I smiled, but a sharp cry of pain stopped me in my tracks.
“Halt exercise!” Raina called out, but the Fae women were already rising to see what happened.
I rushed over to where I heard the noise and found Gaia laying on the ground, clutching her shoulder. Bright green Fae blood covered her hand, and dripped on the leaves beneath her.
“Gaia, oh my Gods, I’m so sorry!” I said, bending down to look at her wound.
“It’s OK,” she said, wincing, “I forgot about the bone shards. My fault.”
“Gaia, let me see." Drucilla said, her blue hair pulled back into a ponytail.
“I’ll probably need to go back to Fae to be healed.” Gaia said, lifting her hand a little.
“Ouch!” Drucilla said. “We should start back now… you know how twisty the path is.”
“Wait.” I said, putting my hand on Drucilla’s shoulder. “Let me try.”
Drucilla moved out of the way, and I put my hands on Gaia’s wounded shoulder. I focused on the cool, healing energy I felt running through the earth, and my hands started to glow with a greenish-brown light.
Raina looked on in wonder, and even the Fae women’s eyes went wide.
My hands continued to glow, and eventually, Gaia's face relaxed. I could feel her tissue knitting itself back together and held my hands there for another moment before letting go and letting my hands return to normal.
Gaia’s shoulder was pristine, only the slightest lines showing where the bone fragments had torn across her skin. Even the excess blood was gone, and the lines themselves started to fade away.
“Not bad.” Cordelia said, her eyes still wide and her jaw slack.
“I’m more than a one-trick pony.” I smiled.
I looked at Gaia. The same deep affection that I always saw was still there, along with something else. Something intense.
I gulped.
* * *
“I’m fine, really.”
I ignored my Fae friend’s protests as I bent to put another log on the fire. “I know, but I healed you, so you’re my patient.” I said, stoking the flames. “So shut up and let me… patient you.”
Gaia sat up, pillows sufficiently fluffed, in the bed that I had set up for her in one of our guestrooms. She sipped her tea as I snuffed extra candles out until the fireplace was the only source of light. “Fine, fine.” she grinned.
“Besides, you’re my biggest success when it comes to healing magick.” I said, sitting down on a stool next to the bed. “This isn’t just follow-up care, it’s also a victory lap.”
“Mind if I drop the glamour?” she asked.
“Feel free.” I replied, and I watched as she shifted to her regular green-skinned and black-haired form.
“While it’s no effort to maintain,” she said, “It’s still nice to be in your own skin.”
“I can understand that… " I trailed off. Gaia had just slipped her shirt off and folded it without covering her naked Fae form.
There is just something… exquisite about the female Fae form! I thought in awe. If I were Raina, I’d probably wonder what it’s like to have that form hanging over me while I was naked as well, and… I cut myself off, mid-thought. No, Annabelle, I admonished myself, You are NOT going there!
“You know… “ I said, my voice a little shaky, “… I’ve been doing pretty well not being neurotic about things with Angelique while I’ve been here. SO far.”
Gaia stopped and looked at me confusedly. “Why do you say that now?”
“Because you.” I said, gesturing. “You’re there, and… naked, and really hot!”
“So seeing me naked is making you think, what… about Angelique?” she asked, a slow grin crossing her face.
“Well,” I stammered, “not exactly, but… “
“Or,” she continued, cutting me off, “is seeing me naked making you think of… doing things… to me?” Gaia leaned in close, and I could feel her breath on my cheek.
“Well, uh… “ I stammered again, “… I mean, look at you! You’re… “
Gaia smiled and blew on my cheek. The air was cool, but it made my body burn! “Attractive?” she asked simply.
Part of me wanted to kiss her. Another part wanted to finish stripping her down and to do things that would make a porn star blush. The biggest part of me, however, was scared shitless.
“You could say that.” was my meek reply.
Gaia leaned back and gave some space between us. My body started to calm down, but a cool sweat remained behind.
