Mine...Yours Pt. 05

"When this meeting is over, you and I are going to plan a time to get together. We need to have a talk." I said to her levelly. Hildy now looked really confused, she probably felt as confused as I was. It didn't make sense to me though. Why would she feel any attraction for me? I am...well, ME? Nothing awesome going on over here. Hildy, man, she's got the body, the looks and the strength to get anyone she wants. I am short, wide, and average in the looks. Sure I am strong, and got a sense of humor when I want to, but I am nothing to write home about.

We finished our meal, and went back into the living room for the meeting. I could bore you with all the questions, and the statements. I won't, it would take way too long. The general gist was this.

"No you didn't break any rules, but we are concerned for your safety."

See, that is called shortenizing. I took an entire afternoon of rhetoric and put it into one sentence. Nothing I could say or do would dissuade them of the fact that I was dealing with a predatory Outsider who would in all likelihood kill me. Lucretia couldn't even repudiate the arguments because I had asked her to always tell me the truth. She didn't look happy about telling other people though.

I saw Gwen quietly placing some of those weird looking cards of hers facedown on the coffee table while we were still debating. I was nervous about kicking in my Sight again after Seeing what I did with Hildy, but I needed to know what she was up to. I had seen what she did with those cards last night, and I had no desire to get into a fight here in my house. I saw the lavender glow of her power through the cards, and I saw a woman's slender hand touching Gwen's shoulder from behind. She had long black hair held back with what looked like a bandana of sorts. Not like the ones of today that you see, but long and flowing. It was like a scarf but meant to wrap the head and trail behind in the hair of the person as an accent.

She was watching me, and watching Lucretia closely. Then she whispered something in Gwen's ear and touched the deck of cards. The young witch of the Gatewatch slid two more cards onto the table, and flipped them all over. I had assumed they were tarot cards, but really old. I was wrong, each card was blank. I was looking at them with my Sight, and they were blank.

"You can see things that others wish to hide." A ghostly voice said next to my ear. I turned and the woman with long hair was looking me up and down with frank appraisal. I wondered if I should say anything, but I didn't want to appear crazy by talking to things other people couldn't see. The woman glanced at the cards and gave me a small mischievous smile.

"You may see things most do not see, but some you are not meant to." She glanced aside and I followed her gaze to my dad who was watching us both, while the others were paying attention to the cards. Wait, my DAD can see this woman? She gave him a brief, slow nod that he returned. With a final smile to me, she moved behind Gwen and whispered something in her ear before she vanished.

"I don't know what to say, Hildy, Jemima." Gwen said slowly. "The cards don't lie. He broke no rules, and while he is in danger there is nothing we can do about it. It's out of our hands."

Jemima's hiss raised the hair on the back of my neck and Hildy's growl made my chest tremble. My mom stepped forward and said peaceably, "I know your all concerned over my son, but haven't you noticed..." They interrupted her.

"You have no idea what that monster there could DO to your son!" Jemima spat.

Hildy glared at mom and started to push her aside to confront me, and stopped. My Dad's hand had grabbed her wrist. The werewolf girl turned to meet my Dad's gaze with a snarl and then froze at the expression in his eyes.

My mom once told me that my father was a very powerful, driven, and motivated man. That he seemed to have an ability to push others, and to get results in whatever endeavor he was a part of. She also told me that at times he scared her with how intense he could be. "Your father is a safe man Greg. Just do not confuse him for being tame. He is safe, not tame. I wouldn't ever want to tame him, it would destroy who he is." I was seeing a little of the wildness come out in this big man as he pulled Hildy closer.

"My son is who you have the problem with...go talk to him. But you touch my woman, my wife, my MATE like that again...?" His voice had been quiet, but there was an undercurrent to it I had very seldom heard, but it sobered up Hildy as fast as a bucket of ice water.

"Understood Mr. Brooks." Hildy said quietly. He very slowly let go of her wrist, and then walked back to the sofa to sit down. I blinked. He had covered a lot of ground to get from where he was sitting to get to Hildy, and that fast? Wow.

Gwen spoke up then, "I wasn't finished with my card reading." Jemima sat back down next to her friend and watched Gwen studying her cards. Hildy was slowly pacing back and forth her eyes flicking to all of us in the room one after the other.

