Even though Elena and I were back on track—our bond stronger after the asteroid crisis and our raw reconciliation—I was still staying over at Mum's most nights. She was putting on a brave face after Dad's abrupt departure, but I could see the cracks: the way her smile faltered when she thought I wasn't looking, the extra cup of tea she made for "Dad" out of habit before catching herself, the quiet sobs she tried to muffle through closed doors. She needed me present—someone to hold the house together while her world had fractured. I was optimistic about her future, though. Mum was resilient; she'd always been the rock of our family.
"You're going to be okay,"
I'd tell her every morning. "Better than okay." And I'd mean it.
The next morning, I woke to the smell of sausages and coffee drifting up the stairs. Mum was in the kitchen, humming softly to herself as she flipped eggs—her way of pretending everything was normal. I padded down in sweatpants and a T-shirt, hair still messy from sleep. As I entered, she turned with a bright smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Good morning, son," she said, leaning over to kiss my cheek. Her lips were warm, but her hand lingered on my arm a second too long, as if grounding herself.
"Morning, Mum." I hugged her from behind, resting my chin on her shoulder. "Smells amazing. You didn't have to cook."
"Nonsense. You need fuel for whatever you do all day." She plated eggs and sausages, sliding it across the table. "Sit. Eat."
We ate in companionable silence for a minute, then she spoke—voice softer.
"How's Elena? You two seemed... better the other day."
I smiled—genuine. "We're good. Really good. She's... she's everything."
Mum nodded, eyes glistening. "I'm glad. You deserve that. And she seems to make you happy." She reached across, squeezing my hand. "Promise me you'll be careful. Whatever you two do... just come home safe."
"I promise," I said, throat tight. "And Mum... I promise everything is going to work out. For you too. You're stronger than you think."
She hugged me deeply—arms tight around my shoulders, face buried in my chest.
"Thank you, love. I needed to hear that."
We talked light subjects over breakfast—weather (unseasonably cold), the neighbor's new dog, a funny story from her work. Nothing heavy. She glanced at the clock.
"Running late today," she said, conscious of the time.
"Oh yeah, I'm running a little late today," I echoed, standing. "See you later, Mum."
I kissed her cheek and slipped out the back way—around the garden fence, just in case Mum glanced out the window. Elena's door was unlocked. I stepped inside, and she was there—waiting in the hallway, eyes lighting up. She launched into my arms, kissing me passionately, lips soft and urgent.
"I missed you this morning," she breathed against my mouth, hands sliding under my shirt.
I held her lovingly by her curvy waist, pulling her close. "You already know I've been missing you too, babe," I said truthfully.
She smiled—small, genuine—then led me to the kitchen table.
"Coffee first. Then business."
We sat—mugs steaming, her hand in mine.
"So," she said, voice serious, "Valentina/Elaine. Whatever she is, we need a plan. Let's get them both together—see if anything happens when they're in the same place."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" I asked, thumb tracing circles on her palm.
"Yes. We can handle it." Her eyes flashed with determination. "The only problem is we need a sample of her DNA to give to the top scientists—before we make our move."
"Why?" I asked naively—I didn't care if I sounded dumb; I really didn't get it.
She leaned forward, patient. "We established that whatever she is, she can infect hearts and minds like a parasite. Physical attacks might not stop her—too resilient. The solution to a parasite or virus is a vaccine... or a cure. We need her DNA to analyze, replicate, find a weakness."
I nodded slowly. "Makes sense."
"Also," she continued, "I believe all these women are connected. If we alert one, we alert them all. She stands beside presidents, prime ministers—so many people in power. If we alert her without a solid plan, the consequences will be fatal and far-reaching."
I sat back—absolutely gobsmacked by her intelligence. "Fuck me, Elena, you're so smart," I said honestly, awe in my voice.
She laughed—humorously, lightly. "Well, I do try. You can be beauty; I'll be the brains."
"Oh please," I countered, squeezing her hand. "You're everything, Elena. You really are."
The mood shifted to serious—we locked hands across the table, feeling the warmth of each other's touch again.
"I got an idea," I said, trying to match her genius. "So every one of them wears that special necklace, right? What if I meet Elaine and—"
"Hold on," Elena interrupted, eyes narrowing. "Her name is Elaine?"
I nodded. "Yeah... why?"
Elena exhaled sharply. "What a fucking bitch. She knows exactly what she's doing—naming herself a variation of me. It's deliberate. Psychological warfare."
I sensed anger and determination from her—her grip tightening.
"Oh, sorry, baby," she said, softening. "What were you saying?"
"It's okay," I replied. "Just that I could meet her—didn't want to say her name again—and try to touch or remove her necklace."
"It's a great way of seeing if the necklace gives her the ability to shape-shift," Elena agreed. "But we risk alerting her and harming others—including your dad."
