I remember well that summer day when my whole life changed for the second time. I came home from playing video games with my friends and no one was home. I went through the house, looking for my grandparents, but they were nowhere to be found. Then I saw two tiny spots of blood on a shower curtain and smeared on the upstairs bathroom floor.
A Turn On The Pathway To Citizenship
Part One Of Three
By
Warm Hearted
Edited By Commentator
Synopsis: The tale of Mark Cedric's unique and unexpected turn on his pathway to becoming an American citizen, but Mark will discover that being a new citizen is very pleasurable.
As always comments and constructive criticism is much appreciated.
I was born in Serbia and my parents brought me to the USA illegally in 1997 and they both died shortly thereafter. I never knew how they died, but it was probably drug-related. I assumed this from the little I was told by the Serbian couple that took me in.
The elderly man and woman that took me in were unrelated to me but they knew my parents. They came with them from Serbia and like my parents they were undocumented.
I knew my first name was Marko so they called me Mark. I never knew my real last name, or my new "Grandparents" real names. They only told me it was not safe for me to know when I asked. In later years I assumed the secrecy was due to the same gang-related problems that my real parents were killed over. Peter and Rose Cedric were good to me and spoke perfect English with no accent, which I always thought strange. We moved to Charlotte, NC the day after my parents' death and we were all happy there till I was 16.
I remember well that summer day when my whole life changed for the second time. I came home from playing video games with my friends and no one was home. I went through the house, looking for my grandparents, but they were nowhere to be found. Then I saw two tiny spots of blood on a shower curtain and smeared on the upstairs bathroom floor.
Looking through the small bathroom window, I saw two men, but they didn't see me. They were coming out of our motor home parked in the back. Just this morning I had helped my grandparents pack it for us to go to Disney World the next morning. The men must have put my grandparents' bodies in it and they were coming back to clean up their "little mess".
So I climbed out the window and took my usual route in getting out of the house, when I was grounded. Knowing if they saw me they would put my body with my grandparents, I ran. I hid in the woods near our home and cried uncontrollably. When it was dark, I went to my friend Daniel's house.
Staying hidden in the woods I knew so well I ran to Daniel's, but when I got there I saw a black SUV. The SUV was parked so the occupants had a clear view of Daniel's house, but far enough away to not draw attention. My mind started racing as I tried to think of some way to escape.
I saw enough in the movies to know that the Serbian Mob will not rest until they kill the whole family of someone that has betrayed them. I thought it was just in the movies, but it's real and it's happening to me. If that part of the movie was based on facts maybe the rest was real too. I'M SO FUCKED!
Pushing back thoughts of blow torches and chain saws, I tried to think of a plan that would save my life. I thought about when I watched movies with someone trying to escape the Mob. I always thought I could have done it better, now is my chance to prove it.
Then I thought of how the stars in the movies got caught and more importantly how they escaped.
First of all, you never go back home, they will be there watching for me. They must have gotten Daniel's address from the address book Grandma had. That means they know all our friends, but that is all they have on me.
God, I'm so glad I listened to my grandparents and never had my picture taken. I told the school and my friends that it was a religious thing. So my name, but not my picture is in all of my school annuals and not on anyone's phone. My grandparents would never let me have a phone, or a computer. All we had was a land line phone at the house and when I needed a computer for school I used one at school, or the library.
So they know my name, where I live, my age, and who my friends are, but that is it. My grandparents, somehow made me a very good fake driver's license. They told me to never to get pulled over by the cops because it would not show up on their database. So they let me drive very little, I usually rode with a friend.
I was still worried that they could recognize me because of my unusual appearance. I was very tall for my age, very slim, and had silver blonde hair. I would be easy to spot at a bus station or hitchhiking. Drawing on my cinematic knowledge the best way to get caught was to try to get out of town.
I knew Charlotte very well so it made more sense to stay put and hide in town. So I went back into to the woods. I just needed some time to think and get some rest, because the stress of the day had worn me out.
The Woods was not a real forest. It was just a large undeveloped wooded area set aside to be "Phase Four" of the subdivision I grew up in, although Phase Four was slow in coming due to the bust of 2008. So it became the neighborhood kids playground. Daniel, myself, and two other friends built a secret club house in a tree there.
We built it using scraps and what we could steal from the abandoned construction sites. I was always good with my hands and "The Tower" as we called it was still there. So I climbed up the tree and went in. To my surprise it looked unchanged with the exception of a family of squirrels that had made a nest in it.
We did a good job in building it, because even after five years of being uncared for, the roof kept it dry and the floor was still solid. To my amazement there still were cans of food on the shelves. We placed them there just in case of a zombie attack and I was surprised that most of it was still in date.
That night I dined on cold Beefaroni and soda and planned my next step. In the morning I hid until I saw the CATS Bus come to a stop. I used my student bus pass and transferred to another and arrived at Urban Ministries. I toured it when we had a Civics project last year and wrote a paper on what they do for the community. I never thought that I would be using their services, but here I was with no home, or much money, and only the clothes on my back.
Over the next year I became street smart, hard, and one of the nameless people of the street. Until I was on the street, the only fights I'd had were two school yard scuffles, but on the street you learn to fight or you die or get punked. I did not want to die. I would have died before becoming someone's bitch. So I chose to fight. After numerous beat downs and three trips to the ER I became a feared or respected citizen of the streets.
I stayed away from drugs, even weed. I guess because of what happened to my family. So when I heard of a Day Work Recruiter that was paying good money for those who could pass a drug test, I thought I would check it out. After pissing in a cup, Mr. Gomez told me to get on the back of his truck.
Mr. Gomez was a subcontractor to a subcontractor to a lot of contractors. Like I said I was good with my hands and I did everything from cleaning Port-A-Johns to working on roofs. At the end of each day Mr. Gomez with two body guards would pay us cash without any paper work, which was perfect for me.
Soon I had enough money to get a room in a pay cash, rent by the week sleazy motel and to buy clothes at Goodwill. Mr. Gomez would bring us lunch as part of the deal and I would get a Value Meal for supper. I soon became a favorite of Mr. Gomez and he would always give me the highest paying job, roofing or sheet-rocking.
One very hot summer day, after spreading hot tar on a flat roof for ten hours I was especially smelly and filthy. After getting paid for the day, in cash as usual, all I wanted to do was take something home to eat and shower. On the bus trip home the other passengers gave me dirty looks and moved away from me.
I got off the bus at the Wendy's in the front of the same parking lot as my motel. When I went inside I started getting the same looks as on the bus. I went to the counter to place my order, but the lady at the register placed her hand over her nose and just walked away. I heard her telling her boss she was not waiting on me because of how bad I smelled.
Her boss, a short fat balding man who was probably younger than he looked saw I was hearing what the counter person was saying. He just walked past her, came to the register and facing me smiling said,
" Welcome to Wendy's what can I get you?"
I looked at his name tag and it said "Assistant Manager Rob". It seemed like he was not faking being polite to me, despite my present condition. He made me feel like that my present condition didn't matter at all, so I placed my order.
Rob then asked, "will that be dine in, or to go?".
I told him, "to go.".
He then gave me a huge plastic cup for my drink, and went and filled my order himself. Then it hit me that he did not ask me for any money. Confused, I filled the huge 40 oz cup and came back and Rob had my order ready. Taking the bag I asked, "how much is it?".
Rob said, "I'm very sorry for the poor customer service you were given and I will reprimand the associate for being rude to you. I'm not charging you for your meal today because of how she treated you."
I thanked him and went to my motel room and turned the air on high. Sitting down at the small dining table I found that Rob had "Super Sized" my order and added a piece of pie. I thought, "that Rob is either gay or really a nice guy."
After eating and showering I watched TV until about 11 PM. I would normally go to bed then, but Mr. Gomez told me that he wouldn't need me tomorrow. That is how Day Work is, your days vary. I have worked 26 days without a break, but a few times I have had five days between jobs. I learned to budget my money so I would not have to go back on the street.
I decided to get some ice for my ice chest from the motel's only amenity, an old ice machine. As I was dumping the old ice and water, I heard some loud voices coming from the back of the closed Wendy's. I saw that guy Rob confronted by two people. One of them was the rude woman that wouldn't wait on me and the other was a large guy.
Then I saw the large guy grab Rob, pushing him against the building and starting to beat him. I would have called the police, but I didn't have a phone and the office was closed. Most street smart people, would have just ignored it but I am not most people.
I yelled, "STOP THAT!" and ran to help Rob, who I really didn't know. I got there and the rude woman didn't recognize me cleaned up, but she warned me,
"white boy you best stay out of this, my man is giving his fat ass a whooping for firing me."
I knew Rob must have fired her for not waiting on me so I felt responsible in a way. My street education taught me to always carry a sock full of pennies, so I hit the big guy on his knee. The big guy fell and then blue lights started flashing. the big guy got up and the rude woman ran away leaving me alone with Rob.
The officer knew Rob. I could tell he liked him and he asked, "Rob, you ok? do you need me to call a paramedic?".
Rob shook his head and said, "no, I am fine, but thanks for the offer."
The officer was about to get out to check for himself, but a call came in on the radio and he said," That's an officer down.". Looking at me he asked "you got this?" I nodded and he took off lights and siren going.
Looking at Rob I saw he had a cut over his eye, and I asked, "you sure you're OK?".
Rob answered, "I think so but I don't have insurance so I will go home and try to fix myself up."
I thought about for a second and told him, "I'm at the motel, so come with me and let me fix you up alittle."
Rob looked at me kind of strange, but agreed and came with me to my room. I got out my med kit and started working on Rob, I saw he was not hurt bad , mainly bruises and just a small cut. We talked as I fixed him up and Rob told me the whole story. He explained he called his manager to tell him how the associate treated me and the manager told him to fire her for misconduct.
Rob was a 20 year old and had planned to go to Johnson and Wells College, but both his parents were dead.
Rob just about cried when he told me they were both dead. His mother died on his 18th birthday of a heart attack. Choking back tears, he added his father died in a boating accident when he was 12. I told him I was sorry and that my parents were dead too, but I did not share any of the circumstances.
Rob thanked me for saving his ass and fixing him up and I told him it was no big deal. although, I wished he had not fired the woman for being rude to me. Rob shook his head and informed me that his manager told him to fire her. I found out from Rob that he didn't have the authority to fire someone or even write them up without approval.
So after the incident he had called his manager so he could write her up, but his manager said to fire her. Rob shared his suspicion that his manager wanted the woman gone, but was afraid of her boy friend. Rob was sure that his manager saw this as a perfect opportunity for him get what he wanted safely. Over the next six months Rob and I became good friends and he even became my Wing Man, sort of.
Across the highway from my motel and the Wendy's was a Country Western hook-up bar. It had cheap draft and I had another fake ID that said I was 21.Not that it mattered because they served Rob who was just 20. The bar was very run down, but had live music on the weekends and it's clientele was mainly, low income like Rob and I.
When we would go to the bar, Rob had a strange "pick up" style. He would not hit on a girl until almost closing time. Usually he stayed behind when I left with my "One Nighter". On one of the rare times I found a girl that was actually fun to be with, I saw, Rob's "moves".
Right before "Last Call" Rob would approach some plain or heavy woman that had been there most of the night and was still alone. Rob would buy her a drink at "Last Call" and talk to her and most often she would leave with him. I asked Rob about it after we were friends for a while, and I was surprised at his explanation.
Rob, looking down at his feet, told me the reason for his pick-up style.
"Mark you're a tall good looking guy and women think you're hot. I have no illusions about my looks. I am a fat, short, already balding pasty faced Burger Boy. I understand women having four sisters. Strangely all my surviving family are women. Actually no one can remember when the last boy, before me, was born on mom's side . So with four sisters and a lot of female cousins, I know how women think.
Any woman going to a hook-up bar alone is very lonely, but she has hopes of finding a good looking hunk so she will not be lonely, even if it is just for one night. It is the same with plain or fat women. They have this dream that someone like you will be interested in them. I watch them in the bar as they do their best to make you notice them.
If I approach one of these women too early, they will refuse me my offer to dance or buy them a drink. They would be too embarrassed to change their minds later and accept. That is why I wait till almost closing. With time running out they're more open to my offer. The only sex I get is 'desperation' sex. Most of the time it's not worth the effort, so nine out of ten times I leave alone right after you leave.
Now that I told you my secret, tell me what you're paying for rent?"
I didn't have a problem telling Rob, so I told him, " Two hundred a week.".
He asked " Why? You could get a real nice apartment for that kind of money.".
Rob was my best friend in the world and I truly trusted him, so after swearing him to secrecy, I told him my history. He understood and agreed that I needed to pay cash for everything to stay under the Serbian's radar.
After a long pause Rob made me an offer that shocked the hell out of me. He told me his parents didn't leave him anything, but the house he grew up in. He then explained that when his grandmother was alive, she lived with them for awhile. He said his parents turned their garage into an apartment for her, and I could live there if I wanted rent free. All I had to do would be share in paying the utilities.
I was the one trying not to cry now, I accepted and thanked him. I then told Rob, "I will always have your back, man, and one day I'll prove it."
I moved into the apartment which was still furnished from the stuff that Rob's grandmother had. I got a TV at Walmart, so I was set. The house was a 1930's style Craftsman style house, but in bad shape. Rob couldn't even screw a light bulb in straight so the house had gone down hill. I worked on it on my days off and soon it looked great.
Rob and I were even closer now, and he would cook for both of us on his days off. Rob loved to cook and wanted to be a chef, not just a burger boy. He surprised me on my birthday with a Smart phone. He added the line to his service so no one could trace it to me.
I was the happiest I had been since my grandparents were killed. Then things started to change. On Rob's 21st birthday we planned to go out, but our plans changed. He got a call from a legal firm in Ashville. They told him a distant relative of his had just died, naming Rob sole beneficiary in his will. The will also stipulated that Rob had to perform a small ritual within 24 hours to receive his legacy.
I helped Rob quickly pack his 2007 Kia Rio so he could get there in time. I told him, "good-bye and be safe."
He responded, "I never heard of this guy and I don't expect much, but I need to go, he was family after all. I'll be back soon.".
So Rob left, and I didn't hear from him for a week. During that week I tried calling, but it went to voice mail and I started worrying. Normal people would have called the police, but considering my circumstances, that was not an option.
At the end of the second week of Rob's disappearance, a package came addressed only to "The Occupant". I opened it and it had three thousand dollars in three banded bundles of twenties and a letter from Rob.
With my hands shaking I opened the letter and read what it said.
"Mark,
I am sorry that I haven't been answering my phone, I was kind of separated from it.
Mark you are my best friend and I know you were worried, but things are complicated right now. I didn't call you because, I know you'll have a lot of questions and I'm sure some them I don't know the answers to. Although, the ones I do have answers for are unbelievable. Just let me say, life is going to get much better for the both of us, very soon.