"What were the terms of your binding with Lucretia?" Gwen asked as she studied the last card with disbelief. I shrugged.

"I wanted to keep it simple, so I just used one word. I called her Mine." Gwen waited, they all waited. I held up my hands in a shrug, "That was it, I just said, "Mine."

Gwen seemed not to get it, but Jemima did. "You claimed it all! Nothing held back? You didn't give a time limit, set restrictions, anything?" I thought about it and looked over at my succubus and cocked an eyebrow at her. She shook her head. I brought my gaze back to Jemima's. "Not that I am aware of."

Hildy was pacing faster, glaring at Lucretia before she growled out, "You must be lying! You gave a succubus free will? What holds her in check? She could decide to attack us right now and we'd be hit with no warning!"

"You are his friends." It was the first time Lucretia spoke during this meeting. "I don't want to hurt his friends, or his family." She said this last part with a nod to my parents, causing my mom to smile at her.

"Yet you still can't tell us you won't harm him? How can we believe you?" Jemima asked. Gwen was really frowning at her cards, suddenly she gasped as if she had an epiphany. Wonder what that longhaired woman whispered in her ear this time?

"I got it! I understand now!" She quickly stacked her cards back up and put them in the pocket of her skirt. Then she ran past us into the kitchen. She returned with three glasses and two bottles of my Mountain Dew.

"You be careful with those Gwen, I don't like people getting into my Dew." I cautioned. I am fiercely protective of my beverages, especially my Dew! She had my favorites, the original green and the slightly newer blue raspberry. She set two of the glasses down on the table on either end and set the third in the middle.

She handed Lucretia the bottle of blue Dew, and me the green and then turned her attention to the spectators. "This is why it's working!" she declared all excitedly.

"Hildy, she is restrained and yet has freewill. Jemima, you're right, nothing was held back, this is what happened!" Gwen turned to Lucretia, "Go ahead and fill the glass half full." She turned to me and asked me to do the same thing.

When we were done Gwen picked up the glasses and spoke again, "Now, Gregory made his claim on Lucretia, he said she was "Mine", and in so doing he wanted all of her, total control." She poured Lucretia's glass into the empty one in the middle off the table and continued her monologue. "As we all know once something is taken there is a void. It must be filled, and Lucretia was now empty, everything was taken. Gregory could have left her like that, powerless and defenseless. For some reason he decided to give everything of himself as well."

That surprised me. I didn't know that was going to take place. I just knew that inside my head Lucretia looked lost and I offered what I felt was right, was just. If I demanded all of her it was only fair I give all of myself. That's probably why it was so easy to get my aspects past the Door. Huh...yeah. I am so going to need a good therapist when this adventure is over.

While I was pondering Gwen surprised me and tried to take the Dew out of my hand and I tightened my grip! "Hey, don't just snatch my drink from my hand, warn a guy next time!" Gwen just grinned at me, and I allowed her to take the glass from my grip.

"So Greg then gives all of himself to cement the binding." She poured my green Dew in with the other, filling the glass to the top. "Now we have a whole lot of material, and it needs to get put back or we have two empty husks walking around." Gwen tipped the glass and poured half of the mix into Lucretia's glass and half into mine. I was starting to get an idea of how serious this bond was, and why I have been starting to act differently than I normally do. Sure I have been apathetic at times, but I am also jovial and hard working, loyal and all that. I tend to try to do what is right by the dictates of my conscience. Lucretia though, is cold, calculating. She is prone to anger and violence. She is protective of what's hers, and full of rage and spite and...oh shit. Lucretia's eyes were wide as well watching me. I think she was getting it too.

Almost mechanically I raised my glass to my lips and as if she was my reflection in a mirror Lucretia did the same. We each drained our glasses and set them on the table, still staring at each other.

"So what exactly does this mean?" My mom asked into the silence as we were being watched.

"It means," Gwen continued. "It means that Gregory has done something no one has attempted before."

She stared at me almost bordering on awe, and surprise and a little bit of fear. "I don't even know what to call it. She is an extension of him, and he is an extension of her. They still are who they are, but...I don't know." She turned to look at Hildy, "She won't attack us because Greg wouldn't want to because we are friends. That is the control Greg has. He has as much control over her as he has over himself."

