Master Continue “Yes, it is what drives them to eat so they can get rid of the pain.” I slowed down my pace so that Merna could catch up to me. “I do not want you to speak to Pierre but if you must know, he ate of his own free will. He was not tricked … you taught him well to ask questions and listen to his gut instinct.” With that tidbit of information, Merna smiled. It bothered me that she would smile for him. I only wanted her to smile and laugh for me. “Is he safe?” Merna asked softly. Her concern for her friend was evident. “He is training with my top trackers to become a hunter. Only a while ago did he notice a serf had escaped and killed him without a second thought. That initiative, he will climb the ranks fast.” Merna placed her hands on my arm, something that no one had ever dared to do, even when I growled low to warn her that she had gone too far, she would not remove her hands. “You can’t allow Pierre to do this!” Merna glanced down at the ground shaking her head, “I had a dream before we came here that Pierre would be surrounded around darkness and there was this man or at least he looked like a man. And if this man did not find him Pierre would become more animalistic than human!” Only when I glanced down at her hands and back to her face did she remove them. “Why can I not allow him to do what is by his nature?” The utter shock was displayed on her face as if I had exposed the biggest secret that she was keeping for him. I lowered my face closer to her, I had assumed she would back up, but she did not, “did you think I would not find out?” “He struggles and battles with his urges … I have had to talk him down many … bill.ion … trillion of times from going to jail for murder.” Merna glared at her hands not raising her head while she spoke. “He is by nature … different! He needs a rock to hold him down when the … urge is there. He knows by social standards that it is wrong but by his logic, he is the answer to stupidity!” Merna slowly raised her head trying to mask the smile that was on her face. She did not lower her head out of shame, but because she understood what his nature called for him to do. I placed my finger under Merna’s chin, causing her to tilt her head back a bit.”You spoke of a male, what did he look like?” Merna described Sadragon down to the last imperfection.I started to laugh, “you saw Pierre’s mate, Sadragon. He is Pierre’s rock!” Merna took a few steps backwards as her eyes started to water. “Pierre found his soul mate!” She spoke just above a whisper. Placing her hands over her mouth. “He was meant to be here … what I saw … was the darkness that surrounded him but once he found his mate, everything would be fine! I do not have to worry about him any longer!” Merna did have affection for this human born, but it was not as sexual as I had thought. Understanding this did not subside my jealousy, but there was more light on the subject. Her affections were solely based on protection. I had made up my mind, I was going to make sure that Merna chose me and no other. “One year!” I inhaled her famous, “I will release you back to your human born world in a year if I can not get you to eat a thing I provide.” I cleared my throat as I could feel my organs stiffening from the closeness of being near Merna. “But know this, you eat one thing that I provide …” I growled slowly, causing Merna to shiver, “you’re mine!” The closeness of our bodies left no room for air, “What else? Things are never that simple!” Merna’s voice was laboured. “It is actually! You do as I say, disobey me and I will punish you accordingly. Obey and you will have everything that your little heart desires. You are mine for one year!” I paused as I got dangerously close to her face, directing my mouth to her ear, “and you do not eat or drink anything my siblings offer you!” This was the only way I could guarantee my sibling wouldn’t get their way. “And if I do not agree?” Merna decided to show her defiance again. “Judging by your hormones, you are aroused! Tell me, does being this close to me really turn you on? Are you picturing me in your mind rate now fucking you from behind?” I whispered into her ear. Merna took the chance to step back and study me from top to bottom. “I do not know, you tell me, you are the one who can read an individual's mind!” She directed her hand to my organs, “judging by the bulge, I would say it is you who is aroused by the close proximity of our bodies!” Merna crossed her arms in front of herself, “I think you have finally met your match, someone that you can not control! And that turns you on! It is the hunt … it is the game of outsmarting the one thing you can not control!” Merna took a slow step towards me, “as much as you like to compare me to the others, I am not them! I am quick to learn and I always get what I want!” I cupped the back of Merna’s neck and brought her back into my body. Bending into her I whispered into her ear, “what is it you want?” Placing her hands on my head, she motioned my head to turn and whispered in my ear, “Freedom! And it is not something you can give but something one works for!” I glanced at her lips ready to taste them when Merna stepped away from me, my eyes were glued to her as she motioned with her arm that we should continue our journey. It had been silent for a while when Merna spoke, “what do your siblings want with me? More power!” “I do not need your power, but my siblings do! Unlike the others that came before you, I toasted them to my siblings for their wishes. You are different!” I continued walking knowing that Merna would follow. “Others before me? What do you mean? And how am I different?” “It is amazing how many questions a female can ask in five seconds.” I paused long enough to see Merna glaring at me. If I was not mistaken she is plotting my death rate now. ‘I would love to see that!’ I started to chuckle. “I swear you are enjoying messing with me!” She shouted at me. “You make it far too easy, how about you try to make things a bit more difficult. I am not one for playing games but for you … I will make an exception.” I gave her a toothy grin. “Stop avoiding my question! And no … I will not play your … your stupid games.” Merna was starting to go red in the face. It was like her hair and face were the same colour. I was born but not this century. She could deny it all she wanted but physically Merna was attracted to me. Bribery was not going to work, any threats given her way she would challenge. Seduction, on the other hand, would work in my favour! ‘It has to be the hair!’ I laughed out loud as I toasted my head back a bit. “Fine I will answer your question, but beware my siblings are not going to like this. They prefer the hybrid to be unaware of what they are. At least until it is too late. As you already know, hybrids have powers that on the earth realm do not fully manifest or they do not come to full power. Here our energy pushes their gifts to the surface. If a hybrid should know that they could be their own, they could have power to stop us!” I could see the wheels turning in Merna’s mind. “I thought you said you do not need me, so why keep me here?” “You interest me, unlike the others!” I continued to walk beside Merna. “The others were too willing to be taken care of, weak and spineless. I already have enough spineless weaklings, why would I want something to tell them what to do as a consort. I need …” “Someone that thinks and acts the same way as you do!” Merna finished my sentence. “Yes!” I let steam seep out of my nose. “There is not much that can surprise me, I have seen and heard everything. To be honest … existing like this can be boring with no changes.” We both continued on our way as we saw several human borns looking for what they would never find. One male walked through Merna, we could see both realms but they could only see the physical aspect. I watched Merna as the colour in her eyes changed, I could not tell if this was grief or disappointment. I broke the silence between us, “my siblings enjoy collecting those with natural power. Every so often we will come across a hybrid. Part human born, one part other species. We are not sure fully how this is happening but it does. My siblings will first get the human born to eat and then make a vow to only obey them. It is a life long contract that only their demise will end the bond. My siblings need the power, they do not regenerate as I do. Which means they run out of resources fast. I on the other hand regenerate so wanting you is out of my own selfishness and entertainment.” “This might be a stupid question but how do you know that I am a hybrid?” “The smell and energy that comes off of you. The first thing that I will be teaching you is how to hide your power. The more you are here the stronger it will filter out. That will attract my siblings and with you not eating, that gives them enough leeway to convince you to eat what they have to offer.” “This is all about who can collect more?” “Yes!” I growled slowly. Merna tilted her head, “is that supposed to scare me, if so you are going to have to work harder!” “It works on my siblings!” I gave her a toothy grin. “Then they are dumb asses!” Merna spoke frankly. I didn’t know if I should laugh or scold her for her remark. If she only knew what I could do to her she would have thought twice about testing my patience. ‘But is not that what I find exciting about her? Why I have this need to taste her? She is not scared of me!’ “Did these hybrids know they were different from everyone else? If so, they should have thought about what they were doing from the beginning. I am not saying that they deserve to be … whatever is happening to them. What I am saying is that if the hybrids had taken extra precaution they would not be where they are!” I tilted my head to the side, “And what do you have to say for yourself?” Merna tilted her head and smirked, “I am still working on that one! And besides I had a horrible feeling that if I left Pierre alone he would be lost in the darkness. If I had known that he would have been saved by his mate … I …” “You would have what?” I questioned her as she opened and closed her jaw like a fool lost for words. “In the end everyone bows sooner or later!” “I would never have come here … I would have told Pierre what I know!” Merna dug her foot into the ground, “since I misunderstood what I saw …. Challenge accepted!” Merna was grinning up at me. I leaned my body into hers, our size difference ever so obvious. I had to lean down to her ear and growl, “you will regret that decision little hybrid.” Merna held her breath until I stepped away from her. It was not fear on her face, it was something else …'excitement!’ “One year!” I told her, “you are mine!” Stubbornly, “I will not eat the food!” She declared. I started to chuckle, “I just need you to vow to me your devotion for a year. After that, if you wish to go back to your mundane life, I will send you back. It will be as if nothing happened!” She glared at the scenery, “I will give you my answer this time tomorrow! I need to think about this.” Her earlier expression loomed, what was she thinking about? ‘Pierre has found what he needs, but what about me?’ I heard Merna whisper in her mind, not realizing I could hear her deepest thoughts. I did not need to see her face to know that this deal appealed to the nature of the fight. The challenge of going up against an eternal. I started to chuckle internally, ‘She has no idea the danger that she is in … I always win!’ “Follow me! We have an event to go to and have only so long to get you ready.” I led the way back to my secret entrance. “What is it that we will be doing?” Merna said as she tried to keep up with my pace. I snorted black mist, “as you human borns like to say, we are walking into the lion's den.” I paused to make sure Merna was not struggling to keep up with me. “Since you refused to eat the food I had offered, my siblings are taking this opportunity to see if they can snag you. The bid for you is still ongoing. You just have to remember this, free will and whatever you take from them they will take from you. Nothing is free here! Even what you think is harmless as kindness, that even has a price and they will make you pay for it. As far as things go here, forget everything you know and reeducate yourself, it would do you a great service to do so.” “What is the price you are wanting for this information?” Merna bounced into me as I had abruptly stopped. I glared at her lips then to her eyes, I gave Merna a toothy grin, “your vow of devotion for a year will be the price for this information.” I tested the water around her. “I will have an answer for you in one day. I want to see what your siblings have to offer!” Merna gave me a coy grin. “You are playing a dangerous game little hybrid!” I growled I watched Merna wiggle a bit.“You act as if I have never gone to any realm before. I may not be as well versed in politics, that I will need a lot more education. Though I do know one thing. Do not agree to anything that seems too good to be true.” Merna glanced down at the dress, “even this dress could have a price to it!” I continued to walk. “The garments are not a gift but a responsibility. It is my job to provide the needs of those that are under my command. Do not think for one second you are a serf, you are my consort in training. After your training, like my high ranking generals and masters, you will receive an income. Then you will provide for yourself.” I paused to make sure Merna was still with me. “When I am not here you will take over my duties. Unlike my siblings, I do not need your power, the only position that is not filled is a consort.” Getting to the door, I stopped and looked at Merna’s lips again, grabbing her by the neck. I pulled her into me and locked our lips. Breathless, “that is my payment for the information I gave you, since you so elegantly put it that everything has a price!” I pushed on the hidden door waiting for Merna to go through the passageway. Pausing in front of me Merna got on her toes and brought my head down and started to kiss me. Parting my lips with her mouth, she motioned her tongue around in my mouth playing with mine, grazing my teeth with her tongue. Releasing our lips, “that is how you kiss, what you did was child's play!” Strolling past me, for a brief second I thought to myself that I might have met my match. Shaking my head once, I reminded myself there had never been a time that I did not get my way. Everyone bows sooner or later, Merna was no exception. Closing the passageway and making sure it was locked and the ward was up, I followed close behind Merna. I could see perfectly in the dark, but I had no idea if Merna’s sight was as perfect as mine. “You're poking me in my back!” Merna complained as I held her close while I was getting ready to open the next door. “That would be your problem!” I opened the door to my holding chamber. The area had been lit with torches, just enough light to walk around and not trip over the mounds that were in there. Merna wandered into the chamber, I watched as her eyes opened wide, “holy shit gold! Let me guess you sleep here right?” I watch Merna bend over picking up pieces of gold from the floor, giving me a full view of her perfectly round arse. Beckon me to grab it and squeeze it. “I come in here to rejuvenate!” My organ was throbbing even more than it was before.Merna was wandering around inspecting the area. I was rapidly breathing as I felt her energy mixing in with the gold. It was intoxicating! As each inhale aroused me further. “Ah!” Merna glared at me as she motioned her arm outwards, “I found where you like to sleep!” Merna was not even touching me and I could feel my seeds start to trickle down my leg. Stopping Merna glued her sight onto me. My eyes were glowing as the energy rose to an all-time high. Licking her lips, “that's your problem!” She smirked, spun on her heels, and directed herself to my bedroom chamber. I let out a low rumble as my full orgasm came forth, aborting all of my unborn children down my leg and cloak. “That woman is going to be the death of me!” I muttered to myself as I could hear the giggling coming from my chamber. ‘That would not be a me problem but a you problem!’ Merna’s bubble voice bounced around in my head.