Secret Fantasies

by Elizabeth Lapthorne

  Phoebe smiled again, her heart utterly overflowing with love for this young man caught in a child’s body.

  “I feel sure Grandpa will love to examine your rock,” she assured her son, “and if anyone can tell you its origin and species, it will be he.”

  Phoebe returned back to her body with a rush, blinked dazedly as she felt the tiny quivers in her body, reaction to the intensity of both her vision and the orgasm they had just shared.

  “Nico, huh?” Michael said, laying a warm hand on her stomach. Phoebe cocked her head to the side.

  “You were the one who called him Nico. I think that means I get naming rights next time,” she replied easily, laying her hand over his. Together they settled back onto the couch, lost in the warmth of their thoughts and the sated lethargy of their bodies.

  Phoebe suddenly felt full of energy, full of enthusiasm for her life, for their shared life. She carefully extracted herself from their twined limbs, wincing slightly as Michael’s cock slid from her body, and she rushed over to the small bathing area. She gingerly felt the temperature of the water first, but finding it at a comfortable warmth she quickly immersed her entire body and dunked her head under. As Michael came up behind her, she splashed him playfully.

  “No one wins a water fight with me,” he laughed, and soon they were creating an enormous mess, splashing one another in the small area and laughing joyously through their game.

  “Yeah?” Phoebe said tauntingly, daring her partner to try and make her yield. “Prove it.”

  Phoebe laughed and fought her water war with her lover in earnest.

  * * * * *

  Dressed in a new, clean set of pants and shirt, Michael smiled as he crossed over the room to sit next to Phoebe on the couch. He casually wrapped an arm around her shoulders and kissed her lightly on the lips. He smiled as she pulled away.

  “Mother Kindra said we need to get moving,” she said, the reluctance evident in her voice. Michael nodded in resignation.

  “Will we be able to return here, back through the archway? Or will we be trapped on the ship for a couple of days with Gav and Chandra?” Michael asked, slightly uneasy for the very first time. “You do realize,” he continued in a wheedling tone of voice, “they will likely argue the entire way back? It will drive us both nuts. Not to mention likely we won’t get a nanosecond of privacy.”

  Phoebe laughed and patted him on the leg.

  “I wouldn’t even dare ask Mother Kindra if the arch would allow us to return again as soon as we help your father and his friend. We are supposed to be on a noble quest, remember!”

  Michael laughed wryly, knowing it had been at least worth a shot.

  “Noble, huh? Remind me of that when I’m burning up and about to go insane from Gav and Chandra’s incessant squabbling.”

  Phoebe smiled down at him, her purple eyes burning with a hungry lust. She bent her head down to kiss his lips when they both heard the door behind them open. Michael managed not to groan in dismay. Just.

  Phoebe stood up from the couch so quickly, Michael wondered if she felt embarrassed. He raised himself far more leisurely, not upset or embarrassed in the least. The priestess from before, Phoebe’s Aunt Jai, had entered the room.

  “Aunty Jai,” she said surprised. Michael smiled. How like a priestess, or High Priestess for that matter, to do the unexpected. “I thought Mother Kindra was taking Mike and me to the arch.”

  “No, my dear. Kindra had something else come up. Hello, Michael, are you both ready then?”

  Michael smiled, swallowed the sigh he desperately wished to release.

  “Of course, Priestess,” he said cheerily.

  Phoebe, however, turned her head so her aunt couldn’t see her and raised her eyebrow at him. He felt his grin broaden at her perplexed look, his amusement deepening. He could barely wait to have Phoebe alone once again.

  He watched as she threaded her arm through her aunt’s, Jai patting her hand fondly.

  “Right now,” she said cheerily, “it’s been longer than any of us have been around since the arch has been used. Matia said something was afoot when it turned up a few months ago.”

  “Turned up?” Michael inquired, interested in how an archway could merely “turn up”. When he thought back to how doors simply appeared and disappeared at will, he began to understand how this particular branch of temples worked.

