Changed Redux Pt. 03

"I love you to." Mary said, then added. "And I also love this."

Julia looked up in time to see Mary snap her finger. She had just enough time to suck in a breath before pleasure exploded through her veins.

* * *

Part Four ~ The Fight

"Oh, hi girls." Lucia Toscani said as she opened the door and stepped back, gesturing for them to enter.

"Hi Missus Toscani." Julia said entering the large, and in Julia's opinion, very gaudily decorated, entryway. Julia had seen on her previous visits here that white marble and gold leaf reigned supreme in the Toscani house. Definitely not her style of decorating but then again it wasn't her house. "Cass upstairs?"

"Yes." Lucia Toscani said as she closed the door. "Her friend Jennifer is up there too."

Julia shared a sidelong glance at Mary who raised her eyebrows questioningly. Julia nodded imperceptibly. Yes, Jennifer was Cassandra's girlfriend.

"Thanks." As she turned for the stairs, she caught Mary's eyes lingering on Missus Toscani for a few second and she turned to look again for herself.

About as tall as Mary with thick, raven black hair and dark eyes, Lucia Toscani cut quite a figure for a mom regardless of her age, which in truth wasn't really that old anyway. Dressed in tight jeans and a tight, low cut vee neck shirt, she was more than a little appealing and Mary had clearly noticed.

Julia wondered not for the first time just what that ring had done to Mary's mind when she had put it on and how much more it was continuing to do. The ring had obviously changed her preferences and Julia was eternally thankful to all the ancestors, gods and everyone else for that but it was becoming apparent to her that perhaps the changes were still going on.

She also wondered if perhaps it had something to do with Marcellene, the sorceress that was trapped in the ring and that only Mary could talk with. The idea that there was another woman in Mary's life that had even more intimate contact with her than Julia had, really could ever have, irked her but she didn't see that there was anything she could do about it. And also, the woman didn't have a body, hardly even existed anymore really so it wasn't as if she was going whisk Mary away to Tahiti on her. But still, Julia simmered quietly to herself about the situation. She also wondered just how much influence the sorceress could have or already did have over Mary. The idea that her lover could be holding a conversation with another woman just a few feet away from her without her knowledge was maddening.

Mary had told her that she couldn't talk silently to Marcellene, only listen to her. For Marcellene to 'hear' her thoughts, Mary had to actually speak them out loud but was that completely true? Julia had told herself that if she really trusted Mary, then she had to believe it was, but still the doubt lingered. She sighed and looked to Mary again. When she didn't seem to respond Julia cleared her throat quietly.

Mary jerked as if her mind had been elsewhere and a sudden flash of guilt played over her face. Guilt, along with something else that was gone so fast that if Julia hadn't been looking straight at her she probably would have missed it. Something that Julia had come to know very well over the last few weeks, lust.

Yes, Julia thought to herself, the changes were probably still ongoing. These bouts of lust that Mary was having seemed to be getting more frequent and stronger. For a fleeting moment, she wondered if Mary's feelings for her would end up disappearing as quickly as they had appeared as her lust for other women increased. Julia hoped that Mary's feelings for her went beyond simple lust and in a few months her lover would still feel the same way about her that she did now. Deep in the back of her mind Julia dreaded the idea that Mary's feelings for her were just a fleeting infatuation imposed by the magic and that one day she would move on to another woman, or two, or three... or twenty.

In a sense she already had started moving on with the twins but so far their friendship with the twins seemed to be just that, friendship. Well, that and sex of course, lots and lots of hot sex. But it was both of them together and when it was over, Mary always came back to her alone. That fact gave Julia confidence.

Also the fact that Mary could make her into whatever she wanted meant that she should really never get tired of her and want to move on to another woman. She could just make Julia into that other woman. The idea of being that controlled by another person was more than a little frightening but also a huge turn on for Julia in a way that she thought should have worried her but surprisingly didn't. Whatever Mary wanted her to be, she would be. Her sex twitched and she stifled a little groan.

"You coming?" Julia asked Mary.

"Uh, yeah." Mary said and turned to the stairs.

As she started up, Julia got a look at her face and she saw that Mary's cheeks were flushed bright pink. She wondered if it was embarrassment at getting caught ogling Cassandra's mom or if it was lust for the same reason.

