Sam Spade 15: The Mystery of the Black Rose

"Would it help if I fix the mess I made?" I paused and looked down, "More importantly is mother still mad?"

He tilted his head as if listening. Finally after several minutes he said, "It's coming to a head. Sue is telling Sam, her former husband where to get off and telling Maradith that death is preferable to remaining here." He looked sheepish, "She is as mad as I have ever seen her. Not at you Samantha, at Sue." He seemed to reach a decision, "You can't make it any worse."

I followed him to the bedroom with the two living latex suits and could feel the tension in the air and her anger. Stepping before her with my head lowered I said, "Mother may I?" Mentally I finished the sentence, "Fix my mistake."

"Samantha Marie Spade you already..." I felt the full force of Maradith's rage. She got a handle on it and said, "Yes dear and then we will have to talk about the other thing."

"That's why I am here now mother." I replied. Turning I went to the bed and sat on the edge. Caressing the female suit tenderly I said, "I am here now Sue. Be calm and my good girl." I heard Sam raging at me and snapped back, "You saw how fast Sue became mine. Do you really want to cross swords with me Sam?"

"No..." his voice came to my mind.

"No mistress," Sue said mentally.

"No mistress," Sam said meekly in my mind.

From behind me I heard Jason say, "oh god..."

I had not planned on breaking him I just wanted Sam to shut up. "You both were happy before I came into your lives. You were living a dream that no one else has been given the chance for by Maradith. The only difference between then and now is that I have the final word over your lives." I paused and then said aloud, "This then is my final word. You will do as Jason or Maradith says. If I hear even a hint of back talk out of ether of you, I will personally come, put you on, and then feed on your essence until nothing is left." I stood and looked down at them, "I opened my mind to them and showed the pair how I would consume them. Turning back to Maradith and said with lowered head, "Please forgive my slaves mother. They will not give you any more trouble."

"I do not employ other person's slaves in my house" Was her angry reply.

"They are not working for pay, they are thanking you for the gift you gave them and because I want them to." I said aloud. Mentally I added, "Please mother I'm trying to fix my mess."

"Very well Samantha but only because you ask." Maradith replied. She turned and stomped out. A moment later Jason shook his head and followed.

Looking back down at the two suits I said, "Please be good. I would hate to fight mother." Turning I went out to the hall were Jason was waiting for me. "You're right mother is pissed."

"I was wondering what had changed in you Samantha, now I know. Not only are you happy but you are stronger and more mature." Jason said softly. As we walked back to the office he said, "Of the two, Sue was the submissive one and Sam the dominate. That he caved to you in less than a minute is remarkable. What is your secret?"

"If I told you it wouldn't be a secret would it." I replied. "Anyways it is the reason I am here and need to talk to mother. I've done something, something wonderful and terrifying." I said as we reached the office.

Inside I saw Maradith was waiting for us in her true form. Her tail was whipping back and forth like an angry cat's would. She spun on me and said, "Samantha what have you done?" my knees went weak and I knelt before her with my head to the ground. "I got married to four women."

"That's not all... Say it Samantha..." She prodded.

Not daring to raise my head I said, "I think... No I know..." I paused and wanted to run and hide. "Mother I preformed a blood ritual with my wives."

"What ritual?" Jason asked.

I walked through it step by step even telling about how I made a black rose for Molly while the others roses were rich red for them to wear always in their hair. I added the part of me scratching my chest with the broken stem and their blood kisses.

"Samantha, look at me," Maradith commanded. When I looked up she added, "Open your mouth so Jason can see." I opened my mouth displaying my fangs. "It was a vampire life mating ritual wasn't it Samantha."

"Yes mother."

"You have drunk from humans too."

"Yes mother," I replied simply. There was no hiding what I had done now. "May we have your blessing?" I asked. If I was lucky she would hug me and say yes but I have never been lucky.

Maradith took Jason and my hands and suddenly we were high on a towering pillar of rock. To the east I could see the first predawn light. "Call your wives to you," she commanded. When mother commands the seas part.

I called them to me and all four came. I could feel Molly's fear and said, "Have faith loves, it will be alright." I knelt facing the predawn light and waited. Each knelt down with me unspeaking. I heard Jason and Maradith talking mentally. Both were agitated and that caused them to not channel properly.

When I heard Jason say, "She's your daughter... You can't do this to her." I knew I had to speak up.

