Pain of Loneliness(1)
Pain of loneliness (1): Big City Wanderer to small town dreamer...
Alex: Driving up to the white house, I couldn't help but notice how it seemed to be larger than the others on the street. Out of place and without doubt, the talk of the town I guessed. A big house in a small town. With barely enough shops, or people to make things interesting for someone from Calgary. Delburne was, in all senses of the word, a farming community, and like a farm community, I knew that gossip was one of the top things on the local 'to do' list each day. Aside from the younger people planning where to get drunk or stoned come the weekend. Dad turned off the Trooper and sat there a moment, looking at the house and then to me with a wry smile.
"Welcome home," he said cheerfully, though there was something in his voice that told me the welcome was only temporary.
'Yeah...Welcome home and I hope the hell you leave again soon,' I thought, getting out of the Trooper and removing my bags from the back seat as Dad went to unlock the house. The feral dogs barked and yipped as my father stepped through the door, crowding around his feet and making him shout and stamp his feet in frustration.
"Get out of my way you fucking animals!" He yelled, booting the small terrier to the side so that he could get his shoes off.
"Jacky, Bentley, come here!" my mother said from the top of the stairs, patting her thighs to emphasize her words. Both dogs scrambled up the stairs towards her, wagging their tails enthusiastically before turning around to look and whine at me.
"Bloody dogs!" my father growled, shaking his head and shoving his coat into the closet. "Next time I'm going to buy a muzzle for them."
"Oh shut up!" Mom snapped, glaring at him as she picked up the little black terrier. "They're just excited. Hello Alex. How was the trip up?"
"Fine," I said, giving a wry smile which quickly faded as I caught my fathers black look to the dogs. 'Not even five minutes in the door, and nothings changed except the house.'
"Are those your cloths and stuff?" Mom asked as I came up stairs with my bags. I nodded and she looked them over a moment before shooing Bentley out of the way. Like any feral Basset hound, he was a glutton for attention, what people often called 'suck puppies' in regards to pets. She smiled and hugged me gently before stepping back and saying, "Follow me."
In the pale light of afternoon, the canary yellow paint stood out even more, not helping the look of the green foam mattress and hardwood floors. The two didn't mix with a flowery carpet at the end of the bed, it wasn't something that made me feel welcome or at home. "This is the only place we can put you for the moment," she said as I set my stuff down on the floor and looked around.
"It's fine," I said, quickly opening my bags and shutting them again after I verified their contents.
"Supper should be ready in a bit," mother said, looking around before embracing me gently. "It's good to have you at home again," she whispered, resting her head against my chest since that was as tall as she stood.
'Wish I could say the same,' I thought, holding her for a moment before letting go and stepping back. She left the room and I shut the door, turning to lean against it and close my eyes for a brief moment.
Of all the things that I could have done, or places I could have gone to live until I found another job, this was the worst choice. I had moved out of my parents' hope three years ago, sick and tired of the bullshit and complaints that were constantly made known to me but no one else in the house. It had been peaceful, if more than a little lonely. Yet after walking out of a job that ordered me to change my values both in regards to work and personal life, I didn't have any other options. Not even ten minutes in this new home, I already knew that things would be back to normal, and there was nothing that I could do about it. Sighing, I changed shirt and pants, then went to the washroom to splash some cold water on my face to help get rid of the weariness I was starting to feel. Water created rivers along the bumps in the scales, running to the end of my snout and dripping back into the sink as I looked up into the mirror. Black scales shimmered slightly with all colors in the setting sunlight, like ammonite that had been cabbed to perfection for jewelry. Silver eyes stared back at me, their golden pupils making small star bursts against the platinum coloring. Dark blue hair cascaded past my shoulders to either side of the small horns that followed the curve of my skull and went just a little beyond, framing my head like a helm. Well over 7'2" in height, everyone else in the house hold was shorter than me, my father by just a few inches. I wasn't overly powerful in build, yet, there wasn't a lot of apparent muscle on me either.
Drying my face off with a towel, I left and caught sight of my mother in the kitchen, pulling things out of the fridge for dinner. Childbirth and age was apparent on her features. Petite, and a little stocky, her brunette hair fell to her shoulders and was kept back by a set of hair clips. Eyes of forest green that could change to woodland brown in an instant, there was very little about her appearance that set her apart from other mothers that had made the effort to help care for the family. Except for the gem that was embedded in the center of her forehead. Midnight blue, and shaped in the likeness of a teardrop, the stone was framed by a circlet of silver bands that appeared to be woven together. Mother was an Emrethal, a person with sixth senses and abilities that most had taken for granted in ages past or hunted down unless they were approved of by the Christian church. Emrethal were, in general considered to be an ancient race, while scientists claimed that they were the next stage in human evolution. They were connected to the energies of the world that few could even claim to understand. My tail twitched slightly and I shook my head as a random thought passed through my mind.
Going downstairs, I saw that my father was already engrossed in a golf show on the satellite and big screen TV he had purchased. Pure human and of a like mind with those that didn't care for Emrethal's or others like them, what had been running through his mind to marry my mother was beyond me. At 6'3", he was just showing his age with balding salt pepper hair and a slight paunch that he tried to hide sometimes while standing. My brother Mel was also watching the TV, but mostly just because it was on and there was nothing else to do apparently in this small town. Where I had been born looking more than a little draconic, my brother had been the luckier one. Human in appearance except for his dark brown eyes that shimmered gold in the dark, Mel was often far better at things than I was. Mostly mechanics and manual labor, the two things that I could usually do better than him was working with computers and writing.
Between the two of us, He was the prized child, the one expected to do everything right the first time. Especially by our father.
I on the other hand, was the proverbial black 'scaled' sheep. During the years I had been living at home, there was nothing that I could do correctly or to the satisfaction of my father.
"So, anything else on?" I asked, standing behind my fathers chair and resting my clawed hands gently upon the back of it.
"Not really. Unless you want to see 'How it's Made' on Discovery," Mel said, turning to look at me and smiling a bit.
"Was there something that you wished to watch?" Dad asked, looking up at me a moment. "If so, tough luck. Tiger Woods is playing in this PGA tour of Pebble Beach."
'Like it would matter if there was something on I wanted to watch,' I thought, shaking my head and going up to the front door. Shrugging into my jacket and putting on my modified boots, I unlocked the door.
"Where're you going?" Mom asked, coming to the top of the stairs and looking at me with concern.
"Just out for a walk around town," I replied, glancing up at her. "Might as well take a look and see if there are any others like me around as well as what I can do for the heck of it."
