Mirror Bound

by Kirsten Bij't Vuur

  You haven't felt my love because Paul put a shield on you. He must have made it too tight.'

  Still Lukas didn't look convinced: 'But I can feel his clearly.' I suggested:

  'Maybe because the shield is his, and you connected to him to replenish your magical energy. But why speculate, let's just ask him.' I took his hand and took him with me to the workshop.

  Paul was deep in concentration over something, so we watched until he'd be finished. He didn't seem to be crafting, and when I used sight he appeared to be using magic, though clearly metal was involved.

  I was still wondering what he was doing when he spoke: 'Good, you're here just in time to seal it to your aura. Will you join me for sec, Lukas?'

  Lukas stepped towards him, and Paul explained: 'This is your necklace, the centre stone can be used as a focus, and since you're now officially a mage I decided to activate it, so you can actually use it the way it is meant to. You only need to key it to yourself, prime it to your sole use, and for that you will have to touch it and reach out to it.'

  This was all very exciting, and Lukas trustingly reached out to the stone. As he touched it, his face blanked and he stood like that for a few moments.

  Then he came back in the now and said: 'That was interesting. So what can I do with it?

  Paul explained: 'You can charge it when you have a lot of energy, then when you need to use more energy than you have in your body, you can drain the stone, and when you are back to full strength, you fill it again. I'll show you how, somewhere tomorrow? Then you can start using your own shield for few hours without risking getting drained.'

  That sounded really useful, and Lukas thanked Paul profusely, starting with a really big hug. Not only had Lukas grown a lot, Paul was also a different man, showing his feelings clearly, and returning the hug with evident enjoyment.

  But he could still surprise us, for he told Lukas: 'I want you to have it charged

  before we go on our expedition to retrieve the photographs, and I'll do my very best to make you one too, Melissa, you could use a store of energy as well.

  Would the green stone in the golden necklace suit you?'

  I couldn't believe my ears! He was planning to take us after all, I had totally misjudged him, underestimated him. I guess my face showed my guilty astonishment, only Paul interpreted it the wrong way, for he said: 'I know you think it's priceless, but I really don't care about the value, I just want you to be safe. Or don't you like it?'

  Now it was my turn to embrace him, and I told him: 'It's not the necklace, I expected you to try to leave us behind, go for those photographs on your own. And now I feel ashamed to have had so little trust in you.'

  Safe in his arms, a touch on my mind relayed feelings of intense love, and worry as well, plus a tiny bit of guilt, as Paul confessed: 'It did cross my mind, you know me well. You're both so new to magic, but frankly, I need you.

  I need Lukas' stalking skills and heaven forbid, maybe his fighting skills. And without you, my dear, I would be head-blind, likely walking into danger without any warning.' 'I love that golden necklace and I will wear it proudly,'

  was my only answer.

  Chapter 27

  Now Lukas deduced: 'So it is to be tomorrow night then, our raid on the factory.' Paul affirmed this: 'It is a very dangerous expedition, I want us to be well prepared, for we will not only have to steal those photographs, we will have to free the faeries within enemy territory as well.'

  Thinking, Lukas suggested: 'If we take the photo's, wouldn't they come to us?'

  'They would, but it might kill them to leave their hoards behind. I'm even thinking of asking Frances to wait outside to free them, to spare them the stress of being caught by a stranger, though it would endanger her,' was Paul's reply.

  'If she brings George and Marcus, that risk could be reduced.' Lukas observed. 'You're right, all the more reason to plan this well,' Paul admitted,

  'we were planning to go to the park tomorrow by bicycle, to practice throwing fireballs. You can run along and try one over there, without shoes first. And we can ask Frances and George if they are prepared to help.'

  Lukas was now clearly considering something, and he quickly decided and asked: 'Paul, I have two things I want to discuss with you.

  First, is it possible that you've made the shield on me too tight? I cannot feel Melissa's love for me anymore, and I used to feel that all the time. It makes me unsure, vulnerable. And I feel yours clearly.'

