by Lore Graham
Elena ran past Lacy as she got to her feet, and Lacy nodded. Elena ran up around the other side of Consequence, who was slowly turning from the bleeding aide back to sneer at the mayor.
Elena inhaled deeply and focused her energy in a tight, searing line, holding it painfully at the tips of her fingers.
"Asshole!" Elena screamed.
Immediately, everyone looked to her, Consequence included—and she shot white fire at the only part of him that was unshielded: his eyes.
Consequence screamed in pain as he tried to shoot at her blindly, eyes screwed up in pain. Bits of psychic energy flew past Elena: a dozen painful sparks, but none with lasting impact, and a split second later, Consequence fell to the ground as Lacy tackled him. Consequence wasn't any smaller than Lacy, and had all his equipment, but Lacy's inertia from her supernatural sprint combined with the element of surprise gave her the edge she needed.
Elena's phone buzzed urgently with a call, but she ignored it. She ran over and grabbed Consequence's gun from his hand and flung it as far as she could. The mayor and his group were watching as they got to their feet, the mayor clutching his forehead. The cop had his hand on his holster, but his expression was pained and confused.
Elena looked over to the aide who had been shot again. He was clutching his ankle, which was covered in blood, but thankfully didn't look life-threatening.
"Call an ambulance!" she yelled to the mayor's group. While the cop continued to look uncertain, the mayor pulled out his cell phone with one hand and motioned to the injured man with the other.
"Go help her!" he ordered, looking from his other assistants to the officer. "You—Yes, I need an ambulance at the lawn outside City Hall immediately. This is Mayor Gunther. Someone's been shot."
"You fucking people," Consequence began, wheezing. Lacy shoved his face back down against the dirt, so he couldn't get a line of sight with which to psychically blast anyone.
Elena's phone rang insistently again, so she dug it out of her pocket.
"Hello?"
"I'm pulling up now." It was Archive, sounding stern. "How's the situation?"
"Consequence has been neutralized, at least for now," Elena replied, looking down at Consequence.
"Then leave."
"Okay?"
"We'll talk later. Get out of there now, before the media or authorities can get any closer to you." Archive hung up.
Lacy looked to Elena inquisitively, but before Elena could begin, the mayor spoke.
"You two! Yes, I know you're going to run off, Lightspeed," he said as Lacy got off of Consequence and Elena tucked her phone away. "I only have one question, for you, ma'am." He looked at Elena. "What's your name?"
Elena hesitated for a fraction of a second, but when she spoke, the name rolled off her tongue as naturally as her birth name. "Fuego."
*~*~*
Elena called her boss apologetically, explaining a personal emergency had come up and she wouldn't be able to return to the office today. He didn't sound particularly pleased, but he also sounded distracted and she could hear the sounds of the news on TV in the background as he spoke, so she knew the office wasn't getting much done right now, anyway.
Her drive home was peaceful and quick, the chaos of the Civic Center behind her by the time she reached the parking garage. It was only once she'd started driving that she realized she was still wearing her mask, and she ripped it off. How much good had it done anyway, considering how common security cameras were? If someone really wanted to uncover her face, they would have had ample opportunities between when she left the office and when she donned it.
Still, at least that meant the reporters flocking to the scene like vultures to a fresh carcass hadn't been able to get a good picture of her face. She'd done her best to dodge them, but they showed as quickly as the police did, and Elena was more concerned about avoiding the police. If they ever arrested her and took fingerprints, that could have a whole host of problems if she hadn't cleaned the guns off well enough in her haste.
As she neared home, Elena got a text from Lacy. She checked it at a red light.
Lacy: Had to go back into the office for a bit but can leave at 3. Can I come over after?
Yes please, Elena replied immediately.
Elena made a conscious decision to not check the news, instead heading to the shower to wash away her sweat and some of her stress. Unfortunately, it made her realize how much her muscles ached and how sensitive her hands felt, so she settled down for a nap afterwards. It was nearly three when she awoke again, still feeling worn out, but no longer unbearably so.
When Lacy showed up at 3:45, Elena had just started flipping through one of Sophie's magazines after putting muffins in the oven and washing the bowl and measuring cups.
