Chapter 17

Katie's scream of pain pierced Amy's heart and she looked over to see what had happened to her friend and sister. She saw the boy holding her jerk her arms back again, causing Katie to cry out in pain. Amy was sure he had probably dislocated her shoulders.

Katie's screams and Amy's reaction cost her the only chance she would have to escape the boy holding the gun to her head. As she turned her head to look, he drove his fist into her stomach. Amy's reaction was natural; she opened her mouth to groan in pain and to try to draw air into her lungs. It allowed the thief to shove the barrel of his gun into her mouth and grab the back of her head, holding it in place. At the same time, as Katie was dazed from pain, the boy holding her quickly slapped handcuffs around her wrists as he held them behind her back.

Quite by accident, the thieves had stumbled on two of the few ways to effectively neutralize the girl's powers and strength. Even a Tarqa was not fast enough to extract a gun from her mouth without running the very real risk of getting her head blown off when the assailant pulled the trigger. Just too much action had to be done in too short a time. Amy realized this and stood completely still, not trying anything stupid.

The boy holding Katie enjoyed hurting girls, and the prettier they were, the more he enjoyed it. He yanked on her arms a few more times, delighting in the moans of pain that Katie uttered. He fully planned to enjoy many more screams of pain and terror from the slim girl when he savagely raped her. Immobilized as she was, she could do little about it.

Amy watched in despair as the boy tormented her friend. She didn't dare try to do anything about it; she would do Katie no good at all if she got herself killed. She would have to wait until an opportunity afforded itself to break free. Meanwhile, she wasn't feeling too good herself; she really hated the taste of gunmetal.

Once they had their hostages immobilized, the boys realized how pretty their victims were. They had hit the jackpot.

There were five teenage boys participating in the holdup, although neither the girls nor the convenience store clerk knew of the other two yet. They were local neighborhood toughs, well known to the local authorities for numerous instances of robbery, rape, assault, and even a few murders. They hadn't been put away because the witnesses and victims always refused to testify. The few that agreed were found dead a few days later. The boys were sadistic and brutish, unconcerned about dying, just living for the high they achieved from their viciousness and cruelty.

The boy restraining Katie took advantage of Amy's precarious position to hold a knife to Katie's throat from behind, pressing hard enough to draw blood. He laughed at her gasp and the look of concern in Amy's eyes.

"Would you like your friend's blood to spray all over you?" he sneered, and laughed at how Katie's eyes opened wide in fear.

Amy shook her head delicately. She was concerned about Katie, not only because of the situation they were in, but also because of her emotional reaction. Katie, along with Sarah and Jessica, were probably the least trained of the girls. Katie had shown during her stint as Megan's Guardian and Protector in Utah that she was as capable as any of the girls, but she just didn't have the mental makeup of the others, or at least she hadn't been activated as such yet. She loved and trusted everyone, and was more interested in helping people and looking for a boyfriend than fighting. The suddenness of the attack had shocked her, and she hadn't recovered yet.

"Do you want her to live?" he asked, thoroughly enjoying himself. Amy nodded carefully.

"I can't hear you," he said, pushing in on the knife in a little harder. He laughed again at Katie's whimper.

Amy's attitude showed through at the ridiculousness of his remark. She rolled her eyes in disgust and slowly raised her hand, pointing sarcastically at the gun. The implication was clear; 'I can't talk with a gun in my mouth, asshole!'.

Amy immediately regretted that, as it earned Katie another jerk on her arms and a slap in the face. Her reaction was minimal, her eyes glazing over with pain. She appeared to be semi-conscious.

"Fine, bitch. I'll remove the gun, but if you so much as breathe hard, I'll slit your friend's throat like a hot knife through butter. Do you understand?" he asked, then leaned over and kissed Katie on the neck.

Amy nodded.

The boy removed the gun from Amy's mouth, holding it against her head again.

"Do you want your friend to live?" he asked again, pushing on the knife a little more. Katie's whimper cut through Amy like a knife.

"Yes. Please don't hurt her," she whispered.

"Maybe I won't. That depends on you. I sure would like a better look at those pretty little titties of yours. Maybe I won't hurt her if you take your blouse off," he leered.

