Date: Sun, 10 Jul 2016 12:56:34 -0500 From: Girl Lover Subject: Fury This is not a simple sex story, but rather a long, intricate, romantic story, and the sex happens later in the story. All copyright stuff applies because this is my story. Donate to Nifty. I would love to hear what you think at Pedogirllover@gmail.com *Fury* Fifteen year-old Barbara woke up suddenly, gasping and looking around frantically. She was on the couch, still in her dress from yesterday, but she couldn't remember how she got there. She sat up, trying to remember what happened last night. Pushing up on the couch to stand up, her left arm abruptly throbbed with pain. Grasping it, an image flashed in her mind. A cloaked form. Solid black eyes. Fangs. And screaming. Lots of screaming. And...she looked at her dress. It was covered in blood. ***** Yesterday morning, she had left her house and walked down the sidewalk to the bookstore that she worked at. She and Glenn lived in the worst part of the Bronx. In her worn and tattered dress, she side-stepped around a wino passed out on the sidewalk. Derelicts wandered about, toothless mothers screamed at their neighbors, trash was everywhere and she had to be constantly on her guard. She kept her head down, not looking at any of the drunks staggering up the sidewalk or the rough guys who occasionally eyed her as she passed by. This was her world. Horrible, dismal and dangerous. Passing by the newspaper rack, she glanced at the headline: *ANOTHER BODY FOUND BADLY MUTILATED AND DECAPITATED*. It seemed like every two or three days, somebody was brutally murdered. The police said it was a serial killer She had had no breakfast and there would be no lunch, because there were no groceries. Glenn had spent their money again on drugs. Why did he have to spend their money on drugs instead of food?! How were they supposed to eat? She could use the food pantry at St Michael's Church to get some free groceries, but, except on Fridays, it closed before she was able to get off work. She had been with Glenn for the last year, meeting him outside a bar that she had been panhandling at. She had been on the streets ever since she ran away from home when she was eleven. Now, at fifteen years old, her face reflected her soul, sad and defeated. She didn't walk, she trudged as if to the gallows. She had learned years ago that this was her lot in life. And there was no changing it. ***** She grew up in Middletown, Connecticut, the only child of her well-to-do parents. She was ten years old when the principle came to her fifth grade classroom, asked the teacher if he could speak to her, and in the blink of an eye, her world was forever changed. Her parents had been killed in a car wreck. Having no relatives to take her in, she was put in a foster home. For the first few nights, she cried herself to sleep as she realized her parents weren't coming back. Her only real comfort was Baloo, her grey teddy bear named after the bear from her favorite Disney cartoon, *The Jungle Book*, that her parents gave her when she was six. She was home-schooled and there were no other children in her neighborhood so she didn't have any friends. For a few days, she slowly adjusted to this new life, then... One night, she had been asleep for a while when she felt something. Opening her eyes sleepily, she saw her foster father climbing on top of her. Her eyes grew big as she gasped. He quickly clamped his hand over her mouth, "I've spend a lot of money on you; food, clothes, bills.... Nothing in this world is free! It's time you earn your keep around here!" She felt her panties being pulled down and then something was pushed roughly into her vagina, causing her to cry out in pain. "Be quiet!", he hissed at her. Laying on top of her, he rocked his body against hers as the unseen pain in her vagina continued. She tried to push him off, but he held her arms down, "Hold still!" His eyes, staring into hers, were nothing that she had ever seen before, wild and frenzied. Frightened, she tried to remain quiet, but the pain was too much. Wincing, she told him, "It hurts..." But her pleas went unanswered as he continued thrusting into her, covering her mouth as she cried from the pain. After a minute, he groaned and stopped moving. Scowling down at her, he warned, "Keep your mouth shut about this! This is nothing but a nightmare!" He got up and left her room as she continued crying bitterly. For the next couple of hours, she held Baloo close to her and asked him why her new father would hurt her like that. But Baloo only looked at her with his plastic black eyes. There were no answers. ***** The next morning, when she woke up, she wondered if it had just been a nightmare until she saw her panties bunched up around her knees and the specks of blood on the sheet between her legs. Her father's frenzied, terrifying face flashed in her mind along with his warning. She looked at her vagina and touched it. It was still a little sore. Going into the bathroom, she took a shower and washed the drops of blood off. But instead of getting dressed, she crawled back into bed, under the covers. She couldn't go out there where her father was. To the person who was supposed to take care of and protect her, but who had hurt her instead. Several minutes later, she heard her door open. Her eyes opened wide in fear as her father silently strode towards her slowly. "Barbara, it's time for breakfast. Come on, get up. Last night was a nightmare." He turned and walked towards the door, pausing to turn his head back towards Barbara, his eyes giving her a warning look, "And that's all it was." Then he left. Barbara huddled in fear underneath the blanket, clutching Baloo tightly. Last night was not a nightmare. It did happened. She got out of bed and slowly got dressed. Not wanting to be around her father, but not knowing what else to do, she left her room and went to the dining room. "Good morning Barbara", her mother greeted her, "Did you sleep well last night?" Barbara stared at her blankly, then at her father silently, not knowing how or whether she should answer. "Well Barbara...", her father looked at her firmly, "Did you sleep well last night?" Seeing the coldness in his eyes, she knew that she couldn't tell her mother the truth, so her fear answered for her. "Y-yes", she finally answered as she sat down to her plate of toast and eggs. She only picked at her food, not having any appetite. "Good", her father said, "When you're finished eating, we'll get started on your studies." She ate a few bites, then took her plate to the kitchen to wash it. Afterwards, she got her notebook and went to her father's den for that day's schooling. He made no mention of it, and acted as if it never happened. When it was bedtime, she laid in her bed, her eyes nervously on the door to see if he would come. She waited...then began trembling violently as her door opened and her father came in, closing the door behind him. "Pull your panties down", he told her quietly. His voice, distant and unfeeling, compelled her to obey. Squeezing her eyes tightly closed so she wouldn't have to look at him, her breath shuddered as she slowly slid her panties down. She felt his heavy weight pressing down on her as once again, she felt something pushed roughly inside of her. She whimpered as his hand covered her mouth, stifling her cries. She tried to block out her pain, her terror, her screams. After an eternity, he got off of her, telling her, "You had another nightmare, Barbara. Go to sleep." She cried bitterly after he left until exhaustion finally took her. ***** The nightmares from her father continued for over a year. He was no longer her new father, but instead, a monster. If she tried to resist, he would hold her down, causing it to hurt even more. There was no one for her to confide in because she was home-schooled and didn't have a phone to use. She could not even tell her mother because he was always there since he worked from home. She had resigned herself to the fact that this was how her life would be, when one day, her father actually left the house to go to the store, leaving her alone with her mother. It was mid-afternoon. Seizing upon her father's absence, Barbara suddenly blurted to her mother, "Every night, Father lays on top of me and hurts my vagina!" Her mother gaped at her as she added, "I've been wanting to tell you, but he's always here and I was scared!" Barbara waited for her to say something. Her mother's surprised look narrowed to a scowl, "Your father told me that you make up outrageous lies. I didn't believe him when he would tell me some of the false accusations that you would make about him, but now I see it's true." In anguish at not being believed, Barbara beseeched her, "But he does..." Her mother slapped her hard, "I will not stand here and have you say such vulgar things about your father!" Holding her cheek, Barbara retreated to her room. As her one chance for escape slipped away, the implications of telling her mother loomed over her. She would tell her father and he would.... Her eyes growing big, she ran to her closet, grabbing her small, pink backpack. Quickly unzipping it, she put as many clothes as she could in it. Frantically looking around, she saw her favorite movie and squeezed it in behind her clothes. Then she looked all over at everything, desperately looking for anything that she couldn't leave behind. Suddenly, she ran to her bathroom and grabbed her toothbrush and toothpaste and squeezed them in. Looking at how stuffed her backpack was, she knew that nothing else would fit. She opened her money jar and grabbed the bills, stuffing them in her pocket, then poured the coins into her hand and put them in her pocket also. Running to the window, she unlocked it and pushed it up. Dropping her backpack on the ground outside, she took one last look at her room and gasped as she saw that she almost left Baloo behind. Running over and snatching him up, she crawled out the window, grabbed her backpack and ran down the street. She ran blindly, not knowing where she was going, only that she needed to put as much distance as she could between her and the house before her father got back. In the small town of Middletown, she knew her parents would call the police and the police would return her. If her mother wouldn't believe her, then the police wouldn't either. She had to leave Middletown, the only place she's ever known, and go some place where her father would never find her. She saw the bus station a few blocks away and headed for it. Walking inside the small terminal, she saw a large map on the wall with Middletown in the center. Looking at the surrounding towns and cities, she saw a huge city in the southeast corner. New York City. It was huge. The monster, that was her father, would never find her there. She walked over to look at the bus fares that were listed above the counter. Middletown to New York City was $9.75. Pulling out her money and change, she laid it on an empty seat and counted it. After a couple of minutes, she found she had a total of $17.53. She went over to the counter and asked for a ticket to New York City. "That will be $10.37", the older man behind the counter told her. She counted out her bills and coins and handed the amount over. He handed the ticket to her, saying, "It leaves in twenty-seven minutes." Mumbling thank you, she took a seat facing the clock on the wall. As the minute hand slowly ticked its way around, she clutched Baloo tightly against her chest, glancing every now and then to the doors leading outside to see if her parents were about to walk in. The minutes passed slowly. She kept expecting to see her parents walk through the doors thwarting her escape, but they never came. Finally, it was time. Stepping outside, she walked towards bus #37 and slowly climbed up the steps, handing her ticket over to the driver. She made her way down the aisle towards the back and sat down in an empty seat. Her backpack on the seat beside her and with Baloo in her lap, she looked out the window as the bus pulled out. She watched the buildings pass silently by. Never really having been out in town before, they held no meaning to her, except that this was her home. The only home that she had known. And she was fleeing it alone, to an unknown city to start her life over, as she had to do over a year ago when her parents were taken from her. She watched as the buildings became fewer as the bus sped off down Washington Street. The buildings eventually ended, giving way to pasture land and then thick forests as she headed towards Highway 91 and her new life. ***** For the better part of an hour, the highway followed the coast and Barbara stared at the ocean in wonder. Then the New York City skyline appeared. She gazed in wonder at the sheer number of buildings that seemed to go on with no end and the beautiful houses in the distance. As the bus drove on, Barbara noticed a change. There were more pawn shops, liquor stores and gun stores. The people were poorly dressed, some sleeping right on the sidewalk. The bus pulled into a large parking lot and grabbing her backpack, Barbara stepped off and looked around. Not knowing where to go, she simply began walking. She didn't know where she was going. She was just looking. Seeing what there was out here in this strange city. After wandering aimlessly for an hour, she sat on a bench at a park to rest. She suddenly realized she was hungry. Seeing a McDonalds nearby, she went over to it and went inside, looking up at the menu. Ordering a cheeseburger, fries and a coke, she sat down at a booth by the window and watched the people pass by outside. She now had less than four dollars left. It was enough money for her to buy one more meal. As she chewed on her french fries and wondered how she was going to eat tomorrow, she asked herself if she had made a mistake coming here. What good would starving do? Maybe it would have been better if she hadn't left. After all, she had food, a bed, and a home. Then her father's frenzied eyes flashed before her eyes as she felt him thrusting inside her. Clenching her eyes shut to push away the image, she knew that she would rather starve to death than to suffer that every night. That was not a home. A home is where you felt safe and were loved. After she finished her meal, she continued her trek. Not really knowing what she expected to find, she knew that she needed a place to spend the night. A couple of hours later, it was dark. The grungy derelicts wandering around looked scary to her. She went into an dingy alley and hid behind a dumpster. Holding her teddy bear to her chest, she sat down and leaned against the dumpster, hoping that nobody would see her and hurt her. Her head fell on top of Baloo as the tears ran down. Feeling alone in an unfriendly and ugly wilderness, she cried softly as she asked Baloo, "What's going to happen to me, Baloo?!" ***** Barbara opened her eyes and got out of bed. Opening her door, she walked out of her bedroom into the kitchen, where she smelled bacon and toast. Her birth mom came out, greeting her, "Hello dear! How did you sleep?" Barbara didn't answer. She was too shocked. "Would you like some breakfast, dear?", her mom asked. "What?", Barbara asked. "BREAKFAST!" Fourteen year-old Barbara's eyes opened and she clutched Baloo tightly against her as the call for breakfast sounded again. It had been a dream. She had had another dream where her parents were alive, she had food to eat and a bed to sleep in. As she rolled over on her back, stretching her arms, her eyes closed again. She was still tired and wished she could sleep in, but it wasn't allowed here at the homeless shelter. She had been lucky to have been able to get a bed to sleep in last night. She slowly got up, stretching her muscles. The beds were hard and uncomfortable, but it was still a bed inside a building, and it wasn't always available. On the nights that she couldn't get a bed, there was an alleyway behind Burlington Coat Factory with an overhang to keep off the rain. Over the years, she had collected things and took them to that alley to make her sleeping spot a bit more comfortable: a blanket, a dirty stained pillow, a bottle for water and some books to read. Putting her teddy bear in her backpack, she got in line for breakfast. It was always the same: oatmeal, sausage and toast with jelly. As she went through the line and carried her tray of food to an empty table, she saw a newspaper. She looked at the date and sighed silently. Two days ago had been her birthday. She knew that it was coming up, but she had forgotten. She had spent it the same as her last two birthdays; standing beside the road begging for change and then searching the dumpster behind the grocery store for her dinner because it always had edible food in it. One birthday, she actually found some stale cupcakes which were a good substitute for a birthday cake. Her first birthday on the streets was miserable because it was a painful reminder of everything she lost. The following birthday, her thirteenth, had come and gone without her even realizing it until one day she found a discarded newspaper and saw that her birthday had happened two weeks ago. Now, her birthdays were no longer special. They were the same as every other day, just trying to survive and stave off boredom by reading. While she ate, she overheard a man talking about how the Bowery Mission on Park Avenue South gives clean clothes and a shower to the homeless. Her clothes were dirty and worn and it had been three days since she had a shower. She needed to go over there. She had been on the streets for the last 3 years. The first week was the hardest. She didn't know anything or anyone. She thought that she would be able to trust the kind-heartedness of strangers, but after being raped by a grungy old man under a bridge a few days after arriving, she learned to trust no one. Avoiding the police from fear that they would return her to her father, she did want she could to survive, begging, digging through trash cans for scraps of food and at times, stealing. She hated to steal, but hunger and desperation sometimes makes you do things you wouldn't ordinarily do. She had become a feral animal, paranoid and relying on her wits and senses. As the days turned into weeks and then months and then years, she learned where to go for food, shelter, an occasional shower if she was lucky, and most importantly, what areas were to be avoided so bad things wouldn't happen. ***** One night, she was panhandling outside of a bar in the south Bronx near Yankee Stadium. It had been raining for several minutes and as she stood under the awning of the bar, trying to stay dry, she spied across the street, a mother and father eating inside a restaurant with their young daughter. As Barbara watched, the young daughter laughed at something the father said as she dipped the french fry she was holding into her ketchup. She had seen this before, a happy family who had no concept of loss, and who were enjoying their lives. Every time she saw it, she would tear up as she was reminded of what she lost, but her tears would quickly turn to bitterness towards the little girl who had what she did not. Happiness, food, a dry bed, and most of all, loving parents. Someone who loved you and would take care of you. She had to turn away. It was too much for her to see; happiness, plenty of food to eat and dry clothes. At that time, a man stumbled out of the bar and saw her, "Hey...do you need somewhere to stay?" It was obvious that she was homeless and normally she never went with strangers, but now...hungry, wet from the rain, lonely and miserable from watching the happy little girl, she couldn't take anymore and nodded sadly. "Come on", he jerked his head down the street, "I've got some leftover ham that I was going to finish off..." Without hesitation and for once, pushing aside her distrust of strangers, she followed. She hadn't eaten since breakfast and was starving. Food, a shower and a dry bed out of the rain were luxuries that she couldn't afford to pass up. And that's how she met Glenn. He was a drunk, drug addict and sometimes would have a job, but usually didn't. He rarely bathed, had a bad temper and would hit her often, but Glenn gave her a place to stay, and despite being a rat-infested ramshackle shack, that was everything. It provided Barbara some semblance of the life and home that she once had. There was a bed, a bathroom, a kitchen, a shower, running water, electricity, a place to store her things without worrying about them being taken. It was everything the streets were not and a Godsend. Moreover, he was company for her, someone to talk to. He was all she had, and she preferred having someone in her life rather than being alone on the streets. Too many bad things had happened to her because she was alone with no where to go. She hated when he would have sex with her, but he told her that was her way of paying to stay there, so she did it out of obligation. He was rough and uncaring, and always told her that no one else would want her and that she should be grateful for him. She hated being with him and was scared of him, especially after he had been drinking, but she was too afraid to leave, not just because of him but also because she did not want to be on the streets anymore or alone. Anything was better than the streets, especially now, with this vicious killer that had been on the news so much. She got her job at the bookstore a few days later, so they had some steady money coming in and really enjoyed working there because there were so many books for her to read when it was slow. ***** A year later, as fifteen year-old Barbara stepped inside the bookstore, she went to the back to say hi to Mr Tisdale, the owner. Then she began organizing the books that had been left out and putting them away. Throughout the day, customers would wander in, usually mothers with their kids. Every now and then a teenager would come in and buy a book. She helped people find books and manned the checkout register. The work wasn't hard and she enjoyed helping people. When there weren't any customers needing help, she would read whatever book she happened to be reading at the time. Today, she was finishing *The Count of Monte Cristo*: "...only God knows what the future will bring. And until He decides to reveal that future to man, man must simply wait and hope...as I did for so many years...wait and hope." She closed the book. `Wait and hope for God to reveal the future...', she thought to herself. In the book, a man, who was unjustly imprisoned, escapes to discover an immense treasure. Barbara noticed how she herself was a prisoner: of poverty, of Glenn, of the constant threat of being condemned to the streets. `But there's no Cardinal Spada's treasures for me', she sadly remarked to herself, `I can't even afford groceries. I'll need to stop by the food pantry at St Michael's Church on the way home.' As the day went by, she straightened up the store and helped whoever needed it. The day passed by slowly until finally, it was nine o'clock and time to close up. Mr Tisdale locked the door, bade her goodnight and walked up the street. Barbara said `Good night' and walked the opposite way across the parking lot till she got to the sidewalk then continued on, unaware of the man following her. She walked down the sidewalk and as she passed by a van, the side door suddenly slid open and two arms reached out, grabbing her. As she instinctively pulled away, the man behind her pushed her inside. The man inside pulled her in, the door closed and the van sped off. Barbara kicked and screamed as the two men laughed and slapped her face, telling her to shut up. One man held her arms as the other man sat on her legs and ripped her blouse open. "Hey!", the driver yelled suddenly, distracting the two men holding Barbara down, "There's some freak in the road!" The man sitting on Barbara's legs, looked out the windshield and told him, "He'll move!" The driver looked at the cloaked figure standing on the road with it's head bowed. "He's not moving!", he yelled. "Then run him down!" The figure still didn't move as the van quickly approached. "Better move, muthafucka!", the driver exclaimed as his eyes narrowed. The figure remained standing as the van bore on, as if challenging the van to hit him. "I'm gonna hit him!", the driver yelled, causing the other two men to look. Less than a second before the van hit, the men watched as two huge wings spread out, six feet on either side and the figure suddenly jumped towards the van. "What the...", the driver started to exclaim, but never finished as the figure burst through the windshield, spraying glass particles inside. Its head and torso inside the van, it grabbed the driver, sinking it's teeth into his throat, ripping it open, then crawling inside as the driver's lifeless body dropped to the floor. The two men in the back screamed as the menacing figure opened it's mouth and roared, spraying blood droplets at them in the process. The two men scampered back as they pulled their Glocks out, shooting wildly at the creature. Out of control, the van veered and glanced off the side of a building, scraping against it as it slowly came to a stop. Barbara covered her face, screaming hysterically, as the two men continued shooting. The bullets had no effect as the creature opened its mouth wide, baring its bloody fangs as it leapt forward onto one of the men. Ripping his arm off as he fired futilely, the creature then punched its fist through his chest, killing him. Then it turned its black soulless eyes onto the other man as he scrambled over the seat in the back, pleading, "What do you want?!" "*YOUR BLOOD!