almost a year on and you haven’t been coded.” Sasha got an undertow. “You don’t really play along with all that stuff right? And that’s cool.”

Tara got defensive, shifting into smalltalk. “I just hear these special invites can be bad news. You go off for a long weekend to God knows where. No one even knows where you are.”

“It’s all certified, Tara. I’m trying to do it, Desiree’s trying to do it, everyone is trying to do it. The ones who go are lucky. I can’t believe you’re not even going to try, I’ve never heard of that.”

Tara shot her a wan smile. “Different strokes, I guess. Thing is, Desiree’s been gone for a couple days and—”

She was interrupted by the noisy slide of the glass door dividing the kitchen from the porch. It was John. A giggle snuck out of Tara: His eyes were red with sleep, a pillow pattern pressed into his face, and frumpy pajamas hung off him complete with fuzzy slippers. He looked about, saw the cooler in the corner and the dead soldiers crowded on the porch table and lining the porch railing, and clapped his hands to call the girls to attention.

“Oh, fer—I was wondering why it was so loud out here this time of night. Now I see.” His brow crinkled with worry, and when Tara registered that, she reflexively glanced up to the RedEye on the townhouse wall. Blinking. Shit. She hadn’t even noticed.

Sasha looked at Tara and covered a laugh. “It’s not funny,” Tara scolded, though she’d just giggled herself.

“Dammit, girls, you’ve tripped the RedEye. Now we all need to scan.”

Else, who’d been lingering next to the cooler since it had arrived and had developed a mild hunch over time, tried to gather herself upright with a clumsy slip of the elbow.

“Oh, Dad,” she had a wet slur in her voice, “can’t we just send it in tomorrow? You know everyone here’s of age.”

“Hah,” said John. “This is your doing, isn’t it? No, we can’t just sort it out tomorrow. If anyone even suspects there’s underage drinking going on here, it’ll be my butt. Come on girls,” another clap, “scan up.”

With a collective groan, everyone on the porch—a quick look by Tara tallied up eight lingerers, counting herself and her friend—stood and turned away from the RedEye, flipping up the hems of their blouses, those who needed to, to expose the barcode tattoos on the smalls of their backs. Meanwhile John, aware of one possible problem ahead of time, wove his way to the porch table and leaned into Tara’s ear.

“I guess you have to come with me,” he whispered. “I know . . .”

Another giggle. “Everyone knows I’m not coded, Mr. Morris. It’s no secret.”

Can’t sleep? Desperate for a little rest? We here at the Temple of Domina suggest praying to the Demi-Goddess “The Sitter”.

Fuck it. I was desperate. I hadn’t had a full night’s sleep in weeks. My body was ready to collapse but my mind just would not allow it. I searched online for anything that would help. I tried it all but to no avail. So, when I found a link to this strange page, I was ready to try it.

I had heard of the Temple, of course. It was impossible not to. It had spread over the world very quickly thanks to the internet. Most men I knew found it intoxicating, even if they wouldn’t dare admit it. Gorgeous, immortal, powerful women who regularly take human lovers? It was a dream come true. They are so rarely if ever seen by the public most view it as nothing more than an alternative religion. That’s the camp I was in. Still, I clicked.

Her glorious ass can put you under with ease.

It can make me horny as hell but make me sleep? Highly doubtful.

Don’t worry she’ll take care of your sleeping body, maybe even visit your dreams. Just pray she doesn’t require secondary payment.

Oh, she’ll be in my dreams alright. The little I have. Oh, what the hell. I got down on my hands and knees.

“Dear… The Sitter. Please, help me sleep.”

Nothing. Figures. I noticed the word ‘pray’ in the first line was blue while the rest was yellow. I clicked it.

How to Pray in Domina

A common source of confusion has spread amongst our newest members. They do not know how to pray to the goddess and demi-goddess of Domina. When and where is also a question. One we hope to clear up on this page.

TEMPLES

Temples to the Goddesses of Domina have been spreading over the world. Every year on Domina’s Birthday, April 5th, you must travel to your local temple and bathe in the Titaness Clay making love to the high priestess. To pray to a particular lower goddess (The Harem or Daughters of Domina) or demi-goddess (The Bachcha) you must make an offering of sex to their priestess.

Home

The bed is the most sacred place in the home. Once anointed by Titaness Clay from the local temple it becomes a direct line to the goddesses. Sex or self-pleasure within it nightly thanks the goddesses for their gifts throughout the day. To invoke a certain goddess or Bachcha rub the clay on the sexual organ and make your request. Use the flesh wand or dildo provided by your temple to pleasure yourself while shouting their name. Lighting certain candles and placing certain items on your naked body help increase the chances of your prayer reaching your goddess.

Domina – Midnight Forest candle/massage oil on your chest

Demi Rose – Cinnamon candle/rose petals on bed and body

The Sitter – sweet dreams candle/sleep cap on head

What the hell did I have to lose? There was a temple in the city. I could stop by after work tomorrow. Yeah, why the fuck not?

I pulled up to the temple the next day a nervous wreck. There was no way this was a good idea, right? I mean the structure was built to resemble a cliff with the main buildings all in an open space in the middle like the cave dwellings out in the desert. I walked up to the base and pressed a buzzer mounted on the wall. A section of ‘cliff’ beside it slid open to reveal pneumatic doors. I stepped inside and they slid shut. I approached the lone desk in the tastefully decorated lobby. A short but busty dominatrix sat giving me the once over. I gulped but tried to maintain eye contact.

“May I help you?”

I gulped again.

“I’m here to join the Temple.”

“Are you a practicing Dominate?”

“N…no, I’m converting.”

“Very good.”

She handed me a clipboard with a questionnaire.

“Go sit over there and fill this out. A Mistress will be out to help you shortly.”

“A mistress?”

“You would have called a priestess before.”

“Oh, got it.”

I walked over to the provided chairs and sat down.

It was simple enough stuff.

Name: Simon Barr

Age: 30

Marital Status: Single

Currently Enslaved: No

Occupation: office manager

Hobbies: reading, photography, cycling

Favorite books, so on.

When finished I sat it in my lap and looked around. A woman walked out of one of the side doors. Oh, what a woman she was.

Not much taller than the receptionist she was far bigger in better places. Her legs were drumsticks I wanted to be sandwiched between. Her breasts were massive, spilling out of her shiny black latex corset. Her striking red hair was done up in a ponytail to showcase her sever but sexually mischievous face.

“Welcome to the Temple of Domina. I’m Mistress Olena. I’ll take that.”

I handed her the clipboard and she read it. A slight smile graced her lips.

“You’re perfect.”

I blushed. I’d never been called that before.

“Follow.”

She turned and walked away. I scampered after.

“You are only allowed on two levels of the Temple. Here in the lobby and on the Mesa. Everywhere else is for employees only. Got it?”

“Got it.”

We reached the far wall and an elevator üsküdar escort door. She pressed the ‘M’ which I took for Mesa. After a minute or two or whirling the door slid open. I was shocked to see a tiny metal cage elevator barely big enough for one person. She stepped inside. I hesitated at the entrance.

“In.”

I gulped but climbed in too. The space was so small I was pressed right up against her. She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me even closer. The cage slammed shut. As it rose my boner pressed against her.

“Sorry.”

“Never apologize for sexual attraction. It is sacred. I am honored by it.”

I blushed again.

We came to a stop and the door slid open. She let me go and I slowly stepped out onto the exposed ‘mesa’ floor. Mistress Alena led me past the massive rectangular ‘stone’ buildings until we reached the massive one in the center. It almost looked like a cathedral.

“Each of these belongs to a different goddess or Bacha. This one is to Domina herself. It is where all travelers begin their journey into her possession.”

The main temple was kept cool with neutral earth-tones and furniture made from wood, all aged.

“Sanctifying a bed can be a very difficult thing to get just right,” she continued on her little tour, “I may have to come over and… inspect your work.”

I blushed at her implication.

“Of course, as a priestess, I don’t bother with beds all that often. I prefer my fucking in the sacred Titaness Clay.”

God, I was so hard. She opened the door to a large sauna-like room. In the center was a massive statue of three sexy women having a three-way.

“In the center is our creator, our one goddess above all, Domina. To her right is our queen and restorer of the Domina faith, Queen Val S. To Domina’s left is the Queen’s step-daughter and love slave Princess Anastasiya.”

Clay flowed from the statues’ tits and pussies into a massive round bathing pool. My guide, who had introduced herself as ‘Mistress Alena’, pressed a button on the wall. All the doors in and out slammed shut and locked. All windows looking out into the garden and the rest of the temple frosted over.

“Clothes off,” she demanded.

I quickly complied.

“Good. I like a slave who knows his place.”

She slowly stripped out of her clothing, letting me take in every delicately hugged curve. Something told me this was the only delicate part of this woman. She charged forward and shoved me back into the clay.

“Normally this would take a week. You would be matched with the priestess best suited to assist you in worship. We’ll be skipping that part of the process. I claim you.”

“You… why?”

“I find you very sexy and want to fuck you weekly.”

“Weekly?”

“That’s what you’ve committed to. Besides, I saw your favorite books on the application. I too am a bibliophile. It’s like Domina made you for me.”

She shoved me into her and slammed away. I needed no more instruction. I wrapped around her and we fucked long into the night. Once done she handed me a jar of clay and a flesh light shaped like her own pussy.

“Be here Thursday or I will kidnap you.”

“Yes, Mistress.”

