(Six)

"Kristalay?"

"Uhnn..."

"Kristalay, wakes fer me."

Kristalay opened his eyes, seeing only a blur. He had been lying here on Skye's cold cement floor for who knows how long, glued to the floor by his own dried blood. He was numb now, feeling nothing.

"Famayalin, come."

The sound of clicking nails came close, then Kristalay felt the strangest thing. Was that a tongue licking him? Cleaning his wounds? He was too numb to tell. Water dripped over his dried and cracked lips, but he was too weak to even lap at it.

"Yer so damn stubborn."

Soft and gentle hands touched him, a warm wet rag cleaned the crusted blood from his face. The cut had swollen and festered, making it impossible to open his eyes completely. Everything was so very dim. Water came to him again and this time he found the strength to lick at it. He was cleaned, or so it felt, he kept dozing in and out, drifting away now and again to pleasant dreams of bright white bliss. He barely felt it as he was lifted and carried to the bed. His arms were raised above his head and shackled.

Why bother? Kristalay thought to himself with a wry, weary chuckle. It's not like I can fight.

His eyes remained closed even as he felt the weight of someone beside him now. "Yer almost gone. Call me Master an' I'll heals ya."

"Gonna... kill you..." Kristalay wheezed, his mouth almost too numb to form the words.

"Call me Master then. See if ya don't change yer mind once ya feels m' power."

"All right, then... Master..." Kristalay said, the word falling from him with far less pain than he had expected.

"Call Skye yer Master. Say it likes ya means it."

"Yer my Master, Skye. Heal me so I can kill yer ass," Kristalay threatened with a bitter laugh.

Skye chuckled softly. "That'll be good enough, I guess." He slid his hands down the length of Kristalay's ruined body, pausing in his lap to massage what lay limp there.

"Uhhn!" Kristalay grunted, bucking. With the caress came the power, the Kundatesh. It coursed through his body, reviving him a bit as it stole away all of his hurts and made him shiver. Skye's lips came to his mouth in a bruising kiss, sending an electric jolt through his brain. His body sprung to life and he could feel again. He could feel the soft skin of the naked Siskan beside him and smell the resentment and fury from Famayalin who was restrained in a halter a few feet away. He could hear the rush of wind outside and knew there must be a sandstorm whirling away, attacking the walls of the empty building above.

"Feelin' better now?" Skye asked, unable to hide his arrogance. He knew just how Kristalay had been affected and that he was now completely in control.

"Yeah..."

"Who am I?"

"Yer my Master."

"Good."

Skye withdrew and shifted skins, becoming Rose again. She straddled his wasted and unresistant body, the only part of him that was hard was that which she had roused with her hands. She came over him and took him in, laughing when he bucked again with a great shiver.

This couldn't be happening, Kristalay tried to tell himself. He wasn't almost dead and being used like this, no way. But it was true. With the full contact like this, her power was even stronger than before. Damn if he couldn't feel the cuts closing on his body and the ache in his joints melting away. It was the same as it had been with Aiden. He could feel the magic tingling throughout his whole body, his very being. He felt powerful, strong, and thought he could hear the roaring of lions in his head, a sound that seemed to come from far away but was at the same time, utterly welcoming. He jerked and finished violently, gasping loudly.

Skye laughed, high now on his vibrations and finished herself, sending another jolt of Kundatesh through her slave and forcing his body to shiver hard again. He groaned and passed out momentarily, drunk on the rush and being more than half dead, was too weak to handle it.

"Mmrr!" Famayalin protested from his bonds, tears pouring from his eyes. "Mmmrrr! Master!" he mewled pitifully, his heart swollen with jealousy. He was being cast aside, tossed away and forgotten as Jael had done, he was sure of it.

Skye shivered, drinking up Kristalay's ecstacy like a fine wine, but looked over her shoulder at him, at poor Famayalin. She was well fed now and feeling warm and pleased. "Hush now, you. Ya knows this had ta be done. He wuz dyin'."

"Mmrr!" the boy sobbed, turning his head away as he collapsed in a heap, his head buried under his paws. He was the picture of complete abject misery.

Skye sighed, exasperated at the young one yet thrilled his surrender to her was now so complete. She slowly got up, her body still tingling, and came to him, grabbing a green silken robe along the way. She dressed and shifted, much preferring to be male as all the most powerful Siskans did. He came and crouched beside Famayalin who grumbled and growled with pain and fury. Skye reached out to touch and Famayalin tucked his head under all the farther, his sobs loud and heartfelt.

