The Empath Cycle: 2001 It Takes One - Book 2

"Come one girls. It's Christmas after all." Karlie said as she wrapped her arms around their shoulders, kissing their cheeks. "I know these are tears of happiness, but we have better things to do than sit here in the kitchen."

"Do you mean we should move upstairs so we are more comfortable?" Julia grinned.

"Why would we go upstairs?" Karlie said as seriously as she could, then relented when Julia, Ryanna and even Jade pouted. "There are Christmas gifts to be unwrapped, after all."

"Yeah!" Jade shouted. "I was been eyeing them all the time we were working out. Talk about an exercise in concentration."

"Really! And there are even a bunch with our names on them." Julia exclaimed.

"There must really be a Santa, then." Patricia laughed.

It soon became obvious that cousin Stéphane or somebody else had rounded Julia and Ryanna's gifts from their parents and friends and had put them under the tree at their new home.

They all had a good laugh at Jade's expense when she opened one of Karlie's gifts and blushed deeply before taking out a pair of gold plated nipple clamps joined by a 10-carrat gold chain.

"I thought that was your fantasy, baby." She asked Karlie.

"Don't even think about it, you sadist. If you remember, my nipples were forcibly pierced by a pirate. There's no way I'm putting these things on my sensitive buds. Two masochists in the family are more than enough."

"What are those things for?" Julia asked.

"It's hard to explain." Jade answered evilly. "Here, let me try these on you so you can get the full effect."

"No you don't!" Karlie intervened. "Baby, don't listen to her. She and Sylvie are masochists who like to mix pain with pleasure. You have a lot to learn about sex before you're ready for their special games."

"But it looks like fun." Julia mock-whined. "Could I at least try them on? I like to play games too."

"Yes you can, sweetie, but not now." Patricia temporized. "You don't put those on cold. They are toys they use when we are making love and they get very excited. They say it intensifies their pleasure. Now, Jade put those away for now. There are still a few presents to open.

Soon there was only one unopened gift.

"Does anybody know who this gift is for?" Sylvie asked. "There's no card on it."

"You bought it a couple of weeks ago, love" Patricia told her. "Or at least you brought it home when you arrived from work. Don't you remember?"

"I did? Maybe. I'm not sure. I don't remember what it is though or who it's for. It must be for you then."

Nonplussed by Sylvie's answer, but thinking it must be a joke, Patricia carefully unwrapped the gift. To her surprise, the box contained six smaller boxes with cards indicating that each was for one of them.

"Don't look at me like that." Sylvie exclaimed, bewildered. "I really don't remember buying these."

"After all that's happened since we got here, what's one more mystery between friends?" Ever pragmatic Karlie said. "Let's open our gifts and see what they are."

"Hey! It's a jeweler's ring case." Jade exclaimed as she shook the small box. "But that can be it. Mine sounds broken."

"Mine too." Ryanna said.

"Let's all open them together and see." Patricia said, reasonably. "On three. One. Two. Three. Oooooh!"

They were six identical sets of six interconnected rings. Five were silver while Patricia's was gold.

"I remember those." She exclaimed. "I haven't seen them in ages. I friend of mine had one when I was in college. They're puzzle rings. In the 16th and 17th centuries, such rings were fashionable in Europe and were often used as betrothal rings. If I remember correctly, they are also called 'Turkish wedding rings' or 'harem rings'."

"Since we all have silver ones and you have the gold, does this mean we are your harem girls, mom?" Irrepressible Jade asked.

"I know I am." Sylvie grinned. "She owns me body and soul. Let's assemble them and see if they fit. If they do, then we really have a real mystery on our hands because I have absolutely no idea of your ring sizes, especially Ryanna and Julia's."

"Okay! We have now entered into the Twilight Zone!" Jade laughed. "They all fit perfectly. I imagine we should say thank you to either Santa or your ghost-mother, sis."

"Either or both, I suppose." Sylvie answered. "I only hope I don't get possessed to make such expensive gifts too often or you all will have to support me while I sell my body to pay for them."

"Don't worry about that, love." Patricia reassured her. "Considering what it is, I don't imagine it will happen too often, if ever again. Unless your 'mother' wants to buy me a nice pair of shoes or some sexy lingerie."

"I don't know about the shoes, but the lingerie will come from me. You know the effect it has on me to know you're wearing those at school." Sylvie told her as she cuddled, letting her wandering hands make her point on her wife's naked body.