"Hey." Lacy wrapped her arms around Elena and leaned down to give her a quick kiss as soon as she was through the door. "Something smells delicious, and it's not just your shampoo."
"Blueberry-orange muffins," Elena said.
"Homemade?"
"Yes," Elena replied as she led Lacy to the couch. They collapsed into a comfortable embrace together.
"I expected as much, which is damn good evidence that you've completely spoiled me," Lacy said, laughing. She pressed her lips to Elena again. A rush of electric desire lit up Elena's nerves, not overwhelming her physical exhaustion, but pushing it back in her mind.
Elena gripped Lacy's back as they deepened the kiss, tongues swirling around each other unabashedly. Elena soaked up the sensation, only amplified as Lacy cupped her face, gentle juxtaposition to the desperate intertwining of tongues.
They only broke apart when the oven timer went off. Elena untangled herself and got up to check on the muffins.
"They look delicious, too," Lacy commented as Elena pulled the pan out of the oven. The tops were golden and had puffed up nicely.
Setting them on the stovetop, the fragrant scent of citrus and berries filled Elena's nose. She got a knife from the silverware drawer and ran it around the edge of each, making sure it would pop right out once they were less warm.
"Are we just going to leave them there?" Lacy asked, eyeing them hungrily.
"We should wait for them to cool." Elena said. She wrapped her arms around Lacy's waist.
Lacy looked from the muffins to Elena, and the desire in her gaze shifted accordingly. "Well, I suppose you could keep me occupied in the meantime."
"We could head to the bedroom?" Elena suggested.
"I'd love to."
In the bedroom, they stripped off each other's clothes until they were both down to their panties. Elena grabbed her vibrator, lube, and a pair of gloves from the drawer.
"Have something specific in mind?" Lacy asked teasingly as Elena placed the items on the nightstand.
"I just want to be prepared." Elena placed a hand on Lacy's bare thigh, running her fingers along the smooth skin. Desire flowed through her, with the tiniest hint of anxiety as she continued, "I would like to do more for you this time, though."
"I'd like that," Lacy said, leaning in to kiss Elena's neck. "If you want," she added, voice husky, "you can touch me through my panties. Just, don't touch me like a man, if that makes sense."
"Of course," Elena agreed, sentence trailing off into a sigh as Lacy nibbled at the sensitive skin at the base of her neck.
Elena wrapped her other arm around Lacy's waist, holding Lacy close as the intoxicating kisses continued. She slid her hand up as Lacy shifted her legs a bit further apart. Even though she definitely wanted to touch Lacy, she also wanted to make sure Lacy was completely comfortable with it.
Tentatively, Elena moved her hand inward until she was holding Lacy's crotch. She moaned quietly as Lacy nipped at her neck, and gently rocked her hand back and forth.
As she rubbed Lacy, massaging in the same sort of up and down motion she'd sometimes used as foreplay with previous girlfriends, Elena realized how anticlimactic it was. Lacy's genitals were of a somewhat different shape than Elena had encou
ntered before, but at least through the fabric of her panties, they felt just as soft. Lacy's enthused noises against her neck made it clear she liked what Elena was doing.
Lacy moved her attention along the sensitive area above Elena's collarbone, alternating between ministrations with her tongue and gentle bites.
"Are you okay with marks?" Lacy asked, following up with a quick nip.
"Just make sure they don't show, not too high on my neck or too far onto my shoulder," Elena said. She hadn't gotten any hickeys since college, but if Lacy wanted to leave some marks with her mouth, Elena wasn't going to object.
Lacy hummed in assent as she dove back into Elena's shoulder. A shiver ran down Elena's spine as Lacy began to suck and nibble, the warm, wet combination of sensations rolling into a tangle of pleasure. Elena stroked Lacy's clit through her panties and nuzzled against Lacy's hair, the slight tang of sweat from the day's exertions mixed in with the spicy and citrus scents of her shampoo.
"Could I use my vibrator on you?" Elena asked.
Lacy bit into Elena with a touch more force, sending a pain-tinged jolt of pleasure through her, before releasing the tender spot of skin to respond.
"Yes, definitely."
