Aberrant: Dead Rising - (A)Typical Day: James [Maybe Mature] {Finished}

[Courier]

Olympus Two or three weeks after Chapter 12c: Fallout Baby

James woke up and surveyed the situation. He didn't zombies, blood, or combat. He wasn't injured. He was in bed with Nashwa, who was naked and asleep. This was an Olympus' sleeping area. No sun and no changes in temperature made telling time impossible but a clock proclaimed 2:55 am.

He could afford to be lazy in bed for a bit. 3am was a time to consider life and review the larger situation.

His social status among the Olympians was fine, ditto his family's. He wasn't the only god to have 'favored mortals' although he took it a lot further than anyone else. Not so shockingly, just like at Fox's, the supers were first class citizens, select normals were second, and everyone else was third.

No one else called a mortal 'wife' but with four he was less of a threat to the existing social order than he would have been with only one. His motivations were understandable and he didn't sleep with the common herd. Everyone was interested whether his and Nashwa’s kid would be a god. The other gods probably wouldn't have disputed anything even if James/Ares had been the god of basket weaving and not war & violence.

Probably. Parts of the whole set up still seemed pretty 'cult-ish', which didn't speak well for its long term stability. Cults eventually got ripped apart because of people abusing power. If this was a cult. His ex-girlfriend's text books hadn't covered walking gods.

And that wasn't what he was avoiding thinking about. Nashwa refocused him by inhaling. He'd screwed Nashwa's brains out last night, he liked to make a production of evening sex to encourage it. He didn’t have a choice, for James 2:55am counted as a full night's sleep. A new side effect of his powers was chronic insomnia. He could only get about 4 hours of sleep, and that only if he got laid first.

This was a family secret. Helen had asked him what happened if none of the girls felt like sleeping with him and he'd replied if he was on the outs with all four of them then he'd deserve to be sleepless. Thus far that hadn't happened, one night out of four was less than twice a week, and all of the girls were 'more than twice a week' kind of gals which translated to ‘more than once a day’ for him.

What he was avoiding thinking about was, "was he a rapist?".

He wanted to blame V for that line of thought. It bothered him that Jill and Violet were the only other 'mixed' couple he knew, and V’s entire relationship with Jill had been disturbing even before the break up. Maybe, hopefully he didn't have much to learn from them, but... Jill had been obsessed, manipulated, controlled, but the word he didn't want to think about was 'addicted'. Jill had acted like she was addicted to Violet.

It wasn’t just, or even mostly the empathy. Violet had a 'forceful personality', and he come to accept that he did too.

He'd pulled JoAnna and Jill off a roof, saved their lives multiple times. The sisters decided to share him; he'd assumed there was some 'sister' dynamic he didn't understand. Then V stole Jill, Jo and he realized their relationship didn't work without someone else, and he/they had put out three offers.

And all three had accepted.

Nashwa hadn't seemed unusual. He'd saved her life, more than once, and she hadn't minded sharing him. Unusual woman, but he met lots of people, even saved the lives of lots of people.

Janella and Helen had been fresh out of a rape camp.

Having just gotten away from being raped and tortured by powerful men, they hook up with the most powerful man imaginable? Someone with whom they're literally helpless? Put that way the whole thing seemed impossible.

There were counter arguments. He'd used his enhanced senses to find the least damaged and most healthy of the camp's survivors. Jan and Helen both had personal reasons, personal history, and James did offer a lot. They might have been attracted to the idea splitting a man four ways, letting the girls gang up on him. Maybe they told themselves that with a four way split they'd be having less sex than in a normal relationship. Maybe he was tapping core survival instincts about mating with the strong.

Right; and all the other women from Paradise who'd also offered themselves to him thought the same thing. The counter arguments were less than convincing.

If he was honest, his current situation had a lot to do with 'Forceful Personalities'.

What were the girls doing in bed with him? Making love to their husband? Worshiping their god? Pleasing their master? Getting their fix??? Maybe all of those?

And, what did he want to do about the situation?

James looked over at Nashwa and eyed the gentle swell where their child grew. He reached over and cupped Nashwa's breast. In her sleep she smiled and put her hand over his. After a moment he took his hand away, she needed more sleep even if he didn't. He wanted to get all of them pregnant. Watch their bodies grow with his children and their breasts swell with mother’s milk.

James mentally sighed. He liked having sex two or more times a day. He liked having the girls naked and mindless with desire beneath him, and just as importantly, they liked that too.

