Legends of Amacia The Caverias Rebellion
Chapter 38: Hanna’s Flashback

At ten in the morning, Hanna awoke to a soft, melodious voice in her ear. “Hanna. Wake up, sis,” Selina whispered as her head lay on Hanna’s shoulder with her right arm around her. “It’s time to get up, sis.”

Hanna stirred and opened her eyes sleepily. Yawning, she stretched a little, replaceing Selina cuddled next to her. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes as she turned her head to look Selina in the face. She saw Selina’s peaceful, angelic face looking at her with a smile on it. Her eyes were sparkling, completely refreshed. Hanna looked deep into her eyes and her heart was smitten as if a dagger were plunged into it. Déjà vu hit her full force this morning as she looked at her beautiful, precious soul mate. “Oh, my goodness,” Hanna breathed as she looked at Selina with absolute love. She wanted Selina intensely: both physically and mentally. “Look what the Lord has laid in my bed: an angel!” Hanna cried joyously, grabbing Selina playfully and pulling her even closer.

Selina squealed, a bit surprised and attracted by Hanna’s action. She could sense that Hanna wanted her physically. “I want you so much,” Hanna whispered to her as they looked at each other with only a couple of inches between their faces.

“I know you do, sis,” Selina replied. “So do I, more than anything. But we can’t go all the way. Your task isn’t finished and you’re not restored yet.”

Hanna ignored Selina’s words, kissing her ever so gently on the mouth, letting all her affection out. It reached into Selina’s very soul. She loved it when Hanna did that. “I want you so much I can’t stand it,” Hanna said intensely after she kissed Selina, stroking her hair.

Selina became so enthralled by the kiss she couldn’t answer. A thought entered into Hanna’s mind to go ahead and take her by force. Selina was incapable of resisting her and Hanna knew it. A half second after the thought popped into her head, the Holy Spirit reminded Hanna of her state and their wedding vows, gently scolding her. Tears welled up in Hanna’s eyes as she rolled on her back and covered her eyes with her hand, sobbing softly. “I can’t do this,” she wept in conviction. “I just can’t. It isn’t right. Even if I wanted to, I can’t. Damn it; it isn’t fair.”

Selina came out of her ecstatic daze from the kiss, seeing Hanna sobbing softly. “What isn’t fair?” she asked innocently. “What can’t you do?”

“Please forgive me, Selina,” Hanna whimpered. “I wanted you so much just now that I plum forgot I’m a girl and not a man anymore. I wanted to take you as a man, but I literally can’t. I’m no longer equipped to do so. I can’t be the man you deserve! How could I even think to take you like that? I....” She covered her face again, weeping.

Selina stared in amazement, instantly realizing what had happened through their link. The kiss, even though it was all that Hanna and Hannibal were, entailed more than it seemed. Opportunity had arisen for fleshly passions and lusts to burn and it did briefly until the Holy Spirit quelled it with a gentle reproof. Selina pulled Hanna into a caring embrace, looking her in the eye saying, “No harm done. I forgive you, sis. God knows that I’ve wanted it too. How many times did I want you while I was imprisoned? I lost count how many times I fantasized about us making hot passionate love with you in your original form. Now that we are together again, the desire is even stronger. But the Lord is good. He keeps us in our place and remembering our vows. Trust Him. This will not last too much longer and you’ll be restored to your proper form. Then we’ll then be able to go all the way at the proper time. And when that happens, it will be exceptionally sweet.” She touched Hanna gently on the cheek, wiping the tear from her eyes.

Hanna hugged Selina gently, trembling. The incident troubled her greatly and Selina knew it. She suddenly realized it was her turn to show Hanna how much she loved and respected her. Therefore, for the first time since they married, she cupped Hanna’s cheeks with her hands and kissed her on the lips with all her heart and soul, looking past the female exterior of Hanna to the man Hannibal buried inside her. Selina was so gentle with it. For a long time, Selina tried to figure out how Hannibal could kiss her in that special way. Finally, she understood it. The key was their telepathic link. It wasn’t so much the physical contact, but the telepathic contact at the same moment, so she exercised it and hit a home run. It totally surprised Hanna. She melted the same way Selina did when Hannibal kissed her in the past. She demonstrated her unconditional and absolute love for Hanna and Hannibal in a way that showed there was no doubt of her fidelity and love. Her kiss became the most passionate and pure kiss Hanna had ever received from anyone. Selina reached down into the depths of Hanna and Hannibal’s soul with it, strengthening their bond.

