The Designer Pt. 02 Ch. 15

"Give Kelly the pendant," Carmen said to Lexi, "I need you to help me clear the back rooms, and find out if we're alone."

The front door opened, and she whipped around, ready to fight. Lexi pulled off the pendant and handed it to Kelly. Kelly gripped it firmly in her fist, unwilling to let it go. We all faced the bright doorway and the shapes there, tense with anticipation.

"It's me," came Alyssa's voice, "I brought Rebekah. That's your name, right?"

"Yes," said the quiet voice, "I am Rebekah, who are you?"

"I'm Alyssa," Aly said, looking at the woman with a glimmer of recognition, "We came to save Jenn."

I looked at Rebekah carefully, her voice was more warm, more human, than when we'd met her at the door to the house. The house with the dead man upstairs. The dead man that had mentally enslaved her for years. The man that I had killed.

"Is there anyone else?" I asked, I didn't need to add anything, she shook her head.

"No, those three were the only ones left here," she said pausing and hesitated to add, "with any powers. The others are in the field. The only ones left are human, not halfling."

"Why should we trust you," I asked.

"Well besides me hating all three of them," she said, "I think this is my daughter," she said hugging Alyssa then looking into her eyes, "but her name is Adaliah, not Alyssa."

"Adaliah," Alyssa said with a whisper, "I am Adaliah, Adaliah Penemue. I read that on my adoption papers. They changed my name to Alyssa Phillips."

She looked at the older woman, and saw in her a mirror of her own brilliant blue eyes. Her own vision blurred as she hugged at her mother. All of us quieted as we watched. The older mother and the younger daughter embraced tightly. Then Rebekah scanned the room and saw me with Jenn resting on my thigh. She rushed over.

"This girl is in bad shape," she said, lifting her hair and looking in her eyes.

She looked around, and evaluated us, her eyes sharp and clear. Her thoughts no longer deadened by the old man's possession. She looked at Kelly, still sitting shocked on the ground, horrified at what she had done.

"You there, the dear one with the blonde hair," she said coaxing at Kelly, "Come here, you need to help this one."

"That's Kelly," I said motioning to Kelly who looked back wide-eyed, "This is Jenn," I said stroking along her back, feeling her ribs through her thin flesh.

"Kelly," Alyssa said, "You need to let go of the stone, you need to revive her."

Kelly stood up and walked closer, turning her head to look at Alyssa, "I almost killed her," she said panic rising in her voice, "I ripped that poor man apart."

"That. 'poor man', had it coming," said Rebekah with acid in her voice, that softened seeing Kelly's fear, "Come here child, come kneel next to her."

All of us came closer, surrounding Jenn's frail form. She was curled on her side, her head on my lap. Her hair hung limply across a shoulder. Her body bare and naked. Carmen put a rough woolen blanket over her, and Lexi lightly touched her shoulder.

"Give the stone to Adaliah, dear," she said, then caught herself, "Alyssa, I'm sorry. Let her hold it for a moment."

Kelly hesitantly held out her hand, and Alyssa gripped the stone. Kelly pulled her hand back, holding onto the chain, then finally let it slip from her fingers. She froze, waiting for the beast to return. Then her eyes opened and she looked warmly at me. I pushed all my love to her, I pushed all the light I felt I could spare. She blinked and then nodded.

Past: Kelly

"I am a beast," my thoughts swam as the stone touched my flesh, "a killer. I am a demon and a craven spirit. I prey on people."

I fought these thoughts that surrounded me in the dark room. I was horrified at what I had done. The stone pulsed in my hand, trying to push away the voices. They were thick at first, the room felt like it swam with them. Lexi pressed her body to mine, pressing the stone into my back. I wilted and waited.

"No," I whispered, "Go away."

"I'm not going anywhere, Kel," Lexi said hugging me tightly.

"Not you," I said with a deep whisper, "Them.. leave us..."

The stone pulsed in my hand, I felt it's power bloom from it's core. The spirits had to obey, but they tarried as long as they could. The darkness swam. I felt Jeremiah's presence, but it was empty thanks to the stone. I clung to Lexi, her body warming me as I pushed the dark demons away from me.

The room lightened, and Alyssa was there, and another woman at her side. I didn't hear them, I was too overwhelmed by the dark voices cackling. They still thought they won. Alyssa's thoughts were also distant, but her presence and Jeremiah's soon had the room feeling warmer. The cold aura of the unconscious paralyzed man the only island of darkness. I breathed easier and looked up.

