Companions Chapter 07: Home
#7 of Companions
[Companions Chapter 07]
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WARNING! The following text contains explicit adult subject matter. It is not intended for anyone under the age of 18. If you are under the age of 18, then you must stop reading now. The author has taken steps to ensure that this story does not appear in any subject-inappropriate or age-inapropriate forum. This version has been posted with the author's permission to Yiffstar.com.
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* _COMPANIONS_
* by Evoquus
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* (c) Copyright 2002, Evoquus, All rights reserved.
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* Feedback is appreciated: [email protected]
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Rating: NC-17 for explicit sex: M/M, Human-Stallion-Mare, Anal, Oral
Chapter 07: Home
I was walking down a long corridor. Tiles on the floor and ceiling contained portraits of myself during various stages of my life. On the walls hung larger framed versions of similar images. Though most of them were of a solitary pose, occasionally I would pass a portrait that contained both Rovaun and myself. Some sections of the corridor snaked with a river of these duets, climbing up the walls and along the ceiling. I stopped to examine a particularly large painting of my high school graduation. The frame was dusty and cracked in several places. Then Rovaun walked past me and entered the portrait, which went white with light, then dimmed to reveal a completely new scene of rider and horse on a summer day. Even the frame sparkled as new. I continued on my journey and came to a door that appeared to be newly constructed. This section of the hall was entirely lined with portraits of the two of us together. I opened the door and entered a small bedroom with more images of us on the floor and walls. I laid down on the bed and looked up to see a naked version of myself reflected from a large mirror on the ceiling. The room and bed were warm and comfortable, leaving me relaxed and at ease with my destiny. Then the door opened and Rovaun entered, his penis fully erect and dripping. In one continuous motion the stallion climbed onto the bed and fully entered me. I hugged his trunk with my arms and legs while we made slow, passionate love, and when his essence flooded within me, his body melted into mine, becoming transparent, revealing our reflection beyond. When he was entirely absorbed, the blur from the ceiling distilled, and Tantau smiled back at me from above.
I awoke to see Rovaun observing me. "Good morning," he said.
"What are YOU looking at," I said, in a faux-derisive tone while stretching my limbs.
"My Companion having a wet dream," he said with some cheek.
"It could have been wetter, but it wasn't bad... and you know? I think it might have been my first dream of our destiny."
"It is not beyond reason to think that some of your dreams may now take on a prophetic quality. However, you may never know which ones will come true."
"This one explained how we make an Anthraun. Part of my transformation includes you building me a womb. Does that even sound possible?"
He shook his head. "It seems unlikely to me. However, no human has ever made it this far in the bonding process. I honestly do not know how Tantau will arrive in this world. Varyl's mind block of all things Anthraun is still very effective."
Then he looked at me with some concern. "If it does come to pass that you shall bear Tantau, are you up to the task?"
"Of course!" I said, kissing his nose. "I may be only 'mostly a man' due to the fact that I have a uterus, but I have no regrets. I still feel very masculine, perhaps even more so. And male sea horses give birth, so why not?"
"How are you recovering from yesterday?"
"No problems whatsoever. In fact, each day I feel better than the day before. You keep filling me with essence and I'm going to turn into Superman.... Oh crap... It's Monday isn't it."
"I have no idea."
"I'm supposed to be at meeting for a customer contract signing at 3:00. Shit."
"What will happen if you do not attend your meeting?"
"Then I also won't be attending any other meetings, ever."
"Then I see no reason for you to attend this one."
"Ah to be Hipponaur," I mused, "What was it you said was the entire extent of your existence? Sunshine, grass, companionship and sex? How I envy you. No, my friend, I still have to live in the human world for now. We'll have to say good-bye to your friends. I need a change of clothes and a shower, anyway."
"On that I concur."
We got up and announced our departure to the Hipponaurs that were awake. Soon all were bidding us farewell. It felt good to know that we would be welcomed by Hipponaurs wherever we went, instead of being executed by them. Azgard made a special effort to say good-bye. For once, he wasn't erect. He walked right up to me and I had to crane my neck to look him in the eyes.
"It is a shame that we were not able to complete the bonding, Wraith," he thundered. "I wish you a safe journey and look forward to our next encounter."
"Azgard," I said, "you are an honorable Hipponaur, and I, too, am saddened that we were not able to bond. However, once I have completed bonding with Rovaun, maybe we could give it another try, just for old time's sake - assuming that it's okay with my Companion, of course."
I heard the thud of what sounded like a ham hitting the ground. I resisted the urge to look. Rovaun just shook his head and said, "Respect or imprudence?"
After bidding adieu, we headed back to the van. I would have liked to have given Parceph another hug, but he had already departed last night. Despite his denial to the contrary, he was still in a bad way, and seeing me with Rovaun didn't help matters.
The ride through the woods was again beautiful and pleasant. Squirrels and birds in the early morning sun were actively chattering, either at each other or at Rovaun and me or just because they were not asleep anymore. About fifteen minutes into the woods, we met a pretty white mare coming the other way.
"Rovaun, I'm so glad I caught you," said a friendly female voice.
Rovaun stopped short, then ran to the mare, apparently forgetting about his rider. "Shianna," he greeted, "it is wonderful to see you again."
The two of them hugged necks, which put the mare's nose in my groin. "Hello," I said, uncomfortably.
"And you must be the Wraith," she said to me, while releasing Rovaun and bowing. "It is a great honor to meet you."
"How do you do," I said, returning the bow the best I could while riding a horse.
"What are you doing here?" asked Rovaun, who had obviously met a long lost friend.
"I came as soon as I heard about the two of you. I just wanted to see you again before you left." She nuzzled his face affectionately, and he didn't seem to mind. "Oh Rocky, I'm so happy for you! I knew you would find him someday, but I could never have imagined he'd turn out to be the Wraith! That is so exciting! Back home there are a lot of jealous mares and even more jealous stallions. I must admit, I too have some mixed feelings."
