Sam Spade 21: The Incident of the Lost Love Pt. 02

"While I could have just followed the recommendation of the Chairman and said..." I put my hands on my hips, "You're not ready and sent you on your way, you would not understand the cost of you following them now." I paused and said, "While the woman who was the green mother was right in her assessment of me, there are a few differences between them and I. First they are many and I am one. Secondly, each religion has said, I am the way to go and the rest of you are damned for all time. Frankly I don't care if you follow me or not. All I want is to keep the great war from breaking out."

"Great war?" The musician asked as the other girl knelt once more.

"There is a war looming in the future. If it breaks out, I will be forced into removing all humanoid life forms and their works to save the planet and the other forms of life." I let that sink in before adding, "I am doing everything I can to keep it from happening."

"Other life forms?" she asked the goddess.

"Do you think you are the only thinking creatures on this planet?" I asked back. "The thinking creatures are trying to help as best they can. That runs from the smallest bacterium to the great blue whale. We must stop the war at all cost before it gets going."

"Why not just remove all the guns?" the girl on the musician's right side asked.

"Once I start down that path, there is no end to it. Remove the guns, then knives, then metal, which would destroy the race of machines and all of my followers." I paused, "My followers all are made up of each race of man and a couple extra. First is humans, then vampire, then there are the shape shifters or wear, then the androids, the succubae and finally two intelligent races of micro life forms. So you see removing one type of life forms will kill every follower which includes my wives."

I paused a long moment thinking. "Please stand and join hands." Once they had done so I reached out and placed my hand on the musician's shoulder. "I take your pain so you may be at peace," I said as I pulled their pain into myself. I was rather surprised to find that they as a collective whole had less pain than I expected. I paused and then added, "If and when you decide to follow me because of me, instead of who is following me, then call and I will come." Looking around one last time I said, "No matter what you decide, I am fine with it."

Releasing them I watched as they faded and I found myself back in the present day. Mentally I could still feel the musician's mind and said, "By the way, you play lovely. No wonder the old gods loved to listen to you."

"Thank you, goddess," her mind replied pleased.

"I know you do not follow me, but do you think you could play for me and my followers some time. I know they would also love to watch you and your dancers perform as much as I and the old gods did." I knew I was pushing the edge of what was proper, but really wanted the others to experience it too.

"We would like that, goddess," the musician replied.

"May we come visit before deciding whether to stay or not?" another voice, the dancer asked.

"Yes," I replied. I paused a moment, "As long as if and when you decide to stay it is for the right reasons." As the link broke I sighed and knew I needed to deal with Fayla and Kitten's interference. Going to Dark Desires I sat out on the front steps and wondered how I could face the pair within. Before I could get up the nerve to knock, I heard the door open and someone come out.

I was surprised when it was May Song who came out and sat on a step below me. Not facing me she said, "It's hard to tell someone how you really feel without someone else stepping up and trying to rush things."

"It goes deeper than that," I replied. "May Song, mother is mother and Jason is the one of only two friends I have. I would rather fight impossible odds than to lose either of them as they are now." I paused and then said, "How would you have felt if I said, follow me or die? That is what the pair did. It is as simple as that. You would follow me and at some point plan to fuck me over good for threatening you."

"I would never fuck you over Sam," Jason said standing behind Samantha. Even though she was facing away from him he could feel the profound weariness rolling off her. He moved forward and sat down next to her and said, "May Song, if you wish to follow Sam, Mara and I release you from your service here."

"No," she said after a moment. "My place is here, you two will need all the help you can get training my younger sisters in the arts." She looked at the goddess with sudden understanding. "Duty to others trumps all," she whispered.

"Now you're learning May Song," I said looking at her." She looked like she wanted to say something in reply but instead got up and went inside.

Not looking at Jason I said, "Please forgive Fayla and Kitten. Had I known before hand, I would have stopped them."

"Sam, we understood where they were coming from. Anything to maximize the odds," Jason said slowly. He paused and then added, "If you were to ask, both of us would agree."

