Hello folks... was feeling pretty sick so did not post a chapter yesterday so I am sending two chapters to nifty today to catch up. I hope you enjoy them.
JMH
trandar2002@yahoo.com
Chps up to 21 are now up on the yahoo group.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/adultwritingworkshop/
Gerick read the message over and over again... not trusting that the words would remain the same.
Thomas, who had delivered the message tube, watched the changing expressions on Gerick's face with great interest holding back from asking questions until he could not stay silent any longer. "What does the Guild want? Are they offering to surrender?"
"In a manner of speaking." Gerick chuckled amused by the young man's curiosity.
"What does the message say?" Thomas pouted.
"Read for yourself." Gerick said as he handed the message over.
Reading it quickly, Thomas face showed the same change in expressions as Gerick's had. "This can not be right."
"It is deceptive, mischievous, treacherous, and diabolic... just like any Guild plan would be. It also makes sense... which is unusual."
"But Joshua... what about Joshua?"
"Yes... what to do about him. This Guild man's plan would put Joshua in a very awkward position."
"I thought you cared about him." Thomas accused.
Gerick did not wait a second before grabbing Thomas by the throat. "Do not ever think I would abandon Joshua. Do not forget it was he who gave me my power back. I could no more put his life at risk than I could force myself to stop breathing." He then let Thomas go.
"I am sorry Prelate... I just thought you were thinking of agreeing to this absurd plan."
"And I might agree to it still."
"But?"
"Thomas, Thomas, Thomas... as I said before the plan makes sense therefore it would not be wise for me to ignore it. Most importantly it would be the quickest way for me to gain control of the Guild. Yes this Guild's man is asking a high price for his... help but once I sit on the Guild Throne this person will be in no position to collect his pay."
"I understand... please forgive me Prelate for assuming ill of you."
"You are young yet Thomas... you will learn." Gerick said as he stroked the man's cheek fondly.
Austin walked through the mass of people lost and confused... the orgy he had seen at Yates castle seemed such a small thing compared to the madness that now gripped the countryside. He now understood why Joshua had been so worried. Vard was now a different person. Still more and more people came each day... stripping the land of food and clean water.
Knowing that only Vard could bring some sanity to the situation Austin went looking for the clan chief. He was not hard to find for all Austin had to do was look for the center of the growing mob which at this moment was just outside the village in the a corn field.
Finding Vard proved easy... getting to him was near impossible. Austin had climb over bare bodies and fight his way through Vard adulating followers. Eventually though Austin reached the Prelate finding the man wearing a shaggy beard dirty with the kernels of green corn. Not knowing what else to do, Austin tightened his fist and slammed it against Vard face, knocking the larger man out cold.
With the force and will that had been driving the other birth kin in their uncontrolled frenzy gone, a strange silence took over as everyone but Austin fell into a deep sleep. Knowing that it would all start again the moment Vard awoke, Austin dragged the large man out of the fields and away from his followers to a large oak tree which Austin tied him to with thick ropes. Austin then waited for Vard to awaken.
"Where... where am I?" Vard groaned, waking to a server headache.
"About eight miles south of the village... what's left of it anyway." Austin sighed, bring a water skin to Vard mouth.
Vard... who had not drunk anything all day gulped the water thirstily. "Thank you Austin."
"Your welcome," He replied.
It was not until he felt an itch by his nose that Vard noticed that he was tied down. "What's going on Austin."
"You mean you don't remember? You don't know what you have been doing the past week?"
"The last thing I recall was waking up with you in my bed."
"That was the last time you were this lucid."
"I don't understand."
"Vard... just two miles from here are nearly ten thousand birth kin. They are asleep right now... exhausted by your unquenchable lust. But when they awake Vard... the madness will start over again."
"Ten thousand..." Vard exhaled.
"Yes." Austin nodded.
"Kill me Austin... please kill me. I don't want things to be this way."
"No Vard... I can't do that and not for your sake but for Joshua's. We need to find a way for you to gain control of your powers."
"Do you have any ideas?"
"Yes... I do." Austin said as he walked over to Vard and kissed him.
As Austin saw it Vard's problem was having so many birth kin wanting... needing him... at one time. The only solution Austin could think of was to send Vard into the Void... where no one could reach him. The only problem was that Austin had never taken anyone but himself through the magic door.
Seeing that his kisses had the desired effect of arousing Vard's sex, Austin impaled himself on it... making their bodies one. He then opened the gate to the Void and this time took Vard in with him.
