Ward

by C Bilici

  “Yes well, I was doing my real job, dear.”

  “Douché.”

  Jasper clutched her side as she giggled, holding her hand up to stop Stacey rushing to her. “I actually had a cache of gold and jewels I was slowly selling. You people make everything so difficult.”

  Stacey’s eyes widened. “You people? Ohh, it’s so on.” Jasper reached out put her hand on Stacey’s upper arm, her thumb caressing her skin before she pulled her hand back. Was she giving her the ‘not now, dear’ signal?

  “I never once witnessed anything suspicious, although with the Wards of Earth being so secretive, it made things difficult.”

  Fenton rubbed his chin in thought.

  “Forget all that,” Stacey said, taking over. “How the hell did you get caught?”

  “Not being able to readily sell my funds, I still had to make some money.”

  “You went on a job?”

  Fenton looked between the two of them. “Job?”

  “Masseuse. Apparently a skill I picked up in the transference along with English. A new client called, and he was different from the beginning. Started to get weird. I thought he was one of the usual perves when he rolled over.”

  “Let me guess.” Stacey bristled with anger, her fist opening and closing. “Turned out he wanted way more than a happy ending?”

  “He wanted to end something. I thought he as a traitor at first, but—”

  “The Shadow Man.” Stacey sneered.

  Jasper nodded. “From your description, yes.”

  “How did you get away?” Fenton asked softly.

  The girl swallowed and refocused. “I almost didn’t. The place was swarmed with Umbra and I hadn’t even noticed. That’s when I used the emergency recall sigil the Cardinal’s gave us all.”

  “Not too dissimilar to our own run-ins with the Shadow Man,” Fenton said to Stacey.

  Jasper gave Stacey a look of alarm.

  Stacey gave her best no-sweat face. Her nostrils flared as she saw the scars again. “If he gave those to you—”

  “No. I woke in the ocean somewhere, exhausted from the recall. I’m not sure where, but apparently it was keesoon feeding waters.” Stacey gave her a questioning look. “Think of a shark, squid hybrid the length of a bus.”

  “Fuck,” Stacey said. “Wouldn’t want to see a bunch of those in a tornado.”

  Jasper laughed, tilting her head to one side and giving a facial shrug. “Luckily it was a baby, so only the size of Cindy.”

  “Who, or what, is Cindy?” Fenton asked.

  “You met her,” Stacey said. “In fact, you were inside of her.”

  He frowned before rolling his eyes. “You named your car. Of course.”

  “Not just her car,” Jasper said, giving Stacey a mischievous grin. “Now, here I am. Still none the wiser how your Shadow Man found me.”

  Fenton walked away, rubbing his head, in deep thought.

  “What are you thinking?” Stacey asked him.

  “To be quite honest, I’m not sure. I’m simply trying to piece it all together,” Fenton said, frowning deeply. “But none of it makes any sense.

  “How the fuck doesn’t it make sense?”

  “If this Shadow man was a Ward, who was he? Is he one of the Mhyrr traitors?”

  “I agree.” Jasper said. “That’s the only conclusion I’ve been able to come to also. That’s how he found me.”

  “The fuck are you talking about, Fenton?” He and Jasper both looked at Stacey, like she had spoken out of turn. “You’re jumping to conclusions.” Fenton dismissed her with a wave of a hand. “Are you forgetting Ianka’s club?”

  He scowled at her. “I won’t forget that barbaric display till the day I die.”

  “Then how do you explain his behaviour?”

  “What do you mean?” Jasper asked, intrigued.

  “He’s like a kid.”

  “You’re oversimplifying it,” Fenton said, annoyed.

  Before Stacey could argue, the nurse stepped in. “That’s enough excitement for one day, I should think. Now you must rest.” The nurse grabbed Fenton by the arm and pulled him toward the door.

  “I just need a few more minutes to—”

  “No, Mister Fenton. Ward or not, you’ve had more than enough time. You can come back tomorrow and spend your few minutes then.”

  He huffed a sigh. “Very well. Apologies. Stacey, do—”

  The nurse closed the door behind them. It beeped.

