The Horsemen: Alexander
Marteeka Karland


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Copyright ©2007 Marteeka Karland


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 ISBN: 978-1-59596-630-8
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Editor: Katriena Knights
Cover Artist: Reneé George

  



  

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 The Horsemen: Alexander

 Marteeka Karland

  

 He is Alexander the Great. And he has come to conquer.

  

 Alex Megas, formerly Alexander the Great, is the First Horseman of the Apocalypse. His destiny is to unite the world under one banner… before he blows it all to hell. With his best friend and lover, Heston, at his side, there has been nothing he can’t do.

  

 Madeea is a hypersensitive empath trapped in New York City. She has tried to leave numerous times, but something always held her back. A sense of some greater purpose. When she finds Alex, she’s surprised to find she can pick up more from him than just strong emotion. Unable to leave, not sure Alex and Heston will allow her to stay with them, she agrees to aid them with negations that will decide the fate of civilization.

  

 The attraction among the three is undeniable, but Madeea knows she can never be a part of the deep, abiding love shared by the two men. Besides, when they complete their mission, they’ll go to Paradise and claim their reward while she’s left behind to deal with the hellish aftermath and the coming of the other Horsemen.

  

 But even in the wake of the White Horse, there is still hope.

  

  

  

 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

 -- Revelation 6:1-2 (KJV).

  

  

  

 Chapter One

  

 Life was a bitch. Death, even worse. He had been cut down in the prime of his life, at his moment of greatness, but he had learned many lessons. In his time he had been known as Alexander the Great. Now he was simply Alex Megas -- same meaning, but the man himself was different from what he had been when he was alive the first time. Now Alex conquered with words. Diplomacy was the weapon of the day.

 He hated it. A people shouldn’t be conquered without ever striking sword against sword. The only reason he was doing this was because he felt like he had been cheated out of a life that should have been his. This was his chance to truly conquer the world.

 Purgatory had been a kind of hell all its own. Fortunately, it had also prepared him for what was to come. He had watched as every event unfolded in every part of the world. The opportunities missed made his skin crawl. The whole planet could have been under one rule. Many times over. Everyone could have benefited. So-called “third world” countries could have been eliminated, and no one would have had to live in poverty.

 Instead, here he was. Uniting the world under one banner, only to watch it fall into death. He had learned the same thing had happened many times throughout time. No one would survive this. Including him.

 Thank the gods. When it was all over, this would not be a world he wanted to live in.

 Alex looked in the mirror and straightened his blood red tie. The navy blue Armani suit pants felt good against his skin, as did the silk of his shirt. He had always had fine garments, but this was better than anything he’d ever conceived at the time. At least he’d go out in style.

 As newly appointed chief diplomat for the United States, Alex had quickly proven to be superior at getting the U.S. what she needed. What the president didn’t know was that the stand down of arms, the ban on nuclear arms, and even control of the world’s food supply and shipping routes -- all of it was a ruse. Arrangements had been made with key people within each government to give control of all those things to Alex personally. Alex then passed everything to Vlad. The Horseman of Death. Alone among all the people Alex had met or seen after his death, Vlad terrified him. For Alexander the Great, that was saying something.

 He had a meeting with a Japanese scientist in an hour. When it was over, he hoped to have a super weapon that would change the face of civilization. A difficult task, but Alex was confident he could accomplish it. The woman’s government either didn’t realize the potential of such a weapon, or didn’t think it would actually work. The bottom line was they didn’t want to pay the price she was asking. He, on the other hand, was authorized to pay whatever she asked.

 Once this was complete, he’d turn to the Middle East. With any luck, the majority of those negotiations could be accomplished in New York, and the most prominent terrorists in the world and all their networks would be in hand and ready for public execution by then. With any luck. If not, he’d get a pleasant detour. At this point, he was more than ready for a real battle.

 With one last look at his reflection, Alex brushed a few dark curls from his forehead and from where they had caught underneath his collar when he’d dressed. Picking up his alligator skin briefcase, he checked the time on his Rolex and opened the door into the hallway. He took the elevator to the lobby and stepped out the front door to the black stretch limo waiting in the street. He ducked his tall, muscular frame into the outrageously luxurious automobile. As the driver closed the door, something caught his attention.

 A slim, feminine figure dressed in a dirty gray coat darted from the alley beside his hotel. As she ran down the sidewalk in his direction, her appearance was what caught his attention. The girl was covered in dirt and grime from head to toe. Long, dirty, blonde hair hung halfway down her back in a mass of tangles. The stocking hat on her head was just as filthy as the rest of her, but her facial features were striking. High cheekbones, wide blue eyes, and a straight aristocratic nose spoke of an elegant beauty waiting to expose itself. She reminded Alex of the goddesses of his people in his time. Truly, she was not unlike Aphrodite herself.

 Well, except for all the filth. That alone made her stick out in this part of town. The street people were never allowed near the hotels and shops.

 His driver trotted around the limo to the driver’s seat, and Alex couldn’t seem to take his eyes off the curious creature. She somehow managed to cross the sidewalk to his limo without being stopped by the doorman and was now staring into his open window. Her eyes narrowed as she studied him, but when she leaned down and opened her mouth to speak, the limo lurched forward and she was left behind. Had he not been afraid he’d be late, he would have insisted the driver stop, but his plan involved him arriving first so he could set up the room the way he wanted. He had to be in the position of authority. No round table for this meeting. Everyone in the room had to know he was in control.

 He had to be in control of himself and not thinking about a street urchin.

 Still, he couldn’t help looking back. He wasn’t sure what he expected, but he thought she’d at least be standing there watching him drive off. But she was nowhere in sight. She’d vanished. Into thin air.

 * * *

 Madeea’s breath came in ragged gasps as she rounded the corner back into the alleyway she’d been drawn out of. The man’s essence had pulled her out of hiding, but now that he was gone, the noise of so many minds bombarded her like the screaming engines of a thousand jets at takeoff. The noise inside her head threatened to make her brain ooze out her ears like so much liquid mush, and she staggered back to her safe place in this part of New York.

 Down the alley, around the corner to the next one. One more alley, three more turns and down eight steps to a vacant basement apartment entrance, where she sat on the ground with her back to the wet concrete. Tucking her knees under her chin, she placed her hands over her ears and rocked back and forth, humming a steady monotone.

 A long time ago, in this very spot, a woman had sought shelter as she gave birth to a baby boy. She was on her way home from work when the pain started. Unable to think straight, she’d panicked and tried to walk to the hospital, only to run out of time. She’d had her baby here, with the help of a police officer who’d heard her cries and screams. The baby was born, and the officer had taken her to the hospital. The psychic signature was laced liberally with pain and fear, but also with love and an understanding that all the discomfort -- physical and mental -- was worth it to see the face of the child she had carried inside her for so many months. The overwhelming emotion of love embedded within this place filtered everything else and allowed Madeea a respite from the emotions teeming within this great city.

 It took several minutes for her to regain her composure, but when she could think again, she contemplated the man and why she’d been drawn to him. Violence swirled around him, but also goodness, ambition, love, and a driving need to be the most powerful man in the world. Such conflicting emotions and personality traits were a rarity in Madeea’s experience, and those who exhibited them were usually destined for greatness. Still, that wasn’t why she’d left her safe haven.

 There was something about him, something that dampened all the emotions around her and allowed her to sense only him when she was near. He was like her portable safe haven.

 The first time she’d noticed him, and discovered his effect on her, she’d been sitting tucked inside the alley across from his hotel. Something had drawn -- no, pushed -- her there hours before and she was nursing a killer headache from all the people around her. He had exited that same limo and as he approached, her pain, as well as the bombardment of so many minds around her, lessened tremendously. She had been confused at first, stepping from the indention in the building’s wall where she had sheltered. She still huddled there, but her mind and eyes were keen and on alert for the source of her salvation. To Madeea, it seemed like a light from the heavens itself shone on his dark, curly head. There had been absolutely no doubt whatsoever that he was responsible for her relief, and, more importantly, the reason she had never left this city and its mass of people.

 When he had disappeared inside the hotel, all the emotions he had sheltered her from came crashing down on her with the force of an atomic bomb. That was when she’d found a haven behind his hotel.

 And there she had remained. She wouldn’t remain there much longer, though. Tonight she planned to get closer. If at all possible, she planned on sleeping in the same room with him. She’d be his silent shadow. He’d never know she was there. Why was it worth the risk? Because she had tried to leave this city and all the strife for someplace peaceful, someplace where she could be alone. Someplace where millions of minds didn’t fight for entrance into her own. Every time she tried to leave, something pulled her back, an overwhelming sense she had a greater purpose in New York, and she had never been able to force herself to go.

 She had never liked being around people. Her parents had somehow sensed that -- or maybe they had the same gifts she did -- and sheltered her in peaceful surroundings. That all came to an end when they were killed in a car crash when Madeea was only ten. She had been shuffled from one foster home to another only to run away time after time. Her parents had acted as a barrier for her. When they were removed, the emotions of everyone around her overwhelmed her at the best of times. At the worst, the pain in her head was so intense, she wanted to die before enduring another second.

 Slowly, but steadily, she had migrated from her home in Iowa to the great city of New York. Oh, she had fought against it. Hard. But something always pulled and pushed her in that direction. She wasn’t sure exactly what she had to do, but finding this man she had been trailing had been a blessing. She couldn’t shake the thought that whatever reason she had to stay in New York stemmed from this man. At the moment, however, the only thing that mattered to her was getting a good night’s sleep. She’d deal with her destiny later.

 Her man was staying in the Royal Suite at the Imperial Hotel. Very difficult to get into, especially given her current state of dress and personal hygiene. She was disgusted with herself for being in this condition, but she hadn’t left this area in almost two weeks. The garbage in this part of town always held good leavings, so food wasn’t a problem, and she’d only left for very short periods of time to relieve herself. She had been afraid he’d leave without her knowing it, so she’d kept a persistent watch. Until she’d figured out how to get inside, she’d needed a place to wait. She’d found a little place in Central Park that wasn’t too bad. It wasn’t quite comfortable, but she should be able to concentrate on her next move. She didn’t intend to let this man leave New York without her. She had a feeling he held as many questions as answers for her, but she didn’t feel like she had a choice. She was never one to run from destiny.

 Besides, she was a firm believer that destiny always caught up with you sooner or later. Why postpone the inevitable?

 Many things would have to happen if she were going to get into that hotel. The first of which was a bath and a change of clothes. Focusing inward and drawing on all the mental strength she had left, she set blocks between her mind and the outside world as best as she could. They never held for long, but maybe she could hold them long enough to make herself presentable. After that, well, she’d play it by ear. She would find a way inside, and from there into her man’s room. That was where she would remain. He would return, and she’d be waiting for him. Then she would follow him. She would find a way to follow him no matter where he went. Her sanity depended on it.

  

  

  

 Chapter Two

  

 Satisfaction. The immense feeling of accomplishment was almost as great as it had been after the victory at Issus. It wasn’t so much the end result, but the challenge of acquiring his newest prize. This weapon would truly put the world on an even field. No nation would have an advantage over any other unless it was in numbers. This was the weapon that would complete his mission here.

 And one Alex didn’t want to use. Funny how he could feel such elation and dread at the same time.

 The negotiations had taken three days of sun up to sun down talks. The rest of his time had been spent at the hotel planning his strategy and anticipating the next move made by Yuka, the Japanese scientist. He’d say one thing for her -- she definitely knew what she was doing. She intended to get every cent she could out of her invention and knew precisely what it was worth. Alex thought she was preparing for what she knew would happen once she let the weapon out of her possession. She’d be smart to do so at any rate.

 Well, he had it now. Tomorrow, he’d arrange payment and pick up the item. It would be in his possession. He would use it when the time was right, no matter what he wanted. That was his job. Tired, satisfied, but still edgy -- he always was until the final parting handshake -- Alex entered the grand lobby of the Imperial and headed to the elevator. He couldn’t help but look for the woman he had seen earlier, but with no luck. She was gone.

 Behind him, his personal assistant fumbled with her purse. He tried to ignore her, but the woman was starting to make him look bad. He was cool, collected, and strictly professional. He expected those working closely with him to be the same.

 As they reached the elevator, Alex knew he had to say something. Katherine was muttering to herself and digging in her handbag, which she had wide open. She looked like she was seriously considering sticking her head inside to look around.

 “Katherine, if you would be so good as to get your head out of your bag and join me, I need to make some final arrangements.”

 “Do you have the key?” She didn’t look up from her bag and kept digging.

 A muscle twitched in Alex’s cheek. “You’ve lost the key?”

 “It was in my pocket, but I must have put it in here.” She was referring to her purse. “I’ll find it.”

 “Well, find it now.” Alex knew his voice held an edge to it. “I have several things I have to accomplish tonight before I can rest.”