"Yeeessss I do, my love."

While they kissed and caressed each other, Jade moved closer to Julia.

"Do you still want to play, baby?" She asked.

"Do you mean with those clampy things?" Julia asked coyly.

"Oooooh, baby! We're going to have sooooo much fun! But before we get to the grown-up stuff, we're going to take baby steps. In fact, did your mother ever spank you?"

"No. Did yours?"

"Neither, but it wasn't for lack of trying on my part. She was just too nice. I had to wait to be grown up and even then, though I asked for it in barely veiled terms, I had to wait for Sylvie to help her discover she was a lesbian before she did it."

"Did it hurt?"

"Yes and no. That's the point. When it's done by someone you love and trust, it's the best."

"Well, I love and trust you. Will you spank me, please?"

"I thought you'd never ask." Jade laughed. "Since neither of us is the kind of person you aggress physically without permission."

"You can aggress me whenever you want, Jade."

"Be careful what you ask for, baby. Even with Karlie we have safe words and most of the time I ask her if she wants to play, except for special occasions and even then she knows I will stop instantly if she asks me to."

"Do you mean like domination-submission games?"

"Yes, but how do you know about that? I thought you girls had never had sex before Sunday."

"Well..." Julia lowered her eyes as she blushed deeply.

Jade put her hand under her chin and lifted her head so she could look in Julia's eyes to make sure her words were fully understood.

"Baby, you should never be ashamed of having sex or making love or playing games with another woman. Definitely discreet in certain company, but never ashamed. And certainly not with us. First, we are a bunch of nuts who will make you blush as you get to know us better, but only in a good way. That I guarantee you. Second, and most important, we are your wives and don't forget it. We may laugh or tease, but we will never judge you."

"Ooooohhhhhh!" Julia bawled. "I love you all so much, Jade. Except for Ryanna, I've never loved anybody and I never told her because I thought it was wrong since we were almost sisters."

"There, there. And here I thought your family motto was 'Listen with your heart'."

"What did you do to her?" Karlie growled and she and Ryanna rushed over when they heard Julia cry her heart out. They hugged Julia who continued to cry, no matter what they did or said.

"I didn't do anything, I swear. I was just explaining to her how to play our special games and she told me a secret before she started crying."

"I think I know what it is." Ryanna told them. "Here, sweetheart. Let's go to our room so we can talk about it. Don't worry, we'll come back and you can play with Jade all you want."

Karlie was confused as she watched the women walk up the stairs hand in hand. She turned when she heard Patricia and Sylvie laugh. "What are you laughing about? That's not funny. I don't know if she was projecting or if it was the link thing, but I could feel her sadness."

"Poor dear. For a lawyer, you're not very observant. You must not be very good in a courtroom." Patricia teased.

"I'll let you know I'm very good in court."

"And how many cases have you pleaded in court, pray tell, baby?" Jade asked as she cuddled to the older woman.

"Welllll." She hesitated. "Only one because I'm only still an Associate and I'm usually only second chair to a Partner. But I won! Decisively, I might add." She finished in a rush. "And contract law is mostly research of precedents and writing briefs. If you're good, it's almost always settled out of court. And I'm very good." That last part was said sotto voce as she glared at the women who roared with laughter, especially at Jade who was rolling on the floor, holding her ribs.

"I think I'm going to pee." Jade managed to say.

"No you're not." Karlie told her sternly. "You're a very bad little girl and you know what happens to bad girls who can't hold it in, do you?"

"Yes, mommy. I'm a bad little girl and I deserve to be punished."

"Then come along before you make a mess."

Karlie pinched Jade's ear lobe hard and raised her from the floor before pulling her to the stairs. All the time, Jade was whining piteously that she was a good girl and that she didn't deserve to be punished. At one point, before they reached the landing Karlie gave her such a hard swat on the bottom that Patricia and Sylvie winced.

"No you don't, missy!" Karlie shouted angrily. "I told you to hold it in and you will unless you want to lick the stairs clean. Well, do you?"

"No, mommy. I don't want to lick it. It tastes bad."

"Then do what you have to do to hold it in."

They saw Jade press both hands firmly between her legs as she bawled her eyes out. Karlie turned to them and said quietly "I'll get this later" before she gave her 'girl' another resounding smack on the ass and continued to berate her for being such an unruly child who must be punished.

