Eldon prepares to leave for the Pillar of Darkness's demesne, but before he can, an unexpected guest arrives. As Eldon's burdens continue to grow, which will break first? His will... or his heart?
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Chapter 19
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Megan
Eldon grimaced as his sister stormed off. She was angry and he understood her feelings, but he also came to understand why it had to be both of them going to into the Pillar of Darkness's demesne. Lysa explained why they needed to meet with the Pillar of Darkness himself, even of Eldon wasn't sure his sister was paying attention during that part.
He glanced at the wet spot on his shoulder where her tears still darkened his shirt. "I'll explain it to her, Dad," he told his father again. "Somehow I'll make her understand."
"I hate to admit it, but I don't envy you having that task," Lyden Snow replied. "Despite all appearances, your mother can be quite stubborn at times, and Shelly definitely got that from her."
Sheldon almost laughed, but he held it in. Lyden was calling their
slave mother
stubborn? Now wasn't the time for jokes.
"I'll leave you to it," Lyden continued after a moment of uncomfortable silence. They shared one more hug before Lyden turned and left the octagonal room.
Eldon looked at the door Shelly had walked through. With a heavy sigh, he closed the distance and lifted his hand to knock.
"Well, aren't you the popular one?" Jen's voice asked before his hand struck the door.
"What?" he asked and turned to the woman. To no great surprise, she had one hefty breast in her hand, her taut nipple between her fingers, as she licked her lips and smiled at him.
"She's a hot one, too," Jen continued to fondle herself, "but I don't think she can hold a poker face to
my
two of a kind!"
"What are you talking about?" Eldon asked, losing a bit of his patience with the woman. Well, a bit more, at any rate. During the orgy earlier, she'd been the main driving force, literally screwing him into exhaustion. His small nap wasn't enough to restore his energy levels, perhaps in part because she was a succubus now. He knew his body could handle it, and knew that she knew it also. "Wait, I thought Mandy and Shlee were with you?"
"Oh, don't worry," Jen's grin became lazy. "I'm sure Blue is picking them out of her teeth as we speak." Jen met his eyes for a moment longer before bursting out in raucous laughter. "Oh, the look on your face! If it weren't so funny, I'd be insulted that you'd actually think I would do that. Shame on you, Sheldon Lance. I should spank you for even thinking I could do that... Mmm, yes. A nice, good spanking..."
"Why are you here, Jen?" Eldon asked with a sigh and rubbed at his temples. "I'm not interested in any more fooling around."
"Oh, I'm sure you're
up
for it, if you know what I mean," she cackled with a nod to his ever-present bulge. "I just thought I'd hurry and warn you that your next girlfriend is here."
"My next...?" he trailed off as his mind spun. Gloria! It had to be her. She was here. "Where?" he asked, his heart in his throat.
"Wow,
now
you're eager!" Jen shook her head with mock resignation. "She's in the waiting room two doors down with your other girlfriends. Angela was surprised she showed up here and had... Hey, are you listening to me?"
Eldon was already out the door, ignoring the rest of whatever inane thing Jen was going joke about next. He looked both ways down the hallway. Two doors down... but left or right? Right... It had to be right. That one was far enough to be outside of Mandy's influence, and Jen had been lying with her inappropriate jokes.
"About time you added a redhead to your repertoire," Jen's words barely reached him as he tried to catch his breath outside the door. "I mean, Shlee has the strawberry blonde hair, but it's not as nice as Brooke's tresses. Your dad has quite the group, so I'm glad you're expanding yours."
Redhead?
he wondered, but dismissed it. She must be in disguise for some reason.
His nerves were a wreck, but he realized that they weren't going to get any better standing outside the door. He gripped the doorknob and nearly crushed it as he opened the door and stopped in his tracks.
The woman sitting between Mandy and Shlee didn't
look
like Gloria, but she was a succubus. Succubae could take on any form they chose to. Though she'd never changed her face or hair before, even when becoming a mermaid to rescue Brooke, he thought it might be her.
The woman looked at him with hope in her chocolate brown eyes. Was that hope that he would forgive her? He wasn't sure if it was, or even if he could forgive what she'd put him through.
He had to swallow twice before he could get his throat moist enough to produce anything other than a croak. "Gl...Gloria?"
The woman blinked in confusion for a moment and Eldon noticed his girlfriends cringe in unison. He understood their reaction. At least, he thought he did. They probably didn't appreciate him saying the name of the woman that had forced them all together. Well, forced Shlee and him, and made an opening for Mandy back into his broken heart.
"Uh, no..." the woman said, her voice uncertain, though there was something underneath it that bespoke strength and confidence. "It's me, Megan." She met his eyes, but he could only stare at her.
It wasn't Gloria. Of
course
it wasn't Gloria. She was never coming back. Why would he even consider that she would? She'd abandoned him. Left him never to return.
"Eldon, this—" Mandy started, but the newcomer—Megan—cut her off with a hand gesture. There was something about this woman that was familiar, but he was having a difficult time caring enough to figure it out. There was something that kept drawing him to her lips...
"You were outside the hospital," he said in a careful tone. "And you called me on my phone before we got here... What are you doing here?" The last part came out in a rush as he realized this was the crazy woman stalking him.
"To see you..." she said as she rose to her feet. "To talk to you... I thought that kiss we shared was something terrific. And Bobby was so jealous afterwards that I broke up with him. I've been trying to find you ever since. I got your name from the club owner. He said you went there a lot. I knew you were one of those magical people, but I couldn't find out anything else on you. Then I saw the news report where you saved President Louise, not only once, but multiple times. My daddy raised me right and proper, to be a patriot. I had to find you."
"You had to find me?" Eldon asked. His heart was in his stomach after finding out that it wasn't Gloria waiting for him. He struggled to get his mind to switch gears. Was she only looking for him because he had kissed her once? He couldn't even remember doing that... Unless... Her makeup was different, but the hair was the right length and color. "The club? That's right! I kissed you to hide from my... from Areth, using your boyfriend as a disguise. I'm sorry, but that kiss meant nothing to me."
He saw her face drop in disappointment for a moment, then noticed resolve solidify in her dark eyes. "It must have meant enough that you finally remembered it, but that wasn't the only reason. You're a patriot. You fight for what's right. And good. And holy. Red, white, and blue flows through your veins. I want to fight at your side."
"Red, white... and what?" This woman wasn't making any sense.