Well, here goes nothing. I rubbed the clay into the frame of my bed, naked as the day I was born. Once finished I sat in the middle of the mattress. I dripped the last of the clay onto my dick and slowly stroked away. I looked at my laptop on the bedside table and recited the ritual to sanctify my bed.

“Díno questo super Domina ea tutti quelli che sequuntur. Se aftó, le donne governano e io kai prépei kai et semper pareo.”

In English it meant ‘I give this bed over to Domina and all who serve her. On it, women rule and I must and will always obey’. I came hard but instead of bodily fluids, a wave of energy shot out of me and over the bed.

“Step one, complete,” I mused.

I went around the room lighting the Calm Dreams candles I bought on my way home. I placed the sleep cap I bought as well upon my head. I took a deep breath.

“I need to sleep!”

I took the flesh light and turned it on, slipping myself into it.

“Sitter.”

I moaned at the sensation.

“Sitter!”

I buckled from the coming storm inside me.

“SITTER!”

I came hard and collapsed. I was tired but not spent. Again, nothing came out.

“Hello there.”

I shot up. Sitting on the dresser across from my bed was a gorgeous blond woman in a gold corset and panties.

“You called?”

“Who? Who are you? How did you get in here?” I asked, timidly.

“You should know. You summoned the Sitter, after all. Did you really expect me not to come?”

“I… I wasn’t really sure any of this was real.”

“Then why do it?”

“I’m desperate. I need to sleep so bad.”

“Nothing in Domina comes for free.”

“Name it! I’ll give you anything just to sleep again.”

“I want your body.”

“C…come again?”

“You won’t be using it while you sleep.”

“What… what will you do with it?”

“That knowledge is forbidden to you.”

“Why?”

“You’re gaziemir escort mortal.”

“I see. You won’t humiliate me, right?”

“I have no need for that.”

“OK. Good. Do whatever you want. Just let me sleep.”

“Lay on the bed. Face up.”

I jumped into place. She climbed onto the foot of the bed with a gentle smile.

“Don’t worry, I’m going to take good care of you.”

She turned around, giving me a glorious view of her large, juicy ass. My dick was now fully awake.

“Do you know why they call me The Sitter?”

“N…no.”

She smiled playfully. She gently lowered her ass until it covered my face. I don’t know what came over me. I just smiled and took the longest, deepest breath of my life. A wave of calm washed over me. Then I fell. I did not fall down but up. Up into her ass.

The Sitter stood and looked at the sleeping man. Her ass never failed. Handsome fella, she mused, she would have to have some fun with this one. Though, as with most things in this life it seemed, there was work to be done first.

“Rise.”

Simon’s eyes opened but he remained deeply asleep. What looked back at her now was the man’s subconscious mind. He climbed off the bed and stood before her obediently.

“Welcome to my thrall, Little Dreamer.”

“It feels nice, my goddess.”

“I’m sure it does. Your application at the Temple set off some… alarm bells, shall we say.”

“Why?”

“You work for Dr. Ella Perkins, do you not?”

“I do.”

“Excellent.”

She snapped her fingers.

I woke with a start. Something was wrong. I didn’t feel rested. Had any time passed at all. I knew I fell asleep. I felt the relief. I needed to feel that relief again.

“What’s going on?”

“I’ve turned off your ability to sleep.”

“What? Why?” I pleaded. “Please, turn it back on.”

“I can. Though I will require secondary compensation.”

“Anything! Just name it!”

“Kidnap your boss.”

“Wh…what?”

“Dr. Perkins is a world-renown linguist and as it so happens, owner of a great hoard of documents that rightfully belong to our church. So far she has refused to sell or donate them to us. We have given her every opportunity to comply. Now… we have to resort to other means.”

“Ki…kidnapping though?”

“Desperate times. Tomorrow you will set up an appointment for me with her. Cancel all others. Once I’m inside her office, close up shop and lock it down.”

“I can’t…”

“You can or you’ll never sleep again.”

I moaned pathetically.

“Don’t worry. You’ll be rewarded handsomely.”

She rubbed her hands over my body.

“In the naughtiest of ways, of course.”

She gave me a peck on the mouth then vanished without a trace.

I trembled as I came into the office. There was no way I could do this. No way. I sat down at my desk. She had three appointments today. Making sure Dr. Perkins could not hear me I called each one and let them know she was feeling under the weather and could not come in. I erased the last two meetings of the day. I changed the name of the first. All I could think to put was The Sitter.

“Good job.”

I jumped out of my seat as she appeared next to me.

“Lock up.”

Dr. Perkins sat at her desk going over her papers when the door to her office shot open.

“What the fuck?!”

A gorgeous blond in only a gold bra and skimpy gold panties skipped in.

“Who the fuck are you?”

“The Sitter.”

“No, you’re not. All that Domina bullshit is just a myth.”

The sitter snapped her fingers and the door to the office faded out of existence. As did all the windows. Dr. Perkin’s eyes widened in terror.

“No. No! This isn’t real!”

I assure you it very much is.”

She snapped again and Perkins fell onto the floor face up, unable to move.

“Don’t hurt me. Please!”

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

She turned and sat on the pretty black woman’s face.

I stood gaping at the spot where the door once stood. It quickly faded back into existence with The Sitter standing in the frame.

“Get in here.”

She grabbed my shirt and tossed me in before the room sealed back up. Dr. Perkins was on the desk, asleep and moaning lustfully.

“Lay on her.”

“What?!”

“You heard me.”

Blushing deeply I took off my shoes and climbed onto the desk, laying on top of my sleeping boss.

“Now wha…?”

Before I could finish The Sitter’s ass was over my face and I was gone. The next thing I knew I was by a pool. I had never been here before. It felt really inviting though.

“Welcome to Dr. Perkins’s dream,” came The Sitter’s disembodied voice.

“Why am I here?”

“There you are, pool boy.”

I turned to look at this new voice and almost doubled over in shock. My quiet, serious, conservative boss was smiling at me in a tiny little bikini that showed off her actually impressive ass. With her hair down and the worries of work gone, she was stunning.

“Dr. Perkins?”

“Please, Simon, I keep telling sancaktepe escort you to call me Ella when we’re alone.”

“Play along.”

“OK… Ella.”

She laughed a most melodic laugh.

“Good, now get your cute little ass over here and help me out of these clothes. It’s time for our… nude swim.”

I gulped and approached. Her body felt so real in my hands as we undressed one another. She pulled me into the pull and impaled herself, wrapping around me, trapping me against the edge. I moaned out at the sensation. This was far too real to be a normal dream.

“Fuck me!”

She began to thrust and pound, using me as the sex toy I had become. I become so lost in the motion it took a long while to realize the water was now Titaness Clay. We were no longer asleep but naked in sexual embrace in the fountain back at the Temple.

“What the fuck?!” Dr. Perkins shouted, backing away.

She was cute when she blushed like that. The Sitter sat behind her on the edge of the pool.

“Good Morning, Dr. Perkins.”

“How did I get here? What is this place?”

“This is the Temple of Domina. You just became my newest priestess.”

“I will be no such thing!” Dr. Perkins demanded.

“You’ve read the scriptures, Doctor,” The Sitter smirked. “You know that if you sexually dominate someone in the temple pool before a goddess you become their priestess.”

“I was asleep! You were controlling me!”

“I did not put these thoughts in your head. You’ve been having this dream for some time. We both know that. I only allowed you to do what you wanted to do.”

“I won’t serve you.”

The clay grabbed her arms and pulled them under.

“Hey!”

It slithered up her boobs, wrapping around her nipples.

“S…stop this.”

It swirled and spun, tweaking her nipples in the process. Her protests turned to moans of pleasure. The clay continued to suck her under until she was totally submerged.

“Where did she go?” I asked.

“The Womb.”

“The what?”

“A place where she’ll be reborn. Now that she belongs to us, so do her papers. Our lost knowledge will soon be restored. Now, as for you.”

“You’re not going to send me down there, are you? I did my part!”

She snapped. I felt myself fall and land in a small pool of Clay in a small bedroom. Just as I wondered where I was The Sitter placed her ass over my face and I fell deep inside once more.

Where the fuck was I now? I certainly didn’t recognize of this Marie Antoinette style shit. Seriously, the bedroom looked like it came right out of a fairy tale.

“Like it?”

I looked over to the vanity to see The Sitter standing there now wearing a more flowery bra and panties set.

“This is the bedroom where I lost my virginity. And took the servant boys’ as well. Sometimes I miss my time with Louis XIV but these days I have a lot more control I find.”

“Louis XIV? No fucking way you’re that old.”

“Thanks for the compliment. Indeed, I was born in that time. As the child of a goddess, I can never age nor die after reaching my sexual peak.”

“W…why am I here?”

“It’s time for your reward. Get on the bed.”

I did as she commanded. She crawled onto the foot of the bed just as she had done the night before. I watched as her only attempts at clothing simply faded away. I took in a deep breath as I took in the striking beauty before me. She slowly crawled up the length of my body like a cat closing in on a mouse. She shifted her body around, so her ass was rubbing up against the top of my rigid dick. She slowly rubbed her ass against it.

Back in the temple, the physical Sitter was doing just as her name implied. Now naked, she sat on Simon and rubbed her ass on the sleeping man’s dick. He floated in the clay moaning as her dream counterpart did the same.

I moaned and thrusted as she slammed her ass against my all too eager manhood. She scooted back down until her tits touched the tip of my dick. I sat my head up to get a better look. She smiled lustfully as she pressed forward, sandwiching it between her mighty melons.

“Oh, goddess!”

