Children Of The Night
By: Veronica Leigh Marquette
CHAPTER 16
Kris turned over, smiling as Jessy slipped into their bed. "Have, you got
everything, taken care of?"
"I have a lot I want to talk about with you later, but not now, I am just in
too good of a mood to be serious for any time. Yes, she is fine, and yes, I
left her smiling." He nipped at her shoulder. "Actually, I left her in the
kitchen, heating up a bottle for the baby. But," he chuckled to himself, "she
was most definitely, smiling."
"I'm sorry, Jessy, I didn't know that I wasn't supposed to do that. It just
seemed like such a good idea. You've given me so much, I only wanted to come up
with some way to show you how much your help, and your presence mean to me."
He snorted, "I'm not talking about that, if anything, the fact that you gave
her to me, when you did, and how you did, is what I am so pleased with. I'm not
even two hundred yet, and already I have enough control to walk them through
that first fear, without having to dominate them completely."
"Ramaine thought as much. He said that if you were strong enough to help me
through my first year, young or no, you had more power than anyone your, age,
should have. He said that no one he knew would try something this insane,
other than maybe you and I, so he couldn't swear that it would work, but he
didn't see why not." She pulled away from Ryan, to go into Jessy's arms. "You
do realized that your mother, is going to have a field day with this. She keeps
telling them all that you were unlike any of us. That you would redefine what
we were."
He nipped at her nose, playfully. "And why in the hell would she say
something like that?"
"Because, being the way you are, you grant her, her most fervent wish, that
we will grow, we have to continue to develop. That was why they put the ban on
us to begin with. So, that we would be forced to learn to adapt to our world,
to grow. She doesn't fully understand how you could be so young; I mean your
what around a hundred and forty or so. But she, wished, with all her heart, for
her to have some connection to the change that is, having, to be made for our
race. And through you, she is. She told me that one day, that was when I
talked with Sweety, and she told me what you have said, which is what got all of
this to happen."
"And you have. I don't know, with your being an orphan, and all, if you
will understand what it means, when I tell you, that though, I didn't make you,
you are my daughter, my Childe."
"That first night, last year, when I was just finally coming back to myself.
I had wished, more than anything, if I had to be this, I wished it had been you
who did it."
He saw red, as tears clouded his vision. *I would never, dare hope, but
there is a little practiced way of our people. Rarely is a Childe orphaned
before they, become, an adult at a hundred. But on those rare occasions, a
family member can adopt them as their Childe. I know I am barely an adult, but
I am one. Will you call me Father? *
*In my heart, I already do. * She felt the biting pain, in her throat, even
as she sank her own teeth into him. *You are my Father, my Lover, my Husband,
my soulmate, and my friend. * And she opened her soul, as her body welcomed
him.
* * *
The room was silent, as Jessy and Kris finally came 'alive'. It just didn't
feel normal, even if the room was quiet, it was never this quiet. "Butch?"
Kris looked around.
"He's not here, neither is pet or my girl." Jessy lay a hand on her
shoulder.
"They're not? How do you know," then she stopped, flushing. "Oh, yeah,
right, nevermind."
"We'll let's go see what is up, I have never known, all, of them to be
absent from the room, when I wake."
Kris just pulled back slightly, reaching out to touch his cheek. "Evening,
Father."
He just smiled. Blowing her a kiss. "I love you too, Childe, now let's go
track down someone and find out what's up."
* * *
The doorknob turned, even as Jessy was reaching for it. "Master, good, I
was heading to meet you. The rest are in fussing over Fran's baby. Jake had
thought it best, if we kept Fran's mind occupied after butch went with pet and
girl. She was a little upset because pet wouldn't let her go with them. They
are out, getting things for Nicky. So we all just kinda overwhelmed her with
our mass attention. She's all right now. Once we got her calmed down enough to
listen, we were able to make her see that, for now, it was how it had to be.
Jessy just looked at him, for a moment. "'Jake suggested what'?"
Bobby just shrugged. "I know that the guy has a rep for being a pain in the
ass, but I've never seen it. Maybe, he hated being dominated as much as I did.
Or maybe more. I got over it. I don't think he has yet, or ever will. But,
either way, he's in there with the rest, fussing over her."
Jake looked up, as Jessy and Kris entered the room, Bobby behind them. He
almost fell in his haste to pull back from where he had curled up on the bed,
Fran leaning against him, listening to the rest talk. "Master," he stammered.
"I swear, ask anyone here, I didn't touch her."
Jessy just reached out and stroked the man's cheek. "I know Boy. Angel
told me that it was your idea to keep her mind occupied while pet took my girl
and butch and went out to get her some things for our son." Poor boy, still, so
touchy. "So, how are you, Darlin?" He turned his attention to Fran, using his
name for her, just like he did with the rest he owned in his home. "Did you
finally understand why you needed to stay home, for now?"