  “Did she just lock us in?” Stacey asked.

  Jasper shrugged and reached out for her. Stacey took her hand. Their eyes locked and they flowed together into an embrace that had been building inside Stacey. The thrill and energy that always came when they kissed wasn’t there as their lips locked.

  It was amplified.

  The days of fear and anguish sloughed off like fresh mud under a torrential waterfall and filled Stacey with a lightness she never thought would return.

  “You need to rest,” Stacey argued without conviction.

  “Love is what I need right now,” Jasper said around kisses.

  “There’s no bed.”

  Jasper pulled her by the hand to the steps of the chamber and started to climb. She looked back over her shoulder.

  Stacey’s eyes met Jasper’s with hunger before flickering over the curves of her body. Through her desire she was almost able to ignore the wounds.

  “Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”

  “How do I know you’re not lying?”

  Jasper pulled Stacey up to the top of the tank and, taking her face in her hands, gave her a long and deep kiss.

  The feeling of fresh, sweet water flowing within her returned, but with it now came thoughts. Feelings.

  Stacey pulled back and the link broke. “Were you… In my head?”

  “No more words.” Jasper pulled Stacey’s top up and over her head. She then reached around her for her bra clasps. “Come and feel me inside you, like you never have before.”

  The bra fell away and Jasper pressed against her. She nuzzled Stacey’s neck and her lips and tongue hungrily explored. The sensation within her returned and Stacey’s eyes closed. She felt Jasper’s desire. And it fuelled her own. Opening her eyes and pulling back, she saw that Jasper could feel hers also.

  Jasper gave her a grin and descended into the water.

  Sitting atop the head of the tank, Stacey struggled with her boots before they dropped with a thud. The remainder of her clothing flew away and she eased herself into the body temperature water. It clung to her like a skin and she felt buoyant, both physically and emotionally. The stuff felt amazing and clearly wasn’t water.

  “Is that what you really want to think about right now?” Jasper said softly. “Water?” Her face dipped beneath the surface, a grin on her face.

  With a nervous glance around her, Stacey lowered into the liquid. She had already started feeling the changes in her body, but now it completed. She looked Jasper’s body over.

  Jasper beckoned her closer, arms out, and Stacey flowed into them causing Jasper to gasped. It was a mental raking across her mind rather than audible. A feeling like a brush against her skin crept across her. Was Jasper was asking her to be more gentle?

  Jasper nodded. Then another feeling filled her as they stared into one another’s eyes a heartbeat, making the beat in Stacey’s chest miss.

  Love.

  Despite the pain she’d felt, Jasper crushed herself to Stacey in a tight embrace to kiss her long and hard, exploring with both mouth and mind.

  The feeling was unlike anything Stacey had ever experienced. She could feel both their emotions and sensations wrapped in each other's and fed back. Each touched of her hand on Jasper’s flesh lit something in her own brain. She ran her hand along Jasper’s chest where the girl wasn’t wounded in experiment, but Jasper gasped all the same, though this was far more intense.

  Stacey gasped with her. But it wasn’t pain.

  An electric buzz of pleasure rushed t
hrough their bodies from top to toe, brain to clitoris.

  Jasper beamed at the mental question in Stacey’s mind. Her hand floated forward and stroked Stacey's ribs, barely touching them. Another jolt ran through Stacey, the intensity from the direct stimulation far beyond that which she’d felt through Jasper.

  Both Jasper’s hands crept toward her now and she stroked both Stacey’s gills, her fingers fluttering gently against them. Each touch caused a stronger pulse between her writhing legs. Reaching out to steady herself, her own hand brushed Jaspers ribs once more and their sensations were mirrored.

  All caution thrown, Jasper pounced, ignoring her injuries. They kissed, rolled and stroked until Stacey thought she could bear no more. One of Jasper’s hands fell to work on her clitoris and she twisted her body to lick and tease Stacey’s gills.

