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Knights in Peril

This story is part of the 2090 BGC series.

The name Bubblegum Crisis and characters here within are copyright of
Artmic & Youmex and are used without permission. The name Silent
Mobius and associated characters are property of Kia Asamiya and are
used without permission. Other characters and themes within are
copyright of Alexander Gray and are used with permission. This story
and others in this series maybe freely distributed as long as this
header is quoted, the author is referenced, and the contents are not
altered without permission of the author.

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Special thanks to my pre-readers - David Anez and Sara for their
excellent help in knocking this episode into shape!


        *       *       *       *

Chapter Two - A Choice To Be Made

Location: Elysium
Time: AD 2089(?)

    Samanaimethea eyes scanned over the sweet wind swept fields of
summer flowers that banked the Great River Oceanus, and gave a small
sigh. The cool moist ladened wind blew her long loose hair like a
lover's caress back over her face, and for the umpteenth time she
wished that Linna was here to share this incredible sight with her.
She had never been to Elysium in the Outer Realms before. Places that
dripped in ultimate goodness were usually not that happy to see her,
and she had found that they were too boring to bother with anyway.
However, this place was... nice. It seemed to fill her with something
that was... pleasant.
    Michael seemed to be off somewhere amusing himself hunting with
the lesser Gods that dwelt in this Realm. So far, he had not shown any
reaction at all to her request that he... postpone his planned
Rebellion, and Samanaimethea had the annoying feeling that he was not
taking her seriously. That made her slightly piqued. She was not used
to being just ignored, and that irritated her. She was used to beings
obeying her immediately, and the fact that Michael was toying with her
concerned her - especially since it was him who had invited her here
in the first place.
    "My Lady..." a faint hesitant voice spoke from behind her and
Samanaimethea turned around to face the dark skinned goddess Isis.
    "What?" Samanaimethea snapped a bit more harshly than she had
initially intended and the goddess cringed at the redhead's tone.
    "Your pardon, my Lady," Isis bowed slightly and wished for the
millionth time that these Nobles had chosen another Realm in which to
amuse themselves. She just _hated_ dealing with these Beings. She
never knew if they were going to destroy her simply out of amusement -
it had happened to other Gods before.
    "Sorry, Isis," Samanaimethea apologized as she remembered her
manners. "I was not annoyed at you. What can I do for you?"
    "Lord Michael summons your presence, my Lady," Isis said bowing
deeply and completely missing the angry look that crossed the face
whose perfection made the goddess of Beauty look like a dull star next
to a supernova.
    "He said what?" Samanaimethea said with more calm than she felt as
her eyes sparkled dangerously.
    Isis swallowed and desperately wished that she could curl up and
vanish. Gathering her courage she tried again. "He requests..."
    "His _exact_ words!" Samanaimethea exclaimed angrily. "What were
his _exact_ words!"
    Oh Elysium! Isis shuddered as she waited to see if she was going
to die. "He... he..."
    "Spit it out, you silly thing!" Samanaimethea exclaimed. She was
not in the mood to be kind anymore. Her good feelings had just passed
away under the strain of her annoyance.
    At this point Isis started to blubber and giving a sound of
disgust Samanaimethea took the information directly from the goddess's
mind. Her face grew white and for the first time since her "rebirth" a
black fury that would have done Samantha proud began to arise within
her.
    "He commands me to attend him does he?" Samanaimethea hissed as
her Power started to blaze angrily to life. It had stabilized slightly
since she had come here, and it even seemed to be back up to its usual
reserve - just. "So, Michael thinks to summon _me_..." She grinned and
her face turned savage. Perhaps it was time to take a leaf from
Samantha's book and frame her "request" in a slightly different way. A
way that was much more... convincing - for everyone...

    The Great River of Oceanus bubbled and seethed like a violent
black ooze as the great forests and ancient fields lining its banks
blackened and burnt with the aftermath of the insane Powers that had
run riot over the Realm of Amoria reducing it to a blackened
scarred land. The once shining blue-sky overhead was now black, and
seethed with insane colors as beings of utter pandemonium hunted down
the remains of Michael's last desperate creations.
    The lesser Gods of Eronia and the Realms neighboring to Amoria
quivered as they waited to see if the Corrupter would take out her
displeasure on their lands as well, but as time slowly passed they
realized with great relief that for now at least they had been spared.
The news of the Corrupter's actions spread like wildfire throughout
all the Inner and Outer Realms. It was news that bought horror to all
those who were able to understand what it meant - the Corrupter was
back.
    Samanaimethea stood at the heart of the now dead and blackened
lands of what had once been the beautiful Realm of Amoria and looked
down at the steaming remains of the 'Great' Lord Michael. It had been
so easy. She was almost surprised by how easy it had been. Michael's
vaunted Power had been _nothing_ to her. She had almost been wondering
if he had been holding back for some insane reason, but now she
realized that he had not. The difference was in her. Her Power had
responded to Michael in ways that were frankly frightening. She had
not even had to draw on the corrupt Power of the Darkness. Her face
twisted in a savage smile as she contemplated that fact. She, not the
Darkness, had destroyed Michael! She giggled and then threw back her
head and laughed - she had not even used the Darkness!
    Now, Samanaimethea's eyes glittered with a light that was neither
holy nor unholy. At last, she was in a position to give... HIM... some
long due... payback...

    "She has potential..."
    "Perhaps, in a crude sort of way."
    "Enough to be useful."
    "If she is handled correctly, then maybe..."
    "You do not sound certain."
    "I do not like unknown quantities. There is a chance she might
prove to be dangerous."
    "You worry too much. She is too young to hurt us."
    "The chance exists. She is from OUTSIDE too."
    "Do you wish to destroy her then? It would seem to be a waste
but..."
    "I will reserve judgment for now. Play her as you will."
    "Too kind."
    "Do not mock me, old friend. The path both of us walk is too
dangerous for that."
    "Mock you? Ha! I would never dream of that!"
    "Be glad you do not, Vari. I can be as dangerous an enemy as I am
a useful ally."
    "A threat?"
    "A warning."
    Sigh.
    "As you wish, Ur'los. As you wish."

        *       *       *       *

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Time: AD 2089, 17th April, 19:15

    Priss sat uncomfortably silent well aware that she was completely
out of place in this den of Hunters, Demons and whatever else was
haunting Hades tonight. She nervously swallowed as she looked at the
human seeming figures that were dancing and milling socially about.
Oh, there were real humans about, young bubbly teenagers out for a
forbidden night of pleasure, or trendy office workers out to relieve
stress, but Priss knew better than to get involved with them. They
were only prey. May be some of them would be lucky and escape without
being "selected", and maybe not. Priss did not know and she no longer
cared. She knew from experience that it was impossible to interfere.
The fate of these unsuspecting clubbers was no longer her concern. She
was just glad that she was not on the menu.
    As "the Chosen of Mayline" she was by default an "associate"
member of Samanaimethea's Family whether she liked it or not, and
since the smug return of that bloody little redhead, members of
Samanaimethea's Family were being avoided like the plague. And just
this once, Priss was bloody well glad of that fact. She had just about
reached the limit of living the lie she had had to for the past forty
plus years. Always hiding, trying to remain out of sight while the
hounds of the Council brutally hunted down any mortal still affected
by Samantha's corruption. Now, the shoe was on the other foot, and for
the first time in years Priss did not have to rely on Mayline having
to protect her all the time. She had even, _thank_ all the Gods, been
able to drop the disguise of the old woman that Mayline had been using
to hide her presence all this time. Fuck! Was she glad of that!
    "Priss," Mayline cried out as she came running over from the floor
and gave her Chosen a passionate embrace. "Hey! You want to sing
tonight, love?"
    Priss gave Mayline a totally Priss like look and the young
Enforcer giggled in delight. "Well, don't say I didn't offer you the
chance," she said before sliding into Priss's lap and wrapping an arm
around her Chosen's neck.
    "Humph!" Priss tried to be angry but it was difficult with Mayline
nibbling at her ear, so she just sighed and settled back to enjoyed
the warm presence of Mayline in her lap. "So," she said after Mayline
had thoroughly mused all her hair. "How are the Council taking to
Samanaimethea's new changes?"
    Mayline grinned savagely and straightened up. "They hate it," she
said in an amused voice. "But they're all too scared shitless to do
anything but accept. They know they have no other choice."
    "Outcast to ruler in less than a year," Priss mused almost to
herself. "That must really stick in their caw, especially as
Samanaimethea's breaking every tradition they have ever held dear.
They must _really_ love that." She laughed at the thought, it was nice
to be on the winning team for once. It was a rare feeling.
    "Oh, they just _love_ it alright," Mayline giggled her agreement.
"Her announcement about the break-up of the other Families completely
tickled them pick, especially the Great Lords. But after she... ah..."
    "I don't think I want to know," Priss said firmly kissing
Mayline's hair. "I've seen what that _nutter_ is capable of, and
although she may have changed her colors, she is still the same..."
    "Now, now, Priscillia," Samanaimethea said gracefully sinking into
the seat opposite her. "Is that anyway to talk about an old friend?"
    Priss wisely took the hint and shut up. She still did not know
exactly how this Samanaimethea operated. Was she Sam or was she
Samantha? From what Priss had seen so far the young woman seemed to be
the best and the worst of both.
    "Hiya, Priss," Linna said warmly to her oldest living friend as
she sank down next to her partner and lifted the new ruler into her
lap like a child. "Oh, I like the new look by the way."
    "Thanks..." Priss replied sullenly.
    "Ahhh, cheer up, Priscillia," Samanaimethea laughed and gave the
woman a fond wink. "You know we all love you really." She leaned over
the table and gave the moody woman a warm kiss, "Don't you?"
    "Daaa..." Priss went off into gar-gar land. "Red..."
    "Oh, Mother," Mayline said in annoyed tone. "Will you please stop
doing that to her!"
    "Doing what?" the redhead smiled innocently looking at her
"daughter" with a puppy like look on her face.
    "You know very well what I mean, Samanaimethea - that," Mayline
pointed to the stupidly smiling form of her Chosen.
    "Red..." Priss purred happily as Linna and Samanaimethea burst out
into giggles.