"Ahem," I said, climbing off of my infatuated mount, "uh, Rocky, are you ever going to introduce me to your friend?"
Rovaun suddenly realized the potential awkwardness of the meeting. "Forgive me, Companion, this is Shianna. She is my... very close friend."
"Call me Danny," I said, bowing again. "Any close friend of Rovaun's is a closer friend of mine."
Rovaun snorted uneasily. I calmed his nerves. "It's okay, Companion, I know full well why she gave you that nickname. And despite what you think, I'm really not jealous. Shianna is lovely. You're just lucky that you met her first." I smiled and winked at her.
That seemed to make him feel better. "You do look as sexy as ever, Shianna," he complimented.
"Why thank you," she said, striding around in front of him. She swished her tail, briefly, fanning her aroma toward his nose. I could tell it took all of his effort to keep from curling his lips. She was just teasing him playfully, and I found it quite amusing.
"Something tells me, Shianna suits you more than Zhorelle," I said to him.
"Shianna and Zhorelle are polar opposites!" he emphasized. Then he looked at her tenderly. "If I had been given a choice, Shianna would have been my bond mate."
"Isn't he sweet?" she said, longingly. "You are so lucky to have him all to yourself, now, Danny. I knew his destiny would ultimately be with you, but in the meantime I was happy to be your surrogate for a while." Then she said to him seductively, "Do you remember our links?"
Rovaun began dropping - apparently he did.
"Did you guys link while making love?"
"Of course," she said, "Don't you?"
Rovaun stammered, "I... was saving that for later."
"I can't wait," I said, ribbing him.
"...And no one can pull off a slimax like Rocky."
"A what?"
"Simultaneous climax," she clarified.
"It is not that difficult," he said, modestly. They both looked at each other fondly. "It's a good thing you weren't my bond mate," he cooed, "or we would have doubled the population of Hipponaur."
"Hmm-hmm-hmm," she giggled.
"Would you two like to travel down memory lane?" I said, feeling a little like a third wheel. "It's okay with me, Companion, as long as I get to watch."
They both looked at me like I was kidding, then looked at each other like, maybe it wasn't such a bad idea.
"Are you sure you will not mind, Companion?" he asked, obviously wanting to do this.
"Not a bit," I said, "In fact, the whole idea is starting to really turn me on. Especially the slimax."
"Then why don't you join us," said Shianna.
"Huh?"
Rovaun now looked at HER as if she were kidding.
"You got a problem with that, Rocky?" she said.
"Uh... no, in fact,... yes, I think I WOULD feel better if he participated, as well. Companion?"
"Er... what can I do?" I asked, really not sure how to get in between a stallion and a mare.
"I'm sure we can come up with something," said Shianna, slowly licking her lips.
I didn't need any more coaxing. I was naked and pointing skyward in ten seconds. Rovaun positioned himself behind Shianna, who squatted and drenched the ground for him. This time he made no qualms about curling his lips to savor her estrous scent. In seconds, he was fully erect and upon her, sliding all the way in as effortlessly with her as he had done with me in my dream.
"Companion, come to me," he beckoned.
I approached him where he straddled the mare and grabbed onto her mane while he bent down and kissed me deeply. Shianna's head also went down, and she sucked my cock and balls into her very voluptuous mouth. The three of us formed a sexual triangle that kissed and moaned and sucked and fucked, and it went on like this for an unusually long period of time. With Zhorelle, Rovaun was in there and out-a-there. With Shianna he just wanted to be in there forever. He didn't thrust back and forth inside her. Instead, he ground his hips into her backside, and I could hear the wet slurping of the love they made. Shianna was obviously enjoying his attention, and at the same time, she was enjoying me. She never let up sucking and swaddling me, and I found myself grinding into her, just like my Companion.
I was thinking to myself that life just doesn't get any better than this, then it did: both Rovaun and Shianna began linking with each other and with me. Suddenly I was in all places at once, having sex in a half dozen simultaneous positions. While being expertly sucked by a mare and french-kissing a stallion, I was shoving my entire dick into a mare and trying to stuff my balls in as well, and pressing my clitoris into the base of the rock-hard horsecock of an old flame while fellating his beloved Companion. The brain was not designed to cognitively handle so much simultaneous sexual input, so it doesn't even try. Orgasms built immediately in all three of us, and I felt my human and equine balls empty synchronously into both ends of the mare while my cunt spasmed in ecstasy. The only thing that could have possibly made it any better was if the orgasms had been staggered, but then I reconsidered; a minute-long orgasm of that intensity would probably have caused a brain hemorrhage.
When all pulse rates came down from the ionosphere, Shianna let go of me and I hugged the both of them while Rovaun was still mounted.
"I'm going to have to be very careful around you two," I said, "because I could easily get addicted to that!"
"That was a pretty good one wasn't it," said Rovaun.
"Just like old times," said Shianna, then she looked at me. "You were rather scrumptious, too."
"I can see why Rovaun is so fond of you," I said. "You're quite delicious, yourself." I kissed her deeply, tasting my semen on her tongue.
She looked at me with a sparkle. "Rovaun," she said, "your Companion appears to be somewhat pale and malnourished. I think he needs your seed more than I do. Would you mind if I let him have it?"
"You little minx," he said, laughing at her obvious ploy. "Sure, he can help himself." Rovaun pulled out slowly while she squeezed the last few ounces out of him. When he dismounted, she turned her rear to me and lifted her tail. I didn't need to be asked. My tongue was in her before I knew it, scooping out dollops of horsecum and swallowing it before anyone had a chance to change their minds. Somehow she was able to push it out, because it kept coming and I kept downing it. Mixed with her own juices it had an extra erotic tang that was thoroughly enticing.
