The Second Covenant

I stood in front of the mirror, looking at myself, at a stranger. The wine red gown hugged my body, the corset having accentuated the slender curve of my figure, my nipped in waist, pushing my breasts up impressively. With my dark hair swept up off my neck, a few long curls trailing down my throat, I felt absolutely beautiful. Tonight was the town Halloween Ball, the adult party, and we had to go because my dad and my uncles were major land owners.
But I loved going, it just meant I got to wear another costume.

And when I came down the stairs my dad turned and looked up at me with a round, owlish expression, I had to keep a smug grin from my face. “What? Something wrong?” I turned, looking down, trying to fake some self-consciousness. “No, no nothings wrong honey. You look fantastic.” I smiled at him and kissed his cheek. “So do you.” He sighed heavily, a put upon expression on his face. “I hate being Captain Hook.” But dressed in his scarlet velvet coat, like a pirate he was gorgeous. “’You’re lucky she takes pity on you and doesn’t make you be Peter Pan. Where’s Wendy?”
“Right here.” My mom came down the stairs after me, wearing a lovely, pale blue silk gown, diamonds at her throat and ears. “Nice mom.”

The front door was flung open dramatically and moments later, my dates came striding through the doors. My hands clapped over my mouth to stem the laughter; Riley came sweeping in first, wearing white silk knee breeches, a gold brocade waistcoat and matching coat, a frilly white cravat at his throat with a diamond stickpin. A Revolution period costume, right down to the buckled shoes and the thin rapier at his hip. He swept off his hat and bowed low, moving to the side for Tristan.

Tristan wore a yellow gold waistcoat, creamy colored silk knee breeches and a blue coat with gold braiding and brass buttons. He’d foregone the heeled shoes, and was wearing knee high boots. He had no hat, but bowed with a wink.

Peyton appeared next and I wasn’t at all disappointed. He was in black. All black, from the silk of his breeches, to his frilly cravat, to his black thigh length coat, save for the gold embroidery on all the seams of his coat, at the wide cuffs and on his waistcoat. He’d swept his long hair back into a pony tail, held back with a velvet ribbon, it accentuated how high his cheekbones were, Auntie Kate’s little contribution, and the heated honey of his eyes.

He looked stunning and I could barely keep from gaping at them. “What…oh my god.” I said on a laugh. “Who are you supposed to be?” Riley swanked up to me and took my hand to kiss my knuckles. “I am King Louis.” I snorted. “Which one?” he blinked. “There was more than one?” Tristan rolled his eyes. “Try fourteen. He’s got some chick in town playing his Marie Antoinette.” I laughed. “Nice Riley. Who are you Tristan?”
“Byron.” I nodded seriously. “Very Original. Peyton?” He pulled a mask from behind his back. “Guy Fawkes.”
“So historical, where’s your date?” His cheeks turned a little pink. “We’re meeting at the Ball.” Tristan nodded. “Lord Byron never has just one date.” I laughed at him. “I see, you don’t have one either. And where is the rest of our squad?” My mom and dad came sailing by, arm in arm and so very obviously in love. “Meeting us there.”
“Who’s your date?” Riley said, poking me in the ribs playfully. “That barbarian sized dude?”

I glowered at him playfully and stood up with all the regal air I had. “I’m going Doe.” Peyton laughed. “Stag sweetheart, going Stag.” I snapped open my fan and fluttered it coyly. “Stag is for guys, I am a lady therefore I am going Doe.” I lifted my chin haughtily before gliding out the door and into the night. I heard my father laughing his butt off as the trio of ponces came after me.

The four of us piled into Tristan’s range rover, my parents in Dad’s Mercedes, and I discovered that wearing a corset wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. I could sit, but ramrod strait, no slouching. “Relax Cherish, it’s a half hour drive to get there.” Tristan said and I wrinkled my nose at him. “I am relaxed.” Riley leaned over and wrapped his long arms around the back of my seat. “Then why are you sitting like that?” I lifted my brow at him saucily. “You ever wear a corset?”
“No.” He said it like I’d offended his manhood. Guys, sheesh. “I can’t slouch because of the corset, mom laced it up nice and tight, said something about a…” Nope, not going to say corset orgasm to these guys. “A what Cherish?” Peyton drawled, elegantly lounging in the back seat as much as possible. “Never mind, it’s just hard to slouch, that’s all.”

