A Twist of Destiny Bk. 01

My step-daughter sat at her desk, in front of her computer. She was naked as a jay-bird, her legs splayed wide open while one hand was busy at her crotch and the other controlled her computer's mouse. The long tresses of her chestnut-brown hair dangled off her shoulders and moved in slight sympathy with the movements of her arms. With the door open I could now hear her computer's speakers clearly. She was watching- intently, I might add- another one of her favorite porn video clips. Her eyes were glued to the screen as she frigged herself vigorously and there was a glaze of expectant bliss on her face while she gently arched her back, making the muscles of her slim tummy taut. She still hadn't noticed me, so I took a few precious seconds to enjoy the sight of her nudity. Holly was a short girl, but a very voluptuous one. I'd gone shopping with her for bras on any number of occasions, so I knew that she had 34-C breasts, but to see them unclothed and so erotically thrust upward was a very real treat, one that I wouldn't soon forget. Her arms were well-toned and her thighs looked very muscular as her calves tightly wrapped themselves around the chair's legs. I could see her nipples, which were small, hard pink protrusions that capped lightly-browned, quarter-sized areolas, and I felt my mouth go both dry and moist with saliva at the same time. I'd never actually seen her naked before and it was truly something glorious to behold, a vision that will be forever etched into my memory.

I'd stared at this beautiful young creature for all of three seconds before I got my wits about me and forced myself to slowly, gently close her door. Just as the gap between the door's edge and the frame started to slim down to nothing, depriving me of this wondrous sight, I glimpsed her eyes darting in my direction in alarm. Even as I felt the doorknob softly click while the bolt slid home into the frame, I could hear Holly's chair scraping against the wooden floor of her room and heard her mutter "Shit. Shit. Shit."

My own mind echoed her sentiment and it was obvious then that I was caught. Rather than try to hide it or move on to my bedroom, I simply leaned against the hallway wall in anticipation. Within seconds Holly's door flew open and she stood in front of me, her hair disheveled, and a look of surprise, shame and confusion on her face. She'd at least taken enough time to put on a t-shirt, which was both a comfort and a disappointment, but I couldn't decide which emotion I felt more. I simply stared back at her while she tried to formulate words.

After a few awkward seconds of shared silence, she said, "Enjoy the show?"

I took a deep breath, let it out heavily and said, "I'm sorry, honey. I really am. I didn't know if you were home or not, so I was just checking to see if you were okay. I didn't mean to-"

"To spy on me?" she interjected quickly.

"I wasn't spying, sweetheart. Honestly, I wasn't. As soon as I realized what you were doing I had started to close the door. I'm sorry for interrupting you."

Holly narrowed her eyes at me for a moment and I could tell that she was trying to discern whether or not I was telling the truth. My step-daughter is, I am always proud to say, a very intelligent and shrewd young woman. In some of the arguments I've had with her over the years, she was well ahead of me and able to stump me with some good lines, surprise me with her keen intellect. I hadn't lied to her just then, so I let her scrutinize me all she wanted and waited for her reply.

Finally, she looked me in the eye and said, "I read your stories, you know."

I feigned surprise then, arched my eyebrows at her and said, "What stories?"

"The dirty ones that you posted while you were away. A friend of mine found them, showed them to me. I knew you'd written them within minutes."

I took another deep breath, trying to look apprehensive, and said, "Okay. And?"

"And..." Holly said carefully, "Should I be concerned?"

"Concerned? About what?"

"That you might want to fuck me when I'm not looking," she replied evenly.

I closed my eyes in mock exasperation and then looked back at her. "First of all, that would be rape and, no, that would never happen. I abhor that kind of thing. Second of all, what would be point of fucking you while you weren't looking? That would be rather dull."

And, for a moment, I thought I'd gotten her off her balance enough that she would decide, then and there, to swing away from me and never again entertain the thought of seducing me. But then she surprised me with the next question, one that I couldn't weasel out of so easily. "Do you want to?"

"What? Fuck you?" She nodded, her face a mask of seriousness. I shrugged a little bit. "It's crossed my mind, sure, but if I haven't tried by now what makes you think I would in the future? Besides, I love my wife, your mother, too much to betray her like that."

