Rich Boy: Awakening - 17. Chapter 17

“What are they doing?” Worthington asked Richie as he lazed in the pool. Here it was, a week after the beginning of the New Year, when back home he’d be freezing his ass off, and he was floating on his back in a swimming pool with the sun high overhead. Nor was he wearing any type of swimsuit. Even a Speedo left a tan line, and he was tired of seeing a white ass when he looked in the mirror. The Moms weren’t home, so he was safe. Richie was sitting on the edge of the pool, just letting his legs sit in the water.

“Moms are kicking you and Jamie out.” Richie laughed as they both looked at the land surveyors working on the land right next to them. Worthington didn’t worry about the workers getting an eyeful. He’d cast a weak glamour that would let anyone see him think he was wearing something.

“What do you mean?” Worthington asked nervously.

“Mom says she’s tired of the waiting line forming outside of Jamie’s room and Mom’s starting to complain the lower level of the house stinks of Dark magic every time she has to go to her workroom.” Richie said with another laugh. Worthington frowned. True, Jamie did have a lot of people coming by to ‘visit’, but there was never a line for Elizabeth to see, and as for Dark magic, he rarely cast any ‘dark’ spells anywhere near the house. The house’s wards didn’t like Dark magic.

“You’re exaggerating.” Worthington decided.

“Mom’s approved spending some of your family money to give Brandon, Jamie, and you a little more room of your own.” Richie said. “She said she’d tell you, but I think she forgot amidst all the other details she’s been having to go over with you. It was actually Randall Smythe who suggested giving you more of your own space. There was some concern about you being able to practice… your brand of magic, and well Jamie should have room to do that now as well, and Brandon of course. The house wards will only accommodate so much, and you shouldn’t have to drive so far up into the mountains.”

“How do you know about that?” Worthington asked in surprise.

“Well, I was just guessing, but it was a good one.” Richie chuckled.

“I’d still need it for certain… things.” Worthington said as he looked at the plot of land right next to their house. It was slightly higher in elevation, and would not accommodate a house nearly as big as this one. “I’ll have to ask to see the plans she’s drawn up.”

“She’s going to be upset when she realizes she didn’t talk to you about it.” Richie chuckled.

“She’s been busy.” Worthington defended his Aunt. “Besides she probably told Brandon, and the little runt forgot to mention it to me.”

“Probably.” Richie laughed as the door to the house slid open and a familiar figure walked out of the house.

“No one answered.” Tom called out, and Josh was right behind him. “You don’t mind that we just came in?”

“Nope.” Richie laughed. The truth was, if they’d tried to enter for the purpose of doing harm, or hadn’t already been allowed in the house, they’d have never gotten inside. They didn’t need to know that, though. “What are you guys doing here?”

“We’re supposed to go for a ride with Mikie here, if he ever gets out of the pool.” Josh said with a laugh. They were both wearing jeans, and t-shirts, instead of shorts, which meant they’d ridden here on their bikes. More than likely they’d left their jackets along with their helmets on their bikes. No one in their group ever rode wearing shorts, or without at least a helmet. Most of the time, none of them rode without a jacket either.

“I was just waiting for you guys to show up.” He said as he stood up and got out of the pool, earning some wolf whistles from the two.

“Will you look at the size of that thing?” Josh whistled and Worthington almost blushed.

“Oh shove it.” He said after a moment of thought. “You’ve both seen it before.”

“And that was too much information for me.” Richie chuckled as Worthington walked back inside the house, dispelling the glamour once he was inside. Curious how those two had not been distracted by the glamour, but then the way it had been set, it might not have affected them. It only took him ten minutes to rinse off quickly, put on fresh underclothes, and get dressed in his leathers. His helmet he kept in the garage, near his bike, so he collected the two of them and headed out to the garage. Brandon’s bike was already gone, which he knew since Brandon had gone shopping with Jamie earlier.

“Are you sure about this?” Worthington asked his two mundane friends as he wheeled his bike out and parked it next to theirs while both of them shrugged into their jackets.

