The Bonding Chronicles Ch 12

***** Illusions of Self *****

For as long as Sara had lived on the Olympic Peninsula, the forest had been a place of shelter, an escape from the restraint that shrouded every other aspect of her life. She could vanish into the deep woods without fear of discovery, and was free to jump and dash unhindered by prying eyes. So, she found it strange that when her yellowish-brown gaze shone through the shadows — not noticing anything out of place — it did nothing to allay the constant and nagging feeling that danger lurked in the darkness.

Sara could feel Andrew's emotions through their bond, and was surprised by how muddled and confused they felt. She decided to stop her patrol, and began to wind her way through the large trees and scattered underbrush on a cautious path back to their house. The smell of a fire grew stronger as she approached, the fragrance telling her that whatever he was dealing with had prevented him from getting back to sleep.

Andrew's words greeted Sara, as she opened the door to their warm house. "I get that, but how can you be so certain?"

He was standing before the fireplace, tending to the building flames, while Karen was in the kitchen preparing some tea. Karen was wearing her shirt and panties, while Andrew was wearing a t-shirt and boxers.

"I understand your concern, but honestly, I would have expected you to be happy about this news."

Whatever they were discussing seemed to be in full swing. Sara could see Andrew's uncertainty as he struggled to figure out how to feel. The excitement behind his violet eyes was inviting, but the worry on his face told her that he was reluctant to embrace whatever discovery had been made.

"I am, but... I don't know, Karen." He looked at Sara who closed the door, and shook the cold out of her arms while she basked in the warmth of the room. She knelt and petted Psycho, while her mates watched her with pleased but conflicted smiles. Whatever was going on, she suspected that she was somehow in the center of it.

Andrew stated, "I feel like a hypocrite, after what I was doing. How could I be so excited about the gift I was giving, and then be so alarmed by this?"

Sara looked between the two wonderful people, the confusion on her face shining forth with an adorable tilt to her head. Karen laughed, and waved her spoon towards the athletic young woman while she asked, "Sara, you know that Andrew is doing something to you, right?"

Through a bright red blush Sara responded, "Well yeah, it's kinda hard not to notice when he does it."

Karen was becoming more and more intrigued by the spell Andrew that had been using to achieve his goals. Whatever could make Sara — one of the most brazen women she had ever known— blush with such intensity, must be a marvel to behold. She could feel herself moisten as she wondered what it must be like to experience that enigmatic spell.

To distract herself from her longing, and with the hope of keeping the conversation moving forward, Karen asked Sara, "Have you noticed any changes?"

Sara had lived with her supernatural impulses most of her life, and over the last year, she thought she had gotten them under control. Then came the past few days, when she noticed her control slipping as her impulses became stronger. While she struggled to gain the same level of authority over her urges, she also realized how much joy she took from following them.

"I find myself drawn to the woods more often, and long to chase and hunt." The smile on her face spoke of the longing in her heart, as she imagined cornering an animal and taking its meat back to her mates. A soft purr vibrated through her chest as she savored the idea of taking care of these two wonderful people, while her fingers massaged Psycho's neck. Her smile intensified, and she chuckled before standing and continuing, "Let's not forget the purring. I could fake it before, wanting to do it and simulating the sound, but now, it just happens all on its own, and I love it."

Andrew was watching her with an intense interest that she couldn't help but find amusing. Whatever was going on, she knew that it was centered on what Andrew had been doing to her. She rubbed her midriff and half-closed her eyes, remembering the feeling of being stretched out by his cum. The radiant heat that had spread out through her body as his magical gift performed its work was a fond memory, which she hoped to soon relive.

Sara laughed and said, "Just spit it out, you two. I swear, I'm in love with a couple of drama llamas."

Karen laughed, and turned her gaze on Andrew, her expectation clear. Andrew shook his head before returning his eyes to the fireplace while he spoke, "It seems that what I have been doing to you, is affecting me as well."

Sara chuckled, while she moved towards the dining room table, and took her usual seat. "What is happening to you, Andrew?"