 When the elevator door slid open and the attendant smiled politely at them, Katherine was still digging into her bag.

 “What floor, sir?”

 “The Royal Suite.” He didn’t look at Katherine, but turned his head slightly to indicate her. “If my assistant can find the key.”

 “I know it’s here somewhere, sir.”

 “Just get another one, Katherine. Now.”

 “Shall I wait for you, sir?” It was late and there were very few people moving about the hotel.

 “Please. She shouldn’t be long.”

 Alex was annoyed. He didn’t like even minute changes in his own schedule. He had to be so flexible in his job that his personal time was the only structured time he had, and it was treasured. Knowing what he would do from hour to hour was necessary to keep his sanity. This delay made him grind his teeth. When Katherine returned, he refused to acknowledge or even look at her. He simply stepped onto the elevator.

 Katherine stepped off first, when they arrived, and hurried to the door. She had it open so quickly, he didn’t have to break his stride when he entered the insanely luxurious room.

 And he didn’t. He simply said, “You’re fired, Katherine. Leave the key on the table by the door on your way out.” He didn’t even glance her way. He took longer than necessary removing his cuff links to ensure she did as he asked. When she exited, she pulled the door harder than was strictly necessary, a testament to her upset. It swung shut with a thud, but Katherine didn’t utter a word.

 He had no patience for incompetence. However, truth be told, this was one mistake he was grateful for. He’d been trying to think of a way to let Katherine go for months. He might act like a hard ass -- might actually be a hard ass -- at times, but he had a soft heart. Katherine might be annoying and irritating the way she threw herself at both him and Heston, his best friend and companion, but she still needed her job in order to make ends meet. Immediately, Alex squashed the thought. She’d have to fend for herself. He couldn’t worry about her any more. She wasn’t his responsibility.

 Alex made his way through the spacious suite. His coat went into the foyer closet, but he kept his briefcase with him. He had several things he wanted to review before he went to sleep.

 Making his way to his bedroom, he loosened his tie and rolled his shoulders a time or two, stretching the kinks out of his neck and upper back.

 Damn Katherine, anyway. She’d made her attraction to him apparent, and he’d explained -- clearly enough -- that he wasn’t interested in a purely sexual relationship. He didn’t believe in that. Sex was something that should be shared by people who had strong, tender feelings for each other. She’d told him she did have tender feelings for him, that she loved him, but he couldn’t shake the feeling the woman had loftier aspirations. Katherine wasn’t the kind of woman who just happened to fall in love with her boss. If the rumors flying around his staff were any indication, she was out to snag herself a very wealthy husband.

 Not bloody likely! Besides, he couldn’t even make himself like her. She just wasn’t his type.

 A deep chuckle interrupted his train of thought. “If you wanted rid of the woman, you should have told her why. Now she’ll go through life thinking she lost the best job she ever had, with the best looking boss in the history of the world, all because she lost the key to his hotel room.” Heston had been Alex’s best friend since they were young boys in Macedonia. Alex felt more blessed than any man ever alive upon the earth to have Heston with him in this other life. Heston wasn’t the lighthearted, joking type, but he had always been adept at sensing Alex’s mood and bringing his focus back where it needed to be.

 “I seriously doubt her emotional well-being will suffer over this. Besides, she was getting on my nerves.”

 Heston was a mountain of a man. At six and a half feet tall, he carried a massive amount of muscle. The body he had been given in this time was truly magnificent. Aside from being the person closest to Alexander, Heston was also his lover. Would always be his lover.

 “I don’t know. She had her heart set on bedding you and bearing your children.” Heston, leaning against the doorway, shook his head as if contemplating the heartbreak poor Katherine was bound to suffer. He scrubbed a damp cloth over his face, removing the last remnants of shaving cream.

 Alex snorted. “You mean the heartbreak she’ll suffer because of all the child support she can’t collect.”

 Heston laughed. “Well, there is that.”

 Heston regarded Alex a moment before holding out his arms and offering a hug. Alex closed the distance between them and allowed Heston’s strong arms to enfold him. Heston was wearing a pair of snug, gray sweatpants and nothing else. His bare skin felt good against Alex’s cheek, and his unfettered male scent filled his nostrils. Heston grunted his approval at Alex’s acceptance almost like a great lion’s purr. The slight vibration emanating from Heston’s chest was comforting, soothing. The multiple sensations comforted Alex like nothing else ever could.

 “Did you accomplish all you set out to?” Heston’s deep rumbling voice filled him and warmed the heart he was beginning to fear would turn to ice before this was all over.

 “Yes.” Alex lifted his head to look at Heston and laid a hand on the other man’s cheek. “This weapon is beyond anything I could have ever conceived. The woman was stubborn and the price was a king’s ransom, but this device will be more than enough to even the playing field.”

 Heston raised a golden eyebrow before turning his face toward Alex’s palm and kissing him. “Seriously?”

 “It will effectively put man back to the stone age.”

 “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” He voiced quietly the same question Alex had been asking himself for days now.

 “No. But it’s what has to be done. The mere threat of such a thing should be enough for the United Nations to appoint one global leader. If I play my cards right, I should be able to put myself in a position to be king of the world. Literally.”

 Heston dipped his head and placed a gentle kiss on Alex’s lips. “Don’t worry so much. We’ll get through this together. We always have.”

 “Just don’t die on me this time.” Alex tried to make the statement in jest, but had a very real fear of just that. “I got no enjoyment out of the experience last time, and I’m supposed to have fun in this life.”

 “Actually, you’re supposed to rule the world this time around. Not have fun.” Heston crossed his arms over his massive chest.

 Alex threw Heston his best cocky grin. “One and the same. And if you don’t get off my back, I’ll tell everyone your real name is Hephaestion.”

 “Bah!” Heston waved a hand and turned away, walking to the bathroom. “Like I care. I’ve lived with it too long to be bothered by it now.”

 Alex chuckled. It was definitely good to have his friend with him.

 “By the way --” Heston called out. He was splashing aftershave over his face and neck. “-- did you have Sven accompany you? You know I let Norm go after yesterday.”

 OK, so it was good to have his friend around… sometimes. “Uh, no, actually. Juray was with me. He was enough.”

 Alex didn’t need to turn and face Heston to know the explosion was about to happen.

 “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” Heston’s heavy steps vibrated through the floor of the large room. “You are rapidly becoming the most important man on the face of the planet and you had one security guy with you?”

 “Not counting the fifty or so guys around the building, in the building, down the block, at the car --”

 “And only one by your side at all times.”

 “Well, he wasn’t actually ‘at my side’ at all times.” If Heston was going to get his blood pressure up, he might as well do it right.

 Heston grabbed his arm before Alex realized the man was even close to him and turned him around. “You’re playing with fire! Risking your life! You know what’s at stake here. Our very souls depend on you bringing this to a satisfactory conclusion. You have to bring the world under one rule. They have to be dependent on one leader or the other Horsemen won’t be as effective as they should be!”

 Alex shrugged him off. “Why should it be?” His anger was as great as Heston’s. He wasn’t angry at Heston, but at their whole situation. It turned his stomach. “Is ruling a peaceful utopia for the next eternity worth the guilt of having started the end of modern civilization?”

 “It’s happened before, Alex. It will happen again. With or without your help. Look at Greece. Look at Rome, Egypt. The Incans, the Mayans. All great civilizations come to a bloody end. It just takes some longer to bleed out than others. This civilization is bound to fall, too. Would you rather it be at the hand of a madman? A man who would bleed the poor dry and kill at will? You can make this happen with a minimal amount of violence.”

 “No, I won’t cleave anyone in two with my sword, I’ll starve them to death.” Alex turned from Heston and walked to the dresser, getting a fresh pair of underwear and a T-shirt. He wanted a shower, but he was so mentally drained all he had the energy to do was get dressed, go to bed, and hope this argument with Heston could wait until tomorrow. He leaned against the dresser, hoping Heston would just let it drop.

 “But at least they’ll have a chance at life! Food can be grown or killed. They have a better chance of battling starvation than a sword in the gut.”

 Without thinking, Alex slammed the fist of his right hand into the dark, varnished wood. “Dying is dying, Heston! Soldiers are one thing, but women and children just trying to survive is something altogether different.”

 “This is no different than our time, Alexander. Did we not take prisoners as slaves? Did they not suffer?”

 “It’s not the same! These people live in a different world. They expect certain things from their governments and from their enemies. Nations have fought and conquered, but none has absorbed another culture in such a manner since the fall of the Soviet Union. Even then, those borders were well developed for a great many years. We’re talking about swallowing an entire planet! So many people cannot live under one banner. Not all at once. They need several years -- if not decades -- to acclimate. To scare them into submission will not work. Not in the long run.”

 “It’s not supposed to last. This is the beginning of the fall of this great civilization. The cycle has to start over. You know it’s true!”

 Alex opened his mouth to reply when a soft, feminine moan sounded from across the room, underneath the bed. Both men stilled. Heston cocked his head, listening intently. When the moan was followed by a soft whimper, Heston pointed toward the bed. Both men moved silently to opposite ends of the bed. Alex nodded his head and he and Heston heaved the heavy thing onto its side.

 Huddled in a fetal position, eyes tightly shut, hands over her ears, lay the same girl Alex had seen that morning. She had cleaned up somewhat and pulled her hair back away from her face, but it was definitely the same girl.

 “Help her up.” Heston stood and righted the bed. Alex had already moved to her side before Heston gave his order. She was breathing rapidly and shallowly, but the second he touched her, she gasped once for breath, then let it out in a sigh. As he picked her up, she snuggled into his shoulder and looked up at him before her eyelids fell shut as if she were too exhausted to do anything else.

 “See? This is what I’m talking about.” Heston waved a hand at the girl in Alex’s arms. He was obviously angry, but Alex found some amusement in the fact that he was whispering. “How the hell did she get in here? You don’t have nearly enough security. Suppose she’d been an assassin.”

 “Then we’d both be dead. You’ve been here all day. If she got past you, I seriously doubt any amount of security would have stopped her.”

 Heston grunted. “Just put her on the bed. Examine her. Make sure she’s not hurt.”

 Alex sat her down and took off the thin, dark blue jacket she wore, leaving only her thin T-shirt and jeans. He ran his hands lightly over her body and didn’t notice anything bleeding or broken. No matter how impersonal he tried to be, he couldn’t help but notice the lush woman beneath. She was thin -- almost painfully so -- but her breasts were firm, if small, and rose and fell beneath her shirt with every breath. The nipples stabbing the material told him she was naked beneath. He tried his best to tamp down an unexpected surge of pure lust, but his normally steely control didn’t seem to be working. He never took a lover simply to ease his body -- he didn’t believe that was honorable -- but he was sorely tempted with this woman. Well, if she had been awake. He couldn’t keep himself from stroking her face.

 “I saw this girl outside this morning. She looked like a homeless person, but she’s cleaned up somewhat.”

 “Looks like she got her clothes at a local shelter. Look.” Heston pulled a flier from her jacket pocket. It boasted, “Hot bath, hot food, clean clothes, and a good night’s sleep in a warm bed. St. Christianson’s Shelter for the Disadvantaged.” He wasn’t familiar with all the shelters in New York City, but this one must have been nice. The girl had definitely cleaned up. “She’s following you, Alex. We need to know why.”

 Alex finished his quick examination. “She doesn’t appear to be bleeding or have any obvious broken bones.” He paused. Looking at her face closely, he traced the fine crinkles around her eyes. “Look at the lines and dark circles under her eyes. I bet she hasn’t slept in days.”

 Heston sat on the bed next to the girl and raised a hand to her face. He hesitated before brushing a lock of blonde hair from her forehead almost tenderly. “Why the hell are you here, my pet?” His murmured question expressed more curiosity than mistrust, but Alex knew his friend well enough to know there was a generous amount of both going on inside him. The uncharacteristic physical show of tenderness was surprising. Heston was a very passionate lover, but he didn’t usually touch people he didn’t know. Even something as little as brushing a lock of hair off her forehead.

 The endearing name uttered seemingly unconsciously was also surprising. Heston didn’t so much as use the term “sweetheart” with his lovers. He wasn’t a sentimental kind of man.

 “Let her sleep, Heston. We’ll both stay here until she wakes up, then we’ll have our answers.”

 “I hope you’re right, Alex. If she’s been sent here by one of your rivals, there could be serious trouble.”

 “Look. I’m the one in position. The others know the risks of overthrowing me at this point. It would mean letting civilization push itself through the crisis and we’d have to start over. Although I’m not sure I’d be averse to that idea.”

 “Don’t even think like that, Alex!” Heston growled. “We are a part of something greater than humankind now. We are the force that rejuvenates and reinvents civilization as we know it.”

