She saw him approach, and he could almost
hear the slam as her defenses came into play. She didn’t even let
him say hello. “I really don’t feel like being made fun of right
now, Mr. Allenton, and I’m sure there’s lots of women here who will
give you exactly what you’re looking for, so why don’t you just
move your pretty boy face along, eh?”
He resisted the urge to
snap a snide comeback, and was suddenly startled by the obscurely
happy thought
What? She thinks I’m
pretty?
He simply gave a little
embarrassed smile, and plunged in. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I was
a real ass then. You deserved a lot better, especially considering
how much I enjoyed talking to you. I hope we get the chance again
sometime, so that I can not make that mistake again.” He held out a
hand, palm up, then. “but whether or not that happens, doesn’t
really matter. I really was just wondering if you would like to
dance?”
His sincere
disingenuousness (
Did Jonathan Allenton
really just apologize to me?
) took her off
guard, and in shock she did what she would never have done if she’d
had time to think about it: she gave him her hand, and together
they walked out to the dance floor.
Twenty three miles west, Brian held
Francesca as she relaxed into the endorphins left over from the
ritual. They were both sweaty, exhausted, but smiling at each other
with the joyful grins of two kids who had just gotten away with
some great prank. “Tentacle sex?” she murmured, and giggled.
“Hey, whatever works for you, babe,” he laughed
back at her, and squeezed her again, their skin warm against each
other in the dimming candlelight.
X
“It’s not enough,” Brian repeated to Sullivan. “I
mean, don’t get me wrong. I know we did something. I couldn’t see
it quite clearly, but I was enough a part of her to catch what she
did, that she did something good.” They were driving back to the
city, having said their goodbyes to Francesca. Sally had called
from a hotel, and they were heading towards her.
“But I keep remembering the men in the
black suits with their little hypodermic needles. I remember my arm
caught in their grip. And you still haven’t told me what they are,
since they aren’t human.”
Sullivan frowned. “Look, remember the
coffee shop? How I told you that I’ve had friends, lots of friends,
die?”
Brian nodded,
“Well, I didn’t enjoy that. All of those
friends died because they were asking the same questions, making
the same statements you’re making. And now they’re dead… or worse.”
At Brian’s questioning look, Sullivan looked away. “There are worse
things than death, Bucko. For all concerned.”
“So I don’t ask. I don’t tell. I do my
part, I work on the rituals, I use my kink and my power to nudge a
person there, to blind a ‘pressor here, but I never make waves,
Brian. From what I’ve seen, that’s the quickest way to get to
dead.” He frowned. “In fact, I don’t expect you to be around long,
to be honest, because you, my friend, are a great big rock that is
in the process of being tossed into a very small but deep pool.” He
glanced back at Brian, face grim. “You want the honest truth, me
boy, sure, I like you and all, I’ll help you—but really? I’m just
trying to ride you out. It’s brutal, but it’s honest. Figure I owe
you that.”
Brian looked out the window at the passing
countryside, turning slowly to cement and industrial complexes.
“Ride it out. Yeah. Me too.”
He found himself wondering if he would live
to see his wife again. “Explain to me again what it is we have to
do with Vashte? And how it is that Bec is involved?”
Sullivan smiled. “Well, we could wait until
she gets back, and just toss the three of you in bed together… I
know Sally loves boobies, and from what I hear, your wife
has—“
Brian held up a hand. “Won’t happen. She’s
not bisex—well, she’s had—that is, there have been a few times
that—“ He stopped, giving up trying to explain. “It’s complicated.
Suffice it to say, it’s not going to happen, and I’m much happier
that way. Makes things a lot less complicated. But why does it have
to happen? Can’t Sally and I do our thing, and Bec and I do our
thing, and never the twain shall meet?” A thought occurred to him.
“You know, it’s possible that Bec is a Focus, too… or something
like that. Not in the same way as Sally… but she draws attention in
a more subtle way… ”
Sullivan glanced at him, and then back at
the road. “Could be. I have to say, I’m certainly interested in
meeting her, after hearing so much.”
“Regardless. You really have to ask why?
