To Protect and Serve Ch. 05

"Oh, you boys are good," she said, as they slid out of her.

"You know dat right," Birthday Boy said. "Hey, you need to give you a ride somewhere?"

"You just did," she replied teasingly. "Nah, I can get my new pimp to come give me a ride, but it'd be best if you weren't here when he got here. Get my drift?" She reached into her bag to grab her cell phone.

"You work down here often?"

"I'm new," she replied. "I'm just now staking out my territory. But if you're lucky . . . REAL lucky, then you might see me around."

The guys scattered and she sat down on the lumber pile to wait. She wasn't there long before Henry appeared, jumping down from the steel framework.

"Was I acceptable, Master?" she asked, meeting his eyes and daring to look proud. She didn't feel guilty, but instead felt complete.

"You were acceptable," he told her. "Lean back." He unzipped his pants and placed his hardened cock between her breasts. "Now push them together. That's a good girl." Shamira's breasts were so heavy that they were putting more pressure than normal, but having cum once already that night, he was able to maintain his composure. "They fucked everything but your tits," he told her, "and I mean to correct that oversight."

He pumped her tits several time, then slapped her in the face with his manhood. He shoved his cock into her mouth to wet it, then put it back between her tits. Several minutes later, he deposited a healthy portion of jizz on her chest and neck, giving her that pearl necklace that women always seemed to want. "Get in the truck. Don't get dressed, and don't clean up. I want everyone back at the house to see what you really are."

Shamira could hardly wait.

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Later that evening . . .

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Shamira had finally been allowed to get cleaned up before coming to talk to Shane. She'd met the gaze of each of her comrades with pride and a certain amount of defiance. All of them had looked pleased, except for the two assassins. She didn't take it personally because neither Banshee's nor Reaper's expressions ever changed anyway. She did get a sense that they were impressed by her increasing acceptance of who she was. Clara had actually slipped from her dominatrix role and given Shamira's cum-covered lips a knee-melting kiss.

When she got to Shane's office, she found that Lillian and Clara had also been invited to attend.

"Please sit down," Shane told her. "There are no more slaves and masters for you tonight, as we have much to discuss."

Shamira sat down, rubbing her hands nervously on her designer sweat pants. "Did I do --"

"No, you didn't do anything wrong," Clara said, smiling and heading off her friend's obvious bout of insecurity. "Henry said you performed admirably. In ALL ways that can be interpreted," she added, her smile becoming an evil grin.

"You'll be bringing Tabitha over Friday night," Shane told her. "Henry said that your plan was sound. And he also told me how you dealt with the Dark Pools. That's an ingenious way of using your Shadow Healing." He stared at her intently. "And you've developed Shadow Sight too?"

"I just thought that was something everyone could do, but Henry says it's different."

"Indeed," Lillian said. "But I certainly can understand why this one might have gone undetected. It does make sense based on folklore, but the extent to which you can see is much greater."

Shamira looked around the room. "Henry says there are five Shadow Aspects. What are the other two? Is there a reason why they might show up for the same person?"

Lillian looked towards Shane and waited for him to nod. "Yes, there is. Now, it could still be a coincidence. You could simply be a very blessed fledgling, but . . . but we feel that you need to be told the entire story of the Shadow Aspects. It has to do with the dragons."

"Dragons?! There are dragons?!" Shamira said. She was more amazed than afraid, as she'd had a thing about dragons as a kid.

"Yes," Clara said, "but they're not what you think. Well, not anymore. Most of the dragons that we have today aren't much bigger than a large dog and live out in the unexplored areas of the world. They're comparable to humans in intelligence, but need more space than the other mystical beings. Once upon a time, back when most races were building their first huts from mud, the dragons were already old."

"The Sun Dragons wanted to wipe out the newer races once they saw how the were spreading, while the Moon Dragons wanted to wait. A war broke out between them and all the old dragons were destroyed except for one, a Moon Dragon by the name of Shadow Wing. Shadow Wing was powerful, with a lair deep within the earth. Some say that the volcanoes blurted fired whenever he dreamed in his great sleeps, but that's an old wife's tale by all accounts. It just goes to show the power associated with him."

Shane stepped in. "But Shadow Wing mourned the loss of his kind, and didn't want to continue on for eternity alone in the world. So he passed on to the Endless Sky, but left some of his power behind to guard the world. But in order to gain Shadow Wing's power, you have to be undead, because you have to bring it back from the next world when you return."

