Not so far away
Cole enjoyed the dinner with the family. Jason asked lots about magic and Zin tried to answer all of them. Cole was told that Zin's power had been premonitions. Probably her forebodings were a reverberation of it. Ming had the gift to talk with spirits, but she didn't know much about it, since her father had forbidden her practicing magic after the dead of her mother. Wu Wei had told Ming that he was too afraid for her experiencing the same fate.
Cole speculated that Ming's mother had died in a magically triggered event. But the family didn't want to talk about it and he respected it. They didn't ask him about Phoebe's death either and he was grateful for that. It would have spoiled the mood for him.
Ming was exceptionally quiet. She didn't take part in the conversation much. She only answered when she was directly asked. From time to time she sent a thoughtful glance towards Cole. But every time he noticed her looking at him and smiled back friendly, she looked away.
Cole couldn't find any sense in her behaviour. She was so much different from the evening before. She had flirted and fooled around with him. She was probably confused that he was a demon and afraid and uncertain about what was going to happen next.
Cole, Jason and Zin agreed on visiting Wu Wei the next day and trying to clear out the matter. Asked for her opinion Ming just agreed without further discussion.
Zin had no idea what Wu Wei needed Ming's powers for, but she was convinced that Wu Wei wouldn't hurt his daughter. She was his own flesh. Jason had been a different story. Wu Wei had never hidden his disapproval of Jason. He had preferred their family stayed "clean" of foreign blood.
Since the day had been adventurous enough and the next promised to be equally challenging all went to bed early.
-----------------
Cole was in the guest house again and rolled from side to side. Like the night before he couldn't find any sleep. But he didn't dare to shimmer to the pond again. If he fell asleep to deep and Wu Wei attacked, the chances of the Changs against him were humble.
Since it was comfortable warm he was only in his boxers and had the light blanket pushed down to his waist. He lay awake and starred at the dark ceiling. Was it accidental that he had off all things chosen this garden to peek at? He doubted it.
His musing was interrupted by a sound coming from his door. Cole tensed on the bed but kept on his steady breathing. Whoever the intruder was, Cole wouldn't notify him that he knew he was coming.
The door opened slowly and a cloaked figure skulked into his room and closed the door behind her. The intruder moved almost without a sound towards Cole's bed. Cole closed his eyes but concentrated on his other senses. With his demonic senses he felt the figure approach him. She stopped right by his side. Since Cole's bed was on the floor, the figure had to bend down. Cole knew this from the swishing sound the clothing of the figure made.
Just before the intruder could reach him Cole shot up and caught him off guard. He grabbed the person at the cloak and pulled at it, bringing her out of equilibrium. With a swift movement he threw the intruder down to the ground and scrambled on top of him. Cole pinned the figure to the ground next to his bed with his body.
"Who are you", he growled. While with one hand he held an Athame threateningly at the intruder's throat he rummaged with the other at the cloak the get a look at the person.
"Mr. Turner, it's me, Ming", piped a frightened voice.
Cole was stunned but ripped the hood from her head nonetheless. It really was Ming. She looked at him with fearful eyes. After a moment hesitation he let her go and sat up on his bed, discarding the Athame under his pillow.
"What do you think, sneaking into my room like this", he ranted, "I could have killed you!"
The girl seemed to have no idea who he was, even if she knew he was a demon. Then again where should she know from what demons really were about? He hadn't been keen on telling them more about the handiwork of demons than was absolutely unavoidable. He didn't want them to fear him unnecessarily.
"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Turner, to have interrupted your sleep", Ming apologized, "but I needed to talk to you, privately, "she added as she saw his still angry face.
"What is it that can't wait till the morning?" Cole asked calmer. She was so fragile, it worked to call to his protective instincts. Besides his angry voice made her flinch every time he barked at her.
"You have to promise me you don't tell my family", Ming demanded.
"I can't promise anything like that, If I don't now what we are talking about." Cole refused, "If it has to do with your father, your great aunt has to be informed too."
"If you don't promise, I can't tell you", Ming said obviously disappointed and picked herself up from the ground.
"Wait", Cole caught her hand, "here sit down". He patted the place next to him. It was better he knew what Ming wanted so urgently to tell him, "I promise I don't say anything to your family if you don't allow it."
"I have your word?" she asked again.