 “That’s a load of shit, and you know it, Heston! What is the point of making everyone start over? Why not let them build on what they have?”

 “Because this civilization, like others before it, is advancing to the point where they’re accomplishing feats they aren’t ready to accomplish. You’ve been over this the same as I have. In order for humanity to progress, they have to regress. A lot in some cases. You agreed with this. Agreed to do this. What’s changed?”

 “We were told this Japanese invention was the key.” Alex scrubbed a hand over his face.

 “Yeah, so?”

 “So --” Alex looked at Heston, feeling more weary than he had in his entire life. This was the biggest decision he had ever had to make and it weighed heavily on him. “-- this weapon won’t just slow things down -- it will halt civilization in its tracks. I’m not sure things will recover for thousands of years after this.”

 “Do you remember watching the fall of Rome? Do you remember seeing the aqueducts fall and the city’s population dwindle from two million to a few thousand? Do you remember what we both said then?”

 “This is different, Heston. Have you seen the specs for this new weapon?”

 “Yes. It distorts the earth’s electromagnetic field. Makes anything electrical shut down.”

 “Exactly.”

 “Well, that would just about do what we set out to accomplish. What’s your point?” Heston didn’t seem overly concerned. But then he was like that. He had a goal to accomplish. This accomplished that goal. What was all the fuss?

 “Permanently, Heston. If this weapon is fired, it will do permanent damage. There will be no recovery. They’ll have to start over completely. Everything it has taken them hundreds of years to develop will have to be developed again with compensations for the different magnetic field. I’m also not confident there won’t be other consequences.”

 “That’s not our job, Alex.” Heston was getting frustrated. It didn’t happen often, but Alex had always had a way of doing that to his friend. “We’ve been given a set of explicit instructions by someone I’m not too inclined to cross. If he says this is the way it’s going to be, let’s just do it and get it over with. I want to go home. I don’t like this place. It smells funny.” Heston was trying to be humorous, but he did have a point. Purgatory was like living hell in many ways, but they also got a good look at Paradise on the other side. Alex knew he’d much rather be there than in this place. Or anywhere else, for that matter.

 “You were always a better strategist than I was, Heston. Are you sure about this? Are you ready to be the one responsible for plunging mankind from the greatest of golden ages into a dark age that could last for millennia?”

 The two men looked at each other, neither backing down. Heston finally sighed and looked away. “I’d have to have more information. But we don’t have it, and aren’t likely to get it. What we do have is a promise we’ve made. If we break that promise, we’ll be damned.”

 “Damn you, Heston.” Alex knew his whispered words would cut deep. Rarely had the two of them argued. Now it seemed like it was all they did.

 Before Heston could reply, the woman on the bed moaned, and her eyes fluttered open. At first she didn’t say anything, she simply looked from one of them to the other.

 Finally, she looked at Alex and said, “I really wish you’d quit arguing with him. You’re disturbing the best sleep I’ve had in my entire life.”

  

  

  

 Chapter Three

  

 OK, so it wasn’t the most intelligent thing she’d ever said, but damn it, she was right. They were disturbing the best sleep she’d ever had. She’d picked the pocket of Katherine, the woman with Alex, and let herself in. Immediately, the outside world ceased to exist. It was like someone had turned off a switch. Her mind suddenly had nothing to sift through. The stabbing pain that usually pierced her temples melted away, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

 Madeea had quickly made her way to the huge master bedroom and crawled under the bed. The carpet was plush and soft, and it didn’t take her long to grow drowsy. Just as she was about to drop off into sleep, another presence entered the room.

 Heston felt much like the man she had met on the street, Alex, but different. He was worried -- always worried -- about Alex. His focus was on the greater mission, not the current dilemma the way Alex was. He worried Alex would lose sight of the end while focusing on the here and now. Their argument now proved how right Heston was. Things had to get bad. There was no stopping it. If they didn’t do it, someone else would, and Alex had a knack for meshing peoples from all cultures. It might not go over very well at first, but he always managed to take the best of all worlds and help them work together for the greater good. If anyone could make this transition as easy as possible, it was Alex.

 Madeea had to shake her head to get Heston’s thoughts out of her mind. That was another first for her. She had always been empathic -- sensing the feelings and emotions of others -- but her telepathic abilities were always very abstract. People’s thoughts bombarded her, and always in a jumble. Heston’s, however, came in coherent bursts of thought. Much as if his thoughts were her thoughts. Even with both men standing right beside her, Heston overpowered her own thoughts, not Alex. She knew she would never be able to completely shut him out at will. Right now both men were looking at her, unable to form a coherent thought between them.

 Alex was the first one to get his wits about him. “Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my room?”

 “My name’s Madeea, and I’m trying to get some sleep, but you guys are making entirely too much noise. You’ve never argued like this before, and you picked a fine time to start.” She normally wasn’t so blunt, but their mood was rubbing off on her.

 Alex turned to Heston. “Is she for real? She breaks into my hotel room, invades my privacy, then tells me I shouldn’t argue with my best friend. Who does she --” He looked back at Madeea. “Who do you think you are?”

 “Look, all I want is a little peace and quiet. Is that so much to ask?”

 “Yes! This is my suite. I foot the bill. I will make as much noise as I damned well please!”

 “Wait a minute.” Heston raised a hand indicating he wanted silence. “What do you mean, ‘You’ve never argued like this before’?”

 Madeea blinked. She couldn’t believe she’d let that slip. She wasn’t usually so careless. The men’s emotions filled her, and she was sure she was acting as they would, especially Alex. Once she started, she couldn’t seem to stop from telling all. She knew the one called Heston wanted to know, and she had to tell him.

 “The two of you might have disagreed in the past, but you’ve never been at odds with each other like you are now. You’re acting childish. Both of you.” Madeea felt like she was pouting. She hated feeling that way because she wasn’t the type of person who pouted when she didn’t get her way. But, damn it, she was tired.

 Alex narrowed his eyes. “No matter what you heard before we found you, you don’t know us. We argue like this all the time.”

 “No, you don’t.” Madeea knew he was trying to feel her out, but she wasn’t in the mood for games. They were curious. If they were going to throw her out anyway, she had nothing to lose. But she was hoping they might have use for her special talents and let her stay with them. Now that she’d finally found people she could be around and still keep her sanity, she didn’t want to give it up.

 She took a deep breath and sighed. “You’re the leader, Alex, but you value Heston’s opinion because he seems to know things sometimes. It’s what gives him his advantage in battle. You trust his judgment even above your own. You’ve never questioned him when it comes to battle.

 “But your situation now is different. You’re afraid Heston’s experience with actual battle plans is working against him. The two of you aren’t in an actual battle, but you’re convinced it’s the beginning of a war no one will survive. You’re also not certain this is a war you want to start. You’re afraid your quest to conquer the world will, in the end, damn you to hell and that you’ll drag Heston with you.” If that didn’t get their attention, nothing would.

 “How the hell did you know that?” Alex’s whisper was at odds with the self-assured warrior Madeea knew him to be. He thought that, by speaking it aloud, she had conjured it into being. “Even Heston doesn’t know that.”

 “No. He doesn’t.” She sat up with her knees bent to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. “Just as you don’t know that Heston is convinced this campaign will end in both your deaths. His only goal is to keep you alive long enough for you to put the first set of events in motion.”

 Heston swore under his breath. “I’ve never uttered those words out loud. How do you know this?”

 “I’m empathic and slightly telepathic. For some reason, with you guys, I’m very telepathic.”

 Alex narrowed his eyes. “I’m betting that’s not the whole story.”

 Madeea smiled. “It’s the part that matters.”

 “So why stay in a city teeming with people?”

 “Because I felt there was something else I had to do. Every time I tried to leave New York, something pulled me back. I would be uncomfortable. Edgy. I felt like I was missing the most important thing of my life and if I left, I’d never find it again. Then I found you, Alex, and it was like a window in my mind opened. I knew you were the reason I couldn’t leave. I was supposed to find you.”

 “You think our destinies are linked somehow?”

 “I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I just know that you act as a natural barrier or filter somehow for me. Heston, too, if to a lesser degree. If I’m near you, or in a place where only you have been, I don’t get bombarded by everything. It’s why I followed you and broke in here. I don’t intend to leave without a fight. For the first time I can remember, I’m not struggling to stay sane. Your presence is calm and soothing and a most welcome change. Well, except for now.” She smirked. “Either way, I don’t intend to leave. If you want rid of me, you’ll have to do it by force.”

 Alex paced the room restlessly. When Madeea opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong, Heston gently laid a hand on her arm and shook his head. Apparently Heston had seen the other man in this state before.

 Suddenly, Alex stopped. “Heston, what do you think?”

 The large man shrugged. “I think that, in exchange for letting her stay with us, we use her talents to our advantage. If she can read minds or sense emotions, she could prove invaluable.”

 “I was thinking the exact same thing.” Alex’s smile was almost triumphant. “I believe there will be two more major meetings after we have the Japanese invention in our possession. Two more hurdles to cross before we unite the world under one banner. She could make that happen far easier than I could by myself.”

 Madeea shrugged when both men looked at her. “All I can promise is to try. I’ve never tried to do what you’re proposing. I’ve never had that much control over my abilities.”

 “We can test it tomorrow.” Alex’s whole demeanor had changed. He no longer seemed indecisive and depressed over his “mission.” Now he acted like a general with a purpose. He acted more like the man Madeea felt when she looked at him. “Heston, you and Madeea will accompany me tomorrow. The office we’ll be meeting in has a small anteroom. The two of you can wait there. I’ll wear my earpiece and you can pass anything important on to me.”

 “What if I can’t?” Madeea knew she’d try anything to keep the haven she’d found. The strongest emotions of the two men filled her and blended with her own emotions, but didn’t overwhelm her. She wasn’t at all sure if she could deliberately let down her flimsy defenses to other people. “What if I get overwhelmed?”

 “Heston can bring you back here. All you have to do is try. If you don’t succeed, I’m no worse off than I am now.” Alex’s face was almost triumphant. Madeea could tell he never doubted he would be successful. He didn’t doubt her abilities, either. She didn’t know if she could pull it off, but she was more determined than ever to try.

  

  

  

 Chapter Four

  

 Strength filled his body. In an instant, Alex knew he had a chance at pulling this off and maybe preventing vast loss of life. This girl -- Madeea -- held the key to everything. If she could let him know what move to make before he had to make it, he would always be one step ahead of everyone. He was so excited, he felt like a kid at Christmas. He wanted to rub his hands together in glee and giggle.

 Giggle! Alexander the Great did not giggle. He looked at Heston and saw pride and the same excitement.

 This could work. This could really work. Madeea might doubt herself, but Alex couldn’t believe someone with Madeea’s talents would fall into his arms only to crack when he needed her. No. She would do what he needed, and this whole mess would be over with, and he could maybe live with himself for the rest of eternity.

 “Heston, see to it our guest is comfortable. We all need a good night’s sleep to prepare for tomorrow. Yuka expects us to arrive at eight tomorrow morning, but I think closer to eleven would be better. She and her staff will have been waiting several hours, and it will be close to lunch. They’ll be hungry and tired and frustrated.”

 Heston grinned. “Good one, boss. It worked at Issus -- it will definitely work a second time.”

 “And if I can’t do what you want me to?” She really was a good-looking woman, Alex thought. Now she stood there, one hip cocked with a fist planted on it firmly. Alex found himself wanting to shape her hips in his hands and see if she was as womanly as he thought she might be. One delicately arched brow was raised and her clear blue eyes threatened to swallow him. In that moment, he wanted nothing more than to take her in his arms and kiss her senseless.

 He had to shake himself a little to focus on her question. Damn. That had never happened before. “I have faith in you, Madeea. Have a little faith in yourself.”

 She looked at him and opened her mouth as if she were going to say something, but she didn’t. She simply nodded her head and turned to let Heston take her to her room. Pity. Alex thought the three of them might enjoy a night of passion, but he didn’t dare suggest something like that.

 Not yet.

 Alex moved to the bathroom and shed his clothes, tossing everything down the laundry chute. The hotel staff would separate the pants and tie for dry cleaning. He turned the multi-directional shower on and adjusted the sprays to the desired temperature -- hot. Stepping into the enormous stall, he let the hot water pepper his body from several different directions. The jet streams gently pounded his tired muscles.

 Alex had no doubt Heston was having the same thoughts he was. The two of them had always shared similar taste in women -- and men -- and Alex knew Madeea would be as physically appealing to Heston as she was to him. But it wasn’t only that. There was something about Madeea that called to him. Her spirit, her very essence, begged him to take her. It wasn’t all sexual, either. She needed him for her sanity. Alex didn’t know exactly what she went through on a daily basis, but from what she described, he could well imagine the difficulty. If he and Heston could help her, he was more than willing to do so whether or not she was able to help them.