"Supper will be ready soon though."
"Start without me," I said, stepping outside and shutting the door.
Fresh, unbiased air...I breathed it in deeply and exhaled slowly, savoring the scents and feeling of it filling my lungs. So much different from the air in a big city, full of toxins from car and truck fumes. There were some here, but not as concentrated as they were in Calgary. Walking down the gravel driveway, I turned towards the towns' main street as soon as I reached pavement. Old houses, duplex's, and turn of the century business's buildings surrounded me, some abruptly ending at the edge of a farmer's field, park, or grove of tree's that no one has bothered to clear out for unknown reasons. The few people that I saw stared at me before quickly hurrying about their business, uncertainty or disgust marring their faces as soon as they saw my inhuman features. A car turned onto the street that I was walking down and slowed as it passed me, only to speed up as soon as it passed by and screech around another corner. Stopping to look in the direction it had gone, I shook my head.
"Great, just great. Gossip, distrust, and fear of freaks. Just the kind of place I needed to move into," I muttered, shaking my head.
Just over a hundred years had passed since Emrethal's had become an accepted race by the world governments. UN and Country laws promised them fair and humane rights in politics, work, and all other aspects of life. Their half-breed children though, were a different mater. Daemons, so dubbed by the religions and churches that refused to baptize children of human and Emrethal unions, were seldom trusted by anyone except their own kind or Emrethal's. Those that had been lucky enough to be born with human forms were quickly marked as being full blooded Emrethal's, complete with passports, blood and family records as well as Social Insurance Numbers that guaranteed a job would be available no matter where they applied. Those that had human forms but discolored skin hair, or physical features that couldn't be hidden were mostly outcasts in society.
We could get jobs and places to live, but the employer's and land lords were under no obligation to make sure that the wages or living conditions met the standards for humans or Emrethal. Too many people distrusted us since we looked different and had abilities they didn't understand. Daemons...Demons would have been a more appropriate term if the churches had their way.
Reaching the end of the street, I looked through the window of the small Co-Op store and gave a wry smile to the woman standing behind the till. Her eyes widened and she looked as if she was about to scream. Before she did so, she quickly moved from behind the counter and to the door, taking the OPEN sign and turning it around to CLOSED. My smile faded, and with it, any humor that I might have found in her expression. I heard someone shouting from behind her and she turned to confront a tall oriental human that had emerged from the back of the store. He gestured at the sign demanding to know what was wrong, and in response, the woman gestured to me and clearly mouthed the word 'demon!'
The human and I locked eyes for a moment before I shrugged and continued on my way, heading for a large park I had seen when my father drove in to town earlier...
***
...I watched the sun set in the West and felt the approaching night creep in from the East, the sensations so familiar, so relaxing to me. In this place, they were the only things that I could understand and relate to. Ever since I was a child, the coming of night had filled me with peace and strength, something that Mother said was due to my form and abilities. Something that made me special...A special freak I had learned later. Snorting and closing my eyes, I rested my arm on a bench that had been placed beside the tree which my back rested against. "Be lucky if I don't get driven out of this town at night with pitch forks and torches waving behind me," I muttered.
"Naw... Most likely, they'll have chain saws and squirrel guns if anything," commented a croaking voice from above me. Looking up, I saw a Raven shift slightly on its perch and look at me with one baleful yellow eye.
"Trickster or just trying to get off on your wish bone?" I asked, giving a wry smile. The dark bird squawked and took off from its perch, landing carefully on my bent knee and ruffling its feathers.
"Maybe the first, maybe the latter," the Raven chuckled, preening one wing for a moment. "Either way, I won't get fatter." Giving a derisive chuckle, I closed my eyes again and leaned back.
"You hoping that I'll die quickly then so that you can get your feast?"
"Quite the contrary," the bird replied, shifting again. "Just seeing who the new Daemon in town is. So far, not much different from those that who've passed through, yet very much so from others that have been born here."
"Repent! Renounce your sins and the devil Satan. So God will forgive you come judgment day!" I shouted throwing my hands up towards the sky and making the Raven croak in protest as my actions forced it to take flight. Chuckling, I watched the bird descend again and said, "Some God. Your birth determines whether you're good or evil, and even after you've accepted the church, you are a sinner until death claims you and their benevolent God forgives you for the sins you have committed, as well as the largest sin which is to be born different."
"Looking a little on the dark side of things, aren't we?"
"I am on the dark side of things, Raven," I muttered, watching the bird land again. "Always have been, always will be." There was silence for a long moment before I felt a beak tap against the sole of my boots.
"Would I be able to tell other Daemon's that you're here?" Raven asked tentatively.
"In town or the general area?"
"Whatever way I happen to fly..."
"Go ahead. It's not like I'll be going anywhere soon," I told Raven with a sigh...
***
...Supper was cold by the time I got back home from the field. Mom, Dad, and Mel having already helped themselves and finished long before I walked in the door.
"Where the hell have you been?" Dad asked, coming to stand at the bottom of the stairs that led up from the basement.
"Walking," I told him, hanging my jacket up and removing my boots.
"Walking...Walking where?"
"Around town, where else?"
"I give up, you have absolutely no respect for what your mother and I have tried to do for you-"
"Aside from giving me a place to stay against your desires and only because Mom left you with no choice until I can find a job and place of my own to live?" I remarked, staring at him with a blank expression. "You're right; I don't know how much you have given up for me to be here. Whether you see it as disrespect or something else, I don't give a damn right now. Just...Leave me alone..." Taking the stairs to the main level two at a time and walking quickly, I tried to ignore the swearing that followed me, as well as the argument that started up between Mon and Dad.
Reaching my room, I shut the door quietly and leaned against it, so many emotions inside battling for dominance that I felt as if my head was about to explode. "Leave me ALONE!" I shouted to no one but my emotions. Shadows writhed and erupted from me, lashing out at pictures, bed, and windows alike. Glass shattered in webs, carpets rolled up upon themselves and slammed against the wall repeatedly, and bed flipped over and crashed hard on the floor. Fighting for control, I sank to the floor and silently wept as the shadows returned to normal, everything affected by them stopping at once...
***
Knock, knock, knock...
I stirred, the sound of someone rapping their knuckles upon my door annoying, the light entering my room not helping things. Sore, tense, and feeling drained, I didn't want to talk with anyone or go anywhere today. Yet, that's what I would have to do, if I was ever to get out of this house without destroying it.