"I can't for the same reason I can't make love to you Jason. You are worth more to me as you both are now than anything. If it in the cards that the war comes, then it will come no matter what I do." I stood and looked down at him, "I can't marry you four because if I did it would destroy your households. In time that would eat away at you and turn our little love nest into a slice of hell for you." I smiled slightly, "That and can you imagine mother and grandmother both living together? Talk about an epic fight..."

Taking a step, I went to Lady. I found myself in her room and looked down at her sleeping in her coffin.

Even before her eyes opened Lady was aware of Samantha in the room with her. Opening them she looked up with a smile and said, "Kind of a small bed for a romp don't you think?"

I smiled down at her, "Any space is enough room if you are with one you love." Bending down I kissed her tenderly and then caressed her cheek. Standing back up I continued, "Please forgive Kitten and Frayla, neither of them understand fully and see things in black and white. You and I, or even Ari and I don't need a flower in our hair from each other to show the bond we have. I'll not be the cause of destroying your household. The idea of Blane keeping everything running while fun to watch, would only bring down your house."

The door opened and Arianne came into the room, "Mother I still say we should go to..." She stopped when she realized Samantha was in the room already. "Oh... hello goddess. What brings you here?" She mentally kicked herself, that was the inanest thing she had said in years.

Turning I walked over to Arianne and said, "We were just discussing last night." I paused and then said, "Arianne, regardless of what anyone else thinks, you and I don't need a rose, we are already as close as we can be. Nothing will change that." I saw and felt the hurt in her face and mind as I pulled her into a tight hug. The next thing I knew Lady was hugging us both. Mentally I said, "If you both wish a rose because of the love we have for each other, then how could I ever refuse you? All you need do is say so."

"We will," Lady replied tenderly. "Won't we baby girl?"

"Yes mother," Arianne replied still clinging to Samantha.

"Rose or not, I want you both to know if my death would give you a minute more of life, I would die this instant." I bent my head down and kissed Arianne and then turned to kiss Lady. "I must go before I make a fool out of myself." I felt out Kitten in my mind and went to her. She was sunning herself out back.

"Kitten, momma doesn't want you telling others I must marry them to save the world," I said looking at her with my hands on my hips.

"Is your pride worth losing over?" Kitten said mentally. "Momma, you must do whatever it takes to win."

"I will lose before I force someone who is not ready to bind with me. I don't care if it be a human or one of those I consider my family." I felt myself getting angry and closed my eyes to count to ten. When I opened them again I said, "Don't cross that line again. I saw Angela standing off to one side, "That goes for the rest of you. I will turn away from all and let you deal with this shit alone before I walk down that path."

I turned and walked away. Not towards the house but away. I passed Fayla's pond and though she offered for me to come soak, I shook my head and continued towards the back. Finally, I found a spot and laid down and looked up at the evening sky. I would have relaxed but much to my dismay I found I was laying in an ant bed. Even as they crawled over and stung me, I couldn't find the will to move. I was still laying there when I saw a figure come up and crouch down near me. In an instant I realized it was Fa's little brother. "Hello Richard," I said not moving more than my head to look at him.

"Not to state the obvious but you do know you are laying in an ant hill." Richard said in way of greeting. He, his clan and all the other clans in the city save one where here with him. He talked with Fa at the back and she had told him of the goddess's location. Had he not known he would have passed her by.

Yes, their displeasure at my disrupting their home reminds me of the coming days." I raised up on an elbow and said, "While their bites and stings hurt a little, they do no real damage. It will be the same when the war breaks out. The human war machine will fail and their attacks will not drive us to our knees. Madam Chairman was right that it will be like Japan at the end of World War two. They gave up because they knew they could never win." Sitting up fully I looked at him and the others, it seemed like there was a sea of wear's behind him. "Heather, could you and Fa come to me please?" I asked mentally.

Fa showed up first and smiled. Heather showed up an instant later with Leanne. "How may we serve you goddess?" she said ignoring the couple hundred wears crouching down around us.

Richard went to her, pulled her arm up and placed her hand to his neck, "I did not have a chance to say before but...Our brother, who will remain nameless was a fool. Please come back to the clan."