"And what if that wasn't an issue?" she challenged. "What if she wasn't betrayed?"

I blinked at her, my face blank. "How could she not be betrayed by my cheating on her?" I asked reasonably. I was being very careful not to necessarily reject this rather sudden advance, but I was by no means going to invite it further. If she wanted me to put my cards on the table, she'd have to do so first. In effect, I was calling her bluff.

Holly rolled her eyes and then looked upward. "Men," she muttered. Then she looked at me squarely and said, "What if I told you that she and I already talked about this and she gave me permission to try and seduce you?"

Now it was my turn to act shocked. "Are you kidding me? Holly, there is no way that would happen and we both know it. You know how sensitive the subject of infidelity is to her, after her experiences with her previous husband. She wouldn't condone me sleeping with someone else, least of all her own daughter. Yes, I wrote those stories and, yes, there might have been some fantasy involved in writing them, but I am a faithful and devoted husband. I won't cheat on the woman I love and that's final."

Holly smirked at me wryly. "But what if she gave you permission?" she persisted. "What about then?"

I shook my head at her, acting like I couldn't believe we were even having this discussion even though I knew that, eventually, it would come to pass. I had not only anticipated it, I'd actually rehearsed it in my head a thousand times in a thousand different ways. But then I shrugged at her and said, "In that case, I guess, then, it'd be up to you."

Holly seemed a little surprised at that. "You wouldn't even put up a fight?" she asked. "Not even a little one? Try to play the dutiful dad and talk sense into her?"

"Sweetheart, you know your mother almost as well as I do: she can be very persuasive. I gather that, if she was giving permission for me to do something like that, she must want me to, for some reason. And when she sets her mind on something, hardly anything can stand in her way. So, like I said, I'd probably end up being game... if you were." Those words hung there, like an albatross standing between us, and the silence was deafening as her mind whirled with possibilities and angles. I shook my head vigorously and said, "Change of subject, before either of us says or does something we'd later regret. I met with my new... leadership today. The next few days are going to be some easy orientation on the post, but next week I'll be gone, mostly for training."

"What?!" she bellowed. "We just got here!"

"I know, sweetheart. I tried to get out of it, but the orders were pretty clear. The last thing I want to do is find myself in hot water within the first week of being here, so I've got to go. The good news is that I've arranged for someone to stop by and check in on you while I'm away. If everything's all right, just let him know and he'll leave you pretty much alone. If, however, something goes wrong, don't hesitate to tell him. The Army looks after its own."

Holly folded her arms beneath her braless breasts, which visibly swelled under the hastily-donned t-shirt, and looked positively incensed. "I can't fucking believe they'd do this to us!" she growled.

"Hey," I said soothingly, "don't take it so hard. And, besides, it's not like you are gonna be forced to sit in on a bunch of brainless training sessions all week long. You'll be footloose and fancy-free while I'm away. Hell, take a trip to Paris or London- they're not far away and I'm pretty sure that you could get some transportation out there."

"But we were going to do that together," Holly protested. "Yeah, I want to see those places, but not without you there, too."

I winced slightly at that. "I'm sorry, Babygirl. I really, really am. Maybe, when I get back, we can go together. I'd still like to, but if you want to go alone I won't... actually, no, I think I'd prefer it if you waited for me to return before you go to either of those cities alone. It might not be safe."

Holly nodded in agreement. "Years ago, when I was younger and dumber, I might've argued against you on that, Dad. But by now I know you're right. I wouldn't feel safe going alone." She sighed deeply, obviously annoyed at this news. "Dammit, this sucks."

"Stipulated and seconded," I replied. "Unfortunately, it's out of my hands. But it'll only be for a week and we've got some time together until then. Maybe on the weekend we can take a short trip up to London. What do you think?"

Her face brightened a little bit at the suggestion. "And next weekend we can go to Paris?" she asked hopefully.

"I guess that all depends on how things go during the week. I'm not really clear on what the training is going to cover. They might have tests scheduled for the next week. I honestly don't know, but I promise that I'll certainly try."

