Chapter 13: Epilogue
The scent of burning sage did little to soothe the jagged edges in Jan’s chest. Her cozy apartment, usually a vibrant sanctuary overflowing with ferns and trailing ivy, felt strangely hollow despite the lingering warmth. Godfrey lay sprawled at her feet, a heavy, comforting presence, his muzzle resting on his paws as his soulful eyes watched her pace. The rhythmic tick of the antique clock on the bookshelf felt accusatory. On the large monitor screen, Arlene’s face, etched with deep lines of wisdom and kindness, regarded her with infinite patience. Her white hair was a soft cloud around her face, her eyes sharp and understanding behind bifocals.
“She called it a ‘creepy magical gangbang therapy,’ Arlene,” Jan blurted, her voice thick with unshed tears. She stopped pacing, wrapping her arms around herself. The memory of Mara’s scathing words – ‘Maybe not EVERYTHING has to be a goddamn sexual circus’ – echoed, sharp and painful. “She’s right. Gods damn it, she’s right.”
Arlene made a soft, humming sound, adjusting the knitted shawl around her shoulders. “Oh, darling girl,” she murmured, her voice a warm rasp like dry leaves. “You carry the weight of others too heavily. The Green Moon flows through pleasure, yes. It binds, it heals, it connects. But the vessel matters. Mara… she needed the connection, the grounding in the physical, the overwhelming sensation to shatter those psychic fractures Glory left behind. You provided the conduit. The means.”
“But the way I did it…” Jan sank onto the sofa facing the screen, pulling her knees up. Godfrey shifted, resting his massive head on her thigh. “Knocking her out with ecstasy while her friends fucked around her? Letting Golden Wand bust in like a SWAT team at the climax? Literally!” She buried her face in her hands for a moment, smelling the faint musk still clinging to her skin from earlier exertions, mingling with the sage. “I terrified her. Humiliated her.”
“Did you?” Arlene asked gently. “Or did you give her a safe container for the rage that was already there? The rage Glory’s violation planted? Look at what emerged, Jan. Not a broken woman retreating into trauma, but a furious, lucid, powerful advocate for herself. She told off Gwenevere! She told off you! She named the violation for what it felt like. That isn’t broken. That’s fiercely, magnificently whole.” Arlene leaned closer to her screen, her gaze piercing even through the digital barrier. “The trauma was magically induced. The healing required magic. Your magic. It’s messy, my dear. Healing often is. Especially when it involves scrubbing fairy malevolence from a human psyche.”
Jan let out a shaky breath, the tightness in her chest easing slightly. Godfrey nudged her hand with his wet nose. “She was packing. At the cabin. She threw her clothes into a suitcase like they personally offended her and came right back to the city. Wanted ‘normalcy and silence’. Can’t blame her.”
“Of course she did,” Arlene nodded sagely. “The storm has passed. The landscape is changed. She needs to survey it alone. The forgetting spell you wove – the ‘gas leak’, the rationalization – it held, even under that onslaught. That’s a testament to its strength and to her resilience. She won’t remember Glory. She won’t remember the details of the healing. Just the emotional aftermath. The feeling of being steamrolled by well-meaning idiots, magical or otherwise.” A faint, wry smile touched Arlene’s lips. “Sounds familiar to most adults, doesn’t it?”
A reluctant chuckle escaped Jan. “Yeah. Yeah, it does.” She stroked Godfrey’s soft head. “I just… I wish there’d been a gentler way. Less… spectacle.”
“Perhaps there wasn’t, for her,” Arlene said simply. “The depth of the wound demanded the intensity of the cure. You used the tools you have, with the best intentions. That’s all any of us can do. The important thing, Jan O’Connor, is that Mara Henderson walked out of that cabin under her own power, roaring her truth. That’s a victory. A messy, complicated, deeply human victory. Now, be kind to yourself. Make some tea. Let that big lug there remind you of simple joys.” She nodded towards Godfrey.
The silence stretched, thick and heavy like spilled honey. Jan stared at the flickering image of Arlene on the screen, the sage’s earthy scent suddenly cloying. Godfrey’s warm weight on her thigh offered little comfort against the churning guilt. Tears pricked, hot and insistent.
Arlene cleared her throat softly, the sound crackling through the speakers. "Speaking of victories," she began, her voice deliberately lighter, "Gwenevere finally coughed up the funds for the cabin repairs. All surveillance stripped clean, too. That tactical gnome? Plucked from the pine and delivered back to Golden Wand HQ wrapped in a blanket, no further... incidents." She offered a small, knowing smile. "You navigated that diplomatic minefield surprisingly well, Jan. The Elders will certainly discuss it alongside Glory’s... termination when they convene with the Wands. You have much to be proud of, truly."