'Oh God, please don't let them rape me, ' Amy thought, scared now for the first time. She belonged to Patrick; to have sex, even forced, with someone else without his approval would devastate her, would defile her in her mind. She just couldn't have someone else inside her, unless he wished it. She was his Life-mate.

She quickly started to unbutton her blouse as the boy wiggled his knife at Katie's throat. The movement brought Katie back to reality, and she quickly understood what was happening to Amy.

"No, Amy! Don't do it. He won't kill me. Fucking a dead body is no fun," said Katie, begging Amy with her eyes.

"Don't bet on it, chickie," the boy sneered. "We can have just as much fun with your friend if you're dead."

"I don't care. Let him kill me, Amy. Don't do it!" Katie whispered.

"I have to, Katie. I can't let them kill you. I'll just have to deal with it somehow," Amy replied sadly.

"Please. Take me instead," Katie begged her assailants. "I'll do anything you want. I'll even tell you how to make me enjoy it, just please, leave my friend alone."

Had Katie been older and more experienced, she would have known that was the worst thing she could have said. Now the boys were determined to gang rape Amy into submission; they would enjoy destroying her emotionally in the process. They would take both the girls anyway.

Amy's eyes leaked tears as she slowly unbuttoned her blouse. Her mind was numb as she considered the very real possibility of her life being over as she knew it. She focused her gaze on Katie's pretty yellow/gold eyes, wanting them to be the last thing she saw as she died emotionally. She saw Katie's eyes open wider briefly before returning to normal. Only because she knew her so well was she able to discern the look of surprise on her face, gone as quickly as it had appeared.

"Amy, do you love me?" Katie asked solemnly.

Amy felt the thrill go through her heart.

"I love you, Katie," she whispered, a faint hope in her heart.

"Do you trust me, Amy?" Katie asked just as solemnly.

Amy's heart leapt for joy. She had no idea what her little friend was planning, but the initiation of The Ceremony told her it would be all right. It never failed.

"I trust you, Katie," Amy whispered.

"Do what they want, what they ask, Amy. Give them their last moment of fun, before they die. It will all be ok," Katie whispered to Amy, only for her to hear. Amy smiled at her gratefully, love in her eyes, as she finished unbuttoning her blouse and prepared to slide it off her shoulders.

Christopher knew he had to time everything just right. The fact that the dark-haired girl had a gun in her mouth gave him no room for error at all. Even if he planned everything perfectly, and executed the plan just as perfectly, the odds were still only 50/50 that he could save her. He still didn't know where the other girl was; he couldn't see her from where he was. Her screams of agony had galvanized him into action, however.

He wished he knew where he had seen the dark-haired girl before. She looked so familiar. And the other girl's screams...

He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the boy take the gun out of the girl's mouth. That made everything much easier. It was still against the side of her head, but he could deal with that, as dangerous as it still was. The odds had improved considerably. Then his blood ran cold as he saw the girl start to unbutton her blouse.

'No! This will not happen again!' he swore to himself.

He looked around to see what he could use as a diversion. He smiled grimly when he saw the brick lying on the sidewalk. He picked it up and ran around to the side window. He might as well get to it now; it only grew worse the more he delayed. He stepped back as far as he dared to allow the longest possible time for the brick to arch through the air on its flight to the store's side window. He needed all the time he could get to race back to the front door. He was glad the dark-haired girl had been close to the door when everything started to happen.

'Here goes nothing, ' he thought as he threw the brick towards the side window and ran for the front door. He wondered briefly what would happen to his plan if he missed the window. Not possible, he decided.

Amy had just started to slide her blouse down her shoulders when the side window shattered with an explosive sound. She immediately twisted to the side, trying to move her head away from the gun. She reached up to grab it, intending to twist it around to shoot the boy holding the knife on Katie. In a night filled with disasters, the unthinkable happened.

Amy missed.

As her hand slid across the gun, the boy moved it out of her way. She watched in horror as he started to pull the trigger after he moved the gun back to her head. Even worse, she saw the knife start to move across Katie's throat.

