TSS 3: Knight's Son Ch. 11

Elly's eyes narrowed as she thought through what I'd said before her lips curled into a wry grin. "I wore this to have plausible deniability if things didn't go well. Sexy enough to get your attention, but not so much that it looked like I was throwing myself at you. I don't know why I'm admitting that, but I trust myself with you, Bobby. Incubae can affect lust but not many other emotions." The last was said in a hushed whisper.

"That's good to know," I said with a soft smile and stood up. I kept her hand in mine and offered my other to pull her to her feet. We looked into each other's eyes for a long moment, and I enjoyed that she was nearly as tall as me.

Her eyes didn't waver as she asked, "Weren't we going to lie down together?"

"Sorry, I'm still trying to find my way out of your eyes," I said in a flirty tone.

Elly and Charlotte both burst out laughing, ruining the moment. I haven't heard a line that corny in a very long time!

"That's sweet," Elly said after a few awkward seconds, "but I think we should go to bed before it gets too late."

I knew she was using that as an excuse—it was only nine o'clock—but their response still stung slightly.

I indicated the bed and let her crawl in after removing her silk robe. Underneath, she wore a matching white lace bra and panty set. They were sexy in the way that all women's underwear were but not overtly so like lingerie typically was. I remembered an old quote that said, 'Remember men, if she's wearing matching bra and panties, it was her decision for sex, not yours.'

After plugging in my cell phone, I crawled onto the bed's left side. Once again, Elly warmed my heart as she pulled my arm around her middle. Then I remembered I was still rock hard, and there was no way Elly wasn't aware of my manhood pressed against her rear.

I didn't have time to be embarrassed or even offer an apology before I found myself in Charlotte's side of our mens mundi.

"Okay, we have a few moments before Elly joins us," Charlotte said in a rush. "That is if she can fall asleep with you snoring right in her ear."

"Do I really snore that bad?" I asked, more concerned about that than the fact I was back in this gaudy place.

"That's not important right now," Charlotte snapped, though I thought it was very important. "I need to know how much you want to reveal to her before she gets here. Do we lay all our cards out on the table, or is there something you want to hold back? I can't read minds in here, so I need to know now. Remember, once the cock's out of the boxers, it can't be easily put away until things are resolved."

"What?" I asked, confused by her poor metaphor. "That doesn't even... You know what? Never mind. I don't want to keep anything from her. She already knows everything that's in my file, anyway. The only way we'll be able to move forward and have a proper relationship is if I don't hide anything from her."

"Are you sure?" Charlotte pressed. "I mean, the fact that you had a major crush on your eighth-grade science teacher, and had some pretty dirty thoughts about her, probably wasn't in that file the Knights have on you."

"How did you know?" I asked, shocked. I would have been wearing the pendant by eighth grade... And just how closely had she watched me as I grew up? "Actually, again, never mind. If she wants to know, then I'll tell her. Yes, I was a perverted teenager, but almost all teenage boys are."

"That's good to know," Elly's voice said as the woman walked out of my side of our mind space. I felt the blood drain from my face as I wondered how much she'd heard. "So, this is a mens mundi, huh? I wondered if you would have one or not. I appreciate you not trying to trick me into thinking we were still in his room. The Persian prince's harem parlor seems a bit much, but I like it more than that dorm room next door, considering it can be whatever you want. I'm assuming that's your side, Bobby?"

"Uh, yeah," I said, off-balance with how comfortable Elly seemed to be. "How did you...?"

"I pulled her in after I put you both to sleep," Charlotte answered my unfinished question.

"And don't think for a moment that I don't know what you were doing, succubus," Elly didn't quite sound upset. "I do appreciate it, though."

Like a newly lubed but old rusty crank, my mind took a moment to get moving again, and once it did, it took off. I realized that Charlotte must have brought both of us here but hid Elly from me as she asked her leading questions. And my wife had eavesdropped long enough to hear my response. I didn't know whether I should be grateful that she knew I wanted to be honest or mortified that I'd admitted I was a pervert at a young age. Then something else Elly said caught my attention.

"You know about this place?" I asked Elly.

