Heart of Stone Ch. 11

"Upstairs." He kissed her softly. Mary moved awkwardly off of his lap. The denim skirt she wore covered her to her knees as always, but her ruined panties left her bottom and dripping sex fully exposed underneath. Her knees shook and her juices made her inner thighs slick as she trotted quickly up the stairs, his long strides easily matching her swift steps.

Aiden closed the door and undressed as he walked, the look of intensity in his eyes made Mary's hands tremble as she pushed her skirt down over her hips. His hardness bobbed in front of him as he crossed to room to her. He stopped in front of her, watching as she undressed. Mary's didn't bother with the buttons on her blouse, her fingers fumbled too much and the look in his eyes told her that he wasn't in the mood to wait. The truth was, she wasn't either. She pulled it off over her head and managed the front clasp on the bra.

He stroked her cheek softly. His voice was somewhere between a growl and a guttural moan, a small smile on his lips. She recognized it as the command a male gave to a female to tell her she was expected to submit immediately. It was the only phrase she had ever heard him speak in his own language, her stomach did flip-flops.

"Aiden-" She shook her head slightly and reached out to caress his chest. He caught her hand and repeated himself, his eyes on hers. Mary bit her lower lip and got onto the bed, letting him guide her into the position that he wanted. She knelt, her head down on the bed, bottom raised, her legs spread, her face was crimson with embarrassment. She could feel herself starting to shake. The first time he took her this way Mary wasn't as ready as she usually was and it had ended with her bruised and in tears. She forgave him of course, and accepted his gentle ministrations after, but the fear of him telling her to submit again was very real to her.

She felt him move behind her. A little whimper escaped her lips when one of his large hands stroked the side of her hip. Instead of feeling him push inside her though, his warm tongue teased her exposed slit. She groaned softly and pressed back against his mouth. Aiden held her open a little wider, his tongue pressed deep inside her, taking over where his tail left off. Mary groaned, grasping handfuls of the covers as she pressed back against his mouth.

Aiden's supple tongue worked quickly and Mary lost track of the world around her as she was buffeted by waves of deep pleasure. Before she felt connected with herself again he moved behind her, the broad head of his erection against her dripping opening. She heard her own soft pleasure whimpers as he moved slowly inside her, giving her time to adjust before moving in deeper. Finally, when her body could accept no more of him, he began to move.

His hips moved slowly at first and Mary began to meet his movements. Her pleasure sounds and more insistent movements encouraged Aiden to increase his pace. Before long both were crying out with every forceful movement. Mary found herself carried forward and balancing on the edge of an even more intense sensation when Aiden paused.

"Please," She whimpered and squirmed against him. "Don't stop."

He chuckled softly and continued, but Mary needed only one more hard thrust to take her over the edge. Her muscles clenched around him and his talons dug painfully into her hips and his roar filled the room as his release consumed hers. Mary's whole body shook as the intensity of her orgasm shook her body again in such a short space of time.

For several blissful minutes he lay buried inside her, his body folded over hers, arms around her, wings spread over both of them. She heard his breathing and the soft, contented growling sounds he made close to her ear, but the world beyond his body was unimportant.

Slowly, he moved back and away from her, his softening shaft leaving her body almost reluctantly. She felt their combined juices start to trickle down her thighs.

"Stay where you are." She felt his weight shift as he got up. Mary moved to lay on her side, but he held her in place. "Be still." He said softly. His hand stroked her back and Mary forced herself to stay in position. She heard water running and he returned with a warm, wet cloth. Mary shivered a little while he cleaned her. After what seemed like an eternity of being exposed, he lay down and pulled her into his arms. Mary immediately hid her face against his chest, and Aiden cradled her while she recovered.

"Why?" She asked, her voice barely audible.

"Because I could not leave you with only a painful memory." He murmured, his talons tracing patterns on her back, making Mary shiver pleasantly.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

By the time the Hall was finished, everyone was exhausted but pleased with how it had turned out. There were no major changes in the overall look of the house, but the few cosmetic changes definitely made it more presentable in Mary's estimation. The date had been pushed back two weeks to accommodate an engagement of Nigel's, but that just gave Mary more time to get things settled as she wanted them.