"Come in," I croaked, my voice dry and cracking. Mom entered slowly, gasping as she looked around at the effects of last night's outburst.
"Alex...what...what happened?" she asked, kneeling beside me after making sure there was nothing on the floor that would harm her. Mom reached up to caress my cheek lightly and hissing a moment as she carefully touched my left hand. I winced slightly, looking down to see that the scales on the back of it were torn by large shards of glass, dark burgundy patches of dried blood were caked around each piece. I smiled grimly and looked up at her, seeing shock and worry in her face.
"What always happens when I lose control," I said, giving a dark chuckle and biting my lip to keep from roaring as I tugged a jagged piece of glass from my hand, blood quickly welling up from the wound.
"Shit! Keep still and don't pull any other shards out," she said curtly, leaving me for a moment and returning with tweezers, bandages and gauze to put over the wounds. There was no need for anti-septic since my blood was able to destroy any virus, bacteria, or disease that came in contact with it. The doctor that had examined me and run the blood tests when I was a child had been amazed by this, but when he tried using my blood to cure his AID's, the effect was less than what had been hoped for. My blood cleansed him of the disease, and went on to destroy every organ in his body leaving his heart and brain till last. We had signed a waver to prevent any murder charges from being laid against us before he tried to use my blood, yet his family had never forgiven us...forgiven me...
"Bite down on this," Mom said, holding a piece of leather wrapped wood before my lips. Taking it, I closed my eyes, feeling a few pieces of leather become severed by my razor sharp teeth and waited. Mom crooned to me and I felt her grip one of the shards with the tweezers carefully. "One, two, Three!" Wood splintered as I held back a howl of pain, needles of acid jabbing into my left hand to replace the dull pain of the shards.
"What the heck is going on now?" Dad growled, as I heard him come to a stop outside my room. "Wha-What the fuck have you done to this room?!"
"Be quiet! I can't dig out these glass shards and yell at you at the same time," Mom said, yanking out another shard and making me arch back, a muffled roar tearing itself from my throat as the wood in my mouth broke. Spitting it out across the room, I panted for breath, my right hand clawing at the floor as I tried to ignore the pain I was feeling.
"Leave the shards in his hand," Dad shouted, turning around and stomping away from us. "Maybe the bastard will learn not to use his fucking abilities next time he has a tantrum."
"This is your son you're talking about! Can't you hear that he's in pain?!"
"Really? I thought the fuck was just singing," he retorted, striding back over to us as Mom removed the last shard from my hand. "We accept him into our quarter of a million dollar home and not even one day here, he wrecks his room because he's pissed off!"
"Shut up!" I roared, staggering to my feet and glaring down at my father. I grimaced slightly as his face blanched, but he didn't step away from me. I didn't know what to say, and at the moment, I was feeling too much pain to want to say anything. "You'll be getting what you want soon enough, Dad. Just give me a moment, and you'll never see me again."
"Alex-" Mom started, placing a hand on my shoulder hesitantly.
"It was a mistake for me to come here, and you know it, Mom," I told her, raising my left hand and looking at the dark gashes without emotion. I was angry, and didn't care what happened, but I wasn't going to take it out on anyone here, as much as I wanted to.
"At least let me bandage your hand..." I nodded and waited for that to be done before gathering the few bags I had and heading for the door. Mom placed a hand on my arm to stop me and I turned to see her holding out a handful of $20 bills. Looking up at where my father stood at the top of the stairs to the main level, I ignored the money, opening the door and stepping through it without another word.
Heading for the road out of town, I felt an emotional weight lift from my shoulders, only to have another settle in its place. There would be no welcome for me from my Mother or Father, not for the pain and heartache I've caused them, and I knew that going back would just make things worse. Turning west, onto the Delburne road that connected to the highway, I looked up at the road sign.
Red Deer 45km
***
"...Wake up, we're here," the driver said, tapping my shoulder slightly. Shaking my head to clear away the desire to sleep, I looked around, noting that he had stopped at an Esso Gas station that ran along the city's Gasoline Alley. Opening the back door to the van and stepping out with my bags, I turned and smiled at the driver. An Emrethal, the man couldn't have been any older than 25 years by appearance, but I knew that they could be well over two hundred and still seem to be in their teens if they chose.
"Thanks," I said, raising a hand in farewell before closing the door. He nodded and drove off carefully until out on the main road, vanishing from sight in a few moments. Red Deer, not quite as big as Calgary or Edmonton, the city had none the less tried to make itself a place worth visiting or living in. In the mid day sun, there was little to really see as far as some things went, then again, being able to see better in the dark made me a little biased. My main concern however was trying to find a place to stay for the night or at least a job that I could use to pay for a motel room.
Applying along Gasoline Alley and other business's that I saw, it helped me keep my thoughts on the present, rather than dwelling on self pity and anger at the words my father had spoken earlier in the morning. Half of the managers I met with when handing out resumes and applications were curt and said very little to me before wishing that I had a good day. My hearing picked up the distinct sound of paper shredders being turned on as soon as I was out of sight, and the sound of paper being run through them following. Others seemed too tired, intimidated, or busy to even give the resumes a second glance before hastily stashing them away in case they were desperate enough to call me for an interview.
Stopping to rest a moment outside Red Deer Center on the other side of town, I set my bag down beside me on the bench and sighed, closing my eyes. The sun was already setting and the cool of the evening was just starting to come into play.
"Are we having fun yet?" croaked a voice before me.
"Of all the beings I might want to speak with, you aren't one of them at the moment, Raven," I muttered, looking around and finding Raven perched on a shopping cart just a few feet away from me.
There were days when I hated having the ability to speak with some animals. They knew that I could understand them and some took advantage of it in more than one way.
"True, yet it could keep you from freezing your scaly ass of tonight," the bird cawed, the edges of its beak curving up in an unmistakable grin.
"What would it cost me, feather brain? Road kill or a dead cat?"
"First of all, my name's not Feather Brain. Meridian is my name, and I would have expected a little more respect from one such as you," He croaked again, jumping off the cart to glide over and land on the bench beside me. "Second, I'm not the one you'd need to worry about paying."
"Ahh, so you're doing this out of the goodness of your heart?" I said, snorting in disbelief.
"Let's just say that someone else would be paying me if I convinced you to take up her offer."
"Her?" A woman wanted to speak with me? That didn't make any sense, not unless it was a trap to snare a Daemon for a street gang of humans or something. Then again, that couldn't be it either. No humans could communicate with animals beyond emotions, and even the few pendants or rings that Emrethal sold that allowed such communication to be had the items rigged so that humans sounded like complete fools to the animals they wished to speak with. Rarely, there would be a good translation stone made that was true to it's bearer as to what the animal says and vice versa.
