Passion and Lust 02

"This thing moves disturbingly fast," Val said, bracing herself against the dash and door with several of her hands.

"That's what the seatbelt's for."

"I am wearing it, as you instructed, and this is still most uncomfortable."

"These things are pretty safe. You shouldn't worry." It didn't help she was a tall, muscular woman. She hardly fit in the sedan front seat.

"It is not the prospect of injury that alarms me. This body can take quite a bit of punishment. I simply do not like not being in control."

"Well, maybe I can teach you to drive. Later. For now, stop fidgeting in your seat! It's distracting."

Her fidgeting lessened, but only slightly. Luckily, they were almost at Allen's place. Allen gripped the wheel harder and let out a long breath. Hopefully she wasn't disgusted or disappointed by the measly apartment he called a home. From the bracers and wristbands on her arms, she looked to be used to much more luxurious accommodations. It would make sense that a spirit of her station would get special treatment.

A hundred other questions ran through Allen's head. Where would she sleep? Would he need to find long-term lodging? How could he pay for food for two people? Would she be bitchy about the place? What if the apartment management stopped by and she was kicked out? What if the government found out? Allen forced the heavy thoughts from his head as he pulled up into one of the tiny parking spots in front of his apartment complex. A bout of rough coughs escaped his throat, giving him pause before getting out of the car. He'd deal with those things as they came.

Val wasted no timed escaping the small metal prison of Allen's car, taking a deep breath as she stepped out. The car door closed of its own accord behind her, making Allen wince. She must've used one of her invisible hands. Hopefully that was a habit she could break herself of before it got her—no, wait, them—into trouble. Allen was part of this now.

"C'mon, Val, my place is this way."

She walked alongside him as they made their way to his apartment. Val took in her surroundings like someone dying of thirst would water. "Each of these doors is a separate dwelling?" she asked.

"Yeah. Some are bigger than others, but the approximate size is the same."

"What sort of variations are there?"

Allen slowed, raising an eyebrow at Val. "Didn't you learn all this from me already?"

"I endeavored to only read what was absolutely necessary. I learned of cars and apartment complexes, for example, but I did not research many specifics, such as the layout of an apartment."

"There are just two types of layouts in this building: studio and 2-bedroom apartments. Mine's a studio, since I don't have a roommate. Pretty basic stuff. Here." Allen stopped. 212. Home sweet home. He fumbled with his keys, moving them toward the lock. Before he could get them in, though, he dropped them, cursing to himself. He started to bend down to pick them up, but found them floating up to his hand before he could. Val flashed a smile at him when he looked at her. Mumbling a thanks, he finally got the keys in and opened the door, hurrying Val in.

Quickly locking the apartment door behind him, Allen scrambled to clean up a few minor things while Val was looking elsewhere. This was hardly the way to introduce a lady to his place, but the circumstances were extreme. It would have to do.

The studio apartment boasted a long, albeit not very wide entry room doubling as a bedroom. To the right, immediately after the door, was Allen's aging double bed, covered with a thick, black comforter and white sheets underneath. At the foot of the bed lied a desk, one Allen had bumped his toes on too many times getting up in the morning. His dusty computer and monitor sat on the desk next to his 36" TV. His couch occupied the opposite wall, rivulets for three of Val's invisible hands forming across it as she walked by. It probably smelled of nachos; Allen knew he didn't clean it as much as he should. At the end of the entry room, a window let the moonlight and sounds of passing cars in. It was just high enough on the wall Allen had to stand uncomfortably on his toes to see out it well and sunlight hit his eyes when he got up in the morning. Allen never forgave the building architect that.

To the left were doors for his bathroom and kitchen, as well as his closet. His poor closet was stuffed with clothes, a mystery to Allen given he didn't have enough money to shop for clothes often and the closet itself wasn't really that small. It was almost like the clothing reproduced on its own.

Allen pointed at Val's invisible arms where they touched his couch. "You know you can't be doin' that out in the open. People see stuff levitating and they'll start asking questions."

"Yes, that wouldn't be prudent. I will try to avoid using my extra arms in public. And you're welcome about the keys."

Val walked around the small boding with a slow, even stride, rocking back and forth along the balls of her feet as she inspected the place.

