Clockwork Butterfly, A (8 page)

Chapter 12

Lena looked over her shoulder for what must have been the fortieth time, her heart disrupting the silence. The birth log from the year she was born lay in front of her. It was dusty and thin. She was expecting to have to scroll through endless lists of names, but now realized rather stupidly that, of course it would be thin, birthers could only produce one child a year and there was, from what she could gather, less than a hundred birthers associated with this manor. She wondered why the records were all held here when the births actually happened elsewhere. It must be the source of the seed that determined where the records were sent. It dawned on her that it would be a pretty major coincidence if she was in these records. Still, something made her tremble as she flipped open the hard cover and stared at the ledger.

There she was, the very first entry.

Lena James Lee, 3.2 kilos – sire donor 0162, egg donor 9816, birther 0319, host mother 97261.

She quickly scribbled down the details and placed the book back on the shelf. This was the restricted part of the restricted library in the restricted corridor of the manor. Mae had brought her here several times, as it was always deserted. Something stirred in Lena’s abdomen when she saw her own handprint on the old ornate mirror, still there, smearing the glass with sweat and dust. She smiled and wriggled her hips in a little salute to Mae.

She crushed the scrap of paper into a ball and hid it up her cuff, dropping the pencil to the floor and kicking it under one of the bookshelves. Now all she had to do was find the log that contained the corresponding names to the list of numbers.

The lunch bell rang. Lena would have to leave her investigations for the day.

* * * *

Not only had she hatched a plan to sneak around gathering information on the people who gave her life, she had also cunningly devised a way to disguise the caning streaks on her behind. They had faded slightly, but not enough not to be noticed.

So here she was, tied up with her ass hanging over the bed, fully covered by her kimono.

“Are you sure about this?” Angelo’s gleaming eyes and the way he strummed the cane over his palm betrayed his concern for her. She fully expected to see him lick his lips before administering the first swipe.

“Yes, I think so,” said Lena, cringing at her lies. “Let’s just try it through the robe first, then see…”

Angelo nodded. “What if you scream too loud?”

“I’ll be fine,” she declared a bit too quickly.

“Yes, but…” He paused and reached for something. It was a handkerchief. “I think maybe I’ll use this just to be sure.” And without further warning, he stuffed the square of silk roughly into her mouth.

She groaned and wound her hips back and forth. He was getting to know just what she liked even before she did. He drew the cane seductively over her rump before giving her a gentle swipe. It barely made contact, and she pushed her ass out to invite a stronger strike. Once more he pulled the length of the cane over her buttocks then flicked it. It stung a little this time and excitement washed over her. He was going to do it right after all. Again, slide then,
thwack!
She had prepared herself for another gentle slap and wasn’t prepared for the conviction he’d used. A flash of pain sliced through her and she shrieked into the pillow. Before she could take a breath another lashing came. Her ass was on fire, and she struggled against her bindings like a fish on a line.
Thwack
! Searing pain came over her, and she broke free from herself like before and melted into the bed.

Her body relaxed and stilled as she focused all her effort on her breath, following it as it nourished every part of her body, past her shoulders, lungs, breasts, nipples. She was aware of every hair, sweat gland, and pore. Her body was tingling with life and ringing with arousal. Her breath took her to her raw behind and liquid pussy. She was so ripe, open and feral with desire, she heard a voice that was hers, but not hers, scream out to be fucked.

At last, the silk hem of the kimono was lifted up and over her buttocks and a huge, thick, turgid cock plunged deep into her. She shrank around it, holding it, squeezing it, guarding it jealously as it tried to retreat before attacking again. She pulled her bindings to near breaking point as she forced herself back to meet every thrust. Angelo held her hips and fucked her harder than she’d ever known, groaning and grunting, taking her higher and higher into the outer body state of climax. He reached around and pressed the hard nub of her clit, massaging it in time with his humping hips. Lena gasped air in through her nose and collapsed into the bed as a thunderous orgasm stole her strength.

