Chapter Fifteen - X-rated performance

Lucy

I had just calmed down at Savanah’s touch, when Evan came close again, handing a can to Savanah. My head snapped up the moment his energy brushed against mine. I knew he hadn’t even touched me. He didn’t need to. I was still acutely aware of his presence, making my heartbeat speed up again. I barely heard Freya ask about Kali. Only after Savanah nudged me in the ribs, I realized I’d been asked a question. A question that seemed of utter importance to Evan, because he was staring at me in anticipation now. I sighed, sipping on the Coke, biding my time. How could I explain it all to them?
“First of all, you need to know that I wasn’t born in this realm,” I started in a whisper. “I only learned about the existence of other realms when my friends and I got stuck at the Overlook Hotel, a place that exists in multiple dimensions. That’s where I met Samael and Kali. Sam wanted her locked up or killed. I helped him, trying to prevent a bloodbath...”
“What exactly did you do?” Savanah whispered next to me, asking the question for Kali’s and Evan’s benefit, because she already knew the answer.
“In my realm, not all Angels have the same set of abilities. I inherited mine from my parents. The living armor is from my mother Eileen. You have already seen it in action, Freya,” I addressed her directly, finally raising my head.
“What I inherited from my father is a bit more complicated. For millennia, the ability didn’t have a name, until my half-brother Kreon dubbed it Energy Vampire. The basics are easy. I can rip energy from another person. In exchange, I must leave a drop of my energy behind. The next thing is more difficult to explain. With that drop of energy, I can control the person, in this case, Kali, turning her into a living Zombie.”
None of those present said a word. They seemed to be frozen in place, listening intently.
“Rendered harmless through my control, Kali was locked up into a cell, deep down in the bowels of the Overlook Hotel. When I left the hotel, the connection to my drop of energy still inside Kali was cut, while I was still in possession of a piece of her dark energy. I only realized much later that the energy I had taken from her contained the vampire part of her soul...”
My voice faded out. I felt like a criminal, confessing in front of the jury. Now, I only needed to wait for the verdict.
Evan took me by surprise, doing something completely unexpected. In a swift motion, he knocked the half-empty can out of my fingers, taking my shaking hands in his before falling down on his knees in front of me like he was planning to propose.
“Can you do it again?” he gasped, his gaze piercing mine.
What the ... Wait … He wanted me to take away his vampire side?
“Why?”
“I never wanted it. Kali forced it on me. Can you take it away again? Please, I’m begging you.”
He looked up at me like a beaten puppy, eyes wide and dark from pain. Through our clasped hands, I could feel his sincerity. He hated that part of himself, willing to do everything to be free from it. Should I really do it again?
“I could hurt you, control you, make you my slave to forever do my bidding if you let me in,” I whispered, hating myself for voicing those words. But he needed to know the truth. The whole truth. I was dangerous.
His voice didn’t waver when he answered with conviction.
“Yes, I understand. But anything is better than being part vampire.”
He pulled me close, covering my lips with his own. All reason fled my mind as my whole body started throbbing at his touch. Pulling me up with him, he wrapped me in his arms. There was something hot, hard, and pulsating pressing into my midsection. He opened his mouth, his tongue questing, seeking entrance. Fighting a losing battle for control, my lips opened on their own, my tongue twining with his. All semblance of control vanished as bright red energy swirls exploded outward, wrapping themselves around him. A shocked gurgle left his lips, but it was too late to turn back now. Entering his body, my red swirls grabbed the vampiric energy, ripping it away. He stiffened in response, then went slack in my arms.
No, you don’t faint on me now, idiot. You wanted this, now stay with me, I growled inside his mind.
Taking control, I straightened his body before he toppled over, immediately feeling remorse at what I’d done. Clumsily lowering him onto the couch trying not to dump him onto Savanah, I released control as fast as possible, pulling back all energy except one, tiny drop of mine. Next, I concentrated on the taste of charcoal that clearly marked part of the energy as being of vampiric origin. Forming a small, bright red sphere from my living armor, I encased those dark energies inside. Only then did I allow myself to sink down beside Evan.

