Sam Spade 20: Case of the Fae Queen

"Cute... I'm looking for Jason."

"He's not here," the man said and then started to close the door.

I stopped the door from closing and said, "Where is he?"

"I don't know," the incubus replied.

I felt him pumping fear in my direction in an attempt to get me to leave. "You're doing it wrong," I said. Pulling my daddy's pistol and pointing it at his head I continued, "This is how you get someone to fear you. Now I could just toss you into the sun and see how well you do there. Or I could shoot you in the head and laugh. Finally, I could just let my angel come play with you." I smiled and after a moment said, "Now where the fuck is Jason and my mother asshole?"

"I have it Samuel," Jason said coming up behind him. "You always seem to make a dramatic entrance Sam." He felt the hurt roll off Samantha and said, "Who broke your dolly this time?"

"It's a long story, is mother around and do you have time for a beer?" I asked.

"She's entertaining a visitor and for you I always have time." Jason replied. He knew how bad Samantha needed a friend and would always make time for her no matter what was going on.

Turning I sat on the steps and looked out at the desert. He sat beside me and not looking at him I said, "I know now how the war will start. It will start because of me. The rest of the world will try their best to remove me and my followers." I paused as Samuel came out, handed Jason a beer and me a glass of bourbon on the rocks. "Thank you," I said as he bowed and left.

Jason opened the beer and took a drink before replying. "I kind of figured it would start that way. It will be the crusades all over again." He looked at Sam and added, "The only difference is the use of modern weapons."

"The harder I try to stop it, the worse I find out I am making it. I know I'm not supposed to ask, but what am I going to do?"

He was going to give her a flip answer when Lilith said to him, "Jason, my granddaughter is looking to die. Please guide her and give her hope. Samantha listens to you."

"Gee thanks Lilith," Jason thought back. Aloud he said, "Lets break it down into little pieces that are manageable. You and I both know there is a war coming. But you think it will be man against you and your followers." Jason paused and sipped his beer, "Sam, you are the goddess of this solar system and not just two legged humanoids. All creatures great and small are yours. Not just humans... the critters, plants, animals, even the weather are under your control. You can have the war or make those who would fight you realize that the cost is too great. That is the angle you need to work from."

He saw she was not getting it yet, "Sam, you can command the fish to not be caught, the grains not to grow, rain not to fall or fall too much. You can cause wells to dry, reactors to turn into a lump of lead, grain to disappear. How long do you think the mighty war machine will work without food or fuel?"

"I hadn't thought of that," I replied. He had a point, I was not thinking it through. I bent over to kiss him.

Maradith came out to see her daughter kissing Jason and said loudly, "Well it's about time. I was wondering when you two would finally get together."

I blushed down to my toenails and said, "It's not like that mother. Jason set me straight on something and I was thanking him."

"Some thanks... You can do better than that Samantha." Maradith said. "Now kiss him like you mean it. Make love to him with your lips."

The worst part was that I really wanted to bed him but could never because I would lose my friend. Getting up I said, "Thanks for the advice Jason." I bent forward and unable to contain myself kissed him hard letting him feel my need for him. After a second his arms went around me as he kissed me back every bit as deeply. Finally breaking off the kiss I stood fully and said feeling better, "I see the beginnings of a plan." Smiling at them I went home and to the living room. Sitting in my recliner I closed my eyes and thought about what Jane and Jason said.

I was at peace and almost dozing when suddenly I had a vision of a woman who could loop time. Currently she was on a trail and facing a pair of wolves in my mind's eye. "Damnit what now?" I asked. Going to her I found that she was kneeling and had her hands on both wolves.

She said "Please keep them safe. Even lost in pleasure they are my family also." She stood and looked at me in surprise. The pair of wolves turned their heads at the same time and looked at me.

"Kind of furry for guardian angels aren't you," I said simply. Then added, "Leave us." Of course the wolves moved to sit between the woman and I. Not in a mood for games I crouched down so I was eye level with the wolves and said, "Are you sure you want to get into a contest of wills with me? Or would you rather my angel show up and you find yourself burning for eternity in the interior of the sun."

