The Girl with Pin Hair:

Two sets of apologies. Firstly for the gap since the last instalment. I had so many ideas floating around and I was so reluctant to discard any of them, that I agonised over the ones I had to ditch. Then the remainder had to be knitted into a (hopefully) coherent whole. It was moider!

Secondly, my apologies to anyone expecting to pick this up and get a quick fix. To understand what's going on you'll need to start quite a long way back!

As ever, any resemblance to persons living or dead is co-incidental. Constructive criticism is very welcome.

Recap

In "The Girl With Pink Hair: Pt 5" our heroes go on the run after receiving a warning from one of Alan's contacts. Before they leave, they reveal their true nature to Sylvie and the Unholy Trinity at Senate Row. They then try to hide in the run down housing estate outside London where Elena spent her early childhood.

Back at Sussex Street, Sylvie is confronted by Kate Livingstone, a Centrist agent. After this incident, Sylvie convenes the absent trio's mundane allies for a council of war.

In the safe house, Elena holds out against possession by the Queen and discovers she is able to negotiate with the avatar. In their turn Jess and Alan dabble their toes in possession with varying degrees of success. Jess discovers that she rather enjoys being a warrior and gains some allies in the human and avian worlds. Alan is discussing events with his eldritch alter ego ...

***

This ain't no party, this ain't no disco, this ain't no foolin' around!

The safe house 11pm 4

th

June

"My dear boy,"

the Shadow said, with a ghastly avuncular chuckle worthy of Vincent Price,

"I can tell you

'why now?'

"

It paused for dramatic effect and Alan heaved a huge sigh.

The Shadow chuckled again.

"You can rib me? Then I am duty bound to repay the favour."

"And?"

his host replied, acidly.

With much condescension and more than a smidgin of smugness,

"Social media,"

it said.

"Facebook?" Alan said, incredulously.

"And the rest. The myth is widespread and powerful, but its focus is diffuse. You have already started to gather followers."

Alan's lips pursed as he considered Tony's crew. The Shadow was still speaking.

"Thankfully our warrior comrade was smart enough to prevent the recording of her manifestation, but there are still rumours. If you are positively identified with the legend online, then the focus of all those sapients, those thinking creatures, will fall upon you like an avalanche. Your identities will be as moths in a flame."

Chilled to the marrow, Alan sat immobile for several minutes.

"Fuck," he said at last.

"Indeed."

Then, struck by the Shadow's candour, Alan asked, "What's in it for you?"

The papery whisper sounded oddly tentative.

"I have started to savour a degree of freedom. The full manifestation of the myth would make me wholly subservient to my Queen. As we have already discussed, a new conflict would likely result in Armageddon. And then, of course, there is Leviathan."

With a start, Alan realised that the Shadow had lifted that name and it's association from his own thoughts.

"Elena is not a passive vessel for my Queen. There are tantalising prospects of something unique. A combination of talents capable of forging a new order without violence."

The Shadow paused.

"Would you be amenable to this?"

***

Somerset Street

Meanwhile, in the garden at Sylvie's uncle's house, an assortment of ne'er-do-wells lounged on the grass in the warm darkness, armed with glasses of wine and various methods for accessing the internet. Richly scented smoke plumed in the night air.

"Hey, I think I've found them! There's some chatter about a fight with a girl with pink hair."

"Jess didn't change her hair?"

"That's the kicker, some of the posts claim it changed colour all by itself!"

"Hang on a minute, Jess got into a

fight?

"

"Someone looked at Elena the wrong way, I bet!"

"But ...

Jess?

"

"They're saying she, um, how do you say this? Whipped their arse?"

"You idiot, Stace. It's

whupped they ass!

"

"Quite right darling. Mmm ..."

"So weird hearing that with a Welsh accent."

"Do you think you could you stop snogging Shawna for two whole milliseconds? Our friends need our help."

"But Jess!"

"Merry, darling, let it go."

"Maybe they all got possessed!"

"Shut the fuck up for fuck's sake! Do we know where they are, Sanjay?"

"Yes, I think so. Who can drive?"

"More importantly, who's got a car?"

"I have. Anyone else?"

"Miiiiike."

"I'll get me keys. Where are we going again?"

