Dark Earth: The Prophecy - 4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: Power, Pleasure, and Pain

Brian and Dennis lay on the bed snuggled up. Brian was snoring loudly. Cristobel requested a portal to the dining room at HQ, as we would be dining with the counsel. When we arrived, the three council members and Lady Valentine were all seated at the table along with Nikita. “How was your session, lover boys?” Lady Valentine asked.

“Well, I’m exhausted,” Cristobel replied. “I think Julian is too. This power is dangerous. There are two supposedly straight men snuggled up together in our bed. I don’t think they’re straight anymore.”

“They’re not,” Lady Valentine replied. “They are now bisexual. Anyone in their particular situation becomes bisexual. In fact, even you will be when you use this power on a woman.”

“Are you saying that I will be using this power on women?” I asked.

“Julian, since Lady Valentine came into our midst, I’ve slept with several men, something I’d never done before. I have no regrets about it whatsoever. This is an experiment. HQ is now a sexual commune. The only reason that Brian and Dennis had never had sex with other men is because they were transferred from Empire City just for the experiment. You passed, Julian. You have successfully turned two men.” Tempest smiled. I knew that it is exactly as he wanted it to be.

Oracle and Tempest exchanged a mental message. I didn’t know what the message was, but I knew what it might be about soon after. Oracle decided to add her input to the conversation. “We want the two of you to turn the Protectors into a sexual commune. There will be an exception for each of you. Julian, since you are related to her, you are not to have sex with Adriana. Cristobel, you can have sex with Adriana, but you must use a condom. Cristobel, this should be understood already, but you are not to have sexual contact with your brother. Julian, you are allowed to sleep with Simon though, in fact we want you to do so on a regular basis. The two of you also need to make sure that the Donavan sisters do not have sexual contact with each other.” I sent her a mental message asking to speak. She nodded and I my request was granted.

“Why do you want the Protectors to be a sexual commune?” I asked. “It seems rather unprofessional to me.”

“It’s simple,” Carculius interrupted. “We need you all to have an extremely close bond. Lady Valentine has turned HQ into a commune for a reason. We need to increase loyalty around here. We don’t want anyone to turn against us. Having a sexual commune eliminates that threat to the organization. In addition to sharing this power with Cristobel, you will be sharing it with the leaders for all the Protectors of the North American cities.”

“Do you want me to extend the power to key military personnel as well?” I asked.

“We’re still discussing that, but I want your input on the idea.” Carculius was interested in my thoughts on the idea, as were the others at the table.

“I think a bond within the White Knight Army would be beneficial,” I stated. “We may even consider having a relationship with some of the army members ourselves, especially those who will be leaders in co-operative military strikes with the protectors. Nikita, do you have anything to add?”

“Yes I do, but first I have a question for Lady Valentine. Julia, as you may already know, I am a vampire. Does this power work on vampires?”

“Perhaps you should ask Carculius.” Carculius looked at Nikita and nodded in the affirmative.

“I think it’s a very good idea. General Idalias said that the soldiers’ morale is quite low. At present, the sleeping quarters are still divided by gender. We do this to prevent pregnancy among the ranks. Many of the gay and bisexual recruits have found a sexual outlet, but the straight men and women are edgy. Edgar and Elliot have had to modify their behavior by using illusions of sexual contact, but it has been unsuccessful. The Donavan sisters both have condoms and frequently have sex with soldiers. The women soldiers don’t really have an outlet with the exception of the lesbian and bisexuals among them. A commune reminiscent of Classical Greece would be beneficial to our ranks. I have no problem with the idea at all. It’s also my understanding that if these powers are used on me I will be having sex with men, something I’ve only done once or twice in my 251 years. I find the idea rather repulsive, but judging from what Cristobel and Julian said, my inhibitions will be stripped away.”

Nikita paused to collect her thoughts. “Natalia and I, along with other hybrids in our ranks will have to monitor our feedings more carefully so that we don’t accidently turn our sexual partners into hybrids. In addition, I have noticed that just being within the same vicinity with someone with these powers increases sexual activity within the immediate area. Is there a way to combat the effect when we don’t want the entire complex to erupt into a massive orgy since we need some of our team to be ready for battle instead of indulging in sexual activity?”

