Sam Spade 18: Case of the Girl with the Golden Eyes

"Samantha, what did you do?" Jason asked softly. He could hear Maradith's angry thoughts but could not reach her.

"Maradith and Lilith are somewhere where they must both be at peace with the other before being released." I said not looking at him. "If nothing else they will reach an agreement that I am a copper plated bitch."

"Sam, that will make it worse. I know you mean well but I know Maradith, she will lose her mind at the confinement. Lilith will stick up for you and the two will end up trying to kill each other." Jason said. He reached out and touched Samantha's arm, "Please let them go."

I had not thought of that and nodded. In an instant, I was back on the mesa where the pair were yelling at each other. "Enough!" I yelled. They stopped and looked at me, "I only thought humans were bad in acting like children. You two have them beat. So return to the world and do as you will. I wash my hands of the whole mess." The pair disappeared as I sat on the ground and held my head in my hands. Now I understood why he kept himself separate from humanity.

I hear their voices calling, begging, for me to return. However, I could not face the strife. Even when Maradith's voice said they had made peace, I kept apart. As time passed, the voices became frantic and I felt them trying to reach me. Finally, I felt someone on the mesa with me. Raising my head, I saw Amy kneeling before me with her head lowered. She sat up and I noticed her eyes were golden.

"Daughter, I give you the same advice I gave your predecessors." Amy's voice had an ethereal quality to it and I knew I was talking to the chairwoman. "You cannot solve all of their problems nor can you hide away."

"What do I do? How do I cope with the stress? How do you cope?"

"You already know the answer," she replied with a slight smile. She blinked slowly and when they opened Amy's eyes were blue instead of golden. She looked around and back at the goddess before her lowering her head she said, "Forgive me for intruding on your solitude."

"You are forgiven Amy," I replied. I saw into her mind that she was worried about me. "Why are you worried daughter?"

Not raising her head Amy said, "I know it is not my place to guide you but you gave me peace and I wish to return the favor." She looked up and knew she had one chance to save the living god before her. "Please give me strength to not mess this up," she whispered.

"You won't," I replied automatically.

Taking a breath Amy said softly, "I speak to the woman who guided me to the light. Just like I was, you are fractured. The actions of one are destroying the other. Come home and let us, the ones who love both sides of you, heal you." She reached out and took Samantha's hand in hers. "Please give us a chance Samantha." She dropped her eyes with the realization that she had failed. Letting go of the goddess's hand she sobbed, "I'm sorry I failed you both."

Taking Amy's hand once more Samantha said tenderly, "Are you here because you want to help the woman or your goddess?"

She knew the goddess could read her like an open book. Lying would do no good so she said, "You know I am here because of my goddess is broken. But if you look deeper you will see I could love the woman who sat beside me."

I was touched and suddenly unsure of myself, "Have Maradith and Lilith stopped fighting?"

"They stopped the moment they saw how deeply their fighting was tearing you apart." Amy paused and then added, "I don't know if the reason they fought has been resolved or not." She looked down and added, "If you will not return, please allow me to find death."

"You have too much to live for to die," I said shocked.

"Life without you is no life at all. Better to die and end the suffering," Amy replied not raising her eyes.

"No guilt there," I said softly.

Apparently it was not soft enough because Amy raised her eyes as she said, "I did not mean to guilt you into returning. I simply stated life was not worth living without you." She paused and added, "You saved me from myself. Please let me try and save you in return Samantha."

"Daughter... take my hand," Amy said with golden eyes and an ethereal voice.

Unable to stop herself, I reached out to take both her hands. Instantly I was in the latex covered playroom back home. I was lying on my back in the middle of the room. Or rather, I watched my body from a point off to the side where I was standing beside Amy. It was as if a stampede occurred. My wives charged into the room and began making love to my body as their minds called out their love for me, Samantha.

Right behind them the bats flew in. They flew around Amy and I and I could hear their tiny minds singing in joy at my return. Goddess or woman, it was all the same to them. The dog ran up and tried to lick my ethereal form. Failing that, he sat beside me with wagging tail. "Daughter, why didn't you give him a mate?"