Jan swallowed hard, the praise landing like a stone. "A week," she murmured, her voice raw. "A whole week, Arlene. Radio silence. Did I... did I burn it all down for good this time?" The unspoken name – Mara – hung heavy in the fragrant air. Before Arlene could offer the practiced, if painful, wisdom about lost friendships being the Green Moon initiate’s burden, a sharp, unexpected knock rattled the apartment door.
Godfrey’s head snapped up, ears perked, but his tail gave a single, lazy thump against the floorboards. Not a threat. Friend. Jan’s heart hammered against her ribs as she crossed the room. She pulled open the door, the hallway light framing the figure standing there.
Mara.
Her usually bright eyes held a flicker of apprehension, her cheeks slightly flushed. "Hey," she breathed, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. The scent of cold city air clung to her coat. "Listen, Jan... about the cabin. That scene I caused? I’m really fucking sorry. It was... a lot."
Jan blinked, stunned. "Mara, god, no. I'm sorry. Profoundly. What happened... it was invasive, overwhelming. You had every right—"
Mara waved a dismissive hand, cutting her off. "Honestly? Hanging out with you often ends with my pants coming off at some point. It’s practically a running gag." A ghost of her familiar, wry smile touched her lips. "And honestly? It’s usually kinda fun. But those guys in the tac gear? That was new. What the hell was that about?"
Relief, sharp and dizzying, washed over Jan. No memory of Glory. No memory of the magic, the trauma, the why. Just the messy aftermath. "Uh... mistaken identity? Overzealous neighbors?" Jan fumbled, the lies tasting like ash. "Coffee? I was just about to make some. Or we could go out?" She gestured vaguely towards the kitchen, desperate for normalcy.
Mara shook her head, her dark hair brushing her shoulders. "Not yet." She stepped closer, her gaze suddenly intense, locking onto Jan’s. "I remembered something you said. Something Mike and Casey are always banging on about too." Her voice dropped, softer. "That it’s okay. To show affection. However feels right. To the people you care about." Before Jan could process, before she could even draw breath, Mara closed the distance. Her hands cradled Jan’s face, warm and sure, and her lips pressed against Jan’s – not tentative, but tender, deliberate. A soft, searching kiss that carried the faint taste of winter air and something uniquely Mara.
Jan froze. No green mist. No hum of power. No surge of directed energy. This wasn't the Green Moon. This was pure, unadulterated Mara. The suspicion Jan had harbored – fueled by Mara's fleeting crushes on both Mike and Casey – flared into startling reality. Bi. Definitely bi. But this? This raw, unscripted advance? Utterly unexpected.
Mara pulled back just an inch, her eyes wide and dark, a playful, almost coquettish tilt to her head. "So," she breathed, her voice a husky murmur that sent a jolt straight to Jan’s core. "Want a more... proper thank you? For being such a good friend?" She didn’t wait for an answer. Her hand slid down, fingers intertwining tightly with Jan’s, pulling her insistently away from the living room, down the short hall, towards the dim sanctuary of Jan’s bedroom. "C'mon."
On the laptop screen, Arlene’s eyebrows shot up. She leaned forward, peering intently at the empty space where Jan had been standing moments before, then down at the large, shaggy dog now sitting attentively beside the desk. "Godfrey, dear?" Arlene’s voice was crisp, carrying an unmistakable command. "The trick. Now, please."
Godfrey let out a short, sharp "Woof!" He rose, placed one massive paw decisively on the laptop’s keyboard, hitting the disconnect button with practiced precision. The screen blinked to black. Satisfied, he padded the few steps to the closed bedroom door. He turned, circled once with a soft whuffle, and settled heavily onto the rug outside, positioning himself squarely in front of the threshold. His ears remained alert, listening to the muffled sounds beginning to stir within the room. Guard duty. A good dog's work was indeed never done.
Inside the bedroom, bathed in the soft grey light filtering through the half-closed blinds, Mara pushed Jan gently but firmly back against the closed door. The scent of sage was fainter here, replaced by the clean smell of Jan’s sheets and Mara’s own faint perfume. Mara’s hands, no longer tentative, slid up under Jan’s soft sweater, finding the warm skin of her waist. Her touch was electric, demanding. "Been thinking about this," Mara breathed against her neck, her teeth grazing the sensitive skin there, making Jan gasp. "All week. Fucking pissed at you, yeah, but goddamn... couldn't stop thinking."
