Ouroboros

[a_libertine]

Xan grinned at her, "Which is why we have never married. If the fact that we find each other century after century isn't proof enough of love, the vows are meaningless in comparison."

Xan so desperately wanted to roll Ana onto her back and take her. He knew his injuries would not allow it and he was not sure the extent of her head trauma.

He settled for cupping her breast and teasing her nipple with the pad of his thumb. "Yes there have been others, especially in the times when I can't find you. And no I have never married, you or otherwise. "

He kissed her, his teeth tugging at her lower lip as his hand and thumb began to toy with her tit in earnest. He paused a moment and said, "Interestingly each of your body's has reacted differently to our love making; meaning, I have to learn over each time how to arouse you."

He rolled her onto her back and held her head still with the hand that left her tit and kissed her deeply, trying to devour her. "The fun bodies have always been the ones that like it rough," he whispered.

 

[slut_in_white]

Ana whimpered softly into his mouth as he toyed with her breast, and gasped at his whispered words about how the fun bodies liked it rough.

"Xan," she murmured in soft protest, "we're hardly alone here..." But she found that she cared less and less about what others thought, while her desire for him only grew. Her mind went back to the options he'd presented for how they could stay together...

Even if she did manage to get tranafered to Paris - which was already a big enough "if" - they would be kept apart for however long the doctors caring for Xan deemed necessary. She couldn't abide being kept from him for longer than she absolutely had to. And so, despite the fact that she would never have considered desertion an option before...

"You... You said we could run away," she said softly. "We could escape together. I don't want them to keep me from you. So... How would we do this? How do we run away together?" Her heart was beating out of her chest from her nerves. She was giving up everything for a man she'd just met. And yet, she couldn't regret it. She wanted nothing else.

 

[a_libertine]

Xan watched Ana, she certainly was all in this time around. "Okay," he said. "Yes we can do it by getting to Switzerland, and hope like hell the Nazi's lose the war. If they win, no where will be safe. Needless to say crossing Bavaria will be tough with three armies in the way."

He trailed his right hand down Ana's torso, between her breasts which were large, almost the largest she had through the years. Not counting Trixie and Helga. Helga would never count again. When Xan had met Helga she weighed every bit of 140 kilos, and did not wear the weight well at all. It had taken three years for for to lose weight down to 75 kilos or so. Life was too short, he thought, to spend it breathless.

"How is your running anyway?"

 

[slut_in_white]

Ana blushed at the question and looked down at her breasts. "Erm. They make things rather difficult... I think I could manage if I had a chance to bind them before we go." She couldn't help the pleased little smile that appeared on her face as he trailed his hand between them. She trembled a little, unaccustomed to feeling the touch of another there.

She could see his surprise that she wanted to escape with him already. In truth, it was as much because she wanted to escape her home as it was because she wanted to be with him. To say that her father was controlling was an understatement, and she was afraid he might try to seek her out if she disappeared. "Xan... I have to warn you. My father... He might try to come after us." She leaned into him, shuddering. "He would be... angry that I abandoned him and his plans for me. We'll have to be careful."

 

[a_libertine]

That gave Xan a pause. He looked her in the eyes and asked, "Why would he hunt you down and what plans does he have for you?"

He knew there were ways around anything her father may have planned for her. From a flat out disappearance, to staging her death, and his murder wasn't necessarily out of the question if needed. There was already untold thousands of deaths already on his hands, what would be one more? Little indeed.

 

[slut_in_white]

Ana shrugged, unable to meet Xan's eyes. He was protective of her, that much was clear, and she could see a tempest under his calm exterior that she didn't want to unleash. "He... He's rather single-minded, and he treats all of his children as though he owns us and every decision we make. I cannot lie - I requested that I be sent to France instead of working in a hospital at home, so that I might free myself from his influence, even if it was only for a while. I don't know that he would come after us. He may simply rage uselessly about how I have abandoned him and fled from his reach. He is not omnipotent, but he has influence within the English army. What I fear most is that he may claim I have been kidnapped, and have you labelled as some sort of criminal or predator..."

 

[a_libertine]

Xan laid his head down, and murmured, "Well, I am those things, and much more."

He finally settled on a plan, "Can you get my transferred delayed two days? By then I will be healthy enough. My concern then will be your ability to run if needed. I want you to start exercising, jog around the hospital, preferably up and down the stairs, work up your fitness and endurance."

