Parole (Hypernaturals 7)

He likes M&M's

The 1991 Miata makes all kinds of sports car sounds when you punch it. At cruise, it hum's along. With the top down, we have no problem talking even without leveraging Vampire hearing advantages...

"I like DeWayne." I told Morgan. "I am surprised you two did not get together more seriously. What am I missing? Not complaining, as you have now fallen into my clutches and I am not letting go, but: something I am not seeing?"

"Well. Start with the fact our relationship started well over a decade ago. DeWayne and I got together frequently. We dated, and as we have already discussed we fell afoul of the people in Houston that wanted to tell me who I could date: You met him. You saw he is a good guy." That caused Morgan to reflect, and not happily. "The pressure they put on him, Adrian. It was unreal. More threats and leveraging than they did with me. Made it hard to have a long term relationship. We still saw each other from time to time, always on the down-low. Never as frequently as at first because it required stealth and that is not enjoyable. I blew out of Houston, and someday I will tell you that whole story. It is not my proudest moment in some ways. Dewayne was on the sidelines of that, but he could have easily been in the center. He would have been deeply involved if the Cabal knew we were still dating from time to time. Part of that is also that whenever DeWayne was seeing someone else, he stayed with only them. He did not see me behind their backs. I dated a lot of men, and I was open that I was not exclusive. DeWayne would commit now and then, and we would not see each other as long as that relationship was in force."

"See? Good guy." I said.

"Yes: I am the one that did not want any commitment. By your definition, I was the 'bad guy' in that relationship and with many other people."

"I did not mean to imply that at ALL, Morgan. My understanding of it is that you were always up front about what you wanted. Dewayne said so. You did not lead people on. Give them false hope." I defended Morgan's honor from Morgan's personal attack on herself.

"I did not lead anyone on, although in retrospect in a few cases, where it was obvious that perhaps my being clear was insufficient I more than likely should have stopped seeing them." Morgan semi-agreed.

"I did not know you are a goddess and in charge of other people. Well. Yes, I do. You are, but not like that. You are responsible for how others act and react to you when you are being open about what your intentions and commitments are? Why?" I asked.

"That was always the conundrum. I enjoyed being with some of these people even when I knew the potential to hurt them was great because of their wants. I liked being with them, and not only sexually. In those cases I never did the right thing, but it is a shade of gray if I was doing the wrong thing. Not about my sexual behavior, but about if I knew at some level they were unhappy with my lack of desire to take the relationship farther." Morgan did not seem to enjoy making this recollection of her past self. I imagine this is part of why I know only some details about her life in Houston. Her life before us.

"In any case, when I arrived in Austin and with every piece of the Cabal I could find a smoldering ash pit in Houston, nearly the first thing I did is take DeWayne to bed. A sort of last 'up yours' in their direction and the wrong motive. After my exit from Houston and some of the other things that transpired, I was not mentally ready for intimacy. DeWayne is a good lover. A good friend. In a way, he is my Vera. He is not a Siren though, so it is that sex and friendship never led to romantic love. I never even remotely felt for him what I feel for you. Or Jessica. Or Helen."

"Yet he has naked pictures of you and I don't." I complained, grinning at the same time so she would know I was not being serious.

"Why do you need pictures?" Morgan asked. " You get the real naked me any time you desire. Not counting the ONE night I was so angry. I am never doing that again. Using sex as a weapon. Being the woman in your life that says: 'Do what I want, or I am not having sex with you. I have always hated people like that. I became one, briefly. Never again. Not feeling well? Sick kids? There are good reasons not to have sex, but barring that: You want to make love, you tell me. You want me to stand naked in front of you and do nothing, say so. I do that with you, and that is only fair."