Mark don't worry about any of the bills, I am paying them online. The cash I sent you is for anything else you might need. I hope to have you up here soon, but if it takes longer, for some reason, I will send you more next month. You can move in to the house if you want. I will put it on the market once I get you up here.
Always Your Best Friend,
Rob"
Putting the letter down, I just said "WOW!" Rob is good and seems like he's into something big, I hoped it was legal because I have lost too many to illegal shit. Knowing Rob, I was 99.9% certain it was legal. I thought it must be that strange ritual, that his dead relative wanted. I figured that must be it, Rob did say, he had some unknown ritual, to do.
I looked at the money and thought where to hide it. After hiding $2,000 under a board in the floor, I went on a shopping trip to the mall. Dressed in actual new clothes, I decided I wanted a steak. I had had only one steak since I hit the streets but Rob fixed that. Rob did a great job, but I wanted another, so I went to Outback.
The Outback was in the parking lot of the Mall so I did not need a bus. As I was walking to the restaurant, I saw a guy snatch an old woman's purse. The thief came running right by me so I just stuck out my arm. The thief clothes-lined himself and I gave the purse back to the lady.
As she was thanking me I saw mall security coming, so I told her she was welcome and left. I made it to Outback thinking that I was safe because I ordered, ate, and left without anyone questioning me. What I didn't know was someone got it on their phone and it went viral. The next morning I saw a picture of me clothes-lining the thief on the front page of the Charlotte Observer.
I fought back panic and thought about it.
"They don't have any pictures of me and I look different now. My hair is longer, I'm taller, and all the construction work has made me more muscular. It has been years so why would they still be looking for someone like me, that knows nothing about them."
The next day I went to the job site Mr. Gomez told me to show up at that morning. Mr. Gomez came up to me and grabbed my hand and shook it, sayingm while patting me on the back,
"Mark, I wasn't supposed to tell you this, but an anonymous person placed an ad in the paper. They're offering to give you a reward for doing what you did, if someone would call and identify you. So I called and they are coming soon to give you a reward for helping that lady."
At thism without saying anythingm I ran, I hid until the bus came and humped on board. I got off the bus and ran down back alley ways to the house. I retrieved the $2,000 from under the floor and as I was heading out the back door my phone rang. It was Rob, telling me to stay calm and there would be a car here for me in two minutes.
So nervously I waited, looking out the front window through cracked curtains. I saw a black Tahoe in the drive and I about shit myself. Then a very large man in a black suit got out of the shotgun seat and yelled at the house, "Rob sent us for you.". At hearing that I ran out of the house and climbed in the back seat.
The big SUV quickly backed out of the drive and I saw a car, come up fast behind us. The man that opened the door said, " We have a threat.". I slid down in the back of the seat and the guy in the shotgun seat pulled a gun out.
The man with the drawn gun, trying to calm me said. "Mr. Cedric don't worry this vehicle is so armored that if they hit us with a RPG we will just need to get it washed. We have heavily armed backup at the helipad, and I am sure it is secured. Our ETA is in less than 5 minutes and the chopper is ready to take off when we get there."
We made it on the helicopter safely and in one hour and forty-eight minutes we landed on the lawn of a mansion in the NC mountains. A man, was waiting at the pad and waved me over to him, when I got off the helicopter. Then the helicopter took off leaving me and the stranger alone, The man patted me on the back and said, " I am sure glad to see you made it here safe Mark.".
The man sounded like Rob, but he was tall as I was, very good lookingn and in great shape.
I looked at him a little fearful and asked, "who the hell are you?"
The man laughed like Rob and said, "I'm Rob, your best friend."
He saw I was completely lost and started laughing again. When he stopped he explained.
"Sorry Mark I wanted to have some fun with you ,before I told you about what has been happening. Remember, I told you that there weren't any males in my mother's family, but me? I found out, that wasn't just some kind of fluke of fate but by design. You see over 3500 years ago there was a Wizard in my family.
This Wizard saw that magic was disappearing from the world and he had no idea why, but he wanted his descendants to carry on the Wizard legacy. So he crafted a spell that transferred his magic to a ring, but even the ring was starting to weaken.
So he searched the reason for magic's disappearance and discovered it was the increasing population. The magic was not disappearing, but being spread around. To fix this watering down effect, he crafted another spell. This spell pooled all his bloodline's magic in it's male descendants.
I guess he chose the male descendants because of the culture of his time. Then to prevent the watering down effect of population growth, he made it so only one male would be born every thousand years and I'm him. My relative that just died was 1021 years old and looked thirty, until I took the ring off him.
The taking of the ring was the ritual I had to perform, that the lawyer told me about. What I had to do was, go alone to the crematorium, remove the ring, seal his casket, and push the button to cremate his wife and him. You can imagine how shocked I was when I took the ring and the two of them turned to dust. It was strange how the were in the same casket, I guess they really loved each other.
Soon I found out that only I could remove the ring and why his wife turn to dust too. You see I was born with the pooled magic, but I did not know how to use it. That was the purpose of the ring and why I could not send for you sooner. For the last two weeks I have been in and out of a trance.
Every morning, a hour after sunrise I would go into a deep sleep and not wake up until midnight. When I would wake up I would know more magic and now I can do so astounding things. You have no idea how powerful I am now. Take my new look, I changed myself with a snap of a finger, let me show you."
I looked at this evidently crazy man as he snapped his fingers and he changed back to the old Rob, then he snapped them again and became the new man. The new Rob then said, "show me that scar you got when you burned your arm with hot tar."
I pulled back the sleeve on my right arm and showed him the bad scar. Rob waved his hand and said, "look at it.". I turned my arm and watched it just fade away until there was no sign of it.
Rob got a sneaky on his face then and pointed at me, I felt funny then I saw why. Rob had dressed me in a clown outfit, down to the red nose.
Laughing he said, "just 'clowning' around. OK, you're back to normal."
I could not help but laugh and I realized that Rob was just keeping me from being overwhelmed with some humor. Then a thought struck me, so I asked, "Why did his wife turn to dust too?".
Rob looked a little misty eyed, but he choked out an answer.
"You see Mark, the old Wizard knew living a thousand years alone, or watching one wife after another age naturally and die would not be a blessing but a curse. So he placed another spell on the ring. If his heir finds the love of his life, she will have to willingly shed her blood on the ring and pledge truthfully, never-ending devotion to his heir.
Once she does that, They will be joined by undying love as man and wife till the new heir's 21st birthday. At that time they both will die together looking as young as the day they were married. That way the old Wizard's heirs have the best chance at happiness."
I stood there trying to take it all in, then it struck me, that I was still being hunted. I did not want to lose Rob like I lost my grandparents so I told Rob, "I can't stay they're still hunting me."
Rob just smiled and held up his ring, using his best Pacino impression said. "they need to meet my little friend and I know they will find you. I had the chopper pilot file an exact flight plan. They should be here very soon, so let's get you inside and hidden until I deal with them."
I followed Rob in the house and found out we were here alone and I was worried, not for myself but Rob. He my have faith in this "Lord of the Rings" stuff, but I would trust an AK-47 a lot more. Rob put me in an upstairs bedroom and we heard someone knocking down the front door.
Rob looked at me and said, "You wait here and I will deal with our guests.". Then he left me shutting the door behind him. Then I heard and heavily accented man demand, " I will give you till I count to three, tell me where he is or I will shoot you in the leg.".
I burst out of the room and a shot rang out and I was unconscious. When I came to Rob was holding his hand on my bloody abdomen. I did not feel any pain and soon Rob was holding a bullet. He tossed it to me and said, "here's a souvenir for you, there won't even be a scar".
I caught the still warm flattened bullet and wondered why the shooting stopped. Getting to my feet I saw the reason, eight very rough looking men were frozen with guns pointing up at us. I looked at Rob and said, "You did this?"
Rob nodded then he scolded me.
"Mark when I say for you to stay put, I want you to listen to me. The reason you got shot you distracted me long enough, for one of them to get a shot off. I was able to fix you, but if his shot killed you, dead is dead. What the hell were you thinking?"
I answered, "Rob you are my only true and best friend and I will always be there for you."
Rob was touched I could tell by what I said and I truly meant every word of it. Then Rob looked down at the men and then at his ring. His eyes went wide and he shouted.
"HOLY FUCKING SHIT NOOO! Mark I have your blood on my ring that you willingly shed for me. NO,NO, NO, FUCK! This is not going to happen."
I looked at Rob and backed up, actually afraid of what could scare this new superhero Rob so much. I looking for some horror to appear, I finally was able to squeak out, "What is going to happen?"
Looking at me Rob said, "Your 'willingly shed blood' is on my ring". Then he continued after taking a long breath.
"Mark, while your blood was on my ring, you truthfully pledged never ending devotion to me. Don't you see that locks you as my wife now and we will be together forever."
I thought about it then it sank in and I could only say, "NO FUCKING WAY!".
Rob looked at me closely and then said, "Do you feel attracted to me?".
I looked at him and answered, "NOT NO, BUT HELL NO.".
Rob smiled and nodded his approval and shared his thoughts.
"Considering the culture and how the old Wizard thought, I bet it must take a woman to do that for it to work, but God Damn. It had me scared that we were going to turn Gay. I mean, if that is your choice, it's fine, but I like girls. Since I got the ring I'm able to hook up with some hotties and I love it."
With that we both went downstairs to take a look at the my would-be assassins. Rob would look at one and then another, shutting his eyes and shaking his head. Then he laid his hand on one and said, " OK. This is the boss the, rest are just hired help.". He then snapped his fingers and all, but the boss just dissolved into nothing.
Seeing all those men disappear I asked Rob what did he just do and he said, "They're no more, I killed them."
I was horrified but then I thought, "Hey they were here to kill me so Rob just killed the killers, it seems only fair. If I had that AK-47 I would have tried to do the same thing."
Looking deeply at the last man Rob commanded him to tell us why they want me dead. The man in a hypnotic type voice told us in his heavily accented English.
"I have been ordered to kill him by The Bear."
Rob asked "what is "The Bear's" name and what is his reason?"
The man answered, "I don't know his name, but the reason is a Blood Feud.".
Rob asked "who would know his name?"
The man answered, "I don't know, I just find whores for The Bear.".
Then Rob said, "This sounds like a movie plot. So this guy is just a low ranking soldier for some mob, probably Serbian. His main duties concern white slavery, he is a very nasty guy, but he knows little of the organization. The Blood Feud is with your family and the head of this mob and is the one that we have to remove. Along with any others that want to continue it.
This could be a long process, but back to dealing with this evil person. Let's give him some instant Karma. What you think Mark should I just kill him or make feel some of the pain he has caused, so many young woman?"
I thought about a documentary I saw about how they would trick young women into a life of prostitution and I answered, "make him suffer.".
Rob replied, "excellent thinking Mark, I see your sense of justice is just as strong as always."
Rob waved his hands over man and in his place stood a beautiful, large breasted, curvy young woman in a black cocktail dress that showed a lot of cleavage. She had black seamed hosem black 5" stilettos and dangling silver earrings to complete her attire.
Rob then snapped his fingers and said, "Off to Dubai, to your new job. Mark it may interest you to know, she only remembers her old life. She doesn't remember anything about us, or even getting the call to come here. The last thing she remembers was sending off his last shipment of innocent girls to their Dubai whore house. Imagine how surprised she is now, being forced into that whore house, with the other girls he sent there for training."
Then I asked Rob, "Is she really a woman?"
Rob smiling answered, "Yep, all woman. If they don't keep her on birth control she'll get pregnant. Although she may not end up as a whore because when they examine her they will see she is a virgin, so some rich oil sheik may buy her for his harem. Then she will start popping his babies out. I also added a twist you may like, even though she will hate herself for it, considering her memories. she loves cock any way she can get it."
I laughed and said, "that is perfect punishment for that asshole."
Then Rob looked at me very strange and screamed, " OH HOLY HELL NO!"
I looked at Rob and said, "What, he deserved it and we both agreed."
Looking at me he said, "I wasn't talking about him I was talking about you. YOU'RE SHRINKING!".
I Looked at Rob and saw he was much taller and I looked down at my jeans and they were pooling around my feet. In just a few seconds I felt everything about me change, holding my pants to keep them from falling, I finally stopped shrinking. Then I looked up at Rob who was a giant now and whimpered in a female voice, asking Rob, " Am I a woman now too?"
Rob nodded and answered, " Mark you are, but I did not do it to you. OH SHIT! It was the ring, when I turned that guy into a woman it got the idea to do the same thing to you so you could become my wife and fulfill the old Wizard's spell. Mark you see the ring sometimes has a mind of its own, that is how it adjusts to its new owner's personality and culture.
Please Mark don't panic yet, let me try something."
Rob clapped his hands and I instantly changed back to my old male self. I said,
"Thank God, what you did worked. That was some weird shit, I don't know how, but I knew I was a woman without looking. I felt it all over my body, I felt that even my mind changed. I was starting to sense things differently and think differently. It was still me but my personality had changed."
Rob responded by saying, "I am glad it worked too, You're my best friend but that spell was starting to effect me too. Like you saidm I was starting to think how pretty you were"
So with both of us happy to be back to normal we stayed up late trying to figure how to find The Bear and what to do when we found him. While we were still talking, we saw the sun come up. Then I panicked when I felt mtself starting to change again, but it happened quicker this time.
Rob clapped his hands again and changed me back and said, "My ring reactivates at sunrise, I don't lose my magic at sunset, because my magic is mine. Remember I told you I was born with it, what the ring did was teach me how to use it. So I always have my magic, but the ring kind of reboots at sunrise. So it will most likely change you to a woman every sunrise, but I can change you back."
I told him, "That is good.", but I was thinking, "I need to make damn sure Rob is around at sunrise."
Rob set his clock so he would get up before sunrise to change me back. Most mornings for the next two weeks I woke up to his hand clap. Rob is a very special person and he demonstrated it by trying to keep me from the shock of waking up as a woman.
Rob would spent most of his time, over those first two weeks using magic to find "The Bear". I was fixing us both a sandwich when he came into the kitchen to tell me something.
Rob looked at me seriously and said, "I have good news and very bad news for you. The good news is, I have identified The Bear. His name is Uros Babic, a former Major in the KGB and he has lived in New Orleans, LA since 1997. Babic, is the head of a large Serbian criminal organization since 1992, when it was formed from mostly ex-KGB operatives and officers."
Then Rob sat down acting like the weight of what he was getting ready to tell me was too heavy to stand with.
Rob looked at me and said, There is something called a Крвна освета, which loosely means a "Blood Feud". It has been around since the 15th century and still is practiced and the Babic family has a Крвна освета with your family for three centuries. Mark you are the last living member of your family".
Remembering how Rob destroyed the intruders just over two weeks ago, I asked, "You didn't kill his whole family, did you?".
Rob shook his head and explained, "I tried to kill Babic though, he is cold blooded killer and needs to be dead. I hoped with him dead, the younger Americanized Babics would let the Крвна освета die with him, but I couldn't do it.