*", the creature answered in a deep guttural growl before scrambling over the seat and on top of him as he screamed. The creature's tail whipped around furiously for a few seconds, then was still. Moments later, the man stopped screaming. The creature slowly crawled back over the seat, blood dripping from its mouth and it froze, then slowly crawled over to the girl, who was laying still, apparently fainted. Pulling back the cloak from its head revealed a woman's face with long flowing hair, but not quite like a woman. Her skin was grey, splattered with blood, and her eyes were solid black. As her demonic face gazed at the young girl, the twisted rage on it slowly faded as it looked curiously at her and reached out with its grey, clawed fingers and stroked her hair. The creature was entranced. It had never encountered one such as this before. For a while, it just gazed at her, then it suddenly realized that she needed to be taken home. Searching the young girl's pockets, for anything that would say where she lived, it pulled a piece of paper out and unfolded it. It was a pay stub dated last week and it had her name, Barbara Stanwick, and her address on it. She lived nearby in one of the worst areas of the city. Kicking the side door off its hinges, the creature gently picked Barbara up and lifted her out of the van. Stretching out its wings, it jumped up as the great wings swept downwards, lifting it into the sky. Less than half a minute later, it landed gently beside the front door of a run-down house. Twisting the knob and finding it unlocked, it carried Barbara in. The house appeared empty and sparsely furnished. Laying Barbara on the dirty worn sofa, it took off Barbara's shoes. Crouching down and staring lovingly at her, it reached out and gently touched the young girl's cheek and then traced its finger down along her arm, leaning slowly closer until it briefly kissed her with the softest of kisses. It wanted to remain there beside this beautiful maiden, but it couldn't risk the girl waking up and seeing it. It rose up again, standing imposingly before the unconscious young girl as its tail swayed slowly. It lingered for a few more seconds and then turned and left, closing the door behind it. Moments later, it leapt up into the sky, its great wings carrying it away into the night. ***** Barbara looked at the dried blood on her arms and legs. She took off her clothes, checking her self to see if the blood had come from her, but she appeared to be fine, aside from her sore arm. Seeing the creature's face in her mind, roaring as blood dripped from its fangs, watching it as it ripped the man's arm off...Barbara suddenly felt sick. She ran to the toilet, collapsing before it as she cried uncontrollably. The whole experience was so terrifying. First being attacked by those men...and then that...creature... She would have thought the whole thing a nightmare had her bloody clothes and sore arm told her differently. It really happened. It had killed everyone in the van, everyone but her. Why was she still alive...and how did she get home? A few minutes later, she calmed down. She had to change clothes and get to the bookstore. She was late. Aside from her blood-stained clothes, she only had a single dress to wear and nothing else. Glenn's drinking and drug habit kept her from being able to buy any clothes. She had found a few clothes in the trash a few days ago, but they were still dirty because she hadn't washed them yet. She tip-toed to the bedroom door and opened it slowly so she wouldn't wake Glenn up. She had to be careful not to make him angry or he would punish her. Peeking in, she saw him face down, passed out on the bed and breathed a sigh of relief. She was afraid of him when he was awake, never knowing if he would hit her for something that she did wrong. She slowly stepped into the room and took the dress hanging in the closet. As she was about to leave, she spied a crumpled up ten-dollar bill on the small table beside the bed. Feeling her empty stomach, she realized she hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday...and they needed groceries. She didn't know where the money came from, but Glenn certainly didn't earn it at a job; he must have sold something he had stolen. They needed groceries, so she quickly pocketed the money. Tip-toeing out of the room, she quietly closed the door and slipped on her dress, then left to go to work. She quickly walked to the bookstore, staring apprehensively at the spot where the van was last night. As she opened the door of the bookstore, she saw Mr Tisdale behind the register. "I'm sorry I'm late, Mr Tisdale", she said to him. He nodded to her in acknowledgement and went to his office in the back as she stepped up to the register. A mother with her young son stepped in front of the register, "We'll take these three books." "Yes ma'am", Barbara meekly replied as she typed in the price on the register. After they left with their books, a man stepped up, "Miss, do you have *A Light in the Attic*." "Yes sir", she replied as she stepped away from the register, walked down the aisle past a young teenage girl perusing a book, and plucked it from the bookshelf and handed it to him. She walked back as a young man stepped up to the register. After he paid for his books and was leaving, Barbara accidentally knocked over a stack of books at the end of the counter. The noise startled her, causing her to gasp. As she knelt down to pick them up, the young teenage girl quickly ran up and began picking up the books for her. "You don't have to do that", Barbara told the young girl, who appeared to be a little younger than her. "*I don't mind*", she replied, smiling. Barbara looked at her. The girl had a funny voice, as if she were in an empty room which caused an echo. The girl quickly picked up the books and laid them on the counter, then went back to the book she was looking at in the aisle. The day passed slowly. She read in the news how a badly damaged van was found on the side of the road with three mutilated bodies inside and shivered as the memory of what happen last night came back to her. As evening approached and it became darker, Barbara became nervous, eyeing the darkness outside. She had always been afraid of being out at night, but what happened last night compounded her fear. Eventually, it was nine o'clock; closing time. She walked out with Mr Tisdale, said her goodbyes and slowly walked across the parking lot, her eyes fearfully glancing everywhere. She quickly turned behind her to make sure no one was following her, then she turned back to continue walking and cried out as she was suddenly startled by someone standing right in front of her. As her fearful panting and racing heart slowed down, she saw that it was the young girl who had helped her pick up the books from earlier during the day. Barbara stared at her wide-eyed, "What are you doing here?!" The girl smiled, "*I thought you would like some company.*" Barbara told her, "It's not safe for you to be out here. You should go home." The girl replied, "*I would like to walk you home*." Barbara was about to object, but then thought how having company would make her feel a lot better and besides, she couldn't leave the girl out here alone. She knew how dangerous the streets were. "Okay." As they headed down the street, she told the girl, "St Michael's Church is closed now so I'll have to go to the store to get some groceries. What's your name?" "*Tisi.*" "Why does your voice sound like that?" The girl hesitated then replied, "*I'm from Greece*." "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you", Barbara told her, to which Tisi grinned. As they continued walking to St Michael's, Tisi asked Barbara to tell her about herself, but all Barbara would say is that she came to New York a few years ago. She remained silent to Tisi's questions about her parents and to Barbara's relief, Tisi didn't push her for answers. Surprisingly, Tisi was also reluctant to talk about her parents, only saying that she lived with some friends. Although Barbara was initially against it, she was glad the girl came along. It gave her not just some measure of comfort, but someone to talk to. At the store, Barbara bought some milk, bread, peanut butter and jelly, and then was ready to go home. When they stopped in front of Barbara's house, Barbara turned to Tisi, "Thank you for walking with me. But where is your home? I should walk you home." "*It's not far*", Tisi replied happily, "*Do you live alone*?" "No. I live with a guy name Glenn." Tisi looked regretful, "*Is he your boyfriend*?" "No, he's just...", she turned and looked at the door, "someone I live with." Barbara felt a sudden breeze blow against her and turned back to ask Tisi, "You sure you don't...." Barbara stared at the empty spot where Tisi stood, but was no longer there. She looked up and down the street, but couldn't see the girl anywhere. She stood there for several seconds wondering how the girl could have disappeared so fast, and then went inside the house with her groceries. As she stepped inside, she saw Glenn sitting on the threadbare sofa vaguely watching TV and slurping from a beer can. He looked up at her through his blurry eyes. "Where the fuck have you been?", he muttered contemptuously. Barbara's face immediately fell down to the floor in submission, answering quietly, "At the bookstore." Glenn staggered to his feet, precariously holding his beer can so that it sloshed out onto the floor "Where you here earlier?", he asked in a low voice. Barbara began trembling in fear as he walked towards her, murmuring, "I woke up on the sofa...and...and my clothes were dirty...I had to change..." "WHERE'S MY MONEY, BITCH?!" "I...I...I had to get groceries...", she started, then she felt an explosion of pain as she fell backwards onto the floor, smacking her head against the wall. Her vision was a red haze as she tried to focus her eyes. "YOU SPENT MY MONEY ON THIS FUCKING SHIT?!", he screamed at her as he kicked the grocery bag lying tipped over on the floor, the milk pouring out into a white puddle. Picking up the grocery bag, he hurled it outside through the still-open door, then slammed the door shut. "THAT TEN DOLLARS WAS MINE!" "I-I'm sorry...I'm sorry", she pleaded as she tried to get up but couldn't because she was too disoriented, "We needed..." "You're just not making enough money", he told her, yanking her hair up causing her to cry out as her face was brought up to his. "You took my money...but you're going to make it back." Her eyes darted wildly in fear as he glared at her. Then he added in a low voice, "Plus a whole lot more" and then he threw her back onto the floor. He sat back down on the couch and stared at the TV as she layed on the floor. For several minutes, she just layed there, crying. Her nose was bleeding and hurt really bad. When she touched it, she drew in a sharp breath as an intense pain shot through it. As her dizziness cleared and the pain subsided, she slowly crawled over to the couch and carefully pulled herself up. This wasn't the first time that Glenn had punched her...nor would it be the last. She couldn't call the police, because Glenn told her he would kill her if she did, and she couldn't leave because the streets were even worse than this. Every time that Glenn hit her, he told her what she had done wrong and that he was punishing her so she wouldn't do it again. She knew it was wrong to take his money, but she so hungry, not having eaten since yesterday. With her head bowed, she quietly asked, "The food...can I?..." He looked at her, "It wasn't yours to get. Leave it." Looking at the door for a moment as she felt her hunger pangs, she shuffled to the bedroom and layed down, pulling the blanket over her. Her nose still throbbed in pain. `He's right', she told herself, `It was his money. I shouldn't have touched it.' ***** The next morning as Barbara left the house, she looked for the bag of groceries, but it was gone. She was busy at the bookstore and made sure to drink plenty of water because it helped quiet her hunger pangs. She noticed the young girl, Tisi reading a book. When Tisi looked up and saw her, she smiled and Barbara tried to smile back, but it was hard to. When it started getting dark, Barbara noticed that Tisi was still there. She told Tisi that she should really go home so she wouldn't be out after dark. Tisi tried to stay, but Barbara insisted, not wanting anything bad to happen to her, especially with that creature on the loose. So Tisi left. When it was time to close the store, Barbara and Mr Tisdale closed up and left. Barbara went home and went to the kitchen to get a drink. As she came out, she saw Glenn with two strange men coming out of the bedroom. Suddenly becoming fearful, she stood still, "Glenn...who are..." Glenn was stone-faced as he answered, "Time for you to earn your keep." To Barbara's horror, the two men walked towards her. She took a few steps back, then ran towards the front door, but the two men quickly grabbed her as she cried out, "No...no...no...no.." and dragged her into the bedroom. Glenn followed, closing the bedroom door behind them. No one heard Barbara's screams as she was repeatedly raped and beaten. ***** A couple of hours later, the men were gone. Barbara layed on the floor, in between the bed and the wall, barely conscious, her eyes blackened, her nose broken, and a trickle of blood coming from between her legs, staining the floor. Glenn's voice came to her through the haze in her head, "You made me a hundred bucks tonight...and you're gonna keep making me money every night. If two men will give me a hundred for you, then four men will give me two hundred...Yea, you're gonna make me a lot of money." She heard his footsteps walk out of the room and a moment later, the front door opened and closed. As the haze in her head cleared, Barbara cried bitterly. She tried to move, but she couldn't; she was in too much pain and she couldn't move her right arm, so she layed on the floor. She couldn't go on any more. She was defeated. She never should have left her foster parents. In times of desperation, when there was no other recourse, people have always sought out God for help. This is what Barbara did now. For the first time in her life, in her hopelessness and misery, she sought out a God. Though she didn't believe in such things, she needed something; anything. She raised her bruised face upwards, "Please...if you are out there...I...I need help...please..." Unable to go on, her head dropped as she cried in her anguish. ***** Far away, in another state, a pair of solid black eyes turned and looked out into the night. Someone had summoned it. The creature dropped the lifeless, mutilated body it was holding and stepping around the other battered bodies lying on the ground, it walked toward the voice. As a great pair of wings unfolded behind, it leapt up, its wings propelling it into the dark sky. ***** The next morning, Barbara slowly walked to the bookstore in a daze, holding her hurt arm close to her. Every step was a painful reminder of what had been done to her. When she arrived, Mr Tisdale was already in the back office and didn't see her. She began working, but it took her longer because her hurt to move her arm and she had to focus to see the titles clearly through her swollen eyes. As customers came to her, she helped them as best she could. When they asked what happened, she simply said she had been in a car accident. An hour after opening, the young girl Tisi walked in and seeing Barbara's bruised face, her eyes opened wide, she hurried over and immediately began asking, "*Barbara*!* What happened*?!" Barbara mumbled, "I was in a car accident..." "*You don't have a car*", Tisi told her. "I was in a car accident...", Barbara repeated in a dead voice. Tisi didn't say anything, but as she stared at Barbara, her eyes flashed as her breathing deepened. Tisi didn't know what happened, but she knew this was no car accident. Someone did this to her, someone that Barbara was so afraid of that she blamed it on a non-existent car accident. "*Barbara, please tell me what happened*", she asked quietly. "I was in a car accident..." "*Okay*", Tisi said quietly, she closed her eyes for a few seconds, her fists clenched by her sides, then she walked out of the bookstore. Barbara watched her as she walked out. She couldn't tell Tisi what really happened, that there were evil monsters in the world that hurt and killed people. She couldn't do that to a young girl like Tisi. Tisi was so full of life, not like Barbara. Barbara's spirit had died years ago, making her the dead empty shell that she was today, and she just couldn't do that to her. When the day ended and it was night, Barbara left the store, walking slowly across the parking lot. She saw Tisi waiting for her. "Tisi?..." "*I want to walk you home.*" "It's not safe. Please go home." "*I'm walking you home!*", Tisi told her firmly. "NO!", Barbara yelled, surprising herself and Tisi, then her voice choked, "I can't...I can't let you get hurt. Please...please go home." Seeing what it meant to her, Tisi relented and walked away in the opposite direction. Barbara watched her walk away, sad that she had to be mean to her friend, but wanting to keep her safe, then she turned and began walking home. As she got closer to her house, she began trembling and weeping, knowing what was waiting for her. When she was in front of her house, she had to force herself to walk up to the door. She had to do it. Glenn told her that she owed him and that she couldn't leave. As her hand reached for the doorknob, in a last act of desperation, she told herself, `Maybe he's alone.' But she knew he would not be. Such was her lot in life. She turned the knob and opened the door to see three surly-looking men with Glenn. Her stomach dropped as Glenn smiled, "Well well well. We've been waiting for you." A man behind her pulled her inside and shut the door. As they walked toward her, her mouth went dry as she backed away, shaking violently and begging, "Please Glenn...don't...I-I'll make you a nice dinner..." "SHUT UP!", Glenn grabbed her hair, pulling her off her feet so that she fell. As he dragged her across the floor, screaming in pain, the men surrounded her... "*PUT HER DOWN!*" The men looked up to see a young girl standing in the doorway. Barbara looked over and her heart stopped. It was Tisi! For a second, they just stood there, staring in surprise, then leaving Glenn to hold on to Barbara, they went over to Tisi. "NO!! Tisi, get outta here!!", still on the floor, Barbara screamed and begged, "Don't touch her..." Turning to Glenn, she pleaded, "Please don't hurt her, Glenn...Take me, just let her go and don't hurt her", turning back to Tisi, "Tisi, leave!" The men ignored her, grabbing Tisi and pulling her inside. "Please Glenn...please...don't hurt her...", Barbara begged as she crawled over to Glenn, grabbing his leg. "This one's even better", one of the men said, looking at Tisi, "Get rid of that bitch...", he looked at Barbara, "We'll fuck her afterwards." Glenn grabbed Barbara's hair and dragged her into the bedroom as she screamed and tried to pull away. After shoving her into the bedroom, he closed the door, tying a rope around the doorknob and securing it as Barbara futilely tried to pull open the door, screaming, "TISI!!...RUNNN!!..." A few seconds later, Barbara heard the men yelling, "What the fuck!...SHIT!!...AAAHHHHHHHH...." The wall shook as something heavy was thrown against it. Thinking that Tisi was being hurt, Barbara continued pulling on the door with all of her might as she cried out, "NOOO!...PLEASE...OH GODDDD!!!...", then she broke down crying. Outside, she heard high pitch agonizing screams that seemed to go forever. Overcome by the screams, Barbara sank down to the floor, covering her ears and shutting her eyes as she tried to block them out. Curled up on the floor, she wept for Tisi, the one bright light in her life, snuffed out by the monsters. The screams slowly died away and there was silence. A minute later, she heard a noise outside the door and heard it open. Barbara kept her eyes clenched tightly shut, not wanting to see the monsters. A hand gently touched her arm, "*Barbara...*" Barbara's eyes flew opened as she looked up. Tisi! Covered with blood! All over; her face, arms, and legs. "OHMYGOD...TISI!!", Barbara covered her mouth with her hands as her wide-open eyes looked at her, then pulling them away, she exclaimed, "We've got to get you to a hospital!" Tisi told her, "*Barbara, I'm not hurt. I'm okay*" Barbara stared at the blood, "But you're bleeding..." Tisi took her hand, helping her stand up, and said calmly, "*We're going to leave now*." Barbara asked, "What did they do to you? Where's Glenn?" Tisi said, "*I took him away*", she paused then said, "*I took them all away.*" Barbara stared at Tisi, whispering, "What do you mean?" "*I took him away so he'll never hurt you again.*" Barbara looked at the young girl, "But how...Where is he?" "*Barbara, why did you stay here with him? Why didn't you leave?*" Barbara looked down in shame, "I don't have anywhere to go...and he said me that no one would want me." "*Why didn't you call the police?