Jessa Ch. 09

As it turned out, she returned to an empty hotel room. The concierge had stopped her on the way in to give her a key card that Torah had left for her, then hustled up a bellhop to carry her packages for her. Jessa was hanging the clothes and putting all the sundry bottles of soaps and lotions and perfumes into the bathroom when Torah and Erich arrived. Torah actually seemed in a good mood and they both insisted that she model the gown for them before they went out to dinner. Jessa was feeling terribly nervous about all the money, still, and she complied as much to keep Torah in his good mood as out of any desire to play dress up. When she had the gown on yet again, she padded out into the main room barefoot, with the hem trailing across the rug. Both men gazed at her thoughtfully, giving no indication of their opinions, as she stood before them. Torah signaled for her to turn, then said, "Slowly," and she did so, taking care not to step on the hem. When she completed the turn, she realized that he was holding a necklace with a blue stone pendant, matching the beadwork on her gown. He stepped up to her and fastened it about her neck, then stepped back again to appreciate the full picture.

"Lucky bastard," Erich muttered.

Jessa gazed at Torah, and saw that soft, indulgent look he usually reserved for his little brothers. She didn't remember seeing that look aimed at her since before they left Summer's End. The thought that one wrong word, one question from her could shatter that softness into brittle shards broke her heart and she turned quickly to return to the bedroom before a tear could be shed. He followed her, helping her as she struggled to remove the tight dress.

"What?" he said, and she could already hear the hard edge returning.

"It's just all so overwhelming," she said softly, which was inarguably true. "I spent a lot of money today," she confessed.

He snorted. "Is that what's upsetting you?" He turned her to face him. "Mia can go through that much money in an hour when she hits the city. And not for a wedding. What is it really?"

She wanted to turn away, but his grip on her shoulders was firm and he seemed determined to wait for an answer. It wasn't like she hadn't tried before to explain how much his mood swings confused her, even scared her. He had even taunted her for being afraid, as if he had no idea how terrifying he could be. "Maybe it's just my hormones, trying to adjust to such abrupt changes," she suggested. Like most men, down through the ages, he seemed to accept that explanation, as if things could ever be so simple.

"Keep the necklace on," he said. "It sparkles like your eyes." Then he turned and went back into the outer room. Jessa dressed for dinner.

****

The day of the wedding dawned bright and clear, though it was supposed to be raining by evening. Jessa had never entertained fantasies of a huge elaborate wedding or marrying a romantic prince, still it seemed deflating, if she must marry, to do so without her family present. For her, this was just yet another ordeal, of the numerous ordeals since Summer's End, to be gotten through with as much grace as she could muster. Torah had been watching her closely all morning, as if he expected her to bolt at the last minute, and she knew her brittle smile wasn't fooling him, but she also knew there was no place to bolt to, no escape from her fate. He had promised her a celebration at some future date with her family, but with no real security possible in Parvil Region, she wasn't sure she wanted to put her family at risk, nor deal with the Torah who saw enemies behind every bush.

The huge cathedral Mari had insisted on seemed like a joke. Who would be there to witness? Their little wedding party consisted of Erich as best man, Mari as her Matron of Honor and Jacq had offered to give her away. Mari had arranged for some local Council member to officiate. Jacq and Mari picked Jessa up at the hotel and whisked her away to the cathedral, leaving Erich and Torah to fend for themselves.

It was a good two hours before the ceremony, when Mari had her sequestered in a dressing room off the entryway and was insisting on lavishing makeup on her. Jessa would have preferred a wig perhaps, still feeling entirely self-conscious about her shorn hair. Mari suggested that she just might start a new fad in Paris, which, frankly, was always in search of new fads. Though Jessa was sure it was too short, Mari managed to curl and fluff it about her face, then grace it with a simple band of white lace, silken cords and blue beads circling her forehead. When Jessa tried to draw the line at the massive makeup box that Mari propped open, they spent fifteen minutes negotiating minimal, natural additions to her usually unadulterated appearance.