Do you know what a Sigil is?"
I shook my head so Rod told me,
"A Sigil is a protection from magic symbol, most are garbage, but a few are real. I was surprised to find that Babic's part of the Uros family, tattoo all their children with a real Sigil shortly after birth. It is a tradition that goes back well over a thousand years, so to them it is just a tradition and they truly don't know its purpose. So I can't use magic to kill any of the Babic's family."
Taking it all in I suggested an idea, "You must have a lot of money now, so why can't you hire a hit man?"
Rob shook his head and told me more.
"I thought about that too, so I read the mind of the Chief of the Crescent City Police Department. I found out he knew a lot, first of all, Babic never leaves his mansion. He is rich enough the world comes to him and his old Mansion has been remodeled into a fortress.
There are cameras everywhere and a state of the art sensor array, that can detect everything from explosives to bio hazards. The basement is an army barracks, filled with a special op grade security force of over 40 soldiers although all his personal guards are family members with his oldest son in charge.
All his windows are special grade armored glass. Nothing can get through short of a Hellfire missile. The walls are over 18 inches thick of fiberglass concrete reinforced with tons of rebar. Finally there is only one way in or out, that it is always guarded. You could get to the President a hell of a lot easier.
Like I said he is rich and the world comes to him and only by request, but I am richer. Actually a lot richer. My inheritance has made me one of the richest men in the world, so that gives me an in.
I have been spreading the word that I want to use my me new wealth to go into politics. Babic has a lot of pull through his lobbyists and it would not be strange for someone from a poor background like me, would seek his help to get my foot in the door of government.
The hard part will be getting a personal meeting with him so I can start looking for some weakness to exploit. I know our meetings will have to be social at first so not to raise suspicion in this old paranoid spy. Most of his money is still coming from criminal means, but he has went big in legitimate too and I can use that as my carrot.
Every year he has his only large social function, a one million dollar a plate fund raiser for Serbian Orphanages. It is by invitation only, but my lawyer knows a guy that knows a guy that might swing it for me. I have already bought a suitable place on Barracks St. in the French Quarter of New Orleans, to work from.
I still have one thing to work out and it is a big problem, I don't see any hope to fix it.
You see Babic's fund raiser is couples only and I can not chance sharing my plans with anyone. If I just hire an escort, Babic will spot it and kill my plan at the start. If I take you, Babic like so many of his profession and nationality are Homophobic, they would never even let us in as a couple. So I am stuck."
I got an idea that revolted me, but this was the only way to get the man, that killed my parents, grandparents, and really my whole damn family. I could not believe I let the words come out of my mouth. I softly said, "I will do it. Just don't change me back in the morning"
In the morning I woke up with the sun shining through long silver blonde hair, covering my eyes. I jumped out of bed and landed on my butt on the floor. I misjudged how high my bed was now. I stood up and saw a young woman looking back at me in my mirror.
The end of part one of a two part story.
A Turn On The Pathway To Citizenship
Part Two Of Three
By
Warm Hearted
Proofed
By
Commentator
Synopsis: Mark now Mara, learns that there is much more to acting like the lady than just a body. If Rob's plan to take down Uros the evil crime lord is to work Mara will have a lot to learn in this second part of A Turn On The Pathway To Citizenship.
( From Warm Hearted, I had planned that this story would be in two parts . As a new writer I am learning no matter how well you outline a story sometimes the story gets a mind of its own. So this story is now in three parts and the third part and conclusion is with my outstanding proof reader and will be posted soon. My dear readers thank you for your patience and as always comments are welcomed and desired.)
I sat there on the floor feeling my body jiggle where it shouldn't but was unhurt although I had to piss so bad my eyes were yellow. I got up and glanced at myself in the mirror. I didn't examine myself closely because I needed to relieve myself so badly. I took a step only to fall again, tripping on my briefs that had fallen down to my feet. I was still unhurt but it was a miracle I did not piss myself.
I kicked off the briefs and got up and my tee shirt slid down to my knees. I did not have time think about that in my mad rush to the john. I did have presence of mind enough to pull the shirt up before sitting down. Then I found out why grandma used to bitch so much about me leaving the seat up. I almost fell in but was able to lower the seat and sit back down before I released my bladder.
I have never personally witnessed a woman peeing, therefore I did't know that they didn't sit flat on the seat. All I knew was women had to sit to pee, so I made a mess of myself. After using half a roll of toilet paper I was dry down there and I got up finally seeing the new me in the full mirror on the bathroom door. The tee shirt was huge on me but did tent some at my chest, showing two points. I thought, “they're my nipples!”
I heard a knock at the door and Rob asked, “you ok in there?".
I called back, “yes. Don't come in. I need to get dressed first. Do you have anything I can wear. All I have is the tee shirt I slept in, That is all that will stay up on me."
The sound of my female voice was strange in my ears but did not bother me as much as Rob seeing my new nipples though the tee shirt. I looked at myself in the mirror, I still had silver-blonde hair, but it was wild and all over my head. I had ice blue eyes, full lips, and my skin was very fair.
Inspecting my face more closely I looked like a female version of myself, but my eyebrows were so light it almost looked like I didn't have any.
Then Rob knocked on the door and said, "I couldn't find anything I had that would fit and all my dead relative's wife's clothes are gone."
There was a long pause and Rob hesitantly said, "well except one thing. I found a box on the top shelf of the closet. It's ... well, it's a costume that she must have worn sometimes, but you may not like it.".
I looked at myself in the tee shirt and thought, "whatever it is it has to be better than this.” So, I said "set it by the door and leave and I will get it."
I stood at the door and after hearing him walk off I opened the door, grabbed the box then shut and locked it. I set the large closed gift box marked, "Halloween" unopened on the bed. I had no desire to see what kind of Raggedy Ann costume I was going to be forced to wear. I always shower before putting on clean clothes.
The bath had a huge steam shower and a separate small tub. Knowing if I got my long thick hair wet it would take hours and skills I did not have to get it dry, I opted for the bath. Finally I had to do the thing I dreaded since I woke up, I had to see myself naked. Taking off my tee shirt and leaving it on the bathroom floor I turned and looked at myself naked. Even with my wild woman hair I was beautiful.
My skin had not one blemish, I was very thin but still curvy with perfect muscle tone. My body hair was almost non-existent except a small V patch of darker almost golden blonde pubic hair. I must be one of those girls that never have to shave, which is a good thing as I hate shaving, even just my face.
I laughed and thought, "until we get this done I won't be needing to do that. What am I thinking? This isn't funny. I don't like any of this. Maybe Rob can figure out how he can find a real woman that he can trust enough to share his plans with."
I looked in the drawers and cabinets, feeling my naked breasts sway with every move. When I bent down I could feel them pointing down, so I squatted to look in the lower drawers. My search came up wit a, disposable shower cap, a new bath puff, CK-1body wash, and matching deodorant. One other item I found I hoped I would never need, a box of tampons.
I quarter filled the tub and washed and got out quickly with my hair shoved in the cap. I dried just as quickly, thinking I wasn't enjoying any of it, but I was fooling myself, it felt good. I took off the cap and my really long hair was once more a tangled mess. When I was on the street my hair had became overgrown, but not this bad. So I did the same thing as then I took a rubber band and pulled my hair back in a bushy pony tail.
Clean now I went to look at the silly outfit I was going to be wearing. I opened the box and laid it out on the bed, becoming more appalled with each piece of clothing I pulled out. It was a sexy maid outfit that was not for Halloween like it said on the box. It was a sex role-play outfit and judging from the tags still attached it had never been worn.
The dress was black and very short, with a white apron and bra built into it. Included in the box with it were panties, fishnet hose, a white maid's hat, and 5" stiletto sandals. Everything was not cheap but very well made. I didn't care. The tee shirt was better than this. Going back to the bathroom to retrieve my tee shirt I saw it still lying on the floor soaking wet.
So I had a choice, a wet tee shirt or the uniform. I chose the uniform. Picking up the lacey panties first I noticed the sides looked funny. Then it dawned on me they were Velcro. I still chose the panties over going commando. I looked at the tag and it said size 3. They fit but the dress size said size 2 and that worried me as the panties fit but the dress was a size smaller yet they were a set.
As I slid the dress over my head I saw the bra size it was a "30B." To my surprise the dress fit. I thought, "women's sizes are weird. Panties and dresses should say so if they are the same size. I didn't even try the shoes on, but the dress felt fine although, very form fitting and short. I guess what they call the cup was a little tight, I found out later I was a C Cup.
I looked in the full mirror in the bathroom after I cleaned up my mess and was amazed at what I saw. Even with my bush of a ponytail I was a teenage boy's wet dream. Yesterday, if I saw me, I would have had an instant woody, but today all I felt was embarrassed. I didn't care what it took, Rob was getting me something else to wear ASAP.
So, bracing myself I went to find him. He was just coming out of his room all clean and dressed. He turned and saw me and his mouth fell open. I swear I saw his pants tent almost instantly. I looked just at his face so as not to verify that I was giving him a boner.
He finally got over his shock enough to try to hide, how I was affecting him by saying,
"good, I see you're dressed. Let's go downstairs as we have a lot thing to go over and have a lot of preparation to do before we go to New Orleans.".
"That's fine, but first on your list is getting me some damn clothes right now! You make a call, send a text, send an email, or a fucking smoke signal, but get me some different clothes here now. I don't care if you have to steal them, I want them here before we do anything else."
Rob tried not to smile at my outrage. Then I thought about it from his point of view. Rob knew it was me in here, but what he saw at that moment was a small, sexy woman in a sexy maid outfit snapping orders like a drill instructor. If I wasn't so embarrassed I would had laughed at the irony of it myself.
Rob said, "I will take care of it right now." Rob grabbed his phone and made a call and I heard what Rob was saying,
"Hello Helen, this is Rob Bruce. You're welcome Helen you were highly recommended for the job. Helen, I have something I need done that will put your skills to the test. My fiancées luggage was lost and she has nothing clean to wear how fast can you get something hear for her? Wait, I will ask."
He muted his phone and asked, "what do you want to wear?"
Without hesitation I said, "jeans, underwear, a long sleeve tee shirt, socks, and sneakers.".
Unmuting his phone he told her and after listening a moment said, "I don't know I will ask her,"
He looked at me and asked, "Do you have any clue what size you are?"
I answered, "yes, I saw the sizes of what I have on, but I don't know the inseam. I wear a size 2 dress. size 3 panty, and a 30B bra, no, better make that a 30C."
He said, "you're about the same height as my mother and she wore a 26 inseam lets try that."
He gave the woman the sizes and he said, "yes, she is very petite, Thirty minutes would be better. No it's fine Thirty minutes was really unrealistic but I love her and want her to have everything she needs. No, I haven't told her our plans, but I'm sure she will be fine with you. I will expect the courier in 90 minutes and you at 1pm, thank you, bye."
I looked at Rob and asked, "who is Helen and why is she coming?".
He looked at me and said, "after you decided to let the spell change you I got my lawyer to hire her. For lack of a better title she is your Personal Assistant although her duties are much more. She has the responsibility of equipping you with the skills to pull this deception off.
Please don't be upset, because I have one too, named George Hill. He will do the same for me and teach me the skills I need to fit in the rich people's world but you really have a lot more to learn.
Don't think that I'm not fully aware of how your feeling right now. After thinking long and hard on this last night I know this is the only option that stands a chance of success. If I bring in some stranger into this we would be in constant danger of being found out.
Any woman that would agree to act as my girlfriend for money could never be trusted not to sell us out for more money, no matter how much I give her. You're the only one I trust to remain faithful to me and see this through no matter what the danger is, but I do regret that you have to suffer being in a body that is not yours and learn to do things that embarrass you."
I looked at Rob and thought, "how did he get so smart? That ring must have changed him too.".
Then a revelation hit me and I realized that he was doing all this work, planning, and putting himself in personal danger all for me. He could have just let me run and not had to do everything he is doing. He could have just told himself, rightly so, he had done enough for me. Anyone else would had forgot me and lived his life just enjoying his new power and wealth. I was so ashamed for feeling like I am the one making the sacrifices. He is the one sacrificing for no reason other than our friendship. I started wailing and Rob thought it was because I thought he was being mean to me.
So I told him the real reason for me crying, "Rob you always just give to me and don't even realize all that you do for me. I'm crying because I realize what a selfish asshole I am, bitching about what I am going through. You know without you I would already be dead. Please forgive me, I will do what everyou tell me I need to do, because I know you're only doing it for me."
To break the tension he said, "I need coffee."
I followed him to the kitchen and his phone rang and he said, "I need to take this."
"I will make the coffee since I'm dressed for the part.".
Rob went to his office evidently to take notes and I saw the coffeemaker. I then started searching for the coffee and cups. I found the cups. Rob and I drink our coffee black, so all I needed now was filters and the coffee. I found them in the cabinet over the coffeemaker.
I took a filter off the bottom shelf, but the coffee was on the top shelf. I reached for it on my tiptoes but was still to short to reach it. Frustrated I yelled, "DAMN IT!" In my searching for the coffee I had found a broom closet that had a folding stepstool in it. I placed it and had to get on the second step to be high enough, but I still couldn't reach the coffee.
The house had wide custom stone counters and my arms were not long enough, being set even further back by the stepstool. I had to set one foot on the counter and leaned forward to reach the coffee when I heard Rob entering the room in a excited tone saying, "WHAT IS........".
I looked over my shoulder and saw him staring at me like a deer in the headlights. I wondered why, untill I noticed how I was standing. I thought, "I must look like one of the girls on the calendars in small auto shops giving him a clear view under my short dress of my sheer lacy covered butt."
Blushing beet red I got the coffee and got down quickly. I when looked back he was still staring at me but with a different look. One that I knew very well from the times we went to the bar together. I knew I was right because I definitely saw his pants tent and he quickly covered his woody with the legal pad he was holding.
Rob red-faced now too, quickly said, "When our coffee is ready bring it into the office. There are some major things I need to fill you in on."
While the coffee was making something strange happened, my embarrassment faded away, replaced with, a new feeling I never had before. It was almost like pride but it was laced with a sense of power. Similar but not exactly like when I learned how to protect myself on the street. It was like I had a secret weapon that I could use when I needed to.
I poured the coffee and carried the two cups to the office. Rob said, "please sit down Mark. We have more to go over than we have time for right now. We need to get to it. Right now though it is more important for me need to tell you what is going to take up most of our days for the for the next two weeks.
First, I need to ask for your forgiveness. I picked out a new name for you and changed your age to 21 without asking you. You're Mara Bagas now, a second generation Serbian born in the USA. The Bagas family have been strong allies with Babic's family for centuries which will help us. I magically created new documents for you, showing you as the only child of two naturalized Serbians parents. For all intents and purposes they are real and you're in every agency and school file.