Isn’t it obvious?” At Brian’s blank stare, Sullivan sighed. “You
know, for a smart guy, you can be really dumb sometimes. Look, you
and Bec have a commitment to each other, right?” He didn’t wait for
Brian’s nod. “And you and Sally have bonded in a different sort of
commitment, different rules, different shape, but still a
commitment, right?” Again he continued over Brian’s nod. “So don’t
you think, given the nature of the sex magic you now find yourself
involved in, that it’s important that the three of you have lines
of support and strength, communicating the flow of power through
each other for stability?” He harumphed. “Honestly, man, it’s basic
Ethical Slut stuff, only with wild sex magic thrown in. Pretty
obvious.”
Brian had to admit that, put that way, it
was obvious. “Yeah. I suppose. I’ll call her when we get to the
hotel to pick up Sally.” He gave a heavy sigh. “I hate the idea of
dragging her into this world, is all.”
“Brian.” Sullivan’s voice was quiet. “She’s
always lived in this world. So have you. You just never knew it.
Now you get to dance on the demons of ignorance with the rest of
us.” He gave a joyless grin. “Welcome to the party.”
“Hi, hon. Having fun?”
“Most definitely! We made it to the Museum
of Sex! Finally!”
“Ah… very cool. Get me anything?”
“Ha, as if I could afford anything. Saw a
lot, though.” Her voice lowered. “In fact, much of it was
positively inspiring… I can’t wait to get home, but at the same
time, just want to stay here. You know what I mean… ”
“Yeah, I know exactly. In fact, I’m having
a pretty… interesting time here, as well.”
“Interesting in a good way?”
“Ummm… well, mostly. It’s been very
intense, and there’s a lot to tell you about when you get
back—“
“Brian. You’re worrying me. What’s
happened? I can tell something’s bothering you… ”
“You’ll have to just wait, love, Seriously,
you’re right, there are things bothering me, but none of it has
anything to do with you being there. I met some interesting people,
and that led to interesting things happening, and… ”
Long pause. “You’re talking about Chinese
Curse kind of interesting, aren’t you?”
“Partially. But not all. Some of it, in
fact, is quite good.”
“Quite good, eh? What’s her name?”
“Hey!” He tried to sound offended. “You
know, it could have been a ‘he’.”
“No, I know what you sound like when you
have a crush on a guy. Much less sure of yourself. Is she
there?”
“Not right now, no. Her name’s Sally.”
“Short for Mustang?”
“No, silly, short for salacious. And
salivating. And salle-de-baine, where she is right now. You want
details?”
“No, not yet. You tend to have good taste.
Glad you’re staying busy while I’m gone.”
“Yeah, well, that’s part of why I called. I
have a… somewhat kinky favor to ask of you.”
Gasp. “Oh, heavens, no!”
Her voice muffled as she cupped her hand loosely over the reciever.
“Jake! My husband just told me he has a… a…
kinky
proposition for me! Whatever
shall I do?”
“You done now?”
Her voice returned to full volume. “Yeah, I
suppose. Is it something fun?”
“Definitely. Not too hard, either. I want
you to fuck Jake for me.”
“Hmmm. When you say fuck, are you talking
strap-on? We’ve not really… ”
“No, no need to do anything new. It’s not
the fuck that’s important, it’s the ‘for me’ part. I need you to
actively go at it with him, as hot and heavy as you can, in
whatever way you like… but I need you to do it for me. Not for him,
not for yourself, but keep it in your head that you’re doing it
because I asked you to.”
“Oh… kay… sure, hon, whatever you like. Is
this just for your own peace of mind? Or some kind of new
fantasy?”
“Something like that. Remember when we were
talking about getting into tantra?”
“Yeah, we could never get into the classes.
This is tantric?”
“Honestly, hon, I don’t know. It might be.
But I just need to… try it. Oh! It also has to be at… ” He
calculated furiously. “Nine p.m. your time.”
Laughter. “Oh, really? And how long,
exactly, does it have to last?”
“Long enough for you to have a mind blowing
orgasm. Him, too, I suppose, but it’s really important that you get
off, love, and that you be thinking of me when you do.”
“You know, it’s a good thing Jake is so
secure. Because I think that would give most men a complex.”
