chap 7 part 2

[frogscookie]

Ivy's pov

Being a living vampire groomed and twisted by a three thousand year old soulless undead, who took your virginity when you were thirteen; well, you get used to waking up in strange beds, in strange positions. I once woke up in a bed with two dead men, one of them still inside me. Raising myself off the cool flesh I found myself wondering if any blood would ever taste as good their last drops had. It was the third time it happened that my parents decided to send me away to California. Until now I would have said waking next to the corpses of men I killed was the most disturbing awakening I had ever experienced. However waking to find you were no longer the same species was far more distressing, or perhaps it was simply that I knew how to deal with corpses. Rachel had twisted me almost as much as Piscary had, albeit in a very different way, so I suppose it’s appropriate in a way that she should be responsible for this.

I lay there besides Rachel watching the soft movement of her chest and tried to ground myself in reality. The problem was I could see the muzzle that had replaced my face. Stretching unfamiliar muscles I wagged a tail I shouldn’t have. She had turned me into a dog, a fucking dog. I shuddered, she had used magic on me without my permission. I wanted to curse at her, to demand an explanation but instead I lay there, watching as her lungs inhaled air before gently exhaling. So many people had already violated me in one way or another that one more in the scheme of things didn’t really matter. But why did it have to her? Why couldn’t I have just one person in my life who respected me?

My eyes fluttered shut and I counted to ten trying to calm myself down. However I couldn’t get my breathing to change properly, and my heart wouldn’t slow its beat. I would have tried something else, but having four legs meant tai chi was out. Thinking for a moment I decided I could try to picture my retreat. It was something Kisten had taught me when we were young. Closing my eyes I pictured a golden beach, my feet sinking in to warm golden sand, the little grains shifting and wiggling between my toes. My back was to the sea and gentle water lapped at my heels, a hundred yards away palm trees welcomed you to the island proper. All around was silence broken only by the occasional bird call, the air smelled clean and fresh. I was alone, I was safe.

“mmhmm” I froze. I knew that murmur of complaint. I heard it most mornings when Rachel’s alarm clock went off.  Opening my eyes I stared at the witch lying beside me. She was starting to wake up. Placing a paw on her soft arm I tried to shake her, I wanted answers.  “mmhmm no Ivy sleep.” She yawned.

Oh no, there was no way I was letting her go back to sleep.  Slowing rising on unfamiliar legs I leaned over, carefully aiming I started to drag my tongue up the length of her face.  It was an odd mix of humiliating and erotic but it worked. Her eyes opened just as I passed her nose.

Rachel’s face contorted in pain and she shot upright so fast I barely got out of the way in time. I tilted my head at her trying to ask numerous questions despite my lack of vocal cords. A chocked whimper of pain escaped her and I forgot all about my anger in favour of worry. I tried to look her over, searching for her injuries. The odd pink robe which covered her from her neck to her ankles impeded my view but she looked deathly pale and her face was heavily bruised.

“Sorry, it’s my back I really shouldn’t have slept on it, Newt healed my bones but nothing else.” Her voice was raspy and tired, which wasn’t surprising given everything that had happened. I remembered the poor condition she had been in at the hospital, guilt rose swiftly in me. I really should have let her rest longer. “Do you know where we are?”  I just stared at her before shaking my head, I had thought she’d brought us here. I looked again around the windowless room, the place reeked of burnt amber and I knew we had to be in the Ever After. The furniture looked high end, made from solid wood and carefully carved with intricate figures.

I squinted at the dresser on the other side of the room but no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t see colour beyond a few metres. I knew Rachel had said Al was still virtually broke, so judging by what I could see this didn’t look like it belonged to him. I wonder if Rachel would recognise Al’s bedroom? Irrational jealously stirred in the pit of my stomach.

“The room must belong to Newt I guess. Do you think we’ve been here long? I really need something to drink.” Awkwardly I waved a paw towards the bedside table, it had a jug of water and a couple of glasses. Throwing me a grateful look, she poured two and held one out to me.

I just looked at her. She blushed lightly.  “You could just lap it up?” I closed my eyes, I was a goddamn mongrel. Somebody please, please tell me I am going to get my body back.