Your new birth certificate, passport, school and college transcripts are in a locked safe. Your new driver's license and Social Security card are in that envelope on the desk. You now have a Bachelors in General Arts from UNCC. They're all foolproof, even your classmates and teachers will remember you, but not well.
I said, "there's no need for me to forgive you for taking care of me. That all sounds great and necessary and as for the name Mara, I like it. You can't keep calling me Mark can you although there are two things I don't fully understand; how did you get so smart at this sort of thing and why make me a college grad?"
"Well I'm learning everything I need to know magically. What I do when I need to learn a new skill is Google it and through my magic I can learn as fast as the computer can process it. The answer to your other question is simple, you need to be 21 so everything will be legal.
In the circles we are going to be traveling in someone that is 21 usually has a degree. Liberal Arts seemed to be a good major for you. I am giving you some powers magically so you can learn quickly. Not same way I magically teach myself though. I really wish I could because then you would not have to go through what I need to tell you next.
I need to start calling you Mara even when we are alone so you will get used to answering to that name and since I can't teach you what you need to know your new PA Helen will be here at 1 PM today with a team of professionals. They will teach you all that you will need to know so that no one will think you're anything other than what you appear to be.
Mara, in the near future you may feel that I have forgotten who you really are, but I will always know my best friend Mark is inside you. I promise once I secure our safety I will change you back. Remember this is just an act to catch your parents' killer.
Do you believe that you will always be Mark my best friend to me?"
I nodded my head and said, "I know you're doing all this just for me Mark. You'rw my best friend and I trust you with my life."
My eyes dampened but so did Rob's. Wiping his eyes he continued what he was saying.
"As long as you understand that I am going to ask you to do something that will be very hard and probably emotionally unpleasant for you. Helen is a professional image maker. She takes normal women and remakes them into cultured and elegant social butterflies.
You will have to put yourself totally under her control and work very hard so she can perform a metamorphosis on you. When she is done you will appear to be the perfect fiancée of a very rich and powerful man. You will have all the skills you need to perfectly maintain that deception no matter the occasion.
It normally would take a lot more time than we have for you to learn all you need to know. I can't not make you learn the way I can, but I've given you a photographic memory and the ability to perfectly mimic anything you are shown or see a diagram of.".
Babic's fund raiser is in 7 weeks and we need to be down there in three weeks. We will need that extra time, to be seen around in the right places and make some good contacts. Oh yeah, we have our invite, for Mr. Robert Bruce and Miss Mara Bagas.
You need to know the back story I gave Helen as the reason for your inexperience at womanly things. I told her that I worked at Wendy's and you were a street person that I met there and we became friends.
I told her that you were on the streets because your family were killed in a gang related shooting when you were very young so you never learned how to be a girl and that story also helps with Babic. I inserted the file of their unsolved murder, naming one of Babic's rival gang as suspects for the killings, a gang that Babic wiped out later in a turf war. I told her that we became close and I moved you in with me. I helped you get your GED and college degreeand now you are my fiancée"
I thought about the back story Rob came up with and I liked it. There was enough truth in that I could relate and I did know the streets if anyone asked any questions. It was a perfect excuse for not knowing what any normal woman should know. I know I can sell it well enough to keep Helen from thinking anything different.
Then the door bell rang and Rob went to answer it. He returned with a large bag from Nordstrom's. I grabbed it and went upstairs to change. In the bag I found everything I asked for. a soft pink crewneck long sleeve tee, a pair of jeans, a plain white bra, a pink belt that match some high styled pink sneakers, white cotton panties, and pink socks with a little lace at the top. I took off the maids costume and threw it aside.
I remembered how the women I took home would quickly dress after we had sex, so I dressed like they did. The bra felt a lot better than the one in the maids dress and so did the panties. The tee felt a little tight but not uncomfortable. Then I pulled on the jeans and thought, "size two must be the wrong size for jeans," but when I looked in the mirror nothing looked too tight, just normal for a young woman.
After I putting on my socks and shoes I went back downstairs. Going to the office I found Rob staring a computer screen that was flashing pages like a strobe light.
I said, "Rob, take a look What do you think?"
He looked up and just said, "WOW! You look great.".
I smiled and said, "thanks. I'm hungry and going to find something to eat . Do you want anything?"
Rob looked at me kind of funny and then smiled, "Yes. That would be great."
I went to the kitchen to see what I could find. In the fridge I found a honey dew, fresh strawberries, and fresh blueberries and thought fruit would be nice. I found two bowls and washed the berries and capped the strawberries. The honey dew seemed awful heavy. I thought, "I guess I am a lot weaker now," and that thought triggered a chain of thoughts.
"The discovery of my loss of strength should have had a hell of lot more effect on me than it did. Oh shit, I didn't have any problem at all in wearing a mostly pink outfit. I never even hesitated and worse yet I liked how the jeans showed off my butt.
FUCK! I wanted Rob to like how I looked, I even spun around so he could see all of me. No wonder he was giving me that weird look while I was fixing something for us to eat. I passed up all those cold cuts and cheeses to fix fruit, just like a woman would do.
What is that damn ring doing to me? I need to ask Rob just how far it has changed me. I'm acting more and more like a woman without even noticing it. I am doing it without thinking. I'm just doing it ....like it's natural. Well one good thing when this is over Rob can change me back."
Knowing Rob can undo these changes I finished the fruit and found some fresh croissants and put some on the table with the two fruit bowls. All set I went to get Rob and found the office door shut so I knocked.
Rob opened it and said, " I was in a tramce talking to the ring and I just came out of it.".
I responded, " I have fresh fruit and croissants if that is alright. I can fix you something else if you like."
"No that actually sounds very good."
Then I asked Rob, " I need to ask you something while we eat."
"That's fine and I have some things I need to tell you too"
We sat and started eating and I asked Rob, dreading what his answer will be, "how much did the ring change me, I know on the outside I look like a woman but how much else did it change?"
Rob put down his spoon and looked at me sympathetically and said, "I was wondering the same thing after you gave me that little fashion show wanting my approval. That was the purpose of the communication trance I just had with the ring.
I will start by telling you, always remember I will change you back after our mission is completed. With that being said, the ring explained completely what you have been changed into. First of all, physically, internally and externally, you are a healthy almost 20 year old female.
You have all the natural organs, just as if you were born a girl, except in one aspect. The ring makes the Wizards wife infertile, and you will not have a period. The old Wizard did that so his heirs and their wives wouldn't go through the pain of watching most of their children grow old and die.
To offset the sacrifice of the never having children he .....well ....sort of ....kind of, oh Hell, he made it so we can have world record, killer sex. Since sex is not happening with us it really shouldn't matter, but it was part of the spell.
So, the ring did something that is really earth-shaking for both of us. Since you were the first male to shed blood and pledge the oath, the ring had to do more than just change your body to fulfill the spell. The ring is changing the way you think, it instantly changed your sexual desires.
When you changed you immediately lost any sexual urges concerning women, but more slowly it is changing your feelings towards men. The ring is slowly moving you towards being completely and totally a heterosexual woman. One day you will desire a man and not just any man, just me.
The ring included me in that part of it's plan to honor the old Wizard's wishes. As long as I don't change you back, I will want you sexually more and more. I tried and I can't change it so we need to be careful, but in the future it will get harder and harder not to give in. The ring is also making you think like a normal woman in everything so I need you to do your best to think clearly and answer this question. Is getting Babic worth it, now that you know the what full cost is to you?"
My first impulse was to say "NO!," but then thinking further, I thought of my good grandparents and how they died for me. I also felt the rage build in me concerning the death of my parents making me an orphan and what I suffered living on the streets because of him.
In an immovable sense of purpose that transcended all else I answered, "yes, I want him dead at any cost to me."
Rob nodded and said, " I knew you would say that even if the ring had not changed you. So, I'm with you 100%. We need to do this."
"I have plans in the works and I am actually proud of the web I am weaving to catch our fly. I am setting up a reason for Babic to wish to have me as an ally legally. The plan looks like a normal business deal with no other purpose. Let me tell you about it."
I stopped him to ask a question that hit me.
"I would love to hear this plan, but first tell me why Babic will not connect you to me since his men came here to kill me."
"That's a very good question, You see Babic's organization did most of that work for us. Once one of his soldiers get his orders to do something he is not to contact his boss again until it is done.
This way much less information is shared. Mone in the Babic network knew where you were. They just had the information on you that Mr. Gomez gave them and he knew nothing about me. He told them when you would be on the job and that is all the higher-ups know.
As we found out all the rest of the ones that came here were hired help and didn't even know where they were going until they got here. I changed the filed flight plan showing you went to Alexandria VA. and I magically sent the rentals they were driving to the Charlotte Airport Long Term Parking after changing their GPS'. So the new whore's boss has no idea we know each other.
Now back to my "genius" plan. Babic buys his opium from terrorists in Afghanistan and then trucks it to a processing plant on the Baltic. He then brings the heroin into the country by ship hidden in seafood. Babic has a shell company that owns about 25% of the shipping line he uses. The shipping line only makes a little money on those shipments, but Babic owns enough of the company to keep the route open.
So I will have my brokers buy 35% of that shipping company, informing the board that I am going close the Baltic route. My lawyers will tell the board my plan is to move the Baltic route resources to shipping the pumps an Irish Company of mine makes which would be much more profitable.
I will have Babic shitting bricks thinking one of his major sources of income is in jeopardy. So, I'm sure when we show up at his fundraiser I will not have to approach him, he will come to me. I am sure he will learn all he can about me. He will learn about my unexpected inheritance, but that is the only true thing he will find out.
Any pictures he will find will show me looking like I do now only at the appropreate age, just like yours. They will find that I have no criminal record, but the word on the street about me very is different. Some of the criminal element thinks that my Wendy's job was just a cover. That I really had three very profitable gambling houses and I was very good at creating "accidents" for anyone who crossed me and that I didn't mind personally doing "wet work."
When Rob finished sharing his plans with me I said, "damn Rob you just simply amaze me."
Then the front doorbell rang and I went to answer it. The woman standing there said, "Hello I am Helen and you must be Miss Bagas. I see you got the things I sent. Are you ready to get started?"
I said, "I guess.".
"Great, our first tasks, are hair, makeup, personal hygiene, skin treatments and fragrances. This team will work with you making sure you learn how to do what you need to do."
Then she stepped aside and a rush of women came in and ushered me upstairs. Rob came out of the kitchen and I looked at him in shock. He just smiled and waved bye at me as I was just about carried upstairs to my suite. Then women started stripping me with Helen snapping orders at them. Looking back at those three weeks, things were a blur from that point on.
For the next three weeks, I spent fourteen hour days, seven days a week being totally remade much as the ring's magic had done, only normally. My days would start at 6am and end at 8pm. The first week's effects were astounding.
My silver blonde hair was styled to a perfect frame for my face. My hair has a natural wave but it was shaped and cut to take best advantage of its wavy thickness. It reached just below my shoulders. The stylists were shocked how fast I learned to care for it, thanks to Rob's magic help.
Likewise my makeup was designed to bring out my natural good looks. Like my hair I learned how to do it myself after being shown one time. I learned what style of makeup to use for the time of day and occasion and had a vanity that was soon filled completely with everything I needed.
During first week the only time I could see Rob was at dinner and he became more and more complimentary of the changes taking place. He started to just stare at me while we ate and act increasingly different. Then one night he stood when I came in the room and pulled out my chair for me.
I was surprised, but without saying a word, I just sat down and let him slide my chair in for me. He sat back down and the maid brought our dinner, We talked about our different days just chatted like any normal couple. I laid down my napkin and he rushed over to pull out my chair.
I said to break the tension, "you're learning to be the perfect gentleman."
He smiled, but then our eyes met and we were locked in a gaze that made me feel strange.
I thought, " Rob is giving me warm butterflies in the pit of my stomach."
Breaking the stare we both seemed embarrassed and I said I needed to get to bed.
"I have to get up 5 am to be ready when Helen and new team arrives at 6 am. I will start learning about clothes in the morning."
I went to bed fighting the desire for Rob to kiss me good night and maybe do much more. I knew it was the ring working on me, but it didn't make me want it any less.
My clock went off at 5 am and I bathed, applied day makeup and did my hair while wearing just a pair of panties and my bra under a robe as instructed by Helen. Today I start with clothes and they're bringing them. Just before they arrived the morning maid gave me a note from Rob.
"Mara,
Something came up last night that required me to leave tonight for New Orleans. I will call you about 8:30pm.
Your BFF,
Rob."
Disappointed and a little depressed that I would not see Rob for two whole weeks I thought time would drag, but time flew by. I learned to properly dress, walk gracefully in any height heel, to sit, eat, and just stand doing nothing, but doing it elegantly. Helen was ecstatic I was such quick study as she had time to add more skills to my reconstruction.
"Usually takes years to come as far as I have in two weeks, so we have time to do the most advances training. Normally this is reserved, for highly placed politician's wives or new royalty."
So the last week we started with me learning to speak using perfect grammar and using my voice like a musical instrument. To play the right tune for most occasions and events. The voice coach let me keep my southern drawl, but toned it down. It sounded like old southern money, and sexy.
Then Helen brought in an event planner to teach me how to do small dinner parties knowing for anything larger I would hire caterers.Still having time left Helen asked if I had any musical skills and I told her I took piano from my grandmother and could play a couple of songs by ear and as a kid I sang in the church choir.
That was all it took. The last three days I leaned to read music and play and sing like a professional. Helen had a grand piano brought in for me to play and one sent to the house in New Orleans. Sending the last of the teams away she hired a ladies maid for me. Helen, as worn out as I was, was glad to scale down to just her duties as my personal assistant.
We were leaving for New Orleans in the morning but it was still early. Helen finished over seeing the packing of my eight very large trunks and had them sent to Rob's private jet. All I had left of all the things that I had gotten over the last three weeks was a nightgown, one outfit and a small makeup kit to get ready in the morning.
So I sat and played some on the piano which I really loved doing now that I played so well.
Rob had called me every night and we talked about our days, but he would not talk about his plans over the phone. He hinted he had a lot to tell me when I got there. I was excited about our reunion but a little worried because over the last six nights I have been having increasingly erotic dreams about him.
As I was playing and thinking about Rob, Helen came in the room and asked if she could join me.
"I think that would be lovely, may I play something for you?".
She thought for a minute and said, "Someone To Watch Over Me.".
I pulled it up on the tablet on the piano book ledge and played and sang. I had never heard the song before and was almost in tears at the end of it. That song described how Rod treated me almost exactly.
Helen said, "I think that is the best I have ever heard it done. You could be a professional. I think I am going to take a long bath and catch up on some sleep. Good night Miss Bagas"
"Now that sounds like a plan, I think I will do likewise.".
In the morning I got ready, thinking only of Rob's and my reunion. I had chosen a simple medium blue sundress with a tastefully low cut V back with a scoop neck that showed a slight bit of cleavage above the bra was built into the dress. The shoes I chose were matching blue, open toed pumps with three inch heels. Everything was suitable for travel and the temperature in New Orleans in late April.
