by LK Kelley
After the greetings and sticky kisses the children gave them from eating pancakes, Marcus and Shirley were hustled up the stairs by Lola when Taylor told them to go get baths. Gem frowned as she watched Lola herd the kids – as if she understood what Taylor had said, and was determined to see that her orders were carried out to the letter. Gem looked at everyone, but they stood around, looking really innocent. That clued Gem to finally not only admit to herself, but also to realize that there was something wrong with Lola. She had no idea what it was, but after experiencing Jaxx's real, volcanic form, she was beginning to realize that nothing around her was human. After he had awakened, his entire body erupted in a yellow-orange fire. He had cornered her in the kitchen. She had no where to run. The fiery form reached for her hand, and she had screamed. Moments later, though, she realized that his fiery hands were cool. He had yanked her to him only to wrap his very cool arms around her. Now, Gem humphed, wondering if it could also include Lola?
Taylor frowned looking at Gem realizing that something was different.
“What the hell happened to your hair, Gem? Half of it is missing!” Taylor was stunned by the fact it looked as if it had been burned! “The tips of your hair are black!”
Gem's eyes darted to Jaxx, then back to Taylor who caught the look. The next thing Jaxx and Gem knew, Taylor was up in his face.
“You DIDN'T!” she accused him point blank.
“Didn't what, hon? What did he not do?” Rick asked.
Without answering, Taylor's hand came up to slap Jaxx, only to be stopped by Rick's grasp.
“What the hell, Taylor?” Rick asked, restraining her attack on Jaxx.
Jaxx shook his head.
“Rick. Let Tay go. She is absolutely right to admonish me – even with a slap to my face!” Turning to Taylor as she was released, “I know, Tay. I shouldn't have, but I had no choice.”
“No choice? Don't give me that crap, Jaxx! You have a choice! What is wrong with you? Don't you know that you could have killed Gem? What were you thinking?” she yelled.
Gem stepped in between Taylor and Jaxx, holding up a hand to stop Taylor's advancement toward Jaxx.
“Stop, Tay! Please! I understand why you're so mad. But, don't be mad at Jaxx. It was my doing. I asked him to do it for me,” Gem said.
“Doesn't matter! His form could have killed you!” Taylor cried.
“But, it didn't!”
“Just for the record,” Rick yelled loudly to be heard over them. He continued. “and for those of us who have no idea what you are talking about, exactly what did Jaxx do?”
Gem, Jaxx, and Taylor looked at each other, then turned to Rick. Before anyone could say anything, a noise behind them caused them to turn. Stan and Stacy walked through one of the three doors into the kitchen.
“What's the beef?” Stan asked casually, taking into account everyone's anger.
Stacy jabbed him in the gut.
“That’s ‘where’s the beef” you idiot!”
Stan cocked his head at the others, then answered his mate.
“Nope. I’m right! ‘What’s the beef?’” he asked, again.
Jaxx was breathing hard. Stan had been his best friend since they had come to terms over the five sets of twins eons ago. It was something Stacy knew nothing about. It would hurt her too much if she ever found out about it, because she had been trying to become pregnant for years.
“Well...,” Jaxx stammered.
“...you see,” Gem continued.
“Ah, hell, Stan! I turned to my fire form, and I could have killed Gem!”
“But, it’s OK, Stan. Really. He only burned some of my hair,” Gem told him in a matter-of-fact tone.
Stan's head jerked toward Jaxx in shock. There was only one way that could have happened.
“What the fuck did you two do?” he demanded.
Well, at least he was blaming both of them, Gem thought.
Silence ensued, and Rick took that time to make some more pancakes, and put a full platter on the table. Everyone automatically dipped into them, and spread butter and syrup on them, before anyone said anything.
“It was my fault, Stan,” Gem murmured.
“What?” Stan yelped.
Suddenly, Gem and Jaxx started to talk...and, they stumbled over each other trying to explain.
“I asked him about the myth of the Jewel of Anaerris, and if he remembered the truth...”
