The Legacy of Eros Ch. 02

*Editing magic performed by Shyqash, plus contributions by the regular gang of brigands and neer-do-wells*

*This tale is a bit tongue and cheek as well as kinky, so be warned.*

*When you stand up for yourself, you stand alone*

[PRELUDE]

[STILL TUESDAY NIGHT]

I was busy splicing together the various visual angles from the cameras I'd used during tonight's escapades when one of my spatial sensors in my apartment went off. Since this was a one-room set up, all I had to do was look around to see the point of intrusion. Spatial sensors detected various forms of spatial gateways and teleportation, but only the really good ones pointed to the most likely areas of space/time violation.

Since mine was still chirping away, someone was creating a spatial gateway (a feat which tied two points in space/time together which weren't adjacent). In this case, the shadows were lengthening from under my queen-sized bed and around the far corners until it was an impenetrable darkness. Lucky me, I knew someone who used such a metahuman manifestation and had mastered such a power stunt.

An inky-black figure crawled out of the darkness onto my bed. When the shadows receded, they revealed a strangely costumed figure ... with the most captivating sapphire eyes.

"Hey Killer Knight," I greeted her. "This is a new look for you. I'm glad to see you've healed up fine."

"It is Princess Penumbra now," she smiled warmly, "... and thank you for saving my life. I'm absolutely sure it wasn't that weasel ... the ... ah ... Viscount of Villainy who got me away. What actually happened?"

"Hang on a second," I minimized the screen. "Aren't we supposed to avoid contact with one another now that I washed out?"

"Not precisely," she snorted in amusement. "You are to avoid contact with us, but there is no reason, or bylaw, which stops any of us from contacting you. Perks of the organization."

"Gee thanks," I groaned. "Anyway, after you were clipped by that pulse cannon, I took it out with a piece of deck plating. It blew up, knocking everyone down. I got Page up - Viscount now - handed your unconscious body to him and told him to make for the extraction zone."

"After that, I created a viable distraction so you two could slip away," I finished up.

"Oh ... that makes more sense than what the Viscount tried to sell. He took all the credit for what happened. Apparently he 'hulked out' after you fled, abandoning us, took out the cannon himself and then rescued me."

By 'hulking out', I assumed he went to a critical level of density increase, which also upped his strength ... to levels stronger than me. He could also reduce his density to the point he could phase through solid objects - something he did most of our mission, the fucking weasel. He couldn't phase through energy flows, or fields, so he wouldn't risk himself by trying to move through major walls which had power conduits and the like.

Me - I punched my way through walls, even though such actions hurt my hands, tearing the skin and cracking the bones beneath the armored gauntlets I wore. Likewise, Killer Knight had taken risks for the team on our failed mission, so she was 'okay' in my book.

"You didn't believe him?" I feigned shock.

"I might have had he not tried to paint you out to be such a coward," she grinned. "You were a team player and put your hide on the line multiple times ... which encouraged me to do the same. Honestly I believed it should have been you and me ... but I was still unconscious and you weren't there to tell your version of events."

"Afterwards I talked to my Mother and Father about this ... they informed me it was too late, but they would keep an extra keen eye out for the Viscount's cowardly tendencies," she enlightened me. "They also don't disapprove of me stopping by to see how you were ... seeing as how you saved my life."

"Your shadow shields saved me from some major pounding," I aw-shucked. "It was a team effort."

"So you aren't too bitter?"

"I'm a little upset that weasel - your words - took my Mother's spot," I griped. "As for not being part of the 9N's ..."

"The 9N's?" Princess Penumbra questioned.

"That is what my Father called the Nine Nobles Nefarious," I shyly confessed.

"Well, don't use that moniker around my Dad (King Kaos)," she cautioned me playfully. "I doubt he would appreciate it."

"Gotchya," I nodded. "As for me not being part of the Nine Nobles ... I'm okay with it. I'll find another way to make money."

"Oh," she curled her lips. "Is that what you are working on now?"

"Um ... none of your business?" I evaded.

"I stopped by earlier tonight, but you were out. Don't you have classes?"

"I have this side project I'm working on," I kept lying ... sorta/kinda.

"Who is she?" she teased ... sorta/kinda. She also took some effort to look extra seductive on my bed.