What worried him was whether or not this was destructive in the long run. Addiction was a loaded word, coffee and crack were both addicting but people could function fine for decades with the former. He wanted to make sure he and the girls didn't end as poorly as Violet and Jill, but he wasn't going to let a philosophical argument destroy his family. He wasn't even sure he had much to learn from V, she'd been messed up long before Z-day. If he wanted to worry about something he should be worrying about how long Nashwa could have work outs like the one they'd had last night.

Thus far Nashwa was happy being pregnant; Jan and Helen were happy in his bed.

JoAnna... JoAnna was having issues, but there again they went back to V and Jill's crack up.

Jill had tried to kill herself with zombies and instead had become a super. It was like she'd stolen JoAnna's destiny. Jo said she was happy for her sister, and maybe she was, but it was probably a good thing Jill had stayed behind. James had no clue what to do about Jo. She'd been seducing him more often but he wasn't sure that was a good sign.

James checked the clock which now said it was 3:15am. Taking care not to wake up Nashwa, he got up.

[Courier]

Stealthily, James dressed and checked up on everyone.

Jan and Helen were in bed together. They weren't lovers, Helen just disliked sleeping alone. She had demons over from 'Paradise' and from even before that, they sometimes gave her nightmares. She might also have a touch of claustrophobia aggravated by living in a cave.

James studied Helen for a moment. Blond. Attractive, maybe gorgeous since Myf healed her face. On paper she’d been well placed to survive Z-day. Country girl, a brand new vet with a large family. She'd lost most of them from various mishaps before Paradise finished the job. James was her third or fourth boyfriend since Z-day. He had to respect her strength of will and ability to pick herself up and go on. The bastards at 'Paradise' hadn't broken her, but they'd tried. Or maybe burning half her face off was their idea of going easy out of respect for her medical skills. James didn't believe she'd actually injured one of them, he thought that a fiction she created to stay sane. The other women looked up to Helen, in some ways she was the leader of the group.

Janella was just the opposite. Hispanic. Gorgeous… very gorgeous, when the Prison fell she’d caught his eye. On paper Jan was a long, long shot to survive. Weaker willed, no survival skills, in Paradise on Z-day, and her only 'family' an evil husband she hated who’d become a prison guard to abuse power. With all that, she'd come through Paradise with fewer scars. Insert parable about bending with the wind, or something about social skills. But it hadn't escaped his notice that tactically she was doing what she'd done in Paradise.

In 'Paradise' Jan had allied with women and manipulated a murderous husband to avoid the worst. Her husband had been third banana or so, he'd had the advantage of being evil before Z-day. Sick son of a bitch. Jan had been able to look him in the eye and say she'd loved him, sort of like she did with James.

That line of thought could only lead to trouble.

JoAnna slept alone... although he had a date to 'wash her back' later if he wasn't out playing Han's Hand. He was worried about her. Olympus drove home that there were supers and there were non-supers, and she was a non. She really, really, really wanted to join the golden crowd. And then Jill had gone and done so. Stolen Density was too apt a phrase. Jill had beaten the odds, and JoAnna was playing and replaying the how and why of it. Exchanging bodily fluids with him was part of that. He half expected her to seduce Violet, if it happened he would... Not want to know? Forgive her? Love to watch? Maybe take part? He loved Jo but his feeling towards V were still a jumble.

And then there was Pat and sleeping on a mat below her, Irina. Irina had a last name but it was Russian or something and it slipped through his head. The Coven had comforted her after her boyfriend Byron died, and in return she'd hadn't so much joined the Coven as adopted them, cat like. Cupboard love? You feed me so I love you? James wasn't sure he wanted to get inside her head, she seemed happy serving the group of them, especially the one pregnant with a god’s child. For the life of him James couldn't decide if she was broken or not. Nice rack, he wouldn't be using it though.

James looked in again on Nashwa who hadn't changed in the last few minutes. She was still pretty, pregnant, in love with him, and he'd decided, incapable of accidently destroying cities.

That last was new. He'd first run into Pat and Nashwa in the city of Norman, in which Pat claimed she'd found a magic spell which permanently made the zoms run away. Pat looked amazingly human for a super. The 'magic spell' hadn't worked on demand and had been a curse. Nashwa and he had been unable to figure out it's edge. Everyone in Norman fled rather than slowly die and convert into zoms. James had thought Pat the strongest Super he'd met, then he'd thought she'd found something akin to a nuclear researcher. Myf had laughed at the idea of magic working and said there had to be a super around somewhere.

