Incest/Taboo The Devil's Pact

Incest was common in my family. It was nothing strange to me. It was just how we loved each other. My father took my virginity at eighteen while my entire family watched.

—excerpt from 'The Tyrants' Daughter: An Autobiography' by Saint Chasity Alberta Glassner

Saturday, September 28th, 2013 - Mary Glassner - South Hill, WA

"Mmm, that feels nice, Mom," I moaned as she ate the orange slices out of my pussy.

Having sex with my mother wasn't all that unusual for me. Mark had corrupted both our families into the joys of incest. I never wanted to go back. So I was so glad my mom decided to check up on me this morning.

After spending most of the morning vomiting thanks to my morning sickness, I decided to skip the gun buyback rally in Tacoma and take a nap. Mark was off to make the world a little safer. He would have fun basking in the worship of all the people there. We expected huge crowds. After all, anyone who heard our live broadcasts ordering them to turn in their guns, unless they were law enforcement or in the military, would obey.

It was time for us to use our powers for more than serving our own deviant pleasures.

I was dozing, feeling a lot better, my stomach rumbling, when my mom came in to check up on me.

I opened my eyes, smiling at her as she walked in. She was so youthful, looking actually a year or two younger than me. She was a former Nun and appeared eighteen, almost a blonde twin to me. Though her breasts were bigger.

She wore a silk bathrobe that molded to her body, a naughty look in her eyes. "I hear someone's not feeling well."

"Just morning sickness," I said, rolling onto my back. My stomach growled again. I really needed breakfast. But I also didn't want to get out of bed.

"You poor thing," she said, sauntering through the room. She wiggled out of her robe. It slid off her body and I smiled at her heart-shaped ass as it wiggled by. She reached the other end of the bed and sat down, snagging a strawberry off a plate of fruit sitting on the nightstand.

Mark must have left that for me before he went off to the gun buyback. He was such a sweetie.

"You must be hungry," my mom said. "I was always ravishing after a bout of morning sickness."

"Did you have morning sickness, too?" I asked.

Like me, Mom was pregnant. We conceived around the same time.

"No. But I had it bad with Shannon." She smiled, leaning back next to me, the strawberry held in her hand. Her breasts rose and fell, so round, her dusky nipples hard. We had the same shade. "But hardly at all with you and none with Missy."

"Lucky," I groaned. "Today was the worst."

"Mmm, let your mommy make you feel so much better," she cooed. "You need something sweet to eat."

"Like a strawberry," I asked, licking my lips, my eyes staring at her body. She was so sexy.

My mom parted her thighs as she dragged the strawberry down between her breasts to her stomach. I shivered as she descended her body, reaching her trimmed, blonde bush. She dragged the bright strawberry through her curls, reaching lower and lower. She moaned as she pushed it into her pussy before pulling it out.

The red berry glistened.

"I think you need cream with your strawberries," she grinned, bringing the delicious fruit to my lips.

I opened wide, my tongue swirling around the strawberry, feeling its little dimples and tasting my mom's spicy pussy. I bit into the flesh, the sweet pulp mixing with my mom's pussy cream. It was such a wicked, taboo delight.

"That's it," she moaned as I snagged the rest of it, biting off all but the little stem. "Eat it all up. You need to get your energy back."

I purred my delight, savoring the wicked treat as my mom grabbed another strawberry. She shivered as she worked it into her pussy, her back arching, her breasts jiggling. I swallowed my treat and licked my juice-stained lips.

"Mmm, that was good. I'm ready for my next one, Mommy."

Mom shuddered, loving how wicked the girlish moan sounded. It made my pussy clench in delight. I felt so naughty, a little girl doing wicked things with her mother. I groaned, my nipples aching, my pussy so juicy. I pressed my thighs against my clit, taking pressure off the throbbing nub.

"You have to come eat this strawberry," she moaned.

"Oh, you're such a wicked Mommy," I grinned, the lethargy fading from my limbs. I had energy to move again.

I maneuvered between my mom's thighs, my auburn hair falling about my shoulders. I knelt down, my hands sliding up her legs towards her pussy, her lips wrapped about the strawberry. The tip peeked out, red and waiting for my hungry lips.

Her spicy musk filled my nose as I inhaled. I leaned in, nuzzling against her flesh, and took a long, slow lick. Her back arched and she let out a groan of pure pleasure as I dragged my tongue through her folds and found the strawberry.