He tilted her head so that she could look him in the eye. "I will get on the next transport to Paris, and free myself from the constraints of gurther military service. Once that is done, I will come back for you. Maybe two weeks, so you have to work hard at it."

He patted her full tit fondly, "Don't worry about these, they will be just fine."

It wasn't a moment or two later that Xan fell asleep. One arm cradled under her neck, the other draped across her torso, holding her side.

 

[slut_in_white]

You have to work hard at it.

Ana nodded resolutely, her heart pounding with excitement. "I will, I promise."

After Xan fell asleep, she allowed herself to stay in bed with him for a little while, but she couldn't fall asleep with him. She'd cause a scandal doing that and end their escape plan before it had started. Once she felt herself unable to hold her eyes open any longer, she extricated herself from Xan's arms, being careful not to wake him, pressed a soft kiss to his forehead, and then crawled into the bed next door that he had vacated. She couldn't deny the disappointment that nagged at her at being unable to sleep with him, but she took solace in the fact that his bed smelled like him, and fell asleep with a corner of the blanket pressed up to her face.

 

[a_libertine]

Xan woke two hours before the sun rose, his eyes snapping wide open as he sat up. He grunted in vague disappointment that he was alone in the bed and opened the curtain and looked at his bed and saw her curled up in it.

Standing he went to the restroom and inspected his torso. The damage was healing nicely and he knew within a week would be fully healed. As it was, in a day or two he would be able to fight well enough. He washed up, and pulled the tattered clothes that he had been wearing back on then walked back into the ward.

Stopping at his bed, he lifted Ana from his bed and placed her back in her makeshift four poster bed. He kissed her on the forehead then walked to the nurses desk. "Where can I get some breakfast?"

The nurse blinked at him in surprise. "Uh, the mess is downstairs on the first floor."

Xan turned and headed downstairs. Once he arrived at the mess he ate heartily and returned to the ward, where he sat next to Ana until she woke.

 

[slut_in_white]

Ana slept for hours. She had worked herself to the brink of exhaustion over the past week, and she needed to catch up on her rest. She didn't even stir when Xan picked her up and moved her into her own bed.

She dreamed of Xan again, but it wasn't as coherent as last time. Flashes of imagery, impressions of emotion. A child with his eyes. Blue water, edged in green. Heat. Love.

She woke slowly, yawning and rubbing her eyes. Her heart did a somersault in her chest at the sight of Xan sitting at the edge of the bed. Part of her had wondered if she'd somehow imagined it, this strange, intense connection she felt. It seemed that, no matter how long it had taken her previous selves to remember, her heart had recalled him almost as soon as she saw him this time.

"Good morning," she greeted softly, smiling at him.

 

[a_libertine]

Xan smiled as she woke, "Good morning to you."

He stood up and walked over to her. Cupping her face in his hands, he tilted her so he could kiss her gently on the lips. "The food in the mess downstairs is somewhat less than good, but it serves the purpose."

He sat on the bed next to her and placed his hand on her thigh, closer to her crotch than her knee. He kneaded her thigh firmly as he looked at her. "You look better today than yesterday. You need to begin your exercises and get into shape, I will do the fighting, but you need to be able to run when instructed to do so."

He looked across the ward, then back to Ana, "When your doctor sees me today, he will send me to Paris. I will go, but I will be back in less than two weeks. Try to remember as much as you can, Ana. The more you remember the safer you will be."

 

[slut_in_white]

Ana listened carefully to Xan's instructions, nodding. Her chest constricted slightly at the thought of him being sent to Paris without her, and she couldn't stop the fear from settling into her heart: what if he never came back? She had no doubt that he wouldn't willingly abandon her, but that would not prevent others from trying to stop him. What if they found out what he was, what he was capable of doing?

It was paranoid. She knew that. But that didn't stop the fear from gnawing at her, no matter how she tried to ignore it. She leaned into him, grateful for his touch on her leg. "I promise I'll practice every day until you come back." She grabbed his free hand and clung to it. Now that he was here, now that she'd caught a glimpse of the potential for a life of freedom and happiness, she was terrified at the thought of losing it.

She looked up at him, and there was concern in his features - surely he could sense her tension. She smiled, slightly unconvincingly. "I'll miss you," she explained lamely. She didn't want to worry him or, worse, make him think her weak or foolish.