“Sorry. I guess I should explain. Do you remember going off after Marissa?”

I thought about it nodding slightly as I recalled going to a warehouse to confront the vampire who had attacked Rachel. The fight had been brutal, and I probably shouldn’t have walked out of it alive. I frowned as I recalled the odd energy that had flooded me, taking away my pain. I had no idea what my frown must look like on a dog but judging by Rachel’s face it was concerning.

“You got hurt... badly.” Rachel's eyes dropped and her voice became soft. “By the time I saw you they were giving up.”

Giving up?

“They were going to pronounce you dead.” The soft words seemed to echo in the silence as she peered into her glass of water.

Ah.

“I …” her hand tugged on a curl of her hair, “I don’t know what I did, but I got your heart beating again. The thought of losing you, of….”

Her arms went around me, and Rachel's head was buried in my fur. “Don’t ever leave me.” I had rarely seen Rachel this vulnerable and I desperately wanted to comfort her. I wanted to wrap my arms around her but I couldn’t, wolf legs don’t really bend the way arms do. Instead, I settled for the humiliation of twisting my head round and gently nuzzling my nose through her hair. My nose met her cheek and she gave a watery laugh.

“Your nose is cold.”

Well if someone hadn’t turned me into a wolf….

Is that how she saved me? I remembered a conversation we had had months ago, she had asked if I would accept becoming something other than a vampire as a way of saving my soul. I had vetoed human because there was no way to protect myself. But I hadn’t ruled out inderlanders. Was I a werewolf now? Had she done it? Had she saved my soul?

“You're not a real werewolf. After I got your heart started again you were still really beat up and they thought they would have to amputate your arm.” Her warm breath tickled my skin and caused my fur to sway in the gentle wind. The intimate feel of it caused my eyes to close as she talked. “You remember how I found a spell I could Were with, so I could defend my position as the alpha bitch in David’s pack? Well it gave me a whole new skin, no scars, no fillings in my teeth, no aches or pains. And well, I figured if it can do that, then it should heal you.”

I wasn’t sure how I felt. For a few brief seconds I had thought my soul might finally be safe, that my life had been remade. But the truth was I never want to be anything other than a vampire, how could I? This was all I had ever been, my family, my community, my identity, everything I am is tied to my species. My desire for blood was, at least until I died, psychological not physiological. No matter my species my craving for blood would still be there, even now there was a part of me that wanted to sink my teeth into Rachel. But if I was no longer a vampire I would be unable to make the act of taking blood pleasurable for my partner. And who would want to give blood when all they would get was a lower iron count and pain? Then there was the issue of sex. Skimmer had helped me to learn, had helped me become less savage towards my lovers. But I still struggle to be truly gentle.

At least as a vampire I could cover up my twisted needs by making the pain enjoyable for my bed mate. If I wasn’t a vampire I would just be a monster. I closed my eyes, trying to clear my head. So she had turned me into a wolf without my permission to save me, but that didn’t explain why we were in the ever after or why I was still a wolf.

Rachel started to pull back, a hiss escaping her lips as she straighten up keeping one arm around me, fingers tangled in my fur. I could tell from the way she was leaning on me she was struggling to stay sitting upright.

“I would turn you back but I don’t have any clothes for you right now and it’s probably not a good idea for you to be naked given where we are.” That was a fair point, wandering around the ever after naked really didn’t appeal to me. Rachel glanced at me and I could feel her fingers playing with my hair, curling and uncurling my fur. I looked at her intently. A nervous smile graced her lips before she grimaced, her free hand covering up her face as she sighed. I wasn’t sure it was possible for a mutt to raise their eyebrows - I wasn’t certain that wolves had eyebrows, but nevertheless I attempted it.

“Ivy…I was thinking, this Sunday after we’ve been roller skating how about we go for a nice dinner. There’s that human place just off Fountain Square that’s just opened up and it would be nice just me and you, my treat.” Her voice quavered slightly as she avoided my eyes.