Elena reached out and grabbed the vibrator, flicking it to the lowest setting before positioning it against Lacy's crotch. Lacy found a new section of skin, near the base of Elena's neck, and dove in again with a muffled moan. As Elena shifted the vibrator up and down in a slow stroking motion, Lacy hummed in pleasure.
Elena felt her own groin aching with desire as Lacy ran a hand along Elena's abdomen, up to caress her breasts. With her free hand, Elena stroked Lacy's hair, combing out the few slight tangles in the silky tresses with her fingers.
"That's good, but could you keep it in place?" Lacy reached down and wrapped her hand around Elena's, adjusting the position of the vibrator and holding it in place for a moment.
"Sure," Elena responded. "How's the intensity?"
"Good, but maybe up one notch?"
Lacy withdrew her hand to hold Elena's side, and Elena flipped the switch to the middle setting.
"That's good," Lacy gasped.
Elena tilted her head and leaned in to catch Lacy's lips with hers, cradling the back of Lacy's head with her hand. Lacy returned the kiss with unabashed thirst, drinking up Elena's kisses and making yearning sounds that heightened Elena's own arousal.
Lacy quickly grew louder, lifting her hips slightly to press harder against the vibrator. Elena responded by pushing it harder against her, their kiss growing messier and more desperate. Lacy wrapped her arms tight around Elena, sharp fingernails brushing against Elena's sides.
Tightening her grip on Lacy's hair, Elena nipped at Lacy's lower lip and sucked on it.
"Oh, Elena, I'm close," Lacy moaned. Any further attempts at talking were swallowed by Elena as she fully kissed Lacy's lips again.
The long, deep groan into Elena's mouth a few moments later was unmistakable. Elena firmly held the vibrator in place until Lacy's arms around her relaxed, but Elena kept kissing her even as she switched the vibrator off and dropped it into her own lap.
"That was great." Lacy sighed emphatically when their kiss finally broke. "Now can I help you get off?"
"If you'd like to," Elena said, releasing Lacy's hair to run a hand down her back. Elena's exhaustion was still present, but right now it was firmly pushed back by her libido.
"I'd love to. Just tell me what you want."
Elena set the vibrator down so that she could slide off her panties.
"Would you mind touching me while I use the vibrator on myself?" Elena asked.
"Sure." Lacy shifted so that she could grab the lubricant and a glove off the nightstand. "So, I know no vagina penetration, but I'd like to touch your ass, if you're into that."
"Yeah."
Elena pulled back the sheets on the bed and lay down with her head against the pillow. Lacy positioned herself between her legs, coating the pointer finger of her gloved hand with lube.
Elena turned the vibrator on low and, parting her labia, placed it on the hood of her clitoris. The vibrations resounded through her groin, accompanied a moment later by the cool, slick touch of Lacy's finger against her anus. As Lacy circled the tight entrance, Elena's desire only climbed. The combination of the stroking of delicate tissue with the moderate vibrations of her high-powered sex toy right above her clit was enough that she knew the road to orgasm would be a short one.
"Should I just do this, or do you want me inside of you?" Lacy asked. She watched Elena with fondness, taking in Elena's breasts, gently rounded stomach, and muscular thighs, but always looking back up to Elena's face.
"In, please." No sooner than Elena said it, Lacy slipped the tip of her finger inside. Elena exhaled, enjoying the intense-but-pleasurable sensation of Lacy slowly curving her finger and pushing it all the way in.
Elena's already-taxed muscles ached as she used the vibrator to push herself towards orgasm. Once Lacy's finger was fully inside Elena, she made a gentle stroking motion against the anterior wall, waves of pleasure emanating out from it. Soon, Elena felt her lungs and limbs alike seizing with the cusp of climax, only to relax abruptly with a sudden orgasmic rush. The endorphins coursed through her veins, replacing every bit of exhaustion and desire with pure euphoria.
They cuddled together for a while afterwards, quiet affection that lured Elena towards sleep. She realized she'd started drifting off when Lacy nudged her gently and asked about muffins.
"Oh, yeah."
"We can go to bed early tonight," Lacy said, squeezing Elena's arm before hopping off the bed. "I'm beat too, but I'm also hungry."