 

[a_libertine]

Xan nodded, "I know, but know that I will come back for you."

He leaned in so he could whisper in her ear, "And if you are still wanting to desert at that time, we will go. If you want to stay and help those that need it, we will stay."

~*~*~*~

The deck of the schooner pitched and rolled beneath Xan as he waived a farewell to Prudence. Life as a pirate has been productive, and profitable, Xan thought. One last trip out, a little more wealth then he and Prudence could leave. He wasn't sure yet where they would go, life as outlaws while fun became notorious after a time, and he was wanted in at least three countries in Europe, not least of which was Great Britain.

Rumor had it that there was a Spanish galleon heading back to Europe so full of gold and silver that the ship was so low in the water that the portholes had been boarded, and pitched over to keep the water out.

Xan doubted that greatly, but even so, if it held 20 percent of that weight, it was well worth trying to chase her down. His cut as First Mate would ensure a comfortable life for he and Prudence.

As they lost sight of Jamaica, he decided, France. They would go to France.

~*~*~*~

Xan's eyes focused on Ana again and he smiled, "It will work."

He heard the doctor coming and looked at her, "Well back to work for you, and Paris for me."

 

[slut_in_white]

Ana offered Xan a gentle smile, still nervous, but more relaxed than before. She leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to his lips, then stood up as the doctor walked into the room.

"Ana, let me take a look at your head."

She nodded and stood still while the doctor lifted the gauze that was pressed over her injury. He inspected it, nodding to himself a few times, and then said, "You look well. Are you feeling well enough to return to work?"

Ana nodded. "Certainly." She needed the distraction while Xan was gone. Funny how quickly her life had changed with his arrival...

And with that, she was sent off to get changed and start her next shift. She realized quickly that she should have been getting more sleep before - she was much more effective as a nurse when her mind was sharp. She still worked herself to the bone over the next few weeks, keeping busy with patients and, when she wasn't working, running around the church, up and down stairs, as often as possible. Frankly, she was shocked at how quickly she improved; she had started barely able to make a circuit of the church without stopping, but within a week she was easily able to complete two without trouble.

The other nurses continued teasing her gently about Xan, asking her how much she missed him, how long it would be before she followed him to Paris. Ana tried to pretend that they were over-thinking things, but the blush that grew on her cheeks at every mention of his name said otherwise.

As the second week came to a close, Ana became filled with nervous energy. Every call of her name, every time someone new came into the hospital, she jumped, expecting it to be Xan. All she knew was that he would be here before the week was out, but she had no idea when, or how.

 

[a_libertine]

~*~*~*~

The clouds on the horizon were ominous and covered the entire span of the easter sky. Xan, and the crew, all knew that it portended ill. They had been searching the Caribbean for three weeks looking for the Spanish galleon that was supposed to be sailing with the gold of several nations.

More and more, they began to think that the rumor was designed to mislead them. The reason why they didn't know, but the crew was beginning to grumble about going back to Jamaica. One more week the captain had said, then they would go home, and while Xan wanted to get back to Jamaica as much, or more, than the rest of the crew, he had the discipline necessary to see the mission through.

It was two days later that the winds began to howl, and the sea bucked and rolled, under the ship, causing water to wash the decks free of anything not lashed down, including some of the crew. Even with the sails up, anchor down, and the nose of the ship pointed into the wind, the gale pushed the ship toward an unknown destination.

~*~*~*~

The truck was loaded with injured soldiers heading to Paris for a full convalescence. Xan sat in the back of the truck watching the church complex grow smaller and smaller as the truck rumbled west. After two days they arrived in Paris, and Xan recovered fully before heading back toward Anna.

He had ditched the uniform that he had taken from a dead American some time ago and donned the clothing of a Frenchman. It was nearly effortless crossing the country side; check points were designed to keep people from going west, not east, and Xan made decent time.

Taking a vehicle was pretty much out of the question, that would have caused far more questions than worth the time it may have saved. It was one day more than two weeks when he arrived at the church. He waited until sunset then worked his way into the building where the nurses were housed.

 

[slut_in_white]

Ana couldn't pretend that she wasn't concerned when the two weeks ended and Xan hadn't shown up. She knew, of course, that it was probably a simple delay. Movement through a wartime wasn't easy, she knew, but that didn't stop her mind from prodding her with thoughts of "what if..."