“..Yeah. Then, I told her that I didn't remember everything, because it had been so long. You know that's the truth. None of us remember the entire thing...”
“And, I told Jaxx we needed to know, and he said that the only way was to put himself in something called catalepsy, and it was dangerous if I didn't wake him up when he said I should...”
“...and, I did it, and was able to remember everything...”
“...but, I couldn't wake him up, and I tried everything I could think of...but, then he began to glow hot and red, and I realized that was what he had been talking about, and why he was dangerous if he couldn't wake up, and I turned and ran, but not fast enough, and fire burst around him, and I just barely made it out of his reach, and my hair caught fire, so I stuck my head into the waterfall to douse the fire, and I was really upset, but then, he touched me, and he shocked me with the cool touch of his fiery hand, and...”
“...then, I changed back, and believe me, Stan, I was horrified by what I had done, so I ran to her, and saw her hair was burned, then I grabbed her and apologized...”
“...yeah, and then I told him there was nothing to apologize for, and he said that Taylor and Stan would be so pissed at him. And, he believed you guys would probably try to kill him, and I told him, no, they wouldn't do that, and he said that you would, and...”
“...we came back...”
“...and I told him that you two would not bug him about this, because it was an accident, and that it could happen to anyone, but I was really happy I saw him in his true form, because after being in the volcanic prison, and almost melted alive, I wasn't as scared as I had been, and after all, I had escaped that prison, too, so why would I not escape Jaxx's burst of firepower?”
Gem and Jaxx exchanged a look, knowing that they had no intention of telling them the whole truth.
After the two of them finished their diatribe, both of them were breathing hard, because she said all of that without hardly taking a breath. Both she and Jaxx stood looking at the four people in front of them hoping they'd understand. Then, Stan threw back his head, and began to laugh so hard, his knees actually sank from underneath him, and fell to the floor in apparent hysteria! In seconds, Stacy and Rick were laughing right along with Stan, leaving Taylor glaring at the three of them in frustration. She whipped her head around when she heard laughing from Gem and Jaxx.
Two little urchins were staring at the grownups, watching them laugh like hyenas! They wondered if all other grownups reacted this silly?
And, as we all know, laughter is catching. And, Taylor wasn't immune to it. So, while she was still extremely angry with Jaxx, she couldn't help the burst of laughter that came from her...and it continued. OK. So, she guessed it was a bit funny, but still, her best friend could have been killed. And, Taylor just began laughing right along with everyone else.
After what seemed like hours, but was really only minutes of stomach-hurting laughter, everyone finally began to calm down, but interspersed with sporadic laughter that could not be contained.
Finally, Stacy wiped her eyes of the tears that had been running down her face, and grabbed Gem's hand.
“C-come o-on, G-Gem,” she managed to say.
“W-where?” Gem laughed.
“Let's go take care of the mess Jaxx's 'firepower' made on your hair!”
That just sent everyone into wails of more laughter all over again.
“F-firepower!” gasped Stan. “N-never, e-ever, h-heard it called t-that b-before!”
Stunned, Gem said, “Firepower? That is what you all are laughing about? B
ecause I said he had firepower?”
“S-sure?” he stammered between gulps of laughter.
Stacy snickered behind her own hands, desperately trying to get control over her own laughter. She pulled at Gem's hand, and the two of them made their way up the stairs into Jaxx's bathroom.
Giggling, Stacy parked Gem on the stool at the vanity that Jaxx had added to his bathroom just for Gem, and said, “W-wait r-right here, Gem! I'm going to get my hair trimming kit, and I'll be right back.”
Gem turned to her with a huge grin, “Well, OK. After all, where am I going to go – this time?”
Stacy roared with laughter as she left the room only to return a few minutes later. By that time, the girls had calmed down, and Stacy looked at Gem in the mirror. She pulled the damaged hair up, and shook her hair, then grinned.
“I know you've had that same hair style all your life, Gem, but there is too much damage. I'm going to have to cut your hair shorter to get rid of it.”