  As the climax hit, Stacey thrust her hands to the sides of the tank. She pushed against the glass to hold herself in place, the added physical effort intensifying the orgasm. As her body convulsed, she tilted her head back, back arching. Wave after wave crashed through her body and she could feel Jasper convulsing in psychic pleasure, which only served to send her over the edge again. She came hard, over and over, sure the walls of the tank would shatter, sending water flooding out, like her pleasure.

  As the endorphin rush waned, and the muscles of her limbs softened, Stacey gave a shiver and smiled. Then rolled over and made to repeat the act on Jasper. Jasper shook her head and showed Stacey what was on her mind.

  As carefully as she could, with a grin on her face, Stacey flipped and rolled to float over Jasper’s body. She manoeuvred toward the V of Jasper’s thighs. Jasper grasped her thighs and pulled her down with an urgency. Lust jolted through Stacey’s mind and body as Jasper’s mouth found her target. Stacey scooped her hands under Jasper, clutching her tight buttocks in her hands, and pulled her face between Jasper’s welcoming thighs.

  Jasper had always said how much she loved the way Stacey went down on her. Now Stacey could feel just what that meant. A hot blush sprang on her cheeks, confusing Stacey until she realised she was sensing Jasper’s reaction.

  It only spurred her on.

  The tension in her body and mind built. The flesh in her hands tensed and it was an effort for Stacey to remember what she was doing. A held back cry in her mind swelled to bursting point and Stacey knew it was time.

  The hand that had crept to Jasper’s side unnoticed delivered the final blow. Stacey fingers brushed once along her ribs, like playing a harp.

  Like a tightly coiled spring, Jasper burst into motion, and set off Stacey at the same instant.

  Her toes went rigid, as did all her muscles. Her mouth and eyes opened wide accompanied by her water muffled screams of pleasure. She watched as the sigils over Jasper’s body lit up the water.

  The light pulsed with the ebb and flow as they convulsed with aftershocks. Once the light had eventually dimmed and Stacey could once again move, she gently released Jasper and turned again so they could hold one another.

  Laying in their bed of the magic liquid, kissing gently, they fell asleep.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

  THE CUSTODIAN, GREIA, as he’d learnt her name to be, had led him on a tour of the amazing facility, showing him things he hadn’t even dreamed of let alone thought possible. Wards casually walked about the building interacting with people, openly displaying a Mhyrr variant of the Wards eye. All of them wore the same medallion, which had a distinct aquatic styling.

  A couple, one of them a Ward woman, the other a male custodian, left a room. The male bowed to the Ward and thanked her before going about his duties.

  “What’s in that room?” Fenton asked. “I’ve seen many like it around the building with the same symbol.”

  The man brushed back his somewhat dishevelled medium length hair, which tidied with the motion. Perhaps their skin shifting power extended to the hair also.

  “Ah, yes. One of the congressionals.”

  “Congressional?”

  “A private are for sexual congress.” Fenton raised his brow. “You seem surprised,” She said, puzzled.

  “You’ll have to forgive me, Greia. I’m not used to quite such an openness when it comes to…”

  “Sex?” She gave him a kind smile. “Sex is not taboo on Mhyrr, as I have read it is in other realms. Is that what is troubling you?” She seemed to try and gauge his reaction. “These rooms are dedicated to it in this facility. It is an important part of our culture, and also vital to the Wards of Mhyrr.”

  “So what I’ve read is true?”

  “If you mean, do the Wards of Mhyrr revitalise their powers through congress, then yes.”

  He looked around them. “And people…”

  “Volunteer. Yes. It is a great honour to assist the Wards. Not all of us aspire to take on that burden, but we do our part. If you would like, we can—”

  “No,” Fenton held up a hand. “That’s quite alright.”

  Greia seemed downcast, and somewhat offended. “If you are concerned about interspecific differences or bias, I find you quite attractive, and intriguing.”

  Fenton gave a nervous laugh. “I’m glad to know that, but no. That’s not my concern.”

  “Perhaps you would prefer a male partner? I could—”

  A nervous smile split his lips. “No. Believe me, if I were inclined to take the offer then, uh, you would be, uh…”

  Greia’s hand touched his arm. “You are nervous. Forgive me.”