Jan’s own hands moved, shaky at first, then gaining certainty, tangling in Mara’s hair, pulling her closer. "Mara... we should talk..."
"Later," Mara cut her off, her voice thick. She pulled back just enough to yank Jan’s sweater up and over her head, tossing it aside. Her eyes raked hungrily over the exposed curves of Jan’s breasts, barely contained in a simple cotton bra. "Talking's overrated." Then her mouth was on Jan’s again, harder this time, possessive, her tongue pushing past Jan’s lips in a hot, wet slide. Jan moaned into the kiss, her body responding fiercely, the weeks of tension coiling into pure, desperate need. Mara’s hands were everywhere – squeezing her ass through her jeans, sliding up her back, fumbling with the clasp of her bra.
The bra gave way. Mara broke the kiss, her gaze dropping to Jan’s bare breasts. "Fuck, you're gorgeous," she growled, low and appreciative. She dipped her head, taking a taut nipple into her mouth, sucking hard, her tongue flicking relentlessly. Jan cried out, arching her back, pushing herself deeper into Mara’s hot mouth. Mara’s hand slipped between them, deftly unbuttoning Jan’s jeans, yanking the zipper down. Her fingers slid inside, past the waistband of Jan’s panties, finding her slick folds with zero hesitation. "So wet already," Mara murmured against her breast, her fingers circling Jan’s clit, applying delicious pressure. "For me?"
"Yes," Jan gasped, her own hands frantically pushing Mara’s coat off her shoulders, tugging at her shirt. "God, yes." She needed skin. All of it. Mara pulled back just enough to strip off her own shirt and bra in one fluid motion. Her breasts were full, her nipples hard and dusky. Jan reached out, cupping them, squeezing, earning another low groan from Mara. Mara kicked off her boots, shimmied out of her jeans and panties in seconds, standing gloriously naked before Jan, her skin flushed, her eyes dark with hunger. She pushed Jan’s jeans and underwear down her hips, letting them pool around her ankles. Jan stepped out of them, her own nakedness making her pulse race.
Mara didn’t hesitate. She crowded Jan back until her legs hit the edge of the bed. "Lie down," she ordered, her voice rough. Jan obeyed, sinking onto the soft duvet. Mara followed her down, her body covering Jan’s, skin burning against skin. Her mouth claimed Jan’s again, fiercely possessive, as her hand slid back between Jan’s legs. This time, two fingers plunged deep inside her, curling upwards, finding that perfect spot with unerring accuracy. Jan gasped, her hips bucking off the bed. "Fuck! Mara!"
"Feel good?" Mara breathed, her fingers pumping steadily, deeply, her thumb rubbing tight circles on Jan’s swollen clit. Her eyes held Jan’s, intense, watching every flicker of pleasure cross her face. "Tell me."
"So good," Jan panted, the coil inside her winding impossibly tight. The sensations were overwhelming – the firm thrust of Mara’s fingers inside her, the relentless friction on her clit, the heat of Mara’s body pressed against her, the possessive hunger in her eyes. It was raw, urgent, devoid of ritual, pure animal need. "Don't stop... please..."
Mara’s response was to kiss her again, swallowing her moans, her fingers driving harder, faster. She shifted slightly, grinding her own slick heat against Jan’s thigh, creating a hot friction that made her gasp into Jan’s mouth. The shared rhythm, Mara fucking Jan’s cunt with her fingers while riding her thigh, was dizzying. The scent of their arousal filled the air, musky and primal. Jan could feel Mara’s own wetness smearing her skin, feel the tremors running through Mara’s body, could hear the ragged hitch in her breath.
"Gonna make you come," Mara rasped, her voice strained. "Gonna watch you fucking lose it." She increased the pressure on Jan’s clit, her fingers hooking inside her, relentless. "Come on, Jan. Now. For me."
The command, the sheer dominance in Mara’s voice, shattered the last of Jan’s control. The orgasm ripped through her, violent and blinding, arching her back off the bed. A raw, guttural cry tore from her throat as spasms wracked her body, clenching tightly around Mara’s driving fingers. Wave after wave of intense pleasure crashed over her, leaving her trembling, gasping, utterly spent.