Gem had always had the same style. Granted, the tips of it were burned away, now, but she really didn't want to change anything. She really hated change. She cocked her head as she looked at Stacy who was waiting for the go ahead. For someone who hated change so much, her entire life over the last few weeks was filled with nothing but change! Why not the way she looked, too? She had no idea what Stacy could do with her messy locks, but she nodded.
“OK.”
“I promise. Your hair will look amazing when I'm done!” Stacy told her. After all, this was what she did for a living. She was a Master Hair Stylist, so she set to work on the worst hair she had ever seen in her life – but she would never say that to Gem! “OK,” she told Gem as she took the first hair strands, and snapped her scissors quickly together just so she could watch Gem cringe at the sound, then grinned. “Here we go!”
“How long have they been up there?” Rick asked not really caring.
Taylor shrugged, then went back to reading a book on her iPad that she had downloaded the other day. She was fascinated by a new three book series, called the White Wolf Prophecy Trilogy.
“I don't know, but they've been up there a long time!” griped Jaxx, who was busy tapping his fingers on the fireplace mantel, before he stopped. He raised an eyebrow when he realized he had been doing that an awful lot lately!
Stan grinned as he looked up from working on a carburetor that he had brought into the library to work on, while they waited.
“Oh, get a grip, Jaxx! Stacy's a pro at these things, and you know it!”
“Yeah, but it wouldn't have been necessary if it hadn't been for me!” Jaxx whined.
“It was an accident, for Creator’s sake! Get a grip, and will you, please, quit whining, Jaxx!” Rick admonished him, hearing Taylor snicker without looking up from her iPad.
“I. Do. Not. Whine.” Jaxx growled at him, enunciating Each. Word. Separately.
“Uh...Yes. You. Are.” Stan said pointedly, earning an outright laugh from Taylor, who still didn't look up from reading.
“No. I'm. Not.” Jaxx said with a slight smirk.
“Yes. You. Are.” Rick added grinning like an idiot.
Taylor looked up, and rolled her eyes with laughter in them.
“You guys really sound as if you are in the first grade!” she giggled, then bent her head to read, again.
“No. We. Don't!” all three men whined together, and laughter erupted from the three of them, which stopped when Stacy blew into the room with a flourish.
“Ladies and gentlemen! May I present the new – and much improved without burned hair – Gem Elwood!”
Stacy bowed, and stepped aside to allow Gem to enter slowly. Blinks and gasps were heard all around the room making Stacy stand up taller in pride!
“Holy shit!” Rick said with his mouth open.
“I don't believe it!” Taylor said in shock.
“That's my girl!” Stan added as he rushed to her side, seeing her look appropriately proud, but embarrassed at the same time. “You look gorgeous, Gem!”
Gem felt a bit shy as she looked at Jaxx whose eyes were about to pop out of their sockets! That was good, she thought, right?
She was a vision of beauty, Jaxx thought to himself. Just like...just like...his mouth dropped in complete shock as he realized, for the first time, who she resembled! He was dumbfounded as he realized it. How had he not noticed before this?
Gem turned slowly around, so everyone could see her new look. Stacy had been a miracle worker, and Gem had never been as pleased as she was, right now, with the way she looked. Stacy was, indeed, a miracle worker. She loved her new shorter style!
At first, she thought that Stacy had just kept hacking away at her hair. Gem didn't think she'd have any left from the sound of the shears attacking her hair over and over. Stacy had even huffed when she saw a couple of tears run down Gem's cheeks! No doubt at all that Gem was truly afraid to change her looks. After her hair was done, Stacy carefully applied makeup to her face. Gem wasn't a big lover of it, but she deferred to Stacy in this. Partly because she was curious, but mostly because she didn't want to hurt Stacy's feelings. However, when Gem saw the finished result in the mirror, she had been totally speechless!
“I-i...is that really me?” she had asked Stacy, who watched Gem's mouth turn up as she began to smile so wide, you could even see her gums!
“Yep! Now, we need to get you dressed!”
Next, they had run to Stacy's room to get an outfit for Gem to wear.
There were all kinds of colors in Stacy's closet. So many, Gem was stunned! She must have brought everything from her home!