    "Is this the place?" Alexi asked the redhead as Natsumi and Yumi
followed closely behind her.
    "Yes," the redhead nodded with a smile. "She's in there."
    "Are you sure, Raina?" Natsumi frowned looking at the large queue
standing outside the most popular nightclub in Tokyo.
    "Believe me," Raina smiled at the three humans. "Both the ones we
want are in there - _my_ Linna and _your_ Samanaimethea. But I warn
you, unless you follow the plan exactly as I laid out for you neither
of us will get what we came here for."
    "We know the price for your help," Alexi said in an annoyed tone.
"And we all agreed to it."
    "You may now," Raina said quietly. "But when you face the Hunger
of those within you might not be so... convinced. I need to be certain
that you will go through with my plan - all the way."
    "And how will you do that?" Natsumi queried. "You yourself said
you need us as we are. How else are we going to tempt them out?"
    "That is true," Raina agreed. "But there is a way..."
    "How?" Yumi said stepping forward boldly. "I don't care what it
is, I will do it."
    A smile slowly crossed Raina's face. These humans were such fools!
They deserved everything that would happen to them.
    Out of sight of Raina and the three humans who were about to give
themselves to her a patch of living Night twittered in amusement.
Gabriel's Pawn was as easy to manipulate as any other and this Move
was an integral part of a plan that was slowly after so many Cycles
beginning to come to fruition. The Mistress's time was coming.
Already, she was beginning to show the symptoms that the Darkling and
Its brothers and sisters had waited so long for - the changes that
meant she was almost ready.
    Yes, the Darkling twittered innately to itself. Soon the Mistress
would be a Mother once again, and this time the Darkness would finally
be able to fulfill Mother's dearest wish and no one and nothing would
be able to stop them - not even her.

    "Sammy," Linna said as the two lovers danced intimately close to
the soft music band playing around them.
    "Hmmm..." her mate said as the redhead snuggled closely up to the
brunette.
    "What are we going to do now?" Linna said lost in Samanaimethea's
flowery scent. "I mean, with everything..."
    "You mean what are my long term plans?" Samanaimethea said looking
up into Linna's deep blue eyes.
    "Something like that," Linna replied pushing Samanaimethea's red
fringe back from the white face where it always seemed to fall.
    - I do not think this is quite the place or time to discuss that,
love - Samanaimethea's voice whispered warmly through Linna's mind.
    - Why not? - Linna replied curiously.
    - Too many ears - Samanaimethea giggled putting her head against
the taller woman's chest as she pushed herself tighter into Linna's
embrace.
    - I can certainly understand that - Linna replied as she took up
the lead in the slow dance and let her hands roam freely over her
lover's curvaceous form. - Gods, Sammy - she commented as her hands
came to rest on the redhead's hips.
    "Hmmm?" Samanaimethea queried, slightly disappointed that Linna's
hands were now still.
    "You make me feel like a tomboy," Linna said with a smile.
    "What is that supposed to mean?" the redhead said as she looked up
at Linna's smiling face.
    "These, my girl," Linna expanded running her hands sensuously over
the redhead's generous curves.
    "Hey! That tickles..." Samanaimethea giggled, returning the favor
and running her hands slowly over Linna's body.
    "Exactly," Linna said as she felt Samanaimethea's hands trace out
her own modest form. "You certainly grew out a bit, didn't you?"
    "Suppose," the redhead replied with a shrug. "I did not exactly
plan it that way - it just sort of happened."
    Linna eyes widened suddenly as something astonishing just occurred
to her. A heart felt wish that she had long since buried in her mind.
A wish that she had thought impossible and yet...Her heart began to
beat faster and nervously licking her lips she unconsciously stroked
her lover's long silly hair. "Err...Sammy..." she said, carefully
broaching upon the subject. "I'm your Consort, aren't I?"
    "Of course you are," the young woman purred in wicked
contentment. "All mine...Yummy..."
    "Well, what exactly is it that I do? I mean... a Consort sort of
implies..."
    "What? Marriage?"
    Linna flushed. "Not exactly... more than that..." Gods, this was
embarrassing...
    "What then?" Samanaimethea muttered as she adjusted her head on
Linna's body as the tempo of the music changed.
    "Well..." Linna put her head down into Samanaimethea's fragrant
hair and steeling herself whispered - "Children."
    Samanaimethea abruptly stopped dancing and pushed Linna back.
"What!?" she spluttered with wide green eyes. "What was that!?"
    Linna swallowed. She could feel the eyes of many beings cautiously
watching them and felt even more nervous. So, wrapping an arm around
the pole-axed young woman, she escorted her off the dance floor and
towards a much more private spot that was out of the way of prying
eyes.
    "Sit," she said guiding the redhead into a private booth and
once the girl was safely seated, raised a Ward that would guarantee
them both some privacy.
    "What did you just say..." Samanaimethea's eyes were so wide that
Linna almost felt like she was going to fall into them.
    "Children," Linna repeated more confident this time as she took
the girl's white hands in her own. "A Consort implies children."
    If it was possible Samanaimethea's eyes widened even more and her
usually perfect voice was now little more than a squeak. "You mean you
want to..."
    "Have children," Linna tightened her grip on Samanaimethea's
shaking hands. "Yes. I have wanted to for a long time now, but I
always thought that it was impossible for us."
    "But... but..." the redhead seemed at a complete loss for words
and for the first time Linna had ever known her Samanaimethea seemed
to be utterly out of it.
    "It must be possible," Linna continued before the redhead could
recover. "I mean, Nobles didn't just spring into existence from
nowhere and the term 'Family' that you are always brandishing about
must have some foundation. And you certainly all have the necessary
physical..."
    "Children!" Samanaimethea spluttered. "Linna... what.... How..."
    "That's what I was hoping you would tell me," Linna replied taking
the spluttering redhead's face in her hands and looking deep into the
Noble's emerald eyes. "Is it possible for us to have children?"
    Samanaimethea's white face first went pink and then rapidly moved
onto a deeper shade of red.
    "Is it possible?" Linna repeated more clearly.
    "I... I..." the redhead was at a complete lost for words.
    "Yes or no?" Linna demanded resisting the temptation that was
pounding through her at the lost look in those deep green eyes. Now
was not the time for that. "Yes or no?"
    "Yes..." Samanaimethea said responding automatically to the
demanding tone in Linna's voice. "I mean..." her face turned
completely red.
    "Then I want to have them, Sammy," Linna stated adamantly placing
one of the shaking white hands against her own stomach. "I want to
have your children."
    "Daaa..." was Samanaimethea's reply.
    "I AM your Consort, Sammy," Linna pressed unmercifully. "I _want_
to fulfill that role. I _want_ your children."
    "I... I... dadadaa..."
    Linna sighed. Samanaimethea was obviously not as bright as Linna
had originally hoped. The Immortal girl was completely spaced out.
Linna sighed and turned her head to seek out another.
    - Sophia - she called out to the ancient Noble who was bound to
the Darkness.
    - Lady? -
    - How do Nobles... procreate? - Linna commanded. - Tell me -
    -...-
    A rush of information, of sensation, of need and sharing flooded
into Linna's mind as Sophia obeyed the Consort's request. Linna
staggered under the weight of the information and absorbed what little
she could. As she did, she suddenly understood why Samanaimethea had
gone off into "daa-daa" land.
    "Oh shit..." Linna whispered quietly to herself. That was not
quite the answer she had been expecting. She took a long look at
the... extremely well developed blushing young woman "dardar'ing"
beside her and realized that Samanaimethea was not called the Mistress
of the Family for nothing.
    "Oh fuck..." Linna swore as it dawned on her what she had just
demanded of the redhead. This was going to be... interesting.
    "Dadadaaa..." the red faced young woman agreed and Linna sighed
shaking her head.
    "Very interesting..."

        *       *       *       *

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Time: AD 2041, 23rd July, 14:04