The heels made my hips sway perfectly as I walked to the car. The drive ro the airport took longer than the flight, but soon we were touching down in New Orleans. I saw Rob waiting on the tarmac for me and my heart started pumping and I felt warm all over.
I walked gracefully but quickly down the stairs and greeted Rob with a big hug and he responded with a tender quick kiss. We both were surprised at what we just did without thinking. In the limo, Rob rolled up the privacy window between us and the driver. Rob looked at me with his eyes devouring me but saying words that didn't match his stare.
" I'm sorry for kissing you, I was not thinking."
"It wasn't your fault. I hugged you first automatically, but I have missed you so much. I need to tell you the ring is has been working overtime on how I feel about you."
Rob nodded and said "I know exactly what you mean. Have you been having dreams?"
I said "YES! Very erotic ones concerning you."
"I was afraid you were having the same sort of dreams. Damn, I have not had a wet dream since I was 14 and I have been having them for the past four nights. We are going to have to be very careful or we will do something that we both will regret when I change you back."
I agreed and he caught me up on some very strange twists we did not count on.
"Mara the reason I picked the house on Barracks St. was it was next door to a man, whose family was an old New Orleans family. Rene La Blank and his wife Katrina, they're very connected and are major movers and shakers in New Orleans. My hopes were to become friends with them and they would introduce us around.
But I had the wind knocked out of me the day after I arrived. While I was trying to think of someway to meet our new neighbors Rene showed up at my door. He greeted me by asking, "are you a good Witch or a bad Witch".
I laughed, thinking he was joking and invited him in. I told him he had a great sense of humor, but he was not kidding. Rene is a very distinguish looking middle-aged man and he looked at me and said, "Answer my question. I felt the greatest magic power I have ever felt when you showed up yesterday. So I need to know if you're a white or dark Witch."
I looked at him and told him, "I am not a Witch. Although you know about magic and felt it from me,I guess I need to tell you I am a Wizard so you can stop wondering if I am a "food Witch or a bad Witch."
He just about turned paper-white and whispered, "A true Wizard. My God, no wonder your Magic looks like a search light. I hope my ignorance has not insulted you. I will leave you to your business. Be certain I or my household will do nothing to get in your way. I know what you're capable of."
"Mara, I am telling you it took me almost begging the poor guy not to run out the door to sit and talk with me. After about two hours of talking with Rene he finally loosened up and started laughing about how bad he and his wife were when I moved in. He asked if he could call his wife and tell her to stop hiding in their basement. I told him of course and to invite her over because I wanted to meet her.
We had a fun evening, ordering a pizza. They stayed until 2 am telling me about Witches and me telling them how I became a Wizard. I found out there are about 600 powerful witches in the world and 16 of then are right here in New Orleans. About half are White like Rene and Kat his wife, but Rene said he was more a light gray than a white Witch and that Dark Witches were not very dark, just unsociable, and stayed out of things.
I told him you were to join me in two weeks and Kat can't wait to meet you. Rene and Kat are having us over tonight so they can meet you. I really like Rene and I think we can trust him. He and Kat are powerful as Witches go but there's no Witch in the world 1/100th as powerful as a Wizard. Rene informed me I was the only one he had ever met or known."
We got to our new home and I loved it. It had Spanish influences but was done up in traditional New Orleans style. It had a court garden and large spacious rooms. In my bedroom I found all my things placed where they needed to go and my huge closet had my clothes pristinely hung and organized.
Rob said, "The La Blancs are expecting us in about thirty minutes and they said to dress very casual and comfortable. They were preparing a traditional outside shrimp boil to welcome you." So I dressed in a scooped-neck cotton top, shorts and sandals.
We arrived on time and when Rene let us in Kat ran to me and gave me a big hug and said, "welcome to the Big Easy, I know I already love you because your dear Rob has grown so special to us so quickly and he loves you so much."
Kat backed up and looked at me strangely and said, "Rene look at Mara."
Rene looked at me and a smile lit up his face up his face and questioned Rob, "Rob why did you lie to me when you said you didn't know about witches and your fiancée is such a powerful one."
I looked at Rene and said, "I'm sorry I am not a witch, powerful or otherwise."
Kat said in a fake scolding tone, "No need to play coy with us Mara, the blood never lies ,but I don't know of a Bagas line of Witches. So what is your real name."
I looked at Rob and he looked at Rene and you could see the struggle Rob was going through trying to decided if he could trust Rene and Kat with the truth.
Rene told Kat to get a parchment, a pen and a needle and Kat looked at Rene hesitantly but did what he said.
Rene looked at Rob and said "I have grown to like and trust you quickly, I am gifted with the ability to see someone's true heart. You heart is true and you will always protect your friends so we are going to make you a Witch's Oath that we can never break that anything you tell us in confidence will never be spoken by us to anyone else without permission."
Rene wrote the oath and let Rob read it and then when Rob handed it back to him Rene and Kat signed the oath and pricked their thumbs and pressed their blood on the parchment and it disappeared in a flash of light. Rob then looked at his ring and went into a short trance that lasted a few seconds and nodded.
Rob, looked at me and said, "What they said is true you can tell them what you're comfortable in sharing."
I thought for a second and told them most of my story leaving out the part concerning my transformation.
Kat said, "you poor dear," and hugged me hard and long and we both started crying.
Then Rene angrily said, "That son of a bitch Babic has been a blight on the city since he came here. If it was not for those damn Sigils I would have killed him myself years ago. Rob please let me help you in ridding my beloved city of this blight."
"Your help would be most welcomed. Mara, did you know Witches live 600 years and Rene is almost 300 and lived here his whole life? His help will be invaluable."
I let go of Kat and said, "thank you Rene. I am sure we will be friends a long time. Due to Rob, I will live over a 1000 years, but I'm not a Witch."
Kat said, "Mara since you were orphaned you may not know it, but you are a Witch, the blood doesn't lie. Let's find out what your last name is,maybe we're related."
Kat went into another room and brought out a wooden box. In the box was a large quartz point.
Kat explained, "this is a divining stone, Magic activates it, the more magic a person has the brighter the glow and the color of the glow tells what family the Witch is of. Let me show you."
Kat, took the stone and it glowed bright dark red and she explained, "Dark Red is the color of the La Blanc's and no we don't inbreed. Rene is a distant cousin, there are a lot of La Blanc's and most marry other La Blancs, but rarely we will marry outside the family. My youngest sister did, but no one in the family has seen or heard from her for years. Now you give it a try.".
Rene stopped me and said, "I want to see if the legends are true about Wizards. Rob, there are a very old legends that when a Wizard holds a divining stone it will glow brighter than the sun in pure white light. I want to see if that is true, but just in case it's true the rest of us need to look in other directions not to be blinded."
Rob agreed to give it a try so the rest of us turned our backs to him and soon the room was very, very bright. It reminded me of an arc welder but brighter and pure white, but then the room went dim again. We turned around and the stone was back in the box.
Rene, broke the silence and said, "I guess the legends are true. Now Mara it is your turn. Lets find out what your real last name is."
Excited and scared at the same time I picked up the stone and it glowed bright burgundy, much brighter than Kat's, but nothing like Rob. The La Blanc's just stared at it like they were hypnotized so I quickly laid it back in its box.
Kat said, "she glowed burgundy. OH MOTHER GODESS, SHE GLOWED BURGUNDY!"
Kat ran to me and grabbed me and held tight crying uncontrollably and Rene just sat down. Rob and I looked at each other wondering what just happened.
Rob got a very worried look on his face and looked at Rene and asked, "is there something we need to be concerned about?.
Rene shook his head and said, "It all make sense now, the blood feud with the Babic's, unrelated grandparents, and everything else. It all makes sense. You see Mara's surname is Zduhac'. Their color is dark blue and, as you saw the La Blanc's is dark red and burgundy is what you get if you mix the two.
Kat's tears are tears of joy not sadness. You see, we think her youngest sister, Marie married the last Zuduhac', Gore Zuduhac' twenty-five years ago. Marie was volunteering in Serbia, helping with the orphans there, She wrote to us that she met Gore and they fell in love and Gore and she were coming home to to get married.
Shortly after that letter, they disappeared and Kat's family tried their best to find them. After being missing for four years we felt her light go out, meaning she died. Kat still morns her loss. As Kat was 150 years older she was more like Marie's second mother than a sister.
We knew of her sister's death but had no idea about Mara or her life would have been very different. When you told me about the blood feud with Mara's family I never made the connection. The Babic's came from minor nobility and they have had many blood feuds, some of which are still active. The only thing I regret about us finding our niece Mara is Kat's mother died last year in a sudden car wreck and she will never meet her."
Then, after it all sank in, I held Kat as hard as she was holding me and started crying too. Finally we both stopped crying for joy and still holding each other's hands we sat on the love seat together.
I looked at Rob and Rene, Rob was still standing looking at me with loving concern. Rene was still sitting in his chair, but the huge smile turned quickly to a look of pure hatred and rage. In a forced control voice he said, "Rob, I was going to tell you tonight that, you could kill Babic's whole family anytime you wanted. You know how to use your great magic like a sledge hammer, but you have not had it long enough to learn to use it subtly. The Babic's Sigel protects only the person from Magic not their house.
Babic built his fortress to keep people out, but its construction also keeps him in. You could wait till you know his whole family is home and just explode a gas line under it and set fire to the rest with no problem. I could not do that unless I could see it but you have Wizard sight. You can as you already know see and hear anything in world without moving.
With only one way in or out you could easily block it and let them all burn to death, but please don't. After hearing what he did to my wife's sister and our niece, I want him to suffer first. So I beg you as new family please help me make him bleed before you kill him. The Babic's will be dead soon, but please I want them to suffer first."
After hearing what Rene said in my own rage I said, "I want them to suffer too and I want to be part of it. Before he dies I want him to know who I am and that he failed and I won blood feud." Kat in agreement said, "You're not leaving me out of this, I need to be a part of this too or I will always regret it."
Rene said, "Good. We are all in and now let's celebrate Mara's return to us. We will start planning first thing in the morning. I will clear my schedule, the Babic Project is my only priority until it is done."
A Turn On The Pathway To Citizenship: Part 3 The Conclusion
By Warm Hearted
Edited By Commentator
Synopsis: Mara discovers how to use her powers and her relationship with Rob moves to the next level. Rob, Mara, Rene, and Kat become closer and start becoming a real family As they their plan to bring down the crime lord Babic unfolds.
We went out to their court garden very similar to ours and Rene opened a bottle of wine, that had "La Blanc" on the label and poured me a glass saying, "this is our family's label. The grapes came from 400-year-old vines."
It was white and tasted wonderful so I drank the first glass quickly and got a buzz. I guess my small size has less tolerance for alcohol so I just nursed the second. There was an old picnic table in the center of the garden and a servant brought a huge basket of boiled shrimp, crawfish, and oysters still in the shell and just dumped them on the center of the table and laid out towels with oyster knives on them then left us alone. We all sat down and put the towels in our laps. I watched Kat peel a shrimp in a second and eat it. I did the same.
Rene laughed and said, "Yes, you're Kat's niece. Only she can peel a shrimp that fast."
Kat giggled and said, "yes, blood never lies. Make sure you eat plenty of oysters Rene. All the good news has me in a playful mood."
We all burst out laughing.
I enjoyed the food but enjoyed spending time with my newly discovered aunt even more. We both were a little drunk and Kat looking at me asked, "you want to learn some magic? Normally by now you should know a good bit, I need to start teaching you right away."
I agreed and looked at Rob "Is that alright?"
Rob a little buzzed too said, "Hell yes, I got my legacy and you should have yours too."
Kat got up and got one of the many citronella candles burning in the garden to ward off mosquitoes and blew it out. She made a special hand movement over the candle while saying, "Ignite." The candle lit.
"You try it. Just think of the candle being lit and copy my hand movement and say "Ignite." Don't be discouraged, it will take a lot of practice. In a week or two you'll get it and then we can move to the next lesson. It will get much easier as you learn more.
She blew out the candle and I did as she did use the gifts Rob had given me. The candle shook a tiny bit and a two-foot flame shot out of the top.
Rob smiling really big, joked, "I'd say she has that one down."
Kat looking real a little confused but very proud at the same time, "Mara we are going to have to work on your control but look out world here come Mara super Witch."
Rene shaking his head with fake grief said, "Damn, I have the world's most powerful Witch and a Wizard in my family and living next door, and I can't brag to anyone about it."
Rob said, "once the Babics are dead you can brag your ass off to your Witch golfing buddies. We need to get an early start so, we all need to get some sleep. Thank you so much for such a special evening. We all got something tonight that we will treasure always."
Kat said, "No. thank you for making me so happy by bringing my unknown niece to me. I'm not going to invite you back if you have not guessed it we're all family now and you need no invitation. Hell. we may join our two houses and I'm not joking."
We all hugged good-bye and we walked the hundred feet to our house. Rob and I walked upstairs, but before we split to go to separate suites without thinking I faced Rob and he kissed me deeply. He started to apologize. but I put my hand on his mouth hushing him and went in my room.
Even after taking off my clothes, brushing my hair and fixing it for bed, taking off my makeup, brushing and flossing, the kiss still had me very sexually aroused. It the same as when I would awake from all those erotic dreams but those feelings went away quickly. This time they were getting more intense. As I was finishing in the bathroom I heard Rob showering next door.
I was thinking of him naked in the shower on the other side of the wall I could feel myself getting wet between my legs. I knew it was the ring's magic, but that seemed very unimportant. The thing that kept me from going to Rob and joining him in the shower was the fact that when he changed me back I would always have that memory.
If I did what I was yearning to do Rob and I would remember it and a memory like that would change our friendship forever. Hearing the shower stop I went to my lingerie dresser and took out a plain cotton nightgown, but before I put it on I was stopped by a thought.
" OK. Think about this logically. Will I be able to function like this, effectively to the point of being able to be a major part of the plan to deal with Babic? On top of that my new aunt and I have this female tie that is new to me, but Mark could never be this close to her.
Lastly, I will be with Rob for over a thousand years and every morning he will have to turn me back and if either of us find a wife they will grow old and die. That old Wizard was right, that would be torture.
If I give in and go to Rob there never will be any going back. I will live the rest of my life as Mara. Rob and I will marry and I will be his loving and devoted wife having great sex until I die and Kat will have a niece to dote on. Damn, that sounds wonderful. Sorry Mark, good-bye forever. I put back the cotton gown and took out a black silk and lace gown with spaghetti shoulder straps that would easily fall off and nothing else.
I stealthily creped into Rob's room. He was in bed and the lights were off but the room was dimly lit by the city's lights coming through the curtains. I stood on the opposite side of the bed from Rob and he still did not know I was there. Dropping my gown on the floor I slid under the covers and Rob turned over with a start.
"What are you doing?".
