Chapter 26: Three Ring Circus

Friday, September 01st, 2006, Paris, France

Violet and I stepped out of the stretched limo, hearing my mother’s, sisters’, Sheila’s, Angie’s, and even Aimee’s nervous concerns echoing back from behind us. They were reminding us to be careful, to come out in one piece, basically saying all of the various sentiments told to loved ones everywhere that were heading into danger. Even Billy had said, ‘Tanty Eyelet, be safe! ‘Ake, be safe too!’ in a copycat fashion. I’d had to use my power on the poor little guy so that my disguise didn’t scare him anymore.

I had tried to convince Sheila to leave him with his Dad, but she wouldn’t hear of it and actually started to get mad when she felt I was pushing it too hard. My logic was that he’d be safe and far from danger if left back at Jaques’ apartment. Hers was that if something did go terribly wrong, then she wouldn’t want to be frantically trying to get to her son if we had to suddenly flee the country or any other number of plausible scenarios. In the end, I gave up and acquiesced to her right as a mother. At least she grumpily gave me a loving kiss when I did.

Besides leaving David and Lurch behind, I’d ordered Brock to stay at Jaques’ as well. Chayana stayed to keep him company even though he’d tried his best to get me to take her for emergency purposes. I’d hummed and hawed over it, but in the end, I decided that if we needed medical attention, both Number Three’s and Alan’s medical field training would be sufficient to keep us either moving or alive long enough to get help. Chayana was the least trained for combat situations and had little interest in violence unless used as a last resort to save lives. Plus, for her surgical skills to come into play, we’d need to be holed up somewhere safe and stable—a place where she had access to all of the machines, tools, and medicines she’d need. On the move, or in a battle situation, she wouldn’t be any more effective than the other two anyway.

I frowned as I shut the door behind me, hearing the excited yipping of the damned puppy the girls had named Killer. I hoped they took the thing out to shit and piss before he had an accident on the leather seats—I didn’t wanna be riding in a stinky car afterward. I really hadn’t wanted all of my women gathered out here sitting in a limo either, but after I’d grudgingly agreed to let Abby, Heather, and Stacy do so, I had no argument that held any sway with the others. I had figured that I’d be able to count on Mom’s and Sheila’s support to dissuade the girls and change their minds, but the opposite had happened. They’d both simply demanded upon coming as well, neither liking the idea of any of us being separated now that the mission to get the ring was afoot. When Aimee and Angie both insisted that they also weren’t going to be left behind, I threw my hands in the air and gave up. Even magic-wielding mind-controllers don’t always get their way with their women, I supposed.

I’d taken all twelve of my CIA guards and the nine French agents (who I’d just renamed from Numbers Twenty-Five to Thirty-Three) as extra security. They were spread out in six government-issued black armored SUVs, waiting vigilantly for any trouble. As an additional measure of preparedness, earlier in the day, I’d had a pair of my new men purchase brand new burner phones for everyone, including for my women. Even Billy had gotten a toy one that he had fun playing with, pretending that he could call up Sharif, his Mom, all his Aunts, and Me. Everyone had preset text messages, and the phones all had the walkie-talkie feature so that we could effectively communicate in an emergency.

Each agent was armed to the teeth, and the limo was packed with military-grade hardware, including semi-automatics, grenades, flashbangs, and bulletproof vests. It was the kind of limousine that had seating all along the sides as well as the back, broken only by the two back doors and the minibar, so we had the weapons strapped to the ceiling and the bottom of the seats. Everyone also had a couple of magazines filled with silver bullets; I wasn’t taking chances. Maria’s sacrifice had taught me an invaluable lesson. This time around, it wasn’t going to be how it was when I’d bumbled into getting the last ring. My eyes were open to the dangers now. I was nervous but kept my cool on the outside. I’d faced off against a Demon, a Werewolf, the Mafia, the CIA, the FBI, and some Alien-looking illusionist. We could do this—I could do this. I took a deep breath of the cool night air; it was crisp in my lungs.