"Vampires," Shamira muttered. "So the Shadow Aspects are part of Shadow Wing's power?"

"Correct," Lillian replied. "The histories have many stories of guardians who have inherited the powers of Shadow Wing, but it isn't all THAT uncommon that we thought there anything to it. You were a cop, so it makes sense that his power might touch you. Two Shadow Aspects as we said is unusual, but again not unheard of. Three --"

There was a moment of silence before anyone spoke again, and this time it was Shane again. "I . . . I haven't ever heard of someone reaching three Shadow Aspects without developing all five, and that has only happened a few times in history, usually in times of great strife. A vampire lord achieved all five Aspects last during World War II, and he did what was needed to save the world from destroying itself."

"What did he do?"

Shane shrugged. "Ever wonder why Hitler's body was never found?"

Shamira's eyes opened. "A vampire ate Hitler?"

"Something like that. Unfortunately, that vampire died in Japan when they dropped the bomb. The Shadow Aspects aren't powerful enough to withstand that. It's just that somehow, the spirit of the last Moon Dragon seems to know when his power is needed again and if the need is great enough, then the vampire attains all five Aspects."

Shamira shivered. "Okay, you're scaring me now."

"We don't know for sure that you'll get them all and, if you are, it could be hundreds of years before you need them. It's just that no one has ever come as far as you have so quickly, and no one has ever developed just three. At least not that I've read."

"What . . . what are the other two Aspects?"

Lillian looked like she was trying to remember the right words. "The fourth Aspect is Shadow Claws, which allows you to draw the darkness in around you and use it as a weapon. If there are any flaws in your opponent's armor, then the shadows can bypass it. It's incredibly powerful if you're fighting at night, like all your Aspects are. The Shadow Aspects were given by a creature of the night."

"What's the fifth Aspect?" Shamira asked. Clara was actually trembling, so Shane had to speak. Shamira was scared by her friend's reaction. What could be so bad --

"The fifth Shadow Aspect," Shane said, "is the ability to embody Shadow Wing himself. Not bring him back, but to transform yourself into a Moon Dragon for short periods of time, again under cover of darkness and shadow. There is no more powerful Aspect in all the world, because you would gain all of Shadow Wing's power."

"That sounds like a good thing, doesn't it?" Shamira asked. She was waiting for the other shoe to drop, and it promptly kicked her in the ass.

Shane looked nervous now as well. "The fifth Shadow Aspect is powerful if it is mastered, but . . . but no one has ever attained it without some kind of trial. Most who have been tried . . . died in the attempt."

"Died?! Trial?!" Shamira was on her feet now.

"It's different every time," Clara said. "But the power will not go to someone whose spirit is weak. The trials are often painful beyond imagining and, as Shane mentioned, often fatal."

"But even if Shadow Wing has chosen you to be the guardian of this day and age, then you could still have hundreds of years to prepare. And being chosen is a HUGE 'if.'"

Shamira's hands were shaking. She had just gotten settled again, happy in her new life and having some sense of purpose. Now there was a chance she might be possessed by a dragon?

Clara could see the thoughts dancing through her friend's head, making her sigh. Shamira was going to freak out again.

Shane gave the girl some breathing room. "I know this is another shock to the system. And seeing as you have a lot of work to do, I want you to concentrate on that until Monday. As of Friday, we'll have a full house, so --"

"Full house?" Clara asked.

"Yes," Shane said, looking sheepish. "Renata is bringing back five weres to join the house. I feel we've made great acquisitions with them."

"And?" Clara said, folding her arms and tapping her foot. She knew when Shane was going to say something she didn't like.

"The vampire orphan from Europe was freed from his obligations to the council ahead of schedule and will be joining us Friday as well. And I've decided on the last two candidates to be brought over --"

"Cool!" Lillian said.

"Well, Pierre for one."

"Hmm, Pierre," Lillian cooed.

"I thought you were gay," Shamira said, amused at the schoolgirl-with-a-crush sound the necromancer had just made.

"I am, but Pierre is just . . . hmm."

"He's a submissive, but he's also a helpless romantic," Clara filled in with a smile. "He's also former French Intelligence, and he's been living in D.C. for a while. He's a good choice," she said, suddenly suspicious. "So the orphan Yosyp and now Pierre . . . what aren't you telling me?"

Shane took a step backward. "Bunny."