I answered him by sliding on top of him and kissing him with passion. I felt his bare chest against my hard nipples and my body. He knew I was completely naked.
He broke the kiss and said, "when I change you back to Mark how will we deal with this?"
"That will never happen. I know the ring's magic is part of it, but Rob and Mark could never have the joys, pleasures, and love Rob and Mara will have. I made the decision not the ring. Mark will never return, he is gone forever. Now make love to your horny fiancée."
The talking stopped as he flipped me on my back and started kissing my breasts. I moaned in ecstatic pleasure. His hand went between my legs inserting his middle finger and found that my vaginal canal was already soaking with my juices. Slipping off his briefs I suddenly felt his hard cock pressing on me.
I waited for him to enter but he didn't. Instead he leaned down and whispered, "you have to spread your legs.".
I smiled and spread my legs wide and he pushed slowly into me. I felt a tiny pinch and thought, "The ring may have made me female but Rob just made me a woman."
I discovered that for him to enter me deeply I had to angle my butt up. Tilting up and he pushed much deeper. pumping harder between surges of pleasures, I noticed my legs had crept up his back until they were wrapped around him in middle of his back.
Then I felt my body convulse and I exploded in pleasure and before I could come to my senses it happened again and again until I was just a moaning senseless lump of pleasure, I noticed him making several hard pumps then moaning himself and falling on top of me. I did feel his beautiful cock finally grow soft in me.
After pulling out we just lay there in each other's arms and went to sleep. About 3 am I had to get up to pee and slid out of bed. As I peed I saw his cum and matted pubic hair. After wiping, I cleaned myself a little with a wet wipe and went back to the bed.
Strangely, Rob wasn't there. Then I felt him behind me, kissing my neck and playing with my breasts. I felt his hard cock on my back and I knew he wanted me again. There was something different this time. Our first time Rob was a little uncertain and unsure, but this time Rob wanted complete control and he took it.
Rob was still just as loving but he was staking his claim. He played me, hitting every spot to make me a yielding submissive woman. He demonstrated to me how much bigger and stronger he was by picking me up like a doll. He showed me who was the boss, by choosing the position he wanted, me bent over the edge of the bed. With my face in the covers, he picked up my butt, pushing my legs apart with his legs. The tip of his cock soon found my swollen clit and he rub and teased it. He was driving me crazy and he loved it. He then pushed in just the tip of his cock and started rotating his hips. With his firm grip on my back and the sides of my butt and me being face down I couldn't move.
As he was turning me into a sex crazed submissive slave to his cock he said, "when you decided without talking to me to remove Mark forever you took a friend that was more like a brother forever away from me.
I know I could have sent you back to your room but I truly love Mara more than life and you will be my perfect wife but Mara is not Mark and there is still some Mark in you. That bit of Mark in you makes you see me differently than Mara should."
As Rob talked I understood what he was saying but my body was on fire. I wanted him to just take me.
He kept playing with my clit and kept talking, "you saw how Kat leaned on Rene, teased him about the oysters, and openly showed her affection. Mara doesn't do that because that is something Mark would not do with me.
So I am not going to make love to you, I am going to fuck you hard. The reason I'm doing this is while the first time my cum was just normal this time it is laced with Magic. That Magic will intensify the rings work with your self-view when it enters you. It is going to quickly complete the ring's process. You will unconsciously think of yourself totally as Mara, a woman in love with her man with no bit of Mark's male perception of the world in the picture. You will not lose any of Mark's memories but you will only think like Mara."
He then entered me and said, "I love you, Mara, more than life itself."
I screamed, "I LOVE YOUUUU THEEE SAMEEEE>>AHAHAH!!!..."
He then fucked me hard and all I could do was hold on to the sheets screaming with my face in the bed. I don't know how many orgasms I had before I felt his seed pump into me and I felt the Magic. I felt how proud I was that a man like Rob loved me as much as I loved him.
I wanted the world to know that he was mine and I was his. As Mara, I had enjoyed making Rob look at me and I always felt ashamed after. I knew now I would always want him to want me and be happy he did. Yes, now there was none Mark's shame of outwardly showing sexual attraction for Rob left. I would even feel comfortable playfully teasing him about sex.
We slept spooned and woke up with the alarm going off. Turning it off Rob rolled over and we kissed and started making out, but Rob stopped and said: "I would love nothing more than having some morning sex but we have so much to do and Rene and Kat will be waiting for us."
So we kissed one more time and I got up and slipped on my gown. Checking the hallway was clear and left saying, " I love you. See you after I get ready."
Rob answered, "love you more, you need to hurry."
I dressed casually with just a little makeup and put my hair in a ponytail. Then Helen knocked on my door. I opened the door and she complimented me on selecting the perfect look for the morning. She informed me the La Blanc's had invited us to breakfast with them and she didn't know I was their niece.
I told Helen, "I didn't think of telling you, and have you checked with Mr. Bruce about the invite?"
I learned that George was the one that received the call and Rob was fine with it. So I let her know it was fine with me too.
Then I said, "The staff didn't place any of my things in Mr. Bruce's room. I assumed they knew of Mr. Bruce's and my relationship. My suite is little more than my dressing room, but I need the suitable things in our shared bedroom. Please have them handle that today."
Helen smiled, and answered, "Miss Bagas I'm sorry for the inconvenience it will be corrected today.".
I replied, "Helen your the best and I'm well pleased with you.".
Helen professionally said, "Thank you Miss Bagas.".
Rob and I met at the front door and kissed. We walked to Rene and Kat's with our arms around each other's waist. When we got to their door we kissed again and Kat opened the door and caught us.
She said, "those oysters must have worked on you two too."
Without missing a beat I said, "They sure did and they were a good batch."
I did not believe it but Rob's ears turned red. Surprisingly he joined in and playfully gave my butt a spank, "Bad girl. Do you have to tell everything you know?"
Then Kat retorted, "when the men get off to themselves we will compare notes." We all laughed as we went in.
Rene was in the kitchen cooking some bacon and said, 'the chief called in sick today so I'm doing the cooking. Kat doesn't cook.".
Kat said, "you liar, you love to cook.".
I chimed in, "Rob does too."
Then Rene said, "If that is really the case pitch in and we can talk as we make the ladies a gourmet breakfast."
"Sounds like a plan. Where is your crepe pan?"
Kat said, " Oh yum crepes, niece you got a keeper."
I said, "I know it, Rob was always one of a kind to me even before he was a Wizard.".
Kat asked, "Why do you not have an engagement ring, then?"
I answered truthfully, " Before he got his inheritance we did not have money enough for a good one. Now that we have the money we have not had time to get one because of this Babic thing.".
Kat said, "hold on," and left the room. Then she stuck her head in the door as Rod gathered the ingredients for crepes. She motioned for Rob to come in the room she was in. He stopped what he was doing and obeyed but came back shortly.
Rob took my left hand and went on one knee and said, "My Mara who I love more than life, will you marry me?"
Crying, I nodded speechlessly and he slid a beautiful ruby ring surrounded by diamonds on my finger.
Then Kat crying too said, "it was your grandmother's and she would want you to have it."
We all shared a group hug and even Rene wasn't dry-eyed.
After sharing a five-star breakfast of rich thick smoked bacon and raspberry crepes. Kat and I cleaned up a rather small mess, made by our men chefs. Rene and Rob in a lot of ways were very similar and you could see a growing friendship and a lot of male bonding between my fiancé and my newly discovered uncle.
When we finished cleaning the men excused themselves to Rene's office to start brainstorming plans to execute proper justice on our mutual arch-enemy, the Babics; leaving Kat and me alone.
Kat had plans for our time, though. She was going to continue to teach me how to use my Witch Magic. We sat in their walled garden and she started explaining how things really work in the world.
"Mara I don't know if you're religious, or if you even believe in God. So, first of all, you need to know all the organized religions are mostly man-made, but God is real and you can refer to God as male or female, both or neither apply. God is above gender being the creator of it. God created everything including time and space at the selected point in eternity.
God put the natural laws in place and gave people free will and lets the universe just run like a well-oiled machine although God has an unseen plan and our finite minds will never be able to decipher it. Rarely God will arrange a string of highly unlikely events to alter the course of time.
We explain these events many ways, we call it luck, fate, Karma, or just say "Shit happens." An example of this is you being here with me. The odds of this makes the odds of winning the lottery seem small in comparison. So I want you to know it was due to the Mother Goddess' plan.
The Mother Goddess is what most Witches call the Supreme Being.That being said, know that one day in your very long life you will do something, The Mother Goddess wants to be done, that only you can do. I feel you being such a powerful Witch connected to a Wizard is needed for whatever The Mother Goddess needs you to do.
So, let's get to work on your Magical education and I have honored that Mother Goddess chose me as the one to teach you."
Kat opened a leatherbound worn book on the small table we were sitting and slid it to me. It was hand written English and it had drawn picture diagrams. Using the gifts Rob had given me for learning. I instantly read the first page.
I learned that the Witch's powers mainly come from the ability to control Earth, Wind, Fire, and Water, but we could also control plants and animals. I could see that a Witch was not even in the same class as a Wizard like Rob and we could be killed in normal ways if we did not have time to stop it or we did not see what killed us. I thought me having Magic also would bring Rob and me even closer.
Kat watched amazed as I quickly flipped through the pages and closed the book the very thick book.
"OK. I'm done with this one, but I read there are eleven more books. Do you have the rest? I would like to be done soon so we can repay the boys for the great breakfast with a nice lunch."
Kat, wide-eyed exclaimed, "NO WAY YOU COULD HAVE LEARNED ALL THAT! The first book takes at least a year to learn and you're telling me you know it in less than five minutes. Kiddo you're going to have to prove that one to me."
I said, "Sure, let me think, pages 273 to 490 were on changing the shape of stone, wood, and metal.". I went to the small fish pond in the garden and gathered up two handfuls of round white pebbles. I carried them back to the table and placed them in a small pile.
Then I got a picture of something that might make a nice gift for my aunt. making the proper hand movements and commanding the stones to change, they immediately fused together and became a small polished white stone statue. A statue of Rene, Kat, Rob, and me in that group hug we shared this morning after Rob gave me my grandmother's ring. I thought that moment, needed to be preserved.
Kat unbelievingly picks up the figurine and was amazed at the tiny detail. I said, " I thought you would like that so I made that for you."
She held the small figurine to her heart and tears came to her eyes again. To lighten the mood I joked, "we sure cry a lot since we found each other."
Kat stopped crying and laughed still holding the figurine to her heart, but she stopped laughing and looking at me in awe. She spoke in a matching tone.
"Only Witches of great power and skill could have done this and only after years of practice. Before I go running out the door screaming like a lunatic tell me how you did it."
I smiled and said, "sure. We can't have you screaming and running in the streets of New Orleans, not that you would be noticed. Rob used his magic on me to give me superpowered learning skills and a photographic memory. So I read a whole page at a glance and can do what it says flawlessly the first time I try."
Kat smiled, "may the Mother always bless Rob, this is great, no this is tremendous. I will get the rest of the books and I will love blowing Rene's mind. We need to act like there is nothing different as you show off to the guys."
In less that two hours I had all twelve massive books locked in my memory. Kat said I was now the best Witch she has ever known and I glowed because she was truly proud of me. I wanted to play some, so I went to a bloomed out patch of tulips and waved my hands and ordered them to bloom and they all bloomed again.
I saw a hummingbird and I held out my finger and it perched on it. New Orleans' ever present flying pests were always a nuisance when you're outside so I sent them away and banned all except bees from the plants in Kat's garden. I would do the same for mine later because my magic was limited to my line of sight. Strangely, I could see invisible things like air when I wanted to.
Kat said, "Enough playing around, you're giving me an inferiority complex. We need to start on lunch and thanks for getting rid of the bugs. There was only one other, now dead, Witch I heard of that could do that sort of thing, he did it with snakes in Ireland
We fixed a light lunch, considering what we had for breakfast and called the guys.
Rob came out of the office singing Rene's praises.
"I'm glad Rene is a friend and we're part of the family. His ability to construct plans within plans are equal to a fine watchmaker in their interactions. He truly amazes me in how easily he came up with a foolproof plan to make short work of Babic. One that we all play a part in and will enjoy the justice of the circumstances that bring about his demise. In just over two months Babic will die in defeat and misery and then we will start planning a wedding."
Kat and I set a Greek salad and fresh French bread on the table. We all sat down and kidded and chatted like a real family which we were. Then at the end of lunch, Rene said, "Before we go over our plans how did Mara's first day of training go?".
Kat answered, "Very well, it seems our new Wizard nephew to be has helped Mara with a gift for learning. It seems a little warm Mara, a soft cool breeze would be nice."
"I think your right Aunt Kat."
I raised my hands and commanded the air to cool a bit and start circulating in the walled garden. It felt very nice in the spring heat.
Rob just stared at me but Rene awestruck said, "She just controlled the air, there are only a few of us that can do that and it takes a lot of work. Mara did it as easily as swatting a mosquito. Speaking of mosquitoes, where are they? Come to think of it, I did not have to shoo any flies away during our whole meal."
Kat beamed and bragged, "Mara has banished them from our garden." Kat got up and took the figurine from where she had hidden it. She set it on the table, saying, "Mara did this after reading the first book."
Over the next three weeks, Rob and I settled into an amazingly wonderful routine.
Our days were filled with Rob and Rene working together to set Rene's cunning plan into effect while Kat and I talked about the family I never knew. I was learning three new skills and Rob's and my nights were filled with passionate sex.
Kat brought in a dance instructor for me and he taught me in two days how to dance everything from Ballroom to Broadway. Then she brought in a Wing Chung Master, that thought I already had a lot of training because he gave me a black belt after three days.
Somehow Kat found a Serbian language and music instructor. Before she arrived I memorized an English to Serbian dictionary. When I introduced myself as Mara Bagas, she went on and on about the Bagases she knew in Serbia and wanted to know if I was related. I lied and said, "distantly."
She helped me with some of the inflections and conversational skills and said, "your Serbian is not perfect but very good for someone not born there." Then she brought out a songbook of Serbian folk music. She thought I was just leafing through it, but I learned them all. I found one that was connected to the Babic and Bagas families and I played and sang it for the woman. She said, "perfection, you play and sing beautifully."
I thanked her, paid her and sent her on her way. I was now set for my part of the plan.
Then the day of the Babic fundraiser came. Rene and Kat were going with us. Rene was invited every year but always graciously turned Babic down. This year he accepted. Rob received delivery of a heavily armored Lincoln stretch limo and hired two bodyguards one of which would also serve as the driver. Rob in no way needed a bodyguard or an armored vehicle it was just for appearance's sake.
That morning Rob called me into his office and placed a new spell on me. This spell would increase my strength ten times my normal amount for ten minutes. He was concerned if I had that much strength all the time it could prove very inconvenient and draw unwanted attention. So to activate my ten minutes of super strength I would have to say a phrase that I would not normally say.
