Dust to Dust Ch. 05

"Yeah," Ashley said solemnly. "Until they know more . . . until they're sure Chimera is gone, I'm going to be kept under lock and key. I'm not safe. Nobody around me is safe. But I guess you already knew that."

Dusty shook her head. "I am SO sorry I said those things. I was upset, but that's no excuse. Me . . . my dad . . . we were in danger before we ever met you, and you saved our asses, mine especially, time and time again."

"But Chimera – "

"Chimera are . . . were . . . an evil bunch of fuckers and you are NOT responsible for what they did." Dusty held Ashley's hand. "You scared the crap out of me, ya know? Running off like that before I could talk to you."

"I couldn't stand that I'd hurt you," Ashley replied, wanting to both pull away and grip Dusty tighter at the same time. "That I'd betrayed you."

"You didn't betray me. And you weren't the one that hurt me. And I wish you'd let us help you so you can get better and get out of here and come back to me." Dusty kissed Ashley's hand. Now came the REALLY hard part for her. "Because I love you and not having you with me is the one thing that DOES hurt."

Ashley's mouth was moving up and down in a vain attempt to produce sound, but not all the parts required to manufacture speech were willing to cooperate.

Dusty almost laughed. Ashley had just been blind-sided in a big way, but Dusty knew longing when she saw it. So she didn't say anything else. She just moved her face slowly towards Ashley's and gave that bruised face as gentle but intense of a kiss as she had ever managed. And for the first time in a while, Ashley was feeling no pain.

------------- -------------

A week later . . .

------------- -------------

Ashley was amazed at how fast you could heal when you combined Earth technology and medicine and Terran magic. She had finally given in and let Alyidana come to help with the healing process after Dusty had pointed out that the faster Ashley got better, the sooner they could spend some "quality" time together.

Ashley found herself in an interesting predicament. With Chimera not as dead as people thought and the Purity still out there somewhere, she was apparently one of the most potentially dangerous secrets in the world. Eliza thought that Ashley should stay with them, while other forces thought that choice too obvious for those few individuals who knew of Ashley's existence and might mean to do her harm. Ashley wanted to stay close to Dusty, who had dropped out of school for a bit while she got her life back in order. They were staying together at Hybrid Compound at least until the final decision was made. Dusty DID make frequent trips to visit her father though.

Near the end of one of Dusty's trips, Ashley was sitting next to the window of the guest room she was occupying. She had the window open so she could feel that crisp night air against her face and ruffling her short blond hair. She saw Eliza and Veronica wandering around outside, and their eyes met hers. Eliza kissed her fiancée after which Veronica headed back to the main building and Eliza came over to sit in Ashley's window.

"How you doing?" Eliza asked.

Ashley smiled. She was still a little beat up, but all the visible bruising was gone. "I'm getting by I guess. I keep thinking that something's gonna happen though. You know? That someone is going to attack the base or the sky is going to fall."

Eliza laughed. Ashley had figured out that the leader of Hybrid was really a nice person to be around when she wasn't picking fights. And she wasn't holding Ashley's cheap shot against her, for which Ashley was quite grateful. "Welcome to my world," Eliza said. "I'm worried about a war breaking out on a daily basis, and this just started out as a security operation guarding pretty baubles and important people."

"Now you're one of the most well-known people on two worlds," Ashley said. Then she sighed. "I don't know how you do it. I wouldn't want that for anything."

"The responsibility sucks," Eliza agreed, "but it's rewarding too. I never want to be one of those people who just hear about what happens. It's tiring, but nice to actually have a say in how things turn out."

"Do you ever miss being . . . normal? I don't mean – "

"I know what you mean." Eliza furrowed her brow. "I miss having quiet moments. I never thought I would, but that was before I had someone I liked spending time with. But even then, Veronica is just as much of an action hound as I am. So I guess it works out." She looked at her young friend. "I take it then that you're not looking for an 'adventurous' life?"

Ashley smiled. "I think that I'd be happy if I never picked up a gun again. This whole getting beat up thing is painful." Ashley hadn't even realized how odd that sounded until Eliza started to snicker.

"But you gave better than you got. Well, maybe worse than you got. Depends on how you look at it." She leaned against the window frame. "You could always come work for me," she added.

Ashley blushed. "I appreciate the offer, and if you ever actually need my help – " She paused. "I just want some peace and quiet for a while. Maybe go on a cruise – " Another pause.

