Surrender

Betrayal

Jake, turns of the engine of the sixteen seater mini bus as Tank opens the sliding side door, helping the other three men take the seven children they just rescued from a group of low life scum bags, at least that’s what Hawk calls the people who kidnap women and children for their own gratification.

“Sparrow get some rest, you need to up early to take this lot over to the children’s home.  Your friend works the early shift tomorrow.”  Jake said as he helped a young girl step off the bus.  “Tank, Hawk and Bear, you guys are feed and sleep duty.”

“What’s up boss?  Tank asked looking around, he could feel the electricity in the air, the change of the wind across the trees and the tremor under his feet, but Jake was the one that felt it first.

“I’m not sure, the Queen has left and she normally waits for a report.  The night is too calm and Stephanie has not look out of the window.”  You wouldn’t know it to look at him but Jake was nervous.  “Take charge of these, I’ll call if I need you.”

Jake walked carefully and quietly into the house, taking the stairs rapidly as he heard the voices at the end of the hallway making frustration swallow all other feelings.

“I can help you with that.”  Sparrow said as Stephanie performed yoga in front of the large mirror near the window, he was leaning against the door of Stephanie’s bedroom watching her intently.

“If he catches you in here…”  Stephanie left the statement hanging in the air as she turned to face him, giving him a very gratifying glance as she stood and walked to stand at the foot of her bed.

Sparrow took a couple of hesitant steps inside the room staring intently into her eyes before looking her up and down, twice.  “I can be quiet if you…” his words were cut off as a growl grew from behind him.  “Want to catch a nap.  You know what, I can check the bathroom pipes later.  I just remembered I have something to work on with Tank.”  He turned slowly feigning surprise, which was fooling no one.  “Jake, I was just telling Step…”

“Leave while you can still walk on your own.”  Jake’s eyes watched Sparrow leave before entering the room with a smile.  “I swear it’s like there’s something in the water lately.”

“One woman living with a group of five men, I’m surprised it took this long before they found me attractive or maybe I’m just available and they’re getting horny.  You know what they used to say, any port will do for a sailor.”  Stephanie said as she turned her face away as she felt the sad look creep into her eyes.

“You are not any port and they are not sailors. Nor are you available for any sailor.”  Jake said with a smile as he made his way towards her, pulled like gravity towards the centre of the Earth.  He stretched his hand out to caress her cheek.

“She wants a word.”  Stephanie said making Jake’s hand drop to his side in disappointment. 

Jake stood back to feel the light breeze that quickly swept around his Stephanie, changing her vibrant red hair and sparkling green eyes to black. The air was filled with power and electricity.  Her hair waved fiercely as her eyes shone like black coals in a hot hearth as her arms stretched like she had woke from a long slumber.  Jake wished he could follow the pattern of when the Queen slept, which is the only time he gets to talk to his love alone, only lately he has had to keep the men in check whenever the Queen sleep and Stephanie is in the same room, this concerned him as he was sure the Queen was behind it.

“My Queen.”  Jake bowed his head and waited for a response, which may or may not come.  There had been times when she would simple walk out of the room too deep in though to see who was near her, not caring about such trivia.

“My Jake.”  She said blinking her eyes at the beautiful man in front of her.  She walked around Jake checking his body like he was the most perfect specimen of male magnificence.  This was something new, not new as in the last week or so but new in the last two or three years.  He knew her better than anyone other than Stephanie, they share the same body, not the same soul or heart but he had, over the last ten yen years found Stephanie remembered more and more of the conversations they had with the Queen while she was in control of the body.

“How are you this warm night, my Queen?”  Jake asked as he stood her in a warm embrace.  “You need something.” He stated before she had the chance to answer the first question.

“Yes.”  She said curtly as she released him from the embrace.  “Steph, wanted to tell you but we agreed,” she stopped talking when she caught the expression on Jakes’ face.  “Fine, we argued and I won, obviously.  I wanted to see you, see the look on your face when I tell you some news.”  She was beaming as she spoke, like a small excited child making Jake smile a real smile for her.