I felt Violet’s hand grabbing for mine, and my attention snapped back to our surroundings. Looking around, I had to admire the Louvre in all its glory all over again. The pyramids were lit up with what must have been thousands of lights and looked quite majestic, like some modern version of an Egyptian-style monument. Not to be outdone, the surrounding massive U-shaped building had hidden spotlights shining up from underneath, creating eerie shadows as everything was bathed in golden light.

I turned my focus to my companion for a moment, my eyes sweeping over her from toe to head. Violet looked absolutely stunning—even if she was sporting a blonde wig and blue eye contacts. She’d decided on wearing a little black dress that had a very sexy plunging vee neckline; she looked every inch the millionaire’s wife that she was playing. Her breasts bulged outward from where the tight satiny material crossed over them, leaving over a third of her tit-flesh exposed to the night air. I could see her hardened nipples poking out through the fabric—God, how I wanted her to be mine. One day she would be, I vowed to myself for the umpteenth time since meeting her.

I knew that she was attracted to me. I just had to stay persistent. I forced my gaze from her chest, raising them to see her look of silent amusement. Her fake blonde hair—looking almost white in the dark of night—was coifed up into a bun with sexy wispy tendrils twirling down to frame her gorgeous face. I marveled at how real it looked. Where in the heck did they manage to stuff her natural hair?

I let my eyes roam over her from top to bottom once more, drinking her in. I felt my libido rising as I admired her sweet, silky thighs, where they emerged from under the short hemline of the dress that was molded tight to her form. Her shapely legs looked sleek and smooth in the dimly lit area we were standing in; I had a sudden urge to drop down to caress every inch of them. Even the silver-embossed black stilettos looked dazzling on her, as did the emerald bracelet that I’d taken from Melanie for her to wear. I’d initially been concerned about the shoes, knowing that it would be impossible for her to run in them if necessary. Belaying my worry, she’d assured me that she’d simply kick them off with no hesitation and was more than comfortable to flee or fight in bare feet.

“You look absolutely stunning, my sexy little Wolf,” I whispered as I gave her my best-crooked grin.

“Thanks and you look absolutely shagalicious in that wig and beard,” she laughed softly, “or maybe it’s the suit that does it and not the mop on your head. You look good in a black tux, too bad you had to wear the fur. Now just remember—this relationship is make-believe, do so, and I promise that I won’t be flipping you onto your back. Come, it’s a couple of minutes past eleven already—let’s get this over with before I lose my nerve,” she stated a bit anxiously as she adjusted her small black purse over her shoulder and smoothed out her hemline.

Looking around us and soaking in the beauty, we slowly walked across the courtyard to the Pyramid entrance where we were to be met.

“Hi! Mr. and Mrs. Goodman, I presume?” greeted a chubby and rather plain-looking, bespectacled brunette. She was dressed in a black and grey pinstriped pantsuit, had a classic bob cut that hung just above her shoulders, and a pair of rather fat looking tits that threatened to burst their way out of her jacket at any moment. In fact, the buttons on her blazer looked downright weary. She smiled pleasantly as she stepped forward from in front of the glass pyramid, her hand extended, “I’m Juliette, and I’ll be your guide this evening!” she spoke without an accent; her English was impeccable.

“Yes, but please call me, James.”

“And you can call me Melissa,” Violet added as she let go of my hand so that we could shake Juliette’s.

“Okay, James, Melissa,” she smiled, “If you will please follow me down to the lobby, the security guards are waiting to meet you as requested.”

“Sure, but I just want to mention a few things first,” I said as she nodded attentively. “I appreciate this private tour, and I know that you will do absolutely everything that we request no matter how big or small. Your boss, Monsewer Marteenez, highly praised your ability for discretion and your high professionalism. With that in mind, I would expect that our visit here tonight to be kept strictly confidential. Also, if any of our behavior strikes you as strange or bizarre, just ignore it and act as if nothing irregular was going on.”

Tingle.

“Of course, James! We pride ourselves on taking care of our exceptional clients exceptionally well!” she replied with a wide smile.

<There, that should hold her for a couple of weeks. Do you think that one of our enemies would be able to make her talk about our visit if she was questioned? I figured that the less they had to go by—if they investigated here afterward—the better.>

Your geas will only hold out against any non-magical interrogation. Anyone they sent after you would snap through your mind-control as easy as poking a hole through a wet paper bag.