"With my background, what girlfriend am I going to inflict myself on," I sighed. "My childhood was pretty fucked up and my current life is a cover for my real, sinister identity as Baron Bedlam's son. What girl could I do that to?"

"Oh," she perked up. "That's awful noble of you. That's what I like about you. You can be hard-driven, but still care about the people around you as if they are something more than expendable pawns."

"What about you?" I changed the subject. "I imagine you are pretty hot under that mask. Even with your mother and father being wanted fugitives, you must have half a dozen boys on a string."

"Ha!" she laughed. "With my Mom and Pops being accused of being mass-murdering psychopaths ... what boy could I inflict myself upon - your words?"

"Point taken," I nodded. "We certainly share that ... difficulty."

Silence prevailed. I had the feeling she had something to get off her finely-crafted 'treasure of a chest' while I wanted to finish my work on Angelheart. I had a way around our impasse though I knew it would temporarily weaken my hold on Skye. I got up and walked over to the bed. Princess P watched me intently.

I sat beside her and took both her hands in my own ... then cut my new 'power' on. A spark of energy forcibly separated us. Once more the flood of memories came rushing in. I was better able to handle it this time. As I guessed, the memories of Skye began to fade and escape my reach as these new memories replaced them.

What ... Theresa 'Terry' Markov aka Princess Penumbra ... wanted most in the world was someone to share her time with. She felt as if she was nothing more than a pawn in her parents' plans for criminal malfeasance. They were proud of her; not for who she was, but for what she could do to advance their aims ... no concern for what she wanted. And what she wanted most in life was a soul-mate to share her tortured existence with, free of deceit and power games.

Eeeekkk!! She had her sights set on me!

In hindsight, it made perfect sense. I was a villain by birth, yet had proven myself to be loyal, brave and true. She felt she could trust me with her heartfelt secrets, wants and desires. I wouldn't hold her twisted upbringing against her, or ask her to betray her parents because I was in the same boat and cognizant of that.

"What was that?" she gasped.

"A new power I discovered I had on the mission," I related. "It gives me insight into people and helps me understand them better."

"Couldn't you have asked me first?" she pulled away. She was mentally transforming from confused to pissed-off.

"I wanted to help us communicate yet couldn't adequately explain to you what I planned to do ... so I did it before I bumbled over the words and screwed it up to the point you refused," I tossed out my excuse.

"Who is the girl ... woman?" She must have picked up one of my memories of Skye.

"Angelheart."

"How ...?"

"After you to left, she jumped me at the extraction zone. That was the first time the power came over me. Lucky for me, it stunned her because otherwise I couldn't have defeated her," I confessed somewhat.

"Oh ... why didn't you take her prisoner? That might have helped ... with Mom and Dad."

"I suffered some of the same backlash you just did," I explained. "I was barely able to stagger away from the scene myself. Taking her prisoner wasn't an option since she wasn't totally out, or beaten by me."

"She's ... very attractive."

"She's also in my mind because of the power being activated by her, Princess Penumbra," I outright lied. "I don't have a heroine fetish."

"Oh ...," she calmed down then moved closer. "I have a confused mess of your thoughts and memories. Do you really like my eyes?"

"You wear a padded armored suit and a half-face mask so I can't really say I like your eyes more than any other feature," I went back to being shy and somewhat awkward.

"Hold on," she instructed. She extended her hands behind her mask and worked some latches and straps free before removing her headgear. Her raven mane tumbled down in a constrained ponytail. Her skin was pale, with only one scar above the left side of her lip marring her otherwise smooth, flawless skin. Her eyebrows were heavier than I would have suspected, but made her sapphire eyes really pop.

"Wow!" I gulped. "You are ... like some Goddess of Night, pale yet luminescent. Your eyes are even more beautiful when set in your entire face. I repeat ~ wow!"

She was absolutely luminescent as she smiled.

"Thank you," she grinned. "I like your word usage. I was afraid you would sound like something I would say. That would have been creepy."

What could I say? I knew she would have found her literary allusions creepy so chose other words instead. My gift allowed me to reach deep within the psyche of my target and know what they loved and despised. It even helped me avoid the pitfalls of them second guessing themselves.

"I simply told you the truth from my own eyes to my tongue - no super-powered filter - sorry."

"No," she chuckled. "I liked it. You see me as a goddess? Trust me, I have my faults and foibles. I still like that you see me as beautiful."

"Don't any other guys tell you that?"

