Sam Spade 17: the Mystery of the Quarm

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The story may contain sexual activities and situations that are to be read only by readers above the legal age of consent. All characters are above the age of 18. The story is not to be read in locations where such stories are illegal. If you are not of legal age, or live in the wrong place, please do not read.

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Have you ever felt you were in a speeding car down a winding mountain without brakes? Looking at the scout as she walked up to us and sat cross legged across from me I suddenly had that feeling. I was the cause of her pain and had to make it right. "You two fought... I'm sorry," I said.

"I tried to talk to him but he got mad. We have fought in the past but this time was different. Stephen kicked me out... I'm outlaw... clan less." Fa said crying.

Franki bent forward and hugged Fa tightly, "Oh sister I'm so sorry."

"Fa," I said tenderly. She looked at me over Franki's shoulder as I continued. "You are welcome here, for as long as you wish. You may be clan less but you have a home if you wish it."

Fa asked her sister mentally, "Is she for real? Your goddess just met me."

"She is for real sister. If you asked she would welcome you into our clan no questions asked." Franki replied. "She is easy to love," she added as they broke apart. "As you well know."

"What do you mean?" Fa asked.

"Lie to others sister but you can't lie to me. You're drawn to her as I was the moment she and I were alone. She needs us." Franki said to Fa. "And we need her."

I knew they were talking but could not hear them nor did I wish to. I sat waiting until what they were discussing was resolved. Finally, Fa turned to me, "Goddess I wish to become part of your clan. What must I do?"

I wasn't expecting that but should have known better. "You have several choices. First off as I said, you are welcome to stay as long as you wish, no stirrings attached. You will be treated as family the only issue you will only be telepathic with Franki here or I when I am close to you."

"The second one is to submit to the goddess. I will infuse you with my essence that will make you almost impossible to kill and telepathic with all of your sisters." I paused, "I would skip the third because you are better than it. The third is a blood slave. You submit to the goddess same as the second one and she performs a blood binding ceremony on you." I looked away, "We have blood slaves in this house hold. A woman I fell deeply in love with told me that it was better to die than be a blood slave. Thinking about it, I am inclined to agree with her."

I blinked back tears and got a grip. "Last is to become my mate and Franki's and her six sisters' wife. The upside is you will gain the powers of both vampires and succubae to go with what you have now. The down side is only death or your partner releasing you will end it. That isn't a big deal because I offered it to Franki." I paused, "Well it is a big deal but better you happy then me. The other two downsides are you are telepathic with me anywhere you are and my life insurance policy got canceled as a bad risk."

"I have only one question if I may," Fa finally said after about five minutes of silence.

"Ask anything," I replied.

"Will I get to watch the sunset on the hill top?" Fa asked.

Leaning forward I touched her and Franki with my hands on their legs. "If that is what you want," I said as I teleported us three there.

The pair looked around, "Wow... look at the view." Fa said getting up and walking around and looking first down and out. "Arizona?" she asked looking at me.

"Or Nevada," I replied. "I would have to ask my mother." Mentally I asked my wives, "I wish to take this girl as my wife. May I have your consent?"

Only two things marred the replies, first was Angela replying, "The first who makes a doggy style joke will get my foot in her ass." The second one was Lilith who was silent.

"Lilith?" I asked her directly.

"You know once you take the forth power you will trigger the battle." I felt her heart break, "It's too soon to lose you."

"Come to me Lilith," In an instant she was there and in my arms sobbing like a child. "Do not cry," I cooed as I stroked her hair. "Please Lilly, my sweet Lilly of the valley, calm your mind and trust me." She whimpered a few times but finally settled down. Mentally I said to her, "Mother slapped the shit out of me when I accused her of opposing you kneeling before me because she needed it to wait more than you needed love." I ran my fingers through her hair said, "At the risk of getting slapped silly again, I ask you what I asked her."

Letting go of me Lilith walked to where Fa was standing off to the side with Franki watching us. Kneeling with lowered head she said, "Forgive me sister, Fa... I was thinking of myself and my own fears. I would be honored if you joined as a co wife to our Samantha." She looked at me and said, "Unlike my daughter I know when to admit I am wrong."