I glanced down at the bite mark Lucretia left on my hand yesterday then looked back up at her. She snickered and I chuckled. Apparently I get into arguments with myself! I looked at the scar in my palm and rubbed it with my thumb and saw my succubus shiver. So, she's apart of me, at least the way I understand it is that our personalities have mixed somehow. We both gave of each other so much we averaged out in the end. I probably should feel scared or something, but now that I understand it, I don't feel so bad.

My dad was looking thoughtful as the party wound down. I wouldn't say the Gatewatch was particularly happy with the outcome of tonight's meeting, but we had come to an understanding. I had also gotten permission for Lucretia to go next door and visit Gwen and Jemima. Sure, I am a great guy to hang out with, but I am sure that Lucretia needs to be around others. After all, I know in my own head I am not the best example of what humans are, or how we act. Gwen was fascinated by this whole thing, and wanted to talk to Lucretia more. She also wanted to take her out with the girls since all women need girl time. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but I figured I would burn that bridge when I got there.

Finally everyone was gone, and Lucretia was helping me with clean up. "Greg, can we talk now?" She asked me. I really didn't want to, so I gave myself an out. "Wait until the dishes are done, then we can talk."

"Why do we have to wait, we are alone?"

"Maybe I want to give you my undivided attention?" I said with a smile.

"I wish you would." Lucretia said so softly I almost missed it. I glanced at her and saw her blush. It was so cute. She was so pretty and she smelled so good. Like vanilla and dish soap with a hint of tangerine.

I hurriedly glanced back to the sink and said kind of sharply, "Change back to your true form Lucretia." She frowned at my tone of voice, but did as I requested.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

"It's easy to forget what you are when you look like a human woman. I need the reminder of what you are." I answered.

"Why?" she asked, the edge of her wing brushing along my arm as I turned on the taps to do the dishes.

"Because it is a lie, when you are in human form. No matter how you look and sound, you are not a human. With you I always want the truth, even if it's uncomfortable."

She was quiet, contemplative. It seemed she was almost shrinking away from me. So I handed her a dishtowel.

"What's this for?"

"I need you to dry the dishes and put them away as I wash them." I said, handing her a rinsed cup.

We were silent for a time and I was enjoying the quiet. I found that I really did like her next to me, even in this form, I found her very attractive. Finally I thought to ask a question that had been nagging at me.

"Why does your skin sparkle?"

"Sparkle?"

"You know, spots in it are shiny." I touched her arm where those little pieces of black glass seemed to be imbedded.

"That's obsidian. I know it's from this Plane, for some reason it's in my skin, I don't know why."

"Does it hurt?" I asked. I know, sounds like a stupid question, but I just thought rocks in my skin would feel uncomfortable.

"No!" she said with a laugh. "It's my skin, so why would it hurt?"

Couldn't argue with logic like that. We finished the dishes and I took her hand in mine and led her upstairs to my room. It was night out, and the sky was clear so I opened the North window and climbed out onto the roof of my house.

"I could have just flown up here you know." Lucretia muttered.

"True, but someone might have noticed. It's dark and no one looks up anyway so you re safe to stay the way you are."

We sat down just a few feet down the ridgeline of the roof and I laid back, arms under my head. Lucretia watched me for a moment then did the same. I waited for her to speak, but she didn't say anything.

"Why is sex so important to you Lucretia?" I decided to get the ball rolling in this conversation.

Lucretia stayed quiet. I turned to look at her but she was just gazing at the stars. The streetlights blocked most of them in a soft orange glow, but you could still see some.

"I never really looked up at the sky much at home." She said softly. "Funny when you think I flew in it often enough, I should have taken more time to look at it." She turned her head to look off in the distance, toward the horizon. "That is where your sun sinks?"

"We call it sun sets, but yes."

She repeated the words and seemed to be thinking.

"Sex isn't important to me Gregory. Why do I need that when I can take what I want with a kiss? I wanted to know if you find me sexually attractive. I wanted to know if you would let me sleep in your bed."

I thought about it, "Why shouldn't I have thought you meant sex? Sure seemed like it they way you were phrasing it."