"I never thought of it." I imagined a golden female dog for him and smiled as she appeared. They sniffed each other as if unsure of what to do so I said, "Each is the mate and equal of the other. Love, protect and care for your mate as you would I."

The other girls came in and joined in making love to my wives and me. Their minds were open and single women were in love with me. They worshiped the goddess but their love was to Samantha. Finally, Kitten and Tigress came in. They came right up and became cat women. "Why momma over here with ..." Kitten looked at Amy and took a step back. "Kitten knows you. You look different...but Kitten knows who you are."

"I am glad to find you here Kitten," Amy's ethereal voice said tenderly. "Do you remember what I said last time we met?"

"Kitten remember. Guardian said Kitten will find her mother some day." Kitten suddenly smiled, "Guardian right, Kitten did find her momma."

"What else did I say Kitten?" Amy asked.

"Kitten forget..."

"No, Kitten does many things but you never forget. Why did you ignore what I told you?"

"Kitten not ignore," Kitten said suddenly. "I kept momma safe. Even when she tried to go away I helped her find her way home."

"Little one, that was not what I said and you know it. Yes, that was part but why did you not do the other?" Amy asked.

"What was the other part?" I asked.

Kitten replied as if I was not there, "Kitten has done all she could to help momma grow so she can lead properly."

"You did that and more Kitten, but Samantha lost her sense of self in the process. That's why she ran away." Amy replied as if she were talking to a child. "Kitten was supposed to love without measure."

"Kitten does and would do anything for momma." Kitten paused and then added, "Kitten got distracted..." She looked away, "She forgot about momma's need for love."

Suddenly I couldn't understand what they were saying as Amy began to speak loudly and gesture wildly. The longer she spoke the more cowed Kitten came until she was hunched over and making soft mewing sounds. I couldn't take it anymore and stepped between the pair. Facing Amy, I said loudly, "Stop!" I became aware that everyone stopped and looked towards us, "Don't blame Kitten. I made her how she is. So if you want to blame someone, blame me. It's my fault not hers." I turned and looked back at Kitten and said tenderly, "Momma protect her Kitten." Turning back, I said, "When I was raised, I learned not to punish someone else's pet. You see the owner. I cannot believe you did not learn the same at some point."

I thought I had overstepped by the look Amy gave me. Her golden eyes softened after a moment and she said, "Yes, I to learned the same lesson. Thank you, daughter for reminding me." She looked at Kitten and lowered her head, "Forgive me Kitten. It was not my place to speak so to you." She added in the language of the elders, "This one may be the one. Guard her well."

Kitten was dumbfounded, a guardian never said sorry. She replied in the same language, "Momma is the momma of all. Kitten and her sisters will not forget again."

"I thought we were past this," I said looking at Amy.

"Forgive me for this," Amy said and sent Samantha and a moment later Kitten away. She faced the angry women calmly. "Your Samantha is safe at her special place with Kitten." She waited until they calmed down. "She will return once I understand why you stand with her. Love her to use this race's term of devotion."

Heather spoke up, "Next to Angela, and perhaps Cindy, I have known Samantha the longest. My whole world centers on her and making her happy. You asked why and for me the answer is simple. Samantha puts other's joy and welfare before her own. She makes me feel as if someone truly cares about what is happening in my life. How can you not love her?" She paused and then said, "If you must take someone, take me so that she may live." She knelt with her head lowered and hair pushed forward to expose her neck.

One by one, every girl spoke her love and devotion to Samantha. Like Heather they knelt with their head lowered and neck bare. About half way through Cindy spoke, "You were at the battle. You know I gave up heaven to return to stand beside her. Why would I do such a thing? Because I love her and would follow Samantha even if it means returning to this mess." She gestured around before returning her attention on the girl with the golden eyes. "We love her because she cares about us." Instead of kneeling with head lowered, she stood with her arms crossed.