The coven hadn't managed to create more magic and Nashwa looked a lot more super-ish than Pat. She also might reasonably let her adoptive mother (elder sister?) take credit. Thankfully James had never mentioned his wild thought. Thus no worrying JoAnna that someone was stealing her thunder, and no worrying Nashwa that he was only screwing her because he thought she was a closet super. It'd taken months of worrying and watching Nashwa to see if she had an ace up her sleeve, but he'd come up with another idea. He'd finally realized Myf had been right, she just hadn't seen the implications of what she'd said.

Pat and Nashwa were baselines and always had been. Coven magic had never worked. Norman had a permanent death field... which moved around. Ergo there was a super zombie somewhere in Norman.

Survey complete, James left to look for Han and Violet/Venus. Neither of them slept, they'd be up. Han might send James off somewhere depending on time zones and scheduling. James/Ares was a one man army and he worked well as Han's hand. He'd clear areas of zombies so the others could come in and loot places, etc. That might happen, but first he needed to talk. It was time. He'd put off this discussion waiting to see if JoAnna wanted to follow Nashwa's route and attract attention by carrying his child, but she didn't and it wouldn't be enough anyway.

[Venus]

It didn’t take long for Venus to get accustomed to Olympus. She was treated like a queen and enjoyed the attention very much. Within the first week she had stopped thinking about the Refuge and another week later only her emotional ties to Kristin, Dan and Jill lingered.

She didn’t have a bad conscience – it was her own decision to leave and comparing the last weeks here to her time at the Refuge made Olympus look very much like Paradise. It also helped a lot that James and the Covenant decided to come with her. If only Kristin, Jill and Dan would come, too...

Sighing Venus got out of her bed. Han was sleeping and she gave him a gentle kiss as she dreamily smiled at him. He was her saviour, her King and she was grateful for everything he did for her. Even here at Olympus his prime concern was to keep her save and happy although his duties often demanded him to be absent but she always had some company, always had a way to satisfy her needs and wants.

The voluptous Goddess was only wearing a silken negligé which was pretty much completely see-through and only covered her immense bosom. The long flowing garment reached down to her ankles caressing her breathtaking body with gentle kisses and revealing her bulging belly which she carefully held with her hands. It was amazing how she could feel and tell what her unborn children were doing and with each passing week she discovered new things they were learning and experiencing. It was a pity that she couldn’t share this with Myfwany although maybe there was a way to meet with her and have another check-up? Han surely wouldn’t object.

They could take Nashwa with them and see how she was doing, too – it would be a reasonable request. Venus focused briefly and could tell that James probably wasn’t sleeping. Even if he did, waking him up surely wouldn’t bother him...

Venus almost bumped into James who was already on his way to meet her. She flashed him her trademark smile and opened her mouth slightly, teasingly as if to greet him with a kiss but then she just put one hand on his broadly muscled chest looking at him expectantly. “Hey lover, I was on my way to see you – is this a coincidence?”

[Courier]

James looked at Venus and put his hand on top of hers, holding it against him. Pregnant or not, V was still amazingly hot. This time of the morning was a dangerous time for him. Everyone else was asleep, he could whisk V off to a secluded spot and no one would know. He'd had this conversation with himself before and as usual, he decided he'd know. Maybe some day he wouldn't care, but not today. A quiet voice whispered to him that maybe some day his wives wouldn't care and he shook that off.

James reluctantly let V's hand go and decided, again, that this was another reason to sleep with his wives nightly. If he hadn't been with Nashwa a few hours ago...

James refocused on why he'd originally been looking for V and tried again. He said, "Hey yourself. And yeah, I've got a big idea for you, let's go somewhere and talk. How'd you like to save the world?"

[Courier]

While Venus considered how to reply, James' stomach loudly rumbled. The more things changed, the more they remained the same.

Venus suggested seductively, “Breakfast first? You’re a man of strong appetites. We should feed some of them.”

James said, “Sure.” Venus took James’ arm as they walked, just like old time.

James thought, She wasn’t offering to feed those other appetites, that’s just her way.

In passing, James scowled at the tunnel branch which led to Tartarus.

Sensing James’ change in mood, Venus asked, “Problem?”

James replied, “Just bad memories.”

Everyone knew about Tartarus. Mortals who broke the law were sentenced there. Most people had never been there; it's Hell after all and rather dangerous. The gods make regular patrols down there, to keep the prisoners from getting too clever.

Tartarus was a place of darkness and false hope. James had been there, mostly it was an unfinished set of caves and mineshafts. One of the nasty parts was supposedly there was an exit to the surface world hidden there. That was probably a false rumor to encourage malcontents to go stumbling around in the darkness. If James with amazingly appropriate enhanced senses couldn’t get a hint of an exit in a few days, then it didn’t exist.

