The Empath Cycle: 2001 It Takes One - Book 1

With her face so close, she could smell the delicious aroma of Yasmin's arousal. For a moment, her senses were overwhelmed and she was the one moaning with desire. Shaking herself, she remembered her lessons. She wanted to give as much pleasure to her love as she could and teasing her would ultimately be for the better.

She forced herself to move to the muscular legs, paying special attention to the pressure points. When she licked the back of the knees, the moans became groans of need. She did her level best to remember the complicated points of acupressure on the feet, but the most appreciated results were when she licked the soles and sensuously sucked each toe.

By then, Yasmin was squirming and grinding her sex on the mattress, moaning continuously.

On her way up, Blossom gave her a taste of what was to come and ran a finger between the parted legs, collecting some of the precious cream. "Look at me, my love." When she had Yasmin's attention, she extended the tip of her tongue and delicately licked her finger before sucking it lovingly. "I remember this, but it tastes better from the source than on coarse bread."

She playfully slapped the cheek nearest her. She intended to tell Yasmin to turn on her back, but she changed her mind at her reaction. She recognized the cry as not one of pain, but as one of want. She had made many such herself, after all. The thrust of the pelvis also spoke eloquently of desire.

Alternating the fall of her hand on both cheeks, she increased their strength according to the grunts of satisfaction she got. She followed series of slaps by kisses and swipes of her tongue. Remembering Yasmin's technique with whip and strap, she slapped the back of the thighs. To her surprise, the woman spread her legs further and raised her hips. She took that for the invitation it was and slapped, licked and kissed the offered inner thighs. The closer to the leaking sex she got, the stronger the reaction was. Soon, she was hitting thighs wet with cream.

Yasmin was mad with desire. None had done this to her since her love had been taken away by a vile English dog. Her mind was inflamed with passion. She wanted to turn around and take Blossom, satiating her need on her body, but every slap, every swipe of the tongue, brought her closer to the abyss of pleasure, robbing her of will, making her a slave to this woman who seemed to know her body so well though it was the first time she had such access to it.

Blossom recognized the reaction as her own to similar treatment. Every tremor of pleasure, every groan resonating within her. When she felt Yasmin was teetering on the edge, she could take no more. Teasing was well and good, but she had not expected that the process would have such a profound on her as it had on Yasmin.

She moved behind the beautifully reddened ass and, spreading the legs further, she lifted it completely off the bed. With a cry of her own she buried her face in the proffered sex. She licked it from one end to the other, her tongue going as deep as it could, twirling inside the vagina. When she reached the upper end, she nibbled on the sensitive flesh between the openings before continuing her journey to the nether hole which had so tantalized her earlier. She stuck her stiffened tongue in it and thrust in and out, relishing the musky taste.

When Blossom reached between Yasmin's legs to stroke her pearl, she hardly touched it before the woman arched her back and let out a wail of release. She spastically thrust her ass against the invading tongue and stroking fingers for long seconds. She was sobbing deeply when she fell back to the bed.

Fearing she had inadvertently hurt her, Blossom was immediately at her side, cradling her in her arms. Crying in sympathy to the pain she was sure she had caused her. "I'm so sorry, Mistress. I only wanted to give you pleasure. I didn't mean to hurt you. Please forgive me."

Regaining her senses, Yasmin laughed softly. "Little one, you have not hurt me. Quite the opposite. In fact, you didn't have to be so tentative. I have a tougher hide than this. You have given me pleasure as I have not known in ages. And I meant it when I told you my name is Yasmin. When we are alone, I am not your mistress or rather you are not my slave."

"You will have to teach me what pleases you... Yasmin. You know me better than I knew myself before we met, but I know nothing of you save what you allowed me to see."

"I will. I promise. I was serious when I said I give myself to you. Now, I have a question. What gave you the idea to spank me and to kiss where you had hit, then to go beyond my cheeks?"

Blossom lowered her eyes to hide her blushing face. "I... You... You seemed to like it after the first slap. Then I wanted to show you that I did it for your pleasure..."