“We’re not going to get hurt, right?” Tom asked as he zipped up his green jacket. “I mean it’s not like last time. Nothing will be forced on us.”

“No, nothing will be forced on you guys.” Worthington assured them. Josh, who had taken everything in stride so far just nodded and put his helmet on, starting his bike and getting ready to follow Worthington on the road. The three of them were soon heading off into the mountains, with Worthington in the lead. By the time they reached the abandoned mine, Brandon’s bike was already parked next to the main building. There were recent tire tracks from several large trucks, and Worthington nodded with approval as he entered the building he was coming to think of as his Training Room.

“Wow.” Tom murmured as they entered. Sunlight streamed down from the newly cleaned skylights high above. The building was still every bit as rusty as before, but now the electrical power had been reconnected. At the entrance was a line of coat hooks that would accommodate several helmets and motorcycle jackets. There was also a couch, some chairs, and a small refrigerator stocked with energy drinks and a few snacks. The only other major change – the floor was now covered in wrestling mats. They would be much softer than the hard concrete for some things, and were relatively easy for Brandon to clean if things got a little messy.

“You going to be holding wrestling meets up here?” Josh joked.

“Something like that.” Brandon smirked from where he sat on the couch with Jamie. There was a familiar smell still in the air, and Worthington sent a quick enquiring thought at his blond brother.

He wanted a top, so I gave him one. Jamie smirked.

Not bad, either. Brandon added. It’s a good thing the couch is leather, and it just wipes right up, too.

I don’t need to know that much. Worthington shot back. Further back along the wall was a small kitchen-type area he’d almost missed, hidden behind a large column. There was a sink, a dishwasher, and a small washer/dryer combo.

“Jesus, you planning on moving up here?” Tom asked when he saw that setup.

“No, but it might be necessary to stay the night on occasion, so it’s best to be prepared.” Brandon said as he stood up. “I’d take you on the tour, but you can pretty much see everything.”

I’m nervous Jamie admitted and Worthington smiled at him. Jamie got up and went to stand next to Worthington with their shoulders touching.

Don’t be. Worthington said as the physical contact brought them into a light linking. He could feel Jamie’s nervousness leech out of him with the contact, and let the link deepen into a full rapport.

“Shit, they’re glowing.” Josh murmured as he shook his head while looking at Jamie and Worthington.

“It’s called linking.” Brandon explained in a calm voice. “Don’t worry about it. Why don’t you guys have a seat? You thirsty?”

“Yeah.” Tom said while Josh nodded, looking at the two mages again. There was a glow around them, a swirling mix of colors that he couldn’t quite identify. It was like the colors were changing too fast to really stay in place long enough for him to see more than that they were colors. Both mundanes seemed happy with having something cool in their hands to distract them.

“There.” Jamie whispered as their link settled, and the glow around them disappeared. The last few weeks had taken quite a bit of adjustments for both of them, especially where their powers were concerned. Both of them understood it was a time of flux, a time of change for them, and they would have to adjust, and find their own way forward.

“Are you sure about this?” Worthington asked in a very quiet voice so they would not be overhead. “I mean, this will be Dark magic.”

“I might as well try and get used to using it too.” Jamie said with just the barest of shivers as he thought about it. “I mean, it’s like you trying the spells I showed you. They didn’t burn you up, right? We’re not really Light, and we’re not really Dark. I might as well learn what I can now. The really powerful Light spells I’ll never be able to do now, but from what you say I might be able to do Dark ones, and might need that power if I’m in a fight.”

“Just remember, the magic can be hard, if you’re not used to dealing with it.” Worthington reminded him. “Doing some Light spells is like trying to juggle six balls one handed while hopping on one foot, over bare coals with no shoes.”

“Now that’s a funny image.” Jamie smiled as the wards rang in Worthington’s head. Their guest had arrived, and he opened the gates with a thought for the SUV. The familiar figure of David Heart was driving, and Worthington warned the mundanes to get ready.