*" Barbara began trembling, "H-He told me...he would kill me if I did." Tisi closed her eyes, breathing deeply, as she tried to stop the rage building within her. Calming down, she told her, "*I'm taking you to my house. Do you have anything here that you want to bring?*" Barbara thought for few seconds and said, "I'm hungry. I need to get some food from the food pantry at St Michael's Church." Noticing Barbara's sunken cheeks, Tisi asked, "*When was the last time you ate*?" Barbara counted on her fingers as she thought for a few seconds, "Three days ago." Once again, Tisi had to close her eyes as she realized that Barbara's undernourished look wasn't just a look, she was starving. Opening her eyes again, she said, "*I'll get us something for dinner.*" "I need my other dress and toothbrush...and Baloo." Tisi walked over to the bathroom and looked inside. Only seeing a worn, dirty toothbrush laying on the filthy counter, she clenched her lips together, then she looked in the closet and saw only a single tattered dress with holes in it and a filthy blanket on the floor. She turned around, her eyes again scanning the room, but there was nothing. Other than the dress she was wearing, Barbara only had a dirty toothbrush and a single worn dress; nothing else, not even food. She lived in squalor and was starving. Turning away so that Barbara couldn't see the tears forming, Tisi quickly wiped her eyes. Then she turned around and said, "*We'll get you some clothes and some other things tomorrow.*" Barbara objected, "But I don't have any money." Tisi said, "*I have some money.*" Barbara said, "You can get some clothes from the thrift store for about $10. Do you have that much?" "*I have a little more than that.*" Tisi pulled out a small cell phone, dialed a number and held it to her ear. A few seconds later, she rattled off a bunch of strange words into it. Barbara eyebrows lifted, "What did you say?" "*I was calling my driver to pick us up*. *He will be here shortly. Let's go outside.*" Barbara told her, "Glenn doesn't want me to leave." Taking her hand, Tisi coaxed her, "*Come on.*" Not quite understanding what was going on because of the daze she was in, Barbara said, "I need to get Baloo", as she went over to the closet and stooped down to pick up something off the floor in the corner. Tisi looked at her curiously as Barbara held her teddy bear, explaining, "This is Baloo." Tisi took Barbara's hand and led her out into the living room. Barbara stopped suddenly and stared. Blood droplets were sprayed all over the walls and the floor. As she looked around, she saw a trail of blood leading to the kitchen with the kitchen door closed. Barbara put her hand over her mouth and choked. She suddenly felt sick, as if she might throw up as she whispered, "OhmyGod..." "*Don't look at it, Barbara*", Tisi told her. "NOOOOO!!!....", Barbara wailed, suddenly becoming agitated and crying out, "He's gonna be so angry with me! I need to clean this up before Glenn gets back!" She picked up a rag from the couch and started wiping the blood off from the wall. "*Barbara...*", Tisi gently took the rag from her hand as she turned. Dropping the rag, Tisi took Barbara's face in her hands and looked solemnly in her eyes, saying quietly, "*I've seen the bruises on you and I've seen the fear in your eyes everyday. You don't need to be afraid anymore. I have freed you. Glenn is gone**. He's not coming back.*" Barbara stared at Tisi, then her eyes glanced over to the front door and then to the closed kitchen door. Without Glenn, she didn't know what to do or feel. It was as if she were set adrift in the ocean, not knowing where she would end up at. At a loss, Barbara told her, "I don't know what to do." Tisi gently took her hand, "*Come Barbara, your nightmare is over*." Nodding her head, Barbara clutched Baloo tightly as Tisi led her outside. As they waited, Tisi stood beside her, holding her hand to soothe her. More and more, Tisi could see what a hellish existence she had been in, not just physically, but psychologically. She had nothing, except this teddy bear that she held close to her like a security blanket. A minute later, a 1925 Rolls-Royce Phantom pulled up beside the curb and an elegantly dressed gentleman got out and came over, opening the door so that they could get in. Barbara stared at it wide-eyed as if a UFO had landed. Tisi helped her inside. As Tisi closed the door and the car drove away, Barbara looked everywhere with a mixture of amazement and fear. She had never seen anything as beautiful as this car. Afraid of getting it dirty, she sat on the edge of the seat. Barbara looked out the windows as she watched the buildings pass by. She had a vague feeling that she had seen this view before, years ago, when she was on a bus to... escape... something.... She couldn't remember what. It seemed like she had always been there. The trash, the derelicts, the bad people who wanted to hurt her. They all passed silently by without seeing her. It wasn't like before when they could see her and hurt her. In here, she was invisible to them. She was safe. She felt something touch her hand. Looking over, she saw Tisi smiling at her. She wanted to smile back, but couldn't, not because she was unhappy, but because she had forgotten how to. All she had known was misery. And now, she was also terrified. Everything that she had known was gone. She didn't know what was going to happen. Holding Baloo tight against her chin, she continued looking out the window. Fifteen minutes later, the buildings gradually came to an end to be replaced by trees and fields. In the distance ahead of them, a large building came into view, growing ever larger as they went towards it. The front, boldly lit by cleverly hidden spotlights, was bejeweled with all manner of carved edifices, gargoyles, iron wrought railings, and botanical masterpieces. The car pulled up and stopped in front of the massive ten-foot oak doors which were wide open, a blaze of light pouring out from inside. The chauffer got out, went around and opened their door. Tisi stepped out and extended her hand, "*It's okay. No one's going to hurt you*", as Barbara looked apprehensively at the manor before her. She took Tisi's hand and got out, standing meekly as she looked everywhere. Tisi slowly encouraged her forward, towards the doors, which were flanked by two statues of women, one holding a sword, the other holding a jar. As she slowly walked in, her breath caught. It was almost too wondrous to behold. >From the enormous chandelier with its hundreds of lights twinkling to the columned archways that stretched as far as she could see on either side. Along the walls, antique furniture rested on the marble floor and centerpiece, underneath the chandelier was an elaborately carved water fountain, with cherubs placed playing with the beautiful green vines that intertwined among them. As Barbara stood still, transfixed by all this, Tisi led her to a enormous room with a ceiling that stretched higher than she had ever seen. Beautiful tapestries adorned the walls with scenes of maidens and unicorns. In the center was a massive oak table that only stood 18 inches high and surrounding it were cushioned benches, each with pillows piled high on one end. But what captured Barbara's attention was the food on the table. A feast enough for a dozen people, more than she had ever seen before in her life. It looked so delicious and her stomach growled at the mere sight of it, but it wasn't hers... "*Go on Barbara. Eat as much as you want*", Tisi told her. Barbara looked at her, tears welling up in her eyes. Tisi nodded, then Barbara burst forth, running over and at first, leaning on the floor over the table, but shortly later, crawling up on the table in her lust as she grabbed the food with her bare hands and stuffed it in her mouth. She didn't know the meaning of uncouth, just the meaning of starvation. Though there were silverware, she didn't think of them. After three days without anything, she couldn't and didn't hold back. As Barbara ate, a young man in a white tunic entered the room behind Tisi who was leaning against the doorway watching Barbara with a slight smile on her lips. Noticing the lack of gentility in Barbara's frenzied eating, he asked quietly, "πόσο ‏καιρό ‏χρό...ος ‏κ...ρία‏ μένω?" (*How long will the lady be staying*?) Tisi sighed happily as she watch Barbara, answering "για πάντα" (*Forever*). ***** When Barbara had finished eating, Tisi came over beside her. Barbara looked at her sadly, "Do I have to go back now?" Tisi sat beside her, brushing aside a few strands of hair that had fallen over Barbara's eyes, "*Barbara*...*I want you to stay here with me.*" Barbara looked confused, "You mean like...spend the night?", looking slowly around, "Here?" "*Not just spend the night*...*I want you to live with me.*" Barbara thought for a few seconds, then asked, "Do you want me to clean or...something?" Tisi replied, "*No. You don't have to do anything*." Barbara tried to reason out why anyone would want someone like her, but couldn't, "I don't understand. Why would you want me to live here?" Tisi replied, "*I want to take care of you. When I'm with you, I feel*... *something*.... * I don't know how to say it. I just*...*really want to take care of you*." "Where will I sleep?" "*With me.*" Barbara looked down at her teddy bear. Glenn wouldn't let her sleep with Baloo; calling her a baby for wanting to. But Baloo was all she had to remind her of her parents...and of happier times. He comforted her when she was scared, and right now, she didn't know what was going on and was anxious. She asked quietly, "Can I bring Baloo?" Tisi smiled at her timidness, "*Of course.*" Barbara thought for a while, then whispered, "Okay." Tisi took her hand and led her out of the room and up the adjoining curved stairway that went around each end of the foyer. Barbara followed, looking around at everything meekly. A red carpet ran down the center of a white corridor, lined with paintings and vases upon pedestals. The paintings are so bright and colorful. `This must be what Heaven is like.' She had never known such beauty existed. All she knew was filth and peril. Tisi opened the doors to a bedroom bigger than Barbara's house and yard combined. The bed itself was twice the size of her bedroom. Barbara's eyes couldn't have gotten any bigger than they were at the sheer size of the room and the bed. It was actually intimidating to her. She stopped, afraid to go in. "*It's okay. Don't be afraid*", Tisi encouraged her as she gently pulled Barbara's hand, leading her towards a room off to the side. As Tisi walked toward the room, Barbara noticed a painting on the wall by the archway. This painting was different and something about it drew her. All of the paintings before had been bright and beautiful, but this one was ugly and drab. It showed two topless women waiting in the shadows of an alley as a man, who apparently had killed another man, ran towards them. The dispositions of the women were dark and murderous. She read the plaque at the bottom of the painting: *The Murderer* by Franz Von Stuck, 1891. Tisi's smile faded. She had forgotten about this painting. She had not meant for Barbara to see it, at least not yet. At some point, she would have to tell Barbara who she was, just not now. Tonight and tomorrow are for Barbara. Later perhaps, although she didn't know how she would tell her. Barbara was already so fragile and timid... "Why would you have something so ugly?", Barbara asked her. "*I'll tell you later.*" Leading Barbara through the archway into the next room revealed it to be a bathroom, but larger and more magnificent than she could possibly imagine. An enormous garden tub, enough for several people to fit in comfortably, sat against the wall, encased in marble. Adjacent to it was a large shower and in an enclosed closet, was the toilet. Barbara looked at the sink beside her as Tisi went to the garden tub and turned the gold knobs, letting it fill. The faucet and knobs of the sink, the bathtub and the shower were gold. She thought it was a gold-colored paint but it seemed more lustrous than anything she had seen before. "Is this real gold?", she asked. Tisi looked at her and nodded, smiling, "Mm-hm." Tisi took a bottle from the shelf and poured a small amount from it into the water, causing bubbles to appear to Barbara's amazement. As the tub filled, Tisi went to a door and opened it, removing a towel and a thin white robe from it and draping them on the marble shelf beside the tub. Turning off the water and then turning to Barbara, she said, "*When your done, you can put on this robe. I'll be right outside in the bedroom*." Tisi smiled at her and started to walked away, then turned around, "*I'm glad you're here, Barbara*", then she turned and went into the bedroom. Barbara looked at the bathtub, piled high with bubbles that invited her, and turned and looked into the dark bedroom to where Tisi disappeared to. There was no door to close for privacy, only a large opening that connected the bathroom with the bedroom. Not wanting to be seen naked, she kept her eyes on the opening as she unbuttoned her dress, folding it before laying it neatly on the marble shelf. Then reaching behind to unclasp her bra, she laid it on her dress and then hooked her thumbs into the waistband of her panties, sliding them down before stepping out of them and putting them with her bra. She reached her hand into the water to see if it was too hot or cold, but found it just hot enough. Stepping carefully into the water, she slowly sat down. `Wooow. This feels really nice', she thought. Picking up the bubbles in her hands, she grinned at their delicacy. Seeing a loofah, she picked it up and scrubbed herself, Spying a button on the marble shelf, she pushed it to see what it would do and to her great surprise, she felt jets of water against her skin, making the water roll and bubble. Gasping, she smiled as the bubbles grew ever taller. She pushed the button again, ceasing the jets, then leaned back and relaxed. The hot water was so relaxing, the quietness so soothing. Her eyes began closing, then opened again. She was about to fall asleep. Draining the tub, she grabbed the towel and stood up, drying herself off before wrapping the robe around her. It was as soft as a cotton T-shirt, but much thinner and cooler. Looking out through the opening into the dark bedroom, she walked slowly forward. She saw Tisi standing on the balcony outside of the eight-foot tall, floor-to-ceiling window. Walking slowly across the room towards the opened doors, Tisi turned and smiled when she saw her, extending her hand, inviting Barbara to join her. Stepping out into the cool night air, Barbara had no words to describe the wonders before her. The exquisite lawn set behind the house and the majestic skyline spread out before her with the Statue of Liberty in the distance. For a while, she just beheld it all. "What is all that?", she asked. "*The world that you never knew. Tomorrow you will see it.*" Tisi suddenly noticed the dried blood splattered on her hands and as she looked down at her bloody clothes, she remarked, "*Oh. I forgot I need a shower.*" She looked at Barbara, "*I'm going to take a quick shower and change into some clean clothes*." She ran off to the bathroom. Barbara continued gazing at the wondrous beauty before her for several minutes. A full moon bathed everything in a soft light. She looked at the sides of the manor and down at the patio below. Turning around, she saw Tisi watching her, a slight smile on her lips. She also had on a robe the same as Barbara's. She came out as Barbara yawned. The night was catching up to her as her eyes half-closed. "*Come*", Tisi took her hand, leading her toward the bed. Barbara happily saw that Baloo was on the pillow. Sitting on the bed, she put her legs under the sheet and took Baloo into her arms. Tisi went around and crawled into the bed from the other side, sliding over so she was beside Barbara. Barbara turned onto her side, looking at Tisi who couldn't stop smiling at her. Barbara asked, "What will happen tomorrow?" Tisi smiled, "*Everything.*" "What's everything?" "*Everything. Everything will be better...so much better.*" Barbara yawned again, "I'm so sleepy..." Her eyes fluttered, then closed. Tisi watched her as she slept, whispering, "κοιμούμαι δικός μο... λίγος ά...θρωπος (*Go to sleep, my little human*)" Long after Barbara fell asleep, Tisi continued to watch her, spellbound by her beauty. Watching the rise and fall of her breasts with her breathing, the pale glow of the moonlight upon her face, the way she clutched her teddy bear close to her. Ever since that first time three nights ago, when she first saw Barbara lying on the floor of that van, she couldn't stop thinking of her. This one was different from the other humans, but how? Tisi had walked among them for most of their recorded history and had never been so affected as she was now with this one. Something about Barbara stirred something within her, something she had never felt before. She liked looking at Barbara. She wanted to touch her...and have Barbara touch her in return. Then Tisi did something she had seen humans do many times to each other...but had only done it once before herself...she leaned over and gently placed a kiss on Barbara's lips. Barbara stirred slightly at the kiss, but didn't wake. Seeing her sunken cheeks and emaciated arms, a tear rolled down Tisi's cheeks. "*I'm sorry Barbara*", she whispered as the tears fell, "*I'm so sorry for how much you've suffered. I didn't know"*, she wiped her eyes and took a deep breath, "*But I'm going to make everything better. Your life will be bliss and contentment.*" She stroked Barbara's hair, vowing to her, "*You will want for naught!*" ***** Hours later, Tisi was still admiring her when Barbara slightly jerked in her sleep. Tisi saw that she wasn't smiling anymore, but was frowning, her face contorted with a pained expression. As Tisi watched, the pained expression became stronger and Barbara began mumbling in her sleep, "No...no...please don't..." as she breathing deepened. Tisi reached out and touched Barbara's shoulder, causing her to cry out suddenly as she jerked up. She looked about wildly, her sides heaving, as Tisi quickly moved in front of her, taking her face in her hands, "*Barbara...Barbara...It's okay...*" Barbara was trembling as she covered her face with her hands, sobbing, "Please don't let him get me...please don't..." Tisi brought Barbara's head down to her chest, holding her close and reassuring her, "*You're safe, Barbara. I won't let anyone hurt you.*" Barbara continued crying on Tisi's shoulder, then whispering fearfully, "...Are you sure he's not coming back?...P-please don't let him..." "*He's never coming back.*" Feeling her human shivering in fear against her, Tisi felt her rage building. Never before had she wanted to kill someone so much; the unknown person who had hurt Barbara. Unseen by Barbara, Tisi's eyes melted to blackness and her back bulged as her wings tried to push out. As she saw her hands turning a mottled grey color, Tisi realized that she had to get herself under control, telling herself as well as Barbara, "*It's okay...sshh...calm down....*" As her rage subsided, the blackness in Tisi's eyes faded and her skin became flesh color again. Tisi lowered Barbara back down again onto the pillow and handed her Baloo, then she layed close beside her and promised, "*No one will ever hurt you again.*" Wrapping her arms around her, Tisi rubbed her back reassuringly until she fell asleep again. Tisi had never comforted anyone before, but it seemed to come naturally to her as she held Barbara. She just went with what she felt. Tisi continued to hold her and was still holding her when she woke up in the morning. ***** The next morning, Barbara's eyes opened. Up above her, she saw clouds floating in the sky with a flock of birds flying through them, but as she watched the birds, she saw that they weren't moving. They seemed to be frozen in their flight. Sitting up, she realized she wasn't outside at all and what she perceived to be birds flying in the sky was an intricate painting on the ceiling of the room she was in. Looking around, she didn't recognize anything. Looking on the bed beside her, she saw the smiling face of Tisi as she was propped up on her elbow, watching her. All of a sudden, Barbara remembered she was going to be late to the bookstore. Scrambling out of bed, she looked for her dress. "*What is it, Barbara?*", Tisi asked worriedly. "I need to go to work! Where's my dress?!", she exclaimed worriedly. "*You don't need to go to work.*" Not able to find her dress, Barbara was becoming upset and on the verge of crying, "I'm going to be late! I'm going to lose my job!" As Barbara hurried to the bathroom to look for her dress, Tisi got off the bed and followed. *"Barbara...*" Something in Tisi's voice made Barbara stop. *"You don't need to work anymore. You'll never need to work again. I'm going to take care of you.*" Barbara turned around and looked at her, "Why would you do that?" "*Because I want to.*" "But...I'm nobody. What will your parents say?", Barbara asked. "*I...don't have parents*." Barbara asked, "Then whose house is this?" "*It's mine.*" Barbara asked, "How can all this be yours?" Tisi paused for a moment and glanced at the painting. She knew this moment would come. She didn't know when, but she knew it would come, just not this soon. Taking a deep breath, she wondered how she would tell her so that she would understand and it wouldn't frighten her "*Barbara...*", she asked quietly, "*...how old do you think I am?*" Barbara looked at her for a few seconds and said, "A little younger than me. Maybe twelve or thirteen." Tisi looked down at the floor as her voice lowered, "*What would you think...if I told you I am over 3000 years old.*" Barbara was silent as she stared at Tisi's face. She could see that Tisi was not joking or lying. Barbara felt a shiver go through her. Tisi continued, "*I'm a Fury*" Barbara was so confused and uneasy, she could barely find her voice, "I don't know what that is." "*It's a kind of god...a Greek demi-god...*", Tisi looked up into Barbara's face, "...*immortal and omnipotent.*" Barbara looked at her, "But...you're just a girl." "*This is just a guise*." When Tisi saw that Barbara didn't know what she meant, she said, "*I'm not a girl...I'm not even human.*" Barbara asked, "What are you?" Tisi pointed to the painting, "*Tell me, what do you see here?*" Barbara came over and looked at it, "Two naked women...and a man running. I think he killed that man lying on the ground and that's why he's running." Tisi told her, "*The man murdered someone and the women are going to punish him. That is what I do. I punish those who hurt others.*" Seeing Barbara's confused look, Tisi said quietly, "*The women are me and my sister*." She paused, then said,* "We are Furies. We kill people. That's why Glenn isn't coming back. I killed him. All those murders that have been in the news...I'm the serial killer.*" ***** Barbara's eyes opened wide at this revelation as she stepped back, horrified. Tisi saw the fear in her eyes, "*Do you remember yesterday when you told me you were in a car accident?...and how you couldn't tell me that **there were evil monsters in the world that hurt and killed people...*" Barbara's mouth opened in surprise as she wondered how Tisi knew. Tisi walked slowly over, "*I took Glenn away so he will never hurt you again. That's what I do, I take the evil monsters away so they can't hurt anyone ever again.