  “Of course, dear. We are a mystical branch of worshipers of the High Goddess Adedenious. To my knowledge, we are the last remaining practicing descendents of the original Adedenious brethren, directly from their eldest daughter, Glorina.”

  Michael smiled, amazed how Jai could recite the lineage and not sound arrogant or pompous.

  “In any event,” Jai continued easily, “from what Matia mentioned to me, I am assuming once you walk through the archway you should appear through a sister archway in the room where the Rune of Knowledge is in keeping. Now, Matia mentioned something about how because the arch has chosen to reveal itself, this means Gavreel and Chandra will have found the Rune, or some such thing. All I am meant to impart to the two of you is the firm understanding this is fate here, and so no matter which course of action you decide to take, it will likely be the correct course.”

  “Likely be the correct course?” Michael repeated, more than a little confused by Jai’s rambling explanation.

  When the elderly woman turned and merely shrugged her shoulder at him, a twinkle in her purple eyes, he felt himself stifle another sigh. How the hell was he supposed to know what to do, when it appeared he was to leave here more confused than when he had arrived?

  “I suppose, as Gavreel and Chandra have both discovered all this it is time for the Rune to be revealed?” Phoebe said carefully, looking at her aunt and not Michael.

  Michael smiled and followed as the two women led the way out of the cozy room.

  “I think so, dear. I simply have a strong sense that it’s one of those things that when you get there it will all make sense.”

  Michael had the urge to roll his eyes. A more useless piece of advice he didn’t know of. He swallowed uncomfortably when he thought “follow your heart” was in a similar category, and yet he had done just that with Phoebe from the start.

  He looked at the walls of the corridor they were walking through, struggling with himself to accept he just needed blind faith here. He looked at the back of Phoebe’s head, her long blonde hair pulled into a loose braid.

  He felt a warmth steal through his chest when he realized although he mightn’t necessarily have blind faith in her slightly nutty great-aunts, sage priestesses they might be, he did have a blind faith in Phoebe.

  Michael knew without a doubt he trusted her implicitly, and knew she would stand beside him no matter what.

  So in this case, he knew instinctively he needed to stand behind her.

  Feeling himself far more at ease now, he followed behind the two women much more comfortably than he had been mere moments ago.

  * * * * *

  Phoebe could feel the very instant Michael decided to accept their fate and trust her, trust them. Walking down the corridor with her aunt, she felt a huge burden of relief fly away from her shoulders. If she hadn’t been arm in arm with her great-aunt, she would have turned around and kissed Michael right there.

  Instead she sent him the thought, pictured herself clearly kissing him full on the lips, a tiny swish of her tongue to spice things up a bit. She felt his answering heat and he ate at her mouth in return. Pulling away from him and his naughty thoughts, Phoebe felt her face flush.

  “Am I going too fast for you, dear?” her aunt asked, a knowing gleam in her eye. “You seem all flushed, darling,” she said, pressing the point.

  Phoebe blushed harder.

  Before she’d have to make up some lame lie for her aunt, they came to a stop outside a carved door. Etched into the stone was the picture of two people, a man and a woman. Phoebe had studied the reading of the carvings as a child, and although she felt incred
ibly rusty, she could tell from the manner in which the couple held hands, but more importantly, how their hearts beat in synch together as one, the couple’s souls were linked, bonded, merged, whatever term one deemed acceptable.

  She smiled wryly, realized nothing since she had woken that night—was it really only two days ago?—feeling the emptiness inside her and herself standing on the cusp of a massive change, nothing had been chance. Everything had been ordered as it was.

  In a sense, she felt overwhelmed, but in another, far deeper sense she felt relieved. She honestly doubted anything she and Michael would do would be jeopardizing the temple or the Order. This was all simply meant to be.

  Aunt Jai released Phoebe’s hand, and she smiled at her aunt, planting a kiss on her cheek.

  “I think we can take it from here,” she said easily, knowing her aunt understood.

  Aunt Jai stepped back and Michael came forward, looked at the carving. Phoebe wasn’t sure exactly what it was he saw, but she made a mental note to ask him about it later.

