Rating: NC-17 - for sexual context between consenting adult women.
            UBER J/7

Thanks to my good friends Glynis and Snowolf for helping me out betareading, and to Jay for helping me plot. I always appreciate your efforts and encouragement.

Back to "The Seven Women of Raven's Island" - part 6

The Seven Women of Raven’s Island

© GB

Part 7.

Kathryn Janeway squared her shoulders and clenched her teeth as Marlon Davis stepped into her office. Martha had announced his arrival in a casual voice as if she knew the fury brewing within the CEO.

Adriana de Leon was sitting in one of the two visitor’s chairs opposite Janeway, regarding the compact man with a stern look on her face. Over on the couch sat a union representative and the head of Personnel.

“Mr Davis,” Janeway began after introductions were made, “are you aware of the reason I’ve summoned you today?”

“No, ma’am, I’m not,” the software expert insisted. “I was still on my vacation when the manager called me and told me to come in today. Honestly, I have no idea, Ms Janeway.”

Janeway regarded the lying man, her eyes a stormy grey, the only outward sign of her anger.

“Really, Mr Davis. Is that so? Well, I will not waste my time or yours. We have recovered evidence of how you have committed a computer incursion. Can you elaborate on that?”

It was as if the air went out of the man in front of her. He looked at the other visitor’s chair, but Janeway had no intention of offering him a seat.

“I … Damn it, ma’am, I needed the money. He approached me …”

“Who approached you?” Adriana asked.

Marlon Davis shot her a look, but then shrugged.

“Eric Avery approached me almost a year ago. He offered me part of the profit he’d make if I installed some software for him. He knew I had security clearance.”

“Was money the only reason you betrayed your employer’s trust?” Janeway’s voice was like a whip and Marlon Davis flinched visibly.

“I owe some people money. I saw a harmless chance to make a little extra …”

Janeway could not believe her ears. Amy Green had been coerced in an awful way and suffered long and hard because of Reymers-Avery and here was this man, only out to swindle her company for money.

“That is a very poor excuse,” Janeway hissed and rose to her feet, leaning on her hands over the desk. “I’m glad you have your union rep here, as well as the manager for Personnel because I have only one thing to say to you.” She paused. “Mr Davis, you’re fired.”

Marlon Davis looked like he wanted to duck to avoid the incinerating glare from the CEO of the Stellar Corporation.

“And then there’s the fact that you have committed a felony offence,” Adriana de Leon added, her voice almost as acid as Janeway. “You will be charged with these crimes.”

After watching the man in front of her almost lose cohesion in his knees, Janeway buzzed Martha.

“Please, send in security. Mr Davis is leaving his position at Stellar, and requires an escort to his desk.”

She noticed her former employee grow paler as a man and a woman in uniform entered the room.

“Come on, Mr Davis,” the woman said and took him by the arm. “Let’s go.”

“There are two police officers waiting in the lobby for Mr Davis when you’re done,” Adriana said. “Do not let him out of your sight until he is in their custody.”

“Certainly, ma’am,” the male security officer acknowledged. “We’ll make sure he’s taken care of.”

The trio left Janeway’s office, followed shortly by the union representative and Personnel manager.

Adriana looked at Janeway as she sat back down again with an odd expression in her eyes.

“Yes?” Janeway raised an eyebrow.

“Are you all right, Kathryn?”

“I’m fine. Maybe a little tired.”

“You look almost as pale as Davis. Your hands are trembling.”

Janeway glanced down. The ADA was right; she could see her hands trembling as she fiddled with a pen. Carefully putting the pen down, she laced her fingers.

“I have a slight headache,” she confessed. “Probably because of the Vodka from yesterday.”

“I knew it.”

Janeway’s head snapped up as she glanced towards the door. Marion and Seven stood just inside the doorway, the blonde with a concerned look in her eyes.

“What do you know?” Janeway retorted, looking at Seven through narrowing eyes.

“I knew you were too tired to come into work today,” the younger woman answer, completely unfazed.

“I had things to deal with and …”

“And now you have dealt with them and you can let Marion take care of the rest. I need you to come with me.”

Janeway rose again from her chair and approached the blonde. Looking up at Seven, she cocked an eyebrow, immediately regretting it since it made her headache worse.

“Why? What’s wrong?”

