Sister Cities Ch. 01

Leona stared into the mirror and assessed the lines on her face. She was tired. Faded blue eyes looked out of a face that resembled a roadmap of deep wrinkles. I look like a fucking mummy, she thought to herself. It was time to die and get this damned life over.

Turning away from the mirror, she gathered her soft, silky robe around her. At least there was one good thing about getting old and dying; she didn't have to get dressed anymore. No one cared if she stayed in her nightgown and robe all day, and that suited her just fine. She gave a heavy sigh; one more, just one more, she thought and then she was done.

She had lived for one thousand sixty-two years and she was so very tired. Having watched everyone she loved grow old and fade away, Leona was ready to join those no longer with her. Tightening the belt around her waist, she sat on her favorite chaise lounge in front of the windows and relaxed. Lifting her right hand, she gazed at the diminished delicate scrolling around her wrist.

While others had been born with the strange mark, it was by total and sheer luck that Leona had discovered its secret. Since then, she'd taught hundreds of women how to live forever; yet only twenty-four currently resided in her self-made city. On Harper's birthday next week, she would lead the ceremony to bring them to twenty-five. And then she would die.

Leona lay back and, closing her eyes, allowed the memories to come; memories of how she got to this great age in this wonderful place. Oh the things she had done, the things she had seen; her life had been full, and certainly amorous. A slight smile graced her lips as she drifted in her reverie.

~~~

She had lived quietly. Married young to a big, strong warrior, she had given birth seven times, but only four had lived. Those tiny little bodies she'd held so briefly before the midwife took them away had completely broken her heart. Her remaining three boys and one beautiful daughter always brought her happiness, helping to wash away the sadness of those lost babies.

Another woman born with the mark on her wrist lived nearby. Leona and Hesta had been good friends, sharing recipes, watching each other's children grow and play. They had discussed the strange scrolling, but since no one, not even the wise men of the village, knew anything about the strange discoloration, they let the curiosity go. It simply wasn't important enough to worry over.

The day the news came that her dearest Timo had been killed on the battlefield was the day her world went dark. Because of the nearly constant wars that raged around them, as warlike leaders battled each other for more land, more space, she was used to him being gone, used to raising their children alone. But knowing that he would never return to her, never again hold her in his powerful arms and love her so sweetly, nearly broke her completely.

Neither her children nor her circle of friends were able to pull her out of the dark depression that swamped her. She lived each day in a fog, going through the motions of caring for her house and children. By the laws they lived by, widows were taken care of by the village, and so their basic needs were met, even if she was sure her heart would never mend.

On her daughter's wedding day, she met the young man that would change her life, change her very existence. She had worked tirelessly for months to make sure her daughter's day was perfect. Leona suspected that with this being her last child to be mated, it wouldn't be long before the dried poisonflower tucked away in the box under her bed would find its way into her tea one night before bed. She would sleep and be done with this world, joining her Timo once more in the afterlife.

But there she met Aurenda's new brother by-marriage, Aleph; a mischievous twinkle in his eye, unkempt golden blond hair, eyes as blue as the sky, and the most adorable dimples that flashed frequently in his cheeks. He was a cherub in man's clothing, young and strong. He took one look at Leona and even she could see the interest spark in his eyes.

Her body had grown soft and slightly plump over time. She had no husband to impress and so had taken little care over her appearance, letting her once rich-brown hair fade and the gray strands show, allowing her body to sag, no longer bothering with the long walks she had taken when her Timo was alive to retain her trim shape.

But despite this, Aleph flirted shamelessly with her, took liberties with touching her, and amazingly had her blushing like a young girl with her first love. She was shocked at her body's response to this young man, as he swept her into his arms for an entirely inappropriate dance after the wedding. She felt her nipples tighten and a warmth bloom down low in her belly, feelings she hadn't experienced since Timo's last visit home, before his death.

Leona was terrified that others would notice and kept trying to avoid the young man's attentions. But he was persistent. As much as she tried to hide from him, he seemed to treat it as a game and was soon once more nearby with yet more sweet words dripping from his lips. At once flattered, embarrassed, and exasperated by the young man, she remained on edge the entire evening.