"Yes 'Her'," Miridian said, fluffing his feathers up and looking a little smug. "What's wrong? You're not afraid of Females are you?"
"Haven't had a reason to be," I replied darkly.
"Not a unique are you?" This succeeded in getting a glare from me, which caused Miridian to flap his wings and hop from one foot to the other as if ready to take off. "I take that as a no."
"What would I be doing to repay this woman?" I asked cautiously, the need for shelter and curiosity getting the better of me.
"She didn't say, though it's none of my business either way," the raven cawed, smiling. "So what will it be?" Looking around a moment then down at the binder I held that was full of resumes, I sighed and packed it away.
"Where is she?"
***
The night club Miridian guided me to, turned out to be a little more than an hour's walk away from Red Deer Center, just outside of the downtown area. The sign above the entrance called it 'Hybrid Theory', and showed an Emrethal and Daemon stepping away from a human which stood in the center of the poster. The other two figures seemed to be emerging or breaking away from the Human who happened to be looking at the ground. The building itself was three stories tall and probably had a sub level for parking.
"You've got to be joking?" I said, watching a human couple enter the place as an Emrethal and Daemon walked out, staggering slightly, but whether from their laughter or alcohol, I couldn't say.
"Would you rather have a park bench to sleep upon and get arrested for loitering by the police?" Miridian remarked, preening his left wing.
"Or anything else they happen to think is worth charging me with?" I said, giving a dark chuckle. "No thanks. However, you could at lease give me the name of the woman I'm supposed to talk with before I go in."
"Have you walk in without a name and make a fool of yourself by asking around to see if anyone's been waiting for you, or give you a name to make sure you meet up with Her sooner...Decisions, decisions," the raven croaked with amusement. Glaring at Miridian, the laughter soon changed to a squawk of surprise as his shadow wrapped around him without warning and started to squeeze.
"I don't have time for bullshit," I said calmly, slowly increasing the tightness of the shadow tendrils. "Give me a name or I'll be using your feathered head for a pendant."
"A-s-s-Ashra!" He gasped, legs frantically trying to grab hold of something that he might used to get away from the shadows. Nodding, I released Miridian and stepped towards the entrance as he took off, calling out insults to my back.
The Emrethal at the doorway was a huge person, mostly muscle and almost matching me for height. With an amber star shaped stone embedded in his forehead, he looked me over quickly before giving the ok to enter the club.
Hybrid Theory was one of the few night clubs that had been appearing in recent years that catered to human, Emrethal, and Daemon's alike. It was a neutral place for those that just wished to have a good time could come and not have to worry about those that were against racial mixing. Mostly Emrethal and Humans, the crowd was never the less dotted with Daemons, maybe one for every three or four of the others. Quite a few people were here considering that the place was packed and it wasn't even seven o'clock. Music sent tremors through the floor and walls as the DJ mixed and altered the tunes to make hearts race and the excitement grow in the crowd. Three stories of black or neon painted wall, the main and first floor were mostly dance areas with a few tables scattered around the outside, a bar on the far left wall. Lights and FX had been placed around the railing on the first floor, adding to the impression of the strobe lights, making everyone seem as though they were moving in slow motion or impossibly fast. Looking up as I stopped beside a support pillar, I saw that the second floor was more of a dining/rest area, with tables, couches and chairs that ranged from small and simple to large and outrageous in appearance.
Looking around, I couldn't help smiling and shaking my head again in disbelief. 'Why the hell did I even bothered trusting Miridian in coming here?' I thought, moving away from the pillar and slowly making my way through the crowd to the bar. 'Survival,' replied my rational side.
The barmaid was a doe Daemon, animalistic features accenting the human qualities of her form nicely. White shirt shone in the black lights, making her generous breasts hard to miss. Tanned fur was marked with neon paints that gave the impression of tattoo's running from her face along her neck and down her arms. Black jeans hugged her legs and hips tightly as she swayed to the music and served customers at the same time. Waiting until she was done helping one couple, I leaned on the counter and help up a hand for a moment to get her attention.
"What can I get for you?!" She shouted above the music, giving a smile and also leaning against the counter as her eyes looked me over slowly. I shifted slightly, not used to such close scrutiny, but I leaned my head a little closer so that I wouldn't have to shout as loud.
"I'm looking for someone by the name of Ashra. Miridian said that I'd be able to find her here!" I replied pulling back a bit as soon as I had spoken. Her smile grew and she looked me over a second time before nodding.
"She's up on the second floor!" She shouted, pointing to one corner and continuing with, "In the purple booth. You can't miss it!"
"Thanks!" I told her nodding and stepping back. Without warning, she grabbed my shirt and pulled me into a rough kiss, taking me completely off guard.
"Any time, Hun!" She said, letting me go with an impish grin and winking. Staggering back and looking at her with surprise, I shook my head, unsure what to say in response. She laughed and turned to help another patron that had arrived at the counter.
'Definitely not what I was expecting,' I thought, but couldn't help but smile anyways.
There were stairs and an elevator that led from each level to the main floor and vice versa, each one with a bouncer standing by them just in case one or more of the patrons got too rough for their own good. Taking the elevator, I watched and listened to the music, even as I made my way to the corner the doe had indicated. It was indeed not that difficult to find, the wall had been painted purple, and there were make shift plastic walls that helped to enclose it from the rest of the sitting areas. The other corners were similar, but painted with different colors. Standing to either side of the opening leading past the barriers were another pair of bouncers, Daemons, one male and panther like in appearance, the other a female of a reptilian likeness.
"What do you want?" the feline asked, holding up a hand as I approached and looking me over carefully before locking gazes. His tone was gruff and used to telling other people what to do, yet there was no disrespect in it.
"I've come to speak with Ashra," I told them, looking at both a moment before returning the panthers gaze. "Miridian said that she might wish to see me if I was interested in a job." He raised an eyebrow a moment before turning to nod to the iguana female and I watched as she entered the room. I couldn't hear anything beyond what was immediately around me, and I stepped back to wait, hooking a thumb through my belt. She emerged shortly with a smile and gestured for me to enter saying, "She'll see you now." I bowed my head slightly in thanks and was about to walk past them when the panther placed a clawed paw on my arm.
"Leave your bags here. You won't need them," he intoned, feline expression broking no argument. Shrugging, I dropped them where I stood and continued on inside.