“My kitten,” she said, smiling, “I would like nothing more than to spend the evening exploring every centimeter of your body, but I know that it would be the wrong step for you. Your first time with a woman should be with someone you love, love beyond the affection you’ve built for me.”
“If I’m even, you know, flexible, you know… in that way.” I said lamely, but Gaia stopped me by grabbing my hand and putting it on her breast. My words died in my mouth and my body started to yearn once again.
“Trust me.” Gaia said, her eyes not leaving mine. “If your first thought right now is wondering what I would taste like between your lips, then you may be a lot of things, but ‘one hundred percent straight’ is NOT one of them.”
She released my hand, and I… somewhat reluctantly, I’ll admit… let it drop away from her body.
Whatever else was going to be said, I’ll never know. At that moment, Ashara breezed into the room. Gaia quickly covered herself, though Ashara didn’t seem to notice.
“I’m afraid that I must request your presence in the parlor.” she said. “There is news, and I only wish to say it once.”
She left, and Gaia hurried to put her shirt back on.
I soon found myself sitting by the hearth in the parlor, Gaia sitting to my left. Drucilla, Cordelia, and Raina quickly joined us, sitting in anticipation. All of the Fae had dropped their glamours, and Raina looked annoyed. Something told me that she had been interrupted doing something very enjoyable!
“So, where’s the fire?” she asked impatiently.
She was answered by Ashara gliding into the room, with another familiar figure in tow.
Angelique!
“My friends,” Ashara began, “apologies for any… extracurricular activities that I may have interrupted… “
She smiled in my direction. So she DID see! I thought, nervous. Nobody else seemed to see her glance, though.
“… but my great love Angelique comes baring news.” Ashara smiled. “So if you will… “ she gestured.
“Thank you.” Angelique nodded. “I’m afraid that our mysterious foe behind the lake on our property doesn’t like to be ignored, and several people venturing close in the woods have been attacked recently.”
“My Gods!” I said, covering my mouth. “Were they injured badly?”
“The first, no.” Angelique replied. “The past two, however, have required hospitalization.”
“Fuck.” Raina spat.
“We have been scattered across the globe chasing leads.” Angelique continued. “It may be time to re-assemble back in Ohio.”
“I’m going with you.” Gaia said. It wasn’t a request. I smiled at her, and she smiled back.
“Fine.” Angelique answered simply. “You two return to Fae,” she said to Drucilla and Cordelia, “tell them what’s happened, and get their council.”
“Very well.” Drucilla said, and her sister nodded.
“I shall stay here, and consult the church.” Ashara announced. “I will be in touch.” she added, looking at Angelique.
“Please do.” Angelique replied.
I looked at Raina. Ready for real-world application? I asked in my mind, my eyebrows raised. I’m not sure what she inferred, but she nodded.
* * *
The air was crisp and fresh, the snow on the ground and the trees cooling it to the perfect temperature for physical exertion. I felt it wash over my senses as I walked briskly down the path.
Not
going near the lake, not yet I thought as I chose which path to take through the forest. There’s a lot of forest to patrol without going there.
I had barely been back six hours, but I was already up with the dawn. I had seen only Vincent since my return, and had spent one of my hours dealing with the pent up horniness that I had built up over my stay in Virginia. Still, five hours sleep was all my brain would allow me that cool December morning.
I walked briskly along the path, not taking the time to admire my surroundings like I usually did. I saw the report about the latest attacks! I thought ruefully. Both of them… the man AND the woman… looked to be lucky to be alive.
Unless they were attacked by a shape-shifter. Then their hell is just beginning.
I kept scanning the forest around me, ever on alert. For some reason, Raina’s ‘My Little Pony’ hoodie that I had borrowed made me feel even more ready to fight.
Maybe my braid is too tight I thought, tugging at the single French braid that I had wrapped my hair in the night before. It needed redone. There goes THAT theory!