Tristan started up the car and looked sideways at me. “Maybe you should loosen it up a little.” He was frowning at my boobs. I wanted to roar with laughter at how hard he was trying not to ogle. “Why?” I said, all innocence. He blushed and squirmed as he started to drive. “Because, you could sit a cat on those things.”

Peyton sat forward to check out ‘those things’ and frowned hard. “He’s right, lean forward and I’ll loosen it.” The command in his voice, along with the deeper tone set off shivers down my spine. “I like it.” Riley said, blatantly looking at my rather impressive cleavage, if I do say so myself. I’m about a B and a half so cleavage for me is a wonderful thing. I snorted and sat as far back in my seat as I could. “You three are acting like you never noticed I was a girl before. One with breasts. It’s supposed to look like that.”

The rest of the drive was spent arguing over the radio station. Joy. But when we got there, pulled up in front of the warehouse district of town. So many people came to this event that we had one whole warehouse that was always empty during the rest of the year for parties. I was excited. Bouncing in my seat excited. I loved the Ball. Most everyone dressed up to the nines. No slutty costumes here, or bitches pouring drinks down other peoples fronts. It was a Ball, almost like what I imagined a London ball might have been, back in the day, at the height of the Season.

Tristan put my hand through his arm, my fingertips resting on his elbow. In such an imitation of Druex I had a moment where my cheeks turned pink. “Oh look Peyton, there’s Trixi.” Riley drawled and I watched a bleach blonde bombshell sashay over to Peyton. “Trixi?” I hissed in Tristan’s ear, trying not to laugh. He sniggered and nodded. “Ask Riley what his date’s name is.” I did. Candy. Not short for Candace. Just Candy. “I’m going to pass out if I try not to laugh any more.” I whispered to Tristan as we walked to the entrance. He nodded and pretended to whisper something in my ear. “Go ahead. I did.” I bust up and had to lean on him for support. I laughed so hard my face hurt.

Riley was swanking around with his date, proud as could be, but Peyton looked a bit embarrassed. Trixi. Ha! Tristan left me to go find his mom and I wandered around, looking at all the neat costumes. “And who are you tonight?” The voice in my ear made me whirl. “Druex, you startled me.” He grinned and I got a good look at him. He was wearing a claret red, thigh length velvet coat that very nearly matched the color of my dress, with gold braiding along the lapels, around the wide cuffs. He had a snowy white shirt on, a froth of lace at his throat and a gold brocade waistcoat. “Sorry.” He didn’t look sorry.

He had a tri cornered hat in his hand, his hair pulled back at his nape. I looked down at his black trousers, at the buttery soft looking leather boots that came up to mid thigh. His lashes lowered in that wicked look and if I could have breathed properly, I might have stood a chance at not blushing so hard.

I snapped my fan open and started to try and get some cooler air on my face. “So um…who are you supposed to be?” He licked his lips and looked at mine. “The Highway Man. ” I fanned faster, feeling like the air around us was beginning to thicken, spark maybe. “One kiss me bonny sweetheart...” I sang softly, I loved that poem, loved the song by Lorrenna McKennitt more. He laughed softly and sang back in a beautiful tenor. “I’m after a prize tonight.” He lifted my bare fingers to his lips for a kiss and I melted, managed a nod, swallowing thickly. “You better be careful, might make the old ladies faint, have a heart attack, a fatal…something. Wow.”

His grin made my head spin. I had to say something witty, quick.
“Not that I mind, but why is it, you happen to be everywhere I am?” his grin deepened. “I’m just that lucky.” I let both my brows raise and my heart rate began to slow a little. “Nice line.” He rolled his eyes. “I own the new bar in town.”

And if you were a business owner it was pretty much expected that you go to all the town gatherings. “You don’t look old enough to own a bar.” I said and he laughed, that full throated, attract women like flies to honey, laugh. “Is there an age limit?” He asked finally. “No, I just meant…hell.” I muttered and got another chuckle out of him. “My mother left me a rather large inheritance, to do with what I pleased.” Wow, personal details. Awesome. “Come walk around, I’ll introduce you to some good ‘ol snobby people.”
I took his arm and we strolled. “You never told me who you’re supposed to be.” He said, leaning down to whisper it in my ear.