"I know the theory of it, if not the practice," Elly said, suddenly looking uncertain. "Monsters that can feed on psychic energy pull you in and create nightmares. Well, I guess a sexual creature like her wouldn't make nightmares. The Knights taught us in the orphanage how to recognize these places, so we wouldn't fall into their traps."

I remembered my first time here and how I thought I was losing my mind. Despite what Elly said, that was a nightmare. I wonder if my parents were honest with me, as Al's parents were, if I would have known about that and been better prepared?

Then I remembered Elly's willingness to lay next to me and realized she must have already had an idea of what Charlotte had planned. Once again, Elly's intelligence and knowledge showed that she far outstripped me.

"I know you have some questions for me," Charlotte said as she rested back on her mountain of pillows. "I agree with Bobby that we should be completely open. Ask me anything."

Elly regarded Charlotte for a long moment, eyebrows drawn together in thought. "Bobby?" Elly finally asked without looking at me. "Is it true that she can't read our minds while here?"

"To the best of my knowledge," I responded. "I tried testing it, but I can't be certain since I can't read minds."

More tense seconds passed as Elly regarded the succubus. I don't know how Charlotte held up under the scrutiny, but she maintained eye contact the whole time. Then, just as I wondered if I should say something, I saw Elly's lips twitch, and she finally turned to face me.

"Is there somewhere we can go to be alone?"

I pointed back towards my side and said, "Charlotte says she's given me that space and won't bother me in there."

"I'm right here," Charlotte said, an edge forming in her voice. "You know you can ask me."

Elly turned to face the succubus again; this time, her voice was flat as she spoke. "I'm willing to accept that you are a part of my husband, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. While I know that the Paladonic Knights have a skewed view of anything not human, I also know that magical beings don't always have our best interests at heart. I appreciate all you've done for my husband, and I am in your debt for helping him be resurrected, but that doesn't mean I have to like you. I know what your kind feed on, succubus, and how you manipulate and twist things to benefit you. I will listen to my husband; thank you very much. I trust him."

I felt just as stunned as Charlotte looked. Despite Elly's level tone, there was no mistaking the rebuke in her words. Before either of us could respond, Elly turned and walked back to the other room.

"Go after her, idiot!" Charlotte hissed. I didn't know if she was hurt or angry, but I decided her words offered some solid advice.

The atmosphere palpably changed when I crossed the threshold. From Charlotte's silks and cushions to my dull dorm room, I decided I liked my area more despite the simplicity. However, when I stepped in, I couldn't see Elly. There weren't a lot of places she could be hiding, so I jumped nearly out of my skin as I heard the door slam behind me. Spinning around, I saw Elly give me a sheepish grin before rushing into me. Her arms pulled me tight against her. I found myself hugging her back as her chin rested on my shoulder.

"I know how we can kill Charlotte and get her out of you," Elly said, ruining the moment. "I don't think she knows I know, or she would have stopped me from getting you alone."

"I..." I trailed off, thinking through what she just told me. I would have jumped at the opportunity only a week ago. Hell, I still wanted her gone, but to kill Charlotte? That seemed a little extreme, especially since I was alive, thanks to her. I decided to listen to Elly's plan before committing. "How?"

"Believe it or not, an exorcism will work," Elly whispered. Her breath sliding across my ear sent goosebumps down my spine, but I focused on what she said. "I made some discreet inquiries, and I know of a priest that will do the exorcism. It seems like this isn't the first time a Knight resurrected with a passenger, and it also goes a long way to explaining why they're keeping such a close eye on you. They've done it before. The hard part is getting you set up where it can occur without her knowing."

"That's going to be difficult," I said, swallowing hard. "Even if she genuinely can't read our minds in here, she'll know something is up after we wake up. She has full access to my memories when we're awake." Which I now realized was how she knew about my thoughts concerning my 8^th-grade teacher. I'm glad no one else will ever read this and see how dense I can be.

I heard and felt Elly chuckle in my arms. "I figured as much. I'm acting as a distraction while the priests get set up around the house. All I have to do is wake up and give them the signal."

"Why don't they just get started?" I asked, then another thought occurred to me. "Or will it hurt you if you're in here when they begin?"

"Thank you for worrying about me," Elly said, then pressed her lips against my cheek. "But I wanted to ensure it's what you wanted before we started. If you resisted, it would cause you harm. It might even kill you again, but it would definitely kill her."