"I wouldn't do that," Angela said showing up next to me. She looked at Susan, "Hello sister." She turned towards me and said, "Sneaking off wasn't nice Sam. You're supposed to be relaxing while we tend to business for you."

"Not here, not now Angela. If anything happens to Amy while you are here, I will personally make your life interesting no matter how short it is." I replied. "I'll be along after..." Her name floated up in her mind and I snatched it easily, "Susan and I have a little visit."

Susan was surprised to see the pair of wolves move off to each side of the trail. Then the blond who appeared out of thin air disappeared once more leaving the red head still standing before her. "Who can tell the family to leave and has a blond angel who can come and go without a sound or movement?"

"Instead of answering you here, I have a place where the view is to die for. It's up this way." I said as I moved forward. Touching her I pulled her with me to the masa. I let her look at the view for a moment and said, "Killer view I know right?"

One moment she was on a trail in the of North Carolina mountains and then next standing on top of a flat mountain somewhere in the desert southwest. It wasn't until Susan turned back to the woman that she realized fully that she had moved them there. "Who are you?" she asked in a fearful whisper.

"My name is Sam Spade. Some refer to me as the goddess." I turned away to look out at the vista, "It seems my predecessor left me a few Easter eggs to deal with. A pair of corrupt wood Fae queens and their followers. If that wasn't enough, nearly 90% of the artificial persons are locked in an underground bunker rampaging and doing who knows what." I turned and looked at the woman, "And then there is you. One thing I have already fixed is that if you die, you will die. I'll not allow you to keep looping time to fix your mistakes."

Susan saw the woman before her was barely holding on to the edge of snapping and she had caused it. "I didn't ask to come back. The goddess said I had to return and try to teach people what I had learned." Susan paused, "Ask her yourself."

"Call her. I would like to meet your goddess," I said crossing my arms.

"She's not my god. She's Mary's mother," Susan replied. She felt the woman's mind brush through hers and next second Mary was standing before the woman.

I reached out and pulled the woman from Susan's mind to me. To my surprise she was an exaggerated Barbie doll dressed in pink latex and fingering herself as she sucked on a pink rubber dong. Dipping into the girl's mind I said, "No wonder she left you. You're a pathetic." I turned her back into what she had been and said, "Call your mother before I pass judgment on you both."

Mary didn't know who was before her but finding herself the way she had been before set her off. She slapped the woman before her and said, "Fuck you and the horse you rode in on." The next thing she knew the woman had her by the throat and had her dangling over the edge of a masa. She tried to say sorry but she could not get any air.

"Call her, you sorry excuse for a human," I said and threw her to Susan's feet. "No wonder you walked away."

"Mother please help me!" Mary called out franticly. She looked up at Susan and then the strange woman, "Help us."

"Twice in one day a new record," A new woman, with ethereal beauty said showing up. She noticed Samantha standing there and went to her and knelt. "Goddess I didn't know you wer..."

I held up a hand and said mentally, "Sister, I realize why Amy said you were important to this race. Please come give me guidance." Apparently I sent it in the open because right on Jane's heals came Angela, Kitten and Tigress.

"On target kneeling woman," A voice I didn't know said in my mind a moment later.

Kitten went from each woman to the next with Tigress following and then sat down watching us.

"Five others, the pissed brunet knows where they are. Bring them to me," I said to Angela. Turning to Jane I said, "Madam Chairman, guide me." I was going to explain but Jane held up a hand.

She walked to the pair standing and watching. She read their minds and saw what had happened and what Susan had done to fix her mistake. However, she didn't know how to fix it which means someone else looped time. Turning to the kneeling woman she saw she had done it. "While you did the correct thing, you had no right to take action or permission to come back," she said looking down at the woman.

At that instant Angela appeared and threw two women down to the ground. She disappeared and returned with two more and like the first pair threw them to the ground. Finally, she returned with a single woman and tossed her down with the others.

Rushing forward Susan said, "Don't hurt them!" She was followed by Mary who helped them stand. "No one hurts my family," she said sweeping them behind her.