Though my stomach was soon full, and the gism completely devoured, I continued to tongue her deeply, trying to find out what her clitoris tasted like. And pretty soon she clamped down on me with another orgasm that, this time, she kept to herself. When she finally released me, I reluctantly spiraled out slowly, making sure there was nothing of Rovaun or Shianna left behind. Then I briefly cleaned her vulva, and, what the heck, diddled her ass with my tongue for just a couple of seconds. She gasped delightedly at that little surprise, but made no mention of it. I don't think Rovaun saw it. I gave her one more ass kiss then stood up.
"I hope you enjoyed yourselves," said Rovaun, entertained.
"I did," I announced proudly, licking my lips. "She tastes better than you do. I'm definitely scrubbing your dick next bath time."
Shianna looked at me as if she were in love. "I hope you don't mind if I brag about this to my girlfriends," she said. "Guess who ate me out?" she sighed blissfully, practicing her boast.
"Well, it was my pleasure, Shianna," I said, and then kidded lecherously. "I will always be happy to suck Rovaun's seed out of you, wherever he deposits it."
Shianna stared passionately at me for a moment, then turned to Rovaun and screamed in jest, "Please take me with you!!!"
We all laughed, even though I suspected she was semi-serious. "How long has it been since you two last saw each other?" I asked.
"Decades," sighed Rovaun.
"Well, why don't I leave you two here for now and give you a chance to catch up? I can come back in a few days to get you."
"That is very generous of you, Companion," said Rovaun, "and though my faith in your good intentions cannot be exceeded, my faith in your sense of direction does not share such high esteem. You would be rescued by a human search party before ever reaching us."
"Gee, thanks."
"I have a better idea," he said, admiring her. "Let's take her with us."
I wondered if that were at all possible. It was a big van with a beefed up suspension for transporting heavy electronic equipment, but we were talking well over a ton of horseflesh here.
"Do you think both of you can fit in my van?"
"Absolutely!" cried Shianna, inspiring another round of chuckling, though I feared for yet another expensive repair bill.
"How can I possibly say no?" I relented. "I am forever your love slave after experiencing that triple slimax. Shianna, would you like to come back with me and my Companion?"
"Well, okay," she said with mock hesitation, "but I'm only doing it for the mind-blowing sex."
"Agreed!" said Rovaun and I in unison.
Rovaun bent down to allow me onto his back.
"May I do the honors?" asked Shianna.
Rovaun looked at me and shrugged.
"The honor is mine, M'Lady," I said, chivalrously. She knelt down and I easily hopped onto her back. Then she and Rovaun walked side-by-side as we headed for the car. She was a much smoother ride than my Companion, even when they were "accidentally" bumping into each other.
"You guys aren't fooling anyone," I said, producing equine snickers from them. "So, Rocky, while you and Shianna made love all of those times in the past, were you always thinking of me?"
"Of course, my Companion."
"Liar."
"Hee-hee," snorted Shianna, "If it's any consolation, Danny, when Rovaun wasn't thinking of you, I was."
"Is that so?" I said. "Just what kind of destiny do you and I share, Shianna?"
"That is between me and destiny," she said enigmatically.
Rovaun looked at her. "What do you know about him?" he demanded.
"Oh, I'm sure it is nothing you don't already know," she said, obviously unwilling to divulge anymore. Rovaun was about to press further.
"Give it a rest, Companion," I said. "She'd tell you if it was your destiny to know, right?"
"He's pretty smart for a human," she said to him.
"Yes, he is," Rovaun warned, "and he is mine!"
"Cool it, big guy," I said. "This is Shianna, remember? Not the Z-demon. I like her, so be nice."
He was silent for a moment, but then uttered, "Forgive me" to the both of us.
We continued in peace, then Shianna whispered to me, "Rovaun really likes you."
"He really likes, you, too," I whispered back.
"Stop talking about me."
"We're just trying to agree how to share you, Rocky," I said.
"Yes," chimed Shianna, "there's plenty of Rocky Road for the both of us."
"Be careful what you wish for," he snorted.
"Oooh," I said, "sounds like there's more than enough! Well, I get first dibs on his ass."
Shianna shot Rovaun a surprised look. "Why, Rocky! You never told me you liked it in the ass!"
Rovaun shrugged. "My Companion has taught me many things about myself that I had never considered before. I suddenly regret kicking all of those friendly men in their privates."
"Ouch!" I said, grabbing my groin. "Talk about crimes against humanity."
"Think of it simply as me saving my virginity for you, my Companion."
"Can I watch?" asked Shianna. "I promise not to laugh."
"Okay," said Rovaun, "but if you break that promise, you'll be next to go down the dark side, and it won't be with the human!"
"I can tell this is going to be loads of fun," I grinned.
When we got to the van, it was pretty much in the same shape as how we had left it. It hadn't even been tagged by the highway patrol. The only visitor it had entertained in two days was a rodent who left his calling card on the dashboard, which still had bits of broken glass sprinkled on it. Shianna dropped down to let me off.
"Thanks for the ride," I said.
"You can ride me anytime," she winked.
I whispered to Rovaun loud enough for all to hear, "I REALLY like her!"
"Me, too!" he responded in kind.
"Okay! Time for another Wraith sandwich!" I said, holding my arms out. Rovaun knew what to do, and Shianna soon followed. I hugged them both hard while they kissed behind my back. "I still feel like a third wheel," I said. "But it's the third wheel of a three-wheeler. I have a really good feeling about us." They both appreciated a good scritching from me.
Rovaun climbed into the van first, riding shotgun again, and Shianna crammed into the space behind the driver seat with most of her head hanging out the driver's side window. I could just barely close the rear gate, and my poor suspension was nearly pushed to the ground.