"You are still a terrible liar, little one. Tell me the truth... please."

"As I said, you seemed to like it after the first slap that was given in play, so I continued. I kissed and licked where I hit you because I wanted to mix pleasure with pain, though I knew from glorious experience that there is pleasure in pain. I was about to stop when I remembered the first whipping you gave me. How you had me crest by coming nearer to my sex. Then I couldn't help myself as pleasure mounted in you, I had to do taste you. I have dreamed of it for a long time, but never dared hope I would be given the opportunity."

"It is freely given and you can taste me as often as you wish. You could not have known, but I learned erotic whipping for the woman I spoke of. She was my teacher in it. That's why I said I have a tough hide. I will instruct you in the art."

"Do you mean you will whip me again?" Blossom asked eagerly.

"If you wish, it will be my pleasure and I will teach you so we can share it."

"I can't wait. May I get your whip?"

"I put it away when she was lost to me. It is different than the one I used on you. That one requires much experience to avoid breaking skin, but though the salve works miracles, if overused it still leaves welts and so cannot be applied often. The one I have here is of softer leather and, if it does wonders, it leaves less bruising."

"I will look forward to your using it on me then. That said, may I continue your massage? I have yet to do your front."

"Are you always so polite when you ask a lover to give her pleasure?"

"I... I have never had a lover."

"I can scarcely believe that. A beautiful woman such as you must surely have had many suitors, men and women both."

"I told you about my life before you showed me my true self. I have never known a man carnally and I have never allowed a woman to get so close to me."

"I understand, better than you know. I have been alone since that fateful day for the same reason. Now we have each other. So, if you want to partake of my body, do it. If, for some reason, I do not wish it at that moment, I will tell you as I hope you will so I do not impose my wants on you. That is the way of lovers, my sweet."

"In that case..."

With a mock growl, Blossom straddled the woman's hips, pinned her arms to the bed and attacked a laughing Yasmin's neck with lips and teeth.

Karlie was on her back, cradled in Sylvie's arms, head resting on her chest. Jade was licking her sticky fingers, looking at her through tear filled eyes. Patricia kneeling between her legs, was licking her thighs clean.

"I didn't know, baby. I didn't understand." Jade told her partner.

"It's all right, honey. It took me a long time to make sense of it myself."

Patricia lifted her head. "Thank you, Karlie. You've shown me something about myself I had not recognized. I now understand better why I reacted at such a primitive level when Sylvie 'raped' me."

"My pleasure, Pat. And I mean it most sincerely. From what Jay told me, we come from a similar place. We only took different means to deals with our situations."

"Kay, I love you so much it hurts."

"I know, honey. I feel the same way."

"Speaking of love, lift your head and look at Sylvie."

Sylvie was gazing at her warmly, tears flowing freely on her cheeks, her tremulous smile showing her joy.

"You realize the girl loves you deeply, don't you, Kay?"

"I know, Jay, I know."

She leaned forward and, tenderly taking Sylvie's face in her hands, she kissed her with all the love she had.

"I love you, Sylvie. I told you I wasn't sure what I felt before. Now, I know. I love you with all my heart. You may have been right when you said there must be more than meets the eyes in your resemblance with Jade and mine with Pat. In my heart, you both are one and the same. As for Pat, I feel as if she is my twin and we have been separated at birth."

Patricia crawled up Karlie's body and embraced her, expressing her shared sentiments in a passionate kiss, while Jade went around the four-wide lounge chair and cuddled to Sylvie, wrapped in her free arm.

"I knew it, sis. I love you."

The four women cried tears of happiness at having come together so fully. They hugged and kissed each other, reveling in this communion of spirits.

The two cats at the end of the porch of the mansion on the beach watched, tails swishing furiously.

"So, you see, when I was a kid, I never really got past the stage where boys were yucky. I've always been attracted to girls for my affective needs. Eventually, I found sexual release with them, but I could never give myself totally. I've never felt complete until Jay seduced me and made me her plaything."

"Don't listen to her. She's the one who made a pact with the Devil and cast a spell on me, robbing me of any stray impulse to look at another woman."