When Byron Williams Jones entered the building, Jamie and Worthington were standing side-by-side, facing the doorway from the middle of the building. Behind them stood Brandon, while the two mundanes stood against the wall farthest from the door, waiting a little nervously. The Dark mage, and Worthington’s teacher entered, and looked around with an appraising attitude before his eyes settled on Worthington and Jamie. A probe extended from the man, brushing against both of them briefly and the man entered the room, with David right behind him. It was just the two of them this time.

“Now this is unexpected.” Byron Jones said with a carefully controlled expression of disinterest. “I take it there have been developments since last we met?”

“The integration is complete.” Worthington said in a neutral tone. “This is Jamie Bradwell. Jamie, this is Byron Williams Jones.”

“It is an honor to meet you, sir.” Jamie said carefully, and with a very slight bow of his head.

“You are not a Light mage…any longer.” Byron Jones held a hint of awe in his voice as he looked over at Worthington. “You managed to corrupt him somehow.”

“I sacrificed what I was for him.” Jamie clarified in a proud tone. He had a right to be proud as far as Worthington was concerned.

“Then Michael won.” Jones’s voice held neither approval nor disapproval. It was a statement, nothing more.

“I am Worthington Michael Sinclair, the Fifth.” Worthington said with a very slight shrug. “That is all that matters, in the end.”

“Do you still wish to take lessons with me, or are we to fight?” Byron Jones’s voice held no hint that he was ready for battle, but his body seemed poised for action, and David Heart’s face showed real worry.

“We’re here to learn, if you will impart your knowledge to us both.” Worthington said to make it clear Jamie was part of the bargain.

“You are willing to learn the Dark path?” The older man asked with a little surprise showing in his voice. “If you sacrificed yourself, you may no longer have access to the Light’s powers, but that doesn’t mean you are suited for the Dark.”

“I will learn what I can learn.” Jamie said with a slight shrug. “Power is power, it is the use to which it is put that matters to me. Worthington has said the Dark allows itself to be used by anyone willing to pay the price it demands for power.”

“That it does, but will someone raised to the sensibilities of the Light be able to stomach what the Dark demands?” Byron Jones asked.

“We’ll see, won’t we?” Jamie asked.

“Yes, we shall.” Jones was smiling now, as if he was a cat who had got both the mouse and the jar of cream. “I see you brought some mundanes for today’s lessons.”

“Yes.” Worthington said, and turned to gesture the two forward. “This is Tom and Josh. They understand what we are doing today.”

“Then let us begin.” Jones said, and turned to Jamie. “The Light has its own forms of warding circles. Do you yet know those for the Dark?”

“No.” Jamie admitted.

“Let me instruct you.” Jones said, and proceeded to do that. When he was done, Jamie nodded and moved to begin the circle. When he was where he wanted to start, he bowed his head, took a deep breath and held out his hand, palm downward. His hand began to glow, not with light, but rather the absence of light. This was Dark Light, and the fact that he could summon it at all showed that mentally, he really had moved from the paths normal to Light mages. As he moved, creating a ring of the Dark Light wherever he moved, Worthington motioned Tom and Josh to move into the middle of where the circle would be. Both of them looked at Jamie nervously, but complied while Brandon and David took up positions outside the circle. While Jamie finished the circle, Jones continued his explanation.

“The circle contains the powers that are set loose within them.” Jones spoke in a calm voice. “They are only needed for the most formal of occasions. I assume you both will be participating in this?”

“Yes.” Worthington said, and suppressed the thought that Jeremy should be there too, but he was not a mage.

“That makes this a little more tricky, unless you are splitting them up.” Jones said.

“I figured that, but it can be done, right?” Worthington asked.

“Of course.” Jones replied as Jamie finished the circle. “Now, both of you come to stand in front of me. Good, now both of you summon Dark Light.”

“Done.” Worthington breathed as he complied. This time their palms faced upwards, and the light appeared as balls in their hands. Both of them had used their right hand.

