Children Of The Night
By: Veronica Leigh Marquette
CHAPTER 19
"Jessy, come here." Fran was grinning from ear to ear. "I know it's early
for you, but you need to come take a look at Nicky."
Jessy was up out of the bed at once. "What's wrong with him?" All thoughts
of sleep, of rest, were gone.
"Nothing, really, just come on. He wants to see you." She took his hand.
"And no peeking."
"What is wrong with Nicky?" Jessy fussed as Fran led him up the stairs.
"Just you wait, Jess, he has something he wants to show you." She led him
into the main room. "Okay, Jake, let Nicky go." She stood back smiling.
Jake sat the child on the floor, on his feet. "Dada," the little boy cried
at Jessy, as he began to toddle towards Jessy. "Dada, dada, dada." Little arms
raised demanding Jessy's attention.
Jessy just laughed, lifting his son in the air. "Good boy." The boy was
just now about to turn six months old, and already he was walking. "My, my, but
aren't you just a little prodigy. Talking at five months, walking at six. Good
to know that I'm not the only boy around here to surprise everyone." He kissed
his son.
"I told them all, that you wouldn't get bent if I woke you for him. He's
about the only reason, short of one of us being hurt, that you don't care if you
have to get up early." Fran crossed her arms, looking incredibly smug.
Jessy made a rather rude noise. "Who was worried, love? Like I would ever
be ill with Nick. He can wake me at any time, day or night, he is my son." He
bounced the giggling baby in his arms. "Ain't that so, little man? You know
you got your daddy wrapped around your little finger." He had tried, for months
to impress the word 'Papa' on the baby. But when Nick finally began to talk, he
discovered that no matter how much he had pushed for 'Papa', the rest, the ones
that were with his son during the day, had taught the boy the word 'Dada'. And
he would not mess with his toddlers mind, or at least, not, over something so
trifling. So he just changed gears and went from papa to dad or daddy.
"I was a little worried that you wouldn't want to wake up quite this early,
Master." Jake smiled. "I'm glad to know I was wrong. Nicky has been running
helter-skelter for the last three hours. And well, Franny wanted to make sure
you got to see him mobile before he wore himself out."
Jessy just laughed, turning to see Kris as she and Mitch made it up to the
room. "Guess what?"
"Nicky has started to walk." She commented. Then chuckled at Jessy's look
that was half shock, half-disappointed. "Come on, Father, darlin woke you up,
saying it had to do with my little brother, I knew he wasn't sick. She didn't
come down freaking out like she did last time Nick had a fever. And he already
talks, so what else could it be?"
'Father', she still was very strict about what she called him, and when.
His Childe, not even a full year, she was going to be as bad about calling him
'father' as he was about calling Janis, 'mother.' "You do realize don't you,
Father, that this is the first year that you are going to have to play Santa
Clause, for real. He might have presents under the tree from the rest of us and
from you and his mother as well, but it just isn't the same as waking up
Christmas morn to presents from Santa Clause, under the tree."
"Damn." Jessy did a quick reminder in his head that he would have to
either send Randy and Patty out to buy the baby's Christmas, or have to sneak
out and do it himself, and do it quick. Christmas was only a week away. "I'm
sorry, little man, I just ain't used to having you in my life, as of yet. Don't
worry, I'll call Santa Clause and make sure he knows that you live here." He
kissed his son again. Before handing him back to Fran. "I'm sorry, Darlin,
time sometimes slips away from me. I am not used to thinking of time in weeks,
months, or even years. But with Nick here, I do suppose I need to start
learning how again. Why don't you write down what you think he will like, and
if I can't slip out to the toy store, I will send pet and the gang out to do
it." He watched as Nicky slipped from her grip to toddle to Jake. "Come here,
you." He held out his arms to Fran. "I won't violate your privacy, so I don't
know what is on your mind. So tell me, you've been almost depressed for days.
What's the problem?"
She shrugged her shoulders. "It's nothing, Jessy."
Jessy snorted. "Best you know now, girl, I have been living with women for
the last hundred and forty plus years, off and on. I know all about how much,
nothing, is. Now, come on Darlin, please, tell me. I don't claim you as one of
my many pets here because of Nick, so if I had to make you talk to me, do you
have any idea what my mother would do to me. She respects my position with you,
and will see to it that I live up to my word. So come on, baby, just talk to
me, and if you don't want to tell me, do you think with as close as you are to
sweety, you could tell her?"