 Alex grabbed the soap and began to lather himself generously. She was strong, of that he had no doubt. She’d have to be, to be able to live in a place like New York City with the millions of inhabitants constantly bombarding her with a myriad of emotions and thoughts. It would drive a lesser person insane. Yes, she was strong, but she needed him. He rather liked the idea. He needed to be needed for himself and not because he was Alexander the Great, or because he had money and power. The only other person in the world who had ever looked beyond his persona was Heston, and they had been friends long before he became Alexander the Great.

 Sometimes it was good to be just Alex. He had the feeling this girl saw him that way. At least, he hoped she did.

 He was lost in thought when the shower door opened. Heston stood there, naked and aroused.

 “Are you getting out any time soon, or are you going to stay in there and prune?” His words were light, but the fierce expression on his face said he needed Alex. Now. In a very sexual way.

 “You could join me, you know.”

 “No. I want you in the bed.” Heston’s face was flushed and his breathing deep. If that wasn’t enough, his dick was thick and hard, standing out from his powerful thighs. “Get out.”

 Alex reached over and turned off the water. Heston held his towel open, and Alex stepped into his embrace. The white terrycloth closed around him as his lips met Heston’s in a surprisingly gentle kiss. Blood rushed to his rapidly stiffening cock, and he pressed himself into Heston’s rippled belly.

 “Have I told you how much I love your body?” Alex breathed against Heston’s lips when they parted briefly.

 “A time or two.” Heston smiled before his tongue snaked out and found its way into Alex’s mouth. “Let’s go to bed.”

 Alex chuckled softly before giving Heston one final wet kiss. The two headed to the bedroom. Alex was becoming giddy with lust. He loved fucking Heston. He loved getting fucked by Heston. He loved everything about sex of any kind, but Heston was his one true love. He always had been, and always would be. They frequently explored relationships with women who connected with them on emotional or intellectual levels, but they always came back to each other. They needed each other.

 Alex lay on his back on the bed. Heston was in a mood to take control, and Alex had no problems letting him. The other man needed something, and Alex was more than happy to let Heston take exactly what pleased him this night.

 Heston lay between Alex’s legs and took his erect cock in his mouth. The sucking sensation was pure heaven on his dick. His balls tightened and Alex gasped in pleasure. Heston gently squeezed Alex’s testicles as he dipped his tongue in the slit at the tip of his cock before sucking, once again, as much of the member as he could into his mouth. Alex couldn’t stop himself from burying his fingers in Heston’s dark, thick fall of hair. He had to urge the man not to stop. It was too good to stop.

 But stop Heston did. He stopped just long enough to reach for the nightstand, pull out a tube of lubricant, and coat two fingers. His mouth went back to Alex’s cock and his fingers massaged Alex’s anus until he finally slipped both fingers into the opening.

 “Fuck, yeah! Oh, man, that feels good. Don’t stop, Heston, don’t stop.”

 Alex raised his legs and bent his knees so that Heston could do as he pleased with his cock, balls, and ass. The slurping sounds as Heston sucked his cock were as erotic to Alex as the sensations.

 “Damn, I want in your ass, Alex. I want to fuck you. Now.” Heston’s voice was gruff and he was breathing hard. The lust shining in his eyes took Alex’s breath. Heston always had that effect on him.

 “Then cram that thick cock in there. You know I can take it.” Alex reached underneath his legs and spread his ass cheeks in invitation. Heston immediately squirted another dollop of lubricant onto his cock and smeared it over his shaft until he gleamed in the light. With one smooth, easy stroke, Heston sheathed himself in Alex’s ass.

 Both men groaned.

 Alex expected that sound. One or both of them always made a similar sound when they made love. What he didn’t expect was the feminine whimper coming from the doorway.

  

  

  

 Chapter Five

  

 “I wondered if we’d see you.” Heston chuckled. “We have an audience, Alex. Do you mind if she watches?”

 Madeea stood at the door wearing nothing but a knee length T-shirt and a dazed expression. Exactly the way Heston knew he’d love seeing her. She was really a beautiful woman -- she just needed to clean up a bit. Her once grimy, tangled blonde hair now hung down her back, wet but already gleaming like spun gold. Her legs were slim, but strong. Perfect for wrapping around a man’s waist. The shirt she wore hid full breasts and hips, but he glimpsed her generous treasures with every move she made.

 “Let her. Perhaps she’ll like what she sees.” Alex’s voice was the sexy baritone Heston associated with sex -- slightly deeper than any other time. A shiver went through Heston and his cock twitched within Alex’s ass. Alex groaned and closed his eyes.

 “Perhaps she’ll be inclined to join us.” Heston didn’t like to show Madeea his weakness for Alex, but he couldn’t keep his voice neutral when his cock was imbedded so deeply within his lover. He felt a connection with Madeea, but he wasn’t sure how much power over himself he wanted to give her. In his experience, showing weakness -- even to a mate or child -- gave a potential enemy a weapon. He didn’t think Madeea was his enemy, but he wasn’t willing to take a chance. He’d tempt her because he knew it was what Alex wanted, but he’d keep an eye on her until he was sure.

 The young woman gasped and moaned softly when Heston thrust deep. The same sound emanated from Alex.

 “Can you feel his pleasure, Madeea? Does your connection to him allow that?” Heston looked at her as he slowly fucked Alex. The other man’s cock throbbed when Heston grasped it and began to jerk him off as he pumped steadily into his tight ass.

 “I can. It’s what drew me here.” She kept her eyes trained to the place where their bodies joined. It was as if she were mesmerized.

 “Take off your shirt. Touch yourself.” Heston had no doubt she would refuse to join them -- this time -- but it was suddenly important to him she get some pleasure of her own out of this.

 She didn’t hesitate. Within moments, her shirt was whipped over her head and she squeezed her breasts together in both hands. Oh, gods! He was right. This woman was lush and ripe for fucking. And she wasn’t just beautiful, she was a goddess . Aphrodite herself couldn’t compare to the woman before him. Her face was flushed in her excitement, and her long blonde hair paled only in comparison to the tuft of blonde curls covering her pussy.

 Heston would have gladly gone to Paradise if only he could spend a couple of hours between her legs worshiping those curls with his mouth and cock. If the expression on Alex’s face, and the hardening of his cock, was any indication, he appreciated the view as well.

 Madeea pinched her nipples, none too gently by the look of it. Her eyes never wavered from their writhing forms. Heston alternated his focus from Alex to Madeea. He couldn’t decide who he wanted to watch more. Both were absolutely stunning in their beauty. Both hungered for what he’d started giving them.

 “That’s it, my beauty,” Heston praised. “Watch us as you please yourself. Come when we come.”

 “Sweet goddess!” Alex gripped Heston’s ass and pulled the man harder into him. Heston had to grind his teeth to keep from shooting off deep inside him. He wanted to prolong this a few moments longer.

 Madeea widened her stance slightly and dipped a finger to her cunt. Slipping it deep into her wet slit, she lubricated her finger with her own juices and began to furiously circle her clit. As Heston’s strokes grew faster and faster, so did Madeea’s circles. Her knees bent slightly and Heston could see her tremble. She was very close.

 A few seconds later, Alex’s muscles seized. He was going to come. Heston knew he would, too.

 “Now, Madeea! Come for us now!” Heston shouted his instructions just as Alex’s cock erupted in sticky, white cum. Heston’s own release was emptied deep into Alex’s ass, the fluid seeping out with every outward stroke of Heston’s cock. Madeea threw back her head and screamed. A trail of thick fluid crept down her right thigh, evidence of her excitement and subsequent orgasm. She sagged against the doorframe before sliding down it into a heap on the floor.

 “Son of a bitch.” Heston breathed. “That was fucking good.”

 “Carry her back to bed, Heston. Don’t make her walk.” Alex always took care of his lovers. Even though he hadn’t actually had Madeea yet, Heston knew he would treat her with the respect he gave to anyone he took to his bed. It told Heston volumes about the feelings Alex already had for this woman they had barely met. He connected with her on some level or he wouldn’t have allowed any of this to transpire. Alex didn’t treat sex as a frivolous act. It was something to be treasured with someone you cared about.

 “Clean yourself. I’ll take care of her. Don’t worry, my love.” Heston kissed Alex tenderly. Then he turned his attention to Madeea.

 She still looked dazed, but also sated. Her climax had been good, but Heston suspected she needed the touch of another human. Sometimes, masturbation just wasn’t enough.

 * * *

 Madeea hadn’t wanted to intrude on the two lovers, but she couldn’t stop herself from walking up the stairs and opening the door to the master suite. She had never felt anything so powerful. The love these men felt for each other was phenomenal. It was a love that had been nurtured over thousands of years and the sheer power of it was staggering.

 Now, nestled in Heston’s arms as he carried her back to her room, she felt…

 Out of place. She didn’t belong here. She could never belong in this type of relationship. It was too intense, too much.

 But, oh, my God, how she wanted to. She wanted someone to love her as much as Heston and Alex loved each other. The curse she had lived with her entire life had always prevented her from getting too close to anyone. She had never been able to stay close to anyone -- either physically or mentally -- since she lost her parents as a teenager. She had been used to their mental signatures and her mind had adapted to them, but she had had all her life to adapt. Not so with other people.

 “You’re trembling.” Heston kissed the top of her head. “It was pleasurable for you, yes?”

 “I -- yes. It was.” Madeea cleared her throat. “Heston, I need to be with the two of you, but this overwhelmed me.” Tears threatened to spill, but she fought them off with the force of will that had allowed her to remain in New York as long as she had. “Your love for each other is too strong for me to resist. I couldn’t stay away.” She sniffed once. “I’m afraid you’ll never have privacy, and it’s unsettling that I don’t have self-restraint enough to stop myself.”

 Heston’s deep chuckle warmed her. “If we’d minded, we would have made sure the door was locked. Besides, you seem to be getting under our skin. Alex’s more than mine, but still. There is a connection between us. Not destiny or anything like that.” He paused as he shifted her position to open her bedroom door and carry her inside. “It’s almost like love at first sight, I think.”

 “Alex doesn’t strike me as the type of man to be afflicted by that phenomenon.” Madeea lay on the bed when Heston set her down. He followed to sit beside her.

 “He’s not. That tells me volumes.” Heston brushed a stray curl from her forehead. “Me? I’ll make up my mind after tomorrow. You try to do what Alex asks, and I’ll watch. Then I’ll decide whether or not I can trust you enough to let you stay with us.”

 Madeea swallowed a sudden lump in her throat. She thought she had fought off the overwhelming urge to cry, but she felt like the whole purpose for her being in this life in the first place hinged on these two men.

 “I have something to do here, Heston,” she whispered. “I don’t know what it is, but I feel as if whatever it is could possibly change the course of history.” She took a deep breath to regain her composure. “I don’t know what you and Alex are supposed to do, but I think it’s a safe bet that just the mere fact you’re here means you must succeed. If you feel at any time my actions could jeopardize what he’s doing, get me as far away from him as you can.” Heston’s face went hard. Any tender expression he might have directed her way vanished with her words.

 “I have abilities no person on earth has, or, at the very most, will admit to,” she went on. “Mostly, I feel other people’s emotions, sometimes thoughts. But there are times, like when I was pulled to New York City in the first place, and later when I tried to leave, that I just know things. In this case, I know there is something I have to do, and I know it has to do with Alex.

 “I also know that every time there is a great force for good in the world, there is an equal force of evil.” Madeea looked Heston in the eyes, making sure she had his full attention. “I’m telling you right now, I don’t know which force I’m working for. I just feel that I have to be here. With Alex.”

 Heston studied her carefully. Madeea could see the concentration on his face, the wariness in his eyes. “It’s a testament to your willingness to see the right thing done that you’re telling me this. You’re right in that Alex has a job to do, and that the future of the world depends on him completing it -- the very distant future.” He hesitated a moment, as if trying to decide what to say next. Finally he seemed to come to a decision. “What if I told you we’re here to start a war that will be the beginning of the end of civilization as we know it? What if I told you that Alex is the first of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse?”

 Madeea felt the blood drain from her face. “Sweet God.” Her whisper sounded as frightened as she felt. “Are you sure this is something that has to be done?”

 “It has been done many times throughout the ages. The fall of every major civilization has seen the Horsemen. They just don’t always announce themselves as such.”

 Madeea thought about this. She had to admit, his story made some sense. For now, she’d reserve judgment. “So we watch each other. Learn about each other until we’re satisfied what’s happening is the right thing.”

 Heston smiled. “That would seem to be the prudent thing to do.” The way he looked at her sometimes melted her insides. This man could turn her on or scare her to death with one simple look.