The next day found the golden Aleph at her door, under the pretense of checking to see if the widow's home needed any repairs. As she stammered and tried to find a way to persuade him to leave, he backed her into her home and shut the door. She protested and fluttered her hands, and he captured them in his and pressed a hot kiss to her palm. Leona's heart beat so hard in her chest she feared she may die on the spot.

But -- perhaps a little disappointingly -- he didn't press his advantage that day. Instead, to her great surprise, Aleph courted her. He brought her sweets, spent hours reading to her, even singing to her in a surprisingly strong voice. It was weeks before Leona even thought again about the dried poisonflower, but found she no longer had the desire to take the final sleep. While she knew nothing could possibly come of a romance between her and one young enough to be her own child, somehow, someway, young Aleph had wormed his way into her heart.

On her fiftieth birthday, her family appeared and presented her with a lovely meal and a wonderful time of gathering and socializing. She spent some time with her two young grandchildren in her garden, enjoying her continuing and growing family. It was a nice, sweet time and it saddened her to see them all leave near dusk.

Little did she know that her day was far from over. She had just risen from her bath when a noise alerted her. Quickly wrapping herself in a robe, she was about to seek out the source of the noise when she found Aleph standing at her bedroom door, a handful of wildflowers drooping in his grasp.

"By the gods, you are beautiful," he whispered.

Shaking her head, she pulled the thin material closer around her. No. It was time to end this.

"You should leave. I'm old and I'm done with life. You need to go and live yours. Find a pretty girl to love, make babies." She shrugged, "Go, please."

For the first time she saw anger enter his sparkling blue eyes. He stalked closer, tossing the wilted bouquet onto the bed behind her. "I have never been with a woman, and I vow I will be with no other. You are my heart and you are the one I would have." With that, he crushed his mouth to hers and Leona felt her body seem to ignite.

Her Timo had always been soft with her; so large and so strong that he had always been afraid of hurting her. Aleph had no such fears. His hands ripped the robe from her body as his mouth plundered hers. As he took her kisses from her, he gave her himself, sharing his passion and showing her the love he felt.

His hands cupped her face, gently sweeping over her cheeks and into her loose, tumbling hair. He pulled her tight against him, and when she felt those long, lean lines of his body, she felt her heart flutter in her chest and a desire for more flowed through her and her resistance flew away on the winds of his eagerness.

She had fought her body's reaction to him, fought her feelings for him. But with his lips on hers, his tongue tasting her, she leaned closer into him. This young, virile man wanted her and, while she didn't understand why he would want an old, used-up thing like herself, the feelings in her body screamed out that she didn't care anymore.

Strong hands guided her down onto the bed. When she lay spread before him, the crushed flowers under her sending up their soft scent, he stripped off his clothes and almost threw himself onto her. With a frantic need, his lips left trails of searing heat as he suckled her nipples in turn. Licking the tight buds, he nipped and pulled, and in a few moments he had her pussy flooded with desire.

His tongue traveled down her body, tasting her, finding pleasure-spots she didn't know existed. She was writhing with want by the time his tongue found her drenched valley. Shoving her legs up farther, he buried his face in her pussy, licking and sucking. He twirled his tongue around her clit, and pulled it between his lips, bringing a cry to hers as ecstasy pulsed through her. He slipped a finger inside her and found she was hot, wet and ready.

"I can't wait. I must be inside you." His voice was harsh, his face glistening with her juices.

Leona pulled him to her, but when his iron-hard cock hit her painfully she gave a gasp. She looked into his frantic eyes and finally remembered his words. He had never been with another woman. He had been acting purely on instinct thus far and was now unsure how to proceed. Reaching down between them, she took him in hand and gave his rigid cock a few gentle strokes.

Though it was long and rather thin, the size wasn't important to her. As she stroked the first male organ she had felt in years, he had his eyes squeezed shut and his body trembled. "I can't..." He gave a harsh groan and suddenly his cock pulsed in her hand as hot streams of cum streaked her belly.