    "Culture?" Kelly queried. "Is that all you want to know about?"
    Sylia nodded slowly and then launched into her request.  "Please
Kelly, I need your help. Elina and Leina were your sisters and two of
the brightest and sweetest girls I have ever known. They died
horribly, and needlessly. I want..."
    "Revenge I assume," Kelly finished with a sigh. "That's what it
usually comes down to with your kind."
    Sylia swallowed and then nodded. "Yes, it does doesn't it?"
    "Well, you don't exactly need my help for that," Kelly remarked.
"You already have access to an entire Family of Enforcers who are more
than willing to help you in anyway you wish."
    "But they are only children!" Sylia exclaimed harshly. "I can't
sent my children up against other..."
    "Nobles?" Kelly looked Sylia straight in the eye. "You think this
Culture is made up of Nobles or something?"
    Sylia nodded. "I do," she said sternly. "For sometime I have been
wondering if the bomb that was planted..."
    "Killed exactly who is was originally aimed at?" Kelly completed
the thought. "It's possible I suppose," she said with a shrug. "But
what's that to do with me?"
    Sylia reddened and with an effort held her temper in check. "You
really don't seem to be that concerned about the possibility, do you
Kelly? Even though they were _your_ sisters, you don't seem to care."
    "Sylia," Kelly gave the mortal a pointed stare. "Do you know how I
obtained the position I now hold?"
    "Position? What position? I don't..."
    "I am Sam's Consort," Kelly said softly.
    "So?" Sylia had no idea what the term meant, nor did she care. She
had to convince Kelly to...
    "The position of Consort is only gained by defeating, and then
destroying, the current holder of the title," Kelly said in an
emotionless voice. "Before me, a Noble called Amilee held the title.
It was Amilee who first helped me come to terms with what being a
Noble really meant. It was Amilee who took me under her wing and
taught me how to use the Power. And it was her who protected me from
the attentions of other Nobles in the Family when they came along
looking for 'fresh' toys to Play with. I owed her more than you can
ever imagine. And yet..." Kelly's face grew dark. "And yet, despite
all that, I still Challenged her... and I won."
    "You... killed your..."
    "My best friend? My mentor?" Kelly looked down lost in memories.
"Yes, I did. Sam... was mine, not hers. I... I had no other choice."
    Sylia shuddered with horror. These Nobles... they were not human,
Sylia HAD to remember that. They did not have human emotions and
although Kelly might have once been something like a human that was no
longer the case now. And with that thought came another just as dark -
her children were Nobles as well. How long would it be before they too
started to show the same lack of... humanity? And what did that mean
for the rest of Tokyo, and the world?
    "Oh Gods..." Sylia whispered to herself. "What have I created..."
    "Mother..." Reina hesitantly tried to get Sylia's attention.
    "What is it, Reina?" Sylia forced a smile on her face as she
pushed the dark thoughts to the back of her mind. She was so
preoccupied with her own musings that she completely failed to see
Kelly suddenly flush and look away.
    Reina did not answer. The young girl was just staring at Kelly
with an anxious, almost hopeful expression on her attractive face.
    Sylia's eyes narrowed and she frowned slightly as she suddenly
noticed the slight red flush on Kelly's face. Odd... Very odd indeed.
Something was going on here, but what? Sylia deliberately cleared her
throat and smiled at the younger girl. "Reina? What was it you
wanted?"
    "Oh," Reina blinked and with a nervous smile focused her attention
back on Sylia. "Sorry, I was just..." Her voice faded away and she
looked embarrassed.
    "What?" Sylia's frown deepened. What the heck was going on here?
    "I... I was just wondering if I could talk to... Kelly for a
moment?" Reina's eyes dilated and Sylia began to put one and one
together.
    "Why?" she asked suspicious that there was more behind the request
than first appeared.
    "I must be going," Kelly suddenly announced and stood up ignoring
the pleading look that Reina tried to give her. The young woman turned
and walked away saying, "I will leave that Culture issue in your
hands, Stingray. It may be your suspicions are right, but I will leave
you to take care of it. I have other concerns that take priority."
    "Wait!" Sylia demanded, dismissing the issue of Reina for the
moment. "How can I deal with..."
    "You have more than enough Power here, Stingray, to do anything
you wish. In fact, more Power than you can ever imagine. I would
suggest that use it well, for you do not know who might be watching,"
Kelly commented stopping just long enough to throw Reina a wink before
abruptly vanishing.
    "Kelly! Wait!" Reina exclaimed and before she was even thinking a
surge of _something_ passed through her body and she suddenly felt
very cold, as if all the strength had been drained for her body.
Swaying, she lost her balance and collapsed into two very strong arms.
    "Reina?!" a voice exclaimed in shock, and after taking a brief
moment to gain her breath back, Reina raised her head to look into the
two very deep and wide blue eyes of Kelly.
    "How the hell did you..." Kelly's shock at the feat of Realm
Travelling that the young girl had just pulled off was pushed to one
side as she saw the hungry look that was now on Reina's face. She
hurriedly pushed the young Enforcer back and turned dismissively away.
    "Kelly, wait," Reina tried to resist the young woman pushing her
away, but she was still too weak and lost in the surge of confusing
emotions that seemed to absorb her whenever she was around the
brunette.
    "You are not welcome here," Kelly said as harshly as she dared.
"This is _my_ special place and I do not tolerate visitors. Go
away, child."
    Reina flushed at the angry tone that Kelly used towards her.
"I'm... I'm sorry..." she tried to say, but only seemed to only manage
the first part of the sentence.
    Kelly shot her a black look and then turned away. "This is my
place," she repeated looking around at the huge decaying black forest
that they were standing in the middle of. "Sam made it especially for
me, and only she and Loria have ever been here. Your presence is not
welcome - leave, now."
    Reina visibly wilted under the impact of the look and the words
that Kelly used against her. For a moment, Kelly was almost surprised
that what she had said would have such an effect but then she hardened
her face. It had to be this way. Sam was unlikely to look kindly on
either of them unless something was done about the Enforcer's budding
emotions now. The little redhead could be extremely jealous at times,
and although Sam often took it upon herself to "play" around with
others, Kelly knew for a fact that for her to do the same would court
worst than death. She remembered what the blue-grey haired Amilee had
once told her - the position of Consort is to walk the fine line
between ecstasy and death. Once it has been achieved others in the
Family will always be plotting to Challenge you, but while you had
it... Ahhh...
    "Please, Reina. Just go," Kelly said in a much kinder tone as she
truly did not wish the girl any harm. "What you seek of me can never
be. I belong to Sam. I am sorry, Reina, but that is the fact. You have
to deal with it."
    "I..." Reina was not exactly sure how she felt, or what her
emotions were telling her. She just knew that Kelly was... the one. It
was completely mad, but there it was. Somehow, she just knew that the
blue eyed young woman in front of her was... the one that had been
_meant_ for her. Her emotions were surging wildly and more than that
they were building rapidly in intensity. A _need_ was beginning to
form...
    Kelly... Kelly... Kelly...
    Kelly could now feel the surge of emotions and thoughts that were
passing through the young Enforcer and she was alarmed. What Reina was
currently experiencing was something that should not be! The girl was
Choosing her! It was impossible! How could the Enforcer possibly Chose
her - Sam's Consort?! It was utterly crazy!
    Reina's mind was numb as the girl took a step forward towards
Kelly. Her hands were shaking as her eyes travelled over the
attractive form of the young woman in front of her. Kelly... Kelly...
    Kelly's eyes widened and with a rapid movement she backpedaled
away from the girl. This was no joke! Kelly could _feel_ the demanding
nature of the girl's attempt to initiate a Choosing surging through
her own mind and body. Oh shit! The young Enforcer was _really_
being serious about this!
    Reina could not think anymore. The need and emotions surging
through her were drowning everything else out. Kelly was the one who
she needed. Kelly was the one who had been made just for her. Kelly...
Kelly...
    With an effort, Kelly blocked out the girl's attempt at Choosing
and stood her ground. "I _cannot_ Join with you, Reina," she said
trying to get through to the girl. "I _am_ Sam's, I _cannot_ be your
Chosen as well!"
    Reina reached out and took hold of Kelly's hands. She shivered
with delight at the contact with the young woman and slowly leaned
forward, pushing her face...
    - STOP - Kelly ordered using the Power to bind the young girl
still. - YOU MUST... -
    Reina, with eyes closed and a look of sheer bliss on her face,
touched her lips to Kelly's. Ahhh...
    Kelly froze as she felt a rage of hot and cold sensations pass up
and down her spine. Reina's lips tasted faintly like sweet honey, and
the soft tongue that now slid eagerly into her mouth caused Kelly to
shudder with delight. The girl was SO much like Sam... Ohhh...
    The faint moan that erupted from Kelly's mouth made Reina even
more excited, and she lifted her hands up to caress Kelly's body,
making the older Noble groan in desire.
    "Sam... _Please_ I _want_ you so much..."
    Reina froze as the name groaned in passion killed her desire
faster than ice water. A cold painful feeling rushed through her and
with a broken expression on her face she stumbled back. Kelly's
hauntingly beautiful face was still flushed with passion, but it... it
was not for her... not for her... A feeling of dark despair flooded
her heart and she drew in a jagged gasp.
    Not her... Not her... NOT HER! Kelly... Kelly... did not...
her...No...
    Kelly slowly opened her passion dilated eyes and with a gasp
realized that she was alone. She looked wildly around, but Reina had
gone.
    "What..." Kelly whispered into the ancient dead air. "What just
happened..."

        *       *       *       *

Location: Tokyo, Japan (alt)
Time: AD 2032, 15th July, 21:56

    "What?!" Lum looked at Yuki in mad disbelief. "That can't be
right!"
    Yuki just closed her eyes and sank into the hospital chair
confused, hurt and frightened. Today had been...
    "You've got to be joking!" Lebia exclaimed. "Katsumi can't be..."
    "She has been committed," Aru confirmed holding onto the shaking
form of his wife. "She's completely insane."
    "What about Sam then?" Lum asked still trying to absorb what had
been said. "And Linna?"
    Aru shook his head. "I don't know. Linna has just vanished and
Sam... Well, Sam is..."
    The door opened and a tired looking man in uniform walked in and
with a groan sat down heavily in one of the available chairs.
    "Otsuki-san," Lebia walked over to the man. "About Sam - is there
any news?"
    Keiji looked up at Lebia's worried face and with a sigh shook his
head. "She's completely catatonic," he said looking at the various
faces one after another. "She's not even responding to the drugs the
doctors gave her."
    "So..."
    "So we don't know bugger all," Aru finished. "Whatever drove
Katsumi insane and made Linna disappear, Sam is not going to be able
to tell us either."
    Keiji nodded. "That's about the long and short of it," he
confirmed. "She's just completely locked the rest of the world out.
The consultant I talked to called it traumatic repression, but
basically she is little more than a mental vegetable at the moment."
    "Sam?" Lum shook her head in disbelief. "That's impossible! She's
the liveliest person I've ever known! She can't be..."
    "I want to see her," Yuki suddenly announced getting to her feet.
"I _must_ find out what the hell happened in that room!" She shuddered
slightly as she remembered Katsumi's mad screams for mercy.
Something... unholy had happened today, and she knew that somehow Sam
had been at the center of it. "I must see her!"
    "You can't," Keiji said bluntly. "She's currently drugged up to
the eyeballs and completely out of it. She isn't even reacting to the
presence of anyone. I'm sorry but..."
    "I must see her," Yuki said again in a quietly intense voice. "I
_must_."
    "No," Keiji shook his head. "Not until I find out from her what
the hell happened today. I mean that. I have one missing person and
another who is clinically insane. That takes priority over anything
else. I'm sorry."
    "No!" Yuki exclaimed moving to stand in front of Keiji. "I _must_
know what happened! I MUST! I MUST! I MUST! I MU...""
    "Yuki!" Aru jumped to his feet and grabbed his near hysterical
wife in a tight embrace. "What is up with you?!"
    Yuki did not answer. How could she _ever_ put into words what she
had heard from that room...

    The nurse looked at the listless redheaded girl lying like a
corpse in the bed and gave a faint smile. Horus, he thought. This
nutter was a fuckin' babe! He gave a quick look around outside the
room. Satisfied it would be safe to indulge his pleasures he re-
entered the room and moved closer to the girl.
    "Nice..." he said in appreciation as he looked at the figure again
and started to play with himself. This was definitely one of the rare
perks of working in the nutter ward. This one would be a treat like...
    Samantha was feeling extra pleased with herself over today's
events so she only turned the human into a small human/cockroach
combination and then let it/he scurry away screaming in a faintly
human voice. Yes, today had been exceptionally amusing, and the
mindless horror that her... 'sister' was wallowing in over the death
of her annoying little mortal plaything was the icing on the cake. It
was not often that Samantha was able to get such a worthwhile response
out of her stupid weakling lesser self, so when she did it was even
the more enjoyable. It was a shame that the response only usually
lasted for a short time. The longest so far that she had managed to
keep her other self wallowing in despair had been when she had "aided"
that child Kelly in killing Amilee. Oh, that _had_ been fun! Amilee
had been one of Sam's favorites, and the results on the girl of seeing
her beloved Consort dead had been so entertaining, that Samantha had
been extra generous and let Kelly Claim the position she had just
butchered her best friend for.
    Oh! It was a real annoyance that Sam hated Darshi so much! That
was one Noble who knew how to have _fun_! But no, that bloody little
child just had to have her own way with who would be Consort. Linna,
Amilee, Samel... All useless fools!
    The human, Linna, had at least had some value as a Pawn, but now
that value was rapidly falling. Sam's attitude towards the brunette
was no longer amusing - it was beginning to get annoying. Sam's
defiance over the Pawn Katsumi had shown just how annoying Linna
could potentially get. One of the main reasons for the removal of
Amilee was that the blue-greyed haired Noble had begun to get too
close to what was _hers_, and _hers_ alone. What Samantha had had to
suffer with for so long she would not share with _anyone_. Only she
would have the final pleasure of... dealing with what was _hers_. And
she would not let anyone interfere - not Kay, not Amilee, especially
not Linna. Sam was hers, and when the time came...
    Samantha giggled as she imagined exactly how she would take care
of that little nuisance. She had long chosen the method that would
give her the most delight. The one thing that was guaranteed to bring
an infinity of exquisite pleasure, and also ensure that her 'sister'
remained past tense - forever. It might take some time to arrange, but
the result would be well worth it. But first...
    The amusement drained from the Corrupter's face as she returned to
consider the issue of the unknown Player who had placed her as the
goal for Its Game. Sam's rash act over refusing the "gift" that the
other Player had offered her had just about ensured that Samantha's
tentative plans for using that Pawn to get to the other Player had
been shot to pieces. Samantha was not too amused by that, and she
smiled as she considered how Sam was now paying for that refusal. It
would teach...
    The door opened and another human walked in. Samantha smiled
evilly - this trainee doctor was pretty! Perhaps now was the perfect
time for some _other_ entertainment...