*" Barbara's eyes filled with tears as she remembered the evil monster that she called Glenn...and what he was going to do to her last night. She then remembered the nightmare she had...and how Tisi comforted her...and made the nightmare go away. She suddenly asked, "How did you know?" "*I heard your prayer.*" Barbara drew in a breath and held it as her eyes closed in fear, "Are you the monster?..." Tisi touched Barbara's cheek gently, whispering, "*I am a monster*, *but not like the real monsters...the ones who want to hurt people. I protect people. I will protect you. Please don't be afraid of me.*" She took Barbara's hand and led her to the balcony, "*Over 3000 years ago, my brother, Cronus castrated our father, Uranus. As he was bleeding, me and my two sisters came out of his blood. My name is Tisiphone. My two sisters are Megaera and Alecto. I don't see Alecto that much cause she's always in a bad mood, but every now and then I visit Megaera.*" As they stepped out onto the balcony and looked out onto the green field stretched out before them, Barbara asked, "What is M...Meg...What did you say her name is?" "*Megaera.*" "Yea, what is she like?" Tisi leaned back against the railing, "*We each have different titles and jobs. My name means vengeful destruction.*" Barbara drew in a quick breath, "Why would you have such a horrid name?" Tisi looked down, "*Because it's what I do. I am vicious and brutal. Do you remember how I looked last night at Glenn's*" Barbara nodded, remembering the blood. "*My sister, Megaera is the Fury of Jealous Rage and Alecto is the Fury of Unceasing Anger.*" Barbara asked, "Do they live here too?" "*No. Megaera lives in Texas and Alecto doesn't have a home. She just wanders around.*" Barbara looked at the view silently as Tisi waited. It was a lot to think about. Barbara wouldn't have believed her if she hadn't seen the monster in the van and the blood on Tisi last night. The monster frightened her terribly, but Tisi saved her...and was so nice. To Barbara, Tisi wasn't a monster. Barbara looked at her, and asked, "I think...you're not bad. You punish bad people and help good people." Tisi sighed with relief. Barbara was not afraid of her. Tisi took Barbara's hand, "*Are you hungry*?" Barbara nodded. Tisi grinned, "*Come on!*" She led Barbara out of the room, down the corridor and down the stairway to the dining room where she was last night. Barbara sat on one of the benches, "I meant to ask you last night. Why is this table so short?" Tisi sat on the adjoining bench and reclined on the cushions by laying on her left side, "*This is how the ancient Greeks would eat. Lay on your side like this.*" Barbara looked at how Tisi was laying and layed on her left side as a woman brought in a platter of baked fish and vegetables, which she set before them. Barbara looked at the woman in surprise as she set the platter down and said shyly, "Hi." Tisi told her, "*This is Chloe. She cooks all of our meals*", then turning to the woman, "*Chloe, this is Barbara*" The woman smiled as she bowed her head and said, "Μεγάλη αρασκε...ή, το έτερο μο... ήμισ... (*Good day, my fair lady*)." Tisi smiled as she told Chloe, "*She doesn't speak Greek.*" Chloe started slightly and bowed again, "*I apologize, my lady.*" Barbara, watching this in amazement, replied apologetically herself, "Please don't be sorry. I think your words are beautiful." Chloe smiled and went back to the kitchen. As they ate, Tisi smiled at her, "*I'm going to take you shopping today*." Barbara said, "Please don't. I don't want you spending any money on me." Tisi's face fell, "*But I want you to have nice things.*" "It will cost too much...and...you've already done so much." Tisi came over and knelt before Barbara, asking, "*Why don't you want me to spend money on you?*" Lowering her head in shame, Barbara said quietly, "I don't deserve it." Tisi raised her chin up so that she could see Barbara's eyes, "*You deserve everything.*" Standing up, she said, "*I want to show you something.*" She led Barbara to an alcove in the wall with a large wooden chest set within it. Tisi sat beside the chest and looked at Barbara, inviting her, "*Open it.*" Barbara approached the chest and crouched down. After opening the clasp and raising the lid, her eyes and mouth slowly dropped open. In it were thousands of silver coins, gleaming in the light. Not believing her eyes, she slowly reached out and picked up one, whispering breathlessly, "Cardinal Spada's treasure..." She looked at the coin, but didn't recognize it. About the size of a quarter, one side had a woman's face and the other side had a picture of an owl. She looked at Tisi, "What is it?" "*A tetradrachm. The woman is Athena and that's her owl on the other side.* " Barbara turned the coin over and over looking at it, "I've never seen a coin like this." "*No one has. Not for over two thousand years.*" Barbara eyebrows raised, "How much money is this coin?" "*Back in the 5th century BC, about $47. Today, it's worth $5000.*" Barbara's eyes grew even bigger as she almost dropped the coin and quickly laid it down so she wouldn't. She looked at the mass of coins in the chest and slowly asked, "How...much...is..." Tisi casually replied, "*About twenty million dollars.*" Barbara gasped and fell back on her butt in shock as she stammered, "Y-you have t-twenty...*million*...*dollars*?!" Tisi giggled, "*I have a lot more than twenty million.*" She got up and ran to another room for a few seconds, then quickly came back with a laptop computer. Sitting down cross-legged on the floor, she open it up and opened a window and scrolled down to the bottom. Turning it around so Barbara could see, Barbara asked, "What is this?" Tisi answered, "*This is a summary of my assets from various accounts.*" and pointed to a number at the bottom of the screen. Barbara looked at the number that she pointed to which seemed impossibly large, "OhmyGod..." She tried to read it, but couldn't, "I-I don't know how much that is...147..." "*Billion dollars.*" Barbara was quiet for a few moments, staring at the screen in shock, then said, "When you said that you had some money, I was thinking of a few thousand,...not 147...billion dollars." Tisi remarked, "*Quite a bit more than what Edmund Dantes found on Monte Cristo, isn't it*?" Barbara looked at her surprised, "How did you...?", then asked, "Where did you get all this?" "*Selling ancient treasures and investing...*", she touched Barbara's nose and smirked, "...*also because I'm a god.*" Barbara breathed out suddenly at the remark. "*So, will you please let me buy you some clothes and other things?*", Tisi looked at her hopefully. Barbara thought for a while, then decided, "Only if it doesn't cost too much money." Tisi took Barbara's hand, rubbing her thumb along the back of her hand, "*Nothing is too much money.*" ***** Shortly afterwards, Tisi was leading Barbara out to the car. The Rolls-Royce impressed Barbara just as much as it did last night. The chauffer held the door open for them and as Barbara approached, she asked Tisi, "What's his name?" "*Eliud*" "Hello Eliud", Barbara greeted him as she stepped inside. Eliud bowed as he replied, "*Good day, my lady.*" As they were being driven towards their shopping excursion, Barbara again looked at everything like a little kid. She couldn't help it. It was all so different on this side. This side of the city, this side of life. Despite Tisi being rich, Barbara was not comfortable about Tisi spending money on her. It made her feel selfish. She said, "Can we go to Wal-Mart?" Tisi's face wrinkled in disgust, "*Why?!*" Barbara explained, "Because they're the cheapest. I don't want you spending a lot of money on me." "*How about we go to another store that almost as cheap as Wal-Mart?*", Tisi asked. "What is it?", Barbara asked. Crossing her fingers behind her back, Tisi murmured, "*Saks Fifth Avenue* ..." Barbara had never heard of it, so..."Okay." A half hour later, the car stopped in front of the Saks Fifth Avenue building. When Eliud opened the door and Barbara stepped out, she looked up at the towering glass edifice before her in awe. Walking through the glass doors, her breath was taken away. Outside of Tisi's manor, it was the most beautiful place she had ever seen. Wearing her old dress, she felt ashamed of her appearance as passersby looked at her. Not knowing where to go, Tisi guided her to the dresses nearby. As Barbara looked at the price of one, she gasped, "Tisi...this is $100!" Tisi glanced at the price, knowing full well that it was a cheap price for a dress here, but feign ignorance, "*Oh, is that too expensive? Well, we'll get a cheaper one.*" But as Barbara looked at the other dresses, she saw that everything was too expensive, "Tisi!", she called frantically, "*They all* cost too much." Tisi couldn't help smiling at Barbara's innocence, "*It is nothing.*" Barbara was still worried, "I don't want you to spend all of your money." "*We'll just get a few things, okay?*" As Tisi showed Barbara various clothes and asked what she liked, Tisi watched how this girl who had literally nothing, and then suddenly had infinite wealth without measure, was still the most selfless person. Out of all the greed that existed in this world, Barbara was the one person who needed the most and yet wanted nothing because it would deprive another. A couple of hours later, through Tisi's gentle insisting and distracting Barbara from the prices, they had amassed an entire wardrobe. Not because of Barbara, but because Tisi wanted her to have plenty...and also because Tisi kept seeing cute outfits that she desired to see Barbara in. Whenever Barbara noticed something that looked pretty, Tisi discreetly had an attendant take it to the register so Barbara wouldn't notice how many clothes she was getting. Tisi knew that she had spent several thousand dollars, but the money was but a pittance to her. If Barbara would have known, she would have considered it a wasteful extravagance and have been completely against it, but she was worth it and more. During their shopping, they wandered into the jewelry department, Barbara gazed into the counters as she passed by. Along with everything else, she had never had any kind of jewelry before. They were all beautiful, with real gold and diamonds, but she didn't want such extravagance spent on her. She turned away... "*Are there any that you like?*", Tisi asked softly. "No...they're too much." Tisi told her, "*The cost is nothing.*" Barbara insisted, "I don't want you spending all your money on me." "*Very well. Let's go.*" There was one final thing that Tisi wanted to get for Barbara. Unfortunately, it was the most expensive piece of clothing which Tisi knew Barbara would surely object to: a formal evening gown. Tisi steered her in that direction without telling her where they were going. As they walked along the aisle, passing by the nightgowns, Barbara was suddenly drawn to them. During the entire time that they had been there, nothing had really caught her eye like these nightgowns. They all looked so beautiful as Barbara absentmindedly wandered among them, gazing at the lace and touching the silk material. One in particular stood out to her, a beige one with lace around the neck. It didn't have too much lace or was too revealing like the others. But when she looked at the price, her face fell. She had never had a nightgown before and this one was so beautiful. She brought it to her face and closed her eyes, imagining what it would feel like to wear it, but knowing she couldn't. It would be greedy to ask for this on top of everything else that Tisi had bought for her. Putting it back, she wiped a tear from her eye as she went back to Tisi and continued walking down the aisle, not noticing as Tisi nodded to the attendant. They went back to the aisle and Tisi casually guided her to the evening gown section of the store and remarked, "*Ooh...look at these beautiful dresses, Barbara...*" "But I already have a bunch of clothes", Barbara pointed out. Tisi thought for a bit and said, "*I know, but you need a nice dress for special occasions.*" As they approached, Barbara asked the question that Tisi was fearing, "How much are they?" Closing her eyes in frustration, Tisi said, "*We'll get a cheap one.*" As they looked at all the dresses, Tisi asked her, "*If all of these dresses were free and you could choose any one you want, which would you choose?*" "But they're not", Barbara objected. "*But if they were,... which would you want?*" Barbara walked slowly along as Tisi hung back, letting Barbara look by herself. All of them were beautiful, some more, some less. Finally, she saw one that caught her eye, she felt the material. It was so soft. Picking it up and holding it against her, she closed her eyes as she luxuriated in it. She suddenly noticed Tisi beside her. "This one", she whispered. Tisi quickly took up the price tag before Barbara could, holding it between her thumb and forefinger. She held it so Barbara could see the price for herself. Barbara's face fell and she put it back, saying sadly, "It's $72...I can't get it." "*Please say yes and I won't buy anything else.*" "You promise?" "*I promise. This is the last.*" Barbara started back toward the aisle and Tisi turned to the attendant standing nearby. As she handed the dress to the attendant, her thumb came off of the price tag, revealing two more zeros behind the seventy-two; the $7200 price for the Valentino Silk Georgette Halter Gown. ***** As they left the store and were walking towards the car, it was about noon and Tisi told Eliud, "*The Masa restaurant at the Time Warner Center*" as they stepped inside the car. Less than fifteen minutes later, the pulled up to the biggest building Barbara had ever seen, all enclosed in glass. They went to the fourth floor and step inside Masa, a famous sushi restaurant. With Barbara looking all around, clearly intimidated by the formality of everything, the Maitre'D asked Tisi, "Do you have a reservation?" Tisi walked by him, boldly replying, "*I don't need a reservation.*" As Barbara followed along, Tisi walked up to the sushi bar with the Maitre'D following. Tisi called out to the Japanese chef preparing the food behind the bar, "*Masa Takayama.*" The chef turned towards her and smiled as he recognized her. The Maitre'D addressed him, "Sumimasen! (I'm sorry!)" The chef told him, "Sore wa nani mo arimasen. (It is nothing)", then turned to Tisi and motioned to an empty spot by the window. There were no menus so Tisi ordered for them and soon, a platter of various kinds of sushi was brought to them. As Tisi ate, Barbara reluctantly picked one up, sniffed it, then took a small bite. While they ate, Tisi noticed that Barbara seemed to be bored, just picking at her food and kept looking out the window down at something. Tisi saw that she was looking at a nearby restaurant called Aquarium. It was large, colorful and surrounded by water fountains. It certainly seemed more appealing to Barbara than a $600 platter of sushi. She leaned over and asked Barbara, "*This place is kind of boring, isn't it.*" Barbara hesitated then nodded sadly. Tisi asked, "*Would you rather go there?*", pointing down to the Aquarium restaurant. Barbara looked down to the restaurant and turned back with such a look of hopeful joy that Tisi didn't need to hear her answer. Tisi called an attendant over and told him to send her the bill later. "*Come on*" Tisi stood up smiling, and walked to the chef, bowed and said, "*Doumo arigatou gozaimasu* (Thank you very much)" The chef, bowed in return, "Doitashimashite (You're welcome)" They left and Tisi told Eliud to take them to the nearby Aquarium restaurant. A restaurant with aquariums of all kinds set within it and surrounded by water fountains; Barbara loved it. With Tisi in tow, Barbara went everywhere, looking at all the fish and pointing them out to Tisi. At their table, they ordered hamburgers and fries, which Tisi noted that Barbara enjoyed much more than sushi. When they finished and had gone back to the car, Tisi pulled several tourists brochures from a pocket and spread them out on the seat so Barbara could look at them. "*There's the Metropolitan Museum of Art...St Patrick's Cathedral...*" Tisi saw Barbara's bored look but when Tisi showed her another brochure, "...*the American Museum of Natural History*", Barbara suddenly took notice. Barbara picked up the brochure, gasped and said softly, "They have dinosaurs!...and animals!...and crystals! Can we go here?!" Tisi smiled. She found something that Barbara liked. Tisi told Eliud and soon, they were strolling down a vast hall while Barbara excitedly gazed at all the displays and Tisi drank in Barbara's joy. Afterwards, in the car, Barbara picked out the brochure for the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. There, Barbara fell in love with all the beautiful flowers and didn't want to leave when the garden closed at 6:00 PM. As they walked back to the car, Barbara wished out loud that she could have a garden of her own to which Tisi took note of. For dinner, Tisi decided to try out a hunch and told Eliud to go to the American Girl Café. As they stepped inside, Barbara was given an American Girl doll to eat dinner with and she absolutely loved it. As Tisi watched her eating and playing with the doll, Tisi came to learn that somewhere in Barbara's life, something horrible had killed her spirit. Her childhood had abruptly ended and she had been forced to become an adult. Because she had never been allowed to be a child, she became a child, not in intellect, but in spirit. Tisi didn't mind this. It only made her more desirable. Barbara only wanted somebody to love her. And that is what Tisi wanted to do. After they left and were headed back to the manor, Barbara looked at Tisi, "Everything did change, just like you said! Thank you for everything, Tisi!" As the car pulled up to the front doors of the manor, a woman stepped out and went to the back of the car as Eliud open the trunk. Together, they began taking Barbara's new clothes into the house. As Barbara stared in shock at the great number of clothes that they were pulling out, Tisi told them, "*Hang them in the closet in my room*." They bowed and carried them upstairs. Since it wasn't quite dark yet, as Barbara went inside, she began noticing things which she didn't last night. Vases, paintings and decorative archways lined the corridors. As Barbara wandered about, looking at everything, Tisi told her she wanted to check on something and would be back later. Barbara nodded and kept looking. Barbara continued walking down the corridor, looking at the beautiful paintings. After some time, she noticed a woman nearby. She wasn't doing anything, just standing nearby watching her, as if she were waiting on Barbara. She was dressed in a white peplos tunic. As Barbara walked down the hallway, the woman followed silently, always remaining behind Barbara several feet. When she came to the glass doors leading outside to the back, she stepped out looking at the trees and fields layed out before her. Turning around to go back in, Barbara saw the woman still watching her. As she walked inside, she noticed her dirty footprints on the white marble floor. Distressed over soiling such a beautiful floor, Barbara got down on her hands and knees and taking the hem of her dress, began wiping the dirt from the floor. The woman quickly came over, saying, "*Please my lady, do not do this.*" Barbara looked up anxiously, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I'll clean it up." The woman replied, "*I will do this. This is my job*." "But it's my fault. I need to clean it up", Barbara told her. The woman said, "*But it is my job to serve you.*" Barbara stared at her in surprise, "What?" The woman told her, "*You are the lady of the house and I am your hand-maiden. My duties are to clean up after you and to serve you.*" Barbara protested, "But this is my fault, I did this", as she continued wiping off the dirt with her dress. The woman tried to help, but Barbara told her, "No, it's my fault." So the woman stood nearby as Barbara scrubbed the floor. A minute later, Tisi came over and saw Barbara scrubbing the floor while her attendant was doing nothing, "*Agathe?! Why is Barbara cleaning the floor while you stand by?*!" Agathe curtsied and regretfully explained, "S*he won't let me, my lady.*" Tisi came over to Barbara, who was visibly upset and apologizing, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to..." Tisi picked Barbara up and hugged her, explaining, "*Barbara, it's okay. I'm not upset. You didn't do anything wrong*." Pulling back, Tisi pointed to Agathe and said, "*This is Agathe. Her job is to do your bidding. If you want something done or if anything needs to be cleaned, tell her and she'll do it.*" Barbara said quietly, "I don't want her to do my work." Tisi said, "*Agathe's job is to give you a life of comfort and ease.*" "I don't want to tell her to do things." Tisi looked at Barbara, smiling sadly. She was the sweetest, most selfless person she had ever met. "*Come. It's getting late*", she took her hand and they went upstairs. In the bedroom, Tisi went to the bathroom and saw a new toothbrush and a glass for her to brush her teeth. After brushing her teeth, she was just finishing her shower and drying off when she realized she did not have a robe. Wrapping the towel around herself, she went to the bedroom, "Tisi, where is the robe that I wore last night?" "*Right inside the closet.*" Barbara went to the closet and opened the door. Instead of seeing the robe, there was the nightgown from the store! The one that she really wanted! Gasping, she ran over and picked it up, looking at it to make sure it was real. "O-o-o my...", as tears came to her eyes. Quickly dropping the towel, she carefully pulled it over her head. Looking into the full-length mirror, it fit her perfectly and looked so lovely. Out of all the clothes that Tisi had bought, this was the most beautiful and her absolute favorite. She looked beautiful. Running out to the bedroom, squealing with glee, to Tisi sitting on the bed in her tunic, she exclaimed, "Oh Tisi, You got it for me! Thank you...thank you...thank you so much!" Tisi's eyes lit up as she crawl on the bed beside her. Distracted by the sheer material outlining Barbara's legs and breasts beautifully, Tisi forgot what she was going to tell her until Barbara had picked up the DVD case sitting on the bed beside her. "The Jungle Book...", Barbara quietly breathed, as she looked at the 1967 Disney cartoon cover showing Baloo, Mowgli, Bagheera and the tiger, Shere Khan. Tisi expected her to be ecstatic, but instead she looked sadly at the DVD case. "*What's wrong?*" "I had forgotten...", she wiped her eyes and turned to Tisi, "I used to have this. It was my favorite movie...I used to watch it all the time...and...", she looked back at the DVD, "...it was one of the few things I took when I ran away. But one day, when I went to the alley where my stuff was, it was gone." Tisi put her arm around her and drew her in to hug her, "*I'm sorry, Barbara. I thought it would make you happy when you saw it.*" Barbara pulled back to look at her, "I am happy...", she wiped her eyes again, "even though I don't look it. I've never been happier in my life. You've given me so much...and I've given you nothing..." Tisi wiped a tear away from Barbara's eye and whispered, "*You have. You've given me more than you know.