"I didn't realize it until after you left this morning, but a lot of things have changed. The first thing I noticed, was that my hearing and eyesight seem to be way better than they have ever been. Our room is almost pitch black, yet I can see as if it was illuminated by a full moon. That is not normal. For God's sakes, I could hear the front door latch when you snuck out this morning... that is a tiny noise, and I somehow heard it through a closed door from across the house with one ear buried in a pillow.

"After I realized that, I started thinking back, and there are behavioral changes as well. Have you noticed how much I've started rubbing my temple against you and Karen? I have no idea why I do it, but I know it feels good, and I enjoy it a lot."

His breath was coming in shallow gasps as he fought back a panic attack. The more he thought about everything, the more strange behavior he began to see, and these continuous revelations threatened to overwhelm him.

"Okay, maybe this is just me and my 'kitty cat' nature, but so what? I'm not sure what I missed earlier in this conversation, but I agree with what Karen said when I entered: Why aren't you excited to be more like me? I mean, it explains why you've been gaining so much muscle the last couple of days."

Andrew's breathing evened out, and he shared Karen's open-mouthed surprise at what Sara had just said. The young woman looked between her two mates, while she raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "You can't seriously tell me you two thought that was normal? Andrew, you have put on almost as much muscle in the last two days, as you gained all last week. Your stamina is catching up to mine, and you are finding the fun and joy in physical exercise. Last week you participated in P.E. because you had to, and this week it seems like you genuinely enjoy it. You had to notice all of that, right?"

Karen had realized how much Andrew had changed since she first met him, but assumed that his muscle growth had been a result of him coming into his powers. Now that they were piecing together these other facts, his changes made much more sense to her. The few wizards she had known were never athletic or muscular, having sacrificed prowess of the body for agility of the mind. Whatever made Andrew so gifted with magic was not likely to be the cause of his newfound athleticism.

Now that the stove was warming up and the pot of water was in position, Karen began to mix the herbs necessary to make her tea. She shook her head at Sara, and marvelled at how insightful the young woman was. Andrew was studying Sara with the same conflicted gaze he had worn since she entered the house, his eyes speaking of the uncertainty that haunted him.

"If this is the extent of the unintended consequences from our little Padawan's actions, then I think we are lucky." Karen's words were playful, her reference catching Andrew and Sara off-guard. She looked between her two mates, smiling at the surprise behind their eyes. Laughter filled the room while she said, "I might be three hundred years old, but I still like a good story. Whether it's Shakespeare or Star Wars — at least the original trilogy, don't get me started on that prequel garbage."

Sara and Andrew relaxed, as they shook with laughter.

"Okay, Okay... I admit that so far, I love all the strength and stamina I've been gaining, and the enhanced senses are going to be super awesome as well..." He paused, and looked between his two beautiful women, "though I need to start being more careful about using my gift, when I have no idea what hidden effects the spell or ward may possess. I just wanted to make Sara a full Therianthrope, I never wanted to make myself like her."

Andrew was just finishing his sentence, when Sara's face burst into an excited smile, and she sprinted across the room. The speed with which she crossed the large room was surprising, but the force of her embrace was gentle as she pinned Andrew to the wall. Her lips wrestled with his, as her chest rumbled with a deep and pronounced purr.

The sounds of Karen and Andrew's laughter danced through the room, and was punctuated by the occasional "Thank you!" from Sara, who continued to pepper Andrew's face with kisses. Andrew's words gave light to the changes that Sara had been experiencing, and she knew that whatever he had been doing was working.

Never before had she felt so connected to her supernatural ancestry, the presence of the moon charting a course across her heart that she had never felt before. As she paused to look into Andrew's eyes, she saw her joy reflected in his happy gaze, his smile telling her how excited he was for her.

Sara's eyes grew wide, and as anticipation built in her smile, she sprinted into the master bathroom, releasing a loud squee as she looked into the mirror. Her eyes were marked by amber lines of pigment that radiated out from her pupils and broke up the traditional light-brown coloration of her irises. She had never seen her dream self, but knew in her heart that this was the color her eyes were meant to be.