He withdrew quickly and reached for the vial. When he’d placed it in the portal, he came over to her and tenderly touched her burning rear.

“I think I’ve just been to orgasm heaven,” wheezed Lena after he’d extracted the handkerchief.

“You were definitely somewhere else.” Angelo gently untied her straps.

She rubbed her wrists and cuddled in beside him. “Angelo,” she said into his chest, not wanting to look at him. “What happens if someone else gets their DNA on one of the butterflies that already has an owner?”

“Don’t be silly.” He kissed her head and lifted her chin to look her in the eye. “How would that ever happen?”

“Oh, I don’t know.” She shrugged noncommittally and snuggled back into his arms.

* * * *

Archmatria Raquilla looked stunned as Lena burst into her office.

“Did you birth me?” When no answer came Lena tried again. “I said, ‘Did you birth me?’”

The Archmatria put her hands together the way a nun or a doctor would. Lena found it patronizing and awaited the sugary-coated denial. Everything was so secretive and hush-hush here it was stifling and guilt inducing. Lena had just decided to confront the issue. Well, she hadn’t exactly decided on doing it, she’d just worked herself into such a frenzy that when she’d found herself passing the Archmatria’s office, she’d spontaneously burst in and demanded to know.

The Archmatria was now smiling in such a ridiculously annoying way that Lena could have punched her. She looked so much like she was about to deliver her speech on how “we don’t pry in to such matters here at the manor,” that Lena had to break the silence.

“Well?”

The Archmatria came serenely toward her. “Why yes,” she said with what looked like a delighted smile on her face. “Yes, I did. How did you discover that?”

Lena was thrown. “I didn’t,” she faltered. “I just reckoned I’d start asking until one of you hesitated or was too quick to deny it and I’d have my answer.”

“What makes you think we’d deny it?” Archmatria Raquilla looked genuinely puzzled.

“I don’t know. All the secrets around here.”

“What secrets? We don’t withhold any information here.”

“But you misled, tricked, and lied to me,” explained Lena, beginning to feel confused herself.

“Yes, yes, I see. That was rather a large cover-up on our part, and I do apologize. We just had to be sure you were the one before we went off on a hunch.”

Lena twisted her face and shrugged, showing her confusion.

“Well, once we got the confirmation of the copulins from the samples Mae delivered, we could then go ahead with fast tracking you. Had there been no pheromone, you would have just thought that Mae had been a fling and gone back to being just another trainee.”

“Oh.” Lena sagged where she stood.

“I still don’t think you really realize your importance.”

“I do, don’t worry about that.” Lena let the bitterness flood out. “It’s actually a bit of a fucking burden, if you must know.”

“I’m sure it is.” The Archmatria who had birthed her opened her arms and Lena slowly went to her, accepting her embrace.

“So, are you, like, my mother?” she asked when they’d finally broken free from each other.

“No. No, the woman who raised you is your mother. I was just your chariot.”

“How many others?”

“Seventeen.”

“Seventeen!” Lena could barely keep her jaw on its hinges. “You were a birther for seventeen years? Oh my God.” Her own plight seemed suddenly insignificant when compared to the image of this woman growing lives in her belly and pushing them out only to have them taken away and raised by someone else.

“Not seventeen years, no. There were sets of twins and a set of triplets.”

“Do you know where they all are?”

Archmatria Raquilla turned to a large filing cabinet under the window and motioned for Lena to follow. She brought out a little book filled with notes, addresses, and pictures. “I’d recognize every one.”

“Why didn’t you say something to me?” Lena asked, fingering the page where her own address was written in spidery writing with a faded photo of her with her mother back home.

“It might have upset you, confused you, or worse, you might have thought it meant nothing.” Archmatria Raquilla smiled sadly, and Lena understood her pain.

“Thank you,” she said, looking around the room. It was worn-out with a formal, yet friendly air, much like Archmatria Raquilla. Lena made a mental note to get an office that was fun and full of lush fabrics and décor. If your world mirrored you and vice versa, she wanted it to be inviting, at the very least. She took a breath and slowly turned to leave.