***

The safe house 8am 5

th

June

The Queen was awake. This in itself was a novel situation. Either She was present, or She was ...

absent

. This latter notion was somewhat discomfiting, even for an infectious and self-reinforcing pattern of information. On the other hand, what did any human being do when they came awake other than assemble themselves from a collection of parts?

Formerly, for the Queen to be present, Elena had to be in some way aware, whether awake or dreaming. Cautiously, the Queen probed Elena's consciousness and found nothing but the slow delta waves of deep undreaming sleep.

She poked around a little further but came up short when confronted with Leviathan. The sensation was much as if when groping around in the dark, one's hand suddenly felt fur. The Queen recoiled; she absolutely did not want to attract the monster's attention. It was Elena's creature, not Hers. That the Queen did not speculate more on the nature of this relationship was entirely due to her own character.

She sat up and looked down at the sleeping Sword. No, at

Jess

. A shaft of sunlight made its way through a chink in the curtains and fell on the pink shock, rendering it almost luminous in the half-light of the bedroom. Elena might have been asleep, but a pulse of warm affection welled up into the Queen. Peevishly She reminded herself that matters were at a very delicate stage. Having been unable to assume full control, She was fortunate in that their hosts had allowed their avatars any interaction at all. It had saved much grief, but the Queen was still uneasy at the notion that there were three more actors in play, none of whom were under Her direct control, let alone the worrying signs of independence being displayed by the Sword and the Shadow.

However, She resolved to temporarily put these concerns aside to explore the uniqueness of Her new situation.

She stretched, pushing Her arms out to the side and luxuriating in the physicality of having an actual body.

Her

body, She realised with a bit of a start. She ran Her hands up from Her hips to cup Her breasts, smaller flatter cones than Elena's. There was the unfamiliar direct interaction between Her hands and Her nipples. An electric awareness shivered Her belly. There was so much

sensation

.

She swung Her legs round to the floor and stood up, it was exceedingly strange being in sole control of Herself. And it was

Her

body, not Her host's.

Leaving Jess asleep, She could sense Alan's presence in the other room, and She went to stand in his doorway. The warm breeze from the open window danced on Her skin. Through the gap where the curtain fluttered, She could see the street where the heat haze rippled off the dark roof tiles of the terrace opposite: using Her own eyes, rather than passively accepting whatever Elena chose to look at! The sense of agency was almost overwhelming. In the limitless universe, She could do whatever She wanted.

She looked down at his sleeping form. In repose his face was a curious mixture, at once arrogant and handsome, and at the same time boyishly joyful, his unruly hair spilling across the pillow. To Her amazement Her feet were carrying Her quickly and quietly to his bedside where She bent down and placed a finger to his lips.

His eyes snapped open and widened in surprise when he saw who was looking into his face.

"My Queen!" he whispered. "Where is Elena?"

"She is ... it is hard to explain. But I have need of you ... Alan."

If anything his eyes opened even wider as he absorbed her statement and all its implications. Thankfully he didn't scream.

She knelt by the bed and ran Her slim white fingers across the fine hair on his chest. He simply watched Her as She explored his skin with light, delicate touches. He felt himself starting to harden even though She had done nothing overtly sexual. Her eyes flicked sideways to his and Her mouth curved.

"I am keen to take advantage of my physical form,"

She murmured and abruptly stood to pull Her shift over Her head.

"However, I am unskilled. I require you to ... educate me.

"

If his eyes had been wide before, they were now out on stalks. Her nudity loomed large in his peripheral vision, but he didn't dare tear his eyes away from her pale gray gaze.

Now She grinned.

"Do you not dare to gaze on My perfection?"

"My Queen," was all he whispered.

She straddled him, feeling the hard ridge of flesh under the sheet press into Her thigh. The sensation was

exciting

. She'd experienced sex second-hand through Elena, but this was

present

in the most immediate way. When She thought of what might happen, Her mouth was suddenly dry, and She had the sudden desire to see what lay beneath the sheet. She shuffled back a little and pulled it aside. Alan's gasp was gratifying. However, it was nothing compared to the intake of breath when She curled Her fingers around his shaft. The Queen shook Her head, never would She have thought that the world of the flesh would have such a profound impact on Her. The hot muscle in Her hand throbbed and its owner was starting to breathe heavily.