If someone had told me, my ear was an erogenous zone, I might have laughed. But his breath across my ear made my body ache, dampen and swell with need. “I didn’t have a specific person in mind. I just like the dress.” He nodded and I saw his eyes sweep me from head to toe, lingering briefly on my breasts before lifting to my eyes. Brownie points for him for not ogling. “The dress likes you too. Are you okay? You look kind of pale.”
Did I? I was really hot, to hot. “I think my mom laced my corset to tight.”

Now that I thought about it, I was feeling a bit light headed. Druex took my elbow and looked down at me with real worry. “Where is your mom?” I looked around the room, trying to focus. “See the guy in the red velvet coat?” Druex looked. “Captain Hook?” I nodded. “Yeah, my dad. If he’s there my mom isn’t far away. She’s wearing a blue dress.”
“Cherish?” Riley, thank god. “What’s wrong?” He demanded, looking from me to Druex. “Corsets to tight I think, go get my mom please?” I said breathlessly. “The hell with that, Riley you come with me.”

Druex swept me up in his arms and walked out the side door, Riley close behind. Druex put me down and put my hands on Riley’s shoulders. “Hold on to him sweetheart.” He unzipped the back of my dress and deftly unlaced the corset. While it felt amazing, just like mom said, a corset orgasm, it really was almost orgasmic.

Now that we were outside, I knew that it hadn’t been the corset at all. As Druex zipped me back up, I looked at Riley, my eyes gone black and his own widened. “What?” I wanted to say get the others, but a cold lash of air touched us and he stiffened. “Is that better Cherish?” Druex asked me and turned me around. I closed my eyes and pulled back my power before looking up at Druex. “Yeah.” He took my chin in his fingers and tilted my face up. “You’re eyes.”

His lips quirked in a lop sided smirk, fuck. “They were brown before. Now they’re purple.” I laughed in relief. “Contacts before. Can we go back inside? It’s really cold out here.” He nodded and took my hand, I looked over my shoulder, searching the night and saw Riley doing the same. Whatever was out there was getting more bold, coming closer to us. Inside, in the lights we were safe and as soon as the three of us stepped into the warehouse, my family, en-masse descended on us.

They were smiling, but it was that fake, I’m really worried and angry smile. “Cherish, Riley there you are.” Uncle Tyler said. “Who’s this?” My mom was looking curiously at Druex, so was my dad. “Oh um, Druex these are my parents, Caleb and Sarah. My uncle Tyler and his wife Lisa, Uncle Reid and Paige, and Uncle Pogue and his wife Kate. Family this is Druex, he’s my friend. We met the other day at the Pharmacy, he came to my rescue with Taylor.” I patted Druex’s huge bicep and smiled at him. “Threatened to snap him in half.”

The moms all smiled welcomingly. “Nice to meet you.” Aunt Paige said. “Isn’t the Highway Man supposed to be masked?” Druex gave her a half bow. “Not tonight, it’s very nice to meet all of you.” My dad’s smile was less fatherly and more friendly, but not by much. “Were you all out on the deck?” He asked me and I nodded, putting my hand on my ribs. “Yeah, mom you laced my corset a bit to tight, Riley and Druex took me outside to fix it so I could breathe.” She apologized and we began to move in a rather large huddle, farther inside the room. “Riley, where’d you leave your date?” his mother asked and King Louis Blushed. “She went to the bathroom.”

Tristan walked up and grinned at Druex. “Hey man, no stealing my date.” I rolled my eyes at Tristan and slipped my arm through Druex’s. “I’m ditching you for him. He’s cuter than you.” Tristan clutched his chest and whimpered. “You cruel, cruel woman.” I smiled and nodded. “I saw Therese around here earlier.” Tristan’s eyes lit up, he had a crush on the Mayor’s brunette grand daughter. “Behave.” His mother warned him and Tristan waved as he went off on the hunt for Therese.

“How was the air outside?” Uncle Tyler asked pointedly and I smiled, letting my eyes flash black for just a second. “Really cold.” His look became shuttered but he nodded. “To bad.” Yeah, yeah it was. Damn.