Chapter 23

Although I had used my needing to work out my future as an excuse to justify my absence, there was an element of truth to it. The more successful I was, the more likely criminals would target me to prevent me from catching them. I needed to balance my desire to help and save lives with the danger doing so involved.

My answer was that I would work abductions, kidnappings and missing children on the condition that I was properly protected. I met the new telepath who was working for the team, but he would not be accompanying me on any journeys outside Australia. He immediately questioned why he couldn't hear me and I was brought before Derek to explain. I talked about my ability to alter my DNA and my experimentation with the Null I had met in Hannah's case. What I said was true, but in reality, I hadn't found a way to incorporate or use any DNA from the Null. Regardless, the story seemed to make sense. I could tell they didn't like it and much preferred when my mind was like an open book, but they could hardly tell me to undo my changes to make them more comfortable.

Life slowly returned to normal, I was whisked away on a regular basis and was as successful as before. Rather than jump straight back into bed with Stacy, we went on a few romantic dates and our passion was reignited. She became my main bodyguard when I was out on cases. At first, our relationship was even better than before. My main mind was still telepathic, but with sensitivity dialled down to the minimum which meant I didn't hear anybody else's thoughts. At least, that was what I intended. How it worked practically was that I could only hear the thoughts of someone who was very close to me. Normal social distances and I didn't hear anything, but when I was intimate with Stacy her thoughts made themselves known. Since we had had a long absence, her initial thoughts were very complimentary, however, after we had got back into more of a routine she expressed a mild dissatisfaction. She wanted me more submissive, willing for her to smack my arse red, and quite harsh thoughts when she was holding my head in place so that I could pleasure her. Things like, 'suck it bitch', 'know your place' and even 'that's my good little slave girl'.

I suppose I had probably guessed she was thinking things like that, but it is quite different when you can hear it. Ignorance is definitely bliss. I didn't blame her or think badly of her for her thoughts, it's just the fantasy she found turned her on. I was sure there were women who would have been turned on if those things had been said aloud. Unfortunately, I was not one of them.

It didn't stop our lovemaking. I think it just took the shine off. I wasn't quite sure what I should do. I certainly didn't want to admit that I could hear her thoughts. The person I would have normally talked it all out with was Jordan. Nor could I call Hannah because there was no logical reason for us to know each other. In the end, I did nothing. I was happy enough but aware that both Stacy and myself were not quite matched sexually and that left a mild strain on us.

On other levels, life was changing as well. Talia was getting serious in her relationship with the cook at the restaurant where she was waitressing. She had moved in with him which meant my casual visits had to become a lot more structured and that was difficult with a job that could call me out at any time of the day or night. At the same time, she didn't need me anymore. That brought a certain amount of sadness, but I had been through it before when my kids first left the family home. I consoled myself with the knowledge that both Talia and Kalie were happy. Robert, the man in question seemed like a nice man. I may or may not have had Jordan check him out previously and did my own telepathic check. He was a good man and cared deeply for them both. It was time for me to step back and let them live their life.

Six months after I returned from Miami, Stacy revealed thoughts that killed our relationship. 'I wish she was Celeste.'

I couldn't sleep that night and I couldn't leave it. It wasn't just the words, it was the emotion behind them. I had no question in my mind that Stacy still loved Celeste. When Stacy woke up that morning I spoke seriously and told her we needed to talk. We both got up and got ourselves ready before sitting at the kitchen table.

“You spoke in your sleep last night,” I told Stacy.

“Oh, what did I say.”

“I wish she was Celeste,” I stated.

“Ah,” she said quietly. She seemed to deflate a little. “I can see how that would be hurtful. I don't want to break up with you,” she said looking me in the eyes. “I'm going to call the office and have a day off. I will tell you everything you ask as truthfully as I can and when you are ready, I will take you to Celeste.”

She already knew I was free unless someone called me for an emergency. I was half wanting someone to call because I was not looking forward to talking. My heart already felt broken. Most of my tears had fallen last night after I knew Stacy was asleep.

Stacy came back to the table. “There, all organised.” She took a deep breath. “Celeste was the person who I thought was the love of my life. We met when I was barely twenty and we stayed together until I was fifty-four. Thirty-four years of what I thought was relationship bliss. The only argument we had was about what other people thought. I aged slowly and Celeste aged normally and she started off eight years older than me. People started to think we were mother and daughter. I laughed it off, but Celeste took it seriously. I'm not sure if there was one specific incident or a gradual accumulation, but ten years ago, I came home to an empty apartment and a letter. She had accepted a job application in another country.” She paused for another deep breath. “You are the first person I have dated since then.”

“Why do you think you were mumbling about her last night?” I asked. I have to admit I wanted her to talk about her dissatisfaction in the bedroom, expecting that to be the answer, but what she said surprised me.

“I found out yesterday that she has retired and returned to Surfer's Paradise for her last few years.”

Chapter 24

Celeste was not in great health and was now in a nursing home. I'm not sure who was more nervous, me seeing the proverbial other woman who, after ten years, was still bright in Stacy's mind, or Stacy who hadn't seen or spoken to Celeste for ten years.

I wasn't feeling angry or jealous, just sad. To some extent, this woman had ruined Stacy for love. Ten years after leaving, and a harsh breakup, she was still who Stacy wanted to be with, who she compared anyone else to. I knew I couldn't continue the relationship because I had been compared and come out second best. That wasn't acceptable to me.

The meeting was awkward. I looked like a young teenager, Stacy looked to be in her twenties and the love of her life was seventy-two and looked old. I've seen some seventy-year-olds who were full of life and could probably have passed as people in their fifties, but not Celeste. There was still love in Stacy's eyes which told me it was true love and I couldn't compete with that. I left them to have some time together and then requested some private time with Celeste.

