by Lilly Wilder
Sweat prickled on my brow in the cool night as the pleasure ran rampant between us. Troy and Josh lowered me back and Adam fell forward, for it had been his hands that had been pleasuring me, and now it turned to his mouth. He buried himself in between my thighs and I was surprised steam or smoke didn’t smolder around his mouth for I felt so hot. I clutched his scalp and my body writhed underneath the force of the pleasure, but I couldn’t concentrate on him fully because I had two other men. Josh and Troy kissed and caressed me. It felt as though a hundred hands were all over my body, and I loved every minute of it. I wanted them so badly. I wanted more and more. My appetite was caught in a frenzy and I had a thirst that only they could slake. I cried out for their bodies, needing to be with them, to be close to them, needing to feel them inside me. Adam’s tongue danced. He was a maestro and he was creating a masterpiece between my legs. Orgasmic energy throbbed and swelled and burst through me like a supernova, crashing wildly again and again as I was seized in a world of delight.
I was all ready to take them one by one inside me, ready to lose my virginity to them, but then suddenly the moment was lost.
“Wait,” Josh whispered, his tone harsh and tense. He looked up, as did Troy. They looked towards the building.
“Shit, Elsa, you have to go,” Josh said. Adam looked up, his mouth dripping with my wetness. He looked dazed and saw how panicked the other two were.
“They’ve seen us. If you’re caught you’re going to be in a world of trouble. Elsa, you have to leave now,” Josh hissed. I gathered myself up and fled, running towards the gates through the darkness. The fear laced my desire and although I was disappointed that it had ended so abruptly, I was also delirious and exhilarated at the thought of what would happen the next time. I had broached a new frontier with my three boys and I couldn’t wait to see them again. This was the beginning of something special, and I was filled with happiness.
*
I clambered over the wall and made my way home, enjoying the peace of the night. I had no idea how Josh had managed to see anyone coming from the house, but I had to be grateful for his keen senses as he had saved my skin. After what happened with Julia, the last thing I wanted was to be seen on the grounds after curfew, although I didn’t know how they were going to explain it away. I had faith in their charm though, and hopefully they would get a rap on the knuckles at most.
As I calmed down I thought about what they had told me; how they had been diagnosed with cancer and had to face their mortality. I wondered what must have been going through their minds, how hopeless life must have felt. The one mercy for my parents was that it had all been over quickly so they had no time to think about what they would be missing out on and lament their fate. I would hate to wither away, and it was fortunate that they had found a treatment that worked. Life was balanced on such strokes of fate, and, hopefully, it was a treatment that could benefit others. There were a lot of questions I wanted to ask them about their illness that didn’t seem appropriate at the time. I wondered if they were fully cured, as well, or had just gone into remission. It also explained why Adam had enjoyed such intense feelings for the girl he hurt, as well. If he thought he was terminal he would have wanted to experience love before he died. I hoped that I could give him everything he needed now and that we could all be happy. I knew that I had found something that I had been craving, something that I had needed for a long time. I didn’t know until I’d found it though, and I wasn’t going to give it up. Part of me was afraid that, like my first kiss with Adam, it would just be a product of a single night, but I had faith that the four of us had made a sacred pact and it would take a strong force to break it.
I wasn’t going to tell Arthur. I had a feeling he would disapprove, probably saying that at this crucial stage I should be focusing on my studies and my training as a Slayer so that I could be ready whenever the time came to face the master vampires. I also wanted to keep something that was just mine as well. Not everything in my life had to be touched by the fact that I was a Slayer. This was something that was private and personal, and if Arthur was allowed his secrets, I was too.
*
I returned home feeling good about myself, even though I had neglected my patrol for the evening. I vowed to make up for it the following night though. When I got to the house I was surprised to see that the lights were on. Usually Arthur was asleep by this time, so my hackles rose and I tensed my muscles, ready to defend him if there were any unsavory characters. I peeked into the windows but the curtains were drawn, and while I didn’t want to be paranoid I wanted to be cautious. I decided to walk around the back and carefully opened a window. I twisted myself through the small opening and dropped to the floor, arching my feet so that I cushioned the blow and made as little noise as possible. I skulked through the darkness and heard the sound of muffled voices. I wondered if it was a member of the council coming to check up on the two of us. I had heard that they liked their surprise visits, to make sure their watchers and Slayers were obeying protocol. It seemed an odd time of the night to visit, but the council always seemed to keep odd timings.
I walked to the door on tiptoes and pressed my ear closely. I heard two voices, and as I cracked open the door a sliver of light poured through. It only took a few words for me to realize that I recognized the voice. As soon as I did I burst through the door and stormed into the room, my jaw dropping open at the sight of Julia sitting at the table with Arthur. I jabbed a finger in the air.
“What the hell is she doing here?”
Chapter Thirteen
I couldn’t believe that Julia, the Julia, the bane of my existence, was sitting with Arthur in my home. Her eyes narrowed when she saw me, but there was a flicker of her trademark smugness as well. I walked all the way up to the table and looked at Arthur expectantly.