In the midst of the kiss, after being melted by the kiss, Hanna abruptly responded in kind. To Selina’s utter surprise, Hanna wrapped her arms around her and countered with her own special kiss from Hannibal. The love emanating from Hanna and Hannibal gave Selina such ecstatic joy that it astounded her. In fact, they pleasured each other at a much higher level than a physical mating could ever match. Their minds became one completely as they caressed each other. The kiss took over five minutes. Finally, when they ended the kiss, they looked at each other with an ecstatic dazed look. “Wow!” Hanna finally gasped. “How did we do that? That was incredible!”

Selina literally glowed with love. Her face was radiant as an angel’s face. She laid her head on Hanna’s shoulder, saying in a dreamy tone, “I don’t know, but it was unbelievable! I reached you as I’ve never reached you before. I didn’t expect you to respond so quickly or so strongly either.”

Hanna stroked Selina’s cheek, saying, “How could I not? You have never reached me with a kiss like that before. I had to respond, even as a woman. You reached down into my soul and pulled drew my male identity to the surface without even trying. Oh, god...it was magical. That was so much better than violating our vows. I’ve never experienced so much love and joy as I did just now. It was like the first time I met the Lord there in Cambodia.”

The development excited Selina. “You don’t suppose the Lord was involved with it, do you,” she asked, “because if He was, I sure don’t want Him to stop. I love Him more than ever now because of it.”

“Anything’s possible,” Hanna replied gently, dripping with love for God and Selina. “I think He may have played a hand here, especially because of what I nearly did. I really needed that.”

Selina snuggled with her, saying, “So did I. It was beyond words.” A purr of pure ecstatic love rumbled out of her chest. It pleased Hanna to feel the purr rumbling from Selina’s chest into hers, making her even happier. She had almost forgotten her lustful lapse of judgment.

After lying there cuddling with Selina for a few minutes soaking up her purr, Hanna felt something snap deep within her mind. Memories of her captivity and abuse flooded her consciousness as an abrupt surge of sexual energy came out of nowhere that made her cringe. She let out a groan of dismay as she flushed, feeling waves of intense heat rushing up and down her spine. “Damn it,” she swore. “Where’d that come from? All of a sudden, I’m so hot and horny I can’t stand it. I’m burning up!” Hanna abruptly sat up and quickly stripped off her tank-top shirt, tossing it aside. “God damned it,” she cursed, looking down at her bare breasts, seeing them glistening with sweat. “I’m so wired I can’t stand it.”

“No shit,” Selina replied, both seeing and sensing Hanna’s intense sexual arousal as she sat up. “Your sexual energy just shot off the scale like a rocket. It’s so strong it’s setting me off too. You have to calm down and release it, Hanna, or we may get into trouble.”

“I know,” Hanna whined, squirming as she grabbed her groin with her hands. “I know. I can’t help it. My body is acting reflexively. I can’t control it. Oh, god; I can feel those damned vibrators in me again. They’re setting my hips and belly on fire! I can’t stop it. I can’t get them out of me!” She curled into a fetal position with both hands pressing and grabbing at her groin aggressively trying to stop the uncontrollable release of sexual pressure. Hallucinations of the sex floor cascaded into Hanna’s mind as the avalanche of memories continued with increasing power, making Hanna forget where she was. “Please help me get it out,” Hanna cried desperately, laying on her side in the fetal position with her hands between her legs. “It won’t come out! Why won’t it come out? Oh, god no, I never escaped! I can’t get away! It hurts so much! I’m going nuts! It won’t come out! Why won’t it come out?” Tears flowed down Hanna’s cheeks as she sobbed hysterically, ripping at her crotch.

