Font of Fertility Ch. 22

"Thanks," Annalise said.

"What about you, Angela?" I asked. "Everything I said last night still stands - I'm not asking you to quit your job or anything. But if you want a change you could go with Linds and Stacey too."

"I can't leave Suzie in a lurch," Angie said, shaking her head. "Don't get me wrong, I'm kinda looking forward to all of us living together, but I'll wait until you and Lauren move out there. I don't know what I'll do once I'm there, 'cause I'm not just going to sit around and be your little sex pet or something, but I'll figure it out."

"Wait, is that a career option?" Maya asked with a sly smile towards her sister, obviously provoking her.

"Don't even joke about it," Annalise deadpanned.

* * * * *

Alone in my room, I closed my eyes and focused.

We'd driven Annalise and Maya back to the Bed and Breakfast, and Stacey had spent some time hanging out with Maya while I had alone time with Annalise. Then I'd gotten the reminder text from Lauren.

I touched the pool of power in the back of my consciousness and felt that wave of fireworks glowing and firing off behind my eyes as I focused on it. It was still a weird sensation whenever I really examined my power and really grappled with it because it felt like nothing, but it also felt like everything. It felt immense and powerful and made of pure potential, and I could almost taste the lips of my lovers in it. And down deep, fresh from having just been with her, was that cinnamon smoke of Annalise. And mixed in, now that I focused and sorted through all the sensations, was another distinct flavour swirling around like black liquorice, except sweeter and with a more ephemeral quality, and I realized that it was Aidra. It was softer and smoother than Annalise, and I wondered if that was based on her personality, her type of magic, or how strong she was.

That made me want to call her, but I'd told myself it was up to her to deal with her thing with Brenton. I wouldn't stick my nose into it, because if I did then I would start down a path that could lead to the way Ndia looked at people as claimable things rather than, well, people.

I took in another breath and focused on the pool, and thought of the person I wanted to contact. It was a slightly more powerful version of the telepathy spell I would use with the girls since I didn't know where in the world Esmerelda was. I didn't make a connection with her though - with the girls I knew I was welcome, but with her I didn't know if she would find it to be an invasion of her privacy. Instead, I envisioned my message being delivered to her like a little mental letter, sealed and ready for her to listen to when she was ready.

Hello, Esmerelda,

Lauren and I would like to invite you to dinner tomorrow night. I've picked out a restaurant in Miami with a private room and made reservations - I figured it was something close to neutral ground. Your father should have Lauren's phone number, you can text her for the details.

We're looking forward to sitting down and talking with you.

Jeremiah.

I released the message and felt it dissolve into the pool of power and whisk away across the world. And I waited, and waited. Almost twenty minutes later Lauren texted me.She's in.

We had a dinner date with Death.