Skye continued to pet him. "Oh, come now. You wuz here first, Famayalin. Yer always gonna be special ta me."

"Mmrr! Grr! Master hates me!"

"Shh, Shh, now. That ain't true."

Kristalay had awakened now, his mind sailing on a white cloud of bliss. He felt no more pain. He was too comfortable to move but not too out of it to hear the conversation happening only just a few feet away. It seemed odd to him, these words being spoken, but then, this sort of thing had never happened to him before.

"Mrr! What love for me? Grr! Fuck the 'Tooth. No love for me!" Famayalin continued to complain, every human word an effort to get out of his mouth.

"The lovin' brings back the healin's," Skye explained. "Ya knows this. It wuz the same fer you. Come. Come on now."

The Master held his arms out in invitation and Famayalin looked at him, uncertain. He was waved on and he tumbled against his Master now, falling into his embrace. He continued to bawl out his hurt, calming down only as he was shushed and rocked, comforted by Skye's slender white hands.

What a soft little pussy, Kristalay thought to himself. What a feeb. Won't see me wuss out like no little faggot boy. He took a deep contented sigh and fell instantly and deeply asleep, never realizing just how wrong he would be.

Skye continued to pet his dear little Famayalin, not unaware that his larger charge, Kristalay, had finally succumbed to sleep on the big bed. Famayalin's tantrum was losing steam and it wasn't long before the young lion lay asleep against him as well. Skye was a gifted Siskan in a great many ways, one of them telekinetically. He lifted up Famayalin as though he weighed nothing and then lay him down on the floor, warm and comfortable. Famayalin didn't stir once, not even after having been moved. That was the plan, Skye wanted some undisturbed quiet time with his new acquisition.

The Siskan lay Famayalin down and then smoothly drifted over back to the bed, wanting another good look at Kristalay. This day had been turbulent, yet still very productive. Kristalay was partly healed and well on his way through Skye's crash course in Master and Slave. All in all, he had succumbed more quickly than Famayalin had and Skye knew well the reason - unlike young Kyle Gibney, this was a game that Sabretooth had played before himself. Granted Sabretooth was used to wearing a Master's shoes, but hey, life moves on and we have to move on with it.

Skye stood there, not in the least displeased. He could see that Kristalay's wounds had been reduced significantly, they were merely red bands of color on his skin, not much more than that. Of course there was one injury, one not caused by himself, that stubbornly remained. Kristalay had a white, star shaped scar in the center of his chest, as though he had been melted there once and never fully recovered from it. Skye was intensely curious about that. What could damage a healer's body so badly that he didn't fully recover from it? He didn't think it had come from Jael, it was too old.

Skye couldn't possibly know that that particular mark was a gift from Zander. Kristalay was the only person to be skewered by a plasma charged Channeler's sword and live to walk away from it.

Skye looked down on his precious lion to be and smiled. He could see the full rise and fall of Kristalay's chest and knew he was sleeping deeply. He had needed this rest after the savage whipping and now he was getting it. Skye liked to do this, to watch his clients as they slept and wonder about them. Skye liked to do so many things...

Skye was the first hatched of the six Rogues Quishnalay had cooked up. Of course Skye hadn't been his name then. No, he was Mishnar then and more than a handful even right out of the birthing tubes. Tempestuous and precocious beyond belief, he got into everything and wanted to know everything all at once. Always under Quishnalay's feet, it was easy to see how poor Mishnar got picked to be the first one Quishnalay experimented on in earnest.

Quishnalay had long since known that abuse complicated these simple programs and even in some cases, made them stronger. Just for kicks, Quishnalay pulled out a plasma gun and used it on Skye when the boy got in the way just one time too many.

Mishnar shattered quite nicely, but even that didn't keep him from knowing that what his Master had done had been a deliberate act. He never recovered from it and as soon as he was properly revived, went on a full on berserker rage, attacking the man. Quishnalay was forced to lock up the boy and beat him into submission. Mishnar was quick, yes, he was, and got the idea quickly. Powerless to take out his frustrations on the one who had tormented him, the victim became the bully and went for the others around him.