"What is this?" asked Val, pointing into the kitchen.

"Refrigerator. Keeps things cold. That right there is the oven. Makes things hot. Sink, dishrack, cabinets, yadda yadda." He went over the kitchen tour quickly, then pulled her to the next thing. Might as well make this fast. "Bathroom. I hope you learned how to use that from your mind-fuck cause I sure as hell ain't laying it out for you. Toilet, sink, shower," he said, pointing to each as he spoke. "Over here is the closet. Clothes and other boring things in there. Then out here's the bed, the couch, and the TV."

"I am familiar with the TV as it functions, but not the significance of having one."

"It kills time and entertains me. People have 'em for different reasons. Sometimes, people come over and we watch it together. Social thing."

Val put a hand to her chin and nodded, staring at the TV a moment before looking to Allen. "Is this place private? I would like to relax my other arms. It is somewhat uncomfortable to hold all of them invisible against my stomach."

He walked over to the blinds on the single small window looking in and closed them, nodding to Val. "Now it is."

Sighing, Val allowed her arms to become visible again. The clothing on her disappeared as well, now back to the thin strips of silk that left little to the imagination. Allen caught himself staring wide-eyed at her figure and looked away before she noticed. He forgot what clothing—or lack thereof—could do for a woman, eight arms or not. Her long legs were like tree trucks, ending in astounding hips that Allen figured could break a door down if Val shook them at one. Her hourglass figure screamed femininity and salacity, almost as if it was asking for Allen to adore it. When he recalled how quickly and efficiently her body had gotten him off earlier, his heart began to race.

"So, listen, it's pretty damn late and I have to go to work tomorrow. Actually, in four hours. I'd love to be a more accommodating host but things just don't work out that way when I've got bills to pay. It's Friday, so after work I can help you with whatever, assuming you need help. I'm going to take a quick shower then I'm going to sleep. Questions?"

Val crossed three sets of arms under those bountiful breasts of hers, pursing her lips then shaking her head. "Nothing that can't wait."

"Good. Help yourself to whatever. I don't really know how much you know already. Don't break anything."

Allen rushed off to the bathroom, pajamas in hand, and closed the door a bit harder than he meant to. He scrambled to turn the water on and hopped in right away, not caring about the initially-cold stream hitting his aching body. Once the curtain was closed and the water warmed up a bit, he finally allowed himself some respite.

Looking down to his aching erection, he frowned. Living with her, no matter how long or short, would be hard, especially if she insisted on that silk 'clothing' that hardly covered anything and revealed those eight finely-toned, slender, dexterous arms. He could picture that moment, back in the ancient underground room, her four hands massaging and stroking his cock with perfect attention and skill. No handjob had any right feeling that good, sex-spirit or not.

Letting the warm water beat down on his back, Allen started relieving himself with his hand, leaning on the shower wall, eyes closed, imagining Val's hand down there instead of his. It was the quickest fap of his life. He erupted into the bathtub, stifling a grunt as he finished. Watching the warm clean his release into the drain, he thought about asking Val. Considering her position and the appetite she spoke of earlier, it seemed kind of silly for Allen to be masturbating when there was a woman—and absolutely stunning and well-experienced woman—in his apartment not ten feet away. She'd probably find a way to enjoy it even more than Allen would.

Shaking his head, Allen went back to showering. Sex was her damn job. She probably got plenty of it when she wanted to, and he didn't want her thinking she'd have to start 'taking care' of him that way. She was a guest.

When he came out of the bathroom in his pj's, he saw Val toying with the TV remote and the screen showing only static. He found himself grinning at seeing her try, with four hands on the remote, to fix whatever she'd screwed up. Hearing the bathroom door open, Val turned to Allen. She unsuccessfully hid a smile at his attire.

"What is that?"

"These, my dear Val, are fuzzy Batman pajamas. Don't be dissin'."

Her lips sputtered as a laugh forced its way out her mouth. "They are silly."

"I know jealousy when I hear it. Now off the couch, I'm going to sleep."

Val furrowed her brow in confusion. "Why would you not sleep on the bed?"

"One, because the couch is way too small for you, and two, because guests always get the bed, especially when they're women. Now up."

Val stood up, but didn't move away. "The bed looks large enough for the both of us."