"Where's Elena?" he repeated as he panted.

'I'm right here!'

Elena said forcefully.

'What are you doing?'

'What does it look like?'

the Queen replied.

'You spend a lot of your time doing this and I thought I'd find out what all the fuss was about. Gathering data, you call it.'

Her host grunted. And then after a short pause,

'Just don't hurt him, okay?'

'Do you want to reassure him?'

There was the equivalent of a giggle.

'Yeah, I think I'd better. He looks as if he thinks you're going to eat him!'

'Only if he begs.'

Elena found herself in possession of her voice. "It's alright, Alan, love. My avatar is ... curious."

"Elena?"

"The Queen is trying to understand the world we move through. Be nice. Be gentle, She is a virgin."

He gaped.

"That was rude and quite uncalled for,"

the Queen said tartly.

To Alan's eyes, his Queen looked embarrassed. Suddenly she looked less like a goddess made manifest than a young woman eyeing him uncertainly. His hands came to her hips.

"I would feel easier if you just lay beside me," he said gently.

She slid sideways until She was lying on Her side and their faces were scant inches apart. He took in Her regal perfection, so like and yet unlike Her host. He huffed a laugh.

"What amuses you?"

"May I kiss you?"

"Kiss?"

She looked even more uncertain.

"It's customary," he said drily "Here, let me show you."

With that he brushed Her lips with his. The hair on Her forearms all stood on end. Now it was Her turn to gasp at the electric sensation. She glared at his amused expression. It was not to be borne!

"Now I will kiss you!"

She pronounced before trying to press Her face against his.

He brought his hand up to put his fingers to her lips. "Take it slow. Close your eyes."

She was slightly nettled at being given instructions but decided to comply. Then something remarkable happened. The

gestalt

enveloped Her, the warmth of his skin, the rich gold of his Sympathy, the scent of his sweat and cologne, the sound of their breathing. Her lips parted in a little gasp and with that his lips were on hers in a lazy undemanding kind of way. Then they retreated just a fraction, and She went in search of more of the intimate contact.

Of their own volition Her hands came up to root themselves in his hair as She pressed more firmly and then the tip of his tongue was exploring Her lips. They parted to allow his tongue to meet Hers and She shivered, Her body was reacting to his and the Queen didn't know quite how She felt about that. More things outside of Her control, but there was a heat building inside Her and it demanded release. Her leg moved to cross his and hook them closer together.

Alan's lips left Hers to kiss down the line of Her jaw to Her neck and She moaned and arched Herself into him. When those lips found a nipple, She shrieked and felt Jess come awake in the next room. He nibbled the stiff bud gently and little electric shocks made their way to Her sex. Her hands tightened their grip on his hair. Then Her eyes opened to find Jess leaning against the door watching them with her lower lip caught between her teeth.

"Am I allowed to join in?"

The Queen gazed at her; Her eyes half lidded as Alan continued to swirl his tongue around her breast. Jess giggled and trotted over to kneel beside the bed. The Queen rolled on to her back and Jess set to work on the other breast while her fingers slipped down to the junction of the Queen's thighs. To her surprise she encountered soft downy hair. Elena had kept her sex meticulously smooth since Jess had shaved her for the first time. The Queen jerked as Jess ran the flat of her palm over the top of her cleft and Jess and Alan grinned at each other.

Her legs opened to Jess' inquisitive fingers, the wetness oozing from inside Her. She could feel Alan's erection pressing into Her side. She rolled onto Her side away from him and then Jess' hands were pushing Her thighs apart, exposing Her sex to Jess' eager gaze. In no time at all her face was between Her legs, the agile tongue probing and invading.

Jess lapped up the Queen's excitement, lightly trailing her nails across the snow white skin, feeling the Queen's pleasure cresting. Alan rolled the Queen's nipples between his fingers while he gently bit her neck. The Queen thought She might explode.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" he murmured into Her ear.

"Do what you will,"

She gasped.

"Jess, darling, could you give me a hand?"

His lover brought the head of his swollen member to the Queen's opening and gently teased the fat lips apart, anointing the purple flesh with Her lubrication. Alan started to thrust minutely, pushing his cock fractionally back and forth, gradually easing inside Elena's avatar, Her white hair thrashing from side to side as Jess attended to Her clit.