I wished I could read more into her words, that I could let myself believe that she was trying to ask me out but I couldn’t let myself pretend. I could imagine some of what Rachel must be feeling right now. Betrayed by her best friend and violated by another vampire all in the space of a week. Her emotions were most likely all over the place. A sick part of me was almost relieved about what had happened, it was proof that Rachel needed me to keep her safe from vampires. Proof, she should be closer to me for her own protection. Yes the attack had been from one of my rivals and almost certainly aimed at me rather than Rachel herself but she didn’t know that. I was surprised Piscary hadn’t begun telling me how I could exploit this to twist Rachel into being with me.

“Or maybe we could go to the cinema, the one on South Street are claiming to have fitted a revolutionary new air filtration system and I'm rambling pointlessly.” She took a deep breath, releasing her grip on my fur her fingers instead linked with their brethren in her lap.

“The truth is I want Sunday to be a date, like a date, date.” She winced before continuing “I want more from our friendship. I've wanted it for a while but I thought we couldn’t have it, that a romantic relationship between us wouldn’t work for me. I thought…” she shook her head “Ivy will you go on a date with me?”

I closed my eyes letting the words wash over me, trying to ignore the twisting in my stomach as Rachel yanked my chain again. I was almost grateful to be a dog at that moment, there was no way she could read the emotions cascading through me. Opening my eyes, I stared into the green depths of her eyes, trying to divorce myself from my emotions.

You are still covering up what happened last week, hardly a sign you’re ready for an open and committed relationship.

“It’s taken me time but I've come to realise that I want you, I want us. I look into the future and I can’t imagine you not being by my side.” Her eyes were pleading with me now, and I felt my heart creaking, threatening to break. Rachel was vulnerable, most likely still in shock from the attack and then witnessing me dying. The last time she had thought Jenks and I were dead Rachel had done something so stupid it nearly destroyed her. Now she was scared of losing me and so trying to convince herself she was in love with me.

I looked away from her, I couldn’t look at the worry forming in her eyes. My gut twisted back and forth as I fought with myself. I wanted Rachel, had been hunting her for years but I wanted her to love me, to truly love me. I wanted to put her in a room with the world’s most beautiful people and for her to see only me.

Part of me- a small part, had accepted it was not meant to be but the rest of me still hoped. If I took what she was offering now we would have a relationship based on fear. And one day the fear of losing her best friend would be less than her desire to sleep with someone else. Everything I felt for Rachel was becoming so complicated, so bittersweet and twisted. How could things between us have reached this point?

’It need not be that way Ivy girl you could easily bind her to you as yours, look at her.’ My eyes obeyed Piscary’s smooth voice without thought.

‘The poor witch is trembling like a stalk of wheat before the farmers scythe. Her fear is delicious and it’s all because of you. Simply say the words, demand she allows you to bind her. It is for the best, properly bound and by your side she would be an asset against those who oppose you.’

My mind offered up a vision of Rachel by my side, smiling, her arm wrapped around my waist, fingers stroking the top of my butt teasingly as I spoke to vampires who congratulated me on my successful rule of the camarilla. Her aura bathing, and protecting me as I pulled it from her without breaking her skin, just to feel the reassurance of her love. The sweet caress of her mind against mine. The look in her eyes as I bent down to kiss her. Our souls joined together forever.  I wanted to cry as I pushed the thoughts away. No I could never do that, Rachel would never be happy. She would never truly understand what it meant to be my scion instead it would be a yoke round her neck dragging her down.

‘Your toy offers you everything you want of her own free will take her or you are no better than the dog whose image you wear.’ Piscary’s voice insisted.

“Ivy, I know I’ve messed stuff up and you can’t exactly speak right now but …” Rachel's soft voice made my heart creak painfully again. Rachel looked worried and if she had been anyone else I would say she was on the verge of tears. I didn’t have to give her my answer now, I couldn’t give her my answer. But I could at least comfort her without my blood lust coming between us.

Carefully leaning my body against hers more, wary of the cuts and bruises which marred her body, I placed my paw on her leg. Before I gave her another quick lick and she relaxed against me. God, being a dog was humiliating. A shudder ran down my spine at the thought of Jenks finding out I had ‘licked’ Rachel, the jokes would be never ending.