The moment I passed between the temporary walls, the sounds of the dance music, conversation and shouts of those partying downstairs seemed to lessen, as if I was listening to them from a great distance. Turning around and looking back, I caught the shimmering of something that covered the entry and rose from floor to ceiling.
"A simple spell that helps nullify loud noises or rather, suppress them for those within the barrier," said a gentle female voice behind me, filled with amusement and interest. Calmly facing the speaker, I found myself looking at a lupine female, partially reclined in a large wicker chair filled with pillows.
A jackal, she would have been a match for any picture of the Egyptian God Anubis if it hadn't been for the fact that the sex was different as well as the hide. Milky white fur covered her body which was athletic and voluptuous. White hair was held back by golden clasps that gleamed in the lights of the room; two locks had been braided and hung down to either side of her face. Piercing ice blue eyes regarded me with amusement and such intensity that I felt more than a little uncomfortable. I guessed that Ashra was just over six feet tall, had she been standing. Dressed in gold silk with a length of sky blue cloth running from her hip to a ring on her right hand, she almost looked the part of a Goddess. Self assured, and in control of her emotions. "Welcome to Hybrid Theory," she said, grinning and sitting up a little straighter. "You already know my name, so...Might I have the pleasure of knowing yours?"
"Alex," I said without hesitation, leaving out my last name since it no longer mattered to me. "Miridian made mention that you wished to speak with me. Why?"
"Right to the point, and without hesitation," she murmured, nodding a little in approval. "I like that, but you could be a little more tactful."
"It wasn't something I learned as a child. Please, answer my question, Ashra..." She paused a moment as if gathering her thoughts before gesturing for me to sit in one of the other chairs available.
"Miridian informed me of your arrival near Red Deer last night, but not just because you are a new Daemon to the area," Ashra said, picking up a glass from a nearby table and sipping from it carefully. "That Raven, for some strange reason, can sense abilities or powers within Emrethal and Daemon's alike. Powers that are incredibly strong and might even prove useful to the Daemon if he/she learns control."
"I'm already aware of my powers," I said, tempted to just get up and leave. "If anything, I'd rather not use them since all they seem to cause is trouble."
"Trouble for you or the Humans?"
"Both..."
"That's a lie and you know it, Alex," Ashra said with a derisive chuckle. "They become a problem for you when they attach themselves to your emotions or are used in what you hope to be a helpful way. They become a problem for humanity because they don't understand where these abilities come from. They fear monsters, and we are the monsters until we prove otherwise..."
"Nothing new there," I said, standing up and moving towards the opening.
"Alex, please...I don't mean to lecture you, but there are so many that Miridian finds that don't understand this, and eventually, they end up getting killed by mobs or turning to suicide for a release from the torment they suffer. I called you here because I have an offer to make you, if you are willing to hear it..."
"What kind of offer?" I asked stopping and turning to look at her with an expressionless gaze.
"If you are willing, I can help you strengthen your abilities and learn to keep emotion from taking control of them. If not that, work for me here at Hybrid Theory and I'll set up a place for you to live and you will receive a bi weekly pay check for the time you've worked," she said, rising and setting her glass down before walking over to me.
"Why are you willing to do this? You don't even know me," I said regarding her coldly.
"I know the power that sleeps within you," Ashra murmured, touching my left shoulder and starting to sing softly.
Ashra's voice echoed around us and I felt a chill as energy manifested around her, ice blue eyes glowing brighter with each passing moment. The room darkened and whispers sounded from all around us as pale ghostly shapes appeared in the darkness. Spirits, each one called forth by this Daemon, not out of spite, but by gentle request, each one more than willing to share their secrets. One of them touched me and I felt it's thoughts, its awareness enter my mind, recognizing me, searching me. Spirits...I could hear and see them even without this display of power, but I couldn't communicate with them beyond actions. Ashra's song grew in intensity and as it did so, words came to my mind, unbidden, unlooked for, yet compelling just the same. Taking a deep breath, I sang as well, shadows enveloping me, the lights further darkening as my light baritone voice grew deeper, sounding like distant thunder. The words, all perfectly formed in my mind escaped my lips with the same precision, each one adding to the next until it sounded like a storm was approaching. The spirits fell silent, staring at us, at me with a multitude of expressions on their faces. The song mixed with Ashra's and the combination of voices doubled again, one complimenting the other, drawing strength and returning it a hundred times over. Ashra looked up at me smiling, and her voice changed slightly, her notes peaking for a long moment before slowly descending, drawing my own song with it gently. Each specter bowed or curtsied to use and faded as the song drew to its conclusion and released both of us gently. As the last note left my lips, I felt the shadows return to normal, an unusual peace settling on my mind as I staggered and leaned against a chair for support.
Gasping for breath as the greater part of the euphoria faded, I looked at Ashra and noted that her own smile had grown, even though she was also panting for air.
"What the hell just happened?" I demanded once my heart had slowed enough to let me breath normally.
"That...was a demonstration...of your true power," Ashra breathed, slowly sinking into a chair and closing her eyes momentarily. She held up a hand and laughed as it trembled no matter how still she tried to keep it. "I can call up spirits and weave spells that deal with spirits and the element of air. They answered my call, but I didn't send them back beyond the Veil. That was your doing and it showed me which elements you are connected to."
"Elements? What do you mean?"
"Just like Emrethal, we are connected to elemental energies, but to a limited degree," the jackal female said, picking up her glass and drinking deeply from it. Her voice had become more compassionate and understanding. "Most Daemon's have access to at least one element, some to two. The song I sang is meant to reveal how many connections and to help awaken sleeping abilities in another Daemon. I know that you felt the shadows around you, but there were two other elements I could see around you as well. Earth and Water are in your blood, though the only abilities you've been aware of are those of the Void. I have Spirit and Air, as well as a little Fire, but the latter has never been very strong in me." I sank into a chair and closed my eyes, trying to make sense of this. More abilities, more powers had awakened within me, I could feel them, but...control... If Ashra could awaken them, then she might just be able to help me learn to control them. At what cost though?
"If I consider working for you here and to train in order to control my powers, what do you want in return?" I said at last, gazing at Ashra with newfound respect.
"Protection for my self and others that work and live here," She replied, looking at me evenly. "Something is about to happen and there is nothing that you, I, or anyone else can do to stop it. As Daemon's and Emrethal, we need to stick together and help those we can, even if they happen to be human. Our races may just be what keep's them alive in the end."
"Alive? Alive from what?"