"I'm sorry, Katie," she whispered, tears welling in her eyes.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw a boy dive into the store through the open door, rolling to his feet, a gun in his hand. She watched in awe as he fired four times in rapid succession, not even looking at his targets, the shots sounding almost as one. She saw the knife against Katie's throat shatter as blood splattered on the wall. She hoped desperately that it was not Katie's blood.

'At least she's probably safe, ' she thought as she heard the gun roar next to her head and felt the shattering impact of the bullet striking her head. She felt herself falling slowly as her head exploded and she died.

Except... she wasn't dead. She had died before, knew what it felt like, and this wasn't it. Her head hurt like hell, but she definitely wasn't dead. She sat down on the floor heavily and looked around with glazed eyes, slightly out of focus.

The boy that had been holding the gun on her was dead, shot through the head. The gun was lying on the floor, a twisted mess of steel. Near her, Katie sat awkwardly on the floor, hands still cuffed behind her. She looked dazed. The boy that had been holding her was also dead, shot through the head. The handle of the knife was on the floor, pieces of the shattered blade scattered around them. Her mind in a fog, Amy pieced together what happened. It only took her a second to understand, although it seemed like much longer to her.

He shot the gun and knife out of their hands? Come on, even she couldn't do that... she didn't think so, anyway. Well, maybe, but... wow! She was impressed, over and above the fact that he had just saved their lives. Slowly she began to realize who her rescuer was.

It was Christopher, Sammi's friend. She recognized him from the picture she had seen from Lori's mind, and it matched the blurry remembrance she had from her dreams. No wonder... Sammi had said he was really good, but... and what the hell was he doing here? Not that she wasn't glad he was, mind you.

Her distracted musings ended abruptly as she tried to shout a warning to him, but in her dazed condition, she was too late. She certainly couldn't move fast enough to help him, as she felt like lead. She watched in horror as the third boy stepped out from behind the nearest shelf, behind Christopher, and knocked the gun out of his hand, then punched him in the face.

It didn't seem to bother him at all. He shook his head, turned and kicked the boy in the stomach, punched him in the chest, and then spun-kicked him right through the glass doors of the freezer behind him. Broken glass flew everywhere as the boy landed amongst the ice cream.

'Ice cream!' Amy thought distractedly. 'I have to get some ice cream.'

Amy watched as Christopher picked up his gun and glided over to where she was sitting on the floor, moving smoothly as his eyes darted around the store. He tossed a handcuff key on the floor next to her. He still hadn't really looked at her.

"You ok? Let your friend loose and take care of her." That's when he finally looked at Amy and his face turned pale.

"Amy?" he whispered, his voice trembling.

"Hi, Christopher. Thanks for saving my life," Amy said, smiling weakly.

"God, I would have been terrified if I'd known that was you with the gun in your mouth."

"Have I met you before?" Amy asked.

"No, but I've seen you in my dreams for a while now." Christopher stepped forward impulsively, lifted Amy up effortlessly, and hugged her, kissing her thoroughly. Amy enjoyed it for a moment, then politely stepped away. Christopher blushed.

"I'm sorry. That was nice, but..." Amy shrugged, embarrassed.

"I know, don't tell me. There are two girls in the world that I love and you're both taken, right?"

Amy nodded, then stared.

"You... love me?" she asked, confused.

"You think I would visit someone in their dreams that I hated?" Christopher laughed nervously.

"Well, I'm not taken and you've visited me in my dreams too... you can love me anytime you want," Katie interrupted.

Amy always wished she'd had a camera for the look on Christopher's face as he saw Katie for the first time. He looked like he was in shock, then he swept her up into his arms.

"Katie! Oh God, Katie, I've been looking for you all over! I can't believe I finally found you, that you're still alive!"

Then he kissed her.

Katie seemed surprised for a microsecond, then just melted into his arms, kissing him as thoroughly as he did her.

Amy could see the look of puzzlement grow on Christopher's face, until finally he gently pushed her back a little.

"You... you're not my sister," he stammered, then turned red as he realized the implications of what he had just said.

