Chapter 04.2

This is one of the many things Balok liked about Magenta. She had tremendous hunger, and didn't need to be encouraged. When he had converted her, she had been beautiful, but now never more so. Her jet black hair was silky under every kind of light. Her lips were plush and full and red. Her breasts were proud and stood out in front of her. And her walk was so incredibly sexy. Balok just wanted to use her and use her and use her without end.

As their relationship grew, she naturally asked about Thalessa.

"Patience, my dear," said Balok. "That relationship has almost run its course."

Thalessa remembered more of her past....

They were having breakfast together. She was already starting to get large. The baby was growing inside of her. Their baby.

"I notice you didn't drain the slave I sent you your quarters yesterday," said Balok, biting sharply on a buttered piece of bread.

"I did," said Thalessa.

"He seemed relatively whole when he left."

"I was not very hungry."

"You should be," said Balok. "You have my child growing in you."

Not our child. His child.

"I... I consume in a more varied fashion. Instead of draining one slave substantially, I drain a little from two or three," said Thalessa.

"Why?" the word was like a dagger in the night.

"I... I don't know," said Thalessa. She saw him staring at her. Finally she came out and said it. "It seems cruel to drain them so much, so that they are unable to enjoy sex."

"Cruel?" said Balok. "They are slaves, nothing more."

"Yes, that is true," said Thalessa, starting to perspire. "But they also have feelings."

"And you have feelings for them?" said Balok.

"No," said Thalessa quickly. "I just... I just don't see that it is necessary to drain any one particular slave so much, given that we have so many slaves to choose from."

"I see," said Balok, taking a bite of his breakfast meat. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment, and then swallowed. Then he stared intently at her. "You are going to be a mother. You must keep your energy level up. Henceforth, you will drain every slave I send to your quarters, completely. Do you understand?"

"Balok-"

"Do you understand?" He gave her a steely stare.

"Yes," she said, her head bowed.

They ate in silence for a few moments.

"Balok?"

"Yes?"

"Where have you been, lately?"

"What do you mean?"

"Some evenings... I can't find you in the palace," said Thalessa.

Balok smiled wickedly. "I go out. To be among the people. To enjoy a midnight snack."

"Can you... can you take me with you?"

"Not anymore. Not in that state," said Balok. "When the baby is born, of course you will rejoin me on my... adventures."

She wanted to ask him another question. She wanted to ask why he no longer visited her in her quarters. But the question stuck in her throat. Instead, Thalessa nodded wordlessly.
********

[Back in the present]

She was seeing less and less of Balok. Now that she had grown large, he had stopped making love to her entirely. Balok had insisted that she keep draining people, to keep up her strength, but Thalessa was having a harder and harder time making herself do it.

She ventured into Miami's criminal underworld, to find the world of the worst elements to drain. For once she was no longer looking for the fittest, for the manliest specimens. She was just looking for the worst ones.

When she couldn't find those, she brought home three or four people she had mesmerized at a nightclub, and drained each of them, only a little. She might take an inch off a man's penis, or a single breast sized off a well endowed girl. Nothing more. Nothing they could not live without.

Nathan, of course, knew full well what she was doing, but refrained from commenting. He just stared at her, with those big hazel eyes of his, which she found both irritating and endearing.

Sometimes she poured out her frustrations about Balok, how he rarely came to see her and never made love to her. Nathan didn't say anything. He didn't point out the obvious. He was just there for her, holding her hand and listening.

She found herself making love to him again, repeatedly, even though his penis size was not enough to satisfy her. But he could satisfy himself, and when he was done, he more than satisfied her in a glorious way with his lips and tongue. They would collapse together in bed afterwards, with their arms around each other, and at times Thalessa would almost feel like Susan, again. Susan, with an alien baby growing in her belly.

Finally the day came when matters came to a head. Thalessa was summoned to Balok's Miami Beach condominium.

He hugged her and smiled. "You're looking radiant."

"Thank you," she said. Balok looked as ruggedly handsome as ever.

Balok reached out and stroked her chin. "But you look a little... undernourished. Are you feeding properly?"

Thalessa turned her face away. "Yes."

Balok turned her face back towards him. "Have you been draining people completely?"

"I... I... I've been nibbling from different people, here and there."

"Humans are not snack foods," said Balok. "Especially in your condition. You must drain them entirely. Are you doing that?"

"Sometimes," said Thalessa.

"Sometimes," Balok repeated. He turned and paced back and forth. "How is that little man? What was his name? Nathan? Do you still keep him as a pet?"

"Yes," said Thalessa, after a pause. She didn't like Balok asking about Nathan.

"Have you drained him completely?"

"A-almost," said Thalessa.

"Almost? You have a ready source of nourishment in your apartment, and you haven't drained it?"

"I'm saving him... for an emergency," said Thalessa. She looked up at him. He could tell she was lying.