A gasp escaped Selina’s lips as she saw and felt Hanna’s hallucination telepathically. “Come here,” she ordered Hanna, pulling her into her lap with a caring embrace.

Hanna trembled and whined in terror and pain. “Get it out! Get it out! Why won’t it come out?” she shrieked, pulling at her groin desperately having become lost in the terrible hallucination.

Selina instantly restrained Hanna’s hands as she held her firmly from behind, pinning Hanna’s hands. “Stop it, Hanna. You’ll hurt yourself. There’s nothing in you. You must relax,” Selina cooed in her ear, purring deeply. “You’re having a flashback to your time on the sex floor. It can’t hurt you anymore. It’s just a memory; bad dream. Let it go, Hanna. There’s nothing raping you. You’re not on the sex floor anymore.” Selina tuned her purr to Hanna’s energy frequency while shifting Hanna to get the best contact with her chest. The purr roared out of Selina into Hanna’s core, instantly quieting her raging hormones, energy levels, and fear. Hanna stopped clawing at her groin, but continued to press on it. “Calm yourself, Hanna. Relax,” Selina purred in her ear while cradling her. “It’s okay, sis. Breathe. Relax. No one is abusing you. You’re safe. Nothing is in you. The pain and fear are in your mind. They’re an illusion. It’s not real. Calm yourself.” Hanna’s whining and trembling softened as she started to relax. Tears dripped out of her eyes as she kept them clenched shut. “That’s it, sweetie,” Selina purred in Hanna’s ear. “Relax. Feel my purr as it reaches your core, your belly, your hips, your legs, your feet. Feel your muscles relaxing as my purr dissipates your excess sexual energy. You’re relaxing now. Good...that’s it, Hanna. Feel your heart slowing down. Your mind is clearing. Feel the water of my purr quenching the fire in your hips and belly. Your muscles are relaxing now. Your mind is relaxing. There’s nothing invading your body. You’re not being abused. Yes...that’s it, sweetie. Let go of the nightmare. It can’t hurt you any longer.”

Hanna noticeable relaxed as her whines ceased. Tears still flowed as she soaked up Selina’s purr and instructions. After ten minutes, the crisis subsided. Hanna came out of her fetal position and held on to Selina’s arms as she held her from behind. A deep, troubled sigh escaped Hanna’s lips as she looked up into Selina’s caring face with intense gratitude. “Thank you,” she murmured. “You’ve saved me yet again. I don’t know how to thank you.”

Selina squeezed Hanna gently and smiled. “You’re welcome,” she replied, keeping her purr going for Hanna. “That was some intense flashback you had there. You completely forgot where you were.”

“I guess I did,” Hanna agreed. “I’ve had bad memories from my captivity come up before, but not like that. God...that was awful. The memories avalanched on me without warning. I felt like I was being abused on the sex floor all over again. All I could see was the sex floor and feel those damned things raping me again.” She looked down at her sweat pants, seeing it wet around the crotch. “And it soaked me this time. I thought I’d taken care of those memories, but I guess I was wrong.” Soft sobs bubbled out of her. “It’s so unfair. I don’t want to have to fight this thing for the rest of my life. Will I ever truly get over it?” she whimpered.

“I honestly don’t know,” Selina declared, rocking Hanna gently. “Only time will tell. But this crisis did show me a couple of things.”

“What’s that?” Hanna asked, wiping her eyes as she soaked up the purr from Selina.

“First, you haven’t been able to truly cope with what happened to you,” Selina declared. “The psychological and emotional wounds from your tortures still plague you despite everything you’ve tried. Pushing it out of your mind isn’t going to work. You have to face it, Hanna; face it head on. Only then will you be able to deal with it.”

“I know,” Hanna whispered. “I’ve been trying, but nothing seems to work. Please, help me. I can’t do it by myself.”