<Oh. How shitty.>

No worries. Let’s get the show on the road. I can feel my soul calling to me, and I must admit that my excitement is the highest it’s been since my very first escape attempt so long ago. Remember, be cautious, and don’t be afraid to let Violet scan for magic every few feet. I have no clue what traps they may have laid in wait, but it’s guaranteed there will be something. Let’s hope that they are still underestimating you.

<Right, finger’s crossed, and she knows, and she’ll be pretty much doing it every few feet.>

If everything goes well, and we succeed in getting this ring, you should celebrate by gangbanging Melanie again. That was a hot scene. It’s been centuries since I’d experienced anything like it. Triple stuffing her, quadruple stuffing her ... What a trip.

<Yeah, it was pretty fun. She loved getting two cocks up her puss with another in her ass while getting her throat fucked. Yeah, we’ll definitely do it again before we leave for Switzerland. Maybe, I’ll even piss on her next time—like you so desperately want me too.>

It’d be cool, but my desire for that is nowhere near the level yours is. Your craving to drink Heather’s or Stacy’s golden nectar lurks in your fantasies often. Why you haven’t gone for it beats the Hell out of me. You should just get it over with; you’ll feel much wetter about yourself after you do. Now THAT I would look forward to.

<Wetter about myself! You’re hilarious—don’t quit your day job! Maybe, one day. I’m not there yet. Some fantasies should stay exactly that—fantasies.>

Wow! For once, you don’t deny your secret desire? Good on you, m’boy! Now, if you could actually manage to break through your mental barrier and start doing things outside of your comfort zone—I’d be impressed! And trust me, you’ll enjoy life much more immensely than you already do! I’ll make a creampie eater out of you yet!

<Whoa now! Don’t get too carried away. I might be admitting to my curiosity about possibly experimenting with a little watersports, but I’ve been secretly interested in that for years. I’ve never even wondered what a creampie would taste like, and nor do I care to!>

You eat their pussies after you’ve fucked them, and you kiss them after they’ve blown you. It’s not any different.

<I couldn’t care less if it’s my own! And yes, I do, but I don’t do it to get at my jizz; I simply want to eat them or kiss them and don’t give a fuck about my own cum! That’s way different than it being some other dudes!>

Maybe so, but your still a prude either way. But, yeah, I know all about your long-held interest in golden showers. I’ve seen your memories. What do you call it? Your spank bank? I watched the time when you stumbled upon Janice Shipley and Jenny Miller while out in the woods behind your old high school. I saw how you spied on them while they took turns peeing. It gave you hours of masturbation fodder, and it started your obsession with watching piss videos online. You got an instant hardon as soon as you saw Janice lift up her skirt and drooled as she pushed her panties down to her knees. But when she squatted, and you saw that yellowish-white liquid start to stream out of her exposed gash, you almost creamed your jeans on the spot. Getting your first look at a real live pussy while it was pissing connected the two events in your mind, and you’ve found it super arousing ever since.

Why do you think you’ve carried this secret craving around for the last eight years? You don’t need to be ashamed of it. There’s nothing wrong with that at all, m’boy. You’d think that by accepting the fact that you’re happily banging your Mom and sisters that you’d get over your other hangups. Oh, and just in case you haven’t put two and two together yet. The reason you want to drink Heather’s and Stacy’s piss so much more than your other women’s is because the girls and yourself were all fourteen at the time when you were exposed to the concept. Age plays a factor in your desire because you fantasized about those two and what you saw back then for months.

<What are you? My shrink now? Jeez. Okay, okay, enough about my sexual deviancies or lack thereof. We need to focus.>

“ ... ames? Hello? Earth to James?” Violet said while giving my side a poke.

“Sorry,” I replied as I gave her my best-lopsided grin, “I just dazed off for a second.

“Well, let’s get going, shall we, Dear?” she said, giving me a tolerant smile in return.

Man, I loved it when she role-played being my wife. It added such fuel to my desire, and I was convinced that it brought her closer and closer to being mine each time that she did so. She certainly seemed to get into it, always grabbing my hand and touching me in ways that would fool any witnesses.