“Very well, what is your news? And how will it affect us?”  Jake knew if the queen was making an appearance without full warning, it usually meant a big change like, moving home, saving another changeling, or his most hated, an appearance that would last for days, sometimes weeks with no sight of Stephanie.

Jake also knew the Queen had the power to kill and heal, and if she wanted she could take over Stephanie’s body in the blink of an eye, the only thing that stopped her was the thought of the pain she would cause Jake, he and he alone was the only one she cared about fully.  Jake had witnessed her take the life of those that harmed children with a snap of her fingers while a wave of the other hand the children that were harmed were fully healed and dressed in new clothes and all had a sandwich and a bottle of water in their hands.

“I have news.” She repeated holding out her hand to him.

Jake took her hand and walked them to the chaise lounge in the corner of the bedroom.  “Which is?” he asked, not letting on that he notice she used news and not good or bad, why?

“I,” she began then smiled widely. “Steph and I… have been working on the little problem of separating ourselves so as not to hurt her, and we, well I, have found the answer and,”  she held her hand up to stop any interruption before Jake could protest.  “We came to an understanding a long time ago and I promised you I would not leave this body if it meant hurting her.  This will work.”  Her tone had hardened, a forceful edge to the statement not even Jake would go against.

Jake froze, he wanted nothing more than to hold Stephanie in his arms without the thought in the back of his mind reminding him that the Queen could make an appearance at any time.  He had thought many times that she would appear on purpose whenever she thought he was going to kiss her, it was very off putting to say the least.

“Why now?”  Jake carefully asked still holding the Queens hand.

“She asked me not to disclose every detail, in fact, we made a pact.” She declared with authority.  “As this is very difficult and strong magic we cannot utter the words with anyone other than who is involved.  The pact we made is that to keep you in the dark about the details but to give you both three days without a single interruption from me, that’s seventy two hour for just the two of you.”

“That sounds like this is more dangerous than I would like.”  Jake kissed her hand before standing and walking towards the door, taking great care not to show is anger at the thought of putting Steph in danger.

“Wait.”  Jake froze with his hand on the handle of the door.  “If you say no then we will not go ahead with the spell.  Think things over, please.”  He knew the Queen never begged, never ever.

“Are you asking me to think about this without knowing the details?”  Jake asked incredulously.  He loved the work they did, saving the children and women that evil men would take from their homes and loved one and make them slaves of many types.  Finding changelings and help them understand what they are before helping them make a new life for themselves

“Yes.  I am telling you now as you will need time to stretch yourself fully so you can stay for the whole three days without leaving her,” she waved her hand up and down, “for three days.”

“I wish to speak to Stephanie first.”  Jake asked softly but the Queen knew it was a demand.

“Fine.”  She snapped as the air around them swirled more violently than usual.  “You have three minutes, one for each day, then you must leave and not return until dawn with your answer.  She will tell you nothing of the spell but give you more information after you agree”  The Queen lowered her head ending the conversation as her raven hair changed to ruby red with bright green eyes and when she raised her head she wore a huge smile, just for Jake.

“How much did she tell you?” Steph asked as she moved forward to meet him halfway, standing on her tip toes to gently kiss his cheek.

“Nothing, or as good as nothing.”  His fingers trailing down her face and neck.  “Can you tell me anything?”

“No.  I want to try the spell, of course I do, but I want this weekend more.  They only thing that worries me is without the queen I may no longer have a voice.”  She watched as confusion swept over Jake’s face.  “When you first found me, I was unable to speak, I was a mute i***t that people shoved around because I couldn’t hear.  You must think about this before you make a decision.  Come back to me at dawn and say yes only if you feel the same as I.  I love you. I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember but I need to know you feel the same.”  Steph placed her finger over Jakes lips stopping him from voicing his concerns.  “Think before you answer, now go.”  She insisted, pulling a face at him.

Jake grabbed her waist with one hand and placed his other at the back of her neck kissing her with so much force it left her breathless.  Taking a step back he used sign language to tell her ‘I’ll see you at dawn’.  He smiled as he pulled his clothes off and threw them to the floor as he headed out to the balcony and climbing on the railing.  “Dawn.” He said as he opened his arms and allowed himself to fall from the top floor window.