“I know you were concerned that I overextended my foot yesterday. I thought it would be a good idea if you joined me at physical therapy today.”

The CEO frowned looked down at Seven’s feet as if she could x-ray them on the spot, through sneakers and socks. Glancing back up, she saw the blonde smile faintly.

“Please, Kathryn, come with me. I would like you to see my workout program and how much strength I have gained. I think that might set your mind at ease regarding my condition.”

Not about to disappoint Seven if she could help it, Janeway nodded reluctantly. “All right, darling, of course I’ll come.” She turned her attention to Marion. “You’re as up to speed as I am, so I guess you can all cope without me for a few hours.”

“Yes, we can,” Marion agreed readily. A little too readily, Janeway thought bemusedly. “By the way, we saw that you’ve already taken care of the dirty work for today. I guess that guy with the guards is on his way into your tender arms, Adriana.” The sales manager winked at the ADA who was assembling her documents and putting them into her briefcase.

“In a manner of speaking. I have police officers awaiting his arrival in the lobby. I’ll say goodbye now. If you need me, you have my pager and cell phone number.”

“Yes, we do. Now go get the bad guys,” Marion grinned. “Say hi to Phoebe, if you see her.”

The ADA did not even flinch and Janeway had to admire the other woman’s composure.

“I will.”

Janeway turned her attention back to Seven.

“So, are you ready? Where’s your bag?”

“I took the liberty of already putting it in your car. I thought it would be best if you drove, Kathryn.”

“So your foot is bothering you after all?” Janeway’s voice was tinged with concern.

“Not at all. I just know you dislike being in the passenger seat.”

Janeway rolled her eyes at Marion’s laughter at the comment.

“Okay, let’s go then. I’m dying to meet Hans, or what ever his name is.”

“Actually, it is Klaus, and you know that. You did the research before letting anyone near me,” Seven pointed out.

Janeway took her jacket from a chair and put it on. Walking toward the private elevator she shrugged at the comment.

“You’re right, so I did.” She waved at Marion who was making herself comfortable in Janeway’s chair. “See you in an hour or so.”

“Sure, sure,” the sales manager dismissed her boss. “Whenever!”

Stepping inside the elevator, Janeway frowned. She was not sure about Marion’s tone of voice. There was something odd going on.

*****

Marion logged in on Janeway’s stationary computer and began going through her email. She could hardly keep herself from laughing out loud as she thought about Seven’s manoeuvring of her fiancée. She made a mental note to never try to outsmart the blonde.

The sight of more than three-hundred unread emails made the sales manager sigh. Work had been quite overwhelming all summer and now it was even worse because of the case of duplicate stocks. Stellar Corporation worked hard at keeping the genuine stockholders indemnified. So far, the legal department’s investigation had revealed that for every fifth stock being sold – one counterfeit stock had gone to Rey’Va, the company Avery-Reymers owned.

Marion sighed and began with the emails marked urgent. She was making good progress when Martha buzzed her.

“Marion? There is a Mr Williams on line one for you.”

The sales manager froze where she sat, her forehead furrowing. Pressing her lips together she lifted the receiver and pressed the blinking button.

“Marion McDunn.”

“Hello, Ms McDunn, Marion, this is Jonathon Williams, Julia’s father.”

“Yes, of course. What can I do for you, Jonathon?” Marion deliberately kept her voice even and without infliction.

There was a brief pause.

“I … I overheard the conversation last time my wife called Julia.” Jonathon Williams coughed and cleared his throat. “I know my wife’s attitude is unreasonable and I don’t know what could possibly make her change her attitude towards … the two of you.”

“I don’t know either. You must realise this is very hurtful for Julia,” Marion stated, wanting for him to get to the point.

“Yes, I understand that. I would imagine that it puts a strain on you as well, since you love her.”

Marion was surprised how easy the word ‘love’ came over Jonathon Williams’ lips.

“Yes, of course it does. I want to see Julia happy.”

“Her mother’s ways … are not my ways. What I mean to say is … I want Julia to be happy. I don’t pretend to understand her choices in life, but I want nothing but happiness for my daughter.”

“Her choices? Being a lesbian is not a choice, Jonathon.”