"I wasn't wrong mother," Maradith's voice rang in my mind. There was a pause and then she said to me, "Samantha, I know you think you are doing the right thing. But more than your life is on the line this time." Her mental voice took on a sad note, "If you need us, Jason will be there to fight at your side."

"Thank you mother," I replied mentally. I stood and walked to stand beside Fa who was looking out at the red rocky plains below. "For an isolated place, I find it beautiful." I glanced at Lilith and back out at the world, "Do not blame Lilith for her fears. A dream can haunt you for the rest of your life if you let it. Over time it starts to rule your thoughts and actions until you are in a cage."

Fa looked at the woman beside her, "How is it that one so young is so deep and wise?"

"Don't get me wrong Fa, I have my own fears. But I refuse to let them rule me." I sighed, "The battle everyone fears will not be as they believe. I must face him alone." I heard Lilith gasp. "Everyone thinks I am one thing but I am something else entirely. What do you see standing beside you Fa?"

Fa was thrown off by the question. She looked at Franki, "What do I say?" her sister shrugged in reply so she looked at the woman beside her. The power and commanding will was enough to make her want to serve her. She would do anything asked just to be close to the goddess. "I see what you really are," She finally said.

I sighed, "Why is it that no one sees a woman who is tired of games and the pedestal others have placed her on?" I looked at Fa, "If you can answer that question, you will be the first."

"If I may answer for her," a male's voice said from behind us. I knew who it was, it was the man from the castle.

"You're early. I expected you after Fa and I bound and the circle was completed." I paused and turned to face him. "However since you are here, feel free to answer."

"All who know you Samantha know how you feel. That is why they fear the final battle. Lilith knows you will die on purpose just to end the pain. They all know it but they need to follow you. Even poor Fa here broke from her clan just for a few hours with you." The man said. He looked down at Lilith and said softly, "Daughter, I am sorry for what I did to you." He looked back at me and said, "You know where to find me when you are ready." Just like that he was gone.

"Well knowing I may well not see the next sunrise, what is your pleasure Fa?" I asked turning to look out over the rocky desert.

"Take me as yours. Complete the circle." Fa replied looking at the goddess. She didn't know who the man was but he spoke true. The woman before her had a death wish so strong she could smell it. No wonder Stephen had not willing to listen to peace. He wanted be the one to bring the goddess down.

I turned to her and tore my wrist open savagely. I pressed my bloody wrist to Fa's lips and held her head in place with my other hand as I, "My life for yours." She struggled for a second but then the blood seeped in between her lips and she began drinking my life. To my surprise she stopped on her own long before I was weak. She pushed my wrist away and then licked the wound clean.

Fa looked at Franki and said simply, "Sister, I need a blade." It was Lilith who offered her a dagger. "Thank you," she said taking it. She jabbed it between the bones in her lower arm and through the artery. Handing it back to Lilith she then offered her arm to the goddess, "My life for yours."

I closed my eyes as I drank. I expected a mind blowing experience but it seemed no different than drinking the men the night before. Like her, I stopped long before I was sated. Kissing the wound I released her arm. Cupping my hands, I closed my eyes as I formed a rose, instead of it being black as night or bright red it was a deep red. "Two bodies one love," I said to Fa as I handed her the rose.

Fa took the rose and looked at it confused. Vampires used black flowers to show the binding. Raising her eyes, she broke the stem and placed the rose in her hair. She felt it latching on and wondered if that was normal. "Two bodies one love," she intoned. A wave of love flowed through her and into her mind. She already was willing to follow the goddess but now she saw the woman and understood the question.

I took the stem from Fa and scraped my chest opening it and spilling my blood. "My life for yours, yours for mine. Drink and close the circle Fa." Instead of kissing it, she licked my wounds.

When they were clean Fa said tenderly, "My life for yours. Your life for mine. We are one." She kissed her wife and lover knowing once Samantha left this masa she would never see her again.

"Franki, Lilith, go on back to the house. I want to spend some time here alone with Fa, your co wife." I said taking Fa's hand in mine.

When we were alone I said, "I'm sorry we have so little time together."

"Must you die Samantha?" Fa asked the question her sisters wanted but dared not ask.