He walked over to her. "I think he's making you weak. I think he's a hindrance. I want you to drain him completely. And then I want you to kill him."

"Kill him?" Thalessa was in a state of shock.

Balok nodded. "See to it. Immediately." He turned away.

Thalessa came home to find Nathan cooking lunch. Lunch for her. She almost wanted to cry.

But she knew that Balok would check up on her. She knew there was no way she could disobey him.

"Hi, Honey," said Nathan, giving her a kiss. He called her Honey. Even after everything she had done to him--draining his gender, cuckolding him with another man, and getting pregnant from another man--he still loved her.

Thalessa looked at him, with tears growing in her eyes. She knew what she had to do. She had to drain him, and then... and then....

Thalessa, starting to cry, took Nathan by the arm and dragged him willingly to the bedroom.

Later that night, Balok drove his bright red air car to a nightclub in northern Miami Beach. When he got there, the party was already in swing. Inebriated dancers were swaying to music blasting out at an extremely loud volume.

But Balok tuned all of that out. He only had eyes for one person.

Magenta.

She was gorgeous, as always, in a low cut blood red dress which showed off her magnificent breasts. He took her arms and they immediately started dancing, staring into each others' eyes, eyes which were mutually filled with love.

And then they were on a couch, openly kissing, touching, caressing, completely uninhibited. They had met to drain some slaves, but there would be time for that, there was always time for that, later.

As they kissed and fondled each other, on the opposite end of the room, on the other side of an outside window, stood Thalessa, with tears in her eyes.

She had followed Balok one night as he left the palace. He had gone to a small mansion which was formerly owned by a wealthy merchant. But the mansion had a new occupant now.

Magenta fell into his arms as soon as she opened the door. He hugged her, and kissed her, and she responded with equal enthusiasm, right there at the entrance to her house.

"How long?" Magenta whispered, into his ear as he hugged her, caressed her. "How much longer?"

"Once she gives birth, it will all be over," said Balok. "It has been foretold. Then, once she is out of the way, you and I will be together forever."

Magenta had laughed, and grabbing him by the crotch, pulled him inside the mansion. The door slammed shut behind them.

Thalessa, standing behind one of the bushes, looked completely speechless.

She remembered everything now.

The past version of herself entered the room. The room that Balok had warned her never to enter without her.

The room with the Immortal Mouth.

As she entered, she stared at its giant metal lips. Would it speak to her, and her alone? There was only one way to find out.

"Immortal Mouth!" she commanded.

The Immortal Mouth was silent.

"Speak!" She commanded.

"What would you have me say, Thalessa?" the Immortal Mouth boomed.

"Tell me the prophesy," said Thalessa. "The one where my child will help Balok rule the world."

"As you command," said the Immortal Mouth. "The prophesy speaks of a powerful child which shall be born, of a female of bright, red hair who can resist the powers of the Valvan but chooses not to. This woman shall still be of strong spirit even after she becomes one with the Valvans, and she shall pass on that strong spirit to her child."

"Yes, and then, what happens when the child is born?"

"Once the child is born, he will contain immense power. Any prince of Valvan who consumes the child will possess enormous powers and strengths, to become strongest of all princes of Valvan."

"Wait a minute. The child is to be consumed?" Thalessa asks.

"It is foretold. A powerful prince of Valvan will consume the child of the prophesy. Then he and the woman who was foretold will rule the world together for a thousand years."

"The woman who was foretold?"

"A stunning beauty of beauties, with jet black hair."

That was the other woman. The woman she had seen Balok with. Balok was going to kill their child, consume him, and then, obviously, get rid of her.

At that moment Thalessa realized how badly and thoroughly used she had been.

She ran to her quarters, and quickly started to pack her things. She was leaving, now.

She had just about finished packing a leather carryall with a few essentials, when she heard a voice.

"Going somewhere?"

Thalessa stiffened with fear, and turned around to see Balok, looking very pleased with himself, holding a glass of wine in one hand and with his other, he had an arm around... around...

"Oh, forgive me, I haven't properly introduced you two, have I? Magenta, this is Thalessa. Thalessa, this is Magenta, my once and future bride."

"Once and future," Thalessa whispered.

"It was meant to be, Thalessa. Always. It's a continuous cycle, that goes round and round and round," said Balok. "You were meant to bear my child, and I was meant to rule with Magenta," he said. "And at some point, either shortly before you gave birth or..." and grinned widely, "Immediately thereafter, you discover the truth of the situation."

"I don't understand," said Thalessa.

"You don't need to," said Balok, sipping his wine. "That's because you don't see the big picture. You, like Magenta, came into life from aspects of my own body. You are a part of me, a part of me that is needed to reproduce. But because you are only a part, you are not able to appreciate the nature of the cycle, the cycle which has been put into me."

"You're really going to kill our child?" said Thalessa.