“That was an interesting question, Nikita,” Lady Valentine replied. “As Julian and the others learn to control their powers, they will be able to minimize the undesired effects. While Julian is here, I will be training him. Since he is to share the power with Cristobel, I will train him as well. Julian has passed the initial test. Cristobel may take more time to learn his powers. We will need some test subjects for his experimentation with his powers, but he will need to be separated from large groups of people. We don’t need massive orgies like the one that took place in the lobby of the retreat this afternoon. That’s the ultimate use of this power, but it is only for extraordinary circumstance such as the plans we have for the EAS headquarters in Centropolis in a few months.”

“You want us to cause the clones to have a massive fuckfest while we take control of the EAS?”

“That’s a good analysis, Julian,” Tempest said with a smile. “We think it will be easier that way. Normally the clones’ sexual impulses are controlled. We have tested a group of clones with Lady Valentine’s powers. Within minutes, the clones were immersed in an orgy. All of their directives were overwritten. Not even mind control works on clones effectively without a great deal of effort. Attraction does the trick. With these powers, you can easily take control of the compound. Additionally, you can use your powers as a defense against the Annihilation Squads. Most of them are cybernetic evoloid clones. We have also tested them with the power.”

Oracle must have sent her husband another telepathic message. “We don’t usually attract them to each other. Instead, they protect us, so they will essentially be personal guards. I must stress that I want you to use all of your powers, Julian. Some evoloids are immune to attraction. Most of them are either ferals or powerful telepaths like you. The group also includes other attracters. Besides, you have many powers that will allow you to dispatch enemies quickly and effectively. I only want you to use attraction to maintain the commune. Cristobel, this goes for you as well.”

“Julian,” Tempest interrupted,” “Either you or Cristobel will need to decide on one of the women within the commune to have the power as well. I would prefer that woman not to be Adriana. We trust our daughter, but we need both of you to maintain a level control over Adriana and Simon. As for their marriage, I don’t think it’s a good idea for right now. Before making the decision, I suggest you get to know her sexually so that she has a better understanding of the power.”

“Well, I don’t think the Donovan sisters are good candidates,” I stated. “They are rather mischievous. I think Nikita or Natalia would be best.”

“Julian, if you choose one of us, you choose both,” Nikita insisted. “We decided already that if you share any powers with either one of us, you’ll share it with both of us.”

“No problem, Nikita. I know you two are soul mates who share everything. Oracle, what did you mean by a level of control?”

“Please Julian, call me Elena,” she corrected. “We’re training you both as leaders. We don’t want them to feel like they’re losing their positions in the group. Cristobel, you will have Adriana as a regular sex partner. Julian, you will be the same for Simon. I encourage the two of you to maintain your closeness with one another. From time to time, you will have scheduled time away from the order for that purpose. We want Adriana and Simon to trust your input. They will respect you a lot more if you are both their second tier partners respectively. You two are training to become members of the council. You need to develop your leadership skills. Officially, you are going to be 3rd and 4th in command of the Centropolis Protectors, but we need you both to influence Adriana and Simon.

Carculius decided to speak again. “You will need leadership skills in order to defeat the EAS and the Dark Knight military forces in Centropolis. Upon taking control of Centropolis, you two will be promoted to the council. Lady Valentine, you are also going to be on the council. Since we need someone for a tiebreaker, we will be adding Adriana, Nikita, and Natalia as well. At that time, Simon will command the Centropolis Protectors whenever the rest of you are here. He will essentially be the new mayor of Centropolis. Now, it’s clear. Julian, we need you to share the power with Nikita and Natalia, but not for several months. In the mean time, you and Cristobel will be building your relationships with Adriana, Simon, and each other. Julian, tomorrow you will share the power with Cristobel. The two of you will be training with Julia. You will still be training in advanced hand-to-hand combat with Nikita, Julian. You have two more tests. Usually, we only allow one test per day, but if you pass the second test tomorrow, you will be taking the third and final test.

Tempest decided it was his turn to speak. “You will also start your weapons training with Natalia here, but depending upon when we are finished studying your abilities, you may return to Centropolis before you complete your weapons training. After weapons training, the three of us will be teleporting to Centropolis for some conferences with members of The Protectors as well as army leadership. We will also be summoning representatives from Dugamonia. We’re going to be hosting joint military exercises with the Dugamonians within the next several months. I think that covers everything for now. The three of you have all vital information. The three of you will have personal archives for this dinner conference, but you are to share this information with no one except Natalia. I know better than to ask Nikita to keep secrets from my sister.”

“Am I also going to be absorbing mind control powers while I’m here?” I asked.