I pulled Elly tighter into my arms as I thought fast. Yes, I wanted to get rid of Charlotte in my head, but I didn't want her dead. Was I willing to do it anyway? The thought of freedom within my own skull was tempting. Very tempting! And Shayna would trust me again. I could get my life back on track! Well, as much as I can while still working for the Knights. All it would take was sacrificing Charlotte.

Charlotte... The demon saved my life. She claimed that all she wanted was to help and protect me. I knew some of her motivations were selfish, but I started to see another side as I thought through things. She'd proven that she could take over my body at any point. I was powerless to stop her. Yet, she left me in control most often. Sure, she trapped me in here for what felt like days, but other than her stories, she hadn't tortured me.

This might be my only chance, though. After that, my body wouldn't be normal. But, I'd still have my extra strength, endurance, and whatever else the Knights put into making this shell for my soul. They might even watch over me less, allowing me more freedom. But if they discovered that I hadn't gone through with this, they'd surely have me killed. And I could win Shayna back. Then, finally, she'd be able to trust herself around me.

I could only come to one conclusion.

"You're going to hate me," I said, unable to meet Elly's eyes and looking off to the side as I stepped away from her. "I want her gone. I want to be as normal as I can be. I want to be a man that can make you and Shayna happy."

"But...?" Elly asked when I paused to gather my thoughts.

"I don't know if I can find the right words to express this," I told her, still trying to think. "I want her gone. But she saved my life. She's given up her freedom to allow me to have more than I would have if she hadn't helped me get resurrected. She... She doesn't deserve to die just so I can be happy."

There was a long pause, and I couldn't bring myself to look at Elly. I knew the condemnation and hatred I would find there if I did. I thought I was a strong man, but that was more than I could handle right then.

"I see," her voice lacked almost all emotion as she spoke. "Are you sure?"

I nodded and swallowed the lump that tried to form in my throat. "Even though I know it means losing you, and I know I should hate and want her dead just because of what she is... But I can't. I can't kill her just because it'll make my life easier. Before I died, I would have said yes in a heartbeat. Back then, I hated all those freaks. But now? Now I don't know. I've gotten to know her. I know what she is, but she hasn't hurt me. Hell, it was thanks to her that I could stop in the shower from hurting you and Shayna even worse. I'm sorry."

I finally found the courage to look at Elly and wasn't prepared for what I saw. My beautiful wife's cheeks were wet with tears. I felt like the worst monster to ever exist. My heart wrenched, knowing that I was causing her such pain. Of course, I knew she liked me before this, but how much so if my refusal to be free of Charlotte caused her this much heartache?

I saw Elly's lips move, but I couldn't hear her. My heart felt like it was beating out a dubstep rhythm in my throat. Yet, despite feeling worse than the lowest piece of trash at the bottom of a sewage tank, I forced myself to continue looking at her. I deserved this pain for being too weak.

"I-I'm sorry...." I had to swallow before I could speak again. "I didn't hear that."

I expected to see hatred or disgust in her eyes, but instead, I saw a fierce determination. This time when she spoke, I understood her words, but they didn't make sense. I knew what they were supposed to mean, but in this context, I was confused. I had to repeatedly play them back over in my head just to be sure I'd heard her right.

"I love you."

Three simple words, yet so complex.

"You... what?" I asked. How could she love me? She'd gone through all that trouble to give me freedom, and I rejected it. Hell, I was essentially rejecting her!

"I love you," Elly repeated, and I noticed her lips tremble at the confession. "I'm sorry, Bobby, but I have a confession."

A confession? Hadn't she already just confessed the most confusing thing in the world? She didn't speak until I nodded at her. I couldn't trust my voice right then.

"There aren't priests waiting to cleanse you of the succubus. I made all of that up." She must have seen the baffled look on my face as she rushed on with the rest of her confession, and as she spoke, I found myself reeling more and more. I knew Elly's intelligence level was off the charts, but even then, I'd underestimated her. "When we were still out there, I tested Charlotte to see if she could read our minds. I hadn't planned on doing so before coming in, and I didn't let my thoughts betray that it was a test. If she could read our minds, she would have reacted, but she didn't.

