The Fell Clutch of Circumstance

Author's note:

Please see part 1 for blurb and content warnings. And, if you haven't read Part 1 yet, I strongly suggest you do so before proceeding.

All sensuality (on page or otherwise) takes place between characters who are eighteen or older.

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Forty

"Riley?" a gruff voice pierced the veil of Aaron's slumber.

An alto voice replied in a fierce whisper, "Shh!"

"You order coffee?" the male replied with no diminution in volume.

"Would you bequiet?"

"Whatevs."

"This is why I hate tipping in advance," Riley grumbled softly after closing the door.

Aaron heard a metalCLANG,shortly followed by a delightfully nude Riley padding into sight.

"Shit," she muttered upon seeing Aaron eyeing her questioningly. "That fucking jerk. I tipped him twenty fucking bucks so that he'dbe quiet. But, of course I get someone who's likely doing deliveries on the way tohigh school, and smokes more bud than Ginny." She gave him a crooked smile before sighing, "I'm sorry. I tried really hard tonotwake you up."

"It's no problem," he murmured as he sat up. "Although I can't say I blame the kid for forgetting about your instructions if you answered the door like that."

"He wishes," she snickered. "If you must know, I put your shirt on to answer the door and then hung it back in the closet once I sent him packing."

He opened his mouth to reply, then thought better of what he had intended to say. He did not miss her expectant expression, however, so he offered a tepid, "I see."

She placed her hands on her hips suggestively and said, "Don't think I've forgotten what you said last night about my body. I decided earlier this morning that I'd offer you a pact: I'll get naked for you whenever societal customs allow, so long as you do the same for me."

"I like the sound of that," he replied with a wide smile. He then glanced at the room's curtain covered window and asked, "What time is it?"

"Almost six?" she replied with an apologetic shrug.

"Well, I won't ask if you slept well."

She gave him a gleeful grin as she dropped onto the bed beside him. "I can't remember a more restful night of sleep, as a matter of fact. But I've never really slept very much. It nearly drove my parents insane when I was a kid. Most nights, I only get a few hours and that's plenty."

"Fascinating."

"I'll be honest, ever since meeting you and finding out about all this divine blood shit, I've been operating under the assumption that I'd finally found an answer for why I don't require more sleep. But I guess I should have just, I don't know, asked you? So, how 'bout it, handsome? How much do you normally sleep?"

He smirked and said, "Back before I got sick, and I was just an out-of-shape middle-aged man, I would have killed to sleep four hours in a row. Most nights, I woke up two, three times to take a leak. Then I got sick, and thirty-minutes became a luxury. Since I got healed? I'm honestly not sure. Most nights I sleep nine, ten hours, but maybe I'm still just catching up."

"I'll promise to be quiet if you'd like to get some more rest."

"You're just going to sit here and watch me?"

She smiled sheepishly and murmured, "I like watching you sleep."

"Ok..." he said slowly.

"I'm not trying to creep on you, babe. It's just..." She groaned in frustration before continuing, "My life since meeting you has been so much... more. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. But I suspect I'm not the only one who sometimes feels like they're stuck in a particularly vivid fever dream."

"I had the thought more than once that the last two months are all the result of an explosion of synapses firing simultaneously at the moment of my death."

"Does that mean I'm just a figment of your imagination?"

"Well... I hope not," he replied playfully. "But, if you are, you're certainly a gorgeous figment."

"Is that so?" she replied sultrily.

He ducked his head to take one of her nipples between his lips. She sighed in appreciation of his attention and reached for his hardening cock.

"What about..." he began.

As she sped up her efforts to bring him fully erect, she murmured, "There's plenty we can do without un-tabling the matter of you fucking the whatever you called our hypothetical child into me."

"Your way with words is truly remarkable, my dear."

"Do you want to discuss my vocabulary? Or do you want to help me make use of the lube I ventured forth to acquire early this morning from the Quick Stop across the street?"

"You mean..."

Her face lit up with excitement, and she squealed, "Do I get to take your anal virginity, babe?"

"My..."