"I'm not so sure about this, guys," I said.
"Our destiny will be beautiful," said Rovaun, confidently. "We will survive."
"WE will, but my van's destiny looks rather bleak.... All right, here we go." I pulled out and turned around on the highway. Without a windshield, the wind in my face took some getting used to. Sunglasses protected my eyes, but my head still got occasionally bombarded by insects. My passengers didn't seem to mind.
While we were on the road, it occurred to me that I hadn't really met a Hipponaur that I didn't like. Even Zhorelle, who had nearly killed me, had arguably shown me the best time of my life. How many others would I fall in love with and bring home? At some point, they would start costing me serious bucks to feed. Fortunately, vet bills would be rare, I hoped. I don't know why I had taken such an instant liking to Shianna. There was something about her that just clicked. Rovaun was still number one in my life, no question, but I felt I could trust Shianna just as much. I guess it was because I still felt bad for Parceph, that my existence had alienated him. So I was trying extra hard with Shianna, trying not to alienate her as well. I leaned my head against her, mostly because she was right there over my left shoulder, but also to let her know that she was still welcome in Rovaun's life - and welcome in mine. She whickered, acknowledging my touch.
"How's everyone doing?" I asked.
"Fine," they both said.
"Is everyone comfy?"
"No," they both said.
I winced. "Well, if you guys start cramping up or need to stretch, just let me know."
We enjoyed the ride and the breeze for about thirty miles, when me face suddenly collided with a cloud of flies swarming over something recently killed in the road. I pulled over immediately to clean my face and glasses and look for something to use as a bandanna. The horses got out to graze on weeds while I tended to myself. A relatively clean rag did the trick. As I was wiping down, a highway patrol officer slowed and pulled over in front of me. He opened his door and got halfway out.
"Do you need any help?" he asked, noting the condition of my van.
"No thanks," I said, "just taking a quick break."
"Those your horses?"
"Yes."
"They shouldn't be on the highway." He was starting to get an attitude that didn't sound pleasant.
"Uh, we'll be moving on, soon, officer" I assured him.
The cop gawked, "You aren't taking them in your van are you?"
I stammered, "Of course not." Rovaun looked up at me, wondering what my next move would be. I wondered, too. Fortunately, I wouldn't need one.
"All right. Drive safely," he said, getting back in and taking off.
I waited until he was out of sight before breathing again. Rovaun made a "dumb luck" snort at me, but Shianna came over showing some concern.
"Are you okay, Danny?"
"Yeah, I'm all right," I said, scratching her mane. "And thank you very much for asking," I said loudly, but Rovaun pretended not to hear. I gazed back at Shianna. She had amazing light brown eyes that turned gold when reflecting the sun at an oblique angle. She was indeed as different from Zhorelle as a mare could be.
"Has any Wraith ever told you you have the most beautiful eyes?" I said, sounding awfully corny.
"As pick up lines go," she said, "you could do a whole lot better than that."
We both chuckled.
"Well, considering that the crass pickup line that actually worked on you had to do with orally vacuuming sperm out of your body cavities, I'd say that it was at least a slight improvement."
"Hee-hee, you're right," she giggled. "I am such a slut when it comes to Rovaun."
Then she suddenly felt terrible, even frightened, about letting that slip out.
"Shianna," I consoled her, "you think I don't know that?" I hugged her and kissed her cheek. "I'm a slut for Rovaun, too. I know exactly how you feel about him - he kind of has that affect on people. And I don't mind sharing him with you..." Then I looked her sternly in the eyes, "...for a while."
Then I smirked and whispered, "The question is... will Rovaun mind sharing YOU with me."
She lifted her head I thought to kiss me on the mouth, but she pecked me on the cheek instead.
"We'll see," she said in a tone that I couldn't really interpret. Then said sincerely, "And thank you for understanding, Danny. You're a wonderfully generous person."
She turned and sauntered back to where Rovaun was dining. Her ass swayed sexily with each step, and occasionally her tail would swing up to swat a fly, giving me a teasing glimpse of that delectable backside. I just wanted to curl up inside it and go to sleep.
She met up with Rovaun and nuzzled him. She knew that he was my mate and life Companion, so my flirting had made her uncomfortable. I greatly respected her for that, for it showed that she was honorable... But it only made her all the more desirable.
With the cop long gone, we all packed into the van and continued the road trip. While driving, I wanted to put my arm around Shianna, and kind of felt like a teenager on a first date at the movies. Unfortunately, when your date is a mare whose mane is several inches above your shoulder, there is no way to do it gracefully, so I settled for reaching under her neck and scritching her there, instead.
"Is it okay if I touch you?" I asked, trying to ease her nerves.
"It is fine with me if Rovaun doesn't mind."
Rovaun was annoyed having to be brought in to bless the touching. "Sure, go ahead, touch Shianna, touch yourself, doesn't bother me."
I stopped scritching and looked at him. Then he rolled his eyes and sighed. "Forgive me. It is fine. Really."
All the same, I decided to keep both hands on the steering wheel for the time being, hoping and wondering when he would ever lighten up, and now seriously starting to resent him. While the scenery passed by, I found it much more pleasant to dwell on the lovely Shianna than the pissy Rovaun. I recalled vividly the wonderful surprise of her taking me into her mouth during our menage a trois. I had been content with just kissing my Companion, to relieve him of his guilt for his sin of adultery, but for her to strain her neck to satisfy her ex-lover's spouse, was quite selfless. And not only that - she was really good at it! Both she and Rovaun have had a lot of experience with humans, despite Hipponaur law. That was okay with me, since I was clearly benefitting from the lessons learned from their forbidden sexual exploits.