Look at Clara's face, Shamira could have sworn that her friend and lover had just been insulted in some dire fashion. "Who or what is Bunny?"

Lillian smiled. "You are being way too harsh," she told Clara. "Bunny is the sweetest --"

"Sweet? She makes my teeth rot just thinking about her! Pink? No one wears pink bondage equipment!"

Shamira snickered. "A pink-loving submissive?"

Clara threw her hands up in exasperation. "That's not the half of it! No one is that cheerful!" Then Clara stopped and looked a bit ashamed of herself. "I always wondered if she was just compensating for --"

"I think that's who she really is," Shane said. "And it came back. Yes, that's one of the reasons I decided on her."

"What are you guys talking about?" Shamira asked.

Shane looked at her. "Bunny was diagnosed with Leukemia when she was eight years old. It went into remission, but it's come back."

Lillian smiled. "She's only nineteen, which is young I grant you --"

"Hey, I was eighteen!" Clara said.

"And you turned out rather well," Shane said. "But Bunny has lived every day since the initial diagnosis like it was her last. She's cheerful, bubbly --"

"Air-headed," Clara muttered.

Shane grinned. Clara couldn't handle that much cheerfulness, but Bunny was completely oblivious. She just liked everyone. "She was involved in sports, she's a black-belt in karate, president of her high-school class, cheerleader . . . the whole shebang. She was another donor until recently . . . I thought she was angry with me when she stopped, but she'd started treatments again and just hadn't wanted to worry me. I think she was hoping it would go away again."

"It's not, is it?" Clara asked, her earlier annoyance all but vanished.

"No. She'll be dead within four months, and it will make her so weak that I don't think she'd survive the change. I'll give her my blood this weekend, and she plans to overdose on sleeping pills this week. She's already written her 'suicide note.' She even wrote it on pink paper with hearts and bunnies on it."

Clara rolled her eyes. "She would."

"She's only nineteen? How long was she a donor?" Shamira asked, a little uneasy. But at least she wouldn't have to kill this one.

"She discovered our kind at cheerleader camp. Some kids there were attacked by a rogue werewolf in its wolf form. I sent a couple of enforcers out when we heard about the rogue, but it seemed we needn't have bothered. Rabid weres aren't quite as intelligent as they should be. It had gone after Bunny when she was alone in her cabin but she outmaneuvered it and then beat it to death with a ceremonial spirit stick that had a high silver content."

"A cheerleader beat a werewolf to death with a glorified baton?" Shamira asked.

Shane grinned. "She had no intention of shuffling loose the mortal coil lightly. She's a good person and a fighter. Anyway, the werewolf changed back about the time my enforcers showed up. They called me, calmed her down, arranged a meeting, and she's been a candidate ever since. And no, nothing sexual happened until she turned eighteen," he assured the former cop. "By then, I had told her all about my house and she had admitted her own particular interests." He grinned, but more to himself than anyone else. "She had a most interesting birthday celebration that year."

Clara threw her hands up again and left the room. She couldn't argue with Shane on this, but she didn't have to accept defeat with any kind of dignity.

"Calm her down," Shane said, still amused by Clara's reaction. "And Shamira --"

"Yes?"

"You did good tonight. Again. See if you can get Clara to help you with your history and research on that faerie ritual, then get some rest. After taking care of those four young men, I'll bet you need it."

Shamira smiled. Thinking about her first-ever gangbang did NOT make her want to get some rest, but she did want to talk to Clara, so she quickly hunted her friend down.

"Do you really hate her that badly?" she asked.

"I don't hate her," Clara growled, then she let her shoulders fall a bit. "I'm being silly, I know, but it's . . . it's the aesthetics of it. A shiny happy submissive? A shiny happy vampire? It's just not right."

Shamira stared . . . then started to laugh, then she started to laugh harder. When she fell on the ground and started rolling around in pure merriment, Clara couldn't prevent herself from grinning.

"You . . .you're a vampire snob!"

"Am not!" Clara said, sitting down and punching Shamira in the arm. "Okay, maybe a little."

Shamira righted herself. "Damn, I needed that."

"I'm sorry," Clara said, leaning against her friend and resting her head on one powerful shoulder. "You've had a worse time of things that dealing with your image. So, four guys?" Clara was smiling. "You had quite a night."