I tried to cup it with my tongue and pull it out, but her pussy gripped it too tight. So I nuzzled my lips into her folds and took a bite. The tip filled my mouth with spicy, sweet delight. I groaned, pressing deeper, snagging more and more, eating the strawberry out of my mom's pussy.

Red juices stained her pink folds as she groaned and squirmed. My tongue licked through her folds, savoring the lingering flavor of strawberry as I feasted on her spicy cream. She shuddered, her breasts jiggling.

Then I lifted my face, licking my lips.

"Such a hungry daughter," Mom moaned, grabbing a third strawberry off the tray.

"So hungry," I moaned, salivating as she brought the strawberry to her pussy and pressed it into her juicy folds.

I dived in immediately, my tongue licking, lapping, snagging the fruit and pulling it to my hungry lips. I tore into it, devouring the strawberry out of her pussy, filling her snatch with the juices. She groaned and squirmed, humping against me.

This time, when I finished, I kept licking my mom's pussy. The very hole that birthed me. It always sent such a drunken thrill through me when I did. It was so wrong, so taboo to be doing this. But I couldn't help myself. It made me so wet, so excited to do something this forbidden, this taboo.

I was special. Thanks to the powers Mark shared with me, I could do what I wanted. I was... a goddess. And if I wanted to eat my mother's pussy, to engage in taboo depravity, then I would. And I would do it with a smile on my face.

"Oh, my sweet Mary," Mom moaned, humping against me. "Ooh, yes, devour my cream. Mmm, yes. You need it."

"I do, Mommy," I moaned between licks, my tongue flying through her pussy. I gathered more and more of her juices stained with strawberry delight.

My mom grabbed another strawberry. I pulled back, letting her shove it into her depths, then I leaned in and ate it out of her pussy. It was so naughty. Juices spilled down my chin. Her pussy stained red with strawberry pulp. My tongue lapped and slid across her folds, gathering up every bit of it.

And she kept moaning, kept shuddering. I was so glad I could give my mom this pleasure. My tongue flew through her folds. She bucked and shivered, her moans singing out through the room as I attacked her with fiercer and fiercer licks.

"Oh, yes, Mary," she gasped. "Mmm, that's so wicked of you to do. Oh, you are driving your poor mother wild with your hunger. Such a naughty daughter."

"So naughty," I moaned as she brought a fifth strawberry to her pussy.

Another delicious treat.

She gasped and squealed and moaned, bucking against me. Her hands grabbed the very breasts I nursed from as a child. She squeezed her mounds, her fingers sliding up to pinch her hard, dusky nipples. Her beautiful face twisted in pleasure, her blue eyes twinkling.

And then she came hard. Her voice sang out through the room. She shivered and bucked, grinding her hot pussy against my lips. Spicy cream, tanged with sweet strawberry, flooded my mouth. My pussy ached so much.

"You naughty Mommy," I moaned. "So bad cumming on your daughter's lips."

"Mmm, I am such a naughty Mommy," she gasped, shuddering and bucking. "Oh, yes, yes, yes. Mary!"

The bed creaked and groaned as she spasmed on it. I smiled in delight. I planted my mouth right against her pussy, tonguing hard, swiping up and down through her folds. She shivered, her eyes squeezed shut as the pure bliss shot through her.

And then she collapsed on the bed. "Oh, Mary, you are so wild."

"Mmm," Mary moaned, crawling up her mother's body. "I'm a product of yours and Daddy's genes. You two made me wild."

Mom laughed right before we met in a kiss, my breasts pressed into hers. She felt so wonderful beneath me. I shivered, my pussy on fire. I kissed her hard, my tongue thrusting into her mouth as I humped my clit against hers. It felt so good to have it touched, my pussy aching for an orgasm.

"Now it's Mommy's turn to have her breakfast." She grabbed an orange off the plate.

"Yes," I groaned, shivering in pure delight.

I rolled off my mom onto my back, my legs spread wide. I ran fingers through the heart-shaped thatch of fiery pubic hair on my pudenda. I had my pussy waxed bare save for that heart—Mark loved bare snatch. Plus, the heart was so cute.

I smiled as my mom unpeeled the orange, juices falling onto her breasts. Orange beads rolled across her round curves. Unable to resist, I leaned over and licked at a bead racing down her tit, savoring the citric flavor as she pulled out the orange wedges from the rind.