Mishnar had known then his siblings were close by, the other five. Simone was no fun, the boy had curled up in a corner and refused to come out, shy and small from the beginning. All Simone did was cry and that got real old, really fast. Kiernan was safely locked away from his treacherous hands and Kimble he only saw once. Asher was sent to see Mishnar in an attempt to get him back under control, but all the Grey wanted to do was talk nice and calm him down. Mishnar wanted none of that. He spat and fought and Asher left him alone. That left Star. She he chased around merrily, shrieking at her until she ran crying to the Master. Mishnar was then soundly beaten and locked away. Mishnar did learn how to sneak out though, and he crossed paths with Talalanay, Quishnalay's personal favorite.

Yeah, Mishnar knew about young Talalanay all right. Knew and saw how Talalanay had captured his Master's heart. Talalanay was never melted, never beaten, and was given free access to Quishnalay's bed. It made Mishnar sick with jealousy to see it and he wasted no time in seeking the boy out, watching Talalanay's heart break at the thought of Kimble being abused and broken. It was great. Such great fun.

Of course Quishnalay found out that Mishnar was sneaking out and he was finally done with young Mishnar. Quishnalay sent him packing, shipping him off to his dear friend Paladon, the Games Master, saying "Fix him or melt him down. Just take him away from here."

Paladon was happy to take him. Paladon saw Mishnar as nothing more than a distraction, a toy, a plaything. He repaired the boy, melding him together as best he could, renaming the collective creature Skye. Integrated or not, Skye remained violent and cruel down to his very core. Reintegration wasn't kind and then to top things off, the repair sent Skye off into Shemusk. He had been young when he had fractured, the reconstruction had brought him of age. It took Paladon some time to figure out what was going on and by the time Skye had been placed with a Kintay powerful enough to blast him straight with his power, Skye was hopelessly insane, the hormonal overload the last straw.

Paladon, ever oblivious to the monster living under his roof, put Skye to work, serving Paladon's most favored clients as part of his personal harem.

Skye was crafty and sneaky. He knew that full blown violence only got him in trouble, so he learned ways around this. He became sneaky cruel, toying with his clients. He had been given many skins, even now he had at least twenty to choose from, though this pretty male redheaded skin was his favorite. His only regret was that it didn't show his Mark. That one skin he kept private, hiding it away.

Once out of Shemusk, Skye soon learned that his enhanced senses actually added a new level to his sexual experiences. He was feeding off of the glows from his clients at the moment of their sexual ecstacy, and the more he fed, the more powerful he became. It didn't take long for him to see that he could addict and manipulate the weaker clients and bend them to his will. They would give him money and gifts, falling over themselves to serve him as though he were the Master and not the servant.

Well, Paladon wasn't the least bit pleased when he discovered what was going on. He punished Skye severely, beating him nearly senseless. Skye revolted and flew into a violent rage so Paladon melted him again, reintegrating him with the promise of doing this all over again if Skye didn't get his act together.

Skye was enraged over the whole deal, broken even further deeply inside. He killed his next client in a fit of rage, then hid the evidence. Surprised that his busy Master hadn't even been aware of the crime, he began killing over and over again when he knew he could pull it off. It was the ultimate act of dominance, taking lives. It brought out the internal Master in him, the one who wanted to be ultimately in charge. He began to take trophies from his kills, discovering his clients were just as tasty to eat as they had been to fuck.

Being melted so many times over the years had also added a new dimension to his power. He could now fly and make weak shields. He could lift and manipulate heavy objects with ease, making it all the more easy to cover up his crimes.

Paladon found out eventually and when he went for Skye, Skye killed him, stabbing him viciously at a moment of opportunity, making it look as part of the Clan uprising. Darken had no idea of the true nature of his father's death and kept Skye around, merrily dumping him on Remy when the opportunity had presented itself. Through much circumstance, Skye now found himself in a position of power. With his new acquisitions, he was going to trump Jael once and for all, putting an end to this terrible Game. Perhaps then he could find peace, find some small measure of sanity.

Kristalay woke a few hours later, stiff now but no longer in any real pain. He was still shackled to the bed and had to pee like crazy. He groaned and shifted, trying to look around him for his Master. Skye was there, hearing his movement and coming closer. "Kristalay. He wakes."

"Gotta piss."

Skye nodded and withdrew, returning with a leash in his hand.

Kristalay eyed him suspiciously. "I'll piss right here if ya put that shit on me."

"Yer gonna soil my bed? Don'cha even thinks about it! The whip ain't far!" Skye promised with complete sincerity. The tenderness from before was replaced with the harsh arrogance of a man who was far more accustomed to being in charge than threatened. "I kin whips ya and heals ya and whips ya some more. Don't you be tryin' m' patience!"

