“Get out!” I demanded much quieter than I had hoped. My heart was jumping for joy and breaking at the same time. What a cruel trick. I backed into the room, wanting to get as far away from this person as possible. My eyes searched the room in hopes of spotting a weapon. “Lilly, what is going on? It’s me, Shep!” Confusion filled his voice. I wasn’t falling for the trick. But the voice, it sounded like Shep. The humor in his eyes was Shep’s. How can you copy the feel of a person? Sure you can look like them, but that’s easy right? Actually being them is the hard part. Jax would not have had enough time to completely embody Shep. My mind was screaming, two voices yelling, it’s him, no it’s not, over and over.
“I know who you are Jax Bane! Tell me where my mother is!” I demanded pulling strength from somewhere deep inside. I grabbed a pair of silver scissors that were sitting on the dressing table, waving them wildly in front of me. He took another step closer, and I took another step back. “I am serious, do not take another step!” My hands were trembling and my voice shaky, but I stood strong. The man stopped. He looked deep in my eyes. “Lilly, it’s me. It’s Shep. Please, give me a chance to prove it to you,” he was begging now. I could feel my resolve cracking. “How can you prove it?” I asked wanting badly to believe him, to run to him. I didn’t have the luxury of being naïve at this point. I had to be sure. “Go ahead, prove it,” I taunted, half of me waiting to call his bluff, the other half ready to rush into his arms.
He took a deep breath and withdrew a small knife from his pocket. In one swift motion, he swiped it quickly across his palm. I stood watching, horrified. Within seconds, the wound sucked the blood back inside and closed leaving no trace of an injury. “What the hell was that?” I was moving toward him. I grabbed his hand to examine the gash. Gone, I looked up at him and he was smiling. “You’re not the only special one Strawberry Shortcake.” My heart was pounding, my eyes full of tears. I reached a hand up, touching his cheek. His skin was so familiar. “Is it really you Shep?” I asked. “Yeah, it’s really me,” he replied, and I knew it was him. It was Shep. He wound his arms around my waist, pulling me close. My arms snaked around his neck holding on tight. “I missed you,” he whispered. I giggled through a sob. “I missed you too Chocolate Muffin.” He giggled now. “Well, are you gonna kiss me or what?” He asked, and I obliged. I hadn’t realized just how much I missed him. The smell of him, the taste of him, the feel of him, my senses were in a frenzy as I kissed him. He groaned gently pulling away.
“Not too fast Lilly, I may not be able to control myself if we do this much longer.” He was pulling away, and I was holding on.
“Who said I want you to control yourself?” I knew I didn’t.
“Well, as much as I want you right now, your grandmother will soon be up with my mother in tow.” With that he released his grip.
“Your mother, what is she doing here? How did you know where to find me?” I needed some answers.
“Whoa, one at a time. To make a long story short, my mother left with your mother eighteen years ago. She found your mother and helped her escape this Jax guy. She was the Queen of the Dark Forest and can blend into anything, kinda like a gecko.” He laughed a little at that and so did I.
“Anyway, I told her where you were going and about your mother’s note. That’s when she filled me in on this whole parallel world. That’s also when she told me that I heal fast. Like regeneration. Cool huh?” He was taking to this idea of super powers with a huge amount of enthusiasm. “What about your dad?” I asked. “Well, my dad back home is not biological, but he knows about my mother and me and loves us regardless. My bio dad is here somewhere. He and my mother had been together, but there was no love between them. That’s all she will say,” he stopped, taking a breath.
“Wow, this is crazy Shep. I don’t know, I think I may be dreaming. It’s all a little much to believe ya know?”
“Yeah I know Lilly, but I am here to help you and I don’t care if you go to another planet, I will never let you leave me again.” He kissed me gently then pulled me out of the room. “Come on, we have to get down to dinner. I am starving,” he said excitedly. I laughed and he pulled. Some things never change and Shep’s appetite is one of them.
Once downstairs, we realized voices were coming from the kitchen, not the dining room. We walked in to find his mother conversing with my Meme about something that looked important. When Leah saw me, she stopped her conversation to come over to me. She showered me with hugs and kisses before letting me go.
“Oh Lilly, I am so sorry. If I had known. If she had come to me before leaving. If Shep had come to me.” There were tears in her eyes and Shep stood silently behind me.
“Leah it’s okay, this is not your fault in the least. You are here now and you brought Shep. We just have to find her and restore peace. Thank you for coming Leah, I love you.” I was hugging her back now. Shep’s throat clearing broke us apart and I asked Meme where everyone went and why we were eating in the kitchen.
“Your Poppy is in his study with the other men discussing the matters at hand. The women returned to their respective homes to report on what was learned here. It’s only us so I thought we could just grab a bite in the kitchen, if that’s all right with the both of you?” She asked. “Of course,” I replied, not feeling hungry in the first place.
She motioned for us to help ourselves to the contents of the kitchen. There was a stew in the fridge that my grandmother informed us was her specialty: fish, carrots, turnips, and basil. I was surprised to hear a lot of the same foods were eaten here. Shep sat at the counter with a bowl of soup and some crusty bread. I opted for just the bread and sat down next to him with a cup of tea. We talked a little about the plans to rescue my mother.