Why had that slipped out? What was she doing to me? All thought left me for a while as the titti-fucking session began.

I was nothing more than an animal, thrusting away into her, trying in vain to match her erotic movements. Once I was nice and hard she slipped me out.

“Aw.”

“Don’t worry, Baby, I’m not done.”

She slid me into her dripping womanhood and continued her sinful dance. I once again lost myself in the pleasure, gripping her body and joining her with my own lustful movements.

Temple priestess Mistress Alena returned to her chambers, horny after hours of quiet, solitary study time. She was shocked to find her clay pool already occupied. That sexy newbie Simon lay floating face up, a big dumb smile on his face. With him was…

“My Goddess!” she quickly took a kneeling position before the Bachara.

“Greetings, Little Priestess.”

“What brings you to my humble chamber?”

“I saw you in Simon’s dreams. You made quite the impression.”

A sense of pride overtook her.

“He has been very helpful but at great personal expense. He was caught on camera helping me kidnap his boss. The police will be looking for him. It is unsafe for him to leave our temple.

It would be cruel to tell him this so he shall remain in my dream world. His body will serve the temple and his mind me.

This is going to be a long story so be prepared to wait for anything really good to happen. I’m just warning you in advance because I don’t want anybody sending me any emails saying that it’s boring. Well anyway enjoy the first part of my story…

*

And so it begins…

Terra sat impatiently waiting for the school bell to ring. She kept looking at the clock waiting for it to ring her freedom. It was soon to be the summer holidays and Terra and a few of her friends were going to a nice campsite in the mountains for a relaxing and fun weekend. She glanced out of the window, having lost interest in what the teacher was trying to teach them, and watched as the sun rose steadily higher over the earth. She snapped out of the daydream she was having as the bell rang to signal the end of school and the beginning of the summer holidays. The class stood up and raced out the door all shouting and making plans for what they are going to do for the holidays. Terra waited at the back of the classroom as her friend, Kerry, packed up all her books that she had been using. Kerry was one of those study maniacs though she wasn’t always like that. She used to be the most popular person in the school, and had basically every boy after her, but then she realized that she was going nowhere in life so she changed. Now she is less popular, has fewer boys after her, has a higher chance of getting a career, and has shorter hair making her a fairly tall girl with stunning blue eyes and short blonde hair. She was wearing some simple clothes because she never really got dressed up for school anymore.

Terra on the other hand was different but not so different in a way though there is one thing that makes her stand out among the crowd. She is a fairly short girl with brown eyes and long brown hair with just a tinge of green in it. When she started to grow hair it wasn’t really apparent that she had that green but over the years it grew out which caused her parents quite a lot of distress because they knew for a fact that she didn’t have any highlights in her hair so it could only mean that it was natural. Terra didn’t mind this at all, the fact that she had green hair that is or rather greenish hair, for to her it seemed right though she couldn’t explain why it did but to her it did.

When Terra was 6 and a half years old her parents died in an accident and with no other relatives that would take her in, since her parents had stayed as far away from their families as possible, she was sent to an orphanage.

It was a nice sunny day 11 years ago, when Terra was a mere 7 years old, when Kerry and her parents came into the orphanage. Kerry’s parents had been looking to adopt a child because Kerry’s mother was adamant that she wasn’t going to go through another pregnancy. After looking at all the children in the place Kerry’s parents just couldn’t find the child that they had been searching for or that is until Kerry found Terra sitting alone under a tree.

“Why are you sitting all alone under that tree?” asked Kerry.

“Because it’s nice and relaxing here.” answered Terra.

“Sounds nice, can I sit there too?” replied Kerry.

“Sure go ahead.”

They sat there for a while in silence while they relaxed.

“You were right, this is quite nice.”

“I told you.”

“Why don’t the other children come here?” replied Kerry.

“Cause they are too busy trying to blow the orphanage up.”

Kerry çeşme escort giggled. “I had a feeling that was what they were trying to do when I walked in here.”

“Have your parents come to adopt or are you an orphan here too?” asked Terra

“Me an orphan? Never. My parents came to adopt. What about you?”

Terra looked away towards the sun before answering. “I’m an orphan.”

“I had a feeling you were since I didn’t see any other parent looking people here.”

They talked for a long time, while Kerry’s parents searched frantically for her after concluding that their house would be in danger if they adopted one of these children, and eventually they counted each other as friends.

“Hey I have an idea. When my parents get here I’ll ask them to adopt you. We could be sisters then!” said Kerry.

“Are you sure they will want me?”

“Of course they will.”

“It would be nice to have a family again.”

This is how Kerry’s parents found them and after about 5 seconds of trying to persuade them to adopt Terra they said yes. This is how Terra became Terra Andos.

“Terra? Terra? Terra!” Terra shook her head and looked around until she realized where she was. “You were just standing there looking out the window” said Kerry. “You all right?”

“Yeah I’m fine” replied Terra. “I was just thinking.”

“About what?”

“The day we met.”

“Come on Terra stop living in the past.”

“Yeah I know. Come on we better leave or else we might be late. Matt will kill us if we are late.”

Matt looked at his watch. “How long are they gonna take?” he said to nobody in particular.

Matt was a tall medium built man with the messiest brown hair that anybody in the district had seen. He was also very athletic and practiced martial arts with his father who owned his own fighting school. At the moment he was standing in the front of his house by his car in blue t-shirt and khaki army pants.

“They are girls Matt, they take forever.”

Matt looked over at his car in front of the house and saw his friend Daniel leaning against it looking as if he was about to fall asleep, like he usually did. Daniel was a tall skinny man with jet black wavy hair and always looked tired. He was also wearing a white t-shirt and jeans.

“Yeah but still man, I told them to be here at 3 o clock and it’s now nearly half past,” replied Matt.

“Uh your guys’ school only ends at 3 o clock Matt,” said Daniel.

“You Sure?”

“Pretty much ya,” replied Daniel. “If you hadn’t skipped school today you would only have gotten here about now as well.”

Just then the door to Matt’s house behind them opened and a big muscular man walked out yawning onto the grass.

“Hey Taven. You just wake up?” asked Daniel

Taven was Matt’s older brother and one of the teachers at their dads fighting school. Taven was the splitting image of their father with his big muscular arms and legs and also being a 6 foot giant. He also dressed the same as his dad, a blue shirt and baggy black pants.

“Yeah. They not here yet?”

“Nope,” replied Matt.

“Terra you finished getting packed yet?” shouted her mother from the living room. “Matt just phoned and he sounds really impatient!”

“Dammit! Didn’t Matt realize that school ends at 3?” asked Terra.

“Obviously not,” replied Kerry.

“I’m gonna kill that man,” said başakşehir escort Terra as she closed her suitcase with her clothing in it.

“Finally we are finished. Let’s get going before Matt decides to leave without us.”

“Right.”

Terra and Kerry quickly got out of the car when it stopped in front of Matt’s house.

“Finally! What took you so long?” asked Matt in a frantic voice. “I doubt we will make it there before night now.”

“Oh boo hoo. It’s not our fault that you don’t know what time school ends,” replied Kerry.

“Whatever. Let’s just get everything in the trailer,” answered Matt.

They quickly packed Terra and Kerry’s bags into the trailer and Matt went to call Daniel and Taven, who had gotten bored standing outside so they decided to go play some games on Tavens’ ancient playstation one, who quickly finished off their game and got up. Matt locked the door behind them and sent his dad a message on his cell to tell him that they were leaving. He got into the car, started it up and started driving towards the campsite.

“So girls, how was good old school?” asked Taven as he turned around to look at them from the front seat.

“Dreadful,” replied Terra.

“I thought it was okay,” answered Kerry.

“Why was it dreadful?” asked Taven.

“It just took so long!” replied Terra as she looked at Daniel who it seemed had fallen asleep. “Is he asleep?”

“Knowing him, most probably not,” replied Taven.

Terra poked him a few times to check but it seemed that he had in actual fact fallen asleep.

4 hours later…

Kerrys head was lying on Terras shoulder whose head was on Daniels shoulder whose head was lying against the window and they were all breathing deeply. Taven looked at the map they had brought with. “I think that we are close.”

“We had better be. I have been driving for ages. I’m not looking forward to having to drive back,” replied Matt.

“Well we have a whole week before we have to think about that and the scenery is quite nice. Oh look there is the road to the camp.”

They had been driving on a valley road with rolling mountains on either side of them a few miles away. There was also a nice small ravine next to the road. The camp road was a dirt path leading towards the mountains on their right hand side.

“Thank goodness. Why don’t you wake those three up back there?”

“Gladly. Hey wake up!” shouted Taven as he poked each of them hard.

Daniel looked up and felt something on his shoulder. He looked down and saw a greenish brown ball of hair which gave him quite a big fright and he pushed it away, little did he know that that ball of hair was in actual fact Terras head. Her head flew off his shoulder causing Kerrys head to hit the opposite window, waking her up, and Terras head to hit Kerrys shoulder which woke her up. They looked around and Kerry started rubbing the side of her head. “Ow! What happened to my head?”

Taven and Daniel looked at each other. “Um we took a sharp corner and you fell onto the

window,” said Taven. “But that doesn’t matter because we are just about to get to the camp.”

“Oh good. How long were we asleep for?” asked Kerry.

“About 3 hours,” replied Matt.

“That long?!”

“Yep.”

“Wow look at the mountains. Don’t they look stunning?” said Kerry as she stared out the window.

“Yeah küçükçekmece escort and the sun is starting to set as well,” replied Daniel.