Smiling Rachel pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead and I cursed being a dog all over again as the fur dulled the sensation of her lips. Had she kissed me last week? I desperately wished I could remember that night even though I didn’t know if I could cope with the memories of what I had done.  I could go on one date with her, I just wouldn’t treat it as real. As long as I didn’t let her kiss me maybe I could get through it with my heart intact. After all it wouldn’t take Rachel long to realise she didn’t want me.

“I guess I should try and get us out of here. I'm going to try and call Al instead of Newt, what do you think?”

That neither is a good choice and whichever you call the other one will be annoyed about it.

Wincing as she shifted off the bed Rachel made her way over to the dresser, her legs seeming weak and shaky as she muttered to herself. “Guess this proves I was right to get Ceri to teach me the blood glyph.” I'm beginning to think Rachel will never learn that others have better hearing than her.

I saw Rachel's hands move to her bandaged neck and involuntarily I stood up as I realised what she was about to do. A small whimper escaped her throat as she touched the wound, my heart skipped a beat at the sound and I jumped down from the bed. Padding towards her I tried to adjust to walking on four legs instead of two it was an odd experience, the rhythm of the walk felt almost jerky and the floor seemed far too close.

As I reached Rachel, the smell of burnt amber flooded my senses. A presence loomed over me leaning towards Rachel and I growled at it, the rumbling seeming to fill my chest and shake my vision. A bald, vaguely reptilian face peered down at me and I felt Rachel's hand bury itself in the fur of my neck. The eyes blinked one after the other in quick succession.

“Good dog.” A weathered hand patted me on the head and I fought the urge to attack the demon in front of me. An over whelming smell of burnt amber seemed attached to her, or perhaps it was just ingrained into her long flowing robes. I wrinkled my nose and tried not to sneeze. I had come to like the subtle depth that burnt amber added to Rachel’s base scent. But the burnt amber coming from this demon dominated everything, even in a realm which was saturated with it.

“Newt, we were thinking that really we need to get back to our side of the lines. Do you mind if I call Al to take us home?” Rachel's voice sounded hesitant and slightly strained as Newt stared at her.

So this is the demon that petrified Ceri, and had removed the sanctity of our church. I managed to bring my growling to a halt and focus on examining the demon in front of me. It looked as though her eyes were completely black and I racked my brain trying to remember if Rachel had ever mentioned the significance of black eyes on a demon. Her robes I realised were almost identical to the ones Rachel was wearing.

“No, you need to register your servant.”

Servant? I twisted my neck to look up at a blushing Rachel.

“Err, I haven’t had chance to talk to Ivy about that, she hasn’t agreed.”

“No. She doesn’t get to agree or not, you control her body and you agreed to the deal. I'm sure Gally hasn’t been lax enough in his teachings to fail to inform you of the cost incurred should you break a deal?”

My heart froze, even I knew this, fail to adhere to a deal and you forfeited your soul. I pressed myself against Rachel's leg. “Woof.” Whatever it is I agree, I refuse to be responsible for you losing your soul and becoming Newt's plaything. Let’s just do this and go home.

“Are you sure? You’d be legally considered mine by the demons and have to join me for my time over here.” Anxious green eyes locked with mine as Rachel knelt in front of me. “You don’t have to do this I can renegotiate.” Newt chuckled but I ignored her.

Silly witch, why would I refuse to do something which meant I would be able to protect you when you are with Al. I could see her guilt at asking me to let myself be known to belong to her, when she had caused so many problems, by not allowing me to lie and tell people she was my shadow. God how much trouble could we have avoided if she had just let the lie slide that night at Piscary’s Pizza when he offered to name his latest pizza after us.

Rachel had been investigating the witch hunter murders at the time, murders Piscary was committing via a demon. Believing her a threat, Piscary punished me for not making her my shadow and later tried to kill her. It had set in motion events which would lead to her becoming involved with Al and Piscary’s death. If she had just nodded and smiled, our lives could be so very different right now.

“Woof.” I stared back at her letting her see that I would not finch away from this.

“Excellent.” Without waiting for a response Newt winked and the room dissolved into nothingness.