*" Tisi smiled, causing Barbara to smile. Then Tisi asked, "*Would you like to watch it*?" Barbara grinned, "Baloo's in it. It's my favorite." Tisi picked up a remote control lying beside her, pointed it at the 110 inch Ultra Hi-def TV hanging on the wall and the bright colors and somber music of The Jungle Book filled the room as the lights turned off. During the movie, Barbara was completely engrossed. Holding her teddy bear, Baloo in her lap, she pointed him out to Tisi when the movie showed him, "There's Baloo! Look, Baloo...", she looked at her teddy bear, "There you are!" And of course, she sang along to the song, "Bare Necessities". Tisi didn't really watch the movie, instead she watched Barbara as she sat with Baloo on her lap, her eyes wide open, and her facial features reacting to the movie. Tisi couldn't help but admire Barbara, the way that her nipples poked through, her bare legs, and the healthy supple glow of her skin and hair after she was given food to eat and an opportunity to shower. Barbara, completely unaware, changed position halfway through so she was laying down on her front with Baloo cuddled against her breasts. Tisi stared at the beauty of her butt and legs during the rest of the movie. As the movie ended, Barbara raised up, a big smile on her face, quietly singing, ♪"The bare necessities of life will come to you..."♪ as she crawled on her hands and knees to the head of the bed and scooted under the covers. Tisi stared at her in awe, then pointed the remote at the TV and turned it off. After laying the remote on a nearby table, she pulled back the cover and got into bed beside Barbara, pulling the cover over them both. In the darkness, the moonlight coming through the window illuminated the room as they looked at each other. Tisi told her, "*I wanted today to be wonderful for you.*" Barbara beamed in the dark, "It was. It was the most incredible thing that's ever happened! I never knew such things existed! Can we do it again tomorrow?" Tisi smiled at her enthusiasm, "*Yes, for as long as you want.*" For a while, Barbara just stared at Tisi with her wide-open eyes as she clutched Baloo closely to her. Tisi stared back, wondering if she should do what she was thinking of doing, then she slowly scooted forward, a bit at a time till they were less than a foot apart. As Barbara continued to stare, Tisi slowly leaned in closer and closer, but as she did Barbara pulled away, a look of suspicion on her face. Tisi pulled back as her face fell, whispering, "*I just wanted to kiss you* ." "Why?", Barbara asked. Tisi replied, "*Because you are every beautiful...and very special to me.*" Barbara protested, "But I'm not. I'm no one." Tisi said, "*You are. You are a beautiful, wonderful person.*" "Glenn would tell me that no one would ever want me and that he was doing me a favor when he would...do things to me." "*He was wrong...and evil. You are beautiful.*" She reached her hand out, running her fingers through her hair, "*Your hair is beautiful. Your eyes are beautiful. Your body is beautiful*", her fingers glided along Barbara's arm, "*You are beautiful.*" Tisi slowly leaned in again to kiss Barbara. As Barbara saw this, she pulled back, unsure as to Tisi's intentions and clearly apprehensive. Tisi reached out and gently stroked her face, whispering, "*Don't be afraid. I'm not going to hurt you. It's just a kiss.*" She gently placed her lips on Barbara's for a couple of seconds, then pulled back, "*Was that okay?*" Barbara thought for a while then nodded her head. Tisi looked into her eyes for a while, then asked, "*Can I kiss you again?*" For a long time, Barbara didn't answer. She just looked at Tisi as she thought about what Tisi was asking. Tisi waited patiently, then Barbara nodded. Tisi smiled, then leaned slowly closer, her eyes closing as her lips lightly brushed against Barbara's briefly before softly pressing against them and holding. Tisi was so gentle, never pressing hard or for too long. This was new to Barbara and she was such a timid, fragile creature that Tisi needed to go slow. Tisi could feel her relaxing. Her lips weren't as stiff as they were before. Then, Tisi could feel her lips moving slightly in return. Tisi lightly ran her fingers through her hair and caressed her cheek. "*You are so beautiful*...", Tisi whispered before kissing her again. Her hand slid along her neck down to her breast, cupping it lightly as her thumb slowly and delicately slid back and forth over the nipple. Barbara sighed softly. Tisi began to feel a desire growing within her, something that felt good to her and hearing Barbara's sigh, she knew it felt good to Barbara also. `*This is incredible...*', Tisi thought as she felt herself becoming excited, wanting to touch Barbara more. Her hand slid down farther...down her leg, then underneath Barbara's nightgown,...then her hand slowly slid up...closer to that spot that she was so curious of. Tisi's hand felt the soft material of her panties...her fingers gliding lightly over the top before pressing into it, then under... Suddenly Barbara gasped in fear, crying out hysterically as she scrambled back away from Tisi. Pulling herself into a sitting position with her knees pulled up to her, she was trembling and her sides heaving as her eyes stared wildly in fear, crying out, "It'll hurt... It'll hurt... It'll hurt... It'll hurt..." Her eyes squeezed tightly shut as she repeated it over and over, her voice growing quieter until she was only mouthing the words. Barbara's face was covered with terror as she sobbed, tears running down her cheeks. Tisi's heart sank. She had forgotten Barbara's past and had moved too fast before she was ready. "*I am so sorry, Barbara*", Tisi whispered, "*I didn't know you weren't ready. I promise I didn't*." Tisi approached her cautiously and reached out, stroking her shoulder. Barbara did not recoil. It wasn't much but this brought at least some hope to Tisi. To Barbara, when Tisi was kissing her, it felt so good, so loving, so gentle, but then Barbara felt herself being touched in a place that the monster who was her foster father had touched her many times when he would hurt her. And the other monsters: the men who dragged her into the van, the men that were with Glenn...the nightmares that she had forgotten suddenly came back. "Please don't hurt me", Barbara's voice was soft and pleading. Tisi whispered, "*I won't*" as she wiped her own eyes. She coaxed Barbara down on her side and folded an arm under her pillow and let the other rest across her chest, holding her comfortably. "*I'm so sorry, Barbara...I'm so sorry...*", Tisi whispered as Barbara trembled as she silently sobbed. Throughout the night, Tisi continued to hold her soothingly until she eventually fell asleep. As Tisi watched Barbara sleeping beside her, Tisi was angry; not just at the people who had hurt Barbara, but mostly at herself. She had tried to do something that Barbara was not ready for. She was the one person whom Barbara trusted not to hurt her...and now, she had betrayed that trust. ***** In the sunlight streaming through the window, Tisi watched Barbara's face. The same face that was so full of terror several hours ago, was completely serene now. Though Barbara seemed to be at peace, Tisi was not. Her guilt and anger at herself for betraying Barbara had given way to dread. Dread at how much she had hurt Barbara and if Barbara would be afraid of her or would even forgive her. What if she wanted to leave?! Clenching her eyes shut, she silently cursed herself. Tisi watched her eyes closely, waiting, and fearing for them to open. She looked so peaceful now that Tisi did not want her to wake up and remember. As Tisi watched, her eyes fluttered and opened. Tisi waited, smiling at her hopefully and when Barbara returned her smile, Tisi felt the tension, that she had been holding all night, release. "*Hi*", she whispered uncertainly. "Hi", Barbara smiled at her. "*Are you hungry?*" "Yes, but I want to pee first." Barbara pulled the cover back, got out of bed and walked towards the bathroom. Tisi watched her butt jiggle slightly in her nightgown as she walked away. It wasn't intended to be sexual, but because Barbara was a beautiful girl, every part of her was beautiful and Tisi enjoyed looking at her. As Barbara disappeared into the bathroom, Tisi wondered as to Barbara's feelings. Did she fear her? Hate her? Love her? Tisi didn't know. She got out of bed and went into the walk-in closet. She found a nice dress and taking off her tunic, she pulled it on, then walked out to wait on the balcony. As she waited for Barbara to come out, her dread continued. Barbara came out of the bathroom and went into the closet to change. She looked at all of her new clothes hung up and laid in the bureau. She thought about last night. Tisi wanted to kiss her because she thought she was beautiful. Barbara had never been kissed before. It was so lovely and it made her feel warm all over, especially with Tisi gently touching her, which felt so good and.... Barbara froze. Tisi had also touched her there...where the monsters had hurt her. Why would Tisi touch her there? She knew that Tisi didn't mean to hurt her, but why would Tisi want to do that? She opened the bureau and got out her new underwear, then chose a dress. After getting dressed, she looked at herself in the mirror and saw how beautiful she looked,...just like Tisi told her last night. She left the closet and walked back out into the bedroom. Tisi turned and saw her, smiling at how beautiful she looked. Barbara walked up to her slowly, her head down, her eyes shifting nervously. Tisi saw the nervousness and her stomach dropped. "Tisi...", Barbara asked quietly, "...Why did you touch me there last night?" Though Tisi was expecting this, she still didn't know what to say. "*I'm sorry Barbara. I can't apologize enough for what I did to you...I-I find you very attractive and...I wanted to touch you. I never meant to hurt you.*" Barbara was silent for a few seconds, then said quietly, "Okay." Tisi didn't know what Barbara meant by that. As she looked at Barbara, she visualized her having a stamp on her forehead that said, "Fragile. Handle with care." That's exactly what Barbara was...and she had forgotten that last night. Tisi took Barbara's hand and took her downstairs for breakfast. Afterwards, since Barbara enjoyed kid-friendly things, Tisi decided that Barbara would love Coney Island and took her there. And she loved it. The carousel, the games, the corndogs, the beach. She loved it all and Tisi loved her. Afterwards, they went to the Bronx Zoo, where Barbara fell in love with all the animals. Tisi, still feeling guilt-ridden, did everything she could to make Barbara happy and to tend to her every need. She was trying so hard to make up for hurting her last night. Barbara noticed that Tisi seemed different and anxious, but didn't know why, just that Tisi seemed different. As it became dusk and they were walking on the beach, Tisi said, "*I have a surprise for you.*" "What is it?!", Barbara asked excitedly. "*A surprise*", Tisi smiled, "*First, we're going to go home to eat dinner, then you'll need to change into your special dress, you know, the brown one without the sleeves?*" "You can't tell me?" Tisi smiled and touched her nose, "*That'll ruin the surprise.*" They went back home, and Barbara quickly ate dinner in eager anticipation but Tisi told her they weren't going to leave for another hour. So, she slowed down as Chloe brought her more bread. Then they went upstairs to the bedroom and Barbara took a shower and then went into the closet to put on her special dress. As she pulled it on, she saw with that the dress only covered the cups of her bra, not the shoulder or back straps. Looking into the mirror, she tried to see if there was a way to stretch the dress out so it would cover all of her bra, but there was no way. She ran out to the bedroom, crying out, "Tisi! I can't cover my bra!" Tisi smiled at Barbara's ignorance, "*You don't wear a bra with this kind of dress.*" Barbara's face took on a look of horror, "But everyone will see my boobs!" Tisi came next to her, "*No one will see them through this dress. It'll be okay. Anyways, where we're going, many women will be wearing dresses like this.*" "Where *are* we going?!", Barbara asked for the fifth time. "*You'll see*", Tisi answered with a enigmatic Mona Lisa smile to Barbara's chagrin. Standing back to look at Barbara, she told her, "*Go take your bra off, while I get one more thing...*" While Tisi went to a bureau, Barbara went back to the closet to take off her bra. After doing so, she nervously looked at herself in the mirror. She saw that the dress did indeed cover her boobs, although she still felt naked. As she was looking at herself, she saw Tisi coming up behind her. She reached her arms over Barbara's shoulders, draping a necklace around her neck. A Mini Marrakech diamond and gold multi-row necklace. Barbara caught her breath as she looked at the 18 carat gold in all its luster and the colorful light flashing from the diamonds like stars twinkling as they graced her neck. "It's beautiful...", she breathed. As she looked at herself, she saw with a smile that, "I look like Cinderella." Smiling at Barbara's joy, Tisi leaned in to whisper in her ear, "*Now let's go to the ball, Cinderella.*" ***** Just before 8:00 that evening, the Rolls-Royce pulled up to the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts. As Eliud came around to open their door, Barbara's eyes bugged out at the grand sight before her. A huge courtyard with a giant water fountain in the center with throngs of people clustered in small groups, surrounded by three huge buildings, each impressive in itself. As the door opened and Tisi stepped out, she reached back and helped Barbara out. Tisi led her into the courtyard as the dark night and the blazing lights from the buildings settled around her. When they got to the water fountain, she ran up to it to get a better look. She loved water fountains. They just seemed magical. Tisi joined her and when Barbara was through, Tisi took her hand again. As they approached the giant building, towering above, and the multitudes of people around her, Barbara began feeling very small and intimidated. She gripped Tisi's hand tightly as she led her up to the doors. Around them, small groups, couples, even a few teenagers her own age, casually strolled toward the entrance of the symphony hall. Stepping inside, Tisi looked all around. As in Cinderella, it was the size of a castle, and every bit as impressive. Tisi handed their tickets to the attendant inside and then led Barbara through a door. As they entered, Barbara gasped quietly. They were in an enormous room, with the aisles and seats sloping down toward a stage below on which a group of people holding violins, flutes and other musical instruments were seated. Above them, several rows of balcony seats ran the full circumference of the hall. The ceiling, about sixty feet above her, was a spider web of intricate gold lines with a giant gold ball, in the center interlayed with lights on its surface, like a giant gold disco ball. Hundreds of people were all around as Tisi found their seats down near the front. Sitting down, Tisi leaned close to her, and asked, "*What do you think?*" "I...it's...", and her voice trailed off at a loss for words. "*I know*", Tisi smiled. With her eyes still wide-opened and looking at it all, Barbara exclaimed in surprise, "Look, there's a piano! Is it a band?" Tisi couldn't help giggling, "*Something better. Something you'll remember forever.*" Barbara continued looking around as people came in to take their seats and those on the stage adjusted their instruments. After a few minutes, the lights dimmed as a hush came over the audience. As she watched in amazement, a man strode out on the stage towards a podium in the middle while everyone around her clapped for several seconds, then became quiet again. Barbara stared, transfixed as the man, facing the orchestra, began silently and slowly waving his arms with subtle movements. The notes of the piano came to Barbara's ears. Subtly at first, then stronger. She didn't recognize the music of "Moonlight Sonata", but the steady haunting melody reverberated through the air, drawing her in so that the music was no longer on the stage, but all around her and in her. It went on, the sound so powerful and striking, she could almost feel it on her skin. Spellbound, she seemed to stop breathing, unable to look away. The music quietly faded, then started again, but it was different. Sad and bleak, the notes from Chopin's Prelude in E minor (Op 28, No 4) formed into a little girl before her. A little girl, only eleven years old, standing alone in an alley in the night. Lost in a frightening world, she cowered in fear as the rain fell on her, mixing with her tears. She had lost her parents and, with her new family, her innocence and trust. The little girl was all alone and only knew loneliness, hunger and fear. As Mussorgsky's Night on Bald Mountain played, Barbara watched as the monsters came and hurt the little girl. They kept hurting her so that she wanted to die. As the little girl cried in pain, Barbara cried for the little girl. But then, Bach's Minuet and Badinerie from Orchestral Suite No 2 in B played,...and an angel appeared, an angel who was a little girl herself...and who saved the little girl from the monsters...she took them away so they wouldn't hurt her anymore...and she fed her...and made her happy...and kept her safe. Barbara wept again, this time for joy, because the little girl was safe...and was loved. Barbara felt something touch the back of her hand. Startled, she looked and saw Tisi looking at her with concern. Barbara, still overwhelmed by her feelings could only look through her tear-stained eyes. Tisi's eyes asked if she was alright and Barbara turned her hand over so that Tisi's hand fell into her palm, and she gently closed her fingers around Tisi's hand. Tisi smiled, glad that Barbara was alright. She didn't know why Barbara was crying, and it concerned her. It could have been the music. Classical music was cathartic. But what was important was that Barbara took her hand. The music continued speaking to Barbara, into her soul, as she let it flow over her, drawing and holding her. Then there was silence. Everyone around her stood up and applauded. Barbara, still carried away in the moment, remained sitting, her eyes still wet with tears. She turned to see Tisi, a sad smile on her face, watching her. Tisi didn't need to ask Barbara if she liked it or what she thought of it. It was clear. She didn't just love it, it moved her. In some unseen way, it affected her deeply. Barbara turned to look at her, the tears still on her face. Tisi didn't understand, but she knew that tonight would be something she'll remember forever. Several minutes later, after the crowds had thinned out, Tisi and Barbara walked, hand in hand, through the courtyard. Barbara had to stop and look at the water fountain again. As they slowly continued on towards the Rolls, Barbara looked at the full moon hanging in the sky. On the way back, Barbara was quiet instead of her usual talkative self. Tisi didn't ask. She could see that Barbara was working out something in her mind and needed time to think about it. ***** In the bathroom, Barbara admired her nightgown in the mirror. She thought it was so beautiful, even more than her fancy dress. It made her feel like a princess. Pleased with how pretty she looked, Barbara walked towards the bed. Tisi was sitting up with the cover pulled partway, watching TV. Barbara crawled onto the bed to where Tisi was and took Baloo from his spot on the pillow. With Baloo in her arms, Barbara scooted over to Tisi and snuggled up against her. Turning to look at Barbara, she smiled and laid her arm around her and slid down so they were even. Tisi pointed the remote at the TV and turned it off, then laid down facing Barbara. Barbara stared at her, whispering, "Thank you, Tisi. Tonight was...." Tisi waited, but Barbara couldn't seem to finish. "*I know*", Tisi said quietly. Tisi held her so she wouldn't have any nightmares as she watched her eyes eventually closed and she fell asleep. Slowly so she wouldn't wake her up, Tisi reached over and gently kissed her forehead, whispering, "κοιμούμαι (*Go to sleep*)" ***** Sometime later that night, Barbara awoke needing to pee. She carefully pushed back the cover so she wouldn't wake Tisi and after grabbing Baloo, she gently crawled to the edge and hurried to the bathroom. The full moon provided plenty of light for her to see by as she laid Baloo on the sink then sat on the toilet. After she finished, she grabbed Baloo and went back towards the bed. On her way there, she saw the moon hanging in the sky through the window. Going past the bed, she went to the window and looked out, clutching Baloo to her chest. The hundreds of lights of the city were laid out before her and off in the distance she could see the moon's refection in the ocean. "I remembered, Baloo", she whispered, looking down at the teddy's bear's face, "I remembered the monsters..." Squeezing Baloo tightly to her as her tears came, she whispered, "I remembered the bad night...when the monsters hurt me...and I couldn't get off the floor cause it hurt too much." She buried her face into Baloo as she squeezed her eyes shut. "I-I thought I was going to die...", she choked. She silently wept for a minute, then she raised her face up to look at the moon, "but I prayed...and an angel took the monsters away...and now I'm safe." Barbara drew in a deep, shuddery breath and hugged Baloo to her cheek. Then she turned and crawled back into bed. She carefully laid Baloo on the pillows before scooting as close to Tisi as she could. Tisi, facing away from her, wiped her eyes. She had been silently listening to Barbara and now, hearing how her human had suffered so much, she couldn't control her tears. When she felt Barbara against her, she turned over. "I didn't mean to wake you up", Barbara said to her. "*It's okay. I was already awake.*" Barbara remembered Tisi kissing her last night. It had felt so nice. "Tisi...could...", she looked away, trying to think of how to ask, then she looked back at Tisi, "Could you...uh...kiss me again?" Tisi stared into her eyes as she felt the most peaceful feeling come over her. There was nothing else, only her and Barbara. "*Yes*", she whispered, awe-struck. Reminding herself, `*Go slow'*, she slowly leaned closer and pressed her lips against Barbara's. Softly and slowly, then pulled away to look to see if she was okay. Barbara was smiling with a look of utter contentment. As Tisi smiled at her, Barbara smiled back shyly. "*You are so beautiful.*" Barbara whispered, "You told me that last night." "*Because you are.