“You misunderstand me,” Julia’s father interrupted quickly. “I know that. I’m talking about her going for a career, not settling down … and I guess, moving so far from Michigan.”

Marion rubbed her forehead, trying to stay calm. She thought she could sense that Mr Williams was really trying to reach out and if she blew it now; Julia would be devastated at the missed opportunity.

“Jonathon, I know that Julia would be so happy if she could have some sort of relationship with you. She misses you, and excuse me for saying it this way, for some unfathomable reason, she misses her mother as well.”

There was another silence and then Jonathon Williams sighed deeply.

“I think the chance of my wife coming to terms with your relationship and Julia’s sexual preference is slim to nothing,” he murmured. “She is a very rigid woman and I think it’s pretty obvious that to Deborah, appearances are everything.”

“And for you?”

“I’ve taken way too long to take this step, Marion, and I’m not proud of that. I’ve let my wife set the standards for how we dealt with the situation. That was wrong of me.”

The fact that Jonathon Williams so clearly owned his apology without making excuses for himself, impressed more on Marion than she had expected.

“What is your intention now?” Drawing little stars on her writing pad, Marion held her breath as she awaited the reply.

“I know this will be a crossroads of sorts between Julia’s mother and I,” the man at the other end said in a calm voice. “I want to be the father Julia deserves. I want to show her that I love her and I want to learn to understand. I admit that I’m prejudiced and have had blinders firmly on ever since Julia told us how she felt. I want to rectify all of that.”

Marion only had to consider her options for a moment.

“I take it that you called me as a way to explore the possibilities?”

“In a manner of speaking, yes.”

“Jonathon, why don’t you get on a plane this coming weekend and visit with us. If you truly mean what you say, Julia would be ecstatic to have you. And you’re right, what makes Julia happy, makes me happy.”

There was a muted, choking sound as the man on the other end cleared his throat.

“That’s more than I could hope for. I will take you up on your offer, Marion, and you won’t regret it.”

“Call me regarding the itinerary and I’ll send a car for you.”

“I will. Thank you, Marion. I won’t forget this.”

“Just be there for Julia, that’s all you have to focus on.”

They said goodbye and Marion hung up slowly. Glancing around she began to feel a little out of place, occupying Janeway’s office. Staring at the computer screen she saw all the urgent mails she still had to go through. Maybe it could wait just a little bit. Janeway had often suggested several times that she move her office to the executive floor and only Marion’s reluctance to leave her comfortably arranged office a few floors below had prevented her from working in closer proximity to the CEO.

Marion gave in and buzzed Martha.

“Could you get me the mail room, please?” the sales manager asked. “I’ve decided to move my things to that other corner office that Kathryn has been dangling in front of me for a while.”

“Good for you!” The assistant sounded pleased. “I knew she’d reel you in eventually.”

“Well, to tell the truth, I don’t want to sit in the big chair in here, just yet. I want my own space up here.”

“I’ll get right on it.”

Marion logged out of the computer and cleared up the desk before leaving the room. She thought of the conversation she had had with Jonathon Williams. A new start for Julia and her father, and a new office and perhaps a new start for herself.

Things were starting to look up.

*****

Seven looked at her fiancée as she pivoted slowly, showing off the azure blue trouser suit.

“Too colourful?” she asked.

Kathryn was sitting in a chair by the changing booths, and Seven thought the older woman was beginning to realise that she was not going to get back to work today. It had taken Seven all her power of persuasion to convince the CEO to take the day off and go shopping with her. Using the need for some new office attire as an excuse, the blonde had managed to convince Kathryn that she needed her assistance, since she possessed such impeccable taste.

The CEO had given her a glance and stated that she was ‘onto her’ which Seven found humorous since Kathryn had no idea what the blonde had in store for them throughout the day.

“No, you wear that colour well,” Kathryn now said, cocking her head. “Try on the grey one; the one that comes with a skirt.”

Seven wrinkled her nose. “I will disappear in grey. Too bland,” she complained.

“I’m not so sure, darling. Imagine a colourful blouse underneath … Like that one over there? Try that one also.”

Seven followed Kathryn’s hand as the CEO pointed towards a rack over to her right. Pursing her lips she walked over and picked out a deep red silk blouse. She stepped into the changing booth and took off the blue suit that had gone well with her own white shirt. After donning the red blouse and soft grey suit, she checked herself in the mirror before leaving the booth, and was pleased with the result.