"It probably is, but people who don't know each other very well or aren't otherwise involved don't sleep together on the same bed. So you get the bed, I get the couch."

She shook her head. "Nonsense. Your body is aching and there's plenty of room for us on the bed. Unless you would object to it?"

Oh, yes, my body is aching for something alright. Allen put his hands on his hips. "What are you, my mom?"

In a contest of hands-on-hips, Val easily won when she placed all eight on hers. She leaned in, using her height to her advantage. "Do you object?"

Grinding his teeth, Allen looked away, unable to defeat Val. "I guess not. But it's still not the socially—"

Val, quite tired with the discussion of what was acceptable or not, walked behind Allen, wrapped her arms around him, picked him up and laid in the bed with him. With her strength and her height, she had no trouble, though her feet hung off the end of the bed. She slipped a pair of arms over Allen's shoulders, letting them slide against his neck as her hands wandered down his chest. Another pair of hands felt up his thighs, coming to rest after giving them a light massage. Allen could hear his heart thumping like a parade inside his ears. Normally, he might object to being the small spoon, but in his current state and given Val's body size advantage, he let it go. He didn't want Val to see his throbbing stiffness, lest she think he was some sort of mindless sex-driven beast. Once was enough for tonight. He needed to gather his strength, anyways.

But her pillowy breasts were pushed up against his back, her smooth legs shifted back and forth with a quiet rubbing, whispering to Allen how it might feel to run his hand up and down them, or how it might feel to have his cock suffocate in their embrace. A pair of her hands rested right to the side of his crotch while another sat right above. Even her breath lured him in, a sweet, heavy scent against the stale air of his apartment. His cock begged for attention. He shifted his head, trying to get a look at Val. Could she see it from where she was? Or was she already trying to sleep?

Clenching his mouth shut, Allen put his hands over his member. No. Not tonight.

A tear fell from his eye.

Falling asleep took almost an hour.

~~~

The alarm greeting Allen with its gracious, welcome blaring, a horn that pierced his throbbing head. With a most graceful groan and lurch, Allen got up to hit the snooze, hitting his toes on the desk in the process.

"Damnit!"

"Is your waking always so violent?"

Allen shot Val a grimace and hopped out of the bed. "Morning ain't the time for sass. I need my morning nectar."

"'Morning nectar?'" Val asked, rising as well and following Allen into the kitchen.

"Here."

Allen gestured to the coffee pot, filled with fresh coffee and piping hot. Closing his eyes, he hovered his nose over it. A wide, albeit drowsy smile covered his face. "Gift from the gods."

"But I told you they were spirits, not—"

"It's an expression, Val. And don't worry so much about being technically correct at six a.m."

"What is so special about this time of day?"

Allen held himself back, instead allowing a long, heavy sigh out his lungs. She's new here. She doesn't understand. Don't go ballistic. Looking through blurred, groggy vision, Allen spotted a mug and poured his coffee. The immaculate scent of life fuel filled his nostrils, giving him the patience to finally turn around and face Val.

She was smirking.

How absolutely fantastic. My new roommate is a tease in the morning. Allen's grip on the mug threatened to break it, his once-calm demeanor degenerating into a dark scowl. Try as he might, though, he couldn't bring himself to do anything more than stand there with coffee in hand.

"Had I the strength to throw a punch, know that it would have already landed right on your nose."

"Please, do try. The attempt would amuse me."

Taking a deep breath, Allen raised his gaze to the ceiling. You have coffee in your hand. Think about the good coffee, not the annoying prat standing in front of you. That's right. Coffee. Allen took a long sip from his mug, the bitter, fiercely-hot liquid sloshing down his throat. Energy seeped into his veins, giving him the concentration to nudge Val out of the way and walk over to his closet.

"I really hope you're not like this all the time. I may end up having to kill you," he said, rummaging around for some work clothes.

"It's odd to take someone in and then threaten to kill them the next day."

"Well, usually roommates are more appreciative. Especially freeloading ones."

Val said nothing, giving Allen the time to stumble around and get his clothes on. He checked the time. Five thirty. He'd make it in just in time. His boss preferred he come in a little early, but he hated making his boss happy. In a daze, Allen stuffed his pockets with keys, phone and wallet then chugged the rest of his mug.

"May I have some of that 'morning nectar' you seem to value so?"

Allen rushed by her, grabbing a thermos and filling it. "Yeah, I never drink all of it anyways. Just don't spill it on anything and if you burn your tongue, tell me so I can laugh at you."

"Thank you."

Allen buzzed back into the main room and threw his coat on. "Alright, I'll be gone for eight hours. Same as last night: do what you want, but don't break anything. And I really don't suggest leaving on your own. There's a ton of stuff you don't know about the world."

"Are you concerned for me?"

Allen's rhythm skipped a step and he almost stumbled. He hadn't really thought about that. Blushing, he turned away and made like he was checking his phone, hoping Val didn't catch that. "I'm part of all whatever this is with your sister now. I concerned about myself. You make yourself known out there, she'll find me and do whatever it is she'll do. I don't want that." Not allowing Val a chance to ask anything more, he ducked out the door, saying "Bye." before closing and locking it.

Today's gonna be a long day.