"Thank you," Fa said. She dropped her hand and hugged him tightly. Still hugging him she asked Samantha what to tell him.

"Follow your heart love," I said. "But if it were me I would explain your family is here now, but you want to be a part of the clan once more also." Aloud I looked at Heather, "Could you make a portal to the underground lake and then induct your new brothers and sisters into our family?"

"Of course goddess," Heather replied with a smile. As they turned away I said, "Leanne wait a minute please. You can join my High Priestess in a few minutes."

I watched as the wears followed Heather into a stone arch she made that led to the underground lake. The last to go were Richard and Fa still talking softly together. I looked at Leanne for a moment and said, "Do you understand why your sister turned you?"

"Yes goddess, she saw how unhappy I was and wanted me to find the joy she had." Leanne said looking down.

"Did you?"

"To my eternal damnation yes," Leanne said in a whisper.

"So you coming here, working with Heather is your vision of hell?" I prodded. Did I really want to know the answer? I wasn't sure.

"Yes, no.... I don't know anymore," Leanne said looking up at me.

I reached out to her, "Be at peace and if you wish to return to your old life, no one will stop you. I only want you to be happy."

She bent forward until her head was touching the ground, "I am yours. Please don't send me away."

"I wasn't going to send you away; I was just saying I want you to be happy." I replied stroking her hair. "How can I give you peace and allow you to find joy once more?"

Leanne sat up, took the goddess's hand kissed it and held it to her cheek for a moment. Still holding it she said, "Tell me that in time you will find the love in your heart for me, as I have found in you."

"It's already there. I saw it in Samantha that night in the park when you left with your sister," Arianne said from behind me.

Turning I saw her and Lady Darkness standing beside her. "Come join us and don't mind the ants," I waited until they were seated before asking, "I could ask if you are sure. I could ask about your house. I could even ask about your reasons. But, I won't. Instead I will ask each of you here if you will pair bond with me and my other wives."

"Yes," came the reply from three voices at once. They looked at each other and giggled.

"While I have a new and improved blood bond, sometimes the old fashioned way works best." I smiled. Turning to Lady Darkness I commanded to her mind, "Drink my love." Even as she moved forward I looked at Arianne and said mentally, "Drink and feed from me." Turning to Leanne I smiled and formed a dagger. Plunging it into my wrist and I offered it to her. "Drink."

She raised it to her lips not sure if she was to kiss the blood or not but the sounds of the pair of vampires sucking on each side of the goddess's neck was strangely erotic. Instead of just kissing it she got a taste of the goddess's blood and began sucking to get more.

"My life for yours. If I must die so you may live, I gladly give all up for you," I intoned. Unbidden my wives came and knelt around us watching. Even Fayla who hated the land knelt in the dirt to watch silently.

Long before she was sated Lady Darkness stopped and kissed Samantha's neck tenderly. She tore her wrist open with her fangs and offered it to Samantha to drink. "My life for yours. If my death gives you another day's life, then I freely give it to you."

From the blood lost I felt faint but was willing to die here and now. So when Lady offered me her wrist I kissed it and drank a little for form's sake. Moving it from my mouth I kissed it tenderly and looked at her, "I really love you so much," I said mentally.

"And I you Samantha," Lady mentally.

I saw another white wrist being offered and looked at Arianne as she looked at me and intoned the same words of binding. I kissed her wrist before drinking her blood also. "Soon we will have our night of delights," I said mentally as I sipped her blood. I sent her the vision of me worshiping and playing with her body like a fine violin. Finally lowering it I kissed her wrist and said, "I love you Arianne now and forever."

"I love you too," Arianne replied tenderly aloud.

Finally, a pink, human wrist was offered to me, "Please take this offering, if my life must end so you may live, let me give you life in the process," Leanne said looking worried.

Again I fed lightly and mentally said, "Please do not fear my sweet love. I would never harm you, I love you." As I had before I kissed her wrist before letting go. Turning to Lady I cupped my hands and formed a black long stim rose. Smiling at her I offered it to her, "Through death comes life."