"Yes, you have my word", Cole assured, It had to be something grave if she was that adamant that nobody knew.
Ming wiped a strand of her long hair from her face. Cole noticed she had his ring on her thumb. That was good. It showed that she was listening to him. And that she trusted him. Now he needed to listen to her. She had obviously trouble talking about the topic. He waited patiently for her to get herself together. She fidgeted with her hands in her lap and avoided his gaze.
Ming took a deep breath. "It's not easy for me to ask you that, Mr. Turner as we are practically strangers and my family is already in your debt for helping uncle Jason", she started, "but I need you to do me a favour." She looked at him with her big black eyes.
"If it is within my power", Cole answered, "I will be glad to help you."
"It is", Ming said but hesitated again, "are you convinced that my father wants to get me because of my powers?"
"Yes, I am. Your great aunt and I, we don't know what he wants you to do, but we are sure it's not a good thing. If it was, he could have asked your help openly. It seems like he wants to force you to do something. We just don't know what this something is at the moment."
"I agree with you", Ming nodded. "You know my father has always been very protective of me. I thought it was because he is my father but now I'm not so sure anymore."
"What do you mean?" Cole asked curious about where she was going.
"Now I think it was only because of the magic", Ming wiped a tear from her eye that had crept there silently.
She loved her father. She still did, but he had shown a side of him she hadn't known was there. And it frightened her and let her doubt everything she knew about him.
"Maybe it is both?" Cole offered. I'm no good at this counselling thing he thought, this is Leo's job.
"Maybe", Ming agreed with him, but her voice was throaty.
Cole hoped she wouldn't burst into tears right now. A little helplessly he sat next to her without an idea to ease her pain. He didn't know what to tell her, because probably she was right with her assumptions about her father and he didn't want to lie to her.
"I need to get rid of this magic. It destroyed my fathers' soul", Ming stated with a small snivel. "It destroyed the good man I know he was. It destroyed our family."
"Magic can be alluring, but I'm sure you can handle it", Cole encouraged her and unsure what to do, he took her hand in his. Ming didn't object but looked at him with a strange expression and Cole felt like he had overstepped an invisible boundary.
"I need to protect my family. If I have no magic my father has no reason to be after me. My family will be happy again", Ming was adamant.
"You can't change who you are, Ming", Cole said helplessly. Maybe he should go and get Leo.
"I can", Ming said determinedly, "but I need your help for it." Cole looked at her blank. He couldn't follow her mental leaps.
She pulled her hand from his, hugged herself and looked at him pleadingly. "I need you to take away my innocence. Tonight." She watched his reaction timidly.
Cole inhaled sharply. "What?" he was sure he had misunderstood her, "Come again?"
"I need you to sleep with me", she whispered ashamedly, casting here eyes down and almost talking to herself she continued, "I never thought I had to beg a man to sleep with me." She gave an embarrassed giggle, her cheeks glowing in a bright red.
Cole was simply speechless. He sat on the bed absolutely motionless and stared at the girl in front of him. He swallowed the slump that had formed in his throat. He wondered what Leo would say in such a situation. Probably Leo never came in such situations.
Ming waited for Cole's reaction but he just kept staring at her. Her face fell and she turned away from him.
"You don't find me attractive", she said with a raspy voice, "I recognized it yesterday already, you didn't even try to flirt with me."
Cole let his glance slide over the back of her head, her long shining black hair falling down openly, her delicate body, her alabaster white skin, but also her now slumped down shoulders. She was attractive like hell.
"You are a very beautiful woman, Ming " Cole found his voice again, "but I thought it was uncalled for to flirt with you, when your great aunt has so generously offered me, a stranger, to stay at her house."
"And now you think it's also inappropriate to ….help me?" she queried talking into the dark. She was still showing her back to him.
"Kind of yes", Cole answered truthfully. He felt uneasy. He didn't want to hurt her feelings but neither dishonour the trust of Zin.
Ming let her coat slide slowly from her shoulders down to her waist. She was naked underneath. Her skin was fair and contrasted sharply with her pitch black hair. She turned her head to the side and looked at Cole over her left shoulder.
She was exited and nervous. She had never deliberately tried to seduce a man. She had flirted yes, but this was entirely different. Additionally he was a demon. She was anxious about what he would do to her, if he gave up his restraint.
