Stir Until Petrified

by Theda Vallee

  We ate quietly in the motel’s restaurant. I’d been so calm and collected when we left this morning. Everything in me had been certain that this was the path we needed to take. Now that we had a date with the people who wanted me dead I was second-guessing everything. The food might have been good, but I didn’t even get one bite to my mouth. I slid it around on my plate lost in thought.

  The biggest regret I had right now was bringing my sister. She’d begged, pleaded, and in the end demanded to come along. If the tables had been turned, and it was her meeting a group of would-be assassins, I’d never let her go alone. As much as I wanted to keep her safe, Nonna was not just my grandmother. Nerina had every right to fight for her life as much as I did. I just hoped I’d be able to protect her if it came to that.

  “I’m going to call it a night guys,” I said, giving up on my dinner.

  “Lame. I’m not tired at all,” Nerina said.

  “Let’s go get a drink at the bar. It says they have karaoke. We can be John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John and duet like nobody’s watching,” Brady said, bouncing in the booth with enthusiasm.

  “Is it really a good idea for you two to go out tonight?” I asked.

  “They already sent their invitation. If we keep it chill, I doubt they’ll come out to play tonight.” Brady said.

  I had serious doubts that Brady and Nerina could keep it chill. However, he was probably right. The Benandanti wouldn't risk exposing themselves in town. They had to live here amongst the common folk who had no idea who or what they were. A few hours of peace and quiet sounded wonderful. It was only six. If we went to the room now, Nerina would torment me for hours before letting me fall asleep.

  “You know what, if Luc is good with it, go have fun. Don’t get drunk. Don’t stay out too late. Above all things do not wake me up when you get back or I will spit in your coffee tomorrow,” I said, hoping they believed my threat.

  I slid out of the booth leaving them to figure out their plans for the evening. I could hear Nerina’s excited laughter as I left the restaurant. Luc would hopefully give them a sterner warning about staying sober and getting rest. They both knew how dangerous tomorrow was going to be. We all needed to bring our A game.

  Our rooms were on the other side of the small parking lot. I walked briskly, the evening chill whispering across my arms leaving goosebumps in its wake. The air here was heavy with the scent of flowers from the meadows. It was different than the ocean air that I was used to at home. You could taste the wildness on it. Since I’d started using my magic, I’d become more connected to the environments around me. I could pick out the scents of nature. I felt the health and well-being of the ecosystems that I walked through. It felt as if nature had allowed me to become a part of its ebb and flow.

  I unlocked the door to the room, entering cautiously. I was starting to learn to look before I leaped. I found the bedside lamp without tripping over anything. As my eyes adjusted I tried not to cringe at the thought of sleeping here tonight.

  It looked like the motel had opened in 1972 and never been touched again. Dark brown shag carpet was matted to the floor like a dog that needed grooming. The lone bed in the room was covered with an orange, yellow, and rust colored monstrosity that was threadbare. The loud print of the bedspread couldn't cover the fact that the bed sagged pathetically in the middle. I was going to spend the night trying not to get sucked into that vortex. A battered desk sat in one corner with no chair. At least there was a television. It was so old it had dials to change the channel, but hopefully the screen still worked.

  I was terrified to see what the bathroom looked like. I pushed the door open, flipping the light switch on. It sputtered to life like a horror movie lighting effect. That didn’t bode well. The toilet looked usable, but the lid was cracked and hanging off to the side. The single pedestal sink’s faucet was corroded with mineral build up. Opening the shower curtain I let out a groan. It looked like Swamp Thing had raised a few children in there. Thankfully I’d brought flip-flops. There was no way I was going to stand on that tile with my bare feet.

  Taking the plunge, I stripped in the room and donned my flip-flops. I showered as quickly as I could. The sputtering lukewarm water encouraging me to hurry it up. Wrapping myself as best I could in the tiny towels, I stepped back into the room to find Luc drawing sigils on the door with chalk.

  “What the hell are you doing in here?” I demanded.