“Of course I will,” Selina purred in Hanna’s ear. “You’re my soul mate. What happens to you happens to me. We will get through this together. We healed each other before. We can do it again. You must believe not just in me, but also in yourself, Hanna. You’re stronger than you realize. You can tame this thing, just like we tamed those beastly downloads. More importantly, believe in the Lord. He’s not going to let this thing torment you for the rest of your life. You have great faith, Hanna. Exercise it. Together with the Lord, we will beat this thing.”

“Oh, Selina,” Hanna wept softly in gratitude. “You touch my wounded soul with your kind, gentle words and restore it. I believe. Lord, forgive my unbelief!”

“He’s already forgiven you,” Selina stated categorically, “As have I. Now you need to forgive yourself. Your present state and situation is not your fault and you don’t need to feel guilty for having survived such a calamity. It shows the Lord’s strength and mercy in a most profound way. He carried you through that fire, you know. I’m not sure if I could have survived what you did. You have such strength of body and will with a stubborn streak to match. Without it, you wouldn’t have made it and I would be alone again.”

“I know,” Hanna murmured, calming down emotionally at Selina’s profound words of wisdom. “And you humble me greatly with your wisdom in this situation. It touches my very soul, showing me the fallacy of my unbelief. You truly are my feline angel of mercy sent by the Lord. Thank you for believing in me and showing me my screw ups.”

“You’re welcome,” Selina purred, giving Hanna a gentle squeeze at the same time. “I just spoke from my heart. That’s all. It’s what you needed to hear.”

“That is was,” Hanna agreed wholeheartedly. “My heart and soul don’t feel so tight now. Maybe now the healing process can really begin. I couldn’t truly heal until we were together again.”

“That’s my prayer too,” Selina replied, stroking Hanna’s head with her hand. “I must admit that I have some very raw wounds because of what the Emperor did. Hopefully, together we can heal each other like we did before. I just hope I don’t have flashbacks like you just had. I don’t relish reliving such things like that.”

“I know you don’t,” Hanna stated. “Lord willing, you won’t. What was the other thing you found out?”

“I found out I really can regulate your physical body with my purr,” Selina stated. “This is the first time I really tried to do it. You were in such distress that I had no choice. Up until now, I wasn’t sure if I could really do it. But now, I know for sure. That flashback caused you to have a sexual energy explosion that would have done you great harm had I not acted the way I did. Had I not restrained you, you would’ve ripped your groin apart. Worse yet, your pulse and blood pressure spiked well beyond the safe range. You could’ve had a heart attack or aneurism. I had to do something. Could you even hear me?”

“Barely,” Hanna replied. “I was so screwed up by this attack I couldn’t really respond until your purr calmed me down physically.” A deep sigh escaped her lips. “That purr of yours is really a godsend for me. It’s the one thing you have that will always reach me. I know it now.” She picked up Selina’s left hand and kissed it. “I love you,” she murmured, enjoying the purr and Selina’s gentle embrace.

“I love you too,” Selina purred. “Are you okay now?”

“Yeah,” Hanna replied, looking up into Selina’s eyes. “I think so. But I can’t understand how that thing sneaked up on me like that. It came so fast I couldn’t resist it.”

“I can’t answer that,” Selina stated with a smile as she slowly stopped her purr. “Maybe fatigue from the raid caused it to break free. I know that rage I saw on you when you rescued me was the worst one I’ve ever seen on you. You scared me.”

“Not just you,” Hanna declared, sitting up as Selina released her. Turning to face her, Hanna added, “I hope I never see that level of rage again. I nearly lost it because of what they did to Nicodemus and our sisters.” Hanna shuddered. “I can still see Ahriaman’s heart beating in my hand,” she admitted softly, the horror of it still fresh. “I haven’t ripped out an enemy’s heart like that since I was a dark wizard. That’s why it scared me so. Please, don’t let me do something like that again.”

Selina reached out and cupped Hanna’s cheek as she looked down. “Hopefully, I won’t have to,” she answered. “But you have my word on it. Together, we will beat that beast.”

“Thank you,” Hanna cried, hugging Selina warmly. “Oh, Selina, you’re such a marvel. How did someone like me snare a goddess such as you?”

