Balance of Forces

by Ali Vali

  “You’re not willing to even give me a chance?” she asked, feeling better when Kendal tweaked her nose.

  “I’m immortal, not perfect,” Kendal said, smiling, “so even I’m prone to making mistakes. Leaving you for what I thought was a noble reason without telling you the truth is one of the biggest ones I’ve made in years. Can you forgive me?”

  “Why should I?” She accepted Kendal’s hand.

  “Because it was wrong to leave you in pain,” Kendal said, kissing her knuckles.

  “But not wrong to leave me?”

  “How did Morgaine convince you about all this?” She took a step back but didn’t let go of Piper’s hand.

  “She had some help from Lenore and her book.”

  “Then think of the reality of who I am, my duties to the Elders aside. My body was frozen in time when I was twenty-four, but since then I’ve lived for over thirty-four hundred years. All those days, all the battles, and yet I’ve stayed the same. All the people who’ve been a part of my life are only memories, but the pain of losing them is still fresh in here,” she said, tapping over her chest. “I pray for your happiness, but the small part of my heart that’s selfish is trying to save itself the agony of letting you go. I’m not saying it’ll be easy, but I can’t imagine what it will do to my sanity to watch you slip away from me years from now when you’ll be so engrained that you’ll take a huge part of me with you.”

  “So you don’t love me?” Piper let go of her hand and turned away from her.

  “Life hasn’t been easy or fair to you, but you can’t believe that.”

  “Then say it.”

  “I fell in love with you that very first day in the Palace Café when you wanted to kill me and were so ready to fight me for what you loved, you woke me out of a stupor I didn’t realize I was in. You made me remember that if I wanted to enjoy my life, it had to have meaning, and I did everything possible to spend time with you before I’d have to let you go. It would’ve been selfish to stay.”

  “You’re wrong,” Piper said, shaking her head and turning to face her again. “Leaving with my heart made you selfish, and making that decision without me makes you either an idiot or a slow learner. The selfish part of my heart refuses to walk away from you, and if you let go of your worries, I think the future, no matter how long it is, will bring you nothing but happiness. You’ll never know unless you take a chance.”

  “You’re a bit of a slayer yourself, Miss Marmande, since you’ve run through every argument I have. If you’re willing to forgive me, I’ll do what I’ve done for hundreds of years and not worry about tomorrow.”

  “I’m willing to forgive you.”

  “Thank—”

  Piper pressed her hand over her mouth. “I wasn’t finished. I’m willing to forgive you if you won’t leave again, and you’ll talk to me about any decisions you make on my behalf.” She released Kendal and stepped back. “Think you can handle that, or is the modern version of the Southern debutante too much for you?”

  “I promise.” Kendal made an X over her heart with her finger, making Piper laugh. “As for doing your thinking for you, I’m not that much of a slow learner. Your fire is your most beautiful quality, and clearly you’re the braver of us,” Kendal said, bending at the waist and bringing their heads closer together. “I’ll never waste another moment with you.” Kendal paused after tilting her head, as if asking permission to kiss her.

  Piper accepted, wanting to reconnect and show her what she felt was real. She put her arms around Kendal’s neck and didn’t stop the kiss when Kendal picked her up and cradled her.

  “Are you ready?” Kendal asked, making her nod.

  Piper recognized the small villa Kendal started walking to from the sketches in Lenore’s book. It appeared ancient but still in good repair, with a great view of the water below.

  “Don’t mess up too many flowers,” she ordered.

  “You like them?” Kendal stopped almost at the center of the blooms.

  She pulled the leather tie from Kendal’s hair and watched it blow free in the breeze. How many of the village girls who lived hundreds of years ago had admired and become bewitched by the same beautiful locks whenever Antonio DeCristo walked these hills? It had been one of her favorite chapters of Kendal’s story.

  “They’re my new favorites.”

  “I first encountered them when I lived here, and unlike the more sought-after flowers such as roses and orchids, these have a simplicity that makes me happy.”