I blinked, trying to adjust to the new location. The air was filled with the scent of ink and leather, dust flitted through the hot air. The room’s lights seemed dimmed making me think of twilight as my eyes swept the room. Ahead of us was a solid looking counter stretching from one wall to the other. Behind it stood what appeared to be row after row of archive shelves from floor to ceiling filled with leather bound tombs. A single item sat on the counter. A simple bell, the sliver catching the light and drawing the eye. Rachel’s demon blinked into existence, looking somewhat worse for wear. His jacket was torn and his clothes rumpled.

“Damn it, Newt, she’s my student not yours.” His red eyes raked Rachel’s form taking in her new attire. Al’s jaw dropped for just a moment and I could see and smell his shock and lust. A low growl rumbled through me drawing his gaze. It was bizarre to find myself suddenly the shortest in the room, it made me feel defensive as he sneered down at me.

“For now. I decided to help Rachel register her servant.” Newt’s voice was flat and distant.

His gaze shifted to Newt as his eyes narrowed. “She has no suitable servant.” I felt vaguely insulted that I wasn’t considered enough of a threat for him to keep his focus on me.

“I disagree.” The amused coldness in her voice spoke volumes, she was in complete control of the situation and she knew it.

I could hear the sound of Al’s teeth grinding together, sending shivers of disgust down my spine. “You have no right to dress my student in those clothes. We had a bargain. I’ll take this to courts if I have to.”

Mocking laughter filled the room and my ears flattened. “No right? Oh, dear Gally, it is you who has no right.” Her black eyes sparkled as Al stumbled back a step. “Take it before the courts, I doubt you’ll get chance to even blink before they strip you and throw you to the surface.”

He snorted “If you believed that, we’d be in the courtroom already. They’ll never trust you.”

“Who else could they trust?” Her voice was still coated with laughter as waves of frozen air seemed to radiate from her. I moved closer to Rachel trying to keep my body between her and the demons. Her hand rested on the back of my neck, I could feel her trying not to lean on me. Not that I could blame her, given everything that had happened she must be exhausted.

Al licked his lips before straightening his back. “I can justify my choices. Between the two of us I am the most trustworthy. However maybe it would do my student good to learn the basics of having a pet.” His tone had become crisp and professional, but there was a hint of sullen petulance to it. “This is a lesson I had planned anyway.”

With that he reached across and slammed his hand down on top of the bell, a perfect note rang out. As the sound died a small bookish man appeared behind the counter, white hair neatly combed back across his head. A pair of wireless glasses rested on a pudgy nose protecting shrunken eyes. His skin was wrinkled and sagging. Except for his vivid scarlet eyes he looked as though he should be living in the Hollows waiting for his meals on wheels visitor. The demon looked quizzically at Al.

“We’re here to register my student’s pet.” The bitterness in Al's voice was plain to hear now.

“She's not a pet.” Rachel's voice was hard.

The desk demon adjusted his glasses and peered at Rachel before glancing at me. “Well, we will soon find out wont we?” He beamed at Rachel revealing that several of his teeth were missing.

“What do you mean?”

“Surely they have explained the procedure to you?” He looked at Al who was busy examining his nails, before moving his gaze to Newt who appeared to have summoned herself a mojito cocktail from somewhere.  “Very well.” his eyebrows drew together as he seemed to think deeply on something for a moment before shrugging.

“You need to transform your wolf into her normal form, once that’s done you will come up here and enter her into the register, before marking her with your seal and that’s all there is too it.” Al snorted but the desk demon ignored him, and pulled a large leather bound tomb from somewhere. Dropping it onto the counter top he riffled through the pages. “Ah yes here’s where we were up to.”

“I don’t understand, what do you mean mark her, like a tattoo?” The angry bluster in her voice couldn’t disguise the worry and guilt.

I think they mean more like a cattle brand dear heart.

Her eyes dropped to mine, “I'm not going to hurt her.”

“Of course not. There’s no pain involved for the poor thing, the marking won’t hurt her at all.” I wasn’t sure about Rachel, but personally I was feeling somewhat sceptical. My heart was pounding a mile a minute.

“Oh, for cripes sake get on with it already.” Al's voice brooked no argument.