  In answer, Paul touched Lukas on his cheek, and after a really short blank he said: 'Let me adjust it a teeny bit, so it feels normal again.' Suddenly Lukas showed his relief and said: 'That's enough, oh I've missed that.' He wrapped me in his arms and kissed me, really passionately, he just couldn't help it. I held him close, stroking his curly head, whispering sweet nonsense to him.

  After a few minutes, he released his hold, swallowed a big lump in his throat, and said: 'Now I feel better.'

  Paul excused himself: 'You never told me the shield wasn't right, nor did you show any sign of distress, you're not turning into a Victorian, are you?'

  'I did feel you,' Lukas said, 'so I never suspected the shield.'

  'I suppose that was because it's my work, I don't know, I've never been in this situation before,' Paul told him helplessly, and looking at Lukas and me together he added: 'please don't let me stop you from making love, I'll just entertain myself for an hour or so. I still know how to do that.'

  'That is point number two, Paul. My talent says you need to see Ilsa, that something still needs to be healed in you,' Lukas had clearly decided not to surprise him with a visit, 'I've invited her over for a tour of your house tonight. If you trust me in this, you'll be busy showing her what you have made of your life. You can talk about what happened.

  She will not fall in love with you again or fall back into melancholy. We can be with you when she first comes in, but you need to see each other alone.

  Are you willing?'

  This was a shock to dear Paul, and to be honest I wasn't so sure about it either. But Lukas had cured Ilsa, and he seemed very sure of himself. Sitting down, head in his hands, Paul clearly did need some healing yet.

  In a very strange reversal of roles, Lukas now laid a hand on Paul's shoulder, but said nothing. After some time, Paul hoarsely said: 'All right, if you say so, I will. It clearly still hurts me more than I expected, so you must be right. But I want you with me when she comes in, and if I cannot handle it, you stay with me, both of you.' We answered as one: 'It's a deal.'

  Paul didn't eat much that night, the prospect of having to see Ilsa again clearly unnerved him totally. I felt really sorry for him, but the fact that it did touch him so deeply proved that he needed to see her, and before he put his life in danger.

  Negative feelings like that had no place in magic, especially not in offensive magic.

  We had a very silent meal, and we didn't take any coffee. When a carriage stopped in front of the house, Paul got up and went up the stairs, and it was now really impossible to see his emotional turmoil, he had totally blocked it, a painful reminder of a time when he had looked like this all the time.

  I took his hand, but that offered him no relief at all, so I let it go again. But he was not having that, he picked it up with both hands, and pressed it to his chest. He clung to my hand so tightly that his grip was nearly painful, but at least he showed some feelings again.

  I stroked his lovely curls, and his stubbled jaw, now locked shut. He kissed

  my hand, held on to it with one hand, and used the other to open the door.

  Seeing Ilsa behind it, he froze instantly. He couldn't move, he couldn't speak, he looked as if he were dead. Lukas took over, disconcerted at the intensity of Paul's reaction, and he welcomed Ilsa, who of course didn't feel that intense pain anymore and felt incredibly guilty to see what she had done to her dear friend.

  After their hug, Lukas looked at me questioningly, and I immediately understood. Letting Lukas take over Paul's
hand, I welcomed Ilsa as well, and asked her to follow me to my apartment for a few moments.

  As I looked back, I saw Lukas with Paul wrapped in his arms, and Paul was still motionless and expressionless. Leaving him, to be hospitable to the cause of his grief, was one of the hardest things I ever did, but my trust in Lukas was unshakable.

  Ilsa said soothingly: 'Lukas will make it better, he did it for me so he can do it for Paul. I still feel guilty, I remember my pain but it is far away from me, his is still fresh, and of my doing.' I just couldn't speak, not until I knew how the love of my life was doing.

  She'd have to understand, or just think me abominably rude, but I couldn't make polite conversation with Paul looking like death. Looking at me she said: 'I understand, just go back to him, I'll wait on the stairs.'

  I forced myself to walk down slowly, saw Lukas still standing there, Paul still frozen. Lukas said to me, near desperation: 'I can't reach him, he has a shield on me.'