And then shoved them into my pussy.

"Oh, Mom, yes," I moaned as she pushed them in one at a time. They tingled. My pussy clenched on them. One by one, she shoved them into me. I squirmed, my pregnant pussy stretching open wider and wider. I pinched my dusky nipples. "Enjoy your breakfast, Mom!"

"I will," she moaned.

Then she leaned in and devoured my pussy.

It was wonderful. Her tongue rooted through my pussy, pulling out the orange slices and devouring them. My pussy became so wet. The scent of orange filled the air, mixed with the spicy-sweet musk of my pussy. I shivered, clenching down on the oranges, feeling the pulp squish around inside me.

Mom's tongue probing in, searching for the fruit, added to the excitement. She made me ache and squirm as she searched around for the little wedges. My toes curled. Delight shivered through me. My eyes fluttered.

"Mmm, that feels nice, Mom," I moaned as she devoured another orange slice out of me, my pleasure growing and growing.

"And they taste delicious," she purred, her blue eyes staring up at me.

"I'd hope so," I groaned, my excitement building by the moment.

Her tongue dived in, scooping out another orange slice. I watched her pull it into her mouth, dripping with my cream. She chewed, ecstasy racing across her face. She leaned in again for another one, her finger stroking my clit in tight circles.

I gasped, shuddering, the pleasure building with every orange slice she ate. My pussy felt emptier and emptier as she pulled them out. The brush of her lips and tongue, the slide of the fruit wedges inside me, and the massage of her clit had me trembling.

"Mom," I panted, bucking, feeling sooooo much better after this morning. "Mom, yes!" I gasped. "Keep doing that... I..."

"Cum," she moaned. "Cum for Mommy."

"Yes!"

My pussy spasmed, forcing out the final two orange wedges into her mouth. The pleasure shivered through me. I gasped and bucked, my body writhing as the pleasure rushed through me. The surge of bliss was exhilarating.

I had to thank my husband for leaving the fruit.

As the pleasure washed over me, I concentrated on our new connection we had established last night. The Siyach spell gave us telepathic communication. Thanks for the fruit, Mark.

I felt Mark's shock at my sudden, telepathic message. I shuddered, the pleasure buzzing through me.

You're welcome, Mare, he sent back. His thoughts were strained, like he was having to concentrate extra hard.

My mom stopped by, and strawberries taste even sweeter soaked in her juices.

Naughty filly! I could feel his jealous excitement. He wanted to see that.

And then I smiled, realizing what was causing his thoughts to be strained, sending, So, is it Desiree or Violet playing with your cock?

Violet's riding me. How did you know?

I laughed out loud drawing a questioning look from my mom. "Talking to Mark." Then I sent telepathically, I know you, Mark. You're my horny stallion. You almost have to have your cock in a woman's hole 24/7.

My mom smiled, rolling over and grabbing a banana. I shivered as she unpeeled it and brought it down to her pussy.

A hot shiver ran through me. Well, have fun; I'm feeling better, and Mom has a banana shoved up her pussy. Mmm, I'm feeling a little hungry! Love ya, stud!

Love you, Mark sent back.

I shivered, feeling his love.

It was delicious eating a banana out of my mom's pussy. She shoved it in so deep. I ate it out while we sixty-nined. She forced it out bit by bit, letting me savor the sweet fruit spiced by her juices. I groaned, my mom devouring my pussy.

Once it was out, we just ate each other's snatches. It was so hot, so delicious. We reveled in our forbidden relationship. Mother and daughter doing the most wicked and taboo acts. It made me shudder and cum over and over while I lapped up my mom's juices.

We were approaching our fourth orgasm when the bedroom door burst open.

"Ma'am, we need to go right now!" the second-in-command of our bodyguard shouted. "Fallen Eagle!"

My blood went cold.

With the I Corp of the U.S. Army under his power, Brandon Fitzsimmons thrust himself onto the world stage. Blood and fire marked his reign.

—excerpt from The History of the Tyrants' Theocracy, by Tina Allard

Mark Glassner - Tacoma, WA

I watched in stunned horror as the U.S. soldiers opened fire on the Tacoma Police blockading the street in front of the courthouse. The soldiers had just roped down out of a pair of hovering Black Hawk helicopters hovering above the crowds.