Slowly Rachel knelt beside me, her hands burying themselves in my fur as she whispered into my ear “I’m sorry.”

Standing up she took a step backwards, I saw her lips move and I felt a wave of energy roll across me. There was no pain as everything seemed to shift, I closed my eyes as a film of darkness seemed to descended upon my senses cutting me off from the world. I couldn’t breathe as electricity poured through me seeming to pull on each molecule of my being. It didn’t hurt but it was like waking up the morning after a strenuous night of sex and stretching out each muscle, feeling the bones click into place.

A moan slipped from my lips and I realised I was a vampire again. The cold marble floor caused goose bumps to break out all over my body. Slowly, I pushed myself upright. I stared at my hands grateful to see I now had fingers again. I shook my head in wonder. God, Rachel could rule the world if she wanted to. I felt a shiver of unease run through me as old fears resurfaced but I pushed them aside.

“Well, at least you finally seem to have developed some good taste, she's much better than all those nasty little men.” I looked over at Al's gloating eyes as he looked me up and down. I made no move to cover myself up, that was what he wanted, to get a reaction from me, to try and make me ashamed and uncomfortable. But after Piscary I had very little shame left. Instead I pulled a sexual mien, lidding my eyes and softly licking my lips. I heard Newt chuckle as Al's eyes widened in surprise.

“Can you summon her something to wear?” Rachel seemed to be aiming the question more at Newt than Al, but he was the one who replied smiling as Rachel stepped in front of me trying to cover me from view.

“Fraid not love, it’s better she's naked for the ritual. After all there’s no telling where you’ll mark her.”  Al leered at her lecherously.

“I'm going to ask Ivy where she wants it.” I nearly groaned at Rachel's choice of words as Al broke out into laughter.

“You haven’t even taught her how to summon clothing? Gally, just what have you been teaching her?” The chill to Newt's voice seemed to wipe away Al's amusement.

“She is pig headed and has no basic schooling, it’s a bloody wonder I’ve managed to cram as much as I have into that thick skull in such a short space of time.”

“Well maybe if we went to less parties I might be able to learn something.” Rachel indignantly shot back at Al.

“You mean Gally has taught you nothing?” There was something about her voice that seemed to stab into every nerve ending in my body and I could hear the robot from Lost in Space whirling in my head ‘Danger, Ivy Tamwood, danger’.

Rachel's whole body had stiffened and I placed my hand on her shoulder, clearly she felt it too. “I have learned stuff, Al's a good teacher.” I could hear the ‘when he wants to be’ and prayed Newt couldn’t. “I’m just saying I could have learned more.”

“Ah, but all good little proto demons need to learn social skills, bumbling around on the other side of the lines has taught her a lot of bad habits. We don’t want her to seem like a surface demon, now do we?” Al's voice was as slick as a vampire trying to get a cookie to sign a consent to be bound form. My eyes flicked to Newt and I could feel the dangerous edge to her retreat.

She nodded her head “I suppose not.”

“Well if that’s all sorted out perhaps we could get on with this.” Seeing no objections the desk demon beckoned Rachel towards the counter. I took my hand off her shoulder and Rachel made her way across the room. The slight breeze played across my body and I did my best to ignore that my nipples were hard as Al continued to eye fuck me.

“Good, good now if you just pick up this quill and enter her into the book.” The desk demon was certainly doing his best to appear harmless. When it came to undead vampires, the more harmless and ordinary they look, the more dangerous they are. I had no idea if that was true of demons or not, however I was certain that I didn’t trust him.

“Err... I'm not sure I understand all the column headings or what I'm meant to put in them.” Embarrassment coloured her voice instead of the annoyance I would have expected. She must be feeling too nervous about everything to feel angry. I was feeling rather anxious myself, in just a few minutes Rachel would be branding me. A wave of pleasure shot through me as my mind filled with kinky ideas and I tried to hide it. I was not getting turned on by this. I refuse to get turned on by this. I just had to stand still and get through it. It was no different than Rachel walking round with my bite marks on her neck. Every time I saw those neat little marks I was filled with a combination of lust and shame. I could feel my body becoming liquid and languorous I wanted Rachel on her back screaming my name.