They all stared at the sun as it sank towards the mountains, except Matt who was too busy driving and looking where to go next to care.

“Hey Matt there is the pay gate,” said Taven as he looked forward again. “Everyone give me your money that you were supposed to bring with so that I can pay.”

Everyone handed Taven their money who, as they pulled up by the pay gate, gave the man waiting there their money before he could even ask them for it. He opened the gates to allow them to go through and soon they were driving through a nice wooded area with great camping areas in demarcated spots and evidently all those great spots were taken. After a long time of driving with only a little bit of the suns rays glaring through the trees they found a site, though it was secluded and not the greatest of places, and they started to set up camp. The guys started to set up the tents while Terra and Kerry made a fire, well mostly Terra as she had been on numerous camps before being the more outgoing type of person, while Kerry got their food together so that they could have some warm food to eat. The guys were having a bit of a problem in setting up the tents because it was getting too dark for them to see and they kept tripping over things and Taven managed to walk full on into a tree. They tried using a flashlight but the problem was that they couldn’t find a flashlight because it was too dark for them to see into the trailer. They eventually gave up on the tent and decided that everyone was going to sleep in the car instead.

After a long day they all sat around the fire eating the stew, which the girls had made while the boys tried in vain to get the tent up, and overall relaxing with the soft sound of the forest and its inhabitants.

“Hey everyone look up at the sky,” said Kerry as she lay on her back.

Everyone looked up at the stars and the full moon.

“Isn’t it beautiful,” said Kerry.

“Yeah it is and this place is so peaceful. Much better than where we live,” answered Daniel.

“Hey look a shooting star!” said Terra as she pointed at the sky. “And there goes another one, and another. Wait what’s going on?”

Soon the sky was full of shooting stars. Everyone got to their feet staring at the sky in awe. The sky looked as if it was burning as the comets flew threw space over the planet earth. Matt turned around and saw something high up in the sky falling. “That doesn’t look good,” he said as everyone turned around to see what he was looking at.

“Is that a meteor?” asked Daniel.

“I think it is and I think it’s heading straight for us,” replied Taven.

“I think we should get out of here,” said Matt. “Everyone to the car.”

As they turned around and raced towards the car they heard shouting in the distance, no doubt the other campers had looked up at the sky and knew what was coming their way, which caused them to run even faster. They could feel heat on their bodies, more than what there should have been, and knew that the meteor was close. As they got to the car they all turned and looked in the direction the meteor was coming from and witnessed it hitting the earth. It felt like an earthquake as it hit throwing everyone of their feet and then came a scorching hot wind which pummeled them to the ground. Terra opened and saw flames rushing towards her. She tried to get up but was too sore and then the flames hit and it felt as if her skin was melting from her body. She couldn’t scream because when she opened her mouth the flames raced down her throat burning her from the inside. She felt, in the midst of all this, her head hit the ground and then she knew no more.

One of a quartet of stories written back in 2014 and self-published under the titles Synthie and Synthie Recalibrated.

*

Mike woke to dizzying unreality and the sense that something was horribly wrong.

“Don’t try to speak,” the doctor said. “Just blink twice if you can understand me.”

Mike blinked twice, but even that small action set alarm bells ringing. He struggled to understand where he was, opened his mouth to ask — but the doctor quieted him, ordered him to relax and concentrate on breathing for a minute, to try to remember.

Images flickered through his mind. The screaming of the siren as shock waves reverberated like heavy artillery through the steel hull of the ship. A storm of micrometeorites punching through the ageing freighter at thousands of kilometres per second. One the many rare but usually fatal hazards of working in deep space.

A hazy memory of lying twisted, broken, helpless on the floor of the bridge.

By rights he should be dead. “How –” he started, but there was something wrong with his voice. There was something wrong. Very wrong.

The doctor nodded. “I’m sorry — we were unable to save your body. There was too much damage. But your insurance cover extended to full-body biosynthetics. You’re very fortunate, really. Not only to be alive, but also that this station received a delivery of biosynths recently — in fact, I think they may even have been in the cargo of your own freighter — and we were able to purchase one for you.”

Mike’s panic faded slowly, to be replaced with horror at the thought of what he had become. Most biosynths had cybernetic cores. They were robots that looked human but were never quite able to behave human, which made them creepy in a way. He didn’t like them. He used them — everyone did — but he didn’t like them.

“That’s the good news,” the doctor said. Mike stared at him fearfully. “The bad news is that the only biosynth we could get was…” He took a deep breath, and suddenly blushed. “Well, you’re not a man.”

A memory of an ex-girlfriend screaming something similar distracted Mike for a few seconds, until it dawned on him what the doctor meant. He lifted his head and peered down at his body. It was mostly hidden under sheets, but the hills made by his breasts suddenly made a lot more sense. A lot of what he was feeling about himself suddenly made a lot more sense.

“Oh fuck,” he said, his voice unnaturally high. He tore away at the covers, at the hospital gown, revealing slender hairless arms and large, firm breasts. The sort of breasts he dreamed about. Perfectly formed with large areolas and nipples that begged to be sucked.

As the thought of sucking and biting his own nipples played in his mind, he felt a familiar stirring in his groin, and struggled to clear his mind of dirty thoughts before his erection grew hard enough to be seen through the sheets.

His mind finally caught up with his body and he hurriedly kicked the rest of the covers away to reveal the rest of his body, perfect feminine curves that any man would lust after — and a cock.

And not his own cock, that was for sure. The size of his cock had always been an acute embarrassment for him. Smaller than average. Much smaller. Not now though. The word ‘monster’ sprung to mind. His ex-girlfriend had left him for a man with a big cock. He wished she could see him now. He would love to bend her over the hospital bed and fuck her with his new wonderful tool. He’d show her what a man he was.

Even as he stiffened rapidly in response to this fantasy, the realisation struck him that of course he wasn’t really a man now — or a woman either, but something in-between. He was a man in a female body with an enormous cock.

He recalled once seeing a woman with a cock. She had been a biosynth too. A robot whore in a brothel. She had been a bit strange in other ways too. Mike looked at the doctor, who was trying not to look at the semi-aroused naked body next to him. “I need a mirror. I need to see myself.”

The doctor nodded reluctantly and ordered a nurse to bring one. While they waited, Mike explored the region between his thighs, finding sensitive lips behind his balls, and he dipped the tip of a finger briefly into the wet softness of his new pussy. But that was just too strange for him to think about, and he withdrew. After a minute, the nurse returned with a mirror large enough for Mike to see almost all of himself.

He took a sharp breath. He was gorgeous. Voluptuous curves exaggerated beyond what was humanly normal. Wide hips and narrow waist. Light caramel skin. Big, beautiful cock and big, beautiful breasts. An attractive face despite a bald head. What really gave him away as a biosynth, however, were his eyes. His dark eyes were unnaturally large, nearly twice the size of human eyes. Exotic and captivating, but with an intelligence to them that a biosynth’s eyes never had. There was a human mind behind those synthetic eyes.

“I imagine this will take some getting used to,” izmir escort the doctor said. “I think we’ll leave you to get acquainted with your new self. The nurse will check in on you later to see if you need anything.” He smiled nervously at Mike and turned to leave, surreptitiously trying to adjust the front of his trousers as he went.

For a long time Mike just sat glaring at his reflection. It was strange to look into the mirror and see someone else staring back. And yet it was him. The new him. So beautiful, so sexy, but it wasn’t him. He felt all wrong, a prisoner in someone else’s body. He was used to being a man. Strong. Muscular. His new feminine form felt fragile in comparison, and the exaggerated curves and biosynth eyes made him feel less than human.

He supposed he could ask for a different body, something closer to his original human male body, but biosynths were expensive and Mike wasn’t that rich.

Eventually he lay back on the bed, pulled the covers over himself and slept.

*

Mike woke to warm sunshine flooding his room, or at least a fine illusion of it. He cast aside his sheets and stretched out, exposing his new and naked flesh to the bright heat, luxuriating in it for a few minutes, deliberately not thinking about the body that contained him. It felt more natural today, somehow, but it still left him confused about what he was exactly.

He scrabbled to cover himself as the doctor walked into the room, the nurse close behind him. “Mr Alson. You’re awake. How are you today? Did you sleep well?”

“Fine — yes, thank you.” His voice shocked him. The body was one thing, constantly there, but the high voice caught him by surprise.

The doctor nodded. “I’m sure you have a hundred questions for me about your new body, but can I suggest you have a shower first and put some clothes on? You’ll feel a lot more relaxed.”

Mike nodded. It would be good to get out of bed, to be more independent and in control of himself. The doctor smiled and left, the nurse staying behind.

“What’s your name?” Mike asked. He was reluctant to uncover himself in front of her. She was young and pretty, with strawberry blonde hair cut short, and he hadn’t even touched a woman in over a year.

“Zara,” she said. “Don’t be shy, Mr Alson. You have nothing to be embarrassed about.” She tugged at the sheet playfully until he yielded, and she stood back to get a proper look at him. “Wow,” she said, laughing a little. “I wish I had that body. Not the cock, though. That would freak me out. But the rest… Wow.”

Mike felt tension he hadn’t been aware of ease a little. “So you don’t think this body is horribly unnatural?”

“To be honest, I usually hate biosynths. When they took that body out of its box, it looked grotesque. But it’s different now that you’re in there. It looks alive. Maybe not entirely human, but not unattractive.” She paused and studied him for a moment. “Definitely attractive. I’m not really into girls, but you’re not exactly a girl, are you?” She winked and helped him to his feet.