During his first few days he'd gone in and played 'clean up', i.e. kill all the zoms while Tartarus was unoccupied. He'd gotten them all and made sure there was no exit. Maybe. In James opinion Tartarus was a bad idea. If you’re going to build a prison, and to be fair, this place was big enough to need one, then just build a prison. Tartarus was a 'put people in darkness and see if they reform' type of thing. James thought Han should lean more heavily on 'exile as an option' but it wasn't his call. The outside world was hell enough, they didn't need to create a 'junior-hell-lite' here.

James also didn’t like the idea of even a potential entrance being around without his knowledge, but there were miles and miles of tunnels down there and he hadn’t smelled the surface. Going back and checking up on everything was on his list of things to do, but it was a low enough priority he never seemed to get to it. In the back of his mind he wondered if he wasn't shirking, but so far no one had complained. Bluntly his time was better spent doing other things, patrolling Tartarus was more a job for one of the weaker gods. That attitude might come back and bite him.

The day he and V had shown up, 'Phobos', aka 'Martin' had staged a Tartarus prison break and killed his way out.

An uncomfortable number of details were still unknown. Han had found a group of mortals in an unsurvivable situation and brought them here. Martin had been a malcontent and/or potential revolutionary or some such and had been put in Tartarus. Martin had turned out to be a god, had blow up the ammo dump, stolen Herc's sword, and killed Artemis and Bast on his way out. In addition it turned out someone had set loose the Z in Tartarus.

Exactly who had done what and in what order was unclear.

Bast died late in the game in the fight over the ammo, probably before James had been buried. By that time everything was in motion, probably she hadn't known anything more than James did now.

However Artemis died in Tartarus. What had she interrupted? Seen? Done? Too many questions.

When did Phobos become? How long had he hidden what he was? If he wanted out, why not just ask? Phobos lost followers in the fight and left others behind. Han's policy of not fighting gods was well known and the entire system was pretty 'god-friendly', too much so in James' opinion.

Who let loose the Z in Tartarus, and when did they do so? A super could keep Z samples on himself without fear of infection.

All of this added up in some uncomfortable ways, James had seen other people take plays from this insane book before. The Nillist. Gabriel. Sneak into a base, let the Z loose, kill everyone to end the world.

Taranis still couldn't remember/think about what had happened without breaking down, but as far as James could tell, nothing had actually happened. Physically Martin was a 15 year old kid. Phobos was Martin with weird eyes. Phobos/Martin's powers was apparently twisting people's heads. V-like but with fear rather than lust.

What kind of person ends up with head twisting powers? Someone like Hornsbeck? And if you're a sadist who looks like a 15 year old and who is into head games, what do you do? Or more specifically, what do you do if, like V and the Nillist, you can shift your shape a little?

The mortals Han picked up who were going to die, did they adopt a poor 15 year old and then have things fall apart on them? Key people got infected with the Z and/or go insane? Did Martin deliberately get himself sent into prison knowing that he could fire up a civil war and whip up some zoms? Perhaps Artemis interrupted something?

One of the things which stood out was, regardless of his background, if Martin had simply left, although he could have taken whoever he wanted with him and kept the body count down, he wouldn't know where the refuge was. Of course someone like Hornsbeck or the Nillist would view keeping the body count down as a disadvantage. Martin had sacrificed his people and killed so he'd be able to come back and kill some more. At some point that was going to be a problem.

James let his mind turn away from Tartarus, as usual he had more important things to do, like saving the world.

[Courier]

James glanced at his companion and had to not let his thoughts wander. Even this much pregnant, V was breathtakingly hot. She didn't quite need to waddle yet but when she did she'd still be breaking hearts... or indulging them. And they were alone, and no one else was around...

And he really shouldn't let himself think like that. Fire and gasoline mixed well until they didn't. Think grim thoughts.

Grim... like V leaving him for Dan?

Even that thought had lost some of it's edge. Effectively V had left Dan for Han and perhaps James. She was carrying Dan's children though...

...if they were Dan's.

Now there was a thought to torture himself with. How long was it between V leaving James and V getting pregnant? How long could James' seed survive?

Long enough?

That was a question he didn't dare ask. Hell that was a thought he didn't even dare think to himself.

Nightmare fodder.

Sort of like V being pregnant with five(?) was nightmare fodder.

Normal women couldn't do that sort of thing without 'serious complications'. 'Serious complications' was doctor speak for 'all the babies were expected to die'. There were drugs which could help a lot... but back when medical science existed this was one to ten million dollars in medical bills. Meaning saving the kids in a multiple birth this large was HARD. Helen was not optimistic. The baby, not the mother, decided when to start labor.