The very last thing that Jessa did was to put on the heeled sandals that Mari had insisted she buy. She was an athlete, not a fashion model, and the heels only added to her disproportionate height, and would put her almost eye to eye with Torah. But she didn't have much choice, since the gown had been hemmed with heels in mind. She didn't want to trip over her own dress and face splat at her own wedding, even if it wasn't all that big an event for her.

Finally, Mari left to take her place in front of the alter, and Jacq entered the dressing room, taking her hands and air kissing her cheeks. He had to stretch up to do so, reminding Jessa yet again that heels were entirely awkward. "Are you nervous?" he asked.

"No," Jessa replied, but didn't add that she just wanted it all to be over.

"Bon," he replied. "Torah is a good man, Jessa. Let him take care of you. Let him love you."

Love seemed like such a foreign concept in the whole mix of things, but she smiled at him and let him lead her out to the entryway. Jessa was concentrating on walking in the heels and managing the long full skirt of the gown when she heard the loud rustle from within the nave. She turned in surprise as Jacq tucked her arm in his. In the nave, a number of people, on both sides of a narrow aisle had turned to look - at her. On the steps in front of the alter, she could see Torah, Erich and Mari waiting for her.

Jessa was staring in wonder at the crowd. Granted it was a small crowd, but she had expected no one. Then from either side of the nave entrance, Mia's two youngest daughters stepped forward to meet at the center of the aisle with great seriousness, until the youngest started giggling. They held baskets of rose petals and started down the aisle tossing the petals. "What..." Jessa stammered. "Who are all these people?"

Jacq patted her hand reassuringly. "Torah's family has come. And his trusted friends. Those who could. And his friends from here." He leaned closer to her ear. "I asked them to sit on your side. I know you would prefer your own family, but they are your family today, non? Come, your husband is waiting."

He walked her down the aisle as her 'flower girls' peeled off to rejoin their family. Jessa noted that all of Torah's family had come except his mother, which didn't break her heart at all. When she reached the end of the aisle, she saw the twins Samu and Saula off to each side, solemnly holding pillows bearing the rings that Torah had brought. When she glanced up at Torah, he was looking down at her with an indecipherable expression, as if he still wasn't sure if she was going to bolt or not. Like she could, wearing these ridiculous heels. Jacq released her and she mounted the two steps to Torah's side. She suddenly discovered that she liked being eye to eye with him. He couldn't be nearly as intimidating as when he could glower down at her. He may have realized that himself, because he gave her a wry smile before taking her arm and turning toward the Councilor who was officiating their ceremony.

Jessa paled when she saw the prominent crest on his formal attire. He was First Circle. How had Mari arranged to impose on a First Circle Councilor with two days' notice to perform a ceremony for a Tenth Circle and a mere Elite? Everything she thought she knew about protocols was falling apart. Perhaps Torah realized her discomfort, because he squeezed her arm and pulled her imperceptibly closer, even as the Councilor was droning on about marriage and the importance of procreation. There were no vows to be spoken to each other, as there had been in the pre-pandemic times. There were only instructions - marching orders, if you will - from the Council to make babies and bring them up with the Council-approved values, followed by vows to follow those instructions.

Eventually, the Councilor pronounced them married, the twins scurried up with the rings, which they placed on each other's fingers at the same time, standing face to face and hand to hand. Then Torah pulled her into a tight embrace and kissed her deeply and long, eliciting hoots from the gathered. The party moved from the cathedral to a nearby building, originally a priory, perhaps, where a banquet had been set out. There was even a musical group and Jessa blanched at even more expenses she hadn't known about.

Torah kept her close throughout the evening, and again she didn't know if it was because he feared her bolting, or perhaps he was jealous of the rapport she had with Jacq's French-speaking teammates. Jessa was thrilled to see Mia and the children again. She was still stung by Bona's and Horach's willingness to lock her in a basement somewhere, so her politeness with them was definitely forced. But with Samu and Saula, especially, she couldn't contain her pleasure, even making a point of dancing with each of them and then with both at once.

At one point, Torah pulled her aside from the festivities and told her "There's someone I need to introduce you to." Jessa couldn't help but wonder why that required special notification, but he continued, "I need you to be on your best behavior."