Two hours later the four girls were all hanging out in the TV room in the basement. Cassandra was sitting in one of the big overstuffed chairs while Jennifer tried, so far unsuccessfully, to get her to just go talk to her mother.

"I just can't do it!" Cassandra whined."She'll hate me! She'll never talk to me again! You know how she is!""

"Cass, Sweetie, you have to do this." Said Jennifer from where she sat on the floor near Cassandra's feet, idly toying with an Xbox controller that she hadn't actually used in an hour. "You can't live in secrecy forever, and the longer you do, the worse it's going to be when she finds out."

As Jennifer spoke, Julia let her eyes roam casually over the young woman, She was taller than Julia but not by much. Her dirty blond hair was cut just below her shoulders but was perennially up in a short ponytail. Unlike the slim, athletic Cassandra, Jennifer tended to be thicker and far curvier. She wore a pair of big, dark framed glasses that she referred to as her Nerd Glasses, a designation that was quite appropriate. Jennifer was a hardcore nerd by her own admission. Incredibly intelligent, maybe even more so than the already brilliant Cassandra, Jennifer was two years older than her girlfriend and a sophomore studying computer science at a college in Boston. She was into anime, an avid gamer and loved nothing more than getting dressed up as her favorite characters and dragging the somewhat reluctant Cassandra to comi-con whenever one was within driving distance and sometimes even when it wasn't. Julia wondered not for the first time if the Nerd Glasses were even real or if Jennifer just wore them to enhance the nerdy image that she seemed to revel in.

"She's right Cass." Mary added. "Dragging this out won't make it any better. You're going to have to just get it over with sooner or later. Best to just get it over with."

Julia looked over at Mary and for a moment and despite herself felt a flash of irritation. What did she really know about this after all? She had only been a lesbian for less than a month now and still hadn't told her parents or even her coworkers yet. Julia herself by contrast had kept one foot in the closet for most of her life because of her feelings for this woman, had lived with her own inner turmoil and indecision, had lived with a broken family life and the constant nagging that there was something 'not normal' about who she was. What right did Mary really have to give this girl advice?

Taking a deep breath, Julia made herself stop. It was actually at her request that Mary was here and she was only trying to help after all. And it wasn't her fault that her life, really who she was, had been changed by an outside force beyond her control.

Julia spoke up, "Cass, it's your decision to make because you have to live with it. But if you're serious about your relationship with Jen and who you really are, then you owe it to yourself and to her if you're serious about your relationship with her," she nodded at Jen who smiled a little back at her, "then sooner or later your family will find out. I think you know the longer it takes for that to happen, the worse the response will be and ultimately the less of a chance for real acceptance."

Cass buried her face in her hands for a moment before abruptly sitting up straight. "Ok, I'm doing this." She stood and headed for the stairs.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Jennifer asked.

"I..." she paused then said in a soft voice, "Would you?"

Smiling, Jen stood up and said, "Anything for you Sweets." She took Cassandra's hand and pulled her close for a moment before saying, "It will be ok. We'll handle it together, ok?"

Cass nodded and put her head on Jen's shoulder before saying, "Ok, I'm ready."

Together they headed up the stairs.

A few minutes passed and Julia said, "Well, no screaming yet. Think that's a good sign?"

Mary gave a lopsided smirk, "Give it time. This is not going to go well, trust me."

"What makes you so sure of that?"

Mary shrugged, "Just a feeling from knowing Missus Toscani. I just don't see her being accepting of this. I think she'll start by denying it, saying that Cass is just confused and doesn't know what she's talking about. Then she'll start calling out to God and the Saints and whoever else she can think of so save her daughters twisted soul or something like that." Mary came over and sat down next to Julia on the overstuffed chair. She started running her fingers idly through Julia's hair as she continued, "Eventually, here is the fun part, she will start accusing Jennifer of corrupting her daughter and start calling her names or saying she some kind of corrupt seductress or demon or something ridiculous like that."

Julia looked at Mary, to the stairs then back to Mary. She was uncomfortably aware that Mary's evaluation of the situation was very similar to Cassandra's own prediction of events that she has spelled out over lunch the other day. She asked, "You really think that's what will happen?"