"I know. A pity, too, if that's the way you always say 'hello' to your sister. Where do I apply for the job? Still, don't let that stop you," Katie giggled, then kissed him again.

Christopher pulled away and cocked his head, listening for a second.

"I'll be back in a minute," he said

"I think you already got them all," said Amy dryly, recognizing his actions. She was a little irritated; she wasn't used to being the helpless rescuee.

"Wrong. There's two more in the back of the store. Stay down and out of sight. I'll be back."

Funny, he didn't look like Arnold, Amy's scattered mind observed. She giggled.

"I'll help you," she said. Christopher reached over and gently pushed her down on the floor.

"Thanks, but stay here where you're safe. Another time, I'd enjoy holding your hand, pretty girl, but right now I don't have the time to babysit amateurs. Stay here; I know what I'm doing."

He saw Amy start to argue and put a finger over her lips.

"Stay!" he ordered.

"Woof!" said Katie, holding her 'paws' up, begging, then sticking her tongue out and panting like a dog. She giggled happily. Amy glared at him. Christopher looked at them like they were crazy.

Then he was gone.

Amy looked on in disbelief.

"I don't have time to babysit amateurs, pretty girl," Amy hissed to herself, mocking him in a singsong voice. "I am so going to kick your ass when you get back here. Who do you think you're talking to?" raged Amy.

Katie giggled an anemic little giggle.

"Um... how about a spaced out girl that can't even stand up by herself right now... and whose life he just saved? You couldn't kick my ass right now," Katie giggled again. Amy stared at her grumpily. She considered slapping her silly for saying that, but then decided Katie wasn't exactly herself either right now. Besides, she wasn't sure Katie wasn't right.

"Yeah, well... there is that. Did you see what he did? He shot the gun and knife out of their hands! I can't believe it!" Amy said excitedly. She finally remembered to uncuff Katie's hands.

"Thanks," said Katie dryly. 'It's about time, ' she didn't add.

"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, Katie," Amy whispered, almost in despair. Helpless and useless, at least in her mind, were roles she wasn't used to and didn't like in the least.

Katie threw her arms around Amy, hugged her, then kissed her almost passionately. They both looked a little embarrassed when they drew apart.

"I can't believe what you were going to do to try to save me, Amy. Don't ever do that for me again... I'm not worth what you would have given up for me," Katie whispered, choking back the tears.

"I couldn't just let you die, Katie. You're every bit worth it and more. You're my sister, and just as importantly, my friend. Maybe... maybe Patrick would have understood... would have overlooked the defilement. But even if not, I would still do it for you."

"Do you really think he would overlook your... defilement?" Katie asked, amazement in her voice.

"You don't think he would?" Amy asked, fear in her voice now.

"No, I don't think so, because I don't think you would be defiled, and neither would he. I think you're being silly. Even if the defilement you talk about exists, it wouldn't be for rape, but for deliberate actions. I think it's all in your mind."

There was a subtle shift in voices.

"How can you say that, Kata-llia? I am his Life-mate. I can have no other," 'Amy' protested.

"Amma-llia... you've led a sheltered life. True, none of the rest of us are life-mates, but you're the only one of us still alive that has never had another besides Patrick, even here on earth. You're naïve. It's not defilement if it's forced or if your mate agrees. It's merely the way we are. It's a matter of love, Amy, not sex. Patrick would let you have anyone you wanted and still love you just the same. Sometimes I think he would actually... enjoy seeing you with another, doing it because he wanted you to, because you loved him that much. Being a Life-mate has never been about sexual exclusivity, Amma-llia; it's about unequaled love, devotion, affection, eternal commitment. Sexual exclusivity is not necessarily a requirement. That is left up to the individuals involved."

Amy swatted her arm, looking scandalized. Then she looked closely at Katie. She knew that look on her face; she'd seen it the first time Sammi saw Eric.

"My little sister's in love!" Amy giggled as she teased Katie. She giggled again as she watched Katie blush a deep red.

"I am not!

"Umm, ok, maybe I am. A fat lot of good it'll do me. He's in love with you and Sammi. I'm just a plain Jane compared to you two. I don't stand a chance."