"No one upsets the goddess," Angela said changing her form into an evil succubus and projecting rage towards the five. "I am her angel of death. Fuck with me little girl and I will eat your heart."

"That's enough Angela," I said looking at her. "You have an assignment already. Please continue it and take the kitties with you. I looked down at Kitten, "You need to help keep the Angela and Amy safe. Can you do that for momma?"

"Kitten go," she said transforming into a cat woman. She looked at the six, showed them her claws and disappeared. Right behind her Tigress did the same but stopped before one of the women. A moment later Kitten returned and looked at the woman, me, and finally Tigress. Before I could ask what that was about, the pair disappeared.

Walking over to Jane I said, "Madam Chairman, Jane, please guide me."

Jane looked at Samantha and then the woman kneeling with lowered head and the six off to one side. "When her daughter begged for help for the first time in three thousand years. She came back to help her. The ability to time twist came from the former god. I have removed that ability from her for you." She paused and then looked at the others. "Look at look at their true form."

I looked over at them and suddenly realized two were in eighteen-year-old girls, two were wolves, Both Mary and Susan were demon/ human hybrids. "She didn't act like Yang the Elder. Is it possible she doesn't know?" Instead of answering I flowed through her mind again and saw she in fact didn't know. She only knew that Mary gave her blood and saved her life. "So what do I do. I am sick of killing, there has to be another answer."

"Are you sure you want to hear it little sister?" Jane asked softly.

"Ah shit... I can't kill them Jane. Talking out the evil and soulless is one thing, but you know as well as I do that she's not evil. Untrained yes, tainted yes, but not evil. None of them are."

"Remove the taint from Susan and Mary and take all six to your temple so they can grow in a controlled environment. Or they must have all abilities removed and return to their home." Jane said. "Either way, forgive the mother, have her soak and then she can help train your followers."

I walked over to the kneeling woman and crouched down before her. "I forgive you." She looked up and I continued, "I would like it, if you went to my temple, become human again, have a soak, and help my followers grow. Or, if you rather you can return to the heavens and know your daughter will be taken care of."

"I would rather go to your temple goddess," the woman said in a musical voice.

"One of my wives, Jane, will take you there and have a nice soak with you. Be at peace daughter," Now that I had done it several times I didn't even have to think before she became fully human. Standing and pulling her to her feet I hugged her and then turned to Jane, "Would you take her home and the pair of you have a nice soak."

I watched as she went over to the woman and together they disappeared. Turning to the six I removed the field and said, "Sit, we need to talk." I sat cross legged and looked at them. In a group they came over and sat across from me. I looked at the pair of wolves, "You must make a choice. Wolf or human, but not both. There are enough weres' running around without starting a new strain at this time. Think on what you want." I turned to the others, "You also must make a choice. Return from where you came without the taint and abilities or come to my temple without the taint but able to continue to learn and grow."

"What taint are you talking about?" Susan asked.

"The demon blood running through you and Mary." I looked at Mary, "You blaming your immorality to the fact that your mother breathed toxic fumes while she was pregnant with you is a load of crap. Your father was one of the former god's brother's friend posing as the high priest. It sounds like something he would have done just to cause problems." I paused for a moment and removed the taint from both. "I am of two minds, make you mortal once more or make you mostly mortal," I looked at Mary, "You can tell her how bad to live so long and see everyone you love die time and time again."

Mary was going to deny it but suddenly all the loves lost rose up into her mind and she sobbed softly.

"Lie to others but never to family or to me," I said. The eldest wolf human woman went and pulled Mary into her arms as the cried and looked like she wanted to kill me. "Good luck with that," I replied and was heartened when she dropped her eyes. Turning back to Susan I continued, "We both know that whatever you choose, the others will follow. Not because you made them slaves, if you had we would not be having this little time together. I would have removed you six without losing a moment's sleep. Hell after removing the millions of Quarm, and soulless machines, you six are nothing." I got up and turned away from them and looked out across the desert.