Jenn was almost unrecognizable. Her body was different, and not just desiccated from my feeding on her life force. She'd been changed. Her breasts were larger, with tattoos of stars. Her backside was frail with another dark tattoo. She at first pleaded something at Jeremiah and she stared at her.

"He'll fix her," I thought, "He'll make everything okay again."

Jenn suddenly relaxed, her body limp. It was almost soothing, apart for how horribly emaciated her body was. I felt horrible. I did this to her, I had come to save her, and I had destroyed her. How would she ever recover from the damage I had done.

Alyssa and the older woman were talking, then the woman went to Jenn's side. She evaluated her, then looked around, and focused on me. I hung my head.

"She knew that I did this," I thought to myself.

"Kelly," Alyssa said, "give me the stone."

"No!" I thought, "I will kill you, don't you understand that I'm a monster?!"

Reluctantly I held out the stone, but gripped the necklace. I was horrified, scared the beast inside me would return. I looked up at Alyssa and her warm blue eyes reassured me. I let go and froze, waiting for the feral need to feed to return. Nothing. I looked up at Jeremiah, and he smiled at me. His expression of love and care, melted into me. I looked at the woman, I didn't know her name. She beckoned me and I came and knelt at her side. Jeremiah touched me, held my shoulder.

"Breathe into her, child," the woman said, "breathe back the light. Everyone push out your light."

I took in a shallow breath, and then felt my power shimmy inside my core. I breathed out, focusing my love towards Jenn. I redirected what Jeremiah was pushing towards me, then felt Alyssa's thoughts return. Our connection filled me with light and love, and I breathed that out towards Jenn.

She inhaled, then her face started to brighten, her flesh began to swell and glow. She looked at me as her dim eyes focused and felt my power slip inside. I smiled as I felt this aspect of my power, and then pushed more. Her body blossomed, and filled out. It wasn't the same Jenn that I'd left behind at college. This was a sex-object, molded by the men lying prone around us.

She smiled at me, "Kell," she whispered, "you are a beautiful angel."

I relaxed and pulled my energy back, letting it dwell inside me. I would use it as I needed, like I had since I first began to understand who I was. I wasn't a demon. I wasn't craven. I was an angel. I had a choice, and I would choose the light.

I looked up at Jeremiah, who looked down at me and kissed me, "He makes it so hard to control myself," I thought as I thrilled at his touch.

I settled back, then stood up, "Okay, now what?"

Past: Alyssa

I slipped the pendant into my pocket as Kelly started to bloom. I wanted to feel her power. I was overwhelmed by what had happened since we had walked out of the cruiser. This woman at Jeremiah's feet was my mother. Jeremiah had killed an old helpless man with one punch. Kelly had apparently turned into a ravenous animal. Two men had died, and Jenn was ... I had never seen her before, but the creature whose head was on Jeremiah's lap hardly resembled human.

Kelly's aura warmed the room. The dark corners of the cinderblock tried to fight back, and I could feel their craven presence hovering out of range. I latched onto Jeremiah's and Kelly's thoughts when my powers returned. I pulled in the familiar warmth of Lexi and Carmen. Then I reached out and just touched my mother's thoughts. Just pushing lightly my love of my family, letting her feel that. I could see her posture straighten. Jenn's body pulsed then reanimated.

Kelly kissed Jeremiah, then rose, saying "Okay, now what?"

"Now we get out of this building and put a torch to it," I said and pushed the thought to Lexi and Carmen.

They pulled the bound man out of the room, and I followed. Jeremiah carried Jenn's refreshed body out of the room followed by Kelly, then Rebekah. I was still reeling from that revelation, and though it was a shock, I knew it was also true. I remembered her eyes, especially after the dark presence released her when Jeremiah killed Deacon.

We gathered around in the middle of the grassy field. Our RV loomed on the edge, still there, still locked. Jenn was able to stand and then sit, naked under the woolen blanket Carmen had wrapped around her. We all sat, and soaked in the sun's rays. The trussed up man was still unconscious. He could wait. We were all safe, and we'd managed to not kill Jenn in the process. It was a good day.

Other women started to file from the houses. Their children ranging from babies in their mother's arms to young teenagers followed behind. They looked around curiously, but with a look at Rebekah they began to smile. They sat in groups around us, just wanting to be near I thought.