"I didn't understand why, I mean, last night you said." Fran didn't move
from where she was.
Jessy nodded. He had hoped that by the time she had wanted to go out, that
he dared let her. Unfortunately things just didn't work out that way. "I'm
sorry, Darlin. I would have just as soon, never had you face this. I was
hoping by the time you decided that you wanted to go out. You would have been
here for mored than just one night. But, with the fact that Nick needs things
like clothes, diapers, and formula. You had to face the restrictions of your
new life." He pulled her close, shushing the little resistance in her body.
"Come on, Darlin, don't be upset, I just hadn't thought to warn you. I don't
make it a habit of having to warn those in my house, of the folly of trying to
make it out for the first few weeks. Yes I believe you, even if I didn't, you
have a bond with me now, you could never live without me. But until such time
as you begin to come to terms with that, it's better to just not put any more
stress on you." He lifted her chin, smiling down into her eyes. "Believe it or
not, Darlin, I don't want to upset you. Trust me, you will be far less a
problem for me, if you are happy." He kissed her softly. "Now, tell me, how is
Nicky doing tonight?"
"Fussy, he's only six days old, but already it feels like he's six months
old. He doesn't sleep a lot."
He just laughed. "No, I don't suppose at that age he would. It's okay,
baby, I am sure that between us, we can help you out, with him."
"Are you going to let me take him to the clinic? He's supposed to go to get
a check up. Are you going to let me take him?" She pressed herself against
him. "Please, Jessy, I won't cause any problems, I promise."
Jessy just chuckled, kissing her. "He is still just a newborn, of course
you can take him to the doctor, but there will be no clinic. Find a good
pediatrician. God knows thanks to Janis and Kris, I can afford it."
Kris lay a hand on his arm, smiling at him. "Father, we need to start
getting ready to move. There isn't that much time to play with, from sun down
to sunrise. So I suppose we are just going to have to forgo, any play, until we
get moved. The sooner we get moved, the better I like it."
"You're right, Childe. Just as soon as the rest get back, we can start
getting them to move." 'Damn, I am beginning to sound like Janis. I never
understood why all of the other elders sounded so stuffy, but now I do. All it
takes is to end up with one kid, and all hell breaks loose.'
* * *
Kris looked around the new house. She hadn't really thought about what it
would be like to move into here. But now that they had, she felt so much, more
at ease, than she had felt in months and months. It really was a nice feeling.
Ryan's painting, the gift he had given her, was hung over the fireplace, the
position of honor. She still couldn't believe he had made it for her. It was
just so beautiful. "You have no idea, Puck, what this means to me." She hugged
him. "You still haven't told me, what you would like in return." She nibbled
at the base of the mortal's throat. "Come on, love, what kind of reward would
you like?"
Ryan leaned back against her. "Can I keep painting us? I feel my happiest
when I am working."
Kris gently turned him around. "Baby," she kissed him. "You do such
beautiful work, as long as you let us see what you are making, you can draw,
color and paint, to your hearts content." She pulled his mouth to hers. "But
that isn't a reward. That is what you do, what you are."
Ryan moaned, pulling her close as they kissed. His tongue dancing
erotically with hers. "Chose me for a while. Let it be me that feeds you."
Kris just laughed softly. "Now that is the reward I hoped you would ask
for. Sure, baby, you have been looking absolutely delectable for some time
now."
* * *
Jessy looked down at Bobby who lay under him, gagged and bound spread on the
bed. He was so very pretty. He had let his piercings be, after healing them.
And now, as he looked down at them, he began to envision what the others would
look like with them. It wouldn't take Aaron to do what he was planning. Maggy
had been his long enough to enable her to do it. She did more than just art.
It shouldn't be a problem for him to let her come here, like she had when he had
the lot marked as his and Kris's. "You know what, Angel? I think the rest will
look as good decorated as you do. I think I am going to have to call Aaron and
have him send his girl down." He lowered his mouth to let his teeth pull
teasingly at the ring in Bobby's right nipple. Smiling at Bobby's muffled
agreement. "Well, we'll talk about that later. Right now, I have something
much better to occupy my time with." He reached for the lash.
* * *
"No." Mitch shook his head. The rest just bent to Jessy's will when he had
told them what he had planned for all of them. But he just couldn't. Oh, he
thought they looked good enough on Bobby, but he had never imagined having them
done to him.
Jessy sighed. He knew sooner or later, Mitch would reach a stopping point.