"You're looking at two right now with lust in your eye and your hand between my legs proves my point."

"I'm looking in the mirror and, with your hands on Sylvie's boob and my mother's ass, you're not in a good position to talk."

"In fact, I am in the best position I could imagine."

The four women laughed.

"As I was saying, where Pat dove into science as the thread of her life, I chose law because I found it eminently satisfying, intellectually. I specialized in contract law because I found its intricacies challenging and I just love to beat other lawyers, usually men, at their game. In this way, I'm very much like my character in my fantasy, only less violent."

"I wouldn't put it that way exactly. I spoke to another associate at the last company party and he could have been describing the Scarlet Witch when he spoke of the way you destroyed this opposing senior partner in that major contract dispute last year. I could almost imagine you slowly, gleefully cutting off his cock and balls and stuffing them in his mouth."

"I remember the case. The guy made degrading comments about lesbians to someone and I overheard him. Usually it's just a game I like to win. With him, it got personal and I went at him with all I had."

"Easy there, babe. Don't get so riled up. It's done. You won. You're the best and we all know it."

"Sorry. I get carried away sometimes. Like I said, I'm very much like my character in my fantasy. No man has ever touched me and a lot of them simply disgust me."

"Forget about that, Karlie. We're here to have fun. Tomorrow will come soon enough. Speaking of which, it feels like we have been in this dream a long time. Does this mean we have overslept or are in a coma or something?"

"None of those, love. If memory serves, time passes very differently here. We know that dreams seem to last longer, but actually take only minutes, if not seconds. In the case of this beach, I'm not so sure we are still in a dream, but I know that time runs much slower here than in real life. I spent weeks at the time in Neverland when I was a kid. I never wanted to go back, but, eventually, I always did. I wish I could recall more about that period of my life. As far as I can remember, I happened on this place by accident and came often for a while, then it's like I forgot about it. As for my real life, it's mostly a blur before the period where I lived alone with my mother and by then I was in high school."

"When I go back to the office, I can look into it. We have investigators who do that kind of background research and they're very good at what they do."

"Thanks, Karlie. I'd like to know more about where I come from. Maybe it would help me understand why I was so messed up before Patricia had those incestuous urges toward me."

"I did not and you know it! You're a meanie. I should bend you over my knees and give you a spanking you wouldn't forget."

"Don't listen to her, Sylvie. She's been promising to spank me for years and I'm still waiting. At least Kay takes care of me."

"Yes, I do and I admit it's very satisfying to redden your lovely ass so you can't sit comfortably the next day."

"I love you too, babe."

"Okay, what do you say we call it a 'night' and make our way to Patricia's bed?"

"Aw, come on, sis. Mom and I didn't get to play."

"I got us here in the first place. I'm sure I can do it again."

"No fair. I was so looking forward to making up for the corporal punishments I had to endure as a kid."

"And what were those, baby?"

"All those times you had me shower in the morning when I wanted to sleep a little longer. And what about when I had to eat that godawful broccoli. Yuk!"

"So, you're the one I have to blame for Jay cooking broccoli every so often. I should have guessed."

"Girls, girls. Let's go home and you two can have broccoli for breakfast while Sylvie and I stuff ourselves with pancakes?"

"Hear, hear. How do we do it, sis?"

"Easy. All you have to do is relax, blank your mind and go to 'sleep'. You should wake up normally."

Soon, three women winked out, disappearing as if they had never been there. Sylvie stretched and grinned broadly as she thought about their adventure. Then she sighed and, her expression sobering, turned to the two cats.

"I don't know who you are, but you are on my beach and it's not polite to masquerade as unobtrusive cats to spy on people. Try to look innocent all you want, I know this place and you two are the only living things I did not call forth, plus I can see your aura and, except for my friends and I, you are the only ones with one. At first, I didn't notice you, but you made a mistake. There are no cats at my place or at Patricia's. Then you stayed too close and you light up like nobody's business."

Sylvie got up and scratched the cats.