I looked at Rebekah, "Tell us what else you need." I offered, "We came here to help, we wanted to rescue our friend, but we want to help you."

"Dear child," she said, "come here," she spread her arms out and I fell into them, comforted by the arms of the mother I never knew I had.

I didn't realize I was crying until Jeremiah slid beside me and hugged me. Then Kelly was there, then Carmen and Lexi. We hugged as I felt at rest, like I was home. This place was strangely familiar, which seemed odd at first. Then I realized I lived here when I was a baby, until I was taken for my protection when I was four. My name changed, and I moved from house to house growing up. While my foster parents loved me as best they could. I was an orphan.

Now, I suddenly wasn't. I felt like my world shifted. Much like when Jeremiah fixed me and allowed me to fully love him as a man, as my lover. Something inside me fell into place. I lifted my tear streaked eyes and pressed a kiss to my mother's cheek. For some reason that set everyone off, and all of my family was crying.

Eventually we settled back, our emotions calmed. The sun warmed us, the sky was a brilliant blue. Jeremiah sat on one side of me, and my mother on the other. The families of the compound sat waiting patiently. My mother rose to her feet.

"Deacon is dead," she said flatly with no emotion, "So is Samuel. Jediah is restrained. We need to decide what to do with him."

"I'm pretty sure he's wanted for rape in Pullman," I offered, "We can induce him to turn himself in."

I scanned through the unconscious man's thoughts. It was a dark mess of anger and hatred. He'd need a dose of Jeremiah, and my own suggestions to get him to do that. But I think it was justice served, if not a bit of grace. For what he'd done to countless women, he should have been gutted like his friend.

"I'm sure it's not only in Pullman," Rebekah said with a frown, "but that might be the start, I think he deserves a life behind bars."

The other families nodded, and Rebekah asked, "Any opposed?"

She was met with silence.

"Where are the other men?" Jeremiah asked, "Were they the only three"

I had counted the families, there were not a lot. Maybe six were represented, a total of twenty women and children. Jeremiah was right, there weren't a lot of men.

Two women stood up and looked darkly at the cinder block jail. They were attractive beyond their plain outfits, then they looked at Jeremiah. One began to speak.

"That one in there, he was our husband," she said nodding at her sister wife, and their collection of children, all girls, "We're better off without him, I reckon. So long as we have a garden and livestock, we can put food on the table."

Two more rose, their appearance was different, dark circles under their eyes. Their sleeves were pulled down to their wrists. The looked at the bound man and their eyes showed nothing but hate.

"If he's gone for good," one said linking arms with her sister wife, "we'll dance a jig. Just be sure he never returns. We can take care of ourselves, and our daughters."

The other two women had husbands, "They are off at work," one said, "They weren't like the others, they just wanted to live here. A simple life. They never liked the stories they heard. We stayed because we were afraid to leave."

"You said there were others?" I said, "In the field?"

"Nevada," my mother said, "roaming and fixing. Doing the work that Deacon sent them to do. They aren't that special, not like you three."

"We will go after them," Jeremiah said, "I want to finish my father's work."

"I'll help as best I can," Rebekah said, "Deacon had me doing the management of his damned work. We'll round 'em up."

"What will you do?" asked Lexi, "Do you want to stay here?"

"Nowhere else to go," Rebekah said quietly, "I want to stay here, I don't know anyplace else."

"I will help you," Jeremiah said, "we can help you with anything you need. I want to. I want to redeem my father's legacy. I need to make sure this never happens again."

"We'll talk then," Rebekah said, and looked around, "We need to eat, and bury the dead. We need to purge the evil from this place.

The families all nodded, and all of us got to work.

Present: Isaac

After eating breakfast with his family, Isaac headed into town for lunch with Beth. He needed to apologize to her for the previous night. Stacy's strange behavior had ticked Beth off, and by the end of the night she wanted little to do with Isaiah, even leaving earlier than he wished she would.

"Let's talk tomorrow, Zac," she had said as she left their house, "I can't think straight right now."

He wanted her to stay, but his brief talk with his father and Alyssa had filled him with second thoughts. It was better to give her the space she needed, than to push for his own way. Even if he did nothing wilfully to cause Stacy's preoccupation with kissing him. He agreed, though he was frustrated that the night had ended so abruptly.