Kristalay couldn't help but shiver at the threats. Any leniency he thought he might have been entitled to since he had served Skye so well vanished as he was put back in his place with real authority. He had no doubt that Skye could do as he promised, torture and heal him over and over again until all traces of his sanity was gone.

Kristalay grumbled but made no more threats as he was leashed just like a dog. His arms were unshackled and he sat up with a groan, his body stiff and now a little sore. It was still a hundred times better than before. He allowed Skye to lead him into a large and beautiful bathroom filled with nice tile and bright white porcelain. Skye had expensive taste and he was fortunate to have inherited a rich business man's luxurious bathroom. There Kristalay was allowed to urinate for which he was very grateful.

"Wash up. We all keeps real clean 'round here," Skye ordered, gesturing to a large, island style bathtub.

Kristalay nodded and shuffled over. He felt drained, like he had just come off of a deep fever. He filled the tub and then sank into it, growling with happiness. He flinched a little in nervous discomfort when he felt Skye slip in behind him but quieted when he felt Skye's hands start to wash him. It reminded him of the happy times he had spent with Kimble when the Siskan would pamper him and shower him with loving attention like this.

"Ya feelin' better now?" Skye asked, his earlier irritation gone.

"Yes."

"Yes, what?"

"Yes, Master," Kristalay said sarcastically, playing the game.

"You best be showin' me some respect. I healed ya, didn't I?"

"Yes, Master," Kristalay repeated, lowering his tone. He was showing respect but hadn't forgot his earlier promise – he would submit for now, but payback was only just around the corner. He would obey to get what he wanted, nothing more.

Skye quieted and Kristalay relaxed. He looked down at his body and saw it was covered in bright red scars. He had healed, but not completely. He wasn't fully restored. Skye scrubbed him down, humming softly to himself some silly song Kristalay didn't recognize. He was washed and rinsed and then taken to a long table where he was massaged and pampered even more, rubbed down with scented oils. Kristalay was in heaven. Hell, if being Skye's slave was like this, he would take it.

"Time again fer more healin'," Skye chuckled softly, whispering in his ear real close.

"Sure," Kristalay grumbled, lost in the bliss.

Skye led him back to the bed. This time Famayalin was nowhere in sight. He had been freed and was off hiding somewhere where he wouldn't have to watch, Kristalay guessed. He lay down without protest, even when he was once more shackled to the bed. "This time, all yer scars'll be gone," Skye promised, looking him over with eyes filled with hunger and lust.

"Whatever ya say, Master," Kristalay mumbled, waiting happily for Skye to shift skins.

It didn't happen.

Skye tossed off his robe and walked around the bed, peering at him from all angles, to better view his prize. "Yer so damned beautiful, ya really are. M' Golden Hair, m' Kristalay."

Kristalay began to fidget, growing nervous. "Come on, make yer Rose and come fuck me."

"Oh, I'm gonna fuck ya, all right."

Kristalay's eyes widened as it sunk in what was happening. "Hey! Wait a minute!"

Skye came up onto the bed, playfully pinning him down as if this was all some kind of game. It was clear he possessed some telekinetic ability as well, Kristalay couldn't move. "Once invited, I come."

"No! Wait! Not like this!"

"I needs yer obedience fer all things. Without questions or misgivin's. That's the way it's gonna be from now on 'tween you an me."

"But—!"

He was cut off as Skye covered his mouth. "Shh...Yer gonna enjoy this. I'm gonna makes ya fly."

Kristalay snarled and thrashed, but couldn't make words as the hand that pinned his mouth closed was unbelievably strong. Skye just laughed and licked Kristalay's chest with a long wet sweep of his tongue. Kristalay bucked and squirmed trying to unhorse his captor. He yanked on the shackles, but they held him fast as the harness and leash had done. He kicked with his legs and Skye figured he'd had enough of that. The Siskan withdrew and snatched at his ankles, shackling those as well, spreading them far apart. Kristalay was hopelessly exposed and helpless.

"Ya sick fuck! I hope ya rot in Hell!" Kristalay bellowed, unable to stop tears of frustration and rage from spilling down his cheeks.

"Oh, please. Tell Skye just how many women and children you've raped?" the Siskan challenged arrogantly in return, his eyes haughty and cruel. "You gots no rights ta play the innocent victim with me! Yer body's told me evrathin'. I seen it in yer eyes, the rapin' the killin' you done!"

"Don't matter! Yer gonna pay fer this!"