She looked down, not wanting to meet his gaze. "Really, Jessy, it's
nothing." There were tears in her eyes.
Jessy reached out and lifted her chin. "Nothing does not bring tears to you
eyes, Darlin. Please, if you can't tell me, tell someone, soon. I need to know
what is going on in your head and heart, for no other reason that to make sure
that you feel comfortable here. You are my son's mother, the least I can do is
see to it that you, if not thrilled with your life here, at least are not like
you are right now." He kissed her softly. "Come on Darlin, talk to me."
She just burst into tears. "You won't understand, please Jessy, it's me, I
have to work this out for myself." She felt his chest against her as he pulled
her into his arms. "Please, Jessy, Master, let me work it out myself."
Jessy took her shoulder, pushing her back so that he could look down into
her face. "Damnit girl. I am not your master. I thought we took care of all
of that, back when you first came here."
Fran pulled away from him, angrily. "No, that's right, you don't want me,
all you wanted was my baby. Don't you think I know that? I see all the rest,
the ones you did want, they all got collars, and tattoo's, you gave them names,
you made a big show of how much you want and love them, but not me." She just
stood there, looking at him so hurt, so angry.
It hit Jessy, rather, hard. He had never realized that in his attempt to
ease her into living here with him, to make her see that he valued her more than
he had any of the others, more than even Randy, who he loved as much as any of
his kind could love a mortal. "I see." He sighed. "You are right, Darlin," he
held up a hand to stop her next comment. "No, not in your belief that I don't
want you. Of course I want you. I want you, and love you, more than I could
ever tell you. Almost as much as I want and love my own Childe. But I don't
dare collar you, or mark you. You, mortal or no, are my son's mother, I don't
think you, not being a man, will understand. What having your mother as a
slave, because that is what the rest are to Kris and I, loved, cherished, and
wanted, but they are slaves. I don't want to put Nick though that, through
growing up, knowing your father is your mother's master. Later, once he grows
up more. I will collar you, on Nicky's sixteenth birthday, when I will take him
as one of mine, I will take you as well. But I don't dare do that before then.
He has to finish growing up. To reach manhood before I bond him to me. Because
I don't know what my blood would do to him, I do know what it does to all the
other mortals we take as our feeders. I am so afraid that it would see to it
that he would never grow up, would always be a baby. I won't do that to him.
But yes Fran, I want you, I love you, how could you ever think other wise?" He
kissed her. "And what do you think 'Darlin' is? I named you the first night
you came to me."
Kris moved past where Jessy was handling Fran, to where Jake, stood silently
watching. "You've been practically living in her bed for as long as she's been
here, Boy, did you have a clue what was bothering her?"
Jake shook his head, fighting his urge to fall to the floor and beg for
mercy. "No, Mistress, this is the first I've heard of it. I knew that she
sometimes wasn't as happy as the rest but, not, why. Master isn't going to get
real upset with me, is he? He won't decide to punish me like he did last time
will he?" Kris hadn't even spoken to him more than once or twice since he was
punished, much less gotten this close to him. The very fact that she was
talking to him, now, worried him. "I swear, Mistress, I didn't know."
"Boy," Kris blew the air out of her lungs between clinched teeth. "Jessy
isn't going to be mad at anyone. And I don't see him ever punishing one of you
like that, for anything less than what you did. And, Boy, you've been punished,
it's over, no more." She leaned up to kiss him. "Why won't you just let it go?
Jessy isn't the kind of man who holds grudges. You were wrong, you were
punished for what you did, and Boy it's, over." She kissed him lightly, once
more. "Tell you what, why don't you and I go somewhere and talk about this
tendency you have to not believe us. If you can still think, that is, after I
am finished with you. I am starved."
Jake looked down at her, a look of incredibility on his face. "You're going
to feed on me? I don't understand, Mistress, you haven't so much as looked at
me since you helped master to punish me."
Kris shrugged. "Yes, well, Jessy and I talked about you a few nights back.
He reminded me that you had been punished, and it was over. And our
unwillingness to look at you just kept up the air of displeasure, and you
haven't done anything in over a year to be unhappy with. So yeah, if you feel
up to it, I'm starving." She watched as he looked at Fran, a bit of a worried
look on his face. "Darlin is going to be fine. Good God, Jake, he hasn't hurt
her yet, he won't ever hurt her. Chill out, why don't you?"