Steph stood transfixed to the space Jake had momentarily filled waiting for the sound of the air moving as his silver dragon rose into the sky, twirling at a speed that was already making her feel dizzy as she laughed.  The light from the room and the moon reflected off his silver scales like a disco ball filling the bedroom with a rainbow of colour.

Dawn

Red and orange glowed across the horizon as the queen stood like a statue on the balcony as she watched for any sign of Jakes’ return, patience was never her strong suit and she grew irritated as the dawn turned to yellow.  The air was still yet curtains began to billow into the room making bottles and brushes scatter across the floor from the dressing table.

“What is irritating you, my Queen?”  Jake spoke from behind her on bended knee and eyes to the floor.

“I feel you smirking, Jake.” She spoke softly, carefully with an almost pleading whisper on her lips.  “What is your answer?  Do I leave for seventy-two hours? Stephanie, she waits for you, to hear that one word, but you must say it out loud for all to hear.”  The Queen had turned to watch Jake as he knelt in front of her.  “Get up, I have never asked you to kneel before me, nor shall I ever!”

Jake rose to face his Queen still smiling, but not for her, this smile was for what he was about to receive from the Queen, like a child on Christmas morning, Jake wanted nothing more than to have his gift and the time to play without any disturbance.  He took her hand and kissed it before answering. “You will not return for any reason before the end of the three days, the whole three days?”

“You have my word.”

“Then… yes.”

Wind swirled and lightening sparked from the Queen as she raised her arms to the side and her head to ceiling. “Seventy-two hours!”  She screamed.

Jake caught Steph’s body before it hit the floor, picking her up he carefully carried her to bed and placed her on top of the covers.  He looked up from her face to be surrounded by four large men, all ready for a fight.

“What the hell happened?” Tank asked, he was Jake’s right hand and best friend. He was also someone you wouldn’t want to meet down a dark alley at night if you were the bad guy.

“If you have come here to take her from me I will end every one of you.”  Jake stood elongating the talons of his right hand.

Three of the men took a step back while Tank stood firm at the bottom of the bed, his eyes flicking between Jake and the other men.  Tank stretched his hands until he had claws where is fingers should be.

“Why would they be here to take Steph?”  He asked bewildered turning his back to Jake to face the other men.

“Whoa.  We’re here because of the noise man.  I mean, I think I can speak for everyone… we know Steph is off limits and besides, she’s not my type.  I mean, you’re more my type than Steph, not that you are my type.”  Sparrow stopped talking as flashing images crossed his mind.  “Oh, s**t man.  You have got to believe me, that was not me.”

Jake held one finger from his left hand up to silence Sparrow.  “Are you all clear from the spell now?”  He asked them all. 

“Yes.” All three men replied together. 

“She did this?  Why? Why would the queen want to get us killed? Did we piss her off?”  Bear asked bewildered.

“No.” Jake said as he withdrew his talons and nodded for Tank to do the same.  “The Queen, was testing Stephanie’s resolve and loyalty, I think, before she gave into her request to three days… with me”

The whole room relaxed with a noticeable sigh, Tank was the only one that looked confused so Jake explained as Steph slept peacefully.  He ordered the men down stairs as he closed the balcony doors switching the alarm on as a precaution before heading down to the kitchen where Tank handed him a coffee before telling what little he knew.

“You my friend, were the only one the Queen could not fool into believing that you found Stephanie attractive.”  Jake nodded at Tank.

“I’m not blind, I know dam well she’s attractive, but she’s more like a sister to me, besides, any fool knows she only has eyes for you.” Tank laughed.

“Yeah, I know.  Ok, are the children all safe in the home?”  Jake waited for Sparrow to swallow his mouthful of coffee so he could nod his response before continuing with what little he knew.  “Our Queen has found a way to separate herself from Stephanie, but before they do the spell she insisted on having three days without the Queen.  Now before you all go nuts with questions, I don’t know what the spell entails only that if I don’t agree to it, then they don’t do it and I won’t be agreeing to it unless I’m sure Stephanie will survive and that’s where you guys come in.”  Jake gave the men the task of finding the spell the Queen had found while he took a short break from the responsibility of normal life, or what this pack … family, knew as normal.