“Yes, you will be,” Carculius, replied. “We want you to have to master reducing the ‘echo’ of attraction first. Attraction is the more dangerous of the two. Mind control simply turns the subjects into zombies. When attraction is used in its most powerful form, the subjects actually become smarter and do anything to protect their attracter. Luckily, you can usually reverse all of the effects except for bisexuality. Most attracters become bisexual and any time the attracter makes subjects indulge in bisexual acts, they become bisexuals permanently even if the attracter removes the power.”

“I’m still don’t like the idea of becoming a bisexual,” Nikita shuddered.

“Well, I think I already am,” I added. “I think I’ll have to indulge later. I don’t want any more sex today.”

“That’s too much info, Julian,” Nikita snickered.

“Nikita, you’ll get used to it,” Oracle stated. “There are going to be some major changes in your Protector squad.”

“Aunt Elena, with the changes include Uncle Max and Aunt Cassidy?”

“Well, I haven’t really thought about that. They won’t be directly involved in battles. I think we’ll leave that to Cristobel. Julian, if they are included, you will definitely not be having any contact with Cassidy. Max is up to you.”

“Well, I think I’ll pass on that. If they’re included, I’m sure my brothers will be as well.”

“It’s only fair,” Cristobel smirked. I smacked him on the shoulder knowing exactly what he was implying.

“Ouch!”

“They’re my brothers, you perv.”

“Well, you’ve been given the directive to have sex with my brother. It’s only fair that I can have yours on the side.”

“Good point, but remember you’re still mine and the rest of them are secondary.” The entire table erupted into laughter. I wondered if our commune was going to have a negative impact on us. It was definitely a new concept, but one that I actually liked. The first taste of it was the most incredible sexual experience up to that time. “I was just wondering. Does this power affect other uses without a sexual component?”

“Well, there are a few people that I do not sleep with around here,” Lady Valentine said. “I do have a stronger friendship bond with them. While the sexual bonds are stronger, this power can make you closer to family as well.”

After dinner, Cristobel and I returned to our room at the retreat. When we walked in, Brian and Dennis were making out on the bed. We just watched for a few minutes. They didn’t even notice we were there. Finally, Brian glanced over and saw us. “You two have insatiable appetites,” I chuckled. “I’m still sore from the last session. You too are incorrigible.”

“Thanks, Julian,” Brian smirked. “You created two monsters with your powers. Come on over and join us.”

Four hours later we all went to bed except for Cristobel. He usually insisted upon writing in his journal before bed, and he still does even now. He made sure never to miss more than one day of typing in his journal. It always gave him a chance to express his thoughts. As I lay in the bed between Brian and Dennis, I thought about the conferences of the day and the new power I had. I was still so uncertain how I would lead the White Knights to victory. For over 200 years, the Dark Knights had ruled Earth and had ruled Nerongia for over 50 years. I had also received a dangerous power, attraction. I still felt uncomfortable using it. I had already stripped two men of their heterosexuality. Even without effort, I had managed to share four more hours in bed with them and Cristobel. I knew I also had to share the power with him. Our relationship was still so new, yet we were already straining it. Open relationships were nothing new even then, but they are often complicated. Of course, this was the least of my problems. The two of us were to be in the middle of Adriana and Simon’s relationship as well. As far as I knew, they’d always been faithful to one another. Yet, I’m supposed to have a relationship with Simon while Cristobel has his way with Adriana.

********************

Cristobel’s Journal January 6, 3007

Today has been incredible. I have two new powers thanks to my awesome new boyfriend. I can shoot lightning out my hands! Before, I could only dream of being able to move objects and people with my mind. The one problem was that I couldn’t control them at first.

I had the worst nightmare ever thanks to Julian. A group of ugly monsters surrounded me. They were about 10 feet tall and their bodies were red. They all smelled as if they had never bathed. The leader was named Grovolo. He was so mean to me. “I’m going to make you beg for death, evoloid scum. You’ll never leave this place.” His words still haunt me. The dream was so real. I had never had my own powers used against me. That was the worst part of all. Still, the monsters tied me to a post, which was covered in thorns. I screamed in pain and horror as they branded me with an X. The monsters then urinated on me, covering me with an acid that ate through my skin. Then there was a flash of white light, and I escaped the dream. Though I knew why he had to do it, I was still mad at Julian for blasting me with a nightmare ball.