Kathryn’s eyes lit up when Seven came out and obediently pivoted again.

“Yes, that one, darling,” the CEO suggested. “And the blue suit. I think you look gorgeous in both of them, so why discriminate?”

“Yes, I think so too,” Seven allowed. “You were right, Kathryn, the grey did not make me look plain.”

To Seven’s amazement, the auburn haired woman tossed her head back and gave a resounding laugh at the younger woman’s comment.

“Plain, Seven? Did you say plain?” Kathryn laughed again. “You couldn’t look plain in a sack cloth, sweetheart.”

Seven’s eyebrows almost left her face at the other woman’s obvious mirth, not quite understanding how a simple statement would encourage such an exaggerated response. Then she glanced at Kathryn and realised that she had not heard her partner laugh in this manner in a long time. Not bothering to consider where they were, she walked up to the other woman and planted a kiss on the auburn hair.

“I love you, Kathryn, but you are quite crazy.”

“Yes, I am,” the CEO readily agreed. “I’m totally crazy about you.”

Seven used one of her credit cards to pay for the clothes and then the two women moved on through the Yellow Rose mall, Kathryn ribbing the blonde in a friendly manner about her adventure inside the structure the previous day. Seven almost expected people to gawk at them but everyone seemed occupied by their own shopping and paid the two women very little attention.

They stopped to look into the windows of Toulaine’s and Seven smiled inwardly when she noticed a team of men fitting what looked like new, armoured glass security doors to the entrance. The guard did a double take, but buzzed them inside.

After passing through the metal detector, Kathryn glanced around the jewellery store with a dawning interest in her even blue-grey eyes.

“I haven’t been to Toulaine’s in quite some time.” Kathryn smiled and did not seem to make the connection with yesterday’s adventure and the store. “Look over there, have you seen the necklaces?”

“Go look at them, I will be right with you,” Seven suggested.

“All right.”

Seven made sure that Kathryn walked over to the far end of the store before she looked around and caught the eye of the shop attendant that had first shown her the watch and then chased her over the mall yesterday.

The woman was busy behind her counter, but lit up with a professional smile when the tall blonde approached her.

“Cathy, can you take over for me?” the woman asked her colleague and directed her attention to Seven. “Ms Hansen, I hope you are all right?” She beamed at the woman.

“I am fine. Thank you for asking. I am here with my fiancée and I want to get this over and done with before she sees what I am doing, or it will ruin the surprise. Where do you want me to sign?”

Within the blink of an eye, the shop attendant had pushed a piece of paper across the counter for Seven to sign and another one for her to write down the text for the inscription on the watch.

“Thank you, ma’am.” The woman gave a broad smile and handed Seven back her credit card. “We’ll have the watch ready in a week for you.”

“Thank you.”

Seven left the counter and looked for Kathryn. To her surprise the other woman was not window shopping for any of the necklaces she had admired just a minute ago. The blonde walked up to her, curious to see what had gotten the CEO’s attention.

“Kathryn?”

The auburn haired woman pivoted on her feet, smiling at her partner as she walked up to her.

“Oh, come and look, Seven! I’m so glad you coerced me into going shopping. I have meant to look at these for some time now and since we’re here …”

Seven regarded Kathryn with widening eyes. There was a joy in the other woman’s eyes that she had not seen in a long time. The blonde knew that her fiancée would rather be back at the office dealing with the situation at hand but that she had conceded to taking the day off to please Seven. Now there was something more, a spark that held promise for the rest of the day.

“What are you looking at?”

Kathryn pulled the blonde with her to the counter, pointing towards a tray of rings just beneath the glass.

“Look at these. Aren’t they beautiful?”

Seven looked at her partner, tears burning behind her eyelids.

“Oh, Kathryn,” she exhaled, “those are wedding rings.”

*****

Richard Eric Avery Reymers looked at his lawyer with disdain.

“You must be mistaken,” he spat. “You have to try again, Max. He can’t do this to me!”

Max Darrel looked decidedly uncomfortable and looked over at his assistant. The paralegal seemed just as pained.

“We have made a number of phone calls as well as written emails and letters to your father, Eric,” the seasoned lawyer tried explaining again. “After the initial attempts to contact him, he has refused to communicate with us.”