“Remember, you are special, Lena.”

Lena smiled and rolled her eyes as she left the old office.

She felt lighter as she made her way to dinner. She had gone from feeling distant from all of her mothers, to being empathic to each one in this weird population drive. She did think that perhaps she was split into three in a way. Each of these women must have given her something that made her who she is today. Her mind flashed to Archmatria Raquilla swatting her palm with her delicious cane. Lena smiled. At least she could attribute her love of the lashings to one of them.

* * * *

“You know you are allowed to take other lovers, Lena.” Mae looked uneasy and defensive as Lena slipped in beside her, sliding her tray along the table. “It’s not like a zillion years ago when we lived under tyranny of monogamy.”

“Tyranny?” Lena raised an eyebrow. She crossed her eyes and Mae’s scowl began to soften.

“You know what I mean,” she said and nudged Lena’s shoulder.

“I’m not bothered about that other girl. I know it’s probably part of your job. I was just surprised, that’s all.”

“I’m not talking about me, Lena. Lord knows I fuck anything that moves. I’m talking about you.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m just concerned, you know.”

“No. I don’t.” Lena lifted her cutlery and started carving into the strange looking fodder before her, giving it a lot of concentration.

“Well, for one thing, I know you feel guilty about having sex with me. It’s like you think you’re his property or something.”

Lena dropped her fork and stared open mouthed at Mae. “I do not!”

“Might I remind you, that getting emotionally attached to your subject is a banishable offense.”

“You don’t need to remind me of that, Mae, thank you. You’re just jealous because I’m not your little lap puppy anymore. I’ve moved on and you can’t handle it.” Lena regretted her tone instantly and looked away from Mae’s hurt expression.

“Lena, you’re getting into dangerous territory. I’m just trying to protect you. If you fall in love and he gets taken away from you, you’ll be devastated.” She put her arm around Lena. “And you’re right, I am jealous. Not of him, but the fact that you don’t want to make love with me anymore.”

“We made love in the woods just the other day!”

“No, we didn’t. I whipped you and fucked you. That was all.”

“You’re contradicting yourself, Mae. You are selfish. And manipulative. You don’t want me to have feelings for him, but you expect me to have feelings for you. You want us to
make love
?” Lena’s head started to pound with confusion. She picked up her tray and looked once more to Mae. “And don’t bother trying to protect me. I’ve had enough fucking protection in my life.” She turned and walked out of the dining room, leaving her tray on a nearby table.

As she walked through the corridors and hallways back to the dorm, Lena paid close attention to her surroundings. She had been living in a bubble of Mae and Angelo since she had arrived and now she decided to open her eyes and see beyond herself.

Her fellow students milled around, laughing and carrying books, hugging each other, whispering to each other. She started to notice the more subtle ways they communicated, a twist of a finger in the hair, a hand lingering over a breast.
My God
, thought Lena,
they’re all fucking at it
.

That night in the dorm, she listened closely to her other roommates, all but ignored for the past two months. Sucking, wet, slippery noises drifted up to her bunk and Lena sighed, pulling her blankets over her head and turning to the wall. She really was a self-centered ignoramus. She wondered which of the two was the student, Dana or Dark Eyes. She guessed Dana; she’d seemed so innocent when they’d first arrived here. Though, what the hell could she possibly deduce with her levels of instinct?

As she lay there trying to sleep, she found the noises of the slow loving beneath her arousing. Her hand drifted down and she rubbed herself to a silent climax through her cotton nightshirt.

Chapter 13

“Hey, Lena,” Mae shouted over through the morning mist. The sound of crows broke the thick air with their eerie call. Lena turned to see Mae running over the wet lawn toward her. “Hey, isn’t this yours?”

Lena’s heart thumped. The butterfly lay twitching in her palm as if dying.