She shook her head in confusion. "Have I done something?" she asked. He had been introducing her to Parisian counterparts and even higher Circle Parisians throughout the evening. She thought she had been proper with all of them, but growing up in a very rural Region, learning the etiquette and rituals wasn't a high priority.

"No," he cupped her face and ran a thumb across her cheek. "You've been wonderful. But this is a very sensitive situation."

"Just tell me what you want me to say, then," she encouraged him.

"I don't know what he will ask."

Jessa sighed in exasperation. "I will do my best. But you're not helping much," she added, sarcastically.

"I know," he said, resting his forehead against hers. All too soon he was pulling away. "Come on." He took her hand and pulled her across the room toward a man that Erich was talking to, and had been most of the evening, if she remembered correctly. As they drew nearer, she could clearly see his crest; Second Circle. It was starting to make sense why Torah might be concerned. When they drew close, the man looked up from his conversation with Erich and frowned.

"About time, Torah," he said, but his eyes were on Jessa. She had a vague feeling she'd heard the voice before. He was older, maybe mid-fifties, inches less than her own height even without the heels. And unlike most of the people she met now, who spoke their 'native' languages with an English accent, he spoke English with a German accent. After the first wave migration, it was obvious that the most common second language, and therefore the most efficient for communication was English. On a continent where refugees were suddenly the largest percentage of the population, practicality insisted that the most common language become the first language. Jessa had heard of only a few areas that had resisted that notion. This gentleman was apparently from one of them.

Torah didn't respond to the tone. "Drau, this is my wife, Jessa." She remembered, his had been the disembodied voice on the car phone. Torah had called him 'sort of' his boss.

She immediately bowed and dipped her knee. "My Lord," she said.

"My dear," he said, taking her hand and kissing her knuckles. She studiously kept her head down. "I understand you will be living here in Paris?"

"Yes, My Lord," she replied.

"You don't need to call me Lord," he said. "You should choose to live in Dusseldorf. It is much more convenient for Torah. And closer to your family, I am given to understand."

Jessa felt Torah's hand tighten on hers. "My Lord," she replied, measuring her words and keeping her head down to minimize her height. "I have recently lost my pregnancy because of an incident in Rhine Region. I know this is a weakness in me, but I cannot overcome my fear for future pregnancies. Torah has been gracious enough to respect this fear of mine and let me live here for now. I am sure I will, with time, and Torah's strength, overcome my fear."

"It would be best if you were to overcome this phobia of yours now," he suggested darkly.

"I know, My Lord. But I am not strong like you. And it is probable that my anxiety could affect the chances of pregnancy, so..."

She heard him huff with exasperation. "I suggest you address this anxiety immediately. Paris may not be as safe as you expect." With that he turned on his heel and walked away.

"Whoa," Erich said.

"Whoa, indeed," Torah agreed.

Jessa still had her head down. "So is he a good guy or a bad guy?" she asked softly.

"He's a man with his own agenda," Torah said. "And you were perfect." He raised her chin, then actually had to reach up just a bit to kiss her forehead. "Thank you."

Jessa smiled with pleasure despite herself. She whispered into Torah's ear, "How long are we obliged to stay?"

He looked at her with as incredulous an expression as he ever allowed himself to display. "You have some place to be?" he asked.

"My bed with my husband?" she replied, inflecting it like a question.

"For what purpose?" he asked, baiting her.

"To give him the only wedding present I can afford."

"And what would that be," Torah asked, as Erich backed away with defensively raised hands.

"To fuck him to his heart's content," she whispered.

"I see," Torah replied. "It just so happens I have a car waiting."

"Perfect. Can I take these damn heels off?" she asked.

"As long as you put them back on later when we're in the bedroom," he answered.

"Deal," she said, and for the first time ever, she was the one pulling him by the arm toward the exit.

Once they were in the car, Torah's hand crept up under the hem of her dress until he reached the silk of her panties. "You're wet," he whispered. She nodded, blushing more at the thought of the driver hearing, than embarrassment by her arousal. "I am not sure I will ever understand you, Lady Jessa."

"Or I you," she countered.