Venus/Violet/Jennifer was a super, and a fertility based super at that. The normal rules didn't apply...

...to her. Did they apply to her children? Maybe. Maybe not.

The one person he thought could really help was Myf... who had left, and when she came back wouldn't be coming here. V might seriously regret coming here, and that's over and above Martin.

James grabbed onto that thought almost gratefully. Thinking about Martin was grim but he could worry about that with the idea of doing something.

Not that he'd "done something" before.

Herc and he had gotten to "Phobus' Exit" maybe an hour after he'd created it.

And James had done basically nothing. Two dozen mortals on foot with a one hour head start? He could have followed them easy. Tracked them easy. Found out what was going on...

...and maybe died.

Ignore two dead gods, ignore two dozen heavily armed mortals, ignore that James at the time had no clue where they were or what the local resources were, or even whether 'Phobus' was local. Ignore even that James had just been buried alive and had no gear or travel food.

At the time James had been extremely uneasy about leaving his family behind with supers he barely knew when they weren't totally sure all the hostiles were gone.

So he'd waited a day, told Han about his tracking abilities, and then he'd followed.

Tracking them was easy... until he got to the parking lot with the smell of gas fumes and the dead car battery. Martin had found and fixed transportation and left. James had tried to follow, but the road had split and then split again.

With perfect knowledge... maybe he should have followed right away. Or maybe if he had he would have gotten killed. Two dead gods with those arrows in them. The bow's name might as well be 'God Slayer'. It was a gift from the god of the forge... although it's maker claimed it couldn't do what it'd done. More mysteries.

James and V reached the cafeteria and V watched as James raided.

EDIT: Bow's name isn't God Slayer.

[Venus]

James wasn’t talking much but what he was thinking about was making strong impressions on her. Even without the link they shared Venus could’ve been able to tell that James was seriously caught in conflict about quiet a many things. Some were related to her but she was not the entire focus of his train of thoughts... although it seemed that almost everything he thought about sooner or later ended with her.

”So you mentioned something about me wanting to save the world? I must confess you made me curious although I’m not quiet sure where I fit in your world-saving-plans. You surely are putting it on thick, Ares. What is troubling your mind so much? Are you still trying to find a rational explanation for ‘us’?”, the way she pronounced us implied that she was thinking of him as her partner – as in lover – as how they used to be.

”You worry too much – if that is keeping your mind busy. I’m feeling great and the babies are doing just fine. I’m getting more and more excited with each passing day and can’t wait to see them. Did you know that I can exactly tell who is who and what they are doing and... well, sort of thinking? It’s amazing to have such an emotional bond and tie to them – especially to her.”, she was gently patting her belly as she spoke while her eyes searched his’ trying to find more clues about what was keeping him so troubled. There were too many factors for her to tell for sure what was going on. He brushed so many topics it was hard to tell when he stopped worrying about one thing and starting worrying about the next. And being alone with him and the temptation to give into his desires was a recurring theme.

Venus smiled at that thought, enjoying herself far too much to let him in on her amusement. Instead she gave him one of her irresistable smiles that made most simple men lose their minds and do whatever she wanted of them.

”Aren’t we already saving the world, Ares? Each day a little more?”

[Courier]

James had found what was left of a chicken and was finishing it off. Was refrigeration a gift from Vulcan? Then V spoke.

Venus had a way of refocusing the mind (or was that other parts of him?). Her claim of feeling great assuaged one of his fears, he could bury that one for a little while again.

James waved a drumstick around and replied easily, half humorously, "Rationality is over rated." That was true. Would a rational man claim this many women? Would a rational man see the coming end and still strive against it?

Venus could feel James focus and get more serious, this was what he'd wanted to say, and there was weight to these thoughts. James said, "How many pregnant woman are here V? It's just you three, right? Two if we discount Nashwa. Mortal women can't have children without your help. In a year this community will have 7 babies. In twenty years, your children will have to work hard to find mates who aren't their brothers and sisters."

James continued, "But there are what, 300 mortal women here? Maybe 250 of child baring age? How many could you process in a day? Enough, right? Rather than 7 children in a year, why not a hundred? And as long as we're thinking big, why stop with this community? Why not try to get Fox, and all the other communities doing the same thing?"

[Venus]

The self proclaimed Goddess of Beauty gave the whole concept Ares was presenting a brief regard before she decided to sit down and let that sink in.

”You surely know how to put things into perspective, Ares.”, Venus took a deep breath making her already huge breasts swell even larger. It seemed a miracle itself that the lingerie she was wearing didn’t rip under the extreme stress it was enduring.