Andrew went into the kitchen and began to help Karen prepare a late night snack, while Sara revelled in the knowledge of what Andrew had been trying to do. Psycho sauntered across the room and curled up on a blanket next to the large fireplace, content to watch the room from the warmth radiating from the nearby stones.

He did not bother whispering to Karen, knowing that Sara would hear him anyway. "I know we had discussed stopping my experiment with Sara, but-"

His statement cut short by Sara, who yelled back from the master bathroom, "Nope!"

Andrew and Karen chuckled, before Andrew tried to complete his thought, "- but I don't-"

Sara's voice was playful but commanding, as it echoed out across the house, "Nope! 'Sex Demon Experiment Number Three' is a go!"

They both laughed while Sara bounced on her feet with excitement, and looked for any other changes across her face. She was still marred by pocked acne scars, but for the first time, she had no pimples at all. She remembered being frustrated, as she prepared for their trip on Saturday morning, at how many blemishes she had dotted across her face; but now, they were all gone. Her cheeks and forehead felt dry, and had no trace of the oil that usually coated her.

Sara ran her fingers along her face, finding thin oils resting at her temples, and as she brought her fingers to her nose, she could smell her own pronounced scent. She sniffed her shoulder, and could smell a strong masculine scent that sent a shiver down her spine, and knew that it belonged to Andrew. She shifted her legs, feeling her desires grow as she realized that he had marked her, his scent proclaiming to all of her kind that she belonged to him.

While Sara perused her changes in the relative privacy of their bathroom, Andrew and Karen chuckled as they worked parallely in silence, their actions complementing each other as they worked with what appeared to be familiarity.

"Andrew?"

Andrew placed a sliced apple onto the plate of fruit, cheese, and crackers before responding, "Yes, gorgeous?"

Despite herself, Karen blushed and shook her head, wondering if she would ever get beyond the childlike adoration that seemed to have consumed her. "Two things: Sex Demon, and what was the second experiment? I'm assuming the first one was the ward in the glade, and the spell with Sara has to be the third... so number two?"

Andrew took the large plate of food to the dining room table, just in time for the kettle to start whistling its loud proclamation that it was ready for tea. Karen took it off the heat, and added her satchel of herbs, setting it on a hot pad on the table next to the creamer and sugar that was already in place. While they both waited for the tea to steep, Andrew explained Sara's nickname for him, and then started the long story about the monolith's inception.

Sara joined them just after Andrew finished explaining the desperate moments that led to the monolith's creation, and she enjoyed listening to him describe what it was like to will it into being. He explained what he understood about its purpose, and how it served to protect the electronics around him when they generated energy. Karen was patient and considerate while Andrew spun his tale, and helped to ease Andrew through his story with a few probing questions.

"So you can access anyone's phone, as long as they are close to you?"

Andrew smiled and nodded. "Pretty much, though Sara's mother's and her assistant's phones seemed to keep me out when they were locked. I think they were encrypted, so once they were put to sleep, the hard drives re-encrypted themselves, and I was blocked out — though that was before the monolith, so I wonder how that would work now."

The eager smile on Andrew's face as he considered his next meeting with Vivienne was intoxicating. His eyes focused on the two wonderful women who sat around the table, and with a chuckle, his gaze settled on Karen, before he asked, "What about you? You have changed so much this week, and seem like you are growing younger; I mean look at you."

Karen shook her head and smiled at Andrew, understanding why he would think that. "No, I still have the body of a thirty-year-old. I've just lost a lot of weight, and gained a lot of the definition that I had lost after decades of leading a sedentary life." She looked between the two young people who admired her so much, and knew that they were having a hard time believing her. With a chuckle she reiterated, "I promise, you're not affecting me like you are Sara. Not yet, anyway."

Her desire to witness and experience Andrew's manipulation was evident in the wistful cast of her gaze as she admired Sara's athletic frame. No matter how much caution she urged upon Andrew, she could not temper her excitement at everything that was happening.

Andrew and Sara admired Karen's figure for a moment, before Andrew said, "However you are changing, the result is nothing short of amazing."