Their bullets tore into the police at either end of Tacoma Avenue, glass shattering, metal pinging, men falling to the ground. The cops scattered, caught off guard by the soldiers' attack. They dived behind their cruisers or fell to the ground wounded by the machine gun fire.

My stomach clenched. The soldiers had ignored my commands to throw down their weapons.

A chill spread through me. They ignored my commands. I could see the black of their auras wreathed by the faintest red. They were Thralls under the protection of the Zimmah ritual, bound to another Warlock. They were immune to my powers. Exactly the same way we made our family and sluts immune to anyone else's orders.

"Fuck!" I groaned. This was very bad

My first thought was Brandon Fitzsimmons. But how could he bind his Thralls with the Zimmah ritual? His mother was dead. He couldn't violate her body, cumming in her pussy and having the Thrall drink the combined seed, to bind them. So who was attacking me?

And what could I do about it if I couldn't dominate the soldiers?

A whirring sound, like a motor revving up, built then exploded into a terrific roar. A gout of flame erupted from the side of one of the hovering Black Hawks. The mini-gun fired. I watched in horror as its bullets ripped through the police cruisers. A second whirring sound built, and the other helicopter opened fire on the opposite police blockade. Golden tracers streaked down, raining death on the Tacoma police officers.

"Sir, let's go!" 51 shouted, grabbing my arm and pulling me towards the courthouse.

The crowd in front of the courthouse screamed in panic and ran for cover. My bodyguards formed a protective circle around me, dragging me back into the courthouse. The Mayor of Tacoma stood frozen in mid-fuck, his cock buried into his wife's asshole. I had just finished fucking Yoon before stepping outside to speak. Everything was just so normal and now...

My mind did not want to work.

"My Lord?" the Mayor asked as he pulled out of his wife.

I didn't know what to say.

"Master?" cried Violet as she and Desiree were pulled into the bodyguard's circle of protection. They were the only sluts I brought to the event and were waiting inside the courthouse while I spoke. "What's going on?"

"I don't know," I said, struggling to think as I put my arm around the slender eighteen-year-old girl.

Desiree looked so pale, the nut-brown hue vanished from her skin. Her naked tits bounced, streaked in strands of my dried cum as the bodyguard herded us through the courthouse. She walked stiffly, trembling.

I struggled to think but panic froze my thoughts. Soldiers bound to my enemy were attacking me.

"Holy shit," I whispered. I was not prepared for this.

"Where are we going?" I asked, finally gathering some of my wits.

"The back of the courthouse, exiting onto Yakima Avenue," 51 answered. How did she sound so calm? Her ebony face was a mask of stillness, her eyes hidden by mirrored sunglasses. She didn't even have her weapon drawn, unlike the other members of the guard marching around us. "We parked the limo and our patrol cars back there, remember?"

"Right," I nodded.

We raced through the courthouse, and I struggled to think despite the adrenaline that pounded through my veins. We were under attack by US Soldiers. That meant the army base south of here was... My heart froze. What if they could be coming for Mary?

No ifs. They would be coming for Mary.

"51, Fallen Eagle!"

51 glanced at me, nodded, and pulled out her Nextel. They were similar to radios but worked over the cell phone network. All of our bodyguards had one. "51 to all units, Fallen Eagle. I repeat, Fallen Eagle."

Fallen Eagle. The code phrase for the worst case scenario—an all out assault by our enemies. Whether Lilith or the nuns or some new threat. Like today. Ever since the Nuns attacked us three months ago with the SWAT officers, I had been preparing for another attempt by Heaven to stop me. The bodyguards had their instructions to get everyone—our families, our servants, and our sluts—they could to safety. In Kansas, I had a bolthole prepared, a place where we could regroup and figure out how to face any new threat.

"47, copy Fallen Eagle." 47, second-in-command of the bodyguard, was with Mary back at the house. She would get my wife to safety.

Squad D reported in with Shannon and George in Chicago. Squads E and F, guarding our planes, also responded. Now we just had to move quickly. If we did, we might just be able to escape and figure out how to deal with this new, overwhelming force.

We climbed stairs and then rounded a corner in the courthouse onto a long, straight hallway. Through a glass door, I spotted the limo idling outside. The passenger door was open, and Leah, my chauffeur, waited nervously, looking up at the sky. The bodyguards pushed us along. Violet sobbed as she clung to me. I held my slut tight, wanting to protect her.