This wasn't a game where she could shirk out at any time she wanted. Now that she had started she had to go through with it. For her father, for her family and for herself.
She allowed herself to study his body in more detail. She had only seen him fully dressed so far. Now he was in shorts only. But her imagination hadn't tricked her. He was a well built man.
His skin was much darker than hers. Dark curly hair covered his chest down to his tummy and probably further south. His body was covered with defined muscles. Not too much, just the right amount. She marvelled over his broad and powerful shoulders and biceps. She spotted some old scars and some new bruises, probably where her father had hit him. She blushed again a little bit as she noticed him watching her drooling over him. But she didn't look away, she held his gaze this time.
"Why me?" he asked, his voice more throaty then before.
Ming smiled satisfied. At least she had some effect on him.
"My father can't hurt you, I have seen that today. I couldn't bear someone suffering because of me. And you are here."
She turned around slowly to face him. Her long hair hid her naked breast from his direct view. Nonetheless they were implied by the bulge under her hair.
Cole couldn't stop is glance wandering down her neck and shoulders, over her breasts reaching her flat tummy and back up again. When his glance reached her face he asked,
"Don't you have a boyfriend you want to share…this experience with?"
He couldn't deny that his body responded to her. His heart was beating quicker and he felt a pleasant tug in his loins. Her idea of escaping her father had its pros.
Ming shook her head no. "When I was 18 I knew a nice boy. I met him secretly until my father found out about it. The boy disappeared. I don't know what happened to him."
She cast her eyes down sadly. She had thought the Lee had simply left her. But now she was afraid her father had done something to him, something evil. Just because of this damn magic.
She looked at Cole again, a traitorous wet gleam in her eyes. Her expression wrenched at Cole's heart.
Ming reached with her hand out for him and haltingly touched his right shoulder with light fingers. She felt him tense under her touch and with an intense glance he watched her touching him. His skin felt warm and soft and since he didn't stop her, her hand traced down his upper arm, admiring his muscles to his elbow, stroking the hair on his lower arm and up again. Just when she wanted to run her hand down his chest elatedly, he reached with his hand for hers and pulled it away gently.
Cole looked at the ring on her thumb. "I can't", he said apologetically, "I'm sorry. Your idea might be good in itself, but I can't be the guy to help you."
The sadness was in his voice again. Ming sympathized with him. "Is it because of her", she asked softly, understandingly, "Phoebe?"
Cole nodded as he pressed his lips on the ring on her finger gingerly. The touch of his lips on her hand sent a cosy feeling in her body.
Ming reached a decision. He wouldn't deter her from her plan. Determined she interlaced her fingers with his and closed her eyes. She concentrated hard on the ring on her finger and on Mr. Turner and called upon her power.
She hadn't been trained in doing it, but she knew it was inside her. She felt her soul reaching out into infinity.
Cole wasn't aware what Ming was doing, because he starred vacantly at his wedding ring, thinking of Phoebe and the day she had accepted it back.
Ming opened her eyes again. Suddenly she felt somehow alienated from her body. Mr. Turner was still starring at their hands, oblivious to the change she felt very clearly. Any eerie feeling crept up her spine.
She tried to pull her hand back but her body didn't follow her orders. "What?" Ming said but no words escaped her lips. Slowly she got really frightened.
Then she felt more than she heard a soft laugh in her mind.
"Phoebe?" Ming thought.
Yes, she had tried to conjure the ghost of Mr. Turner's wife. Maybe this Phoebe could help her to convince Mr. Turner to help her. But somehow it had worked out differently from what Ming had planned.
Ming had expected Phoebe to appear as ghostly existence being transparent and hovering around, but instead Phoebe seemed to have taken possession of her body.
"Yes, you called me here", the voice answered in her mind.
"Now I know how a schizophrenic person feels," Ming thought, "Yes, I called for you, but I didn't want you to take over my body!" Ming complained.
Phoebe wasn't listening to Ming at the moment. She was much too preoccupied with the sight before her eyes.
"Cole", Ming whispered breathlessly, a deep longing vibrating in her voice.
Cole's head shot up, looking at her inquiringly. He let go of her hand so fast like he had touched fire.
"What happened to Mr. Turner?" he asked suspiciously, his blue eyes searching her face.
Her expression had changed somehow he recognized. She wasn't that timid little girl playing with fire any more. She looked at him rather…provocative.