Flying in high orbit above Wor on Kentor's flagship Joshua found himself feeling at home. He would spent hours each day looking out the wide observation windows into the deepness of the Void... counting the stars. It almost made up for the painful procedure of returning his eyes back to their white on white color and the uncomfortable mother of pearl mask that Kentor insist he wear.
Brail for his part was unhappy with everything, the smell of the recycled air, the artificial food, and the same grey color of the walls. What he hated most however was that Joshua and he rarely had a private moment alone... always followed by the white porcelain masks of the Inquisitors.
Feeling the need to express his concerns to Joshua, Brail went to the observation deck where Joshua could almost always be found.
"How are you Joshua?" Brail asked, trying not to sound worried.
"I never knew the Void was so large." Joshua said, not looking away from the windows for a second.
Needing Joshua's full attention Brail sat down next to the young man, took hold of his chin and turned his face toward him. "I know something that is almost just as large," he chuckled as he gave Joshua's pants a tight squeeze.
Joshua's mouth opened and eyes went wide as Brail gained his full attention.
Making as if he were sucking on Joshua's ear Brail began whispering. "Joshua I need to talk with you but I don't want our Inquisitor friends listening in. Do you understand?"
Josh nodded his head even as he let out a deep moan.
Seeing that Joshua understood, Brail began a long act of foreplay, whispering constantly in Joshua's ear while Joshua helped hid what was happening with his half faked moans of pleasure.
The message Brail delivered was fairly. He did not trust Kentor... not with so many Inquisitors around... the men charged with hunting and killing potential Prelates. Brail also did not understand why Kentor, now that he had Joshua aboard, now seemed to be avoiding him. The Protector did not know what Kentor was planning but he was sure that it would not be for Joshua's benefit.
As to what Joshua was to do... Brail was less certain. All he was certain about was the further Joshua was from the Inquisitors the safer Brail would feel.
By this time Joshua's face had taken on a pained look... a look Brail hoped would be looked upon by the Inquisitors as pleasure. Still he felt he needed to Joshua away. "Shall we continue this in a bedroom?"
"Yes." Joshua nodded. He too wanted to get away.
Half naked the two walked arm in arm back to their quarters. They told jokes along the way to help hide the fear that both of them felt. One reaching their quarters they let out a sigh of relief only for Joshua to jump when he say Kentor sitting in a chair by the bed.
"I see the game is over." The counterpart said disappointment filling his voice.
"We do not know what you mean." Brail said even as he moved in front of Joshua protectively.
"Do you think your little sex game fooled anyone?" Kentor laughed. "At most it was entertaining to watch."
"So you do admit that your intentions towards Joshua are not honorable." Brail said as he moved towards Kentor.
"I never promised they would be." Kentor replied as he raised a hand. "I would not take another step if I were you."
Looking down at his chest, Brail saw the red spot of a guide laser causing him to stop cold.
"Come out Felix... lets not have any more secrets," Kentor grinned.
Out of the shadows stepped the Star General, gun in hand. "As you wish my lord."
On hearing the general's voice, Brail did not miss the adulation in it... adulation that was to be reserved for the Prelate. "What game are you playing at counterpart?"
Kentor ignored Brail, turning his gaze on Joshua. "Can't you guess?"
Joshua thought back to that first conversation he had with the counterpart. "You are not happy. You are not happy as being only a counterpart. You are not happy being hidden away."
"Smart boy," Kentor grinned. "And can you blame me. I have lived like a prisoner in my own house for over three hundred years... expected to be the loyal mate to the Prelate... a man who busies himself planting his seed among the populace."
"You are planning to revolt... to overthrow your own Prelate!" Brail said, the very idea shocking.
"How long have you been planning this?" Joshua asked calmly.
"Not long... Not until I arrived on Wor and sensed Gerick's power. Even though he only has one world under his control he is already several times more powerful Lorien ever was."
"But Gerick wants Joshua... not you!" Brail shouted.
"What Gerick wants is a counterpart to replace the one he lost. With me here he now has a choice. You tell me which person he would prefer... a boy and with his pet Protector or an experienced counterpart... who has the loyalty of a Star General with a fleet behind him."
"It seems you and Gerick have already made your deal. So why do you need Joshua." Brail asked.