"Hurry!" Leah shouted as we burst outside, beckoning urgently with her arm.

The moment we stepped outside, sounds crashed into my ears. I could hear sirens roaring from every direction, echoing down the streets. 51 wore a police radio patched into Tacoma PD's network, and the frantic calls for help came from police officers completely outmatched by the soldiers. The roar of helicopters and gunshots echoed through the streets. Shadows passed overhead. More Black Hawks escorted by smaller helicopters, dark against the blue sky, soared over.

"Holy shit!" I gasped. "It's a fucking invasion? Holy fucking shit!"

I pushed the crying Violet into the limo, then grabbed the wild-eyed Desiree and hauled her in, her big tits flopping. I jumped in next, landing on Desiree's lap. I rolled over her, sitting in between my two sluts. Violet clung to me as 51 jumped in. Leah ran around and hopped into the driver seat. With an AR-15 assault rifle clutched in her hand, 09 jumped into the passenger seat, while 32, also armed with an AR-15, piled in the back with us. She slammed shut the heavy, armored door.

What's going on, Mark? Mary's thought practically shouted in my mind.

In my panic, I forgot I could communicate directly with my wife. Soldiers attacked the rally, I sent back, trying to keep my terror out of my sending. I'm okay. We're in the limo and driving off. The soldiers are Thralls protected with the Zimmah spell!

Oh, my god!

The limo peeled away from the curb, the powerful engine growling. Leah followed two cop cars driven by my bodyguards, their lights flashing, sirens flaring. Two more squad cars followed. I looked out the windows of the limo. They were all thick, the limo armored with the best money could buy.

"We're safe, right, Master?" Violet sobbed.

I held her tight against my chest and kissed her brow. I didn't know what to say. Our limo was as close to being a tank as possible. And I didn't feel safe at all.

The lead cop cars took the left at 9th Street, our limo following. We headed up to the top of the hill that dominated downtown Tacoma and away from the firefight at the courthouse. Relief washed through me as I stared through the rear window. I could see the soldiers at the intersection of 9th and Tacoma Ave, occupying the ruins of the police blockade. None followed us.

"I think we're clear," I told Violet. I glanced at Desiree, giving her a tight smile.

She nodded back, hands to her naked chest.

51 didn't say anything as she listened to both the chatter from the Nextels and her police radio.

Mary Glassner - South Hill, WA

I gasped as 47 hauled me off my mother, my heart hammering, Mark's words echoing in my mind. Under attack. Fallen Eagle. That was the code used if something really, really bad had happened. Only Mark or I could give that command. Fear clutched my stomach as 47 dragged me from the bed. Two more bodyguards moved through the room, one grabbing my stunned mother.

"What's happening?" my mom asked, her face so pale.

"An attack. I don't know." I gasped, my head turning to the dresser. Fallen Eagle meant we were abandoning our home. "Wait!"

"We need to go, ma'am!" 47 insisted as I tugged at her arm.

"My locket!" I cried. We might never come back. I couldn't leave without my locket. Mark gave it to me the day we met. Next to the wedding ring on my finger, it was the most important thing I owned. "Please!"

I jerked hard, pulling out of her grip. The bodyguard were commanded to ignore Mark's or my orders to protect us. Mark wanted to be sure that they, trained cops, would make the decisions in case we panicked.

And I was panicked right now.

I reached the dresser and opened my jewelry box, pulling out the silver heart with the pink rose sculpted on the front. I quickly pulled it over my head to let it dangle between my breasts along with my protection amulet. Then I let 47 drag me out of the room.

My heart hammered in fear as I digested my communication from Mark. What could we do against Thralls when we couldn't use our mind control powers on them? And he said soldiers. God, that was like the SWAT attack last June on steroids.

We raced out of the house and the street bustled with activity. Some of the bodyguards were standing guard, AR-15s in their hands, while the rest were herding our family and servants out of their houses and piling them into the fleet of black SUV's we owned. One of the SUVs waited in the driveway, engine already running. I jumped in along with my mom. Lillian, Xiu, and Korina piled into our SUV and the rest of our sluts piled into a second vehicle behind it.

"Mistress!" Lillian said, her face even paler than usual.

"We'll be fine," I gasped, embracing my mother. "We'll be fine. The bodyguard trained for this."

"What's going on?" Tears fell down Korina's doll-like face.