With a blush, Karen began pouring tea for the happy people who were gathered with her, eager for the warm beverage. They all modified their drinks with sugar and creamer to varying degrees, each finding their perfect balance.

"So, honey, what is this mysterious ward you want to try?" Andrew asked, pausing to study the worried look that shadowed Karen's otherwise happy expression. "And, why does it worry you so much?"

Karen shook her head and took a sip while she grinned. Of course Andrew knew how she felt; part of her realized that no matter how minor her change in expression might be, he would always notice. "There are a few things I have learned over the years which I have found dangerous." She cast a spell and reached out her will, taking control of the spoon which continued to stir her tea, while her hand released its grip and settled into her lap.

As the spoon lifted into the air, turning sideways and tapping a trickle of tea from its surface onto the rim of the coffee cup, she said, "Things like this require both concentration and a tremendous amount of energy to achieve. This is something I learned a little over a century ago, from a young witch before she was lost to the enticing world of The Council. It's a simple enough spell, but I have almost fainted from its use in the past."

She saw a mixture of wonder and concern on the young faces that watched her supernatural performance. While the spoon floated through the air, resting on the table in front of her, she smiled and explained, "Ever since I bonded with Andrew, my capacity to store magical energy seems to have grown rapidly, and..." She blushed as she prepared to explain further, "it seems that satiating the demands of my changing nature is helping me replenish my reserves faster than I ever thought possible."

Andrew smiled with understanding, glad to know that his suspicion about her being able to utilize their sexual energy was correct. "Has our bond made casting that spell any easier?"

Karen shook her head, "No, it hasn't, though the increased reserves have allowed me to maintain it much longer..."

She thought to herself for a moment, her mates snacking and sipping their tea while they gave her time to ruminate. After almost a minute, Karen shook her head and explained, "The ward I have in mind was gifted to me by my contact within The Council. It's called a Glamour, and is supposed to allow me to mask my appearance in drastic ways."

Andrew and Sara almost stood from their chairs with excitement; the spell sounded perfect, and they knew that if it worked, it would solve all of their problems. Sara said, "That's amazing. So, what's the problem?"

"The last time I tried it, I fainted a couple of seconds after activating the ward. It felt so alien to me, and I could sense that my gift was struggling to make it work. I had drawn it on a small piece of paper with some of my Astral Ink, and activated it while standing before a mirror. It had worked for those few seconds, before I collapsed. If not for my nature, I may have been in a coma for days, maybe months..." She shuddered against the memory before continuing, "Hell, I may have even died. I have never felt a draw on my power as intense as that ward."

They could both see the panic in her eyes as she thought back on the events of that day, and Andrew could feel her fear as she considered having to try it once more.

"I burned the paper, and resolved myself to never try that again. Now, with these sudden changes, I fear I must, and it terrifies me."

Andrew came around the table, and gathered Karen into his arms. She melted into his embrace, trembling against the dread at what she knew she must do. Andrew caressed her head, allowing her to rest against his chest while she settled her building emotions. After a few moments, she emerged and stated with confidence, "Caution be damned!"

While Karen stood and stormed into their bedroom, Andrew chuckled and said, "That's my girl."

Sara smiled and sipped her tea, happy to see how much comfort Andrew had given Karen, and knowing that he was a wonderful mate — her gift had paired her well.

Karen returned with her large bag, taking out a few crumpled pieces of paper and grumbling to herself, as she searched through its large interior.

Andrew huffed and with a chuckling voice asked, "Do you think in three centuries I could become this well-organized?"

Karen stopped fumbling through her bag, and squinted at Andrew with a playful smile. "Listen, smartass, there is a method to my madness."

"Or is there a madness in your method? Normally I would say time will tell, but in your case, honey, I think it already has."

They all laughed, while Karen shook her head and continued her search. A few seconds later, she took a plain-looking pen and small nondescript bottle of ink out of her bag, before setting them on the table. Andrew chuckled as she began trying to flatten one of the crumpled pieces of paper.