  “Nothing to forgive. It’s just— It’s not so much the sex itself. Sex is a way of life for us Wards on Earth, too. But there, we’re hidden away. I’m just not accustomed to it, I suppose.”

  She nodded, but he didn’t think she understood. Not that it mattered. She wasn’t suspicious of him, and that was the main point.

  “Is this one of those Ward alcoves that Haerys told us about?”

  Following his gaze, she nodded. “It is. To avoid any risk of accidental fusion, or contamination, the Wards use these to travel to and from the Nexus.”

  “How does it prevent contamination?”

  Her hand guided him by the elbow. Greia leaned in and pointed at a convex dish on the alcoves ceiling. “Sensors scan each traveller and an alarm is set off when a contaminated person is brought in. We then contain and assist.”

  “Fascinating.” Fenton’s voice was low, distracted. “Tell me, how detailed are these scans?”

  “Very. They show wounds and any other medical diagnosis.”

  “Can you show me?”

  “Of course.”

  She led him to a room and a console, offered him a chair before sitting herself.

  “Greia, can you show me the scan from when my apprentice and I arrived?”

  “Of course.” She tapped on the glass panel and scrolled through. “Apologies. It seems to be misfiled. There. This is your apprentices scan.” Multi-hued cross sections of Stacey’s body showed with lines of Mhyrr text around the images. “Would you like to see your own?”

  “Please. I’ve been having issues with my knees so I’d be most curious.”

  With a tap, the image changed. “I can’t see anything out of the ordinary,” Greia said as she reviewed the image, zooming on his knees. “But, as I understand it, you went through some physiological changes in your crossing. That could account for that.”

  Fenton hummed. “So much for a cure.” She smiled. “Just out of curiosity, what differences can you see between myself and an actual Mhyrr?”

  “Not a great deal. The changes in the crossing seem to have been quite thorough.”

  Fenton nodded. “Do you think you’d be able to show me a side by side comparison?”

  Greia nodded.

  “Can do a comparison with Haerys? He is about my age and build I think.”

  “Certainly, Fenton.” She tapped at the screen. “That’s odd.” Greaia frowned.

  “What is?” Fenton stood from his chair to peer over her, his hands falling on her shoulder
s.

  “I think there’s a malfunction in that scanner. There’s something very odd about your scans. I’ll have to report this to—”

  As Greia tried to stand, Fenton pushed her back down into her seat.

  “No,” Fenton said, his voice sad. “I’m afraid I can’t allow you do that, Greia.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  DAPPLED LIGHT AND a high-pitched chirp filled the tank and made Stacey’s eyes flutter open. At first she thought she’d woken beneath the tree on Fenton’s farm, and it had all been a dream. Then she saw Jasper, asleep in her arms. They must have dozed off, though she had no idea for how long. Stacey rubbed at her eyes out of habit, and looked around for the source of the shadows.

  The window was semi shaded with the moving silhouette of plants, what looked to be kelp.

  Something else had woken her, though, and she still wasn’t sure what.

  The piercing sound came again from somewhere in the room. Stacey released her arms gently from around Jasper’s waist and raised her head out of the tank.

  The panel beside the door chirped again.

  Someone wanted in. From the incessant repetition of what she assumed was a doorbell, Stacey was pretty sure that someone was Fenton.

  As her foot fell on the first of the steps, she lamented not being able to sigh with a lungful of water.

  The door slid open without warning and she dropped back in an embarrassed panic, cursing herself as she peered through the glass.

  She forgot all about her nudity as Fenton backed into the room, the nurse from earlier in his arms, a blade to her throat.

  His sigils burned bright as he entered, swinging her around wildly as he checked the room. Blood trailed down the woman’s neck. He swung her to face the doorway again.

  “Stay back or I’ll slice the bitch’s throat from ear to ear!” Fenton yelled at a gathering of onlookers. “Lock the door.” The woman didn’t react, clearly too afraid. “I said lock it,” he shouted, giving her a shake.

  The woman whimpered and her fingers scrabbled at the controls. The door slid shut.