I tried to speak, but only sobs escaped. Mark was in danger. Soldiers were after him. The tears fell down my face. I was so scared. We were all connected to Mark. I wished to live as long as he had, thinking his wish for a long life would ensure I had one, too. But would that wish save him from a soldier's bullet?

"It's going to be okay," Mom whispered, stroking my hair just like she did when I was a little girl. "Just okay."

I nodded my head.

In just a few minutes, everyone who lived in the neighborhood—our sluts, our families, and our important servants like Sam and our accountants—were loaded into the SUV's. With a roar, we were off. The plan was to drive north to Boeing Field in Seattle. Our Gulfstream was too well known. Any enemy attacking us was sure to try and seize it or stop us from reaching it at the nearby airfield in South Hill. Julius Prescott III, a billionaire we knew, owned a freight airline known as Air-Cargo. We had arranged for a hangar of his at Boeing Field to be set aside to house a 747 airplane. Hopefully, our enemy did not know about this plane.

In five minutes, we were clear of our neighborhood, driving north at breakneck speed. I could hear all sorts of chatter on 47's police radio and on the Nextel.

"What's going on?" I asked 47, regaining my composure after my mother's soothing words.

"The police have just issued a tactical alert," 47 answered. "There are reports of US soldiers setting up roadblocks around Tacoma, and a convoy of Strykers is rolling up 512 towards South Hill. They're running cars off the road, Ma'am."

"Strykers? Those are armored tanks, right?" I asked in fear.

"Armored personnel carriers, Ma'am," 47 corrected. "Not as heavily armored as a tank, but just as dangerous. Squad E has abandoned the Gulfstream. They saw several Black Hawks flying towards Thun Field."

"Please let them not know about our other plane," I prayed, though I had no idea to whom. "Please!"

Brandon Fitzsimmons

"My Lord Fitzsimmons, we've taken the courthouse," Colonel Abbey said.

Though he was sitting right next to me, the only reason I could hear him over the roar of the helicopter's rotor was through the chopper's internal intercom. I was wearing an uncomfortable helmet with headphones over my ears that blocked most of the Black Hawk's rotor noise. We were in the Command Information Center, or CIC, Black Hawk, hovering high over Tacoma. Colonel Abbey was the G3, or operations officer, for I Corp and coordinating the occupation of Tacoma.

"Do you have Mark?" I demanded.

I could almost taste my victory. Mark Glassner would soon be mine along with his wife, Mary. I would make her my concubine and force the bastard to watch as his lovely wife became my whore. It was what he deserved for stealing my beautiful Desiree.

I looked down at Tacoma, surveying my conquest. The Army Rangers who had fast-roped into Tacoma were surrounding the courthouse as the Stryker Brigade barreled down the freeway to secure the city. The main part of Tacoma was built on a peninsula that jutted out into Puget Sound. There were about a dozen roads that crossed the Nalley Valley separating the peninsula from the mainland. If those streets were blockaded, the city would be cut in half and trap anyone on the peninsula, including Mark if he managed to escape the courthouse.

"My Lord, Chalk 2 reports a limo heading west on 9th Street with a police escort," Colonel Abbey reported after a minute. If I remembered the briefing correctly, a chalk was a group of rangers deployed out of the same helicopter. Chalk 2 was tasked with taking the intersection of 9th Street and Tacoma Avenue.

"Damn it," I snarled. "I want that limo stopped and everyone inside captured."

"Absolutely, my Lord," Colonel Abbey replied. "Bandit 1 and Bandit 3, do you have eyes on a limo heading west from the courthouse on 9th Street?" I couldn't hear the reply. I was only listening to the helicopter's internal comms, not the battle comms. Colonel Abbey nodded. "Disable the vehicle and provide support. Raider 3, head west and drop your chalk on that vehicle."

Bandits were the Little Birds, small, agile helicopters armed with mini-guns that were quite deadly in urban operations. Raiders were the Black Hawks carrying a chalk of Rangers. Mark wouldn't stand a chance.

A triumphant smile crossed my lips.

Death rained down on the Living God.

—The Gospel of April 36:3

Mark Glassner

The limo bounced around on Tacoma's streets. The city had lost the war against potholes years ago, and the streets grew worse and worse every year. Leah must be doing nearly sixty as we raced away from the courthouse, and we were being thrown about in the back, Violet clinging to me.