  The explanation warmed Piper’s heart more than the sun shining down on them. “They’re beautiful, but strange.”

  “How so?” Kendal asked, smiling in a way she could only describe as mischievous.

  “It’s fall. They shouldn’t be blooming in the wild like this until spring.”

  Kendal laughed and started walking again. “No, they shouldn’t, but we have something in common.”

  “You didn’t.”

  “I did. It was one of only two times I upset the Elders, but look at them. Don’t they look like they should live forever?”

  Piper noticed that all the flowers Kendal had stepped on bounced back and turned their petals toward the sun. It was hard to believe how long they’d bloomed.

  “The idea’s starting to grow on me.”

  *

  Kendal put Piper down when they reached the villa, and even though she wanted to touch Kendal, she was glad they took a short tour. The place had been modernized, but not to the point of erasing the history Piper could almost sense the walls had witnessed.

  She touched some of the things Kendal had brought there throughout her life, but she wasn’t interested in long explanations as they walked to the bedroom. The view of Venice was beautiful as she briefly glimpsed it from the balcony in the master suite, but it couldn’t compete with Kendal.

  Piper finally found the courage to unbutton Kendal’s shirt and drop it to the floor. She had to know that Kendal was all right, and as Kendal stood before her wearing only her pants and a smile, she saw no scars or bruises. Whatever power had kept her alive had wiped away any evidence of her injuries and put to rest any doubts about who and what Kendal was.

  “I wanted you to touch me that day in New Orleans,” she said, not moving when Kendal stepped behind her and unzipped her dress. “Your hands felt so good.”

  “I wanted to, believe me.” Kendal kissed one shoulder before pushing the dress to the floor. “I was trying to be good. You did, after all, think I wanted you only for your body, and I try in all things to be noble of heart.”

  Piper turned around, wearing a set of pale blue underwear and enjoying the way Kendal was staring. With steady hands she unbuckled Kendal’s belt and unfastened the buttons of her pants, letting them drop to the floor. “Let’s hope you’re not so noble-minded now.”

  With what seemed like the last of her resolve, Kendal took hold of her hands as she looped her fingers under the elastic of her underwear. “Are you sure?”

  “You told me to wait until it meant something to me. I have.” She tugged the plain white briefs Kendal seemed to like to her ankles, getting her completely naked. “I waited for you.” On instinct she sucked Kendal’s nipple into her mouth, enjoying the moan that followed. “I love you, so it means everything to me to show you.” She went willingly when Kendal lifted her off the floor. “You stir my passions, but more important, you own my heart, and you will for the rest of time.”

  Kendal laid her on the large bed, caressing the length of her with her eyes before coming to rest between her legs. The feel of Kendal’s weight made the ache of every lonely moment she’d ever experienced disappear, and she wanted to rush when Kendal placed her hand on her chest.

  “You’re so beautiful, I hurt from wanting you,” Kendal said in such a sincere way she felt desired.

  She turned over a little so Kendal could unfasten her bra, feeling extremely sexy when Kendal stripped it from her body with a bit of impatience, as if she was tired of the barriers be
tween them, no matter how small. The panties came next, and Piper took a deep breath to try to relax. For the first time in her life, she wanted to give herself without reservation.

  “I love you, Piper, like I’ve loved no other before you.” Kendal rested her weight on one elbow so she could run her fingers along Piper’s eyebrows.

  “More than Angelina?” she asked, closing her eyes at her lack of self-control. It wasn’t the time, and her question caused Kendal to roll off her, but she didn’t move far away.

  “How much of the story did they tell you?” Kendal asked, lying on her side with her head resting on her palm.

  “Actually, Lenore went through all things Kendal, and that particular chapter held so much pain it was hard to listen to. I understand now why you reacted the way you did when we met more than I did when I saw her portrait. I saw only someone who looked like me, but you’ve had to carry the weight of all that pain for so long. Meeting me must have brought it back to the surface.” She didn’t feel comfortable talking about being Angelina’s replacement.