Impulsively I leaned towards her and gave her a loving, lingering closed-mouthed kiss on the lips—something any devoted husband would do while on a honeymoon with his happy and extremely gorgeous bride. Being as good as she was, she returned it enthusiastically, even going so far as to wrap her arms up around my neck while pulling me in tighter. However, I knew by the glint in her eyes that I was definitely in some amount of trouble later on.

Hell, you only lived once, and there was a serious chance that we’d die here tonight. I could smell her perfume, peppermint—I was coming to adore that scent—and her lips felt soft and plump, and a little moist. I wanted to hold her in my arms for eternity, but almost as soon as the kiss had begun, it was over. She pulled back, breaking our full-body contact, now standing before me smiling with a slight flush to her cheeks. Perhaps she wouldn’t punish me too severely later on after all.

“Carpe Diem, Honey, let’s go see the treasures of the past!” I enthused. I took her hand and stepped past Juliette into the glass pyramid as she patiently held the door open for us, reflexively fingering Maria’s pendant for luck as I did so.

We walked across the large entrance to the sweeping spiral staircase that led to the main lobby below. Even though we’d been here two days before, we still found ourselves rubbernecking at the glorious detail of it all. It looked vastly different both at night and due to the fact that there wasn’t a throng of tourists at every turn. Somehow it looked even bigger now that it was basically empty as well.

When we got to the stairs, looking down, I could see a team of eight guards gathered in a loose circle quietly talking and joking amongst themselves. Two of the guys were pretty short, but they more than made up for it in beefiness. They were also a mix of ages, ranging from the mid-twenties to late forties by my guess, but all of them looked to be above average in size, and none had the paunch typically associated with nightwatchmen seen in the movies or on TV.

They turned and regarded us curiously once they heard Violet’s high heels clicking on the marble steps. Five minutes later, I had all of them under my control and set to guard the entrances of both the Sully wing and where we’d just come in from rather than going back to their regular patrols and security cameras. I doubted they’d be of any use, even if a situation developed, but a little extra caution never hurt anyone.

“So, we’d like to start with the Sully wing,” I explained to Juliette as soon as my new guards dispersed to their assignments.

“Sure, that’d be fine, James, although I’m a bit surprised that you didn’t ask to see the Mona Lisa. That’s typically what we get asked to see first on these private tours,” she shrugged while giving us a curious smile. “Follow me, as I’m sure that you’re already aware, the Sully wing is straight ahead. We’ll take the escalator, and from there, we can start working our way up through the lower floors. In case you’re not aware, the floor we’re on is the lowest level—the subway entrance is back behind us,” she gestured while walking forward, her head turned to keep us engaged. “There are four levels above us, each with their own prizes. Keep in mind the next floor is more like a transition between this basement level and the full levels above; it’s really only a partial floor, but it offers a glimpse of the medieval substructure that is the museum’s foundation.”

“Oh? I didn’t know that; I thought that there were only four levels in total. I guess seeing it—now it makes sense. Now I understand why the ceiling is so high. They must have needed to dig deep to build the subway access, and the transition floor ahead brings us smoothly into the original building structure above,” I commented thoughtfully as I once again took a good look around.

“Yes, that is so,” Juliette replied as she stepped onto the escalator, beckoning us to follow. “We will walk through the palace ruins ahead and then take a flight of stairs to the next floor. There we will explore some fascinating Greek antiquities, after which will follow a similar yet much more extensive Egyptian collection. Then to complete the floor, we’ll see the wonders of the Near Eastern artifacts. I’m sure from the map given to you when you purchased the tour, you noticed that the Sully wing is, in fact, a massive square? We will start on the right and make a complete circuit before heading up to the higher levels. Nothing you’ll see there will be younger than five-hundred AD, and much of it will be before the time of Christ.”

“Perfect. Lead on and show us your expertise,” I nodded as I turned my thoughts inward.

“Sounds wonderful,” Violet added, giving a brilliant eager smile, her hand swinging mine in her nervous excitement.