"Then, after we came here, I had to test if she was really giving us our privacy. I lied about the priests. I made the whole thing up on the spot. I can't be one-hundred percent certain, but I'm pretty sure she would have come in to stop us if she watched us."

"Okay," I said, not liking what I was hearing but still very confused. "But you said—"

"I know. I'm getting there," Elly cut me off with a soft smile and softer words. "I honestly expected you to jump on the opportunity. I know how you feel about all the magical creatures. What they're calling the Lydonese, now. I felt terrible for lying, but I had to be confident we were alone. I had to know! But when you turned me down, I saw in your eyes how much you cared about Shayna and me.... When I saw the compassion you had for a being I knew you hated, I couldn't help the swell of emotion that hit me. I don't think you know just how special you are, Bobby Brody."

"But..." I thought fast, trying to gather my thoughts. "Don't you want her dead and gone also?"

Elly closed the distance I put between us and slipped her arms around my neck. Her fingers gripped the hair at the back of my head and forced me to look at her. "This is probably the only place I can admit this. Despite owing the Knights for taking care of me after my parents kicked me out, I don't believe all of their propaganda."

"They kicked you out?" I asked, shocked. I knew she'd grown up in an orphanage run by the Paladonic Knights, but I hadn't known why she was there. I hadn't made it that far into her file yet.

"That's another story and not important now," she told me. I couldn't help but marvel at the strength she must have to put something like that in the past. "What I want you to understand—though even Shayna doesn't fully know—is that I know that not all magical creatures are evil. I was seven and all alone. A dryad found me and gave me food and a place to rest. She made sure other humans found me and took care of me. Well, by that, I mean they took me to an orphanage, though I doubt they knew it was run by the Paladonic Knights. I didn't even know that until I was old enough to be interested in sex, and then I was given a choice. Continue to have them care for and educate me, or end up back on the street. I think you know what I chose."

"That's a lot to take in," I admitted, head still swirling with the rapid change in topics.

"I know," Elly admitted. "And I know you're probably upset with me for manipulating things, but I had to be sure we were alone. I knew I liked and cared for you, but until a moment ago, I didn't know how much. Or maybe your actions were enough to push me over the brink. It's crazy, but the spell they used to make me love you was intense. Hot and fiery. This love is softer, and yet I feel it far more potent. I love you, Bobby, and even if you can't say it back—"

I stopped her by pressing my lips against hers. It didn't start passionate, but I felt her arms tighten around my neck after a moment. A few seconds after that, her lips parted, and I took that as an invitation. However, when my tongue ventured out, she pulled away.

I spoke as she caught her breath. "I love you." My words were firm, despite having known her for such a short time. I know I still have much more of her to know, and I'll admit here that her intelligence intimidates me. However, despite all that, I could see her warmth and caring side. I knew, without knowing how I knew, that I wasn't willing to give her up. I understood what she meant by a soft yet potent love. I didn't appreciate her lying and manipulating me, but I understood her motivations.

Her brilliant brown eyes regarded me for long, tense moments before speaking. "Do you really mean it? Will you still love me in the morning?"

"Why wouldn't I?" I asked, once again confused.

Elly's Cheshire grin split her lips, and her eyes sparkled as she answered my question. "Because, my dear husband, I intend to ensure that love and not lust drives you to say those words."

"How do you—Oh!" I was caught off guard as Elly again closed the distance and slipped her hand into my shorts.

"By draining you of every ounce of seed I can before we wake up," she told me while pushing me back toward my old bed. "Once I know lust doesn't tinge your words and thoughts, I'll believe you."

My legs hit the bed, and I fell back, chuckling. "And how do you know that won't make me love you more?" I asked.

Elly straddled my waist and placed her hands on my cheeks, looking deep into my eyes. "Shut up and kiss me."

That was a command I was all too willing to follow. This time it was her tongue that slipped out to meet mine. Our lips and mouths danced and moved in counterpoint to one another as her hips ground down hard against my manhood. Between her skill at kissing and the feeling of her body pressed against mine, I spent long moments lost in bliss. Then, just as I grew uncomfortable—constricted by my clothing—I remembered that all of this was technically taking place in my head.