Holly's face darkened a bit. "You're good at trying, Dad, but the Army's been a lot better at preventing. I thought you said that this was going to be an easy posting, that they wouldn't be putting as many demands on you here."

"Well, that's what I had been given to understand. Try to be patient, though, honey. We've only just gotten here. I'm not surprised and actually kind of expected something like this. The first few weeks or months at a new posting, from what I've heard, can sometimes be a bit hectic. Things'll calm down, though. I'm sure of it."

"You promise?" she asked, sounding more like a little girl than she had in years.

I shrugged again. "I can't promise anything when it comes to the Army, sweetheart, but I can-"

"Try," she finished dejectedly. "Yeah. I know. I've gotten kind of used to that by now."

I stepped forward and gave her a hug of consolation, momentarily forgetting the fact that she was buck naked beneath the t-shirt. When she returned the hug, I felt her arms tighten slightly around my back.

"I love you, Dad," she muttered into my chest.

I kissed the top of her scalp, noting the odd mixture of scents in her hair. It smelled of shampoo and sweat. Then I was quickly reminded of what I'd caught her doing just a short time before. "I love you, too, sweetheart. I'm sorry for ruining your... alone time."

Her embrace relaxed a little so that she could look up at me. She wore a small grin. "You could always make it up to me, you know... wanna give Mom a call? I'll bet she has something surprising to tell you." Her eyes twinkled playfully at me and I could see the daring behind them.

"Maybe later," I told her, knowing very well what she was hoping for. "Right now, though, I'm a bit hungry. Spaghetti? I'll cook if you set the table."

Our hug broke and she looked down at herself, my eyes following her gaze. The t-shirt was bunched up around her waist now and we could both see her hairless pussy on prominent display. I've seen a lot of pretty pussies in my life, but hers was easily one of the cutest, tightest-looking quims my eyes had ever had the pleasure of seeing. My cheeks flushed and I felt myself going slack-jawed at the sight. She rakishly looked back up at me and said, "You never did answer me, you know."

My eyes snapped up to meet hers in confusion. "Huh?"

"Did you enjoy the show?" she repeated. Then she pulled the t-shirt completely off her body, showing me her nakedness boldly while I stood just a foot away from her. "How about now?"

I willed myself to stay passive, to make no sudden movements at all, and just took in this unexpected vision. She bravely allowed me to visually soak it all in and dropped the shirt on the floor next to her feet. My gaze scanned up and down her nude form completely against my will, forcing me to scrutinize her every curve. Her young breasts looked firm and rode high on her chest, her skin seemed to almost glow with the special sort of radiance only a teenage girl is capable of producing and she was blessedly hairless from her neck down. It took all of my self-control to not reach out and ravish her right then. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of stunned silence, I said, "Right. Well. Dinner." I started to turn away from her, an act that took a Herculean effort.

She quickly grabbed my hand and I felt an almost palpable exchange of energy pass between us at her touch and froze. If she felt it, too, she did a magnificent job of staying calm whereas I had to force myself not to gasp in surprise. "Answer the question, Dad. Do you like what you see?"

My step-daughter wasn't going to let me go without an answer and she wouldn't abide digression. Of course she knew that I enjoyed it, but she wanted to hear me actually say it. I visibly gulped and nodded. "Yes, Holly. You're very beautiful. And very tempting." And, with that, I felt my resolve harden just a mite more. "And I'm still not going to betray your mother. I'll start making dinner. You get dressed and get the table ready."

Chapter Five : Preparation

When I walked into General Hannis' office the next morning, my mind still somewhat tumbling over my step-daughter's boldness from the night before, I saw Mrs. Thrush, the general's secretary, sitting behind her desk. She was a plain sort of woman, not ugly but not especially attractive, either. She wore a simple brown dress-suit, her hair done up in a tight bun, and wore glasses that seemed to defy gravity from the very tip of her nose. She was typing up a letter of some sort on her computer and dutifully ignoring me until she could find a decent break in her train of thought. I waited patiently in front of her desk for a few seconds, as her fingers flew across the keyboard with a loud clickety-clack­ while her fingernails struck its keys rhythmically. When she was done with her paragraph or thought, she looked up from her screen and fixed me with a steely gaze.