"Hold on!" Leah shouted, braking hard, and then the limo made a sharp turn onto Sprague Avenue, pressing me against Desiree. Then we were racing south for Highway 16.

Violet kept sobbing into my chest. "Shh, it'll be alright," I told her, stroking her brown hair. Though I wish I could believe that.

The roar of the approaching helicopter sent fear through me, my stomach clenching. I looked up at the ceiling of the limo out of instinct. Then I craned my head, looking out the rear window, peering up at the sky. Violet buried her face into my chest at the sound.

"Shit, it's in front of us!" Leah shouted.

I bent down to look out the front of the limo and saw streaks of yellow raining down from the sky.

Tracers fired from a helicopter.

The lead cop car exploded in sparks and careened off to the side of the road. The second cop car tried to swerve to dodge the attack. A torrent of bullets shredded its trunk. The tracers marched quickly towards us. It sounded like hail as the bullets struck the limo's armor. The windshield splintered. Desiree was engulfed by blue light as her amulet deflected a bullet. The limo swerved suddenly to the left. Metal crunched. I was flung forward, my seatbelt digging into my chest and waist.

What the fuck just happened? My mind was fuzzy and I groaned in pain.

"We need to move!" someone shouted.

"Leah's shot!" another person screamed.

"Shit!" Someone was shaking me. "Sir, we need to move!"

A Black woman's face hovered in front of me, urgently speaking to me. It took me a moment to realize it was 51. I blinked, looking around. There were dents and holes in the roof of my armored limo. In the front seat, Leah lay slumped over the steering wheel, blood staining her back. The bodyguard in the passenger seat was struggling to open her door. 51 pulled out her folding knife and quickly cut my jammed seatbelt.

"Leah," I shouted, climbing across the limo and grabbing her through the open barrier separating the back with the driving compartment. Blood pumped from a large hole blown through her back. I concentrated on her being healed, and whispered, "Tsariy."

Energy flooded out of me. A wave of dizziness washed over my vision. Red light engulfed her body. She convulsed. I felt the energy sink into her, repairing shattered rips, perforated lungs, and ripped muscles. When the scarlet light faded, Leah sat upright, perfectly healed. Around her neck, the bronze amulet smoked, the protection spell overwhelmed by the helicopter's mini-guns.

"We need to go, sir!" 51 shouted, grabbing me and pulling me out of the limo.

I stepped outside, blinking against the morning sun. We had crashed into a traffic light, the metal pole bent and fallen across the top of the limo. The hood was torn to pieces, and white smoke curled serpentine up into the air from the engine block. Metal scars and pockmarks littered the body of the limo where the armor had withstood the mini-gun's fire. I looked for our escorts and saw the twisted remains of the four cop cars. The helicopter's guns had shredded them into mangled mockeries of sedans.

Two bodyguards crawled out of the wreckage of their cars. Their amulets must have saved their lives, but the other six must be lying dead or dying in their vehicles. I started to run for the nearest wreck when 51 grabbed me and pointed up at the sky. Two small helicopters, both of which had large mini-guns slung on the sides by the landing skids, were banking around, and beyond them a Black Hawk swooped towards us.

"Leah, Violet, and Desiree, scatter!" I shouted. "They're after me! You might get away!"

"Yes, Master!" Violet said, tears falling down her face as she ran away.

Desiree nodded at me then took off running after Violet.

"Go!" 51 shouted at me, pushing me away from the wreckage.

09 led us, running with her AR-15 out. She darted down an alley between two buildings. I followed, 51 and 32 on either side with 18 and 27, the two survivors from the escorts, bringing up the rear. The downdraft from the Black Hawk slammed into us and kicked up stinging dust as it banked overhead. I glanced over my shoulder in time to see two thick ropes drop out the side of the helicopter. The soldiers deployed.

"Shit!" 51 shouted. "Back, back!"

We turned and saw one of the small helicopters hovering at the mouth of the alley, cutting us off. There was a fence and someone's yard to the right. I jumped, grabbing the top and easily hauling myself over. I was never more thankful for getting the Gift from Tiffany than right now. It gave me increased physical strength and stamina, and I was going to need every advantage I had to survive this.

51 followed me over the fence. Gunfire rang out. 32 was halfway over when a bullet bounced off her shielding. She made it over as the fence splintered from the gunfire. I could hear the remaining bodyguards returning fire in the alleyway, buying us time.