“So, this is the Slayer. I never would have expected it. I’m surprised you didn’t use any of your abilities on me,” Julia said. I glared at her, but wasn’t ready to indulge her in any kind of conversation. Even though we had bonded over tragedy we weren’t anywhere near close to calling each other friends and I certainly wasn’t ready to have her involved in this secret. My mind was wild with thoughts about how she had arrived here. When I first saw her I thought she might have actually figured it out somehow, but the first thing she said to me discounted that possibility. The only other explanation wasn’t something I wanted to consider.
Arthur was calm, as always, and he spoke quietly and softly.
“I assume this is the Julia that you have told me about?” he asked.
I nodded, and was annoyed that he hadn’t answered my question. “Why is she here?” I demanded.
Julia was the one who answered.
“It turns out that my mother was a Slayer, and Arthur here was kind enough to get in touch with me and tell me of my destiny. I always knew there was something special about me.”
“No,” I gasped. Arthur shifted his glance between the two of us and sighed.
“Elsa, come with me, let me speak with you in private.” He rose from his seat and nodded towards Julia, before escorting me by the arm to another room.
“This is madness. She can’t be a Slayer. She just can’t!”
“It’s true, she is, and I’m the only watcher in the area. I know this is going to be difficult for you given what you’ve told me, and I can certainly tell that she’s a little…rough around the edges. But for the sake of the cause we must try and get along.” I shook my head. I was just about ready to blow my top and tell him everything wrong with that idea, but he continued speaking. “Just think of the positives. You’ve been complaining that we’ve been outnumbered. Two Slayers is a much more formidable prospect than one. We might actually be able to take the fight to the vampires as you want, but you’ll need to work as a team. Whatever your differences are, you’re going to have to put them aside. There are some things that are more important. You know that the fight we’re in is bigger than all of us. We d
on’t have control over who becomes a Slayer, all we can do is help guide them. It’s my job, and it’s yours too. You can show her everything she needs to know. As you said, it’s better to learn from a Slayer.”
“You want me to teach her?”
“Take her out on patrol. Show her what she needs to do. When she’s ready we can take on the vampires and take the fight to them. This might be exactly what we needed. I don’t think anything happens by accident. It’s fortunate that she was over here instead of in Europe with her family, although some Slayers do end up sending their children away in case danger befalls them. I imagine that’s what her mother did.” His tone turned gentler. “Remember how confusing a time this was when you discovered your abilities. It’s all new to her and she’s going to need help to adjust. She deserves our compassion.”
I huffed, knowing that he was right. I would have given anything to have someone to talk to when I first discovered my abilities. Having Arthur there was a help, but there were some things he simply didn’t understand. I breathed deeply and tried to calm myself, getting ready for the moment when I had to explain to Julia all the nuances of being a Slayer.
“Are you ready to go back in there?” Arthur asked. “I’ve explained the history to her and the importance of this fight we’re in. She seems to be quite confident that she can handle herself.”
“I’m sure she is,” I said through gritted teeth, but I nodded and entered the room to talk to her.
“There is something else,” he added. “Julia here is descended from the very first Slayer.”
I rolled my eyes. Of course she is, I thought. It wouldn’t be Julia without her having some kind of special, sacred link that put her above anyone else. I had to remind myself of what she was going through, but when I returned to the room and saw her sitting in the chair as though she owned the place it was difficult for me to reconcile this Julia with the one I’d spent time with in her room, the one who was vulnerable and fragile.
“So, you’ve been keeping secrets?” she teased, with an arched eyebrow.
“Yes, and you have to keep this secret too. No telling Angelica and the others,” I replied. Julia waved her hand dismissively.
“Just tell me what I can do,” she asked. I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose. I looked over to Arthur, who gave me an encouraging nod. All I wanted to do was swim in the memories of the evening, to lose myself in thoughts of lust and pleasure and relive the moments where my three boys had given themselves to me, but instead I was stuck training Julia.
“You can kill vampires. We have heightened senses, agility, strength, and stamina. Our duty is to guard the world against evil and protect the innocent,” I said.
“And how is that going?”
I glanced at Arthur, but didn’t reply. I didn’t want Julia to get the sense that I was a failure. She already had an air of superiority about her. The last thing I wanted was to feed that.
Arthur and I spent the next couple of hours telling her about the different types of vampire and how they could be killed. We showed her the different types of weapons in her arsenal, and talked a little bit about the mythology behind the Slayers. I had heard it all before, but it was interesting to hear it again as Arthur became passionate. It was easy to think of him as a tired old man who was only interested in his books, but he had given his life to this cause when he didn’t need to. People like Julia and I didn’t have a choice. We were born into the bloodlines and given the blessing of the Slayer, but Arthur volunteered and took it upon himself to educate and guide Slayers into the world. It was easy to forget just how much he had given up in life to help me.