  “I’m not leaveing you alone. We’re in enemy territory in case you forgot,” he said, glancing over at my barely covered body. His gaze held for a moment before quickly turning back to the task at hand. “Sorry, I hadn’t realized you’d be in the shower when I came in.”

  Fantastic. Why was it since I met him, I kept ending up naked in front of him somehow? The gap in my towel left nothing to the imagination exposing my nether regions to the world. I was grateful I’d ladyscaped recently. For once I wasn’t rocking a 70’s bush downstairs.

  I could feel the magic that bubbled under the surface when we were together spark to life. It made my knees quiver as it stirred. The last thing I needed was sex magic rearing its head. I was supposed to be relaxing for a few hours.

  “Just stay turned around for a minute, please,” I said.

  I dug in my backpack pulling out a tank top and underwear. I was supposed to be sharing this room with my sister, so I didn’t bring anything else but another pair of jeans. I’d be damned if I lounged around in jeans. That was no way to relax.

  “Do you want to find us something to watch?” I asked, climbing onto the bed. Might as well use him as the remote since he’d decided to invade my room.

  He stood in front of the ancient television turning the knob through the thirteen channels until I found something I wanted to watch. It was an old rerun I’d seen plenty of times, but we didn’t have a ton of options. Luc went around to the other side of the bed and made himself comfortable. I’d complain, but I wasn’t going to ask him to sit on the floor. It looked toxic.

  “Are you nervous about tomorrow?” I asked him. It’d be nice to know I wasn’t the only one with the jitters.

  “A bit. I’m worried I won’t able to protect you if I need to. I brought you here. It’s my job to make sure you get home again.”

  “In your defense I bullied you into coming. You’re not responsible for anything if this goes bad. Besides, I did a pretty good job of protecting you the other day. I think I can hold my own pretty well.” I smiled at him, trying to lighten his load. I was the one who should bear the burden if something went wrong. We were here because I’d demanded to come. “Thank you, by the way. I don’t know why you decided to help me, but I am grateful.”

  “Why do you think I’m helping?” He asked leaning in towards me.

  Blue lights rolled off his body as he moved closer to me. He reached up, tucking a curl behind my ear. I looked down to see the purple light begin dancing along my skin. His hand moved down to cup my chin. Gently he tilted my face up, letting his lips fall softly to the side of my mouth. He moved over, kissing the other side of my mouth. Pulling back, he peered into my eyes with a heat that made me quiver downstairs.

  “You have a death wish maybe?” I said softly.

  “No. I did this for you.”

  “Why? Why me?” I asked, my lip trembling as he traced it with his thumb.

  “Why not you? From the moment I saw you, I was enchanted. Every day I sink a little deeper.”

  I kissed his thumb as it ran along my lips, pulling it into my mouth without a thought. His sharp intake of breath made me smile. It was a heady thing to be able to make a man crumble so easily.

  What was I doing? I didn’t fully trust him. He was a jerk more often than he wasn't. I had no idea what this weird magic was between us. He was the son of powerful Osservatori monsters. All things that should have me clapping my thighs together and running for the exit.

  Yet, he’d followed me across states to help me save my grandmother. I wasn't the only one in dange
r. He was half witch. If the Benandanti were as twisted as everyone said, being half witch would be enough to sign his death warrant as well. Yet here he was, trying to find something to watch on television while protecting me from people who might murder us both. I didn’t know if it was enough to build a relationship on. I had no idea if that’s what I even wanted, but was it ok to say maybe? If we died tomorrow, I was going to be pissed that I’d denied myself a night of down and dirty sex with a guy that was built by the gods. Lust wasn’t a great foundation for a relationship, but no one said we had to date. I was tired of having this argument with myself. Every time he got near I had to run through the list of pros and cons of sleeping with him. I was starting to get sick of myself and this second-guessing shit. Maybe I just needed to turn my brain off for a few hours.

  “What are you thinking?” Luc asked.

  “Too many things.” I ran my hand along his jaw. He was so very handsome.

  To hell with it. In case this was my last night on earth, I was getting laid. I’d deal with whatever the fall out was later. I pushed down all my reservations. All the little demons in my head that wanted me to feel bad for making the choice I was about to make, and I kissed him. It was a kiss of pure need. The waves of magic collided in the air around us, dancing in soft pulsing waves.