"Take Dusty with you?" Eliza grinned and was met with a grin in return.

"Yeah. Whatever I do, I want to still have her in my life. As long as she's willing, anyway."

"I think it'll take some doing to get rid of her," Eliza replied. "That woman's got a determined look in her eye when she looks your way."

"You'd know what that looks like," Ashley replied, glancing towards the main building. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"Why don't you and Veronica just . . . get married?"

Eliza's eyebrows shot up. "Where did THAT come from?"

"I was just thinking that in our . . . I mean your line of work, don't you think you should just do it?" Ashley shrugged. "I almost lost the chance to be with Dusty. I'm glad we're getting a second chance 'cause I don't know how many of those I've got left."

"Are you causing trouble?" came a sweet voice from the door.

"Hey! You're back!" Ashley was cut off as Dusty sauntered forward, hugging and kissing her girlfriend.

"Dad was getting overly protective again, so I decided to take a sabbatical." Dusty was fibbing a bit. In fact, she had just really missed Ashley. Dusty looked at Eliza, who was standing up to leave. "You don't have to go," Dusty said, scratching Mr. Fuzzy Butt's head as he rushed forward to meet his other person.

"I think I do," Eliza said, apparently deep in thought. She stood up and walked down to the main building, leaving the two young women alone. She walked into the main room where several members of her team were hanging out. Veronica was sitting on a sofa, twirling one of those blonde curls with her finger.

'She's still so beautiful,' Eliza thought, and immediately Veronica looked up with a smile. Even when Eliza wasn't trying, Veronica could still hear her thoughts.

Eliza looked over at Veronica's twin sister. "Vicky?"

"Yeah?" the woman replied, engrossed in a local news program on the holo-projector.

"What's the schedule look like next week? Anyone on assignment?"

Vicky pursed her eyebrows. "Nope," she replied. "Remember, we decided to take a break after saving the world again?" Vicky looked back to her program. "Why do you ask?"

"I was thinking we could have a wedding."

Silence.

Veronica was stunned, but not so stunned that she couldn't grin like a wolf, scream like a banshee, jump to her feet and run into the waiting arms of her fiancée and kiss her repeatedly.

------------- -----------

A week later . . .

------------- -----------

Vicky had proven to be the social planner of the Gods. In one week's time, she had managed to put together a wedding that should have taken months. But she had so many contingencies that had been laying in wait that she had managed to pull off a miracle.

The marriage of the Eliza and Veronica was no small affair. Not only was the entire team involved, there were two sets of parents and relatives, a large number of heads of state and other people in the political "know," prominent business-folk (including Dr. Trendenfall and a recently released Mr. McBride) and several celebrities. Colonel Corbin had shown up with an entire army brigade to make sure that everything went off without a hitch. Well, that and the Colonel was one of Veronica's groomsmen.

Humans had their own marriage customs . . . vampires had their own customs. No one had any idea what to expect from a brand new species getting married. Both Eliza and Veronica had taken a number of both bridesmaid and groomsmen, and had taken to calling them their Entrusted. At Veronica's side would be Vicky, Terillia, Colonel Corbin, Ambassador Kalinicia and Dennis Murgo, and one of her nieces would be her ring bearer. Eliza's first choice (to no one's surprise) had been Thug, as the troll had been her friend and companion longer than anyone else. She had also chosen Allyson Murgo, Wyrm, Pamela Ryder (a former lover and still friend), and, more surprisingly, Chancellor Valar. Even though he disapproved of her sexual orientation, the respect that they had developed for each other had become undeniable. And almost amusingly, he had shown up with Dusty's former roommate Katrina as his traveling companion. And it was Pamela's young daughter who bore Eliza's ring.

The wedding was held in the hills over the Hybrid compound near a lake on their property. Eliza's parents actually met Veronica's folks for the very first time, and Dusty noticed amusingly how similar they acted. Both mothers were openly switching between giddy and weepy while both fathers were trying to play it cool while realizing that they were finally giving their "little girls" away.

Both had gone with more traditional Terran wedding garments, with Eliza dressed in black and red while Veronica had gone with white and blue. There was no one in the crowd who had ever seen a more radiant couple. Even Eliza, who really didn't care much for ceremonies, couldn't wipe the smile from her face.