Standing almost eye to eye with her was disorientating. Mike realised that he would also have to get used to being short. The top of his new head barely reached the height of his old chin. He’d have to get himself some high heels to compensate somehow. The thought made him laugh.

“What?” Zara asked.

“I’ve been in this body for less than a day and already I want to go clothes shopping.”

“First things first, Mr Alson. Into the shower with you.”

“Yes, nurse.” Mike grinned at her and walked carefully into the bathroom. He felt a little shaky on his new feet, but was adjusting quickly.

“I’ll give you some privacy for a while. Pull that cord over there if you need assistance, and pull it anyway when you’re finished and dry and I’ll help you get dressed.”

She closed the door, leaving him alone.

A beautiful woman watched him from the mirrors as he adjusted the shower. If he had still been a man, he would have been intimidated by her beauty. But he was that woman. A woman who wasn’t a woman, and a man who wasn’t a man. He was both, and neither. Human, yet not.

In the shower, water coursing across his skin, soap in his hands, he gave in at last to exploration, massaging his breasts lovingly, his fingers rubbing gently around his nipples that hardened quickly in response. He had always wondered what it would be like to have breasts, and it was truly amazing. The sight of them. The feel of them soft and heavy in his hands. The delicious sensitivity of his nipples. He tugged at them, pinched them, twisted them, played with them the way he had always dreamed of playing with a pair of perfect breasts.

His new cock woke swiftly, its familiar urgent hardness augmented now by the sense of its awesome length and girth. This was a weapon indeed, the sort of cock that would make women back away in terror crying, “It’s too big!” So big that his thumb and fingers — shorter now than they were, but kahramanmaraş escort still — couldn’t quite complete the circle around the shaft. So long that he could wrap both hands around it and still have length to spare. For a man whose penis had normally invoked pity, this was like a gift from the gods.

With one hand he worked that mighty shaft, delighting in the sense of masculine power it gave him. With the other he squeezed his breasts, pinched his nipples harder and harder, the shower all the while pelting his back with its hard rain. Nothing existed apart from that blend of sensation. He had never felt so good about himself or anything. The pleasure built gradually, an intoxicating tension that he hoped would build forever even as he ached for release. He drove himself closer and closer to the precipice, one soapy hand pumping his smooth shaft ferociously, the other crushing his breasts, until with a loud cry he climaxed. Long streams of thick white cum jetted out from the weapon pulsing in his hand and he marvelled at this virility.

He collapsed to his knees, panting for breath, laughing too. For all that he looked like a woman now, he had never felt more like a man. One thing was for sure: He loved his new body.

*

Nurse Zara wheeled a trolley into his room with a large box. She opened this to reveal an assortment of new, brightly coloured clothing. “This came with the biosynth body. I guess it’s all in your size, and rather unique shape.”

It seemed to be mostly lingerie and nightwear, designed most definitely for indoors and bedroom use. Mike hunted through a rather painful-looking variety of knickers, looking for something practical rather sexy, and found something black and stretchy that proved to be comfortable all around.

Zara lifted out a red dress that would barely cover his bum cheeks. “You’d look so sexy in this,” she said, grinning.

Mike shook his head. “I really don’t want to wear a dress.” Instead he picked out some trousers, a little too pink and little too tight-fitting for his taste, but it was a compromise he was willing to make. The bulge at the front where his cock pressed against the tight fabric was a comforting reminder that he was still at least partly a man.

All the tops were metal-reinforced to support his breasts and accentuate his narrow waist. Zara chose a black one studded with gemstones and zipped him into it. The pressure of her hands against him, being close enough for him to feel her warmth, to catch her subtle perfume… He longed to turn and catch her in his arms, to kiss her… His breasts strained to escape, his cock struggled to straighten, and a tickling heat awoke between his thighs.

Mike turned to look at her, unsure how to proceed. Zara blushed and took a step back. “I, ah,” she started, then fell silent, turning bright red with embarrassment. “Do you have a wife? A girlfriend? Anyone?”

Mike shook his head. “No one. No close family. The stereotypical space freighter pilot, spending months alone in space, travelling between stars.”

“A girl in every station?”

He grinned. “I’ve had a few adventures, it’s true, but I don’t think any girl has ever cried to see me leave.” He sighed. “It’s a lonely life, but I like being in space. Seeing different planets. What about you?”

“Oh, I was born here. I’ve been on Station 6 all my life.”

“I mean, do you have a husband? A boyfriend? Anyone?”

Zara laughed. “No, not at the moment.”

Mike stepped closer to her. “Would you like one?”

“Have you any idea how hypnotic those eyes are?”

“What?”

“Your eyes. I could get lost in them. I could drown in them.”

Mike scowled at this unwanted reminder of what he wasn’t. He wasn’t a man. He wasn’t even human. He turned away from Zara, but she caught hold of him. “Sorry,” she said quickly. “I know this is difficult for you, but I have different parts of my brain telling me different things about you and it’s very confusing. I like you, and I do find you attractive, but…”

“But what?”

Zara chewed her lip nervously for a few seconds. “I’d love to take you to bed, test drive that cock. But I really can’t see us in a relationship.”

Unsure how to react to this, Mike turned away from her and examined the shoes. His earlier wish for high heels had certainly come true. All six pairs in the box had high stiletto heels, some with platforms to boost them higher still. He selected the least dangerous-looking pair, which were also glossy black and matched his top, and secured his feet into position.

Walking in them was awkward, but he liked the way they stretched his legs. Zara watched with amusement. “They really suit you,” she said.

Mike walked into the bathroom to check himself out in the mirrors there. “So sexy,” he thought. “So very, very sexy.” He walked back out to the watching Zara. “Nurse Zara,” he said. “You can test drive my cock any time you like.”

She grinned at him. “Later! Now it’s time manavgat escort for you to see the doctor.”

*

With Zara to balance him, Mike managed the long walk to the doctor’s office without falling off his heels. The name on the door was ‘Dr William Svensson’. The doctor’s eyebrows shot up in surprise when Mike entered the office. “Wow!” he breathed, echoing Zara’s earlier assessment. “You look… Wow.” He shook his head in disbelief, tinged perhaps with pride that he was responsible for Mike’s new wow-ness.

“Er, thanks,” said Mike.

“Come in! Come in! Have a seat,” the doctor enthused. “I’m just negotiating a new identity for you with the system. It’s rather complicated. You’re not the first human to be given a biosynthetic body replacement — we’ve had a couple even at this little station — but you are the first to be given an androgyne. How are you adjusting?”

“I’m getting used to it. Surprisingly fast, in fact. If you’d asked me before whether I’d like to be an androgyne, I’d have been horrified at the thought. But there’s a lot to like about this body.”

Dr Svensson nodded in agreement, his eyes lingering on Mike’s prominent breasts for a moment. “That’s good. Good if you can adapt smoothly. There can be issues of psychological rejection. Some people fight so hard against the biosynthetics that it causes severe damage to the neural interface. Ironic in a way. They spend a fortune buying a fresh young body, only to destroy themselves in days.”

“And if I adjust? How long will I last?”

“Oh, you’re still young. Three, four decades, maybe. You’ll need to get a full check-up once a year, give your nanites a refresh, but as long as you don’t do anything too extreme your body will take very good care of itself. I’ll also need to see you once a week for the first month or two, to make sure you are adjusting.”

The doctor peered at the display in front of him. “Do you want to change your official name or identified gender?” Looking up with a smile, he added, “I have to say you don’t look much like a ‘Mike’. More a ‘Michelle’, perhaps?”

Mike frowned. “I want to stay as I am.” Like his cock and his trousers, his name was a necessary anchor to his essential masculinity.

“Of course. Of course.” Dr Svensson raised his hands in mild apology. “These things can be changed later, if necessary.” He tapped in a few commands. “Okay, done. Your new identity is now registered. Welcome to Station 6, Mr Mike Alson.”

“Thank you. Now, I have a long list of questions…”

The doctor chuckled. “I’m sure you do, but I’m not really the best person to answer them.” He tapped in another command. “I am activating your A.I.”

A shiver of terror ran through Mike. “My A.I.? I thought you removed that.” He had a sudden vision of himself moving about like a creepy biosynth.

“Oh, no! You need the A.I. It’s harmless, trust me. It has been in observation mode until now, but you should be able to communicate with it. Try.”

Mike closed his eyes and searched inside his head for another presence. “Hello?”

A soft voice, of ambiguous age and gender, said out of nothing, “Hello, Mike. All systems at one hundred percent. Your nutrient levels are low. I am now connected securely to the Station 6 public infonet.”

Mike opened his eyes. “I think it’s telling me I’m hungry.”

Dr Svensson smiled. “I imagine so. You don’t eat food, of course, but nutrient drinks come in a variety of flavours these days.”

*

Station 6 had the standard design of concentric rings rotating once per standard Earth minute, the artificial gravity in the outer ring being one standard Earth gravity. A great conical mirror at the station’s hub reflected sunlight across half the outer ring, and this rotated very slightly faster so that the pattern of day and night swept round once every standard Earth day. The population varied between two thousand and four thousand, of whom approximately seven hundred considered themselves ‘natives’.

Mike had been there once before. In fact it had been his first stop after leaving Earth, and he had fond but vague memories of a wild night at Station 6’s famous brothel.