  “Lenore updates her book from the journal I keep and from the reports Morgaine gives the Elders after events like you witnessed recently. She had to piece together the story about what happened at Oakgrove without a lot of help from me.”

  “We don’t have to talk about it now if you don’t want to,” she said when Kendal sighed.

  “You deserve to know the totality of who I am, and why I literally hid away after all that.”

  She placed her hand on Kendal’s chest. “Nothing you say will change how I feel about you.”

  “I loved Angelina, but you have to understand how different things were then. In 1727, with very few exceptions, women’s lives revolved around their families and social events. I don’t mean to degrade them, but few females spoke up because they were afraid they’d lose a potential husband.”

  “I would’ve been single forever,” Piper said with a smile.

  “Not if we’d met.” Kendal rested her head on the pillow and opened her arms to her. “Angelina was a beautiful young woman, and her uncle adored the written word second only to her. It took me a while to convince her that expressing an opinion and not hiding her intelligence wouldn’t scare me away. Her broad knowledge attracted her to me from the beginning.”

  “Giving her the freedom to share her true self, and the way you courted her, must’ve made her fall head over heels.”

  “She was in love…but she was in love with Jacques St. Louis. Granted, he was who I was in that lifetime, but because of my brother, I’ll never know if she could’ve loved…”

  “Asra,” Piper said, because Kendal obviously could not.

  “I’d taken them to Oakgrove to let her go, because while Angelina was different, she still had fantasies of her prince walking her down the aisle, followed by children nine months later. I could’ve given her the big church wedding, but not the rest. That’s why I had to break it off. The easiest way to do that was to tell her the truth.”

  “If you’d had the chance, and she’d accepted your offer, what then?” she asked, keeping her eyes closed.

  “I probably would’ve stayed with her as long as I could keep up the pretense of Jacques. I live my life in short windows of time and don’t get many opportunities to stem the loneliness.” As she spoke, Kendal rubbed Piper’s back soothingly, so she snuggled closer. “I should have protected Angelina and Tomas from Henri’s viciousness, and it was hard for me to face my failure.”

  “What happens now that he’s dead?” Piper asked, realizing this question frightened her more than her first one.

  Kendal sat up, still holding her so they could look at each other. “If I’m completely honest, will you believe me?”

  “Sure,” she said, feeling anything but.

  “You surprised me at first because it was like staring at my past come back to mock me, but after one short conversation, you showed me how very different you are in every way.”

  She smiled and tugged on Kendal’s hands. “Is that a good thing?”

  “I’ve finally become free about who I choose to be, so Kendal Richoux is only a name, but you didn’t have the illusions of Jacques. I’ve been myself with you from the beginning, and you kept coming back. Lenore and Morgaine stripped away my only secret, yet here you are. You know me, and you want me for who I am. That’s not only wonderful, it’s humbling.” Kendal lowered her head and kissed her. “You’re the one I’ve waited so long for, and I love you.”

  “You’re very patient,” she said, biting down on Kendal’s bottom lip softly. “Not one of my good qualities.”

  “Really? I would’ve never guessed that about you.” Kendal eased her back down. “You’re always so focused.” Kendal circled her nipple lightly with her finger, making it pucker to a hard point. “So in control of your emotions when it comes to waiting for what you want.” She repeated the action on her other nipple with the same result.

  “I’d like to be coming now without a lot of wait time,” Piper said, her breathing uneven after that brief touch. “I’m focused on that most at the moment.”

  “That’s what you say, but I think you’d prefer a slow buildup.” Kendal ran her finger up next, tracing her lips first before moving to her chin and stopping.

  “Sounds like you’re thinking for me again,” she said, making Kendal laugh. “My life is much shorter in years than yours, Asra, but I’ve waited for you just as long. I want you to make me yours.”

