by K. Aten
The older woman started laughing. “Oh my God, does she know anything about Jesse? She won’t even eat her steak less than well done. I’m surprised your girlfriend didn’t upchuck on Marie’s shoes.”
Annie muttered, “I wish she would have.” Her face broke into a smile as she pictured exactly that. “I guess you have a good point, she’s certainly not going to win her over with that. Since I can’t go over there without you, can I ride over the next time you go? I would like to see how Jesse is doing in her training. She’s been working with a guy named Alain for the mental exercises and control. I know it’s only been a few months, but her changes have been a lot smoother. And she can change back and forth quite easily now. There’s still pain but, eh.” She shrugged to play off the last comment but it was a difficult subject for the younger sister.
Sarah vividly remembered the agony and suffering that Annie’s girlfriend went through the first few times she saw her change. It wasn’t just the screaming that set the singer’s teeth on edge, it was the sounds that the younger woman’s body made as it shifted and became something else. She mentally shook herself out of the sadness caused by Jesse’s pain and suddenly remembered what happens when Jesse changes back. Sarah chuckled at the thought while she cleaned up the cookies and her glass. “Another reason I’m glad we don’t live together anymore, if she’s changing easier and more frequently than before…” The younger woman blushed bright red at how sexually charged Jesse became when she changed back to normal. She whimpered a little, and blushed even more when Sarah laughed again. She busied herself by taking care of her own glass and wiping down the counter. Sarah finally took pity on her. “Why don’t you just ride over with Jesse, we won’t be far behind you. I’m sure it will be fine.”
Annie nodded. “Okay, that sounds good. I promise to stay out of trouble.” She held up two fingers and Sarah pushed her hand down.
“Put those fingers away, you were never a scout and you’re not fooling anyone! Especially when I know where those fingers have been!”
Annie made a disgusted face. “Really, you went there? You’re my sister!” Sarah just laughed again.
Without even thinking about it, both women went into the living room and took seats on the couch, immediately putting their feet up on the old coffee table. Sarah kicked at her sister’s socked food with her own. “So what else is new with you? Keller mentioned that The Merge is a big sponsor for Columbus Pride this year. How is that going? Did they put you in charge of scheduling the music acts yet?”
The younger woman looked at the ceiling, mentally crossing her fingers. “They did actually, probably because The Merge is the only gay club that has live music. And about that…” She turned innocent hazel eyes to her older sibling and gave her a look that had worked many times over the years. “Would you please, please, please be one of the performers for Saturday, June eighteenth? I’ve managed to get a lot of the best Sip and Chug bands to sign on, but I still have a few more slots to fill.”
Sarah sighed. “Annie.”
“I know, I know, it would be early afternoon and the hottest part of the day. The sun’ll be bright, and it’ll be a real bitch for you. But I know you can do it, please think about it?” She gave another dose of pleading eyes. “I’ll even bring a bottle of SPF 100 for you.”
Sarah snorted. “That stuff is like white grease paint, it never rubs in! Besides, sunscreen only protect against UVB rays, not UVA. So it wouldn’t do me much good.” She thought for a minute and finally gave a long sigh. She hadn’t played live since she was infected the year before. She really wasn’t sure what to expect from playing in front of so many people. She’d have to talk with Keller about how different it may be from what she was used to. “Fine, I’ll do it. A short set in a tank and shorts shouldn’t kill me. Keller and I will just have to do some feeding at the club later.” She was jostled as Annie turned and gave her a big hug.
“Yes! Thanks, sis, you’re the best!”
“And don’t you forget it! Now you owe me one. Where is the festival this year, did it change venues?”
“No, it’s still at Battelle Riverfront Park. I have three months to have the stage, equipment, and artists all set. Oh, and I’m in charge of the stage show advertising as well. I still have two more slots I need to fill, and I’m really not sure what to do there.”
Sarah immediately had an answer. “Why don’t you ask Louve if she wants to showcase her circus troupe? I know she doesn’t have John Kaydell anymore, but her new DJ is just as popular. I bet she could put together a couple of acts with a good dance mix going. That should keep the crowd fired up.”