Finally discharged, he left the hospital looking forward to another night of hot sex, except this time it wasn’t at the brothel. Nurse Zara was waiting for him outside the exit, and he couldn’t resist grabbing her for a kiss. It was so long since he’d last had a woman and he didn’t want to waste any time. He dug his fingers into the tender cheeks of her ass, and pressed the hard bulge in his trousers against her crotch.

Zara broke away with a laugh. “Patience!” she cried. “Down, boy!” She took his hand and pulled him towards a nearby transport cab, stating her address as they climbed in. The automatic vehicle set off, and Mike couldn’t wait any longer. He straddled Zara and bent to kiss her, his hands catching her wrists and holding them behind her head. She laughed at this, closed her eyes and stopped struggling.

He made love to her with his mouth, biting her lips gently, caressing her cheeks with his own, delving down to suck at her neck, lick her ears, bury his nose in the fragrant forest of her strawberry hair. The taste of her skin drove him wild with hunger for her. He had worried that having a biosynthetic body would rob him of his senses, but if anything they seemed augmented. He felt almost drunk on Zara.

Curtains twitched nervously, with a mixture of admiration and dread, as Charles took the long walk up the white gravelled driveway to the Manor house, that Monday morning. As he stood looking up at the tall windows, he wondered what destiny lay inside. What adventures would all this lead him on, and what wisdom would he seek?

But what really concerned him, was to be part of all this wealth, to plug into it like a ring-main. The thoughts of those wild sex parties burned into his mind, as he saw himself going back in time to chase those naked girls around the gardens. His past seemed to be wrapped around him, like the mist draped around the trees that morning. He rang the doorbell and waited.

When the heavy door was drawn open, he was almost hit between the eyes at the beauty of the woman who stood before him. Not just attractive to the male eye, she represented that power which made men feel as if the room was on fire, as soon as she walked into it.

“Can I help you?” The woman said the line as if she was asking him his deepest desire.

“Yes,” said Charles, “I’ve come about the job.” He had to stop himself from just falling into her arms and begging to kiss those breasts, to forget all his problems. But he needed the money.

“Oh, I was thinking more of a handyman. Are you good around the house?” She turned around and led him into the house.

“I can try.” Charles could hardly believe the stupid way he was blurting this all out, but he knew he might be led into a trap, and watched what he said.

“I’m Mrs Draper, you can call me Sandra. My husband works in London a lot. So we have little time for gardening or anything else for that matter. Married?” She turned around quickly and confronted him with the question.

“Not likely! I mean- no.” Charles looked around at all the money in paintings and furniture. This was the place to be.

“What’s your name?” asked Sandra.

“Charles,” he replied as they walked to the garden.

“I like that name. Regal, they named a line of Kings after that. You follow history much? Well, you should. This village has a lot of history linked to that time.” She opened the French windows to look out onto the garden.

“History is something I want to get away from. It’s the present I’m interested in,” said Charles.

“This was a lovely garden once. There were a lot of happy times here.” Mrs Draper spoke as if she could actually see into the past, and visualise those bodies writhing around on the lawn before them.

“Well I’ll have to see if I can help you bring those happy times back,” said Charles with a smile.

She just looked at him, as if she knew something he did not. Somehow she appeared close to that period in history as if she was in contact with it.

“You might want to take a look at the Yew Maze?” said Sandra turning away.

Charles did not believe in anything supernatural, and certainly not in time travel. So he got on with the garden and tried to get it into shape. Once he had cut through the rain forest of long grass and overgrown bushes, he could see some results. All the time as he swung the hedge trimmer, or pushed the mower; he thought of Sandra.

He thought of her walking through gümüşhane escort this long grass, dressed in her short, tight-fitting dress. Then he thought of her letting it slip from her silken shoulders to slide down her body and cascade onto the grass.

Suddenly he was woken from his dream as he looked up from the lawn at the house windows. There, watching him, was the woman. Maybe she thought of him as much as Charles fantasised about her? The question was, did he dare put it to the test?

One thing which did strike Charles as strange was that he only really fantasised about the woman when he got near the Yew Maze.

The opening to the Maze was a small door, very old and very heavy as if it held some dark secrets within. On opening the door, Charles was struck with the way the Yew trees twisted and turned as they made up the corridors of the Maze. It was very overgrown now, but he could still find his way around and saw it made up a very elaborate trail of deceit and deception. You could easily get lost in here, he thought and took special care to make his way back.

But as Charles turned around, he found he had walked straight down the wrong path. Cursing himself for being so childish, he turned around again and walked back the way he had come. Or at least that was what he thought, for on reaching the end of the path, the young man found he had walked further into the heart of the Maze, instead of coming out.

Frustration took hold at first, then panic gripped him, as he thought about charging through the branches of the Yew bushes to get out. This proved impossible, as the branches actually seemed to be fighting back, and Charles withdrew with cuts to his arms.

What was going on here? The damned thing appeared to be alive?

Charles had heard strange tales told in the pub, of people getting lost in the old maze at the Manor, but had put them down to simple children’s stories. Or drunks! Now he was not too sure.

At times, he even wondered if he was in the garden. Or the garden as he knew it. The strange thing was, at times he was convinced he heard other voices. Strange accents he did not recognise, even American. It was as he heard the boom of a distant gun, then an aircraft flying overhead, that Charles woke up and came to his senses.

As soon as he saw the roof of the Manor House over the tops of the trees, he made his way out. Angry at himself for becoming so scared of something so childish. All the same, the next time he went into the Maze to trim the Yew trees, Charles took a very long line of string with him, to make sure he could find his way out.

Sandra came out into the garden one day to watch him trim the Yew trees.

“How are you finding the Maze? Tough work?”

“Very, but I’m getting it back into shape,” he replied lowering the hedge trimmer.

“Don’t get lost in there. It can tell a few strange tales,” Sandra smiled as she walked around the Maze.

“I’ll try not too. What tales are those?” he asked.

“Maybe one day I’ll tell you.” She said no more and went back inside.

Life went on and they settled down to a routine.

The routine would start hatay escort first thing in the morning. Charles would watch Sandra kiss her husband: Terry, goodbye, then watch him drive off south on the A1. Then she would watch him for a while, with polite questions about the garden, then go inside.

Of course, his new job did not go without comment from his family.

“How’s that job up at the manor going, Charlie?” His mother raised the subject at the dinner table that evening when they were all gathered together.

“Strangely,” was all he would say.

“Why, what’s so strange about it?” asked his father as the food was being served. Both his parents exchanged glances.

“It’s a funny place. I don’t know, it’s sort of spooky.” Charles was more interested in loading his plate with food, than the village gossip.

“Funny people. You watch yourself up there.” His father commanded the table with his opinions, as the family set about eating the meal.

“Your great-granddad always thought it was a strange place,” came his mother.

“What connection has it got to do with great-granddad?” Charles wanted to know, looking across the table for the first time.

“He worked there for a while,” she replied.

“I never knew that.”

“Quite. So this family has had enough of that place,” said his father.

“That’s all old history. I’ve been in the library, and there’s no trace of the Tyler family ever fighting in any war. Not that far back.” Charles knew the conversation which was about to be launched upon the family now. It was a story which they all had to live with, and they all knew it by heart.

“Tyler’s stood for the freedom of this village. We gave our blood to defend this land.” Father spoke the words as if he had memorised them from an amateur dramatics play.

“Give it a rest Dad,” came Helen, their daughter. “That’s so far back, we don’t even do it for history at school.”

“Just because some idiot teacher doesn’t want it in their lessons, that’s no reason why our family history should be forgotten. This family is part of the history which has shaped this village, and that’s something to be proud of.” Father beamed across the table at the others.

“Now the second World War has plenty of links to the Tyler family.” Charles knew where this conversation was going too, but knew it had to be said.

“That’s right. Your granddad fought on the Normandy beaches, and said it was a hell on earth! What I went through in National Service, was nothing compared to that. You young kids could learn a lot by seeing the war for your selves.” Mr Tyler thought this was a way of solving the family problems, and saw nothing wrong with it.

His wife strongly disagreed.

“My children are not going to their deaths in some stupid war! I don’t care what loyalty we owe, let someone else do the fighting for a change.” Their mother looked around the table to make sure everyone was eating.

“Well, there isn’t much chance of any of us fighting in any war. Certainly not in a war like the last one.” Charles wondered if he felt sorry about this or not.

Billy; the youngest son, looked across to ısparta escort Charles. “She’s a stunner, that Mrs Draper.”

“We want none of that filthy talk at our table.” Their mother glared at the young men, to show she had already predicted where the conversation was going.

“Maybe there is some reference to our family taking part in the Civil War. I’ve never come across it,” said Charles.

“Not yet,” added his father. “But remember your granddad took part in D-Day, and that was no picnic. He used to tell us horror stories when we were kids, and I made up my mind that I would never let that memory fade away.”

The younger members of the family looked at each other and rolled their eyes, as they had heard it all before.

“Why did great-granddad leave the Manor gardens?”

“He saw things up there, which didn’t suit him,” replied his father.

“Yeah, I heard there were some wild parties used to go on up there,” sniggered Billy.

“You believe what you want Billy. But when you grow up, you’ll realise that there’s more to life than running around the lawn in the buff.”

“George!” exclaimed Mrs Tyler. “Don’t encourage them. No, what he was meaning, was that there was some stranger evil things, that used to go on up at that house.”

“No one believes in that ghost stuff any more Mum,” said Helen. “It’s just a form of science, we don’t understand yet.”

“You can’t explain away evil, and that’s what they were dabbling in.”

“Maybe they want to borrow some of my heavy metal albums,” laughed Billy? “Call up the devil?”