His fingers rubbed gently against the silk. "At least this part of the journey of discovery is enjoyable." His fingers slid up to the top of her panties and pulled. Her eyes flicked to the driver but she raised her hips to let him slide the panties down her legs. When he had them free, he raised them to his nose and inhaled deeply, then tucked them inside his jacket. "Souvenir," he whispered. "Put your shoes back on. We're almost there."

Jessa complied, as the driver pulled up at the doors to the hotel. Even now, Torah climbed over her to exit first and scan the darkening neighborhood, before he reached for her to help her from the car. He did a quick scan of the lobby, too, before leading her to the elevator. She wondered if Drau's veiled threat was worrying him or if it was simply his natural caution. She bit her lip to keep from asking and when he turned to look at her, he cocked an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. A few moments later, they were in the suite and Torah was helping her out of the dress before they even reached the bedroom.

He stilled her and circled her slowly, taking in the heels, the silk stockings, and the corset that barely covered her nipples. Torah stepped behind her, one hand on her belly, reaching slowly toward her bared pussy and the other hand slipping the upper edge of the corset down, freeing her breasts. His fingers traced lightly over her nipples and her clit, as he whispered in her ear, "Leave these on." Then he sat her on the edge of the bed as he removed his own clothes.

He leaned down kissing her, devouring her, and pushing her back and down on the bed. When he finally pulled back, it was only an inch, his hands beside her shoulders, bracing himself over her, so close she could feel the heat radiating from his chest. "You've killed, Jessa," he whispered. Her heart caught in her throat. This was the last direction she expected or hoped the evening would take. "Without remorse," he continued. "Do you have the bloodlust, now?"

"Do you get bloodlust when you kill?" she challenged.

"Yes!" he hissed. It wasn't the answer she expected, and her mind struggled to recover.

"Well, I'm not you. I killed because it was necessary in the moment. The moment is over."

"I was sure you would never willing let me touch you again. And yet here you are trying to seduce me. How shall I trust you?"

"You're afraid of me!" she blurted out, and suddenly things seemed clearer.

Torah's expression didn't change. "No one has come as close to me as you have. Not my family, not my team. No one. When I see fear in your eyes, I wonder how far you will go to resolve that fear. I now know how far you are capable of going. So I have to wonder, when you seek to distract me, lower my defenses, is there a knife hidden somewhere?"

"No, Torah..."

"Then why?" he snapped. "Why now, after everything that has happened, are you pretending to want me?"

"I'm not pretending," Jessa argued. "When you are here, when you feel safe, you are... desirable. Hell, you're so fucking hot, I can hardly keep my hands off of you." His eyes widened. "Don't you get it? It's because you've lowered your defenses. Even given me a tiny glimpse of vulnerability. I want everything I can get from you here, now, in this place, before you go away and become that other Torah."

He stared down at her for so long, she began to wonder how he could maintain his propped up position, like he'd been frozen in the middle of a push up. Then abruptly he was kissing her hard, his solid body collapsing onto her corset-clad torso, his hands clutching almost desperately at her breasts. He slid down to the floor, pulling her closer to the edge of the bed until he could attack her pussy as fervently as he had kissed her.

A small part of Jessa feared there were more accusations to come, another sudden veering into doubt and mistrust, but most of her was hopelessly lost in the sensation of his tongue and lips and his hands clutching at the ass cheeks, digging almost painfully into her flesh. She reached to twine her hands into his hair and pull him even closer. He suddenly moved his hands to her thighs, pulling her legs wide, limiting her efforts to squirm away from him as he sucked and nipped at her clit until she was screaming.

Before the orgasm faded, he tossed her farther onto the bed, threw her legs over his shoulders and plunged into her. He could feel her wicked heels bouncing against his back with each thrust. Her head was thrown back off the edge of the bed and she was groaning with each thrust, louder and louder. When she called his name as she came again, it triggered his own orgasm, and he called out her name even as the echoes of her scream were fading away.

When Torah finally slipped free of her pussy, she had gone limp. He straightened her on the bed, then laid next to her with his head resting on her silk covered belly and fell deeply asleep. When Jessa returned to reality, some time later, she realized she still had her heels and tight corset on, but as she listened to Torah's soft snoring, knowing it was probably the deepest he had ever slept in her presence, she didn't move, just savoring as many minutes as she was granted.