Annie’s face lit up. “Oh my God, that’s perfect! You’re a freakin genius! And yeah, I’m bummed that John Kaydell has moved on from our fair city. I heard he moved to Chicago, probably making twice as much. That dude is in serious demand!” Now that her last immediate problem was solved, she changed the subject back to her sister’s condition. “So how are you doing? Has feeding at the club gotten any easier?”
The singer thought about all her sessions at the club with Keller, and their aftereffects. “It’s weird.” She waved her hand in the air. “I mean, it’s kind of cool and, um, hot. But it’s all so strange still. I have to let my shield down, and it feels like all those people are inside my head.”
“That does sound weird. But how does it work?”
Sarah wasn’t really sure how to put the entire feeling and process into words. “It’s—it’s like being in the pouring rain. All the sexual energy is there around me the minute I open myself up. And I sort of open as wide as I can and swallow it down. Then all that energy just becomes part of me and, um, I’m sure you can guess. Just think about how Jesse is when she changes back.”
Annie covered her eyes. “Yeah, I don’t need any more detail, thanks. But that explains why the office door is always locked when you’re at the club together. Lynn was complaining about it last week.”
Sarah blushed. “Yeah.” They sat in silence for a minute then Sarah looked at her sister. “Do you want to take Duke to the dog park before I head home?”
The younger woman raised an eyebrow then glanced out the window. “Well, I don’t work tonight, but it’s pretty sunny. Are you sure?”
Sarah followed her gaze. “Yeah, the sun will offset the chill. Besides, I’m wearing a hoodie.” Both women laughed as they stood and made their way to the door. Duke was already seated near his leash, duster tail sweeping across the hardwood. He was well aware of what “dog park” meant. Annie opened the door, letting the sunlight stream into the entryway, and then glanced back at her sister with a worried look on her face. Sarah laughed at her expression and gave her a light shove out the door. “Let’s go, it’s not like I’m going to burst into flames or anything.”
Annie finally lightened up and laughed as well. “No, you and Keller save that for the club.”
“Brat”
“Freak!”
“Childish little dribbler!”
“Bloodsucking fiend.”
“Hey!”
“Well, if the fang fits.”
They continued to tease each other as they walked the two blocks to the dog park. It was a good thing there were no neighbors outside to hear them; it was hard to say what they’d make of the Colby sister’s conversation. One thing was obvious though, the two women who looked and acted so much alike loved each other very much.
NOBEL KELLER WAS sitting in her office at The Merge. After wrapping up her call, she took an odd minute to play by spinning her chair around as fast as she could. Sadly, the chair couldn’t keep up with her and she heard a cracking sound a split second before she was dumped on the floor. “What the—?” She stood up and looked at the broken chair. “Well shit.” It was after she got down on her hands and knees to see if she could fix it that a stocky butch woman knocked on the office door as she walked in.
“Keller, could you take a look at…” She trailed off when she didn’t immediately see her boss. Then she
noticed her on the floor with the broken chair and snorted. “Seriously, another one? That’s the third chair you’ve broken this year and it’s only March! What the hell do you do in here?” Keller, ever the laid back boss, just grinned at her and wiggled her eyebrows up and down. Lynne groaned and covered her eyes. “I don’t even want to know.”
The bar manager stood and grabbed a tissue from a box on a nearby shelf. While she cleaned the chair grease from her fingers, she gave her assistant manager over Spin a more serious look. “What’s up?”
“Julie and I were going over the inventory for Spin, and we’re missing two cases of beer, and a few bottles of vodka. Do you know anything about that?”
Keller made a face. “Oh damn, that’s my fault. They were running drink specials at the last Sip and Chug, and ran out. I had Sal grab the stuff from Spin’s inventory, and I meant to write it down later. Sorry, Lynne, separate inventories for the two clubs gets a little tricky sometimes.”
Lynne smiled. “It’s all good, boss; I just wanted to know where it went. I didn’t want to find out we had another skimmer again.”
