by Ines Johnson
"He talks in his sleep." The voice was Jaspir's.
Merlyn opened her eyes. She was greeted with the dark eyes that haunted her dreams. "You're here."
Jaspir's response was a smile and a light brush over her lower lip.
"This may sound silly," she said, "but I dream of you. Nearly every night since... But, it's always been difficult to remember the details. Not the physical details. I'm good with facts. It’s difficult to remember the emotions, the feelings. I'm not so good with those. I could never remember how soft the pads of your fingers were. Softness is a hard memory. I couldn't remember the heat either. What if I forget after you leave?"
Jaspir scooped her in closer. The heat from Liam's breath at the back of her neck lessened.
"Don't focus on the small details, my love. Focus on the big picture. I love you. When I say that, what does it make you feel?"
"My heart races and I feel a... fullness."
"See, you can remember just fine when you focus on the big picture."
Merlyn pulled away from him. "Where will you go?"
"I've had my eye on a piece of land outside the city. It’s a small cabin with fertile land as it’s near a small lake. I've been saving up for it for years. I'll close on the deal in just a few days."
"It's just like you said when we were children. You said you'd buy me a home and plant me a garden."
"I'm a man of my word."
"Only I won't be going with you."
"You've been with me every day, Merlyn. In my mind, in my heart. It’s only these last few days that I've received the gift of your physical presence."
"I don't want you to go, Jaspir."
"Why not?"
"I like your physical presence."
Jaspir smiled. "I like your presence too. I'm going to live my dream. I'm going to build you that garden. I'll have land that can never be taken from me. I was childish to think that I could bring you there and have a life with you. Your life is here. You're going to change the world. Just be certain that you change it for the better."
"You know what my mother plans to do with my work?"
"I know that you would never intend anyone harm. I have faith that you'll figure out a way to make your work a benefit to all humankind. Don't you agree, Liam?"
Merlyn leaned back and looked over her shoulder. She'd felt Liam's warmth, but forgotten his presence. He looked alone lying at the edge of the bed watching the two of them with guarded eyes.
"Good morning, Liam," she said.
Liam ducked his head in a mock bow. "Good morning, my lady."
"Did you sleep well?"
"I did, in fact. Best night of sleep I can remember."
"Me, too."
Liam reached his hand up and brushed her hair out of her face, his fingers caught a stray curl and wrapped it around his finger. Then his eyes looked over to Jaspir. A slight blush colored Liam's strong jaw and then it was gone.
"We should be going soon," Liam said. "We may have already been missed."
The sky was still dark, but the sun was beginning to stretch its rays up into morning. Merlyn hadn't thought about any repercussions to their night of passion, but she was certain now that there would be some. She had never spent a night out without telling her Mother ahead of time. In fact, she had never spent a night out for any reason, so attached to her lab was she.
They rose and dressed somberly, each covering the parts they'd used to pleasure the other. Both Merlyn's and Liam's eyes lingered as Jaspir pulled up his pants.
Jaspir enveloped Merlyn in his arms. "Remember, when you hurt, I hurt. When you're happy, I feel it too. Be happy, my love."
Merlyn couldn't find any adequate words for the situation, so she planted a kiss on his lips. Jaspir inhaled, but he didn't pull her closer. His eyes, when he pulled away, told her he wanted more. But he handed her over to Liam.
"Remember what I taught you." Jaspir reached his hand out to Liam. Liam clasped his hand.
Jaspir opened the door. Once she and Liam were across the threshold, Jaspir quickly and quietly shut the door. Merlyn and Liam stood on the threshold staring at the closed door for a moment.
Then Liam turned and put his arm out. "Come, my lady. We should be getting home."
Merlyn took Liam's arm and walked out of the establishment with him. The car ride home was quiet, as they both were lost in their own worlds, their own reminisces of the night.
When they arrived home, they were ushered immediately into the sitting room where Mother, Grand Mother and a strange woman were seated. Each woman's back was stiff. When Grand Mother saw Merlyn and Liam her eyes narrowed.
"I want you out of my house," she bellowed.
The sound shocked Merlyn, as she'd never heard the woman raise her voice so shrill. She deduced they'd found out what had happened and were now disowning her.
"Yes, Grand Mother. I'll clear out immediately." Merlyn turned to go. Belatedly, she realized she had no clue where she would go. Her eyes darted down the hall in the direction of her lab. She had experiments running now that needed to be checked, data collected, and quantified. But that way was barred. A panic set in that she would be banned from it.
"Not you." Lady Regyn pointed her finger beyond Merlyn. "Him."
Merlyn followed her Grand Mother's finger toward Liam.
"I have it on good authority that he has been cavorting with an unsavory element and has led you down that path."
"Unsavory element?" asked Merlyn.
"Lady Myra," her Mother indicated the lady seated in the settee, "reported seeing that male visiting a house of ill-repute. And now you spend the whole night out. Do you deny any of this?"
"No," said Merlyn. "I can't, but—"
"The bond proposal is off."
Two male servants came in and grasped Liam by the arms.
"No," said Merlyn. "You can't do that. I don't want that—"
But no one listened to her. Liam was carried from the room. Merlyn heard the front door open. Before she could get to the hall, another male servant blocked her path. She turned back to her Mother and Grand Mother.