"Cole sounds so much better than Mr. Turner, don't you think", Ming purred sexily and left his question unanswered.
In fact it was Phoebe who was in control now. Phoebe didn't know how or why she got here, and she didn't care. She was with Cole that was all what mattered. Additionally alone and evidently about to make love.
Phoebe didn't need a second thought to go for it with all the passion and yearning she had been building up since she had to leave him behind. Ming's talking in her mind didn't bother her, she just shut it out.
Ming could only watch in embarrassment as her body slipped onto Mr. Turner's lap smoothly, straddling his waist with her legs. She entangled his neck with her arms and brought her face close to his, stealing a kiss from his lips.
Ming felt his hard body against the smooth skin of her breasts. Ming was overwhelmed and confused but she felt Phoebe's yearning too and it mingled with her own excitement and anticipation.
"Ming", Cole pleaded with a hoarse voice. His hands were running down her shoulders and back tenderly at last tightening at her waist. He tried to shove her gently from his lap fighting with himself to not let his restraint go for once and just enjoy the warmth of her. "You better go back to your room".
Cole had not expected her to hit on him like that. She had behaved so shyly just minutes before. It was easier to fend of an inexperienced girl, than a woman who just knew which buttons to push. He had to call upon all of his willpower to resist her soft inviting body.
"What If I don't", Ming whispered in Cole's ear, licking at his earlobe and rubbing her body against him shamelessly, "do you spank me then?"
Cole turned his head and tried to look into her face. She wasn't behaving like a woman who had never made love to a man before. She acted like she did know exactly how to turn him on.
Ming interpreted his gesture as invitation and captured his lips, kissing him deeply. Cole hesitated allowing her to do as she wanted. She brushed his lips slightly with her tongue and persuaded him to answer her. He kissed her back very tenderly and observantly. The kiss felt oddly familiar.
She broke their kiss and looked eyes with him, her face only millimetres from his.
Cole looked at her undecided for a moment but then a bright smile lit his features. Forcefully he wrapped his arms around her tightly and pressed their bodies together. He almost squeezed all breath out of her.
Then he kissed her back, this time earnestly. It was a claiming and ardent kiss, which Phoebe answered with the same fervency. Ming however got a little afraid. If he loved her the way he kissed her he would surely hurt her.
"He will never hurt me", Phoebe soothed her. She had enjoyed her little game with Cole but now the sympathy with the poor girl, whose body she was possessing, won. "And he knows that I'm here now."
"How?" Ming asked back, "how can he know?"
"He loves me", Phoebe answered simply, "and I love him. Love transcends every plane of existence. He can feel my soul like I can feel his".
As if he had heard them Cole whispered with a tender voice, "Phoebe". The longing in his voice gave Ming shivers.
"Yes Cole", Phoebe answered catching her breath.
To be together with him again was breathtaking and overwhelming. He still felt and touched her like she remembered still so vividly, even if she had another body.
"You will have to leave as soon as I slept with him", Ming warned Phoebe agitated, "I loose my powers when I loose my virginity."
At this moment Minghad no doubt whatsoever that she wouldn't leave this room as a virgin. Not anymore.
"You don't need to explain", Phoebe soothed Ming, "I have access to your thoughts. I know everything that happened."
"Now that is really unpleasant, some stranger knowing everything I ever thought." Ming thought uneasily. "No offence!" she added hurriedly.
Ming couldn't get used to the fact the Phoebe had access to every thought that crossed her mind.
"I only look at the thoughts that are important at the moment", Phoebe assuaged her, "the thoughts I need to understand this situation. Never doubt how grateful I am that you summoned me down. I won't betray your trust, Ming."
"Phoebe", Ming asked haltingly, not really sure how to put it, "can you make him love me…. I mean you… or better us, less fervently?"
Ming struggled with the idea that she had no control about what her body did with Mr. Turner or vice versa. "I never did this before and I'm a little afraid. I didn't expect him to …become stirred up like that."
"Then you shouldn't have chosen Cole", Phoebe chuckled, "You decided to bed a demon."
"Maybe that was a mistake," Ming became even more flustered.
"No worries," Phoebe was sorry for scaring her, "Let me handle it and relax. I have much experience with him and I will take good care of your body. Just lean back, enjoy it and leave the steering wheel to me."