“I’m no goddess,” Selina corrected, “just another wounded soul like you.” She paused for a moment as Hanna settled back on her knees, feeling Hanna’s emotions roiling again, and her sexual energy still fluctuating. “You’re still wounded from your captivity, aren’t you? I can feel it even now that you’re calmed down.”

Hanna looked up with tears in her eyes and a trembling lip. “Yes,” she admitted, sobbing softly. “This flashback is proof of it. You were so right with your diagnosis. I seem to be incapable of leaving it behind. Every time I look in the mirror, I’m reminded of it. You and our sisters in the Harem taught me so much. But I’m still a man trapped in a woman’s body not by choice. It’s a never-ending nightmare. How can I truly heal when my very form is a testament to the evil that was done to me? Why does this shit always have to happen to me? Why?” She broke into deep sobs, venting the pain that lingered in her soul.

“I wish I knew,” Selina replied softly, again pulling Hanna into a caring embrace and purring. “Your captivity left you with such deep psychological and emotional wounds. Your pain and sorrow are deep, very deep. But now that you’ve shared your pain with me and I with you, we can move forward together to bear this burden. This is no different that when we merged for the first time. You’re so strong, yet so vulnerable. You understand the pain of war and the sorrow of the dead in a way that I cannot even begin to fathom. Yet you can’t bear this by yourself. Let me help you bear this and more importantly, let the Lord handle this terrible burden. Only when you let it go will you have peace.”

Selina’s words struck deep into Hanna’s soul, resonating like a struck bell. “Oh, my lord have mercy,” Hanna breathed, looking into Selina’s face with astonishment. “You’ve hit the nail on the head. I’ve been trying to carry this all by myself even after everything you, our sisters in the Harem, and even Enoch and Kida tried to tell me. Damn me for a fool for being so stubborn. Isn’t it my stubbornness the reason I’m like this now? Lord, please forgive me for trying to carry a burden that wasn’t mine to begin with.” At that moment of confession, a profound peace settled upon Hanna that drew a slender smile to her lips. She slipped back and bowed low to Selina on the bed. “Thank you, my beloved princess of the stars, for bringing me to my senses,” Hanna stated humbly. “Once again, you point me in the right direction and show me why the Lord sent you with me into this nightmare. Thank you.”

“Don’t bow to me, Hanna,” Selina instructed. “I’m just your help meet. Worship the Lord. He’s the one you need to bow to.”

“And that’s what I’m doing,” Hanna stated, rising from the bow. “I’m worshipping the Lord who worked through you this day. Once again, the Lord had you pull me back from the brink of destruction. The Lord is so good.”

Selina smiled warmly, feeling the peace now emanating from Hanna. She reached out and took Hanna’s hand. “That He is,” Selina admitted. “I’m honored to have been His vessel this morning. Like I said earlier, Hanna, you mustn’t doubt Him. He promised to restore your proper form when you completely integrated. I believe that day has come. I can sense a wholeness about you now that I didn’t feel before, Hanna. Your time as my sister is coming to an end very soon. I believe that with all my heart. You will once again be the man I married and I’ll be your wife. You must be patient. Your time will come and the Emperor will pay for what he’s done to us and everyone else.”

A deep sigh escaped Hanna’s lips. “And that’s why I love you so much,” she said softly. “You have this way of giving me exactly what I need when I need it. It humbles me to be your mate. And while I’m thinking about it, please forgive me for having dragged you into this nightmare. I never wanted you to experience the Darkness on this level. You should’ve never been exposed to it. Forgive me.”

Selina cupped Hanna’s cheek with her hand. “Hanna, there’s nothing to forgive,” she declared. “You didn’t make the decision. The Lord did and I came along knowing the risks, as did Dad and Harry. Besides, you greatly underestimate me, as did the Emperor. I know the mark of Darkness as you do from both this planet and mine. Be comforted in the knowledge that I’m about as stubborn as you. I’d sooner die than give in to them. I think my imprisonment by the Emperor proved it. You know what I think?”

“What?” Hanna asked soberly.