Rob's sense of humor kicked in and said, "to activate your ten minutes of strength you must say, "do you want fries with that," and for ten minutes you will be very strong. Try it." I did and I picked up his huge desk with no problem.
That night the La Blancs and Rob and I looked like we were ready for the red carpet.
The men were in tuxes. tailor-made of course. Kat's blue gown was beautiful but much more conservative than my tight black gown with a high slit and 5" black stilettos with trademark red soles, but I was dressed according to the plan.
We arrived and we went in, our bodyguards instructed to wait outside by the security at the door saying, "they will be safe in here." Rob nodded and they did as they were told We were seated and we gave our drink orders. Then the band took the stage and the guests rose to take the dance floor. We did likewise, but Rob went and arranged for the band to play a tango.
Rob and I danced like pros, almost like in the movie True Lies. When we finished we left the floor to the sound of applause, All was going to plan. Babic took the bait and used our dance as a reason to approach Rob. We had made it back to our table but before we could sit down Babic stopped Rob and me.
The Bear was a barrel-chested man with thick gray hair and he took Rob's hand and said, "Mr. Bruce you and your lovely lady were a pleasure to watch."
Babic wanted to knock Rob off stride by knowing Rob's name thinking Rob would have to ask his. Rob and I beat him at his own game double teaming the rug out from under his feet. Rob said, "thank you, Mr. Babic, may I introduce my fiancée Mara Bagas, she is the main reason, I pulled some strings to get the invitation to come tonight."
I did not give him a chance to talk from that point on. I acted like a young girl meeting a rock star in person. I took his outstretched hand and didn't let go. Then I started talking in Serbian, a mile a minute.
"I have been hoping to meet you tonight Mr. Babic. This cause is very close to my heart, I could have been a Serbian orphan. If my parents didn't have the resources and contacts to get them and my grandmother to the US before I was born. My parents died when I was eight so my grandmother raised me and she taught me a lot about the Old Country.
She told me very much about the Babic family and said the ties of our families go back centuries. My grandmother died five years ago, but she uses to tell me of the Black Mountain and the Order of the Falcon which was the bond between The Babic and Bagas family shared. She told me her mother was a Babic who was a nurse, that died in the Second World War.
Just listen to me. I have been talking and talking and taking up too much of your time from your other guests. I'm sorry and I will not keep you any longer."
I finally let go of his hand.
He looked at me deeply then somberly asked, "What was your great grandmother's name?"
I immediately answered, "Milijana Babic Bagas she was married to Luka Bagas my father's grandfather. He died fighting in the resistance."
Babic said, "yes he died saving my father's life, and Milijana was my father's oldest sister." Babic looked at me and I saw his face soften for a second then he stiffened back up and I thought, "YES! SCORE!".
Babic went back all business-like and said, "we are cousins then and I wish to talk to you more very soon, but tonight I would like to impose on you and ask if I could steal Mr. Bruce away after we dine.".
I laughed and said, "why Mr. Babic you know how our families are, we don't give a favor without taking a favor."
Babic could not help but break into laughter and responded, "please call me Uros, after all, we are family, and yes I know our family's practice and you make me proud keeping the tradition alive. So what is the favor I shall give in return?"
I took his hand and said, " dear cousin Uros like I said this cause is very important to me. So before you speak I would like to say a few words and sing a song."
Babic laughed again and looked at Rob, "I hope you know how much "Babic" your bride to be had in her. She can help you a lot. Cousin Mara, you drive a hard bargain but yes, it would probably be good for someone with your history and good looks to speak first and sing a song to soften them up for me. Yes. I like the idea a lot."
After dinner one of Babic's men came to our table and escorted me backstage. Then the masters of ceremony said, "before Mr. Babic speaks, Miss Mara Bagas would like to say a few words."
I walked out on stage and in an impassioned voice I shared some of my contrived history and pleaded for the orphans. Then I said, "I have a song for Mr. Babic as a way to show how grateful I am for him sponsoring this dinner."
I sat down at the piano that the dance band had used and played and sang Oj Srbijo Mati. It was a folk song from the region the Babics and Bagaes were from. The song praised the Falcons and calling them to defend the Black Mountain, the Babic and Bagas' shared home.
It hit a homerun with Babic sitting on a chair on stage watching me I saw a tear run down the ruthless bastard's face. When I finished he rose to his feet clapping earnestly and following his lead all the guests did likewise. Rob, Rene, and Kat shouted "Brava!" I knew their shouts were not for the song but how I prepared Babic, for what was to come later.
Babic was so moved he did not give his prepared speech, he just thanked me for what I said and thanked the guests for coming. Babic walked me back to our table and the only thing he said was, "thank you, Mara." When we arrived Rob hugged me and said, "you were fantastic. Thank you, Babic, for letting her do that."
Babic said, "since we will soon be family call me Uros and may I call you Rob?"
Rob answered, "certainly but I think we have business to discuss." Rob knew that Uros respected and expected women to be the keepers of the of the family's heart, but men needed to be hard as steel and direct.
Uros lived by the motto, "you don't give respect to men, they must take it by their actions." This his oldest son and heir apparent has never done and Rene and Rob were going to use that to our advantage. So while Rob worked on Uros, I was going to work on Uros' oldest son, Petar to drive an even greater wedge between father and son while humiliating Petar in front of his family and underlings.
Petar was very little like his father, being spoiled and soft and had major esteem problems concerning his masculinity. Therefore he over compensated by trying to be a ladies man. He also drank way too much to show he could hold his liquor like a man.
He also has a reputation of hurting women that rejected him and his father had to make two rape charges go away. His father had to place two guards on him to keep him out of trouble. The guards had orders to allow him to have some space but to step in if Petar was getting too rough.
Rob and I followed Uros to his private quarters and Uros introduced me to "my cousins" Petar and his younger son Laz. Uros explain to them how we just met and found out how we're related. I shook their hands but with my back to the rest of the room, I looked in Petar's eyes seductively.
I asked my cousins why they were not down at the fundraiser and they both laughed letting me know that sort of thing was boring to them.
Rob looked at me and said, "Uros and I have business." I immediately went to the sofa and sat down like a well-trained dog. The two men went in and I could tell, that my knowing I had no place in "business" impressed Uros and his respect meter ticked up a notch.
Rob told the La Blancs and me what went on in Uros office in the car on our trip home. He said, "I hit Uros head on as soon as I sat down. I spoke first and said that I knew he knew about me and I assured him I knew enough about him so we could talk plainly with each other. I told him that I knew he had his office swept for bugs three times a day. So, we could be straightforward with each other.
I told him I knew how he pulled himself up from nothing and I respected that but I didn't know if I respected him as man yet. Then I said I knew he had no respect for me yet, but I had become a problem for him. Not wanting to close the door before it was open, I explained that I'm not saying that we will never respect each other. We might even become friends and allies, but I have no illusion that we will ever trust each other. We both understood that trust can get you killed.
So, in this, our first transaction, let's not slow the process by acting like we are not who we are. We're both predators, that prey on the weakest of the herd. When two predators meet it can only go one of two ways. We can fight over territory or hunt together but don't underestimate me because of my age. Some have made that mistake and most of them slinked off to lick their wounds, but some do nothing anymore.
I then told him, I am willing to tell the board of Killian Maritime Shipping that I have reconsidered closing the Baltic route. Instead, I will have my accountants give a presentation on how the company would be better served by growing, not just maintaining.
Then they will show how Irish exporting of Aerospace products is growing very rapidly. They will propose not pulling the old ships from the Baltic, but buying new ones to capture the Irish market. With both our support the new plan will save one of your major sources of income.
I have a practice like my fiancée and your family's, a favor given requires one in return. I have plans to turn the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans into something very similar to a 70's type Las Vegas in New Orleans style.
I have heard tales of the old Las Vegas when the Mob had it before it became Disney World with gambling. Where the Mob made their mistake was using union money and skimming without paying taxes.
LaBlanc is in it with me, using his contacts to change city ordnances and zoning codes. He is also helping broker my purchase of ten square miles of the Katrina devastated part of the Lower Ninth Ward. That part of the Ninth is still very badly damaged.
What I need from you is security and some help influencing some holdouts that will not sell. There are still some street gangs there and they need to be made to feel unwelcome. You will need to form a new shelf security company, which I will pay legally after the company submits the lowest bid.
This will give me no direct responsibility for their actions and plausible deniability. I know these favors sound unrealistically one-sided. Therefore, I will add to it in letting you build a River Boat Casino and two luxury strip clubs with private suites that will be off limits to vice officers, but you must make sure only vice laws are broken there, or they will be closed. I already know these clubs will fit well with another of your enterprises.
After finishing, we just sat there looking stoic. A few minutes later he broke the silence and said he agreed to my deal. I added I know my fiancée would want to see him regularly after discovering that you were family. Then my look went from stoic to very pointed and warned him never discuss our business with her.
I rose and we did not offer to shake hands, indicating such gestures had no meaning to men like us. As an afterthought I said, I would personally pay him visits rarely, but I did not want either of his sons to be our contact because I knew they were not men I could deal with. I requested his oldest nephew Stan, who, I knew Uros thought was more like him than either of his sons.
I left and said he would be hearing from me soon and I would start the ball rolling on the shipping deal.
Then I left the office and I saw someone packing Petar's bloody noise while he was holding a towel to his mouth. I didn't see you and I asked where you were. I was informed you were waiting for me in the car."
Rene said, "Outstanding!"
Rob looking at me asked, "so, what happened with you?"
Kat said, "yes, we wanted to hear this too but Mara said she wanted to hear what happen with Uros before telling us her part of the story."
I smiled and said, "It couldn't have gone any better. After you went in Petar sat beside me and called me cousin, informing me that he heard that I actually lived on the streets because he didn't believe it. I told him that I did but I had learned a lot since then. I made it a point to casually brush his hand or give him a 'come and get it' look when no one else was looking.
He relaxed and took out a cigar and lit it. When he looked away to knock off the ashes I would fan the smoke away from me in clear view of the other men. I soon excused myself to go out the open door to the balcony for some air.
I stood up and turned around to get my clutch blocking the sight of the other. I slowly dragged my finger on Petar's arm as I got my clutch. I went out and Petar followed me as I'd hoped. He shut the door, but his two worried babysitters came out and joined us although they stayed back from us, watching from behind.
I whispered so only Petar could hear that I thought he was a handsome man. He responded in the way I hoped he would, he reached over and put his hand on my butt. I turned in a fake fit of rage and speaking loudly enough for the others to hear, I told him he was a weak, spoiled child, and not a man at all. I then ripped him in his weak spot and said if he had been on the streets like I was he would either be dead or more likely someone's bitch. I added injury to insult and slapped him saying, "do you want fries with that."
I then felt the rush of strength fill my body and he reacted exactly as expected with his babysitters watching. Petar called me a bitch and grabbed my arm and drew back to hit me. Before he could with my super strength and Wing Chug training, I twisted his arm behind his back. Then I slammed his face his face into the wide concrete rail. I then threw him on the slate floor and he landed very hard.
While I watched him trying to get up, the hard hit to his nose made his tear ducts run like faucets. He got to his knees, his babysitters, rushing over to stop him from hurting me.
They saw him on his knees, bleeding, his front teeth broken, and crying streams of tears. For added effect, I spit words of anger at him saying, "now who's the bitch cry- baby?" I looked at one of the men and told him to tell you I would be waiting in the car. I was careful when I shut the door because I still had my super strength."
I could tell Rob didn't like him grabbing my ass, but then everyone was laughing by the end of my recounting of events.
When we got home we were all ready to go to bed. Rob and I had a quickie then fell right to sleep. We still got up early because after setting the trap last night we had a lot to do. Dressed, we were finishing breakfast with Rene and Kat as we had most our meals together now. Rob's phone rang and it was Uros. Rob held his finger over his lips.
Rob answered, "hello Uros. Yes, this is a secure line. She is still rather upset and I expect any plans of visiting you will be postponed indefinitely. Uros don't apologize it just increases your shame. Petar is a man. My god Uros, he is five years older than me and responsible for his own actions.
Your shame is in having a son like him, but I can understand how raising him without his mother would be a challenge. Especially with the time constraints our type of business has but Uros, in all honesty, he is a serious liability.
So I will only deal with you or Stan and if Petar gets involved in any aspect it will be an instant deal breaker. You might be willing put all your hard work in jeopardy but I'm not and this is not a warning, just a fact. It will be safer for Petar if I never see him again.
Why no, our deal is still on. Like I said, I don't hold you responsible, I just pity you, for the shame you bare.
No, she did not tell me the full circumstances. Well, it sounds like you have honest men, even if your son is a liar. Yes, I will contact my people as soon as they are in their office and they will make their presentation Friday at the board meeting.
They have my proxies and your people should be the one to call for the vote. Yes, then we'll get moving on the South Ninth Ward Project. I will meet with Stan to give him a thumb drive on Wednesday at 10 am, at the Quick Pick Store And Grill on Tulane St.
We will change our meeting place each time. Tell him and your men to dress casually. The thumb drive is encrypted and a special messenger will deliver you a thumb drive with the encryption code today. I will give Stan the password for that thumb drive Wednesday. The encryption and password will change each time. Be sure you read it carefully because the program will wipe all the information after you read it.
Yes, I will tell her that you wish to see her but don't plan on it happening soon."
Rob hung up without say good-bye. and filled us in.
"Uros started by saying that he didn't call until he had the facts straight. It seems that Mara broke his nose and knocked out Petar's front teeth. Petar was trying to tell his father that Mara came on to him first, but Uros' men said Mara was a perfect lady and went on the balcony to get away from Petar's cigar smoke.
So, Uros tried to be big enough to apologize, even after the beat down his son got, but you heard how I turned that to make him feel embarrassed and think his lack of control of Petar made him look weak in my eyes. a To man like Uros showing any weakness was to be avoided at all cost.
Then I, a much younger man, was advising him on something he knew to be completely true, but I applied it with a different spin. Uros knew Petar was weak and kept him out of the business although he never thought that Petar just living there was a problem until I planted the seed. Now Uros will be hypersensitive to anything Petar does or doesn't do and we will make Stan shine as the logical heir apparent."
Rene then said, "I am glad we are family, you're too good at this to be an enemy."
Rob, countered, "it was mostly your plan. I'm just an actor playing a role you created."
Rene smiled and said, "yes I came up with the general plot but you're adding immense substance to the plan."
Kat laughed and said, "you two will bruise each other with that much back-patting. What about our Diva here that played the Babics as well as she plays her piano?"
Rene said, "I would have loved to have wizard sight like Rob so I could have seen you break Petar nose and knock out his front teeth."
I commented, "I learned when I was on the street that knocking out someone's front teeth is called punking in prison. So they can't bite when they are forced to perform oral sex."
Rob said, "interesting. That gives me an idea to move our plan for Petar along even faster. I am going into a trance for a bit; Wait for me, this will not take long."