“Please don't hurt her,” Stacy begged me.

If she truly thought I was going to hurt her, she really didn't know me at all.

Celeste smiled at me. “So you are Stacy's new love. Quite ironic that she is going to be the old lady in your relationship.”

“You seem happy,” I commented.

“Yes. You prove me right. Leaving Stacy was the hardest thing I have ever done, but I had to do that or she would never have found love again.”

I sighed. “No. I'm afraid all you've done is lost ten years when you could have both been happy. She pretends to be happy and she is certainly less depressed than she has been for the last ten years. But...” I took another deep breath. “I am not Celeste. I do not measure up.”

“How can you say that? You are young, pretty, talented I hear. You can be with her for centuries.”

“And yet it is you she still wants. That tells me you have something real,” I said quietly.

“Bah, if I have another year I will be doing well. I can tell you love her. That will have to be enough. As time passes she will forget about me.”

“You are right. I do love her. Let's talk about something nicer. Do you believe in reincarnation?” I asked her.

“No. I don't believe in god with a small g or a big G. To be honest, I am looking forward to the end. I used to be so scared, but now I am in constant pain and I can't wait for the end.”

“Say I had a superpower and I could wave a magic wand and return you to your youth, full of health and vitality. Would you want that?” I queried.

“Of course, but that is not what I have to look forward to.”

After meeting Celeste, I knew what I had to do. Before I announced anything I needed to prepare.

Stacy was quiet on our journey home. I set one part of my mind on the task ahead of me, with my main mind I concentrated on Stacy, giving her space to get her thoughts in order and waiting for the right time to talk.

“You know our relationship is in trouble?” I asked her.

Stacy took a deep breath. “Yup. I brought you to Celeste to show you that she is an old woman and not worth your jealousy. As old as she is, I still love that woman and that is not fair on you. I don't know what to do.”

I thought about arguing the jealousy label. I wasn't jealous, just sad. It wasn't going to help the conversation though.

“I need you to book some time off. Two months should do it. We will spend two months together in Miami, in one of those apartments where I found peace after Jordan died. In the meantime, I am going to start visiting Celeste. I want to hear of your life through her eyes and I know she will enjoy telling me. You should probably spend some time with her as well, just not when I am there. She said she won't last a year, but the nurse I spoke to suggested it could be soon. They couldn't give me details because I am not a relative, but I could almost see her DNA breaking down.”

“OK,” Stacy said quietly.

When we got back to the apartment I made up the bed in the spare bedroom. I didn't want to cry in front of her and I certainly couldn't handle physical intimacy. Stacy booked the time off and one of the same apartments I had used previously. She even booked flights although I knew it was not going to go as she planned. I anonymously booked a different apartment in the same building for the same time. We had about a month before we were going and it was an awkward time for us. Stacy threw herself into her work and I avoided her when I could. We both went separately to visit Celeste. I couldn't tell Celeste what I had planned but I made sure I had verbal permission with hypothetical scenarios.

A day before we were due to leave, I pulled Celeste's soul into my cloned egg and her body died. No one was really surprised and there was no attempt to resuscitate her. I informed Stacy, told her to stay for the funeral and I would move to Miami ahead of her. I cancelled the flight and called Cole for the favour.

I knew Stacy might need support, but she would also think it reasonable that I wouldn't want to give it for the other woman. I couldn't tell her the truth because she would be in the company of the telepath and I wanted my reveal to be on my terms. Not that I doubted the reveal was coming.

I checked into one room, changed my face and checked into the other room. I bought some new clothes, a wig and essentials that I placed in the second apartment. Maybe I was being paranoid, but I worried that tracking devices had been put in my clothes, so the second apartment contained nothing that wasn't newly bought and I had a new outfit that I would keep for the eventual disappearing act. It was just a bikini and wrap. Enough to be acceptable attire for moving between rooms and nothing more.

While waiting for Stacy, I had the chance to check out Celeste's DNA and see if there was anything that was worth adding to my own. Celeste was clearly a superhero. Her mitochondria produce a ridiculous amount of energy that seems to fuel a mental ability to channel energy. She could fly, create an energy shield, which was surprisingly rare, and release bolts of intense energy. I worked out that the reason she had deteriorated quite quickly as she got older was because she stopped releasing that energy, which bottled up and started causing damage.

I couldn't use the mental ability to channel energy as it covered some of my read-only core files, but I could alter my mitochondria. I needed to experiment a little because I needed an outlet for the extra energy and I didn't know if my powers were a sufficient outlet. Nor could I change my whole body as I was pregnant. I started with just a finger. I worked out if there was going to be deterioration it would be slow so I was safe to change a bit more of myself. I changed my arms and legs.

I didn't notice any change with the finger, but when I changed my arms and legs the increase in energy fuelled my natural micro telekinesis and my domain. I didn't actually know I had a domain, just that my micro telekinesis only worked within my body. My body was the limit of my domain and now that more energy was available, my domain expanded. It was, to be honest, too much information and if it wasn't for my mind partitioning, I would have had to revert quickly. I had an awareness of everything, down to the level of DNA, which is very small, that was within ten metres of my body, in all directions. More than that, I could use my telekinesis on anything within my domain, both micro and macro. I could pick up a grain of dust or I could pick up a heavy weight. I couldn't test out any limits, but within my domain, there didn't seem to be any. I could even pick up myself. I could fly! It also meant I was constantly using energy, so I would never have the deterioration issue.

The extra energy also meant my transformations were quicker. It took about thirty seconds for my face to change. Although the energy in the cells was there, I still needed physical materials to build a baby, so that element wasn't any faster and I wasn't using fat stores when I changed now.

I would need a lot of experimentation to work out what I was capable of and I would need to do a complete body reset, but both of those would have to wait until after Celeste was mature.