“Since this is being done by the two of you, you must combine.” Jones instructed them when they were ready. “Face each other, hold out your right hands so they are next to one another, and state ‘In this we are one.’ together.”

“In this we are one.” Jamie and Worthington said in unison as their hands were held between them. Worthington gasped as their hands were drawn together, and the two balls merged into one that hovered between them. The link between them sprang wide open, and it was like during the end of the integration, when Worthington and Michael had come together as one complete being, and he had been one with Jamie. Both of them were hard, he could tell, just from the sensations, and their thoughts were melding, flowing in the same direction instead of two.

“Didn’t expect that, did you?” Jones chuckled. “This why it is rarely done among Dark mages. What you are doing now has its long term effects, something Worthington at least should have understood enough to ask. For Jamie it will be a good lesson in working with the Dark. Everything you do with the Dark has its price. The price of what you have just done is that everything done while the spell holds will affect the both of you. In mages who are married, it sometimes bring them closer, so it common as part of Anniversary Rituals, celebrating their union. Few Dark mages are ever close enough to their spouse to trust them with everything though. If either of you care to try, you will see that all of your memories lie open before each other. That is part of the price.

“Another part of the price is that for those like you, related by blood there is some mingling. Since you are cousins, you will probably have similar thoughts for a day or two, and there might be some permanent physical changes. Just be glad you are not more closely related.”

“Why is that?” Both of them asked as one, and Jones chuckled at them.

“This spell is impossible between parent and child.” Jones said. “The Dark will not allow it, the hands and Dark Light will not merge when it is tried. No one understands it completely, but you might understand when you look at the effects on brothers or sisters. That is another pairing that does not work, brothers and sisters. Two brothers can make the spell work, or two sisters, if they are willing to pay the price, but that is very, very rare in dark families. Worthington, your father and his brother would never have even considered doing this. With siblings of the same gender, the spell affects them, bringing them closer together in a variety of ways, and unlike with cousins where the effect lasts for a short time afterwards, the effects on siblings carry through the rest of their lives.”

“What effects?” Worthington asked sharply while Jamie pondered.

“Two siblings joined by the spell find themselves as if they were twins, born out of the same womb.” Jones said gravely. “Like newborn twins, their minds move in almost the same circles, a melding of the two that were before. Their bodies change, growing closer in appearance to each other, as if they were twins, and for a while, they are united in purpose. That was actually the original intent of the spell, between Dark brothers who sought to overthrow their more powerful, older brother. Normally there is not an extreme level of trust between siblings of the Dark, but with this spell, they are united as one for a common purpose. As time goes by, the physical changes remain, but like any other set of twins, their thoughts separate, learn their own patterns. I have heard of one set of brothers who did this, and kept renewing it every few years, but they were unusual. Why do you ask?”

“We’re brothers.” Jamie said and Jones’s mouth dropped open in shock.

“How?” The man asked.

“My father paid the fertility clinic to have Jamie conceived with his sperm instead of the sperm she intended to use.” Worthington answered.

“Half-brothers, whose mothers are sisters.” Jones laughed. “Oh, now that is rich, and something that sounds just like your father. Well, no hope for it now, you’ve cast the spell. Your relation to each other is odd, though, half brothers, and cousins on your mother side, so it is not as if you had the same mother. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of the spell being cast between two with your relationship. You will have to take notes on its effects and send them to me. Or rather, I would ask that you do that, and send me the notes. I doubt I could order it.”

“No.” The two of them said together, and they weren’t sure if they would, but they’d think about it. Just like they did when Richie wanted them to help him cheat on his math final in the eighth grade.

“Well, what’s done is done, of course.” Jones said. “At least I will not have to explain everything now. Jamie should remember it from Worthington’s memories as I tell you what to do.”

“Let’s do this.” Jamie said with a hint of impatience. They weren’t quite one mind, but it was close to it, and as confusing as it had been when he was split in two between Michael and Worthington-geas.