"Can you two keep it to a dull roar; we are trying to enjoy the sunrise." Mentally I added, "Jason I understand what mother is doing. She wants to see what side is stronger in me."

"Samantha, the sun will kill you."

"So, I have found love, I can die in peace if it be in the cards." I replied aloud. "We will be fine, sun burnt possibly, but fine none the less." It was the most beautiful sunrise I had ever seen. By the time the sun was fully up, the only one who seemed to be affected was Molly. She looked as if she had a sunburn but other than that her mind was calm. I stood and walked to mother, "Can we talk mother? I have questions and hope you have answers."

"Yes Samantha." She replied. "But this talk best be done with just the two of us."

"Loves," I said turning around. "Why don't you take Jason and sweet talk him into showing you Dark Desires?"

"I already know all about his Dark Desires," Angela said with a laugh. He was still sputtering when my wives and Jason disappeared.

"Do you remember when you gave me the high heel fetish Samantha? How Kitten helped you?"

"Of course, she brought everything into sharp focus in my mind and it happened." I replied.

"I would need to ask my mother but I believe you have done the same thing but without kitten. What you want will happen without her help." Maradith said softly. A moment later another Succubus appeared. She made mother and I look like mud hens. Her voice dripped seduction when she spoke both aloud and mentally. The pair of them spoke for a long time in a tongue I did not know.

Finally she turned to me and said mentally in English, "My daughter tells me much about you Samantha Marie. If what she has told me is true, you will become a legend. However I would like to test you myself."

"I would be honored, mother of all, to take any test you desire Lilith." I said humbly. I remembered her from the time that Angela and I lived through but the rest of the world forgot.

"Give both of us a command you know we would never follow." Lilith said.

"I do not know what you would not follow but let me try anyways." I paused and pointed to the ground before me.

Maradith took a step back shaking her head. "Please Samantha don't... Jason..." she whimpered and started forward.

Before she could sink to her knees I stopped her, "No mother. I do not want you as mine. You and Jason belong to each other. Instead of submitting, give me your blessing unconditionally."

"Thank you Samantha and you have it," she said softly. She looked at Lilith and said something.

The demon replied in the same tongue before looking at me, "You can affect your mother. Now try your best on me."

I pointed to the ground before me and stared at her. She smiled back and shook her head no. "Lilith, you have been in charge for countless years. I know how they have worn you down and you have forgotten the simple joys in life. It is time to pass the torch to another. Submit and be free." Still she did not move but the smile was gone and a look of worry filled her mind and face. "Learn to love once more. Feel the joy that comes knowing you are loved back without measure." Finally I said, "Then one day, when you are ready, I will take you as my wife and we will be forever bound to each other through our love." She took a step forward and then another to stand before me.

"The first step though is complete submission." I said tenderly still pointing to the ground.

She looked down and said aloud, "Mistress, I submit. I can't kneel and follow you no matter how much I need it and your love. There are things I must do, things I must finish before kneeling before you. Please, your slave begs to be allowed to finish her other projects before stepping down and kneeling before you."

My mind flowed into hers. It was fully open to me and I saw her projects. She was teaching another and needed time to set up a disappearing act. I found her feelings towards me. She admired me and found my dominance refreshing. I added love to it; her love for me and the need to be submissive in all ways under me. The love would grow until it consumed her every waking moment. Aloud I said, "Submission is not a conditional arrangement. All or none."

Her eyes looked up into mine and then dropped. She knelt and rested her head against my high heeled foot. "I submit to you in all ways mistress. Take me and make me into anything you please."

Maradith said something sharply in the other language tongue. She barked it again.

Not raising her head Lilith said, "I answer only to my mistress. You must ask her."

"Daughter you have made your point. But you can't turn our mother into a slave." Maradith said.

"Mother, she made the choice all I did was show her that she can find love and let go." I crouched down and lifted Lilith's head. Kissing her tenderly I said, "Do what you must and come to me with a clear mind and heart. Don't let anyone bully you again."

"I won't and thank you mistress." We stood together and without a backwards glance towards Maradith, Lilith disappeared.

Walking up to Maradith I said, "Mother, I love you to death and owe you my life. I am sorry about Sam and Sue. I never meant to dominate either as Jason can tell you." I paused when I saw I wasn't getting through her anger at what I had done. "Mother, if you and Jason give me a chance to explain fully and then still think I was wrong. I will find a way to release the mother to all."