”To answer your question – yes I could. But I’m not sure if I should or to put into context – I doubt my offer would find much acceptance. Even you have trouble dealing with the truth since most men consider their women as their ‘possession’. If someone wants to receive my blessings he or she needs to have sex with me. Now how many are willing to do that sacrifice for humanity’s sake? And I don’t know if I even want to offer this to any other community than ours. I can already hear the folks at the Refuge calling me bad names and claiming I’m a witch who brought down their infertility in the first place. People are fast to judge – especially if I’m involved.”

Venus reached out with one hand to take James’ in hers, leaning forward ever so slightly and brushing the table with her mighty bosom. ”One of the reasons I left the Refuge was to get away from all that. Here – I’m accepted for who I am. I’m sure many will seek out my blessings if they truly want to but I’m not going to advertise. Ask yourself, Ares and I mean the bare truth – can you live without envy and second thoughts if the only solution to have progeny is to let your partner have sex with me? How many men and women can live with that knowledge on their conscience if one of the last things they believe in is their faith for example? I tried to explain this to Dan and he couldn’t accept it and I know you are struggling, too. But the truth is, I’m not yours, I’m not Dan’s and I’m also not Han’s. I am Venus. You can’t possess me – I am not exclusive. I chose who I love – when I want and where I want.”, her words weren’t meant to be aggressive but she seemed to have made up her mind about this issue and wasn’t unaware of James’ implications.

If they had lived in a simple world his idea might just work out but things always got complicated, especially when Venus was involved. There was no easy solution and when love was part of the game... someone would always end up hurt.

Venus looked at James, her amazing sparkling eyes thoroughly exploring his’. That look could mean so much – it said love me, it felt like admiration but also lust and desire. It all mixed into one immensely intense sensation, a feeling that was almost overwhelming if Venus decided to put on the heat. She loved him, there was no doubt but she also had acquired something like independency. A free spirit who knew what she wanted with powers to change the world at her hands...

[Courier]

V could feel James surprise at the sexual side of Venus' fertility powers and she could feel him mull it over. This was an important matter, too important for quick thinking 'foot-in-mouth'. How did he feel about V and Nashwa right now? Indifferent. Lesbian sex was something you watched in a porn movie. There was a 'reality' lacking.

If sex was needed, then it was needed and that was that. Although... what if ALL mortals were sterile, not just the women? Kristen's kid could be that speed-sadist's. V would have to three way all mortal couples. Would/could he share V with another man twice a day?

She wasn't his, they weren't together. Make that, if they were still together, would/could he share V with another man twice a day?

:sigh:

If he wanted his future family tree to fork, he'd have to.

Finally James said, "I think I'll always have envy and second thoughts about and around you. I think ownership is implied in a serious relationship, I know you don't agree. But that's between you and me. You and Nashwa? That's... I don't know. Nothing. Irrelevant."

James continued, "Ditto you and Jo. It was a non-issue before the whole 'children' thing." James smiled with a humor wasn't quite in his eyes and said, "Tell me if I want to have kids, I need to have sex with the goddess of beauty and sex, and I'm going to suspiciously ask, 'what's the catch?'. I think most people are the same. Seriously. You're not getting women pregnant with some other man and you're beautiful enough to seduce trees."

James let the other shoe drop, "Which doesn't mean you're wrong. Yeah, some people are going to condemn you. Hate you because you have what they don't." James snorted with grim amusement, "But that train has already left. You've already purchased that package. You can have children, they can't. You're not willing to change so they'll just have to lump it."

James gave a hand wave to the world outside the walls and said, "If someone has problems sleeping with you then they don't have to. It's a free world, they can say 'no'. The reverse is true, if you don't want them then you get to say no. If someone wants to cause problems beyond that then I'll put them in a box." For James this was like announcing the weather. It wasn't that he didn't care but he didn't see that he could do anything about it.

James shrugged and said, "As long as that's a menu item I don't think there will be many takers. You need a body guard, but the offer needs to be out there. I mean, I know you better than anyone and I had no clue. Nashwa was there and she wasn't sure. Unless the offer is public there won't be any takers. And. Humanity. Will. Become. Extinct." This was the ultimate darkness that James could see over the horizon.

James wrapped up saying, "Neither of us will live to see that happen, but you'll live long enough to see your sons and daughters becoming husband and wife. Next year you'll be mother to five sevenths of the new generation. You're already planning on doing the same thing next year. If more than half the children can call you 'mom' then that's what will happen.”