"Jade told me about this game they play, but I never expected them to go all out like this." Sylvie said, uncertain.

"Don't worry, sweetie. They play at a level neither of us could. You saw how they played the rape game the evening we went to the club. And you were right when I first spanked her. The harder I hit her on sensitive areas and even directly on her vulva, the harder she came. And I suspect Karlie hits her even harder."

"I don't doubt it. You're too kind hearted to be a good sadist just as I can't be a good dominatrix. You also have to remember that they've had years of practice playing together. They know their limits and Jade told me they have safe words if it goes too far or the 'victim' panics, for one reason or another."

"I'll get some cleaner and warm water to take care of the 'mess' the bad girl made. I'll be right back to finish what we started."

Sylvie was watching the older woman's ass as she carried a bucket up the stairs when she jumped to her feet. "The girls!"

"Don't worry so much, love." Patricia laughed when Sylvie raced by. "Julia wanted to 'play'. She's going to get an education on how pros do it."

Ryanna tried to reassure Julia as they went up the stairs, to no avail. She was closed up too tightly behind her shields, but some of her guilt was starting to leak out. Ryanna knew she had to do something and quickly, but she wasn't sure how to go about it.

"I know your secret, sweetheart, because I have the same one. I've been in love with you since we were little girls and it's gone deeper as time went by. I love you with all my heart, Julia. Please stop crying."

She was at the end of her rope. They had been warned about this which was why they had always kept themselves so tightly contained: to avoid just such an inward spiral of strong emotions. But in the last couple of days, they had lowered their shields around their friends... no... their wives. Julia had been caught by surprise and couldn't get a hold of herself. Ryanna was getting worried. Maybe she should call the clinic so a support therapist could rush over and help.

That's when she felt a storm on contradictory emotions assaulted her, then she heard Jade cry her heart out as Karlie shouted at her that she was a bad girl who would get exactly what she deserved. But the underlying emotions were the exact opposite of what they should be.

She rushed out of the room just as the two women were getting ready to ascend the stairs to the second floor. When she gasped at the sight of Jade barely controlling her need to pee and Karlie beating her as she shouted at her, Karlie turned and seeing Ryanna so near to tears she told Jade to stay where she was and not to dare let a single drop escape.

"What's wrong, honey?" She asked as she held Ryanna's shoulders firmly. "I can feel something, but I'm not sure what it is. Please tell me, maybe I can help."

All in a rush, Ryanna did her best to explain the situation. "So you see, we never dared to tell each other what we felt and now I think she's going into shock as she internalizes her guilt for her silence."

Talent she didn't understand, but emotional shock she did. So Karlie came to a decision on the spot.

"She said she wanted to play with Jade and I think it may be the best thing for her right now. Do you think you can follow my lead?"

"You mean verbally and physically abuse her like you're doing Jade? I don't know. I've never done that kind of thing. Quite the opposite, in fact. We were always taught to control our emotions so we wouldn't be overwhelmed by them."

"And look where it got you. The first little bump in the road and she's a wreck while you're wavering in indecision, ready to call for help instead of taking action for the woman you say you love." Karlie told Ryanna firmly.

"I do love her."

"Then show her. She needs someone to reach to her and bring her back to her senses. Is it going to be the woman she's loved for so long or me, a relative stranger who loves her too? Well? What's it gonna be?"

Ryanna stood up straight and there was fire in her eyes when she answered. "I'll do it. Just tell me what must be done."

"First, you're going to go in there and slap her in the face, hard, as you tell her you love her and that she must to come back to you because you need her. If it doesn't work the first time, do it again and a third time if need be but never stop talking to her. You'll see it in her eyes when the hysteria fades. Once she settles, take a firm tone, no need to be as harsh as I am with Jade. She's not ready for it. Tell her that she's been a very bad girl to scare you like that. You may want to tweak her nipple or make her get up and give her a couple of good slaps on the butt. But don't stop talking to her. If I understand correctly, she'll be confused at first because your actions won't fit with the love she will feel coming from you. Then, when she realizes you just want to play, she'll probably smile. If she does, give her a good tweak or slap to establish the parameters of the game. Then pinch her ear lobe and bring her upstairs so you can play with us. I know Jade told you we have safe words, but I think you won't need one for now. We'll just keep an eye on her to make sure we don't go too far. Do you think you can do all that?"