Ming would do as Phoebe suggested. She had no alternative either, since she still had no control over her body. Furthermore Phoebe sounded like a woman she could trust.
Ming stopped monitoring every move of her body and concentrated on the feelings. The feelings Phoebe kept for Cole, and the feelings Cole aroused in her body by his touch, and her own feelings of being touched in some places for the first time.
It was an enticing mixture to be experienced and innocent at the same time. To know what was to come but to not know how it felt. Ming acknowledged that it was a great gift, to be part of the love Phoebe and Cole shared.
--------------------
Cole rolled of Ming exhausted. They lay on their backs next to each other without touching, both catching their breaths and lost in their own thoughts.
Cole had loved Phoebe with the same passion they used to share. That Ming had been part of it hadn't distracted him ever so slightly. He just closed his eyes and it was Phoebe. She had touched him like she used to, had whispered the words he longed to hear and had remembered the games they played to arouse and please each other. Cole closed his eyes and let his soul reach for Phoebe. She was not here anymore. From the moment he had realized it was her, he had feared this moment.
Ming had told him that she lost her power when she lost her innocence. He had taken care of that thoroughly.
Phoebe was away again but Cole felt oddly consoled. He was assured that she still felt the same for him, even after more than 5 years of separation. She would wait for him until he finally made it up there too. That was one of the reasons he travelled the world. He was searching for a possibility to join her in the heavens. And if it meant he had to do penance for all his evil deeds and risk his life for every single innocent in the world, he would do it.
He turned to look at Ming. Her breath had evened out and she looked into space. He turned onto his side and propped his head on his hand. "Are you ok?" he asked concerned. He hadn't wanted to be pushy or rough towards Ming but his passion for Phoebe had gone off and he had lost control.
"I'm ok", she whispered back, but didn't look at him. "I just never imagined it would be like this". Ming was thoroughly shaken.
Cole reached out and touched her chin slightly. Ming finally looked at him. A single tear was running down her cheek.
"I hurt you", Cole concluded guiltily.
"No," she shook her head slightly," Mr. Turner you were very affectionate, I couldn't have asked for a better lover, but…I always hoped I would share this moment with someone I love and who loves me".
She wiped the tear away resolutely and pulled the sheet up to her shoulders. She was suddenly ashamed of lying naked next to him. It was ridiculous since his lips and hands had explored every centimetre of her skin, but she couldn't help to feel this way.
If he needed prove that Ming was back in control of her body, he had it now. Cole was gone and Mr. Turner was back.
"I better go back to my room", Ming announced and sat up, reaching for her clothes.
Cole sat up himself, trying to hide his bareness with a part of the blanket. He wasn't ashamed, but didn't want to inconvenience or confuse her further.
"You don't need to go Ming", he offered softly as he watched her slipping into her robe, "you can stay here with me". She looked a little bit forlorn and he had the urge to comfort her. "Let me take you in my arms."
Ming continued buttoning up her robe. "That's a very kind offer Mr. Turner, please don't be offended that I can't accept it."
Ming was deliberately behaving distantly towards him. Probably she would have stayed if he had slept with her alone. But he had made love to Phoebe, not with her. She had only been the accidental onlooker. Ming didn't want to be a placeholder again. It stung her pride that he didn't want to sleep with her and that she had needed another woman's help to seduce him.
She strode towards the door and opened it. In the doorframe she turned around. He sat on his bed looking after her with a thoughtful expression.
"Thank you", Ming whispered and closed the door behind her.
--------------------------
Ming strolled from the guest house towards the main building. The cicadas were singing their eternal song and some bats were on their way looking for pray. The night was starlit and a big round moon hung above the forest. It looked like it was nearly full moon. The silvery lights dunk the surroundings in a spooky illumination. It confused your senses and made the impression that the shadows were moving.
But Ming wasn't afraid instead she felt liberated. She had gotten rid of her magic and it had been a surprisingly pleasurable experience. Tomorrow she would tell her father this and their life could go on as it had before.
Suddenly a cold fear crept up her spine. From one moment to the other, something was different. She stopped in her tracks and listened closely in the dark night. The cicadas had stopped singing.
She wondered about the reason when a big hand laid itself over her nose and mouth. Ming cried out but her cry was muffled by the hand. She tried to fight the attacker but felt a sharp pain on the head and then everything went black.
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tbc
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