Mara slowed her movements, gentling her touch, drawing out the aftershocks. She watched Jan come down with a fierce, satisfied expression, her own breathing ragged, her body still pressed hot against Jan’s thigh. She leaned down, capturing Jan’s still-panting mouth in another deep, claiming kiss. "Good," she murmured against Jan’s lips, a possessive purr. "So fucking good." She withdrew her fingers slowly, bringing them to her own mouth and sucking them clean with a deliberate slowness, her eyes locked on Jan’s. "My turn."
The command hung in the air, charged with Mara’s newly claimed dominance. Her eyes, dark pools reflecting the dim bedroom light, held Jan pinned. Before Jan could react, Mara shifted, her slick heat sliding purposefully down Jan’s thigh. The friction was immediate, electric. Mara's hips began a demanding rhythm, grinding her swollen clit against Jan's leg muscle, her breath catching in short, sharp gasps that filled the quiet room. "Fuck," she hissed, her fingers digging into Jan’s shoulders, her gaze never wavering. "Need you... harder."
Jan’s body responded instinctively, pressing her thigh upwards, meeting Mara’s urgent thrusts. The scent of their combined arousal thickened the air, musky and primal. Mara’s head fell back, exposing the long line of her throat. "Yes! Like that!" she moaned, the sound raw and unfiltered. Her rhythm became frantic, desperate. Jan watched, mesmerized by the flush spreading across Mara’s chest, the way her breasts swayed with each hard grind, the cords standing out in her neck. This was surrender and control tangled together – Mara demanding her pleasure, using Jan’s body to take it.
Mara’s climax hit like a thunderclap. Her whole body arched, rigid, a choked cry tearing from her lips as she ground down hard, shuddering violently against Jan’s thigh. Jan felt the spasms, the intense wetness, the frantic pulse against her skin. Wave after wave rolled through Mara until, spent and trembling, she collapsed forward onto Jan’s chest. Her breath came in ragged, hot bursts against Jan’s skin.
Silence settled, thick and intimate, broken only by their slowing breaths. Mara lifted her head, her expression softened, almost shy now. A slow, satisfied smile spread across her lips. She leaned in, kissing Jan deeply, languidly, tasting of salt and shared exertion. "My turn to say thank you," she murmured against Jan’s mouth, the earlier dominance replaced by a warm possessiveness. "Properly."
Jan traced the curve of Mara’s shoulder blade, the skin damp and warm. "Think we covered that," she replied, her voice husky.
Mara chuckled, low and intimate. "Not quite." Her fingers trailed down Jan’s stomach, stopping just above the dark patch of curls. "Wanna share something else." Her gaze met Jan’s, a question blooming there, underscored by the unmistakable heat returning to her eyes. "Something... more. If you want."
Understanding dawned. The offer wasn't just physical; it was Mara reaching out, solidifying this fragile, new connection forged in the aftermath of fury and fear. "Gods, yes," Jan breathed, her own need flaring back to life. "Yes, Mara."
Mara kissed her again, quick and fierce. "Good." She rolled off Jan, settling onto her back beside her on the wide bed, her legs parting invitingly. The invitation was clear, open. Jan’s pulse hammered against her ribs. She pushed herself up, the cool air hitting her damp skin. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, the worn wood floor smooth beneath her feet. Kneeling, she yanked open the bottom drawer of her nightstand, rummaging past tangled scarves and forgotten journals, her fingers searching for the familiar, worn leather harness and the weight it held.
Her hand closed around the smooth, cool wood of the phallus itself. She pulled it out. The enchanted strap-on lay heavy in her palm. Carved from dark, polished oak, it was sleek and substantial, unnervingly realistic in both weight and the intricate detailing of veins. As Jan’s fingers brushed it, the dormant magic within stirred. A faint, golden warmth pulsed beneath the woodgrain, and the surface softened, becoming impossibly smooth, yielding like living skin yet retaining its perfect, hard shape. The transformation was subtle but profound: inert wood becoming a heated, throbbing extension of intent. A low hum resonated in Jan’s bones as she quickly buckled the sturdy leather harness around her hips, the enchanted cock settling firmly against her mound, radiating a phantom heat that mirrored her own arousal.
She turned back to the bed. Mara watched her, propped on her elbows, her eyes wide and dark, tracking Jan’s movements with rapt intensity. The sight of Jan securing the harness, the enchanted cock jutting proudly from her hips, drew a soft, awed breath from Mara's lips. "Holy shit," she whispered, a mix of excitement and nervousness in her voice. "That’s...wow."
Jan knelt on the bed between Mara’s spread thighs. Mara’s slickness glistened on her inner folds, her entrance flushed and open. The head of the enchanted cock, now radiating palpable warmth and a faint, golden glow, nudged gently against Mara’s opening. Jan paused, meeting Mara’s gaze. "Okay?" she asked, her voice thick.