"I won't die love. That is what no one understands. Samantha Spade will return unharmed to her wives and slaves. She will be mistress of the house." I paused and then said, "The world does not want or need a living god walking around." I hugged her tightly, "Of all, only you can follow me where I go. I ask you not to Fa."

"As my sister says, where you go one of us goes with you. We are bound together Samantha." Fa looked down, "Even if I wanted to go to my sisters now, I can't. I must bear witness to the events." She looked up at me, "I understand Angela now. She uses her sharp wit to cover her fear." She smiled, "Shall we go meet our maker?"

I nodded and envisioned him. The next instant Fa and I were in the library. I looked around but didn't see him so walked over to one of the chairs and sat down. Fa on the other hand went to the bookshelves and scanned the titles. I would have been surprised if she had seen a real book before. After a minute of waiting I said, "Are we going to play this game again?"

"Not at all," the man replied. He was standing before the fireplace. Looking at Fa he said, "Child go home. This is between Samantha and I."

Fa turned and said, "I cannot. I am bound to Samantha and must bear witness to what happens. Even you can't send me back if you wanted to." She smiled sweetly, "However please feel free to try. My co wives and I would enjoy watching that."

He looked at me and said, "Send her home Samantha."

"I stand less a chance then you do," I laughed. I looked at Fa and smiled, "Just be happy it is her and not any of the others." I turned back to him and said, "So pistols at ten paces? Swords? Claws? A chess game? What is your pleasure?"

"You already wish to lose so why play a game? Just give up, go home and we can call it a day."

"You know why. Even though I wish to lose, I will try my best to win because I owe it to the others." I paused, "My feelings here don't matter. It is what my family wants that matters to me." I stood and walked to Fa, "She is here to make sure we follow the rules."

"Rules?" He asked laughing. "That's a new one."

"No it's not. You have rules you follow; rules you make your creations follow. This is no different so stop playing around. Pick the battle and or concede." I said tired of the game. No doubt that was what he wanted but frankly I didn't care anymore.

"Creation," he said finally. "We know you can create a rose, but can you create life?"

Closing my eyes, I let my mind calm and drift. Suddenly in my mind's eye I saw a little black furred bat with deep red wings fluttering around me. Opening my eyes, I smiled at it as it fluttered around me a few more times before going up to hang upside down from the chandelier.

He looked at the bat and then me, "Cute." I saw a hawk form on his wrist and take off towards my little bat. In turn the bat took off like a bat out of hell.

Still looking at him I imagined the bat flying low and just as the hawk passed by a dog jumping up and killing it. I heard a loud crunching sound and looked down to see a dog with the hawk in its mouth. "You're turn."

A large timber wolf appeared and attacked the dog. The two began fighting and making a hellish racket. At a loss of what to do I closed my eyes and called, "Help me Cindy." There was a loud bang and I opened my eyes to see the man staring at a spreading red spot on his chest. Standing not ten feet away was Cindy as she was when she died. In her hand was a pistol. She raised the point of aim and shot him in the head. As he fell backwards she continued firing into the body.

After the ninth shot Cindy changed clips and walked over to me. "Samantha you know better than go into a battle unarmed." The man sat up so she shot him again and looked at Fa, "You are even more beautiful on this side."

The man moved again and Cindy took aim. I stopped her and said, "Let me." I went and put my foot on his chest. "It's over. Unlike you I didn't pull creatures from earth. That Cindy came back and your wounds tells me I have bested you. Even if you disagree you cannot harm me." I paused a moment and said, "Give it your best shot. Summon Stephen, he would love for the chance to kill me with his sister watching."

True to my request Stephen Wolf appeared and growled at me. "Leave or die," I commanded. His eyes got large and he was gone. I looked down at the man under my boot, "Bring Alvin, that's who Lilith saw will kill me. Perhaps you will get lucky." After a minute when Alvin didn't appear I said, "Never count on an atheist to do your dirty work."

Moving off to the side I reached down and dragged him to his feet. "You will leave me and mine alone. You have your followers, I have mine. Convert them if you want to try and I will do the same. However, if you raise so much as a hand against us I will remove you from this planet." I paused and looked at Fa, "You must be the creator of all."

"Yes," Fa said. She paused and then said, "You may refer to me as Madam Chairman. When did you figure out?"