  “Etta, you don’t have to do anything you aren't ready for. We can stop, watch TV or take a nap.” He pressed his forehead against mine his voice breathy with need.

  “Shut up and fuck me until I forget my name,” I whispered, sucking his bottom lip into my mouth.

  I could feel his chest rumble with laughter as my hands clutched his shirt. He leaned down, nipping at my earlobe. I tossed my head back giving him better access, as the feel of his teeth on my ear sent chills down to my toes. My back arched in surprise when his hand reached under my shirt to gently cup my breast. Slowly he moved his thumb over my nipple, gently teasing and pulling at the sensitive flesh. His hand moved up to caress to my neck. His fingers danced down along the line that arced into my shoulder. Soft teasing strokes that sent shivers cascading across my entire body. He followed his caresses with tender kisses, burning a trail across my skin in the wake of his fingertips.

  “You’re beautiful. Every inch of your body is a masterpiece. These luscious curves are a work of art.” He traced the outline of my hips with his fingers. I moaned softly as a rainbow of color followed his hands, sending waves of pleasure over each spot he touched.

  Luc lifted my tank top over my head, tossing it to the side. As soon as my breasts were exposed, he took a nipple between his teeth sucking it into his mouth letting his teeth scrape across the skin. Electricity skittered across my flesh. I dug my fingers into his hair letting a whimper of pleasure escape from my lips. He let go, grinning wickedly at me before taking the other nipple into his mouth. I moaned in protest when he stopped and began kissing his way down lower.

  “I want every piece of you.” He said his mouth hovering above my mound. He reached up and pulled my panties down as if he was unwrapping a gift. When they were gone, he took in my body, devouring me with his eyes, seeing everything I had to offer. “Perfection. Every inch of you.”

  With reverence he butterflied kisses along the lips between my thighs, never touching the inner part of me. How had I lived my life never knowing how sensitive that part of my body was? Everyone made a beeline for the clit because that’s the showstopper, they were all so wrong. This is exactly where they should be starting. A shockwave of magic pulsed within me as the warmth of his lips touched me over and over. I wiggled, groaning my appreciation with each tease of his mouth.

  He stood up, lifting his shirt up and tossing it over his head. I watched in appreciation as his taunt muscles flexed with every movement. I had no words to offer to him as he had me. Lust filled my brain, leaving me incapable of coherent thought. I stared greedily as his hand moved to the button of his jeans. He slid them down over his muscled thighs slowly, keeping eye contact with me. He stood there in his black boxer briefs, his erection straining against the fabric. Slowly, he pulled the boxers down, his cock jutting out as it escaped its confines. I wanted to touch every inch of his body with my mouth. I rolled onto my side patting the bed next to me.

  He clambered up the bed until his face was next to mine, his long body molding against me. I could feel his erection press into my stomach as we melded. The need to have him inside of me was almost unbearable, but I wasn't going to rush this. It’d been six years since a man had been inside of me. I wanted to savor every moment of tonight.

  After what seemed like an eternity of torture, both of us teasing each other with barely-there caresses, he gently spread me apart finding the pulsing heat between my legs. His finger brushed against my clit, sending a spark of electricity to my core. I slid my hand up his shaft, allowing the smoothness to glide through my hand as he traced his finger up the sensitive flesh surrounding my clit. Finally, his finger landed on the throbbing mound that held eight thousand nerves, all dedicated to my pleasure. Applying pressure, he began caressing again, lavishing all his attention there. Waves of light cascaded around us, dancing to the rhythm of his movement. Whimpers of pleasure escaped from me as he finally kissed me again. Our mouths melded as the pleasure rippled through us.

  As the bliss built up, the need to have him inside me grew into an ache. Pushing on his chest until he lay flat I straddled his body, nestling him in between my legs. His erection buried between the folds of my lips firmly. The slightest shift of our bodies rubbed me where his hand had just been. Each tiny movement left me panting for breath as the need in me begged for release. The raw desire reflected in his face made me feel like a goddess. Years of pent-up lust washed over me. I wasn't a seventeen-year-old girl fumbling around in the dark this time. I was a woman. A woman who could want and be wanted.