The last two were Suzi and Angela. Suzi looked at her sister before turning her attrition to Amy. Of all here, I am the least likely to follow and love Samantha. I ordered an attack on this house and the death of Jade." She looked towards Frankie, "Though I did not know who would answer the door, I wanted to send a message. Fuck with me and I fuck with you." She turned her attention back to Amy, "She, Samantha, captured me and could have killed me easily. She took me to the edge of death. Instead of finishing it and washing her hands, she gave me life and a second chance." She couldn't help the tears as they started, "You have no idea what it is like to find someone who understands the hell I went through growing up. But she did and loved me enough to help me get past the hurt. For that I would stand up to you beside my sister and say take me and save Samantha."

Angela looked at her sisters and then Amy, "I have been with Samantha from the start with the exception of the time she spent with Cindy." She looked at her sister and smiled. Turning back to Amy she said, "Rather than use words, join with my mind and live all that I have lived. Then you will understand why we love and would follow Samantha no matter where she leads." She suddenly felt a mind, older than eternity enter hers. Her life flashed through her mind in a second and then the mind was gone.

Although she was a passenger in her own body, Amy mentally said, "I know you are older and wiser than I am. However, I know you feel as I do towards Samantha. We could love her easily." She heard her voice say, "Thank you, your Samantha will return shortly." The next thing she knew she was on the mesa and looking at Kitten and Samantha making love to each other.

Even though Kitten was doing her level best to drive me crazy with pleasure, I saw when Amy arrived and knelt off to one side. Reaching an arm out towards her I said, "Come join us dear heart." The girl moved forward slowly until she reached me. Sitting up I kissed her deeply and cupped a breast. Mentally I said, "Kitten help me, she's so lonely."

Kitten would never have touched the guardian on her own; but momma wanted her help. She moved over and gently pried the girl's legs apart and began licking it with her broad tongue. After a moment she began purring her pleasure as the guardian's mind relaxed into their tender loving.

It was sometime later and we were cuddling together. I was on my back with Amy on one side and Kitten on the other with a feeling of peace filling us. After a few minutes I said, "You will stay with us."

"Yes," Amy said "Always and forever."

"I knew that little one. I was speaking to the other in your mind Amy." I replied. "Would you be willing to share your mind with her so that she may remain?"

"For you, of course Samantha." Amy replied. Mentally she said, "We love her, I feel it in you too so you must remain also."

"It's not that simple..." Amy's voice replied ethereally as she sat up.

I gave Kitten a hug and sat up. "You're wrong. It is that simple. As you can read me, I can read you in return. You have been alone too damn long. Please stay with me, with us." I reached out and caressed her face, "You wondered how you could find love when I had it in spades. You found it here but you are afraid of being hurt. It has been so long since you felt someone care that you think I want something from you." I paused and looked down, "All I ever wanted is peace of mind which you gave me. Let me help you in return. Let me love you."

"Momma is right, guardian need momma's love to be whole once more." Kitten said daring to speak up. She added in the old tongue, "Let momma be your momma. Momma is the one."

"Momma is the one..." Amy said softly. She knew what she must do and for the first time she had control over her own body. Getting up she moved a few feet away from Samantha and knelt with lowered head. "Please take us and make us yours Samantha. We love you and need your love in return."

Going over to her, I raised her up, "You don't need to kneel before me Amy. Lovers are equal, not one over the other." She suddenly threw her arms around me and clung to me as if she were a child. Holding and stroking her back, I told her that everything would be all right. "I want you to trust me," I said finally.

"We do," Amy replied still clinging to Samantha.

"Let two, become one. Amy, you lived with two minds already. I don't want that for you to go through that for the rest of eternity. Both minds become one, take all that is Amy and join with all that is the other. Can you do that for me?" I asked tenderly.

Amy and the nameless elder minds joined and became one person. She was ageless and madly in love with the woman, her elder, Samantha. Even though by number years, her lover was a baby, Samantha was wise and had a natural empathy towards others the likes of which she never imagined existed. Her mind rejoiced in finding love and yes peace. Leaning back so she could look Samantha in the eyes she said, "It is done my love." She paused and then asked, "There are times when I should check on the others. What do I do?"

I had to think on that. "When it is time for you to go," I said tenderly as I ran my fingers through her hair. "Your body will rest in my bed and will be watched over by one of your sisters." I kissed her lightly and added, "If you are not back in a reasonable amount of time, I will come and check on you. If you need me, just ask and I will join you. If you get into trouble, I will save you. This I swear by my life." I kissed her again, looked at Kitten and added softly, "Let's go home."