"I don't know...but I will need your answer soon as to whether or not you'll accept my offer," Ashra told me, her expression serious.
"Can I have until morning to think about it?"
"Yes. I'll make sure that you have a room for the night as well as something to eat," she said smiling, standing up and walking over to caress my left cheek gently...
...Watching the dance floor shift and flow to the music as the hours passed, too many thoughts ran through my mind to pin them down individually, probably due to the drink that I had, though alcohol barely affected me. I was still partially caught up in the euphoria I had felt earlier from the song Ashra and I had sung, yet it was something else as well. To find a place where I might belong and have a job at the same time, there were few things I could find wrong with such a proposal. My mind however didn't want to think about it so I just waited and watched, admiring the few women that danced or passed by as I relaxed in my chair.
"Alex?"
Jumping slightly, I looked up to my right and found the doe from the bar standing beside me with a couple drinks in her hands and a Emrethal waitress behind her bearing a tray with two meals upon it. She smiled and set the drinks on the table before taking a seat and beckoning the waitress to come over and deposit her burden. "Didn't mean to startle you," she said her voice light and filled with amusement. "Don't suppose I could join you while I'm on my break?"
"Umm...sure, go right ahead," I told her, sitting up in my seat and looking at the assorted appetizer platter the waitress set before me and a second smaller one before the doe. The waitress smiled and winked at her co-worker before walking off to receive her next order. "I didn't order anything..."
"On the house, courtesy of Ashra and friends," the doe replied, raising her glass and drinking deeply from it before holding out her hand in greeting. "I'm Tanya Silver-leaf, by the way."
"A pleasure to meet you," I said, taking her hand and giving it a gentle shake before letting go and looking at the platter before me, my stomach growling loudly in appreciation. She giggled and nearly got pop up her nose for doing so as I gave a wry smile. "Sound like my stomach is just as pleased you stopped by, with the food that is."
"I can guess. It must take a lot to keep that draconic stomach of yours full," Tanya commented, picking up a potato skin filled with cheese and sour cream and munching on it.
"Just depends on the meal served," I said popping one of the Buffalo wings into my mouth and crunching down on the bones for a few moments before swallowing. She winced slightly and looked a little surprised by this.
"You know, you're not supposed to eat the bones..."
"Doesn't matter with me," I told her, grinning. "My teeth can go through steel if I had to bite down on it, so bones aren't much of a problem." She whistled slightly and shook her head in disbelief. "Anyways, what brought you over to my table on your break, if I may ask?"
"Ahh, I guess I should have mentioned it earlier before you met with Ashra," Tanya said with an impish grin. "She said that a new arrival would be coming tonight and would probably have to share a room with someone, so I volunteered. I never knew that that someone would be a hansom Daemon such as your self."
"So you kissed me to see if I was a dream then?" I remarked, chuckling and at the same time more than a little surprised that she thought I was hansom.
"That and so you would owe me a little something later," she confirmed with a smile and wink.
"What kind of something later?" I asked carefully, raising an eyebrow, though I had a good idea of what it might be.
"That's a surprise," Tanya said with a laugh and started in on a few more appetizers. I stayed silent a moment, finishing off my first drink and taking the second in hand, shivering slightly as the chill glass met with my palm.
"How long have you been working here if I may ask, Tanya?"
"'Bout two years now," she replied, looking around and grinning as she noted a few things happening on the dance floor.
"Is it worth it?" This time there was silence from her, and the expression on her face changed slightly, to one of remembered anguish and fear. I felt it flow through her as she shivered, turning to stare into my eyes without hesitation.
"I guess it is a difficult decision for you," she said, putting down her half eaten carrot stick and sighing deeply. "You haven't known what life is like on the street for one of us, have you?"
"No, not lived it anyways...Though I tried to help where I could in Calgary," I said, voice soft and compassionate.
"You were slightly lucky then. I lived for six years on the street before Ashra took me in. Little more than a gang whore and addicted to the drugs they used to keep me docile, Malik and Ashra interrupted the gang that made claim to me when I came to Red Deer. They saved my life and helped me get away from the drugs and abuse I had known for so long," she said, face cold, though her eyes burned and watered with emotion. "I learned what a true family is when Ashra brought me here and gave me a reason to stay as well as a job that paid me for positive work and attitude. She taught me of the powers I had and how to use them to keep from being harmed again, by anyone."
"I...I didn't mean to make you bring up such painful memories, Tanya," I said, looking down at my plate but no longer with the appetite I had had earlier. "I'm sorry..."
"Don't be," she said, reaching out and touching my right hand gently. "It's my fault for bringing them up and not answering your question with a simple yes or no. I guess you could say yes, Alex. It has been worth it, and in more ways than one...I need to get back to work. Make sure to eat or they'll send you to the doc tomorrow to see if there's anything wrong with you." The latter was spoken with a half grin as she lightly brushed away tears from her eyes and left before I had the chance to say anything else...
***
...Music....Emotion...Shadows...All danced around me, shifting, going from one to the other for the briefest moment before becoming the next. No screams of pain, no harsh words of anger. Just joy, pleasure, and drunken, passionate seduction.
"Alex?"
Jumping slightly as the hand touched my shoulder; I blinked a few times to clear my eyes and looked around. Shadows and silence surrounded me except for the few Daemons' and Emrethal that were just finishing with their cleaning duties. The Iguana female that had been standing outside Ashra's alcove smiled with amusement and stepped back a little as I sat up in my chair and stretched, some bones popping back into place as I did so.
"What time is it?" I asked, mind still clouded with sleep and dreams.
"Almost two in the morning," she replied, gently pulling me out of my chair and holding onto me as I flexed my legs. "Follow me, and I'll make sure that you have a place to sleep that's more comfortable than one of our chairs."
"That'd be nice," I yawned, looking around again. "Where's Tanya?"
"Waiting for you. She was getting worried when it looked as if you'd taken off for no reason," the scaled female said with a chuckle.
"Small chance of that," I said with a wry smile as I followed her. "There's no place for me to go." She kept silent though her smile grew a little at the comment.
Leading me through a door behind the bar, I found myself looking at another elevator, yet not like the freight one in the dance area. This one was closer to what would be found in an office building, only larger, with walls made of glass, and beyond them... "Gods..." I whispered. Water teamed with life, both animal and plant with such diversity, that I half expected to see the sun shining from above and hear waves crashing against a shore line. It was a tropical paradise for coral, anemones, and all manner of fish that I had seen and read about in nature books and TV. I had no way of telling just how large the tank was, but there seemed to be little doubt that it was well over two hundred thousand feet deep, and at least half that per side. The iguana laughed at my reaction and pressed a button on the control pad as the doors closed behind us. There was a slight hiss and we slowly started our decent.