"Good morning, Sergeant," she said crisply. I didn't bother to correct her on misnaming my rank- being older, I'd gotten used to people assuming that I was of higher rank than I actually am. "The general left some instructions for you." She picked up a manila envelope and handed it over. It didn't seem to weigh very much but I could tell that there was more than a piece of paper inside of it. "Follow the schedule within and come back tomorrow."

The moment I took the envelope from her, she turned back to her task and I might as well have been a wooden post for all she cared. I didn't even bother to say goodbye to her and simply walked outside into the main hallway. The instructions inside the envelope seemed simple enough: report to a room in one of the sub-levels of the building and do as I'm told once I identify myself. Attached to the instructions was a security badge with my picture on it. I noted with a bit of wry chagrin that the picture was the one that had been taken of me back when I was in Basic Training, three years before, and the name on it said that I was indeed now a Staff Sergeant in the Army. From Specialist to Staff Sergeant in less than 24 hours? What the hell was I involved with? Noticing that the envelope still had some heft to it, I shook it and a Velcro tab bearing my new rank slipped out of it. I wondered idly if the picture could be changed as I switched my rank tabs standing there in the hallway outside the general's office- I looked a lot different after three years, after all: thinner, a more hardened look on my face, no glasses. The E-1 Private shown in that picture had come a long way in three short years. I also knew, then, that the changes NightShade had alluded to were just around the bend for me and there was no turning back at that point.

I found an elevator and pressed the computerized floor-selector, indicating the sub-level I wanted to go to. The screen promptly flashed that I needed to submit my security clearance badge for access to that level or I wasn't going anywhere. I pressed the badge to the scanning plate and, without further ado, felt the elevator car move downward. For several moments the car moved quietly until I felt it slowing. When it stopped moving, I thought that the doors would open up, but was surprised when I felt the car shift backwards gradually for what I estimated to be about twenty feet. Suddenly I was moving down again and kept doing so for a few minutes until the car stopped again. This time the doors slid open and revealed a long hallway that was filled with doors and people.

Most of the people who populated the hallway wore Army uniforms like mine, but some of them were obviously civilians, most of whom wore lab coats. Everyone moved with a purpose, which is nothing new in a military installation, but none of them seemed to be in a particular hurry. I also noticed that there was very little interpersonal interaction going on in the hallway, that people tended to mind their own business and, if they acknowledged each other at all, they did so with subtle glances of recognition or muted greetings. Two soldiers stepped into the elevator car and both of them looked at me expectantly. It took me a second to figure out that they were waiting for me to disembark the car. Feeling a bit foolish, I walked out of it, spun around and said, "First day," by way of explanation.

One of them, a Specialist, gave me a lop-sided, wry grin. "We figured, sergeant." Then the elevator doors closed, leaving me alone. That parting shot did very little for my confidence, but I figured that, as in every unit, the FNG (Fucking New Guy) has to endure at least a little shit before he's welcomed with open arms.

I turned around to face the hallway again. It was different from the ones higher up. Newer, cleaner. The walls were white and each door had its room number in small, black letters printed on the wall beside it. I found the room number I was looking for after just a few paces and stepped inside. The room looked more like a doctor's examination room. There was an examination table pressed against the wall, another door on the opposite side, a small clinical-looking sink, a stereo, a trash can and some cabinetry. No signage, none of those standard health messages, adorned the walls; it was all very sterile and non-descript. A glance at each of the ceiling's four corners showed me that the room was being monitored by a single video camera.

I stood there for a moment, not sure of what to expect, when the door opened and in walked a rather mousy-looking young woman, easily ten years younger than me. I assume that she was a civilian by the way she was dressed: blue jeans, button-downed white shirt, sensible sneakers and a lab coat. She held in her hand a manila folder and started to read its contents as the door closed behind her. "Good morning, Sergeant Shayles. I'm Emily," she said perfunctorily. "We'll start your preparation regimen with some electrolysis."

I stiffened at that, not entirely sure that I'd heard her right. "I'm sorry," I said, "Did you say... electrolysis?"