It had been decided I would be traveling with Shep, Leah, and Serephina. Serephina had knowledge of the land and good relationships with many creatures. Leah would be helpful if I needed to be camouflaged, and of course, I wouldn’t leave without Shep. His ability to regenerate made me feel a little more comfortable about his safety. Meme spread a map of Neveah across the counter showing me the safest path to take. Serephina and Leah both agreed with Meme, and we all agreed we would head out in the morning. It seemed like a lot of time had passed and both mine and Shep’s food was long gone. I suggested we turn in for the night. We would need rest before our journey. Goodnights were said and hugs were given before Shep offered to walk me to my room.
Once out of earshot of his mother and my Meme he whispered in my ear, “Nice one Lilly, I can’t wait to get you back to your room.” He laced his fingers through mine and I was without words. The tension was building and it seemed the walk to my room was taking forever. We raced up the stairs, laughing, knowing why the other one was racing .. Once we reached my door, Shep stopped, just outside of it, and looked at me.
“What are you waiting for?” I asked, feeling a sense of urgency.
“Just wanted to look at you, is all.” He smiled and opened the door letting me in first. He closed the door behind us and instructed me to turn around. I obliged, but giggled as I heard his clothes coming undone and hitting the floor. A few moments later he was standing behind me completely nude, and beginning to undress me from behind. I stood still as long as possible before I turned around and took control of the situation. Within seconds, I was undressed, and we were in my bed loving each other. Time could have stopped and we would have never known. We relaxed in each other’s arms, breathing heavily, and completely satisfied. “I love you Lilly.”
“I love you too Shep,” was all that was said before we fell asleep.
~Chapter Eleven~
For over eighteen years, Jax had watched Annika Levannah. It hadn’t taken him long to figure out where she had gone. She forgot how well he knew her. She was well into her pregnancy when he found her. He watched her from afar, pregnant, working, being a mother. He watched her daughter, looking for signs of him in her. By the time the girl was four, he knew for certain that she was the daughter of J
ames the healer, not himself. That first realization came as a slap in the face, but he expertly tucked his disappointment away. Lady Annika always seemed to disappoint him, yet he couldn’t stay away from her.
He hadn’t always planned to let things go on for so long. He had planned to drag her back to Neveah, willing or not. When he saw her swollen belly, her porcelain skin aglow, and blue eyes brightened, he was too mesmerized by her. She had never been more beautiful than when she carried her child. The glow brightened the day her daughter was born, keeping Jax intrigued. She was like watching a favorite movie over and over. He couldn’t get enough of her, and spent a great deal of time amongst the Ordinaries, watching her.
He would go between the Ordinary World and Neveah frequently. He decided long ago he would have Annika one day, but he would wait for the right time. He would gather followers back in Neveah, ones who would stand for him, fight for him should the need ever arise. He knew kidnapping Annie would provoke an attack on him, and he would be ready. He would have Annika as his own, he had no other choice. He couldn’t live without her. If having her meant starting a war, then he was more than willing to fight one.
He watched her from the trees around her home. Seeing her live in that tiny little box disgusted him. He thought she was better than that, but still kept his distance, waiting. From time to time he would skin walk as an Ordinary, just to get close to her. He would dine at the restaurant where she worked, in spite of their food. He had gone so far as asking her on a date once. She had accepted, only later to call it off. “I am sorry. I am just in no place to date right now. Thank you though,” she said. He was both furious and elated. He wanted nothing more than to be close to her, yet knowing she wasn’t interested in other men gave him a glimmer of hope.
Jax was no fool though. He knew all too well the only man she was interested in was James. He thought, given enough time, she would get over the man. He hoped, given enough time, not only would she get over the loss of James, but maybe forgive Jax. He had known the pain he caused her that night in the forest. He had almost felt bad when it was over. But he couldn’t allow her to be with another man, not when she had belonged to him since birth. He had to teach her a lesson, had to show her who was in control. The feeling of controlling her, having her cry and beg him to stop, gave him a sense of power that he loved nearly as much as he loved her. He spent the next eighteen years feeding his power, watching her, waiting for the perfect time.
Her daughter was nearly grown now, a beautiful woman in her own right. He had watched her many times, frolicking through the forest with her boyfriend. The two of them reminded Jax of himself and Annika all those years ago. The difference being, the girl loved the boy. That was painfully obvious to anyone who watched them. Watching them together broke Jax’s heart into tiny pieces, leaving him mourning for what should have been his. He didn’t watch them often, in fact, tried his best to avoid seeing them together. The memories they created were too painful, yet were a sign that the time was coming. The girl would have her man. She would not need her mother. Annika would be left alone, to live in that shitty little box. Yes, his time had come.
Knowing her lack of interest in other men, Jax decided the logical thing was to skin walk as James. He had watched the girl go off into the woods with her little boyfriend, picnic baskets in hand. They would be gone for a good amount of time. He had seen Annika, her blond hair tied back, dressed in grubby clothing, exit the house to her garden. Yes, he thought, she would be home today. He quickly retrieved a car, and drove down the dirt road leading to his life.