*" Tisi leaned down and brushed her lips against Barbara's again, kissing her upper lip, then her lower lip as Barbara's eyelids fluttered. Tisi could hear her breathing slow and deepen as her kisses pressed more fully on Barbara's lips. She brought her hand up to her cheek, caressing it slowly, then letting her fingers run through her hair before sliding down her neck. Barbara's head tilted back, her eyes closed, her breath coming in gasps as she luxuriated in the heavenly feelings that Tisi was giving to her. Tisi's hands glided down her back, her nails lightly scraping across the thin material of her nightgown. Barbara moaned as her back arched. As Tisi's fingers came across her belly, Barbara giggled and jerked back while grabbing Tisi's hand. Tisi looked into her eyes, smiling and Barbara returned it with the sweetest smile. Tisi slowly leaned closer, holding Barbara with her smile as she slowly kissed her lips, then her kisses slowly brushed across Barbara's cheek, and down her neck. Then she pulled back, and whispered, "*Barbara...would it be okay...if I touch your breasts*?" Barbara thought for a few seconds, then slowly nodded her head. Tisi reached over to Barbara's shoulder and pulled the thin shoulder strap slowly down her arm to her elbow, then gently lifted Barbara's arm out as her breast was uncovered. Self-consciously, Barbara's other hand came across and covered her exposed breast. Tisi pulled down her other shoulder strap to her elbow, then gently slid her arm out of her other strap, watching Barbara for any signs of resistance, but Barbara didn't show any. As Barbara felt Tisi's eyes on her, she covered her breasts. Tisi asked, "*Would you be more comfortable if I took my gown off*?" Barbara nodded silently. Sitting up, Tisi crossed her arms and pulled her tunic up over her head, dropping it on the bed as Barbara stared wide-eyed at her nude body. Placing her hands on Barbara's bare breasts, Tisi leaned closer so that their faces were inches apart and all of Barbara's concentration was on her face. Tisi traced circles around Barbara's breasts, growing ever smaller till her thumb and forefinger were gently tweaking Barbara's nipples. Barbara shivered in exhilaration. "*Does that feel good?*", Tisi whispered. Barbara could only slowly nod as Tisi's loving fingers made her feel so good. They glided from her breasts down across her chest and belly, still covered by her nightgown. Tisi whispered, "*Can I take your gown off.*" Barbara didn't say anything for a while, then asked, "Why?" Tisi whispered in a gentle and encouraging voice, "*I want to see you. You don't have to, but I would really like you to*." Tisi waited while Barbara thought about it, then asked, "You won't laugh?" Tisi's face became sad, "*You have a beautiful body. I would never laugh at it.*" Barbara subtly nodded. Tisi smiled as her fingers hooked into the top of Barbara's nightgown, then she carefully pulled it down to her hips, relishing her lovely body as it was uncovered, then she froze...as she saw the dark bruises covering Barbara's belly. It was obvious that she had been severely beaten. Tisi stared in shock, then her breathing became heavier. She had to close her eyes as she felt tears coming as she saw in her mind, Barbara...her sweet, innocent human, being punched and kicked in the stomach. Tisi exhaled in her grief, which was quickly growing into rage. How could someone do this to such a young, innocent girl?! Who had... "Tisi?" Tisi's eyes popped open to see Barbara looking at her. "Why are you making that face?", Barbara asked. For a few seconds Tisi couldn't answer. Not wanting to remind Barbara of her past, she mumbled, "*I-I just want to make sure you're comfortable.*" "I'm comfortable" In Tisi's mind, a little voice was telling her, `*She has put it behind her. You need to also.*' Tisi nodded imperceptibly. Ignoring the bruises, she looked at Barbara's body, asking, "*Can you lift your butt up?*" Barbara did and Tisi continued pulling her gown over her hips and down her legs, dropping it on top of hers. Then she pulled Barbara's panties off, to which Barbara in her shyness, quickly covered her vagina with her hand. Tisi marveled at the thick tangles of hair sticking out between her fingers. Despite the bruises, Tisi stared at Barbara's beautiful body, her mouth hanging open in awe, as she reached out with one hand and stroked her finger down from her breast, to her thigh and then down her leg. It was magnificent, even more than Aphrodite. She wanted to touch her, to do everything to her, but she couldn't scare her. She asked hopefully, "*Barbara...is it okay for me to touch you?*" Barbara looked slightly concerned. "*If you don't want me to, I won't.*" Barbara looked down, remembering how Tisi touched her there, then said, "I don't want it to hurt." Tisi came close to her face, "*I promise, I won't hurt you. I just want to make you feel good.*" "Okay", Barbara whispered. Tisi smiled as she slowly rubbed Barbara's nipples between her finger and thumb, watching her as Barbara smiled back, saying, "I like that." Tisi slowly bent over and took Barbara's nipple in her mouth, keeping her eyes locked on to Barbara's as Barbara's eyes got wider at seeing Tisi do this. The good feeling that Tisi was giving her put her at ease and soon her eyes closed as she laid her head back. Tisi kissed Barbara all over her chest and downwards, lightly tickling her belly, causing Barbara to giggle. Tisi sat up, gently pulled Barbara's hand from her vagina, then slightly spread her legs apart, carefully watching Barbara as she did. Barbara looked concerned. Tisi caressed her cheek, whispering, "*It's okay. It won't hurt.*" Tisi lightly scraped her fingernails down one leg and back up the other, then ever so lightly traced circles around her vagina as she looked again at Barbara for any sign of distress. Barbara seemed far from distress, thoroughly enjoying what Tisi's fingers were doing to her. Tisi knelt down closer as her finger gently moved through Barbara's pubic hair. She could see her lips slightly open, her labia minora poking through. As her finger gently touched it, Barbara's legs twitched and became tense. Tisi looked up. Barbara was looking at her, worried. Tisi softly touched her lips, whispering, "*It's okay*." Barbara calmed down. Tisi traced her finger up and down along the slit, rubbing the labia minora. Barbara's legs twitched again. Tisi looked up, but this time Barbara wasn't looking at her. In fact, Barbara was looking at anything. Her head was lying on the pillow with her eyes closed, her mouth opened and her breath coming in shallow gasps. Tisi smiled then looked back at the beautiful sight before her. Barbara's legs began slowly spreading apart on their own as Tisi's finger continued its manipulation. Slowly, her finger dipped inside, just inside the edge, feeling the slickness. Fascinated by the bright pink color, Tisi memorized every contour, every protuberance, every part of Barbara's beautiful vulva. Running her finger everywhere, she felt the heat and the wetness that Barbara was exuding. Her legs lightly twitching every now and then. Glancing at Barbara, her finger slipped in as her thumb pressed on to her clit. Barbara's eyes opened wide, but she didn't move. Her breath became stronger. Keeping her finger and thumb gently moving back and forth, Tisi raised up and layed down beside Barbara, stroking her forehead softly before kissing it. She asked Barbara, "*Does this feel good?*" "Y-y-yes...", Barbara gasped with a shuddering breath. As Barbara's pants became soft moans, Tisi felt Barbara's legs close on her hand as her thumb and finger continued to move. A minute later, Barbara began to shake and cried out, "T-Tisi...Tisiiii...I..." With her arm around her, Tisi held her close, whispering soothingly to her, "*It's okay. It won't hurt. Just let it feel good.*" With her eyes tightly clenched and holding tightly onto Tisi, Barbara let out a long moan as her legs kicked out as all of her muscles tensed up and her toes curled. Then her muscles relaxed and she collapsed against the bed, panting heavily. Tisi pulled out her hand, extracting another groan from Barbara, and she brought it to her nose, inhaling its fragrance before tasting it on her tongue. She kissed Barbara's forehead. A few minutes later, Barbara's breathing returned to normal and she was able to talk. "I didn't know it could feel like that." Tisi told her, "*This is the way its supposed to feel*." Barbara asked, "Will it always feel this good?" "*Yes*." Tisi wrapped both arms around her, kissing her cheek, "*Thank you.*" Barbara looked at her, "What for?" "*For giving yourself to me and for letting me love you.*" They laid there, Tisi casually stroking her breasts and kissing her cheek when Barbara suddenly looked at her and asked, "Would it feel like that to you?" Tisi nodded, "*Uh-huh.*" Barbara looked at her naked body, "Do you want me to do that to you?" Tisi asked, "*Do you want to?*" Barbara thought for a while and said, "I-I don't know what to do." Tisi moved some strands of hair that had fallen over Barbara's face, "*I could show you.*" Barbara asked, "Could you?" Tisi touched her forehead to Barbara's, smiling broadly at her, "*Yes.*" Tisi then turned over on her back and asked Barbara, "*Sit up beside me.*" Barbara raised up and sat on her knees. "*Okay, do you remember how good it felt when I touched and kissed your breasts?*" Barbara nodded, smiling shyly. Tisi casually rubbed one of Barbara's nipples, tickling Barbara, "*It feels good to me too.*" Barbara was still at a loss as to what to do; all of this being new to her, so Tisi took Barbara's hands and placed them on her breasts. Barbara's eyes opened wide. "*It's okay. Just explore them.*" "How?", Barbara asked. "*Feel how soft they are.*" Barbara's hands began slowly moving, in circles, pressing down and lightly squeezing. Tisi guided her, "*Squeeze my nipples.*" "I don't want to hurt you", Barbara told her. "*Don't worry. You won't*", Tisi assured Barbara, knowing that even a hydraulic press couldn't hurt her nipples. Barbara carefully grabbed Tisi's nipples, barely squeezing. "*Squeeze them harder*", Tisi encouraged her. Tisi felt her squeeze a little harder, but barely. Snickering at her timidness, Tisi asked, "*Can you do it a little harder?*" Barbara looked fretful, whispering, "I don't want to hurt you." Tisi reached up, caressing her cheek, "*You can't hurt me. No matter what you do, it won't hurt.*" Barbara said quietly, "I still don't want to." Tisi looked at her lovingly. She was so tender and gentle that Tisi fell in love with her all over again. "*Okay Barbara*", she whispered back, still caressing her cheek. "*What else would you like to do?*" Barbara thought for a while, then asked, "What did you do to make me feel good?" Tisi spread her legs and pulled her knees up, telling Barbara, "*Come sit here*", patting the bed between her legs. Barbara came over and looked at Tisi's vagina. "*Just start touching it and see what it's like.*" Barbara looked at it hesitantly, her face slightly wrinkling as she said, "But that's where you pee from." "*I know. But there's no pee there now.*" Barbara cautiously touched her pubic hair, feeling the soft, yielding flesh beneath. Tisi pulled back her outer lips, showing Barbara what it looked like inside. Barbara leaned closer curiously and asked, "Does mine look like that too?" "*Uh-huh. Feel it with your finger*", Tisi encouraged her. Barbara touched the wet skin inside, her face making a myriad of faces. Seeing this, Tisi giggled, "*What's it like?*" "Wet." Barbara's face still showing a look of reluctance, Tisi giggled. Barbara looked so cute as she learned about this new thing. Tisi wanted Barbara to do something she knew would disgust her, but Tisi wanted it so bad. "*Barbara...I would really like it if you would...*", she paused, not knowing how to explain it to Barbara. Closing her eyes in frustration, she quietly said, "...*lick it...*" She felt Barbara's fingers stop moving. Not a good sign. She opened her eyes and looked at Barbara, hoping she hadn't completely grossed her out. Barbara was looking at her with her eyes and mouth wide open. "*I know it's gross...but I would really like it.*" "Why would you want me to do something like that?", Barbara asked, making Tisi feel bad for asking such a thing. Tisi took a deep breath, "*It feels really good to me...Remember how good it felt to you?*" Barbara nodded. "*It feels just as good to me.*" "If I lick it?" Tisi closed her eyes again and chuckled silently, "*Yes, if you lick it.*" She opened her eyes and looked at Barbara. Barbara was thinking about it, "Won't it taste gross?" "*It'll taste...different, but not gross.*" Barbara thought some more, looking at it, while Tisi waited patiently. "I don't want it to taste gross." Tisi sat up, taking Barbara's head in her hands and stroking her hair. "*I know*", she told her quietly. She kissed her and pulled back, smiling. Barbara thought some more and whispered, "I'll try it." "*Thank you*", Tisi whispered, before laying back down. Barbara layed down on her belly, looking at the hairy vulva in front of her as Tisi's hands spread it open. Barbara held her breath and squeezed her eyes shut, not believing what she was about to do. She stuck her tongue out and moved slowly forward, expecting the worst. Her tongue touched the warm, wet flesh and...nothing. There was nothing gross about it. She took a small lick. Still nothing. There was a very slight taste that she couldn't really place, but it wasn't gross. She took a bigger lick. Still nothing. `I guess it's not gross after all...", she thought to herself, "...even though she pees out of this.' Looking up at Tisi, she asked, "Like this?" Tisi smiled at Barbara's innocence, "*Yes, just like that.*" Barbara began licking Tisi's vagina...all over. Feeling the wetness on her nose, she smiled at the weird sensation. Curious, she pushed her face in further, feeling the warm wetness on her cheeks and lips. It felt strange, but nice. Tisi began feeling something. A very nice feeling that seemingly appeared out of nowhere, but was growing rapidly. Everything around her faded, leaving only her and Barbara, nothing else. She looked at Barbara, wondering how she was doing this to her. Barbara's face was hidden in between her legs. Every movement she made magnified in Tisi's heightened condition, then a powerful jolt caused her legs to twitch. Laying her head back, her eyes closed as she surrendered to Barbara. Her hands gripped the sheet tightly so she wouldn't grab Barbara's head and push it into her. As the sensations coursed throughout her groin, she moaned, her hands tightly clenching the sheets. Barbara's ignorance of what she was doing was keeping her on the edge, but not letting her cum. She felt something pushing against her back, raising her up. She couldn't figure out what it was...her wings! Her eyes popped open...solid black. She looked at her hands as they turned grey before her. Alarmed, she whispered to herself, `*No No No! Calm down...calm down.*' She breathed deeply and at that moment, Barbara, who didn't notice Tisi changing, found her clit and began licking it. Within moments, she felt herself being carried over the edge. With her legs trembling, Tisi grabbed her pillow and pushed it over her face, trying to stifle her growl as she came intensely. Panting heavily, she pulled the pillow from her face and looked at her hands. To her relief, they were no longer grey, but flesh-colored again. She looked at Barbara, who was looking back at her and asked, "Did you have the good feeling?" Tisi sat up, wrapping her arms around and kissing her, "*Oh yes...I had such a good feeling.*" Gently pulling Barbara down beside her, Tisi held her close as Barbara snuggled against her, her head in the crook of Tisi's arm. Tisi sighed happily, her eyes closed as she murmured, "*Such a good feeling...*" After a few seconds, her eyes opened and stared at the clouds on the ceiling. She did it! She had made love to a human...and it was wonderful! More so than she ever dreamed. Barbara looked at her, interrupting her thoughts and asked, "Tisi? What does this mean?" Tisi said, "*It means we love each other very much*", she paused for a while, then said, "*Barbara*...*I would like for you to be my human."* Barbara looked confused for a few seconds then asked, "Your human?" *"It's how we say girlfriend*", then she waited to see what Barbara would say. "You want me to be your...girlfriend?" Tisi nodded. Barbara traced a line along Tisi's chest for a long time. Tisi waited patiently, knowing Barbara had a lot to think about. She kept tracing the imaginary line in Tisi's skin, then suddenly she said, "I thought Glenn loved me, but he didn't...." Barbara's finger stopped moving. "He hurt me...and...", she wiped her eyes and turned to look at Tisi. "...you saved me. You've been so nice to me." She looked back down for a few seconds and said, "And you make me feel really good." She paused for several seconds, "I think...I would like to be your girlfriend." She looked up at Tisi and saw that Tisi looking back at her, smiling slightly. As she watched, Tisi leaned closer and gently kissed her...and Barbara kissed her back. ***** Barbara was fast asleep, curled up under the covers. She had fallen asleep half an hour ago in Tisi's arms. Unlike the blissful appearance on her face, Tisi's was grim. After the pleasurable feeling of sex had worn off, the implications of what she had done weighed on her. With this union with a human, she had sealed her fate. She didn't feel any different, but she knew over time, she would. `*What will Megaera think*?', she wondered. Looking at Barbara sleeping beside her, she asked herself, `*Was it worth it*?' She watched Barbara breathing contently with her arm around her. `*Yes!',* she quickly thought*, `It was worth it! Worth more than all my possessions, all that I am, everything*....' "*Even my life"*, she whispered. Gazing at Barbara sleeping so soundly, Tisi couldn't resist reaching over, with the gentlest of touches and stroking her cheek lovingly. "*You are so worth it*", she whispered. ***** Barbara stirred, rolling onto her back and stretching her arms outward as she yawned. She picked up Baloo and held him up above her, "Good morning, Baloo! How are you!" All of a sudden, Barbara curled up giggling as Tisi's hand tickled her. Drawing in a quick breath, she looked over at Tisi, smiling, "That tickles!" Tisi scooted over to Barbara so their foreheads were touching and wrapped her arms around Barbara, drawing her closer. "*What did you think of last night?*" Barbara smiled shyly, "I loved it." She stared off into nothing, thinking hard, then she quietly asked, "Could you...could you..." She paused as she bit her bottom lip, trying to think how to say it, "I..." She paused again. "*Do you want me to give you the good feeling again?*", Tisi asked. Barbara nodded meekly. Stroking her hair, Tisi asked her, "*Did you like me touching you*?" Barbara nodded again. Tisi kissed her, "*I liked touching you too.*" Under the cover, Barbara could feel Tisi's hands gliding over her body. She seemed to melt into the bed, it felt so relaxing. Her eyes glazed over as her eyelids fluttered, then closed. As Tisi's fingers continued, Barbara's breaths deepened, then became heavier till she was gasping for breath as she felt Tisi's fingers between her legs, going inside her. She could feel the good feelings coming. They were getting stronger. "Tisi...I can feel em...the good feelings...I...Iiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaa...." Her back arched as she turned over on her side. Her legs shook as Tisi kept giving her the good feelings till they became too much, "T-Tisi...I-I-I..." Tisi crawled over to her as she trembled and held her till she was able to get her breath back. As her breathing normalized, she asked in wonder, "How do you *do* that?" Tisi kissed her cheek, "*Let me show you.*" Tisi raised up and swung her leg over Barbara, straddling her chest while on her knees. Spreading her outer lips apart with her fingers, she explained to Barbara, "*When you touch me in here, it feels good. Where it feels very good is here*...", she pointed to her clit, "*...and inside here*", she pointed to her vagina. "*Stick two of your fingers in here*...", pointing to her vagina. Barbara reached out with her index and middle finger sticking out. "*Turn your hand around*..." Barbara turned her hand till her palm was facing back toward her. "*Okay, stick your fingers inside me.*" Barbara did, once again making faces. "*Now put your thumb here...*", she pointed to her clit. Barbara did and Tisi told her, "*Now, do this while moving your thumb.*" Tisi made a `come here' motion, curling her index finger back and forth. Barbara did and Tisi braced herself against the wall, letting her eyes close. After several seconds, Barbara asked, "Did you get the good feelings yet?" Tisi panted as she tried to hold herself up, "*Not yet...*" She could feel them building. Much faster than they did last night... "Tisi? Your skin's turning grey!", Barbara suddenly exclaimed. Startled, Tisi's eyes popped open in alarm and she saw her grey hands. Her face cringing in alarm, she cried out, "*NOOO!*", before jumping off of Barbara and pulling the covers over her. Barbara cried, "Tisi! What's wrong!", as Tisi slumped over on her knees under the cover, telling herself, "*Calm down!...Calm down!...Calm down!*" "Tisi! Please tell me what's happening!", Barbara pleaded hysterically, trying to lift up the cover that Tisi was holding down. "*Barbara. I'm okay. I...I don't want you to see me.*" "But why?!" Tisi exhaled in frustration. Barbara was scared. She had to explain. "*Do you remember how I'm a god...and I look like...a monster?*" "Yes" Tisi took a deep breath, "*Well, when I get excited...I change...*" Tisi heard Barbara's gasp. Under the cover, Tisi held her face in her hands. She never wanted Barbara to know about this side of her. How she looked and what she did. "*Calm down...calm down...*" She felt her wings pulling into her back and feeling her teeth with her tongue, she felt her fangs retract. She opened her eyes and saw her skin was no longer grey. She slowly pulled the cover off herself, feeling horrible with herself. She lifted her head to look at Barbara, who was huddled against the headboard, her knees pulled up to her as she stared wide-eyed at Tisi. "*Barbara...*", she whispered, "*I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you to see me like that.*" Barbara didn't respond. In her mind, she kept seeing the grey skin monster, ripping off an arm, blood dripping from its mouth as it killed. Tisi looked at Barbara's eyes as they stared at nothing. "*I'm so sorry, Barbara...*", she whispered. As she felt tears coming to her eyes, she picked up Baloo and placed him in her hands, then she layed down, facing away. As her tears coursed down her face, she silently cursed herself for being who she was. Then she felt an arm around her chest. Turning her head to look, she saw Barbara looking sadly at her. Tisi turned over and wrapped her arms around her as Barbara whispered, "You're not a monster." They laid together for several minutes, each holding the other to comfort her. Eventually, Tisi looked at Barbara and asked, "*Are you okay*?" Barbara nodded. "*What would you like to do today?*" Tisi thought for a while and asked, "Can we go swimming?" Tisi smiled, "*What about a waterpark*?" Barbara's eyes lit up as she drew in a breath. "*Let me go see what I can find out, okay*?" Tisi crawled out of bed and put on her tunic, then walked out of the room. As Barbara laid there, she felt her bladder calling and so, grabbing her nightgown, she got out of bed, went to the bathroom and peed. After coming out, she noticed some dust at the back of the sink counter. Picking up a washcloth, she got it wet, wringed out the water and wiped off the counter. Then seeing some more dust along the base of the shower, she got down on her hands and knees to wipe that dust up and then continued along the rest of the wall, since it looked like it needed cleaning. She heard footsteps behind her. Turning to look, she saw Agathe coming toward her, exclaiming, "*My lady, please do not do this. I will do it.