  I kissed him with every moment of repression I’d ever allowed myself to feel. I thrust my tongue into his mouth, searching and teasing. I rocked against him allowing the delectable feel of him to envelop me. He wasn’t even inside of me yet and I felt like I was abandoning my conscious body, leaving behind a shell dedicated to passion.

  I moved away from his face, trailing kisses from his chin down to the exquisite muscles of his chest. I allowed my hand to own and possess every contour of his body. I took his nipple into my mouth and bit down ever so slowly. Toying with his nipple, I twirled my tongue around it and scraped my teeth tentatively across the sensitive peek. Groans, gritted teeth and nails digging into my backside told me to keep going.

  I needed him inside me. I was done with teasing. Lifting, I moved until I felt the tip of him pressing against my entry. Inch by inch I pressed down, allowing him to fill me. Every nerve along the path flared to life as I took all of him in. For a moment I sat there, savoring the feeling. I flexed my muscles stroking him from inside without moving. Luc cried out grasping my hips, thrusting up deep inside of me. In a rhythm as ancient and primal as the blood in our veins we moved with each other. Our hands slid over every naked piece of flesh we could find. Our mouths moved in frenzied time with our bodies, biting, kissing, and savaging everything they met. I watched his face as I regulated the thrusting, giddy with power. Slow. Steady. Rough. Each rhythm unleashing a part of me that had been caged away for too long.

  Finally, I let him take over; I wanted him to drive me over the edge. I rolled over onto my back, spreading my legs apart for him. On his knees between my legs he pushed back into me, gliding easily into my dripping wet slit. I met each thrust, our bodies melding in perfect unison. With every push into me, I moved closer and closer to the edge. Streaks of purple and blue, like sparklers on the 4th of July washed over our bodies. Each pulse of light sending a quake of ecstasy across my flesh. The light mingled between us, merging and melding into a brilliant white enfolding both in its glow.

  I screamed Luc’s name as the world began to splinter apart. My ecstasy spilled over as my core spasmed. Luc inhaled, moaning as his body shuddering as h
e reached his climax. The white light that had been growing between us burst into a supernova of colors. The light filled the room, shining like all the stars in the galaxy were shimmering just for us. I felt my magic surge forward, it was met by Luc’s magic melding together before slamming back into us. Another orgasm rippled through us on impact. Luc collapsed on me, both of us panting, our breaths coming in shallow bursts.

  “Etta, Etta? Are you OK?” Nerina’s muffled voice shouted from the other side of the door.

  “Girl, get away from the door. Those were screams of pleasure.” Brady’s voice said.

  Giggling against Luc’s shoulder, I tried to slow my breathing. “What the hell was that?”

  “Do I really need to explain what just happened?’” Luc asked, grinning as he rolled over to lay next to me.

  “Not that! The color explosions and twisty magic orgasmo explosion,” I said smacking his chest.

  “I have no idea. It’s never happened to me before.” he answered, kissing my temple.

  “Is it going to do that every time?” I didn’t want to be greedy but that magic induced bonus orgasm was indescribable. I really hoped it wasn’t a one-time thing.

  “You’re already thinking about a second round?” He grinned at me mischievously.

  “I didn't say that,” I said giving him a pointed look.

  “Well, there’s only one way to find out.”

  “My body is jelly. There’s no way round two is happening anytime soon.” I tried to lift my leg to prove my point. They were useless right now.

  “Well, when you’re ready to find out let me know.” Luc pulled me into his arms.

  I snuggled in close to him contently. I wouldn't tell him, but it had been mind-blowing sex. Not that I had a lot to compare it to. I never understood what the big deal was with sex. With Redmond it had felt good but if I had an orgasm it was a complete accident. Nerina was constantly telling me how bad she needed to get laid and I’d always wondered why. It was easier to take care of it yourself and I’d do a better job.