Jake just shook his head, laughing softly to himself. "Yeah, I know that,
Mistress, it's just, I keep waiting for my luck to run out." He took her hand
and let her lead him to the bed against the wall. "You just planning on feeding
from me Mistress, or?" He didn't finish the question.
"Ssshh," Kris pushed him back on the bed. *Jessy, you busy with Darlin
right now? * Of all their 'pets' Fran was the only one that she never referred
to as anything but the name Jessy had given her. Because, she, was such a,
darlin. Of all of them, she was the closest that came to sharing her place in
his heart with. Not even Randy, who, she knew he loved so much, meant more to
him.
*No, not really. Just had to correct her, on what she means to me. She's
run off chasing Nick, why? *
*Your boy needs you. He is still way too jumpy. Was worried that you
wouldn't believe him when he said he didn't know about Darlin's problem. Afraid
that you were going to punish him like you did last time. I don't think we'll
ever have any problems out of him, again. I'm hungry, and I'm sure you could
use a bite. So what say we share him? *
Jessy nodded coming to sit on the bed beside Kris and Jake. "What is this
Kris is telling me, love, you're still afraid of me?" He lay a hand on Jake's
shoulder. "Boy, surely you know me well enough to know, if I still thought you
needed to be punished, you would be."
Jake jumped at the feel of Jessy's hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry,
Master, I won't mention it again."
*It's been over a year since he was punished, what brought this on? * Jessy
began to rub Jake's shoulders lightly, humming softly.
*I don't think he feels like he has been really forgive. Like I said, he
was worried that you wouldn't believe him when he told you he didn't know what
Fran's problem was. I think when you punished him last. You left a
never-ending impression on him. He's terrified of you, and since I'm your
Childe, me too. *
"Well, unlike Darlin, who I couldn't make talk to me. I don't have that
problem with my boy here. Tell me, love, what is wrong? You are trembling.
You still think I am looking for the slightest excuse to send you back into that
hell?"
Jake took a deep breath. He would have to talk now. Jessy was right, he
couldn't make Fran talk unless she wanted to, but him, Jessy could force the
issue with. "I still can't believe you forgave me for what I did, Master. I
was such a dick, how could you ever give me back what you took from me? You
wanted to make sure that I appreciated my place here, and my mind. I can't tell
you how much I do. I still wake up, sometimes, in the middle of the day in a
cold sweat. I remember what it was like. Not being able to control myself, the
pain, god the pain. And knowing, really knowing, deep down in my soul type of
knowing that I deserved everything that was done to me. And the thought of
having to ever do that again, Master, I'm sorry, but it just unmans me. Makes
me want to throw myself at you feet and beg every time I see you."
Jessy captured his face in his hands, making the younger man look at him,
catching his eyes. *You hear me Boy? * Jake nodded, or tried to. *Good, then
you know that I can't lie to you like this. You are afraid of me. But you
don't need to be. As long as you never hit anyone else, I will never send you
back into that hell I created for you. I promise, trust me. Now Kris asked me
if I wanted to share you with her. Do you think that is something you could
live with, or should I just pull back and let the two of you be? * He kissed
him softly, teasingly.
Jake moaned, "Master, you haven't done anything more than share you blood
with me in a long time. Yes, you, her, you know that, but are you going to send
me away after you feed?" He responded to the kisses and fingers as the two
vampires began to undress him. "Please, a man hasn't, not since." How could
he, who got into this mess he was in by deciding that just because a guy was
gay, that he was fair game, explain just how much he wanted to be taken,
completely and fully taken.
"Damn, Jess, no wonder he is almost possessive of Darlin." Kris finished
pulling his clothes from him. "It's our fault, the others just follow our lead,
we haven't touched him, so they haven't either. Well, that is going to change
tonight." She caught his head between her hands. "Isn't that so, pretty boy?
You think you can rise to the occasion?"
Jake didn't answer. He was too intent on the feelings that both Kris and
Jessy were drawing up in him. It had been so long, so many lonely nights before
Fran had entered his life, and after her it, was her, and only her, for so long.
He had watched, many times, as those in his house shared themselves with Jessy
and Kris as well as with each other, but never him.
*Can you hold on for just a minute more, beloved? If my boy hasn't had a
man for that long, I am going to need to see to it that when I start to make
love to him as I feed, that it doesn't hurt near as much as it would if I took
him dry. *
*Okay but hurry up I'm, starved. And with as pathetic as Jake is right now,
I don't want to push him away. *
Jessy pulled away, touching Jake's cheek. "Hold that thought Boy, I need to
get lubricant. You play with your mistress until I get back, and then you can
play with us both. That sound good to you?"
