Together, Raven and Damian walked over to the prone figure on the ground. Violet eyes glared up at them suspiciously, first at their faces, then the fallen men, then the blade in Damian's hand.
"Chata, kal hirsh tal?" the girl asked in an accusatory tone.
Damian flicked the blood off his blade, then with a flick of his wrist it vanished. Raven took a moment to study the girl as she stood up. Her hair was black to the point of violet, like Raven's own, but fell down to her ass. She was taller than Raven by nearly a foot, too, and extremely toned, though her bust rivaled Raven's own generous endowments. Blazing violet eyes almost glowed with the same energy that enveloped the girl's fists.
"Jal, tak'ashk tal?" the girl snapped.
"Sorry, I don't know what you're saying," Raven said. She raised a hand towards the girls' head. "Perhaps a translation spell?"
The girl batted Raven's hand aside angrily, a hint of fear in her expression. Then she turned towards Damian. In a flash, she'd crossed the distance, grabbed him by his shirt, and lifted him off the ground. Raven's eyes shot open wide as the young woman laid a relentless kiss on the young man, her tongue delving deep.
Damian, for his part, stood frozen in shock, his emotions and thoughts a confused jumble. Anger won out, and he was about to strike the young woman holding him when she let go. What might have been a vicious blow turned into a windmill of limbs as he tried, and failed, to stop himself from falling on his ass.
The young woman licked her lips with an almost predatory satisfaction, before looking down at the fallen Damian. Her hands stopped glowing as she put them on her hips.
"You name, warrior," she ordered.
"You first," Damian said, scrambling to his feet and brushing himself off.
The sound of sirens drawing close interrupted the young woman.
"Introductions later," Raven said. "Escape now."
She grabbed both their hands and hauled them off behind her, taking to the air but keeping low. Damian swore angrily at her, while the young woman glared at her with a jealous dark resentment. Raven ignored them both and angled for the roof where she'd left her clothes.
They landed, her companions both being a bit huffy about her actions. Raven ignored their bad attitudes. Giving into tantrums wouldn't help their situation.
"I am Raven," she said, looking the other young woman in the eye. "The grumpy boy you kissed is Damian."
The young woman looked back and forth between the two of them. She seemed to be rolling something around in her mouth, and Raven realized it was the girl's tongue. Finally the girl spoke.
"My name is Komand'r," she said in perfect English. "In your tongue, it means Blackfire. You may call me either."
"Blackfire," Raven said.
"Why the hell were those guys chasing you?" Damian growled.
Blackfire hesitated for a moment.
"I am the heir to the throne of Tamaran," she said, her voice filled with anger. "The true heir. However, my sister was made ruler in my stead. I attempted to take what was mine. I failed. Those were soldiers loyal to her, trying to eliminate me or bring me back for trial and punishment."
So, another dispossessed royal. Raven was starting to sense a pattern in her life.
"I'm not familiar with Tamaran," she said. "Where is that?"
"In the Vega system," Blackfire said. "I flew twenty-six light years to escape my sister's pawns, and still they followed me here to this backwater."
"Oh," Raven said thoughtfully. She wasn't sure what to say about that. Looking the other young woman over though, she decided a distraction could be in order. "We should probably get you some clothes."
Blackfire looked down at herself, then grasped the tattered remains of her clothes and tore them off, leaving herself nude. Damian stared at the alien girl, stunned. Raven, as comfortable as she was with her body, blinked. Blackfire made it seem as if she was standing there in full armor, even with everything on display.
"There are nudity laws in this place," Raven said, meeting the other woman's eyes. "I'm afraid I must insist."
"I have no money." Blackfire said, lifting her chin regally.
"I will pay for them," Raven replied. "You can pay me back."
Blackfire gave her a speculative look through narrow eyes. After a moment, the she nodded.
"Lead the way," she said.
"Don't I get a say in this?" Damian protested. Raven felt his reluctance to go back to shopping, plus he could tell he was about to be roped into the alien girl's problems as well as Raven's.
"No," the two women said. Raven handed Blackfire the shirt she'd borrowed earlier. The alien put it on with some reluctance. The long sleeved shirt was too short by far, but they managed to make it so that it covered from breasts to ass by using it as a wrap, the sleeves working as a type of belt.