“But he must be aware of the conspiracy against me,” Avery insisted. “He must have seen it on TV, read it in the paper, how these women tried to …”

“Eric, we’ve been through this,” Max, tried to calm his client, “and you know that the ADA is putting together a more or less watertight case against you. We can’t fight the facts in this case and you know that my entire staff is working on trying to find something to hang a defence on.”

“What do you mean, something? If you got hold of my father, he would take care of this with one, single phone call! Your people can’t have explained the whole truth to him. You have to try again.”

The attorney leaned back in his chair and rubbed the back of his neck. When Eric Avery became this way, it eventually led to headaches for him and his staff.

“I will, of course, keep trying to get in touch with Mr Reymers, if you insist, but I have to be blunt with you, the trial is approaching and …”

“And you will do as I say. My father will sort this out.”

“All right, Eric. We’ll talk again before the weekend. Try to get some rest.”

Avery nodded reluctantly when the two men rose and grabbed their briefcases. Max knew that it would not matter how many times they tried reaching Sebastian Reymers. The man held a unique, powerful position in the corporate world and if he did not want to be involved, he would make sure that nobody could reach him.

The two men stepped out of the cell and both drew a long breath.

“Is he going off the deep end or is it just me?” the paralegal asked, shaking his head.

“No, but he suffers from two delusions. He thinks his father can save him from this.”

“That’s one, what’s the other?”

Max motioned for the prison guard to open the door for them.

“He is also under the impression that his father cares.”

*****

The phone in Phoebe’s pocket rang and made her jump where she stood at the top of her ladder, painting. Putting the brush between her teeth, she felt in her jeans for the phone, pulled it out, and flipped it open.

Managing to pull the brush from her teeth without falling off the ladder, she impatiently answered.

“Who ever this is; are you trying to kill me?”

“Phoebe? What’s wrong?” Adriana asked at the other end.

“Oh, hi, it’s you. Well, let me climb down. Just a second.” The artist carefully climbed down the ladder, making sure she did not miss a step or drop the phone. “Okay, I’m down.”

“Goodness, are you all right?”

“Sure, I am. I was just rather high up when you called.”

There was a moment of silence before Adriana spoke again.

“Not on the very tall ladder?” The DA’s voice was filled with what sounded like horror. “Oh, God.”

“Yup, on the very tall one, but I’m on the floor now. What’s up?” She put the brush in a jar of turpentine.

“Nothing, really. I’ve just come back to the office after some meetings, one with your sister, by the way. I went in the back door, so that’s why I missed you. I just wanted to say hello.”

There was an unusual vulnerability to Adriana’s voice, which made Phoebe press the cell phone closer to her ear.

“I’m glad you called.” Phoebe’s voice was soft. “I know we saw each other last night, but … and this is going to sound awfully corny, but I miss you.”

“Oh, Phoebe,” the ADA sighed. “I wish this case was over and done with. I really do.”

“Believe me, so do I. This ‘waiting and seeing’ agreement goes against every fibre in my body. It’s damn unnatural!”

“Patience is unnatural?” Adriana laughed.

“Yes, and highly overrated, if you ask me. I think that sometimes life requires that you exercise patience, but it is an unnatural occurrence which I strongly advise against unless it’s a matter of life and death.”

“Like now, with us?”

Phoebe smiled and sat down on her toolbox. “Like now.”

“So …” Adriana cleared her throat gently. “Does this mean that I can hope for a very impatient, unrestrained Phoebe once this is all over?”

Suddenly short of breath, the artist closed her eyes briefly. A mischievous smile spread on her lips. “It depends on how much impatience you can handle. I wouldn’t want to overwhelm you.”

“What if I want to be overwhelmed?”

Her heart hamming in her chest, Phoebe bit her lower lip at the faint sultriness in Adriana’s voice.

“You realise that I’m in a very public place?”

“Is that a problem?” the ADA teased.

“It’s close to disastrous. I’m sitting here blushing and there is a hundred people passing me by right now.”

The spontaneous laughter at the other end was a surprise and music to Phoebe’s ears. It was also quite infectious and the artist found herself joining Adriana in her mirth.

“I hope we will be able to meet soon,” the ADA said when they had calmed down. “I like spending time with you.”