'It's finally going to end'. Jake thought to himself as he nodded, turning
his attentions to Kris, who was ready to fill his arms, fingers touching,
caressing, teasing him so lightly. "Good; God, Master, if it sounded any
better, I would probably go mad waiting."
Kris just laughed, pushing him back on the bed. "Go mad, yeah, I can make
you go mad. Close you eyes, pretty boy, I am starved for more than just your
blood. I think I am going to eat you alive."
Jake gasped, more in surprise than, anything. As he felt Kris's hands and
mouth begin, to, familiarize themselves with his body. 'She's, oh god, she's',
he couldn't believe what was happening as he felt Kris work her way down his
body. "Jesus," he moaned as a cool wet velvety mouth captured him in its
delightful vise.
Kris pulled back smiling up at him. "Is, if I remember correctly, one of
the many gods of celibacy." Jessy sat beside him, tube in hand. "And I really
don't think he wants to hear you invoke him, not at this present moment."
Kris lost it, just rested against Jake and began to laugh.
Jessy lay beside him, reaching to stroke Kris's hair. "Did I interrupt
something? I'm sorry, I thought with as hungry as you are that it would be
better if I hurried back. But it would seem that you are feeding already." He
captured Jake's chin, lifting his face to meet his. "Don't stop on account of
me, Childe, finish what you were doing by all means."
"Looks like Jake is back on their good side again." Bobby commented to
Alex. "That's good. Been meaning to pin that boy down for weeks, but Randy
made it clear that until either master or mistress welcomed him back into the
fold, it wouldn't be a good idea. What the hell did the guy do?"
"You remember what you were like when you first came here?" Alex, watched,
as Jessy and Kris both, began to make Jake cry out in pleasure.
"Yeah, didn't know who I was, or what was going on, was the village idiot
for a while."
"Well, Jake, he took verbal digs at both Mitch and I while we were like
that. What's worse, he used to be Sally's man, and he liked to hit her whenever
he got mad. Master and ma'am finally had enough of him and locked him away in
his mind for months. He wasn't forgiven until the night you came here. I
guess. He wasn't completely forgiven. For the last year, the only one that has
wanted anything to do with him was Franny. He's been with her exclusively for
the last four months, and she could get away with that because master can't
order her around."
Bobby nodded. "Well, it would appear that master is going to see that he
isn't left out in the cold anymore." He chuckled as Jake's voice hit a single
high note as both Jessy and Kris overwhelmed his senses with not only their
combined feeding from him, but trapping him bodily between them both. "Unless,
of course, now that master has finally forgiven him, all the way, he doesn't
take it into his head to be stingy with the boy."
* * *
Jake could barely breathe, let alone think, as he felt both Kris under him
and Jessy over him, both doing such wonderful things to him. It had been so
long. Sex was always best after he had been fed from, and the combined feeling
of being fed from, twice, at the same time. "Please, Master." He sobbed. Make
me yours, I want to cry. He had watched Jessy with the others, so often, both
curious and frightened of what he had saw. But here, like this, he couldn't
think of any other way that he could tell his master, how grateful he was for
what he had here.
Jessy didn't respond to Jake's plea, or at least not right away. The boy
had always seemed so tight, but now, after so long, Jessy had lost his mind in
the sensations.
Jake leaned back against his as he felt Jessy, making love to him. It was
always so good. Like this he believed that he had been forgiven, that he was
one of them and loved. That as long as he never again, lost his temper with any
of those in his home, he would never be forced to be put aside again. 'I won't
do it, ever, again', he promised himself as he felt his orgasm building as he
lay between Jessy and Kris, giving himself, and his love to them both.
Jessy lay close, feeling, all that both his boy and his Childe felt. "Damn,
Boy, I forgot how tight you were. You always were one that I would lose my shit
with. And now," he looked over Jake. "I didn't hurt you did, I, love?"
Jake smiled, lifting up to offer his mouth to Jessy. "Nah, Master, the pain
wasn't nothing. If anything, it just made it better."
Jessy chuckled. "You don't say? What is it about the lot of you? Three of
my boys would have been mine, even if I didn't own you all like I do. Bright
Eyes, has taken to slaver with baby, like a duck to water. The only four of you
that aren't into mixing sex and pain are princess, little one, toy and my girl.