"I... I..." Swallowing hard, Ryanna gathered her courage. Julia needed her and she would do what she had to do to help her. "Yes! I will do it!"

"Good girl, Ryanna. Now, once she is in the game, drag her upstairs by the ear like a mother would a child. That's the game. She's been a bad little girl and her mommy needs to punish her. Got it?"

"Got it! We'll see you soon." Ryanna was astonished at what she had just agreed to do, but when she turned toward the room she found herself grinning in anticipation.

Karlie signaled to Jade to hold on for a minute. She stayed by the door to make sure everything went the way it was supposed to. Shock was one thing with regular people, but who knew if it would work with empaths.

She winced when she heard the sharp crack of Ryanna's palm striking Julia's cheek, but she was talking to Julia lovingly, telling her exactly what she needed to hear. There didn't seem to be a need for a second slap. She could distinctly hear Ryanna sob. "Oh, honey, you came back to me. I was so worried."

Then Karlie grinned from ear to ear when she heard Ryanna whisper something to Julia. After a few seconds, the 'Ouch' she heard was music to her ear. Everything would be all right. She tiptoed back to the stairs and whispered to Jade that everything would be okay and that they would have a couple more playmates. "Do you want to continue, babe?"

The answer was as she expected.

"I'm sorry, mommy. I don't think I can hold it all the way up the stairs."

"You bet your ass you'll hold it in or I swear I'll mop the piss with your hair and make you lick the floor clean."

"Nooooo, mommy. Not that. It tastes bad. I'll be a good girl. I promise.

"Then show me. Now come on. I haven't got all day."

Sylvie was surprised when she came to the first landing. Jade and Karlie were barely reaching the second floor. Did they stop to play on the way? She was about to go check on Julia and Ryanna when she heard the latter's raised voice.

"I just can't believe you're such a bad girl that you would make me worry so. You're just as bad as your little friend."

"Yes, mommy. I've been a bad girl. I'm sorry, mommy. You don't have to punish me. I'll be a good girl now. I promise."

"You'd say anything just to avoid your punishment, wouldn't you? I swear, I don't know how I put up with you. Even the Mother wouldn't know how to handle you. I need to ask the other nice mommy how to punish my bad girl properly. Come along."

"Nooooo, mommy. She's mean. Jade told me. She's going to hurt me. Don't let her. Please, mommy."

Sylvie almost laughed out loud at the series of slaps followed by Julia's sobs.

She raced down the stairs and went to the pile of gifts.

"Do you feel like playing, love? I've been a bad girl too and my mommy needs to punish me."

Chapter 7

It was well past noon when the women finally sat on the living room couch again.

Three of them sitting gingerly on thick pillows brought down from the upstairs bedroom and the other three cuddling them gently, mindful of their inflamed nipples.

Ryanna was particularly mindful of Julia who had a definite hand print on her left cheek.

"You do realize that you didn't have to hit her quite so hard, don't you?" Karlie asked her.

"You said to hit her hard. I only did what you told me."

"Julia, I'm sorry your cousin is such a meanie. I only meant for her to snap you out of the shock you were in."

"I know, Karlie. When she gets excited, she doesn't know her own strength. You should see the bruises I get when we practice full contact combat. She sometimes forgets to pull her punches."

"Ha! And you don't?" Ryanna replied, outraged. "Once she nearly broke my arm. You should train with us Karlie. You'd see who the real meanie is."

"No thank you. Jade is the fighter, not me. And you conveniently forget that I can feel your anticipation. You won't get me on the tatami any time soon."

They were still at it when there was a knock on the door.

Patricia got up. "I'll get it." On her way, she put on one of the robes hanging in the closet for just this need and threw the other five to her wives. She waited until they were presentable before opening the door. She was surprised to see John, Pierre, two other young men and the young woman who had played the Mother in the Nativity scene. They were all loaded with covered plates, pots that must be hot because they needed oven mitts to hold them, and several grocery bags.

"What's all this?" She asked, perplexed.

"This is all the food you'll need for the next couple of days. We could have brought lots more, but cooler heads prevailed and the three chefs present, most of the women and quite a few men drew straws to see who would cook the first batch so the overflow wouldn't spoil before you could eat it." John explained before continuing with a grin. "I hope you will make use of our gym, otherwise you'll look like blimps when you go back to the city next week."