It also gave her more time to worry about what could go wrong. By the time people started arriving, Mary was used to the undercurrent of nausea that had been clinging to her for more than two weeks. She was glad she had stuck to a less formal plan for the gathering and the meal. She wasn't certain that she would have been able to stomach the complex flavors of a meal similar to Robbie's. After dinner, Veronica and Ramona were the first to join her on the lighted outdoor terrace. A path defined by lights led off into the garden beyond.

"Are you feeling alright, Mary?" Ramona looked concerned. "You look a bit tired."

"Getting the Hall in order took more energy than I thought it would." She smiled a little and sipped her coffee. They heard a leathery flapping and Aiden walked out of the shadows.

"It's good to see you again." Veronica said. Aiden bent down to accept her kiss on the cheek.

"Nice to see you as well." He smiled but hid the most fearsome of his teeth.

"Has Mary told you what we're doing this evening?" Ramona kissed his cheek lightly as well.

"No. But she has been studying until all hours." Aiden smiled at her.

"That didn't help much." Mary tried to force a little laugh. "There are so many techniques and all the books really said was that it's up to the aggregator how the power of the others is focused and used. The test itself I got from one of Ambrose's journals."

"The important thing is not to let the others intimidate you." Veronica said.

"Why would she do that?" Quentin asked as he joined the others. "Aiden, I was wondering if you would be around this evening." He shook Aiden's offered hand.

"Of course. As you were eating your dinner I was getting mine as well." He smiled and soft laughter rippled through the small group. Mary stood back and watched as the group gathered and made small talk with Aiden and each other.

"Are you ready?" Robbie asked. Mary hadn't seen him come out, much less stand next to her.

"Ready as I'll ever be I guess." She smiled a bit.

"You know, if you aren't well, this may not go as planned. Your abilities won't function quite the same." He looked concerned.

"Thanks, but I'm just a little tired and overwrought." Her smile was more genuine this time. "Best to get on with it."

"You'll do fine." He smiled in his fatherly way and Mary took a deep breath. She moved to the edge of the stone terrace and turned to face the group.

"If I could have everyone's attention." She pulled the shawl she was wearing closer around herself as the rest quieted down. "I'd like to thank you all for coming tonight, I know it required some creative scheduling for some of you. If you would just follow the lighted path to the large boulder, it's a short walk, and some of you have been there before."

"Ambrose's practice stone?" Nigel asked.

"Yes. I thought since it worked for him, it would be a good place to start." Mary said.

"A good idea." Gordon agreed. He offered Veronica his arm. Mary walked at the back of group with Aiden. He stroked her back softly as they walked, and she smiled up at him.

When they turned the corner the group had already arranged themselves around the large, white boulder that reminded Mary of a slumbering elephant. She noticed that they were standing so that their pairs faced each other, except for Ron and Alex, they stood next to each other, facing the place left for Mary. She took a deep breath and walked into her place.

"We'll begin with the words." Andy said.

"How we begin is for Mary to say." Gordon disagreed. It was a strange feeling for Mary, hearing voices coming out of the darkness when she couldn't always see the speakers.

"If we don't have words, we can't focus." Ron added.

"Not everyone works the same way." Ramona countered. "You know as well as I do that the aggregator-"

"She doesn't even know what she's doing!" Stuart sounded exasperated. The breeze, which had been gentle and pleasant all evening, picked up to a full-scale gust of wind. Aiden moved closer behind Mary, sheltering her as much as he could.

"Oh for heaven sake, no one does the first time." Quentin shouted to be heard over the roar.

"Would you all just STOP!" Mary was surprised to hear herself shout, but it did end the bickering, and surprisingly the wind. Aiden waited and then stepped back.

"Quite right." Robbie said. "Just tell us what you need us to do." Mary was glad he was standing next to her, he smiled reassuringly. Mary took a deep breath.