And I'm not positive about little one." He raked his nails up Jake's inner
thigh, listening to the young mortal man gasp, then moan.
Jessy was amused. Of all of them, Jake was really the last one, he ever saw
as being willing to lie under anyone, like he was right now. But, he stopped
and thought about it. If Bobby could, looking as sweet and gentle as he did own
his lover as well as he had, or Sam, who was so much bigger than Tracy, follow
her around like a lost puppy. Then what is so shocking about Jake wanting to be
made to cry in his bed? He chuckled, leaning down to kiss Jake's shoulder.
"Hold on for a minute, Boy, let me go and clean up just a bit, and then we will
see if you are serious about finding that certain amounts of pain make it
better." And he was up and pulling away.
Jake lay with Kris, a kaleidoscope of feelings in him. One second, excited,
the next, afraid, and then needy, and oh so many others.
"You okay, sugar?" Kris stroked his cheek as he lay over her, resting.
"Yeah, Mistress, just thinking." Jake looked down at her. "Do you think, I
mean, is he really going too?"
Kris just laughed at the half excited-lust filled look in his face, and the
half concern-worried one. "Before I answer that, Boy, please, if you can't call
me Kris, do me a favor and just use ma'am. I hated mistress and M'lady makes me
more nuts. Luckily, puck is the only one, so far, to take it in his head to
call me that."
Jake looked down, blushing. "Yes Ma'am."
Kris giggled. "Thanks Boy. I'm just blown away that I had to ask you to
stop calling me that. You, of all of them, you're the last person I ever
thought I would have to ask to lighten up on the groveling."
"I am the only one in his home that he's had to punish like he punished me,
Ma'am. I would do anything to keep from going back."
She reached out and lay a hand on his cheek, caressing it. "Well, you
believe him, when he promised, as long as you never hit anyone else again, that
he would never send you back there, don't you?"
Jake turned his face into her hand. "I think so, Ma'am." He finally broke
down, leaned against Kris. He began to weep. To hell with not looking like a
fool. He had gotten used to looking like one "I'm sorry." He shoulders shook
as he lay against her. "Please, I, I can't help it."
'Oh, well, goes from being the biggest dick here, to being the least likely
to say anything, no matter what it is. Great, he switches from being one
problem to being another'. "Boy, honey, listen to me." She stroked his hair as
he lay against her crying. "There is nothing to apologize for. No one is going
to be ticked at your because you pull a crying jag." *Ill with you, but if you
don't calm down honey. Jessy is going to spend the next month, trying to
convince you that you really are forgiven. Please, Boy, it's okay, no need in
putting him through that. You know you're safe. That, we, love you, right? *
She lifted his chin, kissing his cheek, licking away the tears. "Come on,
pretty boy, I know for fact, that there is at least two or three things you
could be doing right now, other than crying."
"Boy, I know you begged me to make you cry, but I just didn't think you
meant like this." Jessy sat back down beside them.
Jake pulled up and went into Jessy's arms. "I'm sorry, Master, I don't mean
to be like this." And the damn burst.
Jessy looked up to Kris. *So, love any thoughts on how to settle this
little problem? *
Kris sat up, and began to stroke Jake's back as he leaned into Jessy's arms.
*No, Father, but we need to come up with some idea. This is our fault. If we
weren't going to welcome back into the fold, I probably should have insisted you
never let him wake up all the way. But now, * Kris felt positively wretched.
*You could have ended his punishment, and still left him lost. *
*You would have me do that to him? Trap himself in his mind, for the rest
of this life? I couldn't do that, honey, Kill him, yes, but that is, * he
stopped tightening his arms around the mortal that was falling apart in his arm.
*Well, if you can't do that, he's a mess. Is there anything you can do for
him? *
*I don't know, Childe, but I think so. Give me just a minute or two, and
then we'll see how he reacts. * "Boy," Jessy reached for the loop in Jake's
collar, using it to lift the man's face. "Tell you what, I think you should try
listening to me for a minute. You can't keep going like this. Like you are
right now, you'll depress and frighten everyone in my house. So, I'm going to
see what I can do about calming you down, my style, okay?"
Jake's fear hit him like a blow. "No," he tried to pull away. "Please,
Master." This time his cries were of fear, instead of emotional pain. "What
did I do wrong?" He almost screamed at Jessy, fighting to get away from him.
"You promised. Said if I didn't hit anyone, you wouldn't do that to me."