I used my flash power to temporarily blind Julian to get away for a while. I feel guilty about it, but I had to collect my thoughts. Between the nightmare and the truth about my paternity, I needed some time alone. I flew to the other side of White Knight City. The western beach is definitely soothing. I thought about Diabolico. I don’t even know his real name, yet his DNA flows through my veins like a cancer. I should have known. I don’t understand why Adriana didn’t tell me years ago. Sure, I would have been upset, but who wouldn’t have been? The Dark Knights made this world what it is. Through their anger, they darkened the skies. Through their lust, they created a threat to their very existence. Karma is on our side. I want to destroy my father and the most evil of the two, Black Heart.

After spending some time on the beach, I realized that Julian must have been in just as much pain as I was. Black Heart is his father. It’s bad enough for me to have Diabolico as my father, but Black Heart is even worse. He was the architect of this brutal world. His powers imprisoned humanity. Though he couldn’t have done it without Diabolico, the plan was his. He murdered Adriana’s grandparents in cold blood, ripping out their hearts literally and figuratively. It pains me to know that Julian learned the signature heart ripping without even laying eyes on his monster of a father. I can’t let him do that again. I know he didn’t mean to do it. He has Black Heart’s blood in his own veins. That’s the signature kill of a power absorber. Still, Julian must forge his own signature. Personally, I like breaking necks. It’s quick and effective, yet not as violent as ripping out a heart.

I decided to find Julian. I had no idea where he was. Luckily, he was sleeping. I sensed him on the other side of the island, so I followed the trail. I wasn’t surprised to see him sleeping on the beach. Power sharing must make him tired sometimes. Other times power sharing seems to energize him. When I arrived on the beach, he was sleeping. He looks so beautiful as he sleeps and so peaceful. The moment I saw him, I forgave him. Who could stay mad as such a hottie? I couldn’t. Besides, he was only trying to help.

The nightmare was awful, but the thought of not making peace with Julian is even worse. I know he needs my presence in his life. That’s why dream makers and power absorbers have a bond. His powers make him feel like a freak of nature, even among evoloids. Add the fact that he is an oracle, and you have one powerful man haunted by dreams of the past and future. Only I can ease his mind. Even now, I’m making sure he isn’t haunted by nightmares. He’s dreaming of peaceful meadows. They seem to be among his favorites. He loves waterfalls too. Sometimes, I think about the fact that we can only see them in videos, pictures, and dreams. I want to make love to him under a waterfall someday.

Julian’s new power is amazing. I had wanted our first time together to be alone, but Brian and Dennis are a whole lot of fun. My ass hurts though. Julian seems to prefer the submissive role. He bottoms like a pro. Dennis is so huge. I’m going to start calling him Donkey. Julian knew I wasn’t about to take a man that big, but I’m powerless against Julian’s suggestion. It hurt so damn bad! I’m so getting him back for that. Speaking of which, he’s sleeping in Dennis’s arms instead of mine! Brian is on the other side. I think I should join them.

********************

Morning came and I was in bed with three gorgeous men. It must be my charm. I couldn’t move, so I had to wake Dennis up. Brian couldn’t move either because Cristobel was spooning him. “Dennis, wake up,” I whispered.

“You ready for more, tiger?”

“Not this morning,” I grumbled. “I’m really sore and I need a shower.” He got up from the bed so that I could get up. When he turned around, I remembered the reason for my soreness. Dennis followed me into the bathroom and the shower came to life. I turned once again and snuck another peak at Dennis’s massive cock as he stepped into the shower.

“Well, they call me Donkey for a reason,” he boasted.

“Yeah, they most certainly do. Your cock should have its own zip code.”

“What’s a zip code?” he asked.

I had to cover my mouth to stop myself from laughing as he started washing my body. “When the middle of North America was called the United States, towns had zip codes for mail service.”

“Oh, that’s right. They used to use this stuff called paper. I like the digital world much better. I couldn’t imagine writing on paper.”

“Well, when I was in school, they gave us a pen and paper one day for a class project. We actually had to write a report by hand the old-fashioned way. I really missed my virtual screen and stencil. My hand hurt so bad. I had to write ten pages.”

“That had to suck. My school never made me do that. Then again, I went to school right here in White Knight City.”

“What are your powers?”

“I’m extremely agile and fast. I can run at a speed of 1000 kilometers per hour. I’m also well-trained in martial arts.”

“Are there any powers you’d like? Maybe we could share.”

“I heard you’re a telekinetic. That would be awesome.”