“I think this whole sordid episode in our lives was the Lord cleaning us up for something really big; something so profound our perceptions of reality will forever be changed,” Selina stated. “While the Emperor had me locked up, I did some major housecleaning, if you know what I mean.”

“I certainly do,” Hanna agreed. “The same thing happened with me. However, my housecleaning was more of a complete demolition and rebuild. The Lord literally had to break me before I’d cooperate. This mutation is proof enough of that. If I’d been more receptive, this might not have happened.”

“I don’t know about that,” Selina disagreed, rubbing her chin thoughtfully. “The prophecies tell the tale precisely. Had I not heard the mutation part of the prophecy from our sisters in the Harem, I might not have believed it. But when you turned up first locked in a cross-gendered avatar and then ended up in the Harem in this form, I believed. I think you were supposed to go through this.”

“Even having my manhood literally stripped from me in the worst possible way?” Hanna asked bluntly. “That was my greatest fear next to losing you. You saw my nightmares about it.”

“I did, and apparently, so did the Emperor. That’s why he used that fear against you thinking it would destroy you,” Selina replied. “But it didn’t. He obviously didn’t pay close enough attention to the prophecies. They explicitly show that you’d overcome your fears, discover your power and destiny, escape the Emperor, go back and rescue me, and replace the means to reverse the mutation: though maybe not in that order. Don’t you see, Hanna? You’ve done it. You conquered your fears. You’ve discovered the true power within you: the Lord who even now continues to cleanse and strengthen your very body and soul. You escaped the Emperor, found the way to reverse the mutation, came for me, and everyone who wished to be free of the Emperor. All that’s left of the mutation portion of the prophecy is for the mutation reversal to take place and for you to see your true destiny: the one the Lord has for you. You have the key to your restoration in your hands. Josephine is the key. Enoch said her cybernetics were compatible with the machinery here so it can be done. Everything that’s happened to us since we entered this god-forsaken cursed underworld has been planned out from the very beginning.”

“And that’s what irks me so,” Hanna admitted sourly, “It’s like I don’t have a say in anything I do. I hate it!”

“I know you do,” Selina answered. “But it doesn’t mean you don’t have a say. You always have a say. The Lord made it so. All the prophecies are showing is the decisions that you will make. The Lord knew what you would do long before He even made you. The prophecies are riddles that reveal how you survive and triumph in the Lord’s power and grace. They’re there to give hope to the hopeless and faith to the faithless. Moreover, the prophecies are there to give you the strength to take that next step, knowing the Lord has always had your back. We believe in you. I believe in you, and so does the Lord. Don’t be afraid or dismayed when you see something that suggests your life is planned out ahead of time and you don’t have a say in it. I know you don’t like the saying, but it’s true. You must accept your destiny...the destiny the Lord set out for you. Only you are capable of dealing with the Emperor, the Black Prince, and the terrible Darkness they bring. Please don’t abandon us.”

Hanna shook her head, smiling soberly. “There you go doing it again,” she declared. “Giving me what I need when I need it. Thank you. I had begun to doubt, but no longer. Maybe I can make use of these prophecies since they seem to spell out how I’m supposed to act.”

Selina took Hanna by the hand and kissed it. “Now there’s my Hannibal,” she purred. “I just needed to lure him out again. Trust in yourself and the Lord. He will not lead you astray. As for these strange dreams of this golden draken and the Darkness, put them on the back burner for now. The Lord will lead you to that answer at the right time.”

“I hope so,” Hanna stated. “Those dreams are really bothering me. But I guess if I’m a bit more receptive to what the Lord wants, then He’ll show me what to do.”

“Yes, He will,” Selina agreed. “But you know, as much as I’d love to lay here with you discussing deep intimate things, I must admit that I’m hungry, very hungry.”

Hanna kissed Selina on the forehead, saying, “Yes. I bet you are. So am I. So let’s get something to eat. I’m sure you’d like to see and greet everyone for yourself.”

“That I would,” Selina replied. “But my legs are still weak. I may need some help getting around.”