*" Barbara, not wanting others to clean up after her, protested, "No, I can't. This is my responsibility." Agathe tried to persuade her, but Barbara wouldn't listen. So, Agathe stood by and watched her. When Tisi walked into the room, Agathe quickly ran to her, curtsying and pleading, "*She won't let me clean, my lady. She insists that it's her duty.*" Tisi walked over to Barbara as she was still hunched over, scrubbing a stain off the floor, "*Barbara, Agathe will do this for you.*" Barbara looked at her, "But she doesn't use this bathroom. It's my fault that it's dirty and I need to clean it." "*Agathe's job is to clean the house, including this bathroom.*" "I can't impose on her like that", as she continued to scrub. Tisi sighed. Barbara was too sweet. "*Guess what I found?*" Barbara looked up. "*A fantastic waterpark called Great Wolf Lodge. It's a long drive from here, about an hour and a half away, but it looks really fun*." Barbara's eyes lit up, "Really?!" She looked at the closet, "I'll change into my swimsuit as soon as I'm finished", as she continued scrubbing the floor. Tisi smirked at Barbara's dedication, "*Why don't you change into your swimsuit while Agathe finishes this.*" "But* I* need to do it. It's my job for living here." Seeing that Barbara was not going to be dissuaded, Tisi had no choice but to wait beside Agathe while Barbara finished cleaning the whole floor. After several minutes, Barbara stood up, "Okay, I'm finished." She ran to the closet and quickly changed into her swimsuit, a yellow one-piece suit. When Tisi had bought it, she wanted Barbara to have something sexier, but this is want Barbara wanted. With towels and sunblock in hand, they got in the car and an hour and a half later, Barbara was having the time of her life at Great Wolf Lodge. Late afternoon, they got back. Walking up to the door, Tisi asked the attendant, "*Is it ready*?" Bowing before her, the attendant answered, "*Yes, my lady.*" Turning to Barbara, "*Barbara, do you remember the garden that we visited, the day before yesterday, and how you wished you had one?*" Barbara drew in a sharp breath in anticipation. Stepping inside the house, Tisi said, "*Go look out at the back yard.*" With a look of sheer joy, Barbara scampered off across the corridor towards the great glass doors that went out behind the house. Opening them, she ran out on the patio and saw a beautiful garden off to the right. Quickly running over, she looked at all the different plants and flowers. Orchids, lilies, tulips, passion flowers, sunflowers. Tisi joined her as she looked at them all. "You did this...for me?", Barbara asked. Tisi smiled and nodded. Barbara threw her arms around her, "Oh, thank you!" Turning back, she looked at them, murmuring to herself, "My own flower garden." Taking Tisi's hand, Barbara pointed out the various flowers as Tisi watched her lovingly. ***** That night, they to Aquarium again to eat, because Barbara enjoyed it so much. Afterwards, as they were strolling along, Barbara saw the Statue of Liberty across the harbor and wanted to get a closer view. As they were walking, hand in hand, Tisi stopped suddenly with her head turned to the right. She had heard something unmistakable. A scream. Turning quickly to Barbara, she told her, "*Barbara, I need to go do something, but you need to wait here. You can't come with me.*" "Where are you going?", Barbara asked confusingly. "*I'm going to help someone. I want you to close your eyes and cover your ears.*" Barbara stared at her. "*Please Barbara. Please do it. I need to go, but I don't want you to see or hear what's going to happen.*" Barbara's eyes widen in fear as she realized what Tisi was referring to. The monster. Cringing in fear, she closed her eyes and covered her ears. As Tisi saw this, she leapt into the air as a great pair of wings spouted from her back, carrying her into the sky. Barbara felt a gust of wind and suddenly, she was alone. With her eyes and ears shut, she stood by herself, wondering what was going to happen. Seconds later, though she was covering her ears, she heard a terrifying scream, which went on and on and then was suddenly cut off. Her eyes still squeezed tightly shut, she began trembling and breathing heavily as her fear began to take over. Her heart pounded in the deafening silence. Something touched her arm. Startled, she jumped and screamed. "*Barbara!*" Barbara opened her eyes to see Tisi, splattered with blood. "*It's okay. It's just me.*" Horrified, Barbara covered her mouth with her hands and asked quietly, "What did you do?" "*I saved someone's life.*" As Barbara stared at the blood on her clothes, Tisi also looked down at herself and added, "*But this is what happens.*" Tisi walked over to the railing and looked out over the harbor. "*I know you don't like it, but there are many evil people who want to hurt others. As a Fury, I punish them and save the innocent.*" Tisi turned and looked at Barbara. She was standing still, looking at the ground. Tisi came over, "*Do I frighten you?*" For a few seconds, Barbara didn't answer, then she looked at Tisi, whispering, "No...You are not a monster. You helped me...and you help others." Tisi smiled sadly, reached out her hand and Barbara took it. ***** Back home as Barbara, proudly wearing her nightgown, climbed into bed, she snuggled up against Tisi who was watching TV. Tisi wasn't paying attention to the TV, she had been thinking back to this morning when she had changed because she had gotten excited. And what happened an hour ago at the harbor hadn't helped matters. She wanted to be with Barbara so bad, but how could she if she was going to morph into this creature of the night? Barbara laid her head on Tisi's shoulder and her arm on her chest. Tisi put her arm around Barbara and stroked her Barbara's arm with her hand. Her hand wandered to Barbara's cheek, gently stroking as Barbara's eyes closed, murmuring, "That feels nice." Tisi grimaced worriedly, "*Barbara...I want to touch you again...like I did last night, but I'm afraid that I will change when I get excited.*" Barbara looked up at Tisi, "I know you love me and won't hurt me...and that it's you. You're not a monster." Tisi hesitantly looked at Barbara, then slowly leaned over and kissed her. Slowly at first, then more passionate. Tisi turned inward towards Barbara, her left hand moving down her thigh, her right hand softly squeezing Barbara's butt. As Barbara succumbed to her kisses, she pulled Barbara's right shoulder strap down her arm, trying not to tear it. The strap got stuck at her elbow and Tisi raised up, asking "*Can I take off your gown?*" Barbara nodded and Tisi pulled the other strap down and carefully slid it down her body, ignoring the bruises on her belly. Dropping the gown on the bed, Tisi quickly pulled off her tunic, tossing it on the bed and admired the beautiful girl laying before her, once again in awe at the sight. In absolute reverence, Tisi leaned forward, cupping Barbara's breasts, then sliding her hands down to her hips, then back up again before kissing her lips. She kissed her way down her neck and then to her breasts before holding her mouth on her nipple. As her tongue flicked across it, Tisi layed herself down on top of Barbara's body. Instinctively, Tisi began grinding her pussy into Barbara's leg. She didn't mean to, it just happen. Almost like she had to. Her pussy needed to be touched so bad. "με παγκοσμίως (*By all that is on the earth*)", she exclaimed as she rubbed her pussy back and forth. Her face winced from the incredible sensations pulsing in her loins, but she had to be careful not to push too hard. Her strength was enough that she could easily break Barbara's leg if she pushed too hard. Tisi could feel Barbara's fingertips softly touching her sides tentatively as if she wasn't sure if it was okay to do so. "Uuuuh...", Barbara moaned. Tisi's opened her eyes at the sound and when she saw her human enjoying this as much as she was, that pushed her over the edge. Thrusting faster against Barbara's leg, she could feel herself cumming. She closed her mouth so she wouldn't scare Barbara, "*mmmmmnnnnnggghh....*" She kept rubbing against Barbara's leg because it felt too good to stop. She felt Barbara's hands on her back, lightly at first, then pressing harder, then harder... "UUUUUUHHHHhhhhh...." Tisi looked at Barbara's face. It was thrown back, her eyes squeezed shut as her lips quivered. That wondrous sight caused Tisi to cum again, " *aaarrrrrggghhhhhh....*" Throwing her head back, she opened her mouth wide as if silently screaming. Then suddenly aware of herself, she quickly pushed herself up with her hands and looked at her arms. They were flesh-colored. She didn't know if she had changed or not. Barbara didn't seemed to have noticed and that's what was important. She layed down against Barbara, holding her as she rested. After a minute, Barbara opened her eyes and turned to her, whispering breathlessly, "That felt sooo good." Touching her forehead to Barbara's, Tisi sighed happily and whispered, "*That's what I want. For you to be happy.*" Placing her leg in between Barbara's and draping her arm across her chest, Tisi sighed contently as she breathed in her scent. Caressing her, she kissed her cheek lovingly, whispering, "κοιμούμαι δικός μο... λίγος ά...θρωπος (*Go to sleep, my little human*)" ***** The next morning, Barbara felt something touching her. She opened her eyes and looked to see Tisi stroking her finger along her body. Tisi grinned when she saw Barbara looking at her and tickled her, causing Barbara to shriek with laughter. Pulling Barbara on top of her, Tisi stroked her cheeks, "*Last night was wonderful.*" Barbara smiled shyly, whispering, "I liked it too." She laid her head on Tisi's chest as Tisi stroked her back. "*What do you want to do today*?", Tisi asked. "Stay in bed with you", she sighed. "*Me too*", Tisi whispered. They continued gently touching each other, every so often kissing, for over an hour. When Barbara's hunger called to her, they got dressed and went to the dining room for breakfast. Then Barbara spent the remainder of the day, exploring the manor and the grounds. Though she had been here three days, she still hadn't seen every part of the manor. At lunchtime, she helped Agathe bring out their food and asked Agathe and Chloe to eat lunch with them. That afternoon, she watered her garden and showed Tisi how well the flowers were growing. ***** Early that evening, while Barbara was in the closet and Tisi was on the balcony, Agathe came to the door, "*My lady, your sister is here.*" "*Which one?*" "*Megaera*", Agathe answered. Tisi told her, "*Stay with Barbara in case she needs something*", then she left the bedroom and went downstairs. She knew one day she would have to tell her sisters about Barbara and it looked like this was going to be it. She walked to the main door and opened it. Walking towards her was her sister, Megaera and a young human girl, about Barbara's age. Megaera's grey skin and wings stood out imposingly on her six-foot height, making her look very much like the demi-god that she was. Looking curiously at the young girl, Tisi wondered why her sister would have a human with her. Megaera didn't care for humans, considering them a nuisance. Even more peculiar was that the girl was wearing a gothic dress and an iron slave collar around her neck; obviously her sister's stuff. She still dressed like it was the Middle Ages. The way the girl walked; it was not as a servant, but an equal. This girl was her sister's companion. `*Could she be...*?', she asked herself. The winged horror that was her sister strode up to the door, growling, "*What are you supposed to be*?!" The girl told her, "Don't frighten her. It's just a little girl." Sneering at Tisi, Megaera told her, "*This is no girl. This is Tisiphone.*" The girl looked at Tisi in surprise, "I thought she would look like you." "*She does", *then Megaera asked her, "*Why do you look like that?*" Tisi answered, "*It's so I won't frighten Barbara.*" "*And who is Barbara?*", Megaera asked. "*My lover.*" "*Your lover?!* *Is she a god?*" "*No. A human.*" Megaera was taken aback and was silent for a few seconds, asking in a stunned voice, "*You have a human lover?*" Tisi looked at her sister's human, just as stunned, answering, "*As do you.* " Megaera replied, "*Apparently, we have much to discuss*", and she tried to step inside, but Tisi, not wanting Barbara to see her sister's monstrous form, stepped in front of her, blocking her from coming in. "*Change into your human form*", Tisi told her, "*I do not wish Barbara to be frightened of you*." "*I do not wish to. I have been in that form for too long*", Megaera scoffed at her, putting her left hand on the Tisi's chest to push her out of the way. Tisi reached out with her right hand, grabbing Megaera's arm and pulling it away. The indifference that Megaera had to Barbara's comfort aroused her anger. Her teeth clenched in rage as she felt her skin becoming hot. In an eerie voice, she told Megaera "μŋ δοкſμń μον α...тό! (*Do not test me on this*!)" Megaera stared defiantly back, "εσν θέλш να кάνш кάτſ ν∏εрετώ άνθρω∏ος? (*You wish to serve a human?*)" Glancing at Megaera's own human, then back at Megaera, Tisi asked, ""άνω εσν (*Do you*?)" Megaera looked at the girl, who was clearly frightened of the spectacle happening before her. Then Megaera's wings folded and melted into her back, her skin blurred back to flesh color and she shrank to a five foot girl. Looking back to Tisi, Megaera, in her human form whom she called Erinyes, said, "*We have much to discuss.*" To put the frightened girl at ease and because she was eager to meet her sister's human, Tisi smiled and offered her hand to her, "*Hi, I'm Tisi*." The girl reluctantly reached out and shook her hand, "I'm Chrissy." "*Welcome*", taking Chrissy's hand and stepping inside, "*How was your trip* ?" "Uh, fine", she answered timidly. "*You have to meet Barbara.*" Looking at her clothes, Tisi remarked, "*By the way, I love your clothes*", then looking at Erinyes, "*>From your collection, I take it.*" Erinyes explained, "*She wanted it.*" Taking Chrissy's hand, Tisi said, "*Let me introduce you to Barbara*", and led her towards the stairs spiraling along the curved wall. As they climbed the stairs, Tisi explained, "*Barbara has had a bad life and is easily frightened so I stay in this form.*" Turning to Erinyes, she warned her, "кαθώç βοvλŋσŋ εσν! (*As will you*!)" Erinyes rolled her eyes at the remark as they climbed. Chrissy marveled at the artwork as they walked down the hall, with Tisi explaining their origins. As Tisi opened the bedroom door, Agathe quickly came over with a worried look, curtsied before her, and said, "She is cleaning the τοvαλέτα, my lady." Rolling her eyes and sighing in exasperation, Tisi told Chrissy and Erinyes, "*I keep telling Barbara that she has servants to do her bidding, but she doesn't like being waited on and served. It makes her feel bad.*" Tisi went into the bathroom and found Barbara wiping the sink, "*Barbara, I want you to meet someone.*" They walked over and Tisi told her, "*Barbara, this is my sister, Megaera and her human, Chrissy*" "Hello", Barbara said shyly. Tisi told her, "*They will be staying with us for the weekend.*" Excited at having company, Barbara smiled and asked excitedly, "Would you like to see the garden that I've been growing?" Chrissy smiled, "Sure." She looked at Erinyes who smiled, then followed Barbara. As Barbara led Chrissy down the hallway towards the stairs, she said, "I'm still getting used to this house. It's so big. Sometimes I wake up in the morning and think that I'm still back in my old house and...I...." She stopped walking. She suddenly remembered the house she lived in with Glen...and all the bad things that happened to her in that house. Waking up again, she took a deep breath of air, then she continued walking, "Anyways, I have this garden outside that Tisi and I have been working on. Tisi told me that she had never been interested in flowers, but I've always wanted a garden and so I asked if I could have one and she said yes and so we've been growing flowers." Barbara led her back down the stairs and out the doors leading outside, behind the house. They walked over while Barbara talked about how she started the garden, "Tisi had everything brought here and I've been taking care of it." Wondering about Tisi's sister and of this strange girl with her, Barbara then looked at Chrissy for a few seconds, then asked, "Tisi told me that she had a sister, two sisters, that were the same as her. Megaera is a Greek god too?" Chrissy nodded, "Yes." Barbara looked at her strangely, "And you're a human? You're not thousands of years old, are you?" Chrissy stared at her few a few seconds before answering, "No...I'm only fifteen years old and yes, I'm a human." Barbara smiled weakly, "After I had known Tisi for a while and she brought me here, she told me that she was a god...and that was after I saw....", Barbara remembered the nightmare that happened in the van, "I'm sorry...It's a bad memory for me. If you don't mind my asking,...uh, how did you meet Megaera?" "At my high school,...", Chrissy looked down, "I used to be a different person. I was a bully. I was mean to people. One of the girls that I was mean to...took revenge on me. She hurt me really bad and began blackmailing me. I prayed for help and...Megaera answered", she wiped a tear from her eye, "She saved my life,...more than once." Barbara nodded her head, saying, "Tisi saved my life too." Chrissy asked, "How did you meet her and how did she save your life?" Barbara's eyes welled up with tears as she looked down and whispered, "I don't like to think about it." She reached out to touch a sunflower in the garden, "Sometimes, I think it was all a nightmare,...but it wasn't." ***** Above them, Erinyes and Tisi stood on the balcony, looking down on Barbara and Chrissy below. Erinyes asked Tisi, "*So, you are also consorting with a human.*" Tisi leaned on the stone decorative railing as she watched Barbara, "*As are you. She needed my help and...I don't know what happened. I began having feelings for her. I fell in love. And you?*" "*The same.*" Tisi looked at Erinyes, "*You know Zeus' decree.*" Erinyes narrowed her eyes as she watched Chrissy, "*I know of it.*" Tisi said, "*Does Chrissy know*?" "*She does not.*" "*Will you tell her?*" Erinyes thought silently then said, "*I will not lie to her, but I do not want her to blame herself. If she asks, I will tell her.*" Tisi said, "*I have made my choice. Barbara knows nothing of it...and she never will, but why would you risk everything...to consort with a human?*" Erinyes paused for a few seconds, gazing at her human below before answering, "*For the same reason that you have. Love.*" ***** Agathe came out, curtsied and exclaimed, "*My lady, dinner is ready.*" Barbara looked up, "Oh Agathe, I'm sorry. I forgot to help you." "*Quite all right, my lady*." She curtsied again before going back in. "Agathe is always helping me. She's so nice", Barbara explained as they went back inside. Barbara led Chrissy to dining room. Chrissy stared in awe at the huge room with its tapestries of hunters, maidens and unicorns. The table with a veritable feast upon it. Barbara encouraged Chrissy to lay down on a bench on her left side and recline on the cushions. Barbara reclined on a neighboring bench. As Erinyes and Tisi came in to join them, Barbara told Chrissy, "Tisi told me this is how the ancient Greeks would eat. It seems strange at first, but you get used to it." As they ate, they chatted about what Erinyes and Chrissy could see and do during their visit and other things. ***** Afterwards, Chrissy and Erinyes went upstairs to the balcony to look out at the city skyline. As Chrissy gazed at everything, Erinyes, standing behind her, wrapped her arms around her and kissed her neck. "Hey! There's the Statue of Liberty! Wow, I never thought I would get to see it", Chrissy exclaimed excitedly, "Can we go see it tomorrow?!" Erinyes tilted her head so that she could see Chrissy's face, "*You want to* ?" "Yea!" , continuing to look at it. Suddenly, she felt herself being picked up and then her stomach dropped as the ground suddenly fell away. Startled, she threw her arms around Megaera, grasping onto her tightly, then looked at Megaera, "You could have warned me." Megaera smiled as she swiftly flew through the dark sky. Looking down in wonder at the streets and skyscrapers below them, Chrissy never ceased to be amazed at being able to fly. The only noise was the wind roaring in her ears. This far away, she felt disconnected from everything else, as if she and Megaera were the only ones in the world. The Statue of Liberty slowly became larger as they approached. As they skimmed just above the surface of the harbor and came to Ellis Island, Megaera suddenly soared up, rising with the statue's upright arm, and lighted on the torch's balcony. Megaera gently set Chrissy down. "Whoa! This is even better!", Chrissy said in stunned belief. She looked down at the ground far below her and then across to the city. She looked at Megaera to see what she was looking at and saw, with confusion, that she was looking out over the ocean. "What are you looking at?", Chrissy asked. "*Out there. About five thousand miles*", she pointed. "What?", Chrissy looked to where she was pointing. "*That is where Mount Olympus is.*" "That's where all the gods and goddesses live?", Chrissy asked, "What's it like?" "*It was beautiful", *her voice sounded distant, "*I would listen to Calliope's epic poetry and Clio's historical tales, and walk among the gardens. I loved sitting in on the meetings at the Pantheon.*" To Chrissy, the tone of her voice and her descriptions of it made it sound as if it were no more, "Isn't it still like that?" "*Yes*", she answered in a flat voice. "Then could you take me there some day?" "*No"*, she replied sadly. Chrissy was disappointed, "Well, you could go there and visit." Megaera didn't say anything. Chrissy walked over, "Megaera...?" "*I cannot*", she said quietly. Chrissy was puzzled, "Why not?" "*I have been forbidden to.*" Chrissy was stunned, "Why?" Megaera took a deep breath, then said, "*Because I have dared to love a mortal.*" "A mortal?...", Chrissy echoed. Then it slowly dawned on her. She was the mortal. "It's me...", she said quietly, "You were...banished...because of me..." Megaera turn to look at Chrissy, "*I do not want you to blame yourself. This is my doing.*" "What is?" "*Zeus has decreed that if any god consorts with a mortal, then that god shall become a mortal.*" Chrissy looked bleakly at her and asked quietly, "What does that mean?" "*I am no longer immortal. I shall grow old and die one day, the same as you." *Chrissy felt the tears come to her eyes as Megaera walked over and knelt before her, looking into her eyes, "*I willingly chose my fate. I regret nothing.*" Chrissy felt a tear roll down her cheek, "Why?...Why would you do that?...Why would you give up your home and your life?" With a sad smile, Megaera answered, "*Because I love you.*" Chrissy said quietly, "I love you too...I can't believe you would do that. I don't want you to die." "*And* *I don't want to be live forever without you*", Megaera replied. Chrissy, overcome by her emotions, threw her arms around Megaera, asking, "What does this mean for us?" "*I don't know. I'm not accustomed to human relationships.