Of all of his pets, Mitch was the only one, other than Fran, and that was
because she was his child's mother, that didn't make it a habit of calling him
'Master'. Mitch had been completely his. He always thought it was because he
had, fully, accepted that he belonged here, and to him. But now, he was
standing up to resist him. "That was not a request Butch, you will be
decorated."
"No. I lived with losing my hair, Krissy explained that it was just
something that happened when you took me, your blood, it kills all the
follicles, but, I can't do that. I'm sorry, but I just can't"
"You don't have a choice. You will do it, like it or not. I would rather
have you agree. I don't want to have to punish you. But if you don't back down
and agree with the rest, I will have to."
"Master, no." Jake moved forward, reaching out a hand to lay it on Jessy's
leg. "Please, he is just arguing with you, don't do to him what you did to me.
I deserved it. He hasn't hit anyone. He didn't hurt anyone. Please, Master,
don't."
Jessy patted his hand. "I won't do that, Boy, you are right, you deserved
your punishment. I might have to whip him, but I won't do that to him. I
promise." Then he looked back at Mitch. "Are you going to make me have to
'make' you, love? Am I going to end up, with my girl upset with me because I
had to hurt you?"
Mitch just looked at him, and then at Kris, who sat there, silent. "I'm
sorry, I just can't. Please Jessy, Kris, understand, I just can't. I love you
both, I know where I belong, but I just can't do this. I can't just say yes,
and lay down and let it happen."
*Father, * Kris wouldn't challenge him. She wouldn't even question him
where the others could hear. *Is this something that you are set on? Does,
Butch have to? *
The concept that she was now, by adoption, his Childe still pleased him.
*Yes, baby, he does. Are you going to be okay with this, if I have to punish
him to make him say, yes? *
*If you stop when he says 'yes', I guess I can live with it. If you really
don't plan to punish him like you did Jake, I will keep quiet. *
Jessy pulled himself up. "Come on Butch, though I hate to do this, I have
to make you say yes." He held out his hand. "But, my word, when you say,
'yes', I will stop." He didn't want to do this. Of all of them, other than
Randy, Patty and Fran, Mitch was the last of his feeders he wanted to hurt.
"If I don't fight, are you going to leave me like you left Jake?" He
suddenly realized what saying 'no' meant. He was going to be forced to agree to
this. Jessy was going to make him say 'yes'.
Jessy shook his head, making as soft tisking in his throat. "You didn't hit
anyone, Butch, didn't do like Jake had, you haven't abused anyone who was weaker
than you. I will spank you, in front of all in this room, but I won't take your
free will. If I did that, how could I possibly expect you to say yes freely.
Like I said, I will spank you, until you say yes. The moment you say 'yes' I
will stop. I don't want to hurt you, Butch, you aren't giving me a choice.
Believe that, if you can believe nothing else. I don't want to have to hurt
you. I don't have a choice." *I would have whipped you, but I just don't have
it in me. That is why I am spanking you here, in front of the rest. So I don't
have to do this again in the near future. * He led him to the bed in the
corner. "Okay, Butch, take off your clothes. And lay over my knee."
"Please, Jessy, don't, do this. I'm sorry, I just can't. Don't do this to
me."
"Hush, for now, until you agree, you call me 'master'. Now hurry up, the
sooner I get this over with, the sooner I can see to your healing."
"Please," Mitch looked to where Kris sat, silent. She was not going to help
him. "Master, anything, just I can't do this. Please, understand."
"You can, and you will. Now bend over. No more talking, unless you say
'yes'. That is the only word I want to hear from you. You will say yes, I just
hate that I have to hurt you to make you do it." He rubbed Mitch's back as he
bent over his knees, trembling, but trying to hold himself in check. "I will
ask you, again, after each fifth blow. But, honey, at anytime, if you are
willing to obey me, just say so, and no matter which number I am on, I will
stop. I don't want to do this. But I have to. I can't have you questioning my
orders, it sets a bad precedent for the rest." *And don't look to your mistress
for help. She might be your lover, but she is my Childe. * He brought his hand
down, in a resounding smack, listening to Mitch bite back a cry of pain. "Say
'yes' love, please say 'yes'." Again he brought his hand down.
Mitch hissed, trying not to scream, as he felt Jessy's hand strike him,
again and again. But he couldn't say yes, for that. Pain he wasn't afraid of,
if this had been for any other reason, other than punishment, to make him mind
he, would have, probably, enjoyed it. But the fact that, Jessy was going to
make him, do this thing that he just couldn't agree to do, that hurt more than
any thing the vampire could think to do to him.
"Butch, are you still with me? Say 'yes'. You don't even have to say
anything else, just say 'yes'." Jessy stroked the heated flesh under his hand.