"Five guys, if you count Henry. Which I guess we should," Shamira replied. "Plotted the death of a woman I hardly know, fought a couple of weird entities . . . no big."

"You need a vacation."

"I've only been working for three weeks. Hell, I've only been dead three weeks. I don't think I've accrued any vacation time yet."

"Bah!" Clara said. "Hey, let's go rafting next week. Go to be early, then go up to the Ocoee River. C'mon, there aren't many outdoorsy types around here. Though we could probably get Renata and Lillian to go. Renata loves the water, and Lillian actually tried out for the Olympics as a swimmer. The season's almost over, and I've been looking for someone to go with me."

'I'd like to go with you,' Shamira thought, then found herself questing that statement. She really did want to "go" with Clara. "Sure," she said. "Sounds fun. Do I have to take an official day off?"

"Nah, I'll requisition you for a day. It's all good." Clara stood up. "Well, let's get back to your studies. Figure out how fucked you are when you talk to the faeries on Saturday."

Shamira wondered how appropriate of a comment that would be.

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Friday night . . .

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Shamira was sitting in the main hall of Shane's impressive estate. She hadn't been sure what the dress code was for meeting future house-member, and she'd fretted so much that Clara had actually been forced to get out of bed and help her come up with a suitable outfit. It was strange, but Shamira seemed to be sleeping in Clara's room so often that a lot of her clothes, costumes, and personal items had made their way in there. She wondered if she was intruding too much on Clara's personal space? 'She hasn't said anything,' Shamira thought.

Shamira was dressed in a flowing black skirt from the waist to the ankles, with a bare midriff, and a black-silk vest that stretched around her ample bosom. Her hair was actually out of its braid, flowing down over her submissive collar and muscular shoulders. She'd taken no small amount of pride at the approving glances that she'd gotten from her co-workers.

"Nervous?" Clara whispered into her ear.

"About meeting the new people, facing down the spider guy, or killing the wife of a judge?"

Clara grinned. "You've got a full dance card haven't you? Oh, Lillian's on board for the rafting trip, so we just need to ask Renata. Wait, there's Shane. Means that the limo is probably pretty close."

"And that Yosyp guy is coming too?"

"He waited at the airport. His flight got in about an hour before Renata's did." Clara leaned back. "I'm in for a long couple of weeks," she said.

"How so?"

"Well, I haven't subbed for a while, so --"

"Wait," Shamira interrupted, "Subbed? As in --"

"Whenever we get new doms, I sub for them for a session to make sure that they aren't going to hurt our full submissives."

Shamira shook her head. Clara? On her knees? For reasons she couldn't even describe, that offended her.

"It's okay," Clara said. "I'm not really fond of it either. I subbed to Shane for a month before I'd let myself be dominant. I knew what I wanted, but I wanted to make sure I did it right. If a dominant doesn't know his or her limits or gets sloppy, then a sub gets hurt. And I'd rather it happen to me than to you --"

"Let me do it!" Shamira whispered heatedly. "I can heal faster than anyone else here. You shouldn't have to do that."

Clara looked surprised at her lover's vehemence. She also realized she truly saw Shamira more as a lover now than "just a friend." That was odd for her. "Don't worry," she said in a reassuring tone. "It's just one session each, and you can do a lot more kinds of harm than just physical," Clara continued. "Do you really want to be in Sebastian's clutches?"

Shamira shivered. Sebastian was the werespider that was going to be joining them in a few minutes, and just the thought of him touching her made her skin crawl. By his picture, he was absolutely gorgeous, but that knowledge that he could turn into an eight-legged, creepy-crawly --

But it wasn't the limo from the airport. Instead, two other people that Shamira had never seen before walked through the front door. One was a man in his late thirties who had an athlete's build but carried himself with a certain sense of flair. Definitely James Bond type in the tux and artfully slicked back hair.

"Lillian," the man who was Pierre said, sweeping across the room to kiss the redhead's hand. Monique rolled her eyes but didn't appear to be too jealous. Lillian just liked a person with manners; it wasn't going any further than the art of flirtation for her girlfriend and the Frenchman.

The other girl could be none other than Bunny. She even looked like a cheerleader, complete with hourglass figure, medium-sized and naturally perky breasts, big blue eyes and a smile that seemed to be naturally plastered on her face. She was dressed in pink tennis-shoes, a white denim skirt, a pink v-neck shirt with a Carebear on the front. And like cats being able to find the one person in a room who's allergic --