Hanna looked at her with a warm smile saying, “Don’t let that stop you, princess. I’m sure we can arrange something.” With that, she started to get up.

Selina abruptly reached out and restrained Hanna by the hand, saying, “Wait.”

Hanna turned back to Selina, seeing her eyes sparkling. “What is it?” she asked.

Selina took her left hand and touched Hanna on the left breast. A warm smile crossed her lips as she leaned close, saying not a word as she stared into Hanna’s eyes. “Oh,” Hanna murmured. “I see. Come here, beautiful.” She stood up on her knees and pulled Selina into a warm, loving embrace, letting her lay her head and face on Hanna’s bare chest. She cradled Selina’s head as she wrapped her arms around Hanna’s waist, returning the embrace. “I love you, too,” Hanna murmured as Selina nuzzled her breasts, gently licking them. It sent shivers down her spine.

After several moments, Selina looked up at Hanna. “I’ve missed you,” she whispered.

“Me too,” Hanna replied softly, stroking Selina’s hair and upper back. “More than you’ll ever know.”

“I know,” Selina purred, letting go of Hanna. “Thank you.”

Hanna released Selina and sat down on her knees. “Any time,” Hanna chimed. “I just love cuddling with you. You’re so sensual.”

Selina chuckled, leaning over and kissing Hanna on the cheek. “I know,” she purred pleasantly. “Now let’s get dressed. I’m getting hungry.” On cue, Selina’s belly rumbled. “See,” she chimed.

“Indeed,” Hanna replied with a giggle. She then became sober and added, “Selina, I know you crave intimate contact with me. Any time you want it, just let me know. You deserve it.”

“Thank you, Hanna,” Selina purred with a relieved look. “You don’t know what just holding you like I just did means to me, especially after everything that’s happened.”

Hanna took Selina by both hands and pulled them to her breast, putting them over her heart. “Feel that, princess?” she asked. Selina nodded with a shocked look. “That’s my heart and soul beating only for you,” Hanna declared. “Despite this mutation, our souls are mated for all eternity. I’ll never give up on you and will never stop until the evil the Emperor did to me in this body is undone. You rescued my soul from the Darkness and showed me a better way. You’ve saved me, even in this mutation, and continue to do so. I’m so privileged to be your one and only. Thank you, Selina, for saving me from myself, and all thanks be to the Lord who guided your steps. I’m your slave forever. Never forget that I’ve love you with everything within me. I love you, my feline angel of mercy.”

Tears welled up in Selina’s eyes as she heard and felt Hanna’s deep sincerity and conviction. Her lips quivered as she declared, “Oh, Hanna, I feel the same way. We are truly one in mind, soul, and spirit. I love you with a love that’s deeper than the Abyss and wider than the universe. It’s so deep and pure that even this mutation you endure can’t quench it. And it’s not some perverse lesbian thing either. It’s a true love that transcends this physical reality and reaches into eternity. We are destined to be together forever. And I believe with every ounce of my being that this mutation will be reversed. You will be my man once again. Just you watch. It will happen.” She leaned in and kissed Hanna gently on the lips. A sigh escaped Hanna’s lips as she stared into Hanna’s eyes. “God, I love you so much it hurts,” Selina admitted. “Let’s not ever be separated like that again.”

“You have my solemn promise on that,” Hanna swore, tears of joy in her eyes and her lips trembling. A deep sigh escaped her lips as she and Selina gazed into each other’s eyes. A feeling of peace filled both of them.

“I’ll hold you to that promise,” Selina said as Hanna let go of her hands. “Okay?” She reached out to shake Hanna’s hand.

Hanna took Selina’s hand and shook it firmly, saying, “Deal; God, I feel so happy right now I’m about to bust.”

“Me too,” Selina agreed. “It feels so good, too. But you know what?”

“What?” Hanna asked with a smile.

“You have the most awesome bod,” Selina declared with a giggle. “And those breasts are to die for. How’d that happen?”