"Thank you for your report, Lady Myra. We are in your debt."
Lady Myra looked Merlyn up and down with a cool, assessing gaze as she passed her to the exit.
"Merlyn, we are deeply ashamed—" Lady Regyn began.
"You can't send him away," shouted Merlyn.
"How dare you interrupt me child. I—"
"He's the one who discovered the female spermatozoa, not me. We need him."
Her Mother bristled. "Women do not need men. They need us. And now we will no longer have need for any of them. You will do your duty to this family, Merlyn. You will present the information to the Sisterhood tomorrow. Or I will have that male arrested for corrupting a woman."
"But he didn't. It was my choice."
"If you tell anyone that, it will make you appear a loose woman and you will have no standing. No one will listen to any of your findings hereafter or allow you access to a lab. Choose wisely Merlyn. Your future as a celebrated scientist—or as a woman of ill-repute with that male."
Chapter Seventeen
The taste of Merlyn's sweetness remained on Jaspir's lips.
The taste of Liam's musk sat on his tongue.
The sound of the click of the door still rang in his head. It had been a visceral snap, a break, a separation. Jaspir had been living in a dreamland for years. A dream where he and Merlyn would live happily ever after, like in a fable. Now that the door was firmly closed, he saw clearly that the line was drawn. The line had always been there. He remained on one side while Merlyn and Liam were on another.
Jaspir turned away from the door. The sun was rising. From his window, he watched Merlyn and Liam walk away from Stallions. Their body language was much improved from the previous night. They were no longer stiff.
Liam's hand went to Merlyn's lower back. He hesitated for a brief second before resting it there as though it belonged. Merlyn stiffened for a sec
ond, before her shoulders relaxed. She cocked her head to the side in that bird-like, inquisitive fashion, a small smile on her lips. Liam's lips parted, the desire in his eyes was clear from the second floor.
Liam handed her into the car. Once she was inside, he closed his eyes as though in silent prayer. Serenity washed over his face. He turned his head up and caught Jaspir in the window. Liam's smile was full of gratitude. He raised his hand and waved before ducking into the conveyance.
Jaspir turned back to his room. He would continue to dream of her, but he'd no longer try to cross his dreams with reality. He had every confidence that Liam could now take care of Merlyn in every way that she needed.
He closed his eyes and flashes of Liam's head buried between Merlyn's thighs assaulted him. Flashes of Liam's cock throbbing as he plunged it into her depths. Merlyn's head thrown back in ecstasy, her eyes pleasure-glazed with no quantifiable thought in her head. Jaspir's heart felt heavy and light at the same time.
The sun was up fully now. Merlyn and Liam were likely in their lab going over their findings. Jaspir hadn't had time to tell Liam that he'd alerted the Male Voice to the impending insemination trials. The trials wouldn't affect Jaspir, but he couldn't leave mankind to the whims of the likes of Lady Angyla. He'd done what he could for mankind, now he was leaving society behind.
There were empty boxes in his closet. He took them out and began to pack. Opening his drawers, he saw that his clothing was neatly folded. That was curious because Jaspir never took the time to fold. There wasn't much to do. He went to the drawer in his closet where his money was kept. Liam had handed him his final payment before he left this morning.
Jaspir weighed the gems. It was more than enough for the land and some comfort items beyond that. Jaspir didn't need much in the way of comfort. The money in his palm would last him for the rest of his days.
There was a knock on the door. Jaspir tucked the gems inside one of his boxes labeled planting tools. He'd known the men of this establishment for years and considered a few friends. But they were all con artists. He was sure that none of them had ever seen such a large haul, and didn't trust them not to try to knock him over for it. The money was life changing. It was about to change his life.
Jaspir walked over and opened the door. It was not a man on his threshold. "I'm not taking any more clients, Lady Myra."
"You can make time for an old friend." She came in and closed the door behind her. She stopped in the center of the room. Her eyes went wide. "What are all these boxes for?"
"I'm leaving."
She turned around, joy on her face. "You've come to your senses then. You're coming to live with me."
"No, I'm not."
Lady Myra's face transformed in the blink of an eye. "You can't go and live with her."
"Who?" Jaspir nearly choked on the word.
"They will never let her have you. I got rid of the red haired one. I doubt her family will let her out of the house again. They hate men."
Ice crawled down Jaspir's spine. All air seeped out of the room. "What have you done?"
"I've protected my investment. You will come with me and be mine. You will see only me. You will love only me."
Jaspir shook his head and walked towards the door.
Lady Myra slammed herself against it. "Think carefully, my love. It's either me or nothing at all."
"You're mad."
"It's not madness. Its love. Last chance. Come with me."
Jaspir reached for the door handle.
Lady Myra screamed.
Jaspir backed away.
"No, don't." She looked him straight in the eye. Jaspir could see a crazed glint accompanied with a malicious smile.
"Myra, let me pass." Jaspir said calmly.
"Please, Jaspir. Don't hurt me. I love you."
"I'm not doing anything to you."