The muffins were only lukewarm when they returned to the kitchen, but Elena savored hers nevertheless. Lacy was on her second, and Elena putting the rest into a Tupperware, when Sophie got home.
"Elena—oh hey!"
"Hi," Elena replied. "Lacy, this is my roommate Sophie. Sophie, this is Lacy, my girlfriend."
"Nice to meet you," Sophie said, a sentiment echoed by Lacy before she hurried on. "Did you see the news today? There was some sort of terrorist attack at City Hall!"
"Yeah." Elena said, a bit warily. Her mind snapped back to the burned sniper and her scream. It sent a wave of nausea and ambiguous guilt through her.
"Oh, my god, I can't believe it! The police ended up getting the guy, but some of the news reports say a couple of the Hollywood Heroes were spotted there."
"Cool," Lacy said. "I hate to interrupt, but did you have dinner plans? Elena and I were just discussing what we should do for real food, as great as the muffins are."
"Oh, yeah, I'm surprised you've been home long enough to already have baked muffins!" Sophie replied. Elena gave Lacy a quick and appreciative smile for forcibly changing the topic of conversation. "Well, it's my night to cook, and I can definitely make enough food for the three of us. Green chile chicken enchiladas sound good to you?"
"Sounds great," Lacy replied.
*~*~*
"How are you feeling, after your first big supervillain battle?" Lacy asked Elena later that night. They were lying together in bed, facing each other and cuddling. They had both gotten ready for bed fairly early, but Elena's mind wasn't ready to settle down for sleep yet.
"Not great," Elena said honestly. "I know we probably saved the lives of a lot of people, but it also felt like a close call. And," she continued, tone heavier, "I burned a woman pretty badly. I know Consequence might be blinded permanently, but it was more graphic with her."
"Where was this? The bank you were in?"
"Yes. It looked like that's where Consequence had been flying over to City Hall from, and on the top floor, I found a woman with a sniper rifle."
"You probably saved our lives then."
"I guess," Elena said. It didn't feel quite that simple.
"You did," Lacy reiterated. "My outfit's not bulletproof and I know your work clothes certainly aren't. If Consequence had a sniper in place whe
n we went after him, either we would have gotten shot or she would've been able to use our fight to take out anyone else Consequence had on his hit list."
"I know that, logically. It was a good strategy on his part, keeping the cops distracted with his shenanigans and the big explosion, but really that served to flush out a lot of important government officials that a sniper could then take out."
"The first domino down an inevitable path of terror, anarchy, and societal self-destruction?" Lacy said, half-joking.
"Yeah." Elena paused. "Honestly, I don't think his plan would have worked, even if we didn't get involved. We have a ton of problems, but if any one man could have toppled our modern government, it would have already happened."
"I always thought he was an egotistical idiot," Lacy agreed. "But he definitely could have thrown the L.A. region into disarray for a while. As it is, both the Hall of Records and City Hall are going to need millions in repairs. But you know what? Thanks to us, and especially thanks to you, no one died and injuries were relatively few. And that's enough for me to keep playing superhero."
"It's something." Elena knew it was true, and it was reassuring. She hadn't thought of it in such plain terms before, but other than the aide who was shot, she didn't know of any casualties, which was fairly impressive. "But I still don't feel great about what I did to her."
"Well, that's a big part of the emotional labor of being a superhero." Lacy squeezed Elena's arm. "And I can't lie and say you should feel totally fine. Hurting people, even if those people trying to hurt others, is tough. And it's our responsibility to walk that fine line between using enough force necessary to keep them from fulfilling their aims without using more violence than we have to. If you were totally comfortable with what you'd done, you'd be a step along the supervillain track yourself. Inflicting violence, even to save your own or others' lives, isn't something you can shrug off. What you can do is keep working on your powers, and learn how to better walk that fine line."
"I'm glad I'm not alone at least." Lacy's words were honest, but not the most comforting.
Lacy offered a wry smile. "After Static killed the Invincible Man when trying to find a way to stop him, they almost dropped out of the Hollywood Heroes. Archive and Guardian convinced them to stay, with the agreement that Static isn't expected or asked to join any fights. Static still comes to meetings, stays involved, but they aren't active in the field any more. Not sure if they will be again."