*" Chrissy chuckled, "That sounds so weird...human relationships. And your sister introduced me to Barbara as your human?! What does that mean?" "*I'm not human.*" They held each other silently. Then Chrissy asked, "What about when we leave here? I don't want to be without you. My parents won't let me leave...." Megaera lifted Chrissy's head, "*If your parents won't let you leave, then I will live with you.*" "But they won't let you! Unless you mesmerize them." "*That only lasts a few minutes.*" Megaera lifted her straight in the air so they were foreheads were together and she whispered, "*I won't let anyone stand between us.*" Slipping her arms underneath the girl, Megaera leapt into the air, her wings carrying her into the sky. Chrissy clutched tightly to Megaera as she felt her stomach drop. With the rooftops of skyscrapers passing beside them, Even though she knew Megaera would not let her fall, at this height, it was still very frightening. Flying was not the serene, peaceful experience that movies portrayed it as. The air rushing by her was deafening. After a few minutes, she could see the manor coming into view. Megaera glided slowly down, landing gently on the balcony of their room. Carrying her to the center of the bed, Megaera laid her down, then she slowly took off Chrissy's clothes. Growing more excited with each piece of clothing that she removed, her eyes gleamed with desire. Finally, she was naked and Megaera layed down, wrapping her wings around her. Stroking the small bare breasts bulging up, Megaera whispered, "είσαστε αξία ετοιμοθάνατος για, μο... λίγος νύμϕη (*You are worth dying for, my little nymph*)." Chrissy turned, a smile on her lips, "I love it when you talk Greek. What'd you say?" Megaera caressed her face, "*My little nymph.*" Chrissy smiled, "Your sister seems so sweet. She's nothing like I was expecting. I was picturing some horrible monster with fangs, ripping off limbs and drinking blood." Megaera replied, "*She is...and she does.*" Chrissy stopped smiling. "*This human...Tisiphone's completely obsessed with her.*" "Well, I think Barbara's really nice. But, she's definitely had a bad life. You can see it in her eyes. Are Tisi and Barbara girlfriends like us?" "*Yes.*" "And Tisi will die too?" "*Yes*." Chrissy's face winced in grief. Megaera rolled on top of her, "*Enough about Tisiphone and her human. I want to fuck.*" Chrissy's eyes open wide in a mock surprise, "Such dirty language!" Sitting on her knees between Chrissy's legs, Megaera grabbed and pushed them back, lifting Chrissy's pussy in the air. Pressing her mouth against it, Megaera begin running her tongue everywhere inside, tasting the ever so slight taste of her lover's pussy. Chrissy drew in a sharp breath as she lavished in what Megaera's tongue was doing to her. Megaera eagerly lapped up the juices flowing from the young pussy before her as Chrissy arms and legs tensed up as she felt an orgasm quickly building up. Then it ripped through her as she cried out, "AAAAAIIIIIIIiiiii...." Laying on her back, Megaera picked up Chrissy and laid her on top of her in a 69. Though Megaera wanted to be on top of Chrissy, she knew she couldn't. With her strength, she knew if she pressed down too hard on Chrissy, she could seriously injure or kill her, so she laid on her back and let Chrissy lay on her. Chrissy opened Megaera's grey outer lips to reveal her red pussy before pushing her tongue inside. Distracted by Megaera's tail swishing about, she felt Megaera's tongue inside her own pussy again. After watching her tail for a few seconds, she wrapped her arms around Megaera's thighs and pushed her face into her pussy, smearing her juices all over her face. Megaera looked at the nubile ass laying on her face as she buried her tongue deep inside Chrissy. Her lust for this young human girl in her arms never ceased to get her off within minutes. And thinking of how this human girl was presenting herself to her,...to be pleasured,...to be fucked.... ""αĭα! (*By Gaea!*)", she cried out as her thighs quivered, shaking Chrissy as Megaera clenched the sheet, screaming loudly as she came all over Chrissy's face. Chrissy turned around, cum dripping off her face, "Your sister's going to hear you!" Through her panting, Megaera mumbled, "*I don't care. She's probably too busy fucking her human to hear us.*" She sat up, taking Chrissy in her arms and layed down with her. "μο... λίγος νύμϕη (*My little nymph*),...*How do you do such things to me*?" Megaera looked at Chrissy and saw her yawning as her eyes were closing. Kissing her forehead, she whispered, "εγώ αγαπώ εσύ (*I love you*)." Then wrapping her wing around her, she watched Chrissy sleep as she gently rubbed her back. ***** "I like Chrissy. She's nice", Barbara told Tisi, "but your sister's kind of creepy." They were across the manor in their own bed, snuggled up together with Barbara's head under Tisi's chin as Tisi had her arms around her. Tisi was completely content holding Barbara in her arms like that. "*Yea...she has a way of looking impressive.*" "I like how you look." She kissed the top of Barbara's head, "*I like how you look too.*" ***** Chrissy woke up and looked around. She didn't recognize anything, then she saw Megaera beside her and remembered they were in New York City, visiting her sister. Looking around the gigantic room, she saw an antique bureau and an archway that appeared to go into a bathroom. Sliding out from beneath the cover and Megaera's huge wing, she climbed out of bed and plodded naked across the room towards the archway, shivering in the morning air. It was cooler here than in Texas. She found the toilet and after peeing, she went to the sink to look at her collar. It was only her third day wearing it and it still felt new to her. It wasn't pretty, but it wasn't meant to be. It symbolized everything that had happened to her and was her wedding ring of sorts. She loved how it looked; the garish bulky, black metal standing out more than a tiny ring ever would; proclaiming to the world her love and dedication to Megaera. And it was unique. She wasn't simply copying what every else did. Feeling the chill on her naked skin, she ran back across the chilly floor towards the warm bed, with her even warmer girlfriend in it. Crawling back in bed, she saw Megaera's black eyes watching her. Megaera raised her wing, allowing Chrissy to pull the cover up and snuggle against her, before lowering it back over her. Turning around so that Megaera was spooning her, Chrissy sighed blissfully. Megaera's powerful arms felt so wonderful wrapped around her. Megaera's hand cupped her breast, squeezing it several times before snaking down to her pussy. "Megaera?!", Chrissy exclaimed in surprise, giggling and rolling onto her belly, "You're insatiable!" "*I can't help it*", Megaera rolled on top of her, "*I cannot resist you. Your pussy calls me. It wants me to fuck it*." Chrissy laughed out loud, "My pussy is not calling...AAIIGGHH!!!", Chrissy turned to look at Megaera, "Why is your tail in me?!" Megaera grasped Chrissy's breasts as her tail squirmed deep inside Chrissy. "*Your pussy must have called it too*", Megaera whispered as she stuck her tongue in her ear. Chrissy couldn't object; it felt too good. It was as if it were alive, thrashing around, more so than any hand, penis or dildo could ever do. Megaera laid her head beside Chrissy's so she could look into her eyes. Watching her face wincing and panting, Megaera whispered, "*Does it feel good?*" Chrissy, her eyes tightly squeezed shut, nodded, then began trembling as she came. This was Megaera's biggest delight, giving pleasure to her human. As she rested, Megaera kissed her sweaty forehead as she held her close. "I'm hot!", Chrissy exclaimed, trying to roll over. Megaera raised up while Chrissy turned onto her back. Then Megaera hunched over her touching their foreheads together as her wings enveloped them. "μο... λίγος νύμϕη (*My little nymph*)." After a few minutes, Chrissy said, "Let me take a shower." Megaera raised up and Chrissy walked to the bathroom with Megaera following. When she saw the enormous granite bathtub, Chrissy, "Whoa. You and your sister really know how to live it up." Megaera went to the tub and turned the knob, letting the tub fill up. Scooping up Chrissy, Megaera laid her down in the tub, then stepped in, kneeled down and proceeded to bathe her. It took longer because Megaera kept having to kiss Chrissy's various body parts after she washed them, but half an hour later, Megaera decided Chrissy was clean and they could get dressed and get some breakfast. Last night, Tisi had told them that there was a Greek exhibit at the American Museum of Natural History and Chrissy and Barbara were so eager to go, that it was decided. As Barbara excitedly pulled Tisi along to show her various things, Chrissy and Erinyes strolled leisurely along, looking at the Greek artifacts. As Chrissy read the placards of the various things, suddenly her eyes widened in recognition. The placard said: Orestes & the Erinyes. Looking at a clay pot, it showed two women with snakes wrapped around their arms, holding the snakes out to a man between them. "Megaera! You're on this pot! Well, I'm guessing one of these women is you." Erinyes came over to look at it. "Wow! It says ca 380 BC! That's 2400 years ago!" She looked at Erinyes, who smirked, "*Not bad for a 2400 year old woman*" Chrissy laughed, then looked at the pot and asked, "Which one are you?" Erinyes leaned over and looked at it, "*I don't know. It's really about us punishing someone, not about a particular one.*" Chrissy looked at it and asked, "Did you use snakes?" Erinyes stood up, a serious look on her face, "*We are ruthless. We do not show mercy nor are we gentle when punishing the wicked.*" Seeing Chrissy's stunned look, she mumbled, "*I'm sorry.*" Chrissy quickly told her, "It's okay. It's just...it kinda is a weird thing to get used to." Erinyes hugged her, "*I can't change who I am.*" Chrissy laid her head on her shoulder, "I know. I'm not asking you to. It's just kinda hard to imagine that my girlfriend is...well I guess, a gruesome serial killer. Imagine telling my parents that. `Mom...Dad...This is my girlfriend. When she's not fucking me, she goes around killing people.'" Chuckling to herself at how that sounded, Chrissy pulled back, adding, "`Oh, and she's older than Grandma.'" They continued on looking at the exhibits. After meeting up with Tisi and Barbara, they decided to leave and go somewhere to eat. After they were in the Rolls, Erinyes said, "*Let's go to Bouley*." Tisi looked at her, saying, "*No, that's boring*." Turning to Barbara, she asked her, "*Where do you want to go*?" Barbara asked quietly, "Can we go to Aquarium?" Tisi smiled at her, "*Okay*", then told Eliud to go to Aquarium. Erinyes, not familiar with it, asked, "*What kind of restaurant is it*?" Tisi replied, "*American food with lots of aquariums and kid-themed water fountains*", as Barbara added, "It's really fun." Erinyes grimaced in disgust, "*I am not going to a kiddie restaurant!*" Tisi told her, "*But it's her favorite.*" Erinyes scowled, "*It is beneath me! I will not subject myself to looking at...* οσειδώ... χωρικός (*Poseidon's underlings*!)" Barbara looked down sadly and said quietly, "We can go somewhere else." Seeing the hurt look on Barbara's face, Tisi reassured her, "*It's okay. We're going*", then turning away from Barbara towards Erinyes, her eyes black with anger, she said in a low voice, "βασίζεται σε 'αρβάρα, όχι εσύ! (*It is up to Barbara, not you*!)" Erinyes asked, " γιατί πρέπει εγώ ...ποϕέρω από α...θρώπινος? (*Why must I suffer for your human*?)" Tisi answered, " είθε είσαστε ...ποϕέρω από θ...μός? (*Would you rather suffer my wrath*?)" Chrissy, not understanding what was being said, but seeing Tisi's black eyes and knowing their words were in anger, put her hand on Erinyes' arm, telling her, "I want to go to Aquarium, too." Erinyes turned to Chrissy and her heart melted at seeing her hopeful face, and so she relented. When they got to Aquarium, Barbara excitedly ran ahead with Chrissy, showing her the water fountains and the fish. Tisi and Erinyes followed behind as they watched their humans enjoying themselves. Tisi, watching Barbara as she happily pointed out a turtle to Chrissy, remarked to Erinyes, "*This is why we came here.*" Stopping and turning to Erinyes, she asked, "*Tell me, whom do you serve and in where does your joy lie*?" Staring at her human, Erinyes sighed as she answered quietly, "*Chrissy.*" Tisi told her, "*We are demi-gods, the most powerful creatures on earth, but there is a force more powerful than us,...*αγάπη (*love*). *We have given our lives for these humans. To me, Barbara's joy is my joy. Chrissy is now your god. Her desires come before yours*." ***** The following evening, Erinyes and Chrissy went back to Texas. They had had a long visit, but Chrissy needed to go to school the next day. On the flight back, they discussed how they were going to sleep together at night. Chrissy knew her parents wouldn't let Erinyes stay and she couldn't go to Erinyes' house. She also knew her parents wouldn't approve of her lesbian girlfriend. She didn't know what to do. After they landed, Erinyes dropped Chrissy off at her house and left. That night, after Chrissy had eaten supper and told her parents good night, she went to her room. As she turned on the light, she saw Erinyes laying on her bed. Quickly closing the door, she went over, whispering, "How did you get in here?!" Erinyes smiled and replied, "*I'm a god.*" Raising up on her knees, she wrapped her arms around Chrissy, who pulled back, whispering, "No, we can't! My parents will hear us!" Standing up beside Chrissy, she ran her finger down Chrissy's shirt to her jeans, "*Your parents do not concern me. I want to fuck.*" "They'll hear us!", Chrissy told her again. "*You're *μο... λίγος νύμϕη (*My little nymph*). *Why must I share you*?" Erinyes wrapped her arms around Chrissy, kissing her. Knowing it was a bad idea, Chrissy pushed away at first, then gave in, returning her kiss. She felt her shirt rising up and looked at Erinyes in surprise as Erinyes raised her arms and pulled the shirt off and then unclasped her bra. Picking Chrissy up and laying down on top of her, Erinyes pressed her mouth over her breast, as Chrissy closed her eyes and relaxed. "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING TO MY DAUGHTER?!" Chrissy's eyes opened in alarm and to her horror, her mom was standing in the doorway. "MOM?!...", Chrissy cried out in fright as she tried to cover her breasts. "GET OUT OF HERE!", Chrissy's mom screamed at Erinyes who glared back at her, then seeing Chrissy's collar, "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!" "Mom...I..." "WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?!", Chrissy's dad suddenly appeared. Chrissy's mom pointed to Erinyes, "This slut was raping Chrissy! I'm calling the police!" "Mom, no!", Chrissy exclaimed as Erinyes took her hand. Chrissy's dad approached Erinyes threateningly, "Get your hands off her! Who the hell are you anyways?!" Glaring intensely, Erinyes growled in a low voice, "Mέyaιρα (Megaera)." Chrissy jumped in front of Erinyes, "Dad, don't!...", then in a quieter voice, "She's my girlfriend." "The hell she is!", Chrissy's dad jerked Chrissy up and pushed her toward her mom, who started pulling her out of the room. Erinyes growled, "*This is not up to you*" as her dad walked over and grabbed Erinyes' arm and jerked, but she didn't budge. Grabbing her arm with both hands, he tried to pull her up, but she still didn't move. Chrissy, trying to pull back from her mom, was pulled out of the room and down the hall. Then her mom slapped her hard, causing her to fall back and hit the wall. Crying out in pain, she held her head. At that instant, Chrissy and her mom heard a terrifying roar and watched in stunned silence as Chrissy's dad was thrown out of the room, crashing against the wall opposite the doorway. Then the frightening form of Megaera strode out. The black eyes, the tendrils of smoke rising from her, the great wings. Muttering, "*By all that is in this world, you will not keep me from what's mine*!", Megaera grabbed Chrissy's mom by her throat. Chrissy got on her feet and managed to stand up. Megaera pushed Chrissy behind her and closed her wings around her for protection. Slamming Chrissy's mom against the wall, Megaera looked back at Chrissy, "*Are you okay?*" Chrissy nodded, unable to see much with Megaera's wings in the way. Then she gasped as she saw her dad suddenly appear with a pistol aimed at Megaera's head. "YOU HAVE THREE SECONDS TO GET OUT OF HERE!" Megaera let go of Chrissy's mom and turned to face her dad as her eyes narrowed and she bared her teeth in anger. "3" "Dad...I love her!", Chrissy pleaded. "2" "Why can't you..." "1" Chrissy screamed, "NOOOOO..." as the gun roared. As Chrissy looked in horror, Megaera didn't move, but growled, "*Do you pitiful humans really think you can stop me*?!" Chrissy's dad stared in stunned disbelief and fired again. Keeping her wings closely around Chrissy to protect her, Megaera advanced on him as he kept firing until the gun was empty. Enraged, she grabbed him by his arms and when Chrissy realized she was going to rip his arms off, she cried out, "MEGAERA, DON'T!" Megaera turned to look at Chrissy. "Please don't kill him...", she begged, "He's my dad..." Letting go of him, Chrissy heard her mom say, "...the police to 31 Spooner Street! My daughter is being kidnapped!..." "Mom?...", Chrissy called out in anguish as she saw her mom on the phone. CLICK Turning towards the sound, Chrissy saw her dad loading a fresh magazine. "Dad?..." Her father raised the pistol towards Megaera. Glowering at both of her parents, Megaera told them, "*You have brought this upon yourselves*!" Quickly turning around, she scooped up Chrissy and ran towards the door as her mother screamed, "PUT HER DOWN!" Her father fired as Megaera busted through the door, then quickly leapt into the sky. As the parents ran outside, their daughter was hundreds of feet in the air, being carried away by the winged creature. Within seconds as their daughter disappeared into the night sky, the only noise was the 911 operator on the phone, calling out, "...*What happen to your daughter*?... *Hello*...*What happen to your daughter*?..." ***** Megaera landed on the balcony of her bedroom and walked in. Chrissy had not stopped crying since they left. Laying her on the bed, Chrissy curled up and kept crying, refusing to be comforted. Megaera tried laying her hand on her shoulder, but to no avail. She had lost her parents...and Megaera knew it was her fault. She had kept pushing Chrissy for sex despite her saying no because her parents would find out. Megaera looked at her, wondering what to do. But she knew there was nothing; she had done enough already. Taking a few steps back as tears came to her own eyes, she turned and leapt off the balcony, quickly flying away into the night. ***** Several minutes later, Chrissy's eyes were empty of tears. This was the most fucked up thing that ever happened to her...well, except for that thing with Karen. She knew her parents would not except that she was gay, but she had hoped that she and Megaera could make it work somehow. She never thought this would happen. Her eyes opened to see where she was. She was in a large bed in a large room, kinda like the room at Tisi's house. She sat up, `Maybe I'm at Megaera's house.' She got off the bed and saw that she was in a dark empty room. Seeing the balcony, she walked out onto it, scanning the ground below and the night sky, but saw nothing. Going to the door, she opened it to see a large vestibule. Walking out, the place appeared empty. "Hello?...", she called out, looking around, "Megaera?..." Feeling the air on her skin, she realized she was still topless and crossed her arms, covering her breasts. Down a corridor, she saw a woman in a white peplos, a Greek tunic, coming out of a room. Hurrying over to her, she asked, "Hi, uh...Do you know where Megaera is?" "*No, my lady.*" Chrissy wandered along the corridor and found the foyer with the main doors. Quickly opening the door, she ran outside, scanning the sky. "Megaera!...", but there was only silence in the dark sky as a few clouds passed beside the moon. ***** Far away, the winds howled around Megaera as she sat hunched over on top of a snow-covered mountain on the edge of the Ross Ice Shelf. Far below her off in the distance, she watched the activity down at the McMurdo Station on Ross Island. She often came here when she wanted to be alone and away from everyone, but in the last several decades, there had been more and more humans coming to this part of the world that no one even knew existed just two hundred and fifty years ago. As the snow fell on her, a tear formed in her eye and rolled down an inch before freezing in the -50˚ F temperature. `*Why did I have to keep pushing her*?', she asked herself, `*Why do I only think of myself because I'm a god*?' `*Tell me, who do you serve and in where does your joy lie? We have given our lives for these humans*.' `*Tisiphone was right'*, she told herself, `*This is the difference between love and lust. Lust is about the moment. Love is about eternity. Though you are a god, she is your god. Her needs come before yours.*' Squeezing her eyes shut as the wind swirled around her, covering her with snow, Megaera thought about what happened. "*It's all my fault*", she whispered, "*I put my own desires before hers*." Over the roaring wind, a new sound came to her ears. Megaera turned around to see a bundled up figure nearby, stepping out of a Tucker Sno-Cat. As he approached her, she stood up, clumps of snow falling off of her. The man, who had been setting up a marker, stumbled back in surprise, tripping and falling over. Walking up to him, she reached out and pulled him up. His mouth quivered as he stared wide-eyed at this naked, winged woman who didn't even seem to be cold despite it being 50 degrees below zero. "W-What are you?...", he gasped. "*Just a figment of your imagination*", Megaera replied before shooting up into the sky, leaving the spell-bound man behind, staring up into the sky. ***** Chrissy sat at the foot of the stairs, facing the door, worried sick with her head in her hands. She had been sitting there for about half an hour with the strange lady standing nearby. She had brought Chrissy a shirt to wear since she was topless. After a while, Chrissy went back to look into the bedroom where Megaera had brought her, but it was still empty. She had lost her parents and now Megaera was gone. Not knowing what else to do, Chrissy went to the bed and curled up on it. Several minutes later, she heard footsteps. Looking at the balcony, she saw Megaera's silhouette slowly walking toward her. With a cry, Chrissy jumped off the bed and ran to her, throwing her arms around her and nuzzling her face into her. A surprised Megaera wrapped her arms around her. Megaera said quietly "*I'm sorry. This is all my fault. I'm so used to getting my own way. I didn't mean for this to happen.*" Chrissy pulled her face back, looking at her through her tear-stained eyes and said, "No...this is their fault." I would love to hear what you think at Pedogirllover@gmail.com