Under Jones’s instructions, they had Josh and Tom kneel before them, on both knees. Worthington stood in front of Josh, while Jamie took Tom, and repeated the words as Jones shared them. Then they summoned just a bit of power and used it prick their fingers. When a drop of blood appeared, they held it out to the two mundanes who opened their mouths. They smeared the blood on the tongues of both, and set the spells they had prepared.

With the blood on their tongues, these wards were even more firmly bound to them. In the mundane it created a tight bond that would allow them to know where the mundane was at any time, and their general emotional condition. The further away they were, the more general the knowledge. From the other side of the world, they might know east or west, but little more. From a few hundred miles away, they would know the general location within a few miles. Within twenty miles or so, they would know exactly where the mundane was.

Closer, like as close as they were now, they could even pull power from the mundane in limited amounts. They weren’t channels, and the single drop of blood was not like a soul-bonding or a similar spell. They could not pull enough power to leave the person dead, for instance, but in an emergency it might be enough to make the difference between life and death.

There were more advantages, of course, and that was why Worthington had asked these two particular people to do this. He could have learned the spell and performed it on any mundane really. Normally, at the boarding school, it was done on one of the mundane students that attended along with the gifted. It was a good spell for marking your trusted mundane subordinates, and keeping track of them. Mundanes suspected of being spies for some other power, or interest, was tagged with this spell and tracked. The mundane did not have to be willing. While a strong enough mage who knew what they were looking for could find the wards, nothing short of death blocked the location-finding ability.

Tom and Josh were in and out of their house, and their lives too much. They were the most likely targets of any mage coming after Worthington, and so he wanted to use this in order to protect them. It was stronger than ordinary wards could ever be, and it was permanent, and pretty much could not be blocked, whereas normal wards could be blocked if you knew they were there. Tom had already been used once, and Josh was already known to Byron Jones. They had a number of mundanes they wanted to protect this way, and they would later, when Byron was no longer around.

“You can now banish the circle, unless you want to learn anything more of what you can do with mundanes.” Byron Jones offered.

“This is enough for now.” Worthington said.

“Very well.” Jone said with a sigh. “Now, as to banishing the circle, it must be done in the same order, with a ball of pure white light. Worthington, let us see if you can manage that.”

“Please.” Worthington snorted and summoned the light. It blazed brightly, and Jones threw an arm up to protect himself from the unusually bright light. It wasn’t the normal light summoned by a Dark mage, but a piece of Light itself that seemed to laugh at the Dark, and dispelled the circle without Worthington moving at all.

“I think that will be all for the day.” Jones said in a voice that sounded rushed, and he stormed out of the room, dragging David behind him.

“What was that about?” Brandon asked with a smile.

“I don’t know.” They said in unison, and then looked at each as they laughed. The man had forgotten to tell them to release the joining spell. They clasped hands again, and tried to figure out how to undo the spell. Finally they found the right words, mixed with the right thoughts. “It is done, let the two that were one be two again.”

“Oh thank God.” Jamie said as the spell released him, but he still frowned a bit at Worthington. “You don’t look any different.”

“Neither do you.” Worthington said with furrowed eyebrows.

“You know him better than I do.” Jamie said. “Was it possible he was joking? You know, making us believe all that crap just so we’d tell him we were brothers and not just cousins?”

“You’re what?” Tom asked with a shake of his head as he stood up. “Odd, I don’t feel any different. You’re both sure you don’t have AIDS right, or Herpes?”

“We’re clean, for now.” Jamie said with a laugh.

“What do you mean you’re brothers?” Josh asked. “We could hear you talking to him, but until you started talking to us, I couldn’t understand what you were saying, and I could never understand anything that man said at all.”

“Worthington’s father was a real asshole.” Jamie said and then frowned. “Well, great, I just called my father an asshole too, but he was.”

“Huh?” Tom frowned and Worthington laughed while Jamie explained. A quick mental check confirmed that he could feel both of them exactly as he should, as if he had bonded them himself. Already the closeness with Jamie was starting to fade, and while it left him with a sense of absence in him, he also recognized that they were still even closer than they had been.