 And, oh my God, he was sexy! Easily the biggest man she had ever been next to, he was packed with more muscle than a bodybuilding contest. Tied in a thong at the base of his neck, his hair was golden brown with a slight curl to the loose strands hanging around his face. A strong jaw and high cheekbones, generous mouth and sea green eyes made him one of the most handsome men she had ever met. When she thought back to his and Alex’s lovemaking earlier, she got excited all over again. Her breathing became shallow and quick, and she felt a gush of moisture escape from her starving pussy. As satisfying as her orgasm had been, she needed a man inside her.

 “My, you’re a lusty wench,” Heston growled. “Tell me what you want.”

 Madeea gasped. The man was very observant. At least that was one thing she didn’t have to worry about. If he thought she was doing something to inadvertently harm Alex’s chance at completing his job, he would spot it easily enough.

 “Tell me,” he urged her as he dipped his head to her neck and began to run his tongue from the point where her shoulder joined her neck to the hollow at the base of her throat, then up to her chin.

 She could barely breathe out the words. “Fuck me. Oh, God, yes! Please.” At first Heston seemed to hesitate, but when he finally touched her, Madeea thought she’d come instantly. He kneaded her breasts gently for a moment before latching onto one nipple with his mouth.

 There was a wildness in him now that reflected her own needy flesh. With Alex, he had taken what he wanted, but this was different somehow. Something seemed to be driving him. Madeea welcomed it. Embraced it because it was exactly what she needed.

 He hooked one arm under her knee and pulled it to her chest. The other hand went to her cunt and he plunged two fingers inside her. Madeea thought she’d climax instantly if he’d just put the slightest pressure on her clit. But he didn’t. When she tried to move to angle her hips to make contact with his wrist, he shifted his hand so she couldn’t.

 “Not yet, my pet. Only when I say.”

 Madeea could have screamed in frustration. Instead, she tried to focus on something else. “I’d say Alex wouldn’t like you doing this with someone other than him, but I don’t think that would be an entirely true statement.”

 “Absolutely not. In fact, the only thing he’ll probably be upset about was that he sent me here instead of bringing you here himself.” Heston moved to her other breast, giving it attention, as well. “Now,” he said as he released her nipple with a slight pop , “come. Come for me, Madeea.”

 Her clit contacted his wrist and the spasms started immediately. Her orgasm was even more intense than before. She felt as if Heston had touched her very soul. Tears burned her eyes and overflowed as her body pulsed and throbbed with pleasure.

 When her body finally settled and relaxed, Heston pulled his fingers from her body and sucked them into his mouth. Then he stood and went to the bathroom. When he returned, he had a warm washcloth. He cleansed her of her own moisture before pulling the covers around her snugly.

 “Sleep well, my pet. Tomorrow will be a big day.” He kissed her lightly on the forehead and left the room.

 Madeea wanted to think about what had happened over the last hour, but her eyes were heavy after the two best orgasms of her life. Deciding there was no way for her to think clearly about any of it, she simply let sleep take her.

 Tomorrow would take care of itself.

  

  

  

 Chapter Six

  

 The great sex combined with the added stimulus of Madeea watching their love play made for a very good night’s rest for Alex. He had awoken refreshed and clear headed. Now he was ready to finish this business with the Japanese scientist, Yuka. Today he would gain control of one ultra high-altitude satellite and one little black box containing an SD card with codes to said satellite. All with super encryption.

 Today would be the beginning of the end of civilization.

 Against Heston’s better judgment, Alex would be alone once he entered the conference room. Fortunately, Heston and Madeea would be in an observation room set up early that morning.

 Just as Alex had predicted, Yuka and her party of six guards arrived two hours before the scheduled meeting time of eight o’clock a.m. Alex, Heston, and Madeea waited in their secret room and watched them fidget, argue with themselves, and finally call the cell number Alex had given to contact him. Naturally, Alex assured them he was on his way and that he had run into a slight delay. Thirty minutes at most. That was at nine thirty.

 “Alex --” Madeea didn’t take her eyes from the people on the other side of the one-way mirror, “-- she’s going to back out of the deal. I think her government found out about her plan and decided her little invention was worth a second look.”

 Alex studied the people on the other side of the wall as well. “Do you think there is danger, or just greed?”

 “Greed. She thinks a whole government can definitely come up with more than one person, no matter how powerful.”

 “Are you sure? You said you couldn’t read minds so much as sense emotions.” Alex had to be sure of the facts before he entered that room.

 “As sure as I can be. With the natural filter you guys hold for me, it seems to be easier for me to pick out individual thoughts at will rather than having them force fed into my brain.” Madeea sounded awed by her own achievement. Alex reached out and brushed his knuckles across her cheek. The tender gesture seemed natural to him. He didn’t question it any more than he questioned his feelings for Heston. The gods only knew why he accepted her so readily, but he did, and he wouldn’t question it. He had never been the indecisive type.

 As for the Japanese contingent, Alex let them stew for another two hours before finally leaving their room through a back entrance and entering the conference room from the hallway.

 “I apologize for the delay. There was a small emergency I had to attend to. It couldn’t be helped.” Alex took in the disgruntled faces before him, but continued on as if he hadn’t noticed. The briefcase he carried held the number and passkey to an account with exactly one billion Japanese yen. This was not a cheap venture.

 No one said anything. Yuka looked determined. It would not be easy to convince her, but Alex knew one thing about this world was the same as his own: money talks, bullshit walks. She’d take the money and he’d take the little black box.

 * * *

 The moment Alex stepped into that room, something changed. Madeea wanted to scream at him to leave -- leave now! The problem was, she couldn’t tell if it was anger for making them wait all morning, or something more sinister.

 “Want to tell me what’s bothering you?” Heston sounded annoyed.

 “I don’t know. Something’s not right.” Madeea could barely form the words. Without Alex next to her, the emotions coming from that room were jumbling together. Heston provided some relief, but not nearly enough.

 “Why didn’t you say so when he asked you?” OK, so annoyed didn’t begin to cover it. Heston’s snapped reply was as good as a slap in the face to Madeea.

 “It wasn’t there before! Just get him out. Now!” Madeea ran for the door, but as quick as she was, Heston was faster. He threw open the door to the conference room and put himself between Alex and the four Japanese and quickly exited the room without a word. Once out in the hallway, he grabbed Madeea’s upper arm in a painful grip and ushered both of them down the hallway. When Heston continued to walk, Madeea began to panic.

 “Sweet God, hurry, Heston! We have to get out! Now!” She kept pushing them until they sprinted down the hall at a dead run.

 Madeea felt like the walls were closing in on her. Danger was very near. Coming for them. For Alex.

 They passed people, bumped into several of them, knocking them down, but Heston kept them moving steadily, quickly forward. Alex didn’t say a word, didn’t seem to question what was happening, he simply did what Heston urged him to do.

 Madeea stumbled and almost fell when she nearly collided with a large man in an expensive looking business suit. She would have fallen if Heston hadn’t kept his bruising hold on her arm. The second she made contact with the man, the violence surrounding him threatened to swallow her whole.

 “Keep moving!” Heston hissed in her ear when her knees turned to jelly and refused to hold her up. The emotions emanating from that man were so volatile, Madeea thought she’d vomit. Hatred. Anger. Rage. Everything ugly in a human being swarmed inside him, consuming him.

 All of it directed at Alexander.

 “Hurry!” Madeea couldn’t force a scream out of her throat, but the hoarse croak got Heston’s attention anyway. “The man behind me. He’s the one. Get Alex away from him!”

 Heston growled as he propelled both her and Alex out the door, down the steps, and into the waiting limo. Alex actually landed almost in the seat, but Madeea sprawled out on the floor of the car. Heston ducked in after them, and as he shut the door, Madeea saw the dangerous man run out the building door and stop on the third step down. He lifted his wrist to his mouth, as if talking to someone via a small communications device.

 As the limo sped off, Madeea couldn’t seem to take her eyes off the man. His spirit was so evil, it felt like an oily skin seeping onto her own. She felt cold. Ice cold. She was so cold she couldn’t even shiver to warm herself. The path she was meant to take was suddenly, horribly, clear. She was meant to stop that menace of evil from destroying not only Alex’s mission as the first Horseman, but also from destroying Alex himself.

 * * *

 “What the fuck just happened?” Heston was furious. Madeea had sounded frantic, certain there was danger. His intent had been to remove Alex from the room until they could figure out exactly what was going on, but Madeea had been in a full-blown panic. He knew better than to completely discount her feeling -- she had already proven she knew things she shouldn’t -- but once things started, they quickly got out of control.

 Madeea’s panic was contagious and it was only a few heartbeats before his adrenaline kicked into gear, as well. He had retreated without ever seeing the enemy. Shameful.

 Stupid!

 “He was going to kill Alex.” Madeea was pale and shivering. Shock was taking over her body. “Someone in the Japanese group was helping him.”

 “Which one? How did they plan to take out Alex?” Heston’s bark was angry and harsh. He had missed important information he needed to ensure Alex’s safety in the future.

 “I don’t know his plan, just that he had one and that the hate he has for Alex is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.” She swallowed and took a couple of gulps of air as she obviously struggled to bring herself under control. “I think he knows what Alex is trying to do, Heston. He knows and wants to stop him as much as we want him to succeed.”

 No one said anything for a while. When Alex broke the silence, it was with the one word Heston didn’t want to hear.

 “Darius.”

 “And he’s been nursing a grudge for more than two thousand years.” Heston felt a tickling sensation between his shoulder blades at just the place he was sure Darius wanted to plunge a knife. Darius had led the Persian army Alex defeated at Issus all those years ago. Considering the Persian Empire had been considered to be undefeatable, it was understandable for Darius to be a little angry. “I have a bad feeling, Alex.”

 “We beat him once. I’m confident we can do it again.”

 Heston wished he were so certain. There was nothing more dangerous than a man who was determined to kill and didn’t care if it meant his own death in the process.

 “OK.” Heston scrubbed a hand over his face. “So someone, probably Darius, wants you dead, assuming Madeea is correct.”

 “Do you honestly doubt her, Heston?”

 Heston started to answer that he had no idea what to believe, but he knew in his heart there was something more to Madeea than he understood at this point. Even now, he couldn’t stay mad at her. He couldn’t doubt her. He looked at her and he wanted to take her into his arms and offer any comfort she needed. Well, that and he wanted to fuck her until they were both sated and sleepy.

 Setting his resolve, he looked away from her to Alex. Heston felt it was important for him to keep his perspective until he was sure they were out of danger. If he let his guard down now, it could be fatal.

 Alex was a little rumpled, but otherwise unaffected by the little ordeal. He had pulled out a small laptop computer and was frantically punching buttons, looking intently at the screen.

 “OK. Yuka is willing to meet again tomorrow.” Alex flexed and curled his fingers a couple of times. “She was irked that we left as quickly as we did, but says she still wants to hear my offer.” He looked at Madeea. “You were right. She’s had an offer made by her government. She doesn’t think I can match it.”

 Heston took a deep breath. Given the last two thousand three hundred years, he realized anything was possible. He and Alex had studied these scientists for more than six months. They had looked into the group’s government contacts, and the offers made from outside sources. They had never even gotten to a testing phase of this weapon for anyone -- no one was interested in taking the whole world back to the Stone Age. But Yuka persisted. Even her own people thought she was mad. She probably was. Anyone who could create such a device had to be.

 “You have to be careful, Alex.” Madeea was still trembling. “Whoever that man is, he wants you dead, and I don’t think it’s to stop you from starting the end of civilization. I think he just hates you.”

 Heston wanted to get up and pace. He wanted to run down the street as fast and hard as he could. He needed to think because having a clear head might make the difference in keeping Alex alive. “I don’t know, Alex. Maybe you’d better put her off a day or two. This is all going too fast, out of control. We need to step back and let things settle down.”

 “We don’t have that luxury, Heston,” Alex snapped before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. “We have to have this weapon or start all over, and we might never get to this point again. Yuka is ready to sell to the Japanese government. They want it so it doesn’t fall into the hands of a terrorist.”

 Heston snorted. “The more you talk about this thing like it’s a doomsday weapon, the more I think Yuka might just be a terrorist.”

 “It is a doomsday weapon, make no mistake. If it’s used, it will cause everything with electrical components to shut down. No electricity of any kind anywhere. Civilization would grind to a halt. There would be no mass distribution of food, no way to store frozen goods for long periods of time. The fabric of society would crumble and collapse.”

 As the limo sped down the road, the three of them sat in contemplative silence. Heston was unsure of what to do. For the first time he could ever remember, he was at a loss. It was frustrating and scary. He hated being out of control.

 Heston slammed his fist against the armrest beside him. “Damn it!”

 “Relax, Heston.” Alex reached over and rubbed his knee, offering comfort. “We’ll make it. We always make it.”