He shuddered and moaned as his body emptied out onto hers. When he was finished, he fell to the side, throwing an arm over his face. Leona lay still, her body on fire and the need for her own release pulsing inside her. Taking deep breaths, she considered the situation.

She had only ever been with Timo, choosing to remain true to his memory after his passing. No other man had ever tempted her before now. But she was no inexperienced virgin; she knew very well how matters in the bedroom worked. This young man, for all his enthusiasm, had no real knowledge of sex. Looking over at his still heaving body, she made her decision.

Rolling from the bed, she grabbed up the cloth from her bath and quickly cleaned herself off. Rinsing it out, she returned and began to gently clean his still-hard member. As she wiped the cloth over him, he tensed and didn't remove the arm covering his face. When she was done, she tossed the cloth aside.

Leaning down, she trailed her lips over his hip and closer to his groin. He flinched, but didn't move away. She ran her hands softly over his thighs, stroking them, letting her thumbs get so close his now-quivering balls. Her hair drifted over her shoulders to tickle his sides and she moved her head, letting her full locks drag over his cock, which pulsed with reaction.

While he still covered his face, his cock was once more hard and his body tense. Moving over him, she cupped her soft breasts in her hands and lightly scraped her nipples along the length of his shaft. This time, his whole body gave a jerk and finally, he moved his arm and looked at her.

She smiled, and then with her breasts snuggled around his cock, she touched the tip of her tongue to her upper lip and watched his eyes go hot and impassioned. Moving down, she grasped his cock and lifted it up. Stroking it softly, she looked straight into his eyes, bent her head and licked him from root to tip. His gasp was music to her ears. Then, in one smooth movement, she swallowed him whole.

His hips jerked up off the bed, pushing his cock even farther down her throat. Leona was pleased to discover she hadn't lost her old talents of being able to take a man deep. She sucked him hard, then started to bob her head, swiping her tongue over the bulging tip, her hand working at the base.

When his hands gripped her hair tightly, she slowly pulled back, her tongue circling him slowly, lazily. His breathing was labored, his body taut with need. She licked a path up his body, letting her breasts drag along him. She allowed him one long searing kiss before pulling back and sitting up. She settled her wet pussy over his cock and slowly slid her folds over him, coating him with her juice. He gave a keening moan and she smiled. With a careful twitch of her hips, she had him lined up and slowly, ever so slowly, began to take him inside herself.

"Leona please!" he groaned.

"Please what, dear Aleph?" her voice was husky. She was a little shocked at her own wantonness

"I don't know. I don't know." He tossed his head from side to side, his hands gripping her hips hard.

When she was finally seated on him, having taken his cock so carefully into her body, she took a moment to relish the feeling of fullness, of being stretched, of just having a man where no man had been for far too long. She began to rock her hips, his cock rubbing inside her, exactly where she wanted him. Letting her head fall back, her long hair draped over her ass to his thighs.

She rode him slowly at first, gradually increasing the pace until they were both panting harshly. She was right there, right at the edge, but her climax wouldn't come. Grabbing his hand from where it was clenched to her hip, she brought it to her pussy and pushed his thumb onto her clit. He understood her silent request and began to rub, to circle that sensitive spot, and in moments, Leona achieved the release she craved.

Her body shuddered in ecstasy as it hadn't in so long. Her pussy walls, tight and pulsing, milked his cock. Aleph gave a shout, and using his impressive strength, sat up, twisted, and had her under him with his cock still deep inside her. He began to plunder, to pound; shoving his arms under her knees, he held her delicate body up and gave her his all.

Flesh slapped against flesh and, amazingly, Leona felt herself climbing for the peak once more. With the slightest adjustment of her hips, she had him hitting that secret spot, deep inside her. Grasping her breasts, she squeezed and pinched her nipples, her gaze trapped by his as he watched her. Deeper and harder he continued to drill into her.

"Yes!" she gasped and, with a shudder, she came again. Lights exploded around the corners of her vision as her body convulsed and a sweet, washing relief soared through her. She heard Aleph give a shout, and then he was flooding her body with hot streams of cum. The feeling, just the idea that this virile young man had come inside her long-unused body, extended her orgasm to the point that she became lightheaded.