“Jamie, what were you up to today?” Elizabeth asked later, and Worthington smiled with amusement as Jamie told her about going shopping with Brandon, and then a ride with them ‘up the mountain’. Elizabeth seemed to notice the glossing over of things, and was fortunately inclined to not ask for more detail. Then she turned to Worthington. “I am sorry, I meant to talk to you before this. Richie told me the surveyors were out today. Stacey and I have always planned to build on the properties next to us as Richie and Jamie got older. We bought the parcels when we bought this one and had the house built.”

“We thought that as they got older the boys would want more freedom and not be living in the confines of the same home as their mothers.” Stacy said with a smile on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. “But, we want them close to us, so we bought the land and figured as they got older we’d have houses built for them there. That way we could all live close to each other, but they’d have their own lives.”

“With recent changes, we decided to go ahead and build one of the homes now.” Elizabeth took up the speech. “We asked Jamie about this, and he agreed to some modifications which the architects are drawing up. It was to be a surprise for you, Worthington, but I think you’ll agree that it is for the best if you and Jamie were to have your own place. I don’t know what your long range plans are, but Jamie…”

“My house will always be yours, brother.” Jamie interrupted her, and Worthington could tell how much he meant that.

“Thank you.” Worthington said. They had a lot of things to talk about, but he knew that he wanted his home, at least part time, to be with these people. They were as much a part of his life as anyone else would ever be. “I’m sure I’ll be fine with whatever you come up with.”

“Well, our original thoughts were that each home would be self-contained, but would share the pool and patio area.” Stacy said. “There’ll be a pathway connecting them.”

“Since the house originally intended for Jamie will be shared with you, it will be built with part of your funds, of course.” Elizabeth added. “Half the value of the land will also be paid, if you and Jamie agree.”

“That’s fine.” They both said at once. Yes, the ‘bond’ was still there – at least a bit.

After dinner, Jamie and Worthington walked downstairs and went into Jamie’s room. His bed wasn’t a four-poster, but was a king-size bed with a low headboard that held some of his favorite books. There was also a desk that held his personal computer, a thirty-inch flat panel television hung on the wall, and he had several pieces of furniture and pictures on the wall.

No sooner than the door had been shut than Jamie was on Worthington, kissing him with passion. Worthington returned the passion with every part of his being, and their tongues battled in each other’s mouth as they stripped off the rest of their clothes except their shirts. Then Jamie paused, pulling back just long enough to take off his shirt while simultaneously casting a warding on the room that would prevent the sound of their voices from carrying outside the room.

“I want to fuck you so bad.” Jamie growled, his engorged cock bobbing as he moved towards the bed. “Get over here.”

“Yes, sir.” Worthington grinned at Jamie’s enthusiasm, and his dominating mood. He apparently didn’t move fast enough, because Jamie leaned forward to pull him down to the bed, flipping him over as he did so. For having been so recently inexperienced, Jamie knew exactly what he was doing, what he wanted and how to get it fastest. It wasn’t long before he was buried all the way inside Worthington, and while his mouth worked leaving marks all over Worthington’s chest, he thrust his cock deep inside him with all the strength he could muster. For his own part, Worthington’s senses were going wild, as they slipped deeper into rapport until he couldn’t tell if it was his ass being pounded, or his cock thrusting deep inside, whether it was his mouth leaving marks all over a chest, or his nails scratching so deeply that blood welled over his back.

“Fuck yes.” Jamie whispered as they were both spent and he collapsed onto Worthington’s chest. For his part, Worthington was just as spent, and the sticky mess between them had no time to cool as he wrapped his arms around Jamie, heedless of the trails of blood on Jamie’s back, and held his brother tight against him. He was experienced, and knew that this had been unusually intense, extremely passionate, and would leave many other experiences seriously lacking. “Is it the Dark magic?”