"Yes, but their praise didn't really matter. They were all 'normies'."

"I understand that," I agreed. "I sure missed not being able to participate in any team sports ... even though I was home-schooled."

"I would have killed to play soccer, or lacrosse," she sighed. "I really wanted to play at the all-girls private academy I was sent to, but it was forbidden by the parents because they knew I would dominate."

"Or, our parents could have sent us to one of those exclusive super-powered private academies so we could grow up among our own kind," I joined her in our melancholy. "Hiding my metahuman nature really blew chunks at times."

"We have so much in common," she shot a secret look my way. "If we ... ya know ... had kids, we could not repeat our parents' mistakes and instead send them to a metahuman academy."

"Hell, if we are successful enough, we could set up our own academy for the children of people like us. What do you think of that?"

"I would like that," she lowered her head onto my shoulder. I snuck a hand around her waist, pulling her in tighter. Why? I wanted to make her happy and she didn't have much joy in her life. Knowing the depths of her soul, I felt an obligation to bring her some spark of happiness ... even though I had another iron in the fire.

"I can't make any commitments until the end of the semester ... Terry," I groaned. "I also really want to get an actual diploma with the option of a regular career at some point in my life."

"Oh," she didn't move. "I understand. I have to prove myself to the other nobles ... and keep an eye on Victor (as in Victor Carmichael, Viscount of Villainy)."

"Definitely that," I hugged her.

"Why aren't you making a move on me?"

"I don't want you confused about 'us'," I elaborated. "When we start something, we are going to keep at it. You aren't a pick-up, hook-up, or One Night Stand."

She hugged me back.

"Thank you," she sighed happily.

This relationship was going to take a lot of work and had to be handled with care. Not only did Terry deserve her own shot at bliss, if she had a screaming fit, she could tear apart the entire apartment block, killing dozens of hapless 'normie' students. Worse, she could come back with eight cohorts to make me very, very dead. Yeah, I had to tread carefully here.

[AN ANGEL STUMBLES AND FALLS ... INTO MY ARMS]

[THREE DAYS LATER]

[Skye] *You BASTARD!!

[Me] **And a Good Afternoon to you too. What's up?

*You know what you did!

**What exactly are you referring to?

*That ... horrible video you made of me ...   

**Oh, that wasn't me so why don't we meet and talk about it?

*Forget about it. You tricked me once. I hope you end up in a hospital and then a jail.

**That's harsh. Okay. Have fun being popular on the internet, I guess.

*NOOO!! You said you wouldn't do that to me - you liar!!

**I said I wouldn't reveal you secret identity ... which I wouldn't have done anyway since it was illegal. It isn't my fault you currently think the worst of me.

*You tricked me. Go jump in front of a garbage truck!

**Again - that's harsh. I guess we have nothing more to talk about then. Enjoy your new popularity.

*What you did was illegal. You filmed me without my consent.

**Prove it. In case you are curious someone provided me with the film too.

*You are a ... BAD PERSON!

**And you are a lying, manipulative cocksucker with an impressive rack.

*What did I ever do to you? 

**Does it matter? Meet me on top of the new construction on the 1400 block of Treadway Ave in one hour. Show up in a thong.

*No, I won't ... and I don't own any thongs ... Please let me go!

**Go buy one. You can do that. Several lingerie stores sell some really sexy ones. It better be sexy too, or you will have to endure this next episode naked.

*F... frack off, asshole! Have fun alone tonight.

**I'm okay with that. Have fun knowing all those guys looking at you have seen you getting my cum splattered all over your tits. I get the sneaking suspicion the same person who sent me this will also make sure all your professors get a copy too.

*NOOOOOOOOO!! Please don't.

**You know what you need to do.

*You are just trying to trick me again.

**Deceptive people think everyone is equally deceptive.

*Promise me you won't take any more pictures, or film. Please don't mess with me.

**I didn't take the initial pictures so I have no idea if someone is planning to do this, but that is why I've changed locations to something off the cuff.

*I don't believe you.

**Well, if I don't see you in an hour, so be it. I have been warned if I don't meet you again certain things will happen - to me. The rest is up to you.

*Liar ...

**Like I care. I despise you and your ilk - fake heroine. Honestly, spending time with you is grating.

*What ... what would happen to you if you didn't show up?

