Cracking the Tower of Sin

Chapter 3

By 3:30 the Veritas Mansion was hopping with the small group of six. Alec had taken it upon himself to set up the music (loud, but there was no one for miles to care), Parker immediately went for the pool, while Sophie and Nate tried to maintain some semblance of adult supervision. Eliot and Nate had brought copious amounts of beer, but had declined anything harder. They were going to have to work later that evening. Parker was surprising everyone with her amazing dives off the high dive, and everyone was enjoying the 'mountain' slide. It was really one of the tackiest things her father had put in the pool area, but it was great winding and slippery fun. There were waterfalls to sneak off for private rendezvous complete with benches and almost complete privacy. Alexi had put out an amazing assortment of pool side food, but warned everyone not to fill up as there were choice steaks marinating in the kitchen. Parker and Sophie had asked for tours, but Beauty politely turned them down.

"This is a mansion within a mansion. It would take all day to show it to you. By the end of the day, and if you end up staying the night, you will have seen many of the important parts. There is also a 17th century Spanish chapel on site as well, which is where the family is buried. They were going to tear it down so I bought it, including the icons, sacristy, holy font, everything. I had it moved over here to the US and had it recreated exactly." Beauty looked at Nate who was somewhere between awed and horrified.

"Nate, I had it properly desanctified and then once it was complete, the Archbishop himself came and sanctified it again. No sacrilege was committed. If you would like, perhaps you would like to see it. We have 'In Memoriam' candles both in the house and in the chapel. Some of the original icons hang in the chapel under museum quality protection, and I have been acquiring others for decades and they hang throughout the house. Veritas means truth, and only those who mean truth towards the family and the house can enter. You all passed the first test."

Eliot smiled at that and whispered in Beauty's ear if she would take a ride on the mountain slide with him. She gave him a knowing smile and let him lead her up the big hill to the top of the slide. "Eliot, you should know, this gives a hell of a wedgie." He laughed and once she was settled between his muscular and beautifully shaped legs, his arms wrapped around her tightly and he shoved off. Beauty screamed all the way down just like she always did, but felt safe with his arms wrapped around her. They rode that slide several more times and then found themselves behind one of the secluded waterfalls. Eliot sat on one of the reclining benches while Beauty floated barely above him, anchoring herself with her hands on his rippled shoulders.

"You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, Beauty. Why did your parents name you Beauty, Chaos, and Eternity? Strange names. Beauty not so much, but the others definitely."

"It comes from work of Nietzsche. There are whole chapters dedicated to it, but it really follows that 'the 'total character of the world' as chaos in all eternity in a sense not a lack of necessity but of a lack of order, arrangement, form, beauty, and wisdom.' My father was terrifically attached to Nietzsche and some of his science and cosmological concepts. I always thought it was cool that he named his children after concepts that made up the total character of the world. More than that I could never follow."

"What do you follow?"

"I have degrees in literature, in religions, in languages. I suppose in my own way I follow those things that make up the beautiful character of the world."

Eliot looked at her carefully. She was sad and she was conflicted. And all he wanted was to make her happy.

"You seem sad and conflicted. Can I do anything to change that, if only for a moment?"

Beauty laughed out loud. "Now who reads minds, Eliot Spencer? As really, truly nice this is, being here with you, I cannot forget my brother and sister. I cannot be happy until I know they are no longer being tortured."

Eliot slipped his strong arms behind her back and pulled her towards him instead of floating above him. He pulled her towards his body but stopped short of the flaming erection he had. He was pretty sure that would not be welcome. She allowed him to hold her there, going no further when she might have.

"I promise you Beauty. We will free your brother and sister and the others. And you can take that whole tower down and turn it and the people inside into dust to just blow away in the wind. I will protect you. When you have used every last ounce of magic and collapse, I will be there and I will take care of you. Look into my eyes, smell me, you know I'm telling the truth."

Her eyes never left his and she moved her body forward slightly, kissing him for what would be the first time but would not be the last. Her center pressed against his, with no intention except to feel connected to each other. Her small hands reached between them taking him in her hands, feeling the width and the length. Eliot moaned into her mouth as they still had not broken their kiss. She kissed him even more aggressively, finally breaking apart from the kiss and releasing his large staff.

"Eliot, I think you might have managed to take my mind of the sad things in my life for something more stimulating for more than a minute." She gave him a smirk. "And when, or rather if the time comes, I now know I will not be disappointed. Thank you. I hope you can do what I asked."

"Baby, I would go through hell and back for you, not just to end up in your bed, but for you. If you decide we have to wait six months, then that is what we will do. And there will be no other women for me."