“I hope so too. In fact, I can’t wait,” Phoebe confessed. “Maybe some time during the weekend. We could either eat out of have dinner with Kathryn and Seven.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”

“Okay.”

They said goodbye and Phoebe snapped her cell phone closed. For Adriana to be flirtatious, playful even, was a nice surprise. She gazed up at the painting that was taking form on the large wall. Something caught her eyes and Phoebe tucked the phone into her pocket and began climbing the ladder again. She scrutinised her motif and then started laughing to herself. Phoebe debated if she should change what she was looking at but then decided to leave it be.

All things considered, she found the unexpected deviation from the original motif rather appropriate.

*****

“Are you going to fill me in on where we are going, Seven?” Janeway grumbled half jokingly. “I have taken several hours off work now and it has been wonderful, but we should get something to eat and …”

“Marion is covering for you and you have called her twice to check on things. She assured you on both occasions that nothing new or major has come up.”

“But where are we going then? Why are we driving out of town?”

“Because we are going to do just what you want; we are going somewhere to eat.”

Seven had insisted on driving when they left the mall and taken the interstate, leaving the buzzing city behind them. They were not driving towards Brimmerton, so Janeway had no clue as to where the blonde meant to take her.

“Well, I’m hungry,” the CEO huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “Will we be there soon?”

Seven gave her a glance that spoke volumes and Janeway had to make a face at her choice of words. Her fiancée had an annoying habit of being right all the time, lately.

After another ten minutes of driving, Seven pulled off the interstate and drove among billowing fields and small clusters of woods. The scenery was beautiful, but Janeway found it hard to wind down enough to focus on her surroundings. As long as they have kept busy in the mall, she had enjoyed herself but now she was mentally tapping her foot again, eager to get back to Stellar. When the other woman took a left turn and drove down a dirt road through some woods, the CEO’s first reaction was relief that they had reached wherever Seven intended to take her.

The forest opened up into a small clearing that was right next to a creek. Trees surrounded them on three sides and the water rushed rapidly by on the fourth.

Janeway stepped out of the car and looked around. She found that the tranquillity of the place was like fingernails against her skin. She had no idea why this was getting to her. Trying to avoid her mood becoming too obvious, the CEO gave Seven a smile.

“How did you know about this place?”

“Josh brought me here,” Seven replied, surprising her.

“Josh? When?”

“During his visit just before we took off to Raven’s Island. He is thinking of buying this piece of land from his future father-in-law and he wanted me to see it. His girlfriend comes from this area and is very fond of it, so Josh thought it would be nice to have a cottage her.”

“It’s a very beautiful place.” Janeway counted to ten to slow herself down. “Can we go eat somewhere now?”

Seven did not answer right away; instead the blonde studied her fiancée closely. After letting her knuckles brush along Janeway’s jaw line, she smiled faintly.

“I can do better than that.”

With long, determined strides, the blonde walked back to the small trunk of the car. Opening it, she pulled out a cooler bag and a quilt.

Janeway’s heart melted and tears welled up in her eyes. The sight of the Seven standing there, with a hopeful expression in her eyes at the revelation of her surprise made the older woman lose her breath.

Feeling some of the edgy impatience dissipate, she walked up to Seven, she took the soft quilt from her and placed a quick kiss on her full lips.

“Let me help you with that, darling,” she said, her voice soft. “You’ve gone to so quite a lot of trouble, haven’t you? When did you hide this in the car?”

“Martha helped me order it and she stashed it in the car for me while I went to get you. The quilt is new too.”

“So I see. It’s pretty.”

They arranged the quilt on the ground and Janeway sat down, reaching for Seven to join her. All of a sudden the auburn haired woman had forgotten about the food; all she could think of was holding the blonde in her arms.

Seven sat down next to Janeway and turned to open the cooler when the auburn haired woman pulled her close, hiding her face against the leonine neck. Inhaling the soft scent of the soap Seven favoured, she let her heartbeat and her breathing calm down before she spoke.

“I don’t deserve you, darling,” she finally managed. “You know me better than I know myself and I … I seem to constantly underestimate you. Forgive me?”

“There is nothing to forgive. We are dealing with everything that has happened in the best way we know how. You have been under tremendous stress the last few days. The board meeting yesterday where your entire future was at stake did not help.” Seven kissed the top of Janeway’s head.