"But good plan," she added humorously, "you're not just a pretty face."
We laughed—light, relieving—before another idea came into my head.
"Oh, what if I accidentally scratch her hard enough to draw skin and blood? I know it's not graceful, but it'll get the job done."
"That's a great idea," Elena said, eyes lighting up. "You just have to act very apologetic so she doesn't think anything of it."
We went over the other details of the plan—timing, location, backup contingencies. I texted Elaine:
"Can we meet again tonight for dinner?"
She replied after a few minutes: "Sure ;-)"
It was all go according to plan.
Before I could leave, Elena grabbed my arm.
"Where do you think you're going?"
I raised an eyebrow. "To prep?"
She shook her head—smiling wickedly. "I gotta empty those balls before you meet that bitch." She slid her bottoms off—pussy already wet, glistening. "Come here."
I knelt—licking her for a bit, savoring her taste, tongue circling her clit until she moaned,
"Yes... right there... fuck, Alex... I've missed your mouth."
I slid into her—missionary the whole time, looking in her eyes, kissing her deeply as I watched my dick slide in and out of her pussy.
"God... so deep... I love you... fuck me slow... then hard."
I started slow—deep, deliberate thrusts—then faster, harder.
"You're so beautiful... so wet... I love watching you take me."
She wrapped her legs around me—pulling me closer.
"Yes... deeper... I need you... cum for me... fill me up."
After 10 minutes, I was close.
"I'm gonna cum," I groaned.
"In my mouth, baby," she said, pushing me back.
I pulled out—stroking as she knelt, mouth open. I came hard—thick ropes flooding her throat, spilling over her lips.
"Fuck... so much... you've missed me, haven't you?" she said smugly, licking her lips.
"More than you'll ever know," I replied, kissing her deeply, tasting myself on her tongue.
I cleaned up—showered, changed into casual clothes—and prepared for the task at hand. I met Elaine at a quiet restaurant downtown. She was wearing a sexy black dress—split high on the thigh, revealing one toned leg. She looked stunning—curves accentuated, hair loose. Even knowing the truth, she still had the same effect on me—heart racing, mind fogging slightly.
We had dinner—small talk flowing. She laughed at my jokes, touched my arm lightly.
"You seem tense," she said, eyes warm. "Everything okay?"
"Just... family stuff," I replied, keeping it vague.
Then my opportunity came.
"Elaine, could you pass me the salt please?"
As she did, I deliberately misjudged—scratching her hand hard, ripping her flesh. No blood—just a tear in skin that looked... wrong. Tough, brown underneath, like tree bark.
She didn't even flinch.
"Omg, Elaine, I'm so sorry," I said, voice panicked.
"For what?" she asked, looking at me confused—like she was trying to read me.
"For disturbing your meal and asking you to pass me the salt," I improvised quickly.
"Don't be silly," she said, smiling. "Make it up to me later."
Oh shit, I thought—how the fuck do I get out of this without causing suspicion? Then it came to me—perfect.
"Elaine, I'm really sorry, but I have to be there for my mum. My dad recently left her, and it's been tough."
"Awww, you're such a loving son," she said, eyes softening.
"But soon, Elaine, I really want to," I added—trying to be convincing.
I noticed the skin under my nail—where I'd scratched her—had gone brown, like tree bark. I hid my hand under the table.
Shortly after, we ended the dinner. I paid the bill and tried to hug her—she held me, then kissed me. I almost lost track of everything—her lips soft, commanding, pulling me in. She then said,
"Call me," before getting into her cab.
It was a good thing she didn't kiss me first—I would have failed the mission and been under her spell.
I arrived back at Elena's house—heart racing. She opened the door, eyes sharp.
"How did it go?"
I was truthful—even about the kiss. "She kissed me goodbye. I... pulled away. But the scratch... look."
I showed her the bark-like flesh under my nail. She hit the counter—denting it.
"That bitch."
I bit my teeth—thinking I was in the dog house.
"I'm not mad with you, Alex," she said truthfully. "She's a temptress who seduces men. Yes, she kissed you, but you were honest with me and you accomplished the mission."
The flesh under my nail felt hard and uncomfortable. Once removed, it was tough and hollow—almost identical to a small piece of tree bark.
"Definitely not human," Elena said, intrigued.
"Yeah, definitely not," I repeated.
"Well, I'm going to get this to the lab," she said with fierce determination. "The sooner we have the solution, the sooner we can stop it."
"Should I come too?" I asked.
"No, no, no," she said, smiling wickedly. "You stay here and shower. I need you clean... and then I'm gonna ride that dick all night as punishment."
"Yes, I definitely deserve to be punished," I said humorously.
Shortly after, Elena left—flying into the sky to meet the scientists with the sample. Our suspicions were confirmed, and now we would act.
Let me know if you'd like any other tweaks!