70 hours

Steph’s eyes fluttered as her nose inhaled the most amazing morning smell of bacon, eggs, grilled tomatoes and toast.  Her lips twitching into a small smile as her ears took in the sounds of a tray being placed on the dressing table followed by soft footfalls creeping closer to the bed, taking a deep breath as he traced his finger from her cheek to her shoulder making her shiver and moan.

“You’re awake.”  Jake stated before kissing her shoulder, “I thought I was going to have wait much longer.”  He carried on kissing up her neck towards her lips.  “Or maybe tickling you or even taking advantage of you while you sleep.”  He continued as his fingers trailed down her arm.

Steph’s eyes flew open with a gasp to see Jake watching her with warm kind loving eyes and a grin on his lips that said he was teasing her and wanted to start the day sooner rather than later.

“That wasn’t very nice,” Steph faux chastised him, “maybe I should spend the next three days with someone else.” 

Jake grabbed hold of her waist as she tried to turn away from him, the smile was wiped from his face as he leaned down to kiss her lips, stopping to stare into her eyes.  “You can talk?”  He asked stunned.  “You can hear me?”  He began to laugh and as he did he grabbed Steph securely around the waist and rolled them over the king size bed and onto the floor, making sure Steph landed on top of him.

Steph gasp in surprise as she landed with a thud as her hair cascaded round him making it look like she had caged his beautiful face in warm glow.

“Yes.” She laughed.  “Yes I hear you and see you and speak to you, all without her spying on me.”  Steph laughed more only stopping to kiss Jake.

The kiss intensified rapidly and she melted herself over him, feeling his excitement, his need, his desire for her.  Jake responded quickly as he flipped then over once more, pushing his member across opening, flicking his tongue inside her mouth as she moaned his name softly around his lips.  He undressed her with a need so strong he thought the dragon was about to take over.  Leaving her lips only long enough to take a few deep breaths as he ripped his clothes from his body and through them to the side.  Once his beast was under control he continued to undress Stephanie, this time he took his time, savouring the sight before him.

“Jake.”  She whispered.

“Again.” Jake demanded.

“Jake,” she whispered again, “take me, Jake.  I want you now!”  Her voice was laboured, almost begging for him and he was so intent in giving her what she wanted.

Steph moaned as Jake’s length pushed against her opening, tap… tap… tap. He watched her face as she squirmed beneath him, begging him with her eyes until she grabbed his thighs and tried to pull him inside of her.  He slowly pushed himself inch by inch watching as she moaned with relieve.

68 hours

“Not exactly how I wanted our first time alone to go, but damn that was intense.”  Jake whisper across the top of Steph’s head.

“Hmm.” Was the only response.

“Of course, I blame you for my speed.”

“Huh.”

“You were so wet I had thrust harder to stay in.”

“What did you expect?  It’s been at least twenty years since we last fucked.”  Steph said and tried to get up from her comfortable position of laying across his chest.

Jake kept a hold of her waist, stopping any escape she had planned.  “And since when do you curse?”

“Let go of me!” She demanded

“No.”  He rolled them so they were both on their sides.  “I’m sorry, I was only teasing.  I like that you are wet for me, and only me.  But, it is the truth, it was very intense and I had to thrust harder and because of that I apologise it was so, well, not as long as I’d have liked. Shall we leave it at that?”

“Please whisper, I don’t want everyone in the house knowing what we’re talking about, even if they know what we’ve been doing.”  She whispered while leaning into kiss him.

“We are the only people in the house, hell, we are the only people on this property. I told the guys they could come back each night to see you for two hours, max.  That is as long as I can bare to share you."

For the rest of the day they made love, ate, laughed and were naked until 8pm when Jake told Steph the guys were waiting to see her and she should put some clothes on. 

56 hours