What if Xan had been captured? What if he was injured?

Her nerves were tied into a knot under her breastbone for the entire day after the end of the second week. She continued her training, but her jumpiness got worse; every sound that could have been construed as Xan's arrival made her look with wide eyes until she realized that it wasn't him after all.

Evening came and Ana withdrew with the other nurses, except those on night shift, into their rooms. She couldn't sleep - her nerves were still jangling - so she stayed up with a candle lit next to her bed, and started reading. She finally manage to calm down, having lost herself in the story of a pirate and his lover. The rest of the nurses dropped off one by one, leaving Ana alone, completely engrossed in her story.

For the first time in a week, she didn't notice the sound of someone approaching, didn't immediately assume that Xan had returned for her, so taken by her book was she. Instead, she simply sat, curled up at the head of the bed, her hair in a loose bun that was falling out, dressed once again in her white night gown. She looked lovely, the candle light dancing on her skin, whisps of dark hair grazing her long neck and framing her face, one of her long, pale legs exposed by the slow riding up of her night gown.

She didn't look up until Xan was right next to her. She started once he entered her field of vision, and looked up to see him, a bright smile lighting up her whole face.

 

[a_libertine]

It was ridiculously easy getting through the perimeter and making his way to Ana. He wasn't challenged once; even Ana wasn't ready for him when he walked out to where she could see him.

~*~*~*~

The hurricane blew itself out eventually, two days of non stop terror. More than once Xan worried that the ship would shudder into splinter's leaving them all to drown. He figured it would take nearly a lifetime for him to swim to shore from where they were, especially when you considered at most he would only be able to swim tops two days at a time.

They headed back to Jamaica, if the Spanish galleon were out here as heavy in gold as rumored, she was at the bottom of the Caribbean but this point. They arrived a few days later, the island having being remade by the hurricane, was nearly unrecognizable. The small town where they had left their loved ones was completely gone, not a trace remained.

While some survivors were found, Xan found no trace of Prudence, and eventually learned that she had been swept to sea by a huge wave.

~*~*~*~

Xan cupped her face, and kissed her deeply. "I missed you too," he whispered. "If we are going, now is the time, the moon is hidden by clouds, so it is as safe as it will ever be. If you want to stay, then I will go find a place for us to stay."

 

[slut_in_white]

Ana nodded vigorously at Xan's suggestion that they leave together. "Yes. Yes I want to go with you," she told him, her voice certain, if quiet.

With a shy smile, she stood and drew two knapsacks out from under her bed. "I, um, packed some things. My own things, and some clothes for you, some food, extra shoes, some soap..." She blushed, realizing that she was babbling. "I just need to change." She pulled an outfit out of the top of her bag, pulling on a pair of trousers she had taken from the stock of uniforms. It was too big for her, despite being the smallest size available, but she cinched it closed with a belt.

Turning her back on him, she went to pull her gown off over her head and paused, realizing that Xan was still looking at her. She opened her mouth to tell him to turn around, but stopped herself, laughing softly. "I suppose it would be silly of me to ask you not to look..." With that, she pulled the gown off over her head and pulled a shirt on in its place, then an army jacket over top, and stuffed her night-gown into her bag. It was only a moment more for her to pull on a pair of socks and boots, and then she stood before him, her bag slung over her shoulder, a wide but slightly-nervous smile on her face. "I'm ready."

 

[a_libertine]

Xan nodded, then reached out for Ana, taking her hand in his. They started down the stairs and were met half way by one of the doctors. "Ana?" he began. Xan stopped any further conversation by chopping the doctor in the throat, cutting off his air supply. Xan snatched the doctor up and carried him down to the landing of the stairs and set him back down. Xan took a moment to rifle through the doctor's pockets and wallet, taking any and all money he could find.

"Let's go," he said as he reached back for Ana. They fled down the stairs and out the back door, heading into the night.

"We have to keep going, through the night and the day tomorrow," Xan said.

He set an easy pace, at least for him, and they jogged into the night.

 

[slut_in_white]

Ana couldn't deny that she was startled by the sight of Xan hitting the doctor. It jogged some memory or another, a similar move, as if she'd seen him do that before. Nothing concrete enough to be called a memory, but if what he had said about her past lives was true, then she should expect such memories to surface eventually. She hoped, anyway.