"Katie! You're not. You're gorgeous! So small and petite and pretty. I even get excited looking at you sometimes; I can imagine what you do to him." Amy blushed as she realized what she had admitted to. Katie blushed too as she realized how good it made her feel.

"Besides," Amy stammered, trying to act nonchalant and change the subject, "Sammi and I are both taken. The field's wide open for you."

"Yeah, right. Sammi really acts like she's taken. She's screws Christopher every chance she gets... and Eric encourages her, damn it! I suppose you'll be doing the same thing now with Patrick's approval. I don't stand a chance," Katie moaned, but her eyes twinkled as she watched how her friend would act.

"KATIE! I will not! What did we just talk about? I would never do that to Patrick," Amy protested.

"Not even if he wanted you to, asked you to?" Katie whispered.

Amy blushed deep red and didn't answer.

"I better go see if Christopher needs any help," Amy said, changing the subject.

"You were told to 'stay!'. You better do it, or you won't get a 'bone' from him," Katie gasped, giggling so hard she could barely get it out. Amy glared at her, blushing even more and looking like she was really mad this time as she stomped off. Katie tried to look sorry, but it just wasn't working through all the giggling.

Amy slipped quietly through the aisles, watching for Christopher and for any suspicious looking boys. She had barely entered the second aisle when one of the bad boys stepped up behind her and stuck a gun against the side of her head. She froze, then realized, as he leered at her, that she hadn't buttoned up her shirt yet. And Christopher had kissed her and hugged her and looked at her with her blouse unbuttoned and her titties hanging out? Well, her titties were so small they didn't exactly hang out, but the idea was the same. God, she was so embarrassed. And now this meatball was staring at them, over her shoulder.

That's when she got mad.

'God damn son of a bitch!' she thought. 'I will not have him saving my ass again today. This ends now, motherfucker!' She was almost embarrassed about the words she was thinking. Amy, the virginal girl that didn't cuss. Well, she wasn't a virgin and she sure as hell knew those words. What would her friends and family say if they could read her mind right now? Oh wait, her family could. She blanked it, hoping it was soon enough.

'I have honestly, truly had enough of this stinky pony manure, ' she thought sweetly. 'I do think I will end these bull droppings right now, you lousy dirt bag, you, ' she professed innocently.

The thief was taken completely by surprise when she turned around in his arms.

She didn't miss this time.

She slammed her hand up against the gun, pushing it straight up into the air just as he pulled the trigger. She grinned to herself as the bullet made a nice hole in the ceiling. 'Much better that getting kinda shot in the head, ' she thought. Then she pretty much made him a eunuch with her right foot, broke his nose with her right hand, and kicked him so hard in the chest that he slammed into the shelves, making a big mess as everything flew everywhere.

It just wasn't Amy's day.

She forgot about the gun; he raised it and pointed it at her.

Child's play; she could disarm him with one hand tied behind her back. She started to do so when she heard the gun fire behind her and a red flower of blood sprouted in the middle of his forehead. As he collapsed to the ground, Amy turned in time to see Christopher slip to the side, twist, and shoot the other robber right between the eyes as he started to shoot Amy.

'Twist and shout... er shoot, ' she thought irrationally.

Shit! She'd never hear the end of this.

Christopher glanced at her with a reproachful look on his face.

"I don't think I want to marry a girl that can't do what she's told," he announced seriously, looking angry but trying not to grin.

"Good, cause we ain't getting married, Bozo," Amy answered tartly, then hung her head in shame.

"Woof, woof. Bad doggie," she whispered contritely.

Christopher laughed heartily, then put his arm around Amy and started walking back to where they had left Katie. Amy slipped her arm around him and laid her head on his shoulder.

"Let's go check on your friend, see if she's feeling better. Her arms seemed a little sore. Maybe she'll kiss me again," he grinned, blushing at the same time.

"She'll do more than kiss you if you give her half a chance," Amy grinned, then turned serious.

"Christopher, Katie's one of my dearest friends, and my sister. She's very vulnerable; she loves just about everybody, and you even more than most. Be nice to her and don't break her heart; if you aren't interested in her, don't lead her on. Please?"