  Her request brightened Kendal’s expression. “Thank you,” Kendal said before kissing her and dragging her hand down her body at a slow, sensual, and torturous pace. “Stop me if you need,” she said, moving so she was between her legs. “I want you to always tell me what you want because I love you enough to give it to you if I can.”

  “You—” She stopped when Kendal sucked hard enough on her nipple to wake up every cell in her body. “I need you to touch me.” She was about to protest when Kendal lifted her head, but opened her mouth willingly when Kendal moved up to kiss her. “I’ve got other fun parts,” she said as Kendal rubbed her hard nipple under her palm.

  “Don’t worry,” Kendal said, moving her hand away again, which made her crazy. “I’m a soldier, and my training dictates that I map the field.” She placed her finger on Piper’s lips, smiling when she sucked on it. “Familiarizing myself with the landscape is crucial.” She offered the tip of her thumb next. Piper’s nipple rolled easily between her wet fingers when she lowered her head. “Rushing means I might miss something important in my planning.”

  When Kendal placed both hands on the mattress, Piper looked like she was about to smack her. She knew she was driving Piper mad, but she wouldn’t rush. Piper deserved her full attention, so by the time she claimed what Piper had offered, Piper would have no doubts as to how she felt.

  Piper grabbed a fistful of Kendal’s hair when she pushed herself up, relaxing her hold when Kendal pressed her thigh between her legs. She glanced down after feeling how wet Piper was. It’d be cruel to make her wait anymore, so she started to move down.

  “No,” Piper said, “don’t leave. You promised.”

  “I’m not going anywhere,” she said, kissing Piper again and rolling a little off her so she could slide her hand down the length of her. Piper’s skin reminded her of the first time she’d touched silk, and she stopped at the soft blond hair of Piper’s sex when she felt her quiver.

  Piper opened her eyes, as if questioning why she’d stopped, and didn’t seem to need an explanation when she spread her legs for her. “I want you to,” Piper said, gazing up at her in a way that made her eyelids appear heavy with sleep, but her breathing was fast and erratic, as if she was having trouble keeping her desires in check.

  She entered Piper with two fingers, but only the tips, before pulling out and moving them to the base of Piper’s clit. “You’re perfect,” she said as Piper arched off the bed, trying to kiss her, sucking her tongue into her mouth when Kendal met her halfway down. />
  “Are you going to make me beg?” Piper asked, moaning when Kendal raised her fingers, skimming over her hard clit. “I will if you want, I need you so much.” Piper clamped her legs shut when she increased the pressure, but opened them again when she let up. “Go inside,” Piper said, bringing her feet up a little to allow her knees to fall open. “I want you inside me.”

  Kendal looked at Piper, thinking how different this was from their first meeting, and from the way Piper was smiling back, she’d guessed what was on her mind. “What can I say, you grew on me,” Piper said, tugging Kendal’s hair.

  “Then let me fill the small piece of you that’s still wanting.” She entered Piper with a slow thrust, pausing to allow Piper to adjust to her. The way Piper’s sex pulsed around her fingers, she was glad for the stillness, wanting to memorize the moment.

  “I’ve waited all my life for you, Asra,” Piper said, keeping her hands around Kendal’s neck and moaning loud and long when Kendal pressed her thumb to the diamond-hard clit.

  Piper was so wet that her fingers moved easily as she set a pace to meet Piper’s hips, which rose higher and faster off the bed. Their bodies fit perfectly together, and the enjoyment intensified because they didn’t feel awkward or hesitant, even though this was new to Piper.

  From the moment she’d met Piper, she’d seen the physical beauty, but in some cases beautiful women were only pretty casings for the worst kinds of demons. Piper, though, was full of fight and loyalty for those she loved and cared about, and that drive in her hadn’t allowed Kendal to move on and leave Piper to her anger. Kendal knew Piper would be irresistible when she let go of the barriers around her heart and gave herself completely. If Kendal wasn’t already in love, she would’ve fallen then.