Still, I couldn't help but wonder just how many men she had had before me. How many lucky bastards had she satisfied? Well, I'm the luckiest bastard now. Then in an instant, my luck went south. Behind me, lights flashed and siren wailed. "Oh crap," I muttered, slowing down and pulling over onto the shoulder.
The same cop sat in his patrol car for a minute, alerting dispatch of the lying S.O.B. he had just stopped. I dearly hoped he wasn't calling for backup. Then he got out and tried to decide which side of the van to approach, since they were both absurdly flanked by horses. I kept my hands in plain sight on the steering wheel. Finally he decided on the driver side. Shianna stared at him, innocently.
"License and registration, please."
"Yes, officer." I reached into my wallet and handed him my license, but Rovaun was completely blocking the glove compartment and he was jammed in so tight that there was no way to get at it without unloading at least one horse.
"Um... Officer, I can't reach my registration at the moment. I assure you it is current. Can you please just run the numbers off of the license plate tag?"
"What the hell are you doing, Mr. Racher," he said, not the least bit amused at my situation.
"Um..." I puffed my cheeks and tapped the steering wheel. "Driving home?"
"Are these animals really yours, or are you just an astoundingly incompetent horse rustler?"
My heart stopped. I had no proof of ownership, either here or anywhere else. I was now really screwed. "Y... Yes, they're mine."
"Step out of the car, please."
"Officer, I can explain. My horses are... really sick." Rovaun lolled his head to the side, rolled his eyes back, and started convulsing, but Shianna didn't take the hint. "I'm just trying to get them home as fast as possible. Because... they need their medication."
The officer began sniffling. At first I thought it was allergies, but then he took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "I'm s... so sorry," he said, trying to hold back tears, obviously making fun of my "sob" story.
I rolled my own eyes and muttered, "Knock it off, Rovaun." He stopped convulsing and brought his head up. The cop handed me back my license.
"Please go," he said, still blubbering.
"I beg your pardon?"
"Go. You're fr... free to go, Mr. Racher... Ohhhh, hho, hho, hhorr..."
"Officer, are you okay?"
He stood there sobbing into his hands, and thoroughly freaking me out.
Rovaun looked at Shianna, then at me, then said, "We should go, Companion."
"What's going on, Rovaun?"
"We must go now! Quickly!!"
"Yes," agreed Shianna, "Go, Danny."
I started the van up and slowly drove off, keeping an eye on the cop in the rearview mirror. He just stood there and shrank into the distance. My heart was pounding. I couldn't take my eyes off the mirror. I kept expecting to see a patrol car with spinning lights and blasting sirens zoom up behind me at a hundred miles an hour, but it didn't happen. After about ten minutes of no sign of a cop, I began to calm down.
"What the hell just happened?" I interrogated.
Both Shianna and Rovaun stared at me, accusingly.
"What?" I said, trying to look at them and the road at the same time.
"Companion," said Rovaun, with a dire air, "you may be developing telepathic capabilities."
"What are you talking about?"
"That policeman's reaction to your fabrication, is highly indicative of emotional manipulation."
"And you think I did that?"
"Apparently so."
I was becoming more and more Hipponaur every day. The adrenaline rush of the cop encounter was renewed, but now with a backdrop of thrilling adventure as opposed to abject terror.
I started grinning ear-to-ear. "Cool!"
"This is not necessarily a good thing, at the moment," Rovaun said, dourly. "If uncontrolled, it can be very dangerous."
"How so?"
"The most primitive form of link is empathic - pure emotion, but with no cognition associated with it. It cannot be detected, and the results are unpredictable and chaotic."
"And you think I made him feel sorry for me without even knowing it."
"Yes, and you must never do it again."
"Oh come on! How can I NOT do it again, when I don't even know how I did it in the first place!?"
"I don't know," he said, very troubled, trying to think of a solution.
"Am I linking right now?"
"If you are, you are not linking with us. It is likely that you can only affect other humans. And if that is the case, I think it would be very wise for you to postpone your meeting."
"Au contraire, Companion," I grinned, imagining the possibilities. "I think my meeting will be very entertaining, though I can't imagine them being any more chaotic."
"No, Companion, trust me."
"Oh, knock it off, Rovaun. I HAVE to be there. Stop being such a pessimist - I don't find it very endearing."
He snorted his disapproval, but knew he could not change my mind. 'Thanks for letting me have the final word, for once,' I thought to myself. At least Shianna wasn't giving me a hard time about it - one more reason to like her a little bit more.
"Besides, Shianna," I said, not wanting to talk to Mr. Cup-Half-Empty, "I felt your emotions when you linked with me today. They were as intense as any I have felt before, and nothing bad happened as a result."
"That is because when Rovaun and I linked with you during sex, we provided a context for our emotions as well."
"I obviously knew what the context was."
"Yes," she said, "in that particular case, the link was in real time, so context was not as necessary, but only because all three of us were in the same frame of mind at the time. But think about it, Danny. What if I had become angry during our little group session and did a normal link to the both of you to communicate that fact?"
"I would have read your anger and stopped," I said, disproving her point.
"That's right," she confirmed, now leaving me bewildered as to her point.
"Now, same situation," she continued, "but suppose I only empathetically linked my anger to the two of you?"
"I... don't know."
"One possible outcome," she explained, "is that you would both become rapists."
"No way!"
"Yes way. You would be lustful and angry, but with no context for the anger, so it finds its own context. Rovaun is right. The outcome is unpredictable, and I agree that you should probably stay away from humans until you can manage more control over your newfound ability."
I was at a loss as to what to do. I could not afford to lose my job. The only possible excuse for not showing up at 3:00 would have to be a car accident. I don't think just a breakdown would do. Shit.
"You guys are just going to have to teach me how to control it."
"I don't think we can," she sympathized. "Over time, you'll learn to control it, Danny. And you'll find that it is a wonderful gift that Rovaun has given you."