To his absolute horror, she raised her hand to her face, red nail polish glistened over her clawed fingers. Jaspir swore they caught the light and twinkled before crashing down into her skin. But she didn't stop there; she dug her nails into her cheek and pulled down hard until she bled. With a scream she fell to the floor.
"If I can't have you, no one will," she whispered.
That was the last bit of silence Jaspir heard. In the next instance, there were loud footsteps and shouts. His door was wrenched open. Lady Myra lay on the floor in theatrical tears. Everyone bought her performance. Jaspir's hands were clasped behind his back. He was taken roughly, bodily from the room. His pleas fell on deaf ears.
Then the Peace Keepers came and the nightmare began.
* * *
Jaspir opened his eyes to pain. His face was swollen and in pain. His abdomen roared with pain.
"Jas?"
Jaspir reached toward the familiar voice. There was darkness all around. Though bars separated them, he could still make out Emet's almond colored skin and sharp, hazel eyes.
"Jas, I'm here. Do you remember what happened? You’re accused of striking a woman."
"You know I would never..." Jaspir was too tired to even complete the sentence. Everything hurt.
"I know," soothed Emet. "But how did she get the marks on her face."
"She struck herself."
"So, a crazy one."
Jaspir nodded.
As hounds, both Emet and Jaspir had training on how emotions, particularly sexual emotions, could cloud a sane woman's judgment. But a woman who had a tick in her head was one to be especially wary of.
Emet sighed. "The Male Voice is aware of your case. They've granted us a trial. In ‘he-said she-said’ cases, the woman's account always weighs more. They've given us just this night to prepare your defense."
"A trial?" Jaspir snorted. "So they want to make a spectacle."
"Most likely."
"Do you think we even have a chance?"
"You're my brother, Jas. I will fight for you tooth and nail."
When Adom and Emet left the Brotherhood, they'd sought Jaspir out. They'd offered him a room at the storefront in lieu of working in the brothel. Jaspir declined the offer, but treasured their friendship, knowing that if ever he were in need, he need only ask the two males. He needed something now.
"I need you to go to my rooms and retrieve something for me."
"They've confiscated everything you had in your room into evidence."
"Everything?"
Emet nodded.
In that moment, outside of all of the pain in his heart and the pain in his gut, Jaspir felt his world crumble around him. It was all gone. Not just his love, not just his freedom. His dream was gone too. There was nothing left.
Chapter Eighteen
They let Liam take his car. Everything that belonged to him from his years in the grand house was shoved into the trunk. The pile amounted to a few articles of clothing and his calculating tools. His tablet containing his mathematical notes was not amongst the pile. The ladies kept all his intellectual property. He'd signed away those rights when he'd signed the betrothal agreement.
Liam sat outside the gates of the property for an hour. He didn't know what to do with himself. His every waking thought for the past ten years had been about Merlyn. How to be noticed by her. How to be helpful to her. His father had told him to make himself necessary to her if he wanted a chance at her heart.
He'd done that for nearly half of his life. Before he'd met her, he'd striven to pass her family's tests to prove himself worthy. After their betrothal, he'd made himself indispensable as her assistant. Without him, she would have never made the female chromosome discovery. It was that discovery that allowed her family to cut his ties. They no longer needed him or his manhood to produce the female children they coveted.
Liam wanted to barge back up to the house and fight for her. He waited, hoping that she would come through those doors after him. He waited and waited. But she didn't come. Liam started the car and pulled away from the house.
He wandered around the city. He paused briefly at the gates
to The Stallion. Memories of that previous night washed over him. The feel of being buried deep inside of Merlyn. The feel of Jaspir behind him. Jaspir's lips around him. It pulled Liam out of the car and to the front desk. The man at the desk was new, not the plastic looking older male Liam had come to expect.
"Jaspir no longer works here," the man said.
He was already gone. He'd barely waited a day before heading off to live out his own dream. Liam had heard all the words spoken between Jaspir and Merlyn this morning. Words of enduring love that would stand the test of time and space. Neither of them had shared any such words with him.
"Perhaps I could be of service?"
Liam looked the new concierge up and down. He felt no pull, no desire for the male.
Liam turned, walked out of the establishment, and climbed back in his car. He drove aimlessly for another hour, until he pulled up to another familiar house. He climbed out of the car and approached the front door. He hadn't been back here since he left ten years ago. On that day, his Mother had been away with her lover. It was his father who saw him off.
"Dedicate yourself to her, make yourself indispensable. Love is fickle, but being needed will earn you a place in her life."
Liam had taken those words to heart. Those first few years without his father had been hard. There was no one for him to talk to. Merlyn had her head in the books or up in the clouds thinking of Jaspir. Liam had been alone, but the last thing he wanted to do was return to his father a failure. So he sucked it up and stayed at the grand house, stayed behind Merlyn, in the shadows.
He'd given it his all. He'd taken a moment to step in the light. He'd made her see him. But still, it hadn't been enough. She didn't love him. She no longer needed him. He had failed. He only hoped his father would understand.
Liam knocked on the door.
It took a moment before he heard steps from inside. The door opened. A sallow looking older man peered down at him. Not quite at him, his hollow eyes peered at Liam's shoulder.