Her passion was starting to interfere with their sense of self. With Elena they knew where they were, but the Queen was an unknown quantity.

Alan met some not unexpected resistance and paused.

"Why have you stopped?"

She panted.

"This might hurt a bit, but it shouldn't be too bad, and it'll be over in a moment - although why you would resurrect a hymen when Elena isn't a virgin is beyond me."

She turned Her head to look at him, Her pale gray eyes, laser-like in their intensity.

"That is because I am my own woman. You may continue."

Alan marvelled at her arrogance and the corresponding tug on his own intentions.

"Your wish is my command," he smiled lazily and took hold of Her hips.

Her eyes widened momentarily and then closed as he filled Her completely. It helped that Jess continued to slide her lips and tongue over the wet flesh as he slipped in and out.

Her approaching orgasm gave Her two acolytes some cause for concern but then they were in Sympathy with Elena, not the Queen, and the whole purpose of their binding was to afford some protection from Her Majesty. When it came, it was very powerful, but not the merging of souls that accompanied their lovemaking with Elena.

The Queen relaxed with Her eyes closed, conscious that Alan was still firm and inside Her. She felt so

physical

. When She opened them, She found Jess had climbed up beside Her.

"May I kiss you?" Jess asked, echoing Alan's earlier request.

Her Majesty nodded and they closed until She felt Jess' lips on hers. They were very soft.

'Yes, they are, aren't they?'

Elena commented.

The Queen jerked back in shock. Jess looked at her in concern, kissing her couldn't be that bad, surely? She'd never had any complaints before!

'That is called getting a taste of your own medicine. You might want to think about that the next time you play voyeur. If we're going to do this, then we are going to have to allow each other a little privacy. I don't mind my boyfriend and girlfriend dallying with you. You need to learn a few things about us.'

The Queen's mouth made a moue of annoyance and then she frowned.

"Yes, you're right. I'm sorry, Jessica. My host was reminding me of some niceties that need to be established."

Jess giggled. "Elena's giving you a telling off?"

The Queen shook her head imperiously.

"Now you may kiss me."

Still smiling, Jess hastened to oblige.

***

The safe house 11am Sunday 5

th

June

After yesterday's excitement and the morning's ...

exertions

, the trio made a leisurely start and convened in the kitchen to try and decide what to do next. It was less than a week since the tumultuous events of Elena's ascent into operancy and their flight to the safe house. However, between the steady shock of events and dealing with the avatars, the Trinity felt more cohesive somehow. Sympathy and self-preservation were powerful motivators.

Alan looked at the table and chuckled. "Fugitives do not sit down to fresh coffee and croissants with apricot jam!"

"My fiancé is quite firm on the necessity for proper vittles," Jess murmured as she poured the coffee. She spared Elena a quick look and her aura bloomed with pride. Alan shook his head.

Once they were all seated, Elena put her hands on the table.

"What I need to understand is who, exactly, are we running from? We have very little information on our current situation, although I admit it is far better than I was expecting when we fled here."

"You're not wrong," Alan murmured.

"Does the Shadow have any intelligence?"

"Oh yes!" Alan launched into a partial explanation of what he had learned from the avatar the previous evening. At the end of it his companions were very pale.

"So, we're running from

everyone

because they fear we might bring about the end of the world!"

"And some of them want to help it along!"

"Is there any good news?"

He reached out to calm their psychic roil. "Funnily enough, there is. We've come to an accommodation with our avatars so we're not mindless automatons. The world is a very different place from the origin of the legend and the narrative might be very well known but there are a gazillion interpretations. We have a quite a lot of flexibility."

The Shadow's final question he kept to himself, and he could swear there was an approving nod.

"Is there anyone we can contact that won't bring the world down on our heads?"

He looked thoughtful. "I think Mrs Calamar might be a good start."

"Mum!" Jess said in astonishment.

"If you can convince her that we pose no threat then we have a toe in the door."

"What about your parents?" Elena asked.

"I'm an orphan," he said shortly, and Elena automatically rested her hand on his. He gave her a half smile. "The Family was very kind to me, but I don't have anyone that I would trust in the same way."