“Are you kidding? You’re as fast as a comic book hero. I’d love to have a power like that.”

“Well, we probably better not do that without permission.”

“Do you have any idea what Brian’s powers are?”

“I think his powers are invisibility and self-healing.”

“I wonder if I can have the two of you on our team. I think we can move my aunt and uncle into administrative sleeping quarters in the army training side.”

“I think they plan to keep Marks and Jackson there in White Knight City as strategists. That’s what they do. They’re also excellent in combat.”

“Well, are you supposed to remain here on guard detail or do they want you assigned to a protector squad?”

“Well, I overheard Tempest and Oracle talking about increasing the number of Protectors to 12 when we arrived in the dining room. They said that Natalia will have to modify the facility. Well, they were saying that you might be able to choose a squad member and that Adriana would choose another. I doubt she’ll have a choice with Marks and Jackson. She probably won’t like them much. They’re even more amorous than I am.”

“Well, I bet the Donovan sisters love that. Calista is a real firecracker. Now that I have these powers, I’m no longer strictly homosexual. I think I’ll give her what she wants.”

“Marks and Jackson won’t like that very well.”

“They have no say in the matter. As soon as I return, they will be part of my commune. Believe me, nobody will suffer from lack of sexual activity. So what’s your codename?”

“My Codename is Donkey.”

“Donkeys aren’t known for their speed, Dennis.”

“I was kidding. My Codename is Rapid Strike. What’s yours?”

“Well, I still have to finish my training.”

“You choose your code name.”

“I think I like Heartbreaker.”

“That’s a good one. Is it because of your new power?”

“That’s part of it. When Nikita and Natalia found me in the wasteland, a group of rogues attacked us. I only killed one of the rogues. I ripped out his heart and made it explode. I literally broke his heart. Well, maybe I destroyed it. By the way, I love the way you scrub my back. It feels so good.”

“I know it brings you pleasure, Julian.”

“It sure does. Can I ask you a question?”

“Ask anything you want.”

“Are you mad at me on any level?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, before yesterday you were straight. I kind of feel like I took something away from you. I’m not even using my power on you right now, yet you’re being so nice to me. I’m surprised you don’t feel violated.”

“Lady Valentine explained everything to us yesterday morning. We volunteered. They wanted straight men for the job. Ten of us were untouched by the commune. Brian and I have been best friends since we started our training. We knew that if nobody volunteered, there was a chance we’d be separated. That’s why we chose this path.”

“So you knew what Lady Valentine was going to do?”

“Yes, I did.”

“You acted like you had no idea what was happening.”

“I was doing as I was told. They wanted you to see just how powerful you are. The whole thing was a set-up.”

“I just want to know how you really feel. I’m not influencing you at all right now. I want the truth.”

“I feel free,” he replied. “In this day and age, we’re so limited. Most of the women around here are distant. During my training, I had a girlfriend, but she was mean to me. She made me feel like I was just a piece of meat. I think you and Cristobel are different. Because of you, I know pleasure I would never have known before. I still love women and I always will, but now I understand why it works for some men to be with other men. Is there anything else bothering you?”

“Well, yesterday was my first time with Cristobel. When we arrived here, it was just the two of us. The other night we held hands for the first time. Yesterday morning we had our first kiss. I wanted an exclusive relationship with him. Don’t get me wrong, I had sometimes wondered what an open relationship would be like, but our relationship is still so new, yet we’ve only had group sex. It hasn’t been one-on-one as of yet.”

“Well, I want Brian one-on-one as well. He’s my best friend. Now, we can take our relationship to new heights. Thank you so much, Julian. You’ve opened my eyes to what was right in front of me. I also want you to myself sometimes too. Is that okay?”

“Well, I’ll try my best. I’m going to be quite polyamorous. I have a directive to make Simon a second tier partner. Everyone else will basically have what’s left of my time and energy.”

“Well, maybe Brian can help with Simon so that we can have some time to ourselves.”

“That’s fine, but they want Cristobel to influence Adriana and I have to influence Simon. God, they’re practically married, but we’re going to become their secondary lovers. I really don’t like the idea. I don’t understand why Alfonso and Elena want their daughter’s relationship treated this way. Besides, I barely even know Simon. Whenever I see him, he’s either with Adriana or spending time with his little brother, who’s also supposed to be MY boyfriend. This is getting complicated.”