"As opposed to the fucked-up curse it is right now," I glowered. Rovaun ignored me.
"That isn't fair, Danny," she admonished.
"Forgive me," I said to Rovaun in all non-sincerity, but I sounded like such an ass that I said it again as if I truly meant it, only because I didn't want to offend Shianna.
She was such a caring individual, I think I was starting to really fall for her, but what was I falling into? It sure felt like love, to me.
"It's kind of a shame that I can't link empathetically with you," I said to her, suggestively.
"Shhh," she replied, not wanting to hurt Rovaun's feelings. She wasn't just playing hard to get. She WAS hard to get - for anyone but Rovaun. She sure liked him a lot, even though he was being a bit of a prick right now, mostly to me, but somewhat to her, too, because she was still being nice. I continued driving with my head leaning against her. She didn't seem to mind, and Rovaun basically gave me permission to touch her even though I knew it pissed him off. Bringing her along was his idea, anyway.
Her neck was smooth and warm against my face, and I couldn't help but rub against her like a kitten, then I realized the awkward position she was in, having to walk a tightrope between Rovaun and myself. If she alienate either one of us, she'd be out. And all this time I was worried about alienating HER. My flirtation was doing exactly that! Sometimes I could be a real shithead. For the next hundred miles, or so, I kept my head and hands to myself. We all got along better that way.
Then the second cop pulled us over. It was not the same one as before but he had the same attitude.
"Where are all of these cops coming from! All right, truce Rovaun. What do I do?"
"Try to stay calm," he said.
"What's Plan B?" I said sarcastically, since his first suggestion was worthless.
"It is the same as Plan A, I'm afraid" he said.
Damn it! He was a waste of gravity to me. All I could do was think to myself over and over, "Don't think sad thoughts... Don't think sad thoughts..."
"License and registration, please."
I jumped in my seat, startled by the cop's request, then reached for my license and handed it to him. I looked straight ahead, concentrating on not linking with anything. ...Don't think sad thoughts...
"Mr... R... RR... Racherrrrr..."
I stared horrified at the cop, who was grieving over my driver's license, as if it reminded him of his dead father. He slowly held it out to me without saying anything, just sobbing quietly to himself. I took it back from him, and he let go as if saying farewell. Then he sat down on the shoulder and continued to mourn.
"I really can't control it, can I?" I muttered, nervously.
"I do not think so," said Rovaun. "The only thing to do is distance yourself from him."
"How convenient," I grumbled, starting up the van and driving away. The cop didn't follow.
Maybe Rovaun was right. I was an emotional Typhoid Mary, devastating any human I came into contact with. Nevertheless, it definitely had its advantages keeping us out of legal trouble.
"What do we do now," I sighed, continuing toward my probably disastrous meeting.
"It isn't your fault, Danny," Shianna said, tenderly. "I wish I could make you feel better."
She rubbed her neck against my face this time, and this intimate gesture DID make me feel better. I leaned forward and kissed her cheek. "Thanks."
Her making the first move changed everything for me, even though I knew it was just to pick me up from feeling so low, thanks to Rovaun's "gift."
"You're really something special," I said to her affectionately, scritching her neck again. Rovaun blatantly turned his head away from us. Fuck him.
"You know, Shianna, I never really thanked you for offering me Rovaun's seed this morning. That was extremely generous of you." Then I leered at her. "I'm very much looking forward to the Second Time."
She was a little nervous of the overt flirtation, but Rovaun was already pissed off and she still felt sorry for me, so she indulged me a bit.
"I especially liked the little bit at the very end," she whispered.
"You did?... Well, next time, let's say we start off with dessert, hmmm?"
I licked her neck. She giggled, and Rovaun snorted in disgust.
"What is your fucking problem?" I spat, fed up with his attitude.
"Don't you know?" he snorted.
"Let's cool it, Danny," she said. "I'm sorry, Rovaun."
"No! I'm tired of his bullshit! You keep wanting to not hurt his feelings, but I'm beginning to think you're too good for him. I REALLY like you, but I'm not trying to steal you from Rovaun..."
"STOP IT!" she yelled. The van swerved, and I over compensated, causing it to briefly tip on two wheels. They came down when I regained control, but the fright of almost rolling over caused my whole demeanor to change. I wasn't quite so pissed off at Rovaun, and Shianna at the moment scared the shit out of me. It was a miracle that the axles didn't break.
"Is... everyone cool?" I asked.
"I'm sorry, Danny. I didn't mean to startle you like that."
"It's okay," I said, catching my breath. "I deserved it. You okay Rovaun?"
"Yes."
I could tell that that was all I was going to get out of him. I continued driving in silence, counting my blessings. Then I thought about those cops. What were they going to write up in their reports? Probably nothing. There was no way they would admit to what happened, I was sure of that. I often heard stories at work of how the cute female coworkers always managed to be able to talk their way out of traffic tickets. Well guess what ladies, I don't even have to say a word.
A gas can lit up on the dashboard. Oh bloody hell.
"I have to stop to get gas," I announced.
"I do not recommend it," said Rovaun.
"Then you can get out and walk home. For me, it isn't an option."
"Can you do it without coming into contact with other humans?" asked Shianna.
"Actually, I probably can," I said to her. Most gas stations took credit cards right at the pump. No other human needed to be involved.
I pulled off the highway and found a gas station that was deserted. The clerk inside the mini-mart didn't seem to care about my passengers. So far, so good. When I inserted my credit card into the pump, it beeped at me and displayed, "Card reader down. See attendant."
Shit.
I tried another pump. Same results. The whole system was down.
"I have to go inside and pay cash. I'll be in and out real quick." Just like Rovaun and Zhorelle.