[Venus]

Venus felt the urge to lean on James’ shoulder both for her own comfort but also to comfort him. He was seriously worried about her and the survival of mankind and thought of their future on a larger scale than she envisioned. For her happiness was very immediate and even though she was now looking forward to a future with her children she didn’t put that into a larger frame – like the future of all Humanity.

”So the real question or issue isn’t about what I’m capable of or not. The question is – can you keep me safe from any possible conflicts which will surely ensue because men are too proud... and some women of course, too? I am willing to offer my blessings and like you said the reverse is the case – I get to say no if I feel threatened or obliged. I know the importance of this or I can rather sense it but really comprehend will take some time. It’s hard to imagine that the world’s fate is dependent on me and to some degree it’s even ironic. I never wanted to cause trouble or any other implied complications but I’ve been always treated with a certain prejudice – at least from most people, there are some exceptions of course but even those kept a weary eye out on me. As if I wanted to take over the world or something like that.”, her hand slowly climbed up his arm tracing along James’ massive muscles. Sometimes she seemed so innocent although it was a difficult word to associate with her. Innocence and the sexappeal, desire and lust she oozed didn’t mesh well together but if you could, just for a moment, look pass that ‘shell’ she could be considered innocent. Or Maybe Naive was better suited.

”I understand your concerns, Ares and I’m truly grateful that you are here to keep me safe and thus this community. But I don’t want to stir up some kind of struggle if word spreads that the only way for humanity to survive is being one of the exalted or receive my blessings. What would happen if other communities learned about this? I think it is more likely that someone will try to kidnap me or threaten those I love. We should focus on us – on Olympus. Make sure we survive, make sure that our progeny is plenty and when we are strong enough to fend off any would be attackers – then we can start to share. On our terms. Until then I rather prefer keeping this a secret. I hope you understand.”

[Courier]

As usual, V was amazingly convincing... and distracting. James decided he'd made a lot of progress and he'd quit while he was ahead. She was right about other communities and the issues they'd raise.

James trapped V's hand on him and said, "Safety first. I think we'll have to expand eventually but you're right, there's a ton of issues and I don't have all the answers. We've got a lot more control and backing here, we can revisit this later after we have a better idea what we're doing."

James relaxed marginally. This was going to work, there was a known way to avoid the upcoming extermination of humanity. Maybe.

James stroked V's hand with his thumb. No one else was around, he could... Focus.

James said, "So... how do we go forward with this? Make an announcement? Post something? 'Any couples who which to have children, see Venus'?

[Venus]

Venus slowly stood up and walked around James until she was standing behind him, then she gently started to massage his broad shoulders while she shared her thoughts.

"People will learn about my gifts soon enough - there is no reason to overreact. I strongly believe that those who want to have children are failing will sooner or later come to me. And once the first have received my blessings it'll spread like a fire. We won't have to announce anything, Ares. We simply are. I also believe I'm not at the limit for my potential. I had a small glimpse f what I am capable of and with more time I'm sure our progeny will grow up to be excel us. Ares...", Venus stopped briefly to gather her thoughts and lend the following statement more meaning.

"Don't try to rush things. I had more than my share of trouble in very little time - I don't want to stumble into another overreacted and impulse ridden decision. I am going to be a mother soon. A mother of quintuplets. I'm going to need all the help I can get. I need support from the Covenant but also from the other Gods of Olympus. My children will path a new way for all of us. They will change the face of our world and we have to make sure they can prosper and grow to their full potential. In order to achieve this we must keep a low profile. Why do you think Han is keeping the Location of Olympus a secret?“

Her hands were slowly tracing down his back as until she reached his lower back, then her hands slowly travelled towards his groin caressing his inner thighs with her fingernails.

“You need to unwind, Ares. Han is having a plan and all we need to do is trust and follow him. All I want you to do is keep us safe. Don’t take any unnecessary risks, ok?“, she could feel his arousal but didn’t make any further advances. Instead she waited for his initiative – if he wanted she would indulge his desire, his need to vent. James could feel her heavy breasts brushing against his back. There was simply no space left between him and her, actually her abundance was struggling to find space up around her arms and to the sides making her mighty bosom bulge ominously out of her negligé. She was pracitcally naked and he could feel it.

[Courier]

V pressed against him, only a wisp of cloth between them, James stiffened and became aroused. V's touch was innocent heaven and sinfully skilled. He knew from experience it'd only get better. This wasn't a mannerism, she was offering. Not sex, exactly, probably more like heavy petting and a blow job.

Because a blow job wasn't sex, and he'd be able to restrain himself and not set them both on fire. Her pregnancy was a little limiting but they could...