I neared the edge of the property, and slowed my pace. The couple in the hospital was attacked not far from here I thought furiously. Come on out, you ugly mofo…
A dark shape swooped at me from overhead, and I had to duck and roll to avoid it. I shot fire from my hands and smelled the scent of burning hair in its wake. It was still too fast to see.
I crouched on the path, scanning above me, and holding my hands at the ready. My assailant, however, was gone.
So you picked on someone powerful enough to fight back, huh? I thought as a grin spread across my face. I singed your furry ass, whatever you are!
Feeling satisfied, I turned back for home. I’ll have to check Jack’s security cameras. I thought.
* * *
Of all of the things I expected to see upon barging into Jack's basement domain… usually including things like pot smoke and junk-food abuse… Jack wrapped up, naked, with a five thousand-year-old Japanese supernatural figure was not one of them!
And yet, here they are.
The door made no sound when it opened, so the two were still sleeping. Jack’s hair was messy on his pillow, one of the few times I had ever seen him with his hair down in the past few years. He had an arm curled around Katsu’s naked body, and she slept face-down against his chest. A sheet spiraled around them both.
“I really hate to interrupt, guys, but… “ I started to say.
The sound of my voice made Jack open his eyes, going from sleep to shock in seconds. “Oh! uh...” he said, grabbing at the sheet but unable to find an edge to pull over them.
I had to grin as Katsu woke up. “I must say, this is a development.” I said, ready to rib him relentlessly for his compromising position. Instead, it was my turn to be surprised as Katsu stood up, still completely naked, and stretched.
“Hi Annabelle.” she said, yawning. “Something up?”
“I, uh… “ What the hell, Annabelle?!? I thought furiously. You just spent a month in the Virginia hormone farm with a bunch of horny Fae and one extremely horny vampire, and casual nudity still throws you? I mean, yeah, she’s hot, but… “I tangled with something on my morning walk.” I finally said. “I think I singed it, but it was fast. I need to see if it was captured on the monitors.”
“That shouldn’t be difficult.” she said, putting her hair up in a ponytail. Katsu crossed over to the main desk, sat down in one of the chairs sitting behind it, and started typing.
I leaned into Jack, who was using the recently freed sheet around his waist. "Dude, is she going to put on clothes?"
“I wouldn’t bet on it.” He couldn’t hide his grin.
“Okay.” I said, returning his grin. “Just put on some pants when I turn around… I feel like I just caught my brother fucking.”
I walked over to stand behind Katsu as she brought the various screen feeds up on the main monitor bank. “Where were you?” she asked.
“I was near the old playground. Near the Montessori school." I said, and she typed some more. Soon I saw a familiar bend in the path. "There!"
Katsu used the mouse to scroll back. “And how long ago?”
“Maybe thirty minutes ago.” I said. “You’re running the system pretty well for someone older than the pyramids.” I added admiringly.
“Thanks.” she said. “While everyone else was globe-trotting, Jack and I were going over everywhere we could find a camera in the world. I picked up a thing or two while you were gone.”
“Including one geeky bed-mate.” I said with a grin.
That one got to Katsu, and she broke into an embarrassed grin, just the hint of a blush on her cheeks. She soon pointed at the screen, however. “There we go!”
I looked and saw a dark shape fly across the screen, my fire-bolt coming just inches away from taking out the camera. "What the hell?"
“Let me see if I can freeze-frame it." Katsu said, scrolling back. "Here it is."
There was just one clear frame, but it said it all. There, not a foot from my head, was a massive black bat.
“How big is that?” Jack asked, pulling on his shirt and sitting down by Katsu. His being fully-clothed only made her nudity more noticeable.
“I’d say its body is about the size of a great dane.” Katsu answered.
“Great.” Jack deadpanned. “Dog-sized bats. Must be Tuesday.”
“Maybe we should call a house meeting.” I said.
Katsu sighed. “Time to put on clothes.” She got up and walked over to a pile of fabric on the floor and started to get dressed.