"Kill," Balok made a face. "A harsh word. I am merely going to use the child, just as I have used you."

"I won't let you. I won't let you do it," said Thalessa.

"You will. You have no choice," said Balok, smiling.

"I'll kill this baby before I let you have it," said Thalessa.

Balok raised his wine glass. "You forget. This has all happened before, many times. I have long anticipated this." He raised his voice. "Bring them in."

Palace slaves brought in three people. Thalessa's mother, Esandra, her father, Henri, and her sister, Margarete.

"Ah, yes, the beautiful family," said Balok, smiling. "If you fail to cooperate with me, in any way, I will drain them. One at a time, in front of you."

"No," said Thalessa.

"Perhaps I need to convince you of my sincerity," said Balok.

"No, please don't!" Thalessa cried.

"But a visual demonstration is always most effective," said Balok. He put down his wine glass, and went before Esandra, her mother, who stood there obediently, mesmerized. Balok ripped off her blouse, exposing her naked breasts.

"Still a decent size, even after I drained them some," said Balok, fondling one of them.

"No!" Thalessa cried.

Balok leered at her, before sinking his fangs deep into Esandra's right breast. Esandra screamed in pain.

Balok drained her quickly. Before Thalessa's eyes her mother's right breast shrunk to little... and then nothing. She was totally flat.

"Ah, that was totally refreshing," said Balok, wiping his mouth. "Dear, you really have to try the other one."

"I'd love to," Magenta grinned, speaking for the first time. She moved forward and sank her fangs deeply into Esandra's other breast, causing her to moan in pain again.

"Please, stop," said Thalessa.

"But we've only just begun," said Balok.

Thalessa had to watch Magenta drain her mother's left breast. Esandra's face was a mask of agony. When Magenta pulled out, her teeth were full of blood, and Esandra was completely flat chested, like a child.

"You're right, that was so good," Magenta laughed. She smiled mockingly at Thalessa. "I think I will enjoy taking the entire family. The little sister looks especially delicious-"

"No!" Thalessa screamed. That was too much for her. She sprang forward, all claws and fangs, and charged Magenta. Magenta grew claws and fangs and sprang forward to meet her.

In moments they were rolling on the ground, clawing and biting and shrieking like crazed animals. Thalessa bit into Magenta's arm, driving her into a rage. Magenta clawed Thalessa's face cruelly, scratching her left cheek and eye. Thalessa bit down hard on Magenta's shoulder, and Magenta screamed even louder.

Losing all restraint, she pulled Thalessa's neck back, and slashed back brutally with her claws, cutting her neck open.

"Noooo!" she faintly heard, as if she were falling into a dark tunnel. "You weren't supposed to kill her. Not yet!"

And then all went black.
********

[Back in the present]

"Dear, are you ready to go out?" said Balok. Magenta was getting ready for a hot night on the town. They were going to find some really virile men and women to drain.

"Coming," she said. In a moment she appeared in his living room, and gave him a quick kiss. "How do I look?" Magenta was wearing a stunning low cut black dress that accentuated the curves of her hips and her ass.

"Ravishing," Balok smiled.

"Really? I've seen better at the dog pound," said a new voice.

They both turned to see a heavily pregnant Thalessa standing in the doorway.

"Surprised to see me?"

"Not really," said Balok. "You usually find out, sooner or later. You always do."

"Because that's how the cycle works, doesn't it?" said Thalessa, taking a few steps forward. She was different now, somehow. She had lost her fear.

"Yes," said Balok. "So you remember."

"I do. You were the one who erased my memory to begin with, didn't you?"

Balok smiled. "Smart girl. I gave you life from a pattern in my own cells. I tried to influence the cells, to blunt the memories, to delay them from sprouting forth as long as possible. But completely erasing them was impossible."

"That's what I guessed," said Thalessa.

"So I take it you did not kill your whimpering companion, as I ordered," said Balok.

"No," said Thalessa. "In fact, I restored him to full health."

"You are weak," Balok hissed. "But, paradoxically, it is your weakness that I needed the most. The Immortal Mouth said that that only a Valvan of human spirit would be the one who would produce the child who would help me rule the world."

"Help you by being eaten by you," said Thalessa.

"Just a choice of words," said Balok, smiling at her. "If you remember everything, then you also remember that you can never win. Time and time again, you have gone up against me, against us, and you have never, ever won."

"That's why this time I brought a few friends," said Thalessa.

Suddenly, the door behind her opened, and Colonel Jack Sullivan entered the room, followed by four heavily armed Survey Service marines. "Hi there," said Jack.

"And who are you?" said Balok.

"I'm with the Survey Service."

"Aren't you a little out of your league here?" Balok asked.

"No," said Jack. "We do a little of everything. Including pest control."

"You found them," said Balok.

"They found me, actually," said Thalessa.
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