    Keiji looked in aghast horror at the twisted corpse that had once
vaguely resembled a human being. It was... pieces... His stomach
rolled again and he looked hurriedly away. The room was splattered
with... remains... and the air smelted...
    "Oh, Horus..." he hurriedly left the murder scene and stormed off
down the corridor outside the cordoned off room. He had seen death a
few times before... but nothing like... that. It was... He shuddered.
    "Otsuki!" a commanding voice called out as a stern looking man
came towards him.
    "Sir..." Keiji looked up, and steadying his stomach, turned to
face his boss.
    "Has there been any sign of the insane purp who was locked in that
room? The one who did this abomination?"
    Keiji swallowed. "Sir, I know the girl who was being held in that
room. She is not..."
    "I did not ask you for a personal history, Otsuki!" the man
snapped. "I asked if you have arrested the sick bitch who was
responsible for that... insanity."
    Keiji shook his head. "She... She has disappeared, sir."
    "Then bloody well find her!" the man exclaimed angrily. "If the
press gets wind of the fact that an insane criminal held under police
guard can just happily kill someone and then just waltz off, there
will be hell to pay! Understood?"
    Keiji pursed his lips slightly. He could not believe that the
redheaded girl he had known for all this time could do that... act
which had been performed in her room but...
    "Yes, sir," he said to his lieutenant before walking off. "We will
find her - don't worry."

    The message from Keiji made no sense whatsoever and Leia was too
tired to try and spend the time working out what it said. She gave a
large yawn and looked down at her watch. It was already past 02:13 in
the morning, and it looked like Keiji would certainly not be coming
back home tonight. Leia gave a small sigh and stood up. She stretched,
and walking back into the kitchen, started to put the dinner that she
had been trying to "keep warm" for the last four hours into some form
of preservable state. She should have known that Keiji would end up
missing their fourth anniversary. It was, after all, Murphy's Law. On
the one day when she finally had the confirmation of the goal that the
two of them had been trying so hard for over the last two years to
achieve, that of course, was the one night when Keiji was unable to
come. It was just typical.
    Leia did what little she could to seal up the meal she had
labored so long over and then, turning off the lights, began to make
her way regrettably to bed. She had just reached the hallway when a
slight tapping came at the door. Leia stopped and paused for a moment,
uncertain that she had actually heard anything. A few seconds passed,
then the tapping sounded again, this time more urgent.
    "Keiji, at last," Leia said to herself with a smile as she made
her way over to the front door and opened it. "Where the hell have
you..." Her voice died away as a wet and bedraggled looking teenager
looked up at her with an apologetic grin.
    "Sam!" Leia exclaimed in surprise. "What the hell happened to
you?"
    The redhead flashed her a rueful grin, but did not say anything as
she stood there, dripping. Her short cotton dress and summer blouse
that she was wearing were completely plastered to her, and Leia was
embarrassed at how much the translucent clothes were showing.
    "Get in here, Sam," Leia said grabbing the girl's arm and pulling
her in. "You are bloody soaked, girl! Just what exactly have you been
doing, you silly billy?" She shook her head and led the girl
towards the bedroom. "Go on, Sam," she said pushing the dripping girl
in the direction of the adjoining bathroom. "Get those wet clothes off
while I get something to dry you off with, eh?"
    The redhead did not move. She just stood there and looked at Leia
with an odd look on her face that made Leia frown.
    "Sam?" Leia asked slightly concerned as she took a step towards
the girl. "Are you feeling okay?"
    The redhead said nothing in response, but simply continued to look
at her with that strange intense stare. Leia's frown got deeper and
she raised a hand to brush the wet hair back from the girl's forehead.
    "You haven't got a fever or something have you, Sam?" she asked
worried by the unnatural coldness of the girl's skin. Reaching down
she took the redhead's right hand in her own. "Sam?"
    "You're pregnant, aren't you?" the redhead suddenly asked in a
voice that seemed to be devoid of the usual faint musical overtures
that Leia had always associated with the girl. That faint nuance,
however, was lost on Leia as she was totally dumbfounded by the
statement that the girl had just made.
    "How... How did you know?" Leia hissed in a shocked tone as she
tried to pull back and release her grip on the girl's hand.
    "It does not matter," the girl said dismissively, still
maintaining her firm grip on Leia's hand. "The child will never be
born anyway. You will have a miscarriage in three months time and the
baby will be lost. So, I won't bother planning on selecting any names
or anything like that, if I were you. It would just be a waste of
time."
    Leia felt a rush of cold pass through her at the redhead's callous
remark. She did not know what to say, and just stumbled back as the
smirking girl continued to speak.
    "I'm afraid that you and that boyfriend of yours are never going
to be able to have children, Leia old girl," the redhead remarked
casually keeping an amused eye on the woman. "You will continue to try
of course, but every time you get pregnant the same thing is just
going to happen. Your body is just unable to bring a pregnancy to
term, I'm afraid. Oh, Keiji will be very understanding at first, but
as the years move on his understanding will, shall we say... wander
and he will leave you for..."
    "Stop it!" Leia shrieked and slapped the girl's face. "Stop it!
Stop it!" She ripped her hand away from the redhead and
stumbled backwards until she hit the wall. Feelings of horror,
disbelief, shock and rage flooded through her as she stared
incredulously at the still grinning redhead. "Why Sam?" she managed to
whisper. "How could you... How could you say such things? Why... I...
I thought we were friends... I..."
    "Friends?" the redhead giggled, and Leia shuddered at the sound of
it. "You though we were 'friends'?" The girl's white face creased as
she suddenly burst into laughter. Leia went totally white with
disbelief as the girl seemed to be genuinely amused by Leia's
statement. "Me? Be friends with vermin like you.... Hahaa..."
    Leia's heart broke at the contempt that she heard echoed in the
girl's laughter. She stumbled to the door. She could not believe this!
Sam WAS NOT like this! The girl who had played with Shay, who loved
Linna so fiercely... Sam would not say such things... Sam WAS her
friend... Was...
    "Sam, Sam, Sam, Sam," the girl suddenly stopped laughing and her
face looked annoyed. "Always Sam. What _is_ it you vermin see in her?
She is _nothing_ - a mistake that I should have dealt with a long time
ago. I AM the Mistress! I AM the Darkness!" the girl's white face
abruptly turned savage as a brutal fury sparkled in her darkening
green eyes. "Do you hear me, vermin?! I am De'Naime! She is NOTHING to
me! NOTHING!"
    Leia shook at the venom and rage that sounded in the girl's
hysterical voice. She tried to control the terror that was beginning
to bubble up inside her as she faced the... whatever it was in front
of her. Her instinct screamed at her to run, to flee this insanity,
but somehow she knew that if she tried to run, she would die. She was
like the prey trapped by a rabid dog. If she gave any hint of fear, of
panic, then she would die - simple as that. She did not know what the
source of that feeling was, but somehow, she knew that it was the
truth. She swallowed, and with a bravery that she did not feel, she
faced the insanity before her.
    "Who... who are you?" she hissed. "What have you done with Sam?
Where is she?"
    "Sam, Sam, Sam..." the girl giggled as her fury seemed to suddenly
vanish as quickly as it had first appeared. "Do you love her, Leia? Is
that it? Are you like Linna or Katsumi? Yet another insect that little
old 'Sammy' has picked up - is that it human? Do you want to fuck her
as well? If so..." The girl walked over to the bed and lay down on it
spreading her legs in some kind of gross invitation that made Leia
feel sick.
    "Come on, pretty," the girl said pulling her dress down. "I can
show you things that 'little old Sammy' would never..."
    "Stop it!" Leia shrieked, sickened at the girl's display. "Stop
it, you bitch! What have you done with Sam? Who the fuck are you?!"
    For some reason, the sound of sick contempt in Leia's tone seemed
to affect the girl, and she looked almost uncertain for a few seconds.
It was as if something about the tone of Leia's voice were causing her
some discomfort. The expression only lasted for a moment however, and
then the stranger who was wearing Sam's body came back.
    "Who am I?" the girl giggled as she threw the dress to one side
and started taking off her blouse. "Why? Does it matter? You can
call me whatever name you wish, little one. I've been called so many
different things if the past that I no longer really care." The blouse
joined the dress on the floor and was quickly followed up by the
girl's pants and bra.
    Despite the feelings of disgust and fear raging in her body, Leia
could not help but run her eyes over the naked white form lying
invitingly on the bed before her. Unwittingly, she recalled the
sight of Sam on the balcony at the dance where she had first met the
girl so long ago. She remembered how the young woman child had looked
so much like some kind of marble statue of some ancient fallen deity.
That image seemed even the more potent now. The girl was perfect,
without flaw or blemish, and the moisture adding a slight sheen to the
unnatural whiteness of her skin only seemed to highlight that
unnatural perfection. The only thing that marred the pure image was
the sick look that seemed to contaminate the girl's otherwise
exquisite face, and that look was enough to kill off anything that
Leia might otherwise have been induced to feel.
    "Where is Sam?" Leia repeated coldly as she stared at those dead,
soulless eyes. "What have you done to her?"
    The girl's face curdled in anger and the seductive look that had
been playing there a mere moment before fell away to be replaced
by a look of sheer murderous rage. "You desire her but not me,
vermin..." The girl hissed as she slowly got to her feet, and Leia
knew that she was a dead woman.
    "You refuse me but still want her..." the girl repeated as her
darkening eyes seemed to be pulling in all the light from the room,
and Leia whimpered as the naked girl took a small step towards her.
"Well, well, well, I..."
    The girl suddenly stopped dead, and that uncertain look crossed
her face yet again, as if something in her body were struggling to
deny her will. The vicious look on the girl's face became confused.
    "Sam!" the word escaped Leia's lips without her even realizing she
had said it. That single word however, seemed to affect the girl's
confusion even more, and her body started to shake as a struggle of
some kind seemed to be playing itself out. Leia's heart skipped a beat
as she suddenly realized that that was exactly what was happening - a
struggle between two personalities for control. "Fight it, Sam!" Leia
yelled rushing forward as a wild hope filled her. "Please, Sam! Fight
it! Come back!"
    The redhead's wild eyes tried to focus on Leia and the woman could
see the rage that had been blazing there only a moment before slowly
drain away. The girl's face curled up, almost as if she were in some
kind of pain and with a broken sob she shakily sank to her knees.
Wrapping her arms around herself, the girl slowly started to rock back
and forth crying softly.
    "Sam..." Leia whispered and slowly knelt down on the ground next
to the rocking girl. Hesitantly, she bought her hand up and pulled the
shaking girl into her arms. The redhead tried to resist her, but Leia
was persistent and after a moment the girl was clutching onto the
older woman like some kind of lost child.
    Leia held the cold girl closer and tried to whisper words of
comfort into the girl's wet hair. The girl's cinnamon musk flooded
Leia's senses and she was surprised at how good she felt with that
small figure nestled up against her. Her fingers marvelled at the
silkiness of the skin under her touch and without meaning to, her
fingers started to explore. The redhead did nothing but simply
continue to hold onto Leia and cry.
    "Oh Sam," Leia whispered into the girl's fragrant wet hair. "What
the heck has happened to you..." She gently stroked the moisture
ladened hair and absentmindedly she kissed it.
    "Cold..." the redhead suddenly whispered. "I'm so cold..."
    Leia was not surprised at that statement. She could feel the wet
girl shaking in her arms. Putting the question of whatever had caused
Sam's insane behavior out of her mind for the moment, she turned her
attention to getting Sam settled. Leia knew she had to get the girl
warm first and then she could call Keiji. He at least would know what
to do.
    Leia slowly took the strain of the girl's weight in her arms and
then carefully lifted her up. She was slightly surprised at just how
light Sam was. The redhead seemed to be far more like a girl barely
out of puberty rather than someone well into her early twenties. And
that fact made Leia feel slightly more protective towards the girl
than she might have otherwise been. The redhead was an odd combination
of child and adult that made Leia uncertain about how to treat her.
    The girl nestled in her arms stirred and then shifted her
position. The movement caused Leia's nose to be flooded with the
girl's rather distinctive spicy scent, and at the same time, conspired
to pressed the girl's modestly curvaceous form up against Leia's own
body. Leia felt her face suddenly become hot for some reason and she
shook her head as if to clear it. Steadying herself she tried not to
think about it as she laid the girl on the bed and prepared to pull
the bedclothes back so that she could place the redhead inside.
    "Cold, Leia..." the redhead said again still shivering as her arms
remained wrapped around Leia's neck. "So cold..."
    "All right, Sam," Leia said and tried to pull back, but the
redhead seemed to have other ideas and would not let go. "Sam..." Leia
said and tried to release the girl's arms from around her neck.
    "No..." the girl complained and pulled Leia down towards her.
    "Sam..." Leia started to say but then stopped dead as the girl's
lips suddenly brushed against hers. The movement was so unexpected
that Leia did not know what to do, and when the girl kissed her again
a moment later Leia found the will to resist evaporate like mist
before the morning sun.
    "Sam... stop..." she tried to say as she felt the girl pulling her
down onto the bed as well, but somehow the words never made it out of
her mouth. All she could feel was the soft cold skin that was pressing
against her and the hands that were moving over her, touching her.
    "No... Sam..." Leia moaned as her own hands moved to explore the
cool fleshy satin that was pressing so temptingly against her. Then,
her lips began to return the girl's kisses with an awkward passion
that began to get increasingly bold.
    Lost in her mounting desire Leia did not notice that the redhead's
eyes were now soulless black voids, or that the expression on the
girl's face was exactly the same one that had engineered such fear in
her only a few minutes before. But then again, even if she had noticed
she would have paid it no attention. Leia was too much lost in the
fiery passion of her own need to notice anything, not even the fact
that she was dying.