Again, there was that sense of resentment from Blackfire as Raven flew them back down to the ground. The princess was silent as Raven led them back the shop she'd purchased her clothes. Damain was quiet too, but that was more because of being uncertain of what to do.
The saleswoman was behind the counter, half sitting on a barstool, a dreamy expression on her face. One hand was pressed to the pocket she'd shoved the ruby pendant into, the other resting on her cheek. Damian shot her a confused look when she didn't even respond to them coming back into the store.
Blackfire didn't spare the woman a glance as she stripped of Damian's shirt and proceeded to wander through racks of clothing. The young man held his shirt with some degree of helplessness, his eyes following the alien princess. Raven felt his mental confusion, mostly about the events of his day, and why the alien had kissed him like that.
"What's with her?" he asked.
"Who?" Raven asked, pretending she didn't know.
"The sales woman," Damian snapped gruffly. "She hasn't moved at all. You'd think with how she was after you, she'd be all over a naked girl in her shop."
"The pendant was enchanted," Raven said. "With a dreaming spell that would activate under certain conditions. I figured it was the safest thing."
"You gave her cursed jewelry so you could come back for clothes whenever you wanted," Damian said scornfully.
"No," Raven said calmly. "The spell was activated by her inability to overcome her lust and her own self hatred."
Damian gave her a confused look.
"She desires young women, to take them and turn them, to control and use them for her own pleasure with no care for their heart's desires," Raven said. "She saw us together and believed us a couple. She wanted to humiliate you and take me to her bed. Yet in her soul, she knew the vile cruelty of her actions, their inherent selfishness. She blinded herself to the harm she did with the pleasure she felt committing her actions. The Gem reacted to that and has trapped her in a place where she can do no more harm."
"Odd thing for a satanic cult to have," Damian muttered.
"I was told it had been used on one of our members back in the day," Raven said with a shrug. "The Pater kept it, since it seemed like a useful weapon."
"And now you get free clothes," Damian said.
"No," Raven said. "I will permit Blackfire to take only what equals the value I did not spend. I am no thief."
Damain gave her a speculative look, then shrugged. He didn't believe her, but that was fine. They had just met. Belief, like trust, would come in time.
Blackfire, meanwhile seemed to have decided on a style for herself. The princess twisted back and forth as she looked at herself in several mirrors. A pair of black faux leather low rise shorts hugged her ass, while a matching vest of the same material hugged her bust and left her midriff completely exposed. Satisfied with the fit, she grabbed several of each from the rack and sauntered over to the shoe section where she picked a pair of knee high leather boots with platforms and heels. Lastly she added fingerless elbow gloves of the same material.
"Well," the princess said, turning to them now that she was dressed. "I assume I am appropriately attired for your earth sensibilities?"
Damian stared at the alien in stunned silence. Raven had to admit that the other woman cut an impressive figure. After a moment she jabbed the young man in the side with her elbow.
"Y-yeah," Damian said, his voice almost cracking. "You...you look great Blackfire."
The alien arched an oddly shaped eyebrow, but nodded after a moment.
Raven could sense the other woman's pleasure at the reaction, though she wasn't sure why Blackfire would react that way. She settled for handing the other woman a shopping bag for her outfits. Blackfire took it and placed her clothes in carefully.
"Don't you need underwear?" Damian asked. This time his voice did crack, slightly. He flushed red as they turned to look at him.
"Underwear?" Raven asked. "What's that?"
"You mean protective and supportive garments to wear under ones clothes?" Blackfire clarified.
Damian nodded, his face crimson.
Raven just gave the pair of them a confused look. Blackfire had that look again, like she was chewing over something in her mouth. Damian gave Raven a slightly stunned look.
"You do know what underwear is, right?" he asked.
"No," Raven admitted. "We only ever wore robes and cloaks if we were cold."
"We are not accustomed to such things on Tamaran," Blackfire said after a moment. "Are such garments required here on earth?"
Damian ran his hand over his face, a pained groan escaping his lips.
"This is my life," he muttered softly to himself from behind his hand. "This is my life now, isn't it? One minute I'm alone, now I have two girls who know absolutely nothing about life on this planet. I'm doomed. I'm fucking doomed."