“Um, yes.” Lena carefully lifted it between her thumb and forefinger. “Where did you find it?” asked Lena, dreading the answer.

“It just flew right up to me and landed on my shoulder. Weird, eh?”

“Hmm.” Lena nodded.

“Listen…” Mae put her arm around Lena’s shoulder and guided her toward the woods. “I’m sorry about yesterday. I guess you’re right, I was being selfish.” She gave a squeeze. “But don’t hate me for that! We are allowed to make love. I miss it, that’s all.” She stopped and turned, sliding a hand up Lena’s blouse and into her bra. She looked her deep in the eyes and kissed her like a movie star; a lingering, smoldering kiss that left Lena gasping, ready to swoon into her arms. “In fact, is there not a rule that you are supposed to be aroused and ready for action at all times?” A wicked look flashed in her eyes and Lena couldn’t help but smile back. “Doesn’t it make your magic pussy more potent or something?”

“I guess so,” she said slowly, sinking into her heels as Mae’s hand slipped up the hem of her skirt. And right there in the middle of the lawn in front of the manor, Mae fucked Lena slowly under her skirt. She held her firmly around the shoulders with one arm and with the other, drove her fingers deep into Lena’s cunt, bringing her to a wet shuddering climax while staring into her eyes.

“Well, I’m glad we’ve sorted that out,” Mae said and breezed off back into the manor, leaving Lena a quivering state on the grass. The damp and cold seeped into her feet and she wriggled her toes back to life on the way to the changing room. She didn’t have time to freshen up and wondered whether that’s exactly what Mae had intended, for Lena to go to Angelo with her scent still lingering on her like a guilty cape.

* * * *

“Who have you been with?” He guessed instantly. Before he’d even touched her, he could tell.

Lena froze. What could she tell him?

“It is a requirement for me to be in a state of arousal at all times,” she quoted mechanically, sure that he would turn her out of the room. She looked up and saw the hurt and betrayal in his eyes. She ran to him and flung her arms about him while he remained stiff and unmovable. “Oh, Angelo, I’m sorry, I’m sorry. We’ve both been naïve.”

Slowly, his arm wrapped around her and he pulled her in. “I know what you have to do. I just brood, here in this stupid fucking come prison.” He pulled back and looked her in the eye. “Do you like it when they send you women?”

“Woman,” said Lena quietly. Somehow one woman was worse than a string of pleasure givers, fingering her into a frenzy at all hours.

“Oh.” Angelo’s grip on her loosened. “Do you love her?”

Lena’s entire body froze. She was sure even her heart had stilled.

“Yes,” she whispered. Angelo looked bruised. She had to try and explain. “But in a different way. It’s a sexual thing.”

“And this isn’t?” Angelo had retreated from her now and stood about a foot away. To Lena, it could have been a mile.

“Not to me,” she said, dipping her head and realizing how stupid that sounded. “I mean, yes, it’s sexual, but it’s so much more. I am in love with you, Angelo.”

“And I you.”

“It’s just a physical thing with Mae.”

“Mae?” he repeated, and Lena winced. She hadn’t meant to say her name.

“Yes, Mae.”

“Listen, Lena. When we get out of here, we can both have as many lovers as we want, but I’m keeping your heart. I want you to keep mine.”

“Of course!” said Lena, reeling at the thought of Angelo with another lover. “You won’t though, will you?” She couldn’t help squeaking out the question.

“What, take a lover?” He smiled his gorgeous warm, cheeky smile and took her back in his arms. “Don’t tell me you’re jealous,” he teased. “You get all the girls and I only get one? That hardly seems fair. Might I remind you that this is a polyamorous society? A free society!” He practically gave a ‘hurrah’ as he lifted her off her feet and threw her triumphantly onto the bed.