Her exuberant guffaw echoed off the room's walls. As her deafening cackles devolved into a fit of giggles, allowing her to say, "I will never forgive myself for not having a phone at the ready to capture that on video." She laughed for another moment before managing to add, "And, much as it pains me to admit this, I was actually thinking of it beingmyass that was sodomized... but I eagerly anticipate returning the favor."

She produced the aforementioned bottle of lube (he knew not from where) and knelt beside him to liberally coat his pulsing manhood. He snaked his hand between her thighs to pleasure her clit with his thumb, teasing a needy moan from her lips.

"How do you..." he began, but he fell silent as she bent over to present her exquisite ass for his inspection.

"I want you, Aaron," she hissed urgently. "Ineedyou." She turned to regard him over her shoulder and added, "Please."

He scrambled onto his knees and positioned himself behind her. He reached forward and pulled her up to mold her back against his chest. She turned to offer the kiss that he sought while her hand snaked between them to align him with her enticingly lubed entrance.

"Babe... I need..."

BANG BANG BANG

"Ignore it!" she pleaded.

BANG BANG BANG

"Open the door, Ainsley," a thunderous voice commanded through the door.

"Impossible," Riley moaned.

"What's wrong, honey?" Aaron asked as he moved to interpose himself between her and the door.

"That was my name," she breathed. "Before... everything."

"Just let me in, Ainsley," the voice implored. "I'm not here to hurt anyone. I just want to talk."

Aaron padded over to the door and chanced a glance through the peephole.

"Who's there?" she hissed from where she knelt on the bed with a sheet wrapped around her.

"A very tall man," he whispered. "I can't even see his face."

"Our time grows short, child," the voice demanded much more gently. "You have nothing to fear from me."

"Open the door," Riley instructed with a calm which belied her perplexed expression. "He won't hurt us."

Aaron took a moment to scurry around the room, collecting their clothing. He tossed those belonging to Riley in her direction as he came across them. In moments, they were reasonably prepared to receive visitors (or as prepared as one could be before the sun rose). She gave him a final nod, whereupon he opened the door to admit the largest man he had ever encountered in person.

Their guest had the musculature of a defensive end, and was so large that he had to both duck his head and twist his shoulders to enter the room. He wore a long, grey top coat over a T-shirt which was stretched nearly to the breaking point, jeans and work boots. His bright red (in truth orange) hair was worn in a short, almost military, style and he was without facial hair. His cobalt eyes scanned the room as he took a seat on the desk the way Aaron would have made use of a stool.

His gaze swung to Aaron as the latter returned from securing the door. He gave him a thorough visual inspection before nodding in apparent approval and declaring, "Well met, Custos Umbrarum," in a voice so deep the entire room seemed to vibrate when he spoke.

"Excuse me?" Aaron asked as he took a seat on the bed beside Riley and reached for her hand.

"We have little time, sir," their guest replied severely, "and I have more important matters to discuss than titles. Youarethe Custos Umbrarum, the Paladin of Shadows, and you have chosen my dearest Ainsley as your Matris Dei. And you're both in a great deal of danger."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Riley spat. "And who the fuck are you?"

"I am called Baslim, the Renegade of Rama."

"Andwhyare you in our hotel room at the ass crack of dawn?" Aaron challenged.

He sniffed the air before giving them an apologetic look. "You both have my most sincere apologies for the intrusion. But, as I said, I bear urgent tidings." He focused on Riley and declared, "You know I do not speak falsely, Ainsley. You must calm your mate."

"Honey?" Aaron asked, turning toward his companion to find her staring at their guest with wide eyed wonder. She did not, however, say a word. Aaron turned back to the giant and snapped, "What did you do to her?"

"She has not been harmed Custos Umbrarum. I suspect she is simply in shock. It should pass..."

"Whoareyou?" Riley gritted out. "No titles, no bullshit. How did you find me, and how do you know that name?"

"You were born at midnight on the Winter Solstice of the penultimate year of the second century by Christian reckoning. Your mother and her husband Christened you Ainsley Jordan Campbell on the thirteenth day of March in the following year. As for the question of how I found you, that relates in part to why I am here.

"As for your remaining question, I suspect you already know the answer to that. But, in deference to your mate's confused expression... I am your sire."

"That can't be. My father is Nathan Campbell."