She broke the stim and handed it to Samantha. As she tucked the rose behind her hair she intoned "Through death comes life."

I did the same for Arianne and then Leanne though Leanne's was pink instead of black. Taking the three stims I dragged them across my chest as I said, "Many bodies, one life and love."

Again Lady Darkness went first, kissing the blood and then Samantha's lips as she whispered, "Many bodies one life and love." While her love for Samantha grew slightly, her love for all the others bloomed and she felt faint. These women were her family, as close to her as Arianne and Samantha were.

Arianne bent forward and kissed the black blood and then Samantha's lips as she intoned the same words. Like Lady before, her love for the others swelled until she mewed in rapture.

Leanne looked around and kissed the bloody chest and though she wanted to lick it she kissed Samantha as she said the words of binding. While she had respected Heather before and feared most of the others the fear wash away in a sea of love. Lifting away she watched as each of the other wives also kissed the wounds and then Samantha's lips as they reaffirmed their vows.

I watched as they got up by ones and twos until I was alone with Lilith. After a moment she said, "I know where the story came from." She paused before adding, "I thought it would be best to come talk to you before continuing my investigations."

"Why is that," I asked. I could have read her mind for myself but instead I wanted to see what she would say.

"It came from Maradith. That's what May Song knew about when she came out to vamp you." Lilith looked at Samantha, "Knowing how well my daughter and I get along, I wasn't sure if you wanted me to talk to her or not."

"I'll talk to her," I replied. Somehow I know I would come up and there you two would be at it again," I smiled and then added, "But you can come and offer to help teach your little sisters in the art of pleasure with May Song." She started to shake her head no so I added, "Lilith, I know you girls are looking for the ones who will end up black rose wearers and stand beside you. I know I can never offer one to Jason and mother. I can't lose them in the positions they are in now. There is another I cannot offer to because she has a different path to walk. But May Song I admire. Once she got her act together, she stood with your daughter and Jason when their world crashed down." I looked at her for a long moment, "I have two tasks for you to do. First see how she feels on the sly and once the new staff is trained if Mother will allow her to come to me and wear my rose also."

She smiled and started to get up so I added tenderly, "Grandmother, no matter what mother says in reply, just thank her and let it go. I know you both see what is right for me and how the rest of you should act in respect to me. But please don't fight over this. Just plant the seed into her mind, in time she will think it is her own."

Lilith smiled, "Ohhh... sneaky, I love it."

Standing I dusted myself off and went to Dark Desires. I knocked on the door and after a moment Jason opened it. "Hi Jason, I had to come by just to show you I can come here without any drama."

Jason laughed, "Cute." He tilted his head and said, "I'm not sure how much of this relaxed and calm Samantha I can take."

I giggled. "However I am working so I have a few questions if you have a minute and then one for mother if she has the time for it."

"Sure, come into the office. I have a bottle that Angela brought just for your visits." He walked into the office and poured Sam a bourbon on the rocks and then got himself a beer. Sitting down in one of the wing back chairs he looked at Samantha, "What's on your mind Sam?"

Taking a small sip, I smiled, "At least it's not tea," I replied. "Did mother ever talk about her life before you came along?"

"From what Mara told me, she wandered the world much like Lilith. Never staying in one place long enough to form attachments with those not of our race. If you are looking about how she was made, that's something you should ask her. Like the trials I went through before we bonded, it was not pleasant. Even then Lilith kept her by her side for hundreds of years before letting her out of her sight. She kept Mara safe until she was ready to face the world and keep from falling into the trap of becoming power hungry that her first born had done. Carolyn is the youngest of the three of them."

"You understand why you and mother can never wear my rose don't you." I asked not looking at him.

"You're afraid of losing a friend and a mother you can turn to when you are troubled." Jason said. "I understand your fears. I don't agree with them, but I can wait until you see it also." He paused as he thought and finally said, "Samantha, remember when I said how much your health is tied into Mara's? It was only half true, even before I took a dip and gained your little helpers, I worried just as much about you as she did." He gave a bark of laughter before adding, "It sucks when you fall in love with your best friend and mate's daughter."