  Together, they rested their hands on the door and pushed it open. The door revealed a small closet-like space. About two paces away stood an archway, nothing but blackness and a dark, full-feeling space lay beneath it.

  Michael stared at her and she felt herself drowning in his dark blue eyes. She could feel him press her mind, and then retreat once again as he felt her calmness and surety. She felt her heart overflow with love as she realized he trusted her fully, without question or doubt.

  They linked hands, entwining their fingers together. In step, they entered the room and walked through the arch.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Gavreel could feel the impatience simmering in Chandra. They had been walking the corridors for what felt like hours, thinking hard about the Rune, desperately seeking it. Room after room they had searched, but yet had found nothing even resembling the room they searched for, or a way to reach the Rune.

  Gavreel gently wrapped an arm around Chandra’s shoulders.

  “Let’s rest a moment, get our breath back and sit to think.”

  He could feel her disagreement in her head, but she simply nodded, not vocalizing any dissent. Gavreel decided they would rest in the next room they found, and almost straightaway a door appeared to their side.

  They pressed together on the door, Chandra wearily, Gavreel determined, knowing his love needed a few minutes to collect herself and regroup. He felt his flagging spirits lift as they both entered the calm, tranquil area. A pool of water resided in the middle of the room, plants and trees sprouting all over the place. This room seemed a haven of some form, a refuge.

  Perfect for them to relax a few moments.

  Gavreel led them both over to a large, couch-like structure. They dropped their packs and sank gratefully into the softness of the furniture. Gavreel drew Chandra toward him and let her rest bonelessly against his frame.

  “We must be doing something wrong,” she said wearily. “Maybe we were wrong—”

  Gavreel cut her off, not wanting her to become miserable.

  “Not a chance, Chandra. We both know it’s here, maybe it’s just not meant to be found. Either way, I think we both just need to relax and let it go for a minute. How about we go for a dip, the pool is right here.”

  Gavreel smiled as Chandra eyed the pool longingly. It had been over a day since they had cleansed themselves for more than a minute in the ship’s auto-cleanser, and the luxury of bathing was almost unheard of nowadays. He chuckled when Chandra stood up and began to strip.

  Grateful his idea had merit in her eyes, knowing a swim would relax them both, he stood up more slowly and, as Chandra practically raced to the pool edge, he began to remove his clothing.

  “It’s so warm,” she moaned, jumping into the pool feet first and dipping herself below its surface, “like an enormous old-fashioned bathing pool.”

  Gavreel stripped himself and padded over to the edge. Dipping a toe into the pool, he nodded agreeably. A perfect temperature.

  He waded into the water, enjoying the refreshing nature of this mode of cleansing oneself.

  For long minutes they both frolicked around, enjoying the relaxing nature of bathing. Finally Chandra waded over to where Gavreel sat in a corner, lazily swishing the warm water around himself.

  “Thank you,” she said softly. “You were right, this is not only relaxing, but soothing as well. I appreciate your making me take the time to do this.”

  Gavreel smiled lazily. “That’s what makes the two of us such a great team. Partners help each other like this. There’s no need to thank me for it, though I do appreciate the gesture.”

  Gavreel felt the slow rush of heat flow through him as she glided over him, the water acting as a liquid conduit. She reached for purchase on his shoulders, and kissed him lazily. Gavreel eagerly kissed her in return, loving the slow burning heat between them.

  When she grasped his hardening shaft, he felt the wash of her heat beat at him. Gavreel reached out and grabbed her hips, amazed by her eager responses to him.

  Now, she panted in his mind, I want this hard, and now. Do it, Gav!

  He could feel the urgency in her mind, the blind, insatiable need beating away at her and causing her desperation. He was rock hard in an instant, the urgency of her need building his own to a fever pitch.

  He brought her legs over his, so they bobbed in the water, he half sitting, and she sitting completely over him. With them both weightless in the water he found a number of interesting ideas entering his mind, but he discarded them all for now with Chandra’s urgent need the most powerful motivator present.