"Child," Baslim said gently. "Your father is a short, corpulent man with a swarthy complexion. How could you have come from his loins?"

"But how..."

"We don't have time for the woeful story of your conception."

"Then give me the fucking condensed version... Dad."

Baslim sighed wearily before conceding. "I was in Austin attending to... an unrelated matter. Upon arriving at my chosen lodging for the evening I was... accosted by your mother. It would seem that she and Mr. Campbell had had a bit of a row, and she had taken her leave of the marital home. I suspect she had been at the hotel bar for quite some time when she took notice of my negotiation with the desk clerk. She convinced me to accompany her back to the bar and proceeded to attempt to get me drunk. When her attempts to ply me with alcohol failed, her own level of inebriation emboldened her to make plain her intentions. Your mother was a very attractive woman at the time, at least on the outside, so I agreed to her proposal."

"So, you just took my mom up to her hotel room and fucking impregnated her without so much as a 'by your leave'?" Riley demanded.

"She suggested, rather enthusiastically, that we forgo the use of protection. When I refused, she reluctantly provided prophylactics. My suspicion was that she had altered them in advance. It was not until I sensed the moment of your birth that I became aware of her deception."

"How could you have sensed..."

"You already know the answer to that, child."

"Then... you're an... angel?"

"As I said, I am the Renegade of Rama. My sire is a seraphim, making me an apostate... a nephilim."

She regarded him with a suspicious glare and said, "Prove it."

"I'll not risk all our lives by doing something so reckless as dropping my concealment. In any case, I have already provided more than enough information to establish my bona fides."

A tense silence bloomed, prompting Aaron to ask, "Why are you here?"

"It has become clear to me that I must provide for you the same service my sire provided for me; to arm your mate with the knowledge she'll need to stay hidden from those who would smite you simply for existing."

"I thought angels only hunted demigods like yourself."

"You have far more dangerous enemies than angels, Custos Umbrarum."

"I don't suppose you could call me Aaron? And, while we're at it, my companion (who, incidentally, it is presumptuous to refer to as either my mate, or the Matris Dei) is named Riley."

"Riley then," Baslim conceded severely. "Now, if we have at last dispensed with the preliminaries..."

"You still haven't told us why you're here," Aaron countered.

"For the first thirteen years of my life, I had no inkling as to my provenance. My mother never hid from me the high esteem in which she held my sire, despite the fact that they had only been together for a fortnight. But the community in which I was raised did not tolerate unwed mothers, so to everyone outside out household, I was the product of rape during a particularly brutal winter during which there was a memorable amount of banditry.

"Then I hit what is called, in modern parlance, a growth spurt. To a congregation already primed to treat everything outside their understanding with suspicion, this was tantamount to a conviction. She was convicted of witchcraft and hung, along with eighteen of her equally innocent neighbors and I was imprisoned. I suspect my jailors hoped I would perish in prison, considering they neglected to feed me for several weeks.

"My sire decided to intervene, although he was never entirely clear on his reasoning. He removed me from that place while I slept. By the time I woke, we were far from Salem..."

"Wait!" Riley barked. "Are you telling me my grandmother was one of the women murdered in the Salem witch trials?"

"I'd thank you not to romanticize mass murder," he growled, showing his first inkling of being in possession of emotions.

"I didn't mean to be disrespectful," she replied gently. "It's just... shocking."

"Your grandmother was a kind and gentle woman who loved without reservation, and was killed by those whom she thought shared her faith. Her life was a tragedy from start to finish, including (and most especially) the fact that she died convinced she was bound for Heaven because she had repented her sins.

"After my sire rescued me, he transported me to what was then called the Orient. He told me I would spend my life hunted and feared, and suggested it would likely save everyone quite a bit of trouble if I were to make peace with my fate and commit seppuku. When I refused, he imparted my birthright and indentured me to a geisha of the middle rank. She saw to my education in return for my services as a bodyguard."

The couple on the bed spoke over each other as Aaron inquired, "What was your birthright?" while Riley asked, "What happened to your father?"

"I have seen him twice in the intervening years. Neither interaction was particularly pleasant... for either of us. As for my daughter's birthright, that is between her and I."

"I have no secrets from Aaron," Riley interjected without hesitation.