Ashley, who was wearing a dress for the first time in her life (and finding the garment not at all practical) was at Dusty's side the entire time, watching how her companion worked every crowd that she joined, introducing Ashley without making her feel uncomfortable. The official story was that the blonde girl was a student from the East coast who was scouting possible schools and had met Dusty while applying for an internship at her father's company. Ashley didn't really care. She was swept up in the moment.

The ceremony was held at dawn, to symbolize the beginning of a new period in both Eliza's and Veronica's lives. The ceremony itself was relatively short and the vows were exchanged. And the entire crowd was waiting on baited breath for that first married kiss.

{{ I think I'm getting performance anxiety, }} Eliza sent her wife-to-be as she placed her hands on the sides of Veronica's face.

{{ Silly woman, }} Veronica replied, her own anticipation growing. {{ Haven't you realized that you CAN'T do anything wrong? }}

{{ With you as my inspiration, I think I actually believe that, }} was Eliza's final reply before their lips met. The crowd erupted behind them, but the entire army could have started firing cannons into the air and the two lovers never would have noticed.

Ashley looked over and almost giggled when she saw how emotional Dusty had become. The buxom young lass was fanning herself with her program and was trying not to cry outright.

'I guess I still have a FEW things left to learn about being a girl,' she thought, gripping Dusty's hand tightly.

--------------- --------------------

Several hours later . . .

--------------- --------------------

Ashley was exhausted. The energy level of the guests had been amazing, and the after-ceremony revel had gone on and on. Finally, Veronica and Eliza had been whisked off by private transport to one of the Hawaiian islands where they had basically reserved an entire resort and large section of the beach for themselves. After that, the gathering slowly broke up and the guests returned to wherever it was that they were staying. Ashley waited as Dusty went to talk to her father, who looked slightly miffed but accepting that Dusty had EVERY plan on staying with Ashley that night.

"Ready?" Dusty asked when she approached, a smoldering look in her eyes.

Ashley gulped. "More than you can imagine."

The two quickly traversed the valley and back into the building where Ashley was staying. Ashley was the first in, but she turned when she heard the door close. Immediately, she was swept up into Dusty's arms and was kissed by a woman possessed.

"Do weddings always do this to you?" Ashley asked when she was finally able to catch her breath?

Dusty didn't respond verbally. Rather she started kissing Ashley on the neck while reached around to unzip the girl's dress.

'We need to go to more weddings,' Ashley thought as she began to moan a little. "I need to lock Mr. Fuzzy Butt . . . up," she moaned, then broke away. For some reason, she didn't want the dog watching. She scooted him into the bathroom, then turned around to find that Dusty was dressed only in the skimpiest of French cut panties and a sultry smile. "Oh boy," Ashley said, mostly to herself.

"Are you saying I look like a boy?" Dusty said with a fake pout, crossing her arms under her full breasts and lifting them upward.

"Nuh . . . not exactly," Ashley stammered. She was so nervous. After she had left Dusty on Terra, she had been convinced she would never be in that situation again . . . waiting to feel that beautiful woman against her body.

"Good," Dusty cooed, grabbing the front of Ashley's bra and pulling the girl in. "Otherwise, this might be a little awkward." She grabbed Ashley's tight behind and pulled her in close, grinding their bodies together as she teased the blonde's tonsils with her tongue.

Ashley's hands quickly found the heaving mounds of Dusty's chest, squeezing them playfully as the tonsil hockey continued. She finally needed to feel those nipples between her lips and broke the kiss, wrapping her mouth around the hard nubs and sucking for all she was worth.

Dusty was running one hand over Ashley's head and holding the girl's in place. "Oh baby," she hummed, "you have skills I hadn't even imagined." She pressed her breasts against Ashley's face, and then pushed the girl back onto the bed. "But so do I." Dusty reached into her purse and pulled out a small vibe, no more than four inches long. She saw that Ashley looked borderline alarmed, but was reassured by Dusty's expression. "It's okay babe . . . Momma knows what she's doing."

She sat on the bed beside Ashley and opened her legs, then pulled her lover up against her but facing away. She wrapped her arms around the girl's body and turned the knob of the toy, causing it to hum with delightful promise.

"Do you trust me?" Dusty asked, kissing Ashley's neck.

"Unh hunh," Ashley groaned as Dusty started tracing the tip of the vibe up and down her slot on the outside of her panties.