"I saved you because you didn't fall into that trap Susan. It is as bad or worse as falling into the pleasure trap." I looked down and said softly, "To my shame I fell into both and had to claw my way out of them." Looking back over my shoulder I said, "I guess I'm a slow learner." Turning to face them I said, "Personally I would rather you come to my temple and become one with my followers. There is much my wives can teach you and in turn you teach my other followers." I looked away and said, "Or you can return as you were. Frankly that option it would be like becoming a blood slave in my mind. Seeing heaven and losing it. Better a quick death than that."

Susan looked at the others for a second before turning back to the goddess. Kneeling with lowered head she said, "We wish to return with you and learn."

"Before we leave, I need to go see someone, someone important to Alice." Without waiting I went to him and sat cross legged about five feet away from a young male wolf. Closing my eyes, I said, "I need to address you and your family little one." Instantly I pulled his mind into mine and in my mind's eye I saw a young man looking at me surprised. One by one, other men and women joined us. Even the six on the far mesa showed up and knelt off to one side. Not standing I looked at him, "The six, including your mother and mother's mother will be returning with me to my temple." I looked back at Susan to double check and after a second she nodded in return. Turning back to the boy I said, "My question to you is do you wish to come also?"

"Who are you to dictate who goes where," An elderly woman asked.

"The real goddess," I replied looking at Mary who looked down. Looking at the old woman, "I'm Sam Spade and getting damn tired of going around cleaning up a pair of assholes messes. If you rather I can just remove them and see how well they live in the interior of the sun."

"We were fooled once before so forgive me if we don't believe you. With that said, prove it." The elderly man beside her said.

"What the fuck do you want? The gift of creation?" I created a golden apple in my hand and tossed it to him. "Or would you rather see the gift of life?" I turned the Apple into a young female wolf and then created a male who bounded over to her. "Shall I call Lilith? The first female. Or would you rather talk to Madam Chairman the creator of the galaxy? Just tell me what you want to see so I can find out what he and Alice want."

I paused and looked at the young man, "I am here because you and Alice are a family and family takes care of family, you know that." Looking back at the six I said, "Alice come here please. This must be your choice also."

Alice came up and knelt beside the goddess and looked at her protector. "If you stay, then I will stay also." She looked at the goddess, "I give up all abilities and powers to stay beside my protector."

"We will return with you," the young man said. He looked at Alice, "The family will be stronger if you learn properly."

"Will we be able to return to the family?" she asked the goddess.

"Once you learn proper control yes," I replied finally. I looked at the elderly woman and said, "Would your family take care of my creations? I would wish them to learn from you and the pack."

"We will teach them," The man said finally.

Instead of returning to the masa, I pulled all seven with me to the atrium. Gesturing towards the hot tub I said, "Before you are my essence and biological life forms that have joined me fully with the exception of the Fae." I shrugged my shoulders, "They have issues to work out first." I paused, "Anyways, once you soak you will be able to take on any form you wish once you leave." I looked at the young man and two women who were in reality wolves, "This is a work around for you making the choice of one form or the other. This will allow you to continue to have both."

I paused and then said, "You will be telepathic with any of my other followers and anything short of a head shot will not be fatal." I looked at the young man and smiled, "There is one downside to this step. All who dunk in my essence will become female while here. I have several males who on site become female in body.

As they started to get in I said, "Susan, could I speak to you alone for a moment please." With worried look the others she followed me to the living room. Turning to look at her I said, "Little sister, I have gone through all you are going through now. The one difference between you and I was that I was blessed to have a support system of people I could talk to and lean on." Mentally I said, "Heather a second please?"

"How may I serve you goddess?" Heather said appearing next to Samantha. She looked at the woman Sam was talking to and nodded.

I reached up and touched the rose clinging to Heather's hair, "See the rose?"

"Yes goddess," Susan looked at it and then focused back on the goddess.

"You will see several others who also wear roses, some black, some red, some pink, and one each... clear and white. Among night walkers, it denotes a mated pair for us it means my wives and angels. Any you see who wear the rose here, is someone you can turn to for guidance and help. That includes me even though for some reason I don't have one. Each of us, have in our own ways gone through what you are going through now, each dealt with it in our own ways but as you see, we managed to survive and made it out the other side. Thanks Heather."