“There is no need for you understand my dear. Oh no, not at all. As soon as you pick up the quill, you will know exactly what you need to do.” The desk demon was clearly doing his best to reassure her. Rachel glanced back at me.

“You sure you're ok with this?” Indecision scored Rachel's face but I knew that the consequences of breaking the deal with Newt would be catastrophic.

“I'm sure.” I tried to keep my voice from purring.

Sucking in a deep breathe Rachel picked up the quill. It looked to be a swan’s feather, brilliant white and perhaps 10 inches tall. The moment she touched the quill Rachel changed. It was the same as when she tapped a line. She became… witchier somehow. I couldn’t see any sign of an ink bottle but Rachel's hand glided across the ledger, the quill scratching as she filled in the register with seeming ease. The scent of Rachel's blood reached my senses, solving the mystery regarding the ink. I tried to take a step closer, the intoxicating smell drawing me in, but my feet refused to move.

Worried, I closed my eyes, straining to move my toes and then my arms, neither budged an inch. Shit what the hell is going on. All thoughts of sex and Rachel's blood were forgotten as I fought to move any and every part of my body. I was panicking, rational thoughts slipped away as pins and needles ran across my skin. Have to move. Have to move. Trapped. HAVE TO MOVE.

“Shh, noli timere.” All of the fear and the worry slipped away from me as Rachel's soft words drifted over me. Smiling, I opened my eyes. Rachel was stood before me, warmth seemed to flow off her and her green eyes sparkled with gentle mirth. She had changed again, her body looking as it had in the ally. She was about the same height as me, there was a subtle power to her now and the scent of burnt amber was more prominent. Her shoulders were wider and her jaw more defined and yet as my eyes trailed downwards it was impossible to mistake her for anything other than female. Rachel’s breasts were perhaps a cup size bigger and her hips appeared shapelier. The odd robe she was dressed in seemed to have no problem with her different shape, the silken fabric clung to every inch of her and I found myself imagining it was my bed sheet clinging to her as she advanced towards me.

My gaze flicked to the other demons. Al and the desk demon wore near identical looks of astonishment, but while the desk demons seemed to hold an edge of hope there was a greed in Al’s eyes that I had seen in numerous undead vampires. That look, made me feel more at ease with what was about to happen. Being with Rachel in the ever after would keep her safe. Newt appeared vaguely bored but there was a satisfied air about her.

Rachel's hand cupped my cheek bringing my attention back to her as she pouted adorably. I could tell she was upset at me for paying attention to the demons instead of her. My breath quickened as she stepped closer, the silk of her robes pressing against my naked skin. Goose bumps broke out across my skin, we so rarely touch, fear of my blood lust and misunderstandings keeping us forever apart. To have my dear heart leaning against me was a sweet torture I didn’t deserve. Smooth lips hovered scant centimetres from mine, causing anticipation to dance through me.

Her hand slid upwards, pushing my hair back from my face before resting behind my neck. My eyes were pure black as Rachel’s right hand passed my face, the swans feather now a vibrant blood red. A tiny whimper escaped my lips as the tip rested on my forehead, gently Rachel's thumb traced soothing patterns on the back of my neck. Fire ran through me as the quill slowly drew across my forehead. The inscription seemed to melt through me, etching itself in my bones, my soul quivering as the inscription sunk into it.

“Aequalis in sapientia” The warm breath of her words hitting my skin made me shiver and a moan of loss fell from my lips as the quill left my skin. Rachel's body never left contact with mine as she flowed around me to stand at my back. A gentle kiss landed on my right shoulder blade and I gasped as our auras mingled. The warmth of her lips was replaced with the fire of the quill. All I could sense and feel was Rachel. I was drowning in her, held aloft only by the two shining marks.

“adiutor meus et protector”

A soft kiss over my left breast, a flare of heat and there was a third piece of shining perfection on me.

“Custos cordis mei”

Somehow I managed to open my eyes, the world swam before me, black and gold ripples and waves surrounded me. My eyes drifted downwards to find Rachel on her knees before me. Her eyes met mine and I sucked in a gasp as her lips touched my stomach. The ripples and waves rushed in filling my lungs until I was convinced my chest would burst. Lips left my flesh and my breath left me, making me somehow empty.