"Good," Dusty whispered, nibbling on her lover's ear. "Because I want to do things to you that you'll remember for the rest of your life." She slid the vibe under Ashley's panties and continued to tease the girls' moist sex. She liked the way it looked with the knuckles of her hand pressing against the wet cotton fabric of Ashley's undergarments as she pleasured her friend.

"Ah . . . ah . . ." Ashley gasped as she ran her hands up and down Dusty's smooth legs. The vibrations were making her head spin so badly she thought she'd need an exorcism. She pressed her back hard against Dusty's chest, feeling those fascinating breasts hot against her back.

"C'mon baby," Dusty said, pushing the vibe gently into Ashley's opening while rubbing the girl's clit with her palm. "Cum for me," she added, increasing her tempo. "Make me proud."

Ashley came like a dam, pushing back so hard that Dusty wound up being flat on her back with Ashley arching her body on top of her. It was a nice, wet orgasm that smelled of lust and promise.

The blonde former bodyguard slowly turned over, pressing her wet, panty-clad crotch against Dusty, making the girl shiver. She kissed Dusty's lips, then her neck, and then her breasts again. She couldn't explain her fascination with that particular part of her girlfriend's anatomy, but she didn't much care to. She didn't stay as long there as she normally might, as she had another destination in mind.

Dusty bit her lower lip, waiting anxiously as Ashley's lips found the silk of her panties. Like Dusty had done, the blonde started her work without removing that protective covering. Rather, she kissed Dusty's clit right through the fabric, the suckled on it before running her tongue down the cleft, pushing the fabric into Dusty's opening. She continued downward a bit, almost reaching that pink little sphincter and making Dusty jump a little. Ashley smiled. She knew from observing Dusty that she wasn't exactly adverse to a little anal play.

Ashley grabbed the knots on either side of Dusty's hips and untied the underwear swiftly, tossing them to the side. Then she grabbed the vibe from her lover's hand and teased the girl's waiting pussy. Anywhere that the vibe wasn't, Ashley's tongue was.

Dusty spread her legs as wide as they would go and raised her hips to meet Ashley's face. While Ashley wasn't the most adept or experienced lover that she had ever had, she made Dusty feel hotter than anyone ever had before.

'Is it the innocence?' she thought, then chuckled. 'How you call someone innocent when she's got her tongue halfway up your pussy and is sticking you own vibe in your . . . Whoa' she thought. The vibrating tip of the toy had slowly made its way into her asshole and was wreaking havoc on her central nervous system.

"You little . . . oh yeah!" Dusty said as her ass continued to be penetrated. And Ashley's other administrations had become even gentler and slower by contrast, and it was driving Dusty insane. She wondered if Ashley had any idea what she was doing. 'If not,' she thought, 'then that is SOME beginner's luck!'

In fact, Ashley was just piecing together things that she had seen Katrina or Professor VanHouten do that had made Dusty happy. She wanted to learn it all, and Dusty would be the one to show her. The last time had been very gentle. This time was more amorous. And it all felt wonderful! She started licking frantically, plunging the slim toy into Dusty's ass rapidly. Dusty was grasping her own breasts, obviously pleased with her young protégé's work.

"That's it," Dusty said after several minutes. "That's the . . . perfect . . . spot!" While not as wet of an orgasm, it was just as exhausting as the one she had given her lover earlier. And to make it better, Ashley kept her tongue moving, albeit more slowly, keeping Dusty in a hazy shade of bliss for several minutes even after the climax itself had subsided.

She soon found herself face to face with Ashley who was looking quite pleased with herself.

"So you're saying that was good?" Ashley asked with mock innocence.

"Were you taking a correspondence course behind my back?" Dusty joked, kissing the girl's mouth and tasting her own juices on those lovely lips.

"I can't imagine being with anyone but you," Ashley said, and then blushed. That had sounded cornier than she had meant it.

But Dusty's reaction was worth it. The girl blushed herself, then kissed Ashley while rolling her over, Dusty now on top. "And if I have anything to say about it, you won't have to." She lifted her body up a bit, grabbed Ashley's hand and placed it between Dusty's thighs. It didn't take much for Ashley to get the hint, nor to start groaning when Dusty returned the favor and lowered her body, trapping their hands between them. She turned over a bit so that both women could lie on their sides.