"How can this be?" I asked, nearly breathless as I stared from one section to another, admiring the flow of rock to coral as the fish seemed to lazily dance around both.
"I don't know exactly how Ashra and Malik created this or the living quarters below, but I think it's because we aren't in the mortal world any longer," she replied, coming to stand beside me.
"What?!"
"I'm not joking. The moment we stepped into the small room before the elevator doors, we traveled from the humans' realm into another one. Ashra and Malik found a way to create doors or portals to other places. Places that are similar to the world we come from, but still wild and almost untouched by any kind of sentient life besides animals." A large shadow passed over use and suddenly vanished, followed by the sound of water rushing to fill a void. Whirling around, I stared in awe at the whale like creature that had stopped maybe a hundred feet from the descending platform upon which we stood. Unlike any normal whale, this creature was a deep burgundy in color with almost transparent fin like structures that shone an eerie blue covering its back. The side fins split into to half way along their length as they curved back against the body, each one moving in a different direction from the other. The tail was far broader than any normal whale should have had, and covered with strange whirls and zig zag designs. Two small orbs glittered to either side of the permanently grinning mouth, and the feeling of being watched suddenly filled me. There was a low baritone trumpet followed by a high pitched whine that slowly faded after a moment. "Jaggren says hello."
"Jaggren? You mean to tell me that you can understand that being?" I asked, tearing my gaze away from it briefly to look at her.
"Not really. I just know what some of the sounds mean and that's one he usually makes when welcoming us home," she said, waving to the whale like creature. The whale grinned even more in reply, lips parting to reveal shark like teeth before his powerful tail propelled him out of view...
...The descent seemed to take half an hour, though I knew it was probably less than that. I remained by the rail and continued to stare out into the 'ocean', noting that there were many other unusual creatures that had never been seen by scientists or mariners in the human world. When the doors opened, I was nearly blinded by the light of a setting sun, and raised a hand to shield my eyes. The female walked forward and stretched slightly, breathing a deep sigh of relief before beckoning me to follow her. From an elevator in an ocean, I emerged into a mountain valley that opened up the further one looked towards the setting sun. The air was fresh, clean, and untainted by any human chemicals. Warm wind caressed me, easing away tension and uncertainty as I looked around in wonder, yet again surprised by what I was seeing. Not thirty feet away from the elevator was a stone path carefully laid and leading to a settlement below. Homes the likes of which I had only seen the moderately wealthy build and live in dotted the valley, most amongst trees or lining a river that ran along the edge of the mountains to our left. A few Daemons and Emrethal were still outside, mostly chatting in groups as the darkness of night gathered, chatting and with looks of peace and ease on their faces.
As we neared, I caught sight of Ashra in one of the groups and saw her excuse herself as she saw me, slowly approaching me and my guide.
"Welcome to Eddeon, Alex," the jackal woman said, smiling and embracing me gently.
"Eddeon..."
"It's supposed to men new beginning, a word from the Emrethal language during the old times," Ashra told me, following my gaze and falling silent. I could feel the peace here, balance with everything else around us and...a release from the tension of the world we came from.
"How is this possible, Ashra?" I asked.
"I will try explaining it later," she said, touching my arm gently. "To answer a few questions that you do have though, the electricity that powers the homes and business's come from wind turbines on the plains below us and water turbines in the river, both of which have been magickally enhanced to make sure that they provide twice the normal amount of power they normally could and also keep from harming wildlife. There are no factories or anything here and vehicles are not allowed, no matter how small their fuel consumption may be. We're trying to keep this place as natural as possible..."
"Understandable, and greatly appreciated by the valley," I said, feeling the ground beneath my feet hum with its own magick and emotion.
"So we've been told," Ashra remarked, grinning up at me. "I'll try and tell you more later, but for now, it looks like you could use some sleep." I yawned widely and nodded in silent agreement. Taking my arm gently, she guided me away from the crowd and towards one of the closer homes surrounded by trees. Knocking on the front door, Ashra said goodnight and left quickly, disappearing into the shadows of night. Turning back to the door as I opened, I smiled at Tanya who looked relieved and excited at the same time as she saw me, quickly taking my hand and pulling me inside.
"Damn, you look tired," she said, as I shrugged out of my jacket and removed my boots.
"Feel tired," I said, giving a wry grin and standing up again. "Any chance I could grab a shower before crashing here tonight?"
"No problem," she told me, quickly leading me upstairs and into what I perceived to be the master bedroom. "Just through that door to the right of the bed. There should already be some towels on the nearby stand." I raised an eyebrow and wondered whether I should ask if there was a guest washroom before shaking my head quickly and walking over to the washroom. Tanya didn't smell that different from when she had kissed me at the bar of Hybrid Theory, yet there was something different that I couldn't quite place.
The washroom was large, containing a large tub against one wall and a waterfall shower on the other which could easily hold two people or more. Removing my cloths and tossing them to one corner of the washroom, I entered the shower and turned on the water, shivering as the cooled pipe water came out first before the heated water rushed out to cover me, shocking me to wakefulness. Dunking my head under the jets of water, I shook myself and reached for the soap to wash off the smell of sweat from a day of job hunting and sleeping in cloths had brought. After that, I turned my back to the shower and shivered as the warmth slowly seeped into my body, closing my eyes as sore muscles and joints relaxed with each moment. I thought I heard the shower door open but dismissed it as being my tired mind making things up until I felt someone kiss me. I looked down at Tanya with surprise, finding her completely nude and also getting soaked by the warm water that splashed over my shoulders.
"Whoa!" I said, pulling back from the kiss and shaking my head again, my body reacting to the sight of her voluptuous breasts and slim waist against my wishes. "What are you doing in here Tanya?"
"Collecting what you owe me," she said innocently with a smile, her scent of arousal mixing with the steam and filling my nose with each breath.
"I don't even know you though," I said, nearly frozen with uncertainty, desire, and fear. This was the first time any female had presented herself to me nude and with the intent of making love to me.
"That doesn't matter here," she whispered, walking closer and gently caressing my cheek with one hand, her right reaching down to lightly stroke my shaft as it emerged from its sheath. I quickly grabbed a support rail set into the wall and gasped, lightning racing through me at her touch, my body stiffening, arching back. "What matters is the moment..." Slowly, carefully, I pulled her hand away from my throbbing member, already achingly hard from so many different things at once, the warm water not giving it a chance to relax in the slightest.