We watched and Rob went into a Wizard trance for about ten minutes. We just chatted while waiting for him to return and tell us what he did. Then he awoke laughing uncontrollably and we all just looked at him, wanting an explanation.
He finally wiped the tears from his eyes from laughing so hard and with a huge smile said, "oh it was perfect, I hope I can make it through telling you without bursting into laughter again.
You're right Rene, the Sigils only protect the person, not anything else. With my Wizard sight I looked through their house then across the street in their garage I saw Petar's car in the garage backed into space with the rear of the car close to the wall. I knew it was Petar's because it was some high priced little sports car that I did not know make of, with his initials on the driver's seat "PB".
I then I had a thought PB could stand for something else, so I made black spray paint letters appear under the P, (U N K ED), then under the B, (I T C H). I made "PUNKED BITCH" appear on the back of the car too. It was so close to the wall no one could see that.
The rest was just luck Petar was heading to his car to go to the dentist He was driving himself, being so embarrassed that Mara did that to him he did not want to be around anyone that knew. On the way to his car he passed Uros and Stan, Stan just looked at him and smiled.
I put a spot of the same color paint on Stan's shirt for Petar to see and removed it after Petar saw it when Stan with Uros passed him. So, Stan had no idea that it was ever there. Then Petar saw his car seats and screamed in rage cursing Stan, but he had to hurry to his appointment as his teeth were killing him. So he took off his sports coat and hung it on his seat hiding what was written there and drove off with the rear of his car boldly displaying, "PUNKED BITCH." He wondered what was so funny when he saw the guards laughing as he pulled away."
We all laughed and Rene said, "to sort of changed the subject, we should use Babic to get the street gangs and drugs out of the Ninth Ward before we deal with him. The revitalization of it is a good idea. We could make it something special. You and I have the resources and it could be turned into a tourist destination without doing anything illegal."
Rob said, "it sounds like a good idea, but our plan for the Babics is my only priority right now."
Rene agreed, "yes, the Babics first, but I am always looking to the future."
The next three weeks went by quickly as we nurtured the seeds we planted, sprout and bud. Now we were in preparation to make them bloom and ultimately bear fruit. Petar was a basket case after Rob's prank with his car follows by other Magic created practical jokes. Like Kay's idea of having Rob changing all his boxers into lacey panties. Uros' tolerance was at the breaking point with his eldest son.
I still giggle when I think how Rod told us how Petar burst in Uros' office and accused Stan of vandalizing his car by painting "Punked Bitch" on his seat and the tail of his car. Then when Stan denied doing it, Petar said he knew it was him because he had paint on his shirt. Stan then stood up and showed him he didn't have paint on his shirt.
Petar then called him a damn liar saying he must have changed shirts. Then Uros spoke up and explained that Stan had been with him the whole time and did not change. Then Petar, for the first time ever, screamed at his father, telling him he was in on it with Stan.
Uros warned him to leave without saying another word and be shamed for being beaten so badly by a small woman. After that, Laz, as a joke, started calling him by his initials, PB and the nickname caught on, making Petar storm off and sulk.
The weekly meetings with Rob and Stan went on and the Babics completed the first part of their assignment, getting rid of the drugs and the gangs from the Lower Ninth Ward. All the dealers and all but one gang left the Lower Ninth Ward of their own accord after learning it was Babic turf now the small amount of income they could get from the area was not worth facing the Babics.
We knew the last gang was dealt with when we saw the headline on the Times-Picayune " Mass Gang Violence leaves 17 Dead and Terrorizes Lower Ninth Ward Residents." Our fruit was almost ready to be picked and Rob told Stan that if Uros still wanted to give me a call he could.
It was less than an hour after Rob's return from that meeting my phone rang. I was with Kat as always, we were shopping at Hemline on Magazine St. I showed my phone to Kat and in an even unemotional voice I said, "Hello Mr. Babic."
He started out saying, "I know you have every right to be upset with me after how you were treated in my home and I want to make it up to you. Cousin, please find it in your heart to call me Uros again."
"Uros, you were exactly what I what I expected from what my grandmother told me about Babic men, but Petar is a spoiled, soft, self-involved child that has no idea how to be a real man. I will not be in the same room with him even if he is your son. My grandmother would be so ashamed that he is her great nephew. Petar is the only reason I am happy she has passed."
He answered trying to hide the pain caused by my words, "I know my dear Mara, I'm ashamed to say it but you're ten times the Babic than I think he will ever be. To show you that I still honor the memory of my aunt and you my cousin, please you and your fiancé to dinner with me in two days."
I pointedly asked, "Will Petar be there."
He answered, "no I have just decided that Petar needs to live elsewhere."
Then I softened and said, "I tentatively I will say yes for Rob, but I will definitely come.".
"Thank you, cousin and good bye."
"Good-bye cousin."
Kay said, "I got most of that. So you're going to have dinner with him, but what did he say about Petar?"
I smiled and said, "He is moving him out before the dinner."
I called Rob and told him everything and he said, "I need to start Wizard watching them constantly now."
When Kat and I got home Rene was in our house sitting in the den working on his laptop. I guessed Rene was waiting on Rob, who I assumed was in a trance Wizard-watching the Babics. Kat hugged and kissed Rene who poured us all a glass of La Blanc.
Then Rob emerged from his office smiling from ear to ear. Kat poured him a glass and handed it to him and said, "WELL?"
Rob took the glass and kissed me hello and sat back and continued to smile. I looked at him and said, "don't make us beg. Tell us what is going on."
He leaned back and took a sip of his wine before finally saying, "it was perfect, we couldn't have planned it any better. Uros sent for Stan and Petar and when they arrived Uros said to Petar, "I'm moving you far away." Then Uros stopped talking for a second as Petar got a text but dismissed it. Uros started talking again, but Petar got another text and he took out his phone and dismissed it. Uros, through gritted teeth, said, "you pay more attention to your worthless friends on that ridiculous phone than you do to me. I can't stand the sight of you. Get out. I will tell Stan my plans for you then I will leave and he can tell you."
Petar folded his arms still holding his phone, looking like he was refusing to go although he was stealthily hitting the recording app on his phone. Then acting like he relented he slowly got up out of the chair sliding his phone in between the cushion and the chair with the mic up.
Once he left, Uros said, "why have I put this off so long? Did you see him start pouting like a child? Bruce was so right, having him here makes me look weak. So, Stan, this is my plan, carry it out for me to the letter. I am moving him to South Beach, Florida, to a house that one of my corporations owns. He loves it there so much, let him live there.
He will get $12,000.00 a month for his dear mother's sake but not a cent more. There is one stipulation. For him to keep all that he is never to contact me or any of the family again. He is completely exiled from the family and if he gets in trouble he is on his on.
I want you to tell him as a warning he best not break any laws because he will go to jail. Remind him, if a small young woman can badly beat him, what does he think hardened inmates in prison will do to him."
Then Uros got up and said, "Tell him I want him out of here by 3 pm the day after tomorrow. Mara will not be here until 6 pm that day. I will go and tell him to come in. I will be in my room when you're finished. Come and get me."
Rob said, "Uros walked by him and just flicked his head informing Petar he could go in. Stan did just as he was told and left to tell Uros it was done. Petar retrieved his phone to listen to the recording to see if Stan was telling the truth. So in his room, he played the recording, but I had changed it. Now the recording was Uros, telling Stan to have two men take him to the airport. Keeping him off guard, with the pretense of the house and trust fund and make him disappear."
We spent the rest of the night planning what we would do. With our plans set all we had to do was wait. The next day Rene took Rob to his club and introduced him around. While the boys were occupied. Kat had three other local powerful female White Witches over for tea to meet me.
Since there were only three other local powerful female White Witches they were a tight group. Kat did not tell them any of my backgrounds except I was her niece and I moved in next door because we're very close. They were curious about my level of power as Kat knew they would be. Kat being Kat, she wanted to show me off.
After tea we went to the garden where she had three blocks of crystal about the size of a toaster, sitting on a table. Kat said I know each of you has a signature flower. So I thought Mara could make you each a present to celebrate her joining our little sisterhood."
I knew all of Mark was gone from me, but something like being referred to as part of a sisterhood still sounded strange. Although I liked the feeling of acceptance and I knew what Kat wanted me to do to show me off.
Kat turned to the oldest of their group and said, "Lou your flower is the rose, Mara please."
I thought of a tapered ribbed vase of long stem roses and the block became a perfect detail vase of long stem roses, minus the thorns. each rose was separate and exactly like a real rose, except in was crystal.
Lou looked at me then looked at the roses and said, "They're just breathtaking."
Then Kat looked at the Witch that looked not much older than me and said, "Marybeth, yours is orchids."
I change the next block into a potted orchid in the same detail as the roses and even I thought it was pretty.
Then Kat turns to the last woman younger than Kat but not by much and said, "Iris of course your is Irises."
I changed the last block into a figurine of Irises growing out of the crystal ground with blooms and fanned leaves.
They all were amazed as Kat had planned and welcomed me graciously into their group.
That night the four of us dined together like always and went over our individual parts of the plan. I could tell Rob and the La Blancs were worried about me, but I knew I would be fine. Rob and I had a fun sexual romp that night and slept well and got to work in the morning.
First Rob created a thumb drive with a video on it and gave it to me. Around 1 pm Rob turned himself and Rene into doubles of Petar's babysitters. Rob had discovered using his Wizard sight they were the ones that were taking Petar to the airport for his flight.
Later Rob told me the whole story in detail and how it went down.
"Rene and I, in our changed forms went to the Babic garage which was across the street from the Babic's fortress house. I used Magic and opened the door and waited for the babysitters to come for the car they were taking Petar to the airport in.
When they showed up, since they were not Babics and did not have Sigils, I just made them go away. They both were murderers and truly evil men, so it was justice for them to just not exist anymore. Rene got behind the wheel and I got in the seat beside him. We drove across the street and parked.
We were not challenged when we went upstairs to collect Petar. We found Petar in his room, sitting on his bed in a cold sweat panic. To calm him Rene said, "Petar all of us know how your father, Stan, and Laz have been playing you. We knew then a man like you is much better to run the family, than all the rest of them.
We met in secret and we decided our organization needs a change. This old KGB shit is way out of date, you always had newer and better ideas and you understand loyalty. We all want you to take over the family. So you know we were to hit you and get rid of your body because they were worried that you're smarter than them and would push them out. So when they ordered us to remove you, we told them it would be done, but don't worry we are not doing it.
We are going to sneak you back in after the fake cousin is here getting paid. We didn't know it at the time, but you know Laz's big mouth, he bragged about how he helped set you up.
That bitch is a black belt in something and she took you off guard. It was all part of the plan to make you lose the respect of the men. When we found out the truth, we saw that if they would do this to you our loyalty did not mean shit to them.
With them, in charge, none of us would be safe. If we ever did anything that went against that old Babic Code of Honor they would do the same to us. That thing is impossible to keep 100% of the time so we knew we all would be killed eventually with you gone.
So we got a plan, we will take you and then sneak you back in and as soon as you take out Stan, Laz, and your crazy old man, showing everyone you can take care of business, all of us will back your play to take over. Here is a 9mm with a silencer. Check the clip and shoot that pillow to show you it is real and loaded."
He did as Rene said and it worked and we took him to the car and drove off. We took him to a Waffle House and then got him in the trunk. We parked out front and asked the two guards to come inside we needed to show them something.
Out of sight of anyone I made them go away and changed Rene and me into their doubles. Then we opened the trunk and snuck Petar into Uros' office closet. It was about five minutes later and you arrived."
I nodded and told my part.
"Uros'met me at the door and invited into the living room, But I said, "Rob can't make it, but he sent an important message that couldn't wait for the normal meeting. The message is for you, Stan, and this time for too Laz too. It is for the next part of your business."
We walked up to the waiting room of his office and I handed him a thumb drive and said, "I will wait here until you play it like Rob told me to do." Uros smiled and said, "Bruce truly knows a woman's duties. The men went into the office and in a minute I heard Laz scream "NO!" then three zips then a loud gunshot.
Then I cracked the door and saw Uros with a smoking large gun in his hand and three very dead men on the floor. Laz had one hole in his head, Stan had one in his chest and one in his head and Petar had one hole between his eyes with the back of his head blown off. Uros put down his gun and looked at me and said, "Petar went crazy I had to kill him."
I said, "You didn't kill him, Marko Zuduhac' killed him, he just used you as the weapon." Then I had the wood of his chair transform into a wooden straight jacket restraint that held even his head inescapably motionless. Forcing him to look in front of him I took the thumb drive out off his desk and plugged it in his computer. My old self-appeared and said,
"Hello Uros I am Marko Zuduhac', You already know Mara Zduhac' she is Rene La Blanc's niece. Mrs. La Blanc's sister, who you had killed, was married to Gore Zduhac'. So we all came up with this little party for you and you never saw it coming. Not only did your oldest son kill his brother and his cousin, we tricked you into killing your oldest son yourself.
So concerning your all important blood feud, you lose. Soon you will die in agony being burned to death and I hope the fires of hell are even hotter. The only thing worse than the pain you will die in will be the thoughts that you were my puppet that danced on my string.
I hope your last few minutes will set records for suffering for all the pain you caused to so many.
This is Marko Zudhac' and Mara Zudhac' wishing all that you deserve."
Then the screen went black I took the thumb drive and left and got in the car with you two back to normal and we drove home."
On the second morning after Babic's death, I read that the Babic bunker of a house thick walls had contained a gas explosion two days earlier, turning it into an oven so hot that it melted even the iron fireplace set. It had finally cooled enough to be entered.
The Fire Marshal said, "it will be days before we know how many died in the fire because all that is left of the bodies is fine ash. Although I'm certain it was an accidental gas line explosion that caused it. The house was not built to fire code having only one exit that the flames instantly blocked."
That was 14 months ago and the Lower Ninth Ward remake was well on its way. It would end up a shopping mall/ theme park. Done up in 1920's style with real stores like Nordstrom and Best Buy but also more upscale stores. As part of the lease, the employees of the store had to wear period costumes that the stores must provide. There will always be jazz bands and performers in the streets and artist tables set up doing work in all mediums.
The food court ran from fine dining to fast food. Rene opened a restaurant there.but did not run it, called "Rene's". I think more as a joke Rob had his management company place a Wendy's franchise there. During the grand opening which fell on our first anniversary, we went there, with the La Blancs. While the La Blancs were being shown their restaurant operation. Rob wanted us to check out our Wendy's. He told me to order a value meal for him and he would join me in a minute.
He went quickly to do something while I went in' All Wendy's uniforms look like 1920 style outfits. It was real busy so I waited in line, deciding what I wanted. I finally got to the counter. Then the woman taking orders, waved her hand in front of her nose and walked off. Rob stepped out from the side in a normal full Wendy's uniform like when I first met him. Only his name badge now said "Rob Owner" and he said, "Welcome to Wendy's. What may I get you?"
The End....Maybe?