  I'd forgotten that, but who'd have thought he'd react so intensely. Of course it was often said that people with iron self control had very strong feelings hidden inside them, and we'd both seen his 'younger' self, but this was as bad as when we returned from the rave. I could think of only one thing to pass by his blocked feelings, and I joined the embrace and brushed his mind with my love and my worry.

  He grabbed my mind, clutched at my love, still not letting go of his self control. I asked him to remove the shields on Lukas, and surprised by such a dry request he did as I asked. Immediately I could feel Lukas' talent take over, it carefully loosened the blockage, and I felt Paul's years and years of grief pouring out.

  His immense pain nearly overwhelmed me, but not Lukas. He reviewed every painful scene with Paul, every night spent alone in constant wonderment

  what he would do without his substitute family, every doubt if he would ever be able to love someone romantically, over and over again, until the pain went out of it and only the memory remained.

  I could also feel Lukas overspending magic energy again, it didn't trickle out of him, this process pulled it out of him. I fed him as much of mine as I could, but of course I didn't have that much. I wanted Paul to be well again, but I didn't want the cure to maim or kill Lukas, and I nearly panicked, until I wondered why Lukas didn't just take some of Paul's energy.

  Then I realized they hadn't gotten to that point yet, Paul had fed Lukas the power. Since I did know how to do it, I just went ahead and tried it, and fortunately, it worked.

  Paul allowed me to tap his power, and I directed it to Lukas, who gratefully accepted it. It was over in less than five minutes.

  We stood in silence in a threefold embrace, and Paul regained his senses first.

  'I could use some of that tea, and I bet you can, too,' he said almost playfully.

  And to Lukas: 'You really have a marvellous gift, I still feel the pain, but it doesn't control me anymore. I think I can talk about it now.

  But you will need to learn fast, for your talent was clearly awoken too quickly and it is too strong for you yet, it could easily kill you. Melissa, you are a fast thinker.' He seemed totally normal now, but I needed to be sure he wasn't acting again, so I touched his mind again and was welcomed with a happy loving feeling. He kissed me and said: 'Can't fool you, eh? Let me put a shield on Lukas before our love kills him.'

  For poor Lukas had fainted in his arms, and Paul lifted him and carried him up the stairs. I followed. On the landing he looked straight at Ilsa, kissed her on her cheek, and said: 'Come see my place, Lukas needs your mum's tea.'

  And he led us into his apartment, leaving Ilsa to gape at the interior, placing Lukas gently on the sofa, stroking his cute face. I walked on, poured hot water in the teapot, added the herb mixture and took it to the living-room with four cups and a few chocolates.

  The smell of the tea revived Lukas into consciousness, at which Paul kissed him intensely, I guess to establish the necessary bond to transfer magic energy. It was pretty unsubtle for Paul, but a light touch would not reach a near-unconscious man. It helped straight away, Lukas sat up and answered the kiss with energy.

  He started to fondle Paul's cheeks, his throat, his chest, until he woke up with

  a start and stopped instantly, making an excuse for his forwardness. In answer, Paul kissed him again and fondled Lukas' cheek, saying: 'No more making excuses to me, Lukas, I will accept your love more graciously in the future. I have a guest now, but I'll be glad to take the next step tonight.'

  Of course, Ilsa was not finished by far admiring the spectacular house, but Paul was now ready to be a good host again and handing me a cup of tea and a loving goat-man on my lap, he went to Ilsa and started the real tour. I continued his loving ministrations of Lukas, stroking him, kissing him, holding him close.

  He enjoyed it immensely, he'd healed his friend after all and the price was well worth it to him. He was soon ready to drink the tea, which completed the restoration of his power, and now he started to really heat up under my hands.

  I asked him: 'Do you want to retire to my apartment? Or do you need to stay with him? Maybe you want to save your love for him tonight? I'd understand.

  You decide.' He nuzzled my neck and touched my breasts through the dress, saying: 'Healing really turns me on, I'd like to make love with you now. I think they can be alone, but let's ask.