“Yes, that’s part of it.” Worthington said in a hoarse voice. Their yells had been so intense that without the warding everyone would have come running, expecting to see them trying to kill each other. There had been few words, just screams of passion.

“No wonder they call it wild magic.” Jamie said breathlessly. They were both covered in sweat too, and Worthington knew the scratches on his back had to be stinging. “No, don’t heal them just yet. They sting, but it’s a good sting.”

“If you say so.” Worthington grinned. They were still in rapport, and really didn’t need to share words. Nor did they, after that. Instead they just let the ebb and flow of passion carry them through until they were totally relaxed.

“We should get cleaned up.” Jamie whispered softly. Hours had passed, and it was getting late at night. “You’ll stay in here with me tonight?”

“Naturally.” Worthington agreed. Wordlessly, they got up together and showered, wiping the cooling sperm from their chests, and while Jamie stood under the shower head, Worthington let his power flow in a simple healing spell. The gouges of his fingernails faded, but he didn’t heal them all the way. There was a fine lattice of days-old scratches on Jamie’s back. Jamie marked his chest, and he wanted to leave some markings on Jamie.

“What are we going to do?” Jamie asked quietly as they lay in bed together, arms and legs wrapped around each other in a jumble. It took Worthington a moment to realize that Jamie had spoken aloud. He also knew exactly what Jamie meant.

Do you feel jealous about my relationship with Jeremy? Worthington asked.

Would you be pissed if I had sex with him? Jamey replied the same way. I’ve always kind of liked him, but now I want to see what you see in him. What about girls, do you feel any different about them?

“There’s more interest there than there was before.” Worthington admitted aloud. As for Jeremy, what’s good for me is good for you, although I think I’d like to watch. Yeah, I’d definitely like to watch that.

So we’re not going to get jealous of each other. Jamie’s thoughts were filled with relief at that and both of them knew it was true.

The Dark is about passion, and sex is a big part of that. Worthington said. There will be some jealousy, we’re human after all, but it’s probably not going to be what other people would expect. I think I’ll be jealous if you and Jeremy go at it with each other and I’m not invited, but it’s not jealousy that you got together with him, it’s jealousy that you got some and I didn’t.

Would you fuck a girl with me, if I asked? Jamie asked.

As long as we make sure there’s no chance of her getting pregnant. Worthington laughed aloud at that. Can you imagine the mess that would cause?

What do I want, now? Jamie asked in a lost voice. I don’t want to just supplant my old dreams so they’re yours. This closeness, I love it, but I’m still my own person. I don’t want to let it define me.

“I feel the same way.” Worthington agreed. The Bradwell Family is yours to claim. All you have to do is marry, and have a child.

“Why would a woman marry me when I’m not going to give you up for her?” Jamie asked aloud.

“If she’s raised in the traditions of the Dark, it can be worked around, although many women expect their husbands to keep other relationships private, even secret.” Worthington said. “My parents, they used sex in a lot of ways, sucking life out of the servants to keep their appearances younger, and my father had several mistresses, but they never did those things together. It was always separate, and they never discussed it. Or, you could marry an ungifted, and manipulate her mind so that she never knew, or guessed there were other things going on.”

“Or better yet, a latent with the gift but not able to use it.” Jamie said carefully. “That way the children will be more likely to be gifted.”

“That would also work.” Worthington admitted, and was surprised at the deep lance of pain that appeared in Jamie’s thoughts.

“I just realized how much I’ve changed.” Jamie said sadly. “Here I am talking about using my gift to keep a woman in the dark about what I do behind her back, and I don’t even feel guilty about it. Even now, I mean, it hurts that I’ve changed so much, but I don’t feel guilty about considering actually doing something that I would have thought of as evil a month ago.”

“We all change.” Worthington said. “Just remember, no matter how much we change, I’ll be there for you, and always love you.”

“I love you too.” Jamie said softly. They lay there like that, their thoughts mingling before fading apart, and then coming back together again, and eventually they slept.