“Relax, Julian. I know it’s overwhelming. Just remember, you and Cristobel are going to be here for a while. Your life in a commune doesn’t begin until you return. And if you get to take me, I’ll help you whenever I can. Brian will help too. We like you a lot, Julian. I can also see the look in Cristobel’s eyes when he looks at you. The two of you will have your time together. Just remember, when it’s all over, you’ll have over 450 years to build your relationship.”

“I feel so much better. I think you’re going to be my personal assistant. I won’t take no for an answer. You’re going with me when I return to Centropolis. We need you. I need you to talk to Cristobel too. He’s going to be so overwhelmed. Adriana raised him. She’s going to transition from a motherly role to that of a lover. I don’t know how he feels about it.”

“I will, but you have to talk to him too, Julian. You two have a bond that is already legendary.”

“You two talk too much,” Cristobel interrupted. “But you’re right. Are you two almost done. Brian and I want to shower. Julian, Lady Valentine needs to see you as soon as possible.”

“She probably wants me to fuck her brains out,” I replied. I stepped out of the shower and Cristobel dried me off.

“You’re such a perv, Julian.”

“I’m your perv.” I turned around and kissed Cristobel.

“Yes, you are,” he replied. He sent me a telepathic message. “We’re going to be fine, my love. I know our orders are going to make things rough for us, but we’ll survive. This is the first real test of our love. I agree that we need Brian and Dennis. They’ll keep us sane.”

“I didn’t know you could speak telepathically,” my mind replied. “Well, I better go see what Lady Valentine wants. I’m supposed to share the power with you today, so you need to make your shower quick, babe. The training will be exhausting. Remember last night?”

“How could I forget. I’m still hurting from Donkey. Can you make sure…”

“You’ll get used to it, Cristobel,” Dennis interrupted. “You know you loved every second of it.”

“Okay, I’m caught. Now, you two get out of here so Brian and I can shower.” We took the hint so Brian and Cristobel could take a shower. I went back into the bedroom of the suite to get dressed. Dennis made the task difficult. He kept asking me if I wanted him to fuck me.

“I really have created a monster,” I said after I pulled up my pants. “Dennis, I have to go talk to Lady Valentine, and you need to get back to your post. I’ll try to talk to the council about you later.”

“I just want a quickie,” he whined. “Can’t we just fool around for a bit.”

“No we can’t.”

I requested the portal to Lady Valentine’s office. She allowed my entrance. “You’re fresh and clean. Would you like to get sweaty?”

“Is that why you wanted me here?”

“No, but we didn’t finish our session yesterday. I was hoping we could.”

“You’re as bad as Dennis,” I muttered.

“So how is he… you know in bed?” she inquired with delight.

“Let’s just say he’s a big boy indeed.”

“That’s how I like ‘em.” She smiled from ear to ear. “Let’s see how you compare.” She grabbed my crotch. Just the touch reminded me of the day before and I felt like my hardness would burst through my pants. She kissed me. I could feel our shared powers practically setting us on fire with passion. I grabbed her ass and dug my fingers in. She moaned loudly in response to my touch. I knew she wanted it rough. I could feel it. She started some music to set the mood. She pushed me into the bed. She took center stage at her stripper pole in the center of the room. I watched her as she wrapped her legs around the pole and shimmied down it. She was wearing a red-laced teddy. Her body was absolutely flawless. She definitely had a lot of practice stripping. Even though, I now had a level of immunity to her powers, I was completely turned on. These powers had changed me in so many ways. She was a seasoned seductress, always able to get exactly what she wanted. She would have gotten exactly what she wanted if not for Oracle’s interruption.

“Julia, that’s NOT why he’s here,” Oracle snapped. “Besides we had a great session with Alfonso earlier. You know you’re supposed to be teaching him how to use his new powers.”

“Aunt Elena, can we have 30 minutes?”

“No, Julian. You’ve had plenty of pleasure already. Today you need to focus on your new power.”

“Elena, you’re such a prude sometimes,” Julia snapped.

“You didn’t think of me as a prude when I spanked your ass earlier,” Elena chuckled. “Now get to work, missy or I’ll spank you harder this evening.”

“Promise?” Julia asked.

“I promise. Now get down to business and stop being a tramp.” Julia put her clothes back on. She and Elena led me out of her office and down a corridor. Elena pressed a button and the door opened. As I walked into the room I noticed eight men standing before us.