Freya Rose

I couldn’t believe what I’d just witnessed. The light show was fascinating, but the suck face session was a little awkward to say the least. Savanah had turned away pretty quickly, like she knew what was coming. I, on the other hand, had a front-row seat to an almost x-rated performance. Savanah moved out of the way just before Evan and Lucy finally collapsed onto the couch. I wanted to ask Lucy questions but the poor girl looked exhausted. I nodded towards the yard, indicating to Savanah for us to give the two of them some space. I was sure that I’d be able to ask Lucy questions after she recovered from whatever that display was. I guessed it had something to do with taking the vampirism from Evan, because his scent changed immediately.
I was a little worried about getting too close to Lucy, until I asked her more about it, I didn’t know if that energy vampire thing she had was controlled by her, or just something that activated itself. Evan wanted his vampire side gone, but I was perfectly happy with my vampire side. Sure, I didn’t like the blood diet or the constant hunger, but the rest of it had perks. The extra speed, the ability to sense more, and the cool ability to see different colored heat signatures through walls and floors. I didn’t want her accidently taking my vampirism away from me.
Besides, this gave me the opportunity to have a chat with Savanah, there was clearly something going on with her too, and maybe she had a few answers for me. I stood up and headed towards the yard, leaving Lucy comfortably entwined with Evan. Savanah followed me out and we both sat on the loungers by the pool. The peace and quiet were glorious, exactly what I needed. I laid back and appreciated it for a few moments. Cooling breeze sweeping across my body. The bird’s songs were being carried on the air currents, and I could hear the faint lapping of the water in the pool in front of me. I took a deep breath and exhaled it before sitting back up and addressing Savanah.
“So, you’re from another realm?”
“Yeah, I guess so,” she replied with a shrug.
“I knew you were special, but this is extraordinary. What do you remember?”
“Well, I remember most of my life from before being kidnapped by Azael, but it’s all in tiny snippets. I’m still trying to piece it all together to be honest.” She spun around on the lounger, laid back and looked up into the sky. “I remember my father and mother. Some other members of my family are a little hazier. I think I blocked them out at some point. Years of being held captive with the hope that they would come and rescue me, really took its toll. By the time centuries had gone by, anger took over, replacing any hope or even love that I felt for them.”
She sighed softly, and I couldn’t help but feel bad for her. I was with Azael long enough to know what torture he put people through. I couldn’t imagine being with him for centuries. She must have felt so alone and scared.
“The down side of pushing that part of my life away, meant I lost most of my abilities too. I’m glad I kept the mind-reading and future seeing abilities though, or I would have never met you. Azael knew about those abilities of mine and wanted to enhance them, he gathered that if you could turn me, it would make me a stronger soldier. It did, but it made me a soldier for you, not him.”
She turned her head and smiled at me. I smiled back letting her know how happy I was that she chose me. She looked back up into the sky and continued, “He was furious when I wouldn’t help him see the future anymore. I told him that since you turned me, my loyalties were to you. I could only tell him futures that related to you. I tweaked the visions a little, so he didn’t get any useful information from them. That’s when he locked me up with the other hybrids.”
“I’m so sorry you got ripped away from your family by that scumbag. I swear I’ll make him pay for what he’s done to you. I don’t know how you coped all that time with him.”
She glanced back over to me and said with a smile,
“I know you’ll make him pay, Freya. You will send that piece of shit straight to hell, I’m sure of it.”
We both chuckled at the thought of Azael rotting in hell. If there was such a place. With the proof that other realms existed and that Savanah was from one, I was able to believe in a hell now. My laughter and smile faded as a thought popped into my mind.
“Are you going to leave with Lucy when she goes back to her realm?”
Savanah sat up and reached for my hands. I sat up too taking hers into mine.
“Freya, you are my best friend. I love you like a sister. I’m never leaving you. I may return to my realm at some point, but I will always come back. You have me for life, whether you want me or not. See me as your guardian angel.”
With a tear sliding down my cheek, I launched myself at her, nearly knocking her right off the lounger. We roared with laughter as we embraced. The thought of her being by my side forever felt incredible. Knowing that I always had someone on my side, was exactly what I needed.

Evan Hart

I stirred from what felt like a long and peaceful sleep. I went to stretch but my body felt heavier than normal. I glanced down and saw Lucy's angelic face pressed against my chest. Her long raven hair covered most of it, but from what I could see, I knew she was the most beautiful woman my eyes had ever seen. As I gently swept her hair away from her face, a faint pink glow began to surround her. My eyes grew wide and I fought the urge to gasp at the sight. This girl is from a different realm, there’s no way this is possible, I thought in shock. But I couldn’t deny it. As each second went by, the pink light around her grew in vibrancy and intensity. There was no mistaking it.
“My beautiful Fianna,” I whispered with complete love and comfort filling every ounce of my being.