I got out twenty bucks then made my plan: I would slam it down, say "twenty on pump five" and be out of there. No time for anyone to get upset. It was a good plan, but good plans don't always pan out. When I went inside, a teenager was already ahead of me in line trying to purchase cigarettes, and the clerk was refusing to sell them. My pulse throbbed in my head. How long was this going to take? The kid and the clerk were starting to get angry, first exchanging insults, and then exchanging abnormally personal and abusive curses. Was I causing that? I turned to go, then the teenager blew passed me out the door, as bags of peanuts pelted him from behind.
The clerk calmed down and said congenially, "May I help you?"
"Uh, twenty on five?" I said, handing him the bill.
"Thank you, sir," he said calmly.
I stared at him, trying to assess his demeanor.
"Is there anything else?" he asked.
"I, uh,... saw you get angry with that other kid just now..."
"Oh I apologize, sir," he said. "My fourteen-year-old nephew is always trying to buy cigarettes from me. He doesn't seem to care if I lose my job."
A huge smile spread across my face. "Good for you!" I said, relieved that I had nothing to do with it. "I mean... good for you... for not selling cigarettes to kids."
I came out and gave a thumb's up to the horses. While gassing up, I think I understood how to control my linking. It was simply stress-related. Rovaun was right for once: try to stay calm, but when a cop has you pulled over with a ton of live contraband sitting next to you, that is easier said than done.
"That went well," I said, getting back into the van and back on the road. "No problems."
"That's very encouraging," said Shianna.
"The danger is not over," soured Rovaun.
I rolled my eyes and didn't say anything, but we were right back in the same old boat again. Rovaun, my fucking companion, was being a total dickhead to me, while Shianna was loving and nurturing. Her white flowing mane brushed against my face as I drove, and it felt like little kisses. I looked at my jealous Companion, and yes, there was no question he was jealous. It made him utterly loathsome. I knew I must still be attracted to him on some level, but right now, if I had to choose between the two, I think it would have to be Shianna. Of the three of us, she was the only one who DIDN'T seem jealous!
They both saw me in their destinies. Rovaun saw me a lot, and never failed to remind me how beautiful our future would be. Shianna also saw me somehow, but she was more discreet. Perhaps she didn't want to spoil the surprise or jeopardize the future by revealing it. Rovaun could learn a thing or two from her.
Was I just being an idiot all this time with Rovaun? Falling for him because he said what I wanted to hear? Our destiny will be beautiful, but he never mentioned it including Shianna. Was that yet another lie of omission? Or maybe he gets so jealous that he ends up dumping her because she and I hit it off so well! Shit, if that's the case, then our destiny is going to suck big time - what a fucking control freak! I couldn't believe I was thinking these things about him. I'd never have believed it yesterday. He saved my life for Christ sake! Until Shianna came along, he was my life. And before I came along, Shianna was HIS life. It's still just a two-wheeler we're all riding and one of us is the third wheel, but which one!?
And now that I think about it, I was pretty stressed out at the gas station, too. So why the hell do I only link with cops??? What was different about the guy at the gas sta...? Oh... My... God...
"FUCK!" I pulled the van off the road. "Everybody out!!" I opened the door and slid out under Shianna, then pulled the rear gate open.
"What is it?" asked Rovaun.
"I think you know," I said, "and so does Shianna." Rovaun snorted again, but I couldn't tell what that meant.
Shianna got out first. She looked frightened and I wanted to comfort her, but she would have to be strong for the moment. Rovaun backed out and stood tall and defiant.
"I DON'T know what this is about, Danny" she said, terrified, and breaking my heart. She reminded me of poor little Malaya after dreaming about Centaurs. I just wanted to hold her to make the demons go away. The demons would be gone soon.
"You poor thing," I said to her, "I'm so sorry. Let me tell you what this is about. YOU are the one linking with the cops, and you have been linking with me since the moment we first met, and you're even doing it - RIGHT NOW!"
"What!?" she said, deeply offended.
"COMPANION!" shouted an outraged Rovaun.
"It won't be hard to prove, Shianna," I said. "I'll just ride Rovaun into a crowd of humans and together we will watch them all NOT break down in tears."
Suddenly, remarkably, the link switched off, and I didn't feel at all sorry for her anymore.
Shianna lowered her ears slowly, and then Rovaun dropped his head. "Oh, Shianna..."
"No... Rovaun! Please..."
I felt new emotions well up inside me, but they were not from Shianna, they were my own - shame, sorrow, regret, penitence. The terrible things I had said to him, and the even more terrible things I had thought of him, had spewed from the ugly pit of my own soul, not Shianna's. All she was trying to do was make me like her a little bit. But I was the one who took it to the next level... and way beyond. I ended up hating my own Companion. I walked over to him and hugged him, and thanked God that he would still let me.
"I'm so sorry, Rovaun. I guess my mind isn't as strong as you thought."
I kissed his shoulder, and started to cry. But not just cry - sob, like the staccato blubbering of the cops. If this was how Shianna made them feel, they must have been devastated.
Shianna made a step toward us. "Rovaun..."
"Don't," he said coldly to her. Then to me he whickered softly, "It's okay... it's okay, my Companion... I am here for you..."
"But don't you see, Rovaun," I sobbed, "those awful things I said came from ME. I didn't mean them, but they came from me! Every word must have stabbed you in the heart... I'm so sorryyyyy...."
"Companion," he consoled, "no two souls are alike, and no one can predict how anyone will react to inflicted emotion. Yours happened to react with anger and jealousy, but it does not matter. What matters is how you react to your OWN emotions. And right now, your contrition tells me your soul is beautiful, healthy, honorable and good, but I've known that since the minute we first met."
He returned my hug and said, "Your soul is not perfect, but neither is mine. I can accept its flaws, if you can accept mine."
"I think I'm getting the better deal," I sniffled.