 “I’m not so sure this time, Alex. Something just feels wrong.” Heston shook his head, but placed his hand on Alex’s and squeezed. Just the touch of the other man drained the tension from him sometimes. Alex’s fingers flexed, gripping his knee gently.

 “You know I’ve always trusted your assessment of a situation,” Alex replied soberly. “I’ll be careful, and I’ll listen to you.”

 Madeea still looked worried, but there was a sadness about her now. Heston was surprised to find he cared. He didn’t want her to be sad, or frightened, or anything other than completely happy.

 “What’s wrong, Madeea?”

 Alex’s question was soft and tender. Heston was more convinced than ever Alex wanted Madeea for a lover. The only other person Heston could ever remember Alexander falling in love with so quickly was Bagoas. Hell, Heston had been half in love with the man himself. Now Alex was falling for Madeea. The signs were there, and Heston wasn’t sure what to do. He was attracted to her greatly, beyond anything he had ever experienced in his life other than with Alexander, but he didn’t trust her.

 “Nothing.” She smiled, but it was obviously forced.

 Heston knew. He recalled their conversation the previous night. “I think our intimacy disturbs her, Alex.” He knew he was playing with fire, but he needed something to release all the excess energy he had inside him. “She’s afraid she’ll never feel it for herself, only in our feelings for each other.”

 Madeea shot Heston an angry look and her cheeks flamed. He smirked.

 “It doesn’t matter.” Madeea looked away from them and out the window. “I just thank you for allowing me a taste of it last night. For the first time since my parents died, I felt part of a circle of love. It might have only lasted a short while, but it was more than I’d ever hoped for.”

 “You’re determined to stay with us, yes?” Alex moved from his place beside Heston to the seat across from them where Madeea sat. He draped his arm around her slender shoulders and turned her face to his with the other hand. Madeea kept her eyes down for a second or two before looking into his eyes.

 “I don’t feel like I have a choice,” she said quietly, “but if I did, the refuge the two of you provide would be enough to make me want to stay. It’s just confusing to feel your love for each other so strongly and not be a part of it.”

 “No one said you had to be on the outside, Madeea.” Alex smiled tenderly at her. “You have to know there is something between the three of us. Even Heston, who doesn’t show affection easily, feels something there.”

 “I thought I was the one who could read minds.” She tried to laugh it off, but Alex was nothing if not persistent. Heston had seen him like this before. He wasn’t out to get into her panties -- yet. Alex wanted to get her used to the idea of the three of them as a loving unit. This was as serious as Heston had ever seen him. Alex wanted her to accept them both.

 “Let’s just say I’ve had more than two thousand years to get to know Heston. We might not have had substantial bodies, but we were always together. Heston is as taken with you as I am. He’s just not willing to admit it yet.” Heston growled. He really didn’t want Madeea to know that. He didn’t even want Alex to know, but obviously his friend was as adept at picking up his moods as Heston was at picking up Alex’s.

 Madeea blushed slightly. Her breasts rose and fell with each breath she took. Heston could tell the thought intrigued her. With a little time, he had no doubt she’d grow used to the idea -- probably rather quickly. Unfortunately, they didn’t have that kind of time. Once Alex’s job as the White Horseman was done, he and Alex would go to rest in Paradise together.

 Alex brought his lips to Madeea’s. He caressed her face as if he’d never seen a woman before, as if she were the most precious thing in the world to him. She flinched a little and her eyes closed tightly. She tried to resist his pull, Heston was sure, but Alex tamed her easily enough. Within moments, she leaned into his kiss, and Heston heard the unmistakable moan of pleasure slip from her throat.

 It was only a kiss. Alex didn’t touch her anywhere else other than her shoulders and her face. Heston could see his tongue dart out to dip inside her mouth and lick wetly. It wasn’t long before Madeea delicately slipped her own tongue out. They played, caressing lips and teeth and tongues for endless minutes. Heston was getting hard just watching. He remembered what she tasted like. It was a flavor he could rapidly become addicted to.

 All too soon, Alex ended their kiss. He was focused totally on her. His eyes fastened on her face. “Think about it, Madeea. We may not have much longer to be here. The job we have to do is almost over. Once it is, our time here will end and we can begin a much-needed rest. If you really want to be part of and included in our love for each other, you’ll be more than welcomed. You’ll be wanted. Desired. Cherished.”

 Tears glistened in Madeea’s huge blue eyes. Her lips were puffy from Alex’s kisses and her cheeks blushed prettily. She looked more beautiful than any woman Heston had ever seen. She was truly meant to be a queen. Just as Alex was meant to be a king.

 The limo stopped outside the hotel and Heston exited immediately and shut the door. Putting his tumultuous emotions aside, he contacted his security people and had them do an extensive sweep of the area. The familiar routine calmed him.

 He’d figure this out. He’d keep Alex safe and just maybe Madeea would prove to be on their side in all this. He hoped so. It would be a shame for them to find a woman to love them both, only to lose her when their time here was gone.

  

  

  

 Chapter Seven

  

 Alex waited patiently. It would take Heston a while to do his security checks before they could enter the building. Normally he was a patient man with this process, but he was eager to be alone with Heston and Madeea.

 She had to join them. There was no way he could let her go now. The time he had was short -- he could almost hear the clock ticking. Once they concluded the transaction with Yuka, he’d use his new toy to set himself up as King of Nations. The preliminary work was already done. The United Nations was already considering creating a new position for their chief diplomat. In their eyes, there was nothing he couldn’t do with words. He got what he set out to get, and they thought they had him on a leash.

 The plan was for him to be elected by the UN as Over President of the United Nations. They had agreed it would give him power over every nation represented. The idea was to give a united front against what had become insurmountable problems in both the Middle East and North Korea. No one intended for Alex to have any real power -- they only wanted him to be able to negotiate more effectively. The idea, of course, had come from Alex himself. All it had taken was a whispered word to the right people, and the reality of it began to take shape.

 Once he was in this position, all he had to do is press the little red button, so to speak, and the conquering Horseman’s work was finished. He and Heston would be taken to their resting place, and Madeea would be left to live through -- or not -- what would be the most trying time since the Dark Ages. He didn’t want that for her, but there was nothing he could do about it. He only hoped he could give her a little of what she craved. He would give that to her.

 When Heston came for them, Alex took Madeea’s hand and hurried with her to the elevator. She was breathing hard. So was he. Heston was the only one of them who appeared not to be affected. Most likely he had used the separation from them to compose himself. He didn’t fool Alex, though. The man was just as wired as Alex was.

 Heston’s guards opened the door to the suite, and the trio entered. Once inside, Alex intended to advance on Madeea, but she turned the tables on him. In the blink of an eye, she threw herself at him and plastered her mouth to his. Tears slid down her face and Alex lapped them up gently, but eagerly. She knew he didn’t want sorrow from her. Only love.

 “I know you don’t have much time. I feel it in the very air I breathe. Soon you and Heston will be gone, and any chance I have of finally knowing what it means to love someone will be gone.” She kissed his face as she talked, pausing now and then to linger at his mouth, his earlobe, his chin. “I don’t know if I love you, but I think I might learn to in time. Please let me share you with Heston. You’re his as much as I’m yours.”

 “With pleasure, love.”

 Alex wished he had days to make love to them both, but the reality was that they had mere hours. As it was, he would take what he could until morning. After that…

 Madeea reached for his waistband and undid his slacks. In a swift motion, she slid them down his thighs and settled on her knees before him. Alex’s thick, hard cock bobbed over her face. The sight of her on her knees, ready to worship him in the most intimate way possible, made his cock twitch in excitement.

 Opening her mouth, Madeea enveloped the head and closed her lips around him. Her eyes never left his face. Slowly, she bobbed her head until a third of his shaft disappeared.

 That was all Alex could take. His eyes rolled back in his head and he sagged against the wall. “Ah, baby.” The croak that escaped him didn’t even sound like his voice. “That’s good.”

 Madeea sighed and braced one hand on his thigh as she stroked his cock with the other. Up and down his shaft she sucked and stroked, circling the head with her tongue. When Alex thought she couldn’t do it any better, her lips left his cock and she sucked one of his balls into her mouth. Her touch was tentative, hesitant, but the sensations were different than anything he’d felt in a long time.

 Two millennia without the touch of another human made him ultra sensitive. He’d also learned to appreciate every sensation, every emotion, now that the privilege was granted once more. What Madeea was doing to him was enough to make him fight for the control that came so easily for him in other arenas. The feminine quality to her touch was an erotic change from the masculinity Heston brought to their bed.

 But it wasn’t only that. Every time he looked at Madeea, his chest constricted with emotion. He wanted to please her in every way one person could please another, to give her what she needed both physically and emotionally. She was truly a special person. No other woman he’d ever known matched her courage or strength of will. The very fact she was in this crowded city and not in the most remote and least traveled of areas was testament to those facts. She knew she had some great task to perform, and she pushed herself to see it through.

 He was her barrier to the outside world. She completed a part of him he hadn’t realized was missing.

 Alex would have been happy to stay there and allow Madeea to explore to her heart’s content, but he wanted this to be special. Perfect.

 As if he’d had the same thought Alex had, Heston urged Madeea to her feet and picked her up. Alex didn’t need to ask where they were going. He stepped out of his clothes and followed them up the stairs to the bedroom where he found Heston removing her clothing and his own as they fought the tangle of garments to press their bodies together.

 Heston snaked an arm around her waist and pulled her to him for a wet kiss. His hands molded her hips and buttocks as her hands caressed his arms and shoulders. The muffled sound of their groans and sighs filled the air, as did the wonderfully clean smell of their bodies. Closing the door as he entered, Alex hurried to them.

 Madeea turned as he approached and raised her arms to enfold him in a loving embrace. Confusion swirled in the ocean blue depths of her eyes, but also lust and an emotion so deep it was palpable. Alex knew without a doubt she loved him. They had known each other maybe twenty-four hours, but the chemistry pulling them together was unmistakable.

 “You were meant to be with me, Madeea. You feel it the same as I do.” He cupped her breasts in his hands and his fingers found her nipples. Heston came behind her, resting his hands on her hips, and dipped his head to her neck and kissed her shoulder. “Heston and I have known we belonged together since we were boys. Can you understand that?”

 She nodded. “You can’t help where your heart takes you. It’s better if you don’t try to understand it and just know that it is what it is.”

 Alex took her mouth with his. Their tongues tangled and danced in their wet kiss. Madeea whimpered. She reached between their bodies and enfolded his hard cock in her hand. When Alex opened his eyes slightly, he noticed her other hand reached behind her -- presumably to touch Heston. It wasn’t long before the larger man moved to join their torrid kiss. They kissed over and over, feeding the flame of lust and desire until it blazed high.

 After several moments, Heston scooped Madeea into his arms and laid her in the middle of the bed. Both men followed -- Alex settling between her legs to feast on her dripping cunt, Heston wrapping an arm around her and loving her breasts.

 Alex couldn’t get enough of her. The musky smell of her pussy drew him like a moth to a flame. He plunged his tongue into her. Parting her lips with a thumb and forefinger, he sucked and lapped her clit until she quivered. Sweat broke out over her body and Alex grunted his approval. Heston moved over Madeea and fed her his cock, which she accepted greedily.

 When Alex inserted two fingers into her, Madeea cried out around Heston’s cock. “That’s it, my pet.” Heston’s deep growl sounded strained. Most likely, he was as excited and close to the edge as Alex was. “Come for Alex while you swallow my cock. I want you as excited as I am when we fuck you.”

 That did it. Her pussy contracted around Alex’s fingers in spasm after spasm. She pushed Heston away, took a deep breath, and screamed her climax. Her hand found Alex’s hair and she pulled him closer to her. Alex pulled at her clit and pumped her cunt until he felt the contractions begin to diminish.

 When she finally rested, he withdrew his fingers and offered them to Heston. The other man took them eagerly.

 “Mmmmm.” Heston expressed his appreciation as he sucked Alex’s fingers. “Delectable.”

 Alex moved to lie beside Madeea, facing her, while Heston sheathed himself before settling himself between her thighs. Heston braced his weight on his hands as he lay over her. Heston swore he had never been this excited and ready for sex. But it wasn’t only the woman. It wasn’t Alex, either. Somehow, the combination of the two of them was going to be the death of him.

 But what a way to go!

 He rubbed himself in the cleft of Madeea’s pussy, his sheathed cock slipping and sliding easily with the combination of latex and Madeea’s personal lubricant. In one smooth motion, Heston pushed inside her. She arched and cried out.

 “Oh, my God! That’s good!” She raised her head to look at him. Lust and passion mixed with a wholehearted love on her beautiful face. “More.”