The assistant manager turned to leave the room but before she could get out the door, Keller called her back. “Hey, could you do me a favor and check to see if we have another chair in the store room?”
Lynne grinned at her. “I can already tell you that we don’t. Looks like you’ll be sitting in a bar chair until you can make it to the office supply store.” She laughed. “Have fun with that!”
Keller threw a stress ball at her but she scuttled out the door too fast. Instead it bounced off the door frame and knocked over a potted plant. “Well shit!” She looked at the spilled dirt, then back at her own broken chair, and contemplated just going home. She knew Sarah was supposed to be hanging out with Annie today, and after that she had two clients. Feeling slightly irritated and tired, she threw herself onto the well-worn leather couch. There was a part of her that was happy at the fact that Sarah’s music instruction business was picking up and her lover was getting ready to record a new album. However, when her own schedule was added to the mix, it seemed like they had to constantly scramble to make time together.
After spending a lifetime looking for the one person she was capable of bonding with, the bar manager was starting to resent every little thing that kept them apart. Keller had lived a long time and knew how quickly life could come and go. Perhaps it was time to move on from this job and do something that better complimented Sarah’s career. If there was one thing that a few centuries of life could give, it was the time to learn how to be successful at a variety of careers. And of course a few centuries of smart living provided the money to not need a career at all. Keller smiled, glad she had worked out some things in her head. Now all she had to do was talk to Sarah about her ideas for their future.
Thinking about her lover never failed to fill her head with the image of the singer’s gorgeous green eyes. Unfortunately her daydreaming was short-lived when she caught a glimpse of the broken chair next to her desk. With a sigh, she shoved up from the couch and pulled on the hoodie that was hanging from the coat rack. Then she grabbed her keys and wallet from the desk drawer. After making sure the laptop was logged off, she headed out of the office. On her way through the bar she called out to Lynne, who was in deep discussion with her lead bartender, Julie. “I’m making a run to the office supply store. Do we need anything while I’m there?”
Her affable employee paused in what she was doing. “Yeah, we need printer paper and some more shipping labels. And look into a chair that’s a little sturdier this time, huh?”
Julie grinned at Keller. “You broke another one?” She laughed aloud at her petite blonde boss. “Maybe you should go on a diet, Keller!”
Keller squinted back at her. “Yeah? Well maybe you should be busted back down to bar-back.”
Julie held up her hands in surrender. “Just kidding, boss, you look great! Have fun chair shopping!”
Her chair-killing boss nodded once. “That’s what I thought.” She walked out the door to the sound of laughter.
SARAH ARRIVED HOME that evening nearly an hour after Keller. When she opened the door to the condo, Duke ran in and immediately went to his food dish. The musician was surprised to see the lights dimmed, music playing, and the dining room table set. She could also smell the tantalizing aroma of Thai Guys express coming from the bags on the breakfast bar. This prompted her to hang up her hoodie and go search for her girlfriend. When she found the short blonde, all the moisture from her mouth migrated elsewhere. Keller walked out of the bathroom wearing a thin silk robe. Gazing at the smaller woman’s erect nipples, Sarah said the first thing that came to mind. “Aren’t your feet cold?”
Keller laughed. “You’re not looking at my feet, love.”
Sarah smirked. “No, I’m most definitely not. Do you blame me? And I think it’s cruel that you’re teasing me with both Thai Guys and a silk robe.”
Keller walked up and wrapped her in a warm embrace. “I’m definitely not cold, and I think you’re overdressed.”
Before Keller could back away again, Sarah tightened her grip. “Not so fast!” The deep kiss pulled a moan from both women as tongues worked magic on their sensitive teeth. Reluctantly Sarah pulled back. “Oh God, we’re never going to get to dinner at this rate. And I’m starving!”
Keller looked at her lover with nothing but hunger. “I am too, and I know exactly what I’m having.” Before Sarah could say a word, Keller picked her up and deposited her on their bed.
Sarah laughed at her girlfriend’s enthusiasm, as Keller finished unbuttoning the oxford she was wearing and reached for the clasp of her bra. “Our food is getting cold.”