“Really, dude?” I asked Jack softly.
“I know.” he said, desire and joy written on his face. “Isn’t she great?!?”
I rolled my eyes and walked away.
* * *
We almost had the entire crew together. Vincent and Angelique spoke in a huddle while Hatsu and Katsu stood with Jack, talking and acting far more relaxed around each other than I was used to. Raina and Gaia were sitting together, enjoying a cup of strong coffee at this early hour. Trevor and Evelyn had yet to return from South Africa, so they’d have to be caught up when they arrived.
I sat on a sofa by myself, feeling good to be home.
“Okay guys,” Vincent said, clapping his hands together, “let’s get going.”
Everyone quieted down, and Vincent looked at me. “I was out patrolling this morning,” I began, “and I was attacked by something. Something big.”
“We located the attack on the closed-circuit monitors and found a giant bat." Jack said.
“How big?” Raina asked.
“As big as Jack’s appetite in the morning.” Katsu said, making a few of us chuckle.
“That’s big.” Vincent said.
“I singed it, and it took off.” I added.
“Whoever sent that is probably going to know that you’re back in town.” Gaia said. “I should go with you on your morning walks.”
“That’s okay,” I said, hand raised, “I can take care of myself around here. You can mirror me on the other side of the property. That way we’ll cover more ground.
“All right.” she said, but I could tell that my reluctance to patrol together bothered her. Sorry, but that last night at the plantation is a little TOO fresh in my mind to spend hours of quality time together alone right now.
“When do Trevor and Evelyn get back?” Raina asked.
“They should arrive sometime this evening." Angelique answered. "Until then, we should stay on the alert. If Jack or Katsu see anything on the monitors, we'll want to investigate right away."
“I have a research task for my sister this afternoon.” Hatsu said. “So I’m afraid that Mr. Stillwagner will have to keep watch by himself for a time.”
“That's okay, I need to hydrate." Jack said before he could think about what he was saying. He caught himself too late and turned his head slowly to where Raina and I were.
Our grins told him he was busted.
* * *
“So when did this become so… “ I struggled to find the words.
“Grown-up?” Jack finished for me. “About two weeks after we left Hawaii. She could tell that we were moving beyond the ‘shy smitten’ stage, so Hatsu called me into the library for a heart-to-heart.”
“Woah.” I said, stopping him short. “You mean you guys bumped uglies after a talk with her sister?”
“Don’t remind me.” Jack grinned. You know, you become the Sorceress, and then I get five thousand years of occult history injected into my sex life.”
“Are you sure you want to use that verb?” I quipped.
“Ha ha.” he deadpanned. “Anyway, Hatsu tells me that her sister has fallen in love very few times in her five millennia lifespan, and that every heartbreak has torn both of their hearts in two. She wanted to know how strongly I felt.”
“And what did you say?” I asked.
Jack shrugged. “I told her that I’d rather die than let anything happen to her.”
Woah, again! I thought. “You really feel that way?”
“Yeah.”
“Dude.”
“I know, right?” he grinned. “Kinda surprised me, too.”
“You didn’t shrug when you told Hatsu, did you?” I asked quickly.
“Thank God, no.” he said with a sigh of relief. “Anyway, when I said… what I said… to Hatsu, she just smiled and left. Then Katsu steps out from behind a curtain… “
“No way, dude… she was there, listening?” I said, covering my smile with my hand.
“… and practically rips my clothes off!” he finished. “Since then, it’s been… intense.”
“And the nudity thing?” I asked.
Jack shrugged again. “As far as Hatsu’s concerned, her sister and I are… spiritually married, or something… now, which makes everyone I consider to be sibling-close… “
“Like me and Raina.” I said.
“And Vincent, and Angelique… they’re all family now, too.” he continued. “And, in their era, anyway… families didn’t sweat things like that.”
The Witch: Book Two of The Sorceress Saga Page 20