*Boy! * Jessy's mind locked down on the mortal in his laps being. *Calm
down. I'm not planning to do that to you, Boy, but I can't leave you like you
are now. You are forgiven, have been forgive since I released you over a year
ago. You have to get over this. * Jessy captured Jake's head in his hands.
Forcing the boy to look into his face, his eyes. Darlin loves you, Boy. My son
adores you. I won't let you confuse him with what you are feeling. You are
afraid of me. I won't let you teach my son to fear me as well. You are going
to have to trust me. Just relax, and trust me. I won't send you back, but I
have to see what I can do to help you to get past this. *
Jake stopped fighting. Lifted his eyes to meet Jessy's. "Please, Master,
you promised." There was no way he could stop what was going to happen to him.
No more than he had been able to stop it the first time. "Kill me please, don't
do this to me. You're right Master, I am afraid of you, of ma'am. I can't help
it. So please, don't do this again. Just kill me." He figured he was about to
loose himself again, be sent back to that hell in his head. He didn't have
anything to lose. "Damn you, you promised. You can take my mind away from me.
You can do anything. But you just remember. I hate you. You do this, I hate
you, and it doesn't matter how fucked up you make me. I will always hate you."
There was no emotion of any kind save hate in Jake's tone. If, Jessy did what
he knew he was going to do to him. He had lied. "Go on. But if you do this,
do it here, infront of all the rest. Let them see, just how fucking, safe, you
are to them."
Jessy shook his head. "No, Boy, I am not going to do that to you." He
began.
"My name is Jake, Jacob. If you are going to do this, damn it, take my
fucking collar off, and use my name. I don't belong to you anymore, remember.
You do this, I don't belong to you."
"Listen to me, 'Boy'." Jessy stressed the name. "I am not going to do that
to you. Why would I? You are right. I did give you my word it was over. I
would never do that to you again, unless you hit someone again. So, just, calm
down. I don't lie. You know I don't. But, love, you can't keep being like
this. I can't let you upset everyone else in my home. I am going to have to
walk you through this. So just look into my eyes, and listen to me. I promise,
swear, on my word and bond, that you won't be sent back there. Just listen,
okay?"
Jake closed his eyes for a moment before just sighing. "Yes, Master." He
didn't have it in him to fight anymore. His punishment had left him too
scarred. Too tired to fight anymore. He was going to have his whole identity
stripped from him, and there was nothing he could do. Jessy had lied to him.
And now he was going to finish him off. Not even the knowledge that he would
spend the rest of his life, how ever long or short it would be, hating him,
bothered Jessy. He was going to do this to him anyway.
*How many times do I have to tell you Boy, I am not going to do that to you.
* Jessy kissed the top of his forehead. *But, I have to walk you through this
fear you still have. Kris was right, I should have never waked you fully after
I punished you like I did. But you are fully awake now. And I won't send you
back. But you can't continue like you are right now. So listen to me, Boy,
believe what I am telling you. You are safe with me, you haven't got anything
to be afraid of. I won't let anyone hurt you, ever. * He pressed down lightly
of Jake's mind. *Believe, lover, I love you. Will always love you. I saved
your life once. I wouldn't have, if you were not important to me. You are the
lover of the mother of my child. In the daylight hours, it is you who will
stand in my stead as his father. I cannot let you fear me. So just let it go,
okay, sweet heart. Just let it go. *
Jake looked at him, and suddenly, somehow, he just wasn't afraid anymore.
Of course it was over. He knew he was loved. After all the time he had been
with Jessy, if he ever had a reason to doubt it, it would have happened by now.
"Master?" He was looking at him so weirdly. "Everything okay?"
Jessy just smiled at him. He was getting to the point that it was rapidly
becoming easy. He was glad he wasn't mortal anymore. Either he was getting
much better at controlling them than anyone his age should be, or the mortals
were getting weaker. Then he stopped. No, not weaker, just not near as hard.
In his day, mortals were so much harder. But in this new age, where there was
ample food, proper sanitation, excellent medical treatment, and no war had
softened them greatly. Enabled their strength to be redirected to other things
that had nothing to do with mere survival. "It's nothing, Boy, just losing
myself in your eyes. You do know you have pretty eyes, don't you?" *Listen
kids, I've taken care of my boy, don't mention his past anymore, any of you. *
He cupped Jake's chin, kissing him. He had just taken care of Jake's problem,
and he didn't want to risk, unsettling him again.