"Logically, you are the ones who helped me out of my fugue Sunday evening. You are also the two ghosts I saw last night and you helped get us back in the dreams where Patricia could heal me again. For that, I thank you. But know this: you may have some control over what happens in the dreams, but this my turf. I have an idea on how to make sure they remember what happened here and I hope you will not fight me on this because you would not like me as an enemy. I may have been meek and fearful before, but I'm not anymore. I ask you to let Patricia remember the dreams too. She deserves it for helping me. Since you seem to want to keep your intervention a secret, for some reason, I will respect your wish and keep it to myself."

Sylvie went back to the lounger.

"One last thing, kitties, though I owe you for your help, this is my home away from home. If you want to visit, ask. Nobody likes party crashers."

In seconds, the cats were alone on the porch. Immediately, they felt an irresistible urge to leave too.

Chapter 9

This was most definitely not what the young technician had expected the office of Division Director White to look like.

There were no ostentatious decorations, no plush carpeting, no corner windows with a view on the city, no throne-like chair behind a bare desk. This was a working man's office with no window to distract, a simple office desk cluttered with files and rolled plans, an ergonomic chair, the kind used by people who spend long hours at their desk, a computer looking similar to her own, a CAD station with three large screens, file cabinets and bookshelves filled with technical reference manuals.

In fact, the whole floor was set up as a working environment. The outer walls were the cafeterias, gaming areas and such, generally set up for rest periods where one could enjoy the view, while the interior was divided into offices and workrooms of one kind or another.

She had been given a tour by her supervisor as she was led to the Director's office. She had no idea of why she had been called there. Could it have something to do with her recent work? Had she overstepped her bounds so badly that she was to be reprimanded or... fired? Was her career to end before it had even begun?

His assistant had offered her a refreshment as she waited for him to finish an important overseas call. She took that as a good sign, reasoning that they would not waste the courtesy on someone on her way out. Still, she was imagining worst case scenarios as she was ushered in his office.

The man smiled when she came in. He rose from his chair and came around the desk to shake her hand.

"Ms. Tremblay, I'm glad to see you in good health. Ms. Langston said you looked peaked yesterday."

"Thank you, sir. I guess it was a leftover from my bout with the flu last week."

"I hope so for you. The strain of influenza they predict will hit us this year is supposed to be particularly virulent."

"Well, as I've already gone through it, I should be immunized for the rest of the season. I doubt I will miss any more work, sir."

"That's of no moment. Your health is more important than a few days of missed work. Now, you must wonder why I asked you to meet with me."

"Yes, sir."

"I read your final report on the last project you worked on. I must say, you are a very diplomatic young woman. I've never read a comment calling a project manager incompetent in such a polite way."

"I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean it like that, it's just..."

"I know you didn't. In fact, you were very circumspect in saying that the mistakes should have been caught up before the project ended on your desk for technical drawing."

"I apologize if I overstepped my bounds, sir. I didn't know what to make of them. When I told Ms. Langston about them, she said to correct them and to keep working, but I had to make a note about them."

"Don't worry, you did exactly the right thing. You followed the proper procedure. You went to your supervisor with your concerns and followed her instructions. I imagine you have strong reservations about the competency of the lead engineer in charge of this project."

"No, sir, of course not, sir. And there was no name in the file."

Jake White smiled. "I realize you are only a part-time technician and would not make disparaging comments about an engineer of this firm, but I know you must think him a fool. Don't blush, you would be incompetent yourself if you didn't." He paused for a moment and touched the intercom. "John, please bring some coffee for me and... Ms. Tremblay, what can I offer you? We will be here for a while and it would be impolite for me to enjoy a refreshment without offering you one."

"Coffee will be fine, sir."

"You heard that, John? Two coffees, please."

They talked about Sylvie's work at the firm, how she liked working there, how she got along with her co-workers, until the coffee was brought. She was startled when Mr. White's assistant winked at her before he left.

"All, right. We have bowed to the rules of polite conversation. How about we get down to business?"

"That would be fine by me, sir. I admit to being curious about why you wanted to see me and why you are so nice to a lowly technician."