"But he said you are not yet mated."

Riley pointed a withering gaze in her sire's direction and snapped, "Perhaps you should have waited until sunup. As for the whole quote, unquote, Matris Dei bullshit, let's just say I'm giving the matter serious consideration."

"You would be wise to refuse this burden, child. The forces aligned against you number in the billions."

"I refuse to believe that a billion people are eager and willing to kill not only themselves, but their children and everyone they've ever known."

"You forget... the monotheists have spent the last fifteen hundred years distorting the true Word of Yahweh to serve their avarice. Not that it matters much in this day and age. Few of those working hardest to trigger the Apocalypse even believe such a thing is possible. They are in it for financial gain. Take Jerome Clark, the founder of Thessalonians, Unlimited. He hasn't darkened the door of a cathedral or temple in forty years, yet his media outlets are amongst the strongest supporters of the groups attempting to bring about the end of Creation.

"Even now, your enemies are growing in number, and they will stop at nothing to kill the Matris Dei before she can create the Emet Qedem."

"That's not going to happen," Aaron growled.

"And how do you intend to protect her?" Baslim rumbled. "You've already both been shot. Your healing abilities are indeed formidable, Custos Umbrarum, but I assure you that you are both far from invulnerable." He turned to Riley and insisted, "You must leave him child, before it's too late."

"No," she declared with steely resolve. "I won't do it."

"Then there is little I can do," the giant replied as he rose to his full, towering height.

"What about this birthright?" she demanded.

"Indeed," he conceded. "Before he abandoned me, my sire told me that if I was ever discovered by an angel during their frequent trips to this realm, they would smite me on sight. He was unapologetic about his pronouncement, even managing to convey that he thought it quite gauche that I did not thankhimfor not smiting me. It is ironic the dim view immortals take upon their children, considering how fond they are of taking human lovers." He turned to Riley and offered, "That is one of the reasons I was so careful with your mother, and why I was so vexed when I found out she had deceived me.

"In truth, I imparted a portion of your birthright when you lay dying with complications from your pregnancy. I unlocked a small sliver of the power inherent in your blood, enough to sustain you and obscure you from their wickedness.

"I followed you to this place intent on imparting what remained of your birthright if you refused to listen to reason." He gave Aaron a long look before returning his attention to Riley and continuing, "But it would seem that I have made a trip in vain."

"What are you talking about?"

"The ancient texts have little to say about you or your mate, child. They focus instead on the Emet Qedem. All things considered, I should not be surprised to discover that the Paladin of Shadows would have the power to unlock your birthright."

Riley's face scrunched up in confusion and she wheezed, "Are you talking about the thing last night where we both transformed?"

"Remarkable," Baslim replied. "I would have thought it impossible for a creature merely one-eighth incubus to transform. But, then again, nearly everything about you is an impossibility, Custos Umbrarum. I have killed countless of your demonic brethren throughout the ages, driven into a mindless rage by their mere presence. Yet with you... I only perceive a mild mistrust, likely driven in large part by the knowledge of what you intended to do to my daughter had I not interrupted this morning."

"Now listen here..." Riley growled. "I'm a grown..."

Baslim interrupted with a calming tone. "You need not defend your choices to me, child. I am simply speaking the truth. I harbor your mate no ill will. For all the good it will do in your doomed quest."

"Well get the fuck out then," she snarled. "If you're not going to help us, then I'm tired of listening to your shit."

"What of your birthright?" Aaron interposed gently.

She swung her gaze in Baslim's direction and said, "He said you unlocked it with your huge cock which, by the way, I can't wait for you to cram into my ass the second he leaves."

"You cannot shock me, child. Nor can you offend me. As I said, I regret the interruption, and the implication that I hold either of you in anything less than the highest esteem. The truth is, after my true nature was revealed to me by my sire, I made a vow that I would not impose this burden on a child. Your mother's deception, in addition to serving as a lifelong insult to her husband, also robbed me of the chance to learn that which your mate knows inherently: how to be a father. I was unprepared for the protectiveness I felt with respect to you when I met him, and that caused me to behave coarsely. I deeply regret the offense I have caused and ask for forgiveness from each of you."