Thought fled as the blood red feather carved into my skin, a shallow and barely there cut, but I could feel it touching my organs burning my stomach and deeper down into the soul I sometimes doubted I had.

“Ego pascam vos et custodiet te valere”

I almost didn’t feel the kiss land upon my sex. I screamed as the quill cut into my skin, every nerve ending blazing to life as the heat scorched through me claiming everything it touched. My body roiled, the abuse was too much. Please god let me pass out. The golden inscriptions on my soul held me like a butterfly straining against the board as the pins are driven in.

“coniugem et amantem”

My world shifted and spun as I screamed until I was lying flat in mid-air. Those delicate lips touched the sole of my foot and I begged for mercy, words falling from my mouth in an endless stream. The quill touched my foot and my back arched my body straining from the burning fire that seemed to consume my body.

“Gressus mei sint gressus tue”

I flipped, my body facing the floor and I closed my eyes willing my stomach to stay still. I didn’t feel a kiss the fire consuming my nerves not allowing me to feel anything else. Or perhaps Rachel didn’t bestow one, but the quill began to carve into my left buttock without warning. The touch sent my body into overdrive. Each of the marks seemed to blaze behind my eyes and I watched as thin trails of gold seemed to connect them together. The lines raced towards the mark still taking shape, connecting as the last of it blazed onto my soul.

“Mea usque ad duo mundi CONCURSO”

The lines pulsed with a surge of gold and I threw my head back and screamed my release as I orgasmed. The marks hung incandescent for a moment before falling dark.

I panted breathlessly; my body and soul seeming not to fit in the same space anymore. I felt cold and hot, my skin raw, I wanted to crawl into my bed and never leave. Arms went around me and I found myself turning over and being lowered to the floor. My body shivered and quaked as Rachel cooed to me, rocking us back and forth.

“Well now that was unexpected.” The delight in the desk demon’s voice was palpable and I managed to summon the strength to move my eyes to look at the demons. Al started to walk towards us his goat slitted eyes fixed hungrily on Rachel.

“I wouldn’t do that if I was you.”

“Nonsense, she knows I'm her teacher.” The desk demon shook his head in response but didn’t say anything else. Rachel didn’t seem to be paying attention to any of them as Al moved closer. Crouching down, Al stretched out his hand towards us. The effect was instantaneous, Rachel's head snapped up, she hissed and Al was flying backwards across the room. Still hissing, Rachel tightened her grip on me. I could feel each of her fingers digging into my tender skin.

Newt grinned as Al picked himself up off the floor. “Perhaps I should try hmm?” without waiting for a response Newt made her way towards us. Rachel's eyes narrowed and her fingers clutched me tighter to her. A low mummer of pain escaped my lips and Newt froze. Unearthly green eyes stared into mine, before soft satin lips met mine. A shot of gold ran through me, filling me up and I felt drugged.

My body relaxed against Rachel, I smiled up at her dreamily, my nose worked tirelessly pulling in her delicious scent. Vaguely I noted Newt was moving towards us again. Rachel hissed warningly and Newt hissed back. I could feel Rachel's surprise, her hissing stopped, and she ducked her head. My dear heart looked adorable when she was confused. Newt's hand caressed Rachel's face, pulling her face up to look at her. Nodding, Newt stood up, effortlessly Rachel copied her, still cradling me in her arms.

“I think Rachel and I have a few things to discuss. Don’t worry Gally, I’ll be sure to return your student to her side of the lines.” Al didn’t even manage to open his mouth to object before the room was dissolving and we were pulled into a ley line.

Please leave me a review and let me know what you think! Pretty please with whipped cream on top.

For your information, I have no Latin skills so blame google. i know i have been cruel and not given a translation, i thought about it and Ag argued for it. however i decided since Ivy doesnts know the meaning of  the  words it would be unfair if you did. espiecially as ivy will most  likely find out the meaning of most of her marks in the next chapter.

P.s title is from Electric Six - Pink Flamingos which is another thing i dont own