“Okay Julian. I want you to complete a task for me. First, you need to single out one of these men. Then, I want you to focus your powers on him. Make sure he is the only one. You need to control the echo of your power.”

“Lady Valentine, I hope you’re not suggesting that he uses your kind of power on us,” one of them said with a scowl. At that moment, I knew who I wanted.

“Scott, you do realize he can choose whomever he wants. You have no say in the matter.” His anger grew. He was ready to fight. Just like Julia, I liked the challenge. I focused my power on Scott. He was like putty. He walked over to me. He was no longer angry at all. In fact, I could see desire in his eyes. He pulled me into his body and started kissing me. His tongue slipped into my mouth and he let out a gentle moan. I pulled away, relinquishing my power to see if I succeeded. The other seven men were looking at us as like we were some kind of freak show.

“Very good, Julian,” Elena said with pride. “Thanks for your time, gentlemen. Let’s go have some brunch.” Elena and Julia led me out of the room. I had managed to focus my power on a target. I knew I could do it, but I was a little nervous. I had heard about the entire retreat erupting into a massive orgy just the day before.

The rest of the morning and the afternoon were rather uneventful. I ate dinner with the council and Cristobel once again. Nikita was not there since she did not eat food. I knew that I would have two tests that night. I knew my first test of the night was killing an EAS agent without my powers. This made me extremely nervous, because EAS agents were known for be relentless attackers. Still I knew it had to be done. Everyone was expecting me to be able to do what nobody else had done, pass the test the first time. After I finished dinner, Nikita entered the dining room. “Julian, if you’re finished, I’d like to get started now. We have a lot of ground to cover.”

“I’m finished,” I said as I stood up and excused myself from the table. The council and Cristobel followed us. The training facility was even bigger than the one in Centropolis. I could feel my powers being counteracted as soon as I walked into the room. In the center was a fighting cage. To the left, were two EAS clones shackled to a post.

“Julian, one of these agents will be yours. The first one I will kill. My powers are already disengaged, including my added vampire powers. I can’t even use my fangs. You shall remain on the floor with me. You are not to interfere in my battle.” She turned to the others. “I think the rest of you should go to the gallery.”

After the others left the floor of the room and went up the stairs to the gallery, Nikita ordered one of the EAS agents to be placed in the cage. Nikita entered the cage as a robot lowered the EAS agent into it. The robot removed the agent’s shackles and handed him his weapons before firing up its jetpack and escaping the cage. The agent turned on his electro sword and approached Nikita. She rolled out of the way and crouch kicked the agent in the groin. Wasting little time, Nikita took full advantage of the dropped electro sword. She picked it up and sliced off the agents head before he had time to recover from the groin shot.

The robot came back into the cage and vaporized the agent and the bloody mess. Nikita walked out of the cage and walked over to me.

“Now, you may not win the first time. The agent will automatically vaporize if he delivers a life-threatening blow. This bracelet will put you into suspended animation so that we can call a healer to save your life.” She placed the bracelet on my left wrist. “Good luck, Julian.”

I was so nervous when I entered the cage. I watched as the robot lowered another agent into the cage. I knew this clone could seriously injure me if I wasn’t careful. After the robot gave the agent his weapons, it left the cage just as it did before. This agent decided to start with his phaser. He shot at me once and barely missed. The second shot burned took some skin off the right side of my abdomen. Without my powers, I could not force the pain away from me. I knew I had to act fast. I dodged a third shot from the phaser. I rolled in closer to the agent, grabbed the weapon, and flipped the agent over. I quickly rolled away and shot the agent in the chest when he rose to his feet. He took out his electro sword at this point. The moment he lit the electro sword, I took a shot at his right wrist. His hand fell off releasing the sword. I took a second shot at the other wrist, blowing off his left hand as well. I delivered a high roundhouse kick to the agent’s neck and he fell to the mat. I rolled over to the electro sword and picked it up. I pressed the button at the base and activated the weapon. The agent struggled to his feet. I aimed the weapon at his neck and sliced it off without a moment’s hesitation. The door to the cage slid open and I made my exit as the robot cleaned up the mess. I walked over to the joyful Nikita. Her own fight did not dishevel her beautiful, red hair at all.

. I knew I took much longer to finish the agent than she did, but I got the job done.

“That was excellent work, Julian. Would you like to rest before your second test?”

“I need a healer for the wound on my side, Nikita,”

“Consider it done.” Nikita activated her comlink and spoke, “Barber, I need you in the training area.”