"Maybe the one's finally payin' 'round here is you," Skye joked without humor. He came up on Kristalay again and looked down at the straining man with pure admiration. "So beautiful, ya are. Go on then, fight me. I won't stops ya."

Kristalay thrashed and yanked, causing all of his muscles to strain and cord out in knots. His skin shimmered with sweat and Skye licked his lips. "Magnificent."

"Fuck!" Kristalay snarled, horrified to find himself in the position he had sworn he would never find himself again. He could do nothing as Skye's hands came on him again and his traitorous body responded in spite of his rage. There was no Kundatesh this time, but his body had anticipated it. Fact was, his addiction had started long ago with Kimble and was now being fed again. He bucked wildly again as Skye exchanged his hands for his mouth and he was blasted with heat and pleasure. "Stop!"

Kristalay's order was ignored. He wanted to fight this more vigorously but was faced with two facts, he wasn't going to break free and had no desire to cause his new Master to bite him. With no healing factor he could safely rely on, that was one injury he didn't want to suffer. When he began to give up, the pleasure caught up with him and he fell into the game. If he closed his eyes, he could pretend it was someone else pleasuring him, Kimble perhaps.

That fantasy didn't last. Skye wasn't about to finish him like this, no he was after a different prize.

Skye shifted position over him and then it was done, he was taken. Here was this man inside of him, unimpeded as if he had had every right to be there. As if his protests had meant nothing. There was a burst of bright white pain, like he was being split open and then the Kundatesh came on him strong, just as it had when Skye had mounted him as a woman. He thrashed and fought, but when he saw it did him no good, lay his head back and let silent tears fall from his eyes, his spirit broken.

"Just relax now, Kristalay," Skye soothed, petting him gently. "Let Skye loves ya."

Kristalay said nothing but turned his head away. Weapon X had taken his mind, battered his psyche and he had lived. He would live through this as well and then he would fight, yes. He would tear Skye to shreds. It would happen. He would get through this and it would happen.

Skye sensed his words would not be heard. He moved his body gently now, doing his best to pleasure the man below him. He needed to feel Kristalay finish, he wanted to feed off of his pleasure. It was his plasma, his food, the only thing that gave him any pleasure in the nightmare that was his life. It would make the healing happen and make Kristalay ever more his servant. His slave however, was resisting.

Skye reached out with his hands, smoothing them over Kristalay's hardened belly and sending ripples of Kundatesh through him. There was no mistaking Kristalay's body's desire for this, it was responsive to Skye's touch, but his mind was closed. It had been this way with Famayalin, too, at first. So very stubborn, so very strong after the changing, after his work had been completed. So it would be with this one as well.

Skye used his power to its fullest, sprinkling Morrowhiem from his hands now, using it break down the last of Kristalay's barriers. Like his Lushna-esk kin, Skye was no slouch with his powers and not afraid to use every tool in his arsenal. He saw what he needed and gentled his touch, his rhythm, making it love. He spoke not with his mouth, but with his power. / I loves ya, my Kristalay. This is how the healing is done. Gives yerself ta me, I will loves ya like no other. They left ya, rejected ya, but I never will. /

Kristalay whimpered, not wanting to give in but he was being assaulted from all sides. As good as the Kundatesh alone was, the Morrowhiem was even more powerful and addictive. Skye was an expert at what he did, he was bringing Kristalay's body to a finish, making him feel more pleasure than Kimble had ever done. Worse than that was that voice, the one that appealed to his hurt side, to tiny little Victor who had only ever wanted love and acceptance but had never found it. Even Kimble had made a choice, a choice that left him behind.

Kristalay let out a tortured gasp and was done, his body giving out under the strain. Impossible that he should cum from this, from being raped and victimized like this, but it had happened. As before, Skye finished not even a minute after, satisfied now with his partial victory. Kristalay grunted as he was slammed with Skye's rush and convulsed, shivering hard before falling away into the black.

Skye was tripping. Kristalay was stronger now and he could almost see the healing happen, it appeared to him that Kristalay's skin was shimmering, the scars were like tiny gossamer birds that rose and flew away, never to return. His shine was so bright now, so easy to get lost in it. What a glorious find this one had been. Of course he had dreamed it, he knew most of what the future held for him, just as he knew Kristalay would break. He would become Kristalay and be his champion. Together, Kristalay and Famayalin, his beloved lions, would lay waste to that traitor Jael and the war would end, this world would not be destroyed. All the pieces were in place, it wouldn't be long now. Jael would fall.

To be continued in The Calm Before the Storm