    Samantha stretched and looked up at the rising sun. Enough fun for
today. She had to decide what she was going to do next. She chewed
thoughtfully on her lip as she considered the way this Game was
beginning to pan out. Her opponent seemed to have been exceedingly
quiet, even despite the events of the last few days and that was
slightly disappointing. Samantha had hoped that the removal of a
number of Pawns would have stirred her opponent to make a Move, but so
far, nothing. It did not really matter to Samantha that much, she had
just thought that she might be able to learn something more about this
strange Player who had Challenged her.
    "Oh well," she sighed and walked back into the small apartment.
Maybe she might be able to get a response if she removed some of the
other Pawns that this Player had been using. Of course, it might be
that this Player was hoping that she would make such a Move, and may
even have used those Pawns for exactly that purpose, but even so,
there was no harm in Playing along with it for now. Indeed, it might
even be advantageous in a way. She was beginning to get bored of this
world and wanted to move on. And of course, it would be most amusing
to see what those fools on the Council would do when they realized
that she was still very much alive.
    Yes... a few timely removals might indeed be good in more ways
than one. The Council had been most rude in attacking her for no
reason, and it was time to remind them just with whom they were
dealing. Thanks to her sister's stupid softly, softly approach in
dealing with these matters, too many Beings seemed to have forgotten
just who exactly the Corrupter was, and that was something that
Samantha had to correct. In the old days, the Council would have
quivered at the very thought of her annoyance and the notion of
attacking her would not have even dared to cross their minds. The
problem was that Samantha had been too lax for too long.
    "Well, things are about to change..." Giggling, Samantha
considered the nature of her first message to the Council. She smiled
and walked over towards the door. She was just about to open it when a
faint mad scream sounded from the direction of the bedroom and
Samantha realized that she had forgotten all about the mortal she had
amused herself with earlier. She paused a moment, and then struggled.

    She did not care about vermin.

        *       *       *       *

Location: Some place
Time: Some time

    Sera groveled on her knees and desperately tried to beg for mercy.
Mindless words of horror sprang from her mouth as she pleaded to be
spared the fate that those insane black eyes staring down at her so
contemptuously seemed to be promising. The words kept on spilling out
of Sera's mouth, but the amused black eyes just kept on watching her.
    "Sera," the figure dressed in black finally said as it looked down
at the groveling Noble. "I have a little favor that I want you do to
for me, a message I want you to deliver."
    Sera whimpered, and tried to form coherent words with her mouth,
but her terror was just too great. Her Power was shattered, as was her
body and her essence. Even now she could feel the effects of the
corruption slowly eating away at her body, and she knew that when it
was done, she would be little more than another of Samantha's soulless
automatons - dead and yet not dead. She had seen the same thing happen
during the Rebellion and she SHOULD have remembered... But now it was
too late. She was paying the price for forgetting what Samantha truly
was, and she would continue to pay it for the rest of eternity.

    An eternity of mindless Darkness.

        *       *       *       *

Location: Tokyo, Japan
Time: AD 2089, 18th April, 01:25

    Samanaimethea was sitting very quietly by herself simply staring
out at nothing, and no matter what Linna tried, Samanaimethea
continued to sit and stare out at nothing.
    "Oh, Sammy..." Linna sighed and then with a shrug stood up.
Celeline came over and looked at Linna, suspicion on her face.
    "And just what did you ask her to do again?" the young Enforcer
said in a tone that made Linna wince.
    "Nothing that should have caused her to go like this," Linna said
trying to defend herself.
    "Well, it was obviously something that..."
    "Oh, knock it off, Celeline," Helia came over and butted in.
"Mother will be all right. I think she just needs to get some rest.
You know what kind of strain she has been under lately. Come on, I
suggest we all just leave her alone until morning."
    "But..."
    "Now, Celeline," Helia repeated more firmly and Celeline's eyes
narrowed rebelliously.
    "Are you defying me, sister?" Helia asked in a tone that was full
of soft menace.
    Celeline stood up and turned to face her older sister. "In this,
Helia, yes. If you think I am going to just leave Mother alone like
this, then yes, I am defying you." Her tone was a bit shaky but her
face spoke volumes.
    Helia slowly smiled and then nodded. "All right, Cel. If you feel
that strongly about it then go right ahead. I guess I can't complain
if you want to watch over her. If you need any help..."
    Celeline shook her head and gave Linna a _look_. "No, I won't stop
you getting back to your important party downstairs."
    Linna's eyes narrowed at the way Celeline said that. She was sure
that the girl had been putting something in that statement that was
aimed specifically at her, but just could not figure out what it was.
She and Celeline had never seemed to be able to get on together. Why
that was, Linna did not know. Celeline was like an angel to
Samanaimethea and the others, but only seemed to barely tolerate
Linna.
    "I think I'll stay as well," Linna growled giving Celeline a
_look_ as well.
    "No, Linna," Helia said shaking her head. "Your presence is needed
downstairs. You are Mother's Consort and your presence is a reminder
of hers. I trust the Council about as far as I can kick them,
and if they start getting the idea that Mother is out of it then we
will all have hell to pay."
    Linna's face curled. She did not know much of the details of what
was truly going on with the Council and Samanaimethea, but she knew
one thing - this was an alliance built on fear, fear of Samanaimethea.
If that fear ever stopped then the Council would turn on them quicker
than she could spit. "All right," Linna hissed angrily and staring at
Celeline one last time followed Helia out to return to the fun filled
party below.
    Celeline shook her head in disgust and then turned her attention
back to the redhead. "Come on, Mother," she said as she gently laid
the young woman back on the double bed. With a sniff of Power she
caused the clothes that the little redhead was wearing to be
transformed into the loose sleeping wear that Samanaimethea always
preferred.
    Celeline pulled back the blankets and with an effort tucked
the redhead in. Once the young woman was in the familiar warmth of her
own bed she sighed sleepily, and rolling over, went still. Celeline
smiled at the peaceful expression on Samanaimethea's face and dragging
a chair over to the bed, sat down. Putting her head in her hands she
watched as the Immortal woman slowly drifted off into sleep.
    Celeline's lips twitched in fond amusement at the way
Samanaimethea seemed to smile at odd times, almost as if she were
dreaming about something pleasant. She also noticed how, with every
twentieth breath or so, the redhead sniffed as an errant lock of
her hair seemed to repeatedly tickle her nose. After a while of
watching that same errant lock of hair continuously annoying the
girl's nose, Celeline reached forward, and with a careful movement
whisked the piece of hair away from her little one's face.
    "Sleep well, my beloved Chosen," Celeline whispered, as for the
first time she dared to give voice to the precious secret that had
burned within her soul ever since she had first met the little
redhead. She knew that nothing could ever come of the choice that her
heart had made, but Celeline was simply content to stay in the
background and live for those few moments such as this. She sighed
faintly, and giving her Chosen's cheek a light caress returned to her
seat. Pulling her legs up, she made herself comfortable and returned
to the task of watching over the sleep of her beloved.