Christopher stopped walking and turned Amy towards him, slipping his arms around her and kissing her passionately. After a few seconds Amy found herself responding eagerly. When he stopped kissing her many moments later, she could hardly stand on her trembling legs, and she would have gladly slipped her panties off and fucked his brains out if he asked her to. She whimpered in frustration as she was within seconds of having a massive orgasm.

"That's the last time I will ever do that," he promised. "I just had to know what it was like. If I ever touch you again, I'm afraid I'll never be able to stop."

"If you touch me again, I'm afraid I'll betray everything I hold dear in life. I can't do that. Please don't," Amy pleaded. Then she gathered her strength about her and moved away from him. It was the hardest thing she had ever done in her life.

"Don't worry; you're safe from me... now," he told her. Then he took a deep breath.

"Amy, your Katie shares my sister's name. She looks so much like her even I was fooled. She talks like her, her voice sounds exactly like her, she kisses just like I always dreamed my sister would. She's even every bit the smart ass my sister is. Do you really think I could break a heart like that? As soon as I looked into those yellow/gold eyes, I was lost; I'm so in love with her I can't see straight. I want to marry her and spend the rest of my life making her happy. Does that quiet your concerns?"

Amy grinned.

"Yeah, but let's have some fun. Don't tell her that. Let her seduce you. I promise, it will be worth it to you, and my sisters and I will enjoy the show."

"You're evil," Christopher laughed, reaching down and softly running his fingers between her legs to tease her clit. Amy gasped and shuddered, clinging to him tightly as she almost blacked out.

"You... you promised!" she squeaked, her voice trembling as she struggled to contain an orgasm.

"I know... I'm sorry, but you deserved it for being mean to my future wife. Good idea, though. I'll let her work at it," he promised.

Amy and Christopher continued back to where Katie was waiting. By this time Christopher was half supporting Amy, helping her walk as she slowly recovered.

They hadn't expected Katie to meet them halfway there. Another bad doggie that didn't know how to obey. Christopher moaned bleakly to himself, wondering just how much trouble he was going to have with this girl. Then he smiled; she would be worth it.

Their plan was to be separated when they got back to Katie. As it was, Katie caught them, arms around each other, Amy's head on his shoulder, whispering softly to each other. Poor Katie didn't realize they were talking about her; all she saw was her friend and sister, who already had one man Katie loved, in the arms of the boy she loved, her face still aglow.

"Oh, Amy," she whispered sadly, and turned around to leave. She hadn't expected anything like this so soon. She'd hoped to have a little time with him before the two sex goddesses stole him away. Her shoulders slumped as she walked disconsolately away, her eyes blinded by her tears.

She couldn't really blame Amy. She was pretty, sweet, intelligent, and sexy as hell. It was just the way she was; she couldn't help attracting the guys.

'I can't help that I'm an ugly duckling, and she can't help she's beautiful... but it's so unfair, damn it!' Katie whined to herself as she left.

She never heard the two of them calling out her name. She never saw the guilty, ashamed look on Amy's face as she called to her to wait. She never saw the look of sorrow and fear on Christopher's face as he realized what they had unwittingly done.

She couldn't help but feel it, however, as Christopher picked her up and cradled her in his arms like a weightless baby. She couldn't help but feel the pleasure surge through her as he planted his lips on hers, sliding his tongue into her mouth as he kissed her.

She struggled and resisted for a few seconds. She understood about him and Amy, but that didn't mean she wasn't a little mad. She might as well have been struggling against the wind, however, as Christopher kept kissing her, ignoring her complaints. Then she melted and unleashed her own tongue.

Christopher had about died inside when he saw Katie turn and walk away, when he saw the tears in her eyes. He couldn't tease her; it wasn't right. He panicked and ran after her, grabbing her and kissing her as if his life depended on it. Maybe it did. His heart thrilled as she finally kissed him back.

Then he heard it.

Sirens.

Damn.

He turned to the convenience store clerk. He was surprised to see him just starting to stand up from behind the counter. He realized that little time had elapsed since he had dived into the store. Much had happened in a very short time.

"Did you call the police?" he asked the clerk. The clerk looked scared.