“I still should trust you when you’re trying to do something helpful for me. It’s just that when I feel there is so much to do; relaxation is the furthest thing from my mind – in fact, it can sometimes stress me out even more than if I can roll up my sleeves and just keep working.

“I know this, Kathryn, but I took the liberty of discussing it with Martha and we both agreed that Marion could handle the routine business. She would call you in an instant, if something urgent came up. You trust Marion, do you not?”

Janeway looked at the blonde who studied so carefully.

“Yes, these days I trust Marion implicitly. She has proven her loyalty and I know she’s able to handle everything just fine.”

“Then, this is good for you. For us, Kathryn,” Seven assured her, an almost pleading expression in her eyes. “If we do not get through this experience together, as a couple, I am afraid for our future. I need you very much and I know you need me as well.”

“Probably even more,” Janeway confessed, her voice fading. “Oh, god, Seven, I don’t think you realise how much I need you.”

The blonde pulled the other woman close as she lay down on the quilt, one hand tangling in the auburn hair, the other one firmly pressed into the small of the her partner’s back. Pressing her lips onto Janeway’s, Seven kissed her over and over, parting the wine red lips under hers.

Janeway’s head was spinning and she was at Seven’s mercy, not able to do anything but experience the raging emotions at the assault against her senses.

After Seven had kissed her senseless, the older woman tried to pull back a little so she could speak. “Darling, we’re out in the open … anyone can come by … Seven …”

“Nobody will come.” Seven placed open mouth kisses along Janeway’s neck, working her way up to the other woman’s quivering lips. “Open your mouth …” she whispered.

“We can’t … not here.”

“Yes, we can, Kathryn; you need this, you need me. And I … I want you … now …”

The blonde slipped her tongue inside Janeway’s mouth, caressing and exploring it with an unyielding passion. Pushing the older woman’s shirt up, accidentally dislodging two buttons in the process, the younger woman seemed eager to reach the softness of Janeway’s breast.

“God, I want to … I do,” Janeway moaned. “I want to surrender to this, ‘cause you’re driving me crazy … but I can’t …”

The blonde leaned over her, undoing the remaining button on Janeway’s shirt.

“Entrust yourself to me, Kathryn,” she husked, her blue eyes filled with desire. “Give in to your feelings. You want this.”

Simply nudging the bra up, Seven reached her objective. Leaving Janeway’s swollen lips, the blonde moved down and cupping the other woman’s left breast she lowered her mouth to it, sucking it and biting it gently. Janeway arched her back, everything inside her on fire, moaning her fiancée’s name out loud.

“Yes, Seven, oh yes.” Janeway surrendered with a whimper. “Don’t … don’t stop.”

Straddling the smaller woman’s body, Seven devoted her attention to the two soft orbs that soon ached and throbbed almost unbearably. Seven bit down on a nipple raw from the treatment she had just given it and pulled it up, not letting go of it until Janeway was sobbing out loud.

When her over indulged breasts could not take any more, Seven moved down, opening the button and the zipper of Janeway’s slacks, pulling them down and off, together with her shoes. Then she suddenly stopped, looking up at her lover with narrowing eyes.

“Tell me what you want,” the blonde demanded gently.

“Seven …” Janeway’s voice was hardly audible.

“Tell me.”

“I want you.”

“Yes, I know. But what do you want me to do to you? You have to tell me.”

Janeway could not quite believe how stern Seven was acting and it sent thrills down her spine as she tried to put words to her desire, feeling utterly flustered.

“I need you to touch me, to make me yours,” she managed, her voice trembling as she looked up the blonde goddess now kneeling between her thighs. “I love everything you do to me, with me … I need you to take command and do whatever you want with me … whatever you desire … I’m yours …” A muted sob broke free from the Janeway’s throat at the end of her answer.

Seven only nodded. Wordlessly she pushed the slender legs wide apart and upwards. “Hold on to your knees,” she instructed and the older woman complied as she had no intention of denying Seven anything. Sweat broke out all over her body and she was trembling.

The blonde leaned down and parted Janeway’s slick folds, coaxing the nubbin out of its hood and then began to lick it in long languid strokes. The hot tongue against her most sensitive part made Janeway pull her knees closer to her chest and could not help but moan out loud. She began an involuntary undulation against the full lips devouring her, wanting more, needing release badly.