His grandmother's story actually helped. He wasn't sure if he could control his powers the way his dad obviously could. He was willing to try to use them responsibly. He loved Beth, at least as much as an eighteen year old male could love someone. It was a mix of infatuation, and loyalty. First and foremost, Beth was his friend and confidant. He didn't want to lose that relationship, not over something as silly as meaningless and irritating kisses.

Isaac pulled up to the local coffee shop, and got out of his car. His father could have bought him any car he wanted, but it was Isaac's choice to earn money to buy his own first car. He bought a ten year old import economy car, and loved that he could tinker around with the engine. His father said that his grandfather was a mechanic. It made Isaac feel like he was honoring his grandfather's memory, as he had died years before Isaac was born.

As quickly as those thoughts went through his brain, they vanished when he saw Beth sitting at a booth waiting for him. He smiled and slipped into the other side of the booth, and she slid over a cup of coffee.

"Mocha Latte," Beth said with a smile, "your regular."

"Thanks, Beth," Isaac said, "I love that you know what I like."

"I'm sorry I left in a huff last night," Beth said, smiling

She felt her attraction to Isaac grow as he came into the room. He was handsome, naturally. His manners and respect for her were unmatched. All those made him an attractive young man. But there was something else about him that struck a chord at a deeper, more primal level. She wanted him, craved him. Wanted him to touch her, kiss her... the thoughts could easily tumble out of control. She adored that he had no idea of his effect on her, or on other young women. Even her own mother, the few times she'd met Isaac had remarked how handsome he was.

"Stacy called me last night," Beth said, "later, after I had gone. She apologized, she didn't understand why she was so forceful."

"I'm glad she apologized," Zac said, then continued, "I need to as well, I should have said something to her sooner. I just didn't want to be rude and interrupt my father's party."

"I get it, Zac," Beth smiled and reached for his hand, "I just want you to know, I was jealous. I'm sorry that my jealousy made me angry at you."

"Beth," Zac said, "Thank you for telling me that. I just want to say, you are the only girl I'm interested in kissing. Or being kissed by."

She blushed and rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb. Then they started talking about other things. Their connection was more emotional and cerebral. They both wanted something more physical, but had agreed it was better to be the best of friends first. They were both a bit timid of getting too physical and ruining their friendship.

That was before the previous night. Before Zac slipped and used his powers to push Stacy into kissing him. Before he understood the other facet of his powers, the one that made his physical attraction almost palpable. He had no idea that his incubus halfling side had a physical effect on Alyssa the previous night. His attraction to Beth, only made that power bloom the more they talked. It was that pull of attraction that induced Beth to lean over the table.

She kissed him, tentatively at first. Then at the touch of his lips and inhaling his scent. She kissed him deeper. She knew she loved him, and she mistook that emotional bond with the sudden influx of his pheromones. She now craved him, and as she drew back from that kiss, she looked at him.

"Can we go somewhere, just the two of us?" she asked with a blush, as she felt her body pulse with arousal.

"Are you sure," Zac asked, also trying to understand how wonderful she felt to him.

The kiss feeding his other power, and making him crave more, he wanted to not force himself on Beth. If she chose of her own will to seek that next level of intimacy, he would go along with it. He reached out, trying to feel her thoughts. He felt her arousal, and that fed into his own arousal. He reasoned it was a natural response.

"Absolutely," Beth said, and bit her bottom lip.

Zac grabbed her hand, and together they got into his car. They headed out to the rural parts of town. The old roads where couples would make out in the moonlight. It was still a deserted stretch of land, and he pulled into the old Blueberry Hill, his was the only car on that day filled with sunshine. He got out a blanket from the trunk of his car, and they walked hand in hand towards a break in the bushes.

By the time Zac had smoothed the blanket down, Beth was pressing into him. Kissing him deeply. They enjoyed kissing for a long time, then their hands started touching and petting each other. Then they found the buttons, zippers and snaps and shed their clothes. His mouth found one of her breasts, her hand dropped to his groin. They feasted on each other, and fed each other. Zac had no idea that his power was blooming in the sunlight. He was enjoying Beth's touch and her cries and pleas too much to worry.

When they were finished, they lay naked on the blanket. A warm breeze cooling their overheated flesh. They hugged and enjoyed the afterglow, and kissed more as their bodies settled down. Then they dressed, and kissed again. Then the cycle started over, and they made love again, half dressed, then stripping to enjoy a third helping again naked under the sun. By the time they finally got dressed, the sun was sinking. Zac dropped her off at her car, six hours later. He would have to come up with a story to tell his father.