"I'm sorry Master, but I can't. Please, understand, anything else, please,
ask anything else of me, but not this." This time when Jessy's hand came down,
Mitch did cry out in pain. He was going to be forced to agree to it, and as
Jessy brought down his hand, harder than he had ever thought of hitting any of
them, other than Bobby, Mitch began to realize, that 'yes' he was going to lose
this battle of wills. That Jessy was going to prove to him once and for all,
that he did indeed own him, and would do anything to him that he wanted to do.
And there was nothing Mitch could do about it, but just let him.
"You know," Bobby whispered to Alex. "I always thought, that for a poor
little straight boy, butch wasn't half bad. But now, like this. He isn't near
as bright as I thought he was. Master, he give me what I need, and not even
when he is pushing me the most, has he ever hit me that hard."
"He is going to be ill, as hell, tonight." Alex agreed.
"I guess it's sort of a struggle for dominance thing." Bobby muttered.
"Even if butch likes it a bit rough, he is about as submissive as Master is, and
every now and then, he just has a brief flash of stupidity."
'Please, Mitch, say 'yes''. Kris sat there, praying, as Jessy asked him
again, and again, Mitch couldn't bend. 'Damn you, you moron, can't you see what
this is doing to him? Just say yes, please, you stubborn fool, say 'yes''. She
wouldn't say anything, couldn't, and didn't dare. But watching the two men she
loved so much hurting like they were now. It was cutting her up. And as Jessy
paused again, asked again, and was met with defiance again. She wanted to
scream.
Mitch just couldn't do it, not, anymore. Jessy had hit him, what,
twenty-three, twenty-four, times. "No, please." He finally cried out.
Screaming as the crushing pain lanced through him again as Jessy's hand came
down.
"Please, honey, just say yes, don't make me have to hit you again." Jessy
was near mad with pain. He did not want to do this, wished more than anything
that he didn't have to. But he wouldn't take Mitch's right to choose from him.
He would agree to this, knowing what he was agreeing to.
It took Mitch a moment to realize that the blows had stopped. "Please,
Master," he tried to lift his head. "Don't, please, Master, no more."
Jessy's face tightened. "Lay back down Butch."
"No, Master." Mitch recoiled from him. "Yes please 'YES'! Please, Master,
no more."
Jessy's face went through several different emotions. "Yes?"
"Please, Master, yes, please, anything." He could barely breathe.
Jessy pulled him up, gently, turning him to sit in his lap, as he held him.
Shushing his pained cry as he did so. "No, more," he gashed at his wrist,
offering what help he could. "Soon, love, soon it will stop hurting."
Mitch fell back against him as the blood ceased to flow. "Please, Master,
I'm sorry, I'll do it. Please, don't, not again."
Jessy kissed him lightly. "No more, I promised there will be, no more." He
fussed over him, over the red marks that he had just left on his skin. They
would be bruises. Already the swelling had begun. "I'm sorry, I didn't want to
do this to you."
"Jess," Kris held out a hand. "Let me talk to him. Now that he has agreed,
let me talk to him."
Mitch moved slowly as Jessy let him go. "I said yes, Krissy, I'm sorry."
He tried to explain.
"You asshole." She reached out and hit him. "Why did you do that? You
have any idea what you put him through?" She hit him again. "Let me guess, you
are just too damn good to look like everyone else?"
*Kris, enough. I told him that that when he agreed, there would be no more.
Let it go. * Jessy didn't want there to be any more problems in his house. It
had been enough to have to push Mitch the way he had. But here, and now, he
just didn't have the heart to listen to Kris as well.
"I'm sorry, Ma'am, I don't know why I did that. Just being pig headed I
guess." He wiped the blood from his lip. "I'm sorry, god, I'm sorry."
"No more?" She gathered him close, as quick to fuss over his injuries as
Jessy was.
"No, Ma'am, I got my ass beat, I might be stupid, but I'm not a complete
moron. I won't argue anymore." It felt so good, to be in her arms. "At least
not anytime in the near future, that is."
"Listen to me, Butch, please, don't fight. Not, again I can't protect, you
from him. Especially when he is right. Don't push him, please." *Please,
Butch, he, he's more than just my friend and mate now, he's my Father. I made
an oath to him, one that if I break it, I become something other than what I can
live with. I love him, if you only knew how much. *
*And I love you. For you, I will do this, no matter how much I hate it.
For you, and what I feel for you, I will bite my tongue. *
*Leave off love. * Jessy broke into their silent conversation. *It's a guy
thing. I knew he would finally refuse me, back when I took him. He isn't like
the rest of my boy's. And he's not like Jake. Don't worry so. It won't kill
me if on occasion, I have to remind him of his place. And it won't kill him to
learn it, every now and then. *