She stood up from her garden at the sound of the car. He knew she didn’t have many visitors here and would be on alert seeing a strange car approaching her house. She strolled slowly from her garden, a shovel in one hand. Clearly she planned to use it as a weapon should the need arise. He laughed to himself. Her appearance was so absurd to him. Frumpy clothes, her blond hair pulled into a messy bump, dirty hands. Yet, she was beautiful to him, arousing even. He pulled himself together before exiting the car. The windows were tinted leaving her unable to see inside. She couldn’t hide her complete shock when James stepped out of the car.
She stood there, her face gone white, her mouth hanging open. The hand holding the shovel had gone limp and the shovel hit the ground. Tears were building in her eyes, yet she didn’t move. He walked closer to her, feigning shock and excitement as well. He knew how to play this, he had practiced James for years in preparation for this day. He came to stand in front her before speaking. “Annie?” He asked lightly.
“James, is that you? I, I, I, uhhh, I thought you were dead, is that really you?” She spoke quietly, staring at him, still unable to move. “It’s me, Annie. I have been searching all over Neveah and this Ordinary World for you. I can’t believe it’s really you. I finally found you.” Jax summoned some tears of his own, and reached out to her. Just as he touched her hand, her body fell limp, and she fainted. He was close enough to have caught her, and carried her into the house.
Convincing her was simple. She was more than willing to believe he was her lovely James. She didn’t question him at all. Her shock was replaced by an overwhelming feeling of happiness that was tangible to Jax. He was pleased his plan seemed to be working, yet disheartened by her reaction to seeing this man. How he had always wanted her to react like this at the sight of him. He pushed those ideas from his head, happy to just be close to her.
Shock ran through his body as she kissed him, catching him off guard. His body trembled, and he had to work to stay in form. He had practiced though, and was soon able to kiss her back, without the worry of shifting back to Jax.
Her need for him was urgent, and he met her with his own needs. He had to be careful to not be too rough. He knew James would never get carried away with her. He was repulsed by James and thought of him as a pussy. A real man would take this woman the way she clearly wanted to be taken. Jax allowed himself a small amount of animalism with her.
When she stood above him, removing her top, he stood to face her, removing his own. He pulled her pants off, tossing them aside, before lifting her off the ground, her legs wrapped around his waist. He pushed her back against the wall as she kissed and bit at his neck, thrusting her tongue in his mouth every few seconds. She was craving him. He could feel her need radiating off her body. He kissed her back, tasting her mouth, her skin, and her nipples. Her taste drove him wild, yet he held back, not wanting to lose control. He could feel her wetness against his abdomen. The feeling caused his manhood to rise, hard and ready.
“Oh God, I can’t believe it’s you. I have missed you so, please take me now,” she whispered in his ear. He did. He entered her grinding over and over until they both screamed out, her body pulsing with pleasure, his member limp and serviced. She followed him easily after that and his ego was fed nicely, after having pleased her so.
~Chapter Twelve~
The sun was shining bright the morning of my departure from the house of Levannah. Sun rays bounced off the walls creating a . soft prism of color. Shep had spent most of the night in my bed, sneaking back to his room before dawn. I thought sneaking around was ridiculous, but he insisted, stating it was out of respect for my grandparents. After all, we were not technically married, regardless of the personal vows we promised each other back home. Our vows were good enough for me, but Shep was so old fashioned. I had to admit, looking at the empty spot where he had been, his old fashioned ways were rather romantic. Even if they were slightly frustrating when all I wanted to do was lay in his arms. I sighed, turning away from his spot in the bed. No point torturing myself. I got up, stretching, and enjoying the feel of the sun’s rays on my skin. I wondered if the sun here could burn you like the sun on earth. If it could provide you vital vitamins that made you feel happy. I decided it must be close to the sun at home because the light from the sun of Neveah made me feel very happy indeed. The place gave me a certain amount of confidence, readiness for the journey ahead.
I cleansed m
yself in the stone shower. The water here always flowed warm and left your skin feeling like silk. A thought occurred to me as I stood under the flowing water, maybe this water is like a fountain of youth. It was a silly thought I knew, but my grandmother did have a youthful glow about her. I made a mental note to ask her about it later. Things were so surreal now, nothing seemed impossible. I finished washing and turned off the water and hit the button for the dryer. I remembered .Meme telling me the shower was equipped with a dryer so towels were not needed. I giggled as I was blown dry. I could get used to this. I stepped out immersed in my own thoughts and walked directly into Shep.
Out of modesty, I attempted to cover myself. He was having none of that, and quickly wrapped his arms around my waist. I looked up at him, feeling self-conscious. “How long have you been there?” I asked.
“Ummmm, I came in right about the time you were soaping up. It took all the strength I had not to join you,” he said smiling down at me. I felt my entire body warming up, and it was not from the dryers. I had never felt shy in front of Shep before, but knowing he had been watching me made me feel very self-aware, and I felt my face flush. He laughed. “Why are you turning red, Strawberry? I think it’s a little late to feel shy around me. It’s not like I have never seen you in the nude.”
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