Lucy

I woke up disoriented, a blinding headache throbbing behind my temple. What a strange, vivid dream. Everything had felt so real. The “Happy Eighteen” party, getting drunk, feeling Kali, flashing realms...
Stretching, I felt a warm body spooning me, an arm draped over my waist. My eyes snapped open to unknown surroundings. A male voice rumbled gently behind me,
“Good evening, Angel.”
With a shriek, I shifted out of bed, ending up trembling in one corner of an unfamiliar bedroom. My armor rippled, covering me from head to toe. Only my spear was missing, because I was already holding something in my right hand. Opening it, the memory of the day returned with force as I looked at the golf ball-sized, bright red sphere in my fingers.
“Evan!” I whispered in shock.
Raising my head, I saw him sitting on the bed, staring at me with a look of shock and pain on his face. Is he crying? My heart missed a beat as pain swept over me, mirroring his expression. The next moment, I had exchanged my armor with a skimpy set of pj’s to show him I didn’t feel threatened, and didn’t mean to threaten him, either. He blinked twice, his body frozen. Setting one foot in front of the next, I carefully moved closer. Was he angry with me for acting on impulse, ripping away his vampire part? Had I hurt him?
No, you idiot, look at him. He’s hurting because you ran away, Savanah’s voice whispered in my head.
Did you snoop? I replied, anger rising within me.
No, came her laughing reply. Your shriek of fear was quite loud, I just checked if you're okay. He didn’t do anything … untoward … to you?
Shaking my head in response, I felt Savanah’s presence leave my mind. Evan still hadn’t moved in the mere second of the mental exchange.
No, Evan hadn’t done anything wrong. I remembered collapsing next to him on the couch, head spinning from exertion. He’d carried me upstairs to this bedroom, then slipped under the covers with me when I started shivering. I must have fallen asleep in his arms.
A gasp escaped my lips as I stumbled the last steps to the bed, tripping over the bedside rug. My clumsiness spurred him into action, catching me in his arms before I smashed face-first onto the mattress.
“Evan,” I sobbed. “I’m sorry …"
“Lucy,” he breathed, crushing me to his chest.
As I relaxed, the pain in my heart slowly subsided. Encircled in his arms, it felt like I’d belonged there all my life. Dropping the red sphere onto the pillow, my arms wrapped around him, my hands tracing the rippling muscles on his back, moving upwards to his shoulders and neck, twining into his hair. Our lips met, the gentle touch sending shivers down my spine. With a groan, I let him continue what we’d started downstairs, tongues meeting, questing, exploring.
A tingle spread across my skin, my energy reaching out to him once more. Breaking the kiss, I clenched my teeth, fighting for control. I wasn’t allowed to do that. Forcing my energy onto another being was considered a crime. This time, I had neither an emergency nor a request to justify my actions.
“Lucy, what's wrong?”
“I” … My tongue seemed to be stuck to the roof of my mouth.
“I can’t stop it from happening. My energy ... When we kiss, my energy is seeping into you. I … can’t control it. You already carry a drop of my energy inside. It’s plenty to keep you from becoming a vampire again. I don’t know why I’m reaching out to you, feeding my energy into you while taking the same amount of yours in return. I’m violating you … Kreon called it a form of rape. I don’t want to do this. It should only be done when it’s mutual, with my soul-partner...”
His reaction wasn’t what I’d expected at all. Instead of looking shocked, his blinding smile lit up the entire room.
“It’s true, then. I couldn’t believe it when the pink halo of a Fianna appeared around you. You are my soul-partner, Lucy, as I am yours. There’s no doubt about it. Whatever your energy is doing, it feels right, natural, not like a violation.”
“But I’m not from this realm,” I gasped. “If we are bound to each other, I can never go back home, or you must come with me. I was told, breaking a soul-partner connection is extremely painful.”
He nodded. “It’s a life bond. Being apart for a longer time will incapacitate both partners.”
Yes, that sounded about right. Despite all the differences between our realms, the bond seemed to work similar.
Closing my eyes, I sank against his chest with a sob. Yes, I could feel it. The drop I had given him was distributed evenly throughout his whole body, a trace of it now present in every single one of his cells. With Kali, my energy was working completely different. It had wrapped itself around her brain like a thin, impenetrable sheet, warding off all harm. Only soul-partners could share their energy signature to all cells. Did my cells carry his signature as well? I checked, already knowing what I would find. The bond was complete, we were bound to each other for all eternity.
“Is it … okay for you?” Evan asked in a worried whisper, brushing back a strand of my hair before cradling my face in his hands.
Relaxing into his touch, I smiled before reclaiming his lips. Abandoning all caution, my wings emerged, wrapping us in light as our tongues and energies twined once again.