"Oh I'm no fool... I know Gerick does not have any feelings for me... that he would betray me the moment he has the chance but so long as I have you Joshua he would not dare make a move against me."
"You have thought this all out." The Protector said with grudging respect.
"When you plan to overthrow the government you better have all your I's dotted and T's crossed," Kentor chuckled.
"What are you going to do with us now?" Joshua asked.
"I am going to hand you over to the Inquisitors. I do not feel safe with your relative proximity to Gerick. You will be hidden... just as I had to endure."
Just as Kentor finished that sentence the door behind Joshua opened... showing the white masks of the Inquisitors.
Austin did not know how long he and Vard floated, in the Void. Time had almost no meaning there. All he knew was that it was an experience like none he had ever felt before, trapped in the act of love making, his hope being that it would sate Vard's near unquenchable lust.
One can not stay in the Void forever however. It will eventually spit one out which is what happened. Austin and Vard landed in a piled heap on the same hill they had left. While Austin felt exhausted, as if he had run for days without sleep, he could hear to his annoyance Vard'd deep laughter.
"What is so funny?' Austin groaned, as he rolled over to face the Prelate.
Pinning the wiry man with his arms and legs, Vard gave the smaller man a wicked grin. "Can we do that again?"
"You must be joking."
"No... I'm not."
"You can't still want more sex."
"If it like what we just experienced... I'm ready now."
"I think it will be a while before I take you back to warped space again."
"Then would you mind if I made love to you here and now," Vard said with pleading eyes.
"It will be like making love to a corpse," Austin warned.
"You must really be tired," Vard said disappointed.
"Traveling through the Void will wear a person out," Austin agreed.
The two then spent a long time just staring at each other... Vard with a wolfish grin on his face while Austin was sure he looked like a trapped rabbit. Feeling his resolve weaken, Austin let his hands reach between their two bodies and that hold of their sex. "Just promise you will be gentle with me."
Vard lowered his head down on Austin's neck, nipping the skin with his teeth. "Oh beloved, I only know one way to make love... and that is to give you everything."
"What am I ever to do with you?" Austin sighed.
It was not until the sun rose the next day that they left the hill... making their way back toward the village. They were only half way there when they started seeing the changes that had taken place while they had been gone. The village was now a city... surrounded by a wooded stockade. Everywhere around the new city people were planting crops or tending animals. As people passed by Vard and Austin they would bow politely to the Prelate before hurrying on their way.
"Are these people birth kin? Austin asked confused.
"They are," Vard nodded, also bewildered.
"There must still be thousands here... are you sure you are filling ok?"
"Yes... I can fill an immense power coursing through me but I have control over it now."
"Thank goodness," Austin sighed.
At the gates to the city Vard and Austin were met by Broken Claw. "So you have finally returned," The red headed man laughed.
"How long have we been gone?" Vard asked.
"Two long months."
"And you never thought to look for me."
"Oh there was no need for that beloved," Broken Claw winked as he elbowed Austin. "We did not know where you were but we all knew what you were doing."
"Oh my..." Vard chuckled while Austin went beet red.
"So when is the ceremony going to take place?" Claw asked after none of them said anything for a while.
"Ceremony?" Austin asked confused.
"Don't you think it's time we made Austin your oath brother?"
"Oath brother?" Austin asked.
"I think you're right... after what we did he should be my oath brother," Vard said, the wolfish look returning to his face.
"What is an oath brother!" Austin demanded.
Broken Claw gave Austin a bemused smile. "Among the clans a man can have two official lovers. The first is one's mate. The second is the oath brother."
"But are you not Vard oath brother?" Austin asked.
"No... to be an oath brother one has to be of the same clan."
"But I am not a member of the Wolf Clan," Austin pointed out.
"As clan chief I have the power to make you one." Vard explained.
"Ok... but what will be expected of me as an oath brother."
"You will be my official lover. Until I pick a mate you are the master of my bed."
"What does that mean?"
"Simply put, you deiced who I can or cannot sleep with. You also have final say over which person I will take as my mate," Vard replied.
"Well Joshua will kill me if I did not let him be your mate so I think that decision is already taken cared of," Austin chuckled.
"Then I think you would make a good oath brother." Vard laughed as well.
I have been working on a book for little over a year and would like y'all advice on it. If intrested please e-mail me. An intro and chp of it is posted at http://www.keepitcoming.net/centurion.html I hope y'all will consider looking it over. Thanks.
JMH
trandar2002@yahoo.com