**Most likely my secret identity would be exposed.

*I looked it up. There is no Reynard Freiherr Irrenanstalt in my Psychology 101 class. Who are you? Maybe we can work together.

**Fine. I'll see you in 57 minutes.

*I ... do I have a choice?

**You've always had a choice, Skye.

*Not really.

**56 minutes.

**OKAY!! OKAY! I'm coming. I'm coming.

I sat back and had to think with a smile on my face, 'I certainly hope you will be'.

[~]

Angelheart showed up with a minute to spare. She was furious with an aura of deep despair surrounding her. She also had a small bag from Lockhart's Lingerie in her left hand. I imagine she hadn't had the time to change into that thong yet. Oh goodie!

"Welcome," I greeted her. "Let's go downstairs. I have just finished setting up the room."

"How about we pick a different room then?" she frowned. "I don't trust you."

"You'll see why that's not really an option once we get inside," I beckoned. Considering only one of the other rooms had any furnishings whatsoever I knew there where no other choices.

"You are just going to film me doing degrading things again," Skye pouted.

"Not this time," I shrugged. "This time it's all on me."

"Huh? Really? How come?"

"I have my instructions too. Now let's get this over with," I beckoned her again.

"I didn't know ... I mean I didn't believe you were also in the same boat. Why didn't you tell me this last time?" she came my way. Even as she landed, her golden halo of hair bounced around her shoulders. She was so damn ravishing to observe with the naked eye.

"I hate you and your kind, remember?" I told her.

"But why? We help people."

"You murdered my Mother," I enlightened.

"Oh ... that's so sad," she wilted, her fury dissipated. She was a very trusting soul. Trusting enough that I could touch her hand as I guided her toward the stairwell.

The spark was there yet, even easier to control this time. Her life flowed into me while only a confusing muddle went the other way. I was right on the money with tonight's fun and games too.

"What was that?" she didn't even release my hand.

"After our fight, my powers have been a bit wonky. This happens from time to time," I fibbed like a pro. "Only you have had a serious side effect."

"What is it you do? I mean, Freedom Force has some top notch scientists working for us who study the metahuman phenomena. They might figure out ..."

"I don't like you and I certainly don't trust you," I scoffed. "We are two people caught in someone's fiendish plot - not friends, or even allies of convenience."

"Who could be doing this to us?"

"Eros," I created a name from mythology. As far as I knew, no one was currently using it.

"How did you figure that out?" she turned to me.

"I'm not going to tell you," I glared. "You aren't just a hero, you are a terribly flawed one."

"I don't want to be," she said in a small, little girl voice.

"Whatever," I teased. She wanted to be seen as less than she was. Her psyche craved the humiliation as a means to expunge her guilt over the most trivial of offenses. I was in awe.

Down three floors of the fourteen story building under renovation, I led her into a door-less room with drapes over all the exterior doors and windows. Once inside I reached over and cut on the generator which activated the standing lights I had set up. In the center of the room was the mattress of a king-sized bed. Next to it, difficult to notice, was a black knapsack.

"What's that for?" she stumbled back into me.

"It is a bed - for reclining on. No penetration," I promised. "You do have to strip down to the thong though."

"How can I ... trust ... you?" she mumbled.

"You can't," I shrugged, "but you can rely on me finding you somewhat repugnant."

"You do?" she blinked.

"Do you think you are that irresistible?" I teased her insecurities yet again.

"No ... but some men have found me attractive."

"You are pretty on the outside," I repeated her internal mantra, "but ugly on the inside."

"I know," she whispered.

"Then strip. I have someone I would rather be with."

"Really?"

"Yes. Why would I lie about that?"

"Oh ... okay, but," and then she flashed the room with a bright light ~ her 'Photo-Bomb' power stunt. "That should have killed all observation devices."

"Okay," I nodded. "If you think you are cleverer than Eros, so be it."

"Oh ... right ... what else can we do?"

"I'm not going to publically talk about my plans with you - heroine," I grumbled.

"Right," she lowered her head. Then, "could you look away while I change?"

I shrugged and turned around putting my back to her.

I was also counting down the ninety seconds it would take for my cameras to come back on line. I had planned for this by also placing five spare cameras around. I just then activated them. Their circuitry had been shielded up to that moment and now the automatic shutters came off. I didn't plan to take the Eros name, but he certainly would be an excellent phantom to put out there from time to time.