"Are...you sure...you want...to do this?" I panted, gasping for breath as I stared into her eyes, desires slowly overcoming my inhibitions with every second we remained like this.
"Yes," she whispered, pulling my head down for another kiss, passionate, fierce as her desires were made known to me. I felt her firm belly press against my shaft as I pulled her closer, the silky wet fur of her body caressing my member and making me shiver again. Slowly, Tanya sank to her knees, breaking off the kiss and looking up at me with lust filled eyes as she knelt to kiss my other head, her soft hands stroking the sides of my 16 inch member ever so lightly. Growling deeply in pleasure, I watched the doe first suckle on the tip of my shaft for a brief moment, trying to get as much precum as she could before taking in three inches of my draconic length without warning. I groaned loudly, legs shaking a little as I felt her tongue perform a myriad of tricks on my already aching shaft, slowly moving her lips up and down the pulsing length of flesh. My balls were burning with cum and I could feel pre spurting into Tanyas' warm moist mouth as she fondled my balls.
"Ohhhh gods..." I whispered, resting my hand on her head and slowly starting to thrust in and out of her mouth, instinct warring with the knowledge that I might accidentally choke her. Much to my surprise and pleasure, Tanya accepted even more of my length, deep-throating up to five inches of me with ease as she pressed her breasts against the sides of my shaft. That was it. I roared loudly as I climaxed without warning, pulling back so just the head of my member rested within her mouth as my boiling seed erupted from the tip. Tanya moaned around my shaft and swallowed as much as she could before pulling back with a gasp, my seed still fountianing from the tip of my member in waves. She was soon covered in my cum as I leaned against the wall panting for breath, shaft still hard and twitching as I looked down at her. Tanya was smiling broadly, dipping her fingers in the rest of my spent seed and sucking it off the tips of her fingers as she looked up at me.
I pulled Tanya to her feet gently and kissed her again, turning both of us around after a moment. I could feel a deep hunger rising in my loins and knew that it had to be sated, the night filling me with lust as it finally settled over the house. Pushing her to the seat just below the jets of water, I knelt before her, hands caressing her breasts, cupping them and lightly squeezing the furred orbs of flesh to the delighted cries of the doe. Snaking my head forward, I kissed and licked her left nipple as I pinched her right one lightly, making her moan loudly, her hands reaching up to press my lips to her bosom as if she was nursing a child. The forks of my tongue curled and toyed with the hardening nub of flesh as I teethed ever so gently upon it, breaking off after a few moments only to do the same to the other one until I felt Tanya shivering from pleasure. Pulling back with a grin on my face, I looked down at her sex hungrily, seeing her vulva winking invitingly at me, her body in a state of high arousal already. Lifting her legs up to my shoulders, I kissed her clitoris briefly, getting another gasp and making Tanya arch back against the wall at the same time. I paused, grinning up at her as she panted for breath, eyes already glazed with pleasure. 'Now!' I thought, and eagerly dove into her sex, hungrily seeking her sweet juices with my broad forked tongue.
"Ahhh-Fuck!" She screamed, her body writhing as I feasted upon her, moans and gasps of pleasure continuous as she rode my tongue. One hand was tightly gripping one of my horns while Tanya's other fondled her breasts, pinching and pulling the nipples as her body was overwhelmed with sensation. I drank what I could from her, slowing every now and then before eating her out with renewed intensity. Pulling back, I looked at her swollen clit and grinned, lightly blowing upon it. Tanya screamed again, louder than before as her entire body tensed up as she climaxed, her sex gushing with sweet juices that I eagerly swallowed, suckling on her like a starving child.
Slowly, carefully, I brought her down from the height of orgasm, and sat back on my heels, watching as she shivered with smaller orgasms from the water flowing over her exposed pussy.
Tanya looked at me with a smile, her eyes lowering to my crotch where my member had returned to an almost painful erection. Getting up slowly and grabbing the hand holds to either side of the shower, she bent over and looked at me with a grin, short tail raised to offer an unimpeded view of her quivering pussy to me. Standing up and moving behind her with a deep growl, I rested one hand on her hip and used the other to guide the tip of my member into the burning folds of her sex with a shiver of pleasure. Thrusting deep and slow, we both cried out, her pussy clamping around my draconic shaft hard and quivering as I arched back from the tightness of her sweet, hot sex. I wasted no time, quickly pulling back and thrusting again and soon we were both locked into a rhythm broken only by our cries of lust and pleasure. Tanya was so tight, so hot around me as I thrust harder and faster, trying to hilt myself completely inside of the willing doe. She ground against me with wild abandon, riding my member hard as she cried out again and again, multiple orgasms wracking her body as she slowly lost control of herself. Pulling Tanya away from the wall, I lifted her up in my arms carefully, still deep within her, and carried her out of the washroom and to the bed. She gasped as I removed my throbbing member from her and rolled her onto her back, only to quickly thrust back into her pussy and kiss her fiercely as I re-established our rhythm. Tanya wrapped her legs around my waist and screamed again, her orgasm making her arch back nearly double as she humped against me, this time bringing me along with her. My roar started out deep and quickly grew to the point where the very walls shook as I released my seed deep within her sex. I continued to thrust in and out of Tanya as wave after wave poured out if my member, filling her womb completely.
Bracing myself above her on my elbows, I leaned my head on the mattress above the doe, both of us gasping for breath as we basked in the afterglow, our eyes glazed with sated pleasure. After a long moment, I started to pull myself out of Tanya, only to have her whimper and lock her legs around my waist, her expression pleasing as she looked up at me.
"What is it?" I asked, lightly caressing her cheek and nuzzling her neck.
"Don't pull out...not yet," She whispered, shivering beneath me and drawing a deep shuddering breath.
"If I don't I might crush you when I fall asleep," I remarked, kissing her lips and forehead.
"Not if I'm on top," she said with a grin. Smiling, I carefully lifted her up in my arms, setting her off a few more times while I turned around and sat on the bed before moving to lye down. Once I got all seven feet of myself onto the bed, I groaned as Tanya shifted slightly to make her self comfortable, flexing her hip muscles which in turn made her sex squeeze my member. Lying down, she wrapped her arms around me and rested her head on my chest, sighing slightly as her eyes closed. "Welcome to Eddeon, Alex," she whispered, caressing my sides.
"Thank you," I whispered, kissing her forehead again and holding her close as I closed my eyes, more than willing to let sleep claim me...