“Were you expecting to live here forever?” Gem had teased jokingly.
Stacy just stared at her as if she had grown two heads, causing Gem to laugh.
“Well, you just never know what a girl will need!” she answered, as if that explained everything.
That made a strange logical sense – to Stacy. Stacy was the diva of all three women!
After debating for a long time, they both chose the same outfit at the same time as their hands met on the hanger! They grinned at each other, and in moments, Gem was dressed. The girls giggled, and almost jumped up and down with delight. Gem's feet were also the same size, so Stacy had her don a pair of silvery sandals that wound upward just over her ankles. The result was breathtaking!
Seeing the gleam in all the mens' eyes just confirmed the fact that she was as amazing looking as she hoped. Before them stood an absolute beauty. Stacy had cut Gem's hair just above shoulder length in a cropped and blunt style. She no longer had curls, but her hair was wavy, and softly bounced around her face. Her makeup had been enhanced to make her green eyes stand out boldly with long, black mascara framing them. A highlighter had been placed just under her eyebrows that had been tweezed and waxed, which allowed her eyes to be even brighter with lavender eyeshadow on her eyelids, and the dark green liner below and just above her eyelash line. She wore a bright green dress that had a gentle sheen, which left her shoulders bare. A high waist emphasized her cleavage while disguising her large breasts. A large, silver medallion was clipped just under her breasts, and the skirt fell softly around her body, stopping just above her knees.
Unabashedly, Jaxx's eyes were full of lust and desire as his eyes traveled up and down her body. She looked exactly – almost to a T – like Analyse! The resemblance was uncanny! Of course, she was a younger version, but the look was the same. Without doubt, he now believed that she was the descendant of Jolinaer and Analyse. She really had been pregnant that day in the cave, and it was obvious that the child had lived, or Gem wouldn't be here right now – looking like the most delectable dish served on a platter to a starving man! He couldn't wait to get her alone, and unwrap the present that stood before him!
“Oh, man!” Rick said in admiration.
“You said it!” Stan agreed.
“You are the sexiest thing I have ever seen in my life,” Jaxx said to her softly. Her blush was perfect with her look!
“What are you talking abo...Oh! I get it! You’re being a little bitch!” Stacy smirked.
Taylor darted a look at her, and glared darkly for a few moments. Stacy just grinned at her.
“You know?” Taylor mused. “I haven't used my ability for a Vorc'ara in ages. How about we go to someplace where we can get a great meal?”
“With Eloran out there?” Rick asked.
“I doubt Delinear wouldn't be able to use the Vorc'ara for at least two weeks. so....”
Taylor and Stacy were already running upstairs to dress with Stan and Rick nipping at their heels, leaving Gem and Jaxx happily alone.
“Creator! Gem! I want to rip that dress off of you, and plunge myself inside of you!” Jaxx admitted.
Grinning, Gem pressed her mouth to his in an Earth-shattering kiss that left them both gasping.
“After we go out to eat, Jaxx,” she told him to which he growled deeply in disappointment.
“But, after?” he asked, eagerly making Gem laugh out loud.
“After?” she asked in a sultry tone, her eyes raking over his body stopping at the huge bulge that pushed against his pants. Her desire ridden eyes raised back to his. Quietly, she put her lips to his ear, and whispered so only he could hear her. “Well, when we do return, if that large cock of yours isn't in me fast, I'll make sure I will take you!” she grinned, and received another fabulous kiss. She pulled back, and finished. “And, I don't care if you take me out into a back alley to do me!”
Then, she skittered up the stairs as the other men came down with an excuse that they girls needed her help. Just at that moment, Stan bounced into the room, but had not heard all the conversation.
“So, who’s doing who?” he quipped.
An hour later, all three girls entered the library where the men waited for them. Lola was lying on a comfortable chair, and no one had better move her. She could, quite literally, destroy all of them without moving. She glared at them, but they paid no attention to her when the men saw the three women walk into the room, and a slow, appreciative, whistle came from Rick and Stan.