Lena wriggled under the weight of his embrace and his cock pressed against her pelvis. He was already hard and his tip nudged at her still wet entrance through the silk of her kimono. He held her wrists together above her head and started kissing her neck ferociously. Lena shuffled her ass and spread her legs out underneath him. The fabric was still between them, growing sodden with her juices and it raked against her clit, almost to the point of grazing it raw. His motions were short staccato jabs, forcing his way into her while poking at the silk. It reminded her of fumblings in the dark through her nightshirt and turned her on even more. Could he push his silk covered cock all the way into her?

She lifted her hips and bucked her ass up to meet his cock. It was intense, and her clit was buzzing with the unfamiliar force applied while her hole was being rammed and stretched. He was groaning at her neck just below her ear, taking tiny bites as he pushed harder and deeper with his hips. She moved slightly to one side where the fabric was taut and released it just as he shouted out and rammed his cock hard. The silk loosened and was swallowed up into her cock filled pussy. She could feel him all the way up to his glorious tip buried deep inside her. At her chest, he started to tug at the robe, trying to reveal her breasts. The effect was incredible, with every tiny movement, the robe trapped in her pussy pulled against her swollen clit, bringing her unbearably close to coming.

“I bet she doesn’t fuck you like this,” he whispered lasciviously into her hairline, and the dark tone in his voice turned her on.

His hand reached in and massaged her nipple. The sensation was mirrored in her bud. Lena was almost weeping with pleasure and let go of all her tension. Her legs and arms flopped and he rode her like a rag doll. She breathed hard, feeling her climax mount until with one last tweak of her nipple and thrust of cock and silk into her raw cunt, she came.

She lay panting, waiting for him to withdraw and untangle himself when suddenly he increased the speed and power of his thrusting.

“I’m going to come inside you. I need to,” he growled.

Lena tried with all her might to shove him off. “No, Angelo, you can’t!”

He was pounding her with his whole body, burning up with the frantic feral urge to just let go. Lena dug her nails into his flesh, trying to pry him off her, out of her. At last, he came to and stared at her wildly. A look of regret flashed across his eyes as he slammed into her one last time, shuddering. A gush of heat spurted into Lena and they stared at each other in disbelief. Angelo slumped forward onto her.

“Angelo, no, quick get off me!” She shoved him hard and at last he rolled off with his arm across his face. He slipped out of her silk-lined pussy and just lay there. Lena quickly grabbed the beaker and held it between her legs as she slowly and carefully extracted the kimono. She relaxed her vagina walls and pulled gently taking great care to try and retain as much of the precious fluid as possible. She hoped and prayed that the silk had been enough of a barrier to stop the juices from mixing. Tipping what she could into the beaker, she saw the consistency was different than usual. It slipped down the edges in clumps over her hands. It felt sticky and awkward as she tried to catch as many of the droplets as she could, streaking the outer glass and making a mess. She knew it was contaminated. When she’d captured as much of the fluid as she could, she wiped the beaker with her robe. She held it up to the light but it was plain to see what had happened. She placed it on the table in the full rays of autumn sun that had broken through the earlier mist and went to join Angelo in defeat on the bed.

“We’ve still got half an hour of collection time and twenty minutes after,” she said hopefully, lifting his arm off his face and around her shoulders.

“I’ve ruined it. I’m so sorry.” He spoke in a cold even voice that made Lena feel uncomfortable. “I dreaded getting a collector, you know.” His eyes were still closed. “I was terrified of who might show up, but when it was you, I thought I was the luckiest man in the world. And now I’ve probably just got you banished.” He rolled away from her. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t give up, Angelo,” she said, shaking him back to face her. “They might not realize. If I leave at the same time as the pharmic who gets it at the other side, I could accidentally knock her over and make sure the beaker is spoiled.”

“They’ll still test the sample,” he said, his eyes bleary with defeat.

“It’s worth a try though, surely?”

He kissed her forehead. “Yes, it’s worth a try.” He looked like he was about to say more, but took her into his arms instead.

“What? What were you going to say?”

After a long pause where he stroked her hair tenderly, he said gently, “We need to prepare ourselves, Lena.”