She rolled over on her side, one wing lying along her body like a blanket. "I like to know you think me attractive, I know you hate the word but I am going to say it. Succubae like to know their Master enjoys looking at them. As you humans say, "Plain and Simple" that's it. Even the old Master I had liked looking at me, though I suspect it was for different reasons. As for sleeping in your bed, I am lonely."

I gave her a questioning look. She continued. "When I am home, with my family, we all sleep together huddled as a group. I miss it. I miss laying half on Mother and half off with Rulli's horns along my hip and Astar's feet tapping against mine. I have spent time out in the desert by myself, but when I am home..." Her voice dwindled off and she reached her hand out and laid it on my elbow.

"When you're home you have the closeness with your family. This is your home and you have a room that's big, that's all yours, but you are lonely when you try to sleep." I saw the glint from her horns that let me know she had nodded.

I sighed, so it wasn't sex. It felt really good to know that, at the same time a small part of me was disappointed. That part of me doesn't get to vote on anything anymore so it was easy to make it shut up. Then a reckless thought occurred to me that made me grin.

"Lucretia, do you have to feed each time you kiss someone?" I asked.

"No."

"If I give you a kiss, do you promise not to feed on me?"

My question was met with silence. Then I felt her shift and come closer to me. Then a cool thin blanket covered my chest and hips. It moved slightly and felt like soft leather. I am guessing...wings?

"You do find me attractive then Master?" she said almost disbelievingly.

"I already told you I did...are you just fishing for compliments?" I asked. I let her calling me Master slide this time. I think I shocked her with my question so a slip of the tongue once in a while is okay.

I heard her giggle. "Many times people say one thing and do another. It's nice to hear it said and shown."

I felt her nuzzle her nose into my cheek. "Tell me what you like about me Greg?"

"Why?"

"I would like to hear it." She said simply.

"You ARE fishing for compliments! No shame, none at all."

"Yes...please?"

Oh she had to break out the big guns and say please! I rolled over so I was facing her and snuggled in closer.

"I like your horns..." I started

"Really? They are not too long?" she interrupted.

"Hey, I'm complimenting here. If you want to interrupt then I am going to stop talking." I growled jokingly.

She giggled again and snuggled closer.

"I like your eyes. They have a nice almond shape to them that makes them expressive even though they are one solid color. I think your skin is spectacular, and I have wanted to count your obsidian spots for a while now, just to get an idea of how many you have."

I leaned back a bit and kissed her nose. "I like it that you obey me, but you are not a push over, you challenge me...but in a good way." She seemed confused.

"It's hard to explain, but you're not...you stand up for yourself. I think that's sexy as hell."

"Thank you..." she started to say.

"I'm not done yet. I like your wings, I know human women don't have them and that's fine, I couldn't imagine you without them...you would just look wrong. I even like your tail, I can watch it swish to know what kind of mood your in. Just so you know, hold your tail still playing poker, it's an obvious tell when it's twitching. You will never be able to bluff."

I raised my head to look down at her. "Now, my lovely Lucretia...may I give you a kiss?" I heard her choke for a second and I put my hand on the side of her face. "You alright?" I asked, concern in my voice.

It took her a moment to speak and then I realized that she seemed to be near tears! "Did I say something wrong, did I offend you? I'm sorry, was I not supposed to mention your tail? Is that like a succubus taboo or..." A clawed hand covered my mouth, and she raised her head so it was close to mine.

"No one has ever said...that was so nice...you stupid, wonderful...! Raah!" Then she yanked me down to her and kissed me!

She tasted of the cookies we had for the party, and her lips were cool against the almost burning heat of my own in comparison. My arms slithered around her shoulders and I held her tight to me. Her hands slid down from my neck to my waist where she pulled me even tighter against herself. I gently pulled her horns, tipping her head back and used the tip of my tongue to draw lazy circles on her throat. That seemed to drive her a little crazy as with a harsh growl she flipped me over onto my back and sat astride my hips. I got a good view of her with her wings spread, teeth bared in a fierce grin. The little lights of the city seemed to reflect off of all the shiny spots of stone in her flesh. She looked like a beautiful stone sculpture come to life.