Just as Julia finished speaking, a loud cry echoed down the stairs and muffled yelling could be heard.

"Yup."

After a couple minutes of almost not stop yelling, Julia said cautiously, "Think we should go up there?" This wasn't at all how she envisioned this evening going. She thought Cassandra's mom would be upset but if it started getting a little more heated she figured Mary could calm things down easily enough. But the yelling she could hear upstairs was already far beyond what she had envisioned and Mary so far showed no inclination of stepping in to take control of the situation.

"Yeah, but just to the top of the stairs so we can hear better. Stay out of sight." They climbed to the top of the stairs and paused there at the half open door, listening.

It quickly became apparent that Mary's dire predictions of Missus Toscani's reaction were if anything, actually underrated. She was yelling and lamenting in a strange mix of English and Italian with random appeals to the Saints and curses splattering off the walls seemingly at random.

A few minutes passed with the yelling, mostly from Missus Toscani, getting only louder. Cassandra's voice became more and more desperate sounding as the minutes passed and was eventually reduced to sobbing cries. Jennifer tried to interject calmly a few times but was shouted down.

Mary sighed, "I had hoped it might work itself out but it's not looking good."

Eventually a clear, "You're not even my daughter anymore! Get out!" echoed through the house immediately followed by a cry of anguish from Cassandra.

"Ok, that's enough." Mary said and headed towards the yelling.

Steeling her nerve, Julia headed after her, fervently wishing she had thought this whole idea through better before getting involved. She walked into the living room to find Cassandra sitting on the couch sobbing with Jennifer at her side trying to console her and get her moving towards the door. Lucia Toscani was standing on the opposite side of the room, face heated, hands on hips and glaring daggers at the girls.

"What the hell is going on in here?" Mary demanded upon entering. "Cass, are you alright?"

"This is none of your concern! You need to leave now." Lucia bit out sharply. She turned back to the girls on the couch. "Actually you all need to go, now! This is my home and I will not have your taint here. Out!"

"Our 'taint'? Jennifer bit out. "Are we contaminated? Is your own daughter?"

"Yes, no doubt because of you!' Lucia snarled back, her Italian accent becoming thicker with her temper.

"No Mom! It's not like that! She didn't come after me. I asked her!"

Throwing her hands up Lucia exclaimed, "How could you go against your whole upbringing? Everything you learned? And you become..." she shook her head in disgust, "...this." Her lip curled and she snarled, "You are not my daughter."

Cassandra cried and began sobbing again and Jennifer once again tried to comfort her as she said, "How can you do this to your own daughter?"

Lucia was just starting to reply when Mary said firmly, "Enough!"

There was a solid thump to the air and everything in the room seemed to shiver for a moment before everything went deathly still. Everyone in the room just stared at Mary expectantly, waiting for her to continue.

Julia sat quietly waiting as well, wondering just what Mary had done. She had obviously used her magic but on who? Lucia most likely but what had she done to her? Just made her be quiet? Frozen her? What?

"That's better." Mary said, moving over to one of the big, overstuffed arm chairs and sitting down. "Now then, Jennifer, your girlfriend is very upset. Why don't you get a couple kleenex and wipe away those tears and console her a little. We will wait."

Looking a little confused, Jennifer did as was requested and helped Cassandra get cleaned up a little, talking softly to her the whole time.

Julia saw Mary look ove at her with one raised eyebrow as she gestured to the wide arm of the chair she was seated in. Julia understood and sat down on the arm next to her lover, feeling a little like steward attending her Queen, seated right at her hand, ready to do her bidding. Or maybe a jester was a more appropriate analogy, ready to dance at the snap of a finger.

Mary allowed a couple minutes to pass as Jennifer did her best to help out her girlfriend while Lucia just stood there, looking angry but resigned to waiting. The whole time she hardly moves and didn't say a word other than to huff indignantly when Jennifer pushed Cassandra's hair aside and placed a small kiss on her forehead.

"You don't like that display of affection, Lucia?" Mary asked.

"It's disgusting." Lucia said, wrinkling her small nose.

"Really?" Mary asked causally. "Well, then what about this?"

The air shimmered.

On the couch, Jennifer tipped Cassandra's head up and looked deep into her blue eyes for a minute before bending down to giver her a long, passionate but tender kiss.