“Tell him I’ll make it up to him when you
get back here, and you can fuck me while thinking of him. Hell,
I’ll even turn my beard into a goatee. Don’t know how I can fake a
foreskin, though… ”
“Stop that!” she protested
through her giggles. “You know I like them all sorts of ways.
Whatever trips your trigger, hon. It’s weird… and you
will
be explaining it
all to me when I get back… but I suppose, if you really need me to
fuck Jake for you at nine tonight, I can bring myself to make that
sort of ultimate sacrifice.”
“Thanks, love. Sally’s out, now, so I’m
going to go. And know that I will be thinking of you, too.”
“She’s ok with that?”
“More than that. She’s seen pictures of
you. She’ll be thinking of you, too.”
“Dammit, I’m not bisexual! She—“
“I know, I know, dear. I told her. You’re
not bisexual.” He paused a beat. “Only your body is. Bye, love.” He
hung up on her sputtering indignation and looked up at Sally.
“Will she do it?” the slim woman asked, her
skin a ruddy pink from the terry cloth towel she was rubbing over
her body.
“Of course. It’s hardly the strangest thing
I’ve asked her to do. Will it be enough?”
Sally stopped with the towel over one leg,
and looked at Brian with her serious silver eyes. “I don’t know.
But I suppose it will have to be, won’t it?”
XI
Vashte and Sullivan sat on opposite ends of
the room, nude, their bodies glistening with scented oil that
reflected the flickering candlelight in organic curves. They were
seated in lotus, hands in mudras, delicate threads of incense
threading the air. The walls of Vashte’s ritual room were more
decorated than when Brian had seen them last, sculptures inset in
the wall of couples in congress with each other, a vast array of
improbable poses and rubbery limbs with full lips and wide
eyes.
In the center of the room,
Brian knelt in
seiza,
a single coil of black rope laying next to him. He was also
nude and oiled, his torso still covered with the white traceries of
the mark Vashte had put onto him. He had seen, as they’d entered
the room, pieces of the pattern, sections repeated in the
sculptures and rugs, but never the entire pattern, never an exact
match to the curves and segments and shapes that lined his body.
When he’d asked Vashte, she had simply shrugged noncommittally and
refused to answer. Brian suspected she was still somewhat
embarrassed by the whole affair that had resulted in his power, and
was doing her best to erase it by helping him now.
Now. He struggled to bring his mind back to
the now, to focus on his breath, on the feeling of the air on his
body, the scents wafting across the room. As his breathing
deepened, he found he could sense the indrawn breaths and soft
exhalations of Sullivan and Vashte, already in sync with each
other. He took a moment to meld his breath with theirs.
“OM MANI PADME HUM.” Sullivan’s full
baritone filled the room as he began to chant, the sound echoing
impossibly in the small chamber.
“Om Mani Padme Hum.” Vashte’s dry voice
replied, in some ways more powerful than Sullivan because it
matched in intensity without requiring volume.
The two of them repeated the chant, over
and over, creating a rhythm between them that drew Brian deeper
into the trance.
“So, ready for our nightly kink?” Bec
asked, swinging a leg over Jake and perching in his lap. He pressed
the remote and the credits to Alias disappeared from the
screen.
“Sure, babe, what’d you have in mind?”
Jake’s voice was a rich bass, belying his small frame, and his
neatly trimmed black goatee framed a smile that was never far away.
“Are we going to test your ‘training’ again? Did you wash the
plugs?”
Bec blushed, just for a moment, and said,
with a bit of pique, “No, I think that Brian did quite a good job
of training me, as you found out last night.” She paused, then
seemed to make up her mind. “But I’m glad you asked, anyway. It
does have to do with him, and something he’d like you to help me
with… ”
She stood up and suddenly took off her
shirt, her full breasts pushed up by a black velvet bra. She pushed
down her jeans, too, revealing a black thong with a Felix the Cat
head on it. Jake laughed. “Oh, you have the cutest pussy I’ve seen…
”
Bec smiled, her eyes taking on a glow as
she again straddled her lover. “I’m glad you like it.” Reaching
behind her, she unsnapped her bra. “See anything else you
like.”