    Priss tried to stifle the yawn that threatened to break out over
her face. Man, she was exhausted and wanted desperately to get to bed.
The only problem with that was that Mayline seemed to be enjoying
herself far too much to be coming to bed anytime soon. Priss sighed
grumpily and settled down for a long wait. She could have gone to bed
by herself, but she was nearly phobic about the idea of sleeping alone
these days. It bought back too many memories of the long nightmare
that Samantha had so casually inflicted on her so many years ago.
Mayline, of all the people that Priss called friend, was perhaps one
of the very few that Priss felt safe enough to sleep with. The fear of
being alone or of reawakening to her madness still horrified her even
after all this time. It was not something she was ever going to
recover from - full stop.
    Priss was not exactly sure how she felt about Mayline. She knew
that the girl had "Chosen" her - whatever that really meant - and,
yes, Priss had to admit that the sex was incredible, but even so...
Priss sighed and let her eyes wander over to her Chosen's dancing
form. It was just so damned confusing! She would not go as far as
saying that she loved Mayline, but the girl was _very_ special to her.
And more than anyone else that Priss had ever met, except perhaps
Linna, Mayline was someone whom Priss would gladly die for. And if
that was love, then Priss was in love.
    "Hell..." Priss commented to no one in particular as she raised
her glass to her mouth and took a swig. The rich orange juice went
down like a treat and Priss smiled as the sugar hit her blood stream.
She was just putting down the glass when she saw something that made
her frown. Standing quite some distance away in a seemingly nervous
trio, were the three young girls that Priss could remember from that
weird incident at that bus stop several weeks ago. Priss's eyes
narrowed. She could already see that the trio's presence had been
noted. Several "individuals" were already converging on their
position.
    "Oh... bugger this," Priss muttered as she cursed herself for
being a fool. She did not like to interfere in these things but...
Somehow, she had a feeling that something about these three
was important. It was not a feeling that she could put anything too,
just an instinct that told her that these children were best being
sheltered under her wing, rather than being thrown to the wolves like
so many others who came here.
    Priss closed her eyes and with a bit of an effort passed on her
request to Darline and Rina. Her skills with such "gifts" were
virtually non-existent, but she just about had enough control to
manage that. She watched as the two slender Enforcers intercepted, and
then "invited", the three girls over to where Priss was sitting.
    "Hello," she smiled reassuringly at the three as she stood up,
gesturing for Darline to bring some seats over for the girls to sit
on. "Please, join me for a drink..."
    Darline put the seats down and slowly stood back. She did not
however join Rina straight away, but for some reason seemed to take a
few moments to stare very carefully at one of the three girls - a
gaijin.
    The three girls seemed nervous and the gaijin looked even more
uncomfortable at the attention that Darline was giving her. Priss
wondered what the heck Darline was trying to pull, but just as she was
about to chide Darline on it, the Enforcer stepped back to join Rina
and an odd look passed between the two of them. An uncomfortable
silence grew, and the gaijin seemed to decide that she had to say
something.
    "And just who might you be?" the girl asked in a careful tone.
    Priss grinned disarmingly. "I don't think this is quite the right
place for girls such as yourselves. The, ah, people here tend to...
consume children like you."
    The gaijin huffed, "And them?" she asked pointing to the two
slender girls standing behind Priss. "They aren't even the legal age
to be in a joint like this. Will they be 'consumed' as well?"
    Priss shrugged, "Appearances can be deceptive," she said looking
at the three girls each in turn. "They belong here - you do not."
    "And why would that be?" another of the girls spoke up. "What's so
special about them? They look pretty normal to me."
    Darline placed three drinks down on the table and taking Priss's
empty glass in her hand she smiled at the gaijin. "Let's just say that
we are more durable than you, Alexi-chan," and saying that she slowly
crushed the glass in her hand. Alexi gasped and her eyes widened
incredulously. At the mortal's reaction, Darline's smile grew even
wider and her eyes bored into the girl's face.
    "How..." Alexi started to say when Darline suddenly stuck out her
hand and said something that made Priss almost gob smacked.
    "You know, I find you very attractive, Alexi-chan. How would you
like to dance with me?" Darline smiled, giving the girl a quick wink.
    Alexi's face went completely white. A moment later, it colored and
then slowly went tomato red. Her eyes widened and she looked at the
hand offered almost as if it were some kind of snake.
    Darline giggled in amusement and without waiting for an answer,
she reached out towards the girl. Grabbing Alexi's hand, Darline
pulled the stunned mortal away onto the dance floor.
    "Hey!" Yumi jumped to her feet and made a grab after her friend,
but Rina just violently pushed the girl back down into her chair.
    "Leave them alone," Rina said in a flat voice that caused Priss to
flash her an angry look.
    "Rina!" Priss snapped. "What are..."
    "Be silent!" Rina turned and snarled at Priss.
    Priss was dumbfounded for a second and then she snarled right
back. "What the fuck are you playing at, Rina? What the hell is
Darline up to?"
    Rina ignored her completely and turned back to look at the
remaining two girls. She stared at them both one after another, almost
as if she were somehow weighing them up.
    "Rina!" Priss exclaimed angrily. "Don't just ignore me! Tell me
what the..." Her voice faded away as Rina abruptly turned and stared
at her. The expression on the young girl's face was... inhuman.
    "Mind your own business, Chosen," the Enforcer said in a voice
that made Priss feel suddenly very afraid. Rina looked at her almost
as if she were some kind of annoying little insect that was just about
to be squashed. Priss swallowed, suddenly very certain that Rina was
going to kill her.
    "Leave _my_ Chosen alone - _sister_," a voice that was even colder
than Rina's spoke quietly behind Priss as Mayline suddenly walked over
and laid a hand possessively on Priss's shoulder. "She does not
understand."
    Rina gave Mayline a long look. "You coddle your Chosen too much,
sister. It is about time that you taught her her proper place. The
others may not be as understanding as I am."
    "She is my Chosen and I will deal with her as I wish, _sister_,"
Mayline said quietly back. "When you have Chosen then you will
understand that as well."
    Rina's face grew wistful and then strangely she smiled. "Perhaps
sis, I will just have to wait and see, won't I?"
    Mayline grinned almost as if the two of them were sharing a
private joke. "It will happen, Rina, it will happen. Just you wait and
see."
    "Not tonight, sis," Rina looked down once more at the two girls
and sighed. Then, without a word, she abruptly turned and left.
    Priss sat very still and tried to get her heartbeat under control.
Fear and adrenaline were pumping through her system like anything, and
she felt sick. Rina had been ready to... Priss shuddered.
    Mayline watched her departing sister leave and then sighed.
Leaning down, she gave Priss a slightly annoyed look.
    "Priss..." she said in a tone that made the singer feel very
small.
    "What?" Priss snapped back more sharply than she had originally
intended. She was still freaked out from the scare that Rina
had given her and her emotions were still running dangerously high.
    "Priss!" Mayline exclaimed sharply and grabbed hold of the woman's
arm. "Listen to me, Chosen. You must stop annoying Rina and the others
by asking questions about things that do not concern you. Very few of
them understand what being Chosen means. They..."
    "Mayline," Priss broke in sharply. "How the hell can they
understand what being a Chosen is, when not even I understand. What am
I..."
    Yumi had had enough. She got abruptly to her feet and gestured for
Natsumi to do the same. At the girl's movement, Priss and Mayline
stopped arguing and moved their attention back to the two girls.
    "And where are you two going?" Priss demanded.
    "To get Alexi and then..."
    "Sit down," Mayline said simply, and the force of her command made
the two young women obey without thinking. "You two aren't going
anywhere yet." Her voice was like steel and something about the tone
of it made Priss slightly uncertain.
    "Mayline..." she said hesitantly. "Just what..."
    "Priss, why don't you just go to bed, eh?" Mayline cut the woman
short and then gave her Chosen a tender smile. - There are Family
matters I need to deal with here, love -
    Priss's eyes widened and then she started to shake. - I... I
can't... Mayline... You know I... - her voice was thick as she tried
to overcome her irrational fear of sleeping alone without that warm,
protective presence by her side. The very thought of sleeping by
herself threw her mind back to _those_ days when... when...
    Mayline was surprised to see her usually very brave warrior Chosen
suddenly start to shake like a leaf in the wind, and cursed herself
as she realized what she had just said. Immediately, she forgot
all about the two humans and turned her attention fully on _her_
distressed Chosen.
    - Priss... Chosen... - Mayline reached over and pulled her usually
fearless little warrior into her arms, trying to apologize for the
distress her unthinking words had bought to her Priscillia. - Chosen,
oh Chosen, I am so sorry, I did not mean to say that. Shh... Of
course, I will come up with you. Please, Priss, remember my promise, I
won't leave you alone. I will always be there for you. Please,
Priss... -
    Yumi and Natsumi took the opportunity of freedom and went for it.
Jumping to their feet, the two girls were gone before Mayline had a
chance to do anything. In fact, she was too concerned about her Chosen
that she did not even care at that particular moment what the two
humans did.
    And so it was that Yumi met Karine, and Natsumi met Cyline.