 Heston was more than happy to oblige. He started a familiar rhythm, advancing and retreating with steady abandon. She was tight. Almost impossibly so. Nothing in his experience had prepared him for this. Madeea was special, just as Alex was special. God, but he was falling for her! Twenty-four hours after he’d first met her, Heston knew he was falling in love with Madeea. It wasn’t just the physical attraction that threw him. The emotional connection was enough to make him unsure of himself for the first time in living memory. With every stroke of his body into hers, it became more and more important to him that she walk away from this knowing she was loved. He didn’t know how much time he and Alex had, and he had to leave knowing she wasn’t alone anymore.

 Alex kissed her deeply as Heston fucked her. “Do you like what he’s doing?” Alex asked between kisses. “Do you like having the attention of both of us?”

 “You know I do.” Her breathy reply tightened his cock. He wasn’t going to last much longer. “But what about you? You both deserve the same pleasure you’re giving to me.”

 He chuckled. “You just want to watch again.”

 “Well, there is that.” Her strangled laughter warmed Heston’s heart.

 “Don’t worry, my pet,” Heston murmured. “We’ll get to that.”

 All laughter stopped when Heston began to pound Madeea harder and faster. “I can’t hold back any longer, Alex. I’m going to come, and I want her to come with me.”

 “You heard the man.” Alex gripped one nipple with his fingers as he sucked the other -- as he pumped himself furiously -- and Heston felt the tremors start within her cunt. Several strokes later, her pussy started to contract around his cock in a strangling grip. Madeea arched her back and screamed. She pushed through her orgasm and fluid erupted from their joined bodies, soaking Heston’s groin. Alex released her nipple with a loud pop and offered her his cock. He shouted when he emptied himself into her mouth and Heston could see Madeea’s throat working furiously to swallow all he had to give her. Heston’s own climax followed and his roar of satisfaction would probably bring his own security -- as well as the hotel security, the police department, and the National Guard -- barging in to see what had happened. He didn’t care.

 He was complete. Finally, the one thing missing his entire life was fitted into the rest of the puzzle that was his heart. No longer would he have to seek out other men and women to fulfill his needy heart. He’d found all he needed.

 Alex.

 And Madeea.

  

  

  

 Chapter Eight

  

 Alex had hoped they could have shared more tonight, but after that first explosive experience, they had simply curled up together and slept. It was worth it, though, for Heston and Madeea to show that much trust in one another. Heston might have strong feelings for her, might even love her as much as he loved Alex, but he didn’t trust her. At least not on a conscious level. Alex knew, however, Heston would never have gone to sleep with Madeea if there hadn’t been some element of trust on his part. He got the feeling Madeea didn’t trust anyone easily. While she was definitely content to sleep near them, having either of them wrapped around her so intimately had to be intimidating.

 It was four a.m. He could try to get another couple hours of sleep, but he was too keyed up. This meeting had to go well. Under no circumstances could he leave there without that weapon. Once the weapon was secured, he and Heston would take Madeea somewhere safe. Somewhere she could provide for herself in the years to come. Someplace secret and secluded. That should give him and Heston an excuse to spend time with her before they left.

 It was funny. For more than two thousand years, all he had dreamt of was conquering the world. Knowing that lofty goal would end his time on earth and he would finally move on to Paradise should have pushed him to finish this. He and Heston were due a rest. A rest without physical restrictions. They could enjoy each other’s company and bodies for the rest of eternity as they were meant to do.

 Now all he wanted to do was postpone everything, stop everything. Heston fueled his drive and ambition. Always before, his focus had been on conquering the world. Now he just wanted to conquer Madeea.

 No.

 He didn’t want to conquer her. He wanted to savor her. His love for Heston was different. They were men. Though they were tender with each other, their love lacked many emotional qualities they could only find with women. It was why they had, at times, taken female lovers, but they had never been with the same woman. Alex now knew what they’d been missing.

 Madeea.

 Somehow, just as they acted as a barrier for her to the outside world, she was their bridge to each other. She added the femininity they both craved to their union. The three of them belonged together. Forever. And he had no way of taking her with them.

 * * *

 When she awoke, Madeea was alone. She bolted from the bed and flew down the stairs. “Alex?” No answer. “Heston?” Nothing.

 Her heart pounded. They had gone to the meeting without her. There was danger, and they’d left her. There wasn’t a doubt in her mind they thought she would be safer that way, and she probably was. But neither of them had her insight into those around them. She had to find them.

 She dressed quickly and bolted from the suite only to run into -- literally -- a very large man outside the door. He caught her mad flight effortlessly and herded her back inside.

 “I have strict instructions to make sure you stay out of trouble.”

 “Let me go, you oaf! I have to find Alex and Heston.”

 “They’ve gone to a meeting. You can’t go with them.”

 “I have to! They’re in danger!” Madeea felt panic creeping into her blood. They needed her. She was so focused on them, she could feel something bad coming. Heston felt it -- he just didn’t know what it meant. They had left the building, so her impressions were faint -- almost nonexistent -- but she was sure Heston thought his uneasiness was due to the drama of the previous meeting. He was so used to danger, this felt like just one more battle to him.

 It wasn’t. This was the most important fight of his life.

 Not waiting for further explanation from her “guard,” Madeea whirled around, back to the suite. She went to the bathroom and opened the small door that blocked the laundry chute. It would be a snug fit, and she’d have to be careful lest she fall straight to the bottom, but it would work nicely for a quick way out.

 * * *

 Yuka had been hard pressed to give Alex what he wanted, but in the end the two billion yen -- in addition to the original one billion -- convinced her. Now she had the account number, and he had a little black box. Quite satisfying.

 “I think our work is about done, Heston.” Alex tried to sound pleased, but he was rather sad. More than that, he felt a fit of anxiety coming on. He would find a way for them to stay with Madeea if it killed him.

 Heston grunted. His arms were crossed over his chest, and he leaned against the wall of the conference room. “Yeah. Done.” His grunt told Alex all he needed to know. The big man was as miserable as Alex was.

 “Well.” Alex’s throat felt tight. He hadn’t cried since the night Heston had died in their first life. Then he’d cried for days and vowed never to love anyone else again. Thank the gods he hadn’t kept that vow. “Now we have to find a way to keep Madeea with us.”

 Heston’s gaze snapped up. “We can’t. Once you activate that thing, we go to Paradise. She can’t follow.”

 “What if we didn’t activate it, Heston? What if we just go away and take her with us?”

 The other man sighed heavily. “We’ve been through this, Alex. This is what you have to do. The UN is about to make you Over President, which will unite the world under one rule. Once that is done, all you have to do is press that button and we go home. Our job will be done and we can leave the unpleasantness to someone else.”

 “And what happens to Madeea? What happens to us without her?”

 As soon as the question was uttered, Madeea burst in through the door. “Get out! Both of you, get out now!”

 Heston didn’t ask for an explanation. He raised his arm to his mouth and spoke to the microphone at his wrist. Madeea didn’t hear what he said, or what was replied, but outside she heard people running down the hall and shouting. Within minutes, two men in black suits entered.

 “We’re ready, sir. With so many people in the building today, I’m glad you didn’t try to push your way through this time. I doubt you’d have made it.”

 “Is the car waiting?” Heston’s clipped question was all business.

 “Yes, sir. Everyone’s in place.”

 Heston guided Alex and Madeea to the door. Alex looked around, alert for anything coming his way. He hadn’t yet put his prize in his briefcase, so he tucked it carefully inside his inner jacket pocket, along with the key to unlock it.

 They moved quickly down the hall. Both men looked to tackle any challenge thrown their way. Madeea kept looking for the man she’d seen the day before, the one with the oily residue of hate clinging to him. Any problems that came their way would undoubtedly come from him.

 A sigh of relief escaped Madeea when they reached the doors. They had almost made it out. She could see the car waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Just a few more steps and they’d be safe.

 “Alex. Mr. Megas.” The woman Madeea had lifted the key from approached them from several feet down the hallway. “I need to talk to you about the other day.”

 “I’m sorry, Katherine. This isn’t a good time.” Alex didn’t spare her a glance. He was looking at everyone else, looking for a potential threat.

 Out of the crowd of people in the lobby of the building, Madeea spotted the foul feeling man. He was dressed in a gray trench coat, and his hands were tucked tightly into the pockets. Hate and anger flowed through the air, filling Madeea’s mind. Danger was suddenly very real.

 “Heston!” Madeea was frantic. “Over there!”

 Heston swung his head in the direction Madeea had indicated and spoke into the microphone at his wrist again as he dashed in the man’s direction. Everyone converged on him. People shouted and screamed and scrambled to get out of the way. The man simply stood there. He didn’t move. The satisfied smirk on his face made Madeea uneasy.

 Something wasn’t right.

 She felt like she was moving in slow motion. She looked from the man to Alex…

 And something caught her eye.

 Katherine.

 While everyone was focused on the man in the trench coat, she was reaching into her purse. The flash of steel from her gun glinted in the overhead lighting, and Madeea screamed.

 In a panic, Madeea tried to warn Alex, but she couldn’t get the words out. She couldn’t breathe. She was only a few feet from the two of them, but it felt like miles and miles. Sprinting as hard as she could, Madeea saw Katherine bring the gun up. Her finger hugged the trigger.

 Madeea knew she’d never get to Alex in time. The only chance she had was to jump and hope she knocked Alex out of the way before Katherine pulled the trigger. With a mighty leap, Madeea threw her body into Alex. The deafening explosion of Katherine’s gun echoed inside the building. People everywhere ducked and ran to the exit.

 The breath left Madeea’s lungs as she hit Alex, then the ground. Her ribs hurt where she landed.

 “Alex,” she panted. “Oh, God, Alex, are you OK?”

 Alex scrambled to sit up. He looked around frantically, seeing where the danger was. Heston and his men had taken the gun from Katherine, and she was being handcuffed as he watched. The strange man Alex knew to be Darius, his old enemy, smirked, but looked disappointed. As Alex watched, the man vanished into thin air. With all the commotion around them, no one but Alex and Heston seemed to notice. Heston met Alex’s gaze.

 “I’m fine.” Alex answered Madeea’s verbal question as well as Heston’s silent one. “I’m fine.” He kept looking around him, expecting something else, but Heston’s efficient security team had everything under control. “Let’s get out of here. Now.”

 He extended a hand to help Madeea up… and froze.

 “Oh, gods.” Alex’s whisper came out strangled. Madeea was struggling to get up, but blood soaked her shirt and puddled around her body. “Oh, gods! Heston, help me!” Alex pulled his suit jacket off, followed by his shirt. He gently laid Madeea on her back and pillowed her head with his jacket. Ripping her blouse open, he pressed his shirt tightly to the gushing wound on the upper left side of her rib cage.

 In that short amount of time, the puddle around Madeea doubled in size. Madeea’s skin grew clammy and pale. Her lips had gone white, and her skin was cool and clammy.

 “I think I got hit, Alex.” Her voice was terrifyingly weak.

 “Yeah, I think you got hit.” Alex whipped out his cell phone and dialed 9-1-1. If he didn’t get her to a hospital soon, she would die. “We’ve got to get you out of here.”

 Heston was at her side, as well. He had grabbed a briefcase and slipped it under her feet and threw his overcoat around her body to keep her warm.

 “We’ll get you to a hospital, Madeea. Just hang on.” Heston sounded like he was almost in a panic. Alex had never heard anything like it from the big man. Nothing made him panic.

 “An ambulance is on the way. Just a few minutes more, my love. Just a few.” Alex stroked her forehead, leaving a crimson smear where her blood coated his hand.

 “It’s OK, Alex.” Her smile was weak, but she looked more at peace than Alex had seen her yet. “I did what I was supposed to do. The burden I’ve always felt is gone. I did it.”

 Heston held her hand in his. He squeezed and rubbed it over and over, trying to comfort both Madeea and himself. “You did good, my pet. Just hold it together for a little while longer. We’ll take care of you.”

 “No.” Madeea was growing weaker by the second. She was literally bleeding to death in front of Alex and Heston’s eyes. “I love you both, but I can’t stay. I wasn’t meant to stay.” Her eyes closed, and it seemed like it took every ounce of strength she had to open them again. “Everything will be fine now, Alex. You’ll see.”

 Madeea took one final breath and closed her eyes for the last time. Neither man said anything. They just sat there in stunned silence. Madeea was dead.

  

  

  

 Chapter Nine

  

 Heston wanted to scream in agony. He’d never felt anything to compare to this. His heart felt as if a great gaping hole had been torn from it, never to be mended. Was this how Alex had felt when Heston had met his demise in their first life? If so, he now understood why Alex had always insisted Heston make arrangements for his own security.

 This torment was worse than any kind of hell he had yet known.