The last time he'd had that offer was from Byron. The last time he'd made an offer like this to V, he'd just had sex Jill, and V dumped him.

It wasn't like James to be indecisive. He wanted/didn't want this. He warred with and against his lust, he teetered on the edge. It'd be easy to push him over. He wanted her, badly, but also felt it'd be wrong.

James erection tore his pants and he looked down in dismay/surprise/embarrassment.

[Venus]

Venus could feel the struggle he went through and her intention wasn’t to cause him any discomfort. She slowly removed her hands, very reluctantly so and settled them back on his back leaning somewhat over his right shoulder and giving him a gentle kiss on his cheek. She could see his raging hard-on and smiled softly as she purred into his ear, “Oh Ares, how much I’d love to ease your mind but you focus too much on things you have little control over. I can feel how much you want me and yet you try to fight it...“, it was taking quiet some self-control herself to not give in to the lust she was feeling but she knew that keeping Ares in this state was the key to control him completely.

Her hands were now slowly reaching down his chest as she hugged him intimately.

“You’ll be always special for me, Ares. No matter what. I hope you’ll see and understand one day what this means. Until then I shall respect your... objections.“, she sent a tiny ‘impulse’ of her own lust down his spine, like an adrenaline spike and enjoyed the immediate response it had on his cock as it tried to get even harder... but there would be no release unless he wanted it.

Really wanted it – without regrets or second thoughts.

Venus slowly withdrew from him hugging herself and savoring some of the warmth of the embrace. She would simply wait. Sooner or later he would come to her, it was inevitable.

Rolling Willpower to resist Lusty Flaw

Roll: [7, 9, 1, 6, 5, 4]-1. Total Successes: 1 with modifier.

[Courier]

Not trusting himself to speak, or even think, James turned and walked out of the room. It was cold shower time.

A few minutes later, with cold cavern water washing over his clothed form, he trusted himself to think again. Nuts that a guy with four wives was sexually frustrated.

So, did he need a fifth wife?

...A fifth wife? Why not come out and say, did he want V back?

Want? Yes. Willing to tolerate his wife with other men? Hell no. And that was over and above what his other women would think.

And there was what V wanted (clearly not that), and that them-together was a total disaster last time. And all of this self awareness CRAP was besides the point. If he had her all to himself then humanity went under.

Ergo V couldn't be his. Not now, not tomorrow, not 'some-day', not ever.

And he still wanted her. Dam it.

Even if she wasn't his?

...now there was a head twist of a question.

Friends with benefits? Fuck friends?

That... was wrong. Before... back in high school...

Before he wasn't dealing with a super who could control her fertility and who could take care of herself.

Somehow "take care of herself" did NOT fit well in the same sentence as "her" and before he wasn't married.

So... what he needed was to screw his ex-girlfriend occasionally, without his wives leaving him or his needing to kill V's other boyfriends.

Sure. No problem or potential for problems there. Nothing easier.

...

...

...maybe

[Courier]

James continued to think. If you know where you want to be... ok. Under what circumstances would my crew agree to this?

Um... if all of them were sleeping with V too.

Which is going to have to happen if they want children.

And this line of thinking is making me hard again but not saving humanity. Remember that? After everyone is awake, find one of your women, probably Jo, and screw her brains out. But in the mean time, try thinking with the other head.

OK, what did we learn? That it's hard to think around V but we already knew that, that's why we rethink all this when she's not around.

And... V just talked me out of the entire 'save humanity' plan as part of agreeing to it.

No... not quite. She's right about other communities. That's going to require serious thinking and serious planning, both by people smarter than me. Fine. As for this community...

V is willing to zap people.

It takes sex.

She's unwilling to go public and take responsibility and/or organize this. She wants people to come to her but she's not willing to tell anyone that she can do this.

So, we're still dealing with Jennifer's issues about taking responsibility. Big shock there.

OK. Fine. No problem.

Nashwa has already started the ball rolling. Questions are already starting...

Who is the biggest gossip in this place? Irina would know.

[Venus]

Venus still smiled as Ares left. She could feel the conflict he was going through and it all played out to her benefit. They both knew their fate was forever entwined and it was futile fighting it. Venus had accepted this but he was still struggling.

Han was probably still sleeping so she decided to rejoin him and see if some of the heat she was retaining from her encounter with Ares would transfer to Han. She layed down and Han instantly spooned her laying one arm around her and resting his hand between her massive breasts.

“You’ve been straying much lately – can’t sleep?”, Han asked softly.

”Everything is just fine, my love. I’m happy to be here in your arms. Nothing else matters.”