    Celeline awoke with an abrupt snort. Blinking a few times, she
silently cursed herself for having dared to fall asleep while she was
supposed to be watching over her Chosen. The room was dark, and from
the cramp in her legs Celeline realized that she must have been asleep
for several hours. She chided herself and started to stretch when a
faint cough sounded in the room. Celeline's eyes widened in shock and
she bolted up, or at least, she tried to. To her horror she found that
she was completely frozen in place and could not even move a finger.
    Samanaimethea! Her Chosen was in danger! Celeline felt cold and
desperately she tried to reach for her Power to...
    "Oh no, my little Celeline," a soft voice said as a figure crossed
silently over and sat down beside her. "I cannot let you do that I'm
afraid." And with that simple statement, Celeline felt her Power
impossibly blocked off from her. She was completely helpless.
Unable to move, say, or do anything except stare up in impotent fury
as the figure looked down at her with a face that was inhumanly
perfect.
    "So pretty..." the figure said with an obscene giggle and Celeline
almost shuddered with a feeling that was somewhere between fear and
loathing. "So pretty..." the figure leaned over and started to stroke
Celeline's face. The girl could not help but desperately try and
whimper. Something about the expression on the figure's face terrified
her.
    - Sisters! - she tried to call out. - PLEASE! HELP ME! -
    "Now, now," the figure said with an indulgent smile. "I can't have
you calling for Sammy's other little pets, not right now. Not when I
have _you_ to Play with, my pretty little one..."
    - What... what do you... - Celeline tried to overcome the panic
that was rapidly rising in her and speak.
    "Want of you, my little one?" the figure finished for her. "Well,
why don't we see how things progress first, eh?"
    Celeline's eyes widened and the fear surged afresh within her. -
Who... who...-
    "Names, little one?" the figure laughed softly to herself. "What
are they but puffs of air? Don't worry your pretty little head about
names, my dear. We have so much more to look forward to other than
that..."
    Celeline finally managed to make a sound like a trapped animal and
the figure smiled in enjoyment.
    "Oh, my pretty...If names are so important to you, then you may
call me Darshi if you so desire. We are going to be _such_ friends..."
    Celeline literally sobbed in her fear, but knew she had to keep
talking. It was the only way to control her terror of what those
insane eyes promised would...
    Samanaimethea! Celeline's heart suddenly filled with dread as she
abruptly recalled the other presence lying asleep in the room. Oh,
no...Her Chosen! Her Chosen was here!
    - Darshi... - Celeline took a hold on her terror and forced
herself to speak with this insane figure. She had to take the Noble's
attention away from her Chosen, even if it meant sacrificing herself
to...
    "Chosen?" Darshi's smile widened. "You mean that little mortal on
the bed is your Chosen, my pet? How interesting..." The figure who
called herself Darshi giggled and Celeline shuddered at the sound - it
was sickening.
    "Well, why don't you introduce us then?" Darshi suggested, and
Celeline found herself getting gracefully to her feet. Like a puppet
under the control of a master, she followed Darshi over to the
sleeping form on the bed.
    "Oh..." Darshi whispered in amazement as she caught sight of the
sleeping redhead. She turned back to look at the shaking form of
Celeline and nodded in understanding. "I can see why you would
treasure this one... Oh my, she is... unique..." The smile on Darshi's
face slowly became something else, something that could only be
described as unholy.
    - Leave my Chosen alone! - Celeline screamed desperately trying to
break the hold the intruder had on her. - CHOSEN! -
    "Chosen..." Darshi echoed quietly and then turned to look at
Celeline. "I have always wondered what it is that drives members of
our kind to this insanity called 'Choosing'. Why anyone would want to
make themselves so vulnerable is simply beyond me. Power is the only
thing that truly matters. If you want something - you take it. I am
surprised that Samantha has not taught you that yet."
    - Please... - Celeline begged. - Just leave her alone.... I
will... I will...-
    "Show me," Darshi suddenly said and turned to face Celeline. "Show
me what it means to be Chosen. Show me why you are so willing to give
so much of yourself to another - I am curious now."
    - What do you... - Celeline was about to ask when suddenly her
body started to move. To her horror she reached over and pulled back
the covers from the bed to reveal the peacefully sleeping form of
Samanaimethea.
    "Show me," Darshi giggled as she sat down on the edge of the bed
and looked up at Celeline. "Show me what it means to be Chosen."
    - Nononoo! - Celeline tried to scream as her hands slowly reached
up and caressed the perfection lying helpless asleep before her.
Samanaimethea stirred at the attention of Celeline's hands and
breathed out part of a name that sounded suspiciously like it began
with an 'L'.
    - No! Stop this! - Celeline cried out as her hands started to tug
at the loose night-shirt that her Chosen was wearing. She then moved
on to gently stroke the well developed torso that was slowly revealed
to her eyes. Her mind was spinning as one need was fighting with
another. The sight of her Chosen and the feeling of her silky
perfection under Celeline's fingers filled her with excitement beyond
compare, but at the same time she was filled with fear and loathing at
what she was doing. And all the while, Darshi sat giggling like some
insane monster watching as Celeline tried desperately to stop herself
doing what she so much _wanted_ to do.
    "Beginning to enjoy yourself are you, my pet?" Darshi said with a
laugh as she forced Celeline to kiss the still sleeping form of her
mortal Chosen. "I am _so_ pleased, but don't let my presence stop you
from indulging yourself. I really do want you to _enjoy_ her. Go on,
let yourself go, you know you want to..."
    - Noononooo... - Celeline whimpered as her hands started to more
boldly explore the cold expanse of white flesh before her. - Please...
Stop this... Don't make me... - Her hands caressed Samanaimethea's
panties and teasingly she slipped her fingers inside.
    Samanaimethea moaned and threshed in her sleep as Celeline was
forced to play with her Chosen's body, and then to...
    - No! - Celeline screamed inside. - OH, PLEASE! NO! -
    "Oh yes, my little one," Darshi hissed in aroused excitement. "I
want you to push your little mortal friend to the very edge of her
limits. I want you to see how much she can take before she breaks, and
then to tell me if breaking her feels as good as killing one of your
own sisters. Oh, my dear Celeline, we are going to have so much fun! I
can..."
    - NO! - Celeline screamed wanting to die. - NO! NO! NO! -
    "Enjoy," Darshi simply said and Celeline's body, like a
marionette, stood up and disrobed before lying down on the bed and...
    Samanaimethea's eyes suddenly flew open and she blinked as she
looked vacantly around the room. Celeline pushed herself forward and
kissed her Chosen hard on the lips. The soft form beneath her
struggled for a moment and then angrily pushed Celeline away.
    "What... what is going on here... Linna..." Samanaimethea looked
around trying to work out what the hell was going on. The figure next
to her pushed herself forward again and Samanaimethea froze it out of
Time as she tried to get a hold of her bearings.
    "Interesting..." a soft amused voice said. A voice that flooded
Samanaimethea with memories of the past, memories both dark and
wonderful.
    "Darshinet'sha?" Samanaimethea blinked and finally focused on the
ancient form sitting at the foot of the bed. "Is that..."
    The figure jumped to her feet and was on top of Samanaimethea in
an instant. "Where did you hear _that_ name?" Darshi hissed as she
twisted Samanaimethea's head painfully around. "Where..."
    "Let go," Samanaimethea said and Darshi immediately complied
without even realizing that she had.
    "Saman..." Darshi's inhuman face twisted in a combination of fear
and desire. "Samantha?" she completed incredulously. "Is that you?"
    Samanaimethea looked down at her half undressed figure and then
over at the frozen unclad form of Celeline and her white face twisted
in a way that made Darshi almost begin to blubber. Samanaimethea
slowly stood up and then looked over at Celeline. The girl's young
body twisted as she was suddenly released from all the constraints
that had been placed upon her.
    Celeline looked madly around for a second until her eyes were
drawn irresistibly to Samanaimethea's enraged face. She whimpered, and
her hands flew up to cover her unclad body. She did not know what she
could say, did not even know what she could do. She had betrayed the
one she loved the most, not of her own volition but...
    "Oh, Celeline..." Samanaimethea's face softened and a small smile
came to her rosebud lips. She held out her hand, and hesitantly, as if
unsure what her Chosen was going to do to her, Celeline got to her
feet and took the offered limb.
    Samanaimethea pulled her shaking "daughter" to her and looked down
into the girl's frightened unsure eyes. "Oh, my Celeline," she
whispered again and the girl was lost in her Chosen's glorious eyes.
    Celeline gave a faint sigh of contentment and without even
thinking about it, or the possible consequences, snuggled closer as
she was lost in the warm fragrant presence of her Chosen.
    Samanaimethea held the young Noble tightly for a moment, and then
pushed her gently back. "It would be for the best if you left now,
Celeline..."
    "Chos..." Celeline began to say without thinking, but
Samanaimethea put a finger to the Enforcer's lips and smiled.
    "Thank you for watching over me, Celeline," the redhead said
gently brushing the Enforcer's cheek. "That means more to me than you
can ever know."
    Celeline looked uncertain. Her eyes were wide and her heart was
beating fast in her ears as she slowly drowned in her Chosen's
eyes. Samanaimethea _must_ know how I feel, Celeline thought to
herself, but her Chosen seemed, well, pleased... happy almost. Did
this mean that Samanaimethea was... But Linna...
    Samanaimethea smiled, and Celeline had to fight down the urge to
rush over to her Chosen and bury herself in that ever so warm embrace
once more.
    "You had better go before Linna gets here, Celeline,"
Samanaimethea giggled fondly looking up at the lithe unclad figure and
giving her a fond wink. "She might... you know..."
    Celeline flushed with embarrassment and nodded. Her head was
spinning and she was torn between dancing with joy and sinking to the
depths of despair. Her deadly little secret was out and
Samanaimethea... The insane hope that she had never openly
acknowledged, not even to herself, now suddenly seemed less insane.
Was Samanaimethea possibly considering... The young Enforcer's face
flushed an even deeper red and with a last shy smile at _her_ Chosen
she Travelled.
    The instant the girl was gone Samanaimethea's warm expression
dropped from her face like a cast off skin and she turned to face the
quivering figure of Darshinet'sha.
    Darshi was uncertain how to act. Samantha's expression never gave
away anything, not even to her. She swallowed, and went down on one
knee. "Forgive me, Mistress," she said in a forced voice. "I did not
know you were... Forgive me..." Darshi looked up at the new form that
Samantha had chosen and shuddered as the eyes looking down at her were
as cold and black as the Void that powered them.
    "I... I did not mean to interfere with your Games, Mistress, or
with your little toy... I..." Darshi knew she was foundering and that
was not good.
    "Ah, forget it," Samantha said dismissively and smiled the smile
that Darshi knew so well. "Celeline is just a mild amusement I am
currently cultivating and nothing more. There are many more like her
and besides, your little... fun has made her even the more mine."
    Darshi smiled with relief and slowly got to her feet. She took a
good moment to look at the latest form that Samantha had chosen for
herself and nodded. "Not bad," she said appreciatively. "Not bad at
all. And the way you managed to fool even me - masterful."
    Samantha shrugged, "It serves for the moment," she said
dismissively. "Long enough to fulfill my purpose."
    Darshi raised her jet-black eyebrow in interest. "And what might
that be?" she asked with a grin. "Another Game?"
    Samantha smiled and tapped her nose. "You will see," she said with
an impish smile.
    Darshi laughed and then bowed. "Forever the same, my lovely
Samantha," she commented. "Forever the same..."
    Samantha acknowledged the complement with a slight bow of her head
and then she turned and lay back down on the bed. "So, tell me, what
is it that brings you out of the shadows, old friend? The recent
changes on the Council? Or just a plain old interest in some of the
newer members of our little Family?"
    Darshi sniffed, "The Council has never interested me, Samantha,
you know that. No, I am more, um, drawn to these little cuties that
you seemed to have..."
    "Not me," Samantha cut in with an annoyed look.
    "Ah," Darshi looked down. "Her." She did not say anymore, she knew
how Samantha felt about her other self.
    "Yes, her," Samantha sniffed, drawing up the blankets around
herself and lying back. "But even _she_ can have a good idea once in a
while. Leave them alone, Darshi."
    Darshi's mouth twitched but she nodded. "If you so wish it then
of..."
    "I mean it, Darshi," Samantha said giving the ancient Noble a
placid look. "They are mine, and I am not in the mood to share."
    "All of them, Samantha?" Darshi queried surprised. "Isn't that a
bit greedy?"
    "You _are_ mine too, Darshi old girl," Samantha said offhandedly
as she made herself comfortable. "Never forget that. We might be old
friends but..." she left it hanging.
    "Of course, Mistress," Darshi replied moving to sit down by the
smaller, but rather well developed figure. "I understand perfectly, I
always have." And with that being said, she leaned down and gave the
inhumanly perfect face a passionate kiss. It was time to see what this
new form of Samantha's was really like.
    It was nearly an hour or so later that Darshinet'sha finally left
and Samanaimethea got rather stiffly out of bed. She hated herself for
what she had just done with Darshinet'sha, but as she had so
forthrightly told Llothelianias a while back - she intended to
survive, no matter what. Darshinet'sha had been very successful in
hiding her treachery from Samantha, and Samanaimethea needed to ensure
that the ancient Noble still believed that the redhead was too safely
wrapped up in her own little world to notice what was truly going on.
    Samanaimethea wandered over to the window and looked out onto the
street below. How long had this being going on? she wondered quietly
to herself. Just how far in her own Family did the rot spread? How
many others had been seduced into betraying her as well? Samanaimethea
highly doubted that Darshinet'sha was the only one, but she also
doubted her ability to find the others without alerting whoever, or
whatever, it was that now owned Darshinet'sha.
    "Oh, Linna..." Samanaimethea whispered as she wrapped her arms
around her still naked top. She felt so tired, almost as if the weight
of the entire world were pushing down on her shoulders and slowly
trying to crush her beneath the responsibility she now bore. It was
not just this, or the Council, or the pain she could feel wracking
through Kelly, or... The list just went on and on. Plus, she was also
having to deal with the aftermath of the powerful emotions that had
overwhelmed her at the onset of Linna's... request...
    Samanaimethea took a deep breath and shuddered as she fought to
remain calm. Spawning... The very word almost made her want to scream
with fear as it invoked the memories of what... that _bastard_ had
done to her. The very thought of going through _that_ again...
    "No!" Samanaimethea hissed as she brutally suppressed the memories
that her thoughts threatened to drag up. She _would_ NEVER, EVER, go
through THAT again - not even for her beloved. Even if it meant that
Linna...
    "Why now..." Samanaimethea whispered as she clutched even tighter
at herself. "Linna - why now?"