After a moment, Aleph carefully pulled out of her and dropped down beside her. They lay coated in a light sheen of sweat, hearts beating fast. Several minutes later, Leona actually heard her young lover give a soft snore and a giggle escaped her. Knowing that she'd need to clean up once again, she carefully slid off the bed. Looking over at his long, firm naked body, Leona marveled to herself at how this beautiful man had picked an old, shriveled-up woman like her to love.

She looked around for the discarded cloth before finally locating it on the floor, and took it to the water basin to rinse it out. It was strange that she couldn't feel his release dripping down her leg; in all her time with Timo, she had always experienced that distinct feeling after sex. Giving a shrug, she wiped the damp cloth between her legs. Something didn't feel right.

With a frown, she stared at the completely clean cloth. Nothing marred the light colored material. Not even her own body fluids were there. Reaching down with her free hand, Leona touched herself. Her pussy was almost completely dry.

Suddenly a strange, light-headed feeling swept through her. Dropping the cloth, she swayed and had to grab the small table the water basin sat on to keep from falling. As the room began to spin, she gave a frightened cry and fell to her knees. Her stomach heaved at the swirling in her head and she feared she would be sick.

"Leona?" she heard Aleph call but was unable to answer.

With her entire body now a swirling vortex, she looked down at her nude body and would swear that her skin was moving. Sudden cursing was heard and then hands gripped her shoulders.

"Leona what's happening?" Aleph shouted.

There was a stinging on her wrist and she lifted her arm to see the strange markings that had encircled it since birth were glowing. They both stared at the lighted marks, and then Aleph gave another frightened shout. He jerked her to her feet and turned her toward her mirror.

As she watched, Leona's face and body began to change. The years appeared to melt away. Her body firmed, her breasts becoming high and tight, lush and full as they hadn't since before she'd had her first child. Then, she had been so young that her breasts had never looked quite like this, as if she'd never given birth before. Her hair returned to its rich brown color, the gray sliding away. Even her eyes became brighter, lighter, and more lustrous.

The entire process took a few short minutes, until they stood staring at a stranger in the mirror, one that looked nearly the same age as Aleph himself. Looking again at her wrist, she found the scrollwork remained a soft glowing blue. It was pretty, but alarming and strange, and Leona found herself very frightened. She turned and looked at Aleph, "We... you... I.... What?" she stumbled out.

He took a step back from her, shaking his head as he looked at her young, firm body, lush and ripe and beautiful. "What is this witchcraft? What have you done?"

Leona blinked. "Me?" She pointed a trembling finger at him, "You did this. Your essence didn't fall from me. Your cum did something to me."

Aleph continued to move away from her. "No. Not me."

Her fear riding higher and harder, Leona felt tears sting her eyes, "I've had children. I've had a husband. You were the virgin, you did this. Fix it, change me back!"

He turned and grabbed his clothes, "You deceived me, witch! You took my love from me and used me. Witch!" His face white with fear, he ran from the room leaving Leona with tears streaming down her face.

She spent hours staring into the mirror at her new-yet-old face and the glowing marks around her wrist. Maybe she was the witch, since she was the one who had changed. How could she face her children now? What would the village think? She thought of Hesta and her marks and wondered why this had never happened to her.

But Hesta had a husband, one who worked in the village. Leona had never been with a virgin man, as even Timo had come to her with previous knowledge of women. Did it have something to do with her birthday? She had just reached fifty years. Did that, combined with having had sex with a virgin provide the answer to what had happened? She just didn't know - and she had no idea where to find the answers.

She realized that staying in the village would certainly have her branded as a witch, and she couldn't bear to think of her children watching her put to death for something she had no control over. Just before dawn, she carefully packed a few precious items, some food and water and, tossing a dark cloak over her shoulders, she went to the stables, mounted her horse and rode tearfully away from the only place she'd ever lived.

She spent several miserable days on the road before stopping at a village that she hoped was far enough from her home that there was no chance of anyone discovering who she was. While leaving her family behind made her heart ache, she knew they would be fine; they would live their lives and all would be well with them. But her priority now was her own safety -- and trying to understand what had happened to her.