She did her best to keep up with Xan as they fled into the night. She'd been training, as promised, and while she was not as naturally athletic as Xan seemed to be, she has stamina, and no small amount of strength that had no doubt come of some of the rougher aspects of being a wartime nurse.

Still, by the time the sun was coming up, Ana was getting exhausted. She wasn't accustomed to staying up 24 hours straight, never mind 36. And as well as she had been doing with her training, it had only been two weeks of it.

"Xan," she panted, slowing to a walk. "I don't think I can go much further..."

 

[a_libertine]

Xan nodded and began looking for a place where the two of them could rest in some privacy. Ultimately he decided on a thick hedgerow. They would not be able to have a fire or even have a long conversation of any sort of volume, but it would force them to snuggle together for warmth. Early autumn carried a chill and as they stopped moving the perspiration quickly cooled giving them a chill.

Xan dug into the back pack he carried and pulled some bread and dried meat out for them to eat. His voice was low and soft, "Eat this, you may be several weeks from a real meal, unless you speak Germany with some kind of fluency. "

 

[slut_in_white]

Ana smiled gratefully at Xan and settled into the grove, in the small open space at the center. She laid down her coat and then sat down on it, devouring the food that Xan gave her. She motioned for him to sit, and the curled up on one corner of the coat, leaving Xan enough room to sit with her. She yawned. "I'm exhausted. I'm sorry I couldn't go further. I thought I'd done well with my training..."

 

[a_libertine]

Xan sat and patted Ana ' s thigh affectionately and said, "You did very well morakee." He watched as she consumed her food ravenously. He ate slowly his ears listening for movement outside the hedgerow. Hearing nothing he relaxed a little.

"You should get some sleep, " he said. "I will keep watch while you do. "

He watched her ass she settled into her coat. The swell of her breast flowed downward stacking up on her arm. He wanted to take her then and there. His cock stained against his trousers and grew harder with each of her breaths which caused her tits to rise and fall gently.

When he was sure she was fast asleep he quietly worked his way out of the hedgerow to spot around a little. After an hour he went back, confident that there were no soldiers particularly close by.

She was on her back, hair fanned out around her head like an angelic corona. She was still fast asleep as he settled in. Memories flood his head as he sat watching her. His eyes focused on her magnificent chest .

 

[slut_in_white]

Ana dreamed.

It was the middle of the day, in a small village. It was in the past, because there was no electricity, but she wasn't certain when. She had red hair, this time, and she was shopping for food. There was a ball of nervous excitement in her belly that kept fluttering, and she found herself chatting with the baker to pass the time and calm her nerves.

Soon, though, she could no longer justify taking up more of the man's time, so she began a long, meandering walk home. She was walking near the outskirts of the town, reaching for a flower growing by the side of the path, when someone grabbed her shoukder. She yelped, startled and turned around.

Xan. She was overcome with a mixture of desire and relief, like she hadn't seen her lover for months, or even years. Like she had been worried for him the entire time. She dropped her basket and threw her arms around him, kissing and nipping at every inch of skin she could reach. Xan returned the embrace with as much passion, and they fell together into the long grass just off the road, barely hidden from view but apparently too caught up in each other to care.

She could feel Xan's hands, hot on her skin. She could feel her lust rising, her body warming, the valley between her legs becoming slick and hot.

That was when Ana woke. She sat up suddenly, feeling flushed and aroused. She looked at Xan who was seated next to her, and she reached hesitantly for him, caressing his face. Then, with a soft sigh, she pulled herself into his lap and kissed him softly.

 

[a_libertine]

The fire pf her kiss roared down his throat, an inferno of passion that threatened to scorch the world, reducing everything and everyone not them to ash. His hands raise up, one behind her neck, cupping the nape of her neck, the other clutching her breast and squeezing it firmly.

A moan filled the hedgerow, whether it was hers or his he knew not, but it was low, primal, and animalistic. No, no, no, a part of him hissed at him, it wasn't safe. There was little control of the environment here; they were sitting targets for whomever may come along.

Yet he pressed her back down onto her coat, his body crushing hers down as his tongue pressed into her mouth, stoking his flames even higher. His fingers found her nipple and it's tautness. He pinched it slightly, twisting gently with the pressure.

His fingers twined in her hair, holding her head in place as he broke the kiss. His voice was full of passion, burned by the flames within him, as he whispered, "Not here, not now, it isn't safe."