Hanna broke into a fit of hysterical laughter that brought tears to her eyes as she rolled around on the bed. Her laughter became contagious, making Selina break out laughing with her. When she calmed down enough to speak, Hanna replied, “Oh, now you finally notice. I was wondering how long it would take for you to say something.” She caught her breath again after laughing some more. She sat back up on her knees, put her hands behind her head and pushed her chest out, posing for Selina. “It is rather hot, isn’t it?” Hanna chimed, still chuckling.

“It is,” Selina admitted. “Even with all your scars, the Emperor did a bang up job on your mutation. You’re damned near as pretty as I am.”

Hanna relaxed and laid her hands in her lap. “No way am I as good looking as you,” Hanna countered. “But I am a pretty hot tamale, aren’t I.” She winked at Selina and blew her a kiss. “As for the Emperor doing this, he had nothing to do with it,” Hanna declared. “He may have given the order, but Josephine made me this way. She’s the one who actually did it against his wishes. She reactivated some of my Lynxian DNA when she did it too.”

Selina raised an eyebrow at the news. “You actually have Lynxian DNA in you?” she asked. “How’d you replace that out?”

“Thank Enoch for that,” Hanna stated. “He used the healer to show me the Lynxian code. I have Thoth and Ariel’s code in me. Since Ariel was a Lynxian, I have Lynxian DNA. I’ll show it to you at some point.”

“I’d like that,” Selina answered. “But just look at you, Hanna; you’re hot and those scars give you character.”

“I guess they do,” Hanna agreed, “much the same way your scars enhance your looks.”

“Yeah,” Selina chimed. “It’s nice having such a hot sister.”

“Oh, cut it out,” Hanna scolded mildly, playfully punching her in the shoulder. “You know this isn’t my real form.”

“I know,” Selina purred, “But you had to hear it from me. Relax and enjoy the fact you’re attractive. It’s okay to feel attractive.”

“Really; you think so?” Hanna asked intently.

“Yeah,” Selina replied. “And it’s okay to share that beauty. You want to know something?”

“What?” Hanna queried.

“I saw you dance while I was in the Tower,” Selina admitted. “I saw it, felt it, and enjoyed it immensely. You reached my soul with that dance. And that tan teddy was so hot. I was laughing as you flaunted yourself in a way I’d never seen before. Oh, it was beautiful and it gave me hope and strength. I expect to see you do that again, okay?”

“Whoa,” Hanna breathed, stunned at Selina’s report. “You actually saw me prancing around in the healer with Muriel while Kida, Emma, and your mother sang along?”

“Well, I didn’t exactly see them, but I saw you through our link,” Selina stated. “At first, I thought you’d lost your mind. Then I felt you think exclusively about me as you danced. It’s the first time I’ve ever seen you truly let your guard down and be yourself. And the love I felt come from you and the dance energized me. Oh, it was magical.”

“That’s deep,” Hanna declared. “I never dreamed I reached you like that. I’m so glad you liked my moment of bravado. Electra said Lynxians have special mating dances and suggested that my dance may have been our dance. It’s supposed to be an intimate dance designed to strengthen the bond between the woman and her husband. I don’t really understand what she was trying to say, but I believed it. I know I reached you that day. I just didn’t know how deeply I’d reached you.”

Selina touched Hanna on the cheek with her hand. “You touched my soul with that dance, Hanna,” she admitted. “It gave me the strength to hold on. Thank you for doing that.”

“You’re welcome,” Hanna replied with a smile. “And I’ll do it again right now if you want me to. You’re worth it.”

“Sounds like fun,” Selina stated, “but maybe later when I can dance with you. Right now, my belly is starting to think my throat’s cut.” Selina’s belly rumbled loudly again. “See?” she chimed.

“Right,” Hanna answered with a nod. “Let’s get moving then.” She jumped out of the bed and rushed to the bathroom. A couple minutes later, Hanna returned in the nude, going to her dresser. First, she grabbed a pair of tan panties and a bandeau bra, putting them on. She then slipped on a pair of tan trousers, a tan tank-top shirt, and a pair of sandals. Selina managed to work her way to the edge of the bed and sat there, trying to summon the courage to try to walk as Hanna dressed.