“Don’t joke about that sort of thing boy, not around here.” Mr Tyler called a halt to the conversation for a while, as they ate. “So what does Mr Draper do for a living?”

“Makes money in London, as far as I know. Must be a stockbroker or something,” replied Charles.

“Or a drugs baron!” Billy added his ideas on the source of their wealth. “Or a white slaver! Yeah! Maybe he has the cellars full of young girls, all chained to the walls, waiting for shipment to the Middle East?”

“There’s nothing in the cellars, but it’s strange enough for that.” Charles was beginning to wonder himself.

“It’s not the cellars that are the strange part,” put in Mrs Tyler. “Your great-granddad thought the evil lay in the Maze. You found anything strange there Charlie?”

They all looked at him now, waiting for the terrible revelation that would fuel the flames of their imaginations. Billy held food actually on his fork awaiting his mouth.

“It’s very overgrown as if no one had been there for years. But there is an eerie feeling around there.”

“I knew it! Great Granddad was right all along.” Mrs Tyler dropped her cutlery on the table.

“Wow! The source of the evil! An opening into another realm, just like on Dr Who or Star Trek?” Billy was fired up with ideas. This looked like all his watching of science fiction on TV was paying off.

“Now don’t get so excited,” said Mr Tyler.

“But you heard the boy!” his wife replied.

“Maybe we could go up and capture an alien?” Billy tried out a few ideas.

Helen was rocking with laughter at all this, as the ideas became more hysterical by the minute.

“Look what you’ve started with this nonsense.” His father looked sternly at Charles.

“Your Great Grandfather always said there was something evil up there, and the source was the Maze. Oh my God, we’ll all be murdered in our beds!” Mrs Tyler was taking it badly.

Life carried on, and Charles continued trying to remake the Yew Maze.

After taking a minute, Liddy looked back at Hannah. “So you saw the client…”

Taking the hint to finish the story, Hannah continued. “Wife was pregnant and couldn’t please him apparently, so he fucked me in front of her as a demonstration. He couldn’t see me past his gut or whatever half the time, so I took the chance to make the wife happy. The client never caught on and the wife loved it. Afterwards, she walked me out and we ducked into an anteroom for the kitchen, where I went down on her and gave her her first orgasm.”

“That’s about when I walked in.” Easy added.

“Yup, apparently she’s not known for keeping her mouth shut, so the client’s wife wanted her gone. Didn’t want her to talk and let slip what happened. Handed me the leash and papers, all signed. The other token she gave me after I made her cum. So then I brought this one home. Figured you would free her if she wanted to work here. If not, we send her back because free slaves don’t do well apparently, and she’s better off working there.”

“I see,” Liddy stated flatly. “Not that I am opposed to freeing a slave or anything, but that was a big risk you took with the client’s wife. If you knew you would be freeing a slave, that’s one thing but you can’t be risking our reputation by serving others during a contract. I get why, I really do. But you need to keep things professional.”

Hannah could tell Liddy was angry at her, but she didn’t want to be angry at the results. “I understand.”

“Good.” Liddy knew Hannah meant it and considered it settled. “Now. What’s your name?”

“I’m called ‘Easy’ ma’am,” she replied, hoping the tension in the room would go away now.

“How did you get that name?” Mari asked, forming her own idea as to how.

“Well, I was bought as a child to be friends with Elsa. The wife of the man you were with.” Easy looked at Hannah for the last part. “She called me Easy because I was so easy to get along with. When she got older, she was married off and brought me with her. Of course, since then I seldom got to see her, let alone talk to her, because her new husband didn’t want an Emberborn consorting with his wife.”

“Forgive me for not knowing,” Mari interrupted again. “But what’s the deal with Emberborn? You’re the first I’ve ever actually met.”

“I don’t actually know,” Easy started. “I’m just different and they don’t tell you much in the stock house. I really don’t remember much, and never got told anything as I got older.”

“I can fill everyone in then,” Liddy spoke up, happy to be friends again. “You know the emberstone contraceptives you get implanted through your belly button so that you don’t get pregnant or catch anything?”

“You kidding?” Mari replied, “Poor Hannah had to fuck six people at the clinic to get me mine when I was sixteen and too young.”

“Took me all week so they didn’t catch on I was doing all of them,” Hannah added while taking a seat.

“Well…” Liddy continued. “Sometimes, and I don’t think anyone honestly knows how or why or what happens, you can still get pregnant but they turn out looking like something else. Animals of some kind, some real, some mythical, but nobody knows the combination of factors that allow it to happen. Regardless, we are still better off keeping our implants. The general consensus is that they make good slaves and are sold after birth.”

“Yikes,” Mari responded.

“So, the question right now is what’s best for you Miss Easy. Do you stay or go? In case you haven’t guessed, we have sex for money. You are a pretty girl, but I won’t make you do anything you don’t want. I can give you a crew job if you want,” Liddy offered.

“Oh no, I really want to have sex,” Easy responded with excitement.

“I wasn’t expecting that level of enthusiasm. Care to explain?” Liddy inquired.

“Well, there is a pretty strict taboo about fucking Emberborn, so most of the time they don’t risk it. Of course, I know what I look like and could very easily talk anyone into taking the risk. But of course there was my problem, they knew about how much I talked and so no one ever touched me. They resented having me around, but Elsa never let them sell me off. Of course, there were other slaves, but while Emberborn are extremely infertile when it comes to humans, we are the opposite with our own. Unfortunately, outside of the slave breeders, nobody has the talent or tools to avoid the equally high chance of miscarriage. So you would think I could have my fun with the legion of very bored, but physically-fit house guards…” Easy paused to savour the fantasy she frequently entertained with a room full of men to please her. “…but the first time I got flirty with one, he got flogged. So I’ve been living in frustration and Elsa knew it. She put two and two together when I walked in on you and gave me to you.”

“So you want to work out that sexual frustration by working for me?” Liddy asked.

“I have a better question,” Mari interrupted while trying to sit upright, but laid back down when she realised her bum wasn’t ready yet. “With all the taboos and such. Have you ever actually had sex?”

Everyone stared at Easy in surprise awaiting zonguldak escort an answer. “No. Not with anyone besides myself and a few helpful objects,” Easy answered. The women stared at Easy in stunned silence for a minute. “So I would really, really, really, love to get paid to have sex… like a lot.”

Liddy laughed. “Paid a lot or have sex a lot?”

“Well, I meant sex, but I am happy with both if that’s how it works,” Easy replied returning a giggle.

“Fine, if it’s what you want. Nobody to gossip to other than us, so your ‘talking’ shouldn’t be an issue with finding clients who want a little taboo fun. Though no talking about clients until all clients are off the ship. That’s really a rule for everyone. Now, Hannah, take her out for some clothing. Keep the collar and leash on, so nobody makes a fuss about a free Emberborn. Once she is ready, we can cut that thing off.” Liddy gestured for the papers so she could sign ownership onto Easy and free her. “Go with them, Mari, since the walk will keep you off your ass,” Liddy said as she grinned.

“My ass can use a walk as well,” Ving added in.

The four of them left Liddy to her books and ledgers to find some new clothing for their little fairy. Ving knew the city well enough to point them in the right direction. While passing over the main street on a walkway, they were surprised to see marching troops passing under them.

“There must be thousands of them,” Mari observed.

“City Guard, Militia, House-guard, pretty much everyone who carries a weapon,” Ving added.

“Looks like a parade rather than an operation. Suppose they are going off to do something and making a show of it,” Hannah reasoned.

“While working, I noticed a lot fewer guards on the grounds,” Easy explained. “Then everyone else complaining that their best bodyguards were conscripted. I guess this is where they ended up.”

“Any idea where they are going?” asked Hannah.

“Well, every city has some kind of Embermine. I think there are about six locally, so probably off to guard them,” Ving guessed.

They watched the troops marching for a while longer. Most carried rifles, while others held larger weapons with mounting stands. Behind the men were massive horse-drawn guns, each of which were larger than a carriage.

“Those must be the new auto-guns,” Hannah pointed. “They supposedly keep shooting if you keep the trigger pulled like this.” Hannah tapped the railing in a rapid steady rhythm.

“How do you know about that?” Easy asked curiously.

“Back home, I did my stint in the Crater Peak Defense Army. Two years. Only needed to be in for the one but I loved it. Everyone had to serve when they turned eighteen unless they weaselled their way out of it. Personally, I loved being in a barracks filled with fit men who were frequently bored. Also got me some manners with the nobility so I could guard them and not make an ass of myself. That, of course, let me blend in enough to get laid by some better smelling men. Of course, it wasn’t all long patrols through the farmland or fancy dinners for visitors. Had to fight my way out of a slum riot when we were sent in to stop them from raiding the farm waggons. Big drought meant rationing, and the slums never had much food to begin with. Aside from crap like that, I liked it, at least until I was caught between two brothers, each fucking a side of me. Unfortunately, their mother walked in and saw them ‘wasting themselves’ on a common girl in uniform. Dishonourable discharge later, and I was about to be brought up on charges — when the brothers, who still really liked me — sent word to lay low. I hid out in the slums and met Mari pretty much on the first day when I started squatting in her crap shack.”

“I…” Easy fumbled. “…wasn’t expecting all that. Guess you have a lot to say. I’m so used to lives being simple and dull.”

“Sorry, Easy, I guess I do have a habit of talking a lot.” Hannah fired a wry smile at Easy who just laughed in return. “You aren’t the only one who talks, sweetie. Just means you are already my friend.”