“Prepare for what?” she asked, knowing what he was going to say, but needing to hear it, just in case it was something else.

“This may be the last time we see each other.”

“Don’t say that! There must be a way.” She pulled his face toward hers. “We could do it again! Come on. I’ll bring you to a climax with my expert tongue. We’ve got time.”

“Lena, they’ll know.”

“How?” Her flicker of genius subsided.

“There will barely be any sperm at all. Don’t they teach you anything?” His tone was tinged with anger and Lena rose to it.

“I was too busy perfecting my fucking cock sucking technique, so forgive me if I skipped a few theory classes.” She pulled her spoiled robe around her and flounced off the bed. “You’re a quitter, Angelo. I’m so disappointed.”

And with a heavy heart full of regret and bitter disappointment, she lifted the beaker and placed it in the portal. It snapped shut and their fate was sealed. She couldn’t look back at him and pressed her fingertip to the pad. The door opened and she stepped out into the hallway just as a pharmic lifted the vial out from the hole in the wall. Lena paused for a second then drove herself full pelt into the slight frame of the bespectacled lab runner. She fell to the floor with Lena on top of her but the vial was firmly held in her grip, the right way up.
Shit!

“Sorry,” Lena said while trying to magnify a clumsy streak by stumbling her way to standing and flailing her leg across the woman’s chest, kicking the beaker from her hand.

“Hey! What the hell are you doing?” she roared as the vial skidded across the linoleum, spilling its contents and smashing against the opposite wall. The pharmic sat on the ground shaking.

“I’m so sorry,” said Lena, flushed with fear, adrenalin, and excitement all at once. “Are you okay?”

“No, I’m not fucking okay,” the pharmic responded, tearily looking up at Lena who realized how young she was. “It’s my first day to bring the samples from the portals. I begged and begged to be allowed and now I’ll be banished!” She wailed and sobbed, and Lena’s guilt seeped in to her feelings of victory. She helped the young pharmic up just as Marguerite came along.

“What’s happened?” she cried in disbelief at the disheveled women and smashed vial.

“We had an accident,” was all Lena was willing to say and glared at the pharmic until she nodded in agreement.

* * * *

Archmatria Raquilla handed Lena her papers without even looking at her.

“What, that’s it?” Lena shook with anger. She thought at least there would be a trial, or something that would let her tell her side of the story. “Don’t I get to explain myself?”

“Explain yourself?” The Archmatria glared. “Your collection gave us all the explanation we need. I can’t tell you how disappointed I am.”

“Give me another chance. It won’t happen again.”

“You’re right, Lena.” The Archmatria sighed and looked away. “It won’t.” She sat in her chair behind her huge desk and began writing on a piece of paper. “There really were only two rules—don’t contaminate the sample and don’t get emotionally involved. It was that simple, but you appear to have done both.”

“But…” Lena tried desperately to get Archmatria Raquilla to look at her, but her focus steadfastly remained on her papers. She lifted her hand to silence Lena.

“I should never have let you take that extra twenty minutes. You manipulated the situation, took advantage.” She let out another great sigh. “I suppose I’m to blame. I let you talk me into it because you were one of mine.”

“But I thought you were relying on me to save the world?” Lena tried again.

“That’s right too, Lena, we were.”

“So, what now? Can’t you just punish me and send me back? I promise it will never happen again.”

“You will be punished, don’t worry about that. But you won’t be sent back.”

Lena’s heart was beating so hard she could feel her veins swell. “But what about my copulins, my pheromones? I thought you needed them.”

“Yes, we do. They will just have to be extracted at the correction center.”

“What do you mean?”

“Lena, you are to be punished. Now no more questions. A porter will be here presently to escort you to the coach.”

“But don’t I get to say goodbye?”

“Mae already knows, if that’s who you’re talking about. I am, of course, assuming you wouldn’t be so ludicrous as to ask if you could see the male before you leave.”

Lena felt well and truly slapped into her place and fought hard not to cry.