Julia looked to Lucia, expecting to see her turning away or about to make some demand that they stop but rather she just stood there, that sneer of derision still plastered on her face. Julia didn't think she would remain standing there on her own like that so obviously Mary had compelled her to remain and watch. Julia began to wonder what else Mary might have done with those flashes of power.

"Is this more to your liking Lucia?" Mary asked, her voice matching Lucia's deeply condescending tone almost perfectly.

"I can't even believe I'm watching this." She hissed.

"You say that but yet you're still watching." Mary said and Julia saw a smile spread on her lips.

Lucia Toscani only huffed in response.

On the couch Cass and Jen were now kissing more deeply and enthusiastically. Jennifer brought up a hand to Cassandra's back and pulled them closer. Cass responded by putting both her hands in Jennifer's hair and pulling them the rest of the way so that their bodies intertwined. Cass moved into Jennifer's lap as her lover's hands started to wander freely over her body.

Obviously for Cass and Jen to be displaying their passion so freely and openly in front of all of them just a few moments after a screaming match Mary must have compelled them in some way with her magic. As she watched the scene that was getting hotter by the second she began wondering how far they would go and just what Mary was planning. She felt her nipples stiffen and her sex twitch just thinking about it. Squeezing her thighs together, she felt a delicious flush of heat from her core and she stifled a little sigh. Placing a hand on Mary's shoulder she began to work her fingers under the collar of the shirt, just needing to feel the heat of her lover's skin.

Mary turned at her touch and smiled up at her. It was a small, familiar kind of smile that made Julia's heart ache. So much meaning was carried through that little glance that Julia almost cried. In that instant of time all her feelings were instantly reaffirmed and her worries melted away. Mary did love her, she was sure, it was written deep in her eyes.

The smile took on a little twist as her eyes rolled to Lucia for an instant and back. When she looked at Julia again one eyebrow quirked up and the look became even more grimly amused. The meaning was clear. Time to play.

"So Missus Toscani, what do you think of your daughter now?" Mary said a little too loudly.

"I...it's hard to watch." Lucia said but Julia noted the slight hesitation at first. She also thought that a little of the vehemence had left the woman's voice.

Julia couldn't resist, she wanted to get in on the game as well. She said, "But you're still watching for some reason. Why is that?"

"I... " She started but didn't answer, only went on looking.

Julia could practically hear Mary grinning next to her as she continued, "I wonder if you secretly like this Missus Toscani. Maybe you find you're actually enjoying this a little? Could that be the reason?"

"No! I just..." She seemed confused and stammered, "I just... I can't..."

A gasp from Cassandra drew Julia's attention away and she turned to see that Jennifer was working on the side of Cassandra's neck while her hands had made their way up under her shirt, fondling her small breasts, much to the apparent delight of the younger Toscani.

"It looks as if your daughter is enjoying herself over there. Wouldn't you say? Mary asked.

"I..." Lucia trailed off, still watching.

"Answer me." Mary said with more than a hint of steel in her voice.

Even though it wasn't directed at her, that strong, commanding voice tone coming from her Mistress instantly sent a jolt of pleasure lancing through Julia and she felt herself slipping automatically into her submissive role. Her eyes slid closed for an instant as she savored the the new flush of heat and wetness between her thighs.

"Yes, she is." Lucia said, her voice quavering slightly.

Julia looked down to see a smile spread on Mary's lips again as she said, "You know, I think you're right. She looks like she is having fun. Both of them actually. But you know what," she said, her voice becoming more exaggerated almost as if she was talking to a child, "I think they could have even more fun. What do you think Julia?"

"Of course they could. I think they are really only just getting warmed up right now." Julia said as she ran her fingers through Mary's hair.

Mary raised her voice a little, "Hear that girls? You need to have a little more fun."

Neither girl acknowledged the statement verbally but their reaction was obvious. Jennifer immediately removed Cassandra's shirt exposing a bright blue bra and moved her lips from her neck to the tops of her breasts. Cassandra's hands went from Jennifer's hair to her own breasts, cupping them and lifting them as if offering them to her lover. After a minute, Cass sat back away from Jenn and unhooked her bra, letting it drop to the floor.