Strong hands held on to her hips, keeping her still as they caressed her bottom, squeezing it together and pressing it apart. The skilled tongue now found her entrance and speared inside her, lapping at the moisture flooding freely between Janeway’s legs. Seven’s fingers gathered some of the moisture and spread it further down, dangerously close to the puckered, untouched area below.

Janeway stiffened, her feelings and her desire flooding her as Seven began to caress the zone that had never been touched by anyone else.

“No,” Janeway moaned and wriggled on the quilt, as if trying to move away. “Oh, god, Seven … no … no one’s ever …”

“Allow me,” Seven murmured against the drenched folds. It was more a request than a plea.

Locking her mouth onto the other woman’s sex she flicked her tongue over it, sometimes penetrating her lover, sometimes sucking the engorged nubbin into her mouth. The busy fingers had now bathed the puckered orifice with enough moisture to begin caressing it more firmly. Janeway wanted to object, but the feeling was so good and the sensations it created drove her insane with desire.

“I will not hurt you.” With that promise, Janeway felt Seven’s gentle, but insistent, fingers start to massage her there. She tensed and felt small convulsions begin rippling inside her at the unexpected sensation. Seven moved her other hand into position and let several fingers enter her lover’s vagina. With strong, steady motions, she took the older woman thoroughly, not leaving room for doubt regarding who was in control in this instant.

The penetration seemed to fill her to the brim. Together, with the massage around her anus and the onslaught of the blonde’s mouth on her throbbing clit, causing Janeway to fall over the precipice and tumble down into an abyss that she had never experienced before.

Convulsing against the other woman, her inner muscles clenched the intruding fingers. Janeway gave a drawn-out cry, her voice husky with desire. Wanting to feel Seven’s arms around her, she reached down and tried to pull the young woman closer. Seven carefully removed her mouth and her hands and aligned herself with her fiancée, kissing her temple as she held her tight.

“Seven,” Janeway sobbed. “Oh, darling, I can’t believe what just happened. You …”

“I made love to you. I made you mine.”

Hiding her face, the auburn haired woman tried to catch her breath. “Yes … yes, you did. How did you know that I needed you to … that touching me like that would ...”

“You were quite vocal,” Seven teased in a tender voice. “I saw a flock of birds leave the trees.”

“Seven!” The older woman blushed deeply.

The blonde kissed her again and rocked her gently, soothing the electrified nerve endings in her lover’s body that still tingled in the aftermath of the fierce lovemaking.

The sun broke through the trees and warmed them both as they were lying on the quilt. The two women exchanged kisses and murmured terms of endearment to each other until Janeway began to shiver.

A moment later Janeway felt Seven button her shirt. When she felt the other woman move away she glanced up and saw that she was fetching the rest of Janeway’s clothes.

Wordlessly, Seven helped her into her underwear and slacks. Reaching into the cooler the blonde took out several wet wipes and cleaned her hands. Handing one over to Janeway, she gave her fiancée a bright smile.

“I imagine you must be starving now,” Seven said.

“You’re correct,” the CEO exhaled and wiped her hands. “I can’t wait to see what’s in that cooler. But what ever it is, it can’t be better than what you just gave me.”

“Oh, I think I have something that can almost match it,” the younger woman said mysteriously and presented a thermos that was attached to the side of the cooler. She unscrewed the top that could be used as a mug and then the cork; the scent of steaming, black coffee hitting Janeway’s nostrils, making her eyes widen.

“Oh, darling, you read my mind,” Janeway grinned.

Seven wrinkled her nose and the look on the blonde’s face made Janeway laugh out loud. The happy sound was interrupted by the cell phone ringing in her jacket pocket.

Winking at Seven, she flipped it open and answered. “Janeway.”

“Kathryn, this is Adriana de Leon. I’m sorry to disturb you on your day off, but I have some news.”

The tone of the other woman’s voice made Janeway and she sent Seven a glance that made the blonde stop her movements unpacking the cooler bag.

“Go on.”

“We have a date, Kathryn. The trial against Avery begins on Monday.”

*****

Continued in "The Seven Women of Raven's Island" - part 8