"I love you, Companion," he said with that silky-smooth voice that always made everything right again, "forever... and always."
"Forever and always," I reiterated, finally able to compose myself. I kissed him on the cheek. "Do you know what the real tragedy is, Shianna?" I said, turning to her and wiping my eyes. "I would have liked you anyway."
She lowered her head now and let her own tears flow. She had royally fucked up, and it would take both of us to forgive her.
"What do we do now, Companion?" I asked.
"I don't know," he sighed.
"Can you link with humans as easily as she can?"
"No. She does have a rare gift, but it inevitably does more harm than good, so it is not very useful."
I looked at the pathetic mare, but could not bring myself to hate her. There was something about Hipponaurs that always made their antics pardonable in my heart.
"She's not evil," I said to him, "just terribly insecure."
"Perhaps, but what she did to you is not easily forgiven."
"I think I can get passed it, if you can," I said, "And only if she promises never to do it again."
"Shianna," Rovaun said, "Do you have any idea as to the seriousness of your crime?"
She was too shaken to respond.
"Exile, Shianna!... And against the Wraith, - possibly worse!"
"I'm sorry," she sobbed. "It wasn't supposed to happen like this. I saw my destiny with the both of you for a while, and I just thought..." She broke down again.
"Destiny made me do it," I muttered, "a dangerous precedent."
Her actions were misguided, but I didn't find them malicious. "Well Companion," I said, "she has seen her destiny with us. Do you think it has finished running it's course, or is there some more that we can look forward to? The answer to that question will decide whether or not we continue on the road as a threesome."
He had to think about it for a while. This decision would be painful.
"Shianna," he said, "you surreptitiously linked with my Companion. Do you realize that Zhorelle did essentially the same thing?"
She stopped sobbing for a moment to consider the implication. The last time she and Zhorelle had been mentioned in the same thought, Rovaun had referred to them as polar opposites. Now that assertion was seriously in doubt.
"I'm so sorry, Rovaun, and to you, Wraith. If I could undo it all, I would."
"And that is where you and Zhorelle differ," I said. "I don't think Zhorelle was remorseful at all."
I sighed, hoping I wouldn't regret this decision. "Promise me you will never do that again to me or to Rovaun, and ... I will try to forget it ever happened."
"I swear to Hipponaur that I will never intentionally link with you or Rovaun again without your permission." Her oath was quite desperate, yet carefully worded. Either she was still trying to pull a fast one, or she was very cognizant of the seriousness of the words she spoke.
"You will still need to earn our trust back," said Rovaun, "but your oath is a good start."
"What does that mean, to swear an oath to Hipponaur?" I asked him.
"Our honor lasts a lifetime," he said, which pretty much summed it up.
"Parceph broke his oath," I pointed out.
"No, his oath was coerced by Varyl's deceit. Parceph's honor remains fully intact." Then he looked at Shianna. "And Shianna knows what would happen between us if she ever breaks this oath."
"So... are we all on the same page?" I asked. They both nodded, sullenly. "Then, it must be that time again." I held out my arms, and Shianna didn't hesitate to come to us.
"Thank you, Danny," she said, through her tears while I hugged them.
I kissed her neck. "No hard feelings," I said, then lightened up, "that is, no hurt feelings, anyway. Some hard feelings are definitely starting to develop again."
She allowed herself a short, relieved chuckle.
"And just to clarify a point in your oath, I think you can assume that you have our implicit permission to link with us during sex. I mean it would kind of spoil the moment to have to ask, right Rovaun?"
He snorted and excused himself from the group hug. I followed him back to the van.
"What?... We're still going to have sex, right? I thought that was the whole reason why she came with us in the first place!"
I had Rovaun and Shianna trade places in the van. Since he was my rock, I needed to lean against him for a while. Shianna was just happy to be in the same zip code. The bottoming-out van held up remarkably well during the rest of the trip. I didn't have time to drop the horses off at my parcel, so I headed home instead. I had a small lawn in the backyard that they could snack on while I attended my obligatory meeting.
I thought about my immediate feelings for Shianna, and how they had differed now from when I was under her spell an hour ago. I despised what she had done, but I also understood why she had done it. She was simply scared and desperate. The cop thing was her way of keeping us out of trouble. Wouldn't I have done the same thing if I could have? Probably. I was certainly warming up to her again, but she was still very upset. It was just one of those things that started out innocent and small and turned into a snowballing disaster - it happens sometimes. I reached out and scratched her mane, then gave her an "it'll be all right" smile. We were five minutes from home when the sirens howled from my rear bumper yet again.
"Damn it! We were almost there!" I pulled over, not at all sure what to do. Yet a third cop was now radioing into his dispatch.
"Options, ladies and gentlemen?"
"I can take him out," said the lady.
"No, we should let destiny decide this one," said the gentleman.
"One for and one against," I said. "That means it's up to me again." I watched the cop get out of his car. This one was mean. Was that an inherent trait or did he just hear something over the radio? As he approached, he walked sideways with his right hand and sidearm out of view.
"Oh God, he's drawing his gun. Shianna! You're up!!"
The mare whipped her head to the cop, who stopped dead in his tracks, his gun limply held in his right hand. He doubled over and bawled to the ground as if he had just witnessed the brutal slaughter of his own children. That was my cue to get the hell out of Dodge.
In the rearview mirror, the receding highway patrol officer slowly stood up again, but he didn't make any move toward his vehicle. I turned off at the next exit and decided to take my chances on side streets. The gamble paid off, and in ten minutes we were safely in my driveway. I led the horses around back, and they seemed pleased to start mowing my lawn. I don't think they knew how much trouble we could have been in. Destiny had finally decided to cut us a break, for once.
[End of _COMPANIONS_ Chapter 07: Home]
[Next in series: Chapter 08: Home Away From Home]