~~~

Long didn't even begin to describe it.

"Five minutes late, Allen. You know I keep telling you to come in early because you never get morning shelving done before the morning crowd."

Lips trembling in an effort to keep from snarling at his boss, Allen continued to load the cart. Fucking morning crowd almost never needs it finished.

"And that sets you behind on the afternoon work, which sets you behind on end-of-shift work. Do you see the pattern here?"

Allen swore he could feel steam rising from his skin as his blood boiled. Through some inhuman means of self-control, he muttered a neutral, "Yes, sir." He knew better than to give Jesse lip. Last guy that did that was fired in a heartbeat.

"Oh! Great! I'm glad I'm talking to a person here. Then you should have no trouble keeping a schedule so we don't have to have this conversation again, right, Allen?"

His grip on the books tightened. Good thing there's not much a strong grip can do to books, else the library would be a seeing a lot of lost material from Allen. "Right." The smallest drop from his lake of fury dripped into his tone.

"I hope I didn't hear disrespect there, Allen."

Fucker even uses my name ever other sentence. I know who you're talking to, idiot!

"You did not, sir." This stress was going to take a significant act of vandalism to relieve. Maybe the building next to where he was digging last night. There were plenty of windows left to break there. Drywall, too.

"Good. I'll be checking up on you again in the afternoon to see how you're doing. Don't disappoint me, Allen."

"Yes. Sir."

Only when Jesse had closed the door behind him did Allen allow himself to throw the book in his hand at the ground. The little shitstain that was Jesse had been his boss for over two years now and part of the reason he'd begun researching the jewel. The only reason he had a job as manager was because his old man was one of the guys that ran the place. Course, large county libraries like this one were supposed to be public entities, but there was always someone at the top making mountains of dough off it. Had Allen ever gotten the chance to meet the guy, he'd probably hit him with a solid right hook, then kick his balls while he was down. Making money was fine, but hiring your dumbass kids just because they're your kids... Allen fucking hated that.

He started coughing, covering his mouth as best he could, wishing Jesse were still here. Maybe a few coughs his way would repel him for a little while.

He went about his work, rolling the cart through the never-ending rows of books, being as polite as he could possibly manage to everyone he encountered. Lucky for him, the library didn't get many visitors until eight or nine, giving him a couple hours of peace to recoup from the encounter with Jesse. Today was particularly nasty, though, given he knew the jewel was forever out of his reach and he'd be stuck here indefinitely unless he wanted to live out in the streets.

Stopping the cart, he looked down, despair holding his face. This wasn't the plan at all. He went to college to be something more than a peon shelving books and keeping records. Maybe he wasn't the most ambitious guy in the world, but he wanted more than this. He wanted comfort and co-workers who didn't walk all over him. That's not to much to ask, is it?

As he shelved the next book, he paused, looking at the section he stood in. 'History -- Superstition'. The same place he'd been visiting many times in his research on the jewel. It had taken him about a year to find something worth pursuing and another to narrow down its possible location. Maybe he could find something else worth searching for in here. Crossing his arms, he thought about Val. It's possible the books here could help her out as well, maybe figure out where her sister's stone statue was placed. Heck, if she was buried like Val was, there may not even be a way out. She could be stuck in a cage of earth and stone until Val and him came and put her back where she belonged.