<Where is the ring from here? Still straight ahead? It hasn’t moved or anything?>

No, it is still resting where it was; it is above us and ahead but to the right a bit. I can’t tell exactly except that we are very close. No more than a thousand feet or so. Be wary, and remind Violet to start checking for anything magical.

At the top of the escalator, we walked forward underneath an arch into a large square room where the walls looked to be made of ancient rock. There were numerous shiny plaques throughout the room, written in both French and English, explaining the significance of what we were seeing.

“This room tells the history of the Sully wing, and what you’re seeing and what you will see in the chambers beyond are the original foundation walls of the keep, which was built around twelve-hundred AD. It was unearthed in nineteen-eighty-five and has been accessible to the public since the inauguration of the Pyramid in nineteen-eighty-nine...”

I let her dribble flow in one ear and out the other. As much as I found this place fascinating and as interested as I’d normally be, I couldn’t concentrate on the actual tour. My nerves were on edge, my senses razor-sharp as my eyes kept roving around, searching for anything that looked peculiar or out of place. I was feeling both dread and a great deal of zeal for what was about to come. Progress was going to be made here tonight; I was determined to be successful.

Nervous adrenaline flooded my veins, and I squeezed Violet’s hand twice in succession to get her attention. I leaned in and murmured into her ear, “Start checking, please,” forcing myself to contain my trepidation as I did. I didn’t want her to see anything but confidence coming from my demeanor.

Violet gave me a curt nod, and her free hand rose to grasp the Wolf fang that hung between her breasts, her low v-neck dress showing it clearly as it dangled deep within her sexy cleavage.

“ ... it was only in the fourteenth century, during the reign of Charles the Fifth, that the keep was turned into a comfortable residential palace...”

“Wouldn’t it be easier to take the necklace off?” I asked Violet as my eyes roved over her lightly freckled upper chest and sexy breasts for the gazillionth time since she’d put on the dress.

“Maybe,” she shrugged, “but then I wouldn’t be able to at least cover up some of my tits as you try to drool all over them,” she laughed as she turned and kissed my cheek.

“I can’t help it if I think that my bride is one of the sexiest creatures to ever walk the Earth!” I exclaimed loud enough to cause Juliette to briefly pause in her narration. “Lemme know if you find anything,” I instructed a little quieter.

“No shit,” she muttered as she poked my side, making me grunt.

I watched as her pretty face scrunched up in concentration, her fist tightening around her Wolf’s fang. She slowly scanned the room before giving me a slight negative shake of her head.

“ ... François the First decided to build in the Renaissance style. He tore down the keep during the reign of Louis the Fourteenth in the seventeenth century, and the moat was filled with earth...”

“Fascinating,” I interrupted firmly while giving her a tight smile, “but I am eager to get on to the actual exhibits. Let’s skip the palace remains, please. I’ve seen plenty of ruins; it is the ancient artifacts and precious artworks that hold my interest here.”

“Oh! Not a problem, James! I am here to serve. If you’ll both please follow me, I’ll lead you up to the next floor and into the Greek Antiquities section. There you’ll see many fine examples of superbly carved sculptures and other various artworks from ancient times. While not the most extensive collection the Louvre offers, it is one of the most important; the star of the exhibit is the Venus de Milo in the Salle de Diane. However, I’d be remiss not to include the wonderfully carved statue known as Hercules Resting in that description as well.

“There are currently over five-hundred pieces of ancient Greek heritage within the Sully wing, some of which spills over into the Denon. If you care to, we can always skip over there briefly to see the Mosaic of the Triumph of Neptune and Amphitrite as well as the Winged Victory of Samothrace and the Sarcophagus of the Spouses. Those being the more famous pieces in that wing, of course. Obviously, we won’t be able to cover the whole Sully wing in one evening, so if you want to get a good handle on the Greek, Roman, and Etruscan artifacts, I suggest doing so. Just let me know, and I’ll save a half hour for them at the end.”

We let her guide us out of the room and into a short yet wide corridor that had a set of stairs on either side that led upward while the hallway itself went straight towards what looked to be more of the old palace ruins. We took the right-hand set of steps, ascended, and at the top turned right through a large double-doorway. We emerged into a massive chamber—a plaque proclaimed that it was the beginning of the Greek section.