I arrived back in the playroom to find my girls all kneeling and waiting for us. "Miss us?" I asked opening my arms. That might have been the wrong thing to say seeing the girls mauled us. Their minds lay open to me and found nothing but love from all of them. Not a few were worried that I was hurting and needed them to take my pain away. However, after a few minutes of tender loving those worries faded.

Off to one side I noticed Amy under a pile of women also. However, in her case my wives were with her. Even Kitten, after a minute went to her and gave her a loving nuzzle before returning to me. I was lost in a haze of pleasure when I heard Heather's mind call out to me. Not calming down or stopping I replied, "Yes love?"

She mewed in pleasure as Samantha's love flowed over her. Gathering her wits about herself, Heather said, "We would like Amy to become a co-wife." When there was no reply she added, "Samantha, she needs us, our love and shoulders to cry on."

Angela's mind joined in, "If I had been in her place I would have found a way to kill myself."

I had already decided to ask them to allow her to become their sister wife. Before I could say so, Lilith whispered aloud, "Sam, I only thought I lived through hell when I was cast out and lost my sons. To spend eternity knowing your race has died out, and there was no chance for love is what true hell is like. Please daughter of my daughter, allow us to bond with her also."

I turned my head to see her face inches from mine, "Gather your wives, Kitten, and Tigress. Amy and I will be down in a minute or two." Louder I said, "Sorry girls, I got to go and pretend to work." I walked over to Amy and helped her to her feet. "Walk with me dear if you please."

I took my time walking with her beside me, "You have met my daughters or slaves or little sisters depending who you ask. Now I want you to meet my wives in detail. We reached the atrium and golden pool. I helped her in first and then sat down. Tuning my head, I said, "Kitten, Would you and Tigress join us in the pool? I know how much you hate getting wet but this is a special time."

The pair meowed at each other a few times and Kitten finally said, "Kitten and Tigress join momma." I helped her and Tigress in and sat back down. Closing my eyes, I relaxed and let the world flow by. I could have almost fallen asleep had I not felt someone's foot nudge me. With my eyes still closed I said, "I will get to the point so please bear with me. In this pool of water, we have each of the major races I have found in my travels. Here we have Human, Vampire, Werewolf, Cat, Artificial Intelligence, two different races of intelligent bacterium, two who have returned from the other side, and finally two that have the power of creation in their hands."

I opened my eyes and met Amy's eyes, "In this pool are the women who keep me grounded who I love without measure. They allow me to look forward instead of into the past." I moved so I was close in front of her, "Amy, I know you will stay with me, with us. However, will you take it one step further, marry us."

"Do I have to dunk first?" Amy replied.

There was a good laugh and Lilith said, "Not this time dear. All you need do is say yes and let Samantha finish it."

"Yes," Amy said after a long moment. "I already decided when we returned here that if offered I would agree."

"My life for yours, my mind for yours... If I must die so that you may live, I would gladly die. Here and now, I swear to protect and keep you safe. Many bodies, one mind, one love. This is the bond we all share."

As I moved to sit back down I heard Maradith say in my mind, "Symbolism is important to you daughter. I have never heard a more binding and loving ceremony."

"I liked it," Jason said mentally.

"Thank you both," I replied with closed eyes.

I felt movement in the pool and knew the girls were getting out. Even so I remained with closed eyes and letting the peace of the atrium flow over and through me. After a time, I felt someone sliding over to sit next to me, a hand took mine after giving a little squeeze relaxed its grip. Another body slid up close on the other side of me and took my other hand.

"Now that we are soaking in liquid gold, what happens?" Jason's voice said from my right side.

"Other than getting wet?" I replied with a smile. "I would hope you can feel at peace here. Also know in your heart that no matter what happens as time goes on, I have your back." I paused again and then said, "Just don't start praying for something you can get yourself with a little work. Well, you can pray but I won't answer or help."

No sooner had I said that, that Amy was back. "Forgive me Samantha, but something has come up that you must attend to."