 “Sweet Zeus,” Alex croaked through his tears as he knelt and kissed Madeea gently on the lips. They both sat there. Heston didn’t think he could have moved if he’d wanted to. Shock had overcome him, and all he could do was stare at Madeea’s angelic face.

 Alex lifted his head, and Heston’s breath caught. The blind hate burning in his eyes was enough to make Heston cringe. Even he’d think twice about crossing Alex in this kind of mood. The smaller man stood, his focus squarely on Katherine. She had been handcuffed some time ago, but was complaining loudly about the cuffs chafing her wrist. They had her gun and her purse, she reminded them, so they knew she wasn’t armed. The six men around her should be enough to keep her from doing anything else. She demanded they release her hands. She wouldn’t cause more trouble.

 As they started down the hall with her, to the door, one man kept a firm hold on her upper arm while the other guard spoke into a radio. Alex stood and advanced. Standing just to Alex’s right, leaning against the wall, stood a woman in a dark red dress of flowing gossamer, with long straight hair of the same color. In her right hand she held a long bow by the grip, resting it on the floor. The long, curved, and intricately carved piece of wood was as tall as the woman herself. She should have stood out in the crowd, but this was the first time Heston even noticed her. As Alex passed her, the woman handed Alex the bow and one arrow. Alex didn’t break his stride. He simply took the weapon and made two more steps before notching the arrow and pulling the enormous bow to ready. His sights were squarely fixed on Katherine.

 Before Heston could do more than scream a resounding “NO!” Alex loosed the arrow. The long, powerful bow was made for great distances. Alex was no more than ten or twenty yards away. When the arrow hit her, it went completely through her body -- miraculously not hitting anyone else -- before embedding itself into the wall behind her with a thud . Katherine never uttered a word. The arrow tore through her heart and she simply hit the ground dead.

 Again, people fanned out in all directions, not sure where the latest attack had come from. Heston looked at Alex. The bow he held vanished. When Heston looked back at the wall where the arrow had quivered moments before, there was nothing there -- not even a hole in the wall. Security men and police were everywhere, yet no one seemed to have seen the woman in the red dress, and no one seemed to have seen Alex assassinate Katherine. No one came to subdue him. No one pointed fingers in accusation in his direction. Instead, they all looked in every direction but Alex’s. It was the most bizarre event of Heston’s existence.

 Then it hit Heston. The woman was the Red Horseman. The time of the White Rider had ended, and a new time was about to begin.

 Heston moved quickly to Alex, enfolding the man in his arms and moving him away from the carnage. His friend was in shock. He stared unblinking at Katherine, and Heston had to smack his cheek several times before Alex finally blinked and focused on Heston.

 “Look at me, Alex. Look at me.”

 Alex was mute, but he finally looked into Heston’s eyes.

 “We have to get out of here. It’s not safe.”

 “Madeea --”

 “Can’t be harmed anymore. Come on. Move.” Heston was desperate to get Alex out of the open. To his surprise, four other men surrounded them and guided them to the waiting limousine. Heston recognized one of them as a UN security officer and didn’t resist. Once inside the car, the man spoke.

 “It’s been decided to go ahead with the ceremony to name him Over President of the United Nations. Every member has agreed their nation will recognize his authority over them. The details are still sketchy, but the situation in the Middle East has become critical. We have to do this now.”

 Alex simply gazed out the window, seeming not to hear what was going on around him. Heston wasn’t sure Alex was up to this, but he was determined to help his friend see it to the end.

 “He’ll be ready. He just needs some time to catch his breath.”

 “I know this is difficult, but time is critical. We have to do this now.”

 “Understood.” Heston had to pull Alex out of his profound state of shock quickly. He didn’t have time to do much more than smack him around or simply stick him out there and hope he stayed catatonic until the ceremony was over. If he suddenly came out of his “trance,” he might jeopardize his credibility before the world was united.

 A media circus awaited them at the United Nations building. Red carpet led from the limo, but the thing that shocked Heston most was the white horse waiting at the end of the carpeted runway.

 Alex seemed to be OK at the moment. He looked at Heston and squeezed his hand reassuringly. “I’m OK, my love. It’s almost over.” Heston had to strain to hear Alex’s muttered words. He watched as Alex reached into his inside jacket pocket for the device Yuka had invented.

 This was it. Everything they had been planning for, everything they had promised to complete, was about to come to pass.

 Alex exited the limo and strode down the carpet. He walked slowly. Heston was sure it was so the media could get the pictures and film footage they were so desperately trying to get to send out to the world. When he reached the horse, he was met by three people -- Heston wasn’t sure who they were, but they were obviously members of the UN. One of them carried a golden fig leaf crown, which he placed on Alex’s head.

 Cheers echoed in the courtyard as Alex mounted the great white horse. Photos were taken, then Alex turned the animal and rode majestically deeper into the courtyard until he reached the steps leading to the interior. Heston expected Alex would dismount and climb the steps, but he urged the animal up the steps. Once on the top, the animal reared and Alex held one fist in the air in triumph.

 Heston hurried up the steps, keeping out of the spotlight. He still didn’t want to let Alex out of his sight. When he reached his friend, Alex dismounted and came to Heston. They just looked at each other for a few moments before Alex threw his arms around Heston and sobbed.

 “It’s over.”

 “Then press the damned button and let’s go home.”

 And he did.

 * * *

 Poppies littered the beautiful spring meadow. Carried on a gentle breeze, the sweet scent floated to Alex and Heston as they approached the great oak. Blue skies were marred only by fluffy white clouds, which added to the profound beauty of the sky rather than detracting from it. The wind and sun kissed their bare skin and the music of birds filled the air around them, welcoming them into the arms of Paradise.

 It was a very bitter homecoming indeed.

 “I think I’d rather have died in my own time than lose something so precious,” Alex whispered. “If I didn’t have you, Heston, I’d attack the gods themselves just to provoke their wrath upon me and end my barren existence. Losing you the first time was the most horrible experience of my life. Losing Madeea will be the hardest experience of my death.”

 Heston couldn’t agree more. This was supposed to be their great victory, their payment for a job well done. Instead it felt hollow. Superficial. All their hard work seemed pointless now.

 “The gods must be having a jolly laugh at our expense.” Self-deprecation laced Alex’s voice liberally. “What a sorry lot we turned out to be. The ‘king of the world’ and his trusty sidekick.” Alex looked angry enough to punch something -- himself most likely. “I’ve never felt so stupid in my entire life.”

 “We got everything either of us ever wanted,” Heston agreed, “and all I can think is how none of it made any difference once it was over. We conquered the world, Alex. Not just the ‘known world,’ but the world. We wanted to do that since boyhood.” Heston shook his head. “Now the only thing I can think of is how it’s all meaningless without Madeea.”

 “The gods put me in this position because I was cut down in the prime of my life, because I was unable to fulfill my potential. Still, I can’t help feeling the point of this exercise was for us to learn there are more important things in life than acquiring power.” Alex’s chuckle sounded anything but merry. “Well. I’d say the lesson was amply learned.”

 “Does that mean you’ll be glad to see me?”

 Both men whirled around, their mouths agape. Standing gloriously naked, the warm sunshine glistening on her skin, was Madeea. Her hair wafted out behind her, shimmering like spun gold. Her breasts bounced gently when she walked toward them. The gentle sway of her hips enticed Heston like a moth to a flame. He couldn’t stop himself from going to her any more than Alex could. The fact was, he loved her as much as he loved Alex. Why Heston had tried to hold himself back in the first place was a mystery to him.

 “You’re here?” The wonder in Alex’s voice mirrored Heston’s own.

 “I think I impressed someone or something,” she giggled. “By giving my life to save another, I earned my own place in Paradise. I couldn’t think of any greater paradise than one with the two of you.”

 Heston was so grateful to see her whole again, he lifted her by the waist and spun her around. Her laughter mingled with the music of the birds to form the most beautiful duet he had ever heard. When Alex added his own joyful voice to the mix, the sound was beyond anything Heston had ever experienced.

 He brought Madeea down and kissed her, as did Alex. It didn’t take long for the happy reunion to turn passionate. Kisses flamed, gentle loving caresses turned to stimulating lust-filled ones, and need and love rose like a phoenix from the ashes of heartbreak.

 They sank into the soft bed of grass beneath them and Madeea spread her legs at Alex’s urging. Heston kissed her urgently, his tongue dueling with hers. She gave as good as she got.

 Not content to wait, Madeea pulled Alex up her body until the tip of his cock nudged at her cunt. With an eager thrust, he slid home and they both cried out. Heston moved to their side and caressed Alex’s buttocks as he fucked the woman they both loved desperately.

 “You look so sexy fucking her, Alex. There’s nothing in the world I’d rather see than the two of you loving each other.” The sight before Heston was the most erotic he’d ever seen. There was just something about the vision of sex between two people who loved each other.

 “Join us,” Madeea whimpered. “Take me at the same time Alex does.”

 Heston lay beside Madeea. Both she and Alex rolled to their sides. Alex pulled himself from her body and Heston plunged home. Even in Paradise, Heston wasn’t willing to chance hurting Madeea by taking her ass without some kind of lubricant.

 He didn’t have to worry, though. Her core was slick and slippery with the combination of her own intimate moisture and Alex’s as well. He slid within her pussy several times before pulling himself out and repositioning his cock at her anus. Very carefully, he pushed forward until the head slipped past the tight ring of muscle. He couldn’t contain his groan of pleasure.

 “Oh yeah, Heston.” Madeea began to move. She faced away from him, and pushed herself back with every one of his forward strokes. “That’s wonderful. So very wonderful.” He hooked her knee over his forearm to hold her open.

 Alex took his place on his side facing Madeea. Heston stopped his movement as Alex guided himself inside her pussy. The pressure against Heston’s cock was almost unbearable. It was like being caught in a velvet vise. Nothing had ever felt so wonderfully tight. A couple of strokes and he’d lose it. A couple of strokes from Alex and he’d lose it.

 Nothing in the world compared to this. It wasn’t the act, but the people he was with. They fit perfectly. Madeea arched into them. She offered her breasts to Alex while she ground her ass into Heston. Alex’s moans and grunts fueled Heston’s lust as surely as Madeea’s squeals and sighs.

 The men moved in an unsteady cadence that mirrored the differences in each man. Madeea had never felt so full. Full of cock. Full of pleasure.

 Full of love.

 She knew their pleasure as well as her own, and she clung to them for fear their emotions would sweep her away. Every kiss, every touch was so full of love and devotion she feared she’d weep with the joy of it. Nothing in her life had prepared her for this. Madeea opened her mind and heart to two extraordinary men and found the part of her soul that had been missing, thought lost to her forever. In this one moment, she knew she would be happy and cherished and loved for all eternity.

 Alex found everything he’d sought for his entire existence in these two people. Heston had been his first love, Madeea his last. They each brought things to his soul that would keep him content and at peace forever. Their physical love was only the beginning. It was those deeper feelings, the strong, abiding love and compassion for one another that would sustain him. Them.

 Not even death had been able to separate them.

 As the pleasure grew and reached fever pitch, their movements became more erratic. The men struggled to get closer, to plunge deeper. Finally, Heston rolled them. He lay on his back with his cock still firmly buried in Madeea’s ass while Alex got to his knees and sank into her again.

 Over and over Alex and Heston plunged into Madeea. She spread her legs wide and gripped Alex’s ass, urging him on. Heston gripped her hips and held her still for his plundering.

 The sun shone warmly on them as they all neared their climax. Madeea looked up into the beautiful blue sky and screamed her satisfaction. Heston and Alex soon followed.

 It wasn’t long before they lay in a tangle of arms and legs on the soft bed of spring grass. Paradise was truly paradise.

  

  

  

 Epilogue

  

 Civilization as it had been ceased. The United Nations was truly united in the aftermath of the White Horse’s departure. For a while, at least. However, soon that too collapsed, and it was every nation for itself. Every man for himself.

 The world was ripe for the entrance of the next Horseman. After all, War thrived on chaos.

 But every man has his weakness, and sometimes it takes a warrior to defeat a warrior.

  

  

  

 Marteeka Karland

  

 Marteeka is an ordinary woman with an overactive imagination. Thank God for a computer, or tape recorder, or pen and paper… whatever she can create a story with! Her husband sometimes thinks she’s nuts and asks her every time she gets frustrated with her latest deadline, “Is it really worth all this?” And every time, she answers, “HELL YES!”

 Apart from writing, Marteeka’s alter ego has worked in the Emergency Room for more years than she’ll admit. She has a loving husband, who still chuckles when he tells a buddy exactly what that Goddess of Water T-shirt is all about, and a son who is blissfully ignorant to anything other than he’s not allowed to “push buttons” on Mommy’s computer.

 Marteeka welcomes mail at mkarland@net-power.net, and you can visit her website at www.marteekakarland.net