"Fuck yes," Mara breathed, her hips lifting slightly in invitation. "Don't make me fucking wait, O'Connor."
Jan pushed forward. The enchanted cock sank into Mara’s wet heat with astonishing ease, the magic ensuring slick, perfect resistance. It felt impossibly real – the yielding pressure, the tight clench of Mara’s inner muscles, the way her body accepted the thick intrusion. Mara gasped, her head tipping back onto the pillow, eyes fluttering shut. "Oh God... Oh fuck..." Her hands flew to Jan’s hips, fingers digging in. "It’s... it’s so warm... So fucking real."
Jan began to move. Slow, deliberate thrusts, burying the enchanted length deep inside before pulling back almost completely, the thick ridge of the head catching deliciously on Mara’s inner walls. The magic amplified every sensation: Jan felt the incredible tightness, the rippling contractions, the slick glide as if the cock were truly part of her own nerve endings. She leaned forward, bracing herself on her hands, lowering her body. Her breasts pressed against Mara’s, soft skin sliding against soft skin, nipples hardening instantly from the friction and contact.
Mara moaned, deep and guttural, her eyes opening, locking onto Jan’s. Her hands slid up Jan’s back, pulling her down further. "Kiss me," she demanded, her voice ragged. Jan bent her head, capturing Mara’s lips. Their mouths fused together, tongues tangling wetly as Jan thrust deeply again. The rhythm intensified. Each powerful drive of Jan’s hips pushed Mara deeper into the mattress, forcing breathless gasps into their kiss. Breasts rubbed together with each movement, adding another layer of sensitive friction. The slap of skin, the wet sounds of their joining, Mara’s choked cries mingling with Jan’s low groans filled the small room.
Mara tore her mouth away, panting. "Harder... Jan, please... Fuck me harder!" Her nails scraped down Jan’s back. Jan obeyed, driving into her with relentless, deep strokes, the enchanted cock hitting a spot inside Mara that made her shriek. "There! Oh fuck, THERE! Don't stop! Don't fucking stop!" Mara’s legs wrapped tightly around Jan’s waist, heels digging into her ass, pulling her impossibly deeper with each thrust. Her body tightened, coiling like a spring under Jan’s.
The sensations flooding through Jan were overwhelming. The perfect friction of Mara’s cunt gripping her cock, the heat radiating from the enchanted wood, the crush of Mara’s breasts against hers, the taste of her mouth – it fused into a white-hot point of shared sensation. She could feel Mara’s impending climax vibrating through the connection, a building pressure that mirrored the tightening knot in her own belly. "Mara... I'm... gods..." Jan gasped, her thrusts becoming erratic, losing their measured rhythm in the face of rising oblivion.
"Come with me!" Mara cried, her voice breaking. "Jan, please... come inside me!" Her cunt clenched rhythmically, powerfully, a pulsing vise around the enchanted cock. The wave hit them simultaneously. A blinding surge of pure, electric pleasure detonated in Jan’s core, radiating outwards, coiling around the base of the enchanted cock and exploding through it. She felt it – felt Mara shattering around her, the intense, fluttering spasms milking the fake cock as Mara screamed, a raw, tearing sound of absolute release. Jan thrust deep one last time, grinding against Mara as the shared orgasm tore through them both, wave after wave of ecstasy locking them together, shaking the bed.
They collapsed, a tangle of sweat-slicked limbs. Jan rolled clumsily to the side, her muscles trembling violently. Mara whimpered softly as the enchanted cock slid out of her, leaving her clenching around emptiness. With fumbling fingers, Jan unbuckled the harness, letting it tumble unceremoniously to the floorboards with a soft thud. The faint golden glow faded instantly from the wood as it left her skin.
Exhaustion hit Jan like a physical blow. She reached out blindly, wrapping her arms around Mara, pulling her close. Mara nestled into her embrace without hesitation, her head finding the hollow of Jan’s shoulder, her breath already deepening into the slow, even rhythm of sleep. Jan kissed the top of her head, inhaling the scent of sex and Mara’s hair. The frantic energy of the cabin, the terrifying confrontation, the week of dreadful silence – it all dissolved in the warm, heavy stillness of the room. Mara Henderson, safe. Whole. Here. Jan’s eyes fluttered shut, the last conscious thought a silent, fervent prayer of gratitude aimed at any deity listening. Mara Henderson was going to be okay. Sleep pulled her under like a warm, dark tide.