"Fa is a scout. She should have been looking for passages, secret doors and hidden objects. However, you looked at the books." I paused, "Cindy's comment cemented it." I smiled at Cindy and added, "You could have seen the deity in charge of everything. But I never felt you like I had Angela the night you and she came to forgave me. Finally, since I just married Fa, I knew you hadn't had a chance to truly see her before."

I turned back to Fa, "I am assuming I will see her again once we leave here."

"Oh she is here now, along with the rest of your wives," Fa replied. "Now we come to the point where you tell me what you plan to do with this planet?"

"Who me?" I paused, "Not a damn thing. I will try and teach people to love each other. But I am a realest and know how well that will work." I looked at Cindy, "You remember how crazy I got when you girls called me goddess?" She nodded so I added, "Imagine instead of you few, nearly fifty all expecting me to walk on water and lead them like sheep through life." I paused and then added, "If it wasn't my work ethic and since of duty, I would have joined you long ago. You have no idea how much I wished that Angela's shot to my head after you died had finished me."

Turning back to the woman I said, "Madam Chairman, I just want to do my job, love and be loved in return. What more can anyone ask?"

She smiled and said, "You would be surprised what I am asked." She looked at Cindy, "However I will give you what you have not asked for, "Cindy will return with you as will your dog and bat." She turned to the man, "You will not interfere with anything Samantha does. Turning back to me she said, "Samantha, you will have to get them to stop calling you goddess on your own. However, I think if you ask, they will stop." She walked up and rested her hand on my shoulder, "If you need me, just say so and I will come." She smiled, "But make it for something more important than your dog not being house broken." Her eyes cut to the side.

I looked and the dog had just taken a shit on the carpet. Laughing I said, "Fair enough. Let's go home." The next instant, the bat, dog, Cindy, Fa and myself were in the atrium at home. Reaching down I gave the dog a friendly scratch and said, "Two rules, no cat chasing and you go outside to go to the bathroom." The bat meanwhile was fluttering around the trees.

"He looks lonely," Cindy said. "Why don't you use some dust to make him a mate?"

"Because I know better," I replied. I didn't even have to think and there were nearly twenty bats fluttering around. "Let them find the one that is right for them on their own." I looked at them and added, "You have a one in ten shot in picking the right one for you. That is better odds than the rest of us have." Suddenly I realized Fa hadn't spoken and the others were hiding. "Fa? What's wrong?"

She gave her head a little shake and said, "You won... And came back... Why Samantha?"

"Because my family needs me," I replied. I looked at Cindy and added, "And I need my family." I paused and added, "Life has changed since you left us."

Cindy laughed, "Lover, I am just thankful I was given the chance to come back. I thought she was going to make me stay there for a minute." She walked over to Fa and stroked her face tenderly, "I still think you are beautiful. Will you and your sisters allow me to become your sister wife to our Samantha?"

"I...We didn't think we had a say. The...Go...Samantha brought you back from the grave." Fa said picking her words carefully. "Those who knew you from before are mind blown, Angela is in shock, Lilith, Marie, Franki, and I are all for it."

"Franki?" Cindy asked looking at me. "She moved on Samantha. She can't be here."

"Frankie had a twin sister who supposedly was still born. That is the official report. We know better." I said softly. I looked at her and said, "Marry me Cindy." Closing my eyes, I mentally called, "Wives attend me now." I paused and then added, "That means you too Angela. Come to me!" One by one they came, stood back and waited. The last was Lilith who came and knelt at my feet crying.

I lifted her to her feet. I said "I forgive you," as I wiped her black tears away. Looking around at them I said, "Get into the hot tub please." Both Lilith and Fa looked at me as if I lost my mind while the others got in. "I know but just this once is all I ask of you." Once they were in I knelt beside it and said, "The world has shifted and the binding ritual we used before does not work for me." I looked at Cindy, "And yet, there is one who must join us as equal wife."

She blushed and looked down. When she raised her eyes again I said, "So I must create a new ritual of binding." Closing my eyes, I stilled my mind. Opening them I said, "By the power of the kingdom of man, my life for yours." My hand moved over the water and I made a fist. A single drop of bright red blood dripped down and into the water. The water they sat in turned bright red.