Julia listened inattentively. She didn’t seem too bothered about the whole thing and I was surprised, because when I had learned about all this stuff it had been mind-blowing. It was as though a cloak had been lifted from the world and I was given a new perspective on everything. Seeing the truth filled me with wonder, and I knew I would never be the same again, but Julia checked her nails and didn’t seem bothered at all.
The dawn sun rose and since it was the weekend we didn’t have any classes at the academy, which was good and bad. I was thankful I didn’t have to spend more time with Julia at the academy, but I was disappointed I couldn’t see Adam, Josh, and Troy. I wanted to talk to them about the previous night and where we went from here. But I had my own duties to perform and Julia needed training, so we arranged for her to come back that night and train with us. As she left I turned to Arthur and groaned.
“I don’t think you realize exactly how much trouble we’re in for,” I said.
His eyes twinkled as he looked back at me. “If I can handle training you, I can handle training anyone,” he said. I shook my head because his confidence was misplaced. There was no way I was as difficult as Julia.
*
I rested during the day and caught up on schoolwork, although I found it almost impossible to concentrate on anything other than the boys. A smile played upon my lips constantly as my thoughts shifted between each of them, and more than once I squirmed when I thought about the sensations they had caused in my body. I never knew it was possible to feel such intense things. It made me realize that my brief foray into love, the stolen kiss from Michael, had barely hinted at what was truly possible. I was glad that it was something I could keep to myself. I liked having something personal and hidden, and I couldn’t wait to see them again. I just hoped they didn’t get into too much trouble because of it.
Julia returned and was eager to get out on the streets and hunt vampires. She was restless as we went through all her weapons again, even though we told her she needed to know how to use them for her own good. She was equipped with the usual items and seemed proud to wear them. Then, we went out into the streets and hunted vampires.
“This is amazing,” she said as we went outside. “But how do you handle living with him? He seems so strict.”
“He’s not so bad, he just likes things to be a certain way.”
“I can’t believe you kept this hidden from us. I guess that’s why you’re not staying in the dorms?”
“That’s right. Julia, you know I was being serious when I told you that you can’t tell anyone about this, right? This isn’t some kind of game. This is real and we have to protect the secret so that we can keep Slayers safe.”
Julia gave me a patronizing look. “Elsa, don’t be such a spoilsport. Look, the fact is that I’m not as naïve as you think I am. You see, when I suddenly started feeling different I realized something. All this time I thought my Mom hated me, that my parents just wanted to forget about me, but I know now that they only wanted to protect me and that really they gave me something special. Mom told me stories when I was younger. I thought they were just little fairytales at first, but when I saw Arthur and he explained things to me it all made sense. I realized the stories weren’t just stories at all, but she was preparing me for the future! So yes, I’ll keep it a secret, because my Mom obviously thought it was important, but I’m not going to be grim about this destiny.”
I have to admit I was a little envious that she had managed to get some closure with her parents and learn that they had sent her away for her own protection. It gave her a connection with them that I never had with my own parents, and the common bond that existed between myself and Julia weakened.
“I used to think she was making things up about Slayers and vampires,” Julia continued. “I never gave it much thought when I was growing up, but it’s all starting to come back to me now. Mom always told me that things weren’t as they seemed. She said there was a true story, one that they didn’t tell you, about the very beginning.”
“What kind of story?” I asked.
“Slayers and vampires have existed from the very beginning and it’s all tied up with Christianity. Think about the Garden of Eden. The serpent that came to Eve…it wasn’t a serpent at all. It was a vampire trying to seduce her away. Eve was the first Slayer. She was tempted, but
when she ate the apple she saw the truth and she killed the vampire. It’s always been something that’s existed in the world, but Mom said that people like to hide the truth because it would change everything if they knew. I never actually thought there was any truth to it.”
I don’t know if Julia realized what a bombshell she had just dropped. I stared at her, agape, wondering if this was actually true or if her Mom had just lied and made this all up, because if we were descended from the first woman…it meant that this wasn’t some magical thing at all, and it also meant that Slayers and vampires were caught in an endless dance.
“So what kind of things do we do anyway? Where are the vampires?” she asked, looking around as we walked through the dark streets of the city. I told her to keep her voice down because we didn’t want anyone to overhear us, but she didn’t seem bothered.
“It’s not like they’d believe us anyway,” she said. I just shook my head. It wasn’t long before we came across our first vampire. I found the tracks and we followed them to an old warehouse. The shadows danced and the only light was from the moon. It poured in through the skylight and it was clear that the vampire had made this his lair. It was perfect really; close enough to the city that the creature could make it there without too much trouble, but far enough away that it could retreat during the day and remain undisturbed. I put my finger to my lips and strained my ears, listening for the tiniest sound. Julia wasn’t being careful at all. She didn’t pay attention and walked right into the middle of the room, pulling her stake out and calling for the vampire. I hissed at her to come back.