Keller never strayed from her task. “We have a microwave.”
Sarah started to say something else but it came out as a hiss as Keller enclosed her nipple with warm lips. She shuddered against her silk-clad lover as Keller increased suction and put her tongue to work. The singer nearly went over the edge when a smooth leg came out of the robe and pressed firmly against the crotch seam of her khakis. Despite wearing the restrictive pants, Sarah did her best to writhe against the hard thigh when Keller switched to the other nipple. However, before she could get too close to relieving that ache, Keller pulled back. Looking dismayed and thoroughly aroused, Sarah tried to pull her down. “Where are you going?”
The bar manager smiled as if she were holding a secret. Straightening the robe, she slowly backed up until she could unbutton Sarah’s pants and slide them off. Sarah quickly removed her open shirt and bra at the same time. When Keller stopped her from taking off her panties, she was confused. The confusion didn’t last long as Keller lowered her shields and a wave of lust rolled over Sarah. At the same time, Keller lowered herself to the woman lying on the bed. Sarah reveled in the feel of silk against her naked skin, and nearly came when she realized what Keller was hiding under the robe. Knowing Sarah’s love of large toys, she picked one of the bigger strap-on attachments, and she was also wearing a vibrator underneath for her own pleasure. Sarah’s breathing increased as Keller teased her with the toy through the thin fabric of the panties. When she leaned down to give Sarah another deep probing kiss, she rolled her hips, making the woman below her whimper. Not very big on patience, Sarah gave a little growl and grabbed the smaller woman’s ass. Desperate for more contact she gave her lover an intense look of need.
“You’re killing me here!”
The heat in the room went up another notch when Keller ripped the panties from Sarah’s body and stroked the toy through her wet folds. Once she was sure the strap-on was well lubricated, she took her time working the toy inside, despite Sarah’s desperate pulling.
Sarah pleaded. “Love please—I need more.” Keller reached down and realized just how wet her lover was. Sarah tried one more time. “Please…”
Giving in, Keller turned the vibrator on and sucked in a breath at the sensation that rolled through her. At the same time she buried the t
oy deep within Sarah. The emotional and psychic feedback took them beyond the simple act of sex. She began with a slow pace until Sarah started moaning almost continuously. The vibrator was spiraling her own pleasure higher, tightening things down low. Keller knew they were both close so she leaned down to whisper in Sarah’s ear. “I can see your pulse and I want to taste you.” When she ran sharp teeth along the singer’s neck, she felt her hair gripped tight in Sarah’s fist.
“Do it!”
Keller immediately pierced the flesh below her mouth and was rewarded with a rush of hot blood. Between the backlash from feeding and the pounding of their bodies together, their orgasm was instantaneous. It rolled over and through them, back and forth until they were spent and twitching. The vibrator that had felt so good moments before became too much. Keller detached all the toys and dropped them to the floor in record speed. Panting and sweaty, Sarah turned to her girlfriend. “I’m still starving, and you owe me another pair.”
Keller started laughing. “I’ll buy you twenty!” The running joke was that Keller loved ripping Sarah’s underwear off, and both women thought it was a big turn on. It was why Sarah seldom had any matched bra and panty sets. Panties were just too expendable.
After lying in each other’s arms a bit longer, physical hunger eventually got the best of them. Sarah picked up their clothes while Keller took care of the toys. Sarah dressed in a soft baby tee and pajama pants and went to reheat the takeout. Her lover rejoined her a few minutes later wearing something similar. Even though they’d lived together less than six months, it was hard to tell from their familiarity and the comfortable routine they had established. Sarah was surprised at how quickly she had grown accustomed to her life with Keller. The singer had never lived with a lover before, her fear of being tied down and of commitment in general had kept it from being an option. Keller, on the other hand, had lived with a variety of people since she was first turned centuries before. She had lived many lives and the most important lesson she had learned from them was how to adapt. However, nothing could compare to waking each morning with one’s soul mate, the person you were bonded to for life.