  With a smooth, easy movement, he pressed himself deep inside her, her back arching as he penetrated her folds. Eagerly she rode him, the water splashing around them, but neither of them caring as the water gave them both a freedom they had never experienced before.

  Within moments he felt her peaking, and when she squeezed him, he felt his own climax explode. He pumped himself into her, the ecstatic pleasure almost blinding him for a moment.

  She collapsed against him, and he fell back against the wall he had earlier been supporting himself with. They both rested for a few moments, their breaths calming down, and Chandra nuzzling his neck. When she finally pushed herself away to continue her swim, he found himself smiling.

  He stood up, wondering how to dry himself, and climbed out of the pool. Sluicing the water from his body, he crossed over to where he had left his pack and clothes and rifled through the contents until he found a spare shirt he could dry himself with.

  As he climbed into his clothes, he watched Chandra lazily swim about. Smiling at her relaxation now, and her enjoyment of the bathing area, Gavreel dressed himself and casually looked around the room.

  As he was pulling his shoes back on, seated on the couch, he noticed a small table on the other side of the room he didn’t believe had been there earlier. Looking around the room, he fastened his shoes, and called out to Chandra.

  “Was that table there earlier?”

  Chandra turned to face him, confusion in her eyes.

  “Table? I didn’t notice one, why?”

  Gavreel nodded to the table over on the far side of the room. “That one,” he indicated. “I didn’t see it earlier.”

  Chandra stood up and climbed from the pool. She looked at the table, and shivered as the air chilled her skin.

  “Get dressed, hon, I’ll check it out,” he said with a grin in his voice. He watched as Chandra raced back to her pack, wiping the water from her body and using his half-wet shirt to rub the worst of the water from her skin.

  “Don’t touch it ‘til I get there! I don’t believe it was here, but I was pretty cranky. I might have missed it.”

  Gavreel walked to the table, and looked carefully at it. He smiled wryly at Chandra’s bossy tone. He gently ran his hand over the table, made of the same sand-colored stone as the walls and doors. He knew this was linked to the temple somehow, but was it a red herring? Or even
a trap?

  Just as he could hear Chandra rushing up behind him, he found the hidden panel.

  “Aha!” he cried out as Chandra reached his side. He pressed the panel in, a small click sounding. The middle of the table opened up, to reveal a hidey-hole, and a dark blue velvet box.

  “Oh wow, this is better than I could have imagined. Just wait ‘til I write this up,” Chandra breathed excitedly, the muted hush of her voice showing her respect and awe for what they had discovered.

  “Until we write this up,” Gavreel chided gently. From the blush and nod of Chandra’s head, he knew she felt slightly embarrassed.

  Gavreel reached inside and gently removed the box. Opening it, a pale, pale pink stone sat inside, etched with runes. Gavreel gently picked up the stone, and he and Chandra read the runes together.

  After the first sentence, he knew what it would say. Without even reading the stone, he recited the whole riddle.

  “To reach your heart’s desire

  One must travel far and wide.

  But then take the time to look inside—

  That’s where, for what you search, you will find.

  Chandra stared at him. “How did you know?” she asked curiously.

  “I found it months ago in a tome a woman unknowingly brought into our time. That was what gave me the keys to getting here. I didn’t expect to find the same words etched in here. It doesn’t make sense.”

  Chandra took the stone and reread it aloud.

  “Take the time to look inside,” she repeated, and Gavreel watched as she looked back inside the hiding place they had discovered in the table. He shook his head. The followers of the Goddess Adedenious were all about purification—self-knowledge leading to greater understandings.

  Gavreel sat upon the floor, the sandstone being smooth and flat. He closed his eyes and searched within himself. He breathed slowly, a meditative trance he had practiced for years to calm his mind and help jiggle free pieces of a puzzle that were refusing to come.

  Everything seemed circular.

  The rune did not feel magical. He had been around magical artifacts and spiritual beings, he knew what the feel, the taste of magic and power felt like. This rune, while special and a prized artifact, held no secret magic, no secret powers.