"Samantha if you try anything finny on Jason or I, I will be forced to kill you to save us." Maradith said. "Don't make me kill the one daughter I care about."

"You have my word," I said. She took my hand and suddenly we were back in the brothel. Jason looked like he was being mauled by four sex crazed women and loving every moment of it. However that stopped when we arrived. "Yep, dark desires alright." I said.

"How'd it go?" Jason asked getting up and looking from Maradith to me.

"Mother has given me her unconditional blessing." I said.

"And she then turned my mother into her slave." Maradith added.

"Wait what?" Jason asked. He looked at me and asked, "Just who is she talking about Samantha?"

"Lilith..." I said. "But I can explain if mother lets me."

"You turned the original Succubus into your slave?" Angela's eyes got large.

"Yes... No..." I replied.

"Well I for one am glad that is cleared up," Heather said. She smiled and pulled the other three girls close and said, "Samantha always has the best stories and somehow I bet this is going to be a great one."

Sitting down in one of the chairs I looked at Heather and smiled. Turning my attention on Maradith I asked, "Mother, do you love Jason?"

"I don't think I understand your meaning of love Samantha." She replied after a moment.

"And she dodges the first blow," Angela said with a giggle.

"My mind is open to you mother, see how I feel about these four before you." I waited a minute and then asked, "Do you love Jason?"

She looked at him and said softly, "Yes..."

"Wow I bet that was hard to say," Marie said.

"You have no idea little one," she said not breaking eye contact with Jason.

"Now, think about how long you have been alive. Before him, did you have someone you loved?"

"No Samantha," she replied turning back to me. "But I don't see how..."

I held up my hand, "Please I am getting there. This is just the ground work." I paused, "You went a long time before finding love. Now think about Lilith. She was the first female. Think about her age. Think about the responsibilities of being as you put it, the mother of all."

"Her mind was open to me. Her age is staggering but throughout it all she had to walk alone. Imagine having to live for eons without a shoulder to cry on or a loving hand caressing your cheek because it wants to not because you seduced it's owner."

"She needed to let the responsibilities go so that she can be free to love."

"So you made her submit to you." Maradith shot back.

"Did you see me do anything more than point to the ground? Did I use any power on her mother?"

"You said no to her."

"I said submission of will is not a conditional thing." I shot back. "Mother, do you want her to stay in the power position she is in for her or for you?" I never saw the slap that knocked me out of the chair. "I guess I deserved that," I said. "Hell as much as I have messed up things I deserve more than a slap." I said looking at Jason.

I got up and stood before Maradith, "I won't push the topic other than to say all here know the answer to my question." I expected another slap but she refrained. As I continued I ticked off points on my hand. "The only way Lilith can find love is to let go of the power. The only way to let go of the power is to fluff it off on another. The only way to fluff it off is to submit and make them take it. Thus for her to find love she must submit. Only though complete submission of your will can you be free. Who do you think said that?"

"Buddha," Molly said softly.

"Yes, a wise man in many ways," I replied to her.

"I did what I must so she can find what you and I have mother. Do you think for one instant I want power? I have been trying my best to keep from running the zoo I have now." I had nothing more to say. If she didn't see it then there was nothing I could do.

"Do you love her Samantha," Maradith finally asked.

"Not as I do these four before you, but yes I do. I also admire how she managed to push on when her soul, for lack of a better term, was ready to give up. Finally, I know there is a spark of love in return." I looked at Jason, "The condition I made with mother before returning was that I would convince her and you, that I did the right thing. If I failed, I would release Lilith from her submission.

Jason looked surprised and turned to Maradith. After a time, she said, "We agree, you did what you had to."

Mentally I said to her, "Thank you mother."

"We both know you could have saved a lot of trouble if you had just found a way for me to kneel also without hurting Jason." She replied mentally.

"I have it already. I did on the mountain. But you were not ready. When you are, you will tell me." Aloud I added, "It is time for us to return home. No doubt the house is a shambles. Come along loves," I said as I reached down for the four to stand. Together we returned to my office. Once there we made plans to have Jasmine later in the afternoon. While I wanted to go crawl in bed I really needed to find Marty and crew. According to Heather, he was still located at the same address so with Angela in tow, I headed to the office.