"I want everyone to close their eyes and picture the place in your bodies where your will resides." Mary glanced around and saw that at least everyone's eyes were closed. She closed her own eyes and continued in an even tone. "Picture that spot swelling with your will, growing like berry grows from a blossom until the whole space is filled." All Mary heard was the sound of rhythmic breathing.

"When that place is full, let your will begin to migrate to your hands. Feel it almost like a physical sensation of warmth, moving from your shoulders, down your arms to your palms. Let the movement of will be a constant, feel it collect in your palms until it feels as though it will spill from your fingertips." She heard the breathing of the others deepen, almost as if they were asleep. She kept her voice even. "When you feel the need, place your palm against the person's next to you, letting the will flow between you."

Mary opened her eyes but remained silent. One by one she saw each member of the group raise their hands to shoulder height, palms facing out. When each one was ready, they touched the person next to them. When the only break in the circle was her, Mary touched Robbie and David and took a deep breath when she felt the surge of will. She drew it into herself, adding it to her own.

"Keep concentrating on moving your will to your hands, but open your eyes." She waited until every pair of eyes she could see was on her. "No matter what, stay focused on your will flowing into your hands."

Mary took a deep breath and focused the collection of will on the rock, tracking it with her eyes as it lifted slowly from its bed in the ground until it was just over their heads. She was so focused that the world had gone silent and still around her, except for her own heartbeat. Slowly, she let the boulder roll in the air before setting back in the ground again. She felt the vibration through her feet as it settled in its bed again. Mary separated her own will from the will of the others and lowered her hands. The others followed suit around the circle. Veronica was the first to speak.

"Mary, that was-" Mary didn't hear the rest of what Veronica was saying though. The world spun around her and then went black.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Mary woke inside, but it took her a moment to realize she was in the sitting room. There was a cool cloth on her head and she could hear soft voices in the room with her, when she looked over she wasn't surprised to see Maureen and Aiden, but she was surprised to see Nigel.

"What happened?" She took the cloth off of her head as she sat up.

"You fainted." Maureen took the cloth from her. "Mr. Aiden carried you back inside." She looked at Aiden and saw how worried he was.

"Could I have some water, please." She asked.

"Of course, Miss." Maureen hurried out and Mary could hear a soft murmur of conversation as the door opened. Nigel sat next to her and grasped her wrist, feeling her pulse. Mary looked at him strangely, he laughed softly.

"We don't tend to discuss our professions at these gatherings, but I'm a doctor." His smile was reassuring.

"Sorry." Mary murmured.

"Quite alright." He let go of her wrist and moved his finger in front of her eyes. Mary obediently followed it. "I know you didn't hit your head when you fell because Aiden caught you. Have you had these spells before?"

"No, I think I might have just been too worked up earlier." She smiled a little. Maureen returned with a glass of ice water, and bits of conversation leaked in again. "Thank you." Mary sipped it and started feeling a little better.

"That would certainly be understandable, aggregation can be a shock to the system, especially the first time." He smiled and got up. "You see the local doctor when you're ill?"

"Yes." Mary took another sip of the water. Dr. Carlyle was not her favorite person in the village. He usually managed to tell her more gossip in the fifteen or twenty minutes she spent with him than anyone else could in an hour. She could only imagine what he said about her. "I really think that all I need is a little rest though."

"You're probably right." He smiled and got up. "All the same though, if you're still feeling ill next week you should go see him."

"I will, thanks." She smiled.

"I'll give your goodnights to the others, I think if you could get a bit of sleep it would do you good." Nigel left with Maureen. As soon as the door was closed Aiden picked her up and held her in his lap. Mary curled up against him and closed her eyes, feeling even more tired than she did before.

"Mary, if this makes you so ill-"

"No." She said firmly before he could finish the thought. Her eyes on his. "I just wasn't prepared this time." She put her head down again. "I'm very glad you were there though."

"It was quite an amazing sight, child." She could feel him smiling. Mary couldn't help but smile a little herself.

"It was something, wasn't it?" Mary couldn't help but be proud of her accomplishment. Ambrose's journal said that he and his group had managed to lift the boulder only to the height of his knees and they had counted that a great success. She relaxed against Aiden's chest, waiting for the all clear to go up to bed.