"Keep running!" 51 shouted.

I ran across the yard, glancing over my shoulder to see that damned small helicopter dogging our steps. The pilot must be radioing our position. I reached the opposite fence, jumping up and quickly scrambling over. As I lowered myself on the other side, I froze. 32 had stopped, turned, and knelt in the middle of the yard, aiming her AR-15 at the small helicopter. She carefully fired at it, rounds striking the windshield, glass cracking. The copter pivoted smoothly, lining up its guns at 32.

"Run!" I shouted as 51 scrambled over the fence. "Run, 32!"

She ignored me. The only time the bodyguards could ignore my orders was to protect my life.

Fire spat from the helicopter, clods of dirt exploded around 32. She kept calmly firing. Blue energy sprang up around her as the rounds struck her protective charms. For a second I thought she was going to be fine, then the torrent of fire overwhelmed the spell. The bullets ripped through her body.

But one of her rounds must have hit something important because the helicopter pitched to the side. The pilot inside struggled with the yoke. The copter drifted closer and closer to a tree. It tore through branches as the blades dipped into the canopy. And then there was a woody thunk and a loud, splintering sound. The rotor blades disintegrated, throwing debris everywhere. The chopper spun in the air and slammed into a shed with a satisfying crunch of metal.

I grabbed the fence and started to climb back over it. If I reached 32 before she died, I could heal her.

"She's dead, sir," 51 said as she grabbed my arm. "You're not. We have to go!"

I cursed and let go of the fence. "Fine."

We were out on a side-street and we could hear booted feet approaching. We cut diagonally across the street, racing for a small, brown house with a mossy roof. There were several cracking pops from behind us.

Everything around me went blue.

"Fuck!"

My amulet had just stopped a bullet. Adrenaline was screaming through my veins. There were more gunshots. Shots whizzed past and blue erupted around me a second time, a third time. My shoulders writhed each time.

"Shit, the car!" I shouted, pointing at the beat up, gray Plymouth with red primer staining the hood. "We need cover. The amulets won't take much more gunfire!"

51 nodded, changing the direction she ran.

We dived behind the Plymouth as gunfire pounded against the car. Glass shattered and metal pinged with every bullet strike. My heart hammered. I risked a glance around the car and saw the soldiers at the corner. Several were firing at us while others dashed across the street. Fire and maneuver, I think it was called.

51 shot back with her 9mm service pistol. The soldiers hit the dirt and returned fire. Her amulet deflected two rounds.

I didn't see an escape. There was no cover for twenty or more feet, and there were just too many soldiers. I closed my eyes, concentrated and sent: Mary, I love you. I don't think I'm getting out of this one.

No! I can't lose you, Mark!

I swallowed. There was only one hope. Tiffany said the Gift made Monks into fighters, that their powers were combat oriented. I was as physically strong as a man could be. I possessed swift reflexes. If I charged them, maybe somehow I could defeat them. The amulet might sustain a few more shots.

"Stay in cover, 51," I ordered.

She gave me a sharp look. "Sir?"

"Only chance we have," I said as I readied myself.

I took a deep breath. My muscles all tensed, ready. Adrenaline pumped through me. I could do this. I had powers. With a roar, I burst out from the car and ran as fast as I possibly could. As fast as any Olympic sprinter. The distance between me and the soldiers disappeared rapidly.

The soldiers were startled by my sudden charge, but their training took over. They opened fire. The world turned blue about me as the amulet deflected another shot. And then I was on the first soldier. He rose, bracing himself as I slammed into him. He fell back hard. I nearly lost my balance and fell with him.

But I didn't.

A second soldier leaped at me. He grabbed me by the waist, my suit jacket tearing as we grappled. I was stronger than the soldier, more agile, but I lacked any training. I didn't know how to fight. The soldier did.

I pushed him off of me and took a clumsy swing at his face. He easily grabbed my arm, did something with his hip, and I then was flipping over him and falling on my back. I grunted, the wind knocked out of my lungs. The soldier pulled out his knife. Before I could react, it was pressed against my throat.

Cold. Sharp. My artery pulsed against it.

I froze.

Violet Matheson

Master ordered me to run. I did.

I didn't want to run. I wanted to stay with him, even if it meant I might die. He was my Master. I loved him. But his commands had to be obeyed. My body reacted even before I realized it. I ran as hard as I could.​