“This is the Salle des Caryatides. Or otherwise known as the Gods and Heroes room with statues of Apollon, Artémis, and Dionysos, just to name a few,” Juliette stated as she gestured grandly at the room.

Violet and I stepped past her, still holding hands as we quietly surveyed the gigantic room. It was wide enough to drive a tank through, and the arched bas-relief filled ceilings had to be about thirty feet high. Our footsteps on the white and rose checkered marble floor echoed throughout the chamber. It was well lit, and the predominant color was white; everything from the stone of the walls, Greek columns, to the marble statues themselves seemed to glow.

The sculptures were spaciously placed around the room, and I could easily imagine the hundreds of people that would typically be flocked in here during opening hours. I was doubly glad to be without the throngs that we’d experienced a couple of days ago. What really impressed me about this museum as a whole was how the building itself was just as much a masterpiece of craftmanship as the pieces it housed. You could legitimately study the walls and ceilings in here as much as the displays.

We passed through wide open vaulted doorways into another two magnificent chambers filled with beautifully sculpted pieces of art. Our guide kept faithfully narrating on the works that we dallied at and, as ordered, paid scant attention to our continuous and avid scanning of our surroundings. The rooms stayed a pristine white until we entered a corner room where the walls were made out of rose-colored marble that ran about twenty feet up to meet the large arches that came down from the ceiling ten feet above that.

Looking to our left, we could see that the room ran for about two-hundred feet and was filled with more statues, all gleaming like new-fallen snow. We were at the south wall now, which followed the bank of the Seine. Here windows broke up the wall every ten feet or so—they were very large and wide and tall enough to be confused as doors. They started from about four feet off the floor and ran almost all the way up to where the arches held up the ceiling, and like church windows, they were rounded at the top, mimicking the recesses they sat in.

Juliette got excited as she started to extoll the wonders of the Venus de Milo that stood before us; it was surrounded by a small two-foot-high plexiglass barrier meant to keep back anyone from touching the artwork. I chuckled at seeing it because you could easily just step over to approach the large as life figure, which I did just to be able to say that I had. Violet joined me with a giggle, and Juliette acted as if she was blind to us doing so while we ran our hands over the smooth priceless timepiece. It was cool to the touch and much harder than it looked because the skin actually gave the impression of softness. And even though I was hardly an art critic, I could tell how talented the artist who had made it centuries ago must have been.

<So how far are we now? I’m on edge. My nerves feel as if they’re on fire right now. It’s taking everything I have to protrude an outward sense of calm.>

It’s on this level. Somewhere at the far end of the building. Well. I’m guessing it’s the end. I’m not exactly sure how long that might be, so it could be in the middle for all I know. If I had nerves, mine would be on edge too. Stay alert, and keep an eye on Violet; having someone with you who can check for magic is a massive bonus.

“I’m going to get her to speed things up; the ring is definitely not among all of these statues,” I murmured to Violet as we both admired the Venus de Milo under our hands.

“Yes, as wondrous as all of these fabulous sculptures are, I’d really like to get what we came for and get the Hell out of here. The hairs on the back of my neck are starting to stand up,” Violet replied as she once again grabbed my hand, giving it a squeeze.

I gave our guide instructions to hurry us along, wanting to pass through this section of statues. We strode quicker now, going as fast as Violet’s continuous scanning would allow. Every time I glanced at her, she shook her head in the negative, her brow furrowed cutely in concentration, her left hand clutching her focus, her right clasping mine tightly. We came to the end of this section of chambers and passed through a regular sized doorway and into a narrow ell-shaped corridor. We traversed it at a good pace. It opened onto a vestibule that had a double-door granting access to the inner courtyard with its trees and gardens, as well as another wide doorway that led further into the building, which would have us continuing down the south wall.

Juliette led us through the vestibule and into a large antechamber that had a plaque and various pamphlets detailing the Egyptian section that lay ahead. The building structure changed here; now, the walls were beige and all made of large blocks, reminiscent of how one would imagine the ancient ziggurats would have looked in Egypt or Africa. And the doorways were massive open rectangular portals with a ten-foot-high clearance instead of the more rounded wider ones in the previous section.