“Thank you, it means a lot to me.” “Much easier for you than it was for me,” Ving chimed in.

Hannah turned to Mari to continue her story when she noticed her bent over the railing and a soldier behind her ramming it in and waving to the troops passing by. Hannah laughed and rolled her eyes, wondering how long it had been going on and how the soldier got away from the march. Mari pulled down the top part of her dress so the passing troops could see her breasts bounce and smiled. A short shout from another soldier at the end of the walkway ended the fun as he pulled out and refastened before a quick kiss. He ran off and Mari fixed her dress.

“Well, that was fun. Were you saying something, Hannah?” Mari asked.

“Nope, not a thing,” Hannah replied in a tone Mari knew meant she had missed a lot because she had been too busy fucking, but Hannah didn’t want to repeat anything. Mari herself had used the same tone on Hannah enough that neither were offended and simply smiled.

Finally arriving at fethiye escort a woman’s tailor after leaving the walkway, Hannah was a bit relieved that it was less pretentiously decorated than the one where she got the outfit she was still wearing. Inside, Hannah started looking around, her focus on things that could be slipped off quickly as well as able to accommodate a wingspan. Corsets were the obvious choice since the binding in the back could be done to avoid the wings. Easy looked good in a deep green corset that pushed her breasts up without making it hard to breathe. Her slender frame didn’t need any help appearing thinner.

The tailor, while used to women taking over his shop as they tried on clothing, was surprised to be seeing an Emberborn as the focus. Mari was, despite her plain dress, still looking like a lowborn. Ving, of course, appeared to be a bodyguard of some kind. He did his best to ignore Easy as was only proper. Hannah was who he directed himself to the most. The ‘Lady’ had some strange tastes, but he knew he couldn’t afford to offend her with his judgement. Hannah knew, of course, the moment he found out she wasn’t a real ‘Lady’ the service would get real bad real fast. As he went to his workshop to retrieve some tools for adding some bindings to the corset Easy was trying on, Hannah followed him in.

About as old as Hannah, he certainly didn’t mind when she came up close behind him, but she surprised him with a gentle embrace. He set down the tools he had just picked up, as her hands found their way across his belly and down the front. In the past, he had agreed to terrible opinions, accepted diminished pay, even slapped a servant in order to please his clients. He quickly realised this time was going to be much more enjoyable.

“I must compliment you on the quality of your work and the dedication to your clients,” Hannah whispered as she held him tighter so he could feel her breasts pressing into his back.

“Of course, M’Lady.” He muttered, growing stiff in her hand. He took off his own trousers quickly and wiped off his shirt when turning to face Hannah who, while holding him by his manhood, lead him over to what looked like a hammock. Some material that had been hanging that she sat on, and was happy when it took her weight. She quickly pushed aside the material hiding her wetness and slid the tailor inside her. He grabbed the supporting wires and started to swing Hannah back and forth, to put her weight behind his thrusts. Hannah opened her blouse to expose her pink, lace-covered breasts before supporting herself by holding the tailor’s arms. Surprised with how much she was enjoying herself. She added her own strength to the swinging. She switched her grasp to the wires holding the material, as he switched his hands to her breasts. Yanking down on them each time she swung closer, he made Hannah gasp as she enjoyed their abuse as well as the hard slam that penetrated her each time.

Ving and Easy watched from the doorway, peeking through the curtains. Easy, still only in her underwear, had a hand touching herself and penetrating her own wetness with each thrust Hannah took. Ving, while not openly pleasing herself, was content to let Mari slip her hands around her and put her own behind her to return the favour. Hannah loved seeing the young virgin desperate to feel the hard cock sliding out and ramming in with the sway of the swing. She let her vocals pick up so the girls weren’t disappointed.

That appeared to be enough for the tailor who grunted and looked panicked not knowing if he was allowed to fill up a Lady. Hannah slid off the swing quickly and was just in time to get her face covered in his seed, not quite getting her mouth around it in time. She swallowed the tail end of the load and got back on the swing. She placed her hand on his head and pushed him down to give the hint that he had to finish what he started.

“Ving. I require some cleaning,” Hannah informed in a falsely arrogant tone.

Ving walked over as Hannah felt the tailor penetrate her with his tongue. Not really talented, but Hannah didn’t mind. She grabbed Ving by the neck for a kiss before she moved her face to put Ving’s tongue to it. Ving licked slowly over Hannah’s face to make sure she cleaned her up. As her face was being cleaned, Hannah felt fingers penetrate her while the tongue wandered around where he thought her clit might be. A sharp gasp let him know when he found it. Ving, done with the face, went to lick Hannah on the neck and over her breasts where a few drops had landed. Once fully clean, she grabbed a piece of fabric nearby to dry off Hannah, and then adjusted her bra back on and began buttoning up her blouse. Hannah panted heavily as she drew close and gave off a slut’s moan as she climaxed, wrapping her legs around the head pleasuring her. She kept his head there, drinking her up until she had calmed back down and slipped off the swing. Fixing her underwear to cover her again, she gestured to Easy and Mari to get back in the shop.

The tailor finished his work in a bit of a daze, smiling as Hannah kept close. When alanya escort he was finished with all the clothing Easy needed to be altered, Hannah paid him. He was surprised to be paid at all, given what he was allowed to do with her body, but Hannah responded.

“I pay for proper service. Do I look like a harlot of some kind?” She almost couldn’t contain herself.

Not noticing Mari and Ving silently laughing, he responded ,”Of course not M’Lady. Anytime.”

They left with bundles of clothing for Easy, wore a pale blue sundress that hugged her figure tightly.

“I can’t believe you just did that.” Easy uttered in surprise, once out of sight of the shop.

“Why not?” Hannah asked curiously.

“Well, it was just so easy for you. Then Mari on the walkway. So many years I never got touched by anyone except for their eyes. I could see them looking at me, wanting me, then having to touch myself instead. But for you, it was just so easy. I want to know how I can do that.”

“Well, confidence is the key, but there is more to it than that. The first stage is, of course, to dress for sex. It isn’t always about revealing a lot of skin. Look at me now, I’m almost totally covered, but men still see me as a sexual woman. They see my figure, my breasts almost pushing their way out, my legs. They know something they want is under the clothing without seeing what’s under my clothing. As long as they can do that, you can cover up as much as you want and still get them interested.”

“Then why all the sexy clothing then?”

“Well, not everyone has the same tastes or has the necessary observational skills. So it’s best to have some more obvious options. Sometimes it’s enough to simply be unusually dressed to catch their attention, but some need to see a woman wearing what they expect her to wear. That’s the second part, figuring out what the men want.”

“Being young and sexy isn’t enough?”

“Sometimes it is. A lot of the time really. But we work to sell ourselves to the deepest pockets, so we gotta spot them, figure what they want, and be that kind of woman. They might want to fuck you quickly enough, but we have to convince them our bodies are worth paying for. Just having money usually brings them all the women they want without them actually spending it on them. Right, Ving?”

“Very much so,” Ving responded. “I’d be in bed with some of them just so I could sleep and eat in mansions or get sponsors for races. Most of the time, I just let them do what they wanted to me in case I needed them later. To live that lifestyle, you slept with whoever provided it. I had to compete with a lot of spoiled bitches who only knew how to spread their legs. So since they can get so many women for free, they need a good reason to pay for it.”

“So as complex as it is, sex is simple compared to getting paid.”

“Well yes, sort of,” Hannah answered. “If all I wanted was sex, I can get it from anywhere, and back before I signed on with Liddy, I did. If one guy didn’t want me, there was always another. Now though, we have specific targets who we have to entice, seduce, and get to agree on payment. Liddy will help you with that to start, and set you up with clients. The more you get fucked, the better you will get on reading what they want and how to make yourself their fantasy. So for now, just focus on being sexy for yourself and build your confidence as a sexual woman.”

“Fair enough. It’s just odd that other women want it as badly as I do. You all had sex today but still wanted more. I felt like I was so alone.”

“Oh, girl.” Mari laughed. “Most people want to have sex. Lots. Men just have an easier time expressing it since it’s expected. Women generally can’t. I think it’s because most women don’t feel safe expressing it due to most men just assuming it means with them, and they don’t understand when a woman tells them no. So we keep it to ourselves. That being said, just because a man is a man doesn’t mean he will want to have sex either. More than you think will turn down a fling, even if they aren’t married.”

“I think though that since you are a virgin you should play that role for a while. Even after it’s not true anymore,” Hannah explained. “Even I pull it off, though not as much the older I get, and some men can tell quickly if your body moves like one. So capitalise on your inexperience as long as you can. Remember the things you do wrong so that you can keep doing them when you want to be a virgin again.”

“I never thought about it like that. So why didn’t you just get the clothing for free just now? I’m sure he would have after what happened.”

“Well, two reasons. First is that Liddy would be upset if I fucked my way out of a business expense and someone found out. The other is that I was playing a role with him, and you should never break a role, even after you get what you want. That meant paying like a Lady would, even if the things I did with him were most unladylike. I’ve yet to meet a well-bred woman who is as eager to swallow or take it on her face like I did. But because I kept playing the role and made him finish me off, as well as order Ving about like a servant, he didn’t notice. Paying the bill just kept the illusion. As far as he remembers today, he will think of it as a Lady who looked for an out-of-the-way tailor she could use for fun without getting noticed. Also, with you being Emberborn, he seemed a bit annoyed at servicing you. Men are much less ornery after they get to put their cocks in a woman.”