  There'll be plenty left for tonight. Shall I pretend to need to go to bed, for Ilsa's sake?' I said: 'I'll ask. Drink that tea.' So I went to Paul, and when Ilsa was admiring an especially beautiful ornament, I whispered: 'Lukas wants to make love, can we go upstairs and leave you two? And do you want him to pretend he needs a nap to explain our absence?'

  Paul quickly whispered back: 'Please do, we need some time alone, to talk about a lot of things that happened. But my promise to Lukas still stands, don't drain him.' 'You know love only feeds him,' I said laughingly, and at that, Paul clearly had an insight. 'Save that thought, it is very important, I'm sure. Can I have a kiss?'

  I kissed him intensely, not caring if Ilsa saw it.

  Then I went upstairs with Lukas, him pretending to be a little weak still. 'I'm sorry Ilsa, I need a little nap, Melissa is helping me up, see you later!' As soon as we were outside the apartment, he skipped up the stairs, holding my hand, and kissing me every few steps.

  'Love, love, love, my love will cure the world!' he called out exuberantly.

  And I saved that alongside my old adagium, that love gave Lukas energy, no matter how he exhausted himself performing it.

  Reaching the door to my apartment, his kissing increased in intensity, his whole being increased in intensity. I remembered our first few days together, not even that long ago, just a few months, not the years we seemed to know each other already.

  He was still emaciated then, insecure with our strange morals, needing me to confirm my love for him with a lot of physical loving. And look at him now, self-confident, muscled, but still very, very sweet, though that wasn't very obvious now.

  Since he had lost his clothing as soon as we went through the door, he was mainly very, very obviously aroused, his rather large penis standing up nearly straight, his eyes fixing me in a very intense heat. It made me tingle from head to toe, but between my legs I felt much stronger sensations than just tingling, the look of him caused a throbbing feeling of wanting that substantial member of his in me, quickly.

  Still fixing me with heated eyes he approached, and his musky smell intoxicated me. I wanted him to take me against the wall, on the kitchen table, wherever, but rough, not tender. He had always picked up my desires before, and he did so now, laughing happily he lifted me easily, sat me on the small table where I used to display flowers, lifted my skirt and plunged in.

  I couldn't suppress a cry of triumph, and this caused him to laugh out loud, and say: 'Liked that, didn't you? Want more?' He was not pumping as usual, just moving in and out really slowly and deeply, keeping me on the edge of bliss, but eager for more, more speed, more force. I n
odded frantically and breathed: 'Yes, please, give me more, as much as you've got.' -He said: 'You know what do do to get more,' and he was right, I did know, so I went straight for his stumps, stroking the bases quite firmly, and the result was an explosion of bliss, on his face first, then on mine, as he speeded up and became quite rough again, laughing again now, doing what he loved best, exerting himself making love until he nearly dropped with exhaustion.

  But my goat-man had improved in stamina and musculature, he showed no sign of being out of breath, he even kissed me intensely, not slowing down or breathing hard, and I felt my ecstasy rising and rising, riding his movement until it exploded out of me with another cry.

  He intensified his efforts even more, hands on my hips, kissing me now and again, until his body shocked once, twice, several times in his release.

  And he did not collapse on me, not because it would have been

  uncomfortable, which was true, but because he was still not even out of breath! He laughed at my amazement, said: 'I told you my stamina would improve quickly once I could run again, and it did.

  Besides, making love gives me so much energy.' Now he realized it himself, repeating: 'Gives me energy. Do you suppose my kind of magical energy is meant to be re-charged with love?' He looked at me in wonder for a minute, but then he observed: 'This is not the time to think about magic. Let's get you out of that dress and hit the bed.'

  And on that bed he started our loving all over again, but very tenderly now, bringing me to unknown heights again and again before having a second round himself, just as energetically, but a lot less rough. He had me totally sated afterwards, and was a lot more restful himself, laying next to me, absently fondling my soft breasts, nuzzling my neck.

  I told him: 'Paul asked me to hold on to the thought of loving giving you energy, just now, before we went upstairs. I guess we'll have to find out if you're able to recharge with love, and if so, how to do that.