    The faint light of dawn was just touching the skies when an
exhausted Linna finally stumbled into the small bedroom that she and
Samanaimethea sometimes shared whenever they were at Labyrinth.
    "Hello, Linna," a voice said quietly as she closed the door behind
her. Linna gasped slightly in surprise and turned around to see who
had spoken. Standing, almost hidden in one small dark corner of the
room, was the white form of Samanaimethea.
    "Sammy!" Linna's tired face broke into a warm smile and she
hurried over to give her beloved a warm hug. "Oh, Sammy! Are you all
right now? You really had me worried there for a moment. Look, I'm
really sorry about what I asked you earlier I had absolutely no right
to..."
    "Linna... I... I just cannot do it," the redhead said in a very
small voice as she clutched at her lover. "I... I cannot go through...
_that_ again - not now, not ever, not even for you... I... I
_cannot_..."
    The pain and barely controlled bitterness in the young woman's
voice took Linna by surprise and she frowned. Something was not right
here. Samanaimethea's voice was thick with buried emotion and the way
that the girl was holding onto her was not like the Samanaimethea that
Linna knew. Something was wrong, very wrong, and Linna just knew that
it went much further than the incident this afternoon.
    Linna slowly pushed her lover back and then said quietly, "What is
really the matter, Sammy? And before you try and lie to me and tell me
that everything is fine, I warn you, Samanaimethea, I want the truth -
nothing less." She stared down into her lover's troubled eyes. "I love
you, Sammy. I need to know that you feel the same for me as well. I
need to know that you trust me. I don't want to feel that I can't
share..."
    "I do love you, Linna," Samanaimethea cut in sharply. "But I...
I..." Her lips pressed together in a tight line and she tried to turn
her head away, but Linna grabbed hold of her chin before she could.
    "Open up to me, Sammy," Linna begged, looking down at the girl's
perfect face. "Please! I am your lover, your Consort, but I never feel
that I am really part of your inner most life. You never share
anything with me about how _you_ feel, Sammy, the private worries of
_your_ life. Sometimes, I almost feel as if I..."
    Samanaimethea tried to pull away but Linna had had enough. She
needed to get this off her chest once and for all. "Tell me,
Samanaimethea! Open up to me, please! I need to know that I am more to
you than just a simple..."
    "And what exactly is it you need to know, Linna?" Samanaimethea
said quietly back. "What is this sudden burning desire that I share
every dirty little secret of my life with you? Do not I have a right
to..."
    "Sammy, please. I didn't mean it like that..." Linna did not want
to turn this into an argument, but at the same time she needed to get
across how she really felt. "I just want to know..."
    "What?" Samanaimethea said in a voice that was too calm, too
controlled. "What is it you _need_ to know so badly? What is it that I
_have_ to tell you, Linna Yamazaki? Is it the reason why I will not
mate with you? Or perhaps the reason why I am called De'Naime? Tell
me, Linna. What is the dirty secret about me you would like to know
the most?"
    Linna cringed at the cold tone that Samanaimethea was beginning to
take with her. The young woman's green eyes were now beginning to look
like frosted jade and Linna was half trapped between her feeling of
wanting to force Samanaimethea to open up and pulling back before it
all exploded in her face. She did not want to force an argument with
her beloved, but at the same time she knew that Samanaimethea had to
stop trying to bottle up everything inside herself. Linna had had the
bitter experience of seeing Priss do exactly the same thing to
herself, and admittedly, while it was not quite the same thing, the
basic tenement still held. Samanaimethea _had_ to be able to share
something of the burden that she was under with someone, or else she
would snap.
    Linna swallowed, and taking a deep breath threw herself all in
- whatever the consequences. "Sammy, you need to share things with me
before you..."
    "I was raped," the redhead said in a voice that was like death.
"Is that what you wanted to know, Linna? Is that a secret from my past
dirty enough for you? I was raped so that I could give a Being the
offspring He needed for a war..."
    The girl pulled herself free of Linna's motionless body and turned
away. "I became nothing more than a weapon of war...I..." her voice
broke off.
    Linna was so shocked by the redhead's statement that all she could
do was just stand there looking dumb as the girl trembled with some
unfathomable pent up emotion that was only barely being controlled.
Linna was aghast at what Samanaimethea had just said. The very thought
of it was just impossible for her to believe. She knew what
Samanaimethea was capable of... Who... What could have ever...
    "Raped?" she said without thinking. "That's impossible... I don't
believe it... You have to be joking..." As soon as the words had left
her mouth Linna knew that she had said one of the most hurtful things
she could possibly say. She stumbled blindly for the words to undo the
damage that her unthinking tongue had caused, but she was still too
overcome by what her lover had said to think clearly.
    Silence filled the room.
    Samanaimethea slowly turned, and the expression on her white face
said it all. "You... you... do not..."
    Those broken words were enough to gaol Linna into action.
"Sammy... Samanaimethea... I... I did not..."
    "...believe me..." the girl finished in a voice that made Linna
wish she had never been born. "You... do not believe me..."
    Samanaimethea looked blankly at Linna for a moment and then she
simply turned and walked out, leaving Linna frozen literally to the
spot. The woman could not move or speak and even long after the door
had been slammed shut by the redhead the paralysis remained. And no
matter how hard Linna tried, her Power could do nothing.
    The damage was done.

    Celeline was sitting in the dark of her apartment simply staring
at nothing as she continually reran the events of tonight over and
over in her mind. She was in a state that was something between
elation and dreamy contentment. She could still remember the cool
silky perfection that had flowed beneath her fingers, and she ached
with the desire to touch it again. And while she knew that that would
be impossible, she also now knew that her Chosen understood how
Celeline felt, and amazingly, had not rejected her for it.
    Celeline understood that her Chosen had already Bonded with Linna.
The young Enforcer was perfectly content to simply stay in the
background and make sure that her Chosen was safe and happy. If Linna
made her Chosen happy, then Celeline was happy as well. She knew that
today had been a unique experience and she was perfectly content with
that. Today would always have a special place in her heart but she...
    Her thoughts were abruptly blown to the four-corners of the Earth
as a warm, and very soft body, suddenly pressed itself hard against
her back and a voice whispered urgently in her ear.
    "Celeline..." the redhead whispered. "Hold me..."
    Celeline was stunned as two very warm arms wrapped themselves
around her neck and the spring like fragrance of Samanaimethea
assaulted her senses. Celeline turned her head in disbelief and her
lips were met by Samanaimethea's face pressing urgently down onto her.
    "Celeline... Hold me... Please..."
    The impossible words, the impossible actions - they were driving
Celeline mad. She was _burning_ with the desire to Join with _her_
beloved and fully complete the Bonding process. It was a desire that
was singing throughout her body and soul, a desire that she could no
longer either fight or deny.
    "Chosen..." Celeline whispered as she pulled the perfect form
towards her.
    "Celeline..." Samanaimethea whispered as she sought to lose
herself in the simple warm love that Celeline was so desperate to
provide her with. The words that Linna had unthinkingly spoken had
hurt her, oh by the Powers, how they had hurt. To have had the...
torment... that she had had to suffer through, the thing that had so
haunted her life, to be dismissed as mere fantasy...
    Celeline was drowning in the divine sensations of her Chosen's
perfect form when the quiet sounds of Samanaimethea sobbing made her
stop. She pulled back instantly, worry and concern crushing all need
to Join with her Chosen dead. "Chosen... Beloved?" she said in a timid
voice, hesitantly raising a hand to lift the young woman's tear
stained face. "Samanaimethea? Have I... Are you..."
    "Oh, Celeline..." Samanaimethea tried to avoid looking at the
young Enforcer's distressed face. She did not want to...
    Celeline swallowed, she did not know what to do. The sensation of
her Chosen in her arms was nearly driving her mad with desire, but she
knew that that was not why her beloved had come here, to her. Celeline
closed her eyes and lying back into the recesses of the sofa pulled
the tearful form to her and just held her in a motherly embrace.
    "Hush, Sammy, hush..." she said as she rocked the still crying
girl in her arms. "Just let it all out, Sammy, just let it all out..."
    Samanaimethea pressed her head into the soft warmth of Celeline's
body and let everything that she had been trying to hold in over the
last few weeks spill out. The worry, the pain, everything...
    Celeline tightened her embrace and let herself get lost in the
sweet flowery scent of her Chosen. She did nothing more but simply
hold the Immortal and let her know that she was loved. For the moment,
that was all Celeline ever wanted to do...
    For the moment.

    The figure standing outside in the unlit side street below gave a
soft curse and abruptly turned away from the small window it had been
watching to stare angrily at the ground.
    "Why..." the figure said in a voice that trembled with so many
emotions that it was impossible to tell them apart. "Why Sam?" The
figure's fist clenched as the name of the redhead escaped from its
lips. "Why..."
    The cold drizzle of the awakening dawn clung to the figure like
cold sweat, but the enraged form paid it no mind. The figure's
attention was solely focused on the fury, sorrow, hurt, love and need
that was raging throughout its mind. A dark aura began to exude
unnoticed from the figure's body as the conflicts of the pent up
emotions sought some form of release.
    "Sam..." the figure hissed furiously. "You are _mine_, and only
mine. I will _not_ share you - not with Linna, Amilee, Celeline, or
anyone..." The figure's fist clenched and dark pearls of red blood
fell hissing like acid to the ground. The light of the sun peeked
timidly from the horizon overhead announcing the arrival of dawn and
the figure lifted its eyes to glare furiously up at the pinkening sky.
    "You were mine, Sam," Kelly swore softly as the sick corruption of
the Darkness shone fully from the black void of her soulless eyes.
"And you will be again! No matter who